This cruise was just for my husband and I. We are both in our fifties and love to cruise but not if we have to fly to a port. Being only 3 hours away from Cape Liberty/Bayonne NJ, we decided to give the Explorer of the Seas a try. Overall, it was a very nice cruise and we were not disappointed!

We chose the Hampton Inn in Elizabeth, NJ for our pre-cruise overnight stay. Although this hotel is close to the Newark airport and advertises that it's only 5 or so miles from the cruise terminal, the ride from the hotel to the ship was at least 20+ minutes. By taxi or car service, it is at least a $45-55 trip (one way!)and in retrospect, hubby and I decided it would have been more cost effective to have parked at the port for $19 per day.

The Hampton Inn was rather nice but have no restaurant or bar lounges on the Read more