Critically Cruising

Sure hope all those folks who are looking at MSC as a bottomless font of cash take a closer look at container shipping rates.  Which are dropping and dropping.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/trouble-ahead-container-shipping-rates-sinking-further-red

10 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

I'm not sure that the future of luxury cruising is a ship that holds nine hundred guests and dies seven day cruises.

Nor a ship where the little details get short shrift.

Reminds me of the magician who says "Watch the shiny object over here.  Don't look the other way, nothing to see over there."

And the "Burger Station" turns out to be a ONE DAY experiment.

Can't run it two days in a row, it seems.

The fails continue.  And no matter how impressive one might find the ship, the other issues are death by a thousand cuts.  No one single problem is deal-breaking, but the cumulative effect is telling.

You'll find much the same attitude onboard with management levels.  A brusque "thank you for telling us" and nothing changes.

Onward.

2 hours ago, florisdekort said:

Baffled by the total disregard for paying customers.

 

Not at all.  Concerns were addressed in this cruise, even to the GM/HD or whatever he is titled.  Response has been zero.

Software upgrades won't work if the firmware resists any kind of change.  And that's what the management demonstrates.....stubborn fixation on THEIR methods.

6 minutes ago, johng75370 said:

@Critically Cruising, thank you for your posts; it helps to set (now lower but appropriate) expectations!

 

I know there are dishes in various restaurants that offer caviar, but is there the option to order it on its own?  Or a caviar menu for a fee?  

The potato and caviar appetizer in Marble is mis-described IMO.  It's a lump of caviar on top of a disk of crushed potato. Why they call it fingerling potato with caviar is a mystery.  There are other appetizers with caviar ingredients -- I found them to be mostly there for the image factor of being on the menu.  Nothing special.

I did not see any "pure caviar" offerings.  But then, I wasn't specifically looking or asking for them.

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

As to the shore excursion folks (we seldom take cruise line excursions) we have found most (on any cruise line) clueless.  They are simply selling products provided by shore-based contractors.  Expecting them to have a clue, especially when EJ is making its first visit to every port, is a pipe dream.  I assume all they can do is read the "script" that is on their screens and provided by the shore-based contractor.  I have more respect for folks that admit "we don't know" rather than pretend to have expertise.

I would think that they would know:

1) What terminal the cruise is arriving into in New York?

2) What the cost of a transfer from that terminal to the airport would be?

Those were finally made available to the passengers 10 days into the cruise.

Are those unreasonable expectations?  How can guests properly make arrangements otherwise?

2 minutes ago, saminina said:

I believe the point is being made that like any MSC cruise.....anything goes for clothing.

Exactly.  Jeans, sneakers, t-shirts, puffer jackets in the evening.  Even in the "specialty" venues.

Not that it has to be black tie, but this is spring-break rather than luxury.

28 minutes ago, saminina said:

What did you think of the food being served?  

In general, quite good.  But the meats in Marble were a bit chewy for my American tastes - perhaps because it was Euro beef.  

If you want salads for your lunches, the offerings are either prepared dishes or an incomplete "salad bar" with three salad dressings (including both vinaigarette and basalmic) and few of the usual salad accompaniments.

Have been quite impressed with the grilled lobster tails and shrimp at Marketplace in the evening.  And the foie gras has been superb.

Biggest disappointment is that the "all-day dining gourmet dining" was just a marketing hook.  If you are hungry for something in the afternoon, you are room service or finger food.

Yes...the TV merely directs you to the app.  But unlike most other lines, the menu itself cannot be obtained just using the TV.

And be sure to find me the menu for Marketplace.

Two more things to note on that NYC transfer letter:  The luggage allowance is so low.  And twice confirmed with the shorex desk.  Shared bus transfer - one suitcase.  Private executive sedan - two suitcase for two people.  Private luxury - three suitcases.

Also, the transfers are only available if you have a flight roughly FIVE hours after the last disembarkation time from the ship.  What the....??  Nobody shared that information before the letter went out.

Toss in that the shorex desk didn't know (or wouldn't tell you) the pricing for the transfers until they sent out the letter.  And that they gave two different locations for the ship arrival terminal when asked.

Wow.

On 9/13/2023 at 11:00 AM, Whipsnade said:

On the other hand menu for all three meals in Emporium Marketplace varies every day. Go figure. 

And there is nothing ever published to let you know what will be offered at Emporium.

Plus, to get the menu for the other restaurants, the TV just gives you a QR code so you then have to go to your phone/tablet for the info.

After a conversation with a lady onboard, she suggested that I wait a while and maybe things might change my view of things.

Went to post a detailed follow-up after more exposure to the Explora way of cruising and found the thread locked.

So here's the quick summary.  Explora is not a luxury line, or even a luxury experience.  Lots of jeans, ragged service, illogical systems and layouts in the ship, poor entertainment and shorex people who are clueless.  OTOH, it is a modern, lavish physical plant - especially if you want to use a jaccuzi at any place in the ship.  If a new ship experience is your standard, here you go.

Guess that's it.

On 9/8/2023 at 4:49 AM, happy cruzin said:

We know that the casino is small, it looks like here are only 3 table games. Can anyone confirm which games are offered? 

There are 18 slot machines, one roulette table, one blackjack table and one mini-holdem table.

6 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

A: Any with hip designers.  Hooks and bars ruin the clean lines in advertising photos, and – horror! – customers come in and totally destroy the esthetic by spreading their belongings everywhere!  🤣

This is in reference to the laundry room.  Yes, there are places for hangers in the suite, but not a one in a facility where one would expect to hang clothes.

So, you had best be ready to only iron one garment at a time, otherwise it now gets put over a chair while you do the second one.

Thought for the evening:

Q: What cruiseline provides a laundry for the guests, but puts not a single bar or hook for anyone to place a hanger?

A:  A line that wants guests to spend 12 Euros to have a single shirt washed.

(It's the little things that distinguish a superior product from an adequate one)

More on the laundry to follow.

5 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

Where's your muster Station?

D - Crema Cafe

Hopefully, I will be able to make this a regular series of posts for the sailing from Reykjavik to New York.  As a bit of background, I've had a couple decades of cruising with about a hundred segments all told.  Most all on the luxury lines of Crystal, Regent, Silversea and Seabourn.  A couple here and there on Oceania, Azamara, Windstar and Celebrity with the one-off HAL, Princess, PG and RCI.

A lot of initial reactions to the first afternoon, evening and next daytime.  As mentioned in another thread, I've already had a different experience than another CC poster, so let's see how it goes.  More to follow.  And glad to answer questions, if can provide the answer.

19 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

If a host sees you with a plate they immediately assist you back to the table.

Maybe on your side of the room.  Many were busy chatting with each other near us.

19 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

At lunch, wines were pre-corked around the room, easy-peezy service.

For the first glass.  Refills never arrived

19 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

Safety drill was totally painless.

Of course, the drill was never mentioned in either the daily program (which has no name) or the Explora app.  And any announcement wasn't piped into the suite, just the 7 short and 1 long whistle. Perfect for those taking a nap before dinner.  And at the muster, no roll call or attendance, so I guess I could have just skipped it with no problem.  Especially since all that was done was a casual, haphazard display of one person trying to put on a life jacket, with comedic effect.

19 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

Bartenders at Lobby Bar are outstanding mixologists.  They really know their stuff.

Three bars, including the lobby, didn't know how to make a Sidecar.  A classic cocktail with only 3 ingredients.   Maybe they know the corporate specialty drinks, but can't even google a classic.

Are we on the same ship?

3 hours ago, bitob said:

I am just astounded by the utter incompetence of the folks running this cruise line.

Do a bad job, infuriate potential customers and raise prices.  I don't think they teach this strategy in business school.

They do.

It's just that EJ management missed the introductory sentence of the class, which was:

"Now, here's what you should NEVER do if you want to be successful".

37 minutes ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

Explora pays more than anyone else so I sincerely doubt it!

But for how long?  If bookings suck, how do you justify paying more for people that aren't bringing in $$ across the transom?

38 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

I'm just wondering if some of those good staff that flew the nest from other luxury lines might be re thinking their career move.

I'm wondering the thoughts of the management of those other lines.  Would they be willing to take back, with open arms, those who abandoned them for the new bright shiny object?  Or would they be of the "you made your bed" mind set.

The AA terminals and the TBIT are all connected airside.  No additional screening needed as long as you don't leave the sterile area.  Look for the signage.

6 hours ago, vistaman said:

he was very good and i said he must apply to another company starting with a C 😀

Celestyal?  Carnival?  Costa?

😃

5 minutes ago, redraider1966 said:

When booking that cruise, the HAL future cruise agent recommended doing the voyage west to east, vice east to west, as the weather and winds were likely to be more favorable.  How true that was in retrospect.

I suspect they were trying to fill the westbound voyage.  Often a reason for going westbound is that the scenery gets nicer as you go along, with the Chilean fjords as the end point.  OTOH, the scenery at Puerto Madryn is far less impressive.  For the nature folks, it can be a let down after Puerto Montt et al.