| Posted By |
Message |
LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!
Member since 5/05 19458 total posts
Name:
L
|
Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
Has anyone taken either the 10 or 11 day trip from NJ to:
1. Labadee, Haiti;
2. San Juan, Puerto Rico;
3. Philipsburg, St. Maarten;
4. Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas OR
from Cape Liberty Cruise Port, New Jersey to
1. Labadee, Haiti;
2. San Juan, Puerto Rico;
3. Philipsburg, St. Maarten;
4. St. John's, Antigua;
5. Basseterre, St. Kitts?
If you could choose an itinerary between these two, which would you pick and why? We have not been to any of the destinations listed. It is my understanding that the day in Haiti is actually a beach day.
We have been on Norwegian (Dawn and Jewel) and Celebrity (Summit). This would be our first time trying Royal Caribbean out. How does it compare to the other two cruise lines for services, amenities, food, rooms. We are looking at Balcony rooms. Will they be large enough for a family of 4? I would need a pull out couch and a bed.
Message edited 7/19/2011 6:14:26 PM.
|
Posted 7/19/11 6:13 PM  |
| |
|
Long Island Weddings
Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource |
evrythng4areason
And then there were 4
Member since 1/10 5224 total posts
Name:
Kayla
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
I would do the 2nd itinerary..it's more appealing to me..and ftr I LOVE puerto rico..san juan is such a great city 
I've done cruises on carnival, rc and ncl..royal is by FAR my favorite-I find the food and entertainment to be much, much better than the other cruise lines i've been on
|
| Posted 7/19/11 8:33 PM |
| |
|
Blazesyth
*yawn*
Member since 5/05 8129 total posts
Name:
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
Royal is so much better than NCL in my opinion. 
Food, you dont need to pay to eat good food; Service, the staff actually acknowledges you and remembers you, even if you do MTD. Think of Celebrity service with younger crowd.
We did Labadee, St Thomas, Belize, San Juan on RC. I think that was 9 day out of Baltimore on Grandeur.
Labadee is a portion of Haiti 'owned' by RC. As you said, it's a beach day. They have the blowup water toy park for you to use there, I dont think Great Stirrup Cay had that. A small shopping area where they let the locals in to sell their wares, a few beaches, BBQ area, etc.
Personally, I would pick 2, because I thought St. Thomas was boring. Maybe we picked the wrong excursion or something, but it wasnt that exciting. Then again I'm not into going jewelry shopping so half of the appeal of that place is lost on me.
Can I come??!?! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?
Message edited 7/19/2011 9:55:51 PM.
|
| Posted 7/19/11 9:50 PM |
| |
|
|
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
I did my first RC cruise to Mexico and loved it. I have heard RC is a slightly better experience than Carnival (ship layout is better and food quality slightly better). Looking at your itinerary, my ideal port would be flying to San Juan and picking up the ship there. I have heard tnat you spend more time at sea (fewer port stops) if you leave from NJ.
Have you posted this on CruiseCritic.com message boards? There are many knowledgeable cruisers on tnat board than can offer some gokd advice.
|
| Posted 7/19/11 10:22 PM |
| |
|
LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!
Member since 5/05 19458 total posts
Name:
L
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
Posted by Blazesyth
Can I come??!?! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?
You are so cute!
I  getting jewelry on our vacations. I did not get anything on our last cruise because I did not see anything I wanted for a price I wanted to pay for it. If St. Thomas has good jewelry....I think I would be happy. Hum
I am glad to hear that RCI has better service and food. We travel as a group between 9-14 people (inlaws, BIL, Grandma, my parents, my siblings and my family) so this would need to fit everyone's schedule.
While we did not go on the water slide NCL does have one on its private island too.
I never thought to look at Baltimore departures. With little kids thinking of flying turns me off, right now I would rather either fly and be at a destination or take a cruise, doing both is just not going to work for us right now.
I love cruisecritic, but it seems like the RCI board already has a dedicated Explorer of the Seas thread. I was trying to go through it to see if it was already asked before posting.
|
| Posted 7/19/11 10:48 PM |
| |
|
jlk51496
Mom of 3 - YIKES! =)
Member since 10/09 6758 total posts
Name:
Katie
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
Posted by Blazesyth
Royal is so much better than NCL in my opinion.
Food, you dont need to pay to eat good food; Service, the staff actually acknowledges you and remembers you, even if you do MTD. Think of Celebrity service with younger crowd.
I totally agree with this..RC is SOOO much better than NCL..... IMO
I would also pick itinerary #2...I love love love st John
|
| Posted 7/19/11 11:55 PM |
| |
|
thewinterone
You make me happy
Member since 5/05 2474 total posts
Name:
cause you are gray.
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
We did RC from Bayonne on the Explorer and went to St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Labadee, Samana DR, St. Kitts and Antigua.
St. Thomas is definitely the best for jewelry but Antigua beaches are just so beautiful that I'd choose the second itinerary.
IMO Norwegian doesn't compare to RC in any form.
We had a junior suite on Norwegian which was plenty roomy with the pullout couch.
On RC we stayed in a junior suite which I think was a little smaller than the Norwegian one but still would hold a family of four fine for cruise standards.
We also took RC to the med. and stayed in a grand suite which was huge.
They all tell you the square footage on the website.
|
| Posted 7/20/11 3:55 AM |
| |
|
hazeleyes33
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 13060 total posts
Name:
Ginger
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
We have done the first one (9 day cruise). Have been on both RCCL and NCL and like RCCL much better.
|
| Posted 7/20/11 11:39 AM |
| |
|
Blazesyth
*yawn*
Member since 5/05 8129 total posts
Name:
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
Posted by LSP2005
While we did not go on the water slide NCL does have one on its private island too.
I never thought to look at Baltimore departures. With little kids thinking of flying turns me off, right now I would rather either fly and be at a destination or take a cruise, doing both is just not going to work for us right now.
Oh, their water park is much more than the NCL slide. This is actually in the water. There are mountains to climb up on, trampolines, slides, balance beams, see-saws, those platforms where you hit one another with the stick and you push one another in the water, etc.
Baltimore is a pretty easy drive. I think it took us 5 hours down and 4 hours back. The terminal is right outside the tunnel. In a way, if you're leaving from NJ if the itinerary/price is better from Baltimore then it makes sense to go there. In a way, we found going from NYC more difficult than NJ or Baltimore. On the train, taxi cab, blah blah - easier just to drive farther away. But then again, we dont have little ones.
|
| Posted 7/20/11 11:41 AM |
| |
|
IrishLasss334
I'll be there soon!
Member since 1/08 6549 total posts
Name:
Patty
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
I would do #2, I like the destinations better, I've been to both scenarios on different cruises. I'm not a fan of the Eastern Caribbean destinations in general.
|
| Posted 7/20/11 2:06 PM |
| |
|
ali120206
2 Boys
Member since 7/06 17792 total posts
Name:
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
I have been on the Explorer of the Seas - it's a great ship. I went before they started cruising out of Bayonne though.
As for the itinerary, I'd choose the second one. I've been to most of the ports listed (except for St Kitts and Labadee - we were supposed to go but, couldn't for some reason).
St Thomas was nice but, like a pp said - the beaches in Antigua were amazing!!!
|
| Posted 7/21/11 8:44 AM |
| |
|
SusiBee
. . . . .
Member since 3/09 8268 total posts
Name:
S
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
We are doing a 9 night out of Bayonne on the Explorer next April 26. There are about 20 of us going so far. Come join us !
Our itinerary is :
Bermuda
St Maarten
Labadee
Puerto Rico
two days of cruising at the end.
We cruise every year, but this one might be our last for a while. I'm getting tired of the same islands.
|
| Posted 7/22/11 11:24 AM |
| |
|
LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!
Member since 5/05 19458 total posts
Name:
L
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
That might work for us!!! I am going to have to do a bit of research.
|
| Posted 7/22/11 3:18 PM |
| |
|
Blazesyth
*yawn*
Member since 5/05 8129 total posts
Name:
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
Posted by SusiBee
We are doing a 9 night out of Bayonne on the Explorer next April 26. There are about 20 of us going so far. Come join us !
Our itinerary is :
Bermuda
St Maarten
Labadee
Puerto Rico
two days of cruising at the end.
We cruise every year, but this one might be our last for a while. I'm getting tired of the same islands.
This post had me looking, of course, and I saw that itinerary. Looks interesting. 
|
| Posted 7/22/11 10:06 PM |
| |
|
LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!
Member since 5/05 19458 total posts
Name:
L
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
Passover is 4/6-14 so this might work as I would not want to travel and not be able to enjoy the food.
|
| Posted 7/22/11 11:04 PM |
| |
|
tourist
Member since 5/05 10425 total posts
Name:
|
Re: Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
I've been on Adventure of the Seas twice, which is in the same class and enjoyed it, but I don't have anything to compare it to.
You might need a mini suite. I don't think the regular balcony rooms have a pullout couch.
I'd probably do the 2nd itinerary also. If you do the first, I'd when you are on St. Thomas, I suggest taking the ferry to St. John's or taking the kids (I assume those are the 3rd & 4th people) to Coral World and/or the beach.The city of Charlotte Amalie is mostly shopping.
|
| Posted 7/25/11 9:53 PM |
| |
|
