Explorer South Pacific Cruise

[Rusty1963]

Hope you can help - we've recently booked an 11 night South Pacific cruise for Dec 16. We have been assigned JS 9284 and wonder if any members have stayed in that cabin?

 

Are the formal nights really formal or can I get away with pants and a smart shirt. I wear a suit all week and would prefer not to on holiday.

 

Many thanks

[Merion_Mom]

Hope you can help - we've recently booked an 11 night South Pacific cruise for Dec 16. We have been assigned JS 9284 and wonder if any members have stayed in that cabin?

 

Are the formal nights really formal or can I get away with pants and a smart shirt. I wear a suit all week and would prefer not to on holiday.

 

Many thanks

 

You can most assuredly "get away" with pants and a smart shirt. No one seems to care any more, least of all the cruise line.

 

9284 is "just another JS". It's a great cabin, but there is nothing remarkable about it. It is just like every other JS on the Explorer, with an ordinary size balcony because it is on the side of the ship.

 

If you want to see pictures, google images is your friend.

[Merion_Mom]

And WELCOME to Cruise Critic. :)

[Rusty1963]

And WELCOME to Cruise Critic. :)

 

Thank you Merion Mom

[Aussie FF]

Hi Rusty.

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

We did B2B on Ex in February,

Just down from your stateroom.

Love the size and double points.:D

 

Cheers

[Rusty1963]

Cool - looks like you enjoy your trips at sea. This is our first of hopefully many!

[The Scurvy Pirate]

For anyone going on the December 2016 11 night South Pacific cruise, could you possibly post the cruise compasses? I am going later in 2017 and was hoping to get some ideas.

[The Scurvy Pirate]

A bump just so anyone going on the 11 night cruise might post copies of the cruise compass.

[Rusty1963]

Sorry, just back from 11 night cruise on Explorer - unfortunately it looks like our copies of the cruise compass have accidentally gone in the bin!!

 

Had a fantastic time - spent 2 days in Port Vila, Vanuatu instead of Fiji - we were redirected due Bad weather and a potential cyclone over Fiji.

 

Great entertainment particularly the headline acts.

 

Food good in Winjammer and always managed to find a table. Learnt that if you snoozed you loose very quickly although waiters always on hand to find a spot. Waiters constantly clearing tables and serving drinks. Food and service good in the main dining and excellent in Chops Grille. Enjoyed Izumi but less impressed with the Italian.

 

Despite there being hundreds of children on board (including our 14 year old) there was plenty of space around the pools and other decks.

 

Now looking forward to our next Cruise on the Ovation!!

 

Think we are now hooked :)

[hollykimalan]

Thanks for posting so soon. We leave on our the 3rd of January!!

[Rusty1963]

I'm sure you will have as good a time as we did - enjoy

[bertrande]

Thanks for the review. Did you enjoy the ports? We were on her sister Mariner early December and much preferred the Italian (urgh I can't remember the name off hand since I'm lying in bed at 5 in the morning but it's not Jamie's. Ours was _____'s table) to Chops.

 

 

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[Oak Hill Cruisers]

Enjoy that crazy Brit Graham Seymore as your cruise director. He does these hilarious morning shows with inventive videos.

[BekkaW]

Thanks for the review. Did you enjoy the ports? We were on her sister Mariner early December and much preferred the Italian (urgh I can't remember the name off hand since I'm lying in bed at 5 in the morning but it's not Jamie's. Ours was _____'s table) to Chops.

 

 

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I'm pretty sure it's Giovanni's

[bertrande]

I'm pretty sure it's Giovanni's

 

 

Yes it was! Lol for the life of me the name just stayed at the tip of my tongue. Giovanni's Table it is. Thanks!

 

 

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[Rusty1963]

Sorry for the delay in replying.

 

Yes, we really enjoyed the Ports. Booked excursions through RCL as we were first timers. Disembarkation at all Ports was easy and no passports or other ID required.

 

Cannot comment on Lautoka or Suva as the weather redirected us to Port Vila, Vanuatu 🇻🇺

 

Excursions in Fiji were cancelled and automatically refunded to our Sea Pass account. Rebooked excursions on the TV in our stateroom.

 

In Port Vila we took a 1960's sailing boat trip to a coral beach to snorkel. Loads of fish, eels and Coral mostly in good shape.

 

Second day in Port Vila went Ziplining with my 14 yr old whilst my wife had some pampering in the Spa.

 

Also loads of taxis and mini buses to take you from the port into town - cost around AUD10.

 

Really good duty free port

 

Mare was then by tender - left on one if he first tenders - no queuing getting off ship or returning. Paid AUD15 pp for the bus ride to the beach - get there early if you want shade. Plenty of stalls set up behind the beach selling food, drink and the usual souvenirs.

 

Last stop was Noumea- booked the trip to Amedee island which was about 45 mins away by fast ferry. Fantastic beach with snorkelling, great buffet and glass bottom boat trip included in price. Saw plenty of fish turtles and a few sea snakes - venomous but pretty harmless!! Trip was expensive but good value for money.

 

Hope this helps

[tingyyy]

Thanks for the info.

 

I'll be going on a south pacific cruise on the explorer too, early next year. Mine is a 10-nighter, but i suspect the itinerary will be similar to yours.

 

Did you visit Mystery Island and Isle of Pines? If so, I would love to know what you did there and whether the ports were tender ports.

 

Also - i saw some mention of Graham Seymour somewhere in the thread. Was he your CD and do you know if he will be staying on till next year? I had him as CD, also on the explorer, in Oct '15 and he was a hoot.

[Rusty1963]

Hi Tingyyy

 

The cruise was originally diverted from Fiji to Port Vila and Mystery Island, however as the illusive tropical weather depression (cyclone)started moving towards Vanuatu, mystery island was cancelled as the forecasted swell was deemed outside parameters for safe use of the tenders- hence we spent 2 days at Port Vila - Unfortunately Isle of Pines was not on the itinerary.

 

Good news - Graham Seymour remains on board until around July 2017, then in the words of the great man "he's off".

 

If Patrick McMahon (think that's his name) is still one of the headliners he's not to be missed- he's a singer come impersonator with loads of energy!!

 

Enjoy your cruise 🚢