Explorer of the Seas - cruise ship

Cruise Travel, July, 2001 by M. T. Schwartzman

Royal Caribbean's latest leviathan has a style all her own

As a cruise writer, I'm often asked for my advice regarding ships. When it comes to Caribbean cruising, my recommendation is always the same: Royal Caribbean International's Explorer of the Seas. Now I'm not one to gush, but this ship is truly extraordinary. At 142,000 gross register tons, she rules the seas, matched in size only by her sister Voyager of the Seas and forthcoming fleetmate Adventure of the Seas (due to debut this November). In all, Royal Caribbean plans to build five of these 3,114-passenger "Voyager Class" vessels.

From the outside, the Explorer of the Seas doesn't look much different than most other megaships, just bigger--more than 1,000 feet in length and over 150 feet wide. But step inside, and the differences become immediately apparent. Passengers embark into one of two vertical atria, one 10 decks high and the other 11 decks tall. Look to the side, and there stretching before your eyes is a four-deck-high arcade known as the Royal Promenade, which runs down the middle of the vessel between the two atria. It's like nothing you've ever seen on a cruise ship.

And that's just the beginning. The list of "you don't see that everyday" features includes a back-of-the-stack rock-climbing wall, an in-line skating track, and an indoor ice-skating rink. Other unusual, if not unprecedented, facilities include a sky-high wedding chapel, a late-night jazz club, a golf-themed bar called The 19th Hole, and a floral shop for fresh-cut bouquets.

Following in the wake of the Voyager of the Seas, which shares the same basic layout and facilities, the Explorer of the Seas comes with a few twists of her own. Chief among these are two scientific laboratories, one dedicated to studying the sea and the other used to make atmospheric observations. The marine research lab on Deck One has scientific equipment to measure ocean currents, temperature, and salinity. Scientists look for key indicators of ocean health, such as the amount of dissolved oxygen and the presence of photoplankton. The atmospheric lab on Deck 14 takes readings from an array of instruments located along the perimeter of the vessel's hull and superstructure.

Once collected, the data from both labs is sent to researchers ashore. The main participant in the research effort is the University of Miami, which specializes in the study of marine sciences. The university staffs the ship's two laboratories with visiting scientists, who sail for two weeks at a time (not a bad assignment). Another beneficiary of the research being done on the Explorer of the Seas is the federal government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Passengers are invited to visit the labs and meet the scientists on guided tours of the research facilities.

Also distinct to the Explorer of the Seas is her collection of celebrity artwork--paintings, photographs, and prints created by famous actors, musicians and the like. Artists whose work graces the forward stairway include Billy Dee Williams, Peter Falk, Anthony Quinn, Miles Davis, Herb Alpert, and Tony Curtis. Royal Caribbean estimates the value of this art collection at more than $600,000.

Decor throughout the ship spans time periods and historical styles, from the traditionally nautical atmosphere of the Schooner Bar (a standard on every Royal Caribbean ship) to" the brassy, contemporary flash of the Aquarium Bar, so named for the four gigantic fish tanks that together hold 56 tons of saltwater. In fact, much of the public decor is positively Camivalesque, especially the dramatic Gothic ambiance of The Chamber, a bilevel nightclub/disco located just below the Royal Promenade. The glitz is matched only by the grandeur, which is best expressed in two main public rooms: the dining room and showroom. In these spaces, as much as anywhere else on the ship, Royal Caribbean distinguishes itself from the competition.

Unlike some of the other major cruise lines, which have opted for two or three smaller dining rooms to create a more intimate feeling on their 100,000-tonners, Royal Caribbean has taken an opposite approach. The main dining room is a three-deck extravaganza that seats more than 1,900 people at a time--so large that its five sections carry different names to help guests navigate the space. Seen from the main entryway, the dining room's balconied tiers rise upward like a miniature atrium within the dining area, Capped in the center by a celestial dome. Surrounding the dome from the floor to the ceiling are fluted gold-leaf columns.

Yet this is just one of six dining venues, which also include Portofino, an alternative Italian restaurant; the casual buffet restaurant; a finger-sandwich cafe along the Royal Promenade; light fare in the Solarium; plus a Johnny Rockets ondeck for burgers, fries, and shakes (not to mention the Sprinkles self-serve ice-cream bar located along the Royal Promenade).

The Palace showroom, capacity 1,350, is just as impressive as the main dining room. Rising five stories from the orchestra pit to the ceiling, the showroom exudes an opera-house ambiance inspired by the great music halls of the Old World. The Maharajah's Lounge, a secondary showroom as big as the main showroom on some smaller ships, seats another 350 guests for cabaret-type shows.