mike@sea

17 nights for me and I am also thinking they need to revise or completely exchange the menus for Med Yacht Club and Fil Rouge after each cruise or alternatively introduce a daily special in those two restaurants. 

My cruise was b2b and I would have loved to see different menus on the second part of the b2b. I wasn’t a fan of the Med Yacht Club food ( which surprised me, as I initially thought that this would be my favorite restaurant, but that proved wrong ) and had a hard time finding something I liked on that menu after the third visit. Fil Rouge would also benefit from offering more variety. 
 

Being really full after around 10 days on the ship eating all its great food of course did not help either to pick and chose at dinner. 😉
 

Regarding the PH Promotion and what Gary kindly explained along with all the other information he researched, thanks for sharing by the way. 

I do not believe it is correct what you are saying Gary in regards to PH Dreams. How I understood it, and that would also explain the display when you go through the booking process is  :

The description of the offer does state, that the upgrade is already included in the price. You do not receive an upgrade to a PH, when booking a GT cabin, the category below PH. 
The offer does not say or mean „one category upgrade“. 
Hence, the offer is not upgrading one from OT/GT to PH. 

Instead the offer is only valid within the PH category. This also explains, why you can only see a Penthouse Dream fare displayed, when you look at the PH fares, but not when looking at OT fares. Within OT you find the Unique escapes offer and within PH you can find the Penthouse Dream offer. 

If you book the lowest PH, using the PH Dream fare, then that is what you get, you will not be upgraded to the DP, but you have received a fare, lower than the original one, almost equal to one of the lower category fares (=GT)

Thats what they mean by saying the upgrade is „already included“ in the fare shown when booking the offer. 

14 hours ago, English Tim said:

What is the difference?

What do you mean Tim ? The difference in the different categories and suites ? That is well explained on their website along with pictures and layout. Difference between PH and PP for instance is very much visible, with PH being one larger room and PP being basically 2 rooms and so much more space. 

They are also running a new promotion for Penthouse Suites, at least in Germany, but probably also in other markets. In case your clients want a bigger stateroom. 

It is called „Penthouse Dream“ and comes with an automatic „upgrade“ to the next higher PH suite plus still only 10% deposit. Available till Jul 31

It is a little weird how they do/ display it during the booking process on their website though, as the displayed price per PH category already includes the upgrade. 
So do not expect to end up in a Premium PH , when booking a Deluxe PH. You book the PH category you want, and the price for that has already been reduced to the original price of the lower type PH category. 

Hi Rachel, understand your confusion. EX website, very good in some places, very bad in others.  
EX pricing originally only displayed 2 fares ( and still does).

1. The regular and quite expensive „Cruise Only“ fare with a 20 or 25% deposit, due within 6 days of booking. 
2. An „Early Booking“ fare, which included a certain discount, usually 10%.  No deposit, but instead full payment within 6 days. 
 

About a year ago, they started to introduce other offers as well. Pricing on website always displayed only 2 fares to chose from. Maybe due to a limitation on the user interface or booking engine. Not sure. So you could usually chose between the original fare with deposit and the offer. 
 

Recently this has somewhat changed. The original fare with deposit disappeared, as it makes no sense over the offer, instead the Early Booking fare re-appeared, along with the special offer, and with that displaying the two cheapest fares to chose from. 
 

Given the fact, that the Early Booking fare requires full payment and does not come with any extras, other than the slight discount, it becomes clear, that the best offer right now would be the Unique Escapes. Only a slight downpayment necessary. 
 

Hope this helps. 

Unfortunately this is a very cheap ( type „laundry“ ) and smelly tote bag. It smells horribly after some use. Many people did not even realize it was meant to be a tote bag, as it looks like your ordinary laundry bag, the type you find at hotels. Not sure what Explora was thinking there, as it also should represent/market the company, when passengers use it.

Honestly, I was quite shocked when I received it and did complain about the cheap piece, which does neither fit the brand nor the price tag of the cruise. And compares badly to what you receive on other lines like Hapag Lloyd. Of course it is „sustainable“, the excuse for every corporate to sell downgraded stuff or food or whatnot to their clients. 
 

However, much to my surprise it did not bother any other person I talked to on the ship. So, this here might just be my own personal 2 cents. 😉

Of course it does not keep me from coming back ( and repeatedly tell them, they can and should do better.. ) 

The single supplement varies between as low as 20% and a full 100%. Supplement for PH suites and above is usually 100%.
Simply do a cruise search for any month you wish to travel based on single occupancy selection. If you would like to see the price difference to double occupancy, repeat the search based on 2 people instead of 1. 

2 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi, does anyone know if Explora offers solo guests a break on pricing? 

Not exactly sure what you mean by „break on pricing“, but their supplement for solo cruisers is quite low on most cruises. That applies for categories OT 1-4 and GT only though. PH and above are usually 80-100% surcharge. 

Check out their current pricing for any cruise you are interested in and you can see what I mean. 

It is basically happening at every bar around the ship.
If you want a DJ spinning some nice chillout tunes with it, you need to visit the Astern Pool and bar on deck 5 aft. 
If you prefer a peaceful and more quiet setting, then my recommendation would be to visit the wonderful Sky Bar on deck 14 aft. Best place for sunset and late afternoons. 
This of course applies to warm weather cruises. 

They usually have smaller tables but I have also seen the occasional table for 12/14, depending on restaurant. It is however absolutely no problem for them to accommodate you and shift tables together, except maybe in Anthology, but probably even there. Knowing Explora staff, they will bend over backwards to accommodate you in every possible way. So don’t worry. Enjoy your cruise. 

Thank you for sharing. I really do wonder about the dark blue lounge seats. How stupid! Yes it looks nice, BUT it will get so hot in sunlight, that no one can sit on it. Weird choice, especially since the furniture on Explora 1 is both appealing and functional. Why change it to the worse ? 

The bag of free laundry service is only applicable until 48 hours before debarkation. As usual, the content will arrive the next day, provided it was left with the suite host in the morning. 
 

Hey Magnus, the ports are all nice, some more than others. St Barts was one of my favorite. I noticed that the ship will next year partly dock at different ports over this season. That could make a slight difference, e.g Castries being on the other side of the island in St Lucia, not so nice from what I heard. 

Anyway, I think you should look at it from a more practical side. The problem with San Juan and especially Barbados are the very high cost for flights. AA is mostly dominating the market, some UA and AC flights, and that is it. Barbados from Europe is in the hands of BA and VS along with a few Charter flights, think TUI. 
 

Also Hotels in both, SJU and BGI are crazy expensive and not really good. You will want to fly in at least a day early, so that must also be taken into account. I am currently looking at SJU for Feb next year, where my next cruise will end, and I am not impressed to say the least. I will therefore probably head straight back to MIA, overnight there and fly back the next day. MIA is equally expensive , and I would suggest using points if you have any for a hotel brand. Interconti runs at 500$ a night minimum , and although freshly renovated , is not necessarily worth it. 
 

These are my thoughts and experiences. 
 

One last remark, use the ships tours. They are expensive but since you have OBC , that helps and saves you a lot of stress. Most destinations are not necessarily the best place to go on your own. It is not like Europe and some of the islands are quite poor. 

M

Mine arrived only yesterday. For others it arrived already the day of debarkation. But if I remember correctly, it was said on the ship, it would arrive a few days after the cruise.
Maybe give it another day or two, then contact your Ambassador. 

1 hour ago, Whipsnade said:

Entertainment on Explora lackluster at best. A few tired singers no one heard of reading lyrics from a computer screen. 
Yes, Explora DOES have player pianos which on occasion are played by a human. 
I was being kind about Crystal “being a little dressier”. What I meant was you will not see jeans or baseball caps in Waterside in the evening which is not the case on Explora. Got it?
Since you have never been on Crystal you wouldn’t know that they doubled the size of most cabins. They did retain a few small outside small cabins which are offered to single travelers at very reasonable prices and they usually get snapped up. BTW there are not and never have been inside cabins on Crystal. 
Who goes to movies?  Theatres are frequently quarter full for matinees and half full in the evening. 
Glad to hear Explora is “constantly evolving”. Perhaps they could move a little quicker if they got their noses out of the clouds. In the meantime they are overpriced and under passengered. That’s why this supposed “luxury” venture has been forced to offer 40% discounts within six months of inaugural. 

When were you last on Explora ? How can you say all these things, when none of what you say reflects the actual experience on Explora ! 

Please accept that Explora has evolved ever since you sailed. Period. The staff by the way are excellent. Why would you think that someone who worked at a hotel in Dubai is not qualified enough? And besides, only some of the staff have not worked on ships before. Some even worked on Crystal before. But do not go back, because they have no opportunity to grow on Crystal. On Explora they do.  

Ocean Cay experience might differ for you either way. I only experienced it as an Explora passenger. I was able to walk everywhere! Even the YC enclave. No one cared or checked which cabin. There was no buffet or extensive food offer anywhere on the island, which explains this. Two or three open food trucks , that was it, I believe none at the YC area. Only drinks. In fact we were actually asked to dine on board , they explained there would’ve only limited foodtruck options ashore. 
 

All that made sense, as the island felt deserted with the Explora passengers. It is built in mind for a few thousand passengers , not for 700. As nice as it was in its own weird way, it felt a bit strange. Also, picturing it with 5000 passengers made me cringe. I would have gone back to the ship within five minutes if it were full like that. 
 

But that’s just me. Long story short, you do not need the YC area. It is there however and you can for sure enjoy drinks there if you wish. But it won’t be the same as in YC. 

12 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

@mike@sea I'm glad you enjoyed your Explora cruise, but – having read every post on this forum and remembering the history of this new cruise line, I think you should have another perspective on those who are 'dissing'.  Many were Crystal orphans [remember the timeline with Crystal's bankruptcy and Explora's creation] hoping for a new luxury line that would be similar to Crystal – and the early announcements didn't give any reason to doubt that.  But between the first announcements and the first cruise reports a lot of things changed!  A lot of early promises were broken.  And then Crystal came back, the same and better!  So Explora's job now is to find that new-to-cruising audience they seem to be bent on catering to.  Maybe you are that audience [or at least open to their differences.]  But have a little empathy for those of us who have been cruising for decades and know what we like – and thought that Explora was promising to deliver it.

With all due respect, I am not sure , why you even „host“ this board, if all you can comment on is Crystal this and Crystal that. You have not stepped foot on Explora 1 to my knowledge , yet you leave your comments , all in favor of Crystal. I think you should not comment at all, unless you have been on both. And even then, maybe think about passing the Explora board on to someone else, who is less biased. 
just my two cents. Again, with all respect. 

Hey Magnus, without knowing you, your age, your interests, experience , what you are looking for , no-one should answer that question. 

Well, of course with the exception of the Crystal cheerleaders and the Explora haters on this board. And believe it or not, there are a few. Not sure, why they are on this board, but they are… 

I just got off Explora today, after 17 exceptional and relaxing days. I traveled solo and had the best of times. I would and will go back in a heartbeat. I am in a Miami hotel now, waiting for my flight back home tomorrow. I really really miss the ship and especially the staff and wish I was still on the ship. In all my travels and cruises, the Explora staff was probably the best. Very personal and very attentive. You as passenger will be the center of attention, if you let them. Just be open and friendly, and they will call you by name on day 2 and bend over backwards. 
 

I did not have a boring minute in 17 days on the ship , but in the end it all comes down to you and your expectations. 
 

So do your homework and decide what’s best for you and your expectations. Explora will for sure further develop out the very few kinks onboard. I believe that Explora 2 will be identical to Explora 1, having some minor design issues with one pool at the front an in regards to some GT Suites, whose balcony tends to get the occasional sprinkle from above. Other than that I did not detect any issues worth mentioning. 
Others might disagree, but the majority if not all passengers on my cruise loved every minute. 
 

Forgive me to add to your live review, which I enjoy as much as everyone else, with the difference that I am on board too. Just a little observation from my perspective as a B2B passenger, who is now onboard for 9 days. 
The vibe on the ship has completely changed since Miami. Although less passengers, the ship feels fuller during the day. Especially noticeable at Emporium but also around deck. Last cruise more people were searching for shade, this cruise it is the opposite. And there are quite a few chair hogs. Weird, since there is enough deckspace, but I guess some people think it is appropriate, even on a luxury cruise. 
 

There are much more Europeans on this cruise, including children. Not a problem at all from my perspective. They seem to have a good time just like the adults. 

It became a bit quieter on the ship, maybe because Europeans tend to talk quieter. At the same time, some of the friendliness and Hello‘s you would hear all the time in the corridors or on deck are missing. As mentioned, the vibe is different. Not bad, just different. 

Last week there were quite a few travel agents onboard. Some people here on CC think that is a bad idea. I think the opposite. It is necessary to introduce travel agents to the brand and ship, so they can then share their experience with their customers. And most of us rely on our travel agents. 
Also they were a friendly and lively bunch in a good way last week. They brought laughter and joy to the ship and enhanced the atmosphere, especially at night in the theatre. I did not see any so called influencer by the way. 

Shows were excellent last week, special shoutout to a performer called Nathan James who literally rocked the boat with his brilliant performance and his incredible voice. 
I am sure this cruises entertainment will be equally good, from my perspective Explora does a pretty good job there. This also applies to other varied activities as well as gatherings like for Singles, Prism (LGBTQ+). The crew generally does a great job and is very personal and very friendly. It is also nice to see faces from Africa again, which I had not seen many if at all on cruises over the past years. 
 

And with this, back to you Noggins…. 🙂

The issue you faced with Emporium on embarkation was definitely caused by the horrible horrible immigration at Miami cruise port. They only sent 2 agents for disembarking passengers, roundabout 600. Explora officials said they paid for 6 agents and only received 2.   Port of Miami should really be ashamed of themselves. The tip issue when checking in your back is also a well known problem at Miami port for many years and affects every single embarking passenger, every day. Again shame on PoMiami who do nothing about it. 

The disembarkation took till 11:15, plan was to have everybody off the ship by 9:30.

b2b passengers not on a tour or with independent plans to visit downtown had to wait till appr 11:00h before we were able to disembark and immigrate , which of course we all had to, as Key West was our next port. 
We were only allowed back on board by the PoMiami officials at 12:00h. 
 

Only after we were back on board, the first new guests arrived on the ship. No wonder Emporium was packed, as most guests arrived at the same time. 
The week prior in Barbados, it was no zoo at Emporium at lunch time, and there were about 200 more guests on board. In fact, for the past 8 days it has always been a pleasure to lunch at Emporium, with lots of available seats and a speedy drink service. 

On board now and will continue with you back to Barbados. The ship is wonderful, the crew outstanding and the food very good. It is objective, but I have not had a single bad meal. Marketplace is truly excellent ! Fil Rouge my favorite. 
 

You are in for a treat and I am sure you you will have a great time as well. I am loving it. 

The new Champagne is actually really nice. No complains at all from me. Having a really nice time onboard now. Staff are fabulous and so attentive. 

Same here Dennis. for my next years b2b.  Only first portion appears. But I am sure they will sort it out. Also could not find Barbados in their airport list when I entered my flights for the upcoming cruise. Instead chose „other airport“. 

I am sure that for the crew and also for the whole overall atmosphere, a full(er) ship is much better in most ways. It enhances the workflow and resembles what they have been trained for. 

I often observed that flight crews on sold out flights work their best, whereas half empty planes or compartments lowers the overall quality and given attention of the crew. I guess it’s similar on ships. we‘ll see. 

Really looking forward to my first Explora. And yes, after those numbers , I did make reservations for Sakura and Marbles this morning. They replied within two hours and I received days one and two, which is great. I did not really care which days and let them decide. The hour I got is exactly what I asked for as preferred , although I also gave them a certain range. 
 

So far, so good. Now all I have to do is be in Barbados on time… best including luggage.

I did not make dining reservations yet. I am torn now, if I better should do so, looking at the number you just quoted. Wow. That would mean that we sail at almost full capacity. Cool in a way. Perfect for the entertainment due to an enhanced atmosphere and hopefully good for excursions, which hopefully will not all be cancelled again. 

I would have made reservations today, if it already worked online. Maybe I will send an email tomorrow asking for reservations. It’s a b2b, so I can still test their onboard reservation for the 2nd part of the trip.