Great Itinerary

Explorer of the Seas Cruise Review to Europe - Western Europe

sierra28546

Contributor Level: Cruise Director

413 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 4-6 cruises

Reviews: 6

Helpful Votes: 240

Overall rating:

4.8 out of 5

Verified Review

12 Night Canaries & North Africa (Southampton Roundtrip)

Sail date: June 17, 2015

Ship: Explorer of the Seas

Cabin number: 9542

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 9 years ago

Review summary

This was a great itinerary. We did something different at every stop! Ship was great, food was all adequate, Windjammer was a bit disappointing but it is a buffet... This cruise originates in the UK so for other USA travelers be aware that there are some differences! Not the same bacon and sausage we are used too, lol! Bingo is a true learning curve, very fun and much less expensive than our version! Seemed that prices all around were a bit lower and not nearly as many people chasing you down trying to get you to spend more money. Loved that aspect of the trip. Met some fascinating people and can't wait to do another trip from the UK!

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Adequate, Windjammer tends to be lukewarm and a bit bland. Mystery Dinner was a blast.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Didn't really find much other than the Enrichment lectures with Sondra Ettlinger and some of the quizzes.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Enjoyed all of the shows, although some of the UK humour did go above my US knowledge lol

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Everyone did a great job!

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Pretty decent shape, elevator buttons pretty worn out so be sure you mash them, they don't always light up!

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Occasional problem with sewer odor in bathroom. Guest services had room freshener sprayed in room itself but this didn't really solve anything... Plenty of storage and closet space! Balcony was great but a bit dirty.

Ship tip

Don't miss the Ice Show and the Mystery Dinner! Laundry is not one day service, more like 2-3 days so plan accordingly. Great deals on excursions by booking early, wink wink. I booked online prior to departure and was a great move on my part.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Southampton (London), England

5 out of 5

Plan a day to visit!

Thumbs Up 2

Vigo, Spain

5 out of 5

Panoramic view from Fortaleza del Castro

Thumbs Up 1

Agadir, Morocco

3 out of 5

We did 2 excursions, one in am and one in pm-Agadir and Medina. Avoided Marakesh due to long bus ride and we saw quite a bit!

Thumbs Up 3

Lanzarote, Canary Islands

5 out of 5

Volcano national park Timanfaya, you will be amazed

Thumbs Up 4

Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands

5 out of 5

We did the city sights which included Teror and the crater, very awesome.

Thumbs Up 6

Tenerife, Canary Islands

5 out of 5

Museum is only in Spanish.

Thumbs Up 1

Funchal, Madeira

5 out of 5

Favorite stop, would love to come back here. We did the 4x4 adventure, loved everything about it. We hit every sight! Up high for views and down to the fishing village as well.

Thumbs Up 1

La Coruna, Spain

5 out of 5

We took a cab to Tower of Hercules and then walked back through Old Town, a bit of a trek but tons to see!

Thumbs Up 4

5 Comments

ridouan 5 years ago

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ridouan 5 years ago

very nice

Thumbs Up 0

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woodman6626 9 years ago

We're the pools salt or chlorine sierra28546? Dying to know once and for all.

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iroko2 9 years ago

Glad you enjoyed your cruise and you are welcome back any time. Next time try Princess, American line but cater for both tastes including your marvellous crispy bacon! Incidentally, we thought the sausages were actually rather nice and spicy, better than the usual offering.

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glomarrone 9 years ago

We missed the port of Funchal on a previous cruise due to a maintenance problem on board the ship. Luckily I have a chance to return next year. Sound like you had fun there.

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