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Pictures Explorer May 2019

Thorben-Hendrik
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grapau27

grapau27

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Posted
1 hour ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Exactly! How long do you have to use totally worn out lounge chairs? 😱

Missing and filthy elevator buttons 🙄

They can't put a tape over a crack? 🤔

The Solarium Lounger - Mats torn and worn... but hard go get in a picture as the loungers are in use all the time... 🙄

This is a case where you would be justified in stopping your gratuities and being selective in who you give cash to.

Thanks for posting the photos which are an eye- opener and I hope the ships condition doesn't stop you having a great cruise.

Graham.

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sisocialworker

sisocialworker

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5 hours ago, cruisekap said:

Ok.  So I am booked on Explorer in October.  I will have to ignore the obvious maintenance issues as I can't rebook something else now as I have flights etc. already booked.

 

  What was the service and food like?  I assume the was normal Royal offerings.

please do a live report thread  with pictures when you sail..thanks

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Thorben-Hendrik

Thorben-Hendrik

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Just now, grapau27 said:

This is a case where you would be justified in stopping your gratuities and being selective in who you give cash to.

Thanks for posting the photos which are an eye- opener and I hope the ships condition doesn't stop you having a great cruise.

Graham.

It sure doesn't make the cruise bad.... but it is sad to see how RCI is just trying to cut corners where they can and customer satisfaction is just a scam! 👎😱

The cancellations and Re-deployments show they do not care about their customers - money rules! 💵🤑💰💸🙄😨

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grapau27

grapau27

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1 minute ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

It sure doesn't make the cruise bad.... but it is sad to see how RCI is just trying to cut corners where they can and customer satisfaction is just a scam! 👎😱

The cancellations and Re-deployments show they do not care about their customers - money rules! 💵🤑💰💸🙄😨

I agree.

I nearly booked a couple of short cruises on Independence for next year but fortunately booked Allure for next June out of Barcelona.

I was going to wait a week and look closer at Indy but fortunately someone posted on here about Independence cruises being cancelled from Southampton next year.

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peterhof

peterhof

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Posted (edited)
20 hours ago, cruisekap said:

Ok.  So I am booked on Explorer in October.  I will have to ignore the obvious maintenance issues as I can't rebook something else now as I have flights etc. already booked.

 

  What was the service and food like?  I assume the was normal Royal offerings.

Hi - it's Paul here,

Don't worry in the least about these images as there is a good reason behind them, which I will explain later. The cruise that we are both on in October will be fabulous on Explorer, I promise.

 

Now for my take on the possible reasons regarding the images, which lets face it, are alien to regular cruisers with Royal. At the outset, let me say that we have no idea if the ship has had sickness aboard recently, because American ships have no duty to report that unless the next port is in either the USA or one of their protectorates, like Puerto Rica. Therefore lots of the maintenance crew could be ill.

 

Explorer has been sailing for months in extremely hot climates, calling at ports where new supplies of sun beds and double glazed large panels are not available.

 

After leaving Dubai for the transit through the Suez Canal, there were many sea days when certain maintenance jobs could not be carried out, normally done during the early 'am' hours. That was because after leaving Oman waters, passing Aden and entering hostile known pirate waters, past Somalia and Yemen, (where this a war going on) and then cruising past Saudi Arabia, on the way to the Suez Canal, the ship was obliged to be at full alert for pirates and unlit at night.

 

On top of all that, whilst in European waters, many of the crew and equipment will be replaced, including let's hope, the officers responsible for the upkeep of the items in the images.

 

By the time of our cruise, indeed all of the Southampton cruises, all cabins will be equipped with a kettle and tea/coffee making equipment and the ship will be in as A1 condition as possible and up to the usual 'Royal' standard. What nobody should forget is that apart from the huge competition at Southampton, regular EU and UK standards inspections are held, to safeguard EU citizens. In many ways, ships based at UK and European ports, such as Barcelona and Amsterdam, are better inspected for health and conditions, than in Miami or Ft Lauderdale.

 

However, after saying all that, I am on the Indy in six days time and will show the images to a maintenance officer for him to comment on. Should I see similar evidence of bad maintenance like this, on the Indy or Explorer, I will post my own images on CC

 

Edited by peterhof
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cruisekap

cruisekap

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That is good to know.  Plus I don't know how systemic the problem is by looking at a few photos. After all, it is a large ship. I actually have been on several ships directly before refurbishment and while I could tell that it was due I never saw the wear/tear that are in these photos. As you know, I too am on Explorer in October and will have first hand experience.  

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brillohead "Live from...." Rare

brillohead

Posted
Posted (edited)
17 hours ago, grapau27 said:

This is a case where you would be justified in stopping your gratuities and being selective in who you give cash to.

Thanks for posting the photos which are an eye- opener and I hope the ships condition doesn't stop you having a great cruise.

Graham.


Who the heck are you going to cheat out of their income because of random outdoor maintenance issues?  Your waiter?  Assistant waiter?  Cabin steward?

Last I checked, your cabin steward isn't in charge of painting the pool!  

Edited by brillohead
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Mikew0805

Mikew0805

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, grapau27 said:

This is a case where you would be justified in stopping your gratuities and being selective in who you give cash to.

Thanks for posting the photos which are an eye- opener and I hope the ships condition doesn't stop you having a great cruise.

Graham.

Wait a second.. I am not flaming here, just curious. How are the things that the OP posted related to the gratuities? Not sure they have anything to do with the Cabin Steward, or the Dining team? I am lost as to why removing their gratuities, if they are providing their services, would be appropriate?

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Mikew0805

Mikew0805

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11 minutes ago, brillohead said:


Who the heck are you going to cheat out of their income because of random outdoor maintenance issues?  Your waiter?  Assistant waiter?  Cabin steward?

Last I checked, your cabin steward isn't in charge of painting the pool!  

Oops.. I should have kept reading before I posted.  Sorry. 

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
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1 hour ago, brillohead said:


Who the heck are you going to cheat out of their income because of random outdoor maintenance issues?  Your waiter?  Assistant waiter?  Cabin steward?

Last I checked, your cabin steward isn't in charge of painting the pool!  

CS, assistant waiter and waiter are the must tip crew members.

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brillohead "Live from...." Rare

brillohead

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20 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

CS, assistant waiter and waiter are the must tip crew members.


So I don't understand your comment about stopping the gratuities... these are maintenance issues, not tipping/service issues.  

 

 

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grapau27

grapau27

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3 minutes ago, brillohead said:


So I don't understand your comment about stopping the gratuities... these are maintenance issues, not tipping/service issues.  

 

 

The op regularly posts suggestions on not auto tipping and my comment was based on the poor condition of the ship as seen on his photos.

I said he should be selective on cash tips (which traditionally are for CS, assistant waiter and waiter).

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palks

palks

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Hey All,

 

We have been on Explorer since sailing Sydney29 March  and I can say that OP must have been looking for all the things that looked tired, as I simply haven't notice it.  Yes, the ship is due for a refit, but as I said, I haven't noticed what was shown in the photos..I must walk around with my eyes closed.  And even if I did notice them, it would take nothing away from the fantastic 40 plus nights we have had on here.  And the main reason for the great time....the crew.  They all appear happy, engaged and nothing is too much trouble for them.

 

As someone who has spent years at sea with my employment, am sure you could find something like is in the photos on every ship if you went and looked for it.  And if your looking for it...your forgetting to relax and have a holiday!

 

 

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Sancho_proudfoot

Sancho_proudfoot

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I also thought the OP was looking specifically for such things, which amounted to 6 or 7 items. Would a few clouded panes of glass spoil a cruise?

 

The sagging plastic slatted sunbeds ate common, seen them on Indy, Mariner, Freedom.........

 

I'm not worried ahead of boarding in 10 weeks.

Edited by Sancho_proudfoot
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Thorben-Hendrik

Thorben-Hendrik

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Posted (edited)
7 hours ago, peterhof said:

Explorer has been sailing for months in extremely hot climates, calling at ports where new supplies of sun beds and double glazed large panels are not available.

Sydney?🤔Singapur?🤔Dubai?🤔Barcelona?🤔 All have no supplies?😱

Edited by Thorben-Hendrik
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