Explorer of the Seas Review
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This awsome Southern Caribbean itinerary included visits to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao with a beach barbecue at Labadi, Haiti. We arranged our own transportation after going ashore on Aruba with Edmond, who owned his own vehicle which was clean and air conditioned. He provided great commentary on the sights. Curacao was great for shopping and the port of Willemstad had a European feel to it with colorful old and new buildings, outdoor cafes and many shops. Bonaire was a lovely small island with crystal clear water. No high rises, there are several beach front hotels which will rent you a chaise and snorkeling equipment, several dive shops just a short walk from the pier. Not much shopping here but a nice commercial district, there was a small market area with truly local crafts and art work.
We really enjoy RCL for the design of their ships, entertainment, activities and friendliness of the crew but this ship should have been refurbished long ago. The MDR was a beautiful design and we had a great waiter. The food was ok. Entertainment was good with able singers and dancers but the ice show was the highlight. A Lecture on the polical and natural history of the islands would have been nice. We've attended those on other ships. The cruise director had a great morning show and was pretty entertaining.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Balcony
The balcony cabin was not worth the money. The floor of the balcony was spattered with ground in dirt, along with some unidentifiable substances and paint spatters. The patio chairs and table had old ground in dirt and peeling paint. The curtains were dirty and there was a stale, sour, odor to the room. The cabin attendant did his best and the odors were resolved, the curtains cleaned but the balcony could not be fixed. We pointed out the deficiencies to guest services, they were respectful, apologetic and encouraged us to write RCL which we will do. With refurbishment due in several months there wasn't much to be done. The public areas looked clean but no "Wow" factor visible.