Explora I Pictures

[Raintree]

11 hours ago, uktog said:

Thanks these menus do look lovely 

Thank you for the menus.  Is "plain" food able to be ordered?  For example, plain grilled chicken or salmon?

[vistaman]

Any chance to post a wine list - the non complimentary -  wines ? 

 

I am curious fot the choice and the prices  -  it is clear Explora does have an agreement with LVMH - non listing the  cognas like Courvoisier etc.

[steamboats]

13 hours ago, maggie.1008 said:

I wonder if they will have California wine’s when they come to the US? 

 

They want to be a European luxury cruise company and therefore there are no US wines on the wine list.

 

steamboats

[gymfreak]

On 7/27/2023 at 6:52 PM, PaulMCO said:

Pictures of the OT1 Veranda Cabin -- Function and stunning.

Thank you. We are booked in OT1 6028. Slightly worried that the outside balcony space is too set back? Just got that impression from the external side view of the ship. Can you give us your opinion on the position please

Many thanks

 

vicki

[steamboats]

Here´s my DH´s ship video (narration is in German but it´s not important and just a little bit):
 

 

And here are the suites:

 

steamboats

[Dr. Cocktail]

10 hours ago, kelleherdl said:

I chuckle when folks scoff at Canadian Club and other presumed ‘lessor’ liquors. What liquors were the base for the great COCKTAILS served worldwide today? They were the wonderful liquors from Canada and Europe that survived their arduous journeys to America during our failed attempt to mandate sobriety.

Sorry, but I'm sticking to my guns on this one!  As a dyed-in-the-wool Canadian, we always grew up viewing Canadian Club as the "poor cousin". I mean, it's what you get if you ask for a cocktail on Air Canada.

 

The "official" Canadian drink for Rye and Gingers (as Canadian as it gets!) and Canadian Manhattans (!) will always be Crown Royal.  Also around for almost 100 years and MUCH smoother.  I am being a snob but we're talking a difference in price of $1.50 USD for a bottle!!!

Edited August 4, 2023 by Dr. Cocktail

[Dr. Cocktail]

4 hours ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

 

 

5 hours ago, steamboats said:

Here´s my DH´s ship video (narration is in German but it´s not important and just a little bit):
 

 

And here are the suites:

 

steamboats

My apologies for my last post .... my comments somehow didn't make it!

 

Thanks so much for posting these!  Very easy on YouTube to go into the settings icon and change the captions into English!

[parallax]

This is another nice video.

 

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by parallax

[PaulMCO]

14 hours ago, gymfreak said:

Thank you. We are booked in OT1 6028. Slightly worried that the outside balcony space is too set back? Just got that impression from the external side view of the ship. Can you give us your opinion on the position please

Many thanks

 

vicki

 

Since 6028 is in the center of the ship I would not worry.  The rooms that have extended balconies are a different cabin class GT (Grand Terrace) and jut out about a meter further.

[Dr. Cocktail]

As a confirmed cheerleader, I have a second more (First World) serious complaint to bring up, no Crown Royal on the bar menu  being the first!

 

steamboat’s EXCELLENT videos showed the “basic” Penthouse that I booked which has a VASTLY different layout than what was shown in the schematic .  The video shows the bathroom opening directly into the “bedroom “space 2 feet  away from the bed. If you use the bathroom in middle of the night, you’ll most definitely wake up your partner with the light or the noise of the flush.

 

In all of my cruises, I’ve NEVER seen a bathroom door immediately adjacent to a bed. I’m hoping that this is specific to suites on deck 9 but I’m not holding my breath….

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

As a confirmed cheerleader, I have a second more (First World) serious complaint to bring up, no Crown Royal on the bar menu  being the first!

 

steamboat’s EXCELLENT videos showed the “basic” Penthouse that I booked which has a VASTLY different layout than what was shown in the schematic .  The video shows the bathroom opening directly into the “bedroom “space 2 feet  away from the bed. If you use the bathroom in middle of the night, you’ll most definitely wake up your partner with the light or the noise of the flush.

 

In all of my cruises, I’ve NEVER seen a bathroom door immediately adjacent to a bed. I’m hoping that this is specific to suites on deck 9 but I’m not holding my breath….

Perhaps you could stop taking the water pills for the duration of the cruise?  I do that when traveling to avoid emergency 'comfort' stops during the day, but it should also help at night...

[Dr. Cocktail]

5 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Perhaps you could stop taking the water pills for the duration of the cruise?  I do that when traveling to avoid emergency 'comfort' stops during the day, but it should also help at night...

I'm not even allowed to go once while being given complimentary alcohol?  You're STRICT!!!!!

 

I think that a better answer is for them to change the design of the Penthouse's for Explora III onwards so the bathrooms open into the change room or away from the bed!!!  (build the cabins to actually match the schematic!)

[ajouni]

On 8/3/2023 at 9:45 AM, mike@sea said:

Thank you for contributing all the details from the current voyage. I am truly amazed how careless and unprofessional in every aspect a company, who wanted to become the best cruise line of all, started their business. 

How can you allow so many passengers on the first cruises, when processes have not been tested yet, when it is clear that the weather limits passengers to indoors, which further restricts available space in restaurants. How can they not have a concept for the limited seats in their restaurants ?

How dare you tell a customer, who paid 1000$ a night, that he can’t get a reservation for the restaurant. How dare you ask those customers that you need reservations in the first place, but are unable to provide options to do so online. How dare you limit the number of reservations, how dare you tell b2b customers they still can only make 1 reservation despite paying two cruises. 

The current situation is exactly what I feared the other day , when I saw, how small and cramped the restaurants appear. With all the beautiful lounges on the ship, who within Explora had the stupid idea , that they needed more lounging area in one of the restaurants, instead of tables for customers ( Yacht Club )? What terribly bad planning. 
 

I turned away from the mass market cruise lines and I am willing to pay more , because I want a cruise, with no lines, no necessity for reservations and certainly no necessity to still pay extra, when the original marketing said, its all inclusive, when in reality, one finds more items with a price tag, than without. 
 

I do want to eat in restaurants, I dislike buffets, and Explora will certainly not make me dine in the cabin or at the buffet. If they cannot deliver this, and provide a restaurant atmosphere which fits the price tag, then I am out too. Hapag Lloyd has no problem in delivering exactly that, which Mr Ungerer knows very well. Maybe he did not learn from the best and did not succeed or even come near , what others offer and what they promised beforehand. 

You can only make one good impression. Boy did they fail….!

Are you on the cruise now so you are speaking from personal experience.  I want to be sure I’m getting an accurate assessment from someone currently sailing.  Thank you. 
 

 

[daleandrews]

3 hours ago, ajouni said:

Are you on the cruise now so you are speaking from personal experience.  I want to be sure I’m getting an accurate assessment from someone currently sailing.  Thank you. 
 

 

Curious also.  (We board on September 2 for the 23 day sail from Glasgow to NYC.) 

 

On one of the Facebook Explora fan pages a current passenger posted within the last day "pretty easy to get reservations, the venues are of good size to accommodate the amount of people. Med & Fil Rouge were walk in for us no reservation needed."

Edited August 5, 2023 by daleandrews
text alignment

[uktog]

57 minutes ago, daleandrews said:

Curious also.  (We board on September 2 for the 23 day sail from Glasgow to NYC.) 

 

On one of the Facebook Explora fan pages a current passenger posted within the last day "pretty easy to get reservations, the venues are of good size to accommodate the amount of people. Med & Fil Rouge were walk in for us no reservation needed."

Are they a paying passenger or a travel agent/influencer?  And what size of rooms? I’m reading all these glowing reports and stories of wonderful relaxation but they are from travel agents in big suites 

 

Id like to think that it is pretty easy to get reservations (they’re not sailing at capacity) and that the first day was just “teething issues” but need confirmation from “ordinary punters” 

[LuiK]

That the restaurants are cramped and Sakura as well as Marble were fully booked and you are only allowed to visit them once was already lengthly discussed here. The facebook opinion may be from one of the „invited“ guests. 🤣

[Critically Cruising]

1 minute ago, uktog said:

but need confirmation from “ordinary punters” 

 

This punter boards in Reykjavik on the 9th.  I'll be in a lowly "terrace", not a penthouse or residence, so we shall see.  And with experience sailing on Crystal, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea, it should be an interesting introduction.  Both ways.

[daleandrews]

5 minutes ago, uktog said:

Are they a paying passenger or a travel agent/influencer?  And what size of rooms?

 

I have no idea.  Just quoting someone who is on the ship.  Ask me in 3 weeks when I am on the ship!  🙂  

[KJB416]

We board on August 8 and I’ll definitely report back on the feel and atmosphere of the restaurants and the ease of getting multiple reservations at Marble and Sakura. You do need to book reservations through your travel agent (or direct with EJ if no TA was used) which has not been communicated well to these first cruisers and also there has been nothing communicated anywhere to say only one evening of dining is allowed in the reservation required restaurants (Sakura and Marble). I wonder if they are being as strict with allowing only one reservation in Anthology as well per booking?  
 

I heard my sailing is almost full and this was quite shocking to me since a lot of cabins were available 6 weeks before sailing. My TA asked last week how full the ship will be and the EJ advisor said it was almost full. I’m not that excited about sailing with other TA’s and influencers that are getting their trip for free and taking up my space at a dining venue. I understand it’s the first sailings, but it doesn’t seem fair to those that have paid to go on a luxury cruise line that promises all this and more to go without so those who are getting a free ride get it instead. Anyway, time will tell. I’m just looking forward to it actually sailing and reporting back a fair assessment.  I’ve only sailed on Regent, so I am expecting a lot and I really hope they deliver. 

[LuiK]

Just a small update to the last post about dinner: We showed up early at 6:30 at Med Yacht Club and enjoyed a nearly empty restaurant. It’s nice there, if there are just a few other guests. 🙈 The food was good and the signature dessert of the venue is an interesting composition. 👍 

[mike@sea]

5 hours ago, ajouni said:

Are you on the cruise now so you are speaking from personal experience.  I want to be sure I’m getting an accurate assessment from someone currently sailing.  Thank you. 
 

 

Hi Ajouni,

I am not on the cruise. It was my reaction to the reports of those on the cruise who confirmed my initial worries. My wording was a bit harsh. Apologies for that. I was really frustrated after reading the initial reports. My agent and best friend warned me about Explora being MSC and spending so much money on a product which has to prove itself first. 
Men never listen, so I booked a few cruises meanwhile, taking advantage, so I thought, of early prices, before the product becomes even more expensive. I was convinced it would be awesome and in the same league as MS Europa 2/MS Europa. 

Then over the course of the past months I lost my confidence a bit. Canceled cruises, unimpressive and quite pricey excursions ( Caribbean ), some with silly and never before heard of age restrictions. Despite being only months away from the cruise, no information whatsoever on available pre/after cruise hotels/ transfers ( Journey Enrichments ) , still no excursions loaded ( for Q1 24 ) despite sailing to the exact same ports as in Q4 23, which is around the corner. 

If I had not made my own flight arrangements, I would have a problem now, as apparently Explora has not sorted much at all yet. They still , after over two years don’t have a decent website to fill in the manifest, book excursions, look at restaurants, book restaurants. 
I would have expected more from Explora after everything, they promote. 

Then finally the first cruise started , the first reports came in and I was extremely shocked to read about the restaurants, the unavailability of reservations ( despite not telling guests beforehand how and where they should pre reserve ), to learn how they apparently treat b2b cruisers in regards to reservations ( although I do think that it is incorrect information that they only allow 1 reservation despite paying two cruise  ). 

 

So my apologies I raised so many eyebrows here.
My impulsiveness is my weakness. Besides that I promise I am quite a nice person and easy to be around. I definitely praise out loud what can be praised, always appreciate those who work so hard to make things special.  
Now I sit back and wait for the next reviews to come in, before I react. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

18 minutes ago, mike@sea said:

in the same league as MS Europa 2/MS Europa

That's an incredibly high bar: the Berlitz Guide has always given those two ships its highest rating of 5+ stars (which no other ship has ever gotten).  I was just hoping that Explora would be like the MSC Yacht Club but for the entire ship – that's still a standard they may be able to reach once they hit their stride.

[crickette]

3 hours ago, KJB416 said:

We board on August 8 and I’ll definitely report back on the feel and atmosphere of the restaurants and the ease of getting multiple reservations at Marble and Sakura. You do need to book reservations through your travel agent (or direct with EJ if no TA was used) which has not been communicated well to these first cruisers and also there has been nothing communicated anywhere to say only one evening of dining is allowed in the reservation required restaurants (Sakura and Marble). I wonder if they are being as strict with allowing only one reservation in Anthology as well per booking?  
 

I heard my sailing is almost full and this was quite shocking to me since a lot of cabins were available 6 weeks before sailing. My TA asked last week how full the ship will be and the EJ advisor said it was almost full. I’m not that excited about sailing with other TA’s and influencers that are getting their trip for free and taking up my space at a dining venue. I understand it’s the first sailings, but it doesn’t seem fair to those that have paid to go on a luxury cruise line that promises all this and more to go without so those who are getting a free ride get it instead. Anyway, time will tell. I’m just looking forward to it actually sailing and reporting back a fair assessment.  I’ve only sailed on Regent, so I am expecting a lot and I really hope they deliver. 

Understand your thoughts that EJ does need the publicity from TAs and Influencers, while on the other hand paying pax are being prevented from enjoying all the amenities that they paid for.  Reading between the lines - does that imply that in the 6 week interval they filled the ship with TAs and influencers?  I wonder, once you are onboard, would speaking to the Maitre d' open up opportunities?

[LuiK]

1 hour ago, crickette said:

I wonder, once you are onboard, would speaking to the Maitre d' open up opportunities?

I can only recommend to do so! But better not during the rush hours of they’re venues. After a very cold start, we had nice talks to them and they team up to „make it right“ for the guests. 

 

Even if Explora did a bad job overpromising, badly communicating and pulling up restrictions afterwards like the need for reserving tables in advance and „dine only once per cruise“, the crew on the ship does a fantastic job and tries everything possible - with a smile.

 

The „hosts“ cannot create more space in the restaurants and are stressed when guests overrun the limited space, but what should they do about it? Explora must(!) learn from the design/planning mistakes regarding missing restaurant space and misplaced living room and bar furniture in the Med restaurant that were done with this first ship and correct the flaws with the next ships.

 

Edited August 5, 2023 by LuiK

[steamboats]

9 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

That's an incredibly high bar: the Berlitz Guide has always given those two ships its highest rating of 5+ stars (which no other ship has ever gotten). 

 

So did you ever read the rating of the MSC ships??? Looking on those Douglas Ward has never left they Yacht Club and was pampered there...

 

steamboats