LuiK

Everything is handed to you – no guest is able to touch any food. The bakery section of the buffet has high quality freshly baked products.

This question, the need to make reservations in advance and the „only one dining per cruise“ policy for some of the restaurants were reported and discussed here over several pages and with updates from the following days:

I can only recommend to do so! But better not during the rush hours of they’re venues. After a very cold start, we had nice talks to them and they team up to „make it right“ for the guests. Even if Explora did a bad job overpromising, badly communicating and pulling up restrictions afterwards like the need for reserving tables in advance and „dine only once per cruise“, the crew on the ship does a fantastic job and tries everything possible - with a smile. The „hosts“ cannot create more space in the restaurants and are stressed when guests overrun the limited space, but what should they do about it? Explora must(!) learn from the design/planning mistakes regarding missing restaurant space and misplaced living room and bar furniture in the Med restaurant that were done with this first ship and correct the flaws with the next ships.

Just a small update to the last post about dinner: We showed up early at 6:30 at Med Yacht Club and enjoyed a nearly empty restaurant. It’s nice there, if there are just a few other guests. 🙈 The food was good and the signature dessert of the venue is an interesting composition. 👍

That the restaurants are cramped and Sakura as well as Marble were fully booked and you are only allowed to visit them once was already lengthly discussed here. The facebook opinion may be from one of the „invited“ guests. 🤣

Here I am and I already posted many observations & opinions in the other topics.

Sorry I am not counting statistics nor searching for the rare exceptions or give quotable statements. It’s just my casual observation that I almost exclusively see nicely dressed cruisers on Explora. At dinnertime there are men with and without jackets but in good shirts (with collar) - not polos nor t-shirts. The exceptions I noticed were groups of TA and Influencers filming themself during nonsense talking… Maybe this was not observable during the free of charge „Travel Influencer Precruise“ in the absence of regular customers. 🤣 Just have a look at people in the restaurant of your local golf club and a McDonalds „Restaurant“ – you will spot a huge difference in attire. I like both but would not dare to show up with my t-shirt and shorts combo to the Explora buffet.

Like I said. You will not see t-shirts or shorts (much). Almost nobody looks shabby. People who pay 1.000 Euros per night know how to look decent. Even I try to fit in 😉

I would state, that the dresscode is casual up to smart casual outside of the pool areas. You only see a few (obviously) non paying guests in less than that like wearing shorts and t-shirts…

English - and that’s sufficient!

Perfect time. They open at 6:30. Also at the left side there is more space than on the right side. Sakura has the best duck I had in my life (duck leg confit). You should also try the black angus teriyaki steak and the 72 hour panang beef – both are magnificent… Just perfect!

Bar Menus EXI_ASTERN_LOUNGE.pdf EXI_ASTERN_POOLBAR.pdf EXI_ATOLL_POOLBAR.pdf EXI_CREMA_CAFE_digital.pdf EXI_EXPLORA_LOUNGE.pdf EXI_Gelateria_Creperie_Menu.pdf EXI_HELIOS_POOLBAR.pdf EXI_JOURNEYS_LOUNGE.pdf EXI_LOBBY_BAR.pdf EXI_MALT_WHISKY.pdf EXI_SKY_BAR_ON_14.pdf EXI_THE_CONSERVATORY.pdf

Restaurant Menus EXI_FIL_ROUGE_Breakfast.pdf EXI_FIL_ROUGE_Dinner.pdf EXI_IN-SUITE_DINING.pdf EXI_MARBLE-CO_Dessert_Menu.pdf EXI_MARBLE-CO_Dining_Menu.pdf EXI_MED_YACHT_CLUB_Bar_Menu.pdf EXI_MED_YACHT_CLUB_Dinner_Menu.pdf EXI_MED_YACHT_CLUB_Lunch_Menu.pdf EXI_SAKURA_Dinner_Menu.pdf EXI_SAKURA_Lunch_Menu.pdf EXI_SAKURA_SUSHI_Dinner_Menu.pdf

Crêperie, Buffet, In-Room and Sakura are magnificent. But Sakura is also very cramped, be there early or very late… Rush hour there is a nightmare. We finished fast and had just a short impression how loud and packed it is at main dining time. Fil Rouge was mediocre. The Beef Wellington had the size of a coin but was ok. I compensated with three good desserts. Med Yacht Club was overcrowded, too cramped and too loud – we left before ordering something. Marble Steak House was closed due to an accidental activation of the sprinkler system and then closed due to private TA meetings.

How should it be resolved that for over 900 guests there are only approximately 100 seats at Sakura and Marble… and even with all other restaurants approximately 300 people have to end up in the buffet each night? It‘s a design flaw of the ship! And even if they cramp the restaurants to the last seat it is no fun, when you have to share tables at a (not so) luxury cruise. On the German website of Explora there is no information about mandatory reservations for restaurants and that you are only allowed to dine once in Sakura and Marble. People were rushing to reserve seats after boarding or managed to reserve onshore – I don't know and I don't care. We pay 1.000 Euro per night. You can get the buffet on MSC and waiting for seated dining in queues for less than 100 Euro per night. When we want to dine in a seated setting, we will get that and will not end up in the buffet because of Explora‘s mismanagements and misplannings – if a table looks available we will make a scene until we are seated. End of story. Here are the opening hours: