Explora Journeys has opened sales for its northern summer 2028 collection, with the season marking the debut of Explora VI and the completion of the line’s six-ship fleet plan. The collection spans 178 destinations across almost 30 countries, giving travellers a wide choice across the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Iceland, Greenland, Alaska, Eastern Canada, the East Coast of the United States and more.
The 2028 programme reflects Explora Journeys’ €3.5 billion (approx. A$5.69 billion) fleet investment. Explora VI bookings are now open with early booking benefits, including preferred rates and first access to selected suites aboard the new ship.
Explora Journeys reaches a major point in 2028 as its six-ship vision becomes a full operating collection. This is a fleet-wide moment, not only the arrival of one new vessel.
Explora Journeys has built its growth story around a six-ship fleet, and the 2028 northern summer collection shows the plan in full. Explora I, II, III, IV, V and VI each receive a clear place in the season. This gives guests more ways to compare regions, routes and ship style before choosing a voyage.
The €3.5 billion investment, around A$5.69 billion, also gives the announcement more weight. It signals a long-term commitment to luxury ocean travel across multiple regions. For travellers, the benefit sits in wider choice, earlier planning and more suite access.
Explora VI will debut in August 2028 and start with a Mediterranean focus. Her planned journey includes Sicily, Sardinia and the French Riviera before heading to the Adriatic. This gives the ship a clear first-season identity built around islands, coastal cities and warm-weather travel.
Image courtesy of Cosmin Gavris
New-ship debuts often attract guests who want early access to preferred suites. Explora Journeys is supporting this with early booking benefits. Travellers who care about suite position, sailing date and first-season timing should review options early.
The collection spans 178 destinations across almost 30 countries. This scale gives Explora Journeys a stronger global presence across Europe, North America and northern routes. Guests who like planning several years ahead gain more room to compare future holidays within one brand.
This also helps repeat travellers. A guest might choose Alaska in one season, the Mediterranean in another and Iceland or Greenland later. A six-ship fleet makes this kind of long-range planning easier to map.
The 2028 collection is easier to understand when viewed by ship role. Each vessel supports a different regional story, which helps travellers narrow the choice before looking at dates and suites.
Image courtesy of BLACK POCKET
From April through October, Explora I will visit six countries and 25 Mediterranean destinations. This gives the ship a broad season across one of cruising’s strongest warm-weather regions. Guests will find coastal cities, island calls and cultural ports across several months.
Timing matters in the Mediterranean. Spring and autumn often suit travellers who prefer mild weather and fewer crowds. Summer fits guests who want a more social, sun-focused holiday.
Explora II will explore the Western Mediterranean, North Africa and the French and Italian Rivieras. This route mix brings together coastlines, food culture, city access and regional contrast. North Africa adds another layer for guests who want more variety from a Mediterranean season.
This ship role suits travellers building a wider European trip. Guests might add time in a major city before or after the cruise. The sailing then becomes the centre of a longer regional holiday.
Explora III will return to Alaska from late spring through September and navigate 20 destinations across the USA and Canada. This gives the collection a strong North American scenic focus. Alaska brings glaciers, coastal communities, wildlife interest and long viewing days from the ship.
For travellers comparing Alaska options, ship style and timing deserve close review. Explora III gives the region a luxury ocean option within a broader 2028 collection. It also works well for guests planning extra land travel in Canada or the United States.
Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, Iceland and Greenland give the collection a cooler-climate counterpoint. These routes suit travellers who value landscapes, daylight, maritime cities and less familiar coastlines.
Explora IV will sail Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea between late spring and October. This region suits guests drawn to coastal capitals, maritime history and city-led itineraries. The Baltic also gives the season a different tone from Mediterranean island and Riviera routes.
The travel window gives guests several seasonal choices. Early and late departures often suit cooler-weather travellers. Mid-season dates support longer days and more active port time.
Explora V will traverse the Norwegian fjords and the North Atlantic before reaching Iceland and Greenland. This route feels more landscape-led, with fjords, remote shores and northern scenery shaping the journey. It speaks to travellers who want a quieter and more nature-focused voyage.
Image courtesy of Lars Bugge Aarset
The route also gives the ship a strong sense of movement. Rather than staying within one familiar cruise region, Explora V links Northern Europe with the North Atlantic. This creates a more adventurous tone while keeping the brand’s luxury ocean style.
Explora Journeys will overnight in New York City, Reykjavik and Istanbul. Overnight stays matter because guests gain evening time, slower dining plans and more space for cultural experiences ashore. They also reduce the rushed feeling of a short daytime call.
Each city plays a different role. New York City gives the collection a major urban anchor. Reykjavik supports Iceland-focused travel, while Istanbul brings a strong historic and cultural setting between Europe and Asia.
The collection includes maiden calls to remote island retreats such as Korcula and the Faroe Islands. These calls give the 2028 programme more distinction for repeat cruisers and early planners.
Korcula gives the Adriatic portion of the collection a more intimate island setting. It appeals to travellers who want coastlines, local culture and smaller-scale ports beyond major city names. This helps the Adriatic feel more textured across the season.
For guests watching Explora VI, this matters. Her route through Sicily, Sardinia, the French Riviera and the Adriatic needs both headline ports and quieter island moments. Korcula helps balance those elements.
The Faroe Islands add a remote northern element to the collection. Travellers drawn to rugged scenery, cooler weather and less common cruise calls will likely notice this detail. The islands sit well beside Iceland, Greenland and North Atlantic routing.
Remote calls help a luxury voyage feel more specific. Guests often want destinations with stronger identity and fewer repeated patterns. The Faroe Islands give the northern programme a sharper sense of place.
Maiden calls and new-ship sailings often draw early interest. Guests who want a specific suite, route or date should compare choices while availability is broader. This is especially relevant for Explora VI because her debut gives the season a central talking point.
Early booking benefits add another reason to plan now. Guests gain preferred rates and the first opportunity to secure selected Explora VI suites. Explora VI bookings should be reviewed beside itinerary, ship role and travel timing.
The S.W. Black Travel Cruise Finder is a useful place to compare Explora Journeys sailings, regions, ships and dates. It gives travellers a clearer starting point before reviewing suites, route timing, overnight stays and early booking benefits with a cruise adviser.
If Explora’s 2028 collection has caught your attention, visit the Cruise Finder to begin narrowing your options. A strong luxury cruise plan starts with the right region, ship, suite and journey style.
Explora Journeys’ northern summer 2028 collection marks a major fleet moment. The season completes the brand’s six-ship vision, introduces Explora VI, spans 178 destinations across almost 30 countries and places each ship into a clear regional role. It also brings overnight stays in New York City, Reykjavik and Istanbul, plus maiden calls to Korcula and the Faroe Islands.
For travellers, the best next step is to choose the region and ship first, then compare suite options, travel dates and early booking benefits. Explora’s 2028 season offers scale, but careful planning keeps the choice clear. To compare Explora Journeys options with expert support, speak with the S.W. Black Travel team and start planning a 2028 journey shaped around your preferred pace and destination style.