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

[Stickman1990]

17 minutes ago, AtA said:

The concierge on Crystal has always worn a "uniform". Not one like the officers but suit type with tie, etc.

Using that definition of “uniform” then so do all the Explora crew as well

 

I would say that what the Captain or Cruise Director wears (with stripes) when on duty on Crystal is a uniform in this context

[Hlitner]

We now have it on good authority that there will be no more than 300 on this 10 day sailing back to NYC.  
 

Hank

[Waltershipman]

17 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We now have it on good authority that there will be no more than 300 on this 10 day sailing back to NYC.  
 

Hank

Wow Hank my DW and I will be  2 of the aka  New arrivals newbies

I guess you mean total including the 240 that arrived with you?

 

[Waltershipman]

25 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We now have it on good authority that there will be no more than 300 on this 10 day sailing back to NYC.  
 

Hank

Our boarding pass sats our boarding time is 100pm

[Waltershipman]

30 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We now have it on good authority that there will be no more than 300 on this 10 day sailing back to NYC.  
 

Hank

I guess that means a passengers disembarked here

 

Thanks for update.  See you soon

[jsea]

Norwegian Joy is in port today at the premier “parking spot”.

[uktog]

4 minutes ago, jsea said:

Norwegian Joy is in port today at the premier “parking spot”.

Size sometimes matters bigger ships are more limited to where they can go. Being smaller is great except when the best parking spots have to be given to the bigger ships because they do not fit in elsewhere 

[jsea]

On 9/30/2023 at 12:53 PM, aururab said:

Question - is the retractable roof over the main pool fixed?

Looks like it’s open today 🙂.

 

Please excuse the blurry shot. It was taken from a moving vehicle.

 

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, Waltershipman said:

I guess that means a passengers disembarked here

 

Thanks for update.  See you soon

Yes, I think we lost nearly 200 today.  Heard there were only about 50 of us doing back to backs

[Waltershipman]

4 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Yes, I think we lost nearly 200 today.  Heard there were only about 50 of us doing back to backs

Thats so fascinating will be happy to meet you on our small ship sailing 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, Waltershipman said:

Thats so fascinating will be happy to meet you on our small ship sailing 

We are often at the lobby bar around 6.  Old guy with Stacie and wife with purple streak in hair

[Waltershipman]

3 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We are often at the lobby bar around 6.  Old guy with Stacie and wife with purple streak in hair

Excellent i too older guy  with very beautiful red head  wife

 

Will be totally fun to meet up

[Waltershipman]

6 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We are often at the lobby bar around 6.  Old guy with Stacie and wife with purple streak in hair

And recall walter shipman is my pseudonym and I will introduce myself  as David lol

[morpheusofthesea]

4 hours ago, Waltershipman said:

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 

Wow Hank my DW and I will be  2 of the aka  New arrivals newbies

We all hope you are as prolific a reporter while on board as you are when not on board.

[Hlitner]

A news flash!  This morning the Conservatory roof was opened (the first time we have seen this) and it does work.

 

Hank

[Waltershipman]

57 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

We all hope you are as prolific a reporter while on board as you are when not on board.

Will do my best eating at the Emporium now options The  very  good ship is exquisite 

[Waltershipman]

32 minutes ago, Waltershipman said:

Will do my best eating at the Emporium now options The  very  good ship is exquisite 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

A news flash!  This morning the Conservatory roof was opened (the first time we have seen this) and it does work.

 

Hank

My guess is because there are more 'real' paying guests on board now. Time for them 'to step up to the plate'. (On MSC the concierges know how much each cabin guest payed). Perhaps this reflects the differing responses to guests requests?

[Hlitner]

2 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

My guess is because there are more 'real' paying guests on board now. Time for them 'to step up to the plate'. (On MSC the concierges know how much each cabin guest payed). Perhaps this reflects the differing responses to guests requests?

You are really hung up on this class stuff :). The reality is that they finally opened the roof on a quiet turn around day when the temps were in the 70s.  It was to allow some painting and cleaning around the tracks on Deck 12.  
 

You might be the only person on earth to equate the opening of a roof to something having to do with paying passengers :).  The truth is that they are working hard to get the ship in perfect shape for next weeks Naming Ceremony.  The Aponte family is reportable flying in from Italy, so everything must be perfect.

 

Hank
 

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

9 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

You are really hung up on this class stuff :

Yes. Yes. Yes. Having spent the last 50 years cruising 2 lowers on the inside cabins. These last years are being spent in the top suites and we expect everything. No holds barred = no restrictions, instant gratification.

 

12 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

The Aponte family is reportable flying in from Italy, so everything must be perfect.

Thank you. Proves my point. Nobody important on these first cruises for the staff to break a sweat getting the ship in tip top shape.

[morpheusofthesea]

17 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

You might be the only person on earth to equate the opening of a roof to something having to do with paying passengers

Yes again. It is called 'thinking outside the box'.

[Hlitner]

1 minute ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Yes again. It is called 'thinking outside the box'.

Hmmm.  Well, by your reckoning, since we were the only paying passengers (actually the only folks) who were in the Conservatory, then we are truly special :).  But sometimes the truth is better than fiction.  According to a crew member-friend who works in that area, today was only the 2nd time he has ever seen the roof open.  The weather has not been warm enough, and they generally keep it comfortable in the Conservatory.  

 

It has been a gorgeous day here in Quebec (some might call it an Indian summer) with temps in the mid to high 70s.  Plenty of folks crowding the lower town since the huge Norwegian Joy is docked nearby.

 

Hank

[Whipsnade]

As we were on board from Aug 24 to Sept 25 I can attest that every staff person on board worked diligently to insure our satisfaction. And I can assure you The Whip can be as snooty, snotty and demanding as the worst. 
They all are a good team just needing more experience and better direction from above, I.e., Geneva. 

[morpheusofthesea]

3 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Well, by your reckoning, since we were the only paying passengers (actually the only folks) who were in the Conservatory, then we are truly special

Yes. Now you are getting it. Though "fiction" is what dreams are made of. I am cognizant of false hopes. "The pleasure of expecting enjoyment is often greater than that of obtaining it. And the completion of almost every wish is found a disappointment." Dr. Samuel Johnson

What else can explain every second post on social media expounding excitement and count-downs and later very few positive reviews. 

  However, I look at cruising on these modern marvels in the top suites as did Carnegie of his Skibo Castle. "Carnegie longed to return to the country of his birth. He was heavily fond of the whimsical Scottish baronial style, which was already, by the end of the 19th century, going out of fashion. Nevertheless, when he purchased the dilapidated Skibo estate in 1899 , he was well able to rebuild it as his own fairytale castle with battlements, gables, stained glass and all those American mod cons he’d become accustomed to." These ships are my castles.

[Whipsnade]

Carnegie never had it so good as the least of us regular cruisers.