Nov 21st Navigator - a little disorganized???

[Seagrimms]

Just came back from a family cruise, Nov 21st, on the Navigator and we were very disappointed, starting with the boarding delay of over 3 hours! My time dining was a joke, horrible flow of passenger traffic in the Windjammer, miscommunication or no communication and typos in the Compass and just a general feeling of disorganization. Food was OK. WE have been on over 40 cruises, with this one being our 4th cruise on RCCL and we have introduced several first time cruisers on other RCCL ships and have really enjoyed our crusing experience.

 

We loved the ship and enjoyed the evening activities, but our younger grandchildren missed out on ice skating since, again, due to poor communication, it was only available the last cruise day.

 

Did anyone else experience the same feeling we had on this cruise??:(

 

We are considering going back to Carnival for next year's family cruise!

[temple1]

Was that the first cruise after returning from the Med? If so, we experienced some similar (but not enough to completely disappoint us) after our Enchantment cruise in April. It was the first cruise after returning from Panama.

 

On the first cruise after repositioning there is usually a long delay for the Coast Guard inspection.

[TEXASMUNK]

Specifics?

 

Late boarding? Ship arrive late? No one show up for work to check folks in? Customs and Immigration probelms? Coast Guard Inspection?

 

MTD? Peak hours? Off hours?

 

NOT, in any way shape of form, playing RCI cheerleader...but your post leaves everything to the imagination....let the guess work ensue!

[silentbob007]

I was on this cruise last year (and almost jumped again this year) and unfortunately there are some transitional problems after such a large change in intinerary ... namely, the staff don't have a "routine" down yet for the itinerary and there are also usually large shifts in personnel when the ship changes routes.

[temple1]

Specifics?

 

Late boarding? Ship arrive late? No one show up for work to check folks in? Customs and Immigration probelms? Coast Guard Inspection?

 

MTD? Peak hours? Off hours?

 

NOT, in any way shape of form, playing RCI cheerleader...but your post leaves everything to the imagination....let the guess work ensue!

 

Boarding is delayed on the first cruise after repositioning. We were not even allowed through the scanners until the Coast Guard finished their inspection of Enchantment in April. And like SilentBob wrote - the staff doesn't seem to have the routine very well. I don't know about the MTD issues - that could have been a personal preference issue.

[wolfcathorse]

as for the typo's in the Compass, I learned from CD Casey that he sets up the Compass everyday and gives it to the printer...who didn't have a command of English. Most of it is just cut and paste and if the person printing it doesn't understand English very well, there'll be lots of errors.

 

Your 3 hr delay in boarding wasn't RCI's fault or the ships fault. She had to undergo USCG inspection.

The times for open skating are clearly posted only in the Compass, did you read it everyday?

[Seagrimms]

Arrived at Miami Port at 1:00pm, boarded at 4:00pm....RCCL said that customs had not cleared the ship. About 1 1/2 hours later, customs cleared the boat, siad we were boarding and NO ONE moved. Next PA message, RCCL was experiencing interconnectivity problems. Meanwhile, all the vending machines ran out of food and drinks and since this was a Thanksgiving cruise there were tons of children. Next PA message, about an hour later, we are boarding...guess what??? we didn't move. The least the RCCL could do with offer water bottles to the 3000 people whi had been waiting.

 

As soon as we did board, my husband went directly to the Maitre'd to sign our 3 families (10 of us) for My Time Dining and he was told to come to the dining room at 6pm that night. When he did, RCCL told him it was full and come back at 9:00 that night! Guess what, he went at 9:00pm and they again told him it was full. He and our son-in-law went to Guest Relations the next day, waited in a long line to be told that we couldn't sign up.

 

Don't get me wrong, we use to like RCCL, but there were too many bad experiences on this cruise.

 

My husband, who is 63, was at the Windjammer the first night to get something at the buffet and slipped and fell where there was a water spill that he wasn't aware of and fell in front of one of the Windjammer's head waiters, Francisco. The head waiter never said watch out for that spill and when my husband fell, he never asked him if he was OK or if he could help him up...it was horrible. My husband asked for a report and they said he would receive one, which he didn't!

 

Our daughter and her husband (Platinum members) were so disappointed and had so many management issues with this cruise that they wrote a certified letter today to the President and CEO.

 

Looking at the Carnival Liberty in 2010.:)

[alexkrn46]

This is what I feared RCCL is so focused on the Oasis that the other ships will suffer.

[John Henry on CC]

This is what I feared RCCL is so focused on the Oasis that the other ships will suffer.

 

 

Really, alexkrn46?

 

THAT'S what you take from this thread?????

 

 

Wow, what a leap!

 

:rolleyes:

[silentbob007]

OK ... some of those issues are definitely beyond transitional problems.

[boulders]

Were you signed up for MTD before you boarded or were you signed up for one of the traditional seatings?

[Seagrimms]

We were signed up for an 8:30pm traditional dining and we were informed by our travel agent to change it to MTD as soon as we boarded since our 4 grandchildren were not going to accompany us to the dining room and they preferred the buffet.

 

That's exactly what my husband did when we boarded and the Maitre'd said they were not making any changes due to the boarding issues and to come back at 6:00pm. It ended up that our original traditional dining time was also changed from 8:30 to 9:00 and we could not changed that back either!

 

Carnival is also switching to a "My Time Dining" concept and they were experimenting with it when we cruised with them in Sept. There were 6 of us and we came anytime we wanted and we were seated promptly with NO problems.

 

We were told on the Navigator by Guest Relations that they were experiencing a lot of organizational problems with MTD. They should have worked out all the kinks on a smaller class of ships before introducing it to a ship as large as the Navigator.

 

It was like the crew and officers just didn't care about anything for they were very complacent.

[The Big Booper]

We were on the Navigator TA that pulled into Miami 11/21, just before this sailing.

 

The OP's comments mirror a lot that we felt was wrong on the ship on the TA crossing, so it is not a new crew feeling it's way. Over 12 nights we noted dozens of errors in the compass and the poor scheduling, to the point that on a 12 night cruise with 7 days at sea they couldn't figure out how to squeeze "The Quest" in. Plus, on our sailing the trivias and name that tune sessions always conflicted with the production shows and fixed dining.

 

To be blunt, the CD doesn't know what he is doing. His main job is to be an executive, not a part time lounge singer.

[BMT]

Hmm..... well, I personally like the Navigator. But on most of the ships nowadays, there are always a few staff who believe that they are able to make whatever rules they wish. And they seem to get away with it. I put it down to the fact that the Company is now so large, that central control is being lost. Then we have the scenario of Management who will not budge an inch from Company Policy, even under extenuating circumstances and are totally unwilling to take the initiative that circumstances may demand.

 

I also believe that with Oasis and Allure needing to be staffed, they are diverting most of the very experienced staff from their other ships, to bring these ships out.

 

Hopefully, it will all settle down soon - especially since we are going to be on the Brilliance for over three weeks over the holidays.:eek::eek:

[spoonful]

Ugh. I leave on the Navigator thus Monday. We have already signed for my time dining. I am bringing 3 first time cruisers and and worry that they will thing I led them wrong!

[reallyitsmema]

Ugh. I leave on the Navigator thus Monday. We have already signed for my time dining. I am bringing 3 first time cruisers and and worry that they will thing I led them wrong!

The OP didn't actually have MTD so I wouldn't worry. Their TA should not have told them that they could change into it with no issues. The ships are only offering a limited amount of MTD space, if it is full then you can't transfer into it. RCI has been offering MTD on their larger ships with many people commenting on how great it was.

[The Big Booper]

Adding to my prior post, one of our CC group signed up for MTD. We talked about it on the 4th day out and they complained about the poor and inconsistent service in the MTD room. We had good service in Late, fixed on the 4th deck.

[Seagrimms]

Yeah...and it looks like our 8:30 switch to 9:00 dining time was utilized to accomodate those My Time passengers and we were NOT the only passengers who were complaining about the My Time issues...you HAD to be there...

[TBSCruiser]

We were signed up for an 8:30pm traditional dining and we were informed by our travel agent to change it to MTD as soon as we boarded since our 4 grandchildren were not going to accompany us to the dining room and they preferred the buffet.

 

That's exactly what my husband did when we boarded and the Maitre'd said they were not making any changes due to the boarding issues and to come back at 6:00pm. It ended up that our original traditional dining time was also changed from 8:30 to 9:00 and we could not changed that back either!

 

Carnival is also switching to a "My Time Dining" concept and they were experimenting with it when we cruised with them in Sept. There were 6 of us and we came anytime we wanted and we were seated promptly with NO problems.

 

We were told on the Navigator by Guest Relations that they were experiencing a lot of organizational problems with MTD. They should have worked out all the kinks on a smaller class of ships before introducing it to a ship as large as the Navigator.

 

It was like the crew and officers just didn't care about anything for they were very complacent.

 

 

They had to have availability in the MTD dining area and obviously didn't. If you wanted it you should have requested ahead of time. Yes many times dining can be switched but not always if what you want is already full. As far as the late seating time being changed, was that for that night only? There are only two seatings on RCCL not 4 like Carnival.

 

We had the MTD on the BOS and it was wonderful but we had signed up ahead of time.

[Seagrimms]

9:00 for the whole cruise, which made it difficult for our 2 daughters to eat and pick up their children at the Explorer program, which closes at 10:00, after 10 they have to pay for babysitting...so, very inconvenient!

[Elizanessie]

Alot of the crew had only joined Navigator in last two months..in fact if I recall correctly 400 crew got off the day NV arrived in Miami...21st Nov.

 

Embarkation was a mess...nearly 4 hours late getting off for us...no food or drink available during the wait. Final bill wasnt left at my cabin and I had to wait in line for 1 hour as I wanted to settle it in cash rather than my cc(missed breakfast due to waiting) ...oh yea and I was stuck between two huge guys argueing about jumping the queue:eek:

 

There were too many mistakes in compass over the 12 day TA...food was to be honest bittie garbage, a lot of grumpy staff onboard..until about two days before we arrived :confused: The ship just didnt have the buzz we are used to.

 

Although we love the ship and many of the staff were great..it all felt...tired...like as if it just couldnt be bothered with us.

 

One Ice show...repeated and repeated.:(

[alexkrn46]

Really, alexkrn46?

 

THAT'S what you take from this thread?????

 

 

Wow, what a leap!

 

:rolleyes:

 

Yes, we were on the AOS, all we heard is Oasis, Oasis. All the senior staff is on the Oasis and complaints are coming from the Navigator and I see that it is mostly new staff. I don't think it is much of a leap. I am sailing on the NOS - in a few weeks I fear all the resources are on the Oasis.

[TEXASMUNK]

Your clarification is appreciated!

Yes, OASIS did draw assets from the rest of the fleet. So that would, rightfully, mean that some of the top personnel would have been moved to the new ship....but, I truly doubt those left behind on their old assignments would spend their days wondering what OASIS was up to!

 

No matter who the personnel are, poor service is poor service!

[gagirl7143]

We too were on NAV for the crossing and i beg to differ with the poster that said the dining times were changed for the whole cruise! The first night the times were slid 15 min later for first and I think 30 min later for the 2nd. Then on the 2nd night times resumed the 6:00 and 8:30 times!

[silentbob007]

Yes, we were on the AOS, all we heard is Oasis, Oasis. All the senior staff is on the Oasis and complaints are coming from the Navigator and I see that it is mostly new staff. I don't think it is much of a leap. I am sailing on the NOS - in a few weeks I fear all the resources are on the Oasis.

 

A lot of contracts end or are changed when the ship moves homeports. This isn't any different than any year before. It is not just because of Oasis.