Zan\mgwar's Explorer Cruise- A kids view

Hello Lovers of the waves,

First the usual intro-skip past the stars if you read it before
********************************************
To set a base line, we set out with a total of 32 old and a few new friends,
with most relationships going back 25 years. There is no greater joy than
vacationing with friends who know you well enough to tell you your breath
stinks. Rather than being a vacation, it always is more of a seven day party,
that moves around the globe.

It is important to note that due to our schedules we only travel as peak week
touristos, at a time when virtually the entire United States (except for New
Hampshire-go figure) is off from school for February break. This was our third
group cruise together, and my personal forth cruise. It was our first
experience with Royal Caribbean, having sailed NCL and Princess previously.

Depending on when you sail, your mileage may vary.

Because of the enormous size of the ship, it has it strong and weak suits. You
will find my impressions posted separately under the subject heading "Zamgwar's
Explorer". They will pop up here over the next two weeks and will include
impressions of "The Ship", "The Cabins", The Food & Restaurants", "The Staff"
, "The Entertainment", "The Kids view", "The little things" and "my last
2cnts". When I'm done, I will, as always, post the entire review in condensed
version on the standard review sites.
**********************************

Part 5- What the kids thought

"What I liked most about the ship was the free stuff. And also the Freedom.
Anything with the word free in it" Adam-age 8

We had a gaggle of kids in our party and they all loved the ship. In fact,
truth be known, they liked it considerably more than the adults in our party.
Explorer is a family friendly ship giving young kids big first freedoms and
first choices, and parents time to have a cocktail without really worrying too
much about there kids. Though someone always has to be the Mommy or the Daddy,
it's done in shifts, and with far less stress than at a land based resort.

More than once I heard the phrase "Honey, go see where the kids are" and "Has
anyone seen Alex since we left Jamaica?" At a land based resort these words
would have been spoken in terror. On a ship they are followed by a laugh and a
casual stroll.

But enough from me. Let's hear from the pro's.

Emily age 9 (I think), loved being able to choose from the adult menu. She
never gets to do that at home at the price of restaurant dinners. She too loved
the "free stuff".

If only these kids knew what the free stuff cost.

She gave the ship a 10, out of 10, in spite of having spent a very rough sea
day throwing up. Emily hated the kids club. When I asked what she hated about
it she said "Everything".

Her younger brother Joey gave the ship a 9, and asked his Mom and Dad when they
could go on a ship again. He had his first plate of pasta on the ship (he's a
very picky eater) much to the delight of his parents. He loved the kids club
dearly. His rating was also surprisingly high rating considering he got his
finger closed in between the cabin door once, and his father rubbed vinegar
into an open wound while trying to rid him of "sea lice".

But that is another story.

Alex the younger gave the ship a 9.9. I don't know if he was in the kids club,
but I do know he loved the free Ice Cream, and loved "all the stuff to eat". If
the ship wasn't so rocky that it made him sick to his stomach, he says it would
have been a ten

Chrissy and Alex (both age 13) gave the ship a 9. Alex favored Grand Princess
because it was "nicer", though he thought Explorer was "pretty cool". Both
really enjoyed not having to be with their parents everywhere for a week, and
being able to go off on their own and hangout. I'm sure the feeling was mutual.

Katie and Emily (I believe both are 14) met on Grand Princess two years ago.
They become phone pals, and made cross country trips to see each other. Katie's
Mom and our group hooked up and viola! Another family joined our group. Katie
thought the ship was cool with lots to do and gave it a 9. Emily gave it a 7
because of "stuff".

When you a 14 year old girl, there's always "stuff".

Jackie (young, sweet and cute as a button) gave the ship a 10 because it was
fun. Another high score considering she spent a day with an eye infection

Adam, whose quote is above, thought deeply and gave the ship a 7. He said it
would have "been higher if we made all the stops". As a matter of irony, his
Dad who loves sea days, ALSO gave the ship a seven, and said ( I kid you not)
"it would have been LOWER if it made all the stops".

8 other random kids I chatted with (always with their parents near), in the
Promenade Café, and at Johnny Rockets all gave the ship 9's & 10's., one gave
it a 7.

Some of their comments included; "Cuz I can play mini golf as many times as I
want with the other kids and Dad doesn't say it's too much money" "Mom never
lets me eat pizza everyday". "The pool slide is just for kids so the grown-ups
don't hog it" "You wake up and you're somewhere else", and by far my favorite
"Dad gets loopy and lets me spend like 30 dollars on video games"

The one who gave it a 7 said "Mom's food always tastes funny and she said the
food on the ship would be better, but it tasted funny too"

Out of the mouths of babes.

In "The little things & My final 2cnts" (Part 6) I'll tell you what the 74
adults I spoke to thought of the ship. That's next up.

That's My2cnts. What's yours?

John
Office of the Young at Heart
The Zamgwar Institute

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 03:50:00 +0000, Zamgwar wrote:

Hello Lovers of the waves,

First the usual intro-skip past the stars if you read it before
********************************************
To set a base line, we set out with a total of 32 old and a few new friends,
with most relationships going back 25 years. There is no greater joy than
vacationing with friends who know you well enough to tell you your breath
stinks. Rather than being a vacation, it always is more of a seven day party,
that moves around the globe.

It is important to note that due to our schedules we only travel as peak week
touristos, at a time when virtually the entire United States (except for New
Hampshire-go figure) is off from school for February break. This was our third
group cruise together, and my personal forth cruise. It was our first
experience with Royal Caribbean, having sailed NCL and Princess previously.

Depending on when you sail, your mileage may vary.

Because of the enormous size of the ship, it has it strong and weak suits. You
will find my impressions posted separately under the subject heading "Zamgwar's
Explorer". They will pop up here over the next two weeks and will include
impressions of "The Ship", "The Cabins", The Food & Restaurants", "The Staff"
, "The Entertainment", "The Kids view", "The little things" and "my last
2cnts". When I'm done, I will, as always, post the entire review in condensed
version on the standard review sites.
**********************************

Part 5- What the kids thought

"What I liked most about the ship was the free stuff. And also the Freedom.
Anything with the word free in it" Adam-age 8

We had a gaggle of kids in our party and they all loved the ship. In fact,
truth be known, they liked it considerably more than the adults in our party.
Explorer is a family friendly ship giving young kids big first freedoms and
first choices, and parents time to have a cocktail without really worrying too
much about there kids. Though someone always has to be the Mommy or the Daddy,
it's done in shifts, and with far less stress than at a land based resort.

More than once I heard the phrase "Honey, go see where the kids are" and "Has
anyone seen Alex since we left Jamaica?" At a land based resort these words
would have been spoken in terror. On a ship they are followed by a laugh and a
casual stroll.

But enough from me. Let's hear from the pro's.

Emily age 9 (I think), loved being able to choose from the adult menu. She
never gets to do that at home at the price of restaurant dinners. She too loved
the "free stuff".

If only these kids knew what the free stuff cost.

She gave the ship a 10, out of 10, in spite of having spent a very rough sea
day throwing up. Emily hated the kids club. When I asked what she hated about
it she said "Everything".

Her younger brother Joey gave the ship a 9, and asked his Mom and Dad when they
could go on a ship again. He had his first plate of pasta on the ship (he's a
very picky eater) much to the delight of his parents. He loved the kids club
dearly. His rating was also surprisingly high rating considering he got his
finger closed in between the cabin door once, and his father rubbed vinegar
into an open wound while trying to rid him of "sea lice".

But that is another story.

Alex the younger gave the ship a 9.9. I don't know if he was in the kids club,
but I do know he loved the free Ice Cream, and loved "all the stuff to eat". If
the ship wasn't so rocky that it made him sick to his stomach, he says it would
have been a ten

Chrissy and Alex (both age 13) gave the ship a 9. Alex favored Grand Princess
because it was "nicer", though he thought Explorer was "pretty cool". Both
really enjoyed not having to be with their parents everywhere for a week, and
being able to go off on their own and hangout. I'm sure the feeling was mutual.

Katie and Emily (I believe both are 14) met on Grand Princess two years ago.
They become phone pals, and made cross country trips to see each other. Katie's
Mom and our group hooked up and viola! Another family joined our group. Katie
thought the ship was cool with lots to do and gave it a 9. Emily gave it a 7
because of "stuff".

When you a 14 year old girl, there's always "stuff".

Jackie (young, sweet and cute as a button) gave the ship a 10 because it was
fun. Another high score considering she spent a day with an eye infection

Adam, whose quote is above, thought deeply and gave the ship a 7. He said it
would have "been higher if we made all the stops". As a matter of irony, his
Dad who loves sea days, ALSO gave the ship a seven, and said ( I kid you not)
"it would have been LOWER if it made all the stops".

8 other random kids I chatted with (always with their parents near), in the
Promenade Café, and at Johnny Rockets all gave the ship 9's & 10's., one gave
it a 7.

Some of their comments included; "Cuz I can play mini golf as many times as I
want with the other kids and Dad doesn't say it's too much money" "Mom never
lets me eat pizza everyday". "The pool slide is just for kids so the grown-ups
don't hog it" "You wake up and you're somewhere else", and by far my favorite
"Dad gets loopy and lets me spend like 30 dollars on video games"

The one who gave it a 7 said "Mom's food always tastes funny and she said the
food on the ship would be better, but it tasted funny too"

Out of the mouths of babes.

In "The little things & My final 2cnts" (Part 6) I'll tell you what the 74
adults I spoke to thought of the ship. That's next up.

That's My2cnts. What's yours?

John
Office of the Young at Heart
The Zamgwar Institute

I have really enjoyed your reviews. We have been trying to book another
cruise since last Fall we took our 3 kids on the NCL Sun.
I think this review and ship may be the "one". We have a trip to Disney
this year and a wedding in St. John in the Fall so those side steps have
pushed back what we wanted to do.
We tried to book something for Spring Break but our break falls before
Easter so that was a harder option-

Thanks for your reviews especially from a kids point of view.

Kelly H

John
Your reviews are gems. Loved the kids views

SUNNY. will be sorry to see the reviews come to an end as I am sure you
were when your cruise was over

S'nd I
XXX

This is one of the best things I have read here in months and months.

by far my favorite
"Dad gets loopy and lets me spend like 30 dollars on video games"