Explorer of the Seas Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Due to flight issue, we missed our departure port. RC told us numerous times over the phone that we could meet the boat at the first port of call with no issues then finish our cruise, but we would have to leave the ship early due to some Jones Law in the US. No problem to us, so we flew to Juneau and met the cruise a day late. They would not let us on the boat. Made us wait outside in the freezing cold for over an hour. They claimed I had not notified the cruise line of our plans, ugh! Eventually, since I knew the laws and had proof that we were complying with the law, they let us on the boat but refused to return our passports for a full day. They also changed the reason 3 times why they would not return our passports (which we needed for an excursion in the Yukon). Guest services was a joke. We did however eventually manage to settle in and enjoy parts of the cruise. Some highlights and lowlights:

1. Ship was nice and our JR Suite was very comfortable and clean

2. Fitness facility was very spacious and had a lot to offer

3. Mystery Dinner was dumb, 3 hrs long, and food was no better than midnight buffet quality. For $65 a person it was not worth it

4. WindJammer cafeteria was HUGE, but all the food seemed under seasoned and half of it seemed like frozen dinners you buy at the grocery store. Was not impressed with the selection or quality of cafeteria food. We only made one formal dinner and food was good but portion size was seriously small.

5. We did enjoy the amount of onboard activities. Go to the Quest and Marriage shows. I personally enjoyed the sport activities (dodgeball, archery, cornhole,etc)

6. Alaska is AMAZING! Got to see Orcas, humpbacks, eagles, sea lions, glaciers

7. This ship did not give off the "Party Vibe" like Carnival (which we liked)

8. Karaoke was a huge hit on the ship, but they stopped it early every night

9. Graham, the cruise director, (who we got to meet and hang out with while we waited in the cold to board the ship) was fun, but bordered on being potty mouthed even in front of kids.

I will try other cruise lines before giving RC a second try.

Shore excursions were the favorite part of our cruise . The White Pass railway and helicopter tour of a glacier were highlights. Juneau was an interesting city to walk around.

The view of Alaska was breath taking...Well worth the trip from the south to Seattle which has a lot to do downtown as well . Bring a jacket with a hood the wind from the Alaska air is no joke .Seafood in British Columbia at the Red/Blue fish food truck is a must visit...

No major complaints. Our stateroom was very nice except the window was so dirty it was hard to really look out. All in all, a great trip. Had no problems and everything was delivered as promised. 

The staff were the crown in this cruise. So helpful, so nice. Food was to die for in the running room. Lots of things to do. In Alaska we Saw whales, bears, eagles and dolfins. Only thing I would change is have more inside movies in the palace theater instead of outside theater where you got pretty darn cold. It was a great first cruise. Can't wait to book my next.

The food was the most disgusting experience from tough skirt steak, to under cooked food, health hazards all across the boards for the consumer such as myself.  The amount of false advertisement was horrific! From no 3d movies, no welcome back party, and on top of that every activity on board such as the rock wall, ice skating, and shows were on a time limit. Plus, the last parade was held before passengers were required to be on board. The most memorable activities that were held were not announced and if they had been it was last minute. My money goes towards these activities. Also, rooms very  tight spaced especially for someone who has a disability. There were an enormous amount of tripping hazards and we were only provided with the bare minimum essentials (no pens, no bible, no body lotions or soaps) . As a loyal customer to Royal Caribbean I can say whole hardheartedly I am outrageously disappointed with my experience. If my money doesn't go towards the food, activities, travel experience, and memorable activities than what does it go towards?  This experience as similar to MANY others who attended on this cruise is a great way to lose loyal customers such as myself. The amount of hazards from the food provided to the rooms could result in lawsuits. I will expect to see a change come of this not just for loyal customers such as myself but for future customers. Would you want to attend a cruise experience like this?

The prettiest part of the trip was Victoria, BC.  Juneau and Skagway were great as well.  The ship was very good and clean.  They were always cleaning everything and telling us to use sanitizer. This made me feel better.

Everything was good except the food.  It was poor quality, little choices, always cold in both the dining room and the buffet.  There also wasn't food available (except in a very small cafe with a very long line) after 9:00pm.  By the end of the cruise, everyone was complaining about it and when in port, bringing food on board to have a good meal since the ship didn't provide that.

However, if food isn't your main reason for this cruise, it is wonderful to see Alaska on a cruise ship.  Is this the best ship, NO, but it is still Alaska!  This is my 7th cruise to Alaska, I will go again, not on RC.

Without exception, the entrie crew on the Explorer of the Seas does everything imaginable to make their guests happy.  The on-boarding process is slow and tiring (see below).  Ask for help if you need it.  We ordered coffee from room service the first morning and it never arrived.  Not a huge deal for us but we did mention it to our waiter.  That evening we received 4 specialty cupcakes and an apology.  Second night we received a bag of gourmet cookies and apology.  Third night a bottle of wine and an apology.  It was very apparent they want to make your cruise as perfect as they can.

This was the first cruise of the season out of Seattle and unfortunately it was too cold on deck to enjoy outdoor activities.  I wish more activities were planned indoors on the day at sea because not everyone wants to spend the day drinking and gambling.  The shows in the theater were good and we especially enjoyed the ice show . The performances and the costumes were  fantastic.  We had a large Oceanview room which was spacious and provided great views and light.  I highly recommend this room category.  The food in the dining room was very good but the food in the windjammer cafe only consisted of quantity not quality. Explorer of the Seas is a nicely appointed ship but with 3,100 people on board it was often a long wait for an elevator to go up or down. The port of Victoria offered several good excursions but the second port Nanaimo was disappointing with not much there.  The service on the ship in all ares was excellent and Royal Caribbean has done a great job hiring and training a great crew. 

Victoria and Nanaimo were very welcoming communities to us.  The entertainment on board was wonderful.  

Your survey won't let me submit my review without having more words in this section.  I do not appreciate that!    Is this enough?  

Had problems getting luggage first night and gave up on internet. The service was good especially enjoyed time in dining room where we were always treated special.

Loved the shows. Didn't think much of the food. Was told a certain price when friends signed us up for the cruise but then found out the price was twice as much after giving them our visa number. We were out of town at the time. Paid the same price for a 10 day cruise earlier.

This was our 4th time cruising this itinerary, and 2nd overall cruise with Royal Caribbean. Overall, we had a wonderful time due in most part to the fact we were a group of seven adults and know how to have a great time. We had rooms on the 12th floor that adjoined and that couldnt of been better. Our balconies opened into each other and we just loved being up top close to the pools and bars, very cool. We went to the shows and loved them, we played mini golf, basketball, and shuffleboard. We explored our ports and enjoyed ourselves walking around town and hitting the Pubs and Grills, as well as talking to people and taking in the sights. The downside to this cruise was the food, or lack there of. The Buffet(Windjammer) was ok at best, good assortment that repeated itself and just wasnt that good. The Cafe on the 4th floor which was the only other "free" place to eat was always crowded and VERY limited selection, very. The other 2 places cost $25 @person or 35 @ person which doesnt make any sense and then there was Johnny Rockets, at $6.95 per person could of been ok but the service was the worst in the world, prompting me to walk out completely and in the middle of the meal, just down right awful. So try room service and if you could get them to answer the phone, they would send you what you ordered IF they were not to busy, which was told to us. They will also charge you if you happen to call them between midnight and 6am, go figure. So, yes, we had a great time, and yes, the shows were good, really good, and yes we had a great room which we paid for, but man, the service really sucked and the food was really bad and confusing. Will we go again, yes, but the last 3 times we were on Celebrity which at the time we thought was very average. Now, I will be glad to book with them. Royal Caribbean really needs to step it up or lose some business, and believe me, this was the sentiment of a lot of passengers.

First time with Royal. The boat was great new and clean. Ports were low-key but for a four day getaway that's all you really want so it was relaxing.  Service with the exception of a few was good not great.  Food was okay but not great.  Not a bad experience I think we've just been spoiled on other trips.

I took my disabled cousin and I on this 4 day cruise for our 50th Birthdays. This was my first cruise with Royal Caribbean.  First the food in the buffet was a joke. Salad bar with no lettuce (we requested from 6 different food servers and no one seemed to understand us when we asked for lettuce.  Finally 6th person said no lettuce.  This was pretty much the case through the 4 days.  One day when shopping a table that had some souvenirs the 2 crew members made a smart comment to my cousin and then started laughing and making fun of her "disability".  I was appalled, I wanted to toss them off the boat!!  I complained to management at the customer service desk, nothing was done.  The food lines were long.  No accommodations for people who could not stand up to 30 minutes to be seated at their designated dining time.  I could go on and on, but we have sailed many times with Norwegian, this just confirms why I will never sail with anyone but Norwegian.  Far above the rest!!

Food was not of great quality. Took over 2 hours to get served and eat. All show and events were at the same time as the meals. Buffet closed at 10 and most activities were over at 11. During the sing a long the person holding the event shut it down around 11 even though everyone was having a great time and the bar was doing a booming business. Best thing about the cruise was the ship stayed afloat!

First let's preface this review with, if you're on a long cruise what can you really complain about.  So let's begin

The Explorer of the Seas is an okay ship.  Last year we did an Atlantic crossing on the Allure and the two ships don't compare.  The crew as always on a Royal cruise were great.  The cabin was as usual.  I purchased the soft drink package, there were 5 soft drink machines throughout the ship, and at any given time, only one or two were working.  The food was just okay.  Actually the best meal of the day was lunch at the Sapphire dining room.  The nightly entertainment was a real highlight.  But now for the stops.  Noumea, New Caledonia is a charming little city.  I recommend the tchou tchou train tour, its only 2 hours, and takes you through the whole area.  The next stop was Mystery Island, a cruise ship stop.  Online its says no one lives there because it is taboo.  Islanders come over to Mystery Island to work the ships, then leave the island.  Crushed coral beaches, so wear shoes.  Beware of jelly fish in the ocean as many cruisers were stung.  In reality, I think it gets its name because it's a mystery that the ship stops there.  Next up is Vila, Vanuatu.  This is a perfect example of third world island.  The walk from the ship to the city center is about three miles.  And I have to mention the first half mile is on a two lane dirt road with vendors on both sides and taxis and vans trying to make it a three lane dirt road.  Dangerous at best.  Prices for things on the island go up when the ships arrive.  One shop actually changed the price on a bag of local coffee as I was paying, so I gave it back.  After a relaxing day at sea we pulled into Suva Fiji for an overnight stay.  Suva is a dangerous place.  3 crewmembers got mugged the first night and had to be sent home to recuperate.  One of our table mates was warned to be back on the ship before dark by a local.  Did take a tour to a spice farm which was great.  My advice, take tours and see city center by daylight only.  After Fiji it was 7 days of sailing then to Honolulu, then on to Maui for an overnight.  Nothing bad can be said about Hawaii.  then 5 days sailing to Seattle.  All in all it was an extremely okay experience.

Worst boarding process ever.   It started off the cruise on a very sour note.  I was told that we would have coffee in our suite every day.  On day three the cabin attendant said that they were out of coffee.  After complaining to the concierge, somehow they miraculously found enough coffee to keep us supplied for the rest of the cruise.  Debarking was not quite as bad as embarkation.  They had no signs indicating that you could leave via deck 1 as well as deck 4.  So, of course, everyone lined up almost the length of the ship.  

Ship and crushing were exceptional , food in the restaurants better than the dining room or windjammer stay away from those 

bar staff, shows, sports and spa awesome

excursions and ports were terrible had to tender to 2 different islands could not even get on the second island Jesu stayed on the ship the ports were awaful nothing to see or do beaches marginal why Royal decided to go to these three ports when there are many other options from Sydney is a mystery to me hopefully they will not go back to these ports