All Things Explorer of the Seas! -- Part 2

[luvsgiraffes]

Yes, we were supposed to be on deck 9 and I switched to deck 2 midship at the recommendation of a friend due to the fact that I easily get seasick. Best decision for that reason. Barely felt the ship move at all. Loved it

 

That is so good to know! We're on deck 2 for the January 31 sailing and I was getting nervous because I hadn't seen anyone talking about it. Thanks for the info!

[Barb Nahoumi]

We'll be on Deck two for our cruise in March. Almost at sea level, hmmm.

[MedicKen]

We boarded Enchantment of the Seas (I know different ship) on Jan 5th. They left decorations up until the 8th, one day after Orthodox Christmas.

[Virtopia]

I'll be back on the Explorer in March. Would the production shows be the same as when I sailed in Jan 2012?

 

Also, I was fortunate enough to snag cabin 7690 with an amazing solo rate. Does anyone have any comments or pictures about this cabin? This will be my second balcony cabin, first solo balcony so I'm extremely excited and will be spending a lot of time out there. I've been to the Bahamas 3 times before, so this sailing is strictly about relaxing and rejuvenating.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using the Cruise Critic App

[Paulw8]

Hi all, we are traveling on the Ex in March. We have a handicap accessible room and someone traveling with us that is pretty much wheelchair bound. I have a few questions.

 

My dad has both a motorized wheelchair and a regular push chair. We were debating which one to take or to take both. The motorized wheelchair gives him a lot of freedom, he can go off on his own, but it's bulkier and doesn't collapse. The push chair is great for traveling in vehicles because it folds but he is more reliant on others.

 

Are the shore excursions accessible to someone in an motorized wheelchair. We specifically wanted to go on the Disney world excursion but are not sure if he can get on the bus (he can get out of the chair and transfer to a seat and even go up a couple steps if needed, but that's about it). If it's not accessible for a motorized chair, is it accessible for someone in a regular wheelchair? I have looked at the excursions and the Disney trip does not have the wheelchair icon.

 

Also does the ship have wheelchairs that can be borrowed? Can we bring his motorized chair and if we need a collapsible chair, can we use one the ship has on hand.

 

We have traveled to Vegas, Florida, and other vacations with dad but this is the first cruise we have taken the wheelchair on. We've learned its best to be prepared for a smooth trip.

 

Thanks for all your help. If you have any other hints on traveling with a wheelchair, I would greatly appreciate them.

 

Thanks

Paul

Explorer of the Seas, March 2014

[seeshore]

Paul, when are you sailing in March? Have you joined a roll call?

 

I'll try to answer a few of your questions since I've traveled with a wheelchair previously although your best bet might be to call Royal's accessibility dept.

 

It sounds like your father should bring his own motorized chair for more freedom and again check with Royal regarding the excursion. Royal does have a partnership with a couple of rental companies if you would like to have a wheelchair delivered to the cabin. I did this on Allure and it cost about $70 for the week. The ship does not provide wheelchairs for passenger use except in an emergency situation.

 

Another option for a Disney Day would be to rent a car for the day. We've done that a couple of times and we've gotten a rental for under $50.00. It worked out great! That way you can go directly to your park of choice and not be dropped off at the TTC.

 

Good luck with your planning. You can also get a bunch of info on the accessibilities board.

[Paulw8]

Paul, when are you sailing in March? Have you joined a roll call?

 

I'll try to answer a few of your questions since I've traveled with a wheelchair previously although your best bet might be to call Royal's accessibility dept.

 

It sounds like your father should bring his own motorized chair for more freedom and again check with Royal regarding the excursion. Royal does have a partnership with a couple of rental companies if you would like to have a wheelchair delivered to the cabin. I did this on Allure and it cost about $70 for the week. The ship does not provide wheelchairs for passenger use except in an emergency situation.

 

Another option for a Disney Day would be to rent a car for the day. We've done that a couple of times and we've gotten a rental for under $50.00. It worked out great! That way you can go directly to your park of choice and not be dropped off at the TTC.

 

Good luck with your planning. You can also get a bunch of info on the accessibilities board.

 

Yes I have posted to roll call and registered for the M&M. We are sailing on March 21 on the Explorer.

 

I'll contact the accessibility dept from Royal. Great idea. And I think we will try to rent a wheelchair.

 

Thanks

Paul

[stevea36]

Hi all, we are traveling on the Ex in March. We have a handicap accessible room and someone traveling with us that is pretty much wheelchair bound. I have a few questions.

 

My dad has both a motorized wheelchair and a regular push chair. We were debating which one to take or to take both. The motorized wheelchair gives him a lot of freedom, he can go off on his own, but it's bulkier and doesn't collapse. The push chair is great for traveling in vehicles because it folds but he is more reliant on others.

 

Are the shore excursions accessible to someone in an motorized wheelchair. We specifically wanted to go on the Disney world excursion but are not sure if he can get on the bus (he can get out of the chair and transfer to a seat and even go up a couple steps if needed, but that's about it). If it's not accessible for a motorized chair, is it accessible for someone in a regular wheelchair? I have looked at the excursions and the Disney trip does not have the wheelchair icon.

 

Also does the ship have wheelchairs that can be borrowed? Can we bring his motorized chair and if we need a collapsible chair, can we use one the ship has on hand.

 

We have traveled to Vegas, Florida, and other vacations with dad but this is the first cruise we have taken the wheelchair on. We've learned its best to be prepared for a smooth trip.

 

Thanks for all your help. If you have any other hints on traveling with a wheelchair, I would greatly appreciate them.

 

Thanks

Paul

Explorer of the Seas, March 2014

 

You should definitely check with the special needs department at RCI as I do not believe that you are allowed to bring you own motorized chair due to safety concerns. Apparently the batteries on the chair have to be a certain type as well as chair sizes, etc.

 

From what I have read here on CC the folks at special needs will go out of their way to help you. Be sure to discuss excursions with them as well (not just WDW but your other stops as well).

 

Please post the results of your call to special needs here on the forum to share with others.

 

Happy New Year

 

Steve

[meatloafsfan]

Paul,

 

My mom is in a wheelchair and we sailed on the Explorer last February and are going on it again this February.

 

The ship itself is very accessible. I don't know what cabin your dad has but we stayed in an inside accessible cabin and found it large enough - though with the 3 of us, we had to move the beds a bit so that the chair could manouver next to my mother's bed. The bathroom in the cabin was large and well appointed. The only issue for us was the tiny shower seat (we solved this by showering my mom in her wheelchair lined with towels and then drying it).

 

I recommend taking both the electric wheelchair and the manual chair. I'd prefer to have our own back up chair than to rely on the ship to lend us a chair if we needed a manual one (like if the electric chair doesn't charge enough between uses - like if he decided to tour around Nassau and came back to the ship and didn't have enough juice to make it to dinner).

 

The DisneyWorld excursion is supposed to be wheelchair accessible. You need to call special needs and let them know if you book it - the only difference is that the bus they provide to take you from the ship to the park will be wheelchair accessible (it will have a lift). Disney World itself is very accessible so no worries once you get there.

 

We also found that the best accessible washroom on the ship is located in the casino - it's a companion washroom (one large room) with bars on all walls and lots of room for the chair (even the electric one).

 

Make sure you let special services know you have the wheelchair and they will ensure that you have an accessible table in the MDR. And we found many of the crew to go out of their way in the buffet to help us find a table.

 

Deck 5 is a great place to cross the ship (especially if it's cold at night) but be warned that on formal night we found it almost completely blocked. Thankfully a nice uniform officer noticed that people were stopping us from moving by stepping over the chair so he cleared a path to let us through.

[tunisbridal]

Hey. We are on the deck two on jan 31st. Did you joun the meet and mingle? I love your name. We collect giraffes:)

[luvsgiraffes]

Hey. We are on the deck two on jan 31st. Did you joun the meet and mingle? I love your name. We collect giraffes:)

 

Thanks! Yes, we are registered for the M&M. I have collected giraffes since I was in high school. Needless to say, I have a TON of them!! I am so excited for this cruise!!

Hope to meet you there!

[yj_eugene]

Has anyone ever stayed on deck two? Never stayed that low on a ship!

 

Sure. Nothing wrong with deck two. Had a great Alaska trip watching a lot of the scenery through a window on that deck. Smoother ride if you're near the middle too, which we were happy for that cruise, as it had a rough crossing of the Gulf of Alaska one night.

 

Funny/sad story about deck two for us. One time DW and I checked into the Monarch when it was at PC. We reached the top of the escalator, and the greeter up there looked us up and down then said "Deck 2 check-in is this way." Guess she thought we looked like we couldn't afford a cabin higher up. Have to admit I got a lot of satisfaction out of saying "No, Grand Suite check-in please" and watch her try to backtrack and recover from her original assessment. Hope she learned why "don't judge a book by its cover" is an idiom for a reason.

[DDDONE828]

Has anyone ever stayed on deck two? Never stayed that low on a ship!

 

We were on Explorer in November, 2nd deck outside, near the aft elevators and found the cabin fine. Bonus was that it was so easy to disembark at the ports and at a tender stop. Easy to get to the MDR at dinner as well. We found no problem re noise or motion.

We had been on Explorer previously and I felt the room attendant was not as good as my previous experiences which were higher and balcony. I don't know if it was the individual or if RCCL gives more rooms, less time per room on the lower decks/ouside vis upper/balcony. Note although the attendant was not as good, there was no problem.

[Ocean Boy]

We were on Explorer in November, 2nd deck outside, near the aft elevators and found the cabin fine. Bonus was that it was so easy to disembark at the ports and at a tender stop. Easy to get to the MDR at dinner as well. We found no problem re noise or motion.

We had been on Explorer previously and I felt the room attendant was not as good as my previous experiences which were higher and balcony. I don't know if it was the individual or if RCCL gives more rooms, less time per room on the lower decks/ouside vis upper/balcony. Note although the attendant was not as good, there was no problem.

 

I suspect it was just the luck of the draw. We have had some outstanding cabin attendants when staying in ocean view rooms on deck 2 on various ships.

[kmigrrrl]

I will be traveling with my 3yr old son and was just wondering if anyone knew what tv channels we get in the rooms, really any kids stations??? I am trying to figure out if we need to DL some of his shows onto our iPad for him to watch.

[smile1234]

Hello..i am trying to confirm on what date Explorer will have the Royal Tots program started. I can not find this anywhere and aside from calling i am wondering if anyone here knows. I have a 2yr old and would like to have a date as to when i can book a cruise.

 

Thanks

[luvscruising2007]

Explorer isn't due for the ship enhancements until sometime in 2015. As far as I can tell an exact date has not been set. It will definitely be after it leaves Bayonne. You might have to call Royal Caribbean for more details of when they will be getting the enhancements.

[meatloafsfan]

I will be traveling with my 3yr old son and was just wondering if anyone knew what tv channels we get in the rooms, really any kids stations??? I am trying to figure out if we need to DL some of his shows onto our iPad for him to watch.

 

I would. The TVs were very limited when I was on the ship last February and there were a few times that it lost the signal completely. Better safe than sorry.

[wolfcathorse]

does EX offer a shore excursion with airport drop-off? I don't want to risk missing my flight if I book the 11:35 flight home. The 2:30 flight was more money so the next cheap flight home doesn't leave EWR until 6:40 pm!

[Clarea]

does EX offer a shore excursion with airport drop-off? I don't want to risk missing my flight if I book the 11:35 flight home. The 2:30 flight was more money so the next cheap flight home doesn't leave EWR until 6:40 pm!

I checked my list of excursions from April 2013, and the only excursions were in Bermuda.

[tunisbridal]

Thanks! Yes, we are registered for the M&M. I have collected giraffes since I was in high school. Needless to say, I have a TON of them!! I am so excited for this cruise!!

Hope to meet you there!

 

See you there! I have a ton as well from all over the world

[MustangJean]

I will be traveling with my 3yr old son and was just wondering if anyone knew what tv channels we get in the rooms, really any kids stations??? I am trying to figure out if we need to DL some of his shows onto our iPad for him to watch.

 

 

I was on Explorer in October 2013 - one of the channels is Cartoon Network.

[kmigrrrl]

This question is for my mother-in-law who will be cruising with us. She recently had gastric surgery and is still drinking a lot of protein shakes. Has anyone ever brought them onboard before and also she was wondering if she'd be able to pack her blender???

I know I have read that people have brought a case of water put a luggage tag on it and had no problem, is this true???

Thanks for any advice.

[erniebert]

I'm reasonably sure they won't allow a blender as it could be a fire hazard as it has a motor (they don't allow fans for example). Could she purchase a shaker cup? That would make it easy for her to make up the shakes wherever she wanted

 

 

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App

[Honeymooner15]

Any place to get tacos, nachos ect?