texankhj

Wow, we were on the August 23rd sailing of Navigator and didn't find that at all! We found lots of smiles along with very helpful, friendly staff. I am sorry this wasn't you experience! It was our 9th cruise and we didn't notice any difference with this crew compared to others except maybe more helpful. We booked again while on board.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We sail on all cruise lines. You never know what is going with the staff at the time you are on board. Could have been the lady that sailed before us and staying on for a back to back. She went to the Top complaining about people smoking on their balcony. I wondered if she complained about the smoke coming into the promenade deck inside from the casino? It was pretty strong there. I never smelled smoke on my balcony. I will never know what caused the staff to be unhappy. I do know I will never sail RCCL again. And that's okay.

We are just off the Navigator today too. It was not the most consistently happy crew we've seen but I did not have the overall impression of an unhappy, beaten down crew.

 

As for the Windjammer beverage service, it was the same as it has been for many years...crew putting out filled glasses of the available beverages. Yes, for a glass filled with just ice you would have to ask. That should not have been a big deal or take long. We found the wait staff in the buffet area very attentive and helpful.

Maybe, I am more a custom to other cruise lines that always have a smile on their face. We haven't sailed RC since 2007. So maybe that is their normal.

I love the navigator but my last cruise onboard the independence the workers were mad every time I asked for a cup of water. I remember they had self dispensers on sorento and cafe promenade and they were all gone so you need to ask every time you want a glass, I can easily drink 2 cups in less than 10 minutes so go figure [emoji19]

Exactly, when you want ice and water it shouldn't be difficult. I am not blaming the staff. It's just like any job. It all comes from the top down. This trip reflected a staff that was not happy at all. Pretty much a downer when it should be "happy".

My husband and I enjoy cruising to get away from work, stress of everyday life. Pretty sure that's why we all like to sail. 90% of the crew on the Navigator had no smiles. You had to have all ice, water, coffee, tea served to you from a drink station at the buffet area. I understand that was probably to help with spreading germs. Every time I went, I felt like I needed to apologize for asking for my cup of ice, etc. 18 cruise's I have never seen a staff beat down as I did on this one. Normally, we can't wait to book the next cruise. It will take us a while to get over this experience. My heart goes out to the Navigator staff. Must be a horrible place to work.

I figured as much as it was an error, however was wishing it wasn't because I haven't been on Splendour yet!

Out of all the ships I have sailed. Splendour was hands down my favorite. Wish RCI would bring it back to the US.

Splendour of the Seas is my favorite ship. Perfect size. I hated when they repositioned it from Galveston, TX. You will love the ship, I am jealous!

Happy Cruising UK. :)

Thanks for your review. Sailing on the Navigator end of August. Always try to go when school is in session. On another note: living in Texas Trump is right on. I am looking forward to sitting on my balcony and watch the ocean go by. 7 nights of no concrete or cars.

Thanks, Bob. Think the drink package is the way to go these days. We have a $200 on board credit. To save the hassle of buying on board, think I will just use that credit in the spa! :p

Is the drink package sticker already on your sign and sail card when you check in?

Here is my short review of our first cruise, on Navigator out of Galveston (Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Falmouth). Family of 4, including 5y and 11y.

 

Check in - there were long delays because of computer outages. The ship ended up sailing an hour late, as they were struggling to check everyone in. We didn't get caught in it but I heard from many about how hot it was in the terminal and how frustrating it was.

 

Adventure Ocean - both my kids loved it there. The 5y was hesitant at first but once he gave it a go he wanted to go as often as we would let him. They had pagers available, very reassuring for me. They seemed to watch a lot of tv but my boy was happy with that. 11y also enjoyed herself, did lots of drawing and painting. They also had an option to sign up for lunch and/or dinner with the AO staff.

 

Drinks - we don't drink because of medication restrictions, but I got the soda package for myself. It was easy to get refills (or fresh glasses) of soda at any bar, but a lot of the time the soda was flat (no bubbles) and often had some mystery flavor mixed in which was annoying. No freestyle machines on this ship so you are limited to the standard fountain sodas, although they did have a couple of options poured from 2L bottles including Dr Pepper and Sprite Zero.

 

Ports - Cozumel and Falmouth were not big draws for us so we just did souvenir shopping in port (the shops at Falmouth were also quite expensive). The wind at Falmouth got really bad as the day wore on and we ended up having to stay in port for an extra 60-90 minutes to allow the winds to slow down enough to sail.

 

Grand Cayman was the reason we chose this itinerary so we booked the island tour with turtle farm stop. There was a very long wait once we had tendered on to the island which was difficult for my 5y who has autism. That was our fault for not planning better. The bus we rode had very poor visibility from the windows which was a shame. We were a little disappointed at how short the island tour was, it was really only a drive to the turtle farm and back with a stop in Hell. The turtle farm however was great, snorkeling in the lagoon with the turtles was a highlight for my 11y. I was so happy to find no wait at the port for the return tender, as we walked past several hundred in line for the Carnival tenders. The fresh cool drinks were also very appreciated.

 

Food - the ship was full, so we could only book an 8pm dinner seating which could not be changed on the ship. We did eat dinner in the MDR a couple of nights but it was really too late for our kids. Our waiters Vipin and Arvesh were great and as helpful as they could be in getting our food brought out quickly. The rest of the time we ate in the WJ. The food there was better than I had expected, something for everyone (bonus points for the grilled tomatoes and baked beans at breakfast from this Brit!). Very attentive staff, despite how many people were on board we never struggled to find a table. Cafe Promenade was also enjoyable, although my one 3am experience there was interesting - it was full of drunk people making a ton of mess! One drunk lady was trying to make herself a hot chocolate and I was certain she was going to scald herself.

 

Pools - the main pools were empty on port days which was great for us. On sea days they were a disaster, the gated shelf area was filled with sunbathers so my 5y couldn't play there, the depth of the pools was a surprise to me considering how many families were on board. I suppose that it does stop people letting their non-swimmers roam around unattended though. They brought out buffets at lunch on a couple of days which were popular.

 

Activities/entertainment - we went to most of the shows and enjoyed them all. We also played bingo a few times, and checked out the casino. The evening outdoor movies were also good although it was sometimes difficult to hear.

 

Special needs - my 5y has autism and we had contacted RCCL in advance to ask for help with a couple of things. The biggest thing was getting escorted through check in so that we didn't have to wait in the busy, noisy terminal for hours. Without this I think we would have probably given up and gone home going by what I have heard about the delays. The MDR waiters were also great, making sure he got his favorite foods every night, and the AO staff had no problem keeping him entertained. This was my biggest fear about taking a cruise and RCCL reassured me on every level.

 

We ended up booking our next cruise while on board, so obviously we had a great time!

So glad you got to port early to avoid the delay. We always get by 10:30am. Normally works out that we are at the buffet before noon. We will be cruising on the Navigator in August. Our first on this ship. Cruising is addictive!

Did you arrive early to avoid the computer delays?

I was wondering what some cruise critic members thoughts were on using private vendors vs booking through RC for shore excursions. We are going to be in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. I know that you can save some $$ by booking privately butt is it risky?

In Cozumel, I would recommend renting a jeep or car. There is only one road that circles the island. The car rental works the same as it does in the US. They are conveniently located at each port. You will see the most beautiful side of Cozumel without the big crowds. Several bars along the way with views. My husband and I have done this several times. Jeeps (only have manual 5 speed) costs $125.00 with full coverage insurance. Safe, fun and you have your independence. We will be on the Navigator in August.:) Happy Cruising!

We are in Ketchikan now. We docked on time about 6:40. When I went up to the bridge viewing area Saturday night we were cruising at 24 knots so we were MOVING!!

 

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Forums mobile app

It would be great if you could post for us your journey. We will be on the Jewel August 30th. We have booked Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour in Ketchikan. Our 1st Alaskan cruise. Looking forward to reading your posts!

Have a great trip! Have you sailed NCL before?

I will check those both out! I've heard the Tracy Arm Explorer is amazing but pricy.. and I've never heard of the Crab one... please post back if you thought thought they worth it I would love to hear your feedback :) (On them and the ship! I'd imagine this is for August 2014?)

 

 

On a side note... Have you ever sailed out of Galveston?

I'm sailing RCCL out of Galveston in February and am looking forward to sailing out of a new port I've actually never even been to Texas! Or been on RCCL so its all new lol

We have sailed out of Galveston numerous times as it is close. Main thing to keep in mind in February, the weather is inconsistent. May be warm sailing out and freezing coming back in. Or vice versa. We have sailed back in with ice on our balcony rail. February is Texas coldest month. The 1st day at sea will be cold. Once you get out of the gulf, it is instantly warm. Same coming back. So bring warm (Alaska type) for the sail out and in. And cool (shorts and T-shirts) while you are in the Caribbean. Kind of a body shock. We sailed on the Carnival Magic this past Jan. from Galveston to the Bahama's. It was freezing the entire trip. You just never know. As far as RCCL. I like the line. Really cannot tell much difference with any of them. Never met a ship I didn't like. If you would like more information on Galveston, let me know. Happy sailing!

Finally booked the Alaskan cruise we have always wanted to do but being from Texas - we are not in favor of the cold. Researched all the cruise lines and NCL Jewel fit our interests the best. Leaving Seattle August 30. Most excited about the excursions. We normally sail in the western Caribbean, so never book excursions through the ship. The Jewel offers 2 really good ones. I booked them early as I think they sell out quick. Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour in Ketchikan and Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer in Juneau. Check these out. Happy Sailing Alaska. I am super excited!