Awful experience on Marella Explorer

[Jayneykul]

We returned from a week on Explorer 27.10.23. Thought we would wait until we had a response to an official complaint from TUI before leaving a bad review but as they have now sent an email basically saying sorry you had a bad time goodbye we will do so. We were on the ill fated flight from Leeds Bradford on 20.10.23 that didn’t get us off to a good start but after that it was all downhill.
Cabin issues blocked toilet, very tatty no place to store suitcases, constant knocking from cabin steward at night from around 6 pm despite several times asking for him not to. 

restaurant issues - 1st night (2nd for everyone else) dining club excellent. Next 2 nights main restaurant - given bleeper 1.5 hours wait, food so poor we couldn’t consider going in there again. We had breakfast in there 1 morning the service and food really poor. Experience in the tapas in the evening not great buffet like school dinners in the evening

Entertainment during the day non existent, night very very poor Harlequin was at the airport going home which was the 1st time we saw him

Kotor was missed altogether which appreciate not their fault but did the captain really need to wait till 9am before announcing it when everyone had already had refunds for their trips the night before? Then to make 3 more announcements to say still deciding what to do …really you are still thinking about it 🧐

we had booked a private tour of an island in Dubrovnik having been there several times before but the news letter said departure 3.30 so we had to cancel then the captain announced at 9.40am he was delaying departure until 5.30 thanks for that

other matters, reception staff bordering on ignorant. 1 pool towel each for an entire week. Never any glasses in glasshouse serving drinks in plastic beakers. 
for a company that doesn’t even offer a loyalty programme it’s totally unsatisfactory 

we won’t be booking anymore with TUI there are plenty of other lines offering a much better product for the same cost of a much higher standard

 

[Brummijam]

This is not having a pop at you but what were you expecting from TUI  when you put in your official complaint..? 
From an outsider looking in you haven’t got anything that you wanted from TUI so you are venting your spleen on here.  If they had refunded the cost of your holiday because of your gripes would you have left such a damning review……….. I doubt it.

We did a trip on Explorer 2 earlier this year and it wasn’t the best regarding food,service, experience but at the end of the day you get what you pay for and you shouldn’t expect gold service for a brass fare. As you say “ there are plenty of other lines “ so it’s up to you where you spend your money.

[Jayneykul]

In actual fact I would have come on here even if Marella had refunded some money as I was shocked at just how poor this cruise was having had an excellent time last year. I would have included thought that my complaint had been dealt with well and even handedly. When you say a brass fare I don’t consider it was, it was 2xs the price of 2 P&O cruises I have just been on which were really good 100% better than this one and that is taking into account the drinks bill at the end etc. I agree I didn’t and shouldn’t expect gold service but this was far worse than that it was dreadful. I felt sorry for all the first time cruisers on it