Ocean State of Mind

As the lines between the hotel and cruise sectors continue to blur, Explora Journeys CEO Michael Ungerer reveals why MSC is launching a new brand that is more akin to a boutique resort than a ship.

Words: Ben Thomas

For decades, the worlds of hotel and cruise ship co-existed with little commonality; the space planning, design and development of each were considered entirely different realms. In recent years however, the two sectors have converged, opening up new ways of thinking that recognise how the principles of one speciality can be applied to the other to create an altogether better product, and ultimately a memorable guest experience. Consequently, more and more cruise lines are taking cues from the hotel community to bring a new aesthetic to their vessels.

Such was the case for MSC Group when it set about entering the ultra-luxury cruise market with Explora Journeys – a new brand that aims to “reinvent the classic cruise experience for the next generation of traveller” according to CEO Michael Ungerer, whose hospitality background aligns with the vision of owner

Pierfrancesco Vago, his wife Alexa Aponte Vago and the Aponte

Vago family. “The long-term view of Explora Journeys attracted me to the role,” says Ungerer. “I grew up in a family business, so I’m familiar with that sort of dynamic.”

Having worked for Sonesta Resorts and The Ritz-Carlton in the

States before turning his hand to the marine sector at Norwegian

Cruise Line and Carnival Corporation, Ungerer was able to draw on his hospitality expertise to establish a new type of cruise experience. Sitting down with Vago in 2018 before becoming CEO a year later, he was keen to discuss how Explora Journeys could stand out from the competition. “We saw a gap in the market for a brand that combines the best of a luxury resort, tour and cruise all in one,” Ungerer confirms.

The double-height lobby, with its herringbone flooring, forest green sofas and towering backbar, would not look out of place in a city hotel

The two decided that the guest experience needed to be at the core of the offer, and despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, they used the time wisely to commission research, organise focus groups and host roundtables to distinguish exactly what their target audience was looking for from a new ship. Time and space – arguably the greatest luxury – were two of the common themes that emerged, helping to inform the Explora fleet’s overarching design concept.

Tapping into their list of contacts, the Aponte Vago family called on Italian shipyard Fincantieri for the construction of four vessels – one launching per year between 2023 and 2026 – while British architect Martin Francis was tasked with ensuring the exterior profiles echoed those of a superyacht rather than a traditional ocean liner. The pièce de résistance of Francis’ vision is a unique magrodome – a sliding glass roof that can be opened and closed automatically depending on the weather – which envelops a central swimming pool, for which he consulted Eckersley O’Callaghan, the structural designers behind Apple’s glazed store façades.

It was a true team effort according to Ungerer, with the Aponte Vagos remaining hands-on throughout the design process. “The brand is very personal to them,” he explains. “We all met with Martin in Geneva and discussed several iterations for the bow, while Alexa was involved in designing the interiors, bringing in her love of art to complement the various schemes.”

The brief for the interiors was to channel a sense of European luxury, combining the family’s Mediterranean heritage with the look and feel of a boutique hotel. Having partnered with MSC on its core fleet over the years, collaborators SMC Design, AD Associates, De Jorio Luxury and Yacht Projects have been entrusted with interpreting the theme on board, creating sophisticated spaces – from 461 cabins to nine F&B outlets and a 700m2 spa – that are, in Ungerer’s words, “not stiff and boring, but distinct and approachable”. The doubleheight lobby for instance, with its herringbone flooring, forest green sofas and towering backbar, would not look out of place in a cosmopolitan city hotel.

Adding to the hotel-like aesthetic on board the brand’s debut vessel are its homes at sea, a premium accommodation type comprising suites, penthouses and residences. Transporting the idea of a home-fromhome to the ocean, the spaces feature areas to relax,

work or dine, while private terraces and floorto-ceiling windows blur the boundaries inside and out, and mod-cons facilitate what Ungerer describes as “hi-tech to serve high-touch”.

“We call them homes because of their size and the way we want guests to feel when they enter,” says Ungerer, adding that a collection of books, ornaments and artworks serve to reinforce the residential aesthetic. “The design offers a modern look that is neither brash nor noisy.”

The same scheme will be applied to Explora II, with interior details like dark timber, marble and artworks set against neutral and nautical tones. The design will then evolve for Explora III and IV, with the owners expected to retain the brand’s original identity while welcoming new studios in to the fold for variation.

One thing that won’t change however is MSC’s commitment to sustainability, with the group pledging to reach net zero across its cruise operations by 2050. As such, Explora Journeys is tapping into the use of wind, hydrogen, fuel cells and bio-LNG as power sources, while single-use plastics will be eradicated across the fleet and programming centred around local craftsmanship, culture and cuisine.

“The family has built a successful business from the sea for 300 years, so for them, being sustainable is crucial,” Ungerer explains. “It is woven into everything we do, from eco-friendly technology and emission control systems to the supply chain and materials on board.”

With a maiden voyage on the horizon and a trio of vessels to follow, Ungerer is hopeful that the industry will bounce back in time for MSC Group’s entry into the ultra-luxury market.

“Explora Journeys is the family’s passion project, so its launch was a natural evolution,” he concludes. And perhaps a natural next step for Ungerer too, combining his experience in hotels and cruise to create a product that offers the best of both. “I’ve come full circle so to speak, and this was an opportunity to build a luxury cruise brand from scratch. For me there’s nothing like arriving somewhere by ship, whether a city or island – the ocean is the ultimate connector.”

“We saw a gap in the market for a brand that combines the best of a luxury resort, tour and cruise all in one.”

Enveloping the vessel’s central pool is a sliding glass roof – or magrodome – which can be opened and closed depending on the weather conditions