Overall, Royal Carribean did a good job. This wasn't the quality level of 10 years ago on RCL but it was still OK. Compared to Carnival, RCL still has it beat. The Explorer of the Sea is getting dated but it is still a capable ship. The stabilization system is getting old and 4 foot seas were challenging it, maybe the stabilization system was inop. The crew was friendly as always and the food was good, not great, but good. The menus didn’t change much at any of the meals. 10 years ago, there used to be outdoor grills going all day around the pool and you could always find something to eat. You could find food from a different country every day of the trip which was always interesting. There was no shortage of good fruit but very limited salad bars. Now, the food is more limited, less available and the menus aren't as diverse. Food used to be available all day but now there are “windows” where each meal is served. Of course you can get a ham/cheese sandwich or cookie anytime at one little shop on mid deck (5).

The cruise ship excursions were over priced as usual and you could almost always do better once you get to Bermuda setting it up yourself. Almost every fun thing is across the street from the ship in port at Bermuda. For example, the ship charges $30 person for a round trip to Horseshoe Bay Beach, you can get a two day bus/ferry pass for $25. Taxi’s aren’t necessary (See TIP below).

Warning, RANT: The objective of the ship is to extract as much $$$ from you as theoretically possible, its just their job. When you arrive at the ship, they charge $95 - $125 for parking. They will hound you relentlessly until they have your credit card on file. They pay their workers slave labor wages and then put a gratuity on your charge card the last day of the trip so that you don’t have time to argue with customer service before the ship arrives back in port. Then they give you envelopes and say please tip our workers. Didn’t you just take gratuity out of my credit card, we hope you didn't see that on your bill yet?? How about paying them a better wage and stop with the shaming the guests into paying the poor underpaid workers. Also there is something new this cruise. on two occasions, the ship director said “Don’t be cheap, go out and eat in Bermuda”. In other words, if you don’t eat on the ship, we make more $$$. He also (Leigh) continued to insinuate in multiple interactions with audiences in the auditorium that you people are too fat and should consider skipping a meal. He actually said "You people have changed in 5 days, mostly because you ate so much, your motto should be, If you can see it, you'll eat it" Wow! I'm not a fat guy but I'm sure he offended a large group of passengers.... There was more but I'll save that for my letter to RCL. Read more