explorer OTS questions

[medfordgirl]

Well, it has been many years since we last sailed on Explorer. However we are now looking at a cruise out of port canaveral to cruacao in December 2014. What I would like to know is when was the last time she was in dry dock? Also did they ever add a diamond lounge to her? oh one more thing, do they still have a roller skating area? and do they have roller skates or do I need to bring mine? THANKS!

[LovesCruising]

Explorer is due for dry dock I believe December 2014. It currently does not have a Diamond Lounge but is supposed to be added. I do not ever recall seeing roller skating - ice skating - yes

 

This may be a partial list for upgrades:

 

Outdoor movie screen

Updated Vintages wine bar

Park Café

Chef’s Table

Giovanni’s Table

Digital Signage

Pervasive Wi-Fi

Flat-screen TVs

Interactive TVs

Concierge Club

Diamond Club

Nursery

[ckrobyn]

I think you may mean in line skating, if so - yes.

 

Explorer needs a dry dock. I sailed on her last month and while we had a wonderful cruise, it was very evident that the ship needs some attention.

[Clarea]

Explorer was scheduled for a dry dock in Jan 2015, but it appears to have been postponed because they have scheduled cruises until March 2015.

[cabarr]

Her and yes my main complaint is they moved the Diamond lounge down from the 19 th Hole to the Maharajii lounge on 5 which is totally enclosed in curtains

Thankfully, someone decided the lounge NEEDED some air and let in some light!

As of what we heard from Val the head bartender there were just to many Diamond/ Diamond Plus/Pinnacle members ....so they moved the lounge.

RCI does NOT offer any food/snacks except trail mix....in this lounge

Hopefully by the time you are sailing on her she will be equipped with the

New lounge!

BUT the Diamond Breakfast was Excellent overstaffed and extremely attentive!

PS Yes the old gal could use an upgrade but she is clean and maintained and we NJ/NYers will miss her when she moves South!!!

[leaveitallbehind]

Her and yes my main complaint is they moved the Diamond lounge down from the 19 th Hole to the Maharajii lounge on 5 which is totally enclosed in curtains

Thankfully, someone decided the lounge NEEDED some air and let in some light!

As of what we heard from Val the head bartender there were just to many Diamond/ Diamond Plus/Pinnacle members ....so they moved the lounge.

RCI does NOT offer any food/snacks except trail mix....in this lounge

Hopefully by the time you are sailing on her she will be equipped with the

New lounge!

BUT the Diamond Breakfast was Excellent overstaffed and extremely attentive!

PS Yes the old gal could use an upgrade but she is clean and maintained and we NJ/NYers will miss her when she moves South!!!

 

As Explorer has not had her refurbishment yet, the 19th Hole is still just that - the 19th Hole sports bar - and not the Diamond Club. There currently is no Diamond Club on Explorer.

 

The 19th Hole on that ship is the venue where they have held the Diamond events in the past, and perhaps on your cruise they decided on the other venue instead.

 

However, on other ships that feature the 19th Hole, after their refurbishment, that has become the site for the dedicated Diamond Club for D / D+ / Pinnacle members. I expect that will also be the case with Explorer once she undergoes her refurbishment in 2015.

 

All of the services and benefits currently available to those members will be available as well on Explorer once the 19th Hole is converted to the Diamond Club.

Edited December 29, 2013 by leaveitallbehind

[cruzinlady1947]

I just got off the Explorer last Sunday and they used the 19th Hole as an overflow for "Gold" card holders. Cloud Nine and Seven Hearts were used for Concierge overflow.

 

Gwen :)

[leaveitallbehind]

I just got off the Explorer last Sunday and they used the 19th Hole as an overflow for "Gold" card holders. Cloud Nine and Seven Hearts were used for Concierge overflow.

 

Gwen :)

 

As I'm sure you know, "Gold" card is suite which is Concierge. There is a dedicated Concierge Lounge as well on deck 9 at the aft elevator lobby area. As the number of suites is constant, this usually handles the passenger load. But it certainly is possible that the 19th Hole could be used for that if needed.

 

D / D+ / Pinnacle C & A members on board vary and on ships with dedicated Diamond Clubs, often other venues - such as Cloud Nine and Seven Hearts - will be used as overflow for those members if there is a large number of "D's" and above on board,

 

Could you have meant "D" and above as overflow in the Cloud Nine and Seven Hearts instead of Concierge? Certainly you could be correct but it would seem more typical in our experience to use these as the overflow venues for "D" and above if their numbers are high.

Edited December 29, 2013 by leaveitallbehind

[cruzinlady1947]

As I'm sure you know, "Gold" card is suite which is Concierge. There is a dedicated Concierge Lounge as well on deck 9 at the aft elevator lobby area. As the number of suites is constant, this usually handles the passenger load. But it certainly is possible that the 19th Hole could be used for that if needed.

 

D / D+ / Pinnacle C & A members on board vary and on ships with dedicated Diamond Clubs, often other venues - such as Cloud Nine and Seven Hearts - will be used as overflow for those members if there is a large number of "D's" and above on board,

 

Could you have meant "D" and above as overflow in the Cloud Nine and Seven Hearts instead of Concierge? Certainly you could be correct but it would seem more typical in our experience to use these as the overflow venues for "D" and above if their numbers are high.

Yes, I know that suite (gold card) guests have access to the Concierge lounge. There must have been that many D+,suite and Pinnacle that they needed the extra space for them. I am D+ and we spent our time in the Cloud Nine/Seven Hearts, which got extremely crowded at times. Couldn't even get into the Concierge lounge on deck 9 in the evening. I don't like that room anyway. Too closed in for my liking. I noticed the sign at the 19th Hole which said "Gold Card Members only" every evening.

 

The Diamond event in the Maharaja lounge didn't need an overflow. There weren't that many there. We also spent some time down there with our Diamond friends.

 

That is the way it was for us. I have never seen where there was a separate room for "Gold Card Members". Perhaps it is something new they are doing depending on the number of Concierge guests on board.

 

Gwen :)

[leaveitallbehind]

Yes, I know that suite (gold card) guests have access to the Concierge lounge. There must have been that many D+,suite and Pinnacle that they needed the extra space for them. I am D+ and we spent our time in the Cloud Nine/Seven Hearts, which got extremely crowded at times. Couldn't even get into the Concierge lounge on deck 9 in the evening. I don't like that room anyway. Too closed in for my liking. I noticed the sign at the 19th Hole which said "Gold Card Members only" every evening.

 

The Diamond event in the Maharaja lounge didn't need an overflow. There weren't that many there. We also spent some time down there with our Diamond friends.

 

That is the way it was for us. I have never seen where there was a separate room for "Gold Card Members". Perhaps it is something new they are doing depending on the number of Concierge guests on board.

 

Gwen :)

 

I certainly wasn't challenging you as you were on the ship - but it seemed unusual and I thought maybe you might have meant "D" with the overflow. As D+ also I agree with you as well regarding the Concierge lounge - we much prefer the Diamond Club on those ships with one, as only Oasis / Allure have a Concierge lounge nicer than the D Club.

 

That is the first time I have heard of that type of situation. Often we have experienced the overflow with D and above to the lounges you mentioned, but not with the Gold passengers.

 

Thanks for the information!

[phish tales]

As I'm sure you know, "Gold" card is suite which is Concierge. There is a dedicated Concierge Lounge as well on deck 9 at the aft elevator lobby area. As the number of suites is constant, this usually handles the passenger load. But it certainly is possible that the 19th Hole could be used for that if needed.

 

D / D+ / Pinnacle C & A members on board vary and on ships with dedicated Diamond Clubs, often other venues - such as Cloud Nine and Seven Hearts - will be used as overflow for those members if there is a large number of "D's" and above on board,

 

Could you have meant "D" and above as overflow in the Cloud Nine and Seven Hearts instead of Concierge? Certainly you could be correct but it would seem more typical in our experience to use these as the overflow venues for "D" and above if their numbers are high.

 

 

 

Gold Card is Full suite & Pinnacle.

[phish tales]

Her and yes my main complaint is they moved the Diamond lounge down from the 19 th Hole to the Maharajii lounge on 5 which is totally enclosed in curtains

Thankfully, someone decided the lounge NEEDED some air and let in some light!

As of what we heard from Val the head bartender there were just to many Diamond/ Diamond Plus/Pinnacle members ....so they moved the lounge.

RCI does NOT offer any food/snacks except trail mix....in this lounge

Hopefully by the time you are sailing on her she will be equipped with the

New lounge!

BUT the Diamond Breakfast was Excellent overstaffed and extremely attentive!

PS Yes the old gal could use an upgrade but she is clean and maintained and we NJ/NYers will miss her when she moves South!!!

 

Explorer has no diamond lounge. they have a nightly dia. event. (big difference)

[leaveitallbehind]

Gold Card is Full suite & Pinnacle.

 

Understood and aware of that. In that particular post I was referencing Gold with Concierge and suites regarding the normal passenger load with suites and the Concierge Lounge.

Edited December 29, 2013 by leaveitallbehind

[JMG]

The luxury of not having a dedicated D Lounge is that on the Ex, they can move things around as the C & A numbers dictate.

 

In March on the Ex, the Concierge Lounge overflow went to the 19th hole and the D Event was held in Cloud Nine and Seven Hearts area.

 

It worked out fine for us during sail away. Cloud Nine was signed for D/D+ guests only. Dizzy's was packed. We got drinks at Dizzy's and grabbed a table in Cloud Nine. Only a few people there. Later, as they set up for the D event they "carded" everyone.

[phish tales]

The luxury of not having a dedicated D Lounge is that on the Ex, they can move things around as the C & A numbers dictate.

 

In March on the Ex, the Concierge Lounge overflow went to the 19th hole and the D Event was held in Cloud Nine and Seven Hearts area.

 

It worked out fine for us during sail away. Cloud Nine was signed for D/D+ guests only. Dizzy's was packed. We got drinks at Dizzy's and grabbed a table in Cloud Nine. Only a few people there. Later, as they set up for the D event they "carded" everyone.

 

 

the highlighted statement in red should be done on ever ship and in every C&A lounge.

[leaveitallbehind]

the highlighted statement in red should be done on ever ship and in every C&A lounge.

 

On ships with D lounges it usually is in some manner as your SeaPass card, which is coded to identify "D" and up, is needed to enter the club when the door is closed and each member's picture is on the Concierge's computer from your card. They also learn who the guests are when they first enter and usually can spot someone who should not be there. Ditto suite members with Gold cards and the Concierge lounge.

[SDA1125]

two years ago they had inline skates availble for the passengers.

[medfordgirl]

I wish they would do like celebrity. elite on celebrity get drink vouchers that are good at most bars between 5-7pm. It is sooooo much easier. as for the inline skating track (I remember it was near the mini golf) I wonder if I could bring my roller skates? don't care for inline but I do like to exercise with my roller skates. I am disappointed that she won't be updated before we go but at least she has sentimental memories as that was where we spent our honeymoon. I am so thrilled that she is going out of port canaveral to the ABC islands!

[gc]

I wish they would do like celebrity. elite on celebrity get drink vouchers that are good at most bars between 5-7pm. It is sooooo much easier. as for the inline skating track (I remember it was near the mini golf) I wonder if I could bring my roller skates? don't care for inline but I do like to exercise with my roller skates. I am disappointed that she won't be updated before we go but at least she has sentimental memories as that was where we spent our honeymoon. I am so thrilled that she is going out of port Canaveral to the ABC islands!

 

I have seen passengers over the years bring their own roller skates to use on the in-line track.

I skate daily for the exercise when I am on Explorer!

[tomatosauce]

For the most recent Voyager class upgrades (Navigator and Voyager) they are removing the inline skating track as part of the works to put in the flowrider. The addition of the flowrider takes them closer to the Freedom class but does mean some big changes at the back for support, etc. So when it gets renovated it will probably loose the inline track.