For all questions regarding Explora

[TER777]

All the restaurants are currently opening 18:30 (6:30pm). At the start of the journey, Med Yacht was 7pm (19:00) but it was adjusted due to the increased numbers on board. It’s also open for lunch on sea days; Sakura on both port and sea days. 

[AtA]

6 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

The self service laundry is open 24 hours 

 

Here’s where I got that info from (off one of the 12 Explora Journeys FB groups I’ve seen) and it includes the operating hours of many of the facilities 

 

There’s a ton of info out there right now on social media - I think most are quite capable of judging the validity and independence of material - personally I just look at the pictures from around the ship and pictures of menus etc as they are factual with editorial commentary 

 

Is this the schedule for a port day or a sea day?

[dolls123]

17 minutes ago, TER777 said:

All the restaurants are currently opening 18:30 (6:30pm). At the start of the journey, Med Yacht was 7pm (19:00) but it was adjusted due to the increased numbers on board. It’s also open for lunch on sea days; Sakura on both port and sea days. 

Thanks

[dolls123]

6 hours ago, TER777 said:

In case anyone wants to know when the laundry is open, 24 hours. Decks 9 and 10. 2 washer/dryers each. +1 ironing board. 2 comfy seats for those choosing to wait. Note: the machines speak European, not North American. North Americans may need an interpreter. Shorter people may need the assistance of a taller person for the dryer controls. Soap pellets are in the basket on the shelf. Instruction manuals for the machines are in the back of the lowest shelf in the cabinet. Be very cautious if you bend down to get one, as not everyone entering the laundry room looks through the window in the door to check for bodies. Left handed ironers might also find themselves blocking the doorway. 

Thanks

[Nunagoras]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

On this thread I am referring to post #17. Which reads exactly as you state. 9 pm and 6:30 pm for dinner. Kind of late for those of us accustomed to earlier dinner times. We enjoy 5:30 in the MSC Yacht Clubs. I fear if this is the case it will be one and done as we are already paid in full $36,100 for our cruise this year. Thank goodness our $23,200 cruise in 2024 is later and we will decide after this first one if it will be back to MSC Yacht Club for us.

Bear in mind that the ship is currently in the Nordic Sea where usually even MSC has sort of later times to enjoy; and that they are in "soft opening" time. By the times you cruise they might to have that fixed out for you, considering even the possible different demographics sailing by sailing.

[frogfish12]

@uktog Sorry to hear they are holding your money hostage, hopefully it's returned very soon. I read you have 2 more Explora cruises when is the next one? Did you try to cancel after they canceled the inaugural?

 

@TER777 Are you on the ship now? Approx how long is the wait for Med Yacht the MDR, has it improved by moving the opening time to 6:30pm? Someone wrote earlier about 30 mins in line. Is the MDR and buffet crowded? for the buffet do you have to find an empty table yourself? Thanks very much 

 

Surprised there are 750 on board, is there a big number of non-paying guests? Checked the schedule, I think this is the 3rd departure (Aug 1, Aug 8 and Aug 15) and tomorrow there's a 3 day cruise 

 

Thank you to everyone posting the helpful info!!

[uktog]

@frogfish12 Our other cruises are in November, cancelling was going to incur significant penalties give the terms of trade they apply in the UK.  I would have cancelled given how we have been treated.

 

I will have a refund this week but only because the travel agent is paying it from their funds.  If I was waiting for Explora - or lets be honest MSC they are calling all the shots and treating guests like passers by on 6000 guest ships - the money would not be back until mid to end of September from a July cancellation.

[TER777]

1 hour ago, AtA said:

Is this the schedule for a port day or a sea day?

Port day

[daleandrews]

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

On this thread I am referring to post #17. Which reads exactly as you state. 9 pm and 6:30 pm for dinner. 

Just for the sake of clarity, there is no restaurant listed in post #17 that opens for dinner at 9:00.  All of the restaurants listed according to that post open at either 6:30 or 7:00 p.m.  (For me, the only way I can decipher 24 hour clocks is by counting on my fingers!) 🙂 

[TER777]

41 minutes ago, frogfish12 said:

@TER777 Are you on the ship now? Approx how long is the wait for Med Yacht the MDR, has it improved by moving the opening time to 6:30pm? Someone wrote earlier about 30 mins in line. Is the MDR and buffet crowded? for the buffet do you have to find an empty table yourself? Thanks very much 

 

Surprised there are 750 on board, is there a big number of non-paying guests? Checked the schedule, I think this is the 3rd departure (Aug 1, Aug 8 and Aug 15) and tomorrow there's a 3 day cruise 

 

Thank you to everyone posting the helpful info!!

I’ve not encountered any lines since early on on the cruise but the restaurants are on multiple floors so it may just be happenstance. 
 

There is no MDR. 

 

In the Emporium MarketPlace, you seat yourself. There are several different seating areas giving the feel of comfortably sized spaces with the food stations in the middle. No one has mentioned having a difficulty in finding a table. 
 

There are a few media types on board but overall I think most everyone is a paying passenger. I don’t have any inside info re however. 

Edited August 20, 2023 by TER777

[Hlitner]

I think later dining times are the norm on many luxury lines.  For example, on Seabourn the Restaurant (MDR) and Colonnade (lido) do not even open until 7pm.  And many do not consider dining that early.  

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, Nunagoras said:

Bear in mind that the ship is currently in the Nordic Sea where usually even MSC has sort of later times to enjoy; and that they are in "soft opening" time. By the times you cruise they might to have that fixed out for you, considering even the possible different demographics sailing by sailing.

You always give me hope. Thank you for being such a valuable CC contributor.

[AtA]

3 hours ago, TER777 said:

Port day

So basically no activities. Not even trivia! For those prices I'd expect more than what they're showing!

[TER777]

Somewhere was the question as to whether there are guest entertainers. Yes, there are. This evening for instance is Kayleigh Stephenson from the West End. So far musical every evening. No comedians, magicians or the like. 
 

I heard the headcount increases tomorrow for the 3 days from Hamburg to Southampton.

[cruisr]

No trivia?  That’s sad.

[Whipsnade]

So what will the headcount be? What is it now?  We are getting on board in Southampton and anticipating a half full ship. 

[TER777]

4 minutes ago, cruisr said:

No trivia?  That’s sad.

There was trivia today, sea day: “Let’s Get Quizzical”. 

[Nunagoras]

56 minutes ago, TER777 said:

Somewhere was the question as to whether there are guest entertainers. Yes, there are. This evening for instance is Kayleigh Stephenson from the West End. So far musical every evening. No comedians, magicians or the like. 
 

I heard the headcount increases tomorrow for the 3 days from Hamburg to Southampton.

Soft, but high quality entertainment would be what I expect at that cruising level. Want the loud Broadway or Vegas shows? Pick the mega ships. Nothing against, but at Explora's level it is to get things easy and relaxed at top quality.

 

As per the headcount, great, but there is something calling my attention from quite awhile on Explora. While most luxe lines use to make mostly 14+ nights cruises, Explora, while having some long exploration cruises of some good 20+ nights and transatlantic crossings, many to not say most of their cruises for the next 2 years in raw seem to fall on the 4-11 night range, that is to permit just a quick getaway or a short holiday for the ones that actually do have a job at a top luxury level, living at reasonable distance from embarkation and debarkation ports. I'm starting to getting it that Explora's market point distinctive is actually a niche of its own nobody else really provides: To provide top cruising to a younger top affluent clientele and for those ones whom otherwise wouldn't ever know that other side of the cruising's force... I'm out of cruising for some 5 years in raw, partially because of what everyone know, so actually I have saved money for such a special moment one. Let's see if in the next weeks if all the "angels" join together so that Lisbon-Barcelona will be my next cruise for June 2024!... I only need such an hour and a half flight to return home at the end from Barcelona. Quite easy and relatively affordable. The end price of the trip is wonderful for the segment. I wouldn't perhaps to partake on shore excursions once I have long traveled the region.

 

And for the ones anxious on the Marketplace offerings; as per the few photos and videos I have seen from there it's quite possible that if I ever go, I'll likely to have all my meals from there!...

[Nunagoras]

Permit me to add a review from a Portuguese influencer which is by far the most accurate review I have read to date. It is in Portuguese, of course, but Google Translate can be your best friend.

 

O meu Cruzeiro de Luxo a bordo do EXPLORA I (desde Copenhaga à incrível Reiquiavique) | Blog dos Cruzeiros

 

Summary:

Beautiful ship.

Top luxury service.

Wonderful cuisine.

Marketplace is a star of its own. Well: My impression is that whom knows "Gourmet Experience" at Lisbon's or any Spanish "El Corte Inglés) pretty much has an idea of what the venue is about.

Little "poor" entertainment (in his opinion. Maybe, maiden voyage bug?)

Extremely expensive shore excursions with no distinctiveness from mainstream line ones (again Maiden voyage bug?)

[sweetsailing]

Regarding dining options, is there no way to get a salad or burger while at the pool? I saw that Sakura offers bento boxes poolside, but I’m not so crazy about that option. I’d prefer not to have to get dressed to go to one of the restaurants while I’m in the middle of sunbathing.  On other ships, they allow you to order room service and have it delivered to the pool.  Is this an option? 

[TER777]

Turnaround day today in Hamburg. About 500 got off and 500 on so we’ll continue at ~750. 
 

I find the quality of the entertainment excellent. However, variety is missing. 

[TER777]

10 hours ago, sweetsailing said:

Regarding dining options, is there no way to get a salad or burger while at the pool? I saw that Sakura offers bento boxes poolside, but I’m not so crazy about that option. I’d prefer not to have to get dressed to go to one of the restaurants while I’m in the middle of sunbathing.  On other ships, they allow you to order room service and have it delivered to the pool.  Is this an option? 

I asked. Room service only delivers food to your suite.
 

During MarketPlace hours, the pool area deck stewards can get food for you from MP. Note, I asked this question at the pool just outside the restaurant. I don’t know that it applies to pools further away- I would guess not. 

[CruisinMommas]

What is served in Cafe Crema? Is that a place I should spend very little time or fly through fast?

Are they showing anything on the big screen that I saw pictured under the glass dome?

Do they play movies on television? We like to relax in our cabin and on our balcony. I might try the pool on this cruise. I had more questions but they have left my mind at the moment.😏

[Waltershipman]

On 8/19/2023 at 10:07 AM, Whipsnade said:

We will be on board 8/24 and will give full report. 
We are not TAs or “influencers”. Just love to cruise. Have been on over 100 cruises in last 30 years, many on Crystal. Also Regent, Cunard. Silver Sea and Seabourn. 
Doubt ports will change due to small bookings. These are booked two years in advance. Doubt there will be cancellations from low bookings. I have been on ships with 30% occupancy. Explora trying to attract new customers. They have very deep pockets. Not to worry on that score. 
Although you cannot make more than one booking per specialty restaurant in advance I am sure once on board there will be plenty of options especially if ship less than 80% occupied. 
So far I hear only good things from folks on board. 
Better book now and take advantage of lower rates. We booked a year ago and costing half for comparable cabin on other luxury ships. Supply and demand!!

Good luck. 

Love your post i will be on October sailing and am not a TA nor anything else other than a cruise lover with also over 100 cruises ranging ftom Carnival to Seabourn to Silvet Sea Crystal Celebrity and many more. I too will post reports.  So far looks delightfully great

[nancygp]

21 hours ago, Hlitner said:

I think later dining times are the norm on many luxury lines.  For example, on Seabourn the Restaurant (MDR) and Colonnade (lido) do not even open until 7pm.  And many do not consider dining that early.  

On my recent Odyssey cruise, the colonnade opened at 6:30 daily and the restaurant opened at 6:30 or 6;45

 

on my april ovation cruise, these restaurants opened at 7pm

 

nancy