CJANDH

We spoke to Entertainment Manager Michael after the show and he told us that the comedian had been scheduled as the main act but because of his poor performance in the first show he was cancelled and replaced at the last minute by the Carole King show. He said Lydia was having some voice problems from too much exposure (poor girl). He said that he gave the comedian a last chance to redeem himself with the "alternate" show in the Astern Lounge. A good executive decision in my view.

But EJ is sailing half full so the actual passenger to crew ratio is much better.

I would imagine they are having trouble selling cruises to the middle east right now. Who know when the troubles in the Red Sea and elsewhere will end.

"First of all the real, high quality musicians had grown to 5 in number. The arrangements were first class, the staging high tech, the sound spot on and the performances outstanding. Shame it was a thin crowd but it was an appreciative one. No standing ovation at the end which was a relief as they are just too readily given these days - although wait, this evening was deserving of one!" Could not agree more. And tonight's show looks to be great too. The wonderful Resident Vocalist, Lydia Christina, will be doing her own show: "A Tribute to the Divas". She has been so good in the shows earlier as part of the team, I am sure she will shine as a solo act.

We took a ships excursion in Virgin Gorda. It was a 4 hour beach visit at Spring Bay, which is a quiet version of the more famous Baths Park. The beach was lovely. They had set up loungers and umbrellas on the beach and served beer and rum punch along with a few local snacks. It was a nice day. But at 130 euros each it was a ridiculous price. It was a 10 minute bus ride each way that would have cost $10 in a taxi. We took it because we have some OBC to use. But if I had paid cash I would have felt ripped off.

I too was surprised that there is no map tracking our journey on the TV or anywhere around the ship. When I asked why I was told to download the "My Explora" app to my phone where I would find a route tracker as well as a lot of other useful information. I did and the app is truly good. Explora should make a big deal about telling people to get the app. Not only does it have the route map, it allows access to your account, provides a daily planner with all your bookings (restaurants and excursions) a link to menus and shore excursion descriptions, and more. It is one of the best onboard apps I have found on any cruise.

Sir Alan Collins. Retired British ambassador to lots of places. Talk on Winston Churchill and one on Queen Elizabeth II. Bothe very good. Niki Sepsas. Series of port talks. First one this afternoon.

Chair Hogs are getting busy. This is the Astern Pool at 7:30am. All loungers are "reserved" no people in sight.

Do not reject Explora on the basis of poor entertainment reviews from the past. They have listened to the criticism and have revamped their approach to entertainment. I am on the ship right now and the resident singers and musicians are great. They have several guest performers scheduled. They run evening shows twice per night at 9:00 and 10:15; better than most other small cruise lines. The lecturers on board this trip are top notch. So far, I am impressed.

I too am on this voyage (sorry, Journey) and plan to only post a few things here and there. Noggins is doing a great job of detailing his experiences and doesn't need help from me. So far I have been surprised at the quality of the entertainment. Based on historical posting, I was expecting this to be a negative. However, the two resident vocalists who had shows on the last two nights (very different each night) are superb singers. I would say the best I have heard on any of my past cruises. Also, the guest speaker today, Sir Alan Collins, gave a wonderful talk on Winston Churchill. Again, as good a guest speaker as I have experienced on any cruise. I had a long conversation with the Entertainment Manager and he explained that management have been listening to customer feedback and are totally redesigning the entertainment program. Having two shows each evening, one at 9pm and one at 10:15pm is good news for me. I echo Noggins praise for the ship and hosts (Explora speak again . . sorry). I will opine on the food and service after trying all venues. Back to you Adrian

Have a safe and comfortable trip to Miami. See you on board. Chris.

Sorry. I don't know that. But seat allocation is showing up on both my Regent account and on the Turkish Air site.

Thanks for the info. I hope it is not going to feel too empty.

Turkish Airlines is still being used by Regent. I have flights on Turkish from Atlanta to Istanbul confirmed for June this year. Seats allocated and ready to go. I did deviate.

LOL

Adrian. Nice introduction. We will be boarding with you on Friday and, like you, are looking forward to a new experience. We are ex-Brits now living on Hilton Head in South Carolina. We started cruising in 2017 when hitting the age you are now concerned about (don't be!!). We have cruised several times a year since then, mainly on Silversea and Regent, and wish we had started earlier in life. But no regrets. We are still enjoying every trip and have Greece, Bermuda and Iceland/Greenland on the calendar for the next year or so. We are hoping that Explora lives up to the good reviews and certainly will be boarding with a positive attitude. We have splurged on an Ocean Residence, so are are expecting the best. It would be fun to meet up with you onboard and compare notes over a glass or two. Are you Trivia players? We will be looking for a team to join. Best, Chris & Heather

We are boarding in Miami after you debark. Keep the crew happy for us!! How full is the ship on your leg? Any info on numbers for the next leg?

I am not surprised. Unlike lines that include air and hotels there is no saving for EV as they only sell the cruise. But I thought I would ask 🤩.

I am looking at Explora for a cruise over next Christmas and New Year. Has anyone experienced a holiday cruise with them? How did it compare with the other luxury lines that I have enjoyed over the holidays? Also, to cover both Christmas and New Year I would need to do a B2B. Does Explora Voyages give a discount for BTB bookings?

Norwegian's quarterly report confirmed that cost savings have been a major focus, as we have all experienced on cruises since reopening after the pandemic. The following quotes from an analyst and the CFO say it all: "The top line wasn't really an area of focus for most people," said Ken Kuhrt, Ariel Investments Portfolio Manager. "It was the cost side of the equation and they came out with numbers that look fantastic." "Cruise-related costs in 2023, excluding fuel, were 21% lower from a year earlier", Norwegian Cruise CFO Mark Kempa said.

On the wrong board to discuss that comparison.

Where do I find the pinned post?

Try emailing. Here is the address that Matt used to handle my questions: contact@explorajourneys.com

Does anyone have any news on the four new ships that Crystal promised? What size and when to be launched?

I agree. I contacted EJ's Experience Center when I couldn't make dining reservations. An Experience Center Ambassador, Matt Backo, quickly booked the reservations I wanted and has since helped me with advice on booking shore excursions and other things that the web site couldn't do. Matt is a very customer focused team member who must be seriously overworked due to the failure of the IT team to get up and running. Hopefully he will stick around . . . he will be needed.