JUST BACK! Explorer to Bermuda 08.09.08

[MrPete]

Did Kristin take that wonderful picture of you and Carol on your balcony? Forget pole dancing - buy that girl a camera!

 

I'm really enjoying your review - are you going to finish before I set sail on Monday?:D

 

Yes she did.

 

I'm gonna try to wrap up by tomorrow. DW threw me my milestone BD party today.

[A.S.]

Hi,

 

I thought I had read previously that they did away with the midnight buffets, but someone mentioned it on this thread.

 

Do they have one on the EOS 5 night, if so, which night is it?

 

Thanks for any info.

[MrPete]

It's Monday night, which is the night you are ported overnight. It's up on deck. Nother really special to go along with it. I had a mini corn of the cob, and a tortilla type taco.

[MrPete]

Mr. Pete,

 

I was going to post a few pictures myself, but I'm having a rough time. They keep telling me they're too big!

 

Best use a host server (like Photobucket) to upload your pix, and post the link. They even give you IMG tags.

[MrPete]

Tuesday night we went to a new production show. Once again, fabulous! Choreographed by someone from Dancing with the Stars or one of those other dance shows.

Made sure to put the clock back, so I was up on deck at some ungodly hour the next morning.

When the girls got up, made the rounds with the camera around the ship.

DD LOVES “King of the World”

Was quite disappointed up in Dizzy’s to find Dizzy no longer plays his horn when you approach him L

[Candleonwater]

Overall.. .would you say a cruise to Bermuda is worth it? I've only done 7 nighters to the Caribbean, but would really like to cruise out of NJ since it's only a 3 hour drive for me (as opposed to the 13 hour drive to Port Canaveral). I had scratched the 5 nighter off my list as TOO short and uninteresting, and have been looking at a 9 nighter. You have me rethinking my decision.

[Seaworthy01]

Overall.. .would you say a cruise to Bermuda is worth it? I've only done 7 nighters to the Caribbean, but would really like to cruise out of NJ since it's only a 3 hour drive for me (as opposed to the 13 hour drive to Port Canaveral). I had scratched the 5 nighter off my list as TOO short and uninteresting, and have been looking at a 9 nighter. You have me rethinking my decision.

 

 

The 5 night to Bermuda was awesome, but to short! 5 nights only a tease, I would not do a 5 again, only 7's and more for me! But if you haven't been to Bermuda, I would definitely go on the 5 nighter just to experience the Island.

[Candleonwater]

I believe the 9 nighter I'm looking at gives me a day in Bermuda... I figured that way I could see if I like it enough to go back. I was afraid a 5 nighter would be too short - I think I would feel like I had just unpacked when it was time to repack! Not a fun feeling!

 

I also like the idea of sailing on another of the Voyager class - maybe before it's all said and done, I'll have made it on each of them!

 

We were down in Norfolk yesterday - driving through and decided to take a swing past the port to see if a ship was in... it was and my DD9 said "mom, we have everything we need for a cruise, can we go?" We were on our way back from the beach. Nevermind that we haven't been back from our last cruise for 2 months! Spoiled child I tell you!

 

The 5 night to Bermuda was awesome, but to short! 5 nights only a tease, I would not do a 5 again, only 7's and more for me! But if you haven't been to Bermuda, I would definitely go on the 5 nighter just to experience the Island.

[MrPete]

Overall.. .would you say a cruise to Bermuda is worth it?

 

I would actually prefer a longer stay. We did a 7 day cruise on Carnival with three days in port, and loved it.

 

I was looking at the NCL Dawn this year for the extra time, but it's still NCL where ever it sails, and I wasn't too happy with the early reviews and tendering stories.

 

I would also like to do a 9 dayer, even if it means only one day in Bermuda, just for the extra cruising time.

 

5 days is too short, but it's a good 5 days.

[Candleonwater]

IRC, the 9 nighter I'm looking at makes a stop in Bermuda, so I can get a "taste" of it. Even better - I've done the Western and Eastern Carib itineraries often enough that they've become almost boring... let's just say, I get off the ship and I know exactly what to do/where to go. This 9 nighter makes a stop in Bermuda and PR... places we've never gone before.

 

I would actually prefer a longer stay. We did a 7 day cruise on Carnival with three days in port, and loved it.

 

I was looking at the NCL Dawn this year for the extra time, but it's still NCL where ever it sails, and I wasn't too happy with the early reviews and tendering stories.

 

I would also like to do a 9 dayer, even if it means only one day in Bermuda, just for the extra cruising time.

 

5 days is too short, but it's a good 5 days.

[MrPete]

Don't discount doing a B2B. If I had the time, I'd love to do that.

[Merion_Mom]

GREAT shot of the empty Royal Promenade!!!!!

 

[Merion_Mom]

IRC, the 9 nighter I'm looking at makes a stop in Bermuda, so I can get a "taste" of it. Even better - I've done the Western and Eastern Carib itineraries often enough that they've become almost boring... let's just say, I get off the ship and I know exactly what to do/where to go. This 9 nighter makes a stop in Bermuda and PR... places we've never gone before.

 

Don't discount doing a B2B. If I had the time, I'd love to do that.

 

I agree. If you can take the 14 days off, do the 9 day and the 5 day B2B.

 

I JUST MISSED meeting Mr. Pete last summer because my son insisted that he couldn't stand us (his sister and me) for a full 14 days. :D

[MrPete]

GREAT shot of the empty Royal Promenade!!!!!

 

And if you thought that odd, look at this!

 

[hcat]

Thanks for the entertaining review & awesome pics (what a sunset!) & good humor... you were a very good sport about that pole-that is really not nice of them to sell such a cabin without disclosure!

 

We never sail anything larger than Radiance Class on Royal Carib--but does the inside Promenade area feel like a mall--or are there open spaces too where the light comes in? Never saw pics of it before so I was just curious..

 

Aside from the awful pool band how was the other live music on board?

[MrPete]

We never sail anything larger than Radiance Class on Royal Carib--but does the inside Promenade area feel like a mall--or are there open spaces too where the light comes in? Never saw pics of it before so I was just curious..

 

Aside from the awful pool band how was the other live music on board?

 

There is no natural light in the Royal Promenade. But it really doesn't feel like a mall. It's also a section you can avoid if you really want to. If you wish to stroll outside, there's deck 4 on deck down,

 

 

or decks 11 and 12.

 

Except for the "guitarist" in the Crown and Kettle (who played to a bunch of prerecorded stuff, including guitar!),

 

 

all the other live bands/ individuals were quite good. There was a guy playing guitar on deck 4 that had to be playing with 7 fingers. Hearing him play Stairway to Heaven on an acoustic something was quite the treat as well. All the deck 4 music outside the casin was entertaining.

[laurspag]

Mr. Pete,

 

I'm hearing impaired so I didn't think the entertainment would interest me. I found a great spot in the Aquarium Bar to listen to the man playing the acoustic guitar, and I agree, he was fantastic. I liked the latino trio too...one of the members always acknowledged me, wherever I went in the ship.

[nlcentralchmps03]

Nice job Mr Pete.

 

Great pictures.

[Seaworthy01]

There is no natural light in the Royal Promenade. But it really doesn't feel like a mall. It's also a section you can avoid if you really want to.

 

 

Who would want to avoid the R.P. That is the selling point of the ship!

[beachbuddy]

Mr. Pete,

 

Great photos!!! I'm enjoying your review. I have to agree about 5 nights being to short - never been to Bermuda so I want to go, but I need at least 7 nights!!! LOL Been to the Caribbean many times, but never to Bermuda!!

 

Patty

[L2J]

Great review, Pete - thanks for sharing.

[jewelinthesand]

So where was I (damn, that one day of work got in the way).....

 

After that stprm passed and dumped all that rain, the skies were still iffy, and it was getting to be too late for St. George, we decided to hang about the dockyard.

 

So, instead of running to the bus, we took the obligatory bow pictures

 

 

and got my first good look at the building of the new pier

(I have more pix from sailaway)

 

We got to the glassblowing factory, Snorkle Park

 

the clocktower mall, and eventually found the hairbraider on the open lawn.

 

Returning to the ship, we once again went to the Windjammer, where it hit me; they were basically serving the same old leftovers day after day, and swapping out a couple of dishes. Basically, after walking through the line, I had a burger and pasta with bolognese sauce on my plate.

 

I WANTED FOOD.

 

So, I suggested we go down to the DR. The suggestion actually took! We left our plates on the table and left.

 

We got there to find the DR closed (port days, you know).

 

ARGH!

 

So, I figure this is a way to unload my JR coupons. We make it up to JR's after retrieving the coupons from the stateroom.

 

 

"Sorry sir, we don't open till 3"

 

DOUBLE ARGH!

 

Make our way back to the WJ, and the only good news is that my plate with the hamburger and pasta with bolognese sauce is still sitting there, a little cooler than when I left it.

 

 

I am in hysterics reading some of your posts! too funny! can't believe your plate was still in the windjammer! we are on this cruise this october - i'm sure that was a crazy time to plan but we'll see how it goes. let's hope it's nice weather and hurricane "I shouldn't have booked bermuda in october" doesn't hit us! i think they will be up to the I's by then! :-)

[alwalaska]

Mr. Pete,

 

A couple of questions. Where on deck 4 was the entertainment? Is it something that is listed on the Compass? I really enjoy listening to a good pianist, guitarist, or band.

 

We have not sailed on either Carnival or NCL, but NCL sounds like it would fit our personalities better. Can you tell me more about why you prefer Carnival over NCL?

 

Thanks.

[Ocean Boy]

A couple of questions. Where on deck 4 was the entertainment? Is it something that is listed on the Compass? I really enjoy listening to a good pianist, guitarist, or band.

 

Thanks.

 

The Schooner bar and Aquarium bar usually have entertainment. You is playing in each lounge is listed in the Cruise Compass.

[laurspag]

The Schooner bar and Aquarium bar usually have entertainment. You is playing in each lounge is listed in the Cruise Compass.

 

They were scattered, and they did rotate some them so that they were not always in the same place. The aquarium bar near the Casino was my favorite area. The acoustic guitar and the latino trio were really quite talented.

 

The shows were really great. If I could only dance half that good!