My First Cruise: Explorer of the Seas Review

I Never Really Fancied Cruising

I have to be honest: I never really fancied going on a cruise.

My sister had been on one before and absolutely loved it. She enjoyed it so much that she has already booked another. Me, though? I had only ever travelled on a few excursion boats during holidays, usually when the sea was not exactly calm, so I assumed cruising simply was not for me.

As a travel agent, however, I wanted to experience a cruise for myself. It was important to me that I could give my clients genuine, first-hand advice rather than recommending something I had never personally tried.

So, we booked a Royal Caribbean cruise aboard Explorer of the Seas.

A Brilliantly Organised Arrival

From the moment we landed, everything was incredibly well organised.

Royal Caribbean staff were waiting for us at the airport and directed us straight to our transfer. Before we knew it, we were approaching the ship.

Nothing prepared me for that first sight. Explorer of the Seas looked absolutely enormous.

My husband, who is not particularly comfortable with heights, looked up at it and said, “Oh my God… I don’t want to go on!”

Thankfully, once we stepped onboard, those worries quickly disappeared.

An Incredible Welcome

The welcome we received was incredible.

Every member of staff we met, from housekeeping and restaurant waiters to bar staff and the entertainment team, was friendly, happy and welcoming.

Nothing ever seemed like too much trouble. The service throughout our cruise was outstanding and played a huge part in making the experience feel so special.

The ship was also spotless. Wherever we went, the public areas, restaurants, bars and facilities were exceptionally clean and well maintained.

Would We Find a Sunbed?

One thing I was worried about before travelling was whether we would be able to find a sunbed.

I am definitely not someone who wants to get up at six in the morning to reserve one with a towel. I would much rather enjoy a relaxed breakfast and have a wander around the ship first.

To my surprise, there were still plenty of sunbeds available every day. They might not always have been directly beside the main pool, but we never had a problem finding somewhere comfortable to relax.

The atmosphere around the pool was brilliant. There were games, dancing, exercise classes, live music and entertainment throughout the day.

Waiters were also regularly walking around taking drinks orders, so you did not even need to visit the bar unless you wanted to.

The Food

We mainly dined in Dining Room 3, although Explorer of the Seas has three main dining rooms.

The food was fantastic every evening, with plenty of choice on the menu. You could reserve a table or simply arrive and wait for one to become available.

We never waited more than a few minutes, although we eventually booked a regular dining time because it suited us.

The waiting staff quickly got to know us and were absolutely brilliant. That personal service made our evening meals even more enjoyable.

There were also cafés and bars throughout the ship, complimentary filtered coffee, Starbucks for speciality drinks, and plenty of branded spirits and cocktails available through the drinks packages.

Entertainment From Morning Until Night

Honestly, there was never an opportunity to become bored.

The ship had theatres with excellent shows, live music, dancing, quizzes, organised activities, shopping and an art gallery with live auctions, which I found fascinating.

There was also line dancing, which I joined in with, as well as a busy gym and a wide range of sports facilities.

Families were extremely well catered for too. There were children’s clubs, toddler areas, teen hangouts and plenty of activities to keep younger passengers entertained.

You could spend the entire day joining in with activities, or find a quiet part of the ship and simply watch the world go by.

Getting On and Off the Ship

Getting on and off the ship at each port was far easier than I expected.

You simply used your SeaPass card when leaving and returning. Security was quick and efficient, with bags scanned when reboarding, and the whole process ran very smoothly.

I had imagined long queues and complicated procedures, but that was not our experience at all.

Our Promenade View Cabin

We upgraded to a Promenade View cabin overlooking the Royal Promenade, and I would definitely choose this type of cabin again.

It gave us an interesting view of the heart of the ship and made the cabin feel connected to everything happening onboard.

Each day, we could use the cabin television to see the full programme of onboard activities. There were also regular announcements, so it was easy to keep track of what was happening.

Was the Sea Rough?

One of my biggest concerns before travelling was how the ship would feel while sailing.

My previous experiences on smaller excursion boats had made me think I might struggle, particularly if the sea was rough.

In reality, the sea was beautifully calm throughout our trip. The ship felt comfortable, stable and completely different from being aboard a much smaller boat.

This was one of the biggest surprises for me and helped me relax into the holiday almost immediately.