Just got back from Explorer of the Seas yesterday. It was awesome. I will try to keep this short and sweet. We flew down to Miami one night ahead and stayed at Ramada Inn Airport North, which I would NOT recommend to anyone. The hotel room was incredibly dirty, there were strange stains on the sheets and the room and hallways smelled terrible. Plus it cost $114! Definitely not a good choice. Well, I know now for next time. The positive side of the hotel was free transportation from the airport to the hotel, and then free transportation to the pier, as well as a free continental breakfast and a nice balcony.

Feb 13th -- Embarkation -- This was pretty much the only low point of the trip. We arrived at the dock at 12:45 and there was already a HUGE line. The people at the front said they had been there since 9:00. Apparently there had been some problems with customs with the departing travellers so everything got held up. Once we reached the counter, everything went very quickly. We were on board the ship at 3:00, so a little over 2 hours waiting in line.

The ship is absolutely beautiful. Favorite place on board was definitely the solarium. We had promenade rooms which were fantastic! Actually roomier than I thought, and lots of storage area. Bathroom well planned. Circular shower was great. Slightly difficult to shave in, but otherwise fine. The window seat overlooking the Promenade was wonderful. I love to people watch, so I think I enjoyed this room more than an oceanview. The only nights when it was loud was during the parades, which were only about 20 minutes. We didn't hear any other noise the whole week. Read more