Explora Journeys has entered into a letter of intent with Netherlands-based Den Breejen Shipyard for the construction of new luxury river cruise ships for the European market.
The agreement marks the planned entry of MSC Cruises' luxury brand focused on ocean travel into river cruising.
Explora Journeys plans to open sales for the new offering in 2027, although it has not announced when operations will begin.
The company did not disclose the number of vessels covered by the letter of intent. Ship designs, onboard facilities, handover timing and first itineraries will be announced later, it said in a statement.
Explora Journeys said it intends to apply its existing approach to hospitality and European design to voyages on the continent’s rivers, though the announcement did not identify any waterways, ports or destinations under consideration.
Den Breejen has experience building vessels for the European river-cruise sector.
The yard built the 135-metre Emerald Luna, which accommodates 182 guests and operates primarily on the Rhine, Main and Danube. The vessel was delivered for Emerald Cruises’ European itineraries, but its specifications do not indicate the design or capacity of the planned Explora ships.
The river project will proceed alongside Explora Journeys’ continuing ocean fleet expansion. The company took delivery of the 900-guest ship Explora III in July, bringing three of its planned six ocean ships into service.
