A Navigator of the Seas mystery

I'm looking for an answer from our Royal Caribbean experts here at Cruisecritic ‘cuz I’m puzzled about something. Here's the mystery:

If you look at a recent review of the Navigator of the Seas posted by Cuizer2 – here’s the link to his review -- http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1810031 – and if you then go to post #6, you’ll see a picture of a ship. It clearly shows the name, “Navigator of the Seas.” But, is it REALLY the Navigator of the Seas in that photo?

How could I possible question the picture and my own eyes? Well, look at recent pictures of the Navigator of the Seas. You can see some in Cuizer2’s own review. You’ll see that the ship he was on, the Navigator of the Seas -- has balconies that use glass (or plexi-glass?) below the railing. And, if you look carefully, you’ll notice that in these recent pictures of the NOS, the balconies jut out from the main body, if you will, of the ship.

Now, compare how the NOS balconies look today to the earliest Voyager class ships, the Adventure, the Voyager and the Explorer (I believe these are the 1st three Voyager class ships). They have all-steel balconies, with steel below the railing; no glass.

So, as far as I can figure, the possibilities are two: One is that the so-called Navigator picture in post #6, apparently from Royal Caribbean itself, was a picture of a different Voyager class ship, with the name altered to Navigator. Maybe an advertising company took some liberties with the photo? The other possibility is that when the Navigator was first built it was built with all steel balconies but was later dry-docked and converted to glass-below-the-railing balconies.

I am guessing that the picture was doctored. My only reason for guessing that is that I’m also guessing that it would have been a cost-prohibitive remodel to convert the balconies from all-steel to glass-below-the-railing.

So, what gives? Are there any RCI experts out there who know the true story? I’d like to hear. Thanks for you input.

Good eye! That definitely is not NOS. That is a first generation Voyager Class ship....Voyager, Explorer or Adventure. It must be a stock photo that has been doctored.

Boy do you pay attention to details! I think you are right...the photo in the review has been retouched. I am almost positive that photo is not the Navigator because she has balconies like the Mariner, with no steel hull around the balconies. I think that photo must be Voyager or one of the other early Voyager class ships. Good catch!

I noticed that when I read the review, too. Photoshop!

I noticed that when I read the review, too. Photoshop!

Probably MSPaint by the look of it.

You are right. That must be one of those stock pictures of ships. And it's certainly not Navigator.

It's certainly a RCI stock photo and it's probably a publicity photo for the ship from before she was launched. They've done this with other ships and have made errors there as well.

Take a look at this picture -- it's got Indy's name on it, but it is NOT Indy. Anyone know why? :D

This picture came from one of RCI's worldwide itinerary guides from 2011 or so. :)

It's certainly a RCI stock photo and it's probably a publicity photo for the ship from before she was launched. They've done this with other ships and have made errors there as well.

 

Take a look at this picture -- it's got Indy's name on it, but it is NOT Indy. Anyone know why? :D

 

This picture came from one of RCI's worldwide itinerary guides from 2011 or so. :)

 

Indy doesn't have a big screen by the pool?

Indy doesn't have a big screen by the pool?

The catalog pre-dated Liberty's upgrades, so at the time none of the Freedom class ships had big screens.

Hint, look around the bridge area. :)

The catalog pre-dated Liberty's upgrades, so at the time none of the Freedom class ships had big screens.

 

Hint, look around the bridge area. :)

It's got Liberty's Penguins.

It's got Liberty's Penguins.

Yup! :D

It's a great picture of Liberty of the Seas with Indy's name on her. I would be willing to bet that almost every ship has a stock photo somewhere with the wrong ship name on her. :rolleyes:

All I have to say is I'm going to be very careful if I try to sell any famous bridges (at a bargain price at that) to any Cruise Critic members:eek:!

Some very keen eyes we have here!!

I was the one who said to Cuizer 2 that it wasn't the Navigator and he kept saying yes and I kept saying no. Finally he had to admit that indeed it wasn't the Navigator.

I noticed that when I read the review, too. Photoshop!

If it was, it was not me.

Here is the original photograph that I used. I erased the "Navigator of the Seas" from the ocean before posting because I thought it detracted from the picture ...

Here is another photograph I was given on the same cruise ...

Here is a stock photo I downloaded from either Royal Caribbean or the builder of the ship (I don't remember which or when) ...

I actually have stock photographs of all the Voyager class ships.

Here are pictures of the Navigator that I know are of the Navigator because I took the photograph ...

Docked in Cozumel in August 2004 ...

Taken from a tender in Labadee in August 2004 ...

Taken from a tender in Grand Cayman in March 2013 ...

I have that same exact photo, but mine says Explorer of the Seas.

I have that same exact photo, but mine says Explorer of the Seas.

Well, at least they are getting good use out of their best pictures. :D

I think for now on I'm going to have to include a disclaimer with all photographs I post that I did not personally take.

I have that same exact photo, but mine says Explorer of the Seas.

I dont think you do .....I think it says Manny of the Seas...

I would say this is an advertising photo that they used to promote the ship before it was built, as they may have not expected they would change some cosmetics and release a second generation of the voyager class

And my wife calls me obsessed - I am but an amateur compared to you guys :D

And my wife calls me obsessed - I am but an amateur compared to you guys :D

Is Obsessed your first name?

That's like one of the photos of the Royal Promenade in Royal's brochure for Australia & NZ. It's supposedly Voyager of the Seas' Promenade but it's not. Infact, I dont even think it's from any of the Voyager class ships. Did some noseying around the ship plans and photos in a brochure for worldwide cruises and worked out that the photo in the brochure for Australia & NZ is actually of Freedom or a Freedom class ship!

That's like one of the photos of the Royal Promenade in Royal's brochure for Australia & NZ. It's supposedly Voyager of the Seas' Promenade but it's not. Infact, I dont even think it's from any of the Voyager class ships. Did some noseying around the ship plans and photos in a brochure for worldwide cruises and worked out that the photo in the brochure for Australia & NZ is actually of Freedom or a Freedom class ship!

Here are some Freedom of the Seas Royal Promenade photos ...

Did it look like any of these?

The cafe promenade looks like it could match up. It's definitely not a pic of Voyager's cafe promenade in the brochure! Will have to see if I can scan the brochure pics somehow!

Also the marketing of Voyager's cruises to and from Australia, you are lead to believe that the Promenade is just unique to Voyager! But here on CC we know better!