LIVE – Explorer Transatlantic – 11/23 – 12/7/2019

[Travelcat2]

1 hour ago, B-2-Bs Best! said:

Sorry, y'all, too busy to do a detailed reply. I will!

 

 

?????

[B-2-Bs Best!]

Okay, here goes!

 

1) The aft elevator doesn't go down to the dining room. We both have knee issues, as well as one of our two traveling companions, so, we all had to schlep to the front elevators to go down, and, then schlep half way across the ship to the dining room.

 

2) Then, when in the dining room, to go to the facilities, you have to schlep cross country to get to them, passing the casino and shops on one side and the Explorer Lounge and shops on the other side.  You don't have to be a genius to recognize that the facilities should be closer to the restaurant.

 

3) The lighting in the Observation lounge is awful. Less than half the seats are agreeable to reading.

 

4) The Observation Lounge does not have a coffee facility. You need to schlep from below, the coffee lounge or go cross country to the other side of the pool. Further, why doesn't the neighboring card room which offers soda and water also offer coffee. Oceania's two ships, Marina and Riviera, offer coffee, etc. in that lounge.

 

5) They offer two ''SLIMLINE'' elevators in the front of the ship. FDR and others should have recognized from Riviera and Marina, ages ago, that it was an awful design. Passengers in the front need to exit to allow those in the back to exit.

 

6) The dining room is nothing special. We prefer the openness of Marina and Riviera. We'd equate Explorer with the Viking ships.

 

7) The pool grill is pitiful. First visit was about 10 minutes for a hamburger. Second visit was over twenty minutes. When I confronted a head waiter, his response was'' I guess everybody was looking for a hamburger today''. I responded that he should probably still we waiting tables.

 

8) The most pitiful internet service ever received on a crossing. There were none even close to that bad, and, we had done over forty crossings before, including 6 on Sea Dream, a tiny ship with less than 100 passengers.

 

I could add a few complaints as to the service, but, I'll let that pass.

 

Cheerio!

[wcsdkqh]

With all these “issues”, perhaps you would be happier elsewhere.

[sierrafloridacruiser]

1 hour ago, wcsdkqh said:

With all these “issues”, perhaps you would be happier elsewhere.

No doubt. 

[ronrick1943]

WOW!, are you sure you were on the Explorer.  I've cruised her and it sounds like you are on a different ship.  Hope you find a ship you like.

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Agree with everyone above. Explorer has been our favorite ship since we sailed its inaugural crossing in 2016. Looking forward to sailing Splendor in about 2 weeks. 
I recognize the issues the writer described, however, it is all so minor that I respectfully suggest they cruise on another cruise line.  And,  Please don’t try Splendor as it’s the same as Explorer. 
sheila 

PS I agree about the internet. It must be improved. But, it won’t stop me. 

Edited February 24, 2020 by Bellaggio Cruisers

[jeb_bud]

I never tried to get coffee in the Observation Lounge and I read using a kindle so lighting doesn’t matter to me, but aside from that I saw all of the things that bothered the OP. However, aside from the terrible WiFi I wasn’t bothered. The service, food, etc provided by the crew was far more important to our enjoyment of the cruise experience. 
 

 

[Travelcat2]

15 hours ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

Agree with everyone above. Explorer has been our favorite ship since we sailed its inaugural crossing in 2016. Looking forward to sailing Splendor in about 2 weeks. 
I recognize the issues the writer described, however, it is all so minor that I respectfully suggest they cruise on another cruise line.  And,  Please don’t try Splendor as it’s the same as Explorer. 
sheila 

PS I agree about the internet. It must be improved. But, it won’t stop me. 

 

Hi Sheila - I really did not understand one sentence of your post.  What did you mean by "And, Please don't try Splendor as it's the same as Explorer"???  Just idle curiosity.

 

From what we've heard, Splendor's internet is the best in the fleet.

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

21 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Hi Sheila - I really did not understand one sentence of your post.  What did you mean by "And, Please don't try Splendor as it's the same as Explorer"???  Just idle curiosity.

 

From what we've heard, Splendor's internet is the best in the fleet.

Hey Jackie

I really do not understand what your question is. Is there a problem? If so, please email me. 

hugs

sheila
 

[boblerm]

1 hour ago, Travelcat2 said:

What did you mean by "And, Please don't try Splendor as it's the same as Explorer"???

 

49 minutes ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

I really do not understand what your question is. Is there a problem?

I actually think that I get this. 

Sheila's comment about not trying Splendor refers to  B-2-Bs Best's complaints about the physical configuration of the Explorer, i.e. having to schlep from the forward elevator to Compass Rose, and having to schlep from CR to the restroom, having to schlep out of the elevators to allow passengers to exit, etc.  I think that she meant that the same amount of schlepping will be required in the Splendor, so that those adverse to schlepping would not enjoy the Splendor any better than Explorer.

Sheila, do I have this right?

Bob

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

11 minutes ago, boblerm said:

 

I actually think that I get this. 

Sheila's comment about not trying Splendor refers to  B-2-Bs Best's complaints about the physical configuration of the Explorer, i.e. having to schlep from the forward elevator to Compass Rose, and having to schlep from CR to the restroom, having to schlep out of the elevators to allow passengers to exit, etc.  I think that she meant that the same amount of schlepping will be required in the Splendor, so that those adverse to schlepping would not enjoy the Splendor any better than Explorer.

Sheila, do I have this right?

Bob

You betcha Bob!
Can’t wait to meet you in a couple of weeks! 
Elbow bumps! 
sheila

[Travelcat2]

16 minutes ago, boblerm said:

 

I actually think that I get this. 

Sheila's comment about not trying Splendor refers to  B-2-Bs Best's complaints about the physical configuration of the Explorer, i.e. having to schlep from the forward elevator to Compass Rose, and having to schlep from CR to the restroom, having to schlep out of the elevators to allow passengers to exit, etc.  I think that she meant that the same amount of schlepping will be required in the Splendor, so that those adverse to schlepping would not enjoy the Splendor any better than Explorer.

Sheila, do I have this right?

Bob

 

That makes sense.  I do understand the issue (used to have a bad knee).  The easiest solution is to book a forward suite (at least forward of mid-ship) so that the forward elevators are convenient. 

 

See you in two weeks and 5 days!

[boblerm]

4 minutes ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

You betcha Bob!
Can’t wait to meet you in a couple of weeks! 
Elbow bumps! 
sheila

Or 🤜🤛

☺️

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

14 minutes ago, boblerm said:

Or 🤜🤛

☺️

Or dinner! 👍👊🙋‍♀️

 

Edited February 24, 2020 by Bellaggio Cruisers

[UUNetBill]

On 2/23/2020 at 6:28 PM, B-2-Bs Best! said:

Okay, here goes!

 

1) The aft elevator doesn't go down to the dining room. We both have knee issues, as well as one of our two traveling companions, so, we all had to schlep to the front elevators to go down, and, then schlep half way across the ship to the dining room.

My mother is 82 with knee (and foot and ankle) issues as well and she didn't complain about the 'schlep'.  The entire ship stem to stern is only 735' long.  I'd recommend booking forward cabins to alleviate this.

 

On 2/23/2020 at 6:28 PM, B-2-Bs Best! said:

2) Then, when in the dining room, to go to the facilities, you have to schlep cross country to get to them, passing the casino and shops on one side and the Explorer Lounge and shops on the other side.  You don't have to be a genius to recognize that the facilities should be closer to the restaurant.

So the 'schlep' to the loo is what, 100'?  Again, my mom didn't seem to have an issue with it.  Maybe a good strategy would have been to 'schlep' to the front elevator, utilize the facilities before dinner, dine, then depart.  Might have saved some steps?

 

On 2/23/2020 at 6:28 PM, B-2-Bs Best! said:

3) The lighting in the Observation lounge is awful. Less than half the seats are agreeable to reading.

And the other half are too bright to observe anything outside.  Bottom line, some people prefer an observation area to be dark, some prefer light.  Reading was fantastic in the well-lit library.

 

On 2/23/2020 at 6:28 PM, B-2-Bs Best! said:

4) The Observation Lounge does not have a coffee facility. You need to schlep from below, the coffee lounge or go cross country to the other side of the pool. Further, why doesn't the neighboring card room which offers soda and water also offer coffee. Oceania's two ships, Marina and Riviera, offer coffee, etc. in that lounge.

Pretty sure you could have requested a coffee drink from the servers in the lounge?  There's also a coffee machine further aft on deck 11, but I guess that's a bit of a schlep, too.

 

On 2/23/2020 at 6:28 PM, B-2-Bs Best! said:

5) They offer two ''SLIMLINE'' elevators in the front of the ship. FDR and others should have recognized from Riviera and Marina, ages ago, that it was an awful design. Passengers in the front need to exit to allow those in the back to exit.

I have to agree - this was form over function.  The narrow entrances are a bad design choice.

 

On 2/23/2020 at 6:28 PM, B-2-Bs Best! said:

6) The dining room is nothing special. We prefer the openness of Marina and Riviera. We'd equate Explorer with the Viking ships.

I guess this is subjective - I appreciate the simplicity of CR and absolutely love the glass sculptures on the ceiling.

 

On 2/23/2020 at 6:28 PM, B-2-Bs Best! said:

7) The pool grill is pitiful. First visit was about 10 minutes for a hamburger. Second visit was over twenty minutes. When I confronted a head waiter, his response was'' I guess everybody was looking for a hamburger today''. I responded that he should probably still we waiting tables.

Now see, I was with you on a few of these points until I got to this one.  Do snarky comments like this really help improve your service?  I've sailed on Explorer 3 times already and yes, drink service was sometimes slow on the pool deck, but the food service was always prompt - and friendly.  Maybe that's because I chat with the servers, smile, and treat them kindly rather than confronting and belittling them?

 

On 2/23/2020 at 6:28 PM, B-2-Bs Best! said:

😎 The most pitiful internet service ever received on a crossing. There were none even close to that bad, and, we had done over forty crossings before, including 6 on Sea Dream, a tiny ship with less than 100 passengers.

Agreed.  This has been a sore spot with me since the ship was launched.  Hope it's better on Splendor.

 

On 2/23/2020 at 6:28 PM, B-2-Bs Best! said:

I could add a few complaints as to the service, but, I'll let that pass.

Might have to do with 'confronting' the staff and commenting on their position, but I'll let that pass, too.

 

Doesn't sound as if you'll be booking Regent, or at least Explorer, anytime in the future so I guess we'll never sail together.  Either way, I hope you find a cruise line that checks all your boxes.  Good luck.

[Travelcat2]

Bill - so well put.  It sounds as if the poster prefers Oceania which isn't a problem but I puzzling to me because I've cruised both lines and prefer everything on Regent (except Jacques - the French restaurant on Oceania).  In terms of "shlepping", two of Oceania's ships are considerably larger than any Regent ship.  When I had knee issues I had to carry my shoes down the long hallway (didn't mind at all - just a long walk in heels).  

 

Yes - you can get coffee in the Observation Lounge but there are no choices and the coffee isn't used that frequently and can get old.  It isn't that far to go from the Observation Lounge to the Coffee Connection (quick elevator ride down to deck 5 and then a short walk ..... likely shorter than walking across the pool deck.). On the other hand, the Meridian Lounge is right across from the Coffee Connection (but it is likely too dark to read a regular book...... I changed to electronic reading devices around 4 years ago and never had to worry about how dark the environment is.)

 

My biggest question right now is why this thread (that I started November, is still active!?) 

[UUNetBill]

14 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

My biggest question right now is why this thread (that I started November, is still active!?) 

Sometimes people just prefer the classics...

 

😄