Stickman1990

That current suite upgrade offer is only on 2024 cruises - the OP is looking at 2026

I have - the only physical difference between them is the size of the balcony - the internal suite is exactly the same. There are also some laundry entitlements as well in the Grand Ocean which are handy We found that the balcony was very spacious but the entry level OT balcony is plenty big enough for us and we’ve booked an OT for our next voyage

Smart cookie 👍🥂 and I bet you even made sure you got a shower in your OT 😉 it’s easy enough to check on the features of a particular suite when booking - of to get your TA to check for you We too are very happy with the deal we got in the Black Friday sale and are very happy with the per diem we achieved versus our other luxury cruise line options (we don’t cruise in the upper level suites)

Seriously? Don't sweat the small stuff I’m beginning to wonder how I even managed to survive during my time in Explora last year? Reading some of these posts you have to wonder why people even both to cruise

Yes you have to wonder how another guest can know whether someone else is a “long term Crystal cruiser” or not - seems a little presumptuous to me

Yes - time will tell

At the moment….but final payment deadline is yet to come. That’s always a telling time, and that’s the case for any cruise line Nevertheless it’s good to see it’s currently waitlisted across the board. I can’t figure out why the Symphony cruise is unless it’s turned into a charter maybe?

Really? - Crystal have recently shown Barbie on board - given its popularity at the box office ashore it’s no great surprise that Explora have shown it Seems they’re damned whatever they do in the eyes of some For us the Explora experience was one of the best we’ve had - the dining was exceptional together with the ambience and service That’s not to say they’re the only cruise line providing a great luxury experience and we’re glad to have the option to include them in our cruise plans along with several others. Each offers something different than the others and we definitely enjoy that once they meet a decent level of luxury with dining, service and entertainment which are the elements we find important

“Waitlist” is a well known Crystal euphemism for “pending a decision/annpuncement” - it’s been used many times on that manner in the past Yes occasionally it does actually mean a category is actually full - but the alternate use is just as often the case

If you don’t proceed to pay the deposit on it then it will just lapse - it’s an option - not a firm commitment

Can you share contact details for Amaze Tours please - I’m interested in both a tour and transfers (seperate days)

They made the change to that sailing (and several others for that time frame on both Explora 1 and 2 back in late November/early Dec 2023 - I am amazed that Explora Journeys or your TA didn’t contact you about it as ours certainly did at the time

Bit off topic here but just what would you be waiting for to give you that confidence? They're back and the new company has absolutely 100% nothing to do with the old one A&K bought the ships and some other assets - not a company - they’ve built a company and offering and spent a lot of money doing so - time to get onboard and enjoy the Crystal experience We’re looking forward to cruising on Crystal Serenity in 3 weeks time

Crystal have announced that this Suite upgrade offer is extended to 31 March 2024

Interestingly we were on the same cruise but felt that the food was excellent and the service as well - no real surprise that opinions vary on dining options but I’m surprised that you felt service wasn’t good We felt all of the venues presented menus with plenty of choice (we were onboard for 17 days and never tired of the options and enjoyed several dishes multiple times) and the quality of the food was top notch - our favourite restaurant was Sakura but we were equally dining in Marble, Fil Rouge and Med Yacht Club. We ate breakfast and lunch many times in Emporium with one dinner there The included wines and spirits worked for us - plenty of options and brands were ones we felt were the same as we’d find on lines like Crystal, Regent and Silversea. Back in September they did have room for improvement on some of their cocktail prep but when friends returned in December they advised that had been remedied We are look forward to returning to Explora - we wouldn’t rebook if the food and service wasn’t at the right level - as only being a lovely ship in terms of hardware would not be enough to get us back

I look forward to meeting you on the Papeete leg and would be happy to show you just how easy it is then - but the main thing is you continue to enjoy your cruise Love your laundry comment and know how you feel after having had it included on other lines but I’m ok with an early morning session in the laundry room as the ones on Crystal are very well appointed with so many machines. Once again, like several other facilities, they have retained the same number of machines they used to have for a 1000 or so guests now for only 700 - another plus I hadn’t thought about before now

I agree, the Avenue is for guests and enjoying a drink and conversation. Some entertainers like Mark Farris know how to blend that and entertainment - others not so much The entertainer you refer to certainly had his fans but that style was not suited to Crystal and the Avenue - I think we can be fairly confident he won’t be back on Crystal

Dwight - we’re looking for a volunteer to take over the baton 😉 - seeing Reflections and the menus each day has been great Rob - thanks for all your posts and candid feedback - I’m particularly sorry to hear the Avenue was a miss for you as I know how much you and Jim enjoy time there. Safe travels home

I'm afraid not - it’s cold hard Euros for casino activity

Thank you - happy to help with info where possible Were on Crystal Serenity next month so I’ll no doubt be comparing the two lines

Please come back and share your comparison of Explora 1 v Oceania Vista - definitely interesting in feedback on the two experiences

Agree with you - the area I was referring to is actually the outside area at the bow outside the Explora lounge which is great for taking in the scenery. I think it’s only smoking allowed on the port side of that area

It’s per item laundry if you send it out Although in certain categories, including Grand Ocean Terrace, you get 1 bag of laundry free in the early stages of the cruise - so we packed that one pretty tight! After that it was off to the self service laundry

Trap for young players - make sure you select the correct cycle programme - some will go for 3 hours from memory - but others will complete in around 30-45 minutes from memory

Don’t discount Sakura entirely - the lamb chops from NZ are very good and I’m sure there are other non seafood dishes on offer - so maybe consider at least trying it In not onboard at the moment but when we were back in September we felt the dining options were amongst the best we’ve enjoyed at sea on most of the luxury lines - we can’t wait to return