Explorer Revitalized - Spain & Med Beaches, June 2015 - Great Times

[kccrzr]

We also had a hot water kettle in our stateroom on the Radiance last year sailing out of Sydney - I liked it so much I bought one when I returned home.

 

Discounts for Dining: On day 3 of our cruise a discounted specialty dining package was being offered in the lobby area outside of the Windjammer. The package was billed as a $75 dining value for the discounted price of $45 - good for 1 night at Chops, 1 night at Giovanni's and 20% off Izumi. So, if you do want to try some of the Specialty restaurants and don't have the BOGO perk it would be a good idea to wait and see if discounts are offered on the ship, especially on such a long cruise. The specialty restaurants did not seem particularly busy until the last few nights of the cruise.

 

Spa: Upon boarding we went to the spa where DD reserved a long massage for later in the cruise. It was quite pricey even with our 20% discount but she said it was worth every penny I spent on it. :D

[kccrzr]

Concierge Lounge/Diamond Lounge: We spent most evenings in the Diamond Lounge for two reasons: the location with large windows and a great outdoor seating area is superior and because the concierge in the DL, Jorge Delgado, was excellent. He was personable and very interested in helping in whatever way he could. Frankly, we rarely, if ever ask the concierge to do anything for us but on this cruise we decided to change dining tables one afternoon, and he was very quick to help. IMHO, he is one of the top 3 concierges we have had the pleasure to meet.

 

On the first evening there were no tables/chairs open when we got to the DL and Jorge told us we should get there early because there were 400+ Diamond and above cruisers on our sailing. Weather permitting, we preferred to sit outside in any event, overlooking the sports court, rock climbing wall and mini golf course. When the weather was inclement or we were meeting others, we just went to the VCL. It definitely was very busy and crowded in the DL but no worse than some of the other sailings we have been on and much better than the Quantum sailing last December.

 

The servers did a fine job in the DL, particularly given how busy it was. Yehlen was efficient, pleasant and eager to please.

 

We enjoyed the hors d'oeuvres (and the drinks, of course :D) in the DL each evening we were there.

 

We only went to the CL twice and it seemed just as busy. We went one night to speak to the concierge about tenders to Villefranche and then the next morning to catch the tender. We were on the second one out. Getting on a tender first thing is one of the greatest perks of the CL.

 

A few evenings we hung out poolside to watch movies and frequented the pool bar for our 3 free drinks preloaded on our SeaPass cards and available from 5:00-8:30 pm.

 

This is the list of drinks available for free:

 

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The free drinks in the CL/DL and pre-loaded onto our cards have really become a valuable perk what with the large increase in drink prices. Although we were forewarned from reading CC, it was still a shock to pay $14 for a daiquiri - yikes!!!

Edited July 24, 2015 by kccrzr

[kccrzr]

Top Tier Event/Crystal Block: Two or three days into the cruise we stopped by the Loyalty Ambassador's desk because it was a "milestone" cruise for us and we wanted to make sure she had us on her list of recipients for a crystal block. Not only did she have us on her list, but she said they were considering whether to announce the milestone cruisers at the Top Tier event. They decided to do so and this was a first for us as once we had to call post-cruise for the block and the other time it was left in our stateroom with no mention made at the event.

 

In addition to the crystal block, a photo of us with the other recipients was in our stateroom the evening after the event.

 

Ironically, we waited longer for a drink at the Top Tier event than we ever did at the Pool Bar. And the speech by the Next Cruise Sales Director definitely struck an odd note to my ears - he commented more than once about how well RCI was doing financially as a result of loyal customers and how the shareholders of the company should be thankful - which of course, made me wonder why they then had to jack up drink prices so high! It seemed to me it would have been much better to say "thank you for your loyalty, we appreciate it" and leave it at that.

 

Invitation to the Top Tier Event:

 

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Crystal Block:

 

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Photo:

 

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[kccrzr]

Crowds and Lack of Supplies: Overcrowding has been mentioned in quite a few reviews of Explorer post dry dock. We thought it was most noticeable in the Crown & Kettle Pub. Every time we walked by it seemed packed to the rafters. In fact, it was day 12 before we got a table there and that was only because we happened to see someone else vacate their place just as we were walking by. By that day, they were already out of several beers - including Fosters. I think my DH ordered 3 different beers before he found one they had. :eek: This was the busiest pub I have seen on any of our cruises. However, I do wonder if it was due more to the demographics on this cruise than to the addition of cabins. Given the length of this cruise and the lack of both a children's pool and a solarium, the cruisers seemed to be a bit older on average, and perhaps (?) there were more pub-goers. The one server seemed a bit overworked but was good-natured and making the most of it - she did mention the very long hours she was working and the decreased tips compared to the North American cruises.

 

Cigar Bar: DD decided to live dangerously and talked my husband into buying Cuban cigars in Corsica. They said the Cigar Bar on the ship was also very busy the night they went. Not only was there only one server but she had to run next door to get all of the drinks - definitely a logistics issue!

 

Lack of Supplies: In addition to running out of several types of beer, the ship had to take on more butter at one of the ports. Evidently, the amount of toast and butter consumed by the Brits in the morning was woefully underestimated! Hopefully, the procurement department has learned from the last several cruises and this is no longer an issue.

[kccrzr]

Pool: The chair hogs were out in full force on this sailing. Unfortunately, that seems par for the course any more. I am usually an early riser and would go out to the pool deck fairly early in order to watch the news on the "big screen" while DD and DH were sleeping. It was amazing how many chairs were "saved" for very long periods of time - some more than 90 minutes. Although the deck attendants would remove some of the unattended belongings it only seemed to happen when another cruiser made a point of complaining - the squeaky wheel got greased and those who suffered in silence, continued to suffer. There did seem to be chairs available most times away from the pool deck where you couldn't hear the music or see any of the events.

 

Given the cool and sometimes inclement weather on this cruise, I definitely missed having a covered solarium. And the water was REALLY cold in the pool - very few people were swimming given the number of people around.

 

The lack of a children's pool was also an issue for some. Some kids did have water wings which they used. And, ingeniously I thought, one family with a child in diapers brought a small inflatable pool which some of the officers helped fill with warm water when they noticed the family trying to cart pool water back and forth with a small bucket. That was great service.

[Cruzinbabe06]

We're on the Iberian repositioning cruise.

 

Really enjoying your review,

[jennywren46]

Loving your review and totally agree with all your comments. We hardly ever went to the diamond lounge as you could never get a seat apart from a couple of nights we did manage to get a seat outside ,that's where the preloaded drinks on card came in handy.

[vino123]

Thanks you for your detailed review, especially about receiving your crystal block and having it announced at the top tier party.

I am due for my 140 point crystal block on my next cruise on the Explorer in October. It will be really special if they do the same then!

[welshrich]

Thanks you for your detailed review, especially about receiving your crystal block and having it announced at the top tier party.

I am due for my 140 point crystal block on my next cruise on the Explorer in October. It will be really special if they do the same then!

 

 

Hi Vino, same here with the block, which sailing are you on, we are on teh BCN to Dubai segment.

[cymru cruiser]

do you mind me asking why you have twice referred to Explorer not having a Solarium? She does on deck 11 forward; we sat there most days.

[Sparkle 123]

Deleted

Edited July 24, 2015 by Sparkle 123
wrong thread post

[vino123]

Hi Vino, same here with the block, which sailing are you on, we are on teh BCN to Dubai segment.

Hi Welshrich

 

We will be getting off as you get on!

:D

[kccrzr]

do you mind me asking why you have twice referred to Explorer not having a Solarium? She does on deck 11 forward; we sat there most days.

 

You're right - I should have been more specific. The Solarium does not have a roof over the pool area like many of the other ships we have been on. When the weather is great, not having a roof over the pool is fine but when it is cold or raining, I prefer the ships with the roof.

Edited July 24, 2015 by kccrzr

[cymru cruiser]

You're right - I should have been more specific. The Solarium does not have a roof over the pool area like many of the other ships we have been on. When the weather is great, not having a roof over the pool is fine but when it is cold or raining, I prefer the ships with the roof.

 

Ah I see

[Doyle1042]

Sailing on the Explorer on September 2nd. This will be our first cruise as Diamond Members. Could someone please explain about the "preloaded" drinks? Is this a Diamond member perk?

 

Also, my cruise companion is not a Diamond member. Will she be able to accompany me to the Diamond Lounge?

 

Thanks,

Cheryl

[Clarea]

Sailing on the Explorer on September 2nd. This will be our first cruise as Diamond Members. Could someone please explain about the "preloaded" drinks? Is this a Diamond member perk?

 

Also, my cruise companion is not a Diamond member. Will she be able to accompany me to the Diamond Lounge?

 

Thanks,

Cheryl

Your companion is not entitled to use the Diamond Lounge.

 

Each evening you will have 3 drink vouchers loaded on your SeaPass card. You can use these in any bar, for the same kinds of drinks they would serve in the DL, and can only be used during the evening cocktail period, usually 5pm to 8:30pm. Any vouchers not used expire at the end of the cocktail period.

Edited July 24, 2015 by clarea

[JazzieB]

Your companion is not entitled to use the Diamond Lounge.

 

Each evening you will have 3 drink vouchers loaded on your SeaPass card. You can use these in any bar, for the same kinds of drinks they would serve in the DL, and can only be used during the evening cocktail period, usually 5pm to 8:30pm. Any vouchers not used expire at the end of the cocktail period.

 

We're going on Explorer next month, 3 diamonds and a non diamond, because we are getting free drinks on our card we are sharing the cost of his drinks between us, when I order his with mine do I specify one diamond drink and one to pay, or will the diamond drink automatically zero on the bill? Thanks

[Clarea]

We're going on Explorer next month, 3 diamonds and a non diamond, because we are getting free drinks on our card we are sharing the cost of his drinks between us, when I order his with mine do I specify one diamond drink and one to pay, or will the diamond drink automatically zero on the bill? Thanks

If you don't want to use one of your vouchers for the non-Diamond friend, then you should tell the bar server that you need to pay for one.

[Doyle1042]

Your companion is not entitled to use the Diamond Lounge.

 

Each evening you will have 3 drink vouchers loaded on your SeaPass card. You can use these in any bar, for the same kinds of drinks they would serve in the DL, and can only be used during the evening cocktail period, usually 5pm to 8:30pm. Any vouchers not used expire at the end of the cocktail period.

 

Thanks so much for the info. Since I am not much of a drinker, I assume will will use most of my vouchers for Carolyne's beer. She will be so happy!!

[kccrzr]

Meet & Mingle: Who in their right mind thinks that 9:15am on day 2 of a 14 day cruise is a fine time for the Meet & Mingle? Despite having less than 9 hours of sleep in 3 days, I dutifully arranged for a wake up call and dragged myself out of bed to make a cup of Starbucks VIA but then just could not bring myself to get ready. DH didn't even stir. So I carried my coffee out to the balcony and lay in a stupor for over an hour watching the wake. Therefore, I have nothing of substance to report on the Meet & Mingle, other than that the scheduling of it went on my post-cruise survey. (Of course, not all is lost when you can spend your time on a cruise ship balcony listening to the waves. :) ).

 

Souvenirs/Gifts: It's obvious from my photos of souvenirs and gifts that I am fixated overly much on food and drinking! We found some interesting souvenir and gift choices on this cruise, including violet jam. olive wood cheese board and olive bowl in Tourrettes-sur-Loup, infused olive oils in St Paul de Vence; a coffee cup in the beautiful gift shop at Alhambra; chocolates and candies from multiple ports; and a great market bag and myrtle liquour in Corsica.

 

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I continue to try to collect Christmas ornaments on our travels even though DH says we have too many already. But every year when I get them out, all the good memories come flooding back, so it's my obsession and I'm sticking with it. I had some problems finding Christmas ornaments which I liked in some of the ports, so I purchased some key rings which I plan to convert to ornaments by removing the key fobs and inserting a decorative ribbon.

 

[kccrzr]

Gibraltar: Prior to leaving home I got detailed and very useful information from two online sources: http://www.tomsportguides.com/portguides.html#GIBRALTAR

http://www.gibraltarinfo.gi/

 

After discussing with DD and DH, we decided Gibraltar was a port where we could easily "play it by ear" and needed no advance plans.

 

We arrived at port one hour before scheduled, at noon on day 4 of the cruise. We got off the ship at approximately 12:30 and stopped at the information booth in the port terminal to get a map for DH. Tour operators were readily available at the port with a tour booth inside and many drivers outside. However, we decided to walk to the cable car, so set off on foot. Along the way we noticed that many liquor stores and electronics stores were quite busy - this seems like a popular shopping stop for many cruisers.

 

We stopped often on our walk to take photographs, including of Casemates Square:

 

 

Continuing our walk down Main Street, we happened to see a fantastic honor guard marching down the road; unexpected pleasures like this make for a great trip:

 

 

 

Just past the Southport Gates, we found Trafalgar Cemetary on the left side of the road and spent several minutes walking the grounds and reading the memorials and head stones. It is approximately 1-1/2 miles from port to the cemetery.

 

[kccrzr]

Gibraltar continued By the time we made it to the base cable car station, there was about a 40 minute wait. That plus the inclement weather made us decide to sign up for a tour. There were several tour drivers right outside the cable car office. For 22 GBP each, we got a 1-1/2 hour tour to the Pillars of Hercules, St Michael's Cave, Top of the Rock and the Siege Tunnels. The only downside was waiting 20 minutes or so for the van to fill up. Once we headed out, it was a great tour and the best option given the times we had in port and the weather conditions. The roads to the top are unbelievably narrow, steep and winding. I would not want to drive even a compact car up those roads let alone a full tour van. Our guide was knowledgeable and informative.

 

St Michael's Cave was surrealistic looking with all of the colored lights; it is now used for concerts, which must be a fabulous venue:

 

 

 

 

 

At first we were disappointed that we only had 20 minutes in the Siege Tunnels but once we got inside there were several signs warning how long it would take to traverse the entire distance, so the limited time seemed for the best.

 

 

[kccrzr]

Gibraltar Fog and Barbary Apes: My DD is generally freaked out by monkeys so we were wondering if she would want to stay in the van at The Top of the Rock. But, the Barbary Apes were so playful, non-threatening and interesting to watch that she got out of the van and enjoyed every minute. It was fascinating to watch the monkeys jump from location to location (including to the mirror of our van!) and help each other climb up structures. We were fortunate enough to see several babies as well. We probably could have been happy watching the apes for another hour - they just made us laugh out loud with their antics and it ended up being a highlight of our day. The only time we saw teeth bared was when a momma ape felt like another ape was posing a danger to her baby.

 

 

 

 

This is how I feel in the morning if I don't get my coffee:

 

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The fog coming over the rock from the Mediterranean Sea was beautiful and eerie:

 

 

You can also see from this photo how narrow are some of the roads to the top and also how nice are the tour vans:

 

[kccrzr]

More Photos from Gibraltar:

 

We were able to get some good views from on high despite the gray skies.

 

 

 

 

The Explorer in port:

 

 

Town and Airport:

 

 

 

By the time we finished our tour we were ready for lunch and we headed back down Main Street from the drop-off at the parking lot next to the Cable Car base to a great looking pub with outdoor seating which we had noticed going the other way. Unfortunately for us, it was quite busy in town and there was not a seat to be had at the pub, either indoors or out.

 

This will give you an idea of the crowds:

 

 

 

A bit further down the street we decided to give Café Royal Calpe Gib a try as it advertised a courtyard beer garden. The beer was cold and well priced, the beer garden was away from the madding crowd and the free wifi was much appreciated, giving us an opportunity to check work emails and send messages home. However, the food was BLEH and the service so/so. I can't recommend it for lunch and wouldn't bother going again unless I just needed a cold drink and free wifi.

 

We got some yummy gelato from Gelateria Dolce Vita then went back to Casemates Square to hit just a few shops, but didn't purchase anything.

 

 

 

We hoofed it back to the port terminal and went in a little shop where I found a cute little crocheted ape ornament with a decorative ribbon reading "Gibraltar." Then it was back on board after a pleasant day in Gibraltar.

[kccrzr]

Good-bye Gibraltar: Back on board was not until 7:30 but we returned much earlier than that. Our tour was great but that didn't take much time. We were in port on Saturday and many of the stores were closed, so shopping was somewhat limited for what we would be interested in seeing. We did go into an interesting Glassblowers shop on Casemates square but did not see anything we wanted to schlep home. All of the shops we went into took Pounds or Euros.

 

Back on the Explorer we stopped at a bar on ship to get a drink and headed to our room.

 

View of the port and airport from our balcony (you can just see the nose of a plane along the far left side):

 

 

Leaving port:

 

 

The Rock and Europa Point ( where we hope to visit if we ever make it back to Gibraltar):