Review of Explorer of the Seas
A Royal Caribbean Cruise to Bermuda
Explorer of the Seas belongs to Royal Caribbean cruise line. Total capacity is 3114 passengers. So it's a large ship. It started its operation in 2000. There are 15 passenger decks in the ship and 1557 cabins or staterooms. The cruise departs from New York and docks at
Kings Wharf in Bermuda.
The cruise line claims that the ship is a destination by itself and has unmatched wealth of facilities, activities and entertainment on board.
The Cabins or Staterooms
Out of 1557 cabins, there are 939 with ocean views and 765 of them have balconies. All the standard cabins have twin beds that can convert to queen-size, phone, TV, mini-bar, hair dryer and AC with temperature controller. Bathrooms are basic and only suites have tubs.
Inside cabins are about 160 square feet in area. The outside cabins are of three types: regular (180 square feet), large (211 square feet) and family (265 square feet). Balcony cabins are about 180 square feet with a private balcony of about 45 square feet in area.
Explorer of the Seas: A Royal Caribbean Cruise
Photo: kansasphoto, flickr, cc by 2.0
The Junior Suit is little bigger - about 277 square feet and has a larger living room and balcony. The Royal Family Suites are about 610 square feet and have two bedrooms and the balcony is also much larger.
The Grand Suite is about 380 square feet with a 95 square-foot balcony. The Owner's Suites are 506 square feet and have some more facilities like a bathroom with whirlpool, bidet and separate shower, along with separate bedroom and living areas and of course with a balcony of 64 square feet. The Royal Suite is 1,188 square feet in area and comes with all the amenities of an Owner's Suite plus a baby grand piano and a 170 square feet balcony. All suit owners can avail the Concierge Club on Deck 9.
Restaurants and Dining Options
The cruise now offers flexi timing for dinner. You can either opt for 6 p.m or 8:30 p.m seating times with pre-assigned tables, or can walk in and take your dinner anytime between 6 p.m to 9:30 p.m. On sea days, you can send your kids (ages 3 to 11) at Adventure Ocean Youth Program for lunch-and-play for a cost of $7.95. Parents can now let their kids finish dinner in the main dining room, then get escorted to the kids' club to play. That way parents can take more leisurely dinner.
Here are all the restaurants and dining options:
Main Dining Room – This excellent and grand dining room spans across 3 levels. And each level is names after a legendary explorer (Columbus, Da Gama and Magellan). At breakfast and lunch you can wear casual clothing. During dinner, the dress code varies. There are two formal nights.
Portofino Restaurant – This is an Italian restaurant with seating for 88. Reservation is required. Dress code is smart casual except on formal evenings. Children under 13 are not allowed in this restaurant.
Windjammer Café – It serves full-buffet continental breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and late night snacks. No reservations required. Food here is included within the cruise price.
Chops Grille – Steaks and seafood. Need to reserve in advance. Dress code is smart casual except on formal evenings. Children under 13 are not allowed in this restaurant.
Johnny Rockets – Casual restaurant offering burgers, fries and milkshakes.
Ben & Jerry’s – Ice cream parlor.
Café Promenade – 24-hour coffee shop serving pizzas, pastries and sandwiches. Food charges are included in the cruise price unless one orders for specialty dishes or alcohol.
Room Service – 24-hour menu.
Onboard Entertainment
Royal Promenade – This is the main hub. It's like a huge mall spanning 4 decks. You can walk around for hours through the trees, greenery's and massive sculptures. It has numerous restaurants, lounges and stores. There's often some type of performance along the Promenade, like a parade or performances by comedians or musicians.
Palace Theatre – This is where the main events are held. It can accommodate 1,350 guests over three levels.
Casino Royale – This is on Vegas theme with 300 slots, 10 blackjack tables, three Stud tables, three roulette wheels and a craps table.
Maharajas – An Indian-themed lounge. There is live music every evening. Chamber – A nightclub, Dizzy’s – Jazz club with live music in the evenings.
Viking Crown Lounge – A lounge on Deck 14. There is a golf-themed sports bar, Crow’s Nest: an observation lounge, Seven Hearts: a card room, and a library.
Skylight Wedding Chapel is at the highest point on the ship, on Deck 15.
Studio B – This is where the ship's ice skating show are held, complete with falling 'snow'
Weekend Warrior - Sports bar in the Royal Promenade showing sports on TVs.
There are a number of bars on this cruise ship. Aquarium Bar – An excellent bar with 4 large aquariums with hundreds of tropical fish, Pool Bar – By the pool on Deck 11, Schooner Bar – a marine-themed piano bar, Sky Bar – an outdoor bar overlooking the pool area.
Champagne Bar – Offers varieties of wines and champagnes. Connoisseur Club – This is a Cigar lounge. They sell premium cigars and liquors here, Crown and Kettle – A British-style pub.
Activities
Pools: Two jumbo-sized and two regular whirlpools. Solarium is the adults only pool with a bar.
ShipShape Spa and fitness center has 15,000 square feet area and is the largest one on any ship. The Steiner-operated spa offers excellent range of treatments like massages, facials, Ionithermie Algae Detox. The ocean view Gym has 20 treadmills and many other instruments.
Sports: There is a large area for athletes. There is also rock-climbing wall rising 30 feet, a golf simulator (at extra charge), full size basketball/volleyball court. There is a miniature 9-hole golf course on deck 13 called 'Explorer Dunes Golf Course'. There is also an ice-skating facility at Studio B (when there are no shows running).
There is a jogging track on Deck 12, and a dive and snorkel shop on Deck 11.
For Kids: There is a large playroom, splash pools, a video arcade and a teen nightclub called 'Optix' with a dance floor, DJ booth and soda bar. An excellent Adventure Ocean Youth Program divides the kids into three age categories, 3-5 get story times, 6-7 play backwards bingo and such, 9-11 play foosball and others.
Teens can enjoy karaoke contests and rock-wall challenge, dance parties and arcade competitions.
Cost that are outside the cruise deal
Watch out for these extra charges which are not covered in your basic cruise deal package:
There is $10 per day per person gratuity recommended by the cruise line. It can be pre-paid in advance, added to shipboard account or paid in cash at the end of the cruise. A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to bar tabs.
Internet access cost is 55 cents a minute, or a package of 60, 90 or 150 minutes for $28, $38 or $55, respectively.
50-minute massage costs a whopping $120 or more. A manicure is $45; a pedicure is $65. There are discounts on port days though.
There is a $20 service charge per person if you choose to dine in Chops Grille or the Portofino Restaurant. In Johnny Rockets there is a service charge of $3.95 per person.
Late-night group babysitting in the kids' areas (for ages 3 to 11) is available from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. for $5 per hour per child. In-room babysitting for kids over the age of 1 costs $10 to $15 per hour.
There are no self-service launderettes and laundry charges are extra.
Our overall review and opinion
This Royal Caribbean cruise is meant primarily for an affordable but active vacation. So there are lots of singles and couples other than families. The average age is in the low 40's for a 7-night cruise.
Out of the inside cabins, there are 138 that face the busy passage of Royal Promenade. So be a little careful here, as privacy may be an issue with these cabins and it could be quite noisy around. However, if you look at the positives, they easily out number any shortcomings. This is voyager class ship with unmatched facilities like rock climbing and ice skating.
It has over 15000 sq. ft. of fitness and spa space. It offers innovative kids programs with extensive play areas. It's overall a great cruise.
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 By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj, a seasoned travel writer and Bermuda destination expert, has extensive global travel experience. This website reflects his profound insights, garnered over nearly two decades of dedicated findings and research on the island. Raj has assisted countless Bermuda-bound visitors by providing direct, personalized responses to their queries and imparting his wealth of knowledge through this platform. This site serves as an indispensable guide for those seeking informed and reliable insights into Bermuda's treasures.
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