Listen up - There going to be some changes around here…

[Stickman1990]

So taken from another forum but some feedback on changes being made onboard - some we already know about 

 

Personally the tea blend didn’t bother me, our room attendant was excellent and introduced himself within minutes of us arriving on our suite, the laundry worked fine for me and there was always plenty of selection with the included wines - as always it’s interesting what some find as issues when on board 

 

Perhaps we should make a list if further changes we consider appropriate?

 

“Explora Journeys responds to feedback given to them by guests and the travel advisor community and takes action in positive ways to enhance your journey.

 

● Settees at lift landings: Operationally, you noted that these are hard to move around, so we are going from two settees there to one, and considering a single round sofa for EXPLORA II

 

● Guest launderette: You also noted that North Americans aren’t used to the evaporative dryer technology in the launderette, so we are creating clear instructions to make these machines easy for everyone to use.

 

● Daily programme and in-Suite TV: These both need improvements, and we are making them: more descriptive details in the programme, as well as a standard print version being delivered, and a navigational map being implemented soon for the ITV system.

 

● Suite Hosts: You also noted that Suite Hosts were delayed in connecting with guests (if at all), and we realised that coming from land-based hotels, that was the guest expectation – so we are adding layers of training to change this.

 

● Cigar Lounge: We have now empowered its extraction ventilation to full capacity, and guests are enjoying cigars (no cigarettes) there (and, sales of Davidoff cigars are increasing).

 

● Sundries: For those who could not find sundries, which are at The Journey, we have added a blurb to the daily programme, set up a small display of available items, and added staff training.

 

● English Breakfast tea: We heard from you that the tea is weak when milk is added, and that British palates will notice this – so we have developed a stronger blend appealing to British tastes with our tea supplier, to be delivered in the incoming batch.

 

● Wine suggestions: You noticed only one white and one red wine suggestion with menus in the restaurants, so our sommeliers have now selected three of each to pair perfectly with each menu, from our list of 20 complimentary wines by the glass (which guests can also order).

 

● Lunch options: The limited lunch options after 2pm caught your attention, so the grill line at Emporium MarketPlace offering burgers and salads will now be open, on port days, until 3-3:30 pm”

 

[CJANDH]

Pretty good response if they follow through. The extra included wines and the extended grill times are particularly good.

[cruisr]

When Crystal NEVER got back to my TA about single fare promotion going on now (nobody in reservations knew anything about it, told they would call back, never did, no return call from her sales manager) my 2 GFs and I have booked 3 suites on EJ.  My TA forwarded this to me today and it is a positive sign,  BTW, only a 15% single supplement.

[PrivateIdaho]

Now if we can just get them to get rid of the smoking area outside of Crema Cafe. We had to change suites due to second hand smoke wafting through our veranda door. For the upcoming cruise, we book on the other side of the ship. Plus, that area will be nice for outside cafe seating during nice weather. 

[TER777]

I made a lot of those comments week 3. Glad someone was listening. 

[Stickman1990]

51 minutes ago, PrivateIdaho said:

Now if we can just get them to get rid of the smoking area outside of Crema Cafe

and they can get rid of the smoking area on the left of the front deck in the front of the Explora Lounge (won’t happen but I can hope for it)

[florisdekort]

I’ll believe it when I see it. The lunch situation needs a more drastic solution. 
 

 

[Nunagoras]

1 hour ago, florisdekort said:

I’ll believe it when I see it. The lunch situation needs a more drastic solution. 
 

 

Yeah! Even mainstream MSC can offer a midday to midnight Pizza station on their buffet, I can't understand why they can't make that part of the Emporium as a midday to midnight as well. Understand the staffing limitations both ship wide and the soft opening issue... But... It's still an Italian business!...

[PaulMCO]

My TA is onboard (along with many others) - they are also working on the OBC credit issue and using these for excursions in advance.

 

ROOM SERVICE -- As far as Residence cabins there is no special menu with selected specialty items as hinted on the benefits in their brochures. But even better -  For those staying in a Residence, you also get the full menu at any of the restaurants (excluding Anthology and Test Kitchen) so this does include Marble, Med Yacht Club, Sakura, and Fil Rouge. The menus from these restaurants are not in the suites but the Steward will bringing you the menu of choice so you can basically choose from the complete menu. The only difference from dining in the restaurant is in the Suites they will bring the full selection at one time vs course by course.

 

[florisdekort]

1 hour ago, PaulMCO said:

My TA is onboard (along with many others) - they are also working on the OBC credit issue and using these for excursions in advance.

 

ROOM SERVICE -- As far as Residence cabins there is no special menu with selected specialty items as hinted on the benefits in their brochures. But even better -  For those staying in a Residence, you also get the full menu at any of the restaurants (excluding Anthology and Test Kitchen) so this does include Marble, Med Yacht Club, Sakura, and Fil Rouge. The menus from these restaurants are not in the suites but the Steward will bringing you the menu of choice so you can basically choose from the complete menu. The only difference from dining in the restaurant is in the Suites they will bring the full selection at one time vs course by course.

 

Interesting post and another area in which it shouldn’t be difficult to make improvements. Seabourn and Silversea do serve course by course in your suite (if you ask). We dine in our suite about once each cruise and really don’t think tomato soup and ice cream should come together 🙂 

[uktog]

1 hour ago, florisdekort said:

Interesting post and another area in which it shouldn’t be difficult to make improvements. Seabourn and Silversea do serve course by course in your suite (if you ask). We dine in our suite about once each cruise and really don’t think tomato soup and ice cream should come together 🙂 

In the same bowl - that’s a Michelin star experience so stop being picky 😂😀

[uktog]

Having spent more time again today my biggest beef is they need to sort out shoreside especially the pre cruise experience.  I know Seaware from other cruise line and how it works and Explora cant have configured it right as the error messages when trying to service an existing booking or complete on line check in when you have been invited to are beyond a joke.  The staff you engage with are all very nice but sorry they are absolutely clueless, they are all "escalating the issue" but never able to come back with solutions.

 

However today I thought I might have made progress, I see an email in from their IT Team entitled (again, I have had four now) It is now time to check in for your Ocean Journey.  Great I think we have lift off , the issue did get escalated.  My joy is short lived when I open it, I get a sense of doom when I read 

Dear Mrs zcq Margaret jgtwwt.     

 

Now when I went to the font zcq was not what I believe I was called and when I married DH and took his surname I do not think it was jgtwwt 🙂 

 

Oh and i followed the link to do the check in and yet again we get the "sorry there is a problem please try later....."

 

Words fail me!

[florisdekort]

31 minutes ago, uktog said:

Words fail me!

Well dear Mrs zcq jgtwwt - at least they got your gender right 🤣 We just received a letter in our hotel room from Explora addressed to Ms De Kort 😝

 

[PaulMCO]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Having spent more time again today my biggest beef is they need to sort out shoreside especially the pre cruise experience.  I know Seaware from other cruise line and how it works and Explora cant have configured it right as the error messages when trying to service an existing booking or complete on line check in when you have been invited to are beyond a joke.  The staff you engage with are all very nice but sorry they are absolutely clueless, they are all "escalating the issue" but never able to come back with solutions.

 

However today I thought I might have made progress, I see an email in from their IT Team entitled (again, I have had four now) It is now time to check in for your Ocean Journey.  Great I think we have lift off , the issue did get escalated.  My joy is short lived when I open it, I get a sense of doom when I read 

Dear Mrs zcq Margaret jgtwwt.     

 

Now when I went to the font zcq was not what I believe I was called and when I married DH and took his surname I do not think it was jgtwwt 🙂 

 

Oh and i followed the link to do the check in and yet again we get the "sorry there is a problem please try later....."

 

Words fail me!

Agree 100%  It is so aggravating!!!

 

I cannot check in using Seaware.  Was able to do same on the APP but it only did one segment.

 

Complained to CS and they put in a trouble ticket.  Now my booking has disappeared for the past week.  Can't see any info and excursions. 

 

Frustrating....

[jsea]

I had room service two times while onboard (dinner and breakfast). The quality was better than any other line I’ve tried.

[johng75370]

8 hours ago, uktog said:

My joy is short lived when I open it, I get a sense of doom when I read 

Dear Mrs zcq Margaret jgtwwt.     

 

Had the same experience:

"Dear Mr seto kulbwgvfd,"

In fairness this came from a "testdomain@explorajourneys" email address, and was immediately preceded by a correctly addressed check in email (which worked just fine).  

[Host Jazzbeau]

40 minutes ago, johng75370 said:

Had the same experience:

"Dear Mr seto kulbwgvfd,"

All I can say is "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisci elit, sed eiusmod tempor incidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur. Quis aute iure reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint obcaecat cupiditat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum."

[vistaman]

7 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

All I can say is "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisci elit, sed eiusmod tempor incidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur. Quis aute iure reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint obcaecat cupiditat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum."

i had to study Latin as from the age of 12 until 18 ( first year even 9 lessons a week in a Catholic Belgian School )😝 , but for translation of the above  I am going to demand a hefty fee after 50 years  😜

[FlyerTalker]

5 hours ago, vistaman said:

i had to study Latin as from the age of 12 until 18 ( first year even 9 lessons a week in a Catholic Belgian School )😝 , but for translation of the above  I am going to demand a hefty fee after 50 years  😜

 

 

https://www.lipsum.com/

 

 

[kidless]

On 10/19/2023 at 9:25 AM, PaulMCO said:

.

 

ROOM SERVICE -- As far as Residence cabins there is no special menu with selected specialty items as hinted on the benefits in their brochures. But even better -  For those staying in a Residence, you also get the full menu at any of the restaurants (excluding Anthology and Test Kitchen) so this does include Marble, Med Yacht Club, Sakura, and Fil Rouge. The menus from these restaurants are not in the suites but the Steward will bringing you the menu of choice so you can basically choose from the complete menu. The only difference from dining in the restaurant is in the Suites they will bring the full selection at one time vs course by course.

 

At the time of booking we were told this was for all suites. Not just Residence. As we were told Butlers for all suites. 

[PaulMCO]

2 minutes ago, kidless said:

At the time of booking we were told this was for all suites. Not just Residence. As we were told Butlers for all suites. 

It is only available to those suites with butler -- only Residences.

[Host Jazzbeau]

8 hours ago, vistaman said:

i had to study Latin as from the age of 12 until 18 ( first year even 9 lessons a week in a Catholic Belgian School )😝 , but for translation of the above  I am going to demand a hefty fee after 50 years  😜

 

3 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

https://www.lipsum.com/

Yeah, I cheated.  Too bad they didn't have that website when I was taking Latin, my grades might have been better (if the teacher didn't catch me out...)

[kidless]

4 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

It is only available to those suites with butler -- only Residences.

Yes, we know now. We were misled at the time of booking. 

[Critically Cruising]

5 minutes ago, kidless said:

Yes, we know now. We were misled at the time of booking. 

 

You are not the only one.

 

Fool me once, shame on you.....

 

 

[kelleherdl]

3 hours ago, Critically Cruising said:

 

You are not the only one.

 

Fool me once, shame on you.....

 

 

Anyone who read the description of benefits by suite level would know that butlers were only in the Residence level. It was all over EJ’s literature.