Cruise Customer Reviews

Home > Cruise Lines > Royal Caribbean > About Your Ship: Explorer of the Seas

About Your Ship: Explorer of the Seas

9 Night Eastern Caribbean





Expert Review:

Departs Cape Liberty (Bayonne) aboard Royal Caribbean – Explorer of the Seas

Sailing Date(s): Nov 2013, Jan 2014, Mar 2014


Stateroom Prices from:

	Interior	Oceanview	Balcony	Suite
	$659	$819	$1,049	$1,399	Check Dates & Prices


	Ask about no deposit EXCLUSIVE: Up to $200 Hotel Promo Code EXCLUSIVE: Up to $400 Hotel Promo Code

Overview & Itinerary

Staterooms

Deck Plans

Food & Dining

Entertainment & Activities

Photo Gallery

Reviews

Expert Review |

Customer Reviews

See Prices & Availability


	Average Explorer of the Seas Rating



	SORT BY: Most Recent \| Positive \| Negative \| Helpful 1 - 10 of 49 \| Next 10 >
	Overall Rating: About the Reviewer: Age: 50 - 65 Cruise Experience: 2 - 3 cruises Traveler Type: Couple Stateroom Type: Oceanview Recommend the Cruise to Anyone by Cheryl G from Fairmont, WV Sailing date: Mar 2013 Pros: The entertainment (shows) were outstanding Cons: to many smoking areas WOW!! Lots of glitz and glamor. The ICE SHOW was unbelievable. Good variety of activities, ie. games shows, karaoke, etc. Oh my gosh, the food! Something for everyone's taste. So good we have already booked another cruise. The ship's personel were outstanding, compared to other cruiselines we been on. Ship Details: Ship Quality I would have given an excellent rating, if not for all of the smoking areas Dining/Food Stateroom Quality Ship Staff Quality Entertainment & Activities 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you find this review helpful? Overall Rating: About the Reviewer: Age: 50 - 65 Cruise Experience: 2 - 3 cruises Traveler Type: Couple Stateroom Type: Inside Great time... except for the stateroom by A Traveler from NY Sailing date: Jan 2013 Pros: Size of the ship Cons: Stateroom Second time on this ship and still finding new things to explore. Ship Details: Ship Quality Seemed a little less clean this time around. Dining/Food I prefer the old menu for the dining room but thought the windjammer was a bit better this time. Stateroom Quality We had an adjouning room and they didn't lock the interior door until 3 calls to the desk. We missed sail away. The gentlemen from the next room came into our room twice thinking it was his bathroom. He might have well stayed in our room. Every bit of noise and light (24/7) came through the adjoining door. Ship Staff Quality Just adequate this time. We don't need a lot so this works for us. Entertainment & Activities First time we tried the Silent Party. Fun time! 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you find this review helpful? Overall Rating: About the Reviewer: Age: 50 - 65 Cruise Experience: First cruise Traveler Type: Couple Stateroom Type: Oceanview Bermuda and back by John S from Philadelphia Sailing date: Sep 2012 Pros: both a cruise and at dock for three days Cons: Bermuda natives seemed a little less friendly Friendly people on the ship, excellent food for dinner, stateroom good size and well layed out, very good shows. Ship Details: Ship Quality Dining/Food Every night had a very nice sit down meal with a wide variety of choices. Exellent waiting staff Stateroom Quality Out state room steward was excellent Ship Staff Quality Entertainment & Activities 0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you find this review helpful? Overall Rating: About the Reviewer: Age: 30 - 49 Cruise Experience: 4 - 6 cruises Traveler Type: Family w/young children Stateroom Type: Balcony OMG The food sucks! by Helder M from Old Bridge Sailing date: Aug 2012 Pros: The beaches Cons: The food Ship needs a makeover, chef at the windjammer needs to be fired on the spot. Service was ok. Most things are over priced. I wont go on a RC cruise again! Ship Details: Ship Quality Dining/Food The food was horrible! Stateroom Quality Ship Staff Quality Entertainment & Activities Children's Programs 0 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you find this review helpful? Overall Rating: About the Reviewer: Age: 30 - 49 Cruise Experience: 2 - 3 cruises Traveler Type: Couple Stateroom Type: Inside Relaxing and Exciting by Eric S. from Long Island, NY Sailing date: Jul 2012 Pros: There was always something to do Cons: Gratuities were not included as they are on other cruise lines, and the suggested amounts seemed exorbitant Beautiful facilities and immaculately clean. Slow elevators at times, but this is not unusual for cruises. Housekeeping staff was prompt and courteous. Could have used a few more deck chairs for peak times, but it tended to work out with some effort. Ship Details: Ship Quality Dining/Food Buffet was better than the formal dining experience. Some limitation of choices in the dining room. Stateroom Quality Clean and comfortable. Ship Staff Quality Very helpful and amenable to requests (except for one Excursions clerk who was a bit obnoxious). Entertainment & Activities Fantastic quality of shows and activities. The entertainment staff had a wonderful chemistry and clearly loved their jobs. This showed and affected the guests' enjoyment. 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you find this review helpful? Overall Rating: About the Reviewer: Age: 30 - 49 Cruise Experience: 2 - 3 cruises Traveler Type: Family w/young children Stateroom Type: Oceanview Worth the Money by Matt P from South Jersey Sailing date: Jun 2012 Pros: Service, Food, Atmosphere, Great Ice Show, Kids Program Cons: Limited options at dock in Bermuda The food was fantastic, the crew were friendly. The mixed drinks were done right every time. The number of activities was impressive. The show on the Ice rink was very good. I had a four year old who paticipated in the Ocean Adventure most nights, he loved it. We got the family cabin in the front of the ship, it moved more than we wanted but the room size and the view from the two large windows more than made up for it. The only real downside was the company of the other guests some of them were rude, but that is to be expected when a cruise leaves from NY/NJ. Ship Details: Ship Quality This is one of biggest ships on the water, lots of options. It was well kept, and clean. Dining/Food Nothing really was outstanding but on the every thing was very good. I tried just about everything and was never disappointed. Stateroom Quality The family cabins on the front of the ship are so big they are actually comfortable for a family of four to be in. The claim they sleep six, but I would hold at four. The view from the two forward facing widows was great. Ship Staff Quality All were very helpful with the 1 year old. They got a high chair right away everytime. Entertainment & Activities The ice show was very good for cruise ship. Children's Programs My 4 year old actually could not wait for lunch and dinner to be over so he could go back to Adventure Ocean. 5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Did you find this review helpful? Overall Rating: About the Reviewer: Age: 30 - 49 Cruise Experience: 4 - 6 cruises Traveler Type: Singles/friends Stateroom Type: Inside Staff made ALL the difference! by Desiree A from Cherry Hill, NJ Sailing date: Apr 2012 Pros: Richard Spacey (Cruise Director) and his staff Cons: Stateroom and Sanitation Smell Overall, the ship was incredibly impressive. It was a pleasure to get lost aboard the sizable Explorer of the Seas, with its vibrant Promenade, spacious pool deck and elegant dining rooms and elevators. The onboard ice skating rink was such an interesting attraction! Unfortunately, a horrible sanitation smell saturated the corridors most days, and all night one evening. In addition, staterooms leave much to be desired. Ship Details: Ship Quality The Explorer of the Seas is large, without being overwhelming. It is quite easy to navigate once acclimating to its layout. Public areas were kept very tidy, with the exception of corridor carpets. They appear to be in great need of deep cleaning, as they were darkened by imbedded dirt. There is a bit of a decor imbalance, as public areas were adorned with brilliant metals and precision-cut glasses, while corridors and landings contain varied pieces of abstract art that seemed strewn about. Dining/Food Food quality is very good, but there was little restaurant variety. At the buffet, trays were consistently replenished with fresh items. The fruit was particularly delicious! No dishes stood out spectacularly, so I wouldn't expect gourmet dining. A few tasty dishes were available during dinner from the Windjammer, but overall, it's a hodgepodge of buffet items. Dining rooms offered a few items that I would consider upgrades from those in the Windjammer, but again, nothing spectacular. We were always able to get reservations, though they were typically only early and late time available. Stateroom Quality A generous closet, full-length mirror and vanity are wonderful touches to the stateroom. In many other areas however, staterooms are greatly in need of improvement. The upholstered furniture was colored by worn-in dirt (vanity chair, sofa), as was the bed runner. The space is incredibly cluttered in interior king rooms. The television is outdated, and located at an odd angle, making viewing from bed difficult. Lighting was poor in the bathroom and the bathroom layout could use work. Ship Staff Quality The Explorer of the Seas' staff are the ABSOLUTE BEST! I can not say enough about how personable, humorous and accommodating everyone is... and that's EVERYONE! I felt like VIP for the entire cruise - like staff went above and beyond, at every turn. I would take this cruise again, if staff were the same. TOP NOTCH!! Entertainment & Activities Though there were a variety of activities, many seemed to be geared more toward older guests. As a 32 year old professional, I had expected a myriad of entertainment that would allow me to let my hair down. Those types of events typically occurred at night with the phenomenal cruise director and his staff. The chilly weather made sun-bathing on the pool deck unbearable, so days got a bit boring. 2 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you find this review helpful? Overall Rating: About the Reviewer: Age: 30 - 49 Cruise Experience: 4 - 6 cruises Traveler Type: Family w/older children Stateroom Type: Inside Amazing cruise, best staff ever! by Nicole M. from Union, NJ Sailing date: Apr 2012 Pros: The shows were outstanding. The crew went above and beyond. Cons: There should be more activities throughout the day. I thought there was too much down time. This was our first time cruising with Royal Caribbean. I expected to be blown away and I was by some things. The ship itself was really big so there were times that I didn't even notice how many people were on board. The shows were all ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!! The cruise director Richard Spacey had everyone in stitches all the time. The itinerary was really great. Although I didn't do an excursion in Bermuda, the island was so beautiful that I still enjoyed it. The crew had to be the nicest and funniest people I've ever come across. I hope to cruise on Royal Caribbean again in the future, but I think I am so biased now because of the specific crew onboard Explorer of the Seas that anyone else would be a disappointment : ) Ship Details: Ship Quality My favorite spot on the ship (after the gym) was the "outdoor" cafe in the Royal Promenade. Sitting there with a cup of tea and dessert was a great way to spend some time. Dining/Food The food choices in Windjammer were fantastic and incredibly diverse. My kids loved the make your own pizza station. The dining room service was wonderful. The staff was so helpful. Stateroom Quality Our stateroom attendant Lance Saul was fantastic. We had an interior room, which was small for the four of us, but he did such a good job cleaning and fixing our room that we had no problem being there. He was so courteous and friendly. Ship Staff Quality Can I give this one 12 smiley faces?? The staff was awesome!!!!! Everyone had a smile on their face and treated every single guest like royalty, I actually started to believe that I was a V.I.P. : ) One thing I loved was seeing the staff outside of their area of the ship and being greeted warmly. My kids spent a lot of time on the sports deck. One evening I saw Neil (a crew member from the sports deck) in a different location on the ship and he greeted me by name. That made me feel really valued. Entertainment & Activities So my only less than excellent rating is for this section. Although the productions and shows deserve 7 smiley faces, there wasn't enough to do onboard in between shows and before and after. I think there should be more activities to keep everyone entertained, whether it's trivia, games for the guests to play together, dancing, etc. Children's Programs My kids loved it. What more can I say : ) 1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you find this review helpful? Overall Rating: About the Reviewer: Age: 50 - 65 Cruise Experience: 4 - 6 cruises Traveler Type: Couple Stateroom Type: Inside The best of four Cruises by Rick S from Okemos, MI Sailing date: Mar 2012 Pros: The friendliness of the crew. Cons: The TV in the room (interactive didn't work) This was our fourth cruise in the last 15 years. Obviously we don't go all that often so it's important to us that we have a good trip. This was our first on Royal Caribbean and was our best in terms of the ship. Explorer of the Seas was clean, big, not too crowded, and the crew was exceptionally friendly. Everyone from the cabin stewards to the maintenance men would greet you whenever you happened near them. The ship was full - every cabin - but we never had problems getting a deck chair on even the sunniest of days. The ship's policy was no saving of deck chairs (which was generally observed) which helped a lot. Also there were 500 kids on board but for the most part they had their own programs and activities. With all the shipboard areas (Basketball, climbing wall, inline skating, putt-putt golf, ping pong, arcade, etc..) there was plenty to keep the older kids busy and the younger kids happy. We especially enjoyed Dizzy's lounge where we could read and be out of the wind. If you wanted a drink the staff would happily get one for you. If you didn't want one - no worries - they would let you read without constantly checking. The food was excellent and the service was great. The rooms were adequate (we had an interior room) and quiet. Also, there was a commitment to health and plenty of hand washing stations... required for entry to all eating areas. Our Windjammer greeter would say "No washee, washee, no foodee, foodee; no foodee, foodee, no yummee, yummee, no yummee, yummee, ho happy, happy." By the end of the week he had everyone on board saying it. Ship Details: Ship Quality The layout was exceptional. We enjoyed the promenade. Getting around the ship was pretty easy. The decor was nice and pleasing. We noticed and appreciated that the elevators had a floor rug with the current day posted. A nice touch on a 10 day cruise where it all feels the same! The ship was exceptionally clean and well painted. There were people sweeping the halls and steps every day (with really quiet vacuums). The maintenance men would work on small area (so not to disturb everything) and completely repair, repaint, and clean it and be gone before you realized it. (I saw them at work twice in 10 days) Dining/Food The Windjammer had plenty of choices. We ate there for late breakfast and lunch. We had the second seating (8:30) for dinner and were on the second level. Our waiter and assistant waiters were very attentive and remembered our preferences from one day to the next. They greeted us by name and we enjoyed their service. One of our party has to have gluten free food and our waiter made sure each evening to give him the next days menu so that he could have the chef prepare whatever he wanted to order - gluten free. We ate one night at the Portofino. The filet mignon was excellent and the presentation of all the dishes amazing. We went to the murder-mystery night and while we really enjoyed the program it was expensive and I felt crowded in at the tables. I think next time we'll just go on a regular night to enjoy the food and service without the program - less expensive too. The cover charge of $20pp would be well worth the money. (The Murder Mystery was $49.50pp) Stateroom Quality We had an interior room. It was adequate. While it was awkward to get around to the side of the bed we just climbed in from the end. The bathroom was clean and well appointed. The shower was great... plenty of hot water - instantly. Ship Staff Quality EVERYONE was friendly. The Customer service was good and you definitely had the feeling that everyone really cared. Entertainment & Activities We loved the ice shows. During the 10 days there were two completely different shows. The "seasons" show was the last and the best. Great lighting and excellent performances. I especially enjoyed the way the skaters interacted with the audience. With four different performances (for each show) everyone had a chance to get in without have any crowding problems. The singers and dancers put on at least four different programs and all were excellent. All the programs were 45 minutes and pretty much went without breaks. It was our Cruise Directors first time on this ship but he did a great job. We loved his socks and his word for the day after the curtain fell. Children's Programs We didn't use these but the kids appeared to be well cared for with lots' of age-appropriate activities. They had their own pool area and essentially an excellent free day-care facility. The teens had their own "night club" and arcade area next to the sports deck. There was also a Johnny Rockets restaurant in that area ($4.95 cover charge pp). 10 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Did you find this review helpful? Overall Rating: About the Reviewer: Cruise Experience: 2 - 3 cruises Traveler Type: Family w/older children Stateroom Type: Balcony A fantastic vacation for entire family by Arlene A from Mamaroneck, NY Sailing date: Dec 2011 Pros: sit-down breakfast and dinner Cons: adventure ocean staff and pool It was a great big impressive ship. Ship Details: Ship Quality Dining/Food Stateroom Quality Ship Staff Quality Entertainment & Activities Children's Programs The teen optix room was excellent. My 3 tweens really enjoyed. However the Adventure Ocean was not very fun for my 5-year-old son. The staff was not entertaining and enthusiastic; they were more like teenage babysitters. 4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Did you find this review helpful?
	1 - 10 of 49 \| Next 10 >