Explora I Pictures

[Wheelhouse]

Somebody on the inaugural wrote this elsewhere.

 

The drinks menu is basically the same at all bars. There are two bars that offer a couple more cocktails. As for now, there aren’t any extra wine menus at the restaurants that I’ve visited so far.

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, Limonadier said:

Yikes, from their web site : Unlimited beverages, fine wines and premium spirits, speciality coffees, teas and soft drinks available anytime, including in-suite mini-bar* The list above from Astern Pool Bar included drinks is definitely NOT fine wines and premium spirits ! 

It is an inaugural sailing. Most payed a lower price for these sailings. Perhaps they are saving the good stuff for those who are paying more?

Edited August 2, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[johng75370]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

It is an inaugural sailing

Seems like exactly the time to put your best foot forward and generate positive comments...not the current reactions of "yikes!".  Will withhold judgement until more wine lists (paid and included) become available.  

[Dr. Cocktail]

2 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

It is the Pool bar -- do you drink port at the pool???

 

Ooops .... read through this quickly at a break at work and while you may not be a Portararian,   there's still ZERO excuse for the poor selection of complimentary Scotches and Cognacs. If I want a Sidecar with a VSOP (and I usually do!), it should be complimentary on an ultra deluxe ship.

Edited August 3, 2023 by Dr. Cocktail

[johng75370]

4 hours ago, LuiK said:

The dining situation is a mess and worse than on any budget cruiseline. You are allowed to visit Sakura (asian) and Marble (steakhouse) only once! And all available tables were reserved in advance.

Seems like "once per cruise" limits to any of the dining venues would be spelled out clearly ahead of time; otherwise false or misleading advertising.  For example, Seabourn's Thomas Keller Grill has a similar restriction, but they state it on the website:  

 

Dining reservations for The Grill by Thomas Keller can be requested online prior to sailing, subject to availability.  Online reservations close 15 days prior to sailing. Due to high demand, online reservations are recommended, however, reservations can also be made on board. One reservation permitted per voyage.

[CB BOARDER]

11 minutes ago, johng75370 said:

Seems like "once per cruise" limits to any of the dining venues would be spelled out clearly ahead of time; otherwise false or misleading advertising.  For example, Seabourn's Thomas Keller Grill has a similar restriction, but they state it on the website:  

 

Dining reservations for The Grill by Thomas Keller can be requested online prior to sailing, subject to availability.  Online reservations close 15 days prior to sailing. Due to high demand, online reservations are recommended, however, reservations can also be made on board. One reservation permitted per voyage.

I was assuming 1 reservation per specialty restaurant per cruise (like Oceania and others). However what concerns me is the "no availability" if one didn't pre book. I can't imagine not being able to sit every stateroom once per cruise in each of the complimentary specialty restaurants. There's no way they thought this was okay? But then again, I've been wrong before....

 

I guess I'll be calling Explora to make dining reservations as I'm not seeing it on their website. We're 30 days out so maybe it's still too early...

[Waltershipman]

Greetings

 

Do you know how many people are on the ships 1st sailing  i go down the way andcwant to pre-book restaurants if possible. Thank you 

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

The list above from Astern Pool Bar included drinks is definitely NOT fine wines and premium spirits ! 

Appears the apologists are already glossing over these 'finer' details (or lack of). Just the fact there is a dearth of comment on social media is telling.These are not your average cruisers booking these early cruises. These are hard core enthusiasts many with vested interests. Better to say nothing than lose credibility. Years ago I recall stopping into our favorite travel agency to ask about a cruise our agent/owner just returned from in the Orient. "Wonderful, spectacular, cruise of a life time" were words bandied about as she stepped away from her 'typewriter' listing all her complaints she and her group encountered on that cruise to the cruise line looking for compensation. "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr 1849

Edited August 3, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[johng75370]

22 minutes ago, CB BOARDER said:

I was assuming 1 reservation per specialty restaurant per cruise (like Oceania and others). However what concerns me is the "no availability" if one didn't pre book.

I could have misread or misunderstood, but part of Explora being "different" is they eschewed the concept of a main dining room, so all restaurants are just restaurants, and not "specialty" in the way other cruise lines would treat them.   

 

I dug into the FAQs, and they talk about the restaurants all being restaurants, but they do put in the disclaimer that you "may" not be able to book the same restaurant twice on one voyage (sorry, "journey"): 

 

Can more than one restaurant reservation be booked in advance?

You will be able to book more than one dining experience in advance however in order to manage the capacities of our dining experiences and ensure availability for all guests, repeat reservations for the same dining experience may be limited.  

Edited August 3, 2023 by johng75370

[maggie.1008]

I thought I read that reservations would not be necessary. 

[TER777]

How does one book the restaurants? I’m on the 8/15 sailing. 

[CB BOARDER]

8 minutes ago, johng75370 said:

I could have misread or misunderstood, but part of Explora being "different" is they eschewed the concept of a main dining room, so all restaurants are just restaurants, and not "specialty" in the way otrher cruise lines would treat them.   

I'll have to go back and do some research...Still concerning if no reservations are required but once you get on board there's no availability. Something doesn't sound right...

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

I do not think this Explora concept is going to meet our expectations. Our taste is rather simple. We enjoy the Yacht Club Restaurant on the 'Sea-Ships'.  Same table every breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same times with the same waiters and a varied menu. To spend $36,000 on a Residence cabin and not have this simple dining experience is a no repeater.

[Waltershipman]

5 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

It is the Pool bar -- do you drink port at the pool???

Do you kniw how many people are on this 1st sailing  thank you  i am new to cc posting

[steamboats]

Here are more pictures from the pre-inaugural cruise.

 

steamboats

[Cruiser1209]

13 hours ago, LuiK said:

We are on the inaugural. The dining situation is a mess and worse than on any budget cruiseline. You are allowed to visit Sakura (asian) and Marble (steakhouse) only once! And all available tables were reserved in advance. Med Club is without reservation but you have to wait in queues. We waited about 30 minutes. Inside it was extremely cramped and loud (no acoustic panels/ceilings, glossy surfaces). There are lounge style tables consuming the space which would be needed for regular dinnertables and adequate spacing in between. Total planning/design desaster. The breadcrumbs from the neighbors 10 cm from you will land on your table. We left this sh**show before ordering anything. On the second day we insisted to dine in Sakura - after some back and forth we were allowed to do so. The food and service there were magnificent! 

 

13 hours ago, LuiK said:

We are on the inaugural. The dining situation is a mess and worse than on any budget cruiseline. You are allowed to visit Sakura (asian) and Marble (steakhouse) only once! And all available tables were reserved in advance. Med Club is without reservation but you have to wait in queues. We waited about 30 minutes. Inside it was extremely cramped and loud (no acoustic panels/ceilings, glossy surfaces). There are lounge style tables consuming the space which would be needed for regular dinnertables and adequate spacing in between. Total planning/design desaster. The breadcrumbs from the neighbors 10 cm from you will land on your table. We left this sh**show before ordering anything. On the second day we insisted to dine in Sakura - after some back and forth we were allowed to do so. The food and service there were magnificent! 

We're sailing on the 15th from Copenhagen - hope things improve before then! Were all the tables reserved in advance becuse people had booked immediately when they got on board or had they been able to book in advance? Can't see any way of doing that online. Can you also please tell me the opening hours of the restaurants -we prefer to eat later than many  .

[Wheelhouse]

6 hours ago, Waltershipman said:

Do you kniw how many people are on this 1st sailing  thank you  i am new to cc posting

A TA on board says there are about 750 passengers, which is a little less than 200 below full capacity. 

[LuiK]

How should it be resolved that for over 900 guests there are only approximately 100 seats at Sakura and Marble… and even with all other restaurants approximately 300 people have to end up in the buffet each night? It‘s a design flaw of the ship! And even if they cramp the restaurants to the last seat it is no fun, when you have to share tables at a (not so) luxury cruise.

 

On the German website of Explora there is no information about mandatory reservations for restaurants and that you are only allowed to dine once in Sakura and Marble. People were rushing to reserve seats after boarding or managed to reserve onshore – I don't know and I don't care.

 

We pay 1.000 Euro per night. You can get the buffet on MSC and waiting for seated dining in queues for less than 100 Euro per night. When we want to dine in a seated setting, we will get that and will not end up in the buffet because of Explora‘s mismanagements and misplannings – if a table looks available we will make a scene until we are seated. End of story.

 

Here are the opening hours:

 

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by LuiK

[Lord Haw Haw]

24 minutes ago, LuiK said:

How should it be resolved that for over 900 guests there are only approximately 100 seats at Sakura and Marble… and even with all other restaurants approximately 300 people have to end up in the buffet each night? It‘s a design flaw of the ship! And even if they cramp the restaurants to the last seat it is no fun, when you have to share tables at a (not so) luxury cruise.

 

On the German website of Explora there is no information about mandatory reservations for restaurants and that you are only allowed to dine once in Sakura and Marble. People were rushing to reserve seats after boarding or managed to reserve onshore – I don't know and I don't care.

 

We pay 1.000 Euro per night. You can get the buffet on MSC and waiting for seated dining in queues for less than 100 Euro per night. When we want to dine in a seated setting, we will get that and will not end up in the buffet because of Explora‘s mismanagements and misplannings – if a table looks available we will make a scene until we are seated. End of story.

 

Here are the opening hours:

 

 

I have heard talk of mutiny..best to grab a baguette and wave it around until the desired outcome is reached.

[uktog]

14 minutes ago, Lord Haw Haw said:

I have heard talk of mutiny..best to grab a baguette and wave it around until the desired outcome is reached.

or just get a bounty and sit on it 🙂

[Lord Haw Haw]

Let's hope that eventually it works out just like it did for Bligh.

[uktog]

@LuiK I think part of your problem is the number of travel agents and influencers onboard have snagged all the venues either through some pre cruise communication which did not get passed on to the wider guest group or through separate arrangements they made.  I know there is also a "travel industry networkers conference" onboard which includes guests from competitors.

Our cruise on 17/07 had certainly not communicated any pre booking dining options to us even after we had done on line check in (we got our official cancellation notice on 10/07).

Looking at the numbers are you saying they are only doing one table turn a night - most ships even in their speciality restaurants do an "early" and "late" rotation of tables which should double the capacity and reduce the numbers feeling the need they have to go to the buffet.  Even on established lines, the first two nights there can be slight delays in getting tables until the pattern for that cruises diners shakes out.

We have cruised MSC Yacht Club - we never got a dedicated table or wait staff (would have been v v useful given food allergies) and certainly had to wait 10-15 minutes for a table, but we accepted that wait and they came downstairs and collected us from the lounge.

 

 

[Dr. Cocktail]

 

1 hour ago, LuiK said:

How should it be resolved that for over 900 guests there are only approximately 100 seats at Sakura and Marble… and even with all other restaurants approximately 300 people have to end up in the buffet each night? It‘s a design flaw of the ship! And even if they cramp the restaurants to the last seat it is no fun, when you have to share tables at a (not so) luxury cruise.

 

On the German website of Explora there is no information about mandatory reservations for restaurants and that you are only allowed to dine once in Sakura and Marble. People were rushing to reserve seats after boarding or managed to reserve onshore – I don't know and I don't care.

 

We pay 1.000 Euro per night. You can get the buffet on MSC and waiting for seated dining in queues for less than 100 Euro per night. When we want to dine in a seated setting, we will get that and will not end up in the buffet because of Explora‘s mismanagements and misplannings – if a table looks available we will make a scene until we are seated. End of story.

 

Here are the opening hours:

 

 

 

Actually, your numbers and assumptions are incorrect. These are the capacity numbers ....Sakura 92,  Marble and Co 80, Yacht Club 136 and Fil Rouge 222 for a total of 530. Add in Anthology's 48 and that takes us to 578. Add in the outdoor sections for the above and that takes us to 636 - easily able to accomodate everyone with the tables being turned around once.

 

I think that what we're seeing is an organizational issue and teething problems.  It would be as easy fix to take out the "living room" section of Yacht Club and space out the seats.

 

The ship is generally expected to sail at 80% capacity for a total of approximately 750 passengers per sailing. Indoor dining capacity of 530 should not be a problem. Full capacity with all the third berths on board could get tricky.

 

No argument that they should have been up front about only getting one reservation per sailing in advance with Sakura and Marble and Co. My guess is first dibs at a second go-around will be for Penthouses and above.

Edited August 3, 2023 by Dr. Cocktail

[Limonadier]

10 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Appears the apologists are already glossing over these 'finer' details (or lack of). Just the fact there is a dearth of comment on social media is telling.These are not your average cruisers booking these early cruises. These are hard core enthusiasts many with vested interests. Better to say nothing than lose credibility. Years ago I recall stopping into our favorite travel agency to ask about a cruise our agent/owner just returned from in the Orient. "Wonderful, spectacular, cruise of a life time" were words bandied about as she stepped away from her 'typewriter' listing all her complaints she and her group encountered on that cruise to the cruise line looking for compensation. "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr 1849

 

Anyways, I'll keep my positive attitude, give them time to make adjustments if need be,  and hope for the best when we are sailing in November. I guess when you pay over $ 1000 a night, expectations are raised from "regular cruise lines at $ 200-$ 300/night"

“ Never stress on what you can't control and never worry about what isn't yours.” Snoopy

[morpheusofthesea]

9 minutes ago, Limonadier said:

when we are sailing in November

We booked the end of December. Looking forward to your "positive attitude" come shining through when you report back. Due only to our fabulous experience in the Yacht Club did we jump in and book same Residence November of 2024 as well, against the advise of our travel agent.

Edited August 3, 2023 by morpheusofthesea