We booked tbis cruise while we were traveling on the Harmony back in January of 2018. It originally was supposed to be on the Freedom of the Seas, but it was canceled due to early dry dock, then canceled again due to Covid. We were put off for another year, and switched to the Explorer. We came very close to canceling all together, as RCCL made no concessions for the change, in fact we lost $500 in on board credit we were supposed to receive. But, we decided to tough it out and had a great time regardless.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Embarkation a bit stressful, travelling with an unvaccinated child. Plus, RCCL insisted that we owed $75 even though we paid in full 2 years ago - a bit annoying until they realized they were wrong.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Our servers in the main dining room were wonderful. Lulu and Kuldeep. They were friendly and attentive, and remembered everything we liked. Not to mention, the food was the best we've had on a RCCL ship.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We didn't attend many of the daily activities, but from what we observed people were having a great time.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The pool area entertainment was great, there was more live music than I remember on previous Royal Caribbean trips. We didn't go to any evening shows, however.
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
Our 9 year old son went to Adventure Ocean a few times, he had a good time.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Every staff member we encountered was friendly and helpful. They definitely made the trip more enjoyable.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This was our 4th time on a Voyager class ship, and our second time on Explorer. We traveled on her almost 21 years ago in February of 2001. The overall condition of the ship was very good, they've definitely kept up on the maintenance. A few things around the shop looked a bit old, but certainly not run down.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had an owner's suite. There was plenty of room for us, and the layout worked well for our family. The only thing I would recommend - for light sleepers, book a suite on the starboard side. Our room was on the port side, below the designated smokers area. Because of this, there were passengers above us 24 hours a day, and the noise of chairs scraping on the deck above could be heard throughout the night.
Ship tip
Stay on the starboard side if you're on deck 10, if possible. Also, the mask mandates - while tolerable, are certainly not enjoyable.
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