Just off Explorer. -a few observations

[dramamama628]

47 minutes ago, little britain said:

On Explorer now: huge adherence to dress code on both formal nights with at least 80% in DJs, and yes they are still called Formal nights not dress your best. 
Food on board has been excellent.

 

@dramamama628 karaoke last night was 10;30-11:30 in the Tavern fyi

 

47 minutes ago, little britain said:

On Explorer now: huge adherence to dress code on both formal nights with at least 80% in DJs, and yes they are still called Formal nights not dress your best. 
Food on board has been excellent.

 

@dramamama628 karaoke last night was 10;30-11:30 in the Tavern fyi

@little britain  Thank you so much, have been trying find out about this.  We would prefer late seating, so I think this will work out for us.  Glad to hear people are dressing up, we love to do it and my hubby is shopping for a new flashy shirt and tie over the last week to have something new to wear.

 

[ptf2009]

On 11/3/2019 at 2:22 AM, dramamama628 said:

 

@little britain  Thank you so much, have been trying find out about this.  We would prefer late seating, so I think this will work out for us.  Glad to hear people are dressing up, we love to do it and my hubby is shopping for a new flashy shirt and tie over the last week to have something new to wear.

 

Um..we just got off Explorer yesterday and we did not see a strict dress code on ANY night. Like other RC ships, some dress up and some dress down (even wearing shorts in the dining room). 

We had a nice time because we were on a cruise, but we now are certain to only go on larger and newer ships. The Explorer needs some serious TLC (our bathroom sink had many cracks and our balcony was in very poor shape in our Jr suite:( Thank goodness it will be refurbished in March. Hopefully the entertainment will be amped up also for future cruisers. It was VERY lame. The singers and dancers performed 3 nights. They were very talented from what we could see and hear. The orchestra's volume is so loud that the singers had to try and sing over them most of the time. 

 

I didn't want to believe what Thorsen was reporting about The Explorer of the Seas, but unfortunately he was correct about the condition of the ship. Many windows in the Windjammer need replaced because you couldn't see out of them! One more thing...the pools were very cold, even though it was hot outside! We have never been on a cruise where there were only a few people in the pools...and the ship's facts stated that one of the pools is heated...NOT SO!

[mo&fran]

39 minutes ago, ptf2009 said:

 

 

I didn't want to believe what Thorsen was reporting about The Explorer of the Seas, but unfortunately he was correct about the condition of the ship. Many windows in the Windjammer need replaced because you couldn't see out of them! One more thing...the pools were very cold, even though it was hot outside! We have never been on a cruise where there were only a few people in the pools...and the ship's facts stated that one of the pools is heated...NOT SO!

The pools have heaters.  Must not have been turned on.

[berbician]

42 minutes ago, ptf2009 said:

Um..we just got off Explorer yesterday and we did not see a strict dress code on ANY night. Like other RC ships, some dress up and some dress down (even wearing shorts in the dining room). 

We had a nice time because we were on a cruise, but we now are certain to only go on larger and newer ships. The Explorer needs some serious TLC (our bathroom sink had many cracks and our balcony was in very poor shape in our Jr suite:( Thank goodness it will be refurbished in March. Hopefully the entertainment will be amped up also for future cruisers. It was VERY lame. The singers and dancers performed 3 nights. They were very talented from what we could see and hear. The orchestra's volume is so loud that the singers had to try and sing over them most of the time. 

 

I didn't want to believe what Thorsen was reporting about The Explorer of the Seas, but unfortunately he was correct about the condition of the ship. Many windows in the Windjammer need replaced because you couldn't see out of them! One more thing...the pools were very cold, even though it was hot outside! We have never been on a cruise where there were only a few people in the pools...and the ship's facts stated that one of the pools is heated...NOT SO!

Thanks so much for the update on Explorer. I will getting on her early in Jan and appreciate the update.  I am assuming you were on the nine day itinerary correct?  Did they offer the drink card by any chance? Do you happen to have any of the criuse compasses to share?    Thanks again for the report.      

[ptf2009]

1 hour ago, mo&fran said:

The pools have heaters.  Must not have been turned on.

That's right. I asked several times and was told that they only turn them on in colder climates! It was just so weird to see very few people in the pools when it was hot outside....ggggrrrr....

[ptf2009]

1 hour ago, berbician said:

Thanks so much for the update on Explorer. I will getting on her early in Jan and appreciate the update.  I am assuming you were on the nine day itinerary correct?  Did they offer the drink card by any chance? Do you happen to have any of the criuse compasses to share?    Thanks again for the report.      

Yes, we were on the 9 night itinerary (which was the main reason why we booked this cruise). If you go to the beautiful beaches in Curacao (Blue Bay) and Bonaire (Lac Bay/Sorobon), wear water shoes. The entrance to the water is very rocky. Aruba's Palm beach was smooth:)

I only noticed that they offered a buy one , get 40% off the second one drink package. We weren't interested because my DH only drinks during the diamond lounge hours (5:00-8:30p.m.) and I don't drink.

I don't have any cruise compasses...just threw them away each day...sorry.

One more thing. We are not foodies and consider the food on the cruise ships as just that ..."cruise food," so we don't have high expectations and are just grateful that someone is serving us and we don't have to clean up and do dishes:) However, the risotto was just awful...came out as a glob and just overcooked. The head waiter actually told us that people were complaining about the food! We loved our waiter and asst. waiter...Dedy and Denys! We only ate dinner in the main dining room because we have eaten in the specialty restaurants many times and it's really gone downhill and isn't worth the money to us.

We are looking so forward to going on Symphony in September!

[berbician]

47 minutes ago, ptf2009 said:

Yes, we were on the 9 night itinerary (which was the main reason why we booked this cruise). If you go to the beautiful beaches in Curacao (Blue Bay) and Bonaire (Lac Bay/Sorobon), wear water shoes. The entrance to the water is very rocky. Aruba's Palm beach was smooth:)

I only noticed that they offered a buy one , get 40% off the second one drink package. We weren't interested because my DH only drinks during the diamond lounge hours (5:00-8:30p.m.) and I don't drink.

I don't have any cruise compasses...just threw them away each day...sorry.

One more thing. We are not foodies and consider the food on the cruise ships as just that ..."cruise food," so we don't have high expectations and are just grateful that someone is serving us and we don't have to clean up and do dishes:) However, the risotto was just awful...came out as a glob and just overcooked. The head waiter actually told us that people were complaining about the food! We loved our waiter and asst. waiter...Dedy and Denys! We only ate dinner in the main dining room because we have eaten in the specialty restaurants many times and it's really gone downhill and isn't worth the money to us.

We are looking so forward to going on Symphony in September!

Thanks again for the additional information.  I do plan to go to the beaches so I will make sure to take our water shoes.  I visited all those islands last year on Adventure and enjoyed them.   I understand your statements with the food, neither am I a Foodie so  I will be thankful too. 🙂 However, when something does not taste good period you have to say something. That's how I feel 🙂 🙂   I am sure Symphony will definitively be a different experience for the better !!  

[vacationlover_mn]

1 hour ago, ptf2009 said:

Yes, we were on the 9 night itinerary (which was the main reason why we booked this cruise). If you go to the beautiful beaches in Curacao (Blue Bay) and Bonaire (Lac Bay/Sorobon), wear water shoes. The entrance to the water is very rocky. Aruba's Palm beach was smooth:)

 

Thanks so much for mentioning this!  I’m hoping to book the ABC for 2021 🙂. DH said I could pull the trigger onboard Oasis in Feb 🙂

 

enjoy Symphony- we loved her!  And, we actually thought the UDP was worth it (I could have eaten every meal at Hooked- loved it so much!)

Edited December 9, 2019 by vacationlover_mn

[ptf2009]

On 12/9/2019 at 2:29 PM, berbician said:

Thanks again for the additional information.  I do plan to go to the beaches so I will make sure to take our water shoes.  I visited all those islands last year on Adventure and enjoyed them.   I understand your statements with the food, neither am I a Foodie so  I will be thankful too. 🙂 However, when something does not taste good period you have to say something. That's how I feel 🙂 🙂   I am sure Symphony will definitively be a different experience for the better !!  

The only time we said anything about the food was when the risotto was not edible, just one big glob on the plate, so my DH gave me half of his fish dinner. The Head Waiter came by and we mentioned it to him how disappointed we were because when we were on Harmony in Sept., the same risotto meal was delicious and that's why I ordered it. The HW, Constantine, told us he would send an order of risotto from Giovanni's for me the next night, but it never came, nor any night thereafter. My DH didn't want me to say any thing, so I didn't....some things are just worth "letting it go."

Yes, Symphony should be better. We've had much more fun and better entertainment on the Oasis and Freedom class ships, so we'll stick with them and any new ships from now on.

[Mrclean3]

We are sailing on Explorer Feb 7 and return to Miami Feb 16. The airlines just changed our flight from Fort Lauderdale to 9:05. Can we walk off and get to FLL on time for flight. 
phil

[neverbeenhere]

If nothing goes wrong with the ship, you can make it. But you better move. 

[ptf2009]

6 hours ago, Mrclean3 said:

We are sailing on Explorer Feb 7 and return to Miami Feb 16. The airlines just changed our flight from Fort Lauderdale to 9:05. Can we walk off and get to FLL on time for flight. 
phil

We were cleared @ 7:15 this past Sunday, so I would suggest that you get in the self disembark line between 6:30 and 7:00a.m. Not sure how you are getting to FLL, but it was only a 35-40 min. drive back on Sunday a.m. We used SAS, but had to wait until the driver filled the van with passengers from various ships, so I wouldn't recommend them. Our flight was at 10:45 and we were fine. 

One more thing...the checking luggage and security lines were crazy busy! My DH has A preferred status on Southwest and we both have TSA, so our lines weren't long, but if you don't have those, I'm not sure how long it would take you to arrive at your gate.

Good luck!