Explorer of the Seas
Sail date:
Well, this was our fourth cruise vacation, and the first on RCI. We were certainly not disappointed.The embarkation process went extremely smooth. I am impressed with how well RCI processed over 3,100 passengers in a very short time, and we did not feel we had been rushed. The lady at the purser's office was very helpful. She advised us on a number of tips that proved very helpful.For the whole week of crusing, we had encountered "non-favorable" weather. It was quite windy, and the ship was actually 5 hours late arriving at the USVI. The only disappointment was the tour to Trunk Bay, which was cancelled due to the weather. We managed to get there ourselves. But I think the experience would have been a lot more enjoyable if we had gone on the tour instead.I cannot give higher praise to RCI for the various shows. Night shows were great, we went to all of the shows. Even our 14-year-old teenage boy seemed to enjoy them (at least some parts of the show). The iceskating show was spectacular. Because of the weather, the ship was doing more " rock and roll" than normal. The iceskaters were troopers. They managed to put on a great show despite the ship movement.Our dining room experience was great. Althouth the food was average, RCI more than made up with 5-star service and elegance in the dining room. We dined with a couple with their teenage daughter, Lisa, from Atlanta. Lisa was adorable. We shared stories of all the activities on the ship that day. Disembarkation was just as smooth as the embarkation. I read some reviews of how RCI crew was not helpful. Our experience was completely the opposite. The RCI ground crew was just as helpful and courteous as the one on the ship.We will definitaly do another cruise with RCI.