Mr. Goldstein...please Save Our Ship! 5/19/12 Bermuda sailing review

[chef_christoph]

I have to wonder: when these same posters go to a restaurant and have a mediocre meal, do they say 'at least I didn't have to cook it?' It's just so bizarre to me. If a customer doesn't make any demands, why put forth any more effort? It's basically a waste of money to refurbish if they don't have to.

I completely agree.

[crusingdave]

Maybe as long as Explorer sails full at higher pricing he looks at the issue as not being broken and requiring no fixing. It seems that we read so many threads and issues lately where the only conclusion one can draw is that the bottom line seems to be the only thing that concerns corporate RCI.

 

You are exactly right. Adam Goldstein has been quoted saying the Explorer is a "good fit" for Bayonne NJ. But the competition, both NCL and Carnival are bringing newer, larger ships into New York. Royal is cutting by 3 ships in Europe for 2013 and could easily put a Freedom class in Bayonne and get premium pricing similar to the pricing on the Explorer. As a stockholder seeing fire-sale pricing in Europe concerns me. Also the Executive VP of Marketing is no longer at Royal.

[ryano]

I am considering Explorer for a Feb 2013 cruise but after reading these comments I have to reconsider. I am not willing to overlook and ignore poor food and dirty worn finishes just because I am lucky enough to be on a cruise ship. It seems as if this poor ship has been sadly neglected and allowed to fall to the bottom of the barrel. Sad and not acceptable.

 

Well according to some here, the food is "poor" fleetwide. Yet they keep on sailing with RCI lol.

 

Im not discounting what the OP says as I have never been on Explorer but honestly I have seen stained carpet on every ship I have been on. Yes, including Freedom. That seems to be the OPs biggest complaint. I just dont let things like that bother me.

 

I would sail out on Explorer the next time she leaves, in a heartbeat.

[marci22]

Well according to some here, the food is "poor" fleetwide. Yet they keep on sailing with RCI lol.

 

Im not discounting what the OP says as I have never been on Explorer but honestly I have seen stained carpet on every ship I have been on. Yes, including Freedom. That seems to be the OPs biggest complaint. I just dont let things like that bother me.

 

I would sail out on Explorer the next time she leaves, in a heartbeat.

 

It's more about a general shabbiness in the cabins and various public areas rather than some 'stained carpet'. Your opinion only shows that you really like Royal and would sail on any Royal ship, regardless.

 

If you paid a premium price and got stuck with a shabbier room, you might feel disappointed, too. That is all anyone is saying. People can continue on with a cruiseline in spite of observed deficiencies. When the good outweighs the bad, those people will leave, and probably never return.

 

I appreciate people who post valid criticism because it keeps one's expectations in line. If everyone posted how 'new' Ex seemed, and how great the food was, and I cruised on it now for the first time, I would be severely disappointed.

 

Much of Ex's criticism is warranted, and it doesn't mean that people hate the ship, just that they wish Royal would do more refurb and maybe spend another 25 cents pp on the MDR food.

[celebrity]

Some people do not realize what normal wear and tear is on these ships. Imagine 3,500 people walking through your house everyday. Carpets get worn and stained, things break, etc.

 

We could all find things like this easily if we looked for them. I choose to enjoy my vacation and these magnificent ships and ignore the trivial things.

 

I've seen on multiple sailings carpets being replaced mid cruise in the wee hours of the morning. Yes, even on Explorer. There is no excuse for neglect. A dry dock isn't required for basic upkeep.

[negc]

Well according to some here, the food is "poor" fleetwide. Yet they keep on sailing with RCI lol.

 

Im not discounting what the OP says as I have never been on Explorer but honestly I have seen stained carpet on every ship I have been on. Yes, including Freedom. That seems to be the OPs biggest complaint. I just dont let things like that bother me.

 

I would sail out on Explorer the next time she leaves, in a heartbeat.

 

We were on Explorer barely a year ago and did not consider her to be in as deplorable condition as described by the OP. If correct, she has deteriorated enormously over the past several months and that would be a shame. Considering how much ongoing cleaning and polishing and preventative maintenance we observe on all the cruise ships (on both RCI and other lines), however, it is difficult to comprehend how things could have reached the stage described. I would want much more in the way of confirmation before I would consider canceling a cruise on Explorer or any other RCI ship.

As far as food quality and its decline in quality is concerned, this topic has been an ongoing criticism for almost as many years as I have been sailing and I have yet to find any objective evidence that such is the case. Opinions about food are, as has been stated frequently, very subjective and the idea that things were always better in the "good old days" is a well known phenomenon that doesn't usually stand up to careful examination. Food served in the main dining rooms of cruise ships has never been better than "banquet food" despite claims to the contrary and the talents of the individual chefs and cooks preparing the food are more responsible for how much you like or dislike what appears on your plate.

[not2old]

To 3122 we were on this cruise with you and are in total agreement with your observations. We love the Ex and this was our fifth sailing on her. This was the first time that issues have really stood out to us. We attributed our feelings to the fact that we may have Ex burnout, but, even if it was, dirt is dirt and broken burned out fixtures are still evident! This ws the first time we did not see people cleaning and polishing all the time, issues being addressed in a timely fashion or a general "happy" feeling from the staff. We are going to keep our reservation that we booked for December as I cannot change my work schedule but we have booked on other RCCL ships in the future.Hopefully Bayonne wil be the proud recipient of one of the new Sunshine class ships or at the very least, a Freedom class ship!in the near future.

[ryano]

Food served in the main dining rooms of cruise ships has never been better than "banquet food" despite claims to the contrary

 

I have only been cruising about 4 years now but It is my understanding that cruise ships have been carrying 2000+ passengers for over 20 years now. I dont see how it could possibly be anything OTHER than "banquet food" serving that many people. I am perfectly ok with that. I dont sail on a mass market cruiseline expecting gourmet food. I dont even care for gourmet food. If I want a nice filet, I can pay the upcharge and get one or if I want a better dining experience I can pay a small upcharge and go specialty dining but the majority of the time i am pefectly ok with the MDR "banquet food".

 

Despite many complaints, I thought the food in the MDR on Freedom was really good to some being even excellent.

 

Maybe it was different 25 o 30 years ago during the "good ol days" but IMO, those ships seem too small to me with very little activities and things to do as compared to modern day cruise ships. I also bet they werent near as handicap accessible then as they are now and thats a HUGE importance to me.

 

If I want a 5 star experience, I will sail on Cunard or similar but Im perfectly ok with RCI, their service, their ships and their food for now.

[cruise3122]

To 3122 we were on this cruise with you and are in total agreement with your observations. We love the Ex and this was our fifth sailing on her. This was the first time that issues have really stood out to us. We attributed our feelings to the fact that we may have Ex burnout, but, even if it was, dirt is dirt and broken burned out fixtures are still evident! This ws the first time we did not see people cleaning and polishing all the time, issues being addressed in a timely fashion or a general "happy" feeling from the staff. We are going to keep our reservation that we booked for December as I cannot change my work schedule but we have booked on other RCCL ships in the future.Hopefully Bayonne wil be the proud recipient of one of the new Sunshine class ships or at the very least, a Freedom class ship!in the near future.

 

My sincerest thanks to you and to all the the other cc posters who have made similar observations, as well as voiced your own opinions about Explorer. Again, I gave serious thought as to whether or not to post my concerns, but now I am glad I spoke up. I can only hope that the those in charge at Royal will take another "look" at this otherwise wonderful ship and put some money, time and effort into restoring her.

 

Regards to all.

 

p.s. to Not2old: Sorry we missed meeting you and our other roll call posters in the Aquarium Bar. We were busy giving our senior cruising companions (darling MIL is nearly 84 and another friend) a full tour of the ship after muster and it took awhile!

[negc]

 

Despite many complaints, I thought the food in the MDR on Freedom was really good to some being even excellent.

 

Maybe it was different 25 o 30 years ago during the "good ol days" but IMO, those ships seem too small to me with very little activities and things to do as compared to modern day cruise ships. I also bet they werent near as handicap accessible then as they are now and thats a HUGE importance to me.

.

 

I was sailing 25 and 30 years ago and believe me things were not really"better" then. Ships were definitely smaller and had far fewer 'bells and whistles' than today, but the overall cruise experience and the service provided by the ship's crew hasn't changed for the worse. You are correct however in the notion that today's vessels are far more attuned to the needs of all passengers so that cruising is accessible to all no matter their handicaps. In thinking about things such as this, these may actually be "the good old days".:)

[sept10dsm]

And back then proportionate to incomes cruising was much more costly. I recall it cost 543 for us to take a 3 day from Miami with a tiny port hole! With all the people on board and great prices esp with a sale or other discount you can't beat the price. I think for the moat part with all those on board and quick turnaround the lines keep the ships up pretty well. I too will sail in Sept on ExOS due to a great price and C A coupon so time will tell

[vivavegas]

Sorry to hear that everything was not as expected!:)

[Dave4120]

I wasn't agreeing with your comment about the bad food. If you read my post correctly, I said the food was good. Obviously, its' not gourmet, but it isn't what you described. You make it sound so bad that you must have gourmet food at home every night.

 

And yes, I wish you had those photos, the last time I checked my vision was 20/20 and what you described we never saw at all, unless I wanted to use a magnifying glass. As far as warning cruisers for the future, that makes no sense at all as the ship is always updating carpet, light bulbs, etc. We were on one cruise, and it did look a bit worn, but who cares? Two days later, they happened to pull that carpet up in about 2-minutes, and put down another new piece that was pre-cut and rolled up. All I'm saying, is that your warning will get future cruisers worried, when by the time they cruise, even if what you said is true, won't even be anything to be concerned with. As far as you know, your concerns could have all been taken care of since you got off the ship.

 

I just think what you mentioned is so minor, that most people don 't even notice, or, make no big deal about it, so why even mention it, unless it was a major on-going situation, which it isn't

[Wilda]

I wasn't agreeing with your comment about the bad food. If you read my post correctly, I said the food was good. Obviously, its' not gourmet, but it isn't what you described. You make it sound so bad that you must have gourmet food at home every night.

 

And yes, I wish you had those photos, the last time I checked my vision was 20/20 and what you described we never saw at all, unless I wanted to use a magnifying glass. As far as warning cruisers for the future, that makes no sense at all as the ship is always updating carpet, light bulbs, etc. We were on one cruise, and it did look a bit worn, but who cares? Two days later, they happened to pull that carpet up in about 2-minutes, and put down another new piece that was pre-cut and rolled up. All I'm saying, is that your warning will get future cruisers worried, when by the time they cruise, even if what you said is true, won't even be anything to be concerned with. As far as you know, your concerns could have all been taken care of since you got off the ship.

 

I just think what you mentioned is so minor, that most people don 't even notice, or, make no big deal about it, so why even mention it, unless it was a major on-going situation, which it isn't

 

How do you know this? I was on the ship over a year ago and posted about how run down it looks. And by the looks of this thread, there are several others that echo that sentiment. It does not appear that much has been done to change that perception...

 

I am, admittedly, a new ship "snob";). I enjoy the newer ships with the bells and whistles. That said, I typically don't sweat the small stuff, regardless of the age of the ship. It is my opinion that the EX needs some TLC. And since it is sailing close to full capacity on most sailings that probably won't happen anytime soon. If NJ was my only option, I would certainly look at Celebrity or NCL. Thankfully....it is not:)

[Dave4120]

Except for brand new ships, every ship can use some TLC...so can everyone's own home. So, what's the issue?

[sailorJo]

I will be sailing on Explorer 2/24/2013. This will only be my third cruise overall and my second on RCCL (LOS 2/2011). I chose Explorer because I live in New England and will be able to avoid paying ridiculous airfare. Also, the cruise is 9 nights. I was fortunate to be on Liberty just after a refurb and the ship was beautiful! This time I will be on Explorer prior to its scheduled refurb. Here's the thing....since this is only my third cruise EVER I look at the experience as a blessing! Wish I could be in the same position as many of these posters (10 cruises, 20 cruises, Diamond members) so that I too could afford the luxury to list more negatives than positives. I am just happy to be on a cruise and will try my best to continue to see only the positive.:) I will be on vacation for 9 nights. Someone else will be doing the cooking, cleaning....even making the bed! My toughest decision will be whether to longe on my balcony or lounge in the solarium. :)

 

lvs2rd, you are so right! I'm lucky to take a cruise every three or four years so the last thing I want to do is spend my vacation dwelling on the negative things. I think the more experienced the cruiser, the higher the expectations...and I don't blame them. My August cruise will be my first with RCCL as I couldn't resist wanting to try a port that's right in my backyard, so to speak. So I will look at that as a huge positive and take the rest with an open mind.

[mommabean]

There were similar elevator problems on the Radiance last week. I didn't notice any problems early in the cruise, but towards the end there were call buttons and arrow lights that didn't work.

 

It's like this on Radiance all the time. You will only notice it on certain floors as far as the call buttons and arrows. Which floors, I don't remember.

 

But.....I see this on EVERY ship I go on. I can't help but wonder why this isn't fixed immediately on all of them. I also notice some call buttons are missing altogether.

 

I also have the same problem with burnt out lights in every stateroom I have. I don't remember NOT having this problem in quite a while. I call maintenance and have it taken care of on boarding day. Lucky whoever it is that has the room after I'm done with it. :D

 

And there was the ship that had the AC vent over the bed in a Grand Suite....hmmm...Navigator of the Seas that was. Every time we had rough seas, the dirt fell out of the vents right onto the bed. I called and explained what was happening - I could SEE the dirt on the vents. The first time they came and replaced the filter. They didn't understand. I had to call again and tell them "THE VENT OVER THE BED" and I left off the part...."you dummies". :rolleyes:

 

No you don't have to go looking for these things to see them. You have to be blind to NOT see them. They are there in front of your face. If you push an elevator call button and it doesn't light up, how hard is that to figure out. When the elevator arrives and no arrow is lit, it's not like you have to analyze the problem. When the light in the room isn't on and it's not very bright, there's a burnt out light bulb. And when you look up at that burnt out light, sometimes there is no light cover at all. :confused:

 

Dirt falling onto a white spread on the bed? Really? How hard to I have to look to notice.

 

OP has a valid complaint and I can say the same thing about every ship I go on.

 

I usually use the stairs. I get my light bulbs replaced and my room maintained as needed. And I have no issues with any of the food - I even notice new things on the menu from time to time. I have also decided to get out of my rut of ordering the same thing. This has made the menu seem a bit fresh to me.

 

Are we really supposed to call maintenance over the elevator buttons? That I haven't done.

 

But there is a lot more over all good so I tend cut them some slack in these areas.

 

Gina

[mommabean]

Well according to some here, the food is "poor" fleetwide. Yet they keep on sailing with RCI lol.

 

Im not discounting what the OP says as I have never been on Explorer but honestly I have seen stained carpet on every ship I have been on. Yes, including Freedom. That seems to be the OPs biggest complaint. I just dont let things like that bother me.

 

I would sail out on Explorer the next time she leaves, in a heartbeat.

 

Me, too. I didn't even mention that when I commented on the OP's other gripes. There are a lot of sloppy people on the ships spilling lots of stuff even on new carpet. They clean it as soon as this happens and sometimes it's a permanent stain. They are constantly changing carpet in various places on the ships. It can only be done one piece at a time. I don't worry about it since only my shoes will be on the carpet and I know they will get to that worn piece and replace it soon.

 

Gina

[plowboy920]

We sailed EOS last Sept. and found everything to be about the same as any other RCL ship. The elevator buttons were more of an issue on VOS this past Jan. BUT just throwing this out here (please don't burn me for this) we noticed EOS out of Bayonne on our cruise, had alot of wheelchairs and scooters, this doesn't bother me I give them credit for getting out there but don't you think these are much harder on the carpeting? Other than that I will stay with RCL for now:D

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for posting an objective review.

[macfin]

Yeah so what? there where some lights out on a poker table, i agree about the windjammer.....i am not sure we where on the same ship, for 5 days i paraded up and down elevators, walked miles around deck after deck,did i see things wrong YES, who wouldn't have something wrong after 11 years of serious cruising, she is a total work horse for RCCL, do they need a dry dock yes, i thought that the state room was good, yes thery had a "tube tv", if this is a deal breaker go on new ship, how much TV did you watch on the cruise? as for the MDR food i thought it was comparable to a quality 4 star resturant, and yes i have experience in 4 and 5 star resturants ( we have travelled quite frequently and spend much time in NY and Boston so DO NOT TELL ME I DO NOT KNOW), it seems that some people can not be pleased, for the amount of down time this ship has they do keep her in running condition, we saw countless crew members after hours doing considerable work on the pool decks and cabin areas, when we in Bermuda on deck 6 they where replacing walls and carpeting and re-painting, every night they would be out on deck re-doing the deck's and re-doing chairs and painting, we even saw a work crew maintaining the pools and hot tub's, she is worn but IN MY OPINION, they are doing the best they can do in a non-stop working evnviroment...plus she is scheduled for dry dock 2013 and 2014...rumor has it that this will be a complete re-fit, yes "sunshine" is a rumor to be brought to NJ/NYC, but this is only specualtion at this time,as they are waiting to see what NCL Breakaway does first...as for our CRUISE of MAY 19, it was a wonderful experience and one that we will re-peat in the near future on this ship, this was my 3rd RCCL and the only better cruise we have been on was DISNEY!

[tomko2]

My sincerest thanks to you and to all the the other cc posters who have made similar observations, as well as voiced your own opinions about Explorer. Again, I gave serious thought as to whether or not to post my concerns, but now I am glad I spoke up. I can only hope that the those in charge at Royal will take another "look" at this otherwise wonderful ship and put some money, time and effort into restoring her.

 

Regards to all.

 

 

Taking the time to make constructive comments is laudable. Thank you.

 

OT, now that Betsy has left the building I wonder if RCl will bring back the Royal Champions. :D

 

 

Safe and happy sailing to all.

Kathy

[NYCrews]

I have been on over 30 RCCL cruises, so I know what to expect, and what is "normal". But to summarize my December cruise on Explorer, it just felt like they had given up maintaining the ship and were just holding on until their dry dock in 2014.

[grammax3]

Even if the Explorer goes into dry dock in 2014, don't expect miracles to be done to her. We were just recently on the Celebrity Summit,, which was in dry dock this past winter/spring. WOW, great job with the public areas of the ship....BUT....as for the cabins, not so much. They did put in flat screen TV's, but the bathrooms still have problems, we had a connecting room, the door was taped with paper tape all around it and a towel stuffed at top, no one can tell us why, maybe a sound issue?? maybe the door won't stay closed??, the beds have not been updated, problems with doors locking on deck 7, it appears the door is closed, you leave only to return and find out the door is ajar...

 

So, finding the Explorer needs work, remember RCCL and Celebrity are one company, and their main concern seems to be public areas.

 

By the way, last October we were on NCL, and guess who attended the CC party....the CEO of NCL. Just for your info.

 

Yes, we are seasoned cruisers (30), with 2 more upcoming, several with Celebrity, 9 with Royal, and the 2 upcoming are on the Explorer.

[bigeagle12]

By the way, last October we were on NCL, and guess who attended the CC party....the CEO of NCL. Just for your info.

 

Yes, I heard he is on every ship each week and attends all the CC parties:rolleyes: