I was incredibly nervous about going on Explorer with our kids, knowing it hadn’t been revamped yet. Yes it doesn’t have waterslides or laser tag or other things the bigger and newer ships might have, but they had excellent food and service which was way more important! We had gone on Oasis in February and the food was very disappointed- my blueberry pancakes were so over MICROWAVED that they were hard as rocks and not edible. Pancakes! I was worried that the food disappointment would be fleet wide but they certainly aren’t! We ate in the MDR for breakfast and dinner, and the Windjammer as well for some breakfasts and lunches and everything we ordered was delicious. The food on Explorer was always well cooked and bursting with flavors.

The waitstaff was fabulous even when having to navigate our children when they were trying new foods and decided they didn’t life something; the staff had the kids a new plate of food instantly. We had an issue where the friends we were cruising with weren’t seated with us and it took a bit to get it situated, but eventually after being moved to various floors and tables, they finally got it right and gave us champagne for the inconvenience.

The bar staff was always amazing, willing to make whatever drink we wanted. The only bummer was when they couldn’t make my pistachio martini because they claimed they didn’t have the ingredients. I’ve decided to forgive them for that