Name Explorer of the Seas Length 311 m Draft 8.3 m Builder Meyer Turku | Yard number 1345 Construction started 1 August 1999 Beam 49 m | |
 | ||
Owner Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (2000)
Explorer of the Seas Inc. Operator Royal Caribbean International Port of registry 2000–2002 Monrovia, Liberia
2002 onwards Nassau, Bahamas Route Bahamas, Bermuda, Eastern Caribbean, and New England itineraries (Australia)itineraries of Bayonne, New Jersey | ||
MS Explorer of the Seas is a Voyager-class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International, completed in 2000. She can accommodate over 3,000 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. (The manned lab with its attendant educational and outreach programs for passengers was discontinued in 2007. An automated system for gathering data was installed in 2008.) At launch, Explorer of the Seas had a tonnage of 137,308 GT, beating out her sister ship Voyager of the Seas by 32 GT and making her the world's largest passenger ship. She held that record until being overtaken by Navigator of the Seas in 2002. In early 2015, Explorer of the Seas received major upgrades, including the replacement of the inline skating rink with a Flowrider surfing simulator and increasing her tonnage to 138,194 GT.
Contents
- Ports of call
- Rescue of Tumbleweed
- Crew overboard
- Norwegian Star collision
- Norovirus outbreak
- Gastro outbreak
- References
Ports of call
In fall 2014, she sailed 5 to 9 day Caribbean cruises out of Port Canaveral, Florida. After dry-dock refurbishment in the spring of 2015, Explorer began to sail Northern Europe, Mediterranean, and Madeira, Azores and Canary Islands itineraries out of Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom.
From November 2015 to April 23, 2016 Explorer of the Seas was based in Sydney, Australia, for the summer cruise season. A 24-day cruise relocated Explorer of the Seas to Seattle WA for the summer 2016 season.
Rescue of Tumbleweed
On February 16, 2008, while en route from Bayonne, New Jersey, on a nine-day cruise to the Caribbean the bridge crew heard a faint mayday call over the radio. This turned out to be the crew from Tumbleweed, a 39-foot sailing vessel, which had a planned sail from Baltimore to the Florida Keys. The crew reportedly had a mechanical breakdown of both engine and sails. The vessel drifted for 11 days to the location N32.35 W 72.49–roughly 275 miles southeast of North Carolina. Explorer of the Seas located and rescued the three men, who then departed the ship in Puerto Rico on February 21, 2008.
Crew overboard
On May 5, 2010, 26-year-old bartender Satianand Buddaru was caught on surveillance jumping overboard. The ship turned around to rescue him but was unable to locate the bartender.
Norwegian Star collision
On September 14, 2012, Explorer of the Seas was moored in Bermuda when heavy winds pushed Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Star at its stern. Neither ship suffered any significant damage.
Norovirus outbreak
On January 24, 2014, 281 passengers and 22 crew members aboard Explorer of the Seas fell ill, reporting symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. Due to the number of passengers sick, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent a Sanitation Program Officer and an epidemiologist to the ship on Sunday, January 26, 2014, when it was docked in St. Thomas. By 27 January 2014 the number of ill increased to 564 passengers and 47 crew members and a decision was made to end the cruise early. After Explorer of the Seas returned to port, 684 of the 4,237 aboard had symptoms of norovirus.
Gastro outbreak
On December 16, 2015, A total of 182 passengers out of the 3566 on board the luxury Royal Caribbean cruise ship Explorer of the Seas have been struck down by the stomach bug. The ship’s operator contacted South Eastern Sydney Local Health District before arriving in Sydney at 6am. None of the passengers were taken to hospital.