Jenny Wade has left her roles at Fred Holidays and Blue Water Holidays to join MSC Cruises’ luxury brand Explora Journeys.

Wade will be one of two UK and Ireland business relationship leads at the line, which is due launch its first ship, Explora I, next May.

She will report to the line’s UK and Ireland head of sales, Priti Mehta.

The well-known industry figure is joining her former Viking colleague, Andrew Schweitzer, at Explora Journeys.

Wade left Viking in September 2020 after nearly five years and joined The Peel Entertainment Group before returning to the travel industry just over a year ago.

Since then, she has held two part-time roles – a commercial director position at Blue Water Holidays and a key account manager at Fred Holidays.

Schweitzer, who is also a UK and Ireland business relationship lead, was recruited by Explora in May this year amid a flurry of hires including Natalie Dorrington, who is trade marketing expert and Suzanne Kochen, who is head of sales, northern Europe.