Has anyone been on/doing the 9 day out of NY on the Explorer?

[Jacquelyn11]

We cruise every 2 years and we are planning this for June 2007. We plan to add a land trip to visit the sites in NYC. The Explorer does a 9 day out of NY to the E. Carib. then a 5 day to Bermuda. (would be a great B2B too!)

 

If anyone is going this summer please let me know!

 

Happy Cruzin' Ya'll!

 

Jacquelyn :D

[shazzz]

we r..but leaving out of Bayonne July 14th..98 more days.....There are a bunch of us who met last yr on the voyager and we r cruising this yr together......and then there a bunch of new friends who joined our thread and are also cruising..so in total, there are about 40 of us.......lots of teens with us too.....

 

is this the cruise u r considering??????????

[Theresa522]

Hi, we will be doing the same cruise but on May 19th. Really getting excited now as we booked over a year a go! :eek:

[LDinCT]

We did the 9-day Voyager last August. It was great. A little crazy however. Lots of kids and young adults. Great itinerary, relaxing vacation. It was great to drive over to NJ and just take off. This years cruises seemed rather pricey though, I should have booked early. We decided to take the Mariner out of Pt Canaveral in August and got a great 3/4 deal. However, after we pay for airfare and a few days in WDW, I'm sure I would have wished that we booked the Explorer. We did a 5-day Explorer in Dec. '05, so we'd like to try the Mariner, which we haven't done. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

LDinCT

[Jacquelyn11]

LD - yes, the 9 day to the easter carib. is what we want to do. Sounds kinda crazy, go north just to come south, but we wanted to try something longer than a 7 day. I also wanted to go to San Juan, PR. If you need any help with Port Canaveral let me know. I've been out of there on 4 different cruises! Spent a year going to the "Mouse House" 7 times so I know a good bit about it also. Also going early June. The schools in GA get out on Memorial day, and there are not quite as many kids on the early June cruise as most of the northern schools are not out yet.

 

Theresa - Yes, we are at the same point you were a year ago. The summer 07 dates on RC are not out till the end of the month, and I've got a TA that will be "on the ready" to book cabin 1688 for us on the Explorer. 1688 is an aft balcony, and we have never done an aft before. looking forward to it!

 

Thanks again all!

 

Jacquelyn :D

[new2cruiseamy]

We are doing our first cruise on the Explorer 9 Day on June 2nd. I have never cruised before and am a little nervous about getting seasick. Someone has now told me that the seas are rougher from NJ than if we would have sailed from FL. :eek: Does anyone have any experience with taking a cruise from NJ that could let me know how rough the seas are????

 

Thanks for all your help!!! The amount of great information /tips that I have already received from everyone on this site has been terrific!!!

[DPurcell58]

Went on the Voyager last Aug. from Bayonne. Had a rain storm first day out, didn't find the waters rough though. Also sailed on the Dawn from NYC in April, didn't find the waters rough then either. You'll have a great time. Doing the Explorer in Aug. this year too.

[csbenedict]

Jacquelyn--

We're cruising 6/16 out of Bayonne on the Explorer! It'll be our first balcony (other 2 cruises were insides) and I was also able to snag #1688! :D DH & DS don't know about the balcony yet and I can't wait to see their double surprise with the size of the cabin! Hopefully, I'll be able to keep it a secret for 70 more days! Will post a review when we return!

[Dave85]

We did it last summer on the Voyager and had a great time. 9 days is (in my opinion) the perfect length. I really appreciated it when we hit the 7 day mark, knowing all the week long cruises would be over, and realizing we had 2 days left!

 

The seas going down were perfect, the ship barely moved. There was 1-2 (maybe 1.5) fairly rough days on the way back up, but it wasn't horrible. Voyager/Explorer are big ships and can handel the weather very well.

[templed]

We did Voyager out of Bayonne last July... smooth sailing the entire trip...

 

We did however sail NCL Dawn in March of 2004, and we hit some pretty rough seas...

 

 

Honestly... Voyager class ships are so large, it would be hard to imagine that you would have any problems...

[Jacquelyn11]

CSB - WOW! That is fantastic! You will have to send me some room and balcony pics, save the dailys and give me a detailed trip report when you get back! I don't know if you have seen these yet, but here are some webshots of 1688

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/42736707mJbKZS

 

I told DH and DS's about our trip. My 12 yr old is really excited about seeing the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. He is also a big fan of the Titanic movie and wants to sail by the SOL like they did in the movie.

 

Glad to hear the waters are not rough coming down the east coast. We hit some rough seas when sailed out of Boston a few years ago.

 

Amy - Welcome to crusing! Going on a 9 day your first outing is great! I also happen to be a pharmacist with 25 years experience!

 

Here is a info sheet I have on Motion Sickness Medications:

 

Dramamine: (Dimenhydrinate di-men-hi-drin-ate) An older motion sickness remedy. Dramamine however has substantial side effects, the most common being drowsiness. Sleeping through your cruise is almost as bad as being sick through your cruise. Need to take 3 to 4 times a day.

 

Bonine: Meclizine HCl (25mg.), Dramamine II, Non-Drowsy Dramamine, Antivert. Causes drowsiness in a very small percentage of patients, is very effective, has only to be taken once per 24 hours in tablets and chew tabs. It’s nothing like the original Dramamine --a totally different chemical! Check with pediatrician prior to your cruise regarding your children and any sea sickness medications. The package directions do state that this medication is for children over 12. With my kids, I gave them ½ tablet when they were 5 & 7 at about 50 lbs with no ill effects.

 

Both of these drugs are classed as antihistamines. Their most common side effect is drowsiness. Dramamine has a greater incidence than Bonine. These effects are exaggerated considerably with concomitant use of alcoholic beverages. READ THE PACKAGE to learn the side effects.

 

Bonine also has the advantage of a longer duration of action, allowing for once a day dosing. Dramamine has been used safely in children 2 and older. Both agents are usually taken about 1-2 hours before anticipated travel or activity. If you have never taken these types of medication before it’s a good idea to "try them on dry land" to avoid unforeseen reactions. These agents can also be taken for vertigo (dizziness). Normal meclizine dosage is 12.5-25mg three times a day for dizziness, so you could take two or three Bonine if needed. ALWAYS check with your pharmacist against your other medication to make sure there are no drug interactions.

 

Scopolamine Patch: This medicine is prescription only in the US. It is available in oral and transdermal patch formulations. This patch is placed in a hairless area behind the ear. It takes up to 6 hours to be effective and lasts for 3 days. It produces less drowsiness than Bonine, but a greater number of other side-effects including dry mouth, dizziness, ocular disturbances, disorientation, irritability (in children), slowed heart rate, psychosis, and amnesia. These effects were usually reversed when the product was removed. It has been shown to provide greater protection against motion sickness than Dramamine. If you haven't had success with the above agents, this might be choice to explore with your doctor. Wash your hands well after handling the patch. The Scopolamine will cause your pupils to dilate if you get some on your hands and then touch your eyes. This makes you sensitive to light for a few hours. Also, there have been reports some older folks not doing well with the patch. Typically these were small older women. This is because older people have thinner skin and too much of the drug got absorbed at once, and the dose is somewhat weight related for an "average adult". It is sold in a package of 4. The catch is you MUST put the patch on 4-5 hours BEFORE you travel. If you wait until you have motion sickness it will not work for several hours.

 

Ginger: Found in Ginger snaps and commonly used in Chinese cooking. An herbal preventative with few side effects. Ginger root has also been studied as an agent to help with nausea after surgery. It was superior to placebo in reducing the frequency post-operative nausea. There have been no formal studies with motion sickness. The effect seems to be short acting and would need to be taken at least 3 to 4 times a day.

 

Sea Bands: This is a wrist band that uses acupressure to stimulate a spot on your wrist that is to prevent motion sickness. We know of no scientific studies proving their effectiveness, but we have heard a lot of anecdotal evidence attesting to their effectiveness. They’re inexpensive and don’t have any side effects except that they don’t coordinate well with shimmery evening dresses. If they work for you, great.

 

Other prescription medications for nausea: Phenergan (promethazine), Reglan (metoclopramide), and Zofran (odansetron), are good for nausea that can happen with motion sickness, but generally won't prevent motion sickness like those listed above.

 

Whichever method you decide, have a great time on your cruise!

 

Happy Cruzin' All!

 

Jacquelyn :D

[traderneal]

The deal on the Mariner in August is just to good to pass up.

 

I live in NJ, so it would have a lot easier to leave out of Bayonne, but, it would have been a lot more money for a Jr. Suite on the Explorer vs a Grand Suite on the Mariner. Plus, I really don't know how I could handle a nine day cruise. Leaving on the Mariner in August.

[Amink]

we did the 9 day out of Bayonne this past Nov on VOS, it was wonderful, the seas were not very rough at all, OUr ship was the one that left port 7 hours late, but the upside was sailing out watching the NYC skyline all lit up. Something I never get to see.

 

same topic but slightly off...

 

ok, we are having a baby this year and woudl really like to schedule a cruise for 2008 (I know it is way early) does anyone know what ship will be doing Bayonne in 2008?

 

I really enjoyed the 9 day, it was great to be at day 7 and still have vacaton left.

[Jacquelyn11]

A Cruise would be a great get-away after a baby! Not sure on short cruises of of NY, but Carnival does several out of the FL and TX ports.

 

We were wondering if the Explorer was doing the 9 day again in 2007, and my TA asked RCI. They said they were. The next summers schedules usually come out the end of April to early May for most lines. So when your bundle of joy is about 7 months old, check then! ;)

 

Congrats again on the baby!

 

Jacquelyn :D

[templed]

If you'd like some more pictures of the aft cabins... there's some on my page... we stayed in cabin 1392 (a couple doors down from 1688)...

 

http://public.fotki.com/templed/rccl_-_voyager_of/voyager_7105/

[crusinmama06]

My 12 yr old is really excited about seeing the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. He is also a big fan of the Titanic movie and wants to sail by the SOL like they did in the movie.

 

I'm excited about that TOO! :D We were watching a movie the other night and in the background, a ship was sailing past the SOL and I yelled "THERE, that's what I want to do!"

 

We are booked (for now, dh may cancel :mad: ) on the 9/3 Explorer sailing out of Bayone.

[Theresa522]

I'm excited about that TOO! :D We were watching a movie the other night and in the background, a ship was sailing past the SOL and I yelled "THERE, that's what I want to do!"

 

We are booked (for now, dh may cancel :mad: ) on the 9/3 Explorer sailing out of Bayone.

 

I hope you do not have to cancel.. I will keep my fingers crossed for you! We live in New York and this will be our third cruise. Going past the SOL is amazing!! This will be our third time and I can't wait to see her again. Hope you will be able to also!! ;)

[templed]

You don't sail past the Statue, leaving from Bayonne....

 

You are about 3/4 mile south of Liberty Island....

[tp-nj]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but when you sail out of Bayonne, you do not pass the Statue of Liberty. :( Cape Liberty is just South of the Statue so you can see her from the ship but unfortunately, do not sail past her. I was slightly disappointed when we didn't but I got over it real quick. To see for yourself, here's a link...

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=nyc&ll=40.676537,-74.055233&spn=0.033719,0.085831&t=k

 

The pier is on the bottom left and is the lower (or southern) of the two. If you zoom in to the piers, you will notice the cranes on the northern pier - the cruise ships dock just opposite them. At least they did when we sailed.

 

We sailed on the Voyager in 2004 on the 9 night Western Caribbean and had an excellent time. I agree with the above that those 2 extra days were the best!!!

[new2cruiseamy]

Jacquelyn- Thank you sooo much for all of the information. It was a big help in deciding which medicine to use, as I was unsure of whether to use bonine or to get a patch from my doctor. I believe I'll just stick with Bonine, it seems like that has the least amount of side effects.

 

To everyone else, thanks for the input on how rough the seas are (or not). Hopefully since this is such a large ship, the motion won't be too bad, even in rough seas....and having Bonine will surely help.

 

My family is so excited for this vacation of a lifetime----we can't wait----and are counting down the days.....:p

[Theresa522]

I can't believe it.. :eek: LOL LOL My in laws are going to be upset..LOL Oh well, at least we got to see it twice.

[CruisingYiayia]

The sight you don't want to miss is sailing under the Verrazano bridge. It looks like the ship will barely clear the bridge.

[crusinmama06]

I hope you do not have to cancel.. I will keep my fingers crossed for you! ;)

 

It's cancelled :( or will be by morning. So I won't be seeing anything on the EOS. Everyone backed out on us. So we'll just have to wait till April for the FOS.

[Jacquelyn11]

But to be booked on the Freedom....it WILL be worth the wait!

 

My son should'nt be too bummed about the SOL, we will get to visit it on our land part of the trip!

 

Neal- I'd opt for a grand suite any day! We were on the Mariner last year and we loved it! We did stay on a "hump" balcony and the view was fantastic! I just hope we can snag an aft this time.

 

Anyone have their Dailys from the 9 day? Just wondering about the activities offerings!

 

Happy Cruzin' all!

 

Jacquelyn :D

[Amink]

you don't sail past the SOL but you can see it.

 

We sailed out at night, and you could make out her green glow in the distance :) And if you have a good zoom on your camera you can get an okish picture...