Dr. Cocktail

Basically, because you may not get the time that you want! The restaurants are very full and even extra reservations when we were on were very contingent on the time that you were willing to accept.

60 days….

Will also be curious to hear the comparison! I'm going on Celebrity Apex in the spring so am wondering how we'll readapt to big ship cruising!

Thanks! I will be curious to compare Explora to .... Explora! Back later this winter but it appears that we will have almost double the passengers of the first time.

Have a great trip - will be eager to hear all about it!

When we were on in November, it was all "elegantly casual". Men in chinos and polo shirts in the evening, many with button downs and some blazers - very few ties. Definitely no shorts. No formal wear as such. Afternoons were very casual - t-shirts and shorts in the Emporium, Sakura and Med Yacht Club for lunch. But again, all "neat" and definitely not slovenly!

Now you tell me! That explains my situation….. As much as I am a cheerleader for Explora on these boards and LOVED the on board experience, there really is no excuse for the website. While EVERY cruise line’s sites have their quirks and known hacks, they’re at least mostly functional.

No comparison to the cloudy plexi shield on the back of Splendor .... And the bartender will hand you a glass of Moet while in the pool on E1!

Now THAT I have a picture of!

I couldn't find a picture of the forward adults-only pool which is more of a plunge/wading pool....

There are THREE other pools to choose from! Unequalled in the luxury segment. And …. Five giant whirlpools….

The pool roof can indeed be opened. The AC isn't working properly at present so with the roof closed, it is quite stifling inside.

Second night at 9:45 pm.

We were on for 9 nights and didn’t even come close to trying all the menu possibilities. In fact, we stayed calm by telling ourselves we could try more things on our return in three months!

Thanks for taking time out of your vacation to post! I have certainly been a cheerleader for Explora and had a great time with some reservations. But - I fully agree that the bathrooms are an epic fail. It's sort of unbelievable that the Penthouses have the same bathroom as the OT's, let alone the Residences. Add in no electrical outlet, no nightlights, the open door that blocks the shower entry and a mirror that fogs in two nanoseconds (for the engineer in you!) and you think: "what were you thinking when you designed this!!!"

Thanks! If you're walking behind us on a ship and call out either of those words, both my partner and I will turn around!

Absolutely! They would actually ask your preference. As for the spirits in the room, we were in a PH that "officially" includes 3 bottles but as soon as we were even vaguely close to finishing one, a replacement magically appeared. For all intensive purposes, there was no limit.

I pointed this out to fellow cruisers when I was on board! The original marketing showed this but it really hasn't been mentioned again. You can see a staircase going down next to the Astern Lounge that's mysteriously roped off. The platform itself has obvious docking pillars. I'm sure that it will eventually be used.

We’ll discuss in person over a drink (or five)(you’re buying) but …. One down, one Boarding Pass printed and three more to go … so far!

I'll simply say that keep an open mind and that you'll love it. You might miss production shows and some of the activities but the food leaves Regent in the dust as do the outdoor decks. Have a great time!

Fancy! And as of today, Animal Crackers is now in the public domain!

Small world! I've always used Moocher, Cadger and Schnorrer for my complicated legal transactions!

Thanks for your spot-on review! I am 60 and my partner is 58 and we LOVED the overall product with some reservations that I see are being addressed. My cruising friends have asked why I didn't place a review and I said I was tired of being attacked by the Seabourn and Regent trolls who took great offense that MSC could somehow deliver a luxury product. Thanks again for taking the time and I'm counting down the weeks to my next one!

Nope .... it was just as good in November! VERY pleased that you're having a good time. Entertainment was hit and miss and Explora was aware of it and you're the beneficiary of the changes. I strongly feel that the negative reports stemmed from people who simply wanted Seabourn, Regent or Silversea in a different colour and then were shocked when Explora (for the most part) delivered an extremely different luxury experience.

I'm completely going to side with Stickman1990 here .... Danny: I'm sorry that it's not working for you but you really are making some pretty big generalizations. You really can't say "most cruisers enjoy" - we're all very different in what we look for in a cruise. 1) no music at the pool? Great! I really don't like live music poolside and the playlists that they use on Explora are all good in that they let you chat or read 2) no entertainment? Piano players, vocalists and a great band actually qualify as entertainment and as a real show too! I've suffered through far many click-tracked, theme park "shows" to keep count of 3) the pools are an ABSOLUTE selling point - different views and vibes, all beautifully furnished with their own "feel" 4) I know that the lack of a pool grill has been an issue for some but again, not something that I require 5) a computer room? Now really ..... 6) LOVE the smaller venues - a nice atmosphere that leads to conversations with people around you 7) So funny - I'm 60 and my partner is in his late 50's and we both commented on how FABULOUS the vibe was onboard. I just hate the faux enthusiasm whipped up by hyperactive CD's and loved how we were treated as adults and the wonderful conversations that we struck up. I think that the fault here lies with you or your travel agent .... they are basically delivering what they promised. The deck plans, pools and lack of a show lounge were all known. But .... that's the beauty of there being so many choices out there - it may be better for you to stick with a more "traditional" choice. Thanks for taking time out of your vaycay to comment!