Recent Explora 1 Experience

[Elizabethbea]

Oh just put on a Hat and sunblock!

[Dr. Cocktail]

13 minutes ago, cruisr said:

The no shade is a little concerning.  Actually, quite concerning.  We love sitting outside, but in the shade of an overhang or an umbrella.  We also love to dine outside, but in the shade.  Is there any outdoor dining which has shade?  

The Emporium has shaded outdoor space and as I stated, shade depending on the sun and overhangs on deck 12.

 

[Khareef]

11 hours ago, Cody-wody said:

That's us. Late 40s. I guess you can call us "working wealthy" in that this wasn't terribly expensive for us. We probably have a 40-50k per year vacation budget. That said - we have no interest in going back to Explora so they missed us completely. We'd see them 2-3 times a year if we really liked them (we're trying Windstar next and have high hopes). 

 

What I saw onboard was very little of our demographic. We were on for a week. I saw a surprising number of overweight Europeans (mainly British) who gorged at the buffet then passed out drunk in the common areas... I also saw several obvious influencers (I think any influencer can have a high end suite anytime they want..) 

 

I really don't know who this line appeals to other than foodies trying to enjoy it before they inevitably cut back... they said intergenerational was a priority and while my parents might enjoy it, the kids would hate Explora. Was there even a video game room? The only kids/teens area I saw was near the center pool and it was pathetic. The casino is the size of a cabin so that part won't appeal to anyone either (including my parents who like some casino). 

 

I also don't think most of the "working wealthy" are going to drop 10-20k on a watch on a cruise ship.... or other trinkets which seemed to be the focus of the retail. 

 

 

 

 

All valid points but i think their main focus right now is to provide the best food experience in the business and that alone is going to attract a lot of clients because it is pretty much one of the most important aspect of this traditional med/caribe relaxing vacation. I mean for me it is gonna be difficult to be back to Seabourn or Silversea after this food wise (the exception being their expedition ships).

 

600+ people right now and after 23.00 there are probably 50 of us around for some music/ dancing. And people in their 30es or 40es don’t seem to care much for casino these days. They do need to work on better excursion options and lower prices of the spa treatment and get rid of those ugly high glass that obstruct the views from the decks, that a deal breaker for me and the lady.

[Khareef]

Ah one thing i like is the suite/public spaces interior design, it is modern and nice both in the materials and the color palette. I mean Seabourn feels so dated and uninspired…i understand their target is a much older crowd but boy they could use some new fresh ideas…Even the Venture has some very old suite interior design and it is a new ship!
 

Anyway apparently only 80 guests will stay for 2 weeks out of the 600+ that are on board right now, so it appears people like shorter cruises for this price tag/destination.

 

And i talked to a person who is apparently in charge of selling cruises to the Chinese market so we can assume they will add asian cruises in the future??

 

Anyway i agree their positioning right now is fairly ambiguous, we will see in time what the overall strategy is. 

[Bongomeme]

Some dining shade.  Lots at the Emporium, we had breakfast outside every morning.  Sakura has a little shaded outside space. 

 

[LewiLewi]

10 hours ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

The Emporium has shaded outdoor space and as I stated, shade depending on the sun and overhangs on deck 12.

 

MSC  Seascape Yacht Club pool area has the same problem, no shade with the exception of six covered sun beds.

[Dr. Cocktail]

16 minutes ago, LewiLewi said:

MSC  Seascape Yacht Club pool area has the same problem, no shade with the exception of six covered sun beds.

We enjoyed our YC sailings on Seaside but the COMPLETE lack of shade was ultimately a deal breaker for us. Just too unpleasant. We actually brought chair umbrellas with us but they wouldn't fit the bulky chair arms.

 

On E, we were able to find shade but had to occasionally move.

 

I just don't get it with these new ships - the worst I've seen are the new Silversea Ships - the pool deck looks like the surface of the sun but without the subtley ....

[Cody-wody]

15 hours ago, Elizabethbea said:

Hum, Im not sure the class system on a ship sits comfortably with me ...I prefer  for all passengers to have the same amenities..but each to his own..

Can't agree more. We've done "ship within a ship" on NCL and MSC Yacht Club and no desire to do that ever again. It was fun the first time but after that it nags on you and you still deal with the hordes of people throughout the rest of the ship. We also saw lots of "sneaking in" happening in later cruises which was uncomfortable... 

[Cody-wody]

2 hours ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

We enjoyed our YC sailings on Seaside but the COMPLETE lack of shade was ultimately a deal breaker for us. Just too unpleasant. We actually brought chair umbrellas with us but they wouldn't fit the bulky chair arms.

 

On E, we were able to find shade but had to occasionally move.

 

I just don't get it with these new ships - the worst I've seen are the new Silversea Ships - the pool deck looks like the surface of the sun but without the subtley ....

The policy against umbrellas on MSC/Explora ships is absolute lunacy and reflects the whims of a billionaire family putting their own oddities/eccentricities ahead of paying customers. We're done with MSC/Explora... 

[Cody-wody]

13 hours ago, Elizabethbea said:

Oh just put on a Hat and sunblock!

The sensation of baking in hot sun and/or being completely bathed in chemical sunscreen isn't for everyone. I have noticed that certain nationalities tend to favor it over others (and seem less concerned about skin diseases, skin cancer, premature aging, etc.) 

[CruiseCrew123]

There were no umbrellas in Celebrity either apart from a few small in the retreat 

[Cody-wody]

13 minutes ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

There were no umbrellas in Celebrity either apart from a few small in the retreat 

I feel like it was much less an issue on Celebrity and there wasn't a prohibition on them like at MSC/Explora. The pools are also less a focus on Celebrity. 

 

As in my original post: the pools on Explora 1 are a true highlight. I was so excited for the pools and they are gems! Gorgeous. But on our cruise, the seating around the pools was basically unusable and very empty. Same for the deck chairs and areas around the hot tubs. This was 100% due to extremely bright hot sun with no shade....  and it ruined the pool experience for us and many others. 

Edited September 12 by Cody-wody

[chill6x6]

18 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

Two tier systems are not luxury.  You still have huge crowds even if segregated in a separate deck or area -- Yacht Club, Haven, Grill or whatever it is still a big ship with huge crowds.  Not luxury in my mind. Even premium lines like Oceania and Azamara show more "luxury" than the big ships.

Really, the only time I really noticed "crowding" is when getting back on the ships at ports of call. At no point are there "huge crowds" in any suite area.  So you swap that for entertainment quality/choices AND dining choices/options beyond what the small ships can offer. That's just the way it is. 

 

Have you TRIED an upper suite on Celebrity OR Royal Star class?

[Khareef]

5 hours ago, Cody-wody said:

The sensation of baking in hot sun and/or being completely bathed in chemical sunscreen isn't for everyone. I have noticed that certain nationalities tend to favor it over others (and seem less concerned about skin diseases, skin cancer, premature aging, etc.) 

I see plenty of seats and sun bed in the shade ( depending on the position of the sun), i mean you want to be in the shade close to a swimming pool? The pool on deck 11 gives you that option. 

 

 

 

Edited September 12 by Khareef

[PaulMCO]

2 hours ago, chill6x6 said:

Really, the only time I really noticed "crowding" is when getting back on the ships at ports of call. At no point are there "huge crowds" in any suite area.  So you swap that for entertainment quality/choices AND dining choices/options beyond what the small ships can offer. That's just the way it is. 

 

Have you TRIED an upper suite on Celebrity OR Royal Star class?

Yes but that is not Luxury cruising.  Celebrity and Royal are just mainstream.  You still have to navigate your safe area through the drunks with the free drink packages.

[sea bright]

We've done ship within a ship with extended family- the Haven, etc. Small luxury cruise ships - Silversea, Crystal, Regent, etc. - cannot compete on entertainment. However,  the aspects most important to us are food, service, small port access, and avoidance of crowds entering, exiting and tendering. On these the small luxury  ships are far better than any ship within a ship. We've booked an April TA on Explora 1 and hope it is more like a small luxury ship. We are nervous because to us it seems very large!!

[cruisr]

23 hours ago, Elizabethbea said:

Oh just put on a Hat and sunblock!

We do as we both have had multiples basel cell and squamous cell skin cancers.  We do hat and sunblock and shade.  It is prudent.  I actually have had a couple people ask us why don’t we sit in the sun (not that’s it is any of their business). i show them my scars.

For some, a hat and sunblock are not sufficient.

[Khareef]

2 hours ago, sea bright said:

We've done ship within a ship with extended family- the Haven, etc. Small luxury cruise ships - Silversea, Crystal, Regent, etc. - cannot compete on entertainment. However,  the aspects most important to us are food, service, small port access, and avoidance of crowds entering, exiting and tendering. On these the small luxury  ships are far better than any ship within a ship. We've booked an April TA on Explora 1 and hope it is more like a small luxury ship. We are nervous because to us it seems very large!!

No need to feel nervous, 600+ people onboard and it feels like being  on a 250 passengers ship. The ship is very spacious and comfy for its capacity, 

Right now there is a big group of people from Taiwan i think (20-30 of them with their own tour guide and a couple of kids) and how shall i put it..well they seem a bit anxious at the market place or tendering (they don’t speak any english either)……now if they go after big groups of people then the experience might indeed be different. My feelings is that they are indeed going after that market because building 4 ships of nearly 1k people in a crowded market might lead them naturally that way..,not sure how they will fill 4 when they can hardly  fill 1, And if that’s the case in the future then it will be a no go for us. 

Edited September 13 by Khareef

[momofmab]

I think I can give up big production entertainment for the other luxuries that Explora offers. I'm typically 'Meh' on mainstream cruise line shows anyway (how many aerialists can one watch? Not interested in Cats or the other Broadway shows on NCL) The exception was on X's Beyond - I thought their big production shows were the best I had seen at sea.

 

I think I'm ready to graduate to a more subdued, upscale cruising experience. I don't need tattoo parlors, zip lines, water slides or parties that go on until 4am. I'm also not bothered by the ship sailing under capacity, but I hope they don't resort to fire-sailing cabins in order to fill the ship, which would attract the crowds that I'm trying to avoid on the mainstream lines.

 

They lack of shade seems to be a common issue on many of the lines. I'm typically at the pool area early and retreat to my cabin by 1 or 2pm, when the sun gets to be too much. A wide brim sun hat helps immensely!

 

 

Edited September 13 by momofmab

[Sololux]

I’m sure I’ll find plenty of areas with some shade given the sheer amount of space on the ship.  

[CruiseCrew123]

I just boarded and there’s plenty of shade . Not by a pool but still lots of choice 

Edited September 13 by CruiseCrew123

[ChilledGecko]

16 minutes ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

I just boarded and there’s plenty of shade . Not by a pool but still lots of choice 

 

We will be boarding next week, that's good to hear!

[uktog]

Boarding was so fast. From our hotel outside Piraeus to sitting outside the Emporium with a glass of fizz 29 minutes! 
 

And lovely how the crew recognise returning guests 

[Dr. Cocktail]

11 minutes ago, uktog said:

Boarding was so fast. From our hotel outside Piraeus to sitting outside the Emporium with a glass of fizz 29 minutes! 
 

And lovely how the crew recognise returning guests 

You're back on board?

 

Have a great cruise!!!

[uktog]

Just now, Dr. Cocktail said:

You're back on board?

 

Have a great cruise!!!

Thanks yes back for two x 7 nights 

we will do EJ2 in November. I’m looking for our friend wearing his granny’s green curtains 😂😂😂