WAAAYTOOO Posted November 20, 2022 Report Share Posted November 20, 2022 Recently booked this one as a casino comp. It will be our first true S2S. The only other S2S we did had an overnight between cruises but for this one, we will disembark SY on 1-21-23 and slide directly over to EX on the same day ! Yikes ! Hoping all goes well with all of that ! I will look to @Ampurp85 for guidance as she seems to be the S2S queen. We are on EX on this same itin 4-1-23 which will also be a casino comp. The last time we sailed on EX (reposition out of Bayonne) we hit a wicked nor’easter that caused all manner of mayhem. I believe that @BrianB was on that one with us ? Hopefully EX’s karma has improved and we will sail storm-free on both of these. cruisellama and teddy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianB Posted November 20, 2022 Report Share Posted November 20, 2022 @WAAAYTOOO Sorry, but I’ve never been on the Explorer…at least to the best of my recollection . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted November 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2022 11 minutes ago, BrianB said: @WAAAYTOOO Sorry, but I’ve never been on the Explorer…at least to the best of my recollection . Yikes. Sorry. I know it was one of you Jersey boys…picked the wrong one ! Lol BrianB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted November 20, 2022 Report Share Posted November 20, 2022 I will be getting off when you are getting on! My first ever casino comp offer that I didn't earn. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted January 5, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 YIPPEE ! We just won our first ever RoyalUp !! Moving from a 4B OVB to a J4 JS. Unfortunately we will not get double points since our original booking was single points, but I will be happy for the extra room !!! Since this was a casino comp, this was a cheap upgrade !! Very happy to know (first hand) that the process actually works !! Ampurp85, KristiZ, teddy and 1 other 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted January 5, 2023 Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 23 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said: YIPPEE ! We just won our first ever RoyalUp !! Moving from a 4B OVB to a J4 JS. Unfortunately we will not get double points since our original booking was single points, but I will be happy for the extra room !!! Since this was a casino comp, this was a cheap upgrade !! Very happy to know (first hand) that the process actually works !! Woohoo! Congrats! WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted January 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2023 While not a live blog, I thought I would jot down a few tidbits for this cruise. Today is day 7 of our 8 day itinerary. It is our first sea day on the way back to Miami. We visited Bonaire, Curacao and Aruba (or Aruber as Dan calls it). I have been pleasantly surprised at the condition of the ship It appears that most of the carpeting and interior furnishings had been refreshed fairly recently. Today at the Captains corner we were told that interiors would be refreshed again so I am hopeful that she will have even more new and fresh interiors when she returns from the upcoming dry dock. More about the dry dock later. I was also pleasantly surprised by the service on the ship. I did not feel that the crew is severely short-staffed. There are many veteran service staff onboard. I’m sure there are newbies too, but their inexperience did not overshadow the service experiences that I have read about on other ships. I mentioned (probably a different thread) a very noticeable vibration in what I assumed was the propulsion system but today at the Captains Corner, the Captain disputed the fact that there was a propulsion problem. Who are we to question him, so I will withdraw my speculative comment and mark it up to normal ship vibration. The crossing (from Miami to Spain) will not be a revenue sailing. Explorer will pick up contractors in Miami, who will begin repairs/renovations during the crossing. Then the first sailing out of dry dock will similarly not be a revenue sailing but will continue final renovations. Unfortunately, I did not get the date of the first revenue sailing. I could look it up but too lazy right now. I am realizing a newfound appreciation for the Voyager class. It’s been many years since we sailed on a Voyager class ship and I had forgotten how intimate cruising feels. I’ve enjoyed it very much. We will be back on Explorer April 1 for the exact same itinerary we are now on. It will be fun to see what gets changed during the dry dock. Which brings me back to the greater dry dock discussion. The Captain confirmed that the ship will be getting a water slide. Not water slideS but A water slide. There were no more details. He also confirmed that there would be new carpeting and furnishings but did not say if all cabins would receive this or just the cabins in need. Rumor: the sauna and steam rooms will be removed. This would be not be surprising as the other Voyager and Freedom class ships have suffered this fate. I guess we will find out April 1. More later if there’s anything worth passing on. Curt From Canada, Sweety and Ampurp85 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted January 28, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 A couple of things I forgot in the dry dock/Captains Corner discussion Starlink antennas have already been installed on Explorer. The cabling and associated peripherals will be installed during dry dock. Personally, I have found the internet to be surprisingly consistent on this sailing and we’ve had some pretty rough seas at points throughout this cruise. Not sure if Starlink is going to be a + or - but I’ll find out on 4-1-23. A rather odd but interesting question at the Captains Corner. The Captain confirmed that the Masters of the Vessels can (and do) perform legal marriage ceremonies at sea. The captain said he had married more than 40 couples over the years. Ampurp85 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulaAnn Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 We are booked on Explorer March 18 for the 8 day! Was nervous to hear the ship is now in dry dock. Hopefully all goes as planned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted February 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 It is my understanding that the first revenue sailing for EX will be 3-11-23. That gives you a 1-week buffer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted February 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 Here are some fact sheets we got at the Captain's Corner. PPPJJ-GCVAB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAYNO Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 ... We've cruised Explorer multiple times and very much like this ship. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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