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@Daniel A You are more then welcome. Since I am not done with my coffee yet and my French Bulldog Otis Redding has not asked to go for his morning walk yet; I had some time to add to this topic. Our friends stated in a PH2 and I stayed in a Vista Suite. PH3, PH2, PH1 are all the same sized suites. My upcoming cruise on the Vista in October 2025 I will be in a PH2. If I were to go back and improve on my butler usage, here is what I would do: Complementary Laundry: I would be more strategic about knowing the last day to give the butler my laundry. I missed that day and had to do laundry on the last day and the room was super crowded. I knew better but was having so much fun, I forgot to make the deadline. Coffee: When in the Vista Suite, the dining room is separated from the Master Bedroom by a wall/door. So my Butler brought in Specialty Coffee from the Barista and Danish every morning. When in a PH category, there is no wall or door. That is a bit more intrusive but my wife and I are OK with it. My wife stays under the covers, and I get up. This go around, no Danish, just two Cappuccino's. Communication: I do a butler letter however when you have a really good butler, I reduce the details in the letter. I also will bring index cards for changes or thoughts to make the butler activities better. Less of this kind of soda, more of this kind. A bowl of nuts or chips. No afternoon snack or specific item on the list in the room. Also, a glass of Chardonnay for my bride brought to the suite at around 09:00 PM. We ALWAY upgrade to the Unlimited Drink Package even though we know it is a waste of money really. Just like the convenience. Breakfast In Suite: We will do this once. Not my thing and I much prefer the full menu in the Main Dining Room for breakfast. I figure, if the weather is good, a light breakfast on the deck might be fun. Once a butler kind of knows what you like, they take over. I found the butlers on Oceania and Crystal Cruises were far superior to those I have had on the NCL Haven or Celebrity Retreat. it could have been the luck of the draw or simply better trained. Hope this helps. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@chill6x6 Hello, noticed you were from Alabama also. It is my understanding that the commission given are different in the US. I booked a February 2025 cruise out of Miami. My fare was a sale price initially. My American Express gave me some OBC perks. I felt the fare was just fine. An additional sale happened that provided the same price, the same AMX on-board-credit perk and a additional On-Board-Credit from Explora. So I rebooked it. I have used the same travel agent for years. I have never gotten a discount from their commission. I am sure I could ask and it would be given. However, I have chosen to not do so. Not right or wrong. Just me since I spent my life on commission, was asked daily to cut that commission and I never did. A professional is either worth the commission they are given or they are not. For those that get discounts from the commission of your travel agents. That is great and I am NOT criticizing anyone. Fair game when available. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Noted. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I do support you on this thought. Well said. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

NO, I did not see it and I WOULD have noticed. But that is not the point. Just because I did not see something, on my cruise does not mean other have not experienced it. The point is, give every one the credit for actually experiencing, until proven otherwise, even if we did not. Challenging a person's integrity is a tough road that ends up only creating unneeded infighting. Even if the poster is a poser or is trying to establish themselves as an expert. The benefit of topics like this is future strategy if and when it should happen to us. A head up if you will. Now if you do see something like indicated, or I see it on my Vista Cruise next year. I assure everyone on this board, I am NOT SHY. I will take action, it will be immediate and THEN, I will get a drink, and forget it every happened. WHY, this kind of stuff used to destroy my cruise. Now I address it in real time, and move on to food and drinks. Keeps my blood pressure low that way. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Dr. Cocktail Thank you for your very kind words. CruiseCritic.com, the specific brand related boards, and this specific brand of Explora Journey are all interesting and educational. Not just on the product. Also, on the tastes of the guest that enjoy the product. The Universal Question as ones years of Vacation Cruising continues is, "What exactly is Luxury Cruising?". The responses are from one extreme to another showing it depends on the guest which you highlighted in your response. I have an answer to this question that is personal to me and does not relate to others. "Luxury Cruising is an vacation cruising experience that enhances my past experiences." Therefor as a very simple example, if you provide complementary soft drinks in the mini-fridge in the stateroom and I had not gotten that before, it fall under enhancement. If the Barista Coffee Bar is part of the amenities, yet another enhancements. The list goes on especially with personalized service which seems to be extremely important to most including myself. My Bucket List Brand used to be, "Regent Seven Seas Cruises" or "Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection". RSSC because it claimed to be all inclusive to the highest level. Ritz-Carlton because well, it was the Ritz. Then I read reviews, drilled down on what the actual experience would be from those on this and other boards. Some things were better, some not so much. Yet the premium in fare was in my humble opinion, "Insane". Often times the same itinerary and huge differentness in cost. So what is a guest to do in order to enhance their experience? Choose brands like Explora Journey, Oceania Cruises, and Crystal Cruises (Folks don't have a cow, just a few examples ONLY). Compare amenities, Ships, Reviews, Opinions and fares. Explora Journey seems to hit a sweet spot for the notion of Luxury. Yet, others do as well it simply depends on what we as guest want from our vacations. Last thought, I do love the many places to lounge with a water feature and bar that makes up the design of Explora Journey. Thanks again. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@dock Great posts and I have truly enjoyed them. I also appreciate your honesty. What I love most about cruising is to coin a VERY OLD phase, "Have it Your Way". My favorite meal on a cruise ship is breakfast. A sit down breakfast. Where on Oceania Cruises, I am not high on the MDR for dinner or lunch. I do LOVE it for breakfast. Never crowded, love the atmosphere. My Oceania Cruise was 10-Days in the Mediterranean on the Rivera. We went with our best friends about the same age as my wife and I (OLD). My friends wife always sleep in, my wife never joined for breakfast because she is not a breakfast person, just coffee. My friend and I went to the MDR every morning. We did this because we did NO ship excursions forcing us to leave early. So, we took it easy, had a nice breakfast, met up with our wives then left the ship. As I said, everyone does cruises differently. I will say, on day three at breakfast, the crew know our names and we always ordered OJ and smoked salmon with a bagel. To me, that was one of many things that made my cruise. Not everything, just a nice highlight. Again, GREAT stream and thank you. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@cruisr The Anthology to me is similar to on Oceania Cruise the "Le Reserve". It is designed to be a unique dinning experience. Some folks love the concept other don't give it a second thought. I personally don't care for it. If I want a dining experience like this, I do it in a land based restaurant. Very similar to when I want to have a massage from a spa, I do it on land. I find the quality and value better when not on a cruise ship even a luxury cruise brand. Others my have a different opinion and that is their right. On Oceania, these events in the Le Reserve only happen when they have a minimum number of guest attending. Often they are cancelled. Great idea, not for everyone but for those that like it, they again seem to love it. I replied to your post because over the years I have rolled the dice on some cruises. What I have found out is when a line starts new, like Explora Journey has done, it looks differently one year, 18 months and two years out. Even if they are owned by MSC. I call it getting their sea legs. When they get their sea legs, it seems the investments always goes up. I guess I also will be a guinea pig for my cruise in February of 2025. My only rule is "Realistic Expectations". I believe paying guest not influencers, I rarely believe marketing departments and most travel agent have limited knowledge based on how new the brand is. So a bit of a calculated dice toss. I am ok with that. Consider going with your friends. Friends make the trip. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@osandomir AND Bingo!!! I was super loyal to the NCL Haven. When I say SUPER, not kidding. From op-eds, to advice to friends to having emails to the key executives when things were both good and bad. When I felt the price was going up and the quality/service was going down, I jumped ship. Others jumped ship from other brands and ways of cruising. Their reviews of the NCL Haven were as vibrant as my first ones. It was new to them, it was different to them and they don't know what has been discontinued or delete. My leaving did not effect the brand at all. Now I cruise on Oceania, Explora Journey and Crystal Cruises. In the future, something tells me I will be open minded to cruise other brands maybe, just maybe Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection or Regents Seven Seas Cruises. Who knows, but the days of being super loyal to one and only one brand is over. The concept of raise the price but don't drop the quality seems so obvious. The notion of raise the price and also DROP the quality simply does not make sense unless you are the brand and want more profit. I choose to be very selective where I spend my money. My kids need to retire early with their inheritance i guess. Just my two cents. Cruise well and enjoy every moment regardless of the cruise, brand or stateroom you choose.

@SaltyPawz Lovely Haven Suite and you will love it. Something to consider though, The best place to see the Alaska coast lines and glaziers is from either the Haven Observation Deck or the Haven Sundeck while in the hot tub with a drink. When you are on one or the other side of the ship, you always miss something. So, be open to all Haven Suites. Just my two cents. Regardless, you will have a lovely time. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin Well thank you for your kind words. I have high hopes for Explora Journey. As we all adventure from one brand to another, or on category to Luxury; we do our due diligence. There is ALWAYS give and take. Pros and Cons. The important part is to know what they are and come to terms with them. That is what creates "Realistic Expectations". Explora Journey is still trying to find themselves and I am completely OK with that. Oceania has average to below average large production shows. I am very much OK with that at this stage of my life. Simple items to know, before we cruise make the end game much more to all of our liking. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@CalTexCruiser If you have any specific questions, please feel free to ask. Make sure you tag me so I know you asked a question. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Vallesan I am no expert but what I can do is give you my reasoning. When I have evaluated my past cruise experience, I had some things that for what ever reason, I loved. When I share them other don't always feel the same way I do. That is the nature of cruising and social media. Please keep that in mind and take everything I say with a grain of salt. I was choosing a 7 day Luxury Cruise Test Drive to check out the brand and what the experience would possibly be. To keep the price down, I did a Caribbean round trip out of Miami. The other part of that equation was I am taking my older sister on her first cruise ever and most likely the last cruise she will take. I wanted to show here a good time. Here is what attracted me to Explora Journey: Crystal Cruises Experience: Just after cruise ships starting sailing after covid, I did my first Luxury Cruise Test Drive. I was on Crystal Cruises. I learned then what I was missing even in the VIP sections of Mainstream Cruise Brands like the NCL Haven, Celebrity Retreat and MSC Yacht Club. The ship was old, the ship was 1/4 filled, and the cruisers mostly the most loyal of loyal Crystal guest were not the friendliest bunch. All that said, the food was GREAT, the staff/crew were GREAT, the bars were GREAT so I was then hooked on Luxury cruising. Bar Set Up In All Staterooms: Explora Journey when you go on your online account, allows you to select One Bottle of Wine, One Bottle of Spirits, and it provides Champagne not sparking wine on your embarkment. The mini-Fridge is stocked with soft drinks and mixers complementary. This very much reminds me of my Crystal Cruise and I liked it. I can also buy wine and spirts at the port and bring it onboard which is fun for me. Specialty Restaurants: All complementary except for the event venue. That reminds me of Oceania. I am fully aware it is first come first served and other then your initial reservations done online, you might not be able to go to your favorite restaurant every night. This falls under a category called having "Realistic Expectations". Buffet/Main Dining Room: The buffet is not really a buffet was we old time cruisers know it to be. The food is plated by the staff, much of it is made fresh and the selections are NOT has huge as the crazy buffets on a Mega Ship. There is NO main dining room as we all remember it. Just different dining venues. On both of these items, that approach suits me. Bar Service: As you know from Oceania Cruises, they have several types of adult beverage programs. Even when you get the Unlimited program, you always have to show your stateroom card. On Explora Journey, everyone is on the same drink programs so that little inconvenience is eliminated. Stateroom: I have chosen the least expensive stateroom for my Luxury Cruise Test Drive on Explora Journey. This stateroom has a lounger daybed plus seating area on the balcony. The room size is bigger then most entry level staterooms with other luxury and premium plus lines. Still one sink in the bathroom but for me, who cares. Cigar Bar/Lounge: One of my favorite parts of the Crystal Cruise was the best cigar lounge at sea. It was over the top and right next to a very nice bar if you ever got thirsty. As you know, Oceana Riviera did not have a cigar bar but the did have cigarette lounge right by a club. This might not make a difference to some but it is a positive to me. Lots of Water To Choose From: There are pools and hot tubs all over the place. I love that. Not huge venues but lots of choices. The brand as a whole allows children but really does not cater to them. So, I don't have to compete with 7, six year old in the NCL HAVEN hot tub just to relax. Finding a lounge chair by a water feature is also not an issue it seems. Are their chair hogs, like roaches, you have them whether you want them or not. Yet still a high success ratio to finding a nice chair, by a nice water feature. MSC Yacht Club: I used to love the "Ship-Within-A-Ship" concept for all the major mainstream cruise brands. MSC owe owns Explora Journey do a very nice job with their yacht club so that carry this on to now the entire ship. Kind of like a Yacht Club on Steroids. Not MSC's first Rodeo. Entertainment: In my life of cruising, I have seen some of the worst production shows ever. I have also seen some GREAT ones but far less of them. Since you have cruise Oceania, their guest star singer was GREAT, their productions shows were well not GREAT. I don't need production shows any more. A small venue with a piano player and a martini is my idea of a good time. That is what Explora Journey and Oceania have and it suits me. Laundry Facilities: Complementary Laundry facilities seems like a simple thing. However, for me it is a true benefit. I love going home with clean laundry. As you know, on Oceania they have laundry facilities also in additions for concierge rooms and above, the also have a free limited laundry service with is not on Explora but nice. Personalized Treatment: like most Luxury Cruise Experiences, the number of crew to passenger is excellent. 1:1.25 seems to be the case. This allows for the crew to treat you like a person not a number. If you ask most people what is the difference between luxury and lower categories, it seems always come back to personalized service. Sea Legs: Explora Journey is new to the market so they seem to want to make a good impression. Yet they have not found their sea legs yet. Every month you here of one change or adjustment to another. Example is the down grade of complementary champagne in the room. Also, the hiring of some GREAT cruise directors for enhancing entertainment more like other ship. That change came after a lot of guest feedback. As time goes on, more changes will happen both positive and negative. Investment: I caught two sales on my journey. One gave me a fare less then the same for NCL Haven, Celebrity Retreat and MSC Yacht Club. The second was an extra On-Board-Credit over and above what I already had. Both sales worked together. The price point was hard not to help make the decision. I am sure there are a lot more, but I thing that give you an idea. If they do a great job for my sister and me; I will consider them for other longer journeys. Spoiler alert, I am booked on the Oceania Vista for a 10-day cruise in the Mediterranean in October 2025. So this would open Explora Journey as a contender for my next cruise. Hope that helps. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@momofmab I also have an Explora Journey cruise booked for February 2025. The reason is similar to yours. I wanted the same treatment on the entire ship. When in the Retreat, Haven or Yacht Club; we are mostly all treated like Rock Stars. When we leave, not so much and extremely crowded. When I was a young person, those crowds were fun and I looked forward to the crazy deck parties. As I go older, half filled lounges with Karaoke took the place, LOL. Your jump is a transition to what would make your future cruise experience better. Some of the items you like are included. Some items you did not like are eliminated. However, there is still give and take. Like everything in our world, perfection is never really the end game where enhanced or improvement can be achieved. Back to the NCL Haven. My heart will always be in the Haven. It was my first experience at eliminating the part of cruising that was taking away from my enjoyment. Whether the Haven Spa Suite on the Getaway or the H2 Haven Deluxe Owners Suite on the NCL Joy. All my experiences were lovely and I finally got to share the Haven with my Adult children on the Joy. Great memories and unforgettable family time. All cruise companies are looking for the Hot Spot to attract new segments of cruisers or old timers like myself. It seems, to my liking, that creating a Luxury Category that currently is within budget range is the trend. Like everything, I don't think this trend will before ever so let us all enjoy it while it is here. Options are so important with enhancing cruise experiences. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Claret and Blue On every cruise brand, their is a reoccurring topic that won't go away. On Oceania Cruises it is that the Lobster on the outside grill is way over cooked and they ALWAYS cancel ports of calls. On the NCL Haven it is that the Menu in the Haven restaurant never changes from meal to meal and they only allow you one lobster tail per entre. Regents Seven Seas Cruises it is that the caviar tasting in your stateroom is not as good as it once's was. Explora Journey not to be out done it is they down graded the complementary champagne quality in the stateroom and the horrible website that frustrates the new luxury clients they are attempting to capture. Prior to my retirement, before my brain got somewhat fried as is obvious with my spelling/grammar, I remember a statement I heard and used when training team members. It when like this, "Will you rate your over all purchase experience, purchase, and enjoyment of a product or services based solely on one small aspect (5%) or on the other 95% which accomplishes your goal?" This question I had to ask myself some years back, when I did my first Luxury Cruise on Crystal Cruises. This was before Crystal went out of business and came back with new owners. Crystal Corporate office and land based team were in my humble opinion not quality. Yet when you went on the ship, from the first step off the port dock, the experience on the ship was great. Oh how I wished ALL consumer touch-points were of equally quality. But it was NOT. I cruised anyway and it was lovely. No excuses for the website and online reservations for Explora Journey, NONE. Unacceptable and frustrating which as the many say does not represent the luxury image they are attempting to portray. However, "it is easier to fix a website then the overall experience on the ship and journey." Therefore whether it be over cooked or limited access lobster, below average experience with land based team, caviar amenities, or in this case a horrible website; evaluate the whole product because for what ever reason, the final cruise might just be a positive big surprise. Just my thoughts and allows me personally to manage my expectations. Not saying others should agree or disagree. Just a lazy Sunday morning with a great cup of coffee, French bulldog named Otis Redding by my side and laptop in front of me. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Overview: Over the years, my family and I have evolved with cruising. Whether with the staterooms we choose, quality of food/dining we would like to have, the way we drink adult beverages, and love for personalized treatment from the crew. We have simply evolved. The reality to to me some years ago was to elevate my cruise experience from the normal 7-Day Caribbean cruise on a Mainstream Cruise Brand in the "VIP Suites Section", to improved amenities for all on the ship, not just in those special premium areas'. We started to like smaller ships realizing we would give up some things like Expensive Production Shows, Water Slides, Go-Cart Tracks and all the rest. "Been there, done that", enjoyed every second and now need something a bit different at this stage of my cruising life. Luxury Cruise Test Drive: Past experience, looking to improve future experiences for this stage of our lives, and more of a chill out experience. This lead to the notion of "Luxury Cruise Test Drive". I did this first with Crystal Cruise just after covid. I immediately saw the difference. Both positive and negative. Now with my choice of Explora Journey, I hope to see some of the same differences yet have very "Realistic Expectations". Luxury class of cruising suits me better now and Explora gives a Price Point worthy of consideration. Watching, Reading and Listening to the Brands Evolution: The approach is the redesign luxury cruising. This is a Marketing Department slogan and meant to attract interest not to be reality. Cruise brand marketing departments tent to Over Promise and Under Deliver. when will they learn? As we study this brand prior and after booking, we make note when things evolve. It seems the quality of the in-stateroom Complementary Champagne has been reduced. The notion of attempting to be different from an activities and entertainment standpoint has lead to traditional cruise directors to be hired. The VERY Slow improvement on the ships website and digital communication. The normal changes in dining selections coming with both praise and complaint have happened as well. My term for this evolution is that Explora Journey is simply attempting to find their place in the Luxury Segment and gain their Sea Legs. The benefit to me personally is, as they find their place in the world of Luxury Cruises, they will as they all do raise their prices. Now is the time to test them out and if they pass the test, to choose the brand for longer cruise to much more exotic places in the future. Yet still, we have to "Watching, Reading and Listening". When We Learn of Issues: I love to hear the great things about a cruise or brand. However I also like to hear the issues. Why? So I can plan around them if possible. Issues are only bad when you walk right into them with no warning. So by listening to others experiences, we can Avoid or "Reset Realistic Expectations". Just my thoughts, not meant to do anything but encourage engagement. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@CDR Benson First hello my friend. A short story. When I was a child, the "Special Candy Bar" we got maybe once a year, was a Cadbury bar. Single mom, two jobs yet we never felt poor. As an adult, one day I saw Cadbury. The same bar with raisins and nuts my mom bought when I was a kid. Yes the size was smaller. The real issue was the quality, consistency and taste. It tasted like wax is the best way to describe it. I wrote a letter, they said emphatically the formula has never changed. Then send me a coupon for some free bars which I tossed. I hate being lied too. Funny how my actual experience relates to your post. I read your review and posts on RSSC. I fully understood your very well written and balanced review. RSSC has been my Bucket List cruise for a very long time. Then, I started to see a trend of cruisers expressing dissatisfaction in the cruise, service, food, brand and experience. Never big things, just little things that took away from their past, current and future expectations. Add to this, the investment of RSSC is much higher then most cruises although sometime you can catch a deal. My next cruise is on the new Luxury Brand created by MSC. The brand is "Explora Journey". I am taking my older sister with me. It is categorized as a luxury cruise experience. They are one year old and getting their sea legs. My study tells me they are worth a try based on what is important to me on my cruise experiences. For my sister, it is her first and last cruise. Another consideration for you and the Mrs. I also LOVED the Joy Haven. The best experience on a NCL ship, and in the Haven of all of my experiences. What a great time. When I don't want a Big Mega Ship Experience, like going to the Mediterranean, I choose a smaller ship, older clientele, much less children, and due to size can get into smaller ports. For that type of trip, I have gone on Oceania Cruises in 2023 and will do it again in 2025. Oceania like RSSC is a sister brand of NCL of course. The bottom line, I still and will always love the NCL Haven. I will sail them again. Cruise are in many ways what you make of them. Sometimes as this tread has shown, you have to try other brands to see what you have or what you are missing. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@McGarrett5oh What a treat this will be. The entire ship will be as all inclusive as one can get and the entire ship will be the Haven On Super Steroids. I am jealous and look forward to your review. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@McGarrett5oh It is hard to say good bye to a thread with that much engagement. I did not share as much information on the first post here, as I did on the 2019 and 2022 version. I would love to know what you think of Virgin. I am going on Explora Journey in February 2025 and Oceania Cruises on October 2025. I will report back on those. Have a great time and love any feedback. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@John117Please consider that there is a difference between Restaurant, Excursions and Check-in. Restaurants and Excursions you should be able to call. Check-In, that is another story. Allow me to set this up. The website for Explora Journey is the topic of many, many threads here. It is obviously a horrible website which we can talk in depth about. However, that is for another thread. For now, I would like to share my suggestion knowing others may be different and have way more experience then I do. So take my thoughts with a grain of salt. On Check-In, keep on trying. However, I have cruise many, many lines/brands. When I do every single thing on online check-in, from Passport to Pictures; when I get to the port, in the majority of the time, I have to do it again. I just smile and think, not very efficient. Yet all I care about is getting onboard. The amount of time to check in at the port and to do it online is small. The concern is having everything you will need to check in when you get to the port. Don't get frustrated, just check in at the port. That is my thoughts and I will do that myself. The much bigger issues is how this makes us all feel about a luxury brand. These kinds of issues happen all the time. One would hope however, when cruising a "Luxury Brand" they would have put more thought it to it. The good news is all is forgotten when your board as I said above. Good luck and keep us in the loop. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@2SailingNomads I have no real skin in the game here but a little story that might help understand this transition a bit better. A huge client of mine, produced a weeklong training event that I was one of the presenters. They initially pulled out all the stops. They wanted it to be first class from start to finish. They had China plated breakfast and lunch. At the end of the week a banquet for all the participants at a great restaurant with an open bar. Some of the participants started to order high-end wines and Champagnes three bottles at a time. This was the case for several months until they looked at the costs compared to the entry fee for the event. Over the next few months, the China plated meals became plastic plates and the food items were selected more carefully. The fancy restaurant limited the menu and only the host cold order wine. This class, which I flew to LA every week to do for 6 years, was a great success. Those adjustments at the beginning were long forgotten at the end of the first 12 months. When I researched Explora Journey's, the feeling I got was of that client experience decades ago. I personally loved all the luxury features and thought it made the entire event really more special then it could be. As these items were gone, what was left was a GREAT Training Program. Which was the reason for the event to begin with. Explora is a bit more expense then some cruises and far less expensive then others. Their issue seems to be what most of the other brands issue has always been. A Marketing Department that Over Promises and Under Delivers. The comments in this thread including mine, show how we all react to promise not kept. Maybe the right people will learn from how this makes us feel, but the reality is, in short order, we will forget about the items that change. Just my experience, not saying it will be everyone. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

This is yet another adjustment in the concepts first year. They are trying things, considering if they should be part of the long-term picture. Some items were a good idea at the time like really great champagne, which is now gone. Cost cutting issue for sure. Anthology has changed its approach. Lots of reason that could be including cost prohibitive, cost cutting, and the list goes on. What they are doing is similar to what Oceania does and has done for a while. My main point is they are evaluating in real time. This is why my cruise is in February 2025. I am hoping as their second ship comes out, they settle in on a consistent approach. Those are my thought only. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@back2cruising1 Crystal Cruises is a nice smaller ship, with excellent service and food. Oceania Cruises which is a sister to NCL has about the same size ship as Crystal. I give both the edge on food and service to Crystal but close. I love the Haven and the mega ships. Yet when you leave the Haven, Retreat or Yacht Club and go to the rest of the ship, the service and food quality is simply not the same. Other worthy names of brands seems to be Explora Journey which is owned by MSC. The key to me is when I leave my stateroom, regardless of that cost of that stateroom, I everyone is treated the same. I also like when most everything is included with the exception of excursions or transfers. Every brand is a little different here but relatively easy to cross check. What I have found out and other have as well; you can find cruses in the Luxury/Ultra-Luxury categories at about the same as what one might pay in the Haven, Retreat and Yacht Club. What you give up is water slides, Broadway entertainment, Lasor tag and go-cart tracks. Those are the type of attractions you need a Mega Ship for. Hope that helps you. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Trhelt Welcome to CruiseCritic.com. The Haven is nice, no question. Yet, and coming from me who love the Haven, it is important to know it is not the only choice based on what you want to achieve in your next cruising experience. That is why their are so many categories (Mainstream, Premium, Premium-Plus, Luxury and Ultra-Luxury). Also so many ship sized (Small, medium, large and Mega). When you want quite with no families, you go one way. When you want luxury, port intensive, and all-inclusive; you go another way. Options is the key. I have been writing for years on how to gain every single once of value from your Haven Experience. Fun stuff. Yet, we all have to make a decision on exactly what we want in our future cruising experience. All avenues should be open which means, we all get to cruise anyway we want. I LOVE CRUISING. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@boooomer Hello there. You are comparing two very different cruise brands. Oceania Cruise on the newly renovated Marina and Explora Journey on their newest ship the Explora II. On Oceania Cruises, I did get an upgrade from a Penthouse to a Vista Suite on the Riviera in October 2023 for a 10 day European cruise. There was a cost to me but I was offered the upgrade due to an issue. I was offered an Upgrade from Crystal Cruise just before the cruise left just after they began cruising again when covid started to get better. Just like your experience with Oceania, there was a reasonable upgrade fee. My first Explora Journey Cruise is on Explora I in February 2025. That cruise is now wide open. Just like you, I am hoping to score a upgrade for a small or reasonable fee. My gut tells me complementary upgrades will not be offered. I have done all my due diligence to attempt to find out who I have to share my paid upgrade request with. I am coming up empty. I hope this topic stays active so if a process becomes put into place, those that want to participate, have the opportunity. Thank you for posting. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.