Explora Journeys has redrawn its winter 2027-28 map. The luxury line, part of the MSC family, has cancelled its planned Middle East and Red Sea programmes for the season and shifted two ships to Europe and South America instead.
The biggest change involves the Explora V, which was originally set to sail the Red Sea and will now spend the winter in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Islands. Its season runs in three chapters between December 2027 and April 2028: first the Western Mediterranean and North Africa, then the Atlantic Islands, then a return to the Mediterranean.
For cruise fans the itinerary details are the interesting part. Explora V will make the brand's first-ever call at Crotone in southern Italy, and there are late-night departures from Salerno, Livorno, Palma de Mallorca, Kotor and Ibiza — handy if you like evenings ashore rather than a rushed afternoon. The Atlantic Islands chapter covers the Canaries and Madeira, including stops at Los Cristianos in Tenerife and Puerto del Rosario in Fuerteventura. Explora's president Anna Nash pitched the season as a way to see a quieter, more atmospheric side of the Mediterranean in winter.
Meanwhile the Explora I, which was due to sail the Arabian Gulf, has been reassigned to South America. It will run seven- and eight-night cruises from Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro through Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile, with the Brazilian coast, Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego as headline attractions. One quirky first: the 922-passenger ship is scheduled to become the first cruise ship to anchor at Balneário Camboriú for the city's New Year's Eve fireworks.
Across the season Explora says it will operate ten itineraries calling at 37 destinations, 20 of them new to the brand.
Why it matters: if you've been eyeing a Gulf or Red Sea cruise with Explora for winter 2027-28, those options are off the table — but the reshuffle has produced some genuinely appealing alternatives. Winter sunshine in the Canaries and Madeira is a reliable bet, a winter Mediterranean season means shoulder-season ports without the summer crowds and heat, and the South American programme taps into the growing demand for Brazil and Argentina at the height of their summer. With 20 first-time ports on the list, repeat Explora guests get fresh territory too, and the small ship size (922 passengers) suits the Kotor, Crotone and Ibiza calls where bigger ships feel intrusive.
