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Spring Break in Texas: Review of Navigator of the Seas March 9, 2014


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What I'm learning from this is to not be in any hurry to leave unless you have a flight. We live in Arlington Tx next to Ft Worth and if I'm midnight getting home, so be it. I'm not sure how long they let you relax in the cabin if they assign you a number and location but why rush?

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Yes people are getting off.

 

We just got to our car. The problem was not Galveston, it was Royal.

 

They told people to wait for announcements and no one listened. So it basically turned into a free for all. People with tag 40 were in line, etc.

 

Royal refused to get it under control for fear of angering people. They deal with fog delays all the time.

 

There was a lot of standing in lines after we got off the ship for customs and such. About as bad as Port Everglades after an Allure cruise, but worse than Miami, Seattle, San Juan, and Rome.

 

 

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It's not so much a rush to get off....I think the delay made everything worse. People rushing to get to the airport, etc.

 

We planned on self assist. We like to be off early. For us, when the cruise is over it's over....we don't like to prolong things.

 

 

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Did the concierge not give you a place to wait? Normally if you are at that location they walk you to the front of the line and don't get stuck in the long queues.

 

 

 

 

Nope, he never said anything about a special departure.

 

 

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I'm also one to let the crazy people off first. I don't plan a flight that causes me to panic trying to get off first and I drive to the port whenever possible. The people who are trying to self-carry their luggage and have way too much/too huge stuff/too heavy stuff and then try to bang into others getting on the elevators or down the stairs just make me wonder why they go through that.

 

I once saw a very elderly, tiny lady trying to self-disembark with a h-u-g-e piece of luggage that must have weighed about helf her weight trying to handle it herself. I did not see her with any family members and wondered why she was doing it. I worried she would fall down and be trampled by the other frenzied self-disembarkers.

 

To each their own.

 

Margee

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I plan to post a lot of pics next week on my FB page and on ALL ABOUT ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES page.

 

 

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I would like to follow you on facebook if that's alright. How do I find you?

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Suite guests wait in chops. And we're just getting called to head down.

 

 

Ah yes, it was after self assist and after diamond.

 

 

I don't see it as a frenzy when you do self assist. I've done it on every cruise (except Allure because we had a really late flight) without shoving or pushing or trampling people. There was none of that here.

 

However, there was just general chaos on the ship in terms of directing people and honoring the order of the disembarkation.

 

Even in that chaos, there was no shoving or trampling.

 

 

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My thought is they should set up an obstacle course and time people lugging their luggage through. Under a certain cut, then u get to self debark.

 

I can't comment on diamond/diamond plus. So far the board only says self debark and tag #1 (suites).

 

Have low expectations on the last day and don't let it ruin the trip!

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Oh yes, I have never seen this many self assist at a port before! Everyone we saw was doing ok with luggage.

 

I take it back....maybe diamond was 5. Our lovely stateroom attendant tried to give us the 5 and I think that might have been for diamond and I was wondering why we didn't get suite.

 

We're in Houston now...it's raining pretty good.

 

 

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I still think the bulk of the problem is a) Passengers not following directions, and b) RCI not trying to force people to follow directions. The crowding of stairwells and elevator lobbies is dangerous and drives me crazy. IMO, all the people hanging around near exit doors with their luggage before the ship even docks need to be escorted elsewhere by security.

 

Combine the huge numbers who do self-disembark with a complete refusal to follow/enforce procedures, and you have chaos. I just don't understand why RCI, who I think is "best in the business" at crowd control and dispersing people can't get this Galveston disembarking problem figured out.

Edited by Cindy
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I agree Cindy. They were not enforcing anything. Just shrugging and saying sorry. Then their response is to block elevators, which just starts angering people.

 

This is a problem wherever people need to queue up....airlines won't enforce it either.

 

Sometimes I like the European model of "free for all" and push and shove your way in. I witnessed this in an airport in Spain....drove me nuts until I decided to embrace their culture lol Rome was the same way with buses/metro and even some restaurants.

 

 

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Just in the north Houston suburbs and the rain has stopped :)

 

 

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You're making good time. Glad the rain is moving through; ready for some sunshine. Those that are embarking today will appreciate it. Although I went outside a few minutes ago and it' rather cool.

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