Explorer of the Seas Cruise Reviews - Reviews

We took this cruise last week leaving Aug. 31, 2007, for New England and Canada. After boarding, the trouble started. Dining room staff was going to refuse our requests for special things to be served during week until head waiter was talked to. No seating room in windjammer and to go outside was to use tables that were not promised to be clean. When times were announced for events, it was happened up to an hour late. Going ashore was stand in line, get to head of line, then being send to other end of ship and start line again, immigration officials arrived one hour late, when we got to within seeing distance of their tables, we were sent to another floor. We got to port late, left early. Staff mostly seemed to not have been trained. Talent was poor, except for ice show. Stores had expensive junk except for liquor store and jewelry store (which was the same thing we had seen on many cruises and didn't want it then.) Seattle Best coffee staff did not know how to properly make a latte. It seemed that ships have gotten bigger but service and concern for sailing passengers has gone out the window.

The ship was very clean and beautiful.

Ship and crew were excellent. However it is a very large ship and many events and activities were crowded and not well controlled.

It was more like a city on the seas. The food was great, entertainment was exceptional - would do it again over and over. Prices in the gift shop were great - got some good buys. The coffee was even good. Can't wait to cruise again next year!

THE CRUISE WAS ALOT OF FUN. THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAD WAS WITH THE INFIRMARY. MY DAUGHTER FAINTED ON SHORE, BUMPED HER HEAD,SCRAPED HER BACK AND BUMPED HER ELBOW. I TOOK HER THERE AND THEY DIDN,T SEEM INTERESTED IN EVEN CHECKING HER OUT. THEY HANDED ME A PLASTIC BAG OF ICE AND ACTED LIKE I WAS BOTHERING THEM.

Over all everything went great. The employees are honest, caring people who make your trip a great experience. This was a very liberal ship where people were able to enjoy everything (depending on their preference) at their own pace.

My first cruise ever, with my 17-year old son, he had gone before with a friend and liked it so we went again. Horrible is the best word to describe this; if you are contemplating your first cruise, DO NOT do it! 3800 dollars gets 2 people on the boat only, after that they want money for everything, plus "gratuities" even though they are added into the bill. If you don't pay them, you get dirty looks and not even a 'thank you'. Offf-boat excursions are hugely expensive also, so we did none of those, but it was great to get to a new island just to get off that boat, which was filled with 2500 people and constantly rocking while at sea. Do NOT believe anyone who says you can not feel the rocking of a boat while at sea, you CAN, at all times; and we had calm seas. Beds; small. Stateroom; small. Shower; impossibly small. 9am every day a weather announcement is made, waking you up from a dead sleep; imagine, who would ever guess someone would want to sleep in on vacation? Can't do that, you need to be woken up and told it's 88 and sunny every day, for what I don't know. If the free cruise is given to me, you can keep it; I would never go on one of these things even if you paid me and tied me down, it was the most horrible, amazingly bad thing I have ever done.

Our experience on the Explorer of the Seas was superb. We traveled as a family of 5,having 3 children 7,9, 11. This ship was very family oriented and able to accomodate everyone with service, meals, and entertainment. There was so much to do that we just could not fit it in, in the 6 days. Several pools to choose from, with a seperate pool and waterslide on seperate deck for children or you can spend quiet time in the Solarium area which is for adults and is like being in a little resort in Italy. Just beautiful. Every night was like a night out in Vegas in the Palace theatre. The entertainment and shows were even better than shows in vegas. The Ocean Adventure rooms for children had activities and offered so many different and fun and energetic things for the kids. All my children enjoyed and looked forward to attending, so after dinner it allowed for some great well deserved adult time. You really cant decide where or how to spend your time. There was so much to choose from. I also loved the professional photographers on board that took so many beautiful photos of my family. You can dress up and feel like the night is yours or you can roam around and be casual and fun. The windjammer (casual eating area) offers every type of food imaginable . We enjoyed it at breakfast ,snack time , and lunch time. If you did not want to eat in there you can wander over to pool and eat poolside.

I havee been on 5 cruises and several land vacations. This ranks up at the top. The ship is incredible. You can never be bored. Food and Shows are the best! My kids did not want to leave the Kids programs at night. So my wife and I could do adult things. I have seen all of the Carribean Islands and Bermuda ranks up with my favorite island Grand Cayman. The people are so friendly. I highly recommend the Catamaran/Snorkeling excursion. I am ready to book the same trip next year.

This is our 4th cruise with RC and we found that the service was a little confusing this time. We stayed on the level 10, we needed a drink at about 10pm so we went up to level 11 which is The Winjammer and they told us they're closed they also told us go to the Promenade which is on level3 to get a drink, that's a bit incovenient for the guess.

The ship was too big for our family. Our excursions were canceled due to weather, but unfortunately the ship provided no alternatives and we were left with little to do. The ship is magnificent and well maintained. Just not our cup of tea.

Overall the cruise was very nice. We missed the ship in Newark due to Airline and missed the first 2 nights. We flew to Bermuda and met the ship so our 5 nights turned into 3. Our stateroom was very nice, but lack a bit "the personal touch". No lotions, etc. Expected a bit more in a Jr. Suite. The food was "cruise food" nothing better than other cruises. Bar and food service was excellant, especially on the last day!!!!

Food Services and Food Quality (except for the scrambled eggs in the morning) was very good. The Explorer of the Seas is in need of a good cleaning and replacements (especially the carpets and some of the tile floors).

BIG BUT DEVOID OF EMOTION- LOUSY ENTERTAINMENT, AND MEDIOCRE STAFF

inside stateroom was bigger than expected - good amount of space

The activities wre very good and something was provided for everyone. We were disappointed in the activities offered at the camps though! There were not enough outside games or activities and the kids were kept inside most of the time in one room. With the ice rink, golf, rock wall, pool, etc., I would have thought that the children would have the opportunity to use these amenities through the camp program. My eight year old tolerated camp better than the 1, and 14 year old. Both of the older ones did not want to return after two times at the camp. I also did not like the desserts. They were not anything special and I skipped dessert a few times at dinner because of the lack of choices. The majority of the choices were made with Liquor which did not appeal to the children either. The two midnight buffets had litle food in terms of quantity and choices. The poolside buffet was held on the night before we docked in St. Thomas (when we had to get up by 8:00am for mandatory customs). So after going to bed late we had to wake extra early the next day. The process of getting off the ship for touring the islands was easy and fast but the debarkation at the end was long and tedious. Food should have been provided because the children don't eat much at 7:00am and we got off the ship at 11:15am. We had a nice time overall and everyone in our family cannot wait until the next cruise--so there were more positives than negatives!

ship was beautiful

This was our second cruise - the first one was with Celebrity. The Explorer of the Seas was nice, but they did not re-enforce the main dining room dress code, diving and jumping in the swimming pools. The ship was full and the swimming pools could not accommodate everyone. Even the shows that you needed tickets for (Ice Show). We tried to attend on all five days they had the show and was unable to get in. The ship needed to have specific times for jogging -all day long on the decks you had to step out of the way for numerous people jogging with strollers, etc. At breakfast, you could not get seats in the Windjammer and had to find staff to clean tables. Prices of water and alcohol were higher than the Celebrity. I also felt that paying $20 per person to go to the Italian restaurant was a little much. We had a balcony room and I felt for the money we paid, we could have had a nicer time at an all inclusive.

This was my second sailing on the explorer. Previous outing was on the Eastern Carib sailing (my 10th, 6th with RCCL). Bayonne site is feasible and economical. I brought the family along on this one (total 14 and they had a blast). I missed the dancing lessons previously provided on the llast cruise in the Chambers. My son reveled in that he was living like the rich and famous. We couldn't get the kids out of the pool. Ocean Adventure program is ideal for all ages. Entertaining was excellent especially the ice show. The kids weren't crazy about the cave tour but I loved it. The food on the Bermuda tour was a notch lower than that provided by the previous cruise on the explorer. I would like to see the photo prices reduced and made more affordable; and the staff cut back on pushing the daily drinks (bar bill came close to $400).

My family came back from our first cruise vacation on the Explorer of the Sea. It was a wonderful experience. My whole family liked it. My 4.5 year old daughter enjoyed every moment on the trip. My 70-plus parents-in-law also liked it very much. They liked the buffet style restranuant the most.