Big things are happening at Explora Journeys, from a collaboration with Hilton to the appointment of Morgane Beltaief as the luxury cruise line’s vice president of consortia and strategic partnerships for North America.
Beltaief shared her vision for the cruise line with us below.
Tell us about your professional journey in the travel industry.
I bring more than two decades of experience in luxury travel and hospitality, with a career that’s taken me from France to the U.S. and across some of the industry’s most respected brands in hotels and ocean travel.
My first taste of luxury hospitality was during business school, when I worked at the iconic Ritz Paris. The intuitive, tailored approach to service that was ingrained in me there has long shaped my approach to relationships with travel partners. After business school, I joined Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, contributing to the team responsible for introducing and growing the French brand in the U.S.
My first experience in [cruise] travel came when I joined AmaWaterways, a family-owned company with a start-up mindset. I started in marketing, grew within the organization and ultimately became director of national accounts. From there, I joined Oceania Cruises as senior director of strategy accounts, contributing in shaping the brand and sales strategy for nearly eight years.
When the opportunity with Explora Journeys came along, it truly excited me. The brand was created by the Aponte-Vago family to reimagine luxury ocean travel for a new generation of discerning travelers — those seeking depth, connection and authenticity — with a deep care for guest satisfaction and support of the trades, and I saw both travel advisors and guests excited by this vision.
How will your ocean and river experience inform your strategy?
My experience across both river and ocean cruising has been instrumental in shaping my approach at Explora Journeys. At AmaWaterways, I supported the rollout of all national account programs — from contracting to system integrations to training — which gave me a deep appreciation for how closely we must work with travel partners to deliver meaningful results.
At Oceania Cruises, my focus was on implementing sales strategies, tailoring programs to the travel agency model and unlocking greater sales potential. That experience reinforced the importance of building programs that empower advisors and drive measurable results.
Bringing these perspectives together, my strategy for Explora Journeys combines a hands-on, relationship-focused approach with a strategic, data-driven one. I’m most passionate about understanding the challenges our partners face and finding solutions that unlock potential for us both. The goal is to continue to build on the established partnerships, programs and experiences that resonate with our trade partners, ensuring scalable growth and long-term success.
What is your specific sales vision for Explora Journeys?
We’re working to build a brand that both travel advisors and guests believe in — one that’s reinventing ocean travel and is more akin to a hotel whose home is the ocean.
Our enduring support for travel advisors remains at the forefront of all we do. Under the leadership of Chris Austin, president of North America, and together with Aimee Price, vice president of field sales for North America, my focus is to strengthen the brand’s relationships with travel partners and lead a high-performing team of consultative sellers.
I’m also committed to growing the brand thoughtfully in North America, combining innovative sales strategies with an unwavering focus on service and excellence. I want our partners to feel equipped and excited to sell our journeys, and I want our guests to immerse in transformative experiences they can’t find anywhere else.
I want our partners to feel equipped and excited to sell our journeys, and I want our guests to immerse in transformative experiences they can’t find anywhere else.
Beyond expanding agency and [our connections with] advisors, loyalty and engagement are key. It’s about building a base of passionate travel advisors, repeat guests and a team that can be proud of what we’re creating. Ultimately, we want Explora Journeys to be recognized as the top luxury ocean travel brand — because we stayed true to our vision and delivered on every promise to our partners and our guests.
What should advisors be doing to sell the luxury brand to their clients?
Travel partners are our strongest advocates and a vital driver of our success. For a brand like ours, which feels more like a luxury resort at sea than a cruise line, it’s not just about agents tapping their database of seasoned luxury cruisers. It’s also about luxury land lovers who have never taken an ocean experience. Together with our travel partners, we’re able to open up the category to a whole new audience — the new-to-ocean guest, be it couples, solo travelers or multigenerational families.
Storytelling is also incredibly powerful, and it’s essential that travel advisors can clearly convey our distinctiveness to discerning travelers. As a brand, our role is to empower our partners with the right tools, training and support, and we encourage our partners to engage with our sales team, ask questions and dive deep into the details to be able to speak confidently about the Explora Journeys experience.
This is especially true when it comes to communicating value. We believe true luxury should feel effortless, and our inclusions are designed to deliver exceptional value. Guests enjoy unlimited fine beverages, nine culinary experiences, high-speed Wi-Fi and gratuities, as well as access to our Ocean Wellness programming. This transparency not only simplifies planning but allows our guests to focus on enjoying their journey.
Once an advisor brings a client onboard and they experience the brand first-hand, that guest will often share their experience with friends, helping agents generate more business organically.
What can agencies most look forward to working with Explora now and into the future?
There’s a tremendous sense of momentum at Explora Journeys right now. With Explora I and Explora II now sailing, and Explora III joining the fleet in 2026, our itineraries have expanded significantly.
Today, guests can choose to book journeys in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Iceland & Greenland, the Canadian and U.S. East Coast, the Caribbean, Alaska, Asia and the Red Sea. We’re continuing to focus on balancing iconic destinations with lesser-known gems that surprise and delight our guests. Think: Overnight stays in marquee cities, private after-hours cultural tours and small-group adventures in places that feel new and undiscovered.
Explora and Hilton Partner Up
Most recently, Explora became the exclusive luxury ocean travel partner of Hilton; this is part of the new Hilton Honors Adventures, an extension of the hotelier’s guest loyalty program. By summer 2026, Hilton loyalists will be able to redeem points on Explora cruises, and through June 7 of next year, they will also receive 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per suite booked and up to $400 in Journey Experience Credits on 16 Hilton/Explora Journeys itineraries (and a $200 credit on all other Explora Journeys sailings), plus an in-suite welcome gift.
Following an extraordinary debut in 2025, Explora Journeys will return for the Formula 1 Grand Prix De Monaco in 2026. From June 3 to 8, Explora I will be docked in Port Hercule for an unrivaled experience to watch the race with luxury accommodations just steps away.
We also recently introduced our first Alaska and Asia itineraries, debuting in 2027. From mid-May through September, our inaugural Alaska journeys will give travelers the opportunity to explore one of the most breathtaking regions in the world. In Asia that winter, guests will journey from the cherry blossoms of Japan to the cultural vibrancy of Singapore, with immersive experiences across the region.
Lastly and most recently, we unveiled Endless Worlds — our highly anticipated inaugural world journey taking place aboard Explora I. Spanning 128 days from January to May 2029, this extraordinary east-to-west journey is our first opportunity for guests to explore the globe through one continuous journey across four continents, 29 countries and territories and 63 unique destinations.
What do you want advisors to walk away with?
My tip to all travel advisors is: The time to book is now. We’re offering strong value, giving advisors an opportunity to introduce their valued clients to Explora Journeys. By focusing on what matters most to discerning travelers — more space, more choice and more time to enjoy their experience — we’re working to earn their loyalty, which in turn will result in repeat bookings for our partners.
