Cruise Ship: Explorer of the Seas
Cruise Destination: Western Caribbean
Cruise Dates: August 14 -- August 21, 2005
Guest Contributors: Mary and Vincent Finelli
For us the perfect Caribbean cruise consist of the following: Having lazy sea days cruising over sparkling calm turquoise waters; spending active times in sun drenched exotic ports; and gazing at a distant moon in a star studded sky. We love to cruise when there is a full moon and on August 14th it was close to full. We had the amazing star studded nights, incredibly pleasant seas and on the first night there was way off in the distance a spectacular lightning show so far away, there was no audio, only video of fantastic glowing and flashing lights in the clouds.
Every evening we saw Venus and Jupiter so very bright in the sky. Since this was our third trip on the Explorer of the Seas, we won't describe the ship in specific terms (see our previous reviews of the Explorer of the Seas maiden voyage and Explorer of the Seas cruise from October 2003 for details). Instead this review will concentrate on life onboard.
EMBARKATION ON EXPLORER OF THE SEAS
Port of Miami is easily accessed, but with adequate security. We arrived at 12:30 pm and were processed at the counter for suites, since the Ambassador Lounge for the Crown & Anchor Diamond members was not in use. There were promises of assistance with the wheel chair, but at each juncture, we were spurred on with ..."there should be assistance ahead." However, we never did get help.
With Royal Caribbean International (RCI) it is usually more advantageous to be a repeat passenger and belong to the Crown & Anchor Society, so that you may be the recipient of special perks and service (i.e. coupons for discounts in the shops on board, wine tasting, the Casino, and other amenities). We were checked in, on board and had spoken to the dining room personnel--- all in less than one hour. Now, it was time for the Windjammer Buffet. This nicely designed area has several serving islands, thus there are no long lines.
THE EXPLORER OF THE SEAS CRUISE SHIP
The Explorer of the Seas was launched in September 2000 and is now approaching her fifth birthday. She weighs 137, 308 tons, is 1017.19 feet long and has a beam of 137.76 feet. Her international crew numbers c. 1,214 and passenger capacity is 3,840; this cruise she carried 3,619, many of which were families with children on a final fling before going back to school. She has a cruising speed of 23.7 knots and is every bit as beautiful and elegant as when we sailed on her inaugural cruise. Although she bears the onslaught of thousands of passengers every week, her upkeep is magnificent and she has just passed the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) inspection with a near perfect score of 98!
The Explorer of the Seas, as a sister ship of the Voyager Class (Voyager, Explorer, Adventure, Navigator and Mariner of the Seas), has the unique Royal Promenade, a four story mall with side walk cafes, boutiques, sport bars and an English Pub. This is the site of parades, mini shows, live bands, singers, jugglers, comic entertainment and the Captain's welcome aboard reception. The other spectacular features of this class include Studio B with an ice rink and high quality skating shows; the rock climbing wall; a 9 hole mini golf course; the basketball and volleyball courts; the Viking Crown Lounge with its panoramic view of the sea and Dizzy's Jazz Club; and a Skylight Wedding Chapel which can accommodate 60 guests.
Deck 11 has the gorgeous Solarium with a lap pool and two huge whirlpools. This is a very private area in the early morning hours (7 to 9 am) where it is silently guarded by bronze statues of two Matadors and a bull on one end, and by two Grecian styled horses with clipped manes on the other end. This class of ships was built in "cookie cutter" fashion and only the decor differentiates one from another. Explorer's decorations are simple and tasteful --- just the way we like it!
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