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Explorer of the Seas

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MS Explorer of the Seas in 2015
History
NameExplorer of the Seas
Owner
OperatorRoyal Caribbean International
Port of registry
RouteBahamas, Bermuda, Eastern Caribbean, and New England itineraries out of Bayonne, New Jersey
BuilderKværner Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland
Yard number1345
Laid down01 August 1999
Completed28 September 2000
Maiden voyage28 October 2000
Identification
StatusIn service
Notes[2][1]
General characteristics
Class and typeVoyager-class cruise ship
Tonnage
  • 138,194 GT
  • 108,654 NT
  • 11,000 DWT
Length311 m (1,020 ft)
Beam
  • 38.6 m (127 ft) - Waterline[3]
  • 49.1 m (161 ft) - Max[1]
Draught8.3 m (27 ft)
Depth11.7 m (38 ft)
Decks15
Deck clearance3,400 m (11,200 ft)
Installed power6 × Wärtsilä 12V46 (6 × 12,600 kW)
Propulsion
Speed23.7 knots (43.9 km/h; 27.3 mph)
Capacity4,029 passengers
Crew1,180
Notes[2][1][4][5]

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.[6]) 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.[7][8]

Ports of call

In fall 2014, she sailed 5 to 9 day Caribbean cruises out of Port Canaveral, Florida.[9] 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.[10]

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.

Accidents and incidents

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,[11] who had a planned sail from Baltimore to the Florida Keys. The crew reportedly had a mechanical breakdown of both engine and sails. They 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.[11]

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.[12][unreliable source?]

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.[13]

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.[14] 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.[15] After Explorer of the Seas returned to port, 684 of the 4,237 aboard had symptoms of norovirus.[16]

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.[17]

  • Balcony of the ship's only Royal Suite
    Balcony of the ship's only Royal Suite
  • Explorer of the Seas Port side viewed from the ship's stern
    Explorer of the Seas Port side viewed from the ship's stern
  • "Explorer of the Seas" in Ålesund, Norway
    "Explorer of the Seas" in Ålesund, Norway
  • Explorer of the Seas in Sydney Harbour
    Explorer of the Seas in Sydney Harbour

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Explorer of the Seas (19903)". Vessel Register for DNV. DNV. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Advanced Masterdata for the Vessel Explorer of the Seas". VesselTracker. 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  3. ^ "Explorer of the Seas". STX Finland. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  4. ^ "Cruise Ship Guide". Cruise Travel. Lakeside Publishing Company: 37–43. January–February 2009. ISSN 0199-5111.
  5. ^ "Carnival Destiny (16001)". Port State Information Exchange. United States Coast Guard.
  6. ^ "Explorer of the Seas Oceanlab Research Program". Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  7. ^ "Now Our Best Ship Is Every Ship" (PDF). Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  8. ^ "VOYAGER CLASS FLOWRIDER REFURBISHMENT". Mobimar.com. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  9. ^ "Cruise Calendar". Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  10. ^ "Explorer of the Seas to Homeport in Southampton, and Sail European Waters in 2015". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  11. ^ a b Silverstein, Erica (27 February 2008). "Royal Caribbean Ship Rescues Sailors in Distress". The Independent Traveler. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  12. ^ "Satyanand Buddaru". Cruise Ship Missing. 2010-05-05. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
  13. ^ Greg (September 15, 2012). "Norwegian Star Breaks Moorings in Bermuda". CruiseInd.
  14. ^ "281 passengers ill aboard Royal Caribbean cruise". cp24.com. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  15. ^ David McFadden (27 January 2014). "Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas cruise ended after hundreds sick with diarrhea, vomiting". The National Post. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  16. ^ Aleccia, JoNel (29 January 2014), 'We made it!': Nearly 700 sick as illness-plagued cruise ship returns home, archived from the original on 2014-01-29, At least 630 of the ship's 3,071 passengers and at least 54 of the 1,166 crew members came down with diarrhea and vomiting—classic signs of norovirus. {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |agency= ignored (help)
  17. ^ "Gastro outbreak aboard cruise ship bound for Sydney hits 182 passengers. Also MS Explorer Of The Seas Leaned over 10 Degrees on Day 14 of 15 in the Tasman Sea on a big storm day". News.com.au. December 16, 2015.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Explorer of the Seas (ship, 2000).
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