EXPLORA II

JUNE

My husband and I just got home from the best vacation we have ever taken. We spent 7 wonderful days cruising from Barcelona to Rome. The ship is magnificent and the entire staff is the absolute best!!! We loved the layout of the room and never felt "crammed" and more than enough room for our clothes, accessories, toiletries, jewelry etc. One of my favorite things was the glass top on the dresser where I was able to put my jewelry, scarves, belts and even medicine where I could see it all "displayed". This made it so easy to get dressed and choose what accessories and jewelry to wear for the day and evening. I could sit and get ready while my husband was in the shower with plenty of room. The design of the rooms is brilliant!!! There are plenty of choices for meals and we enjoyed every one of the restaurants and room service options. My husband does not eat pork or shellfish and was able to find several choices every place we went. The only improvement would be to offer a night or two with a show. We were usually exhausted after a full day of touring then dinner and drinks. We watched a movie 2 nights and would have loved a theater type show but won't hesitate to book another trip on Explora!!!!

JUNE

I am a very loyal Regent customer so my basis of comparison is Regent. I do not think the food was quite as good on Explora II as it is on Regent. Also, Regent has more/better evening entertainment with their singing/dancing productions. We had a butler who was very nice but not very proactive. If I were to go on another Explora cruise, I probably would not spend the extra money to have a butler because having a butler did not really enhance my trip.

JUNE

The food in the specialty restaurants was fantastic.. The quality, selection service were all better than any ship I have been on. The food in the marketplace was also fantastic, with great selection ,quality and service. I have been on many many cruise and usually do not go to the shows. The entertaim=nment on this ship was far and away the best I have ever seen. The variety, the quality & the enjoyability were suburb. Some of the standouts were the Resident Artists and Patricia the Chello player.

APRIL

This cruise line will definitely be winning awards for the excellent quaity of food, service, added value and overall luxury

JANUARY

Only suggestion for improvements would be the showers. Need another handrail on the black marble wall., Some of the common areas were super cold like the marketplace we always had to wear a sweater, written Instructions on how to use the main lighting in the room and how to use the espresso machine in the room. Signs needed for where the restrooms were on each floor. It didn’t even give you a direction which way to walk. Handrails needed to get into the atoll pool on 10th level as you’re stepping into the level where the pool loungers were near the pool. But everything else was just excellent! Food, staff suites, common areas, pools etc. I also like that we didn’t have to spend more dollars except the excursions.

JANUARY

We looked at land tours offered by Explora and decided to try one. As it turns out it was, in our opinion, way overpriced and a general disappointment. Outside of land tours, everything else was fantastic. One minor suggestion. The print on the staff name tags should be a larger typeface. In addition, it would be nice if the name tag included their country of origin.

NOVEMBER

I never thought I would rave about an almond croissant, but it was that good. That's just an example of the excellent food onboard. Pasta made fresh on board, gelato, Neapolitan pizza, wonderfully tender steaks, expertly cooked veggies, delicious fish, raw bar. The only dining venue that failed to amaze was Sakura, the Oriental restaurant. The service could not be improved in any way. Before you knew you needed something, it was there. Blew me away, and we've been on over 80 cruises. Onboarding and leaving were both quick and easy, well planned and efficient. The entertainment or lack thereof. Dance shows for 2 nights, a magician for one., this on a transatlantic crossing. All other evenings were the same singers, over and over again. We were there for 22 nights so you can imagine how tedious it was. Most people didn't even come to the shows.Not even a piano bar. The ship itself is lovely to look at, modern design, lots of polished chrome, shiny marble, muted browns, but I saw trip and fall hazards everywhere and indeed, I did fall. The grab bar in the shower is in the wrong place, off in a corner. Several people fell showering while the ship was in motion because there was nothing to hold on to. They were told about this with Explora I, but apparently the aesthetics of design are the priority. Also, there are unnecessary stairs without handrails. Maybe it's only four steps, but when a ship is in motion, it's nice to have something to grab onto. This is on Deck 5, leading to the coffee bar, and entering the Journey Lounge, where the shows are done. The only thing there is a glass wall that I clutched and left fingerprints all over. A similar problem is with the Conservatory pool. Nice steps to get into the pool, but to access the steps, one must navigate a maze of sharp edged, multi level lounges just waiting to stab you in the shins.

NOVEMBER

My wife and I sailed on the Explora II from Barcelona to Barcelona for 10 days starting the 6th of October 2024. We arrived at the dock 10 min prior to our appointed time. We were quickly greeted by a host of the ship, our luggage was quickly tagged and taken to be loaded and delivered to our room. We were then taken to a waiting area where we sat for about 10 min. We were then escorted by another host to the ship and directed to the ships lounge. Here we were officially checked, issued room keys and then allowed to go to our room. Total time was about 30 min. We found our room and was immediately greeted by our cabin attendant. Hey took a moment to acquaint us to our room. For the remainder of the cruise he was always available to take care of our needs. The room was very comfortable, well laid out, with plenty of closet space, drawers, hangars and other items that made the stay perfect. We never felt cramped or crowed. The bed was wonderful and we hard a small sofa to sit and watch a movie on. Plus room service was also nice in our room. The overall service on the ship was never an issue. Outstanding! The 5 restaurants, and the open buffet were absolutely divine. I was never disappointed in the amount, quality or selection. I felt like I was eating in a 5 star restaurant all the time, with fine china, table clothes and wonderful atmospheres. and the service was impeccable. We were very pleased and we are looking forward to returning for another Explora II cruise soon.

SEPTEMBER

I cannot wait to sail on Explora again and will do so. The creators obviously thought everything through and then delivered on their vision. Even the details were spectacular like repeated patterns in different materials...mirror, tile, leather and soothing color palettes. Avoided the normal cruise ship overdone schtick to convey "elegance"...this ship was by its essence elegant. Very international shipmates. Lots of things to do, including nothing in a most pleasant environment. Constant cleaning of every shiny surface by crew. Windex in the air. Suites were spacious and beautifully designed. Large balconies. Lots of light everywhere. Food in the restaurants was of a high quality, creative, and beautifully served and presented. This was the maiden voyage and I'd say they worked extraordinarily hard to make it a memorable experience for all who shared the voyage.

SEPTEMBER

I have nothing but superlatives to describe my week on Explora ll. The ship was gorgeous, immaculate, and filled with every amenity you could imagine or want. The crew was warm and welcoming, competent and always available to help. The dining was a delight; every restaurant offered imaginative menus and served delicious food and wine. The excursions on shore were small groups led by very knowledgeable local guides. I wouldn’t have changed a thing.