Explora - booking

[WorldTraveler151208]

I know that the inaugural season of Explora Journeys has been on sale for some time already. Today I checked their website and I'm surprised they still don't have their own booking system. You can only book through travel agents. Do you think Explora is going to create a booking engine directly on their website in the future? I prefer to book cruises on my own. I wish I could check which cabins (if any) are still available for the voyage I’m interested in.

[mike@sea]

The website is now ready to accept direct bookings. Incl a new 10% „early booking“ rate. This comes with a catch though, if I understand the sales restriction for this fare correctly. It states „full payment“, however in rate description, they are again speaking of 25% deposit. So not sure , what’s the final deal there. 

Edited February 17, 2022 by mike@sea

[Hlitner]

Having cruised in MSC's Yacht Club a few times we are looking forward to this new line.  I just started looking at booking options and it does appear that the normal bookings require a 25% deposit or one can choose to get a discounted fare by paying 100% at booking.   We noticed that two of our favored high volume cruise agencies are not yet handling this cruise line and made an inquiry.  Apparently there are some ongoing negotiations and the major consortium that represents on our favored cruise agency and they have yet to close a deal the new cruise line.    One almost universal complaint about MSC-USA is that their customer service is awful.  We can hope that the new company will not follow that pattern because it would be a darn shame for those of us who want to give this line a chance.

 

So, if anyone from the new company or the Aponte family reads my post (we should live so long) let them please heed my appeal.  Here in North America we attach a lot of importance to good customer service be it before, during or even after a cruise.   MSC has failed (miserably) when it comes to this measure and the excuse is often, the decisions are made in Italy!   Now we are talking about what is supposed to be a "Luxury Line" and this means the bar is set much higher.  When I telephone Seabourn I get immediate answers, folks that know what they are talking about, and no excuses.  With Seabourn I do not wait on hold and do not get different answers depending on when I call.  Their folks are trained, motivated, and seem to understand that a luxury cruise line needs to provide a higher level of customer service.

 

We are talking Luxury and in that market we think first impressions are very important.  Explora needs to get it right....from the beginning.  Today we would have booked an Explora 18 day cruise but we have lots of questions that cannot be answered by our two favorite cruise agencies.  And, they apparently have questions that are still not being answered by Explora.  My message to Explora and the Aponte family is that if you are going to market and operate a luxury line you need to operate luxury customer service!

 

Hank

[morpheusofthesea]

Has anyone else experienced a Foreign Transaction Fee ? We booked a cruise on Explora 1 and our credit card transaction for the 25% deposit was accompanied by another $190 foreign transaction fee. E-mailed my TA as payment is due this month.

[dolphin1313]

31 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Has anyone else experienced a Foreign Transaction Fee ? We booked a cruise on Explora 1 and our credit card transaction for the 25% deposit was accompanied by another $190 foreign transaction fee. E-mailed my TA as payment is due this month.

I wasn't charged any transaction fee for my Explora I cuise.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I always choose a credit card with no forex fee for cruise purchases, just in case.  For many years Oceania was charging its US customers through an offshore bank and hitting them with forex fees.  I believe they no longer do this, but you never know who else may...

[morpheusofthesea]

50 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I always choose a credit card with no forex fee for cruise purchases, just in case.  For many years Oceania was charging its US customers through an offshore bank and hitting them with forex fees.  I believe they no longer do this, but you never know who else may...

Just called Bank of America and you are correct. Their Visa 6% cash back on travel purchases does include a foreign transaction fee of about 3% for foreign company charges. Had no such fees charging MSC cruises. B of A representative was kind enough to reverse this charge ONE time. Will have to find, as you recommend, another card for Explora Journeys.

[morpheusofthesea]

This Forex fee could also be a "gotcha' if any of us in US use the 'wrong' card while on board Explora 1 for all on board purchases? This is really the first time we have experienced a 'foreign' cruise line, (I thought they are all foreign based) maybe they charged our B of A Visa in Euros? Having TA check this out further.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Just called Bank of America and you are correct. Their Visa 6% cash back on travel purchases does include a foreign transaction fee of about 3% for foreign company charges. Had no such fees charging MSC cruises. B of A representative was kind enough to reverse this charge ONE time. Will have to find, as you recommend, another card for Explora Journeys.

Well a net of 3% back is still pretty good.  I was going to recommend the Citi Costco Visa, but that only gives 3% back so same net.  Also lots of recent experiences on the Crystal board that all say never use Visa for long-dated expenses because they have a short and firmly applied look-back cutoff.

 

BTW, what credit card is this?  I just looked at BofA's website and don't see anything with 6% back.

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

BTW, what credit card is this?  I just looked at BofA's website and don't see anything with 6% back.

You are right again. We just went back over the statements and it was a promo that expired in 30 days and reverted to 3%.

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

You are right again. We just went back over the statements and it was a promo that expired in 30 days and reverted to 3%.

Then 3% minus 3% = 0, or a really bad deal.