Explora Journeys Names Patricia Di Benedetto for New Role

Luxury cruise line Explora Journeys has upped Toronto-based Patricia Di Benedetto to business relationship lead for national and key accounts in Canada.

Di Benedetto is a familiar face in the Canadian travel industry. She first joined Explora in 2022 as a business relationship lead for Eastern Canada. Prior to that, she was a strategic account manager for Royal Caribbean International (2018 to 2022). 

The leadership exec, who has built her 20-year career developing retail and hospitality brands, shared the promotion on Linkedin.

“I have cultivated strong relationships with customers and consistently led projects and budgets with keen insight and sound judgement,” she posted on social media. “Known for my inclusive and enthusiastic leadership style, I inspire teams to achieve excellence, fostering collaboration and driving impactful results.”  

Explora Journeys is a recent-entry cruise line. Owned by MSC Group, the brand offers a yacht-inspired all-inclusive luxury model. Its first ship, the 461-suite Explora I, set out on its maiden voyage in July 2023. 

MSC Group’s luxury cruise line is in a period of leadership transition. Original CEO Michael Ungerer announced his departure last March, stating that he would stay on in an advisor role until the end of August. Pierfrancesco Vago, chairman cruise division for MSC Group, has overseen the Explora brand since Ungerer’s exit.

Last month, Explora Journeys named Chris Austin as president, North America. Like with Di Benedetto, Austin was promoted to the role.   

“Chris is a highly respected leader in the luxury hospitality industry and was one of the founding members of the Explora Journeys leadership team,” said Pierfrancesco Vago. “The appointment signifies not only his exceptional talent but also the boundless growth opportunities within our organization.