Explora Journeys Wants to Be Sold Like a Hotel—Not a Cruise
A new cinematic campaign built around the word “Maybe” signals a shift toward hotel-first storytelling—and a different way of introducing the brand to clients.
Photo: Courtesy of Explora Journeys
Explora Journeys is rewriting how it wants to be introduced—and how it’s sold—with a cinematic new global campaign unveiled in New York on Feb. 25. Developed by McCann Paris and directed by Jonas Lindstroem, the effort swaps traditional cruise language for a hotel-style narrative built around the word “Maybe.”
Rather than leaning on destination imagery or classic cruise tropes, the campaign frames the ship itself as the central experience. The messaging pivots toward the idea of a floating property without a fixed address, a concept the brand hopes will resonate with travelers who have historically favored land-based hospitality.
For sellers used to positioning Explora as an alternative to traditional cruising, that shift could subtly change how the brand is introduced in client conversations. The campaign’s visual storytelling is intentionally fashion-forward and cinematic, designed to invite curiosity rather than deliver a literal explanation of the product.
As Alexandra Vogler, Explora’s chief marketing and digital officer, told Luxury Travel Report, “the genesis of the campaign” was rooted in acknowledging that some travelers still carry outdated perceptions of cruising, and the goal was to create something that opens a dialogue rather than prescribing a specific message.
Vogler framed the campaign less as a reintroduction of the brand and more as a conversation starter. She said the creative was designed to “gently question” existing perceptions of cruising, inviting viewers to reconsider what ocean travel can look like rather than delivering a fixed definition. That approach, she suggested, allows sellers to lead with curiosity—using imagery and emotion rather than traditional cruise language.
She also noted that the rollout includes a range of assets created with partners in mind, reflecting the brand’s expectation that the narrative around Explora will continue to evolve alongside a changing client base. As younger travelers begin entering the ultra-luxury space, Vogler said the campaign is meant to feel adaptable, shifting depending on who is telling the story and who is hearing it.
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The emphasis on dialogue reflects how the brand wants the campaign to function beyond advertising. “We are suggesting that the most compelling hotel experiences may not be found on land at all,” said Anna Nash, the company’s CEO. “By embracing a more playful, cinematic narrative, we are inviting the most discerning guests to see ocean travel from a new perspective—one where the ocean is not simply a passage between destinations, but a place for enrichment, restoration and personal discovery.”
In practical terms, that framing may encourage sellers to reposition Explora less as a cruise alternative and more as a continuation of a client’s hotel portfolio. The campaign’s core idea of a five-star resort that moves aligns with how leadership has described the brand internally since launch, blending land-based hospitality design with the rhythm of ocean travel. At an event promoting the campaign on Wednesday night in New York, Nash described Explora as operating “at the intersection of land-based hospitality as well as ocean travel,” reinforcing a hotel-first mindset that many clients already understand.
The rollout also arrives at a transitional moment for the fleet. Explora I launched in 2023, followed by Explora II in 2024, with Explora III scheduled to enter service in July 2026 and additional ships planned through 2028.
Without a new ship debut last year, Nash described the period as an opportunity to refine the brand narrative and rethink how the product is communicated globally, a reset that ultimately informed the campaign’s direction.
That longer-term vision may influence how sellers use the assets in their own outreach. Nash noted that the campaign rollout includes a mix of consumer-facing visuals and partner-oriented assets, intended to support how ocean travel is introduced and discussed. The intent isn’t to dictate a script but to shift tone—moving away from the language of cruising and toward the emotional cues typically associated with hospitality brands.
The campaign’s timing also intersects with a broader evolution across the luxury ocean space, where several hotel-adjacent players are entering the category. Nash added that she welcomes the shift, noting that new entrants from land-based hospitality could help give greater credibility to ocean travel and expand awareness of the category.
“We wanted to create that hotel thinking, but with the freedom of the sea,” said Nash. “Maybe the narrative is just not quite right. Maybe we’ve ignored a particular demographic that this would appeal to.”
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For sellers, that nuance could translate into more experiential storytelling, emphasizing emotion, calm, and the sense of time that comes with being untethered from land, rather than focusing exclusively on itinerary details. The campaign’s “Maybe” motif invites interpretation, giving sellers a framework that feels less prescriptive and more conversational when introducing the brand to clients who may still associate cruising with older perceptions.
As the campaign rolls out worldwide in the coming months, its effectiveness may hinge on how consistently that narrative carries through the entire client journey, from advertising and social content to the first conversation and, ultimately, the onboard experience itself.
But for now, the messaging has a clear intention: to reposition Explora Journeys not as an alternative category but as a hospitality brand whose address is simply the ocean.
