chill6x6

Thank you! Will pick deck 17! Thank you! How did you know balcony size was really my agenda?! Thanks! Yeah...I realize that and I don't like it! LOL. I don't like the smaller balcony OR just one bathroom either... BUT...We want to try it right there in the Haven once. IDK if the added convince to the Haven area will make up for it or not. We'll see!

We've ALWAYS stayed in the Haven Aft-Facing PHs HAs on Breakaway and Breakaway Plus ships. Have decided to try a Haven Courtyard PH HF on Escape. Are there any differences we need to aware of between HFs on deck 17 and 18? Thank you!

All I can tell you is what she told me and to date she has been 100%... 😉

I completely understand as I'm exactly like you! I'm not retired(yet!) and my vacation(cruise) time is very finite! So I want to maximize my time wherever I happen to be. My cruise is an 8-day western Caribbean on Explora I coming up in March 2025. No dining OR shore excursion options as of yet. I just happened to be in contact with my TA yesterday and she told me she would send up a flare as soon as she heard anything concerning shore excursions/dining options. BUT....she is actually on the two cruises before mine(MIA to SJU and SJU to MIA) and the shore excursion are available for those dates! So that's the last week in Feb thru first week March 2025. She also stated some Mediterranean itineraries in September just had shore excursions become available. So...I'm thinking(hoping) shore excursions will be available for my March 2025 itinerary within a month or so. I really want to book a Lamanai Ruins excursion thru the ship AND I have no idea of anything to do at Cayman Brac.

Thanks for the info! You must know I stay on cruisedeckplans! lol! I had looked Explora I from stem to stern looking for two loungers. Yet I missed 7116(I don't miss much!). Dolls123 pointed me in the direction of 7116 and her pics. Don't think I didn't sprint to my TA to get that one booked! That is simply an excellent document! Very useful! Thanks this this!

Thanks Bernie for the info! I was able to book that exact suite, 7116. I think it will be perfect. I had wondered about the sun...but I'd rather have the two loungers and we will deal with the sun and pick mornings or afternoons to be on the balcony as required! Stern thrusters...I've certainly felt them....we almost always stay in aft suites. Don't worry, felt and heard the stern thrusters with every glass and coat hanger vibrating. But for us, the unprecedented view and balcony space is worth it.

Thank you for straightening me out on that. I really thought it did. I THINK the Retreat Residence Suite has 1.5 baths. When I was picking out suites the Serenity Residence Suite was more expensive than the RRS so I jumped to the conclusion the SRS(in the video) had 1.5 baths...which as you pointed out it doesn't.

Wow! Thanks for posting this! EXCELLENT review! One of the best I've seen. 1. Overall decor looks very nice! Both ship and suite! 2. Nice to be able to actually SEE what folks are wearing in the various venues. 3.Enjoyed seeing some of the dining options. 4. The suite...that one is very nice. I seriously considered this category. I'm a balcony snob...that one checks all the boxes. I'm going to almost always pick suite/cabin based on balcony. Also at least 1.5 bath snob. Once you've had it in your suite/cabin, you know!. Another box checked. 5. Nice to see what their butler actually did/does.

That's good news for us! We had decided on something different and it came down to Virgin Gorgeous Suite or Explora Deluxe PH... I think we made the right choice!

HARD pass on that menu for me. Not my vibe whatsoever. Just serve me the classics/basics prepared properly without cost-cutting in a calm, no-rush atmosphere. Pour us a glass of recommended wine and water as we are seated. Finish preparing an item, even if dessert, table side. Keep our glasses full, our plates cleared, and our table clean. I'd pay for that.

Enjoyed reading your review!

Gary, I agree with you on the web site. I hate to call/email/bother folks with things I could be doing myself. I don't like to waste my time on hold waiting on the phone either. Idk what cruise line has the best website.. Honestly, I'd probably say Carnival. I booked a Panama Canal cruise on the 20 year old Carnival Miracle once...1 year out shore excursions/speciality dining/etc were available. I had a TA book my first cruise way back in 2007. After that I said no more because really, I like to be in control. That's just me. I trust myself to be in charge of my vacation. I'd say I book well over 80% of my excursions too. I guess it's the Unknown that bothers me as far as Explora goes. ESPECIALLY since it's a new cruise line, new ship, and certainly the whole Explora process is new to me. Moving to current times... I have a TA now. I took my last cruise booked by me in March. I like her. She's a gem. She alone is the reason I even booked my Explora Journey cruise. She told me "Chuck, you need to do this!" So I'm going to trust her with this. Ronald Regan, "trust but verify" is about the best I can do! I have three more cruises booked thru her. I DO like the added security these days with things having to go thru her, which I used to hate that. So canceling or modifying my cruise ain't gonna happen unless it goes from me to her! The extra OBC is nice too. So my cruise is in March 2025. I'll keep you posted of when my dining options and shore excursions become available. Hopefully yours will come up before mine.

No problem! I appreciate the comments! Really, I usually figure out and plan our excursions. I'm a research-aholic. But excursions that have so many pieces to the excursion such as the Lamanai ruins excursion gives me a little pause. I'm not really sure about the tender time from Explora I to Belize City either. BTW...the last time we did this excursion the engine quit on our boat and they had to get another to come get us(cruise line excursion). It's about a 7-8 hour excursion problem or no. I've got a couple of excursion providers that seem to have a good reputation picked out if all else fails.

Thanks for the info! I have waited until closer to sailing day before and have had the excursion I really wanted to do completely sell out. So...I'm probably going to book what I want ASAP and let the chips fall where they may. Ok thanks! I don't see how to do that. I can see plenty of mostly Mediterranean and Western Europe excursion that are available along 25 excursions that are a mix of Columbia and eastern Caribbean.

Thanks for the info! I just checked excursions....none for my ports BUT there are NOW some for the Caribbean itineraries before ours. I guess some will become available eventually....

Hi! Again! So....I can assume Explora has excursions at each port of call? I'm a little less than nine months out and no excursions showing up on Explora website for my cruise. Are excursions eventually available to book on their site? Anyone actually BOOKING excursions thru Explora? My cruise features Key West, Cayman Brac, Cozumel, and Belize City. I'm not interested in Key West or Cozumel....I'll take care of those. Cayman Brac...never been. Would like to see what Explora has. Belize City is the main concern. Want to go Lamanai Ruins...again. So many pieces to that excursion I really don't want to go the independent route....tender...bus/van...boat...boat...bus/van....tender. What timeframe do excursion typically start showing up for booking?....assuming they will. When....these new to me cruise lines are wearing me out! 🤪

One thing is for sure...in my experience MIA is about the WORST too!

Appreciate the responses! I ended up booking a 2:30 flight out of MIA. A few times I have been glad we booked flights in the afternoon. Things have happed to me as well...ship get to port an hour later than anticipated...immigration dragging their feet...accident between us and the airport...it all CAN happen and sometimes does. I wasn't sure how things went with Explora....but I'm okay with what I booked.

Quick question! My itinerary says Explora I arrives back to MIA at 7AM. Any reason we couldn't be on our way to the airport by 8AM? Thank you!

I'm thankful for the sparkling wine I get. We get OJ and make mimosas. Heck, I'm on a cruise!

When is your cruise Gary?

Not soon enough!😃 Seriously, 03/07/25! Everyone come along!

We have never really been "loyal" to any particular cruise line. We alway go with what works best with the time I can get off for vacation and try not to duplicate itineraries. I don't like standing in lines and I like to have sodas/water/beer/etc in my fridge in our cabin as I would at home without having to "work" the system. Last requirement is two lounge chairs on our balcony with a table and two table chairs. Nothing different than I have at home. Sounds simple! Not so on a cruise ship! LOL So to get all that(not really that much, IMO) we've been mostly in HAL Pinnacle suites, Royal Star Class, and NCL Haven(working the system for drinks and careful to book suites with loungers/tables). Star Class prices have increased to a point that is ridiculous. Pinnacles suites don't really have the service you pay for, and with NCL one has to really purchase "Free at Sea Plus" to include WATER in ones drink package! LOL! Water! So this lead us to either Virgin Mega Rock Star OR right HERE with Explora. Deciding between Virgin and Explora took me several days(weeks?/Months?) to decide. As with any decision you really CAN'T get everything one wants but you can come pretty close. Both are really lacking a little with the bathroom area. Two sinks should be standard with an over $10,000 suite. So equal here. Suite storage...It looks as if Explora is definitely a step up here. Virgin looks to have better entertainment. Explora has so many pool areas, NICE! So it came down to itinerary as it does many times. I didn't want to go to San Juan three times in a row no matter how much I like it! So we took the 8-day Cozumel. Belize City(haven't been here in a while), Cayman Brac(never been), and Key West(love Key West!) itinerary. Really looking forward to this cruise! Next up is HAL Rotterdam though which should prove to be a nice cruise!

We are going to give it a shot! I think it's going to be a good cruise!

Hey, I just wanted you to know that your info was so helpful, I just booked it! I let go a NCL AF PH for this! Any other pointers you'd care to share? Thank you!