Explora Journeys Takes Delivery of Explora III, Confirms Alaska and Asia Debuts
MSC's ultra-luxury arm took delivery of EXPLORA III in Genoa, its third LNG-powered ship and the largest in the fleet so far, putting the brand at the halfway point of a planned six-ship build. The ship begins sailing Northern Europe, Iceland, Greenland and North America this season. More significant for forward bookings: Explora confirmed its first-ever Alaska season for 2027 and an Asia debut for 2028, giving advisors two new destination categories to start pitching now, well ahead of departure. With three ships in service, Explora has enough scale to run overlapping seasonal deployments rather than a single itinerary rotation, widening the sales conversation beyond the Mediterranean and transatlantic sailings that have defined the brand's first two years.
Regent's 35th Anniversary Sale Carries an August 31 Deadline
Regent Seven Seas is marking 35 years of ultra-luxury cruising with an Anniversary Collection pairing savings of up to 35% with a $350 per-suite shipboard credit — but only for reservations made by August 31. The promotion doubles as a launch vehicle for Regent's new Seven Seas Prestige class, with additional Prestige-class ships planned through 2036, giving advisors a new ship category to build into future pitches alongside the near-term incentive. For clients weighing a booking now, the combination of a quantified discount, a real credit and a firm cutoff is a rare case this summer of an offer advisors can urge clients to act on immediately rather than sometime later this year.
Silversea Doubles Down With Culinary and Golf Product Lines
Silversea launched two distinct product lines in the same stretch. Its first S.A.L.T. Culinary Voyages collection puts seven dated European sailings on Silver Dawn and Silver Spirit between August 27 and October 25, each built around exclusive access — private port-blending in the Douro Valley, a Michelin chef-led lunch in Bordeaux, a truffle hunt at Château Royal de Cazeneuve — timed to the autumn grape harvest. Separately, a new partnership with PerryGolf bundles green fees, transfers and equipment handling into all-inclusive fares for Southampton, Barcelona and Sydney–Auckland sailings starting in 2027. Together the two launches show Silversea building sellable niches at both ends of the calendar: culinary voyages advisors can book for departures weeks away, and a golf product to seed with high-net-worth clients now ahead of a 2027 decision.
Historic Hurtigruten Ship Nordstjernen Cancels Call After Shipyard Collision
The 104-passenger Arctic and Svalbard vessel Nordstjernen sustained a 25cm hull breach during shipyard work in Gdańsk and has cancelled its August 10 call at Lerwick while repairs continue. Advisors with clients booked on this ship's Arctic sailings should expect further itinerary adjustments as the repair timeline plays out, and should flag the possibility of port substitutions or schedule shifts when confirming upcoming departures. Details on the extent of damage and a return-to-service date remain limited, but the incident is worth monitoring closely given the vessel's specialized role in Arctic and Svalbard programming and the narrow window before its next scheduled calls.