Explorer of the Seas

[CardiffCruiser11]

I have just returned from a 14 night Mediterranean cruise on the Explorer, I won't go into a detailed review as there are already plenty on here. However, I was wondering if there was any way of contacting members of crew to thank them for their delightful service over the past fortnight or keep in touch? Any help or feedback would be gratefully received.

[Clarea]

I have just returned from a 14 night Mediterranean cruise on the Explorer, I won't go into a detailed review as there are already plenty on here. However, I was wondering if there was any way of contacting members of crew to thank them for their delightful service over the past fortnight or keep in touch? Any help or feedback would be gratefully received.

I would use the info on this web page to send your post cruise comments:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/contact-us/post-cruise-questions.aspx

 

Mention names of crew members and they will normally get your feedback.

[reedy8]

I have just returned from a 14 night Mediterranean cruise on the Explorer, I won't go into a detailed review as there are already plenty on here. However, I was wondering if there was any way of contacting members of crew to thank them for their delightful service over the past fortnight or keep in touch? Any help or feedback would be gratefully received.

Oh please....pretty please do a review!

Those of us who are sailing on her soon are always happy to get another person' perspective, especially if they haven't done a cruise before. It doesn't have to have lots of pictures/information on ports, just about the ship experience.

thanks

[welshrich]

In the past when we've wanted to send cards or gifts we've been advised to send them care of the Head office in Miami and they forward mail to the ships, I know this seems daft as you are in the UK and the ship is sailing out of the UK too. If you are close enough to Southampton you could always go down on turnaround day and try and hand something to the shoreside staff to pass to them. I hope you do post a review as we are sailing on her in 8 weeks time and really looking forward to seeing her post drydock.

[holidayfanatic1000]

We are sailing on the Explorer in 3 weeks today and it'll be our first ever cruise. There have been a lot of negative reviews lately so any positive things you have to say will be greatly appreciated.

 

From the reviews it sounds like it's going to be uncomfortably crowded, hard to get served for drinks, impossible to find a sun bed and for the food to be repetitive and mediocre.

 

We believe a holiday is what we make it so aren't going to let these things ruin it for us and I'm hoping that if we go with lower expectations we will be pleasantly surprised.

Edited August 12, 2015 by holidayfanatic1000

[sky0000547]

We are sailing on the Explorer in 3 weeks today and it'll be our first ever cruise. There have been a lot of negative reviews lately so any positive things you have to say will be greatly appreciated.

 

From the reviews it sounds like it's going to be uncomfortably crowded, hard to get served for drinks, impossible to find a sun bed and for the food to be repetitive and mediocre.

 

 

I'm currently on the Explorer and we have just reached our first port of call which is Malaga.

 

We just had 2 sea days and the weather hasn't been very good so not many people about on deck. Today is the best day and people are out on the loungers and there are plenty available so far at 11am. But we are due to disembark soon.

 

As far as crowds concern, I have to admit it hasn't been bad at all. You will expect some crowds but generally it has been acceptable getting a drink and a seat on the Royal Promenade. Of course you might a little wait but nothing seriously excessive.

 

The food choices are limited on the Windjammer personally. Food spaces a lot smaller than other ships I have been on more recently but then these ships are bigger than Explorer. One of the Windjammer manager already approached me for comment and I have already said it needed more variety. Other thing to add is some food are made very salty. The MDR hasn't been too bad but I have had better on the ship.

 

The shows have been poor again compare to other ships. Saw the ice skating show yesterday and had more fallers by the pro skaters on one show compare to all my other skate shows I have seen added together.

 

Overall, it isn't spoiling any of my enjoyment of this cruise. It is only day 4 of 14 and still chilling.

[sky0000547]

The pool as now

 

[moshek]

I was on Explorer last week. Bar areas were crowded but we got a seat most times, may have had to wait 5 mins or so for someone to move, but no different from going into a popular bar at home.

Unfortunately can't comment on sunbeds, as we were in a suite we always found a bed in gold card area. They have created a new sunbed area on top of the new cabins on deck 12 forward so if you don't mind not being close to pools this area is usually quieter. There are also sunbeds near the flowrider at the back of the ship on deck 13 which were not there prior to the flowrider being installed as there used to be an inline skate track there.

Food was mainly good although I felt fish choices were not as good as previous years - we tend to go to MDR, and also ate in Chops Grille and Giovannis. They were doing a great offer on speciality dining - $40 for one booking at chops, one booking at giovannis and 20% off at Izumi. Steak at Chops was fantastic!

[glum]

My wife and Her sister are in the explorer at the moment and they are sayin the quality of service is a lot lower than in previous exclusive cruises

[reedy8]

I was on Explorer last week. Bar areas were crowded but we got a seat most times, may have had to wait 5 mins or so for someone to move, but no different from going into a popular bar at home.

Unfortunately can't comment on sunbeds, as we were in a suite we always found a bed in gold card area. They have created a new sunbed area on top of the new cabins on deck 12 forward so if you don't mind not being close to pools this area is usually quieter. There are also sunbeds near the flowrider at the back of the ship on deck 13 which were not there prior to the flowrider being installed as there used to be an inline skate track there.

Food was mainly good although I felt fish choices were not as good as previous years - we tend to go to MDR, and also ate in Chops Grille and Giovannis. They were doing a great offer on speciality dining - $40 for one booking at chops, one booking at giovannis and 20% off at Izumi. Steak at Chops was fantastic!

Are there shade umbrellas in the suite areas you have mentioned Moshek?

thanks

[moshek]

Are there shade umbrellas in the suite areas you have mentioned Moshek?

thanks

 

No unfortunately not, I never actually manage to sunbathe for a full day, usually 2-3 hours then go off and do something else, so it didn't bother me.

 

Michelle x

[glum]

My wife and Her sister are in the explorer at the moment and they are sayin the quality of service is a lot lower than in previous exclusive cruises

 

and now in English not iphone speak :)

 

My wife (chez2) and her sister (michchez12) are on the Explorer at the moment and they are saying the quality of service is a lot lower than in previous RCCL cruises.

 

For those booking cabins that face onto the promenade, be aware that the music piped into the promenade area can be heard in the cabins *all* the time according to my wife. They had to move cabins

[cymru cruiser]

and now in English not iphone speak :)

 

My wife (chez2) and her sister (michchez12) are on the Explorer at the moment and they are saying the quality of service is a lot lower than in previous RCCL cruises.

 

For those booking cabins that face onto the promenade, be aware that the music piped into the promenade area can be heard in the cabins *all* the time according to my wife. They had to move cabins

 

Thank you for this comment. We had the same issue and I mentioned it on my review. Someone posted a question the other day asking if there was noise from the promenade in these cabins some said yes some said no. When I explained the music on explorer was NOT turned off at night. Several times i went to the loo in the night between 2-5am and the music was still on.

 

One poster on the thread suggested that I hadn't realised how to turn down the knob on the dressing table that controls the volume of the announcements!

I assured them that actually our knob did not work it just span round and the noise was from the speakers mounted on the walls of the promenade next to the cabin windows!

 

It didn't stop me getting to sleep it was just obviously there. We live very rural where the only thing we hear in the night is an owl so I thought I was being super sensitive to the noise and never reported it. So I find this really interesting thank you for posting.

[sky0000547]

My wife and Her sister are in the explorer at the moment and they are sayin the quality of service is a lot lower than in previous exclusive cruises

 

 

I'm on the ship now too, I think everything is a lot lower from food to shows to everything than all my previous RCI cruises. If someone is on their first cruise then they probably wouldn't notice. Still enjoying the cruise though.

Edited August 14, 2015 by sky0000547