Explora Journeys It’s one o’clock—and I’m sitting in The Drawing Room of Raffles London—with the immaculate, ever-primed Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys—one of the world’s newest cruise lines, launched in 2021, with two ultra-luxury ships (and a third, EXPLORA III, set for 2026). She’s just indulged in a classic British cream tea (I’m told Nash prefers several small meals a day) as we begin delving into her early life, travel memories, her career progression (with 25 years in hospitality from Orient Express to Aman), her life as the president of an ultra-luxury cruise line, and the future of Explora Journeys. Explora Journeys Growing up in Devon, in Southwest England, Nash tells me she’s always been surrounded by water—learning to sail from a young age and crossing the water by a tiny passenger ferry, every day, to Churston Grammar School. Later, she studied Tourism Management with Business Management at the University of Gloucestershire. “As a child, I remember traveling a lot as a family—be it the Caribbean, Spain, or hiking in the Lake District—and I remember that feeling of the journey, the excitement beforehand. I loved trying different foods—I’ve always been a very curious person—or the ‘nosy’ one, as mum always said, questioning absolutely everything!” Nash chuckles. “I loved being around people—often having to be shooed back into my bedroom as a young child. ‘No, you can’t join the dinner party, Anna!’ mum used to say (Nash giggles). And I think many children have lost that curiosity today, sadly—shy and hidden behind that digital world,” says Nash. ForbesThe World’s Best Luxury Cruise Lines, According To Globe Travel AwardsBy Lewis Nunn Nash never cruised as a child, but water gave her a strong sense of freedom—and today, whenever she returns to the UK from her 2-bedroom home in Geneva, she insists on a coastal walk (she’s walked along England’s Southwest Coastal Path countless times). Her first job was working as a Nanny (she still keeps in touch with the two boys—now in their mid-20s) at the age of fourteen in the English village of Dittisham, where Nash grew up. Later, picking up a job packing CDs (from midnight until 5am) at a factory in Bourton-on-the-Water while studying at university. “I graduated from university during 9/11—so that was a tough time to enter the travel industry. But my third year at university was a full year of work placement, at Tapestry Holidays—a specialist Turkey and Greece tour operator. I absolutely loved it—working across all departments,” says Nash. Bourton-on-the-Water After graduating, Nash landed her first role at Orient Express (now Belmond) as PR Coordinator—traveling often, by rail or sea—whether from London to Venice or Bangkok to Singapore. Then moving to Rosewood London as Director of Communications. “I’ve always tried to pick a brand that I connect with—and it becomes more than a job for me; it becomes part of me, my life, and my commitment—part of my purpose, really. I’ve always had a desire to succeed—and a focus on where I wanted to be: the next job, the next goal, the next reward,” says Nash. Sitting with Nash, this intensity of dedication is palpable. She tells me she’s not someone who likes to stand still—but equally, hugely values being present. I ask Nash how she balances being present and forward-thinking? “I don’t!” Nash cackles. ForbesIs This The World’s Most Expensive Cruise?By Lewis Nunn After working at Rosewood for 10 years, Nash joined Aman as Head of Global Public Relations. “In my heart, I thought I’d be at Aman forever—but then I was approached to become the President of Explora Journeys and I was captured by the Aponte Vago (Explora Journeys’ founders) vision—with a desire to re-create ocean travel,” says Nash. Explora Journeys was built on the art of listening, and the ultra-luxury cruise line has undertaken intense customer research—with over 20,000 participants—on a mission to create something new to fill a gap in the cruise industry. “We’re a trailblazing brand on a mission to redefine ocean travel,” declares Nash. Explora Journeys But I wonder, amongst the other big names of luxury cruising, what actually makes Explora Journeys different? Hiring onboard talent from ultra-luxury hotels, where the standards may be higher than ocean travel, says Nash. EXPLORA I and II bear a sumptuous, elegant feel—adorned with 461 suites (all ocean-facing) from entry-level Ocean Suites to its lavish Owner’s Residence—spanning over 3,000 square feet with a spacious lounge and dining area, a private steam room, a panoramic balcony (covering the whole ship’s width) with a personal whirlpool, and your own personal butler. Elsewhere, you’ll find 18 dining and beverage venues, four heated swimming pools, 64 private cabanas, a Sports Court, and over 7,500 square feet of wellness facilities with a spacious thermal area, nine treatment rooms, a beauty salon, and a fitness studio for group or personal training. Owner's Residence Explora Journeys / Rupert Peace Day-to-day as a cruise line president is about juggling priorities, Nash tells me. “You’re always on—which is something I’ve really struggled with. But I love being with people. I think it’s important as a new figure, while I’m new and interesting—which will die off, by the way (Nash chuckles)—that I’m wheeled out to market, so to speak!” says Nash. “There’s a lot of pressure—but you need a clear vision. You soon realize as a leader, the higher and higher you climb, the less and less you know. I’m not an expert in things like revenue management or itinerary planning—but I always listen and ask questions—and I’ve built a really strong team under me that can grow and thrive. Sakura Restaurant Explora Journeys I ask Nash if she ever experiences imposter syndrome? “I feel a sense of imposter syndrome every single day—but I think that’s an excellent grounding. I feel like I fail every day—and I probably overanalyze situations—but I like to be very considerate and reflect; otherwise, we will make mistakes. Imposter syndrome keeps me real, “Nash declares. I ask Nash what she likes to do in her off-duty time? She admits, with her work-life balance bearing room for improvement, her fitness and love of golf and running get put on the sideburner—but each year, she sets time aside for a pilgrimage to Japan with her husband, Farhad. “I’d also like to do some cold-water swimming this year—from a mental strength perspective. I want to challenge myself to swim in Lake Geneva every day and continue as we move into winter,” says Nash. I gaze at Nash with a quivering look. “I actually did a cruise to Antarctica for my husband’s 50th and we did a polar plunge—and Lewis, once you’d committed and put your name on that list, there was no backing out (Nash giggles)—but a shot of whisky afterward, helped, of course!” adds Nash. I’m curious whether Nash gets to spend much time onboard Explora Journey’s current fleet of two ships? “Not as much as I’d like—but I was on EXPLORA I back in April, with my family, for my first personal holiday with Explora Journeys. I was also on for a day recently and managed to sneak away from the team’s grip (Anna smirks) and spend some time with the guests—I really wanted to understand why they chose Explora Journeys. It was our culinary expertise and the genuine attentiveness of our onboard hosts that stood out to guests—which I’m really grateful to hear!” says Nash. Explora Journeys / Rupert Peace I ask Nash how she defines Explora Journeys? “We see ourselves as an elegant, ultra-luxury hotel—whose home is the ocean,” declares Nash. “A quarter of our guests are new to cruise, and they kick themselves that they haven’t tried it before. Because there’s this incredible conviviality that exists onboard, that you won’t find in a hotel lobby. The moment you cross from land to ocean, in our floating bubble, the outside world seems irrelevant. You see guests chatting as they pass in the lobby or having a martini together in the bar,” adds Nash. “Our ships were purposely designed, so you have those moments of solitude, whether in your private cabana or the thermal area at the Ocean Wellness Spa—but if you want to come together and be with other people, you can be,” says Nash. Ocean Wellness Spa Explora Journeys / Rupert Peace Unlike some other cruise lines, Nash tells me that Explora Journeys empowers its staff to engage in genuine conversions with guests in a very real and candid way. “They can talk about themselves, their job, what they love—and when guests return, the crew members they’ve made friendships with will personally greet them—and the conversations continue,” says Nash. As Nash looks ahead to the future, she tells me that Explora Journeys is on a mission to hit six ships by 2028—plus expanding its footprint to Alaska and Japan by 2027. Explora Journeys / Rupert Peace The ultra-luxury line recently unveiled its new loyalty program, Explora Club, divided into a five-level structure—Classic, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond—determined by your number of nights sailed with Explora Journeys multiplied by suite category, with additional points earned through excursions and onboard spending. Benefits include exclusive welcome gifts, private airport transfers, onboard credit, complimentary suite upgrades, priority onboard reservations, invitations to exclusive cocktail parties and culinary experiences (including Chef’s Kitchen, Anthology dinner and caviar tasting experiences), and savings towards your future sailings—even offering a complimentary week-long journey for two (for Diamond members). Impressively, Explora Club will also offer a status match, so if you hold loyalty status with another luxury cruise program, you’ll be welcomed into Explora Club with equivalent level recognition from your very first voyage. Explora Journeys It feels as though Nash could chat for hours, that’s her disarming British charm, but as the clock ticks, I pose her my final question, what is her personal vision for the future of Explora Journeys? “I would love to see the stigma of ocean travel banished—and for Explora Journeys to bring an entirely new audience to life on the oceans. For now, I’d love someone to create more time—I’m definitely not in the 5am club!” Nash chuckles. For more information, visit explorajourneys.com. ForbesThe World’s Best Cruise Tips, According To ExpertsBy Lewis NunnForbesThe Ultimate Guide To MSC SeascapeBy Lewis NunnForbesIs This The World’s Most Expensive Cruise?By Lewis NunnForbesThe World’s Best Luxury Cruise Lines, According To Globe Travel AwardsBy Lewis NunnForbesThe World’s Best River Cruise Lines, According To Globe Travel AwardsBy Lewis Nunn Editorial StandardsForbes Accolades