Kiki

I loved this little surprise on the Explorer of the Seas. What surprises or moments were your favorites?

I just got off the Explorer on the 24th of January and we enjoyed every minute of it. We stayed in the owners suite 1320 and it was very clean and everything was in great working condition. The suite attendant was very thorough and left us small surprises every day. The concierge on the ship was very personable and efficient and made sure that we were well taken care off. The poolside activities were fun and entertaining. The Company Men was a great show and the theater was filled with enthusiasm. We truly enjoyed the specialty restaurants Izumi and Chops; Giovanni’s did not meet our expectations. We had a fabulous time in Nassau at the dolphin encounter in Atlantis and enjoyed our complimentary entry to the water park. The lines were short and all the staff on Atlantis was very friendly and accommodating. We also loved the speedboat and snorkel experience in Labadee and the guide was very educational and pointed quite a bit of items out to look at and explore. We were very lucky and the water was turquoise and very clear. We truly got spoiled at Barefoot beach and may have had a Labadoozie or two ;). Great ship and wonderful experience!

Hello Everyone, just received this email. :) I thought that I would share this email as it outlines suite benefits for the Explorer of the Seas with the hopes that it may benefit someone else that has questions related to this ship. I am counting the minutes, Kiki :). Dear Suite Guest, It is my pleasure to welcome you onboard the beautiful Explorer of the Seas. We are honored that you have selected Royal Caribbean International for your cruise vacation! My name is Jorge Delgado, your Concierge onboard. I am available to assist you with any special requests you may have throughout your cruise holiday. My hours in the Concierge Lounge, Deck 9 mid-ship are daily from 8:00 am to 11:00 am and for your complimentary cocktail hours from 5:00pm to 8:30pm. As a special VIP guest you are offered exclusive amenities and services not available to other guests onboard Explorer of the Seas. For your convenience, here is a brief summary of those services: Use of the Concierge Lounge, located on Deck 9, mid-ship. Complimentary fruit plate and Evian Water (glass bottle) on Boarding Day. Luxury Spa Bathrobes for onboard use. Upgraded bathroom amenities. In-room tea kettle & coffee maker with complimentary tea & coffee. Complimentary pressing on formal night (available for the attire you will wear on that evening). Continental breakfast served daily in the Concierge Lounge, Deck 9, mid-ship from 7:00am to 10:00 am. Horsed’ oeuvres, petit fours and complimentary bar setup served in the Concierge Lounge on deck 9 mid ship every evening, before and after dinner from 5:00pm to 8:30 pm. Daily menus displayed and assistance for pre-ordering your dinner wine.(Concierge Lounge, Deck 9, mid-ship). Full Dining Room room-service privilege (available when Dining Room is open , dial 8762 for priority). Priority reservations for our specialty restaurant, sports activities, shore excursions, Salon and Spa appointments (depending on time, availability), etc... Limited VIP lounge chair set-up near the pool bar area between Decks 11 & 12.(On a First Come - First Serve basis, seats cannot be reserved). Priority Port &Shopping advice. Business services such as faxes, copies, printing of boarding passes etc.. Priority departure, including exclusive departure lounge featuring continental breakfast Limited VIP seats for productions hows and ice spectacular shows. (Please show Cruise Director’s staffs your Gold colored SeaPass card at the entrance 20 minutes prior to the show) or see your Concierge for more information. Please note that 10 minutes prior to the start of the shows, reserved seating will be opened up for walk-in guests. Suite guest’s exclusive breakfast will be served at Giovanni's Restaurant on Deck 4 Forward, from 7:30 am to 9:30am during port days and 8:00 am to 10:00 am during days at sea. The Concierge Lounge is a private area accessible on a 24-hour basis, with your GOLD Colored Sea Pass card. The Concierge Lounge has been designated a smoke-free area. We respectfully request that guests observe a Smart Casual attire when visiting the lounge (no swim/gym wear or pool attire is permitted, footwear is required at all times). To ensure all our guests are able to enjoy this exclusive lounge we require that all guests 17 years and younger must be well behaved and accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. For table assignments in the main dining room(Sapphire Dining Room) Kindly advise your seating preference for either Main or Second seating and your table preference. (Please disregard if you have selected My Time Dining as your choice of dining) If your are travelling with other guests and would like to sit together for dinner, please advise their names and stateroom numbers. FOR SPECIALTY RESTAURANTS RESERVATIONS AND OTHER DINING ACTIVITIES; (Please select below link to make reservations as they do tend to get booked out) https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruiseplanner?icid=hpnvbr_pagehe_crs_hm_awaren_953 SHORE EXCURSIONS are limited and are booked very fast as they are open online- (please click the link below to book your Shore Excursions) Pre booked Shore Excursions can only be cancelled onboard prior to 48 hours of the tour departure time. https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/asr/login.do?componentTypeCategoryId=1002 LABADEE HAS ADVANTAGES TOO!As a special VIP guest, we are pleased to offer you access to the Barefoot Beach Club & cabanas, a private beach located on Labadee. Located on Barefoot Bay, this exclusive experience is only available to our suite guests with Gold colored SeaPasscards – Simply show your SeaPass card to the Island Concierge at the entrance. The Barefoot Beach Club & Cabanas offers complimentary non-motorized water sports equipment (floating mats &snorkeling equipment) in addition to an upgraded lunch menu and service from Suite Beach Attendants. For the ultimate way to relax in luxury, why not reserve one of the cabanas for the day? Featuring beautiful view sand dedicated Cabana Attendant service, the cabanas at Barefoot Beach Club are a not to be missed experience. Please check the attached file for more details. Please ensure to email back your cabana preference 1st option and 2nd option and it will be confirmed once you arrive onboard. The Barefoot Beach Club & Cabanas are located on the private island destination of Labadee. This exclusive beach, available only to the top suite guests and those guests renting cabanas, offers VIP service and amenities to enhance the vacation experience of these valued guests. A maximum of 8 guests may have access to your Cabana.Please provide the names of any guests that will be joining you to the concierge.These names will be added to the Barefoot Beach guest list.For this Caribbean Cruise we offer to you a Cabana in Labadee. We have cabanas available in Labadee below you will see the categories:1) Standard Cabana $350.75 (Only 9 available)2) HillTop Cabana $495.75- (Only 7 available).3. Overwater Cabanas $595.75 (6 available)These types of cabana are in a premium location above the ocean with direct access to the water and beach. TheseCabanas are not wheelchair accessible, and guests will need to walk in the water and up the stairs to get to the cabana. 4.Waterfront Cabanas$495.75 (2 available) These cabanas are next to the beach at the water’s edge with full views of the bay. They are not wheelchair accessible;however guests with limited mobility may access them. Cabana charges are per cabana and not per person. Cabanas hold up to 8 guests only. When reserving a cabana it is reserved for you the entire day in Labadee. Cabanas reserved are only for you and your family or friends use only, remember they only hold up to 8 guests. If you are interested in reserving a Cabana please let us know as soon as possible as there are limited cabanas and we have 40 suites. Please also note that when reserving a cabana, no shows, will still be charged.Please come and see me in the Concierge Lounge, Deck 9, mid - ship or contact me by dialing 8903 from any ship phone. If there is any way I can be of assistance to make your cruise vacation more enjoyable, please do not hesitate to ask. We hope you will have the vacation of a lifetime onboard the Explorer of the Seas.Warmest Regards,Jorge DelgadoConcierge | ms Explorer of the Seas Dect 8903 Office 3239 | [email protected]

I am going to be in Labadee in January and I have booked the Speedboat and Snorkel experience. I was wondering which one would be better as well lol. From the looks of the pictures, it looks like there are less people on the Speedboat.... I will write a review upon my return :).

Hello Everyone, I am excited to be on the Explorer of the Seas next month and I am in the process of finalizing excursions for Labadee. Did anyone participate in the Speedboat and Snorkeling excursion and is willing to provide some feedback on this experience? Is the Speedboat going to the same reef as the Catamaran Snorkel experience. Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences, Kiki :).

Be knowledgeable about your cruise ship selection. Yes, there is a lot of hype surrounding the mega ships with every bell and whistle imaginable. However, I love the nostalgia that you can immerse yourself with cruise ships such as the Explorer of the Seas and smaller ships. I am reminiscing of the days where interpersonal relationships, interesting conversation about destinations and culture with fellow travelers, superseded ziplines and trampolines. There is a true value of being on a non retrofitted ship that allows for simplistic fun and activities without being loud, mass manufactured, and overbearing. Sometimes real beauty lies in excellent service, a suite with a beautiful view, and like minded travelers. The exploration of different foods and specialty restaurants can be a wonderful culinary experience especially with staff conversation from around the globe. I also feel that the more traditional cruise experience allows for appreciation of the arts, the destination, the people, and appreciation of the architecture of the ship and staff. This type of personal or more intimate experience is invaluable.

I am 70 some days away from my owners suite and I am passed the 90 day mark. So the cruise fare will remain the same. Next time I will definitely book sooner ;). Just never know if hubby can get the days off.

Thank you, at least I am not the only one doing this.... lol

Yes, I am keeping my calculator handy ;).

Good Morning, this is a question for experienced cruisers. I find myself cancelling and repurchasing internet, cruise excursions, and beverage packages ect... on the R.C. website due to a price drop or better offering. The folks that do billing at R.C. must think that I am nuts LOL! Is there a better way of doing this? Thank you for your insights :).

I do feel that the Explorer of the seas is one of those underrated ships. It is a beautiful ship from what I can see for traditional cruising.

Thank you so much for your insights. It is very much so appreciated. It is difficult to ascertain from the website or conversation what benefits you are actually receiving.

Hello Everyone, I am a first timer in an Owner Suite on the Explorer of the Seas. I have heard conflicting information about Lunch in specialty restaurants for suite guests (benefit). Is it just a more comfortable place to sit while you retrieve your food from Windjammers or do they actually have a buffet or limited menu from that specialty restaurant? Thank you in advance for clarifying :).