First, this was my first cruise. I have to say that my experience on Explorer of the Seas exceeded my expectations as a first time cruiser. There were a few things that left me disappointed, but I will get to that later.

The Embarkation process was simple and quick. I did the pre-boarding forms online, and I think that made a big difference as the people who did not were standing in long lines.

Once you enter the ship you realize that this is a floating city, almost like a floating Vegas hotel. My cabin was located in the area of the ship that bows-out and faced forward. The balcony seemed larger than expected, but this could be due to the round shape of this area of the ship. The cabin was adequate, but the carpeting did have a few stains on it and there was some obvious wear and tear. Some times I could smell what seemed to be like sewer fumes, but it was not a constant kind of thing- just here and there. Overall, I was happy with the cabin. I loved the balcony, which was perfect every time you came into a port. It was also fun talking to the people on other balconies. Read more