Wheelhouse

I used MJS transportation from POM to FLL at $20 per person plus tip. Guest services actually called my room to see if I could add a lone elderly woman to my group. Explora's price to Fort Lauderdale airport would have been 500 euros for her to take a private coach.

Two weeks ago I booked B2B while onboard and received 5% off and OBC for booking while onboard, but nothing additional for the B2B aspect.

We did 16 days on Explora and I really wasn't ready to get off. I see no reason for MSC to want or need to sell these ships. Its a good time to book now while the prices are generally fairly reasonable.

We were on that sailing and the prior one. In fact, my wife was in that Jerzy filming. It was taken the last day of the cruise and was a sea day. It was the only day we didn't get our preferred seats at the Conservatory. With about 800 passengers on that segment a bit of chair hogging had started on the last two sea days. During the prior journey with 650 guests there was virtually none of that nonsense.

Not that I saw.

Explora's Med cruises are priced at least 100 per person/day (for an OT) higher than the Caribbean ones. I found Explora 1 to be a great ship for the Caribbean, but if I were price conscious I might look elsewhere for the Med.

Whip, I really enjoy your humor, but the 40% discounts are over (at least presently). Most now are 10-30% with very few as high as 30%. Virgin Voyages might have tattoo parlors, but I doubt they have fruit knives that you would find satisfactory.

At this point I don't think that Explora does Meet & Greets. For some journeys you will be lucky to get a roll call.

I am not a travel agent and really enjoyed my recent cruise with Explora, enough so to book an additional B2B. We found our 16 days on Explora to be vastly superior to the 16 we recently spent on Oceania Vista. We didn't use room service, but not having a tablecloth would not be an important enough reason for me to disparage a hard working room attendant. Maybe the entertainment was initially poor, but we found it to be more than sufficient. Can't understand why Host Jazzbeau insists on putting in their two cents when they have not stepped on the ship.

I just finished an extended Caribbean cruise - Bridgetown to Barbados. In my Completed Journeys it is titled as "An Inaugural Journey in to the History of the Mediterranean."

There are plenty of pools and lounge chairs on Explora. I was just on B2Bs and did find on the more crowded segment that there were a few chair hogs reserving some of the better locations in the shaded areas. But at no point after having breakfast were we unable to locate lounges in our preferred location at the Conservatory. If you are not concerned with shade there are many, many open loungers at all times.

I believe that you can do a split payment and still get the full Chase insurance. At least the terms and conditions at Chase read that way the last time that I looked.

Same for me too. Only the first segment of next years b2b shows. I guess I should not be concerned.

Possible they don’t need to discount to sell those suites. I expect at some point the current prices will seem phenomenally cheap. At $389 per person per day with $800 OBC I feel like my new booking was a steal.

I am just finishing a 16 day cruise on Explora 1 and booked onboard back to back cruises for next January. I received the current discount sale price (Total Luxury Offer) plus an additional 5% for booking onboard. In addition I received $200 US per person experience credit per cruise segment (total $800) from Explora.

After just spending 16 days onboard I believe the entertainment has been improved. They currently have a 5 piece house band with two additional vocalists. The twice nightly shows have been well attended and received. Along with the guest performers we have found the entertainment to be very acceptable. There also was a Super Bowl party and a Valentine masquerade party. The current entertainment director Monique is trying very hard.

This week and last week are two totally different animals. I heard there are 70 kids this week. It feels like a totally different ship and I am certainly not the only one who thinks that. It also feels much more crowded.

I saw one man seated with shorts and a tee in Marble & Co only 1/2h ago. This week the dress is much more relaxed and the passengers are considerably younger compared to the previous group.

I don’t know how accurate this is but I was told there were 60 travel agents on the Jan 31 cruise.

You must have been looking at the same January cruise that I was. Now the Explora website no longer lists a percentage off just a price.

The nice lady in future booking told me that the internet (sale) price and onboard 5% discount will stack. She also mentioned a destination experience credit which is available when booking onboard for some sailings. I will find out for sure when I book next week.

Too late to edit. I meant 18 inches.

I am not sure but I can find out.

Your comment made me look again as I am relatively short and didn’t notice that the overhead light could be a problem. The current light hangs about 8 inches beneath the ceiling height. If they are concerned with that drop the area could most likely be retrofitted with recessed lighting. Even now removing one seat and centering the remaining one directly under the light fixture would definitely help.

I am onboard now and was quoted the 5% onboard booking discount.