Anyone Currently on Explorer?

[Trunkabella]

I’ve read on social media that Explorer is missing stops in New Zealand and Australia due to fungus on her hull.  Can anyone currently on Explorer explain what is happening and when the situation is expected to be remediated?  Thanks.

[irishwitchy]

I have been following this mess on the other site, but it appears the Explorer folks aren’t using cruise critic.  Any way,  I’m hoping this mess gets resolved, quickly and completely before I get on a plane to get on the ship on Jan 12.   Regent,  some public responses are needed.  Needless to say,  I feel very bad for the folks stuck on the ship right now.   So much for the big splashy news coverage while the ship was in Sydney!  Someone wasn’t 

paying attention,  heck I had no issue finding the link and details that New Zealand expected the ship to follow.  
 

It has been mentioned that the hull is getting cleaned on Jan 5/6.  Like to see that in writing.   Trying to stay positive that it will all work out.  

[Silver Sweethearts]

32 minutes ago, Trunkabella said:

I’ve read on social media that Explorer is missing stops in New Zealand and Australia due to fungus on her hull.  Can anyone currently on Explorer explain what is happening and when the situation is expected to be remediated?  Thanks.

Several media outlets mention that it is the Viking Orion that is having the problem - not the Regent Explorer.  Who is correct?

[mrlevin]

Explorer currently heading to Adelaide, Australia and will arrive morning of 4 January Australian time.

[irishwitchy]

4 minutes ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

Several media outlets mention that it is the Viking Orion that is having the problem - not the Regent Explorer.  Who is correct?

Both ships have the issue,  Regent Explorer hasn’t made the news yet.  😏

[irishwitchy]

4 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

Explorer currently heading to Adelaide, Australia and will arrive morning of 4 January Australian time.

Let’s see what happens with this,  the Viking ship was also suppose to go to Adelaide, but got refused.  They are getting cleaned up at sea it appears.   Feel sorry for those divers.  

[Stickman1990]

2 hours ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

Several media outlets mention that it is the Viking Orion that is having the problem - not the Regent Explorer.  Who is correct?

Both are correct - they’re both having issues plus a Princess ship also had issues before Christmas 

 

Explorer is now bound for Adelaide according to Maritime Traffic after turning around in the Tasman on her way to NZ

 

[saz25]

Yes it’s true. We are heading to Adelaide to clean our hull. They said we should hear from corporate via a letter in our staterooms as soon as they determine a revised itinerary as well as compensation. Many many passengers are upset that we may not get to see NZ and the fiords, etc. 

 

Many want a full refund since this Sydney to Auckland cruise is nothing like we all expected when we paid so much $$.

 

People also feel that Regent should have known the appropriate laws. After all, another NCL ship (Spirit) has arrived in Auckland. Why could they get into NZ and not us?

[GaCruiser53]

3 hours ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

Several media outlets mention that it is the Viking Orion that is having the problem - not the Regent Explorer.  Who is correct?

Currently on Explorer.  We were heading towards NZ to get hull cleaned. NZ denied us the chance to clean hull in international waters near them.  Now heading to Adelaide to have the process done there.  Where we go after that is a big unknown. We have missed 2 ports in Australia, at least 1 port in NZ, and visits to fiords on the South Island.  
 

People on board are quite upset at the poor information being given to us.  We are still being entertained but many want to put their feet on solid ground.  The initial compensation was very little.  Many traveled a long way at high expenses to be just floating around on the oceans and not seeing the sites of Australia and NZ. 
 

More info to be provided soon. 

[GaCruiser53]

We just received the update on this cruise (to nowhere).  We are going to just outside of Adelaide to have the hull cleaned. Then we are heading straight to Auckland with no stops at any of the ports.  This cruise is a BUST!!!  
 

Compensation tha is being offered is a not sufficient for the time and expense of going all the way to Australia and New Zealand and see one port.  Regent needs to rethink the compensation being provided to the travelers. 

[Lonestar101]

We just got the letter on board from corporate.  The letter says that because of the time it will take to clean the hull offshore of Adelaide and the time it will take to travel to Auckland, we will forego ALL remaining ports of call from the original itinerary. 

 

We’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on a “trip of a lifetime” only to stop in Melbourne for a few hours and then travel back and forth across the Tasman Sea while being kept in the dark by Regent.  
 

Regent is offering a 50% refund of the cruise only fare and a 50% future cruise credit based on the paid cruise only fare.  If any portion of the booking applied Future Cruise Credits, those credits will be reinstated to the guest’s account and are non-refundable.  
 

Passengers are not happy.

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by Lonestar101
Update with photo

[Stickman1990]

4 minutes ago, GaCruiser53 said:

Compensation tha is being offered is a not sufficient for the time and expense of going all the way to Australia and New Zealand and see one port.  Regent needs to rethink the compensation being provided to the travelers. 

So what is the compensation being offered?

What would you deem reasonable compensation?

[European_CruiseGirl]

1 hour ago, GaCruiser53 said:

We just received the update on this cruise (to nowhere).  We are going to just outside of Adelaide to have the hull cleaned. Then we are heading straight to Auckland with no stops at any of the ports.  This cruise is a BUST!!!  
 

Compensation tha is being offered is a not sufficient for the time and expense of going all the way to Australia and New Zealand and see one port.  Regent needs to rethink the compensation being provided to the travelers. 

I’m so very sorry to hear that this happened 😔 I have a 17 day cruise booked which goes to NZ too and can only imagine how I would feel if this would happen to us. 
 

Yes ship happens, I am fully aware of this , and missing a port or two can happen at any time but this seems very extreme 😔 You lost everything after Melbourne if I understand correctly. And this doesn’t show the scenic cruising on NZ fjords which was scheduled between 1/3-5.

 

I can only imagine Andrea DeMarco would wish that Jason Montague was still the CEO and his name would be on that letter to guests… 

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by European_CruiseGirl

[Techno123]

From reading the letter it appears it is a 50% refund and a 50% future cruise credit. It must be so disappointing for the passengers on board, however, they have still received all of the Regent 'hotel' facilities (unlike when a cruise is cancelled) so it seems reasonable to me.

 

it would appear though that these extremely strict biofouling rules are going to have a significant impact on all future cruise by all cruise lines to this area of the world.

[irishwitchy]

Love, the comment about the leadership change - not a great way to start the New Year.  I’m on the next cruise and I would be screaming mad if I was on this one.  I don’t go on a cruise to stay on the ship.  Regent, is going to have to eat a bit more it appears.  Feel sorry for the staff, also - this has to make their jobs much harder.  

[Lonedaddy]

Turning out to be a repositioning cruise.  What a shame to go all that way for that.

[RMcH]

Irishwitchy  (or anyone else that knows), - what is the other site that has information about this situation? Thank you. 

[pingpong1]

Posting rules don't allow it to be mentioned.

[fizzy]

14 minutes ago, pingpong1 said:

Posting rules don't allow it to be mentioned.

I see "the" logo is on this very site at the bottom of the page. There is a lot going on over there.

[cruiseluv]

4 hours ago, irishwitchy said:

Love, the comment about the leadership change - not a great way to start the New Year.  I’m on the next cruise and I would be screaming mad if I was on this one.  I don’t go on a cruise to stay on the ship.  Regent, is going to have to eat a bit more it appears.  Feel sorry for the staff, also - this has to make their jobs much harder.  

For your sake I hope they correct the problem on time

[Wendy The Wanderer]

9 hours ago, Techno123 said:

From reading the letter it appears it is a 50% refund and a 50% future cruise credit. It must be so disappointing for the passengers on board, however, they have still received all of the Regent 'hotel' facilities (unlike when a cruise is cancelled) so it seems reasonable to me.

...

That sounds pretty reasonable to me, actually. One might want or expect more of course, but...

 

5 hours ago, irishwitchy said:

...  I don’t go on a cruise to stay on the ship.  Regent, is going to have to eat a bit more it appears.  Feel sorry for the staff, also - this has to make their jobs much harder.  

I would rather say, "I don't fly half-way across the world for a cruise to stay on the ship".  That's the tough part I think.

[Lonedaddy]

If they make 18 knots sailing back it will take 5 days so they need to leave the morning of the 7th to arrive in Auckland on the morning of the 12th.  They are scheduled to arrive off Adelaide on the morning of the 4th so that gives them 3 days to clean AND get provisions at some port if needed.

[sabreline]

17 hours ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

Several media outlets mention that it is the Viking Orion that is having the problem - not the Regent Explorer.  Who is correct?

BOTH!!! And a Princess ship!

[RetiredandTravel]

MrsWaldo in post #10 helps explain the situation

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2903497-marine-covid-bio-hazards-causing-problems-r/#comment-64556391

 

[Trunkabella]

11 hours ago, Techno123 said:

From reading the letter it appears it is a 50% refund and a 50% future cruise credit. It must be so disappointing for the passengers on board, however, they have still received all of the Regent 'hotel' facilities (unlike when a cruise is cancelled) so it seems reasonable to me.

 

We are scheduled to board in Auckland on 1/12.  I wouldn’t travel half way around the works to experience Regent’s hotel facilities.  They need to up the compensation.  
 

I am concerned bout whether the ship will be able to dock in Auckland on time and whether Regent’s communication with those of us on the next cruise will be timely.