kidless

We indulged in a massage….only because we had a lot of obc. While the massage was nice I’ve had better ones. It was at best average and it would have been disappointing if we had to actually pay. Even worse was the $140 pedicure where you sit in uncomfortable chair with your feet in a bowl or in the manicurist lap! Most of people you see clogging the spa area are there to use thermal area. 
 

*** I did notice although tips are included they do linger afterward we felt (we could be wrong) they were expecting a tip. 

We gave additional tips to those that exceeded our expectations. Not sure I trust a “fund” who manages fund and decides who gets it?

On our cruise which only had about 500 passengers on board. Finding a seat at the bar or even the lounge area sofas at Lobby Bar was near impossible at peak times. With full passenger pre dinner. We often walked down to Med Yacht Club even when not eating dinner there. Bar was always empty and bartender was one of the best! 

While on board in November Captain told me they are expecting 75 children on the Christmas cruise. 

15 hours ago, safarigal said:

I remember that one of the visits to Ocean Cay had been cancelled due to the weather. Is Ocean Cay on the itinerary for the current Explora 1 cruise?

 

It would be great to get some feedback before our visit on December 21st :).

We cruised in November and couldn't make it in

1 hour ago, uktog said:

 

I absolutely loved that pool bar service involved staff quietly walking around looking for guests signaling they wanting drinks, then going to get individual orders not guys roaming up and down shouting (waking you up!) bar service then delays whilst they gathered up large trays of drinks to serve. 

I also liked that martinis and cocktails were properly made (eg measured not free pour). This view may not be shared by everyone but latterly around all the bars on Azamara I found free pours to be far too spirits heavy and quite unpleasant (even when you asked for it not to be strong).

 

 

I agree with so much of your summary, especially these two points. Even when DH and I would sit on deck off the beaten track. Where it was quiet and not a soul was around wait staff always quietly came by so no need for DH to find the closest bar for a new beer. 

I loved that the bartenders on board for the most part knew the proper way to make a cocktail! Only in conservatory pool bar did we find they had a heavy poured. I did not have to request light pours at any other bars as drinks were made properly. ❤️

On 12/3/2023 at 10:06 AM, uktog said:

 

Oh my! We certainly don't fall into the target audience based on this get up! However, they gladly took our money! 

I personally find all the TA’s & influencers annoying. We had Porthole magazine running around taking photos while we were on board. As well as a bunch of TA’s.  It's to be expected being a new line and hopefully will settle down

DH and I did two weeks in early November. There was much to love about EJ1, such as the food!!!! Some stuff left us wanting, like the entertainment.  Overall, it was terrific, and we left ship saying if we found a great price or itinerary, we’d book again. This sale got us couldn't pass it up so we booked for January 2025 on EJ II.

Steaks were delicious!! But pretty big we would just get one and split it. They thought we were crazy but just hate wasting food. We’d get a delicious Caesar salad and split the steak….yum!

17 hours ago, Into the Sunset said:

And you know this how? 

You only need to watch and listen. The Influencers will even tell you. 

Tonno pizza or Margherita is the only choices? That definitely won't fly with the Americans. The buffet doesn't sound like place we will venture for dinner. Definitely not the experience we want. At least at a regular buffet (not our thing either) you can sit and eat at same time. 

Thanks for your review Florisdekot and photographs. Astern lounge sounds like my spot. How many are on board your sailing. 

1 hour ago, florisdekort said:

The next cruise, 3 November, has ~450 passengers, incl. a significant number of travel agents and influencers. Subsequent Caribbean cruises are currently around ~500. The Christmas cruise is ~700. From a very reliable source on board the ship. 
 

 

All the influencers and TA’s got the nice upgrades. Paying guests will be treated like second class passengers. Watch how they will fall all over the “influencers” It’s a real turn off of the Mediterranean Shipping Company. 

7 hours ago, florisdekort said:

A personal observation. There has been a lot of talk on Cruise Critic about how Explora is trying to be a floating hotel and not a cruise ship. Honestly, we haven’t noticed any differences with Seabourn except for some job titles, ie., suite host vs steward(ess), Experience Director vs Cruise Director and General Manager vs Hotel Director. Everything else is kind of the same. The Officers are very visible, the Captain rattles of the latitude and longitude (and more) daily at 12 noon, the Captain and his Officers appeared in the theater (Journey’s Lounge) at 9:30 pm on the first full day for a traditional “welcome on board” toast, the Captain is hosting a coffee Q&A as I type this, etc. It all feels very familiar to us, and for us, that’s a very good thing 😃

 

 

I find the changing of names from steward to host etc totally silly and unnecessary. If they want to set themselves apart from other lines do it in quality of service, food, decor, itinerary, and a wide range of other things that would better help them stand out. Do they correct you if you call them by the wrong name?

4 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

Were you “misled” in writing by Explora? - or perhaps an over enthusiastic TA?

I had no literature and there was no website at the time. It's what was told to us by our TA. 

4 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

It is only available to those suites with butler -- only Residences.

Yes, we know now. We were misled at the time of booking. 

On 10/19/2023 at 9:25 AM, PaulMCO said:

.

 

ROOM SERVICE -- As far as Residence cabins there is no special menu with selected specialty items as hinted on the benefits in their brochures. But even better -  For those staying in a Residence, you also get the full menu at any of the restaurants (excluding Anthology and Test Kitchen) so this does include Marble, Med Yacht Club, Sakura, and Fil Rouge. The menus from these restaurants are not in the suites but the Steward will bringing you the menu of choice so you can basically choose from the complete menu. The only difference from dining in the restaurant is in the Suites they will bring the full selection at one time vs course by course.

 

At the time of booking we were told this was for all suites. Not just Residence. As we were told Butlers for all suites. 

Does appear there will be lots of influencers on November 3 sailing. (Looking at the other internet site that shall not be mentioned) they have already begun to boast their good fortune of being gifted fancy penthouse staterooms. Although some paying guests paid a lower rate than what is charged today they booked almost two years ago with a large deposit. Taking a chance on a yet-to-be-built cruise ship and line. This was on the cusp of COVID-19, with lower prices all around so at that time price paid was fair. Yet to hear of any paying guests given lovely upgrades. 

7 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 Consider my post when I mentioned that the pizza chef/cook in the Emporium simply refused to put some pepperoni (which was readily available) on a pizza.  Something like that would never happen on Seabourn (where the word "No" is not in their vocabulary).  On SB, if I asked them to put blue cheese on a burger, it would happen.  On EJ they would say "no" because it is not a recipe endorsed by Geneva...even if the blue cheese was at arms length 

 

Hank

 

 

This is craziness! I love blue cheese on a burger and pepporoni on pizza. I will be testing their flexibility next month. 

15 minutes ago, Waltershipman said:

I am not a FB follower However, I just did get off the ship yesterday. My assessment is very up to date 

 

There are many wonderful parts about the ship. And we had an incredibly wonderful time. It reminds me of when. Children receive a report card and they get some categories Excellent, and some categories needs to improve.. It does not make them a bad child. Nor does it make this a bad ship However they are both young and neither should be sent to the room.nor given rewards for excellence due to the price point and the way they play on the playground with paying guests and their below average communication skills

 

Best to all

Not disputing this at all. However, making note that the report cards from those rewarded with free cruises and goodie bags should be taken with a grain of salt. 

5 hours ago, uktog said:

I think it’s all wrong how they’ve treated their guests as opposed to those on a “business trip”

We know why they do that on other forums the “influencers & TAs” sing the praises and dispute any criticism a paying guest might make. Criticism was posted last night on how paying guests were treated yesterday and all the TAs attacked 

Curious did paying guests have champagne and free ship models in their staterooms last evening?. 

And when TA say they pay in full they are not being completely honest. TA cruises on MSC are deeply discounted. They can book a journey for pennies on dollar. About 1/4 of what full paying guest pays 

2 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Much of the naming ceremony (still ongoing) is about MSC, the MSC Foundation, celebrating the family company, and it many environmental projects.  There is no attempt to seperate this new brand from MSC and the Apponte family. 

 

Hank
 

 

 

I saw this questioned posed on another forum. Certainly in the beginning phase of EJ it was touted as luxury and not at all like MSC cruises. MSC does not have a good name ID.  Apparently, they now are linking the the two using the MSC logo onboard EJ. Whoever asked the question was quickly lectured by TAs that it's a family-run operation blah blah. 

16 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:

Who are all the VIPs,  TAs I know but who else if you can figure it out?

Just Explora Journey executives and travel agents

42 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

As predicted the paying “guests”

are treated like 3rd class folks.  However, the bar staff and waiters, who we have gotten to know, continue to treat us very well with a nod nod wink wink.  They would not allow us in the Journeys Lounge (VIPs only) so we are in Explora Lounge to watch the ceremony on monitors. There is a good crowd here so we are in good company of the “not VIPs)

 

We have heard that the Aponte’s are aboard and curious if any of them will speak.

This to me is just outrageous! It’s paying guests that keep the ship afloat and the TA’s working! I noticed a post on another sight talking about the haves and have nots currently on board! Kudos to the poster. Honestly tired of the bragging and photo op’s of non paying guests (TA’s)who wouldn’t be there without those that pay. 
 

sorry needed to vent.