Sales Volume Very Low?

[peder]

Finally found a website that lets me check cabin availability, and when I hunt and peck, it looks like the vast majority of cabins are unsold on most cruises, even on popular sail dates like NYE. Is there a lull in booking now after some initial excitement with the brand launch? Frankly the cabin availability looks downright disastrous to me and not indicative of a brand that will survive.

 

To be fair, maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. Maybe most cabin assignments are simply GTY rooms, so booking websites wouldn't show specific cabins as taken unless someone told Explora specifically which cabin they want? Or maybe there's an issue with the inventory APIs that these 3rd-party sites are using? 🤷‍♂️

[PaulMCO]

No they do not do GTY.  I just check ours in January in an OT3.  Only 5% of those cabins are booked. About 1/2 of the OT1s are booked (less plentiful).  So yes bookings are low.

 

Maybe they will fill the ships with TA's.  That will help..

 

Maybe that is why the CEO left for "personal" reasons..

Edited March 5 by PaulMCO

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, PaulMCO said:

Maybe that is why the CEO left for "personal" reasons

I'm glad they didn't say "he wants to spend more time with his family."  Everybody wants to spend more time with their family; nobody wants to spend ALL their time with their family!!!

[peder]

1 hour ago, PaulMCO said:

No they do not do GTY.  I just check ours in January in an OT3.  Only 5% of those cabins are booked. About 1/2 of the OT1s are booked (less plentiful).  So yes bookings are low.

 

Maybe they will fill the ships with TA's.  That will help..

 

Maybe that is why the CEO left for "personal" reasons..

 

Thanks for the confirmation on GTY rooms and what you're seeing for availability. The ~5% per category is what I was seeing also, for sailings that I assume should be at least 25% sold by now.

 

Pretty dismal numbers and suggests that more changes are inevitable.

 

Which is exactly the problem IMO. We've put a hold on cabins 2x with Explora, but both times we've either gone with MSC YC or canceled our plans entirely, because we don't have enough faith that the product and itineraries will be the same by the time we get to the sail date.

 

Maybe there'll be some heavy discounting in the near future.

Edited March 5 by peder

[Wheelhouse]

After this spring Explora is only offering the Med and Caribbean up to the last released cruises scheduled in March of 26.  I am not including the Middle East cruises which may not happen. 

[PaulMCO]

39 minutes ago, peder said:

 

Thanks for the confirmation on GTY rooms and what you're seeing for availability. The ~5% per category is what I was seeing also, for sailings that I assume should be at least 25% sold by now.

 

Pretty dismal numbers and suggests that more changes are inevitable.

 

Which is exactly the problem IMO. We've put a hold on cabins 2x with Explora, but both times we've either gone with MSC YC or canceled our plans entirely, because we don't have enough faith that the product and itineraries will be the same by the time we get to the sail date.

 

Maybe there'll be some heavy discounting in the near future.

They had their 50 percent offer on Black Friday.  We paid $400 pp per day for the OT3.   

[peder]

10 minutes ago, PaulMCO said:

They had their 50 percent offer on Black Friday.  We paid $400 pp per day for the OT3.   

 

I'm still seeing prices in line with that? I didn't think they ever really ended their sales?

[cruisingxpert]

36 minutes ago, peder said:

 

I'm still seeing prices in line with that? I didn't think they ever really ended their sales?

They definitely ended the 50% discount.  My 14 day Dec cruise is $417per day for a solo. They had 50% plus 15% solo supplement. Cost now is more than $4000 higher.

Edited March 5 by cruisingxpert

[peder]

Gotcha. We had never seen availability of the 50%-off cabins (best we saw available was 30% off some Ocean Terrace cabins because the sailings we were looking at didn't have any more 50%-off cabins), and we were likely going to get a Penthouse and my understanding is that the discounts didn't apply to Penthouses and Residences? And I guess I'm mostly looking at what must be cheaper cruises in the low season. So with all that I probably just hadn't noticed the price jump.

 

But Explora is marketing like crazy (I see their ads on YouTube incessantly), they're serving very "safe" routes with known demand, they've run big promotions, and they still can't fill these ships. Very rough start.

[saminina]

Pricing a few cruises as solo and it's beyond acceptable.  For Explora product, I consider per diem of $400 a bargain for OT1.  500 to $600 reasonable.  Add 50% for holiday.   About same as Silversea, more $ for Crystal, less S for Seabourn.

[peder]

I'm not saying it's not reasonable. I'm just saying if they can't fill the ships after doing a ton of promotion, I'm not sure what other options they'll have besides deep discounting.

[Whipsnade]

They have so many issues to solve almost impossible to correct. Would take years to lure back the luxury cruisers they have already lost. We canceled three cruises after they refused to give us the 40% discount in PH.So we booked Crystsl for 30% less. When we walk away from a cruise line pretty much impossible to get us back. 

[Stickman1990]

1 hour ago, Whipsnade said:

They have so many issues to solve almost impossible to correct. Would take years to lure back the luxury cruisers they have already lost. 

and in another view of the situation that is different than yours we are taking 6 Crystal friends and a couple of others new to luxury cruising with us when we sail Explora next - we are still beaming ear to ear recounting our cruise last September. We certainly don’t see them having any major issues that need resolving and I just hope they maintain the current standards and offerings 

 

I just don’t see it being a case of one over another. For example we're happy on both Crystal and Explora - with different aspects resonating with us on each line - in the case of the next Explora cruise it’s partly driven by the itinerary and timing 

[frankhi]

11 hours ago, peder said:

I'm not saying it's not reasonable. I'm just saying if they can't fill the ships after doing a ton of promotion, I'm not sure what other options they'll have besides deep discounting.

What cruise dates and cruise ships are you using for comparison?

Edited March 6 by frankhi

[mnocket]

18 hours ago, peder said:

they're serving very "safe" routes with known demand

That's actually what has kept me from booking.  Their itineraries are not exciting. 

[parallax]

The numbers aren't great on Crystal but where is the doom and gloom with Crystal.  Explora can play the long game because of its parent MSC.   Just like Stickman, we have booked a future cruise on Explora with friends because we know that they will love the product.   

[Whipsnade]

We certainly enjoyed the ship. Beautifully designed. Very functional. And we were anxious to come back after Sept. but the more we thought about it, especially the cuisine the less enamored we became. Same menus every day. Fine for seven day trips but not thirty days. Entertainment pretty dreadful compared to others. Shorex clueless and inexperienced. Almost killed us in walk up the hill in Edinburgh while others bussed. Couldn’t find our whale boat in Rejkavik. 
Their decision to load the ship with TAs and “influencers” in the most luxurious cabins while we paid full rates certainly annoying but understandable on early cruises But they are still doing it. 

“Explora speak” quickly became laughable. Guest Relations people were unhelpful and rude. 
But we still booked three more cruises with the hope their initial faux pas would ameliorate. From comments here that has not happened. 
The switch to heavily discounting ocean cabins and refusing to give us same deal was the final  straw. 
On Crystal we are treated like royalty. Menus in Waterside change every day. And prices for PH and above are way less than Explora. So we canceled and are going with Old Reliable. Not new ships for sure but the longer itins are always wonderful even if they are shorter segments. We have been on board for almost two months and not bored yet. 
Let Explora chase the seven day market in the Carib. I am looking for something more. Explora promised but hasn’t delivered. 

[vistaman]

the product had a very bad start 

regular cruise passengers do not like to be surrounded by up to 100 TA journalists and influencers at all  abusing the free champagne as much as possible 

also in all ports quite an amount of port functions 

if i am sitting in a bar of a luxury ship i do not like the fact groups of 30 TA are running around , one is trying to take a bar menu another some napkins ...

and 10 minutes later group nr 2 is passing 

if Explora(  so MSC )  is not  appointing a crise team  ( a broom)this product will fail 

maybe MSc must consider to converse Explora  into  Yacht Club only ships , they can handle that 

ok i am a F & B freak ( and a rather strict one )  , just imagine a fast food chain even a better one is trying to set up a starred restaurant ??

reminds me of some series on Tv where top rated chefs are trying to rescue a restaurant close to failure 

 

[saminina]

Like other cruise lines, poor management away from ship is where I place blame for a poor experience on board.  That would include putting personnel on board into positions for which they are not qualified.  I've had no problem with people in responsible positions on board Explora.  Wish I could say same about other companies.

 

The two most recent posts are examples of marketing decisions that have cost the company more than they will ever earn by introducing them.   While I understand bringing travel agents/writers on board, how about qualifying them before they set foot on the ship?  Every one of them should be catering to an audience capable of booking future cruises.  90% of them are not.  50% of those create unpleasantness among the paying passengers.  Influencer....whatever that is.....put them on a cruise without  paying passengers.  Very poor marketing from the get go that continues today.

 

The limited time deep discounting of basic cabins another poor decision.  How about a

competitive fare structure that makes sense to fulfill long term goals?

Edited March 7 by saminina

[vistaman]

22 hours ago, Whipsnade said:

We certainly enjoyed the ship. Beautifully designed. Very functional. And we were anxious to come back after Sept. but the more we thought about it, especially the cuisine the less enamored we became. Same menus every day. Fine for seven day trips but not thirty days. Entertainment pretty dreadful compared to others. Shorex clueless and inexperienced. Almost killed us in walk up the hill in Edinburgh while others bussed. Couldn’t find our whale boat in Rejkavik. 
Their decision to load the ship with TAs and “influencers” in the most luxurious cabins while we paid full rates certainly annoying but understandable on early cruises But they are still doing it. 

“Explora speak” quickly became laughable. Guest Relations people were unhelpful and rude. 
But we still booked three more cruises with the hope their initial faux pas would ameliorate. From comments here that has not happened. 
The switch to heavily discounting ocean cabins and refusing to give us same deal was the final  straw. 
On Crystal we are treated like royalty. Menus in Waterside change every day. And prices for PH and above are way less than Explora. So we canceled and are going with Old Reliable. Not new ships for sure but the longer itins are always wonderful even if they are shorter segments. We have been on board for almost two months and not bored yet. 
Let Explora chase the seven day market in the Carib. I am looking for something more. Explora promised but hasn’t delivered. 

I agree with you however for my condition a 10 day cruise is the maximum for me ...

must be terrible 30 days the same menu in the restaurants and in my case no Asian one 

i am very looking forward to my first cruise on new C  despite the high wine  prices ; so shopping in South France and Italy  - I refuse to pay 500 $ for a Dom P 

[Whipsnade]

Vista is on the money. Putting a guy who worked for Carnival and was Pres of Aida was huge mistake. Bet he never even traveled on a luxury ship. Never slept on a Frette sheet. Never ate in M starred restaurants or stayed in five star hotels. Most of us on this thread have done all of those things for a long time so we know what good is. And Explora is not good. They may well have already ruined their chances of capturing luxury market looking for alternatives. Would take an awful lot of coaxing to get me back. I have $1200 in cancellation credits which I may well just pass up.  Too bad as the ship is beautiful, cabins spacious and public spaces very desirable. Best bread on the ocean. Auto doors in public restrooms. Spa with salt room. Huge pool under magrodome so you can swim even in Arctic. 
They should sell these ships to d’ovidio and Kent at Crystal and stick to what they do well, mega three star ships and freight. 

[Wheelhouse]

While on my 800 passenger nearly full sailing last month I talked at length with two separate well-to-do younger working couples who had never cruised before.  Both couples booked the cruise no more than two weeks before embarkation.  They were very impressed by the ship, food, and the service.  They are the demographic that Explora is looking to attract and hopefully get to return. They will never book a cruise anywhere near a year in advance. With all it's pools and bars the ship was designed for a younger cliental rather than the fossils that permeate Crystal. 

 

Do they need to improve in a lot of areas?  Surely they do and they working on it.  The line has barely been at sea for half a year.  

[Whipsnade]

Vista is on the money. Putting a guy who worked for Carnival and was Pres of Aida was huge mistake. Bet he never even traveled on a luxury ship. Never slept on a Frette sheet. Never ate in M starred restaurants or stayed in five star hotels. Most of us on this thread have done all of those things for a long time so we know what good is. And Explora is not good. They may well have already ruined their chances of capturing luxury market looking for alternatives. Would take an awful lot of coaxing to get me back. I have $1200 in cancellation credits which I may well just pass up.  Too bad as the ship is beautiful, cabins spacious and public spaces very desirable. Best bread on the ocean. Auto doors in public restrooms. Spa with salt room. Huge pool under magrodome so you can swim even in Arctic. 
They should sell these ships to d’ovidio and Kent at Crystal and stick to what they do well, mega three star ships and freight. 

[Whipsnade]

Speaking as one of the many Crystal “fossils”, we have the time and the money to spend more than seven days on a ship. We spend at least 100 days a year cruising in PH level accommodations. We figure we probably have most of another decade at sea before we plotz. Probably drop $2 million in the process. Those kids Explora and others are chasing might drop $100K in the next decade. 
Follow the money!!

[frankhi]

2 hours ago, Whipsnade said:

Speaking as one of the many Crystal “fossils”, we have the time and the money to spend more than seven days on a ship. We spend at least 100 days a year cruising in PH level accommodations. We figure we probably have most of another decade at sea before we plotz. Probably drop $2 million in the process. Those kids Explora and others are chasing might drop $100K in the next decade. 
Follow the money!!

100 days a year...and explora ship had more than 150000 cabin days a year. The big picture is your money is chump change. Your entitled to your opinions, but you frequently make it sound like you are relaying what most people think, whereas, even it this thread, that's obviously not the the case.