My husband and I traveled from Cape Liberty NJ to Bermuda on the Explorer of the Seas on April 20th. This was our 19th cruise and our 6th with RCCL. For the first time, we were Platinum members of the Crown & Anchor Society and the perks of that status made it clear why many cruisers stick with the same line and move up in their loyalty program.
Cape Liberty Despite the many reviews that I read to the contrary, embarkation was a breeze. We were able to drive right up to the terminal and drop off our bags. I checked them with a porter while my husband parked in the secure parking area of the port ($80 for a five-day cruise—credit cards are accepted). He was back within a few minutes and we passed quickly and easily through security. Platinum level meant that we had a separate line for embarkation, but other passengers seemed to encounter very little waiting. After receiving our cruise cards (we did all paperwork online several days earlier—a HUGE time-saver) and getting our embarkation photo taken, we were put directly onto a tram for the quick ride to the ship. From bag drop-off to the Windjammer buffet took no more than 25 minutes. The only drawback to our early boarding (we were on the ship by 12:05 PM) was that the cabins were not yet available and we had to take our carry-on bags up to the buffet.
Cabin We had a Promenade cabin on deck 7 of the Explorer. It has a window which overlooks the Promenade of shops and bars on deck 5. The cabin was small but well-appointed and we were easily able to store five days of clothing for two adults. The bedding was extremely comfortable and the black-out curtains over the window worked very well. Amazingly, the noise from the promenade was not audible, but the guests in the cabin next door definitely were! The cabin contained a small refrigerator filled with mini-bar items at exorbitant prices. We just rearranged things and put in the 12-pack of Diet Coke that we carried onboard. RCCL no longer permits smoking in any staterooms (you can smoke on your balcony if you have one) or in the corridors, etc. That is a great idea.