All Things Explorer of the Seas! -- Part 2

[cruzinlady1947]

Do they have WIFI on the Explorer. I just use the computers on the ship. Someone asked me if they have WIFI. Told them I would try to find out. Thanks.......

 

Gwen :)

[JulieRose]

Funny story about lanyards. (Sorry, I'm super bored...) When we went on our first cruise, on the advice of my grandmother, I specifically bought a lanyard to put my seapass on. DH, then just a BF, refused saying it was "too girly" to put the seapass on a lanyard and that it would be fine. By the morning after embarkation, he had already lost his seapass and had it replaced with a new one complete with a hole punched in it and a brand new cruise line branded lanyard from the gift shop. He refuses to wear it around his neck but he will loop it through a belt loop and put the seapass in his pocket so it's more like a wallet chain and therefore less "girly." Now, we always have great fun before the cruise choosing new lanyards for our seapasses. (The ones for our upcoming EoS cruise are from the Titanic artifact exhibit and say "Titanic Crew." We expect to get at least a few comments on that one!)

[Clarea]

Do they have WIFI on the Explorer. I just use the computers on the ship. Someone asked me if they have WIFI. Told them I would try to find out. Thanks.......

 

Gwen :)

Yes, Explorer has about a half-dozen WiFi hotspots around the ship.

[cruzinlady1947]

Yes, Explorer has about a half-dozen WiFi hotspots around the ship.

Thanks for answering so quickly. I will tell my friend. I thought they did, but I knew someone would know for sure. Can always count on the people on Cruise Critic.......:cool::D

 

Gwen :)

[beachbuddy]

Funny story about lanyards. (Sorry, I'm super bored...) When we went on our first cruise, on the advice of my grandmother, I specifically bought a lanyard to put my seapass on. DH, then just a BF, refused saying it was "too girly" to put the seapass on a lanyard and that it would be fine. By the morning after embarkation, he had already lost his seapass and had it replaced with a new one complete with a hole punched in it and a brand new cruise line branded lanyard from the gift shop. He refuses to wear it around his neck but he will loop it through a belt loop and put the seapass in his pocket so it's more like a wallet chain and therefore less "girly." Now, we always have great fun before the cruise choosing new lanyards for our seapasses. (The ones for our upcoming EoS cruise are from the Titanic artifact exhibit and say "Titanic Crew." We expect to get at least a few comments on that one!)[/quote

 

That's a cute story.....neither one of us would ever use a lanyard on any of our cruises until the last one we took. I bought 2 lanyards from the Critters who were selling them to raise money for a school in Haiti. By the way, we all bought a sports item for the kids as well and they were all delivered when we were in Labadee. Anyway, the lanyards were cute and had crabs on them but I thought we would never use them. Well, we used them for the M&M and never took them off. We loved using them.......my husband even wore his which surprised me.......LOL I don't carry a pocketbook around the ship and I hated taking my sea pass card because I never had anywhere to put it and now I do...........LOL

 

I bet you get plenty of comments on your new "Titantic" lanyards.......LOL

 

Patty

[ioneblair]

Julie, I was just looking up ways to get to port and would appreciate it if you share with me how you plan to use Septa/NJT to get to port.....that is just what I was looking into.....please share your time frame/transit scheduling

 

thanks

[JulieRose]

We have a hotel room in Newark the night before so we can meet some friends in Manhattan for dinner. That makes our travel plans a lot looser. Once we're ready to leave, we'll take our regional rail line to 30th street, change trains to the Trenton lines and then switch to NJ transit at the Trenton transit center. After that, we just have to take the NJ transit train to the Newark airport where our hotel will pick us up. If you're coming day of, stay on NJ transit past the airport to Newark Penn Station and hop in a cab to the port. (It's actually cheaper if you stay on to the train station instead of getting off at the airport.) Since it takes a few hours, (about 2.5 + cab time) you'll want to leave 30th street by around 9am to arrive at the pier around noon.

 

You can use the NJ Transit website to plan your trip from 30th street to Newark using this site- http://www.njtransit.com/hp/hp_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=HomePageTo

[JulieRose]

I bet you get plenty of comments on your new "Titantic" lanyards.

Probably. We're used to it though. Last cruise it was "You're getting married on a cruise ship on the 100th anniversary of Titanic sinking?!? WHY?!?" I wish we would have had those lanyards then!

Edited January 22, 2013 by JulieRose

[Seaworthy01]

Think last year it was about 120 for 3 cartons:rolleyes:

 

Got back this week, and most were in the neighborhood of $57 for 2. The selection diminished a bit by the end.

 

 

Thanks.

[njhorseman]

We have a hotel room in Newark the night before so we can meet some friends in Manhattan for dinner. That makes our travel plans a lot looser. Once we're ready to leave, we'll take our regional rail line to 30th street, change trains to the Trenton lines and then switch to NJ transit at the Trenton transit center. After that, we just have to take the NJ transit train to the Newark airport where our hotel will pick us up. If you're coming day of, stay on NJ transit past the airport to Newark Penn Station and hop in a cab to the port. (It's actually cheaper if you stay on to the train station instead of getting off at the airport.) Since it takes a few hours, (about 2.5 + cab time) you'll want to leave 30th street by around 9am to arrive at the pier around noon.

 

You can use the NJ Transit website to plan your trip from 30th street to Newark using this site- http://www.njtransit.com/hp/hp_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=HomePageTo

 

 

That's not 100% accurate. When you get off the NJ Transit train at Newark Airport station you have to change to another train, the AirTrain, which will take you to the actual airport. (The NJ Transit station is not on the airport grounds, it is adjacent to the airport.) Normally hotel pickups are made at the P4 AirTrain station.

 

PS...you say you have a hotel room "in Newark". If that's the case you should be going to Newark Penn Station, not the Newark Airport station. Probably you have a hotel adjacent to Newark Airport.

Edited January 23, 2013 by njhorseman

[MisterBill99]

What sort of late night buffets should I expect on the 7 night Bahamas cruise? It would be nice if they have something the night we're in Port Canaveral for people who visit the theme parks and want some food when they get back around sail-away time (11pm).

 

Also are there any decent chocolate croissants on board? Celebrity has good ones at what used to be called the Cova Cafe (I forget what the current name is). The ones there have twice the amount of chocolate as at the Windjammer and in the dining room.

So, responding to my earlier questions.

 

I did not find any chocolate croissants onboard. There were some chocolate pastries in the Windjammer one day but they weren't very good. Certainly nothing that compared to Celebrity. The regular croissants weren't very good, either. And the smoked salmon on the buffet was pretty bad quality (and they seemed to have run out because we did not have any the first two days until they restocked in Port Canaveral).

 

Also it would have been nice if they'd had something other than Cafe Promenade and room service open for the night in Port Canaveral when hundreds of people went to Disney/Universal and got back late. They could have kept Windjammer open late that night or had the late night buffet (which they never had on our cruise). Fortunately, our server offered to order us food at second seating (we were first seating) and hold it for us until we got back. When we returned around 10, we went right to the dining room (conveniently we boarded on deck 4 right next to the dining room entrance, and we were seated on deck 4). We took the appetizers with us to our cabin and our waiter heated up the entrees and brought them up to our cabin. Originally, the assistant maitre'd had given us his phone number to call, but when we got to our cabin there was a message from our server saying that the number was not working and that we should come down, so it was a good thing that we did that to begin with!

 

And why they chose to have a feature show that night and then do game shows the night we were in Nassau when very few people were off the ship I do not know. It guess it did give the singers/dancers/skaters a chance to spend the night off the ship, as we saw them leaving the ship around the time we were getting back on for dinner. I'm guessing they went to Senor Frogs for the evening.

[138east]

Julie, I was just looking up ways to get to port and would appreciate it if you share with me how you plan to use Septa/NJT to get to port.....that is just what I was looking into.....please share your time frame/transit scheduling

 

thanks

 

If you're truly a public transit person, from Newark Penn Station you can just get on Path inside the station (across the platform??) and go to Exchange Place where you can get on the light rail to 34th St in Bayonne. Path is $2.50 and the light rail $2.10. At 34th Street you call Bayonne Taxi and they take you into the port for about $10.

 

Right now this works well on a weekday. On a weekend you would have to go to Newport to pick up the light rail. However by fall hopefully weekend service will be restored to the World Trade Center stopping at Exchange Place.

Edited January 23, 2013 by 138east

[2Q-tips]

Must of been your lucky day....LOL Honestly, we've been on a lot of RCCL ships and we basically spend the end of every night in the casino and we were never offered any lanyards. I was actually thinking more of the cloth type lanyards that you wear around your neck.......the one you got sounds like the ones they give you in Atlantic City to put your players cards on so that you don't leave it in a machine. Did you have to ask for one?

 

Yes, we went to the service window in the casino, and the lanyards are plastic.::)

[Rated]

hottubs open 24/7?

[JulieRose]

That's not 100% accurate. When you get off the NJ Transit train at Newark Airport station you have to change to another train, the AirTrain, which will take you to the actual airport. (The NJ Transit station is not on the airport grounds, it is adjacent to the airport.) Normally hotel pickups are made at the P4 AirTrain station.

 

PS...you say you have a hotel room "in Newark". If that's the case you should be going to Newark Penn Station, not the Newark Airport station. Probably you have a hotel adjacent to Newark Airport.

 

Wow, if you feel the need to know our travel plans, our hotel is the Marriot right at the airport and they pick up from the airport so going to penn station to pay for a cab would be kinda stupid when the airtran is included in the fare if you get off the train at the airport.

 

She did not indicate that she was staying the night before so I didn't feel the need to include the info about the airport shuttle.

[Ocean Boy]

hottubs open 24/7?

 

There will be at least one hottub and pool always available though some are shut down at night for cleaning.

[ioneblair]

that's what I really enjoy about this site.....everybody is so willing to help out with info input :D

 

I will make good use of this....in fact I am really thinking/planning to leave Philly the day of....I usually arrive the day before....I am really a public transit person....thought about driving but nah.....with public transit so good, why drive? is my thinking.....

 

and there should be a small group of friends and family so it will be part of the adventure to leave early am as you suggested Julie and plan to arrive by noon.....

 

njhorseman and 138east, appreciate your info input merci beaucoup :) (esp since I might decide to get a hotel for the night before LOL)

 

I am sure others reading will also find your input useful

[njhorseman]

Wow, if you feel the need to know our travel plans, our hotel is the Marriot right at the airport and they pick up from the airport so going to penn station to pay for a cab would be kinda stupid when the airtran is included in the fare if you get off the train at the airport.

 

She did not indicate that she was staying the night before so I didn't feel the need to include the info about the airport shuttle.

 

Sorry you're so hypersensitive, but if you check over at the East Coast departures Board, you'll see that I'm among a group of posters that spend a lot of time helping out people with their travel plans in the area. All too often the posters are not very knowledgeable about the hotels and transportation in the area. Since the Newark area is not exactly a beautiful resort area, we are very careful to do everything possible to make sure travelers coming to the area don't make plans that they will regret. I have no way of knowing how much you know about the area, but when I saw what you wrote I thought there was at least the possibility you were unaware of the details and differences between Newark Airport and the City of Newark.

[JulieRose]

Thanks but I'm good. I'm perfectly aware that Newark isn't exactly somewhere you wanna just hang out which is exactly why I booked an airport hotel since they are usually safer. I just didn't feel the need to broadcast my exact travel plans to the world 'till you came around and questioned me about it.

[njhorseman]

Thanks but I'm good. I'm perfectly aware that Newark isn't exactly somewhere you wanna just hang out which is exactly why I booked an airport hotel since they are usually safer. I just didn't feel the need to broadcast my exact travel plans to the world 'till you came around and questioned me about it.

 

No need to broadcast your exact plans. All you have to say is that you're at an airport-area hotels as opposed to a hotel in the city itself.

[bobmacliberty]

Would a 5year old review be just as good while you're waiting? It's in my siggy below.

Thanks MrPete! Your review got me excited, even if it's from 5 years ago. We haven't been to Bermuda yet and I'm looking forward to docking there overnight.

 

Anyone else have any newer Explorer 5-night Bermuda reviews? I imagine that things have changed a bit recently. Do they still do formal night the evening of the first sea day? DW bought a tux for me a few Christmases ago and I need an excure to wear it!:D

[stevea36]

Thanks MrPete! Your review got me excited, even if it's from 5 years ago. We haven't been to Bermuda yet and I'm looking forward to docking there overnight.

 

Anyone else have any newer Explorer 5-night Bermuda reviews? I imagine that things have changed a bit recently. Do they still do formal night the evening of the first sea day? DW bought a tux for me a few Christmases ago and I need an excure to wear it!:D

 

Just go to the main cc page, go to the reviews section, RCI, explorer, and you'll find Bermuda reviews starting at the bottom of the second page.

 

Steve

[johneeo]

Thanks MrPete! Your review got me excited, even if it's from 5 years ago. We haven't been to Bermuda yet and I'm looking forward to docking there overnight.

 

Anyone else have any newer Explorer 5-night Bermuda reviews? I imagine that things have changed a bit recently. Do they still do formal night the evening of the first sea day? DW bought a tux for me a few Christmases ago and I need an excure to wear it!:D

 

I have a review of the EOS .... link is in my signature.

[kmac1196]

First time posting! 2nd time cruising 2/17/13 Explorer (first on this ship). This time the kids are in tow (15,12,11). I just wanted to know if their are shows (comedy, etc) for the whole family? I'm hoping to see some with the kids. Thanks!

 

Kristen

[johneeo]

First time posting! 2nd time cruising 2/17/13 Explorer (first on this ship). This time the kids are in tow (15,12,11). I just wanted to know if their are shows (comedy, etc) for the whole family? I'm hoping to see some with the kids. Thanks!

 

Kristen

 

Been on EOS twice, and I the entertainment was very good.

 

And they are all good for the family. But, there will be a late night adults oriented show.