crisndeefromde

thank you so much for a great first leg....

love the pictures love the review so far

golly...in withdrawals...guess I need to go look at panama canal trips...we have been talking about them for a few weeks but thought we would wait until the new locks were done.

thank you Trainman and Judith for sharing your voyage so far. We love the pictures....

Hubby wants to know what you thought about Cartagena

Hmmmn never heard of turning over the passports . learn something new everyday. Never had this happen to us.

I have actually heard more good things about Explorer and her and crew than any other ship in the fleet, including Oasis and Allure.

 

It seems that the people that love the Explorer, really love her. And that there's a lot of people that feel this way :)

 

Makes me really excited for my trip!! :D

We love the Explorer and love the crew and have sailed on her many times. Someday we will get back to her as she is just a few hours from us. For now we are busy exploring islands the Explorer used to go to when she did port intensive 12 night cruises.

Special shout out to Jody our restaurant coordinator and Zafer up in Portofinos....Rica from the Phillipines our favorite room attendant...but then again we have some favs that are now on the Adventure of the Seas too....shout out to Augustino!!!

thanks for the poster for these great pictures. I had been going thru my business cards from our past feb cruises on Adventure of the seas. As we did not book a tour on the ship we decided to go out to the vendors and see what was offered. It was raining. All I know is ...this is the beautiful island that a few seasons ago the Bachelor was there filming! Oh could I get close enough to see the resort they went to? Well after purchasing a 4 hour tour and waiting for about an hour for some reason....when it started to become more than an hour and half and I was getting irritated...when were put with James in his van with all spanish speaking guests who were part of a four van tour. of all the guests James and us were the only english speaking guests. We felt bad as this was a private arranged tour with the other ship that was there with us and their guide "promised to moved from vehicle to vehicle" to talk to them. Yes that didn't happen until the end. Anyways, this gentleman was fantastic and I really felt he was just talking to us. James felt bad that he couldn't communicate with them better and one young lady did know a little english and had a book to point words to me to ask James. What do you know? He is a major bachelor fan. When we didn't go to the volcano as it was pouring and many of our guests were in white slacks and heels..(someone didn't give them the memo that walking and climbing was involved) and they communicated they didn't want to pay anything extra.( fee to get into waterfalls as well as volcano....they thought was paid for in tour...our ticket clearly stated it was extra) James took us to a look out that low and behold....the skies cleared and there was the resort...wow...he explained the waterfall he was taking us to was also filmed. It looked so much larger on tv but it was beautiful and a great bathroom break. We did see the guy walking with the snake. I just wanted to be as far away as possible. Yes I dislike these big ones and some of the most poisonous are in the rain forrest. They do not use mongoose here. Snakes are too big. James took us to so many neat sites that were not on the original tour but due to the weather and the mud from slides still not being really stable, we felt we got more than our money's worth unlike our other guests in the van. Would I use him again? Can't wait to see him again in February. We are traveling with another couple so before too long we want to get our tours lined up. Thank you James for a great visit to St Lucia and your kindness. What a great island to visit and his hospitality is geniune.

does anyone know if the bathrooms were redone? I saw someone on here asked and I have searched. family that has been on celebrity said some of the ships had been redone to the dome showers.

is Carlos going back to the diamond lounge on the liberty or to be the concierge? he came from the diamond lounge when we were on the liberty. it was nice to see him on the explorer

DENISE

Thanks for taking us along. I love the Explorer as she was my first ship experience.

Glad you lost pounds!! Keep up the good training and good luck.

Don't be upset if you don't get any credit for your internet. It states in the contract no refunds of any unused time in your package and while they try to make sure the internet is working all the time, there may have been times when with the situation that you had on board it was blocked so that medical could have constant contact with authorities and also folks needing to make travel arrangements could still do so with faster connections. No idea if that is the case but we had it happen to us on the Liberty a few years ago when the storm of the century hit the east coast and one day at sea we didn't have tv. next morning ...two days before arriving back to port we are hearing of this pending storm and no one knows when or where and so forth. well needless to say the next day when they knew the path, no internet except in the computer area. hot spots were cut off so people could make travel arrangements. our flight was cancelled. as soon as the ship got close enough to port that morning for us to get a cell signal hubby was on phone to us air who took care of us. it was just a long day of flying and drive home ok until we had to turn off main highway to go two miles to our house that took hour an a half. who knows.

Best wishes with your marathons.

Hi Denise I feel like I know you and your daughter after reading your great posts!!!!!! Maybe one day we will cruise together. My husband and I will be boarding on Saturday along with a few family members. . Yes we did lose a day, but I am so glad that RCCL did what they needed to do. I think that if I were ever the sick passenger would hope they would do the same. I know there have been lots of people complaining about the lost day. Yes we did lose a day, but we are still going on a cruise, and not the one laying in a hospital room.

I do have another question. We have late dinning and it sounds like a lot of the night activities will conflict with our dinner. I know that late dinning does the early theatre show. But what about all the other things? What time do they start? Also my brother in law is traveling with our group. He wanted to know if they had a cigar bar on board. I said yuck:mad: smoking is bad for you. Well he only smokes cigars once in a while and thought he may enjoy a few onboard.

You and Ariel please enjoy the remainder of your cruise. And thank you for your descriptive thread. I have enjoyed your cruise though your posts. I know your said you are staying in a promanade cabin, we are also staying in one. First time ever, always stay in OV but since this was a extra vacation and got a great price we decided to try this type cabin. Any info would be great we are on the port side eight floor, mid section of the ship.

Lynn....they used to have the cigar bar outside of Majarahjas? as it was onboard when we all sailed together a few years ago. They always have a show to accommodate both dining times. You just may be going later in the evening or earlier in the evening. I think a lot of our shows were early as we had late seating dining.

enjoy enjoy..miss you all and hope to sail again soon. Say hi to Dick and Mari for us.

it is chartered again. messed up our plans for being on ship to celebrate a birthday so going the end of the month.

actually after reading your post again....you are paying thru the nose as you put it as it is Easter holiday time and some of the highest price time to cruise.

I sure can't go along with giving you any hope as this should have been resolved years ago. As you didn't do this and go further with compensation your time is long over for a claim. You could try but how angry are you going to get? Rehash this all over again. You did get your money back didn't you?

Go have a great time. If you feel you don't want to give Royal another chance stick with Disney. What ever you do tho, have a wonderful vacation and congratulations on your great family.

Sounds like you are off to a pretty good start. i am sure the loyal ambassador will get your status fixed.

Did your travel documents from your agent and royal caribbean show that you had confirmed second seating? Very unusual for the restaurant operations manager to miss many requests. I know on our Allure cruise last month many people were in line to change times and change tables after seeing the location of the table. Some said they didn't realize that second seating dining at 830 meant you weren't starting to dine until then. they actually thought they could just show up and be out by then.

Glad you are having a great time with your daughter. Enjoy the Explorer. She is a great ship with a great crew.

Ours too Patty, ours too.

Me Three!!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!

Merry Christmas Dick and Mari!!!!

And now I am so so excited as we are booked with my special sister and her hubby who have cruised several times with us on the Explorer of the Seas and the Liberty of the Seas! We were supposed to be together for the Inaugural but health issues changed their plans but we loved it and then did a cruise in March on the Explorer. So I just got off the phone with her when she called that she just got her confirmation and I said to her I was reading your review and I had to send her the link so she could show her hubby the pictures.....oh it is going to be a long wait to see the expressions on their faces. When we all went on the Liberty it was their first cruise and they were so amazed when walking on board. When you walk on board the Explorer you just don't get the wow affect immediately as you board on the lower deck in Bayonne. Now I was wowed when I came on board back in 06 my first cruise. I think my son had to close my mouth! lol But when you board the Allure....it just sends this feeling thru you that is so hard to describe!!!! Can't wait to hear and see more. I feel like I am right there with you!!!!!

Oh I fell in love with this ship watching her be built and following Capt Bill's weekly and then daily reports. Then my husband and I had the most AMAZING inaugural cruise on this ship and we are going again next month!!!! Just booked her again for Feb 2013! I was on the Oasis last month with 600 hundred Quacker Factory fans from QVC and found myself comparing it to the Allure. My best girlfriend was with me and it was her first cruise ever. I know I know...to get her to go with me it was go big or go home...now she is ready to go again...lol I loved the touches on the Allure that RCCL realized they needed to fix...the plugs in the stateroom!!! I love the Brazilian steakhouse....Victor from Portugal is our favorite waiter from the Explorer and was exciting to have him take great care of us here. I thought the crew and service far better on the Allure but not sure why. I understand from our waiters when on the Oasis that they are rotating crew between the two ships now for better Royal Service. I think that is a good idea myself. We had good service on the Oasis but maybe it was just the excitement of the inaugural.

Thank you so much for your reviews and taking time out of your evenings to write these.

Lunch in Portifinos on the Explorer is for Suite guest.

hEY Dick.... how are you both ?

Glad to have run into you here. Guess I better go check out the itineraries you all are on.

Take care and tell Mari hello for us.

well we all know how accurate info coming out of RCI can be....:rolleyes::D

 

we will just have to be surprised.....not that i care one way or another...(as long as it is NOT one of 2, i am fine...)

I am so so jealous....Meg!!! you are going on your cruise with some great peeps!!!!! Awesome....wish I could come along...

Is Richard Spacey still scheduled to take over as CD of the Explorer? Has it happened yet?

 

(138East, I always want to wave back when I see your avatar. ;) )

guess i better go back and read where this rumor started. just got off the oasis and he said he isn't leaving his home!

didn't have any spray problem when we parked at the pier in March. I have only seen one post about spray on the boards and I thought it was a much older post for some reason where someone was researching the parking and came across the issues. the parking area is also different now too. Maybe someday we will get to walk to the ship instead of the minute or so ride...lol

enjoy the cruises!!!

Love Allan Brooks.....he was our first cruise director on the Explorer back in 2006. Then Bingo Boy Dave Chapman came along and wow....he is my favorite by far but I love Jimmy Rhoades too....As much as i have read about Ken Rush I sure hope he is as good as everyone says he is.

Christie, I just came off the Explorer today and there was no latin music on our 9 nighter either!! The Aquarium Bar used to be packed every night on our previous cruises - there was always a great band there and many nights we would sit at the bar and listen to them, but this time there were a few guys and a girl singer who's voice was the worse I ever heard and the bar remained pretty empty the entire cruise. The lady was singing to an empty house..........LOL I filled out the survery and gave them "poor" for live music. I wonder why they took away the latin band?? They really drew a crowd!

Girlfriend! At least you were out in the evening to go listen to the music! I have tried twice to post a review and no luck. Keeps asking me to log on. Yep did that. I think we would have loved to listen to this group to sing us to sleep rather than all the other noises we had and plumbing issues.

I think this is what most of the folks in Bermuda use for their weather forecasts:

 

http://www.weather.bm/

 

Theron

thank you so much. Just checked it..yikes 67 on saturday for the daytime high! Going to be warmer here than that. I sure hope Bahamas are warmer.....need to change up the packing a little.

Before you all leave tomorrow....will there be any kind of forecasts for the next five days for Bermuda posted? Having some packing issues here with several other cruisers mentioning it is so chilly there this week. We are there on Saturday and Sunday of course.

Thank you so so much. Looks like you are having a wonderful time!!