moopetguy

Neither of those links has any actual data comparing the water on the ship to Ice River Springs water or any other bottled water.

Did you miss post #34 in the second link? chengkp75 references typical sodium levels in the different sources of water.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=51885781&postcount=34

We took advantage of the wash & fold laundry bag deal once during our recent 14 nights on board Navigator -- it helped with not having to pack quite as much clothing. Although we drove to the port and didn't have weight restrictions on our luggage (beyond what my not-muscular arms can manage ;)), it may be advantageous to those who have to fly. There are also C&A discounts on the wash & fold available for Platinum and up, starting at $5 off the bag, to free, depending on your loyalty level.

You could also bring a Brita water bottle which will filter out all salts/minerals that may possibly be in the ship's water which I have no issue with.

Brita bottle filters do not do what you've suggested they do:

https://www.brita.com/why-brita/what-we-filter/

A previous post about water on board from chengkp75:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=54219684&postcount=25

Also, this longer thread with more posts and detailed explanations by chengkp75:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1179203

It was 17:09 in Oranjestad...the moon was visible.

Random pictures:

The wash and fold plastic laundry bag for $35. TV remote for scale. The plastic is very thin and rips easily, but if you’re careful, you can stuff a fair amount of socks, underwear, t-shirts, PJs, shorts, and swimwear in there.

If you’ve ever wondered what goes into the frozen yogurt machines:

I only caught the last few moments of this spectacle on the Promenade, Grooving in the Street, where there was a light show and the ball from the ceiling came down and expanded:

Well folks, that’s just about it from me...thanks for enduring my inanities [emoji6]

Once again it was a fabulous cruise, hands-down the best one to date for my family, in no small part due to my fellow CCers who are a great bunch of people. Till we meet again on the seas!

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And a couple of pictures from Eagle Beach. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a beach with such a wide strip of sand before reaching the water!

Adventure was with us in Aruba:

Taxi rates:

The Church of Scientology’s Sea Organization ship, the Freewinds, was also there. (smh)

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DD named them Bambi and Faline.

Here is the California Lighthouse:

A view from the hill where the lighthouse stands:

We also stopped at a few beaches along the west coast to take pictures. Arashi Beach:

Boca Catalina Beach:

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Hey! Get a room, you two...

This camel was NOT getting up for anything, not even food. However, we had been warned that it might try to snatch the whole bag of food if it saw it, so maybe it wasn’t hungry.

I think this cow had a beef with me taking its picture.

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Some pictures from Philip’s Animal Garden, which I highly recommend:

With admission, you get a small bag of food (carrot sticks and pellets) that you can use to feed most of the animals.

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I was also on this cruise. Someone asked about tickets for the ice show. I don't recall seeing anything about tickets. People just went in and chose a seat. No one asked for tickets. Navigator is not one of the ships you need to make advanced reservations.

There were tickets for the ice dance show for the 5-night cruise preceding the 9-night, but I think that’s because there were fewer possible showtimes for the 5-night. Only 4 shows during the 5-night and I think 5 (maybe 6) during the 9-night. I think the best advice is to listen for announcements and check the Cruise Compass carefully just in case they do require tickets.

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We also stopped at the Bushiribana Gold Mill ruins while leaving the Natural Bridge:

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Now, standing on top of the collapsed bridge (danger, Will Robinson!!):

There is still the adjacent Baby Bridge which remains standing:

What more can be said about this natural beauty?

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On our way up to the Natural Bridge...(when you get there, the washrooms require a $1 donation...)

Truly, some stunning views of the coast and the process of erosion.

And now, the Natural Bridge:

It collapsed in 2005 and holds the ocean waters back from the basin, which you can (carefully!) walk down into.

Once again, amazing to just stand there and try to take it all in...and be in awe of it.

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I ❤️ Aruba and I think you will too! How could you not?

This sign is in front of the government building on LG Smith Blvd, a few steps away from the Renaissance Resort and Casino.

Ayo Rock Formations. Free washrooms here!

At the Ostrich Farm:

Be forewarned!

We had the opportunity to feed the ostriches and have a family photo taken. They print the photo and put it into a frame for you, and sell it for $10.

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A view of and from the Kristu Cross:

And a great way to cap off the day in Bonaire - Gio’s Gelateria...YUM.

Tomorrow, I’ll post about my family’s activities in Aruba. [emoji4]

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And now...donkeys at the Donkey Sanctuary! Such gentle animals...DD is in love with them now [emoji7]

They’re not shy about poking their heads in if you’ve got carrots...

The Sanctuary is a very large property to drive around and there is also a tall observation tower with multiple levels.

The Sanctuary is not funded by the government; it’s dependent on donations, volunteers, and proceeds of sales from visitors. It’s a cause well worth supporting on the island. Just a reminder that it doesn’t open until 10:00 in the morning.

Here is a view from Seru Largu:

A tighter shot so you can see the ships a bit more clearly (this is all on an iPhone, sorry, no telephoto lens):

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I found the Cargill salt production operations to be fascinating. Inlets were constructed, allowing ocean waters to enter huge ponds where the sun and wind help produce salt.

DD is checking out the flamingos through her binoculars:

These slave huts are...small. They’re interesting from a historical perspective but it’s also quite depressing to think about the fact that many people treated some other people this way.

Kite surfing:

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The Curaçao sign at Wilhelmina Park:

We visited the Maritime Museum. It’s pretty neat if you’re into history but if you aren’t...you may find it boring. There are exhibits describing the indigenous people of Curaçao and Columbus’ expeditions to the Caribbean and Americas.

It has various models, artifacts, and replicas in the collection such as ships, maps, tools, provisions, etc. It also progresses through history to more modern seafaring, culminating in an exhibit on the top level of the museum highlighting the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard and military forces.

The Queen Juliana bridge as seen from Deck 12:

Now, some pictures from Bonaire:

Wind surfing at Jibe City/Lac Bay. It was early, around 09:00, so it wasn’t busy yet.

It was amazing to just stand along the coastline and watch the waves of the ocean crashing in.

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In Curaçao, we went to the public bus station near the port and took the 10:00 4B Otrobanda bus to the Hato Caves, near the airport.

The caves are high above sea level and you have to climb up a few dozen steps to get to them. Here’s a view from the top where you can see the airport:

You’re not allowed to take pictures in most of the chambers of the cave, as they are protected by copyright. They also want to protect those chambers against extraneous sources of light, such as from flash photography. Here are a few photos where you are allowed to take them.

We took the 2C Punda bus to get back to downtown Willemstad for different scenery. However, it was a long ride, almost an hour. It was only 20-25 minutes to take 4B up to the Caves. The 2C bus arrived shortly before the 4B bus was scheduled to arrive at the stop right at the road entrance to the Caves to return to Otrobanda.

Link to the bus system web site:

http://autobusbedrijf.org/?lang=en

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Ben and Jerry’s:

Peek-a-boo bridge:

Chops Grille’s Kids Menu (sorry if it’s a repost):

These are NOT Singapore noodles!!

The Skylight Chapel:

The familiar Crown and Anchor at night:

I’ll post more pictures on Saturday, particularly from my family’s port stops in the ABC islands. Happy to answer any questions about anything I’ve already posted (or will be posting) as well.

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Here is a panoramic photo, with the parking garage in the foreground. You may also be able to pick out the RCCL building behind it and slightly to the left, and the American Airlines Arena near the far right.

O, Christmas tree...

Here’s a look at Serenade in Costa Maya:

She followed us to Cozumel the next day as well ;)

Both times we have been in Cozumel, we booked the Beach Break at Playa Mia through RCI, as it was cheaper than booking directly with the park.

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Day 8:

Day 9:

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Day 5:

Day 6:

Day 7:

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Now, the Kids Planners for the 9-night cruise. Apologies for not having Day 1, it was not delivered to my stateroom. However, it should have been very similar to the Day 1 Planner from the 5-night cruise I just posted (many similar activities with some minor differences possible, but the schedule of open house, registration, and evening session hours should have been exactly the same).

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

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Day 4:

Day 5:

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