2SailingNomads

Scenic only has 224 pax and 7 restaurants, all good. Only 2 for lunch. Some of the best service from crew and true mixologists who you can challenge to make a unique cocktail. Open bridge policy and senior officers mingle with crew. Engine room tour, sure thing. Extensive included spirits. That is the good. Explora much bigger entry level rooms and daybed on veranda. Walking track, outdoor pool, exercise equipment, 5 outdoor bars, entertainment at night at all the bars. Much better entertainment and guest speakers. Best buffet at sea IMO. Totally different experience Scenic for an expedition. Ross sea or artic. Explora for a relaxing cruise.

Ecplora DOES have an adults only pool. On our 18 day cruise we only saw 2 very well behaved young girls. Biggest issue is the 7 day segments they are selling.

Probably the same guy but we were in one of the many bars pre-dinner and post dinner unless at a show and never once in 18 days saw him. On Seabourn and Scenic CD, assistant CD are always walking around mingling. Others we spoke to said the same including someone being paid to give classes on the ship.

Was not critical of you Julie nor your reasons. I understand your rationale for the timing of your crew fund donation. Cheers, Ed

The fact that the only time we saw the Entertainment Manager was when he was introducing an artist speaks volumes to me about lack of guest interaction unlike on Seabourn or Scenic where they mingle with pax every evening.

Having sailed now 30 times and over 600 days all on luxury lines (Seabourn, Scenic, Ponant - once, Crystal & Explora both again once, and Regent) I really like Regent and have another 46 days booked with Regent. No cruise line unfortunately ticks all the boxes, if could take the best of Explora, Regent, Seabourn and Scenic combined it would be amazing. For the right itinerary I would book Regent before the rest of them.

While we always since #3 of now 20 Seabourn cruises contribute to the crew fund, and usually the last day as we don't want any special attention for our donation, if I got that letter I might think twice. Tacky IMO is this the new Seabourn?

Emporium is IMO the best at sea for a buffet. Simply a brilliant implementation. And all the choices from sushi to al la minute fish and pasta.

I agree that letter is inappropriate. We have contributed to the crew fund ever since we found out about it before our 3rd Seabourn cruise - from posts on this board - but NEVER in 20 cruises received any thing like the OP did. We have many letters thanking us for contributing and personal thanks from various crew but it was always something discreet. Also have contributed on Regent and Scenic (where I was told I didn't need to but they totally appreciated that we knew we could)

Totally agree!

Agree as Diamond members we often find wines at a great value, and knowing the Sommelier can often find you a bottle of 2 or 3 that since low stock they can't put on the list.

Yes we had that list too, although when we tried to order a couple were told last bottle was just sold at Marble when in Yacht club

Food is subjective but in your opinion was it worth the price? We considered it but some of the courses we were not thrilled with.

We had heard there were going to be a large contingent of travel agents for the segment after Vancouver. Maybe TA's and so called influencers are their true market. 😁 I know my TA was on for a 5 day cruise several months ago. Interesting about the 5% discount, we were on for 18 days and never received anything mentioning it. On other lines you usually get, more than once, a note in your suite offering an on-board booking discount. Not sure why they think a loyalty program is a bad idea, I like to obtain perks after spending some amount of $ with a company - unlimited laundry for example on Seabourn. Discounts on revenue wines, etc.

Le Commandant is the ONLY in the world PC2 ice class ship, it can go places no other ship except for Russian ice breakers can go. We went to the geographic North Pole on it. A true expedition ship like no other. It is a totally different experience than being on Explora which is not an expedition ship nor claims to be. Explora was a great ship for warm weather cruises with all the outside bars, deck space. Now if they solve the lack of shaded places it would be even better.

Let me say there is a lot to like about Explora but at the same time... Lots of up charges for certain spirits, not a single decent rum on board even if you wanted to pay for it (and one of the head bartenders agreed and said they have gotten a lot of negative feedback about the limited non-upsell spirits. And totally agreed about rum selections.) Excursion prices absolutely ridiculous, in Kauai where we were only there for 4 hours between ship clearance and all onboard they wanted over 200 Euros to go for a less than 10 minute ride to Gaylords for a rum tasting (Kohola rum, not bad stuff) and train ride and some food. I have had great dinners there multiple times and with a good bottle of wine nowhere 400 Euros for 2. Departure documents claimed a taxi to airport was 80 Euros. Ours cost with tip $42 US.

Menu looks great, looking forward to experiencing it on Encore come August.

And no where capable of going to the same destinations..

Phillipe is my favorite. Knows his stuff, takes great care of us, and also always have a good time just chatting with him.

Back in the day crew had to learn a certain number of passengers name. I recall more than once seeing a new crew member studying a book of pictures and names. No longer the case now it is people mostly who we have sailed with before who address us by name. On Explora and Ponant crew asked your name if you engaged with them, but first names as opposed to Mr. Or Mrs. which was old Seabourn. On Regent only a handful knew us by name, no one on old Crystal. Scenic since so many ex-Seabourn we are well known.

Agree with you especially as regards Regent & Seabourn. Explora Journey is very good in a lot of aspects but I don't think it is the absolute best, and found it to have a lot of really good and some things lacking. Interesting how some folks after 2 days on board claimed it is the best ever. To each their own.

Le Commandant Charcot was an amazing ship and experience, but as a PC2 ice breaker IS nothing like Explora 3+ will be.

I agree but the cruise lines keep practicing the "if you build it they will come" mentality. For MSC they can build 6 ships that sail basically empty with how much the parent company makes per day on the super profitable cargo business but other lines will likely be in trouble with all the new product coming online. (See expedition ships now a saturated market).Anyone else getting daily offers from Atlas??? Too cheap to understand how they can be profitable.

Problem with B2B coming back to FL is you have to go thru the face to face zero count US immigration exercise, with the always present pax who think they are exempt. 7 days does not work for us at this stage of life.

Only saw 2 children on the prior segment and like Maggie saw none on the one we disembarked from yesterday. I know some posts had mentioned a lot of children over the holidays, I liked our 18 days on Explora but have no desire to sail with a bunch of children especially at this price point.