This was the third cruise (2nd on RCCL), first to the Caribbean for DH and me.. We arrived in Ft. Lauderdale at 2:00pm on Sunday, retrieved our luggage and RCCL staff were right there to get us on the shuttle. Embarkation at the pier was a snap and we were in our cabin by 3:00.
The Explorer is beautiful, inside and out. And through-out the cruise we saw the crew at work keeping her that way. Our room was in great shape and the added space in a Junior Suite is a real luxury. We met Iris, our cabin steward, as soon as we got to the room. And even though we didn't see much of her the rest of the week, she took good care of us. The room was made up twice a day and we left her notes if we needed anything extra (ice, pillows, etc.)
We ate in the dining room 3 of the 7 nights, not because we were unhappy with the food or service. It just worked out that way. One night we ate at Johnny Rockets, one night we paid the extra $20 and ate at Portofino's. The other nights we ate at the Windjammer. Just for the record, we really didn't find that much difference in any of the restaurants. The food was reasonably good, service was adequate, selection was acceptable. On the down side, the iced tea and coffee was VERY STRONG - so much so that we diluted it two times over. Doesn't sound like a big deal, except those are two of the only free drinks available.