Pierfrancesco Vago - Please Read - You're Half Full Because - - -

[At Sea At Peace]

Seriously, we are MSC Yacht Club close to 10 B2B's, one recently, the first since Pandemic, the rest pre-2019 starting on Divina.

 

We have wanted to try Explora.  At first, the hype pricing was over the top.  Now, not so much, as some are almost equal to a sea ship MSC Yacht Club.

 

But reports of low occupancy of E1 and with E2 arriving, prices are way down.

 

You may wonder WHY?

 

I'll be direct. 

 

It is almost impossible to (after registering on EJ) to book a cruise on your ships in the normal industry manner on your website. 

 

It is the WORST cruise line (sea ships and luxury ships) to even attempt to book a cruise (and never mind a B2B). 

 

We have tried several times to book several cruises and it was so frustrating we said - nah, not worth it.

 

The website has so many flaws, but it is really 'management ignorance,' - as simple as 'can't enter phone country origin if USA (today)' is the new one; so one is stuck, frozen and out.. Almost all other fields have experienced the same in our attempts. 

 

We never can get to BOOK - CONFIRM & PAY.  We are tech savvy and experienced cruisers (MSC YC, NCL Haven, RCCL, CEL and DIS).

 

YOUR IT IS KILLING YOUR BRAND

 

We want to log in, select a cruise date and ship, look at the available staterooms, select and make a deposit.

 

Sir, this cannot be done for your cruise line.  That's a serious flaw.

 

It doesn't matter how beautiful your new ships are, how great your dining and entertainment experience is, how wonderful the smaller ports are that these ships can itinerary or how great your service on board is.

 

If we can't overcome the obstacles to even book a cruise on your ships, none of the above can happen.

 

Thank you.

 

MSC Seascape #52644639 - 18015 3/30/2024.

 

 

 

[Stickman1990]

Don’t you use a TA to book your cruises?

 

We never book directly with cruise lines as we get so many benefits from using our TA from their knowledge and incentives made available to us across all aspects of our travel 

[At Sea At Peace]

13 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

Don’t you use a TA to book your cruises?

 

We never book directly with cruise lines as we get so many benefits from using our TA from their knowledge and incentives made available to us across all aspects of our travel 

 

Well, I knew this would be the response from some. It's not what I referred to all. Hopefully, the below will help make such not about using a TA or booking your own cruise.  That is not the point at all that I was making. 

 

The OP appeared to clearly state that we trying to book cruises on Explora Journeys online on their platforms signed in as members.

 

QUOTE

 

"It is almost impossible to (after registering on EJ) to book a cruise on your ships in the normal industry manner on your website."

 

Specifically ~

 

1. Go to cruise line website.

 

2. Input dates, itineraries and ship or ships preferred and review results.

 

3. Select dates, ship and itinerary and view and select available staterooms from an interactive platform (by deck, stateroom class and price) and consider "all-inclusive" or other combined pre-booking packages.

 

4. Get immediate quote, generally an option to HOLD, or BOOK and make a deposit.

 

DONE.

 

So, the point is, compared to the ease of searching ships, itineraries, dates, staterooms, back-to-back staterooms on all of the other major cruise lines (even MSC, the sister large ship cruise platform to Explora Journeys), that it is impossible to do on the Explora Journeys website.

 

That's the point.
 

 

Edited May 12 by At Sea At Peace

[At Sea At Peace]

13 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

Don’t you use a TA to book your cruises?

 

We never book directly with cruise lines as we get so many benefits from using our TA from their knowledge and incentives made available to us across all aspects of our travel 

 

Now regarding your experience via Travel Agents and TA's in general.

 

I guess the phrase "to each his own" is appropriate. Very happy that it has worked for you and you enjoy it.

 

We, however, have never booked with a TA as we don't have the same needs as you might have. We don't need "their knowledge" (or really any incentives) "made available across all aspects of our travel" as we're quite capable from our experiences, from air or land travel, resorts and hotels pre and or post travel, excursions, day trips etc..

 

We travel a lot, land and sea, are tech savvy, enjoy the research planning the new trip or cruise.

 

Although, yes, some may use or choose to use or even prefer a TA, it is an old method that supported a real small number of ocean and luxury sea vessels and, with that, significantly less number of passengers per year.  Like comparing email to USPS delivered mail.

 

That has changed a lot ~

 

U.S. Cruise Market Report 2022-2026," by XXXXXXXXX, found agents' share of gross cruise booking fell to 52% in 2021 from 70% in 2019."

 

And was much higher prior to that ~

 

2017 Cruise Travel Report "Up to 82 percent of cruisers have stated that they tend to work with a travel agent when booking a cruise while18 percent of Cruisers say they never use agents."

 

Technology has changed all of that., especially with new cruisers.

 

"January 23, 2023. In its initial testing, XXXXXXXXX found that 91% of bookings were made via a mobile device and that the average age of customers was 36. Both statistics are appealing to cruise lines seeking to extend their passenger demographics."

 

[surmy555]

I do all my own research including the cabin I want. I'm very tech savvy and could book my own cruise if I wanted to. Instead I email my 30+ year TA who books it and provides me with OBC/Cash rebates of 5 to 10% depending on the cruise line. Why would I walk away from free money? During the pandemic we had multiple cruise cancelled and rebooked. She handled it all flawlessly with FCC's or refunds. I didn't spend any time and never lost a dime. But, to each his own. Happy Cruising!

[uktog]

I think this thread should be read by all cruise line decision makers because they need to understand a guest (not travel agent) perspective of what matters to them when choosing a cruise.  A significant proportion of guests at this point in the market are educated travellers for whom browsing and research is fundamental to their buying decision.  The agent only comes into play after that research if indeed at all.   This is particularly true for European guests where travel agencies are either remote internet operations or high street shops focused on selling package holidays and where you will wait some time to be served by a non knowledgable person.  

 

The problem is MSC and some other lines have got into bed with Seaware as their booking management software.  It is travel agent centric and does everything it can to keep the guest out of the information loop.  Other lines are finding the same problem with this software.

 

Here is a further example of how this management system wrecks the guest experience - buying shore excursions.  Yes, despite their costs, some of us want to buy excursions run by Explora.  Eventually after quite a few non sensical clicks (someone has forgotten the 3 clicks to a commitment byword of the noughties) I find the excursion I want.  

 

I am booked though a travel agent and as I have done in the past with other lines, I just want to book 2 excursions and pay for them using my credit card.  I cannot do that, I have to track down my agent to get them to pay for it and get the booking confirmed or, if I find the right agent on the phone I have to persuade them to take the payment direct.  So we add an unneccessary layer of interactions in the transaction because I am doing a "money thing" and all money things on Seaware cannot be done direct by the guest if an agent is involved.  

 

This is barking mad, Explora please decouple part of the software, let the guests browse options at their leisure and book their own shore excursions or other add ons without restrictions.

 

Until you do that, there are other much more customer friendly lines out there potential guests can go to.

Edited May 12 by uktog

[mnocket]

45 minutes ago, uktog said:

I think this thread should be read by all cruise line decision makers because they need to understand a guest (not travel agent) perspective of what matters to them when choosing a cruise.

So true.  It seems that customer facing IT is low man on the totem pole at most cruise lines.  It's hard to imagine that IT management could be so inept, therefore I'm led to believe that it must simply be a matter of underfunding and a complete lack of attention from corporate management.  Quality doesn't just happen - it's the result of diligent oversight.  I'm of the belief that corporate management isn't aware of how bad their customer facing IT systems are, and even worse, they don't really care.  Their focus seems to be exclusively on the shipboard experience.

[At Sea At Peace]

1 hour ago, surmy555 said:

I do all my own research including the cabin I want. I'm very tech savvy and could book my own cruise if I wanted to. Instead I email my 30+ year TA who books it and provides me with OBC/Cash rebates of 5 to 10% depending on the cruise line. Why would I walk away from free money? During the pandemic we had multiple cruise cancelled and rebooked. She handled it all flawlessly with FCC's or refunds. I didn't spend any time and never lost a dime. But, to each his own. Happy Cruising!

 

Never asked you to 'walk away from free money?  I also reiterated "to each his own."  

 

So, for those who believe this is something bad about travel agents, it is not.  A growing majority of all cruisers are doing it online, and 90% of new cruisers are doing it online.

 

If Explora Journeys had a functioning website, comparable to all others including MSC, those of us who want to specifically ~

 

1. Go to cruise line website.

 

2. Input dates, itineraries and ship or ships preferred and review results.

 

3. Select dates, ship and itinerary and view and select available staterooms from an interactive platform (by deck, stateroom class and price) and consider "all-inclusive" or other combined pre-booking packages.

 

4. Get immediate quote, generally an option to HOLD, or BOOK and make a deposit.

 

DONE.

 

So, the point is, compared to the ease of searching ships, itineraries, dates, staterooms, back-to-back staterooms on all of the other major cruise lines (even MSC, the sister large ship cruise platform to Explora Journeys), that it is impossible to do on the Explora Journeys website.

 

That's the point.

 

Such will not impact those of you who want to use a travel agent.  I've not suggested that you should be forced to book your own cruise online.  I suggested is that we should be able to.  Again, I just don't see how that impacts you or anyone else in any way?

 

[At Sea At Peace]

37 minutes ago, mnocket said:

So true.  It seems that customer facing IT is low man on the totem pole at most cruise lines.  It's hard to imagine that IT management could be so inept, therefore I'm led to believe that it must simply be a matter of underfunding and a complete lack of attention from corporate management.  Quality doesn't just happen - it's the result of diligent oversight.  I'm of the belief that corporate management isn't aware of how bad their customer facing IT systems are, and even worse, they don't really care.  Their focus seems to be exclusively on the shipboard experience.

 

I believe that you are totally correct.

 

I've sent, to the top management of Explora Journeys and to the BOD and CEO of MSC (parent) with the information presented here and via customer service emails regarding this, via emails that I've used and received replies (good contacts) the following ~.

 

CHALLENGE - I asked them to at least try to do a mock booking an Explora Journeys cruise online by themselves.  🤨  Then, hop over to MSC cruise line and try to do a mock booking in the Yacht Club.

[frankhi]

I book direct with EJ. I've been on one and booked and paid deposits for 4 more all online. I don't know what the problem is that you and others are having, just know that it is not universal. 

[RJ2002]

I just did a booking online and put it on hold.  Agree, seems to work for some of us.

 

edit:  have not attempted to pay, so not sure if that step works

Edited May 12 by RJ2002

[PaulMCO]

And wait until you book and your reservation disappears, later reappears and then disappears again.   No rhyme or reason.

 

If I want to look at a cruise on Explora to see availability and cabins, I will use one of the larger internet TA's that has a booking engine.  Apparently that connects to Explora seamlessly.

[frankhi]

3 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

And wait until you book and your reservation disappears, later reappears and then disappears again. 

That's another thing that has never happened to me. I have been making reservations since Jan 2023.

[travelwide]

If EJ is reading this, you need to have a different menu for each night. Not one menu for each restaurant. And please posters, don't tell me you were good for 14 days with one menu. I've read your post. No need to reply here. My message is to MSC management.

[2SailingNomads]

31 minutes ago, travelwide said:

If EJ is reading this, you need to have a different menu for each night. Not one menu for each restaurant. And please posters, don't tell me you were good for 14 days with one menu. I've read your post. No need to reply here. My message is to MSC management.

Totally agree!

[travelwide]

7 hours ago, 2SailingNomads said:

Totally agree!

Thank you. Quite a few people think one menu per restaurant is OK for a premium brand line. Waiting for new menu's and less TA' s on board to consider booking another EJ cruise. Very disappointed in the product.

[At Sea At Peace]

48 minutes ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

 

Found one!  😉  Have already given it a real workout - - as we get to the staterooms available - - by class and price and locations.

 

Yikes, Houston there is a problem with sales.  E1 for a couple of trips we're looking at for B2B to in essence create a Miami back to Miami 17N voyage has almost totally open and available OT1, OT2,  OT3, OT4 and the GTs blinking in red!  They'll have to push a real promotion to fill this ship.

 

 

[PaulMCO]

57 minutes ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

Yikes, Houston there is a problem with sales.  E1 for a couple of trips we're looking at for B2B to in essence create a Miami back to Miami 17N voyage has almost totally open and available OT1, OT2,  OT3, OT4 and the GTs blinking in red!  They'll have to push a real promotion to fill this ship.

 

 

You can call one of those TA's and they will structure a B2B and probably give you some On Board Credit, something Explora does not do directly.

 

It was that way last year too, now they have 2 ships to fill and and last year on Black Friday they had a 50% off sale on the OTs.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Posts violating CC rules about TAs have been removed:  you can't give any hint, including the type of building.  "Internet TA" is OK.  Just leave it at that.

[At Sea At Peace]

2 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

You can call one of those TA's and they will structure a B2B and probably give you some On Board Credit, something Explora does not do directly.

 

It was that way last year too, now they have 2 ships to fill and and last year on Black Friday they had a 50% off sale on the OTs.

 

Thanks.  Much appreciated.  Time to end the discussion, again.