Explora Journeys
Explora Journeys - the luxury cruise brand of MSC Group - has officially confirmed plans to enter the European river cruise market. The company has signed a letter of intent with the Dutch shipyard Den Breejen Shipyard for the construction of the first luxury river vessels.
This means that MSC Group plans to add a new destination to its ocean cruises and bring the Explora Journeys concept to European rivers. Sales of future river itineraries are expected to begin in 2027.
At the same time, the company has not yet announced the launch date of the first ship, the number of liners, their capacity, or specific routes.
Explora Journeys has signed an agreement with Den Breejen Shipyard
Explora Journeys has signed a letter to Den Breejen Shipyard expressing its intent - Letter of Intent. The document provides for preparation for the construction of a fleet of luxury river vessels.
The letter of intent records the parties’ plans, but it does not yet disclose all the terms of the final contract. Therefore, at this stage it would be incorrect to talk about a confirmed number of ships or the exact schedule for their entry into service.
The company said it will publish additional information about the design, outfitting, construction timelines, and routes at a later date.
What is known about upcoming river cruises
Explora Journeys plans to bring its signature concept Ocean State of Mind to European rivers, combining a relaxed travel format, personalized service, a modern European design, and a luxury level of hospitality.
Preliminarily confirmed:
construction will be handled by the Dutch Den Breejen Shipyard;
the project is aimed at the luxury segment;
the ships will be used for cruises on European rivers;
sales are expected to open in 2027;
the design, capacity, and itineraries will be announced separately.
The announcement does not specify which rivers the ships will sail on. Likely destinations may include the Danube, the Rhine, the Main, or other popular European water routes, but the company has not officially confirmed this yet.
What is known about Den Breejen Shipyard
Den Breejen Shipyard - a Dutch shipbuilding company founded in 1947. The shipyard is located in Gardinxveld-Giessendam and specializes in the construction, repair, and refitting of passenger vessels.
Since 2000, one of the company’s main lines of work has been the design and construction of luxury river cruise ships. The shipyard has collaborated with various river cruise operators and has experience creating ships for European waterways.
The choice of a specialized river shipyard indicates that MSC Group considers this project as a separate format, rather than an adaptation of its ocean liners.
Explora Journeys expands beyond sea cruises
Explora Journeys began operations in 2023 as a standalone luxury brand of the MSC Group. The company positions its voyages as an alternative to traditional mass cruising, offering more space, accommodation in suites, personalized service, and longer stays in ports.
The brand’s sea fleet already includes:
EXPLORA I;
EXPLORA II;
EXPLORA III.
EXPLORA III joined the fleet in summer 2026 and became the brand’s first ship that can use liquefied natural gas. Overall, Explora Journeys plans to build a fleet of six ocean ships by 2028.
The river project will become a new line of development for the brand and will give the MSC Group the opportunity to enter a segment where Viking, AmaWaterways, Uniworld, Scenic, Avalon Waterways and other specialized operators are already active.
Large shipping companies are interested in river cruises.
MSC Group’s decision has emerged against the backdrop of increased competition in the luxury river travel market.
Celebrity Cruises, which is part of the Royal Caribbean Group, is already creating its own Celebrity River Cruises direction. Its first ships are set to begin European river cruises in 2027.
Explora Journeys’ launch means that the two largest cruise holding companies in the world will develop river products through their premium-priced segment brands.
For passengers, this could mean:
a wider choice of modern river ships;
the emergence of new luxury itineraries;
the transfer of service standards from ocean brands to rivers;
stronger competition between operators;
new loyalty programs and combined ocean and river trips.
When will it be possible to book the Explora Journeys river cruise?
Explora Journeys plans to open sales for river cruises in 2027. However, this does not mean that the first sailings will necessarily take place in the same year.
Before bookings begin, the company must present:
the names and specifications of the ships;
the number of suites and passenger capacity;
the first itineraries and embarkation ports;
cruise start dates;
a list of included services;
prices and booking terms.
Signing a letter of intent confirms MSC Group’s strategic interest in river cruises, but the project is still at an early stage.
Follow the news on Круїз-Лайф to learn about the first Explora Journeys ships, itineraries on European rivers, and the start of sales for new river cruises.
