At Sea At Peace

Yep, for us also. Welcomed us with conversation upon arrival and seating, upon sparkling service, checked our meals in person for temperature (I order and eat only the protein and, if meat (favorite lamb - any) medium rare. Again after the meal and walk to the stairs to the TS lounge. Great hospitality skills and a a modest age. I recall a first name like 'deekshay' or something to that effect. Ended his contract on the last day of our B2B. Had no guaranteed assignment to return as Yacht Club Head Waiter (and One Pool Deck Head of Service) and preferred to get assignment on the Divina. If not offered a contract for the YCHW, said he would not considering returning for another position. A real talent, voiced such to Mustafa and the Captain in the TSL. Never was greeted by the MD, mostly the Host for seating (very bland) and never visited our table for the B2B. The MD was noticeably very, very good and close, however, to what appeared to be select tables. Must be from past relationships. In all of our 10 YC B2Bs we've never observed a MD with split qualities depending on the passengers.

Another CC member posted he is on until this contract ends in August. I do not know if that is correct or not. What we found impressive was that he not only was so visible (we're talking meeting him 4-5 times a day, everywhere) but he was both a solver (listened to the issue, or saw an issue, and acted) and a leader; he clearly motivated his departmental staff and, if applicable, addressed an underperforming crew staff immediately. Seriously, no beating around the bush. It was noted that a TS Lounge bartender appeared to be annoyed to pour drink orders (🤨) and the next day and to the end of the crew that bartender was sugar candy every day. Will definitely consider his whereabouts when booking. The head waiter (also One Deck food manager most days) from Mauritius, whose current contract expired at our cruise end, was another asset and promising gem that would end up heading the restaurant and someday possibly even a Yacht Club. Just 'has it.'

We've been on 10 Yacht Club B2B's 2017-2019 (skipped years Covid) and then again March 30th 2024. Without a doubt, and 'not even close,' Mustafa is the best Yacht Club Director that we've ever experienced. Not even close. Seriously.

Agreed, as a start. Impressive count. We're at 10 cruises, all B2B's.

Almost forgot about that in my favors for a Yacht Club (and to a lesser extent MSC) Loyalty Credit promotion to book Explora Journeys. At least some attempt was made to mine the MSC passengers at that time. I believe it was a 2-stateroom class upgrade and a $500 OBC?

This is an interesting thread we read today as it has rained all day long. ⛈️ Although not in the need to sail solo mode, and not taking a side (if there actually is one), we wonder if many use available resources such as CruisePlum (CruisePlum Solo Deals) to take advantage of the wealth of information that is there? It is not a TA, not a CC post violation, etc. A really good resource too (for a lot of various interests). Using it points us in directions that ultimately are incredibly valuable to us. Hopefully, solo cruisers can use some of their 'Solo Deals' data mined and presented to help find more cost friendly cruises aggregated specifically for them. cruiseplum.com

Thanks for the review. Nice. Just would like to highlight the 2nd biggest flaw in the Explora Journeys business model (#1 being failure to use it's MSC Yacht Club base cross marketed with a loyalty promotion) - one cannot, essentially, use their website to select a cruise, a stateroom, price, select and hold or deposit. Seriously, we're half empty, please book a cruise with us. Well, not with us, you have to find someone with an active stateroom availability website (or call us).

Just recalling the example.

Exactly. There's nothing wrong (other than experienced failure of the original marketing plan) with continuing with such (otherwise known as the definition of insanity) and adding the cross-marketing from the MSC cruise line; specifically the Yacht Club data base of passengers (about a million) and even all MSC passengers (after testing the waters with the Yacht Club loyalty program cross-marketed with $1,000 credit levels for Explora Journeys cruise booking in Tiers based on Yacht Club staterooms and number of cruises). I mean, seriously. MSC has all of our email accounts (for the Yacht Club data base of customers sailed) and we've never received a 'single promotion or reference to Explora Journeys.' I'd bet the other luxury lines would love access to the MSC Yacht Club data base of customers sailed!). Add your recommendation to that by having an Explora Journeys marketing such a loyalty credit program for Explora Journeys bookings 'while in the Yacht Club.' Great idea!

The previously recommended "Yacht Club Credit Promotion Program," (rewarding prior Yacht Club sailing passengers with a tiered credit based upon # and stateroom category) with over a million Yacht Club passengers to date, that I posted earlier, would seem to be a 'no brainer.' Seriously, the entire brand was conceived on the success of the Yacht Club, but the marketing ended up being built to entice new luxury and younger cruisers via TA's and influencers. The Yacht Club formula was to 'offer something better, for less.' I'd like to see them 'chew gum and walk at the same time' and offer multiple marketing program platforms.

That's a really interesting booking profile currently. No OT 1's show as available. Then, oddly, the lowest deck of OT 2 is quite full, while the deck above is almost empty. The OT 3 and OT 4 are also quite empty. Wonder if an earlier promotion booked the the OT 1's, or promotional cruise for TA's and the like?

Not a TA, wish I had access to the populated data though. I just simply go to a website where the bookings are integrated with Explora Journeys and start a mock booking. Each deck for each stateroom category comes up that you select and the staterooms with blinking red circles are the ones you are allowed to select; i.e., currently unbooked. I did it for OT's 1, 2, 3 and 4 on that specific sailing. It can be done for all categories. What January date is your sailing?

Yes, it is out of Miami and it is 'empty' nasty, especially for a 9N RT Miami! It's going to have to come down or stay empty. OT1 - 78% Unbooked OT2 - 95% Unbooked OT3 - 92% Unbooked OT$ - 83% Unbooked 6/7/2024

A lot of good points from different angles and perspectives. Thank you. My simple point of recommendation adds to such when considering the # of YC staterooms on the MSC fleet of ships and (averaging 2 persons) generating approximately 162,000 guests per year one (a reasonably prudent person) would think that to promote a years sailings of Explora I trying to fill the ship with 48,000 guests (in a ship-wide Yacht Club enthused design) that MSC Yacht Club customer base would have had a measurable target - marketing, promotions, etc. They haven't missed the 'boat' but it is a head scratcher for sure, especially when inundating the ships' sailings with TA's and the so-called influencers (along with the accompanying intrusion into the cruise enjoyment of the actual paying passengers). Again, good points. We like the concept you note "Explora needs to be popular (budget-luxury) rather than compete with RC and Regent, in order to fill the 6 ships" as that is how the Yacht Club model became so successful - compared to Haven and now Retreat. 🧐

Well, good intentions are behind the recommendation. We were so looking forward to Explora Journeys - - because of our 9 B2B Yacht Club sailings - - - for the 'same experience' just on a smaller ship with access to itineraries' experiences that the larger sea ships can't offer. We've met so many great cruisers in the MSC Yacht Club and, at first, such would be the sought after clientele to christen Explora Journeys. Didn't happen - not even an email announcing that Explora Journeys even existed. Wow, talk about not using the paper trail i.e., the 'rolodex of our top customers' for our new luxury line branded 'specifically after them?' But such happens. Sometimes it can be that as entities get larger they get above the clouds and misstep the ground they walked to get aloft in the first place. We believe they will find their way. Will book when the TA's are dwindled and especially when the IF's are totally gone. In the meantime we're booked for a couple of Yacht Club B2B's instead and again. The Yacht Club 'loyalty credit' was just a thought, such is not a factor for us at all. It just makes business and marketing sense.

Just to get some input from others on this specific idea, we believe that, when trying to create an 'all Yacht Club' suite luxury ship, the first market analysts forgot the best pipeline for such - prior Yacht Club passengers. So, from another thread, we separate out this concept. Just looking for feedback. Thank you. FOCUS - Correction #3 They 'booted' the bad business model of land-based hotel and hospitality instead of sea-based. That's correction #1. IMO, they need to make correction #2. - get the gosh darned TA's off the new ships; make sure to take all of the "influencers" also. - keep the good, successful TA's on limited (and soon to end) promotions. - do not interfere with the paying customers access to any venue or amenity re: such. Then, they need to make correction #3. - do "what you should have done at the outset," and tap your most loyal and MSC experienced customers - - - past Yacht Club passengers! - instead of granting free or heavily discounted fares to TA's, reward your 'base'. - Yacht Club past booking 'tiers' of loyalty credits to 'book Explora Journeys' - for example - - - 1 Yacht Club prior sailing - Owners or Royal Suite - - $1,000 Credit - - - 2 Yacht Club prior sailings - Deluxe Balcony - - $1,000 Credit - - - 4 Yacht Club prior sailings - Inside - - $1,000 Credit - MAX credit 'per booking' - - - $3,000 🧐

Her current email is (the first above) ~ lhodgesbethge@celebrity.com I contacted her on Sunday, November 19, 2023 at 10:14AM. She replied to me Sunday, November 19, 2023 at 7:28PM. Quite a remarkable new CEO.

Thanks. Much appreciated. Time to end the discussion, again.

Yikes, Houston there is a problem with sales. E1 for a couple of trips we're looking at for B2B to in essence create a Miami back to Miami 17N voyage has almost totally open and available OT1, OT2, OT3, OT4 and the GTs blinking in red! They'll have to push a real promotion to fill this ship.

Nice. Some here think that all YC'ers require the pampering (unpacking, room stock of desired, escorts to dinners and shows and cabanas) of a butler. Not true. First, for those that do, great and we're glad for you. However, in almost 10 B2Bs we've never used our butler. Seriously. My wife actually finds them an annoyance. 🙃 It even took me a couple of years to get her to stop making the bed in the morning! 😘 Our room is immaculate and organized, we really only need towel service. We do enjoy ~ ~ the really comfortable room size and layout of the deluxe balcony and large shower. ~ dining in the YC, once per day, only at night, is "out time" and we take our time, interact with our waiter, assistant waiter, head waiter (sometimes MD, although not as much a back in the day with Mario), as well as others we've met who sit near us. It is 'the event' of the day for us and the evening, followed by descending into the lounge for an hour or so of light music, light drinks (for us) and socializing with others, especially B2B'ers. ~ day on the One Deck, preference for port days, cabana (we wish they would go to a fee based reservation in 4-5 hour intervals), the cold pool, the back body temp jetted tub and, of course, the awesome bar and grille. ~ morning early coffee in the lounge reading the eNews for an hour with caution on port days for assembly of those in walk-off groups (we'll head up to pool deck). ~ "on topic," the many, many just regular nice people that we meet and enjoy - from all walks of life, all 'preferences and partners' etc. ~ finally, enjoy the YC staff, top to bottom (the pool boy on Seascape will follow Onil's footsteps to butler someday). So friendly, so accommodating, so 'just darn nice and very good at what they do.' Seriously, how many cruises (or trips) have you been on when the staff serving you the most comes up to hug you with big smiles and pats the night before you current voyage ends? We're trying, again, to try Explora Journeys. Check out the CC forum. My thread on the impossibility to even book a gosh darn cruise is entertaining. 😇 Makes the 'famous MSC cruise line website' seem like an Elon Musk operation!

I believe that you are totally correct. I've sent, to the top management of Explora Journeys and to the BOD and CEO of MSC (parent) with the information presented here and via customer service emails regarding this, via emails that I've used and received replies (good contacts) the following ~. CHALLENGE - I asked them to at least try to do a mock booking an Explora Journeys cruise online by themselves. 🤨 Then, hop over to MSC cruise line and try to do a mock booking in the Yacht Club.

Never asked you to 'walk away from free money? I also reiterated "to each his own." So, for those who believe this is something bad about travel agents, it is not. A growing majority of all cruisers are doing it online, and 90% of new cruisers are doing it online. If Explora Journeys had a functioning website, comparable to all others including MSC, those of us who want to specifically ~ 1. Go to cruise line website. 2. Input dates, itineraries and ship or ships preferred and review results. 3. Select dates, ship and itinerary and view and select available staterooms from an interactive platform (by deck, stateroom class and price) and consider "all-inclusive" or other combined pre-booking packages. 4. Get immediate quote, generally an option to HOLD, or BOOK and make a deposit. DONE. So, the point is, compared to the ease of searching ships, itineraries, dates, staterooms, back-to-back staterooms on all of the other major cruise lines (even MSC, the sister large ship cruise platform to Explora Journeys), that it is impossible to do on the Explora Journeys website. That's the point. Such will not impact those of you who want to use a travel agent. I've not suggested that you should be forced to book your own cruise online. I suggested is that we should be able to. Again, I just don't see how that impacts you or anyone else in any way?

Now regarding your experience via Travel Agents and TA's in general. I guess the phrase "to each his own" is appropriate. Very happy that it has worked for you and you enjoy it. We, however, have never booked with a TA as we don't have the same needs as you might have. We don't need "their knowledge" (or really any incentives) "made available across all aspects of our travel" as we're quite capable from our experiences, from air or land travel, resorts and hotels pre and or post travel, excursions, day trips etc.. We travel a lot, land and sea, are tech savvy, enjoy the research planning the new trip or cruise. Although, yes, some may use or choose to use or even prefer a TA, it is an old method that supported a real small number of ocean and luxury sea vessels and, with that, significantly less number of passengers per year. Like comparing email to USPS delivered mail. That has changed a lot ~ U.S. Cruise Market Report 2022-2026," by XXXXXXXXX, found agents' share of gross cruise booking fell to 52% in 2021 from 70% in 2019." And was much higher prior to that ~ 2017 Cruise Travel Report "Up to 82 percent of cruisers have stated that they tend to work with a travel agent when booking a cruise while18 percent of Cruisers say they never use agents." Technology has changed all of that., especially with new cruisers. "January 23, 2023. In its initial testing, XXXXXXXXX found that 91% of bookings were made via a mobile device and that the average age of customers was 36. Both statistics are appealing to cruise lines seeking to extend their passenger demographics."

Well, I knew this would be the response from some. It's not what I referred to all. Hopefully, the below will help make such not about using a TA or booking your own cruise. That is not the point at all that I was making. The OP appeared to clearly state that we trying to book cruises on Explora Journeys online on their platforms signed in as members. QUOTE "It is almost impossible to (after registering on EJ) to book a cruise on your ships in the normal industry manner on your website." Specifically ~ 1. Go to cruise line website. 2. Input dates, itineraries and ship or ships preferred and review results. 3. Select dates, ship and itinerary and view and select available staterooms from an interactive platform (by deck, stateroom class and price) and consider "all-inclusive" or other combined pre-booking packages. 4. Get immediate quote, generally an option to HOLD, or BOOK and make a deposit. DONE. So, the point is, compared to the ease of searching ships, itineraries, dates, staterooms, back-to-back staterooms on all of the other major cruise lines (even MSC, the sister large ship cruise platform to Explora Journeys), that it is impossible to do on the Explora Journeys website. That's the point.

Seriously, we are MSC Yacht Club close to 10 B2B's, one recently, the first since Pandemic, the rest pre-2019 starting on Divina. We have wanted to try Explora. At first, the hype pricing was over the top. Now, not so much, as some are almost equal to a sea ship MSC Yacht Club. But reports of low occupancy of E1 and with E2 arriving, prices are way down. You may wonder WHY? I'll be direct. It is almost impossible to (after registering on EJ) to book a cruise on your ships in the normal industry manner on your website. It is the WORST cruise line (sea ships and luxury ships) to even attempt to book a cruise (and never mind a B2B). We have tried several times to book several cruises and it was so frustrating we said - nah, not worth it. The website has so many flaws, but it is really 'management ignorance,' - as simple as 'can't enter phone country origin if USA (today)' is the new one; so one is stuck, frozen and out.. Almost all other fields have experienced the same in our attempts. We never can get to BOOK - CONFIRM & PAY. We are tech savvy and experienced cruisers (MSC YC, NCL Haven, RCCL, CEL and DIS). YOUR IT IS KILLING YOUR BRAND We want to log in, select a cruise date and ship, look at the available staterooms, select and make a deposit. Sir, this cannot be done for your cruise line. That's a serious flaw. It doesn't matter how beautiful your new ships are, how great your dining and entertainment experience is, how wonderful the smaller ports are that these ships can itinerary or how great your service on board is. If we can't overcome the obstacles to even book a cruise on your ships, none of the above can happen. Thank you. MSC Seascape #52644639 - 18015 3/30/2024.