Onboard Explora 1 (Sept 25- Oct 13) with Hank

[happy cruzin]

13 minutes ago, vistaman said:

Opel tried it as well with an Opel Diplomat ... years ago 

it seems initially they tried that : and then executives of MSC overruled  the people hired for Explora - I was told - with a lot of decisions 

also as bookings were far from good  : they started to send specials to MSC Diamond members

example : on my cancelled cruise for Caribbean I got a double upgrade as Diamond and 500 $ obc 

 

 

Yes - they have created a "tough" spot....expensive cruises come with great expectations.  It's been a very rough start. Lots of things went sideways and now they are scrambling, IMO.

If they do not find their footing in the market soon I am not sure they will!

[saminina]

29 minutes ago, Waltershipman said:

Do you  know the passenger count after picking up Quebec passengers. Thanks

500 is just a guess.  

 

The new man in charge, from MSC, is an indication of the path chosen.

Edited September 26, 2023 by saminina

[kidless]

16 minutes ago, vistaman said:

Opel tried it as well with an Opel Diplomat ... years ago 

it seems initially they tried that : and then executives of MSC overruled  the people hired for Explora - I was told - with a lot of decisions 

also as bookings were far from good  : they started to send specials to MSC Diamond members

example : on my cancelled cruise for Caribbean I got a double upgrade as Diamond and 500 $ obc 

 

Indeed! I've seen no perks or status matches offered to MSC diamond members booked on Explora.  I personally feel EJ has made a mistake not offering fabulous deals to its MSC YC Diamond members.   I agree with Mr. Luxury on branding. Those who already love MSC, especially the yacht club product will make the leap to EJ. Those however that feel MSC is equivalent to Walmart of cruising will abstain at least for the time being.  

[Hlitner]

This is a sea day, but there are very few “activities” on the ship.  This morning there is a lecture on travel photography.  There is supposed to be a 2 1/2 hour Chefs Kitchen class on making pasta.  That venue can only hold 12 passengers and the cost is 150 Euros.  Nothing in the daily schedule mentions the cost although an asterisk indicates there is a fee.  The chef cancelled the class because sea conditions are too rough to be work with knives and hot water.  
 

Something we are noticing is that quite a few things involve big fees, but finding out the cost is not always easy.  They have added some culinary tours (in the ports), and they sound amazing until one learns that the cost can be 600+ Euros per person.

[happy cruzin]

4 minutes ago, kidless said:

Indeed! I've seen no perks or status matches offered to MSC diamond members booked on Explora.  I personally feel EJ has made a mistake not offering fabulous deals to its MSC YC Diamond members.   I agree with Mr. Luxury on branding. Those who already love MSC, especially the yacht club product will make the leap to EJ. Those however that feel MSC is equivalent to Walmart of cruising will abstain at least for the time being.  

Yes - 100%, but many previous YC guests have balked at the EJ rates. And now are they hearing that the onboard experiences have been less than perfect for some.  That's a lot to overcome!

Edited September 26, 2023 by happy cruzin

[kidless]

9 minutes ago, saminina said:

500 is just a guess.  

 

The new man in charge, from MSC, is an indication of the path chosen.

The majority will be TA’s and other various influencers called in at the eleventh hour. 

[Waltershipman]

1 minute ago, kidless said:

The majority will be TA’s and other various influencers called in at the eleventh hour. 

Thank you 

[happy cruzin]

10 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

This is a sea day, but there are very few “activities” on the ship.  This morning there is a lecture on travel photography.  There is supposed to be a 2 1/2 hour Chefs Kitchen class on making pasta.  That venue can only hold 12 passengers and the cost is 150 Euros.  Nothing in the daily schedule mentions the cost although an asterisk indicates there is a fee.  The chef cancelled the class because sea conditions are too rough to be work with knives and hot water.  
 

Something we are noticing is that quite a few things involve big fees, but finding out the cost is not always easy.  They have added some culinary tours (in the ports), and they sound amazing until one learns that the cost can be 600+ Euros per person.

 

We have been disappointed in the "experiences" (excursions) offered for our sailing in November.  Not very many are offered and most are very expensive. Add that to the pay now - can't apply OBC - it's another disappointment.

Edited September 26, 2023 by happy cruzin

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, happy cruzin said:

Yes - I do wonder how much EJ has hurt themselves by pushing the “we are a different cruise line” and not tapping more in to the existing YC market. Even just a match to current MSC status would have give a long way, IMO. 

While on MSC Seashore we had this new brochure heralding the new cruise line. I asked the butler if it was a gift. He said by all means take it. In discussing the possibility of booking on board with the future cruise desk, they stated no, it will be a separate entity. They intimated that it was more a rival for them and did not appreciate having the brochure in the suites. The following month all brochures were no where to be seen.

[kidless]

8 minutes ago, happy cruzin said:

Yes - 100%, but many previous YC guests have balked at the EJ rates. And now are they hearing that the onboard experiences have been less than perfect for some.  That's a lot to overcome!

Very true! Especially since when agents were first selling the product they made promises that EJ did not fulfill. For example, many were led to believe the experience would be like YC on steroids. For example, butlers yet only the residence staterooms have butlers. All dining venues are included yet two have a charge and two more require a reservation with only one reservation allowed. 

[happy cruzin]

2 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

While on MSC Seashore we had this new brochure heralding the new cruise line. I asked the butler if it was a gift. He said by all means take it. In discussing the possibility of booking on board with the future cruise desk, they stated no, it will be a separate entity. They intimated that it was more a rival for them and did not appreciate having the brochure in the suites. The following month all brochures were no where to be seen.

Yes - it will be interesting to see how this all plays out! 

[happy cruzin]

Just now, kidless said:

Very true! Especially since when agents were first selling the product they made promises that EJ did not fulfill. For example, many were led to believe the experience would be like YC on steroids. For example, butlers yet only the residence staterooms have butlers. All dining venues are included yet two have a charge and two more require a reservation with only one reservation allowed. 

 Exactly....you have identified many of the things that we thought would be one way when we booked that now, of course, we know will be different!

[Stickman1990]

5 minutes ago, kidless said:

All dining venues are included yet two have a charge and two more require a reservation with only one reservation allowed. 

Which two? Anthology certainly has but not sure what the other one is 

 

Re the number of reservations at Sakura and Marble we were allowed two at each on our 16 night cruise over the last few weeks but more importantly we dined there many nights by simply turning up and being flexible with timing (although I think it only required flexibility one night 

 

So rules and reality often vary - if you’re flexible 

[Wheelhouse]

23 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

This is a sea day, but there are very few “activities” on the ship.   t

My back to back to Hawaii has 10 sea days.  It could get pretty dull with nothing to do other than work on a sunburn.

[kidless]

3 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

Which two? Anthology certainly has but not sure what the other one is 

 

Re the number of reservations at Sakura and Marble we were allowed two at each on our 16 night cruise over the last few weeks but more importantly we dined there many nights by simply turning up and being flexible with timing (although I think it only required flexibility one night 

 

So rules and reality often vary - if you’re flexible 

Chefs kitchen I believe had an additional charge. Marble & Sakura require a reservation. Yes, now you can get in additional nights if you are flexible plus because the guest on-board numbers are so pitifully low. What happens when the ship is sailing closer to capacity? 

[happy cruzin]

6 minutes ago, kidless said:

Chefs kitchen I believe had an additional charge. Marble & Sakura require a reservation. Yes, now you can get in additional nights if you are flexible plus because the guest on-board numbers are so pitifully low. What happens when the ship is sailing closer to capacity? 

I think our 14-day Caribbean sailing on November 3rd might just be the test case for that concern!

[saminina]

We bought into the independent of MSC sales pitch.  Hiring of talent from Seabourn and other lines that understood the concept trying to be achieved.   Plugged into youtube and watched some YC videos featuring Acqua Panna bottles scattered on dining room tables.  Read the Explora propaganda and purchased time on board.   I would not have booked YC before watching the videos.   After seeing the videos, I would never, ever book YC.

 

We can survive with the product being offered today as long as they allow us to supplement items purchased ashore.   The list grows.

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

15 minutes ago, Wheelhouse said:

My back to back to Hawaii has 10 sea days.  It could get pretty dull with nothing to do other than work on a sunburn.

You could take up Cruise Critic daily reporting.

[morpheusofthesea]

6 minutes ago, happy cruzin said:

I think our 14-day Caribbean sailing on November 3rd might just be the test case for that concern!

please report back to us.

[kidless]

6 minutes ago, happy cruzin said:

I think our 14-day Caribbean sailing on November 3rd might just be the test case for that concern!

Is that sailing booked at capacity? I've heard it's quite low.

[Stickman1990]

12 minutes ago, Wheelhouse said:

My back to back to Hawaii has 10 sea days.  It could get pretty dull with nothing to do other than work on a sunburn.

Depends what your interests are but here are some of the sea day activities we had (working from memory so there may have been others) 

 

Trivia 

Dance classes

Photography classes - very popular 

Lectures - a variety of topics including Destination, World Affairs and Music eg we had an Astro Physicist who also lectured on the Atlantic Provinces, an ex Rolling Stone journalist who spoke on the music scene, a TV producer who spoke on covering wars and political events. We also had a great session with the Danish pilots who were onboard for Greenland helping with navigation (bet that Aussie ship wishers they’d opted to engage them as well!)

The quality of these speakers was the equal of those we’ve heard on other lines 

 

I never managed to get to everything I might potentially have done on sea data as we were busy socialising and eating 😂

 

I wouldn’t want to have a lot more as you want some relax time for socialising or relaxing by or in the pool don’t you? 

 

[Critically Cruising]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Funny thing is that when we had drinks at the large Lobby Bar, the

cocktail napkins were printed with the MSC logo.

 

The MSC logo is everywhere.  Even at the bow of the ship.

 

"But we are not MSC"

 

 

[Stickman1990]

22 minutes ago, kidless said:

Chefs kitchen I believe had an additional charge. 

The cooking classes they run certainly do and you get to eat the dish you prepare - but I didn’t think of that as a restaurant

 

I never saw any promotion or advertising of Chefs Kitchen for dining

 

We just forgot about Anthology once we saw the price and what was on offer at the included restaurants 

 

As I’m sure you know some other luxury lines do charge for speciality restaurants - one from the first visit and another for those after an initial entitlement - supposedly to govern demand and restaurant hogging 

[no1talks]

56 minutes ago, kidless said:

"Those who already love MSC, especially the yacht club product will make the leap to EJ."

 

For myself, that is very unlikely. I'm disinclined to even have a go at World America's Yacht Club, when goes into service.

[Critically Cruising]

4 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

The cooking classes they run certainly do and you get to eat the dish you prepare - but I didn’t think of that as a restaurant

 

I never saw any promotion or advertising of Chefs Kitchen for dining

 

 

Was promoted on pages 52-57 of the Explora brochure as a dining venue.  Which showed:

 

EFFORTLESS ALL-DAY
DINING RESTAURANT
—
SOPHISTICATED CONCEPT RESTAURANT
SHOWCASING UP-AND-COMING CHEFS
FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
—
PAN ASIAN RESTAURANT
—
STEAKHOUSE EXPERIENCE
—
MEDITERRANEAN STYLE RESTAURANT
—
INTERNATIONAL STYLE RESTAURANT
—
COFFEE LOUNGE
—
CHEF’S KITCHEN WITH PRIVATE DINING
AND CULINARY SCHOOL
—
IN-SUITE DINING

 

 

And we know how "effortless all day dining" turned out.  And if those little snacks in Crema get credited as a "dining venue", I guess you can call everything just anything you want.