Explora III’s arrival at Port Zante marks St. Kitts’ first inaugural cruise call of the 2026–2027 season, bringing the luxury brand’s newest ship to the island during its first Caribbean season.
Explora Journeys’ newest ship has arrived in St. Kitts.
Explora III made its inaugural call at Port Zante on Nov. 3, marking the island’s first inaugural ship visit of the 2026–2027 cruise season. The arrival adds a new luxury vessel to St. Kitts’ cruise roster as tourism officials pursue visitors who spend more time exploring the island and supporting local businesses.
The ship is the newest and largest in the fleet of Explora Journeys, MSC Group’s luxury ocean travel brand. It is also the brand’s first vessel powered by liquefied natural gas, or LNG, with capacity for approximately 923 guests, according to the St. Kitts Tourism Authority.
A New Luxury Arrival
The visit comes during Explora III’s first Caribbean season, putting St. Kitts among the destinations receiving the new vessel early in its regional deployment.
Explora has been expanding its Caribbean presence, including a commitment to homeport operations in San Juan. St. Kitts’ addition to the newest ship’s itinerary gives passengers another Eastern Caribbean stop with options that range from historic sites to rainforest excursions.
Local officials marked the arrival with an inaugural plaque exchange aboard the ship with Captain Pietro Sinisi. Representatives included the Ministry of Tourism, St. Kitts Tourism Authority, St. Christopher Air and Seaports Authority, Urban Development Corporation and ship’s agent Delisle Walwyn.
The Visitors St. Kitts Is Targeting
Tourism officials described the call as an opportunity to connect luxury cruise passengers with more of the island’s tourism businesses.
“Having Explora Journey bring its newest ship to St. Kitts in its very first Caribbean season is a strong endorsement of our destination,” said Melnecia Marshall, deputy chief executive officer of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority.
“Explora’s guests are the visitors we are working to attract; discerning travellers who stay longer, spend more and immerse themselves on the island. That creates real opportunities for our taxi operators, tour guides, vendors and restaurants.”
Marshall said the goal extends beyond the initial port visit.
“Our job is to make sure they leave planning their return, whether by air or by sea.”
Beyond Port Zante
The tourism authority highlighted Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the St. Kitts Scenic Railway, rainforest hiking and meals at community restaurants among the experiences available to visiting passengers.
Those excursions connect a cruise call with guides, drivers, vendors and restaurant operators across the island. A railway outing, a guided hike or a local lunch gives passengers a different introduction to St. Kitts than an afternoon spent entirely around the port.
The range of activities also helps explain the destination’s continued cruise growth. As we reported in August, St. Kitts surpassed 1 million cruise passengers for the first time since the pandemic, reaching 1,002,282 arrivals.
A Broader Cruise Expansion
The Explora III call arrives as St. Kitts prepares for a larger role in Caribbean cruising.
The island has broken ground on a new cruise terminal at Port Zante, with facilities intended to support passengers beginning and ending their voyages in Basseterre. That project adds another component to a port currently welcoming ships for day visits.
P&O Cruises plans to begin homeport operations in November 2027, creating opportunities for hotel stays and additional time on the island before and after sailings.
For now, Explora III’s debut brings a new group of luxury cruise guests to Port Zante — and a chance for local operators to turn their first visit into a reason to return.
