Explorer of the Seas - dry dock 2023

[tcneal]

3 hours ago, icsys said:

 

All that time spent in dry dock and they can't spend a bit of money replacing worn out curtains!

I agree.  I don't want to seem like I'm just complaining.   We are having a good time.  But some of the things are glaring issues given they just came from a 1 month dry dock.  I mentioned the holes in the curtains.  Drawers that don't quite close.  Shelves missing in the medicine cabinet.  Nothing that would be a major issue but I keep thinking to myself, dry dock.  Did they even inspect the room?

 

My biggest issue that we are Diamond and have been on a few ships.  This is the worst internet we have experienced on a Royal ship.  Not just slow but sometimes not working at all.  I thought every ship was upgraded to Starlink?

Edited March 15, 2023 by tcneal

[icsys]

I wouldn't say its complaining.

Granted, the dry dock was mainly for mechanical and behind the scenes maintenance but a multi-million pound dry dock and they can't inspect, repair and maintain the parts that the guest comes into contact with?

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, icsys said:

Granted, the dry dock was mainly for mechanical and behind the scenes maintenance but a multi-million pound dry dock and they can't inspect, repair and maintain the parts that the guest comes into contact with?

Even on the "expensive" pre-COVID APMed ships, some of those items were ignored. It's subjective what items besides the already agreed upon items (like carpet and maybe the sofa) within a cabin get replaced.

[moposh]

On 3/12/2023 at 3:04 PM, sharonlacey said:

My daughter and her son is really glad they added the slides, more for teenagers to do.  Glad about the carpet but by the time we get on it will be old, April 5, 2023, lol,

 

 

 

 

 

 

My cruise starts April 1 so are you on that cruise?  Explorer doesn't have a cruise that starts April 5.  Or do you mean 2024?

[kruzerci]

It is wild to me that Royal always neglects cabins in drydocks and refurbs. There is nothing worse than a hotel room or ship cabin with musty old carpet and furniture. Ick. 

[The Sunset Glow]

1 hour ago, kruzerci said:

It is wild to me that Royal always neglects cabins in drydocks and refurbs. There is nothing worse than a hotel room or ship cabin with musty old carpet and furniture. Ick. 

 

I agree. The cabin is what the passenger sees the most, up close, interacting with and using the cabin contents. If the cabin looks worn and shabby and functioning items don't work properly then this is a huge let down and leaves you with a bad impression of the ship in general IMO.

[VDawgAndVan]

4 minutes ago, The Sunset Glow said:

 

I agree. The cabin is what the passenger sees the most, up close, interacting with and using the cabin contents. If the cabin looks worn and shabby and functioning items don't work properly then this is a huge let down and leaves you with a bad impression of the ship in general IMO.

No refresh of anything at all in the cabins? 🤔

[sharonlacey]

2 hours ago, moposh said:

My cruise starts April 1 so are you on that cruise?  Explorer doesn't have a cruise that starts April 5.  Or do you mean 2024?

Sorry 2024

[moposh]

Personally, I don't look too closely in the cabins (or hotel rooms) because I don't want to see things that I probably don't want to see.  Of course, you can't ignore a stain on the carpet, but I don't look under beds, etc.  

[teddybear231]

I was hoping for more out of this dry dock, but I guess not...oh well, I'm sure we'll still have a great time next week 🙂 

[sharonlacey]

2 minutes ago, teddybear231 said:

I was hoping for more out of this dry dock, but I guess not...oh well, I'm sure we'll still have a great time next week 🙂 

You will, Explorer is one of our favorite ships.  Not to big, not to small.  We have been on Anthem many times because it leaves out of NJ but I was more upset when Explorer left than I will be when Anthem leaves.  We have to leave from Fl. now, lol

[moposh]

16 minutes ago, teddybear231 said:

I was hoping for more out of this dry dock, but I guess not...oh well, I'm sure we'll still have a great time next week 🙂 

You've got three cruises booked!  I would love to visit Greece.  Don't know if I'll make it.  

[sharonlacey]

44 minutes ago, moposh said:

You've got three cruises booked!  I would love to visit Greece.  Don't know if I'll make it.  

Hopefully because you have so many booked already?

 

[moposh]

4 minutes ago, sharonlacey said:

Hopefully because you have so many booked already?

 

Nope, only one booked at the moment.  I plan to book another soon.  Just waiting on summer school dates.

[tcneal]

5 hours ago, VDawgAndVan said:

No refresh of anything at all in the cabins? 🤔

So when I first entered I thought the carpet but maybe it was just a good cleaning.  Here's a Pic.  Maybe someone can chime in because this is my fist time on Explorer so I don't know what it was before.

 

 

[VDawgAndVan]

15 minutes ago, tcneal said:

So when I first entered I thought the carpet but maybe it was just a good cleaning.  Here's a Pic.  Maybe someone can chime in because this is my fist time on Explorer so I don't know what it was before.

 

 

This is new carpeting based on the other pictures from previous Cruises.  So this is what I mean about disinformation lol. It appears everything has been replaced when it comes to carpeting and thinking maybe curtains as well? Previous posts in FB reported this, but this forum was the complete opposite. So just not sure why such conflicting information 🤷🏻‍♂️

[kruzerci]

29 minutes ago, tcneal said:

So when I first entered I thought the carpet but maybe it was just a good cleaning.  Here's a Pic.  Maybe someone can chime in because this is my fist time on Explorer so I don't know what it was before.

 

 

That’s the same carpet it had in 2019 when I was last on her. 

[tcneal]

36 minutes ago, VDawgAndVan said:

This is new carpeting based on the other pictures from previous Cruises.  So this is what I mean about disinformation lol. It appears everything has been replaced when it comes to carpeting and thinking maybe curtains as well? Previous posts in FB reported this, but this forum was the complete opposite. So just not sure why such conflicting information 🤷🏻‍♂️

I can safely say the curtains that I'm looking at now have not been replaced.  Unless stains and holes are a new Royal design.  I was unsure about the carpet that's why posted the pic.  Nothing else in my room has been replaced.   And most venues that I have been in so far haven't replaced.   But I will start asking crew when I remember.

[Morecruisesplz]

1 hour ago, kruzerci said:

That’s the same carpet it had in 2019 when I was last on her. 

Jan 2023 carpet

[kruzerci]

4 hours ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Jan 2023 carpet

Different cabin category also. 

[tcneal]

7 hours ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Jan 2023 carpet

Same curtains.

[Morecruisesplz]

13 hours ago, tcneal said:

Same curtains.

As???

[tcneal]

22 hours ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Jan 2023 carpet

Same curtains in my room as this pic.

[Morecruisesplz]

7 minutes ago, tcneal said:

Same curtains in my room as this pic.

 

7 minutes ago, tcneal said:

Same curtains in my room as this pic.

Oh, currently. So new carpet but not drapes?

[CntPAcruiser]

On 3/12/2023 at 7:44 PM, CntPAcruiser said:

 

Could you please confirm that they did not remove Explorer's forward-facing fitness center and locker rooms like they did on Navigator?

 

On 3/12/2023 at 8:05 PM, tcneal said:

I didn't go in but I believe it's still there.  I do plan on going this week so I'll report on the machines.

 

I have confirmed from a post on another board that they did not change or remove the locker rooms in the fitness center, and the steam/sauna facilities are still there.