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Telegraph
20 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Five essential things to know before boarding an Explora Journeys ship
If you think cruising means corny entertainment, greasy buffets and lengthy bridge contests, then chances are you haven't experienced Explora Journeys yet. Inspired by the sleek design of private yachts, this new kid on the block wants to inspire those who 'don't do cruises' to give holidays-at-sea a try. This ethos is reflected in the line's choice of terminology, with 'guests' rather than 'passengers', and 'hosts' instead of 'crew'. Explora Journeys, the ultra-luxury arm of the MSC Group, sees its ships more as high-end hotels that just happen to be on water, as evidenced by the Buccellati boutiques, marble bathrooms and Emilio Isgrò artwork on board. The brand has also made a deliberate decision to hire staff from a luxury hospitality background wherever possible, so don't be surprised when intuitive employees (there's an impressive ratio of 1.25:1 guest-to-crew) remember your name or your favourite drink. What's more, Explora Journeys is truly all-inclusive, so you don't have to worry about forking out extra for drinks, food, fitness classes, tips or Wi-Fi. In short, the brand has attained its goal of offering all the trappings of the world's leading luxury hotels – a sophisticated aesthetic, first-class service and superlative restaurants and bars – on the high seas. 1. Where does Explora Journeys cruise? Explora I will sail the Mediterranean until November 2025, when she will then reposition to the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula for winter 2025-2026. Sister ship, Explora II, will spend summer 2025 in the Mediterranean and winter 2025-2026 in the Eastern Caribbean. Explora III which, as the name suggests, is the third ship in the line's growing fleet, will debut in summer 2026 and offer itineraries throughout northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland before making its way to North America 's east coast. For the winter 2026/27 season, the ship will shift to Miami, where it will embark on a series of Caribbean itineraries. While the line emphasises longer itineraries that visit lesser-known ports, and then stay late/overnight, it has also introduced regular, shorter seven night journeys for those who have limited time. In addition, Explora offers what it terms 'experiences' as opposed to 'excursions'. These include a meeting with an astronaut from Nasa in Florida and a hike along the Tet Paul nature trail in St Lucia to see the island's icons – the Unesco-protected Pitons. 2. Who does Explora Journeys appeal to? New-to-cruise guests who are attracted to the brand for what it is not: blaring night clubs, blingy casinos and petty extra charges. That being said, while the line isn't looking to attract passengers from other cruise lines, it would nonetheless appeal to fans of small ship, luxury cruising offered by the likes of Seabourn, Silversea, and Crystal – as well as those who have stayed in ship-within-a-ship venues on mainstream lines and are looking to try something new. Explora Journeys – as its name alludes – is also a good choice for anyone looking for a little more from their annual leave than merely sitting by a pool all day. Itineraries blend well-known destinations, such as Athens, with lesser-travelled ports, and offer guests the opportunity to feel part of the place they are visiting. Small-group trips are led by local experts who know that the most memorable and magical experiences are often about meeting the community, rather than simply tickling off the blockbuster sights. 3. Explora Journey's fleet Explora Journeys currently has two ships in its fleet with four more – Exploras III, IV V, and VI – slated to follow over the next few years. Explora II (922 passengers) From a distance, the line's newest ship, Explora II, resembles a superyacht (perhaps not a surprise, given that its aquiline profile was crafted by veteran British yacht designer Martin Francis). Step on board, however, and it's like walking into a five-star resort. Expect a glittering white-and-gold, double-height lobby bar with a back-lit drinks wall; the open-air Sky Bar; bespoke artwork by Emilio Isgrò and Yves Dana dotted around the decks; four swimming pools – one with a retractable rooftop; numerous hot tubs; and upmarket shops in the shape of Piaget, Panerai, Cartier and Buccellati. Elsewhere, the cabins are all suites – starting at a spacious 35 square metres for an entry-level Ocean Terrace Suite. This comes equipped with a king size bed, Frette linens, Steiner binoculars, a walk-in dressing area featuring a Dyson hairdryer, marble bathroom with underfloor heating and bespoke Mandala Blue toiletries; plus a separate living area leading to a terrace with a supremely comfortable Manutti daybed. Explora I (922 passengers) The first ship from Explora Journeys is almost identical to its sibling. Four pools are complemented by numerous whirlpools, while extensive workout areas – indoor and out – have Technogym equipment. Spread over 14 decks, you'll find a spacious spa whose inviting thermal areas – including a salt cave, vitality pool and experiential showers – are free to access on port days, as well as extensive workout areas filled with swanky Technogym equipment. The ship has 12 bars and six restaurants: standouts include the pan-Asian Sakura where you can watch the chefs at work in the open kitchen, Marble & Co (a smart steakhouse) and Emporium Marketplace – Explora's upmarket take on the buffet. All dining venues are included in the fare, with the exception of Anthology – three Michelin star Italian chef Mauro Uliassi's first restaurant at sea. Entertainment is low-key with a pianist tinkling at a Steinway in the lobby bar, while West End and Broadway veterans perform songs from everyone's favourite musicals and movies in Journeys Lounge. 4. Loyalty scheme In April 2025, Explora Journeys revealed a new loyalty programme. The Explora Club has five tiers and allows guests to earn points that can then be converted into perks such as priority service and access to exclusive events, or used towards future sailings. 5. Access for guests with disabilities The line has fully-accessible suites and, in certain ports, offers accessible destination experiences. Explora Journeys asks that: 'Any guests in need of special services during their journey, or needing to travel with medical apparatus, including wheelchairs, motorised scooters or oxygen therapy [...] please notify us in writing prior to final payment becoming due.'
Al Bawaba
a day ago
- General
- Al Bawaba
Video: Building fire kills at least 3 in Kuwait
Published June 1st, 2025 - 10:55 GMT ALBAWABA - The Kuwait Fire Department announced that three people were killed and several others were injured after a fire that broke out in two apartments in a building in the Al-Raqqa area on early Sunday morning. Local news outlet KUNA confirmed that firefighting teams from the Shuwaikh Industrial and Ardiya centers, as well as the Search and Rescue Department, were able to put out the fire inside the building. It explained that a number of the injured were treated at the scene, while others were transferred to the hospital. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 days ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Al-Alimi Praises Saudi Decision to Extend Masam Landmine Clearance Project
President of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi has praised Saudi Arabia's decision to extend the Project Masam contract for landmine clearance in Yemen. Al-Alimi lauded the decision, which includes an extension of the Masam project implementation for an additional year with a budget of $52,994,413. He also commended the leadership of the program and its team, along with all Saudi institutions involved in humanitarian, service, and developmental efforts across various fields. 'This great humanitarian effort by our brothers in the Kingdom, through the Masam project, which has so far removed nearly 500,000 landmines and various explosive devices, embodies a noble fraternal commitment to Yemen and its people, and contributes to alleviating the suffering caused by the war ignited by the Iranian-backed terrorist Houthi militias,' Al-Alimi said.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Science
- Arab News
Climate innovation can enhance nature-based solutions
Success will depend not only on the number of trees but on how effectively they are planted, maintained, and measured. (SGI photo) As Saudi Arabia commits to planting 10 billion trees and rehabilitating 40 million hectares in the coming decades under the Saudi Green Initiative, success will depend not only on the number of trees but on how effectively they are planted, maintained, and measured. Precision, ecosystem sustainability, and transparent monitoring are essential. Emerging climate technologies using artificial intelligence —such as satellite-based remote sensing and advanced carbon quantification platforms — offer transformative tools to enhance the effectiveness of nature-based solutions. This will enable the Kingdom to deliver measurable results while advancing global climate adaptation aspirations. Nature-based solutions, including afforestation, mangrove rehabilitation, and wetland restoration, can provide up to 37 percent of the cost-effective carbon mitigation required by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement goals. However, implementing nature-based solutions in Saudi Arabia's hyper-arid environment presents unique challenges. Climate stressors such as extreme heat, saline soils, and water scarcity require data-driven approaches to ensure ecological suitability, long-term survival, and resilience. Technologies such as light detection and ranging, or LIDAR, which use laser pulses to map terrain and vegetation in three dimensions, allow detailed analysis of canopy structure, soil degradation, and vegetation health. When integrated with AI and hyperspectral imaging, these tools can identify optimal restoration sites, track survival rates, and verify carbon uptake in near real time. Institutions such as the National Center for Vegetation Cover could use this technology to improve resource targeting and support digital monitoring, reporting, and verification systems for national and international carbon markets. Globally, countries are successfully leveraging such technologies. Kenya's Regreening Africa initiative employs drone imagery and AI to evaluate large-scale restoration efforts, using geospatial tools to monitor tens of thousands of hectares and significantly improve outcomes. In Peru, satellite-based forest monitoring platforms enhance transparency and help prevent illegal deforestation in Amazonian restoration zones. These examples offer replicable models that Saudi Arabia can adapt and scale. The economic rationale is equally compelling. The social cost of carbon, reflecting the economic damage from each additional tonne of CO2 emitted, can reach as high as $185 per tonne depending on the applied discount rate and modeling assumptions, according to estimates reported in 2022 by Kevin Rennert and fellow researchers in the journal Nature. In contrast, the cost of restoring mangroves to sequester carbon has been estimated to range from $4.50 to $18 per tonne of CO2, depending on site-specific factors and carbon recovery assumptions, while delivering additional benefits such as coastal protection, biodiversity enhancement, and improved fisheries. In a country where approximately one third of the population resides along the coast, restoring mangroves and wetlands becomes a dual-purpose strategy that combines mitigation with adaptation. Technology also reduces the risk of maladaptation, where restoration efforts fail due to poor species selection or lack of climate-fit design. Applying frameworks like dynamic adaptive policy pathways can help Saudi policymakers sequence restoration phases under uncertainty and adjust plans based on feedback and risk thresholds. Even the most advanced tools will fall short without the trust, knowledge, and participation of those most affected by environmental change. Adnan Masoudy & Hassan Alzain Co-developing projects with local communities and scientists ensures financial stability and long-term social resilience. Adaptation finance remains critically underfunded. The Adaptation Gap Report 2024 estimates that the financing needed is between $231 and $416 billion per year, up from previous estimates of $194 to $366 billion, reflecting rising global costs and urgent adaptation needs. To fully realize this potential, Saudi Arabia should prioritize advancing three strategic steps. First, launch a national open-access geospatial dashboard that integrates LIDAR, AI, and remote sensing data to track nature-based solutions progress nationwide. Second, engage more deeply with global platforms such as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the Global Mangrove Alliance, and the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility to exchange technical knowledge and obtain access to climate finance. Third, establish a climate and nature tech innovation hub in collaboration with local universities to pilot and localize nature-based solutions, monitoring solutions tailored for drylands, while accelerating the development and deployment of new climate and nature-based startups in the region. As Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud, the Kingdom's ambassador to the US, eloquently stated on SGI Day 2025: 'The future is not something that comes at us; it's something we create ... Climate action is not a dream — it is a reality we are building together.' Her words capture the spirit of SGI as not just a national strategy, but a movement defined by momentum, measurable action, and collective resolve. That momentum is already visible. As of 2024, Saudi Arabia has planted over 115 million trees and restored 118,000 hectares of degraded land — a significant leap from where the journey began just a few years ago. These achievements demonstrate that bold climate pledges are being converted into tangible, large-scale outcomes on the ground. But technology and investment alone are not enough. As explained by Robert Klee, senior lecturer and managing director of clean energy programs at the Yale Center for Business and the Environment: 'Nature-based solutions can be empowered by technology, but must be governed by people — especially those most vulnerable to climate risks. 'It is in aligning science, justice, and local knowledge that real climate progress takes root.' This insight points to a deeper truth: meaningful climate progress depends as much on governance and inclusion as it does on innovation. Even the most advanced tools will fall short without the trust, knowledge, and participation of those most affected by environmental change. Within the SGI framework, embedding local leadership and equity into restoration design can elevate both the impact and legitimacy of nature-based solutions across Saudi Arabia's diverse landscapes. By fusing nature and innovation, and engaging local communities in the development and deployment of nature-based solutions, Saudi Arabia can transform its drylands into living laboratories of climate resilience. The SGI offers more than a greening strategy. With smart climate technologies, it can become a global model for how climate ambition, ecological science, cutting-edge tools, and social support converge to drive meaningful environmental transformation in the decades to come. • Adnan Masoudy is manager of corporate sustainability, environment, and biodiversity at Ma'aden and Hassan Alzain is author of the award-winning book 'Green Gambit.'
Arab News
3 days ago
- General
- Arab News
Rights groups call on Houthis to release detained aid workers
DUBAI: Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called on Houthis to release dozens of UN and aid workers who have been detained for nearly a year. The arrest and detention of aid workers has 'a direct impact on the delivery of lifesaving assistance to people in critical need of aid' in a country enduring one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, the two rights groups said in a joint statement. Since May 2024, the Houthis have carried out several waves of arrests in regions under their control, targeting UN staff as well as workers in local and international humanitarian organizations. The arrests have prompted the UN to limit its deployments and suspend activities in some regions of the country devastated by more than a decade of civil war. The arrests have prompted the UN to limit its deployments and suspend activities in some regions of Yemen. The Houthis at the time claimed there was an 'American-Israeli spy cell' operating under the cover of aid groups — accusations firmly rejected by the UN. Only seven aid workers have been released, while at least 50 remain in detention 'without adequate access to lawyers or their families, and without charge,' HRW and Amnesty said, calling on the rebels to 'immediately and unconditionally release' them. 'It is shocking that most of these UN and civil society staff have now spent almost a year in arbitrary detention for simply doing their work in providing medical and food assistance or promoting human rights, peace, and dialogue,' said Diala Haidar, Yemen researcher at Amnesty International. 'They should never have been arrested in the first place,' she continued. Niku Jafarnia, Yemen and Bahrain researcher at HRW, meanwhile, said: 'The Houthis need to facilitate the work of humanitarian workers and the movement of aid. 'All countries with influence, as well as the UN and civil society organizations, should use all the tools at their disposal to urge the release of those arbitrarily detained and to provide support to their family members.'
