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Put thrilling adventure on your radar onboard the wow-worthy Explorer of the Seas®. Discover endless ways to max out memories with fleet favorites like the FlowRider®* surf simulator, Rock Climbing Wall and The Perfect Storm℠ — the boldest waterslide duo at sea. And sit down to jaw-dropping ice-skating spectaculars and dazzling world-class entertainment night after night. Sail on your most legendary journey with the cruise line voted Best Overall by Travel Weekly readers.
We did a 11 Day cruise on the Explorer of the seas going to some ports that we had not been to before. This was sort of a bucket list trip to a degree since we wanted to get a taste of Costa Rica. Embarkation: This cruise left out of the Port of Miami and we arrived the day before. We stayed at a hotel by the airport and used their shuttle service which was included to get to the port. The shuttle did go to multiple hotels prior to going to the port which did take bit of time and one of the reasons we took the 9:00 am shuttle. If you have never been to the port of Miami before it is laid out in a long strip with all of the ships docked. The traffic is jammed up from one end to the other and our ship was the last in the drop off line. We were off the shuttle at 10:45 and heading to the terminal to check in. The driver of the bus said that the crazy traffic lets up around noon. We got seated and were waiting to board the ship just after 11:00. We boarded around 11:30. Our ship was late leaving port because of the extra luggage that the porters did not account for on an 11 day cruise. We had a connecting promenade room for this trip. The room was in good condition and very clean. We had an amazing room steward named Gary and he was actually from Costa Rica close to the port. He was one of the best stewards we ever had. We did have an early cleaning and this rarely affected us this whole trip. The one thing we did experience this trip was noise from the connecting room. The doors that are in between the cabins are not good at keeping the noise down. You can basically hear everything and this will be our last trip that we stay in a room of this type. The only other issue we had with this room were the toilet not flushing one day which required a service call. Food: The next part of this review is pretty subjective so take that as you may. The food on this ship was off compared to what we are used to from Royal Caribbean. Overall the main dining room food was just okay. A few of the deserts were terrible and the portion sizes were about the new norm. They offered pecan pie the night of thanksgiving and at first my wife was that such a small slice of pie. After one bite of it though she was like that is the biggest slice of pie she would never eat. Service was really good and our wait staff were awesome on the positive side. Our assistant waiter did try to hide a little from us after she forgot to bring my birthday cake but I told her not to feel bad about that. She was worried I would be mad at her and I told her that I didn't need the extra attention anyways lol. We did have my time dining for this cruise but had the same tables and wait staff the whole trip. We did eat in the main dining room 9 of the 11 nights. Our head waiter did try to make sure we filled out our survey and emphasized the importance of it. When I told him my thoughts on the overall food he said he was hearing it quite a bit. The windjammer was where this really was disappointing. We were on the Symphony of the seas 4 weeks prior to this sailing and the difference was night and day. The selection for food was far greater on the larger ship with the food being prepared much better. Each morning I went to check the French toast and it was like a game of how bad it could actually look. It ranged from just being toasted bread to being a black half burnt unidentifiable mass. The mornings I did decide to eat it I had to do the mission impossible theme song while hunting for honey to put on it. I do think that the chefs like to keep things interesting by moving stuff around the whole area. My wife did have omelets a few mornings and said they were just okay as well. She was not impressed with the food selection or variety in the wind jammer at all. Every morning if you wanted yogurt you had a choice of blueberry. To get a strawberry one you had to go the the café promenade which she did not realize until day 10. They did have some really good made to order sandwiches for lunch one day that were very good and it would have been nice to see that again. Now if we had not just sailed on an oasis class ship our take on the food may have been a little different. We left the ship just being glad this was not our first experience on Royal as we were pretty disappointed overall. Ports: Costa Rica: This was our first stop and my wife booked the bridges, boats and plantation tour. It was an amazing tour which we were picked up by bus at the ship. The ride to the first stop was eye opening. Costa Rica is a beautiful place but also has a lot of what I refer to as rustic areas. It puts things into perspective and the food issues sort of take a back seat when we realize how lucky we have it. We went to the boat stop and boarded a pontoon style boat to go up river and see the mangrove. We did see some sloths and some very nice birds. The river is pretty busy with sight seeing tours and the boat drivers can be a little impatient with the others on the river. After leaving the boat we then went to the rainforest part of the excursion. Our guide(Exxon) was very knowledgeable about his country and could basically answer any question you may have. Please note that if you are going to the rainforest to wear closed toed shoes as some did not have them and there were bugs that could harm you. We did experience a slight rain shower near the end of this portion but did not get wet. The chances of getting wet though on this excursion in their start of summer is 99.5% according to Exxon. The plantation portion was a little bit misleading for some unfortunately. It was not the highlight of what we wanted to see and when they took us to a smaller area with a kind of plantation feel we were not disappointed. They can not take tourists to the plantation anymore because of the possibility of contaminating the crops. For those of you wondering if they provide food on this excursion they do give you bananas/chips for the boat portion, empanadas on the rainforest part and you can purchase local food at the plantation. Bottled water is provided as well. We were back on the ship only a little over the scheduled time. Panama: We did not book a excursion for this part of the trip and regretted it. This port outside of the shopping area is not enjoyable at all. We walked outside for a very brief time before returning to the ship. If we had got off and walked over to the right of instead of the left we may have made it to the park which did look nicer from the ship. As it was this felt like some of the less desirable areas in Nassau. If we go back to this area again we will make sure to go to panama city or see the locks. Columbia: We opted to do the hop on hop off bus tour here. It was extremely warm the day we were here(90 degrees F roughly) and the busses are double decker open air type and traffic through the city was extreme. This excursion was also very good in its own right. We did go to the old portion of the city and saw everything we wanted to see. It is very beautiful and has a lot of charm to it. Unfortunately there is a lot of pretty aggressive locals who are trying to make a living there too. We were well informed by our guides and used to saying no thank you so it did not bother us but others were somewhat overwhelmed. We only made it to a couple of stops on this tour as the heat was getting to my wife. I wanted to see the old fort and it was very nice there. We wandered around unbothered by anyone and could explore most areas while doing so. The views from the top were also very nice. The fort cost 14.00 each usd to to and see on top of the tour price. After doing the tour and seeing the fort we were running out of time and the heat had convinced most people it was time to head back to the ship. When we got back to the ship we did go and see the bird sanctuary that is located just off of the side of the port. This was the highlight of the day for myself as there are so many parrots, peacocks and other exotic birds there. I would have liked to spend more time in this area and likely bought some sunflower seeds as the parrots were very tame. This port was nice and if I were to visit again I would say that a excursion is a must to get to a destination which may be hard to do otherwise. Aruba: This is one of my favorite places to visit. The island is clean and the beaches are truly beautiful. We walk to the beaches on either side of the port and both have nice areas to spend time. The beach to the right of the ship is about a 15 minute walk that leads you to a boardwalk portion. The beach can be walked on in low tide but there are some hard spots to walk around if high tide. There are local buses that will take you to each end of the island and the main terminal is located just off the main road behind the stores across from Diamonds international. Shopping here is somewhat expensive but there are some deals to be found. We usually buy a couple of shirts at one of the islands locally owned stores each trip. We are scheduled to go back here again in May and will likely go to the beach to the left of the ship when docked or take the bus to the San Nicolas portion of the island. The biggest issue with this island may be locating washrooms. The public ones we used post covid on the airport side of the beach are not there anymore. We used the ones at the mall near the casino on our way back. This island is one that I would honestly feel comfortable spending a week at. Curacoa: This is another port we have been to many times. We have walked around and seen most of what we can by foot. The beaches here are not as nice as in Aruba. The core area is just nice to walk in and the floating bridge never really gets old. We did go and see the blow holes on a different trip before and that is definitely something to see. When we go back there we intend on taking a tour just to see some new sights. The shopping here is pretty good and prices are more reasonable then Aruba. Ship details: The explorer of the seas is starting to show its age. I like the smaller ships for a few reasons and dislike it for others. The crew that work on them are usually senior or very experienced. Most have been with the company for many years and know exactly what passengers are expecting. I can honestly say that the service was right on par with the best we have had. There were some hick ups here and there and that is to be expected. We did experience some ship maintenance this trip and the crew were grinding and sanding in guest areas when they probably should not have. The noise from the air scraper was commented on by a few. I would rather them keep the area open though and put up with the mess then it be closed though. The entertainment on this ship was what we have come to expect with the smaller ships as well. We turned Diamond plus on this trip and have seen many of the shows that royal keeps bringing back. My wife was brought on stage for one show and that was fun. I enjoyed Kuba's show so much I watched it a second time later on that evening. There is something very magical when someone truly is a master of their trade and Kuba was just that. There was a tribute band that did eagles songs and they were also very good. The ships dancers were good and the singers were at the level we expected. The other venues for entertainment were pretty good as well. I am a huge Flowrider fan and spend a lot of time there when stand up surfing is open. The staff on this cruise were the best I have had as a team. They were all very energetic and encouraging to people. The wave on this ship is one of the old style mats and is very good. We had a great group of riders this cruise and lines were between 5 and 10 people most sessions. Most people used the 2 minutes given and were very courteous to everyone else. Stand up time was pretty good and we had my time dining to allow us to go a little later then the first seating time of 5. Quite a few people got blue bands this trip and that was great to see. The boogie boarding sessions were not that busy either and times were good for that as well. Drinks and Bar service were very good on this cruise. We had the refreshment package and my wife got herself specialty coffees throughout the day. She was very happy with the service from the café promenade. We found a great bartender who looked after us the whole time we were onboard. Unfortunately we may have contributed somewhat to the new policy on opening alcoholic drinks at the bar. I did go and speak to two managers prior to giving some of my diamond drinks away to crew and told this was okay and quite common. Our room steward did tell me what he liked and was very grateful. I could see this being an issue though if too many people did it. We will not be using all of our drinks likely in the future for alcohol so Royal has probably achieved what they intended with us. There is another topic on this already now so I will not go into it any further. We are still grateful that we get to use the vouchers anytime rather then the happy hour. Debarkation: We have done quite a few cruises out of different port and this one was by far THE WORST. From what I was told when a ship visits Columbia every passenger has to then go through the customs face to face with a customs guard. When ships are debarking in Miami they generally do not have to do this and the time it takes is a lot longer then usual. The schedule that Royal puts our the night before is way off. We had a call number of 5 and were supposed have our number called at 8:30. Our number was called around 9:15 and by this time other passengers were getting pretty grumpy(we had number 33 and 35 by us trying to get off). Once off of the ship the luggage was laid out in a reverse order so you had to walk to the end where the customs officers almost were and then all the way back to the other end to get into the line to get to them. Porters were getting screamed at by security and passengers alike. It was total chaos and a lot of people were really mad. We got through that mess and our boarder guard gave us a hard time thinking we were from a country that needed a visa to visit. We were both dumbfounded that we would be required to have any other documents being we were from Canada. Once the guard realized the mistake he made we were allowed to go on our way. The next issue was with getting a taxi. There was a line of people who were waiting for taxis outside of the terminal which we got into. At this point though a lot of people had had enough of the whole situation and were trying to hail the taxi prior to it getting to the start of the line. We ended up in a van with the extra cost just to avoid the screaming match by the people right behind us in line. The cab cost us 72.00 to get to the airport hotel where we left our car. If we had to do it over again we would have booked the shuttle back and it may have been better. We do not have any cruises booked out of Miami and will likely avoid it if at all possible. Conclusion: We had a pretty good trip for the most part. We got to check off a couple of places we wanted to visit and it was a really nice length of cruise. We have asked ourselves if this was our first trip with Royal how we would feel and we have mixed emotions on it. We know what royal is capable of providing and have been a bit spoiled by bigger and newer ships. The food was a definite let down in certain aspects. The service though was top notch and we were still on a wonderful vacation. When it comes to trips we are grateful that we do get to go as often as we do and consider ourselves lucky for that. We hope that Royal will continue to offer itineraries like this but also inform their guests that with itineraries there may be delays. We booked this cruise to specifically go to Costa Rica and were happy we did. Hopefully this helps some of you out and gives you some insight to what you may experience if you go on this itinerary in the future.
AWARD-WINNING & AWE-INSPIRING ACCOMMODATION
Redefining the cruising experience one room at a time. Our staterooms are an alluring escape from the non-stop action that our cruise ships are known for. From our spectacular views to our deluxe amenities, a stay with us is like nothing else at sea.
Interior
Our interior staterooms include a wide array of facilities for your whole family to enjoy.
Ocean View
Savour the seaside and snapshots of landscapes from shore to shore.
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Suite
Enjoy extra space, more amenities and breathtaking views.
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Selected staterooms can be connected to accommodate more guests.
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Indulge your midnight cravings.
Daily Cleaning Service
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FROM DINNER TO DANCE FLOOR
Whether you’re craving authentic Italian eats at Giovanni’s℠ Table, Asian-inspired flavours at Izumi Hibachi & Sushi or steakhouse classics at Chops Grille℠ – with options like these, meal time is guaranteed to always be memorable. And after you’ve treated your taste buds, keep the party going with more than fifteen bars, clubs and lounges to choose from – all onboard Explorer of the Seas®.
FLAVOURFUL & FREE
Embark on a globe-trotting gourmet journey at Windjammer, where an ever-changing menu highlights cuisine from around the world at self-service stations. Savour courses that take you from Jamaica to Jaipur in the Main Dining Room. And indulge in deli-style sandwiches and Mediterranean-inspired anti-pasti at Café Promenade. The best part? It’s all included in your cruise fare.
A FAR EAST FEAST
Get ready to taste your way to Japan and beyond with fresh sashimi, hand-rolled sushi, izakaya-style appetisers and tasty Asian-inspired main courses prepared by a master chef right at your table. At this top-rated speciality restaurant, dinner is always served with a show.
A CUT ABOVE THE REST
For more than a decade, the chefs of Chops Grille℠ have proudly presented quality, hand-cut prime steaks at this hallmark Royal Caribbean restaurant.
Enrichment programs, or ‘Explorer Academy’ classes cover a wide range of topics, from wine tasting to casino tuition.
SO MUCH MORE TO EXPLORE
Your next holiday is about to get a whole lot wilder. Welcome onboard Explorer of the Seas® – a ship that offers as many thrills and ways to chill as the destinations it takes you to. Like laid-back lounging in the adults-only Solarium. Tee-offs with stunning sea views on the deckside Mini Golf green. Figure eights and double axels on the ice skating rink. And hang ten sessions on the fan-favourite FlowRider®.
SURF'S UP
Grab a board and get ready to ride – the 412-metre-long FlowRider® surf simulator is the ultimate hang-ten hangout. Carve the waves upright like a pro surfer or boogie-board on your stomach as 114,000 litres of rushing water keep you afloat. You can also cheer on your friends from the sidelines and get splashed after every wipeout.
ROCK THE RINK
After a day spent chasing new discoveries and soaking up the sun on the pool deck, lace up your skates and take your adventure to the chill zone at the onboard ice skating rink. Whether you’re a newbie or a skilled skater, all thrill-seekers are welcome on the ice.
JOIN THE POOL PARTY
Kick back and soak up the island vibes on the pool deck. Families will have a blast in the main pool, home to belly-flop competitions, movies under the stars and dance parties with a DJ. If you’re looking for some grown-up relaxation, head to the adults-only Solarium where it’s all about endless sea views and serenity.
KEEP ADVENTURE GOING AFTER HOURS
There’s no curfew for thrills onboard Explorer of the Seas®. Once the sun sets, start the night properly with classic cocktails at R Bar, pints and live performances at Crown & Kettle Pub, singalongs at Schooner Bar and salsa steps on the dance floor at Boleros.
VINTAGE VIBES & CLASSIC COCKTAILS
At R Bar, classic cocktails come with a healthy dose of nostalgia. Inspired by the swanky drinking dens of the ‘50s and ‘60s, this sleek and sophisticated lounge is the perfect spot to unwind with an old fashioned or a dry gin martini.
JOIN THE PUB
You’ll feel like you’ve been whisked away to London once you step inside the Crown & Kettle. Choose a brew from an impressive list that ranges from pilsners to porters, or indulge in your favourite spirit or UK-themed cocktail. Linger a while longer to catch one of the musicians who pop in regularly to perform.
The ship features a fantastic array of health and fitness facilities including a spa, fitness centre, rock climbing wall and much more.
Royal Caribbean International's cruise ships offer a wide range of options for the whole family, as well as a great range of just-for-kids options.
