Patricia Di Benedetto is now the business relationship lead for national and key accounts in Canada at MSC's Explora Journeys.
"I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Business Relationship Lead - National & Key Accounts at Explora Journeys," Di Benedetto, initially hired by MSC Group's luxury cruise line as the business relationship lead for Eastern Canada, shared on her LinkedIn profile.
With over twenty years of experience developing retail and hospitality brands, including serving as a strategic accounts manager for Royal Caribbean International and as the director of merchandising and marketing operations for Reebok before entering the cruise industry, Di Benedetto brings a wealth of experience to this role.
"I have cultivated strong relationships with customers and consistently led projects and budgets with keen insight and sound judgement. Known for my inclusive and enthusiastic leadership style, I inspire teams to achieve excellence, fostering collaboration and driving impactful results," she stated on social media.
After debuting the Explora I in 2023, Explora Journeys is preparing to launch five more ships over the next five years, with Explora II set to launch in August 2024.
Explora II (and the following two ships) will closely resemble Explora I. They measure 248 meters in length and 32.6 meters in width, have 13 decks, and can accommodate up to 922 guests in 461 ocean-front suites, each with a balcony.
From October 2024 to April 2025, Explora I will sail the Caribbean to expand the brand's presence in North America. The ship will start its northern winter 2024-2025 season with a journey from Barcelona to the Caribbean. From April to November 2025, Explora I will sail in the Mediterranean, offering combinable seven-, 14-, and 21-night itineraries.
Explora II's maiden journey is an eight-night cruise from Barcelona, Spain to Civitavecchia (Rome), scheduled to depart on 11AUG 2024. After that, Explora II will sail in the Mediterranean until November 2024 and then reposition to the Caribbean.
