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Live from Explorer's final round-trip out of New Jersey

Merion_Mom

By Merion_Mom,
in Royal Caribbean International

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DKNYC

DKNYC

Posted
Posted

So I guess that the other 2 people that you had the first and second night are not coming back, or the new people are temporary. When I first started I used to "push my luck" and fly even to Europe on the day of the cruise. Then after reading various horror stories I decided to be sensible.

 

Denise

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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So I guess that the other 2 people that you had the first and second night are not coming back, or the new people are temporary. When I first started I used to "push my luck" and fly even to Europe on the day of the cruise. Then after reading various horror stories I decided to be sensible.

 

Denise

 

Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you "the rest of the story".

 

The other couple showed up 35 minutes late. The waiter had to shove an extra chair in. (On MY side. :eek: :rolleyes: :D)

 

Not sure what will happen. One couple is going to Portofino tomorrow. But the new threesome actually want MTD. I offered to help them get it. ;)

 

Where did they fly from? :) I get the moral of the story.

 

Florida, humorously enough.

 

(Who flies from Florida to New Jersey for a cruise?!?!?!? Funny that you should ask that............)

 

There is a cult, er, organization on board. A huge group of bridge players. They are part of that group.

 

:)

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Coralc

Coralc

Posted
Posted

That is funny! We have to fly 2 nights early just to get used to the time change. Last time we were in Cocoa Beach, there was a knock on the hotel room door. It was the maid asking if we wanted towels. I said, "It's 7 o'clock in the morning! Oh wait, it is 10, sorry. Thanks." :D

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Cindy

Cindy

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They missed the ship in Bayonne and had to fly to Bermuda, spend the night in a hotel, and join us this morning.

 

Why?

 

Guess.

 

That's right.

 

They flew the morning of the cruise.

 

And encountered delays.

 

And missed the ship.

 

We all know the moral of the story.

 

Not flying the day of the cruise was one of the first things I learned from Cruise Critic...way back in the AOL days!:) I've stuck to it, even when it's just a short flight to Florida.

Edited by Cindy
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BonTexasNY

BonTexasNY

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Heck, we don't even DRIVE down to Galveston same day.

 

Never cruised on EX but I giggle and learn something new every time I read one of MM's reviews.

 

Waving hi to Cindy who will be on my Liberty cruise, NEXT DEC. Remind me never to book a cruise so far out.

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Honeymooner15

Honeymooner15

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I have the old TV, but it works just fine. I had a flat screen on the Enchantment, but the Enchantment doesn't have interactivity. I would rather have tube TV with interactivity than a flat screen without. :)

 

 

 

The Tutti Salad Bar is calling my name.

 

 

 

Keep the forum warm for me while I'm eating.

 

 

 

Carol

 

 

What's the interactivity do?

 

What's a Tutti Salad Bar?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

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The Big Booper

The Big Booper

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Ummmm.......we're taking the Nov 1st 2 week repo on Ex from Cape Liberty to Port Canaveral but we moved to Florida July 2013...so we have to fly from PBI to EWR...the day before the cruise of course.

 

We've never missed a cruise but we usually fly in the day before if a long trip.

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michtrif

michtrif

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Loving this review I will be on Explorer in May from Southampton England to Spain and Portugal.

Do you know what changes are being made during drydock?

 

Our head waiter was a vault of info last week... they are gutting the dining room and adding another restaurant. (asian I think he said) And my husband said he heard a flow rider will be added. All the dining room furniture will be replaced. He told us the current chairs were $400 each- custom made in Italy. They will be trashed! Staterooms and bathrooms are also being gutted. Common bathrooms are in need of this renovation, imo.

He told us the worst part of dry-docking is that they never know exactly when, but at some point the toilets stop flushing. They have zones in the boat that may not have electricity or running water for a few days. Sounds like crew really hates Dry-docking. They spend their days cleaning with very little down time.

 

What else can you find out for us, Merion_Mom??? I'd LOVE to get back on EX after the dry dock and see all the changes. Bt our next ship will be Liberty instead.

 

High(er) speed internet would be a nice addition too. We were disappointed the speed of our internet connection last week. We bought 60 minutes, but most of those minutes were wasted waiting for things to load. FaceTime with our kids at home was impossible.

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cruzinlady1947

cruzinlady1947

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He told us the current chairs were $400 each- custom made in Italy. They will be trashed!

Would be nice if they could put them up for sale or donate to a charity, instead of trashing them. Don't know how they would go about doing that, but, I am sure they are still useful for someone. I wouldn't mind having one. A nice souvenir of one of my favorite ships. :p

 

 

Gwen :)

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campbell51

campbell51

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Our head waiter was a vault of info last week... they are gutting the dining room and adding another restaurant. (asian I think he said) And my husband said he heard a flow rider will be added. All the dining room furniture will be replaced. He told us the current chairs were $400 each- custom made in Italy. They will be trashed! Staterooms and bathrooms are also being gutted. Common bathrooms are in need of this renovation, imo.

He told us the worst part of dry-docking is that they never know exactly when, but at some point the toilets stop flushing. They have zones in the boat that may not have electricity or running water for a few days. Sounds like crew really hates Dry-docking. They spend their days cleaning with very little down time.

 

What else can you find out for us, Merion_Mom??? I'd LOVE to get back on EX after the dry dock and see all the changes. Bt our next ship will be Liberty instead.

 

 

 

High(er) speed internet would be a nice addition too. We were disappointed the speed of our internet connection last week. We bought 60 minutes, but most of those minutes were wasted waiting for things to load. FaceTime with our kids at home was impossible.

 

 

Sounds like there will be loads of improvements to the ship before she arrives in Europe.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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What's the interactivity do?

 

What's a Tutti Salad Bar?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

The newer ships all have interactive TV. You can check your SeaPass account. You can order room service. You can order movies. You can receive messages. (which are useless ads from the spa 99% of the time) You can see what activities are going on. On ships with reservations, you can make and view reservations. You can order wine.

 

Stuff like that.

 

The salad bar is in the Main Dining Room on sea days. It is like a Salad Alley restaurant. Servers compose your salad as you say or point to the bowls that you want. Then they add dressing and mix and cut it up for you, serving it to you in a dish.

 

:)

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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Sunday was a sea day. I slept late, skipping the Crown & Anchor welcome back party. I was told by those who attended that I didn't miss anything. ;)

 

Apparently it was pretty boring. They spent way too much time bringing ALL of the Pinnacles (about 20 of 'em) up on stage, acknowledging them, and giving them presents.

 

It was a truly lazy day for me. In the afternoon I met up with a new friend in the 19th Hole and we chatted for quite a while.

 

Denzil is rarely in the CL; he spends cocktail "hour" up in the "suite lounge", which is the 19th Hole from 5 to 8:30.

 

I have begun the habit of picking up a glass of Pinot Grigio to take to dinner. I have been very pleasantly surprised by its quality.

 

Tonight's menu was Tarragon, one that is not served on 7 night cruises. I had a very nice saffron consommé, a tomato & bleu cheese salad, and asian duck. All VERY good. For dessert, Imdat brought out coffee ice cream and a dish of berries (blue, straw & black) along with the blueberry mousse that I ordered. ;)

 

I took a few dessert pictures tonight, but forgot to upload them. I'll post those tomorrow.

 

The show tonight was the Headliner Show. Many of you have probably seen this guy perform. He's good. Kenny James. The guy who 'won' on Star Search 30 years ago. He even showed a short clip of his "victories", presented by Ed McMahon!

 

His son now tours with him, playing electric bass guitar. He is very good, too. He is also MUCH taller than his father.............

 

Tomorrow is St. Maarten, but we are not due in until 1. I think that the Belgian Chocolate Shop and buying snorkeling equipment are on my agenda.

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maxs mom

maxs mom

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Last couple of cruises.....the wine in the CL HAS been better. St. Martin brand or something like that.

 

Can't believe you don't get to St. Maarten until 1! That's a crime. Is that because of the propulsion problems?

 

Do you know how long Denzil will be on board? Just wondering if he would be there for the Dec. 27th sailing. The last time we were on Ex., they were doing the suite guests in the 19th Hole thing.....that was over a year ago.

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3CatsInMA

3CatsInMA

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Florida, humorously enough.

 

(Who flies from Florida to New Jersey for a cruise?!?!?!? Funny that you should ask that............)

 

There is a cult, er, organization on board. A huge group of bridge players. They are part of that group.

 

:)

 

 

:eek::eek:

 

It takes all kinds! (This applies to either part of the above quote) ;):)

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