Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, and Vasco da Gama are a few of the early European explorers. but this post is not about any of them because the day after arriving in Quebec City, we joined another explorer – Royal Caribbean’s (RCCL) Explorer of the Seas.
This 1025 ft (312.4 m) explorer is part of RCCL Voyager Class capable of carrying 3,114 passengers and almost 1,200 crew. Our trip was about 96% capacity.
When in port, we spend much time seeing sites and walking. Our evenings following a pattern of dinner, theater entertainment, then dancing – but the dance floors on this ship were a negative. Enjoy some pics of the ship.
Explorer of the Seas
Beautiful main dining room named after famous explorers
1,350-seat capacity theater
900-seat ice rink
4-story Main Street Promenade for shopping, eating, drinking, and gathering
Some rooms overlook Main Street
A not-for-me climbing wall
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The top deck (from ship-technology.com)
Find out where this trip went.
For additional information about Explorer of the Seas
A Frank Angle 
Beautiful ship, Frank! Sounds like a great time!
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Cathy,
That it is … and it’s a fun way to travel.
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We have taken a couple RC cruises and really enjoyed them. Our last one was on the Allure. Great ship. Cruises make for a wonderful family vacation, because the kids can go do their own thing, and mom and dad get some time together without whining and sibling rivalry. I love going to the trivia games. I collected quite a bit of RC junk (key chains, pens, etc.) the last time we went. 🙂
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Carrie,
We haven’t been on Allure or it’s sister ship, which currently are the largest in the RCCL fleet … well, until Quantum of the Seas launches soon. … Ah ha, I like trivia, so I wanted to be on your team! …. I played twice on this trip, won once.
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It was actually the Oasis we were on. Not sure why I said the Allure. Blame it on aging neurons. But I suspect the ships are similar. I haven’t heard of Quantum of the Seas. An even bigger ship? Yikes, soon the ship will be the size of a small city!
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I think the Oasis/Allure class is RCCL’s biggest … well, until Quantum of the Seas becomes active … yes, larger! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNpuiD3NIdk
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Ooh, that Northstar thing looks so cool! And the 270 room. Wow. Thanks for the link!
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It’s going to based out of Bayonne, NJ.
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gorgeous ship — sounds like a wonderful trip
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LouAnn,
Definitely a gorgeous ship … but the poor dance floors still bugs me.
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especially when it is one of the things you really love and look forward too–what a disappointment
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Good news is that we pick cruises more on the ports than the ships.
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that is a smart way to do it–after a few days how interesting can a ship be?
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I was on the Majesty of the Seas in 1994. My son Jordan was born 9 months later;)
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Kimberly,
Jordan will be forever linked to cruising!
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I know – he always says ewww when i re-hash the story:) – not the details, just, well, you know what I mean:)
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Now that’s funny!
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That is a huge ship, Frank. I’ve never been on a ship so large. I don’t think I’d want a room overlooking the shopping area but I suppose it beats one of those internal rooms. I could never stay in those – I think when you’re on a ship the whole point is to be able to look out on the ocean. Welcome home! xx
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Spiced,
I wondered about the rooms overlooking the promenade. Good news is that most of the time, the promenade is not loud with activity. But I’m with you about other inner rooms … no thanks!
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Good grief! The cruise ship I took in 1987 could fit in that thing’s ice rink! And please, PLEASE stop showing me photos of ships from the beam. It gets my torpedo trigger finger all itchy. 😉 (Hey, I spent more time onboard the U-505 at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry than did some of her crews! 😀 )
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John,
And how did I know this would trigger your torpedo finger! …. and even in a specific sub. 😉
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The U-505 was THE first warship I was ever aboard. Heck, she was the first WW2 anything I’d been on! And, as Scotty says to Cpt. Picard in “Relics”, “You never forget your first. It’s the same with women. You don’t quite love a woman like that, ever again.”
And hopefully one day, I’ll take my first love to see my first love. 😉
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Some day John … some day! Meanwhile, here’s something to hold you over. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlf8PbFHYjs
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I have not been to see the U-505, so I enjoyed the clip Frank found. As a submariner myself I can say that the guide gave a good tour. I was struck by the similarities between it and the three diesel boats I served on. Engineering evolves through trial and error as well as R&D and submarine design is a great example, with successful innovations carried forward. But it was also apparent that the German U-boat was significantly more uncomfortable than the later and larger U.S. fleet boats. The movie, “Das Boot” is an extreme compilation of the stresses on the submariners, but not so far from the truth as one might think. Those guys had to be tough, proficient and brave. Most of them died.
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Jim,
Thanks for the view from one who experienced life in a sub. Meanwhile, you know have a friend for life in John E.
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No fears, Frank. Jim and I have crossed blog-paths before – and somehow, just like you, he managed to survive. 😉
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Whew … there’s hope for us!
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Jim – One of the advantages the US subs had was primitive air-conditioning. We put it in ours, not for the crew, but for the delicate tube-electronics we used, through the crew definitely benefited. I’ve read a number of stories similar to the comment in “Das Boot”, where the one sailor is scraping mold off the food and stating that was all that thrived on a U-boat. The U-505 was a so-called Type IX, an upgrade from the “standard” Type VII that was the workhorse. The submariners I really respect are the guys who went out in the WW1 and early WW2 Type II boats – they made our S-boats from pre-WW2 days look like modern Cadillacs compared to their clunky Model T’s!
And for everybody, here’s a link to the lady, including the story of how she got from the Atlantic Ocean to Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, and her recent move (done since I moved down to Ohio) into an underground, environmentally-controlled protective shelter:
http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/u-505/
If you get there before I do, please give her all my best!
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We cruised with Carnival from Miami to Nassau in ’84 and ’86. The ship would probably float in one of the indoor pools of the one you took. Wow!
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Jim,
And the newer ones are even bigger. Search Quantum of the Seas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNpuiD3NIdk
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Coolio.
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Audra,
It was our first time on this class, definitely interesting.
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Never been. Enjoyed the view from your angle.
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You living close to NYC, driving to/from port is a savings in itself. FYI: RCCL will have their newest and biggest ship there soon … I think in the spring … Quantum of the Seas.
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What an impressive ship… a whole city on the sea… but where was the golf course.??
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Bulldog,
Surprise … it had a golf simulator (which I did not use) and a free 9-hole putt-putt course. Although this sailing was smooth, the rocking motion makes it a bit more challenging.
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I have heard of these simulators that you can play all sorts of courses, without walking a foot…
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I played one years ago in a bar 5-8 years ago, but for me, nothing like the real thing
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I had an idea that is how I would find it… nothing quite like walking up to your ball (if you can find it) and working out the next shot…
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Besides Pebble Beach on the simulator isn’t going to be close to the real thing.
BTW – Visitors can walk Pebble like a park, just stay out of the golfers way. It’s a beautiful place!
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As much as the wife likes boat trips, after one of these ran into Italy, and another ran into a sewage treatment plant, I think we’ll just stay on dry land….I just checked with my wallet, and it agrees. 😉
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Archon,
Interestingly, both the situations you listed are the same company. Cruises also have ways of making money on ship, so it’s not inclusive, but rooms, meals, entertainment, and basic beverages are free. … but then there’s that darn airfare!
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We like cruises too. We’ve found Holland America best for us. The ships are smaller than your Explorer, no main street, no shopping mall (shopping? really?), and perhaps a major advantage, hardly any kids. I think the best thing about it is not having to deal with the uncertainty of shopping for food and accommodations – the dining room is about as good as it gets, and always with grand variety.
I note Archon’s concern for safety, but except for Carnival, the industry’s record is excellent. It is worth noting however that there are no police on the ship. Nor journalists, come to think of it. Hmm.
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Jim,
As you know, there are advantages and disadvantages to every ship. We’ve only cruised Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, so we’re limited. … and we like to cruise during when most kids are in school … I think this trip had 6 teens aboard … probably no more than 12-15 kids overall.
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Goodness you were living like a king.
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Georgette,
Which also means cookies whenever you want them!
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WOW! Great… İf they were able to see this ship, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, and Vasco da Gama, I can imagine their faces… This should be a great voyage… Thank you, love, nia
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Nia,
I can’t imagine their thoughts because their ships were so small! By the way, I used those three explorers because each level of the main dining room was named after these explorers.
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It’s funny we are in Quebec quite often (two of our children attend university in Sherbrooke), yet we have never been to Quebec City. I’m not sure though if I would ever take a cruise, from everything I read they don’t appear to be all that safe.
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Redhead,
I recall talking to a Canadian couple that had been all over Canada, but it was their first trip to Quebec City .. and they loved it! Cruising isn’t for everyone, just like flying, camping, car racing, or whatever.
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Beautiful ship, sounds like a lovely time. I have only taken one cruise, I did not enjoy it though I suspect this was due to the company not the actual cruise or the ship. My parents use to cruise all the time, nearly every year and they loved it.
Perhaps I must reconsider my aversion.
Sorry for the disappointment on the dance floors. Welcome home! Can’t wait for more pictures of your trip!
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Val,
As we know, one’s company influences wherever one is! My wife also takes a once-a-year girls cruise … 4 of them go to the Caribbean during the winter for a week.
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This is incredibly grand, frank. I am taken aback by the crew to passenger ratio.
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Cuttlefish,
Good point, although crew number includes all those who typical are not involved with guests.
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Wow, that’s one very big cruise ship, Frank. I can imagine that the dance floor must have been extremely crowded. Did you try out the ice rink, or was it for shows only?
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Sylvia,
Given the small floors, they were crowded … plus we saw more ballroom people on this cruise than we normally do. The ice rink was for shows, but they had skating sessions for guests … and could cover the ice to use the space for other purposes.
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Wow…I’ve been on a couple of cruise ships, but that one is huge!
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Hansi,
Tis a big one … but there are bigger (but not that I’ve been on).
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Never taken a cruise trip, closet has been a night trip from Tenerife to Lanzarote, not a luxury ship but it had a swimming pool, a dirty one, but a swimming pool nevertheless lol.
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Doggy,
There are so good Med cruises based in Barcelona that you may want to consider. A traveling hotel is a good way to see different spot!
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I’m always amazed by how much they can fit on a cruise ship. Like you said, it’s a fun way to travel, once I get past my sea sickness. To be honest though, all forms of travel make me ill. I grin and bear it … most of the time.
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TBM,
I’m a motion sickness person, thus get the prescriptive patch (Scopolamine) … even though I get side effects when coming off them … but I’ve learned to manage it. ,,, however, the patch works.
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Frank, that ship looks lovely. I love cruising. We’ve been on a few, but I went on one with just the ladies from our neighbourhood on Norwegian and had a ball!
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Kayjai,
My wife goes has gone on a girls trip the last few years … and another one is on the books!
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Beautiful!
When you say your trip was 96% capacity, I wondered what’s the norm of capacity, & how much capacity would be a loss to them. You got me thinking on that point!
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Norleen,
Cruise ships will have sales if occupancy is down … so I don’t know what is normal. However, the cruises we’ve take have been between full or close to full.
FYI: People who live close to cruise-boarding ports are ready to go when deals come along.
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Now, THAT’S the kind of exploring I like to do! How fun does that ship look! Sorry to have been away for a few days. It’s been a crazy week!
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
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Kathy,
Glad you enjoyed this ship! Crazy weeks happen, so no need to explain. 🙂
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It’s a floating universe! Now I know where I’m heading when the Zombie Apocalypse begins……
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Cayman,
Good choice because I saw the Zoombie Free Zone sign.
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Wow – That ship is its own little city!
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RoSy,
Absolutely it’s own city … water purification, sewage treatment, electric generation, …. and more.
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My goodness! That’s an incredible ship, and I can hardly imagine not getting lost onboard! Nice, Frank. 🙂
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Debra,
Amazingly, it’s easy to navigate. The confusing thing is when floors don’t go all the way through (excluding room areas). … On this ship, both my wife and I struggled with which way to go to the room on our floor (depending how we got there). Thankfully, I used the signs.
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Pity – I’d have loved to see action shots of you on the climbing wall!
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Guapo,
The thought of climbing the wall never entered my mind.
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Well then, I’m glad to have planted the seed! 😀
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LOL
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WW and I are enjoying our Sunday morning coffee as we peruse your fabulous pictures of Quebec and your cruise. You and Mrs. A have great taste. Delightful! If WW ever gets to return to work again (a pox on the heads of our Repub congress), maybe we’ll make a return trip to Quebec. Thanks for sharing.
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E-Tom,
Many thanks … and here are more pics! https://afrankangle.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/on-mary-time/
Good luck during the shutdown …. and enjoy his presence during your day.
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Thanks Frank. His presence is the only way I roll! 🙂
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🙂
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Pingback: On North American Europe | A Frank Angle
We took a Royal Carribean cruise to Alaska about 10 or 15 years ago. It was much fun. Your ship looks even cooler than ours was. Was this the New England fall cruise? Don’t tell me. I’m going to find out for myself.
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Christine,
The ships are getting bigger and with more stuff … amazing …. search Quantum of the Seas (their newest coming soon).
Meanwhile, by now I know you answer your question. This run RC does twice … the reverse up to QC, then the return trip that we took.
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