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Royal Caribbean International
Review with photographs - Explorer leave NJ for the last time
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<blockquote data-quote="Cruizer" data-source="post: 1661437" data-attributes="member: 18088"><p>If this review comes to an unexpected end, it is because I have given up. I should not have to work this hard just to post a review.</p><p></p><p><strong>November 11, 2014 – Bonaire</strong></p><p>Once again the crew could have rowed and we would have arrived on time. This is the first time I’ve been to Bonaire. I looked at the various shore excursion offerings three times and I could not find anything interesting. Tomorrow we will be in Aruba and will be leaving Aruba early. I wish we could have gone to Aruba today and left Bonaire early tomorrow. I’m not the only one that feels this way. </p><p>I woke up at 5:00 and put my camera out on the balcony to heat up. But then when I checked the TV I found that our heading was 28 degrees. That meant that sunrise was on the other side of the ship. I looked outside and just and just did not feel like getting dressed. I left the camera out so I could use it coming into port. </p><p>When I notice the pilot boat speed up and cut in front of the ship after dropping off the pilot I realized I was going to have to get dressed anyway and head over to the helipad to get the coming into port pictures. Well, it turned out the port was on the left side of the ship after all. It looks like Bonaire is building up the port area. Lots of new shops are visible. I know the shops are new, because they look new and there is nothing in the shops yet. None of the vendors have set up shop yet.</p><p>So, with nothing planned, I figured I would go over some odds and ends:</p><p></p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Early in the cruise my room steward saw me leave the cabin. However, he didn’t see me come back. He walked in on me while I was getting ready to leave again. It was no big deal to me, as I am using the dead bolt to control when the room steward can come in. But it apparently got to the room steward. The next time he saw me he apologized and said for now on he would only come in when the blue make up the room card was out. I have been using the make up the room card, and this has worked out well with two minor hiccups. The first was one morning when I was out of the cabin for a while, but he had not made up the room. Then I came back, dropped off some things and went out again for a short time. I should have removed the room card because I knew I was coming back soon and I had to change for my shore excursion. Sure enough, when I returned the room steward was cleaning my room. The second time was yesterday morning when I forgot to put the card out. But the day was young and I put it out before exploring Willemstad and when I returned, the room was clean. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Why is the bathroom light switch next to the hinge side of the door, outside the bathroom? Most people have the bathroom light switch inside the bathroom. So once you walk in and realize the switch is outside of the cabin, you cannot just reach around. You have to exit the bathroom to turn on the light. Why can’t they put the light switch on the latch side of the door, where it would be easy to reach?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The Explorer is the second of the five Voyage class ships. The first three have the balconies inside the structure of the ship. Thus the balcony is inside a steel box. It does not have the open air feeling that the Navigator and Mariner (the last two of the Voyager class ships) have. The balconies on the Navigator and Mariner are outside the structure of the ship. The Navigator and Mariner are my two favorite Royal Caribbean ships. I have been on the Freedom and if you have young kids I would recommend the three Freedom class ships over the Voyager class, as the three Freedom class ships have the H2O Zone. I have also been on the Allure, but it is just too big. My favorite Carnival ships are the four Spirit class ships. The Spirit class ships are about the same size as the Radiance class ships; however, I do not like the layout of the Radiance class ships.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">I must have pulled a muscle the first night trying to stay in bed. The right side of my hip hurts me when I am standing, trying to stand from a sitting position, trying to sit from a standing position and when lying on my back in bed. However, it does not hurt when I am walking or sitting, so it has had very little negative effect on the cruise experience (but I would be happier if it didn’t hurt).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Every evening at dinner I have two pieces of bread. One with cheese and one with pumpkin seeds. And every evening the assistant waiter gets the cheese bread right and then tries to give me the sesame seed bread.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Carnival has pool side food and drink stations. That way if you are wet and wearing a bathing suit you don’t have to dry off just to eat. And since a waiter (or assistant waiter) prepares the drinks on Royal Caribbean, it is hard to get ice. Carnival has ice at all the drink stations. However, I have heard that you can get ice from the Freestyle Coke machines on Royal Caribbean even if you didn’t purchase the soft drink package.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">When the people on the pier are too far way for someone to throw the rope, they use a gun to shoot the rope over. The Explorer of the Seas needs a new gun. The weighted ball that was supposed to land on the pier fell short and went swimming every time.</li> </ol><p>Well, that is it for now. I’m going to relax some more, then have brunch and then go explore the area around the port. So I’ll see you later.</p><p>So, here is how my day went. A little before noon I left the cabin and boarded the elevator for a ride up to deck twelve where Johnny Rockets is located. I boarded on deck seven. Someone on the elevator wants an express ride to deck eleven, where the Windjammer is located. I guess he is really hungry. So he holds the number eleven button in hoping the elevator will skip all the other decks. The elevator stops at deck eight to allow someone else on. The person holding the number eleven button is visibly disappointed. I’m left wondering how someone so naive about the operation of an elevator can earn enough money to afford to cruise. Finally I make it to deck twelve, only to discover that Johnny Rockets is not open.</p><p>Since Johnny Rockets was closed, I headed down to deck eleven for brunch. While looking for something yummy I spot the first officer having lunch. I say hello. After I gather a plate full of food, I find a seat near the windows overlooking the ocean. The weather looks good. Done with lunch I catch an elevator heading to deck one, where the gangplank is located. Once on the dock it starts raining. At first it is light, but very quickly builds to a major down pour. I quickly duck under the tent where security is located. I know this is one of those famous ten minute tropical downpours. </p><p>Once the rain stops I head to town to get shot glasses for my friend. Then head back to the ship. I debate exploring more, however, one look at the sky and I realize it could rain again. Unfortunately there is a line to re-board the ship and sure enough it begins to rain. I don’t charge my friend for the shot glasses I buy him, but he better appreciate what I have gone through to get the shot glasses for him. </p><p>Back in the cabin I take off my wet clothing and put my wet shirt outside to dry. It is nice and sunny now. Okay, I get the message. I’m not leaving the cabin. I lie down and take a nice long nap. I wake up about the time everyone is due back on board. Of course since it is humid outside the shirt has only gone from soaked to damp. So I dry it enough to put on with the hair dryer. Then I head down to the photo gallery to find the photographs from the last formal night (the photo gallery was closed all day yesterday). I pick out five pictures and again take advantage of the Diamond five for fifty dollars deal and I bought another photo album (I don’t know why I did that). The normal ten picture photo package is $175. I have eleven (one free and two five for fifty) for only $100.</p><p>Then I head back to the cabin to upload my few photographs (the ones in my camera, not the ones I just bought) and update this. Dinner is in about one hour, so I’ll back everything up, and get ready for tomorrow’s shore excursion. I hope it doesn’t rain, as I am taking my DSLR. It is the same shore excursion I took in 2011 when I was here, except this time I’m taking a better camera with me. We are only in Aruba for a short time, so we can make it back to Port Canaveral on time (or at least that is what the Captain said as we left Bonaire). I think it is because the way back is up hill (take a look at a globe). At any rate, my shore excursion meets at 8:30. So, I’ll catch up with you after dinner.</p><p>I had the shrimp cocktail, the sliders and free steak for dinner. Then, because of the early shore excursion, I head back to my cabin and hit the bed.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cruizer, post: 1661437, member: 18088"] If this review comes to an unexpected end, it is because I have given up. I should not have to work this hard just to post a review. [B]November 11, 2014 – Bonaire[/B] Once again the crew could have rowed and we would have arrived on time. This is the first time I’ve been to Bonaire. I looked at the various shore excursion offerings three times and I could not find anything interesting. Tomorrow we will be in Aruba and will be leaving Aruba early. I wish we could have gone to Aruba today and left Bonaire early tomorrow. I’m not the only one that feels this way. I woke up at 5:00 and put my camera out on the balcony to heat up. But then when I checked the TV I found that our heading was 28 degrees. That meant that sunrise was on the other side of the ship. I looked outside and just and just did not feel like getting dressed. I left the camera out so I could use it coming into port. When I notice the pilot boat speed up and cut in front of the ship after dropping off the pilot I realized I was going to have to get dressed anyway and head over to the helipad to get the coming into port pictures. Well, it turned out the port was on the left side of the ship after all. It looks like Bonaire is building up the port area. Lots of new shops are visible. I know the shops are new, because they look new and there is nothing in the shops yet. None of the vendors have set up shop yet. So, with nothing planned, I figured I would go over some odds and ends: [LIST=1] [*] Early in the cruise my room steward saw me leave the cabin. However, he didn’t see me come back. He walked in on me while I was getting ready to leave again. It was no big deal to me, as I am using the dead bolt to control when the room steward can come in. But it apparently got to the room steward. The next time he saw me he apologized and said for now on he would only come in when the blue make up the room card was out. I have been using the make up the room card, and this has worked out well with two minor hiccups. The first was one morning when I was out of the cabin for a while, but he had not made up the room. Then I came back, dropped off some things and went out again for a short time. I should have removed the room card because I knew I was coming back soon and I had to change for my shore excursion. Sure enough, when I returned the room steward was cleaning my room. The second time was yesterday morning when I forgot to put the card out. But the day was young and I put it out before exploring Willemstad and when I returned, the room was clean. [*]Why is the bathroom light switch next to the hinge side of the door, outside the bathroom? Most people have the bathroom light switch inside the bathroom. So once you walk in and realize the switch is outside of the cabin, you cannot just reach around. You have to exit the bathroom to turn on the light. Why can’t they put the light switch on the latch side of the door, where it would be easy to reach? [*]The Explorer is the second of the five Voyage class ships. The first three have the balconies inside the structure of the ship. Thus the balcony is inside a steel box. It does not have the open air feeling that the Navigator and Mariner (the last two of the Voyager class ships) have. The balconies on the Navigator and Mariner are outside the structure of the ship. The Navigator and Mariner are my two favorite Royal Caribbean ships. I have been on the Freedom and if you have young kids I would recommend the three Freedom class ships over the Voyager class, as the three Freedom class ships have the H2O Zone. I have also been on the Allure, but it is just too big. My favorite Carnival ships are the four Spirit class ships. The Spirit class ships are about the same size as the Radiance class ships; however, I do not like the layout of the Radiance class ships. [*]I must have pulled a muscle the first night trying to stay in bed. The right side of my hip hurts me when I am standing, trying to stand from a sitting position, trying to sit from a standing position and when lying on my back in bed. However, it does not hurt when I am walking or sitting, so it has had very little negative effect on the cruise experience (but I would be happier if it didn’t hurt). [*]Every evening at dinner I have two pieces of bread. One with cheese and one with pumpkin seeds. And every evening the assistant waiter gets the cheese bread right and then tries to give me the sesame seed bread. [*]Carnival has pool side food and drink stations. That way if you are wet and wearing a bathing suit you don’t have to dry off just to eat. And since a waiter (or assistant waiter) prepares the drinks on Royal Caribbean, it is hard to get ice. Carnival has ice at all the drink stations. However, I have heard that you can get ice from the Freestyle Coke machines on Royal Caribbean even if you didn’t purchase the soft drink package. [*]When the people on the pier are too far way for someone to throw the rope, they use a gun to shoot the rope over. The Explorer of the Seas needs a new gun. The weighted ball that was supposed to land on the pier fell short and went swimming every time. [/LIST] Well, that is it for now. I’m going to relax some more, then have brunch and then go explore the area around the port. So I’ll see you later. So, here is how my day went. A little before noon I left the cabin and boarded the elevator for a ride up to deck twelve where Johnny Rockets is located. I boarded on deck seven. Someone on the elevator wants an express ride to deck eleven, where the Windjammer is located. I guess he is really hungry. So he holds the number eleven button in hoping the elevator will skip all the other decks. The elevator stops at deck eight to allow someone else on. The person holding the number eleven button is visibly disappointed. I’m left wondering how someone so naive about the operation of an elevator can earn enough money to afford to cruise. Finally I make it to deck twelve, only to discover that Johnny Rockets is not open. Since Johnny Rockets was closed, I headed down to deck eleven for brunch. While looking for something yummy I spot the first officer having lunch. I say hello. After I gather a plate full of food, I find a seat near the windows overlooking the ocean. The weather looks good. Done with lunch I catch an elevator heading to deck one, where the gangplank is located. Once on the dock it starts raining. At first it is light, but very quickly builds to a major down pour. I quickly duck under the tent where security is located. I know this is one of those famous ten minute tropical downpours. Once the rain stops I head to town to get shot glasses for my friend. Then head back to the ship. I debate exploring more, however, one look at the sky and I realize it could rain again. Unfortunately there is a line to re-board the ship and sure enough it begins to rain. I don’t charge my friend for the shot glasses I buy him, but he better appreciate what I have gone through to get the shot glasses for him. Back in the cabin I take off my wet clothing and put my wet shirt outside to dry. It is nice and sunny now. Okay, I get the message. I’m not leaving the cabin. I lie down and take a nice long nap. I wake up about the time everyone is due back on board. Of course since it is humid outside the shirt has only gone from soaked to damp. So I dry it enough to put on with the hair dryer. Then I head down to the photo gallery to find the photographs from the last formal night (the photo gallery was closed all day yesterday). I pick out five pictures and again take advantage of the Diamond five for fifty dollars deal and I bought another photo album (I don’t know why I did that). The normal ten picture photo package is $175. I have eleven (one free and two five for fifty) for only $100. Then I head back to the cabin to upload my few photographs (the ones in my camera, not the ones I just bought) and update this. Dinner is in about one hour, so I’ll back everything up, and get ready for tomorrow’s shore excursion. I hope it doesn’t rain, as I am taking my DSLR. It is the same shore excursion I took in 2011 when I was here, except this time I’m taking a better camera with me. We are only in Aruba for a short time, so we can make it back to Port Canaveral on time (or at least that is what the Captain said as we left Bonaire). I think it is because the way back is up hill (take a look at a globe). At any rate, my shore excursion meets at 8:30. So, I’ll catch up with you after dinner. I had the shrimp cocktail, the sliders and free steak for dinner. Then, because of the early shore excursion, I head back to my cabin and hit the bed. [/QUOTE]
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Review with photographs - Explorer leave NJ for the last time
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