I am not a frequent cruiser so when I was trying to read reviews from people who were I would often find a lot of criticisms which made me wonder what was founded and what was not . My experience was that the food was very good, the service provided by the crew members was also top notch. I think a cruise is something where you will have as much fun as you allow yourself, or as much fun as the people you are with, it really is what you make of it. I think the Explorer of the Seas delivered a fun experience for our party of 6 . The one criticism I would give (and this by no means was anything horrible) is you are barely into the first day of your cruise and they start talking about booking your next cruise on board, I know they are a business and need to keep sales going, I get it, but part of me is like - let me finish enjoying this cruise before you start trying to talk to me about doing another, again that would be my only critique and it was minor.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Embarkation was not as bad as I was anticipating. There were a lot of people but things kept moving, from dropping off our bags with the porter outside to boarding the ship was about 1 hour, but that's with moving through security and then through the line to check in. It seemed to go by pretty quickly, it really was not as chaotic as I thought, it was organized.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The dinners served in the Main Dining Room were fantastic. I will also say the assortment and quality of food served at the Windjammer Buffet was also terrific, I also did see plenty of health conscious options for those who wanted them. (just mentioning that as it seemed to be a criticism from others). We did Giovannis Table one night and thoroughly enjoyed our meal, again top notch service from our waiter in the restaurant. We also went to Johnny Rockets, the wait staff danced to Staying alive, just like a Johnny Rockets anywhere else. We did not try Chops or Izumi but our fellow cruisers seemed to enjoy both places.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
I would have liked to have seen more fun activities like the trivia contests and game shows, and in venues around the ship that could accommodate the large groups that were interested. For example, we had charades in one of the smaller bars and there were a hundred people there to play, but the bar area held only about 30 people. I would say add more of those family fun type of things like charades, Trivia contests, etc, and less presentations on shopping .
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The Ice Show was fantastic, we also enjoyed the evening shows in the Palace Theater.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our stateroom attendant was awesome, (Vivian) she was always there, always had a kind word or greeting and warm smile and she took very good care of our rooms, they were always very clean and tidy. Our Dining Room waiter (Oldrin) likewise, was very friendly and enthusiastic, he always had some good recommendations and delivered a great service when we were having dinner in the Dining Room. The Cruise Director, Graham, was also very likable and enthusiastic, but he was leaving the ship after our cruise, not sure who is replacement will be going forward.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
All areas of the ship were clean, and the ship was very easy to navigate.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin was roomy, always very clean, and the balcony was a nice size for viewing the sights.
Ship tip
Take advantage of the Luggage Valet service , at the end of the cruise they will take your bag to the airport and check it onto your flight and issue you a boarding pass. You fill out a 1 page form giving them your fight info and then the day before the cruise ends they deliver your boarding pass and one of those sticky tags to put around your bag's handle. All you have to do is put the tag on your luggage and leave it outside your door - then you don't have to worry about checking in at the airport, just go right to your gate . Royal Caribbean charges the cost (if your airline charges for a checked bag) to your room, but that's all you pay for, the service itself is free.
We did the Railroad / Yukon Adventure combo. The scenery was breathtaking, the town of Skagway itself is very small (only about 800 year round residents).
We walked around on our own, it was a nice city, friendly locals and people positioned around to help tourists find things. I do not feel that the city quite lived up to all the hype we heard about it, but it was nice.
My thought is that they will promote booking a future cruise on board because you can't get obc almost anywhere else?.....But yes....it's what you make of it. :)
I agree. My wife and I have been on 25 cruises on 5 different cruise lines and we have enjoyed each and every one. The reason that we enjoy ourselves is that we don't let the small stuff bother us. Nothing in life is perfect, and of course we will be disappointed about the unfairness that life may bring. I suggest you go on you cruise with positive thoughts, relax and enjoy the the time aboard that you spent your hard earned money on....Peace
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