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Bermuda and back by
John S from Philadelphia Sailing date: Sep 2012Pros: 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 Quality
Dining/FoodEvery night had a very nice sit down meal with a wide variety of choices. Exellent waiting staff Stateroom QualityOut state room steward was excellent Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
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   The best of four Cruises by
Rick S from Okemos, MI Sailing date: Mar 2012Pros: 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 QualityThe 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/FoodThe 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 QualityWe 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 QualityEVERYONE was friendly. The Customer service was good and you definitely had the feeling that everyone really cared. Entertainment & ActivitiesWe 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 ProgramsWe 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.
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Great! A wonderful cruise! by
Larry M. from Princeton, New Jersey Sailing date: Jul 2011Pros: We loved the itinerary and the ship Cons: Too expensive to play bingo and need a rock band playing 70s -80s music to dance to We like the Grand Promenade and the open areas. Cafe Promenade was our favorite place to meet. Excellent dance team and band at the shows. Ice show was terrific! Ship QualityVery clean! Staff working day and night Dining/FoodFood was OK, nothing exceptional! Stateroom QualityRoom was dirty when we arrived, Hair on the floor and in the shower. We mentioned to our room attendent and it was fine after that. Ship Staff QualityAll hard workers! Extremely friendly! Entertainment & ActivitiesShows were good. Need a live band to play 70s and 80s dance music. Latin band was excellent! 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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First time cruisers, It was Wonderful! by
Gladys C from Edison, NJ Sailing date: Jan 2011Pros: The staff was extremely professional, hard working and friendly. I loved that the day is posted on all elevator floors so you don't lose track of the day! Cons: It was a little difficult to come in from the ports between 4-6 and be ready for dinner seating at 6:00PM. Coffee at the Windjammer was not the best As First time cruisers our main problem was not knowing how to pack for a 14 day cruise. My husband felt that one suit would have been enough. Check -in was very efficient and quick. the days on the boat are very busy. You can chose to be busy or just relax. the music and the shows are superb. I strongly recommend to join an early morning ship tour on the ports you tender in, because, they will let you go out first- beating the "tendering" crowd. You should try to get a massage on your way back - they are wonderful up at the Spa. towards the return they offered a "Last days Special" that were very good. If you are a beach goer and your hair is bleached- the deep hair moisturizing treatment did wonders for my hair. Get it done early though, you need at leave it in for at least 1 hour. You get a sea pass attached to your credit card. You Have to be watchful and follow your balance on the interactive TV in your room. Any thing you need repaired- don't be afraid to ask your attendant to help you with. If you need towels to go ashore- big ones are given out by the pool with a 20 dollar deposit on each towel- so make sure you bring them back- get them the night before to avoid the morning crowed. Coffee in the Windjammer is pretty bad but, the coffee in the Promenade Cafe and the main dining rooms are Okay. Do take the trip insurance that Orbitz offers. My husband had an ear infection and needed to see the Doctor twice for a total over $450.00 USD. Bringing cash in small bills on land is very helpful to negotiate lower prices. Duty free liquor and souvenirs are way much cheaper on the ports than on the duty free ship stores. There will be sales night on alcohol, t-shirts, cameras jewelry, watches, handbags, scarves, purses etc... in the promenade area - you have to be watchful, because they are good sales. T-Shirts souvenirs from all the Islands will be available as you cruise back. Once we Disembarked we got one of the baggage stewards to help us with the luggage and he basically just rushed us right through Customs all the way to the pick-up area in about 5 minutes! Really worth the price of the tip! The people who carried their own bags were waiting in huge lines. We should have we taken our laptop to down load pictures in our camera as we ran out of space. Internet is very expensive. Internet Caf and Wi-Fi services at the ports is much cheaper. Be watchful of ports on Sundays -as most Caribbean Islands are very religious and stores will be closed. You are probably better of with taking a tour on Sundays. You should research tours not associated with the boat. We found the same tours to be literally half the price, and nowhere near as crowded. Orbitz also offers tours. Dont Forget to calculate tipping. You can pay it on your credit card or offer cash at the end of the cruise. Gratuity guidelines for each ship are found easily online. And they might feel somewhat high, but once you see how much they work for you, you wonder if you would do it yourself for the suggested gratuity. We Tipped a little bit extra. As I found out the front of the ship is always moving. So if this bothers you, you should get a room towards the back. Ship QualityThis is Great Ship. Very huge. I needed to take a morning to "visit" the areas I had not seen - to get pictures. Dining/FoodIf you like to go off to Port. The 6:00 PM dining time was not very convenient, Specially with kids as you have to change for the dining room. Stateroom QualityInterior stateroom size was actually very comfortable for two of us. I believe the small sofa was a sofa bed. decor is very relaxing. Shampoo and soap are freely available. the room was always kept very clean Ship Staff QualityThe staff is very friendly and everyone will go out of their way to help... even maintenance personnel would help. Bring small bills for individual tipping which is welcomed and very well deserved Entertainment & ActivitiesThere is so much entertainment that it is hard to know where to start. There are games, shows, Ice skating shows, comedians, music, concerts etc. main evening entertainments are usually offered twice a night. I do recommend that you get there at least half hour earlier as you might not find seats even if you have a ticket. They request you get a ticket for some shows. they will announce distribution time and place. But get there early anyway with your whole party as you can not save seats. Children's ProgramsThere were plenty of children on this cruise. Our kids are adults but I checked it out for my three grandchildren (1,3 and 10 y/0) They have Arcade, Baby sitting areas, baby sitting service. different age appropriate activities. Teenagers have a Teenage only area. they are carefully watched and even I was not allowed in to the teenage area to take a picture when there were kids there. (I went when it was closed) so you know your teenager is not going to be approached by "strange" adults. there are cameras everywhere. security and safety are tight. 23 out of 25 people found this review helpful.
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FANTASTIC LOVED THE CRUISE!!! by
A Traveler from rutland ma Sailing date: Oct 2010Pros: THE CREW IS ACTULLY LIKE THE COMMERICAL HEPLFUL& FRIENDLY Cons: NOTHING We loved the whole thing from top to bottom.. first cruise.. felt real important like we we rich and famous but we aren't. Ship Quality
Dining/FoodGreat food and plenty of it.. Stateroom QualityGreat room plenty of room Ship Staff Qualityfriendly and go above and beyond 24/7 ... just like the commercial always friendly and a smile! Entertainment & Activities
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King's Wharf, Bermudawe enjoyed the tours on the island.. learning about the people and country.
Don't Miss: Frog and onion 6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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A cruise with the best results! by
A Traveler from Springfield, Illinois Sailing date: Jun 2010Pros: The frienliness of the staff on Royal Caribbean Cons: We had one day of bad weather The ship was clean and cleanliness with the crew was everywhere. The crew on this ship is the friendliest I have ever encountered. The food was great, the entertainment was wonderful and the port of call was beautiful. Dining/FoodDon't miss lunch in the dining room, so yummy! Stateroom QualityI would always recommend a balcony. Ship Staff QualityThe dining room staff was quite amazing. So friendly and entertaining to our children. I also had witnessed staff in the shops on the promenade deck having so much patience with passengers with lost items! Entertainment & ActivitiesGreat shows, I would recommend more for teens though. Children's ProgramsLots for little ones to do, but not much for teens.
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King's Wharf, BermudaLove, love, love Bermuda. Go and see Horseshoe Bay and definitely eat at the Frog and Onion in Kings Wharf.
Don't Miss: Swimming at Dolphin Quest! 2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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A Wonderful Bermuda Cruise by
Beth T from New York Sailing date: Aug 2009Pros: Everything about Royal Caribbean Cons: Time of year in Bermuda - It was VERY hot! This is a beautiful ship. It is well maintained and the staff is constantly making improvements. The staff is friendly and accommodating and works hard to make your cruising experience a good one. Ship Quality
Dining/FoodThey should consider allotting more tables for "My Time" dining. It appears to be very popular and dining slots fill up quickly. Stateroom QualityWe stayed in a min-suite. It was the perfect size with a full bath and walk-in closet. Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
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King's Wharf, BermudaVisit the Glassworks. They're hand-blown glass is absolutely beautiful and you can watch them work. The glass bottom boat tour is well worth it. The captain is very knowledgeable and entertaining. If you are looking for shopping "deals", this isn't the Caribbean. Things are pricey!
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Absolutely incredible!!!! by
Amy L from Easthampton, MA Sailing date: Jun 2009Pros: Everything!! Cons: NOthing!! This was our first cruise and I can't tell you how much of a wonderful experience we had. The ship is supposedly refurbished-it looked amazing! The staff was absolutely incredible! There were 3400 guests on that ship and do you know the head waiter remembered our names and greeted us every night! Everyone from the room staff to the dining rooms to the cleaning people were just phenomenal. The ship was beautiful and extremely well kept. There was always something to do! We seriously went to bed at, like, 3:30 every night because there was just SO much. The cruise director was absolutely awesome. It was just a fantastic experience all around!! Ship Quality
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King's Wharf, BermudaWe did the power snorkel which was ok. I think I would want to snorkel without the pwer thingy; it was a bit cumbersome. We rented a scooter for the 2nd day. This is a very interesting experience!! I don't know how people with no motorcycle/scooter experience survive the streets though!! I guess I could take or leave Bermuda. It was a lot more built up then I thought it was going to be.
Don't Miss: Snorkeling 4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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wounderful cruise by
yl from scottsdale az Sailing date: Sep 2008Pros: relaxing, luxurious Cons: too much food great cruise,very relaxing, wounderful ship, amazing food, shows,service is excellent but you better have some close friends or good company with you,otherwise you can fiind a lot of people in different age category with different interests/ most people in our cruise were more then 70- 80y/old. Ship Quality
Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality 3 times a day they my room,lines are amazing, silk/ Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities all shows are amazing, we really had a good time with all shows
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Halifax, Nova Scotia peggy cove,
Don't Miss: side walk in port Quebec City, Quebec very interesting city, very charming,but not enought yime to go around
Don't Miss: downtown and around 3-5 miles Sydney, Nova Scotia not too much to see around, pastoral country style
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island very relaxing country, villages
9 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Always great! by
Bernie from Parsippany, NJ Sailing date: Jul 2007Pros: Large spaces avoided overcrowding. A wide selection of activities throughout the day kept people occupied. Once on board the entertainment is top notch, food is plentiful, relaxation great, activities plentiful. Even though there were 3,000 people on board we felt as though we had to share the facilities with 10 or 20 people. There was no waiting for activities (except for maybe finding a lounge chair on deck around the pool on a sunny day!). We love dancing. Some of the dance floors were too small for the venue. But if you jump around to the different entertainers you can definitely get a lot of dancing in. Dining/Food
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Entertainment & ActivitiesActivities: The dance floors need to be bigger. Need better dance choices. They had only one dance instruction with large participation; then nothing.
17 out of 22 people found this review helpful.
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