Recent Explorer OTS Cruisers: How's the Ship?

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, sisocialworker said:

once the stains are pointed out to staff, they should know how to get stains out

 

True, but what if the stain cant come out, or what if the stain was made the night before you board?

 

And not all stains come out. That's why they're called stains.  I guess it's the size and severity of the stain that may or may not warrant replacement of the item

[sisocialworker]

1 hour ago, Sancho_proudfoot said:

 

Of course they already do. I have encountered deep cleaning, steam cleaning and complete carpet replacement on RCL ships. I have also seen sofas and armchairs being manhandled out of cabins, with new plastic-wrapped replacements waiting in the corridor.

 

As has frequently been said, if you go aboard looking for problems (a bit of rust, a clouded window a mark on a carpet)  you will find them, its self fulfilling.

 

Happy hunting. I am going onboard to thoroughly enjoy my cruise, on a great ship, staffed by great people who will attend to my every whim with a smile, who will serve me delicious food, and l will have 4 other members of my famly around me.  Naysayers wont ever discourage me. I'm a "glass half full" kinda guy.

on RCI you have to be a half full guy, because they always fall short

[John&LaLa]

3 minutes ago, sisocialworker said:

on RCI you have to be a half full guy, because they always fall short

 

Which lines do you feel do a better job?

We've sailed all the major common lines. Pretty much the same in my experience 

[sisocialworker]

6 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Which lines do you feel do a better job?

We've sailed all the major common lines. Pretty much the same in my experience 

all the major "common lines" are the same.....gotta go up to azamara or regent to get better

[Sancho_proudfoot]

11 minutes ago, sisocialworker said:

on RCI you have to be a half full guy, because they always fall short

.........in your opinion.

 

I have sailed with RCL multiple times, on 8 different ships (including one no longer in the fleet) and have yet to return home disappointed.

[John&LaLa]

3 minutes ago, sisocialworker said:

all the major "common lines" are the same.....gotta go up to azamara or regent to get better

 

I'd like to think that's a totally different customer base. Not apple's to apple's. Different expectations. 

[Thorben-Hendrik]

1 hour ago, Sancho_proudfoot said:

who will serve me delicious food

😱🤣

[sisocialworker]

2 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I'd like to think that's a totally different customer base. Not apple's to apple's. Different expectations. 

I agree...that's why I said all the common lines will be the same..maybe celebrity is diff., but not sure

[neverbeenhere]

We’ve been on the explorer three times in the last year and a half. Everything was fine. The ship still floats!

[sisocialworker]

1 minute ago, neverbeenhere said:

We’ve been on the explorer three times in the last year and a half. Everything was fine. The ship still floats!

The ship still floats!....very low bar for RCI to meet....when you are paying top dollar for a suite, you expect more than fine

 

[neverbeenhere]

We were in Juniors and had no issues. 

[brillohead]

I find it really hard to take someone seriously when their screen name insinuates that they are a social worker and they use "SI" in their name, which is known in healthcare to stand for Suicidal Ideation.  

Of course, if this negative-minded person were my social worker, I'd probably become suicidal, too....

[BuckeyeMark]

10 hours ago, Sancho_proudfoot said:

 

Of course they already do. I have encountered deep cleaning, steam cleaning and complete carpet replacement on RCL ships. I have also seen sofas and armchairs being manhandled out of cabins, with new plastic-wrapped replacements waiting in the corridor.

 

As has frequently been said, if you go aboard looking for problems (a bit of rust, a clouded window a mark on a carpet)  you will find them, its self fulfilling.

 

Happy hunting. I am going onboard to thoroughly enjoy my cruise, on a great ship, staffed by great people who will attend to my every whim with a smile, who will serve me delicious food, and l will have 4 other members of my famly around me.  Naysayers wont ever discourage me. I'm a "glass half full" kinda guy.

 This times eleventy bazillion.  I truly wish when people post reviews they'd let us know where they are coming from ... because some are never satisfied no matter what while others are determined to have a good time no matter what and don't seek problems/let minor issues wreck them.

[Bloodgem]

15 hours ago, sisocialworker said:

on RCI you have to be a half full guy, because they always fall short

Why sail with RCI if you feel they always fall below your standards? 

 

I'm looking forward to sailing on the Explorer in 12 days time. I have never sailed on her and the 1st cruise I've taken since turning D+  

Edited June 11, 2019 by Bloodgem

[sisocialworker]

11 hours ago, brillohead said:

I find it really hard to take someone seriously when their screen name insinuates that they are a social worker and they use "SI" in their name, which is known in healthcare to stand for Suicidal Ideation.  

Of course, if this negative-minded person were my social worker, I'd probably become suicidal, too....

SI is senior instructor, if you feel suicidal go to an ER.....this is cruise "critic", be critical of cruise ships 

[sisocialworker]

2 hours ago, Bloodgem said:

Why sail with RCI if you feel they always fall below your standards? 

 

I'm looking forward to sailing on the Explorer in 12 days time. I have never sailed on her and the 1st cruise I've taken since turning D+  

because I'm a half full person too.....I book with eyes wide open, then close them halfway once on board

[Sancho_proudfoot]

34 minutes ago, sisocialworker said:

SI is senior instructor, if you feel suicidal go to an ER.....this is cruise "critic", be critical of cruise ships 

 

 

That's a common misinterpretation of the site name. Just because "critic" is in the title it does not automatically mean "criticise". Rather,  it means "critique cruise ships". If (say) a theater critic saw the first night of a new play, and loved it, he would say so in his review. It would be a critique of the performance, without criticising it, despite being a critic by virtue of his role title.

 

Blanket catch-all comments such as "RCL always fall short" are unhelpful, non-specific and too 'broad brush' to add anything meaningful to the critique of any specific ship.

[sisocialworker]

3 minutes ago, Sancho_proudfoot said:

 

 

That's a common misinterpretation of the site name. Just because "critic" is in the title it does not automatically mean "criticise". Rather,  it means "critique cruise ships". If (say) a theater critic saw the first night of a new play, and loved it, he would say so in his review. It would be a critique of the performance, without criticising it, despite being a critic by virtue of his role title.

 

Blanket catch-all comments such as "RCL always fall short" are unhelpful, non-specific and too 'broad brush' to add anything meaningful to the critique of any specific ship.

the critique of this ship has been specific...others here want to minimize the person's "opinion" and critique the person who posts it, rather than just "accept that person's point of view" and the facts/pictures they present...yes RCI is a mass market cruise line..they do that well.....but every RCI ship I've been on has had some issues.....did I still enjoy the cruise, sure...could it have been better-yes.....that's all the OP and self seem to be saying.....accept others points of view a their view, and not demean them 

[LoisGriffin1]

On 6/10/2019 at 3:53 PM, sisocialworker said:

how about stained furniture or carpet in your cabin, especially a suite cabin-paying top dollar or DL or CL...that should not happen, would that bother you?   is anyone on the ship-please check it out-point it out so the staff can hopefully correct it

My cabin is spotless.

[Sancho_proudfoot]

30 minutes ago, sisocialworker said:

the critique of this ship has been specific...others here want to minimize the person's "opinion" and critique the person who posts it, rather than just "accept that person's point of view" and the facts/pictures they present...yes RCI is a mass market cruise line..they do that well.....but every RCI ship I've been on has had some issues.....did I still enjoy the cruise, sure...could it have been better-yes.....that's all the OP and self seem to be saying.....accept others points of view a their view, and not demean them 

 

 

I take your point, now you have explained further. However l still feel that blanket comments like "RCL always fall short" without any further expansion or explanation do not help other CC-ers gain a true picture of the vessel they are asking about.

 

Perhaps if you had added "...... as l have had issues with every  RCL ship l have been on,  then in my opinion...RCL always fall short".

 

In conclusion, l am sorry you seem to have repeatedly encountered problems on past cruises.  Maybe l have just been lucky, or maybe in vacation mode l become more tolerant and less observant, but in a little under 6 weeks l embark on my 14th cruise - all bar one of the preceding 13 have been with RCL - and, to date, l have nothing of real note to grumble about ( l found VOOM on the last cruise to be poor, but a) it was thrown in at the last minute as a free extra b) on a port intensive cruise l found wifi and cell signals everywhere and c) so what if l can't get online for a day or so?)

Edited June 11, 2019 by Sancho_proudfoot
Correct typos

[sisocialworker]

8 minutes ago, Sancho_proudfoot said:

 

 

I take your point, now you have explained further. However l still feel that blanket comments like "RCL always fall short" without any further expansion or explanation do not help other CC-ers gain a true picture of the vessel they are asking about.

 

Perhaps if you had added "...... as l have had issues with every  RCL ship l have been on,  then in my opinion...RCL always fall short".

 

In conclusion, l am sorry you seem to have repeatedly encountered problems on past cruises.  Maybe l have just been lucky, or maybe in vacation mode l become more tolerant and less observant, but in a little under 6 weeks l embark on my 14th cruise - all bar one of the preceding 13 have been with RCL - and, to date, l have nothing of real note to grumble about ( l found VOOM on the last cruise to be poor, but a) it was thrown in at the last minute as a free extra b) on a port intensive cruise l found wifi and cell signals everywhere and c) so what if l can't get online for a day or so?)

enjoy your cruise...and be more more tolerant of others who post "their view"

 

[countess5]

We sailed on Explorer this past February in the South Pacific for 14 days. We were in an Owners Suite and will say the ship was in ship shape! We had not been on this class of ship in a long time so we were a bit concerned but I will say she is still a fantastic ship. I actually wrote a review when we returned which was posted. 

The, what I call, "Old School" ship was outstanding. Was she a little worn, yes but did not deter us from a fantastic cruise with a staff I would say was one of the best ever experienced. We had speciality dining every night so can't comment on MDR but the Chefs Table one of the best ever! 

I am sure after she is dry docked she will be "spanky new" again but until then she still holds up like the grand lady she is.

 

Don't sweat the small details of pictures posted by people, yes there are those spots but they never really stand out while you are on the ship. 

 

Cheers! 

[excitedc]

I’m not long off and have to say I was a bit worried before getting on when seeing the thread but not a problem at all. The photos really over emphasised any issue.  I didnt see the dodgy windows and the rust in the swimming pool had been totally magnified for effect.

 

yes there was the odd frayed bit of carpet in the lift or one cracked tile on the promenade but there was constant maintenance and the ship was spotlessly clean something I always find impressive on ships.

 

only 2 things I’d criticise

 

1.breakfast could be hit and miss - eg solid crunchy pancakes and avoid the back bacon - streaky was edible

2. Weird duvet solid and heavy- probably through boil washing which I suppose is a good thing 

Edited June 11, 2019 by excitedc

[LoisGriffin1]

My only dislike has been the main dining room. It feels rushed and is so loud. The waiters seem to be overworked in there too.

 

I was surprised to be asked for my dessert order when ordering my starter and main. Is this a new thing? 

 

The buffet was excellent and feels more relaxed and less rushed than the main dining room. 

 

It’s not a big deal to me I will just enjoy the other dining venues which so far have been excellent. Chatting to other passengers everyone seems to be having a great time. We have been lucky to have a nice crossing through Biscay.

[Biker19]

Just now, LoisGriffin1 said:

I was surprised to be asked for my dessert order when ordering my starter and main. Is this a new thing? 

Somewhat, started last year.