We are a group of five- two married couples and a single friend. All in our 30's and have all cruised prior with Royal. Since we have been on Explorer in the past we were excited about returning to the ship.

Cape Liberty is a driving port for us, so the morning of the cruise we set off and arrived at the terminal around 12:30. They have restructured the parking lot to be after the luggage drop off so the previous delays were non-existent. The porters helped us unload the van and after parking we were walking on the ship within 15 minutes. This is probably the shortest check-in we have ever been through.

Our first destination was to the Champagne Bar where we had previously met the best bartender on the seas- Dindo. My expectations of Dindo actually being on the Explorer (it was two years prior that we had met him) were not too high- and if he were still on ship he could be anywhere tending bar. But, to our groups amazement he was there at the Champagne Bar. After two years of cruise passengers passing through his bar I could not believe that he remembered us by name! Now, that we knew our bar was picked out for the week it was on to check out our rooms. Read more