For all questions regarding Explora

[bitob]

The must be kidding

They have ruined their reputation and they are raising prices.  Unusual business model.

 

There's not a chance in ___ I would ever book an Explora cruise again.

[morpheusofthesea]

In a reply to someone else on another social media site.

"You both show 'a touch of class' by dressing so elegantly on this luxury cruise line. We are afraid we are being priced out of cruising on Explora Journeys. We are booked and paid in full for 2 weeks. The cabins that suit us with walk-in showers have just gone 'through the roof' on Explora II. Our Explora I cruise is about $900 pp/pd, and the same cabin next year same time on Explora II is about $2000 pp/pd. Do not feel the cruise line is looking to appeal to the present mass market cruisers like us. Suppose with all the complaining their answer is to raise prices to get rid of complainers. Someone in Explora management went to the Will Rogers school of thought. "People that pay for things never complain. It's the guy you give something to that you can't please."

[Mr Luxury]

1 hour ago, bitob said:

The must be kidding

They have ruined their reputation and they are raising prices.  Unusual business model.

 

There's not a chance in ___ I would ever book an Explora cruise again.

I'm just wondering if some of those good staff that flew the nest from other luxury lines might be re thinking their career move.

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

In a reply to someone else on another social media site.

"You both show 'a touch of class' by dressing so elegantly on this luxury cruise line. We are afraid we are being priced out of cruising on Explora Journeys. We are booked and paid in full for 2 weeks. The cabins that suit us with walk-in showers have just gone 'through the roof' on Explora II. Our Explora I cruise is about $900 pp/pd, and the same cabin next year same time on Explora II is about $2000 pp/pd. Do not feel the cruise line is looking to appeal to the present mass market cruisers like us. Suppose with all the complaining their answer is to raise prices to get rid of complainers. Someone in Explora management went to the Will Rogers school of thought. "People that pay for things never complain. It's the guy you give something to that you can't please."

 

Reminds me of the old joke:

 

A kid is selling apples on the street corner.  A man comes up and asks:

 

"How much for an apple?"

 

The kid replies "$100".

 

"Must not get too much business."

 

"At a hundred dollars an apple, don't need much".

 

 

[Critically Cruising]

38 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

I'm just wondering if some of those good staff that flew the nest from other luxury lines might be re thinking their career move.

 

I'm wondering the thoughts of the management of those other lines.  Would they be willing to take back, with open arms, those who abandoned them for the new bright shiny object?  Or would they be of the "you made your bed" mind set.

 

 

[Whipsnade]

All the luxury lines are now approx $2K per day per couple, give or take for superior accommodations. Unfortunately Explora falls short of Crystal and Silversea in many regards. Those of us who booked Explora over a year ago got some great bargains. 
Explora still has a way to go to justify these new prices in my estimation. Entertainment is meager at best. Same for lectures. 
Food excellent and ship beautiful. 
We will come again if an itinerary we want comes along. In the meantime we are heading back to Crystal next year thanks to their EI program. 
BTW, decisions on port cancellations are made in Geneva by folks behind a desk with a weather chart. Not like the old days when captains were on their own out here on the high seas. 

[AtA]

10 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:

In the meantime we are heading back to Crystal next year thanks to their EI program. 
 

You won't be disappointed.

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, Whipsnade said:

All the luxury lines are now approx $2K per day per couple, give or take for superior accommodations

We can handle that. It is now $2000 per day per person that we find hard to justify at the present time for the accommodations we have now grown accustomed to and for what we look for on a cruise.

[Dr. Cocktail]

4 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

I'm just wondering if some of those good staff that flew the nest from other luxury lines might be re thinking their career move.

Explora pays more than anyone else so I sincerely doubt it!

[saminina]

4 hours ago, Critically Cruising said:

 

I'm wondering the thoughts of the management of those other lines.  Would they be willing to take back, with open arms, those who abandoned them for the new bright shiny object?  Or would they be of the "you made your bed" mind set.

There is plenty of opportunity for good people.  Most are bright enough to know how to walk away without slamming the door.

[Whipsnade]

I don’t know where the $2000 per day per person comes from. 

[Critically Cruising]

37 minutes ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

Explora pays more than anyone else so I sincerely doubt it!

 

But for how long?  If bookings suck, how do you justify paying more for people that aren't bringing in $$ across the transom?

[morpheusofthesea]

37 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:

I don’t know where the $2000 per day per person comes from. 

This pricing just came out this morning. We are booked in the same cabin this December/ January for a B2B for $38,100 total for a couple.

Edited September 6, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[Whipsnade]

Ah well, for those super suites. I am a mere  PH guy. A few rungs lower. 

[morpheusofthesea]

3 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:

Ah well, for those super suites. I am a mere  PH guy. A few rungs lower. 

This is the problem....We have been spoiled and must now be kept in a manner to which we have become accustomed.

[Nunagoras]

1 hour ago, saminina said:

There is plenty of opportunity for good people.  Most are bright enough to know how to walk away without slamming the door.

And pretty much all the industry is short-staffed right now. Any really good one returned would be a huge win.

[AtA]

1 hour ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

Explora pays more than anyone else so I sincerely doubt it!

How do you know that?

And top pay isn't everything if one isn't treated well. I know many who returned to Crystal and took a pay cut to come back because their sense of pride and dignity was more important.

[Nunagoras]

6 minutes ago, AtA said:

How do you know that?

And top pay isn't everything if one isn't treated well. I know many who returned to Crystal and took a pay cut to come back because their sense of pride and dignity was more important.

Yeah! Crystal is quite surprisingly attracting their former workers back. I follow a Brazilian influencer with thousands of viewers and a pretty good sponsor base whom has been out of working on ships since he exited the Crystal Symphony due to the pandemic, and he said he couldn't resist the call to work alongside his wife on the return of the Crystal Symphony to the high seas. I believe he has signed a 6 months contract, quite short considering the usual in the industry. Maybe both him and the company were just interested on current cruising region and season? Whatever else, on their last video it was evident their pride to just return what they called home, and their emotion while entering the ship again!... As far as I can understand he could very well to continue his ongoing IT/Influencer nomad life quite indefinitely, but they decided otherwise to return the ship, even if by temporarily losing their current supporters elsewhere! Quite impressive!... Capturing good crews at this ship size industry level would be top priority. No matter from one comes. What matters is that the good ones do stick with the company. Let's see what Crystal will be able to do now. I have listened elsewhere they'll to build some new ships... But new ships require time. For now they have out of standard old ones. That will impact them as time pass. I hope they don't to become just another crazy one.

[Dr. Cocktail]

35 minutes ago, AtA said:

How do you know that?

And top pay isn't everything if one isn't treated well. I know many who returned to Crystal and took a pay cut to come back because their sense of pride and dignity was more important.

It’s been all over the web how much Explora is paying in crew blogs and such. 

 

Actually , how do YOU know that Explora crew are not being treated well?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Dr. Cocktail

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

This is the problem....We have been spoiled and must now be kept in a manner to which we have become accustomed.

I suppose this will be an industry trend since the loses from the pandemic, inflation, " A nickel just ain't worth a dime anymore." YB

[Nunagoras]

So... On "that" other big social media outlet, Michael Ungerer, EJ's CEO, is cited saying that EJ fleet will have 4 ships!... Not 5 or 6 like has been thought elsewhere. So, have they denied to firm some 2 orders?... This thing is not going like planned by any means... They'll only commit for firm orders, not additional optional ones. If true, this is the first time I notice such a thing like this in the industry since I started my cruising's "career" back some 20 years ago. Someone more knowledgeable will likely to shine in with other incidents of this sort, if any they may know.

 

On the positive side, E3-E4 will be LNG powered permitting them some more destinations than what they have now. Nordic seas are on my mind, exactly. That would to be great on a time when cruising said region is becoming mostly a top of the tops full luxury sort of thing. Time will tell.

[saminina]

6 minutes ago, Nunagoras said:

If true, this is the first time I notice such a thing like this in the industry since I started my cruising's "career" back some 20 years ago. Someone more knowledgeable will likely to shine in with other incidents of this sort, if any they may know.

 

Does such a person exist in this world?  

[Dr. Cocktail]

54 minutes ago, Nunagoras said:

So... On "that" other big social media outlet, Michael Ungerer, EJ's CEO, is cited saying that EJ fleet will have 4 ships!... Not 5 or 6 like has been thought elsewhere. So, have they denied to firm some 2 orders?... This thing is not going like planned by any means... They'll only commit for firm orders, not additional optional ones. If true, this is the first time I notice such a thing like this in the industry since I started my cruising's "career" back some 20 years ago. Someone more knowledgeable will likely to shine in with other incidents of this sort, if any they may know.

 

On the positive side, E3-E4 will be LNG powered permitting them some more destinations than what they have now. Nordic seas are on my mind, exactly. That would to be great on a time when cruising said region is becoming mostly a top of the tops full luxury sort of thing. Time will tell.

Cruise Industry New is reporting that: "The Explora III will launch in summer 2026 and be the first of Explora Journeys’ four luxury vessels to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the world’s cleanest maritime fuel available at scale that plays a key role towards the decarbonization of international shipping"

 

That is, four vessels powered by LNG.

 

What Michael Ungerer said is: “The double event today marks another major step forward on our mission to redefine ocean travel for today’s discerning luxury travellers.  Following the successful launch of Explora I and the incredibly positive feedback from the first guests, travel advisors and media, who had a chance to experience the Ocean State of Mind, the story continues, and we are now beyond thrilled to witness the next important construction milestones for both Explora II and our first LNG powered ship Explora III. We are proud that our four ships are built by Fincantieri, further underlining our commitment to Italy.”

 

Which leaves me confused ...... or simply, 5 and 6 remain as options as is common with many ship orders.

[bitob]

I hope he is reading these boards

If he doesn't fix the problems he will never fill those ships.

 

"Incredibly positive feedback"- hilarious

[Jratlanta]

Whipsnade, As you've been generous enough with your time to answer questions about Explora while on your "journey", have you had the opportunity to stop in the Rolex boutique and, if so, does the shop have inventory including submariners/Daytonas?  Thank you again for your informative posts.