Explorer of the Seas - New England and Canada Review (August 28, 2014)

[denisey]

We were planning a repo cruise on the Serenade from New Orleans to Boston. So I starting reading all the wonderful Serenade reviews of Europe, including yours. I figured they would give me a feel for the ship.

 

What they did was give me a desire to go back to Italy! So now we are planning an Italy land trip.

 

NOW, I read your wonderful Boston post, and want to go on the cruise again.

 

Let's face it, I want to do both, but that isn't happening.

 

And if I don't go on the cruise, I can't write a fabulous, entertaining review and be invited on the Fabulous Reviewers cruise!

 

Sigh!

 

(Sorry to hijack and whine!)

[MMTCruisers]

To anyone that was recently on the Explorer... does the Solarium pool area have a small cafe (not the bar)? We have sailed on the Jewel and the Navigator and both solarium areas had offerings in the morning as an alternative-we enjoyed it immensely and I'm hoping that the Explorer has the same set up. Worst case-we enjoy quiet breakfasts on the balcony. How bad can that be? :cool: We sail in exactly two weeks from today-the suitcase is in the spare bedroom, and the bed is covered with my wardrobe choices. Not that I am anxious or anything.

[Clarea]

To anyone that was recently on the Explorer... does the Solarium pool area have a small cafe (not the bar)? We have sailed on the Jewel and the Navigator and both solarium areas had offerings in the morning as an alternative-we enjoyed it immensely and I'm hoping that the Explorer has the same set up. Worst case-we enjoy quiet breakfasts on the balcony. How bad can that be? :cool: We sail in exactly two weeks from today-the suitcase is in the spare bedroom, and the bed is covered with my wardrobe choices. Not that I am anxious or anything.

No food in the Solarium on Explorer or Navigator.

[windjamming]

We were planning a repo cruise on the Serenade from New Orleans to Boston. So I starting reading all the wonderful Serenade reviews of Europe, including yours. I figured they would give me a feel for the ship.

 

What they did was give me a desire to go back to Italy! So now we are planning an Italy land trip.

 

NOW, I read your wonderful Boston post, and want to go on the cruise again.

 

Let's face it, I want to do both, but that isn't happening.

 

And if I don't go on the cruise, I can't write a fabulous, entertaining review and be invited on the Fabulous Reviewers cruise!

 

Sigh!

 

(Sorry to hijack and whine!)

 

LOL Denisey, you've got a no-lose situation!! Italy first and then the cruise. And of course you are invited to the reviewers cruise. You just have to write a review on it! (I think that works.)

 

So envious of the land trip through Italy - you'll see so much not available through a cruise!

[psupa]

 

I know many people see the Tear Drop Memorial during the daylight while sailing away. But, since we sailed away in the evening, here is a picture of it at night. It is beautiful in the daylight too. Not sure if "windjamming" has a picture of it at night. If they do, maybe they can post a better picture of it. This is a little blurry.

 

 

 

Gwen :)

 

Nice picture Gwen.

[psupa]

DAY 8 - BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

 

Sigh, last port! Today we would be in Boston, a town we've had the fortune of visiting many times. So, instead of spending the day in the city, we decided to take advantage of the ship's excursion to the Kennedy Library and Adams House. The JFK library, while technically in Boston, is somewhat out of the way, and the Adams house is in Quincy, a southern suburb. Both were fantastic visits, though we hit some trouble early on in the day!

 

Our tour was to depart at 8:30, and we were instructed to meet at the Theater at 8:15. (Based on past experience, we knew to get to the Theater a bit early, as tours sometimes depart at exactly the time they tell you to meet.) At the theater, they gave out stickers numbered 23. I'd guess there were maybe 200-300 people in the theater, all with 23. I found it odd that that many people wanted to see the JFK Library, but, hey, ok.

 

At 8:15ish, we were herded down to the gangway and through the cruise terminal. No shops. When we got outside, there were people holding various signs for excursions.

 

Well, it turns out people on different excursions waiting in the theater were all given a 23. I have no idea how many excursions were there, but it was definitely more than just the Kennedy library. As you can imagine, this caused great confusion. Boo on the Explorations! desk - this was a FAIL.

 

Abigail Adams' English garden and John Quincy Adams' Library. (No pictures were allowed inside the houses.)

 

The exhibits were on the lower floor, and they followed JFK's career, from boyhood and school through his days as a young Senator, and then finally his Presidency. There were individual stations showing election night results, and a video loop showing his Inauguration speech, and a beautiful hall (replicated from the White House, I believe) showing many of the gifts that JFK received while in office. Of course, there was much detail and attention given to Jackie Kennedy, as well as individual exhibits on JFK's family and legacy. There was a separate section dedicated to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

 

- Be careful if they give a lot of people the same number sticker for excursions! On the day we were there, it was chaotic looking for your bus tour. Just because someone is wearing the same number as you doesn't mean they're on the same excursion.

 

Great review and pics. I just started reading it (backwards). This tour sounds wonderful and I may do this next year when we sail on the Liberty (same itinerary). Question: is there any place in the Library where you could sit and rest if you can't stand for long periods of time.

 

I feel your pain about the tour organization - there isn't any. Same thing happened the day we were in Portland. Had everyone meet in Maharajas Lounge and 1 person with 3 rolls of different numbers and chaos as there was absolutely no direction whatsoever and everyone just pushing and shoving to get a number. We weren't even escorted down to the gangway or told where to meet the tour. Having been to Portland before I knew where the buses where. I agree that the Explorations people on the Explorer need to get it together.

 

Theresa

Edited September 26, 2014 by psupa

[roseshayit]

Thank you so much for your review. I loved reading about your cruise! Even though I lived in, lived nearby, or visited all places on this itinerary, I am just aching to take this cruise!! Thank you for letting me live vicariously through you with this thread!

[windjamming]

Great review and pics. I just started reading it (backwards). This tour sounds wonderful and I may do this next year when we sail on the Liberty (same itinerary). Question: is there any place in the Library where you could sit and rest if you can't stand for long periods of time.

 

Thanks Theresa! At the Adams homestead, there was only a row of seats outside the house but unfortunately nowhere inside to sit. They were pretty adamant about people not touching anything. That said, it seemed they were very accommodating. On our bus, there was one woman in a wheelchair and she had her own ranger-guided tour, so it seems they are willing to fine-tune the tour length and content based on need.

 

There were plenty of seats at the Kennedy library. This portion of the tour was "on your own".

 

Gak, re: excursions, I'm not sure if it's good or bad that the Explorations team was consistently disorganized!

 

Thank you so much for your review. I loved reading about your cruise! Even though I lived in, lived nearby, or visited all places on this itinerary, I am just aching to take this cruise!! Thank you for letting me live vicariously through you with this thread!

 

Thanks roseshayit! I know what you mean about looking at familiar places with a new eye! I am from the NYC area, and I'm always amazed at how much more fun tourists have in NY than I do! I hope you choose this itinerary. It's really a great time!

[windjamming]

Now, onto the review of the ship:

 

SHIP

 

 

Ahead of the cruise, I had read some negative commentary about the Explorer's condition, but I found the ship to be clean and more than comfortable. Our stateroom furniture was a bit worn (when did our dog take a cruise without us?) and the curtains had seen better days, but those were the only things I noticed.

 

To me, her biggest "flaw" (and I use that term loosely) is that she's simply an older ship without some of the bells and whistles of the newer classes. While in dry dock next year, she'll receive some new restaurants and a flowrider, which should 'modernize' her somewhat.

 

What's unique to the Explorer is the "Stairway of the Stars", a collection of paintings, sculptures, and photos by celebrities (often of celebrities) in the forward stairwells.

 

 

The artists included Peter Falk, Anthony Quinn, and Tony Curtis. There were also guitars signed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, the Rolling Stones, and Paul McCartney. This painting is by Billy Dee Williams.

 

[windjamming]

DINING

 

We found both good and bad things about the food and dining experience onboard.

 

Of the 3 complimentary dining venues, we found the main dining room to be the most inconsistent. Our waiters were both awesome, but the food unfortunately was often sadly mediocre. The roasted duck on the 1st formal night, usually one of our reliable favorites, was very difficult to cut into, as if it had not been cooked for long enough. Also, for the first time, I sent back a nearly untouched entree, though more than likely due to my own mis-aligned expectations. I had thought their goat cheese and mushroom pizza would be light, crispy, and thin crusted, like it is often served in the local restaurants in the NY/NJ area. Unfortunately, the crust was a thicker pita like bread (I think I've seen it sold at stores as "Boboli") and about 6" in diameter with all the toppings all scrunched up in the middle and still soft all over. It was not what I was thinking!

 

That said, the lamb on the last night was 'fall-off-the-bone' terrific. The lobsters on lobster night, which may sound redundant on a New England / Canada cruise, were nice sized and tender. I also loved the new (to us) pumpkin seed and cheese rolls.

 

We had better luck at the Windjammer, where we ate most of our breakfasts and lunches and a couple of dinners. There wasn't as much variety as we remembered, but one would certainly never starve. Honestly, the fact that there was less selection really made things easier for me! The Jade section had some creative dishes that were fun to try, as they often went outside of 'mainstream' Asian dishes.

 

For dinner, since we had late seating, we would usually 'preview' the selections at the Windjammer. Of course, 'previewing' would lead to 'tasting', and I think the Windjammer really makes a run for the MDR in terms of variety and quality. The standout was the stir fry station at dinner. You can mix your own vegetables, meat, and noodles, and the chef would throw it all on the griddle for you. It was delicious!

 

They also had theme nights at dinner, and the fish and chips on UK night was a real hit! Oh, and I'm just now remembering they had delicious, creative dessert stations for dinner and lunch too, including banana splits and crepes. (The woman who 'managed' the desserts - Marlene? - was super friendly and nice, and it looked like she was a great leader to the assistant waiters who were helping out at the station.)

 

Cafe Promenade also had some new selections, which we hadn't seen before. I loved the chicken roti roll, which is a wrap of curried chicken salad in flatbread. Sadly, I did not discover this until the last day! They also had new desserts, including a pink lemonade tartlet (a little too tart for my liking), a mudpie cupcake (delicious!), cheesecake pops enrobed in white chocolate (really rich - great with some milk), "Led Zeppoles" (a bit harder and denser than I'm used to), and "Willy Wonka" slices (not really sure but had raisins - did not try). I had a slice of pizza after dinner once, and found it ok.

 

On the last sea day, they had an international market buffet in the Promenade, including stations for Canada, France, Germany, the UK, and the US. Here they are setting up:

 

 

[windjamming]

SERVICES

 

Where the Explorer really is head and shoulder above other ships is the crew. I have never seen a crew so consistently friendly and helpful and dare I say .. happy? Our waiter told us candidly that he enjoyed sailing out of Bayonne because of the passengers, and we had heard several crew mention that they were looking to move to the Liberty when she started to sail out of Cape Liberty.

 

Our stateroom attendant Leon was truly the best we've ever had. He was quick, professional, and friendly, but what I really appreciated most was his attention to detail. He had placed my dad's luggage under his bed on the first evening, and he remembered to take it out on the last day. He remembered where we liked to keep the trash can or when we needed towels and even thanked us for making his job easier by keeping our room so neat. I realize most of this should be "his job", but it's really nice when it's all handled automatically.

 

I wish I could say something about Guest Services because they seemed like such a fun crowd (how often does one say that), but I never even had the opportunity to use them! The one time I was in line, the concierge Denzil somehow saw me and nearly scolded me (nicely) for not coming to him first! He quickly ran behind the desk and took care of my issue right away. Denzil was a standout and really felt a responsibility to take care of "his guests", even for the smallest things like Ice Show seats or priority tender. We don't generally have many issues and try not to bother the Concierge as we know how busy he is, but Denzil was adamant about it being "his job". He must not sleep or have clones because we saw him everywhere, always helping someone!

 

Wendy, the Loyalty Ambassador, was a true sweetheart. While we did not visit her on this trip, she made a point to talk with us every time she saw us.

 

We used our free Diamond Plus drinks occasionally and gave $1 for tip per drink. No problem at all, and the bartenders were very nice. The only bartender experience that was a bit odd was at the Top Tier party. It had been a while since we attended one, and as I recall, bar waiters usually walked around with drinks on a tray, and we would just take one. This time, the bar waiter took orders and had no tray. I asked for a simple glass of white wine, and I think my parents ordered something similar, i.e. not a specialty drink. When the bar waiter returned with the drinks, he kind of hung around, waiting for a tip. None of us had thought of bringing money with us so we didn't do anything. It was just a little odd, as I'd never seen that. (Is this new?)

 

The shops were fine. One day they had a 10% cosmetics sale (listed in the Cruise Compass) for one hour only, which was a pretty good deal considering it's tax free already.

 

ENTERTAINMENT / ACTIVITIES

 

We ended up going to only one show in the theater - the magician Scott Alexander. He was fun. The theaters tended to fill up very early . (DP and Suite seats are on the bottom level vs Radiance class, where the reserved seats are in the balcony.) The Ice Show is always enjoyable, and the DP seating was right in the center section.

 

Our bridge tour was originally scheduled for the second to last sea day, but due to fog, it was canceled. To our pleasant surprise, it was rescheduled for the last sea day but limited to only 30 minutes. I'd never seen a time limit on a tour, at least that short, but I suppose they had a lot to do right before arriving at Cape Liberty.

 

Outside of Captain's Corner, we almost never saw the Captain, which was a departure from past cruises. We had sailed with Captain James twice before and remember him as one of the most approachable and personable Captains in the fleet. This time, though, we had heard he had just arrived on the ship and was undoubtedly dealing with the propeller situation.

 

DISEMBARKMENT

 

We chose a 9am disembarkment and arrived in the Theater (where Wendy was manning the doors for Platinum, Diamond, and DP) at around 8:30. We ended up getting called to leave at 9:15 and from there was a speedy exit through customs, baggage claim, the bus back to the terminal, and then finally the parking lot.

 

CONCLUSION

 

I probably say this every time, but I really really really had a great time on this cruise. The itinerary was fantastic and I loved the ship, but on this cruise, what I really liked was the passenger mix. Almost everyone I met was really nice and friendly. Folks holding the elevator doors for others, letting people in front of them, orderly queuing. An elderly gentleman even tried to offer me his seat on the bus from the ship to the terminal while disembarking! Nobody shoving, no one w a self-entitlement attitude, totally chill formal night. I'm really struggling to remember one negative interaction with a passenger. (Can we all just sail together again?)

 

We would definitely do this itinerary again, as it's very easy, and there are so many areas we have yet to explore. Sailing from NJ is a time and stress saver, and we're very fortunate to have some new ships coming here.

 

In conclusion, a highly recommended cruise!

 

Thank you for following along!

[denisey]

Sigh! What a great trip. Thank you for taking us along.

 

So, when is your next cruise?

[windjamming]

Sigh! What a great trip. Thank you for taking us along.

 

So, when is your next cruise?

 

Thanks denisey - we haven't decided yet. So tempting to try Quantum during her short stay at Cape Liberty, but we'll need to find an itinerary and time that works. I am also very curious about Dynamic Dining. We'll see - planning is almost the best part! :)

[psupa]

SERVICES

 

CONCLUSION

 

I probably say this every time, but I really really really had a great time on this cruise. The itinerary was fantastic and I loved the ship, but on this cruise, what I really liked was the passenger mix. Almost everyone I met was really nice and friendly. Folks holding the elevator doors for others, letting people in front of them, orderly queuing. An elderly gentleman even tried to offer me his seat on the bus from the ship to the terminal while disembarking! Nobody shoving, no one w a self-entitlement attitude, totally chill formal night. I'm really struggling to remember one negative interaction with a passenger. (Can we all just sail together again?)

 

Thank you for following along!

 

Ditto. Thank you for the great review and letting me relive my cruise. It's always nice to see it in another persons eyes.

 

Theresa

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

:)Thank you for yet another wonderful review:)!

 

Lol -- the Quantum just left her construction place here in Germany last week...not too far from us actually. I'd love to see one of your reviews about that ship! Go ahead...book.

 

Lol -- and we all have to start thinking about our reviewer's cruise as well.

 

The Quantum for me personally is a dealbreaker, because I couldn't live with all the agitation and noise of that crane like structure above the outdoor pool:o.

 

Stef

Edited September 30, 2014 by Kreuzfahrtneuling

[cruzinlady1947]

Great review and photos. Nice to hear your thoughts and opinions.

 

The Explorer is and always was a great ship. I would love to see it after it's refurb. I probably never will, since it won't be coming back to Jersey. :( Hopefully someone on it after it's refurb, will also do a review.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post this review. You did a great job. :D

 

 

Gwen

[Irish Cath]

Just caught up! Thanks for much for the great review Windjamming. Looks like you had the loveliest of times and I love that you have such a positive attitude towards everything!

[windjamming]

:)Thank you for yet another wonderful review:)!

 

Lol -- the Quantum just left her construction place here in Germany last week...not too far from us actually. I'd love to see one of your reviews about that ship! Go ahead...book.

 

Lol -- and we all have to start thinking about our reviewer's cruise as well.

 

The Quantum for me personally is a dealbreaker, because I couldn't live with all the agitation and noise of that crane like structure above the outdoor pool:o.

 

Stef

 

Thanks for following along, Stef! (See what you started??!) :)

 

Ah..the Quantum. It's very tempting, for sure. I do have to say ... I am a bit peeved that she's only staying with us for a few months. We'll see.

 

Just caught up! Thanks for much for the great review Windjamming. Looks like you had the loveliest of times and I love that you have such a positive attitude towards everything!

 

Aww, Irish Cath. It was definitely lovely, and thanks for your kind words. I love your attitude towards life, too - what fun you make everything!

Edited October 9, 2014 by windjamming

[windjamming]

Ditto. Thank you for the great review and letting me relive my cruise. It's always nice to see it in another persons eyes.

 

Theresa

 

Thanks Theresa! I loved hearing your feedback, too!

 

Great review and photos. Nice to hear your thoughts and opinions.

 

The Explorer is and always was a great ship. I would love to see it after it's refurb. I probably never will, since it won't be coming back to Jersey. :( Hopefully someone on it after it's refurb, will also do a review.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post this review. You did a great job. :D

 

Gwen

 

Thanks for being so nice, Gwen! (I'm serious - that cruise was the Nice People cruise.)

 

I'd love to see it after her refurb, too. In a way, though, I guess it's nice that she'll always be in her current state in our memories.

[Langley Cruisers]

windjamming, perhaps a silly question but indeed, a serious one: in the Cafe Promenade, do you recall seeing paper (to go) cups for the coffee? I ask because that is what I prefer, over the small plastic ones like in WJ. Our last cruise on a Voyager-class ship was on Mariner and they only had the plastic cups. Also, coffee in thermoses or larger machines there?

 

Just asking, and thanks. :)

[windjamming]

windjamming, perhaps a silly question but indeed, a serious one: in the Cafe Promenade, do you recall seeing paper (to go) cups for the coffee? I ask because that is what I prefer, over the small plastic ones like in WJ. Our last cruise on a Voyager-class ship was on Mariner and they only had the plastic cups. Also, coffee in thermoses or larger machines there?

 

Just asking, and thanks. :)

 

Hi Karen, welcome! I can't remember specifically if there were paper cups at CP, as we usually just had our coffee/tea there. The Concierge Lounge definitely has them, though, so the ship has them in stock. I do know the coffee was in the larger machines.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

[Clarea]

windjamming, perhaps a silly question but indeed, a serious one: in the Cafe Promenade, do you recall seeing paper (to go) cups for the coffee? I ask because that is what I prefer, over the small plastic ones like in WJ. Our last cruise on a Voyager-class ship was on Mariner and they only had the plastic cups. Also, coffee in thermoses or larger machines there?

 

Just asking, and thanks. :)

Not very recent, but we had the "to go" cups on Explorer on our cruises last year.

[num1crewsfam]

Thanks so much for making me even more excited about our cruise next week!! Loved your review and can hardly wait to try some of your bakery suggestions:D (among other things)!

[montekat]

Yes, they do have paper cups in the Cafe Promenade. Just be sure to get one of the paper sleeves to go with it as the coffee and water is quite hot!

[Langley Cruisers]

To those who replied re: paper cups, many thanks. :)