Explora Journeys has outlined the inaugural deployment of EXPLORA III ahead of the vessel’s maiden voyages commencing on August 3rd, 2026. The programme will focus on Northern Europe, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, and the eastern seaboard of North America, combining extended port stays, overnight calls, and transatlantic passages structured around slower-paced exploration.
The inaugural season begins with voyages from Barcelona to Lisbon before continuing through Scandinavia, the Baltic, Icelandic fjords, and Greenland, eventually crossing the North Atlantic toward the Canadian Maritimes, New England, and Miami. The company stated that the deployment had been designed without repeated itineraries, allowing the vessel to trace a continuous northern route across the season.
Guests sailing aboard EXPLORA III are scheduled to visit destinations including Stockholm, Reykjavík, Québec City, Bergen, Flåm, Riga, and Tallinn, with longer port calls intended to permit deeper engagement with regional culture and landscape. Voyages through Greenland and Iceland will incorporate scenic navigation among glacial coastlines and remote fjord systems shaped by Arctic conditions and long-established maritime communities.
Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys, indicated that the 2026 season had been developed to combine multiple elements of luxury expedition-style travel, including astronomical events, remote navigation, and extended immersion in northern destinations. She further noted that the itineraries had been structured around the company’s “Ocean State of Mind” concept, intended to emphasise time at sea, slower travel rhythms, and closer engagement with the surrounding environment.
The programme will also include a series of destination experiences throughout Scandinavia and North America. In Norway, shore excursions will include electric boat navigation through fjord regions, visits to orchard communities along the Fisterfjord, and ascents near Briksdal Glacier via the Loen Skylift. Canadian itineraries will incorporate hiking, kayaking, and exploration of the Cabot Trail, Magdalen Islands, and Mingan Archipelago, while voyages further south will conclude amid the autumn landscapes of New England and New York.
One of the principal events within the season is scheduled for August 12th, 2026, when the vessel will be positioned to observe a solar eclipse visible from the North Atlantic — the first eclipse of its kind observable from Europe in 27 years. Science presenter Huw James and British astronaut Helen Sharman are expected to join portions of the voyage programme to provide presentations related to astronomy and space exploration. Environmental campaigner Lewis Pugh is also scheduled to sail aboard a Norwegian segment between Bergen and Copenhagen focused on marine conservation themes.
As the first LNG-powered vessel in the Explora Journeys fleet, EXPLORA III incorporates shore power connectivity and energy-efficiency technologies intended to reduce emissions and operational impact while maintaining the line’s luxury standards.
The vessel will also introduce several new onboard concepts, including The Cellar by Explora Journeys, described as the largest wine collection at sea within the fleet, and The Chef’s Table, a collaborative dining venue built around customised tasting menus. Retail offerings aboard will include the return of the Rolex boutique-at-sea concept alongside additional luxury retail partnerships with Cartier, Piaget, and Chopard.
The inaugural season forms part of the wider fleet expansion programme undertaken by Explora Journeys, with EXPLORA III representing the third vessel in the company’s planned 6-ship luxury fleet.