San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan
One of the largest islands in the Eastern Caribbean, Puerto Rico's landscape encompasses mountains, underground caves, coral reefs, white-sand beaches and an incredibly massive rain forest that supplies fresh water to most of the island. At the same time San Juan, the capital of the commonwealth, is a big city with a bustling business district, glitzy resorts and casinos, as well as one of the most stunning examples of colonial life in the Western world.

Attractions
When you're in San Juan, don't miss the opportunity to witness the pinnacle of natural beauty by exploring Puerto Rico's El Yunque Rain Forest. It features more than 240 species of trees, hundreds of miniature orchids, and what was once believed to be the Fountain of Youth.

Activities
See Baño Grande, a natural swimming pool. Then take a walk on Camitillo Trail and look for the artificial nest of the Puerto Rican parrot and the flora and fauna of the Palo Colorado forest
Explore Old San Juan, the second-oldest European settlement in the New World. Ride to San Felipe El Morro, the most dramatic of all the city's military fortifications. Visit the Casa Blanca Museum & Gardens, the Ballaja Barracks, Quincentennial Square, San Jose Church, San Juan Cathedral, and Cristo Chapel

Adventures
Bike through the gorgeous scenery of the Piñones Reserve, home to the island's most spectacular views

Shopping
In Old San Juan, you will find more traditional shops as well as many souvenir shops selling imported goods from all over the world. Also available are hand made cigars, wooden carvings, lace, ceramics and basketwork. Puerto Rican rum, ranging from light to dark brandy-type rums, is probably the most popular item to purchase.

Food
Puerto Rico is a great place to enjoy authentic Spanish-style sangria and taste a wide array of delicious tapas

Currency
The U.S. dollar (USD) is the official unit of currency in Puerto Rico. Traveler's checks and credit cards are also widely accepted.

Charlotte Amalie

Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas
There are bargains on just about everything in St. Thomas. In addition to excellent duty-free shopping, St. Thomas boasts some of the loveliest beaches in the Caribbean: Magens Bay, Sapphire Beach, and Coki Point.

Attractions
While the beaches and ocean are beautiful, there is one thing that really sets St. Thomas apart - shopping. Browse through the shop-lined streets of Charlotte Amalie and find out why St. Thomas is called the "duty-free shopping capital of the world." Shop for duty-free trinkets and bargains on everything from liquor to imported china and crystal. Visitors can bring home $1,200 in merchandise without paying duty - twice the limit of most of the Caribbean.

Activities
Take a ride on Skyline Drive and enjoy a breathtaking view of St. Thomas Harbor. Then travel to Mountain Top, the highest point on St. Thomas, and see spectacular views of Magens Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Check out Coral World Marine Park, where you can touch sea stars at the touch pool or explore the mystery of life in a mangrove lagoon off the Coastal Trail.

Sit back and enjoy a relaxing half-day sail to Buck Island aboard a large sailing yacht, then snorkel in Turtle Cove.

Submerge yourself in a sci-fi adventure. Trek around coral reefs and get up close and personal with the marine life on the Atlantis Submarine.

Experience a bird's-eye view of the beauty of St. Thomas on an exciting helicopter adventure.
Travel 700 feet above the sea via skyride to The Paradise Point and see the most fantastic vistas in the Caribbean.

Adventures
Take an exhilarating, wind-in-your-face ride-of-a-lifetime all the way around the island on the 100-foot trimaran, Wild Thing.
Take a bike tour through historic and picturesque St. Thomas harbor.

Shopping
St. Thomas is the bargain-shopping bazaar of the Caribbean. There are over 400 shops along the Main Street area in Charlotte Amalie and some 50 more in Havensight Mall. Great bargains are found on precious gemstones, and on fine jewelry and watches from designers like C2K, Caribbean Hook, Chopard, Honora, House of Tanzanite, John Atencio, John Hardy, Kabana, La Nouvelle Bague, Roberto Coin, Starnight, White Diamonds, Alfex, Concord, Gucci, Maurice Lacroix, Michele, Movado, Wenger and more. St. Thomas also features excellent buys on luxury items like perfume, leather, imported linens, china and crystal. Cameras, electronic goods, and designer clothing are also available, as are a selection of island rums and liquors, with great bargains on your favorite spirits.

Currency
The U.S. dollar (USD) is the official currency. Traveler's checks and credit cards are also widely accepted.

Casa de Campo

Casa de Campo
Talk about the best of both worlds! Here we have Casa de Campo, a 7,000-acre Caribbean paradise complete with water sports, spa services and multiple golf courses. And right around the corner you'll find Altos de Chavon - a stunning replica of a Mediterranean village built by local craftsmen and featuring boutiques, galleries, a museum and more.

Attractions
High above the Chavon River is an unbelievable village. Altos de Chavon was created in 1976 by stonecutters, woodworkers, and ironsmiths as a testament to their craft and to this region's cultural history. Not only will you find beautiful crafts and artwork to purchase, the village itself is a marvel you won't soon forget.

Activities
The tropical resort of Casa de Campo has a laid-back atmosphere with a wide array of exciting activities:

Three golf courses designed by a renowned architect, including the top-rated Teeth of the Dog.
A full range of spa services with botanical treatments inspired by local ingredients.

An equestrian center with trail riding, jumping lessons and polo instruction.

Adventures
In addition to the activities above, the resort offers plenty of thrilling options to get your heart pumping: mountain biking, diving, tennis, sailing and more!

Shopping
Built and run by artisans, Altos de Chavon is an inspiration to students, professionals and amateurs. It is a center for artistic expression and creative development - so you can only imagine the rare gems and unique gifts you'll find here.

Currency
The Dominican peso is the official currency of the Dominican Republic.

Labadee, Haiti

Labadee
A secluded spot on the north coast of Haiti, reserved soley for Royal Caribbean guests. Attractions: Floats, aquabikes, banana raft rides, snorkeling and other water sports. Also volleyball, beach barbecues, authentic Haitian art and local craftsmen.

Attractions
It's impossible to choose just one thing that's special about Labadee. The sandy beach and coral reefs provide a perfect place to relax and have fun. Whether you're interested in kayaking, snorkeling, parasailing or you just want to lie on the beach and relax, you won't want to miss
Labadee.

Activities
Paddle along the gorgeous coastline of Labadee on a relaxing kayaking tour. Your guide will lead you through beautiful coral reefs, where you'll witness an abundance of exotic marine life. You'll also pass various fishing villages that have been unchanged for decades.
Soak up the sun while you float on the waves on a beach mat.
Enjoy the fun-filled floating Aqua Park as you bounce on trampolines and climb and slide on inflatables.

Adventures
Grab a bird's-eye view as you soar 400 feet above the beautiful peninsula of Labadee on a thrilling parasailing ride.

Paddle through the enchanting Bay of Labadee on a kayaking tour. Absorb the breathtaking surroundings and learn a bit about the Haitian culture.

Take an exhilarating ride aboard a waverunner down the scenic coast of Labadee. See your ship from a perspective rarely enjoyed by other guests.

Go shopping for beautiful handmade local artwork, woodwork and crafts. You'll want to bring cash so you can take home a beautiful memento of this private paradise.

Food
Our special "Labaduzee" is waiting for you - our signature frozen drink that is out of this world. Order yours from a shady hammock to capture the true spirit of Labadee.

Currency
Currency in Guadeloupe: gourde (HTG)

Bayonne, New Jersey

Bayonne
Cape Liberty Cruise Port is located on the New York Harbor in Bayonne, New Jersey, and is just seven miles from New York City and three miles from Newark Liberty International Airport. Its waterfront location and convenience to the Big Apple allows visitors easy access to everything New York City has to offer along with providing visitors access to the historic roots of Northern New Jersey. Convenient guest parking is located adjacent to the cruise terminal.

Attractions
As a symbol of democracy and freedom, the Statue of Liberty is recognized around the world and is synonymous with the United States. You can reach Liberty Island by ferry, departing from Jersey City, New Jersey.

Activities
Take a tour of Ellis Island and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. From 1892 to 1954, the island was the gateway for more than 12-million immigrants to the United States.
Explore the Liberty Science Center located in Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey which features hundred of interactive exhibits, shows, demonstrations and the nation's largest IMAXTM Dome Theater.

Visit the Bayonne Bridge in Bayonne, New Jersey, which is one of the longest steel arch bridges in the world. It's not only impressive in size, but also in looks. When it opened in 1931, the American Institute for Steel Construction named the bridge the 'Most Beautiful Steel Arch'.
See more than a century's worth of fire-fighting history at the Chief John T. Brennan Fire Museum in Bayonne, New Jersey. First used in 1870, the firehouse is listed on the National
Register of Historic Buildings.

Shopping
New York City is quite literally a shopping mecca. You can find anything and everything here, from the world's finest designers on Fifth Avenue to eclectic boutiques throughout the city. And for souvenirs, you don't have to go far - you'll find a shop on just about every block.

Food
Whether you're looking for an elegant dinner for two or hot dogs for the family, New York City has some of the best food in the world. Grab a sandwich at Sardi's, a deli in Times Square famous for its celebrity-named sandwiches. Or get a slice of the pizza the city is famous for, offered in any number of small restaurants and street vendors.

Currency
The U.S. dollar (USD) is the official currency. Traveler's checks and credit cards are also widely accepted.

Explorer of the Seas

Ship Highlights

Theaters
1
Meeting Rooms
Y
Casino
Y
Disco
Y
Fitness Center
Y
Children's Program
Y
Internet Cafe
Y
Shops
Y
Library
Y
Spa
Y
Year Built
2000
Ships Registry
Bahamas
Ship Tonnage
142000
Number of Cabins
1557
Handicap-Accessible Cabins
18
Capacity
3114
Restaurants
10
Bars
8
Pools
2

Quotes

I'm working on getting quotes from cruise discounters. I'll share the numbers when I get them!
:)
John

It's time to start planning the next cruise...

Our big cruise in April, 2007 was probably the most fun we’d ever had squeezed into one week. Thank you! – If you were among the 73 people in our group who made all that fun possible. If you weren’t, I sincerely hope you can be there for the next big group vacation.

Life is truly all about the people in it -- and we've been blessed with a lot of great people.

Every vacation seems to include time spent fantasizing about the next vacation and on the last cruise we spent time with several of you planning the next trip. Perhaps you were one of the dozen people who suggested that we make this a yearly event? Yes... Yearly would be great, but the consensus was that we should try to plan a trip bi-annually so as to accommodate the most people possible.

We had toyed with the idea of an all-inclusive resort, but nearly everyone wanted to cruise again.Cruising assures great accommodations, great and diverse foods, lots of activities and the excitement of seeing places you'd probably otherwise never get to see.

While it may seem a bit early to be planning, we've also got some rather heavily scheduled people amongst us who need lots of lead time. Planning now gives everyone a chance to plan the time off of work, drop Christmas cookie weight and to budget well in advance of travel day.

Most of our group resides in the Delaware Valley, several people traveled thousands of miles to meet the group in Florida. Since the cruise, several people have mentioned that not everyone enjoyed the air travel but everyone loved the cruise.

As we planned, we wanted to have the fewest people travel by air as possible; so we've been looking at the cruises from Northeast US ports.

We think we found a great cruise that should satisfy the needs of the most people possible! The well priced cruise departs from Cape Liberty, New Jersey.

It includes nine nights beginning on April 17, 2009 to exotic ports in the Eastern Caribbean. The Royal Caribbean ship Explorer of the Seas makes stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Casa De Campo, Dominican Republic and Labadee, Haiti – Royal Caribbean’s private island. Who do you know has ever been to Haiti?

We don’t need anything from you today! This trip is in the pre-planning phase. Just mark the date on your calendar, start setting aside a little money each week, and consider how much fun it is going to be to cruise with everyone again next year!

We’ll post updates at http://www.valincius.com and http://johnron2009.blogspot.com/
So save these links to your favorites!

Bon Voyage, John & Ron