Explorer of the Seas 32"

Explorer of the Seas is one of five Voyager-class cruise ships from Royal Caribbean International. It can handle over 3100 guests, including scientists making use of a built-in atmospheric and oceanographic laboratory operated by the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. Voyager-class ships are the third largest passenger ships in the world, after Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and Royal Caribbean's own Freedom of the Seas.

Activities include:

• Rock climbing wall
• Roller skating
• Nine-hole miniature golf course
• Ping-Pong Tables
• Shuffleboard Court
• Golf simulators
• Full-sized basketball court
• Adventure Ocean youth facilities

 Other amenities

• Royal Promenade
• Casino
• Three-story main dining room
• Windjammer Café
• Restaurants such as Johnny Rockets (1950s-style) and Portofino (Italian)
• Themed bars and lounges
• Swimming pools and hot tubs
• Day spa and Fitness Center
• Library and Royal Caribbean Online Internet access
• Wedding chapel

Ships Facts

• Maiden Voyage: October 28, 2000
• Passenger Capacity: 3,114
• Godmother: Jackie Joyner-Kersee
• Gross Tonnage: 138,000
• Length: 1020'
• Max Beam: 157.5'
• Draft: 29'
• Cruising Speed: 23.7 knots

Norovirus exposure

On the February 26, 2005 sailing of Explorer of the Seas, 243 of the 3,252 guests onboard became sick with what Royal Caribbean identified as Norovirus. All guests who were sick during the ships stop at Grand Cayman island received 50% off a future Royal Caribbean cruise as compensation.

Sea Rescue

On February 16, 2008, while on-route from Bayonne, New Jersey, for a nine day cruise to the Caribbean the bridge crew heard a faint mayday over the radio. This turned out to be the crew from the Tumbleweed, a 40 foot sailboat, who had a planned sail from Baltimore to the Florida Keys. The crew apparently had a mechanical breakdown of both engine and sails. They drifted for 11 days to a the location N32.35 W 72.49 (roughly 275 miles South East east of North Carolina. The crew of the Explorer of the Seas located the craft and executed a perfect rescue of the three men. The rescued men departed the ship in Puerto Rico on February 21, 2008.