Being our first cruise, my wife & I were both very apprehensive as to what to expect. Travelling with 4 kids aged from 8 to 16, this added a further element of uncertainty.

After speaking with friends whom had been on cruises, the overwhelming recommendation was to go with Royal Caribbean. The selection of the ship was more about timing. As it turned out the Explorer of the Seas was an excellent choice!

To the seasoned cruiser, you could tell that we were first time cruisers; on embarkation day as we approached the ship there were no words....we were all amazed by the size of the Explorer. The whole process to move through the baggage drop, customs then to check in was pretty seamless. My only gripe would be that check-in was a bit chaotic. Add to that our unfamiliarity with the process and it all seemed a bit awkward. Read more