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Ship Details
Began service: October, 2000
Guest capacity: 3,114
Total staff: 1,176
Length: 1,020 feet
Passenger decks: 14
CDC
inspection score: 90
Explorer of the Seas Overview
The Explorer of
the Seas cruise ship departs from Miami, FL, Bayonne, NJ, and Barcelona, Spain. Throughout the year,
she offers ocean cruises to Bermuda and throughout
the Caribbean.
Check Dates & Prices
for cruises to Bermuda and throughout the Caribbean.
Explorer of the Seas, second of Royal
Caribbean's series that debuted with Voyager of the
Seas in 1999, is a destination in itself. She boasts an
unprecedented wealth of facilities, activities and entertainment.
Amenities include a 60 ft. by 40 ft. ice skating rink/concert
venue/TV Studio, rock-climbing wall, inline-skating rink,
a shopping/dining/entertainment boulevard, miniature golf,
wedding chapel, florist, full-court basketball, spa/solarium
complex, and, for the first time at sea, Atmospheric
and Oceanographic Laboratories with hands-on
demonstrations, interaction with scientists and displays
such as a touchable iceberg. There is plenty to appeal
to every age group, making this a great ship for multigenerational
reunions.
Cabins
There are 939 ocean view cabins
(765 of those with balconies) and 618 interior
staterooms (138 with Promenade views). 26 cabins
are wheelchair accessible. Cabins are spacious and feature
twin beds that can convert to queen-size, phone, television
with closed-circuit and satellite programming options,
mini-bar, hair dryer and individually controlled air conditioning.
The bathrooms are small but functional. Category
G cabins, inside with Royal Promenade
views, have blackout curtains and special glass in the
windows to reduce noise. Balcony cabins
are 180 sq. ft. plus a 4.5 by 8.8-ft. balcony.
Dining
The 3-level formal dining room is one of the most
stunning in moderately priced lines.
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Each level is themed to a legendary explorer:
Columbus, Da Gama and Magellan, with mosaics on the walls celebrating
their journeys. Vegetarian selections (including paella) and ShipShape
(low-fat) items such as grilled sea bass with ginger lemon sauce are
offered. Service by the international staff was attentive and friendly.
Other dining venues include Johnny Rockets, a 50's-style
dining venue. Royal Caribbean has instituted a $3.95 per person cover
charge per guest for both in-restaurant and take-out dining (and beverages
are additionally charged).
Check out the casual buffets of the Windjammer Cafe
and Island Grill; and the intimate, reservations-only,
Euro-Italian Portofino Restaurant ($20 per person
charge) . The Windjammer also offers a casual, open
seating alternative dinner in the main restaurant featuring a buffet
and table service with no fee and no reservations necessary. Twenty-four
hour room service includes a full breakfast menu and full dining-room
menus during lunch and dinner.
Entertainment
The Palace, the main show lounge, is a four-deck-high,
1,350-seat theater with an opera-house ambiance. Sightlines are excellent
for Broadway-style revues. Studio B's ice rink sets
the scene for the cool Ice Planet show with a cast
of 11 where "snow" falls during some of the numbers. Jazz
lovers gravitate to Dizzy's nightly performances.
Weekend Warrior is a contemporary sports bar with
multiple televisions and a satellite dish. The Casino Royale
has a Vegas/rock 'n' roll theme and 300 slots, 10 blackjack tables,
three Caribbean Stud tables, three roulette wheels and a craps table.
Other options include piano and late evening sing-alongs in the Schooner
Bar; music in Maharaja's, an India-themed
secondary lounge; and The Chamber, a fun nightclub
designed to resemble a Gothic castle.
Fitness & Recreation
Extensive facilities with more than
15,000 sq. ft. of workout, aerobics and spa - in addition to 10,000
sq. ft. of Solarium relaxation - are among the largest afloat. The
ocean-view gym with stereo and TV monitors offers 20 treadmills, 18
Reebok strength units, 14 Reebok recumbent and upright cycles, eight
Reebok steppers, six Reebok Body Trecs, and free weights with multiple
benches. There is a jogging track (five times around equals a mile).
The spa has 14 multipurpose treatment rooms, hair salon and relaxation
area. The Solarium has a retractable glass roof so
you can enjoy its pool and two whirlpools rain or shine. Other recreational
facilities include a miniature golf course, driving range and golf
simulators; a full-length sports court for basketball, paddle ball
or volleyball; a rock climbing wall, rising 200 ft. above the sea;
the ice-skating rink which is open for free skating during the day;
a free inline skating track; and a dive and snorkel shop, where there
are additional fees for classes and gear. An array of fitness activities
includes everything from Sit To Be Fit classes to
Challenge Workouts. "ShipShape"
dollars are earned for participation and redeemed for sports gifts.
Public Areas
Featuring an impressive $11 million
art collection (highlighted by the work of Hollywood stars like Tony
Curtis, Peter Falk and Anthony Quinn), this ship is very pleasing
to the eye. The Royal Promenade is the heart of the
vessel. You will feel like you are in an upscale mall as you walk
this longer-than-a-football-field, and wider-than-three-lanes-of-traffic
boulevard. Diversions on this promenade include the Crown
& Kettle, a traditional English Pub; a 24-hour cafe for
pizza and pastries; 24-hr. self-serve yogurt; a sports bar; and shops
selling everything from ship's logo items to designer merchandise
by Versace, Bulgari, and Lladro. While the Royal Promenade
is the place to be for a street-fair atmosphere, there are also quiet
spaces aboard including the Aquarium Bar,
with beautiful tanks holding 56 tons of saltwater and hundreds of
tropical fish; a clubby cigar lounge; the Schooner Bar;
a well-stocked library; the Card Room; the Champagne
Bar; and the Skylight Wedding Chapel. An
Internet Center, royalcaribbeanonline,
is open 24 hours. (basic charge is 50 cents a minute). There is no
self-service launderette.
Kids
The Explorer offers supervised
programs for four age groups: 3-5 years, 6-8, 9-12 and 13-17. Young
sailors have more than 16,000 sq. ft. of dedicated space including
a playroom and outside play area with splash pools; teens, have their
own club, Optix, with dance floor, DJ booth and soda
bar. Activities include crafts, parties, movies, a carnival night
and Adventure Science (with hands-on experiments).
Children's menus offer tomato and cheese pizza, hamburgers, cheeseburgers
and other favorites. Group baby-sitting (children must be 3 and toilet
trained) is offered daily (cost is $4/per hr). In-stateroom sitting
must be booked through the Purser's Office at least 24 hours in advance
(it's available from 8am to 2am, children must be at least a year
old, and fee is $8/hr. for one or two children within the same family;
$10/hr. for three children within the same family).
Expert Explorer of the Seas reviews are edited by Michelle, and provided by Ian and Cruise Critic.com,
an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can
help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation.
Check
Dates & Prices for cruises to Bermuda
and throughout the Caribbean.
Explorer of the Seas cruise reviews
Cruise
Ship Inspection Report
All passenger cruise ships arriving at US ports are subject to unannounced
CDC inspection. Explorer of the
Seas Score: 90
Cruise
Critic: Explorer of the Seas
The Cruise Critic gives NCL's Explorer of the Seas a 4-ribbon
rating.
Web links
RCL
Cruises
Request a brochure, or find a travel agent who represents Royal Caribbean
Cruise Line at the company's official Web site.
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