Explorer of the Seas
Explorer of the Seas is a Voyager-class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Explorer of the Seas is a Voyager-class cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International, a cruise brand within Royal Caribbean Group. Completed in 2000, the vessel was developed during a period when Royal Caribbean was using the Voyager class to expand the scale and range of mainstream ocean cruising. With a gross tonnage of 137,308 GT at launch and accommodation for more than 3,000 guests, it briefly became the world's largest passenger ship, surpassing its sister ship Voyager of the Seas by a small margin. Navigator of the Seas took that size record in 2002. The ship was designed as a destination in its own right rather than simply as transport between ports. Its onboard offering has included restaurants and bars, entertainment venues, sports and recreational facilities, family activities, retail, swimming areas, and Royal Caribbean's signature promenade-style public spaces. Explorer also carried a scientific and educational distinction: a built-in atmospheric and oceanographic laboratory was operated by the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science. The laboratory supported scientific observation, passenger education, and outreach programming, although that program ended in 2007. An automated data-gathering system was installed in 2008. Explorer of the Seas has operated a changing range of itineraries according to seasonal demand and fleet deployment. In 2014 it offered five- to nine-day Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida. Following a major dry-dock refurbishment in early 2015, the ship was deployed to Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Atlantic island destinations including Madeira, the Azores, and the Canary Islands from Southampton. It then spent the 2015–16 Australian summer season based in Sydney, later repositioning across the Pacific to operate from Seattle during the 2016 summer season. These deployments illustrate the ship's role as a flexible international asset rather than a vessel tied to one permanent route. A substantial upgrade in early 2015 replaced the inline-skating rink with a FlowRider surf simulator and increased the ship's tonnage to 138,194 GT. Royal Caribbean announced a broader refurbishment under its amplification program in 2019, with makeovers planned before the 2020 summer season and publicly reported at approximately $110 million. The planned work was delayed indefinitely as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted cruise operations; only technical refurbishment proceeded at that stage. The ship has also received public attention through rescues, maritime incidents, severe-weather events, disease outbreaks, and its temporary use during emergency-response operations. In 2008 it rescued three sailors from the disabled sailing vessel Tumbleweed. It was involved in a minor collision-related incident with Norwegian Star in Bermuda in 2012, and a large norovirus outbreak in 2014 led to an early end to a cruise. Later events included a gastrointestinal outbreak and severe storm during a 2015 voyage, a COVID-19 case reported after a March 2020 sailing, and the accommodation of approximately 600 personnel supporting the Surfside condominium-collapse search and rescue effort in 2021. More recent reports describe passenger-overboard searches in 2024 and 2025 and a severe storm near the Canary Islands in November 2024. Explorer of the Seas remains an active Royal Caribbean cruise ship whose identity is closely associated with large-scale, activity-oriented vacation cruising.
History
Explorer of the Seas was completed in 2000 as a Voyager-class ship for Royal Caribbean International. The vessel represented the cruise line's strategy of creating very large ships that combined transportation, accommodation, dining, entertainment, and extensive recreation in one resort-like platform. At launch, it measured 137,308 gross tons and could accommodate more than 3,000 passengers. Its size exceeded that of sister ship Voyager of the Seas by 32 GT, giving Explorer a brief distinction as the world's largest passenger ship until Navigator of the Seas entered service and took the record in 2002. The ship's original design included a built-in atmospheric and oceanographic laboratory operated by the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science. The facility supported research, passenger education, and outreach activities, giving the ship a scientific dimension unusual among large commercial cruise vessels. The laboratory and associated programs were discontinued in 2007. An automated system for collecting environmental data was installed in 2008. Explorer's deployment history has reflected Royal Caribbean's seasonal network planning. In the fall of 2014, it operated five- to nine-day Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida. After a dry-dock refurbishment in early 2015, it was assigned to Northern European, Mediterranean, and Atlantic-island itineraries from Southampton. The ship subsequently spent the Australian summer season based in Sydney from November 2015 through April 2016, then repositioned on a 24-day voyage to Seattle for the North American summer season. This pattern of redeployment allowed the ship to serve different regional markets throughout the year. The early-2015 refurbishment added a FlowRider surf simulator in place of the inline-skating rink and increased the vessel's gross tonnage to 138,194 GT. In September 2019, Royal Caribbean announced a much larger makeover under its amplification program, reported at approximately $110 million and intended to be completed before the 2020 summer season. The pandemic interrupted the plan, and the broad amplification was delayed indefinitely; technical work proceeded instead. The ship's public record includes both emergency assistance and operational incidents. In February 2008 it rescued three sailors from the disabled yacht Tumbleweed. In 2012 it was involved in a wind-related contact incident with Norwegian Star in Bermuda without significant damage. A major norovirus outbreak in January 2014 affected hundreds of passengers and crew and caused the cruise to end early. Another gastrointestinal outbreak and a severe storm occurred during a December 2015 voyage. In March 2020, the CDC reported a positive COVID-19 test in a passenger within 14 days of disembarkation. In 2021 the vessel was used as accommodation for personnel involved in the Surfside condominium-collapse response. Later incidents included a passenger-overboard search in August 2024, a severe storm and pronounced heel near the Canary Islands in November 2024, and another passenger-overboard emergency in March 2025. Explorer of the Seas continues to operate as an active Royal Caribbean cruise ship.
- 2021
Used for Surfside response operations
[1]Explorer of the Seas housed personnel supporting search and rescue after the Surfside condominium collapse.
- 2019
Amplification program announced
[1]Royal Caribbean announced a planned broad refurbishment before the 2020 summer season.
- 2015
Major dry-dock refurbishment
[1]The ship received a FlowRider surf simulator and its gross tonnage increased to 138,194 GT.
- 2008
Automated environmental data system installed
[1]An automated system for gathering data was installed aboard the vessel.
- 2007
Onboard marine-science laboratory program discontinued
[1]The University of Miami laboratory's educational and outreach program aboard the ship was ended.
- 2002
Navigator of the Seas takes the size record
[1]The ship's record as the world's largest passenger ship ended when Navigator of the Seas entered service.
- 2000
Explorer of the Seas completed
[1]The Voyager-class cruise ship was completed and entered Royal Caribbean International's fleet.
- 2000
Briefly becomes the world's largest passenger ship
[1]At 137,308 GT, Explorer of the Seas exceeded its sister ship Voyager of the Seas by 32 GT and temporarily held the passenger-ship size record.
Products and positioning
Large-scale mainstream cruise vacations with a broad onboard activity and entertainment offering, positioned by Royal Caribbean between mass-market accessibility and an enhanced resort-style experience.
Cruise ship · 2000
Explorer of the Seas cruise ship
The ship is the principal offering associated with the Explorer of the Seas name. It sells cruise vacations that bundle transportation, lodging, dining, entertainment, recreation, and port visits. Its Voyager-class configuration emphasizes a large selection of onboard activities, including public entertainment areas, sports facilities, family programming, restaurants, bars, pools, retail, and the FlowRider surf simulator added during the 2015 refurbishment. It has been deployed on Caribbean, European, Atlantic-island, Australian, and Pacific itineraries.
Controversies
2020
COVID-19 exposure report after March voyage
The CDC reported at least one passenger testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 within 14 days of disembarking from a March 2020 sailing.
2015
Gastrointestinal illness outbreak
In December 2015, 182 passengers were reported to have contracted infectious diarrhea during a voyage that also encountered severe weather.
2014
Norovirus outbreak
A January 2014 outbreak affected hundreds of passengers and crew, prompted CDC involvement, and caused the cruise to end early. The incident is notable as a public-health and sanitation event rather than a corporate misconduct finding.
Brand decisions
2019
Announce broad amplification refurbishmentStrategyBackground
Royal Caribbean planned a major makeover intended to refresh the ship before the 2020 summer season.
Action taken
The company announced an amplification-program refurbishment publicly reported at approximately $110 million.
Aftermath
The planned 2020 amplification was delayed indefinitely because of the COVID-19 pandemic, while technical refurbishment proceeded.
Announced refurbishment budget. $110 million planned (Announced in 2019 for work planned before the 2020 summer season; broad work later delayed)
2015
Add FlowRider and update onboard facilitiesGeneration changeBackground
Royal Caribbean refurbished the Voyager-class ship to keep its onboard product competitive and increase the variety of active recreation available to guests.
Action taken
The inline-skating rink was replaced with a FlowRider surfing simulator, and the ship's gross tonnage increased to 138,194 GT.
Aftermath
Explorer of the Seas continued to operate on Caribbean, European, and other international itineraries after the refurbishment.
Recent events
- 2025
Passenger reported overboard during The 80s Cruise[1]
Other
A female passenger went overboard on the first day of a themed cruise sailing from Miami toward Nassau. The ship stopped to support search-and-rescue efforts and later resumed its voyage while the Coast Guard continued recovery operations.
- 2024
Passenger reported overboard between Santorini and Zadar[1]
Other
A passenger from the United Kingdom was reported overboard while the ship traveled from Greece toward Croatia. Search operations involved the Croatian Coast Guard, the scheduled call at Zadar was cancelled, and the search ended after four days.
- 2024
Storm near the Canary Islands causes listing and damage[1]
Other
A storm near the Canary Islands caused the vessel to heel approximately 14.5 degrees, with reports of injuries and material damage.
- 2021
Ship hosts Surfside search-and-rescue personnel[1]
Other
After the Surfside condominium collapse in Florida, Explorer of the Seas was moored nearby and used to house nearly 600 search-and-rescue workers and other officials.
- 2020
Planned amplification refurbishment delayed during COVID-19 disruption[1]
Other
Royal Caribbean had announced a broad refurbishment program for the ship, but the planned 2020 amplification work was postponed indefinitely as the pandemic disrupted cruise operations. Technical refurbishment still took place.
- 2019
Explorer of the Seas delayed by storms near Southampton[1]
Other
Severe weather affecting Western Europe delayed the ship's return to Southampton.
- 2015
Explorer of the Seas receives FlowRider and other upgrades[1]
Product generation · Product launch
A dry-dock refurbishment replaced the inline-skating rink with a FlowRider surfing simulator and increased the vessel's gross tonnage to 138,194 GT.
- 2012
Explorer of the Seas involved in Bermuda contact with Norwegian Star[1]
Other
While Explorer of the Seas was moored in Bermuda, strong winds pushed Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Star against its stern. Neither ship sustained significant damage.
- 2010
Crew member reported overboard[1]
Other
A crew member was observed going overboard while the ship was sailing. The vessel turned back and searched but did not locate the person.
- 2008
Explorer of the Seas rescues three sailors from disabled yacht[1]
Other
The ship responded to a faint mayday call and rescued three crew members from the 39-foot sailing vessel Tumbleweed after mechanical failures left it drifting offshore. The sailors later left Explorer of the Seas in Puerto Rico.
Sources2 sources
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