Returning to Explora 1 after almost a year

[cruisr]

10 hours ago, uktog said:

Whilst I agree the food and ship are great there’s too much not right after a year for me to continue to advocate for Explora. 
 

it has emerged they knew four days ago based on the rate of consumption on various wines they would run out. They initially made no attempt to obtain alternative supplies choosing to print a truncated wine list instead. 
 

The General Manager wasn’t straight about it when guests challenged them claiming to be unaware of the problem. We know from others the decision to print a new list needed leadership authorisation 

 

Yes they are going to try and buy more wine today in Istanbul but there’s no guarantee they can get it and find something drinkable and if they do when will it run out again? 

 

The way staff (ok they were probably to some extent doing as they were told) made up stories and led guests to believe the wine bring served last night was far superior to what they had earlier in the cruise (or for those guests joining then that they never served the missing wines) left a nasty taste in our mouths. All this fluff about hosts - well I like my hosts wherever I am to be honest and not treat me like an idiot. I saw several restaurant hosts in a new light last night some of the stories they spun were awful.  That memory will stick! 

The onboard staff seems to have training in gaslighting.   This behavior reminds me of an old TV show called Hogan’s Hero’s.  A famous line, used by a character called Schultz, was, “I know nothing”.  Could be a catch phrase for the staff.

[bobothecruiser]

We're on the same cruise(s) as UKTOG on Explora I.  Yesterday evening my wife drank her customary Chardonnay while I had the NZ Sauv Blanc with my 1st course.  No indication of any shortage, unless the "hosts" are hoarding them for us  I like a red with my main course; I was told they've run out of the Argentinian Malbec but have Italian Malbec.  I prefer the Chilean Cab Sauv.  This is our first time on Explora Journeys.  We've been with 10 other cruise lines including Regent and this is the best ever in our experience.  By the way, the Explora Lounge is on Deck 11 not Deck 10.  (Perhaps UKTOG doesn't want folks to find it - joke)   Our only disappointment has been with the buffet - I hate buffets.  We used the buffet when coming aboard on 13th September but sine then have had lunch every day in the Explora Lounge which serves excellent "snacks".  They are too wonderful really to be named mere "snacks".   When we used Regent we considered it was better than most, but not really worth the extra price - with Explora Journeys we think it IS worth the extra price.

[Sololux]

Perhaps my first words, when I board in May, should be along the lines of…..

 

“Good morning, have you ensured that all bars are fully stocked and that you have a full complement of wines for the next 19 days.  Are you specifically aware if there will be any issues over the next 19 days and have plans to manage them.  Will you be running this as a 19 day cruise or as two separate cruises.”  Depending on the response I’ll either be saying it’s great to be here or give me the phone number for the head office in Geneva now”

Like everyone else, I’m paying a shedload of money for this cruise.  I have realistic expectations that not everything will be 100% perfect but I would not expect to come across all of the issues you have been reporting.

[Sololux]

9 minutes ago, bobothecruiser said:

We're on the same cruise(s) as UKTOG on Explora I.  Yesterday evening my wife drank her customary Chardonnay while I had the NZ Sauv Blanc with my 1st course.  No indication of any shortage, unless the "hosts" are hoarding them for us  I like a red with my main course; I was told they've run out of the Argentinian Malbec but have Italian Malbec.  I prefer the Chilean Cab Sauv.  This is our first time on Explora Journeys.  We've been with 10 other cruise lines including Regent and this is the best ever in our experience.  By the way, the Explora Lounge is on Deck 11 not Deck 10.  (Perhaps UKTOG doesn't want folks to find it - joke)   Our only disappointment has been with the buffet - I hate buffets.  We used the buffet when coming aboard on 13th September but sine then have had lunch every day in the Explora Lounge which serves excellent "snacks".  They are too wonderful really to be named mere "snacks".   When we used Regent we considered it was better than most, but not really worth the extra price - with Explora Journeys we think it IS worth the extra price.

Glad to hear that somethings are working.  Thank you for the tip regarding Explorer Lounge.  I hadn’t realised there was snacks available.

[bobothecruiser]

Re the Explora Lounge "snacks".  There is a menu.  Salads, mezes, club sandwiches and the like.  All freshly made to order.  Excellent.  Waiter swerved.  Why fight in the buffet?   Here is the tuna salad I had today.

[uktog]

16 minutes ago, bobothecruiser said:

Re the Explora Lounge "snacks".  There is a menu.  Salads, mezes, club sandwiches and the like.  All freshly made to order.  Excellent.  Waiter swerved.  Why fight in the buffet?   Here is the tuna salad I had today.

That’s one of my room service favourites!  It’s excellent. My reporting on drink availability has been based on my experience in Fil Rouge and the Emporium and in each case the F and B manager has tried to source wine for us. 
 

We hope the port customs authorities did allow the rose onboard this afternoon as we understood it was purchased this morning 

[CruiseCrew123]

Sakura was the same last night and we are just in med club and all those wines are still off , so they obviously didn’t source any wine in Istanbul 

Edited September 21 by CruiseCrew123

[uktog]

1 hour ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

Sakura was the same last night and we are just in med club and all those wines are still off , so they obviously didn’t source any wine in Istanbul 

Evidently they didn’t have the customs authorisation so although they bought it, according to the beverage manager it got impounded. You couldn’t make it up! 
So it will be two days at least before we see a change 🥲🥲🥲

[CruiseCrew123]

Do you believe that ?? You would have thought they could have got stock from the MSC ship 

[Khareef]

3 hours ago, bobothecruiser said:

Re the Explora Lounge "snacks".  There is a menu.  Salads, mezes, club sandwiches and the like.  All freshly made to order.  Excellent.  Waiter swerved.  Why fight in the buffet?   Here is the tuna salad I had today.

2 weeks on board and i just found out this thing…too late now i guess. Anyway the emporium never felt too crowded or slow and i always found a nice table outside so no complaints there.

Btw Istanbul is really a wonderful city and the explora1 looked very nice from land!
 

 

[uktog]

1 hour ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

Do you believe that ?? You would have thought they could have got stock from the MSC ship 

I do actually because I saw part of the drama unfolding. I do however agree that something could have been set up with MSC yesterday 

[Sololux]

4 hours ago, bobothecruiser said:

Re the Explora Lounge "snacks".  There is a menu.  Salads, mezes, club sandwiches and the like.  All freshly made to order.  Excellent.  Waiter swerved.  Why fight in the buffet?   Here is the tuna salad I had today.

Wow, that looks really good, and healthy at the same time!

[2SailingNomads]

7 hours ago, mike@sea said:

I am really surprised to read all this and learn, that neither the entertainment nor the repetitive food in the restaurants, nor the excursion issues have been adjusted despite so many passenger complains and feedback during Explora1’s past first year.

Mr Smeets was on Explora 1 in February/March and listened to all remarks and complains : 

-The necessity to offer daily specials in all restaurants or 2 different menus alternating every week.

- More reliable excursions which do not get cancelled or altered last minute. 

- better entertainment, which is not repetitive after one week/cruise.

- a better free wine list with more choices. 
…to name a just few of those remarks and issues.

 

And none of it has changed apparently since then. That is very sad to hear, since he even took notes during his talks with me or other passengers. 
 

Anyone can take notes. Taking action is a different animal...

[CJANDH]

On 9/17/2024 at 10:35 AM, Khareef said:

I haven’t even touched the bottle of champagne and cognac in my suite…i guess some other guests will enjoy those,

Not at all. Once they are in your suite they are yours. Wrap them up in dirty laundry; pack them in your checked bags; enjoy the at home.

[tine-tine]

9 hours ago, CJANDH said:

Not at all. Once they are in your suite they are yours. Wrap them up in dirty laundry; pack them in your checked bags; enjoy the at home.

Not the champagne obs if you have a flight otherwise it would be an explosion and very wet contents! 😄

[Khareef]

10 hours ago, CJANDH said:

Not at all. Once they are in your suite they are yours. Wrap them up in dirty laundry; pack them in your checked bags; enjoy the at home.

I hardly drink these days, just some wine when eating out. 

[Marmaduke]

2 hours ago, tine-tine said:

Not the champagne obs if you have a flight otherwise it would be an explosion and very wet contents! 😄

Never had a problem with champagne or any bottles  in my suitcase.  Double wrap it in plastic bags and then wrap  well  with the dirty laundry.  Pack in the middle of the suitcase.

[kool kruiser]

I am following this thread avidly, as I really would love to return to Explora, once they realise they are a cruise line and adjust their obvious failings. The wine issue is too silly for words and is so so easy to resolve. Similarly, the never changing menus (presumaby, other than Anthology, they have not not changed at all since launch ?),the entertainment. These are the ''biggies''for us, preventing our return. We can cope with Exploraspeak  nonsense, as we refuse to use and everyone seems to understand Cruisespeak ! Please help us to come on board again because, as has has been said, no much is already great.

[CJANDH]

3 hours ago, Marmaduke said:

Never had a problem with champagne or any bottles  in my suitcase.  Double wrap it in plastic bags and then wrap  well  with the dirty laundry.  Pack in the middle of the suitcase.

Agree. Never had a problem with bubbly. It is very well sealed in thick glass.

[uktog]

Another excursion cancelled- they really haven’t got on top of this issue which was a huge turn off on our first cruise. 

[CruiseCrew123]

Oh no - you really aren’t having much luck . Which one was cancelled ?

[cwaj45]

Can you bring wine onboard? I also don’t like buffets.

[Stickman1990]

1 minute ago, cwaj45 said:

Can you bring wine onboard? I also don’t like buffets.

Yes you can bring wine onboard 

 

I strongly suggest you try Emporium before condemning it - it’s certainly nothing like a traditional buffet. A lot of cook to order and everything is served by the crew - no self service 

[cwaj45]

Thanks for the quick reply. My husband may be getting a wine suitcase for Christmas.
We used to sail SeaDream a lot before the pandemic and have not been back yet. We’re hoping the food and service will be similar.

[Dr. Cocktail]

47 minutes ago, cwaj45 said:

 I also don’t like buffets.

 

44 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

 

I strongly suggest you try Emporium before condemning it - it’s certainly nothing like a traditional buffet. A lot of cook to order and everything is served by the crew - no self service 

I view it as a particularly nice Eatily where it's all free!