I just got back yesterday from my cruise. I figured I might as well write my review while everything is still fresh in my mind. This is a pretty lengthy review, so bare with me. All in all, this cruise was EXCELLENT. Royal Caribbean is a fantastic cruise line. They have something for everyone, and it is really amazing.
Explorer of the Seas is a great ship. It is almost seven years old, but shows almost no signs of wear and tear. I have heard from other cruisers that Royal Caribbean is known for taking great care of their ships, and that is definitely true. I was on Mariner of the Seas in 2005, so I was somewhat familiar with the layout before I even boarded the ship. The one downside of such a large ship is that at times, it can be somewhat difficult to get from Point A to Point B. A few times I tried going to the Windjammer (the huge buffet restaurant) only to find myself at the other end of the ship. Oh well, a little walking never hurt anyone.
We arrived at the pier in Miami at around 12:45, and we were on the ship within a half hour. We probably would have been on a lot sooner, but the RC representative that was checking us in was kind of slow. We went right to our stateroom (6248) and dropped our carry-on bags off. Our stateroom attendant, Gerry, greeted us almost instantly. He was really great. Gerry was a very nice guy who didn't mind the fact that my boyfriend and I slept until noon almost everyday (we're 20 and 21 and enjoy sleeping). He made us towel animals almost every night, which was really cool. I really, really liked him.