Explorer of the Seas From a Cunarder's Perspective

The Explorer of the Seas—A Comparison with QM2

Yes, I Am Serious!

So. . . . I went to Bermuda on the Explorer of the Seas. I really needed a ship fix, as I call it, because I am totally and hopelessly addicted to ships. And, the particular ship I choose doesn’t seem to matter one whit. A ship is a ship is a ship, at least to me. All are wonderfully unique and all interact very nicely with the sea, which by the way, is the second of my wonderful addictions (only two of many) It is amazing to me just how these marvelous ships have the ability to reach right down into those deep, swirling swells and become one with the sea, maneuvering seemingly with ease. It matters not what variables the ships must endure, encountering every level wind and every size swell, these ships are able to do what they were created to do quite remarkably well.

Besides, after the year that Rick had, he needed a quick little jaunt to Bermuda, his favorite spot. However, there were only two cruise lines that were going there, NCL and RCI and I was a bit skeptical on cruising with either line given some of the reports I had heard and the reviews I had read. Years ago, we cruised with RCCL, but the ships were small and relatively refined, but now I have heard horror stories about both lines. In the end we decided to give RCI a try—if for no other reason than the fact that it called at lovely Bermuda. So, off to Bermuda we went on Saturday, September 26 aboard RCI’s Explorer of the Seas-- with tongue firmly in cheek, fingers and toes crossed, and hoping for the best.

This is my ninth cruise, and this one, just like all the others, ended up, much to my surprise, every bit as unique and wonderful as every other cruise. The Explorer of the Seas is one of the largest ships I have sailed on, and is quite beautiful in her own right, very bright and glassy and cheerful. Her beauty is very different from the much quieter beauty that makes the traditional QM2 so unique. I must say that QM2 remains my favorite ship so far. That is not to say that the Explorer of the Seas will not remain in my heart because I am sure she will, as, indeed, will every other ship I have had the privilege to sail on.

On the passage to Bermuda, it was difficult not to compare the two ships, QM2 and Explorer. However, it was only a little over a year ago that we cruised on QM2 and it seems both ships are almost the same size and close to the same age, so over the five days on Explorer, comparisons were inevitable, and there were many to make.

.When you first step onto QM2 you are greeted by her dark, well-polished, very traditional elegance; in comparison, as you first step onto Explorer, you are greeted by an enormous area with a real wow factor. There are wonderful glass elevators at each end facing the huge mall-like area, known as the Royal Promenade. This Royal Promenade looks very much like Main Street in any small town. It is funny though because, at first glance, it appears far more expansive than it really is. When you get to know the Royal Promenade a little better it definitely has far fewer shops and establishments than there appeared to be at first acquaintance.

The cabin was nearly the same as our cabin on QM2, although QM2’s cabin was slightly larger, as was the hull balcony. However, both cabins had more than adequate room for all the luggage we brought, enough for a month, I swear—and we found a place for everything. Both cabins seemed equally comfortable, and service was very much the same on both ships as well. We had a steward from Jamaica on Explorer of Seas who asked Rick if he were able to read when one afternoon I stepped out on the balcony, forgetting to close the door. I thought that the young man might have been a bit more diplomatic about his request, but hey, maybe he was having a bad day, who knows. On QM2, we had a Russian steward who had limited English, so we had difficulty communicating our need for shampoo. After many requests, we were finally able to get him to understand what we wanted and we had a new bottle of shampoo each day thereafter. So not all is perfect no matter which cruise you choose, and that is acceptable to me. It makes life a little more interesting that way. The perfection is in the ships and their unique ability to negotiate the seas and not in the people who run them anyway. (I have never met a perfect person yet and do not expect I will meet Mr. Perfection any time soon.) Actually, I know one.

On QM2, the Britannia Restaurant is a wonderfully special place, beautiful in every respect. And, it did not hurt much that we sat right under the very elegant tapestry, which is the centerpiece of the restaurant. I loved the classical music that accompanied us at dinner each night. Therefore, I would say that the Britannia dining room on QM2 wins my vote hands down as best for ambiance. However, that is not to say that the DeGama Restaurant is shabby, because it isn’t. It is lovely. We sat on the first of two balconies surrounding an open vertical space that reached all the way to the top of the ship and gave the restaurant its unique selling point. The dining room service was excellent on both ships. I believe it was easier for the waiters on Explorer simply because the dining room was not full, by any stretch of the imagination. For instance, we sat at a table for eight; but only four of us ever showed up for dinner. And that was the same throughout the dining room. I really do not know if the reason for that was that people chose to eat less formally or that the ship simply was not full.

I suspect that, in general, many people have a fear of not knowing just what is proper dress, so that could be one of the reasons the dining rooms were half-full... For some reason people have an aversion to dressing up nowadays—particularly Americans. However, I must say that, on Formal Night, most people tried—not with the same expertise and pizzazz that passengers on QM2 did, but all in all, people did make an effort. Overall, the attire was not nearly as appalling as I had expected, and I met several lovely, lovely people who actually knew the difference between formal and casual That’s not to say that there weren’t some odd ones, because there were, but I also saw a few of those on QM2 .. When you put that many people together 3,200 on Explorer and 2,400 on QM2 you are apt to encounter an odd duck now and then.

And a short note about the numbers of passengers on each ship—even though Explorer had quite a few more passengers, I seldom felt crowded. Most of the time the ship felt very roomy indeed.

The food in both the Britannia and the DeGama dining rooms was very good. On each cruise I had one meal that I did not care for. On QM2, I had a steak that was very tough and gristly and on Explorer, the lobster I ordered had a fishy taste, something I have never experienced from lobster. But again, the food is prepared by human beings and perfect they‘re not. When you think of it, one less-than-perfect meal on an entire cruise isn’t all that bad. I am quite positive that those errors would have been rectified had I pursued the matter, but I didn’t, so I really have little to complain about.

I am not a lover of buffets, but, on both ships, we occasionally had breakfast in the buffet restaurants. I can say that the food was far better in King’s Court. I particularly liked the omelet station provided on QM2…. And while I’m on the subject of buffets, I really loved the way that King’s Court provided direct access to the promenade deck. I am a very early riser, would you believe 4:30 am most mornings, so that the set-up on QM2 allowed for a quick cup of coffee then onto the deck for a leisurely morning walk to watch the sunrise. On Explorer, the buffet was on Deck 11, and didn’t have a direct access to the promenade deck, although the open deck was not far away. However, I missed the quick access to the deck very much.

One of my favorite places on QM2 was Sir Samuel’s for lunch, and I didn’t find anything comparable on Explorer. There was the 24-hour coffee shop that had sandwiches, but the shop and the sandwiches weren’t nearly as elegant. There was a midnight buffet one evening on the pool deck on Explorer. It actually began at eleven and featured a band playing very loud reggae music (at least I think that’s what it was). The lines for the food were extremely long and waiting for long periods is not my cup of tea. I really found it quite amazing that people were willing to wait in a line almost the length of the ship and on both portside and starboard for the ho-hum buffet food that was offered, particularly considering that many of them had just finished dinner less than an hour before. How much can one person eat anyway?

One thing that is central to a Cunard cruise and that is missing from RCI is the ballroom. There seemed to be no large space on Explorer that paralleled the Queen’s Room for dancing or taking afternoon tea. I suppose the large space was omitted in lieu of the various other offerings on Explorer, such as the rock climbing wall and the ice skating rink, just to name two. I suspect these options are intended to cater to the more youthful RCI demographic, but neither appealed much to me, although I must admit I insisted on trying in-line skating, much to Rick’s chagrin. He was sure I would end up, at the very least, with a broken back. However, he needn’t have worried because, having put on the skates, I found that I couldn’t stand up - so that was that - end of story! There is a mini golf course, and a Johnnie Rockets (a hamburger joint) which I shamefully insisted we try. It wasn’t that bad for a hamburger, I suppose. Besides, Rick was able to satisfy his sweet tooth (his addiction) at the hamburger establishment with one strawberry milkshake and one Oreo sundae.

I must confess, we never saw the ice skating rink or the shows on offer there - or any other show for that matter, so I can’t critique the shows on Explorer and we only went to one show on our 13 day cruise on QM2, not enough to really have an opinion of those shows either. So, any kind of objective comparison of the entertainment on the two ships is pretty much impossible.

We did enjoy the sing-a-longs in the Schooner Bar where an entertainer sang and played piano featuring fifties and sixties tunes by taking requests from his audience. His banter was quite amusing. Rick and I, along with three others, even won one of his trivia contests. We seemed to enjoy the same sort of thing on QM2 at the Commodore Club. The musician there, a piano player as well, took requests and people would sometimes sing along. I guess that is our niche. I have tried to evaluate our complete lack of interest for shows and I think it has something to do with feeling as if you are part of a captive audience. It is not easy to escape quietly from one of those large theaters, not to mention the rudeness of an exit. So we chose not to attend, allowing us to remain free. Well, it is as good an explanation as any, isn’t it?

There were plenty of things to do on both ships, but I shall only talk about those things that I did. I can’t remember participating in much on QM2. In all honesty, I was so taken with the ship, both inside and out, that I hated to stop for any length of time to do anything but take photographs in hopes that when my memory faded, this magnificent ship could remain with me forever. To me most things offered would just take too much time away from my very favorite thing—the ship itself--and the sea. When I look back at my photos, I find that my favorite entertainment was simply to be on deck watching the ship perform in her natural maritime environment. Then, I would wander inside looking in complete amazement at every little traditional detail. It is also very easy to be inside because QM2 offers so many spaces that have windows to the sea. So, as I planned my QM2 cruise, I had every intention of learning to play bridge, attending lectures, meeting an author, or learning a new dance, but I did none of those things. On Explorer, I planned nothing in advance, with the exception of in-line skating which I was determined to try. However, I was caught up in jewelry making in the Viking Crown Lounge one afternoon when I was admiring the wonderful views of the sea. I found very quickly that jewelry making is not my thing, and I have a bunch of tiny little beads to prove it. I also found myself in the midst of a conga line at the midnight buffet, which was fun, I suppose. And then there was a gentleman teaching some kind of line dancing that I tried—spur of the moment as well—one afternoon, but I am not very coordinated so I left midway through.

Then there are the many silly little contests that are offered on Explorer. Many of them are poolside. I know much has been made of these games on several of the cruise boards. There is the Belly Flop contest, which thankfully was cancelled due to inclement weather, and the Men’s Sexiest Legs Contest, which I watched with camera in hand while Rick, totally embarrassed by my antics, hovered in the shadows, hoping I would soon come to my senses. And when that was over and I had photos of every single contestant, I went on a hunt for one of the many buckets of beer on deck so that I could take a photo for my Cunard friends. Yes, there really are buckets of beer! Rick had to walk away after I spied a bucket just under one of the lounge chairs. “Is this yours?” I asked. A gentleman propped himself up on one elbow and proclaimed the bucket was indeed his. - “why?” he asked. “I wonder if you would mind if I took a photo of it? The people who sail on the Cunard ships don’t believe there is such a thing and I would like to show them, OK?” “Oh, sure go ahead”, he said proudly as if the white bucket with Corona printed on the front with three beers in it was one of his offspring... I eventually found Rick at the other end of the deck pretending he wasn’t with me. “Do you have no shame, Gail?” He asked. “No”, I answered.

I believe there were few games of this type on QM2. I really think they are not needed. I do remember that there was a country western night in the Queen’s Room one night and there were silly games there, but nothing that I remember around the pool...

One thing I was afraid of was the quality of the passengers. Stories I had heard prior to departure had made me concerned about the behavior and attitudes that I might encounter on RCI, but all was well and under control. I saw nothing that was out of the ordinary, just people enjoying their cruise. And even with all the buckets of beer, I saw no drunkenness or inappropriate behavior at all.

Embarkation and disembarkation on both cruises went without a hitch, both very easy with no wait at all either way.

The last thing I would like to mention is the ease with which Explorer handled rough weather. We had very large swells and 65 mph winds and yet I felt little more than a quiver from this very large, lovely ship and that was a big surprise to me. I always expected smooth sailing from QM2, and got it, but I would never have expected the same from this RCI ship. However, when we crossed over the Gulf Stream, which is always rough, Explorer handled it with grace and ease. What a pleasant surprise!

I am very happy we decided to try this cruise because now I know that if I need a quick Bermuda fix, I can take it without tongue in cheek next time, but with the knowledge that the RCI ships, though neither as elegant nor as traditional as the Cunard ships, are still quite lovely in their own right.

Gail

Thank you very much indeed for a most interesting review:).

Please add my thanks for your fascinating and careful review. My wife and I feel quite as you do about shipboard life. One of many problems we foresee on any but a Cunard ship would be the playing of amplified "music" on the open decks from which one cannot escape. What is your recollection in this regard on the Royal Caribbean ship?

The Explorer of the Seas—A Comparison with QM2

Yes, I Am Serious!

 

So. . . . I went to Bermuda on the Explorer of the Seas. I really needed a ship fix, as I call it, because I am totally and hopelessly addicted to ships. And, the particular ship I choose doesn’t seem to matter one whit. A ship is a ship is a ship, at least to me. All are wonderfully unique and all interact very nicely with the sea, which by the way, is the second of my wonderful addictions (only two of many) It is amazing to me just how these marvelous ships have the ability to reach right down into those deep, swirling swells and become one with the sea, maneuvering seemingly with ease. It matters not what variables the ships must endure, encountering every level wind and every size swell, these ships are able to do what they were created to do quite remarkably well.

 

Besides, after the year that Rick had, he needed a quick little jaunt to Bermuda, his favorite spot. However, there were only two cruise lines that were going there, NCL and RCI and I was a bit skeptical on cruising with either line given some of the reports I had heard and the reviews I had read. Years ago, we cruised with RCCL, but the ships were small and relatively refined, but now I have heard horror stories about both lines. In the end we decided to give RCI a try—if for no other reason than the fact that it called at lovely Bermuda. So, off to Bermuda we went on Saturday, September 26 aboard RCI’s Explorer of the Seas-- with tongue firmly in cheek, fingers and toes crossed, and hoping for the best.

 

This is my ninth cruise, and this one, just like all the others, ended up, much to my surprise, every bit as unique and wonderful as every other cruise. The Explorer of the Seas is one of the largest ships I have sailed on, and is quite beautiful in her own right, very bright and glassy and cheerful. Her beauty is very different from the much quieter beauty that makes the traditional QM2 so unique. I must say that QM2 remains my favorite ship so far. That is not to say that the Explorer of the Seas will not remain in my heart because I am sure she will, as, indeed, will every other ship I have had the privilege to sail on.

 

On the passage to Bermuda, it was difficult not to compare the two ships, QM2 and Explorer. However, it was only a little over a year ago that we cruised on QM2 and it seems both ships are almost the same size and close to the same age, so over the five days on Explorer, comparisons were inevitable, and there were many to make.

 

.When you first step onto QM2 you are greeted by her dark, well-polished, very traditional elegance; in comparison, as you first step onto Explorer, you are greeted by an enormous area with a real wow factor. There are wonderful glass elevators at each end facing the huge mall-like area, known as the Royal Promenade. This Royal Promenade looks very much like Main Street in any small town. It is funny though because, at first glance, it appears far more expansive than it really is. When you get to know the Royal Promenade a little better it definitely has far fewer shops and establishments than there appeared to be at first acquaintance.

 

The cabin was nearly the same as our cabin on QM2, although QM2’s cabin was slightly larger, as was the hull balcony. However, both cabins had more than adequate room for all the luggage we brought, enough for a month, I swear—and we found a place for everything. Both cabins seemed equally comfortable, and service was very much the same on both ships as well. We had a steward from Jamaica on Explorer of Seas who asked Rick if he were able to read when one afternoon I stepped out on the balcony, forgetting to close the door. I thought that the young man might have been a bit more diplomatic about his request, but hey, maybe he was having a bad day, who knows. On QM2, we had a Russian steward who had limited English, so we had difficulty communicating our need for shampoo. After many requests, we were finally able to get him to understand what we wanted and we had a new bottle of shampoo each day thereafter. So not all is perfect no matter which cruise you choose, and that is acceptable to me. It makes life a little more interesting that way. The perfection is in the ships and their unique ability to negotiate the seas and not in the people who run them anyway. (I have never met a perfect person yet and do not expect I will meet Mr. Perfection any time soon.) Actually, I know one.

 

On QM2, the Britannia Restaurant is a wonderfully special place, beautiful in every respect. And, it did not hurt much that we sat right under the very elegant tapestry, which is the centerpiece of the restaurant. I loved the classical music that accompanied us at dinner each night. Therefore, I would say that the Britannia dining room on QM2 wins my vote hands down as best for ambiance. However, that is not to say that the DeGama Restaurant is shabby, because it isn’t. It is lovely. We sat on the first of two balconies surrounding an open vertical space that reached all the way to the top of the ship and gave the restaurant its unique selling point. The dining room service was excellent on both ships. I believe it was easier for the waiters on Explorer simply because the dining room was not full, by any stretch of the imagination. For instance, we sat at a table for eight; but only four of us ever showed up for dinner. And that was the same throughout the dining room. I really do not know if the reason for that was that people chose to eat less formally or that the ship simply was not full.

 

I suspect that, in general, many people have a fear of not knowing just what is proper dress, so that could be one of the reasons the dining rooms were half-full... For some reason people have an aversion to dressing up nowadays—particularly Americans. However, I must say that, on Formal Night, most people tried—not with the same expertise and pizzazz that passengers on QM2 did, but all in all, people did make an effort. Overall, the attire was not nearly as appalling as I had expected, and I met several lovely, lovely people who actually knew the difference between formal and casual That’s not to say that there weren’t some odd ones, because there were, but I also saw a few of those on QM2 .. When you put that many people together 3,200 on Explorer and 2,400 on QM2 you are apt to encounter an odd duck now and then.

 

And a short note about the numbers of passengers on each ship—even though Explorer had quite a few more passengers, I seldom felt crowded. Most of the time the ship felt very roomy indeed.

 

The food in both the Britannia and the DeGama dining rooms was very good. On each cruise I had one meal that I did not care for. On QM2, I had a steak that was very tough and gristly and on Explorer, the lobster I ordered had a fishy taste, something I have never experienced from lobster. But again, the food is prepared by human beings and perfect they‘re not. When you think of it, one less-than-perfect meal on an entire cruise isn’t all that bad. I am quite positive that those errors would have been rectified had I pursued the matter, but I didn’t, so I really have little to complain about.

 

I am not a lover of buffets, but, on both ships, we occasionally had breakfast in the buffet restaurants. I can say that the food was far better in King’s Court. I particularly liked the omelet station provided on QM2…. And while I’m on the subject of buffets, I really loved the way that King’s Court provided direct access to the promenade deck. I am a very early riser, would you believe 4:30 am most mornings, so that the set-up on QM2 allowed for a quick cup of coffee then onto the deck for a leisurely morning walk to watch the sunrise. On Explorer, the buffet was on Deck 11, and didn’t have a direct access to the promenade deck, although the open deck was not far away. However, I missed the quick access to the deck very much.

 

One of my favorite places on QM2 was Sir Samuel’s for lunch, and I didn’t find anything comparable on Explorer. There was the 24-hour coffee shop that had sandwiches, but the shop and the sandwiches weren’t nearly as elegant. There was a midnight buffet one evening on the pool deck on Explorer. It actually began at eleven and featured a band playing very loud reggae music (at least I think that’s what it was). The lines for the food were extremely long and waiting for long periods is not my cup of tea. I really found it quite amazing that people were willing to wait in a line almost the length of the ship and on both portside and starboard for the ho-hum buffet food that was offered, particularly considering that many of them had just finished dinner less than an hour before. How much can one person eat anyway?

 

One thing that is central to a Cunard cruise and that is missing from RCI is the ballroom. There seemed to be no large space on Explorer that paralleled the Queen’s Room for dancing or taking afternoon tea. I suppose the large space was omitted in lieu of the various other offerings on Explorer, such as the rock climbing wall and the ice skating rink, just to name two. I suspect these options are intended to cater to the more youthful RCI demographic, but neither appealed much to me, although I must admit I insisted on trying in-line skating, much to Rick’s chagrin. He was sure I would end up, at the very least, with a broken back. However, he needn’t have worried because, having put on the skates, I found that I couldn’t stand up - so that was that - end of story! There is a mini golf course, and a Johnnie Rockets (a hamburger joint) which I shamefully insisted we try. It wasn’t that bad for a hamburger, I suppose. Besides, Rick was able to satisfy his sweet tooth (his addiction) at the hamburger establishment with one strawberry milkshake and one Oreo sundae.

 

I must confess, we never saw the ice skating rink or the shows on offer there - or any other show for that matter, so I can’t critique the shows on Explorer and we only went to one show on our 13 day cruise on QM2, not enough to really have an opinion of those shows either. So, any kind of objective comparison of the entertainment on the two ships is pretty much impossible.

 

We did enjoy the sing-a-longs in the Schooner Bar where an entertainer sang and played piano featuring fifties and sixties tunes by taking requests from his audience. His banter was quite amusing. Rick and I, along with three others, even won one of his trivia contests. We seemed to enjoy the same sort of thing on QM2 at the Commodore Club. The musician there, a piano player as well, took requests and people would sometimes sing along. I guess that is our niche. I have tried to evaluate our complete lack of interest for shows and I think it has something to do with feeling as if you are part of a captive audience. It is not easy to escape quietly from one of those large theaters, not to mention the rudeness of an exit. So we chose not to attend, allowing us to remain free. Well, it is as good an explanation as any, isn’t it?

 

There were plenty of things to do on both ships, but I shall only talk about those things that I did. I can’t remember participating in much on QM2. In all honesty, I was so taken with the ship, both inside and out, that I hated to stop for any length of time to do anything but take photographs in hopes that when my memory faded, this magnificent ship could remain with me forever. To me most things offered would just take too much time away from my very favorite thing—the ship itself--and the sea. When I look back at my photos, I find that my favorite entertainment was simply to be on deck watching the ship perform in her natural maritime environment. Then, I would wander inside looking in complete amazement at every little traditional detail. It is also very easy to be inside because QM2 offers so many spaces that have windows to the sea. So, as I planned my QM2 cruise, I had every intention of learning to play bridge, attending lectures, meeting an author, or learning a new dance, but I did none of those things. On Explorer, I planned nothing in advance, with the exception of in-line skating which I was determined to try. However, I was caught up in jewelry making in the Viking Crown Lounge one afternoon when I was admiring the wonderful views of the sea. I found very quickly that jewelry making is not my thing, and I have a bunch of tiny little beads to prove it. I also found myself in the midst of a conga line at the midnight buffet, which was fun, I suppose. And then there was a gentleman teaching some kind of line dancing that I tried—spur of the moment as well—one afternoon, but I am not very coordinated so I left midway through.

 

Then there are the many silly little contests that are offered on Explorer. Many of them are poolside. I know much has been made of these games on several of the cruise boards. There is the Belly Flop contest, which thankfully was cancelled due to inclement weather, and the Men’s Sexiest Legs Contest, which I watched with camera in hand while Rick, totally embarrassed by my antics, hovered in the shadows, hoping I would soon come to my senses. And when that was over and I had photos of every single contestant, I went on a hunt for one of the many buckets of beer on deck so that I could take a photo for my Cunard friends. Yes, there really are buckets of beer! Rick had to walk away after I spied a bucket just under one of the lounge chairs. “Is this yours?” I asked. A gentleman propped himself up on one elbow and proclaimed the bucket was indeed his. - “why?” he asked. “I wonder if you would mind if I took a photo of it? The people who sail on the Cunard ships don’t believe there is such a thing and I would like to show them, OK?” “Oh, sure go ahead”, he said proudly as if the white bucket with Corona printed on the front with three beers in it was one of his offspring... I eventually found Rick at the other end of the deck pretending he wasn’t with me. “Do you have no shame, Gail?” He asked. “No”, I answered.

 

I believe there were few games of this type on QM2. I really think they are not needed. I do remember that there was a country western night in the Queen’s Room one night and there were silly games there, but nothing that I remember around the pool...

 

One thing I was afraid of was the quality of the passengers. Stories I had heard prior to departure had made me concerned about the behavior and attitudes that I might encounter on RCI, but all was well and under control. I saw nothing that was out of the ordinary, just people enjoying their cruise. And even with all the buckets of beer, I saw no drunkenness or inappropriate behavior at all.

 

Embarkation and disembarkation on both cruises went without a hitch, both very easy with no wait at all either way.

 

The last thing I would like to mention is the ease with which Explorer handled rough weather. We had very large swells and 65 mph winds and yet I felt little more than a quiver from this very large, lovely ship and that was a big surprise to me. I always expected smooth sailing from QM2, and got it, but I would never have expected the same from this RCI ship. However, when we crossed over the Gulf Stream, which is always rough, Explorer handled it with grace and ease. What a pleasant surprise!

 

I am very happy we decided to try this cruise because now I know that if I need a quick Bermuda fix, I can take it without tongue in cheek next time, but with the knowledge that the RCI ships, though neither as elegant nor as traditional as the Cunard ships, are still quite lovely in their own right.

 

Gail

A wonderful review, thank you, one thing I would say was a lot better than QM2 was the bed on out RCL cruise, wow that was pure comfort.

Every ship has something to offer, My love is still QM2, but RCL , I found to very good

Please add my thanks for your fascinating and careful review. My wife and I feel quite as you do about shipboard life. One of many problems we foresee on any but a Cunard ship would be the playing of amplified "music" on the open decks from which one cannot escape. What is your recollection in this regard on the Royal Caribbean ship?

I am happy you liked it.

You know, someone asked that same question and I really can not remember any music on the open decks. Now I must say, that I am one who is able to tune out anything, but my husband doesn't have that ability and he can't remember any music either. so I really believe there was no canned music. And we spent a great deal of time on the decks.:)

This is a bit off topic but somewhat related to the OP’s theme. I have been on only three cruises - 2 QM2 TAs and 1 transatlantic (repositioning) cruise on the Jewel of the Seas. On the JOS they had music playing out on deck by the pool - it drove me crazy. I was told by a staff member that they were not allowed to turn the music off after I had asked – fair enough I guess. We did have very pleasant tablemates, but in general there was less intellectual stimulation on the JOS compared to the QM2. I mean c’mon scrapbooking and bingo? How are you going to compare that to lectures by PD James or Paul Bremer (like or hate him)? Plus, there also seemed to be more binge eating on the JOS at the buffet – it was a little disturbing actually. The interior of the ship was nice, but the ship was tossed around quite a bit in the Atlantic. The JOS crew worked very hard and was very professional and gracious, even to the few ungrateful passengers who deserved nothing more than to be thrown overboard. I don’t think I would take another trip on a Royal Caribbean ship but I think it is more a matter of taste than anything else. Glad you had a good time – that’s all that really matters.

This is a bit off topic but somewhat related to the OP’s theme. I have been on only three cruises - 2 QM2 TAs and 1 transatlantic (repositioning) cruise on the Jewel of the Seas. On the JOS they had music playing out on deck by the pool - it drove me crazy. I was told by a staff member that they were not allowed to turn the music off after I had asked – fair enough I guess. We did have very pleasant tablemates, but in general there was less intellectual stimulation on the JOS compared to the QM2. I mean c’mon scrapbooking and bingo? How are you going to compare that to lectures by PD James or Paul Bremer (like or hate him)? Plus, there also seemed to be more binge eating on the JOS at the buffet – it was a little disturbing actually. The interior of the ship was nice, but the ship was tossed around quite a bit in the Atlantic. The JOS crew worked very hard and was very professional and gracious, even to the few ungrateful passengers who deserved nothing more than to be thrown overboard. I don’t think I would take another trip on a Royal Caribbean ship but I think it is more a matter of taste than anything else. Glad you had a good time – that’s all that really matters.

Yes, you are right, I have found the Cunard ships' passengers to be generally more civil. But we found our tablemates on the Explorer of the Seas to be quite compatable and stimulating, as were those at our second table on the QM2. I wouldn't care to listen to prattle about bingo or scrapbooking either. Everytime you travel on a ship and share a table with strangers, it is the luck of the draw as to the compatibility factor. And that seems to be universal no matter what ship line you travel.

One of our first tablemates on the QM2 was absolutely obnoxious, complaining about everything from the food to the service and finally he found some higher up to listen to his rage. The food and the service, in fact, was excellent. We moved tables the next night. So you see there are nasty obnoxious people everywhere.

And yes, there did seem to be a bit more gluttony on the RCI ship, but there was a little younger crowd that may account for that.

I believe the trick is that when you go on a RCI ship, enjoy what that ship has to offer and do the same when Cunard is your choice or any other ship you choose. You can compare, but try to do so positively. That way , chances are the experience will be an enjoyable one.:)

We were going to go on the explorer in august 09, but we were paying a lot for our cruise. we wanted to save up for a cruise in the future. but i am sure we would of had a great time, no matter what the food and service is like.:)

We were going to go on the explorer in august 09, but we were paying a lot for our cruise. we wanted to save up for a cruise in the future. but i am sure we would of had a great time, no matter what the food and service is like.:)

Yes, you would have a good time on the Explorer. The service was excellent and the food was very good. I love the QM2, but that doesn't mean that I must exclude all other ships and I would definitely consider another RCI cruise.

" I have tried to evaluate our complete lack of interest for shows and I think it has something to do with feeling as if you are part of a captive audience. It is not easy to escape quietly from one of those large theaters, not to mention the rudeness of an exit. So we chose not to attend, allowing us to remain free."

And no matter what cruise line, people tend to take the seats near the aisles 20 minutes in advance of the show. There was one show on the Mariner of the Seas with performers flying in the air that seemed worth being "captive."

Thanks for your comparison.