Explorer of the Seas Review

Holidays at Sea

Review for the Bahamas Cruise on Explorer of the Seas
User Avatar
Kruise Kapers
2-5 Cruises • Age 50s

Rating by category

Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service
Cabin

Additional details

Sail Date: Dec 2011
Cabin: Family Oceanview Stateroom
Traveled with children

We nicknamed our cruise the "Cruise to Nowhere" given the dates and times we visited each Port (with the exception of Coco Cay, the private island of RCL). We spent most of our time on the ship and despite the cruise being sold out, we felt uncrowded most of the time. Embarkation was a breeze. We unloaded our bags, parked the car, handled all our paperwork and were lunching in Windjammer in less than 1 hour. There were many stories that the Bayonne Port gets gridlock on the roads and is tough to navigate. We experienced none of this. I hope our future cruises have it this good.

The amenities on the ship were great. We especially enjoyed the spaciousness of the Promenade. So much roomier than other ships and it made it easy to navigate from our Forward cabin to the dining rooms. The gym is sufficient though a little tired. There are signs to limit treadmill use to 20 minutes (they should be 30), but no one seemed to adhere to the limit, especially when people were waiting. We played ping pong and shuffleboard and there was plenty of equipment. We kept forgetting to play mini golf, but the course looked great. The ice rink is a cool feature, but too small. We really enjoyed the ice show. Amazing how they get the speed up to make those jumps!

The food was excellent. I had not expected it to be so good. The steak on the menu was always good. The salmon a little less so. The Windjammer service was great too. The omelets took time and the lines were always long, but the chefs did a great job to move the lines along. We had the best table for our group of 11 in the Main Dining room. Table 539 just above the large staircase in the middle. It was perfect for our group and we had little people traffic to interrupt dinner. Our waiter (Everton) was excellent and Jose his assistant always remembered the drinks and coffee type. We even tried to find them at lunch and breakfast just because they provided top of the line service.

Cabin Review

Family Oceanview Stateroom

Cabin FO

Cabin 7200 is a forward facing Family Oceanview cabin. The area is very quiet and little foot traffic exists outside your room since there are only 4 cabins at the end of the hallway. The bed area for the kids was great. Two bunk beds with a curtain to provide darkness so they could sleep late if desired. The bed was comfortable and the cabin spacious. We had a sofa as well as two small chairs and ottomans. The two windows are large and overlook the heli-pad on the ship. Curtains must be closed at night if the lights are on in order to avoid glare up to the bridge. The location is great for access to the theater, Cafe Promenade, gym and Solarium. A little further walk to get to the restaurants and Windjammer. Two negatives - the location at the front of the ship can be rocky if the seas are rough. The furniture had some stains on it. Otherwise, the cabin was great, the bed very comfortable and the views out of the front windows were as clear as from the bridge.

previous reviewnext review

Find an Explorer of the Seas Cruise from $262

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.