Explorer of the Seas: A Review of Royal Caribbean's Beloved Older Lady

About the Ship

Explorer of the Seas is a Voyager-class cruise ship completed in 2000. That makes her roughly 26 years old at this point, which in the cruise world is a meaningful number. She comes in at 137,308 gross tons, 1,020 feet in length, and has 14 passenger decks, supporting up to 3,286 guests and approximately 1,185 crew members.

The ship last went into drydock in 2023. That work focused mainly on routine maintenance and some cosmetic refreshes. So while she has had some attention in recent years, it is important to note that the major "Royal Amplified" renovation that was originally planned was delayed and ultimately scaled back significantly due to the pandemic. The ambitious full refresh never fully happened.

Now, to put her in perspective against Royal Caribbean's newer ships: Explorer is a Voyager-class vessel, which is a far cry from what the line is building today. The Oasis-class ships come in at nearly double Explorer's passenger capacity. So when I say Explorer is a smaller, older ship, I mean it in the most literal sense. She is less than half the tonnage of Icon of the Seas, carries a fraction of the guests, and has fewer decks. She is in a completely different category.

My Review

First Impressions

When you embark on Explorer of the Seas, you know immediately that you are stepping onto a ship with history. She is a little tired and dated, but she is in working order. The public areas are clean and well-maintained, and the staff is genuinely friendly and attentive from the moment you board.

The Cabin Situation

Our original assignment was an accessible balcony cabin, and I want to be honest here: it had definitely seen better days. The bathroom was in really rough shape, and there was an odor to it that made it genuinely uninhabitable. We went to guest services and were very pleasantly surprised. The team handled it professionally and efficiently, and they were able to move us to a different, non-accessible cabin that was so much better. Our second cabin was clean, functional, and in good working order.

Once we settled in, I did notice the color scheme throughout the cabin and hallways: soft pink and teal. Imagine staying in a hotel circa 1989. But honestly, it was all well-maintained, and once we got over the initial time-warp moment, it was perfectly comfortable. One thing worth flagging to anyone considering a sailing on Explorer: be mindful that you may only have two outlets in your cabin with no USB ports. In an era where we are all traveling with phones, laptops, smartwatches, and wireless headphones, that is a real inconvenience. My advice is to request an extension cord from your cabin steward as soon as you board if you need access to power near your bed. Plan for this ahead of time and you will be fine. Also worth noting: the beds in both cabins were very firm, so if you are a softer-mattress sleeper, consider packing a topper or request additional blankets for padding.

Dining

Being a smaller ship, Explorer only has three specialty restaurants: Giovanni's Italian Kitchen, Chops Grille, and Izumi. We found the food to be quite comparable to other Royal Caribbean sailings, and honestly, I actually preferred the location and ambiance in both Chops and Giovanni's more than on some of the newer, larger ships.

Giovanni's is a small, intimate venue, and that intimacy is part of what makes it special. We ate there twice and had the same server both times. He engaged with us and genuinely made each meal feel like more than just a dinner. That kind of personal connection is one of the gems of sailing on a smaller ship.

Chops Grille sits on a higher deck and has a wall of windows with sweeping views of the sea. The open, bright, serene feel of it was something I loved. My steak was cooked to absolute perfection. There is also a Johnny Rockets on board, though on a short four-night sailing we simply didn't have the time to get there. Windjammer, the buffet, is smaller than on other Royal Caribbean ships, but it felt appropriately sized for the number of guests on board. It was busy in the mornings, as buffets always are, but it never felt chaotic or unmanageable. The food was quite comparable to all other Royal Caribbean buffets that I have experienced.

Getting Around the Ship

We used our port days in the Bahamas to explore the ship while most guests were ashore, and she was quite empty on both of those days. Explorer is a much more walkable ship than the mega vessels, and you can feel that in the best way. It is easy to navigate, the elevator wait times were generally quite reasonable, and while there were occasional backups, nothing extreme. For anyone with mobility concerns, this smaller scale is genuinely a plus.

The theater is large enough to handle the number of guests on board comfortably, and the ice rink is comparable to what you would find on other Royal Caribbean ships. You can definitely tell you are sailing with fewer people than on the mega ships, but there were still moments of congestion. It never felt overwhelming, just… occasionally busy, the way any popular shared space can be.

Activities and Entertainment

Explorer does carry some of the newer amenities you would expect. There is a mini golf course, FlowRiders, a rock wall, and a sports zone. The bar scene is solid, with plenty of options open and serving around the ship throughout the evening.

One genuine surprise: the arcade. It is bigger than I expected, and yes, I absolutely did win a duck from the claw machine. No regrets.

The casino, however, was a bit of a letdown. It is on the smaller side, and the non-smoking section is not really a separate room, it is a designated area within the smoking casino. If you are sensitive to smoke, that is going to be a problem. The slot machines are older than what you will find on the newer ships, and the overall feel is a bit cramped.

Motion and Rough Weather

For the first three nights of our four-night sailing, everything was smooth and lovely. The last evening, however, we hit some rough waters, and you could feel the movement in a way that you might not on a larger, newer ship. The stabilization technology on a 26-year-old vessel is simply not what it is on the modern fleet. It was manageable, but I would highly recommend packing some anti-nausea medication any time you cruise, regardless of the ship. It is cheap insurance and worth having on hand.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Explorer of the Seas is a suitable experience for those looking for a quick getaway on a budget. She is showing her age, particularly in the cabins, which could use a real refresh both in appearance and in technology. She delivers a genuine Royal Caribbean experience at a price point that is typically more budget-friendly than her flashier sisters.

That said, govern your expectations if you have sailed on an Oasis-class ship or above. The experience is different. But different is not always worse. There are real things to love about a smaller ship. It feels more intimate. It is more walkable. You start to recognize faces and feel a sense of community you simply cannot replicate when 7,000 people are on board. The specialty dining, in particular, shines on a ship this size.

If you are looking to sail on a budget, or just want a laid-back Caribbean getaway without the sensory overload of the world's largest ships, Explorer deserves a fair look.