Navigator of the Seas - August 30-September 8 2015, Review

[PaintedBird]

Thanks so much for sharing! We have the same port lineup as you end of October. Can you comment on the seaweed problem that I've seen on some posts for Cozumel?

 

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No seaweed to speak of where we snorkeled. I can't speak for everywhere else.

 

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[Sonnieb]

Thank you for sharing your review. We will be sailing in 35 days (Oct. 18), and will be visiting other ports. I am a little concerned in the disembarkation delays that some have experienced.

 

We live in the North Texas area (Dallas/Fort Worth), and this will be our 2nd cruise where we will drive to the port. As it takes us about 5 hours or so to drive, I'm not looking forward to spending more time on the road to return home. We do plan to leave home on Friday after work and get some miles behind us. We will be staying in Galveston on Saturday night before the cruise.

 

Thanks again for your review.

[lurch66]

PaintedBird:

 

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. Glad you enjoyed your 1st cruise!!

 

We greatly enjoy the Vancouver area and can't wait to get back there. We have always stayed in the West End.

 

Thanks again. :)

 

Curt

[lurch66]

Thank you for sharing your review. We will be sailing in 35 days (Oct. 18), and will be visiting other ports. I am a little concerned in the disembarkation delays that some have experienced.

 

We live in the North Texas area (Dallas/Fort Worth), and this will be our 2nd cruise where we will drive to the port. As it takes us about 5 hours or so to drive, I'm not looking forward to spending more time on the road to return home. We do plan to leave home on Friday after work and get some miles behind us. We will be staying in Galveston on Saturday night before the cruise.

 

Thanks again for your review.

 

Sonnieb:

 

We will be following you on the Oct. 25th cruise. Several fellow cruisers will also be on your cruise doing B2B's.

 

The disembarking problems seem to be getting worse according to reports. On our cruise last year, we did the Self Assist Express Departure. This works if you can handle your own luggage for disembarking. RCL posted the instructions in the Day 5 Cruise Compass. You have to register at Guest Services and there are limited passes available. We had to assemble in the Metropolis Theatre and were off the ship by 7:30 and out of the terminal by 8 AM. We did not eat breakfast aboard to save time. Got that later on the road.

 

Hope this helps. :)

 

Curt

[bzymom22]

Great review. Thanks for taking the time to post it. We are going to be stopping in Cozumel and Belize on our next cruise. Enjoyed reading about your excursions in those places.

[PaintedBird]

Thank you for sharing your review. We will be sailing in 35 days (Oct. 18), and will be visiting other ports. I am a little concerned in the disembarkation delays that some have experienced.

 

We live in the North Texas area (Dallas/Fort Worth), and this will be our 2nd cruise where we will drive to the port. As it takes us about 5 hours or so to drive, I'm not looking forward to spending more time on the road to return home. We do plan to leave home on Friday after work and get some miles behind us. We will be staying in Galveston on Saturday night before the cruise.

 

Thanks again for your review.

 

My disembarkation soured me on Galveston but that said, every cruise is different, if they don't have software issues during your cruise you won't likely see the nightmare of ours. And I do believe self-assist can get you off before the great exodus too.

[PaintedBird]

PaintedBird:

 

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. Glad you enjoyed your 1st cruise!!

 

We greatly enjoy the Vancouver area and can't wait to get back there. We have always stayed in the West End.

 

Thanks again. :)

 

Curt

 

Thank you! I live in the suburbs but love Vancouver. The West End is a vibrant area.

[PaintedBird]

Great review. Thanks for taking the time to post it. We are going to be stopping in Cozumel and Belize on our next cruise. Enjoyed reading about your excursions in those places.

 

Whatever excursion you choose, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself. I certainly preferred the shops on Belize's dock vs Cozumel, you can in fact browse which I did prefer.

[amma15]

I enjoyed reading about your experience, I'll be sailing on the Navigator next month. It will be my first cruise!

[Mark&MaryCruise]

Loved your review, thank you! We sail on 9-27, can't wait! We have also chosen River Wallace and Altun Ha. Which nights were the formal nights? Just curious, trying to plan my wardrobe. I'm wondering if the formal night coincides with our anniversary dinner at Chops that Tuesday.

So glad you shared your experience with us, gives us a better idea of what to expect. We have only sailed on the Allure out of Ft Lauderdale. We live in Florida but Galveston Texas is actually three hours closer to us than Ft Lauderdale FL. Weird, huh? 😉

[Sockie]

Can you explain what the cute sign was about? We always do something for outside door so our room stands out, and am curious. For a Christmas cruise we took we really did up the outside door with battery lights, garland and a Xmas tree on the door, plus a holiday welcome mat!

[Sockie]

Thank you for the great review and pictures. My one concern is customs when we arrive.

I have heard from many people this is a nightmear! I have cruised from many US ports and many ports out of the country and NEVER has any issues with long lines getting off a ship. This is my only worry so I don't miss my plane.

 

I did a lot of research and heard the best shopping is in Cozumel but not at the port you have to go into town. Most of what you buy right at ports can cost you more...will be interested to find out. Its the only port I plan to make any purchases at.

 

Glad you and your mom had a good trip together. My mother and I have taken a couple of trips together and they are my best memories with her.

[PaintedBird]

Loved your review, thank you! We sail on 9-27, can't wait! We have also chosen River Wallace and Altun Ha. Which nights were the formal nights? Just curious, trying to plan my wardrobe. I'm wondering if the formal night coincides with our anniversary dinner at Chops that Tuesday.

So glad you shared your experience with us, gives us a better idea of what to expect. We have only sailed on the Allure out of Ft Lauderdale. We live in Florida but Galveston Texas is actually three hours closer to us than Ft Lauderdale FL. Weird, huh? 😉

 

 

Isn't geography grand. We live within an hour of the border to the US so we are closer to the US than we are to Alberta or to our province's capital. Makes for convenient outlet shopping but expenses travel within Canada.

 

Formal nights were day 2 and day 6. Lobster night was day 6. I think the Navigator might seem small compared to the Allure but she really has all I needed to entertain myself and less walking. I hope you enjoy her.

 

The Altan Ha and River Wallace excursion really was a gem. Don't go in expecting to see tons of animals, it's the wild after all, and you won't be disappointed!

[PaintedBird]

Thank you for the great review and pictures. My one concern is customs when we arrive.

I have heard from many people this is a nightmear! I have cruised from many US ports and many ports out of the country and NEVER has any issues with long lines getting off a ship. This is my only worry so I don't miss my plane.

 

I did a lot of research and heard the best shopping is in Cozumel but not at the port you have to go into town. Most of what you buy right at ports can cost you more...will be interested to find out. Its the only port I plan to make any purchases at.

 

Glad you and your mom had a good trip together. My mother and I have taken a couple of trips together and they are my best memories with her.

 

Can you explain what the cute sign was about? We always do something for outside door so our room stands out, and am curious. For a Christmas cruise we took we really did up the outside door with battery lights, garland and a Xmas tree on the door, plus a holiday welcome mat!

 

I wouldn't risk a flight before 3pm out of Houston, personally. We were never in any danger of missing our flight which made the delay less stressful for us.

A bonus for sure.

 

 

 

This was our sign. The black paper was chalkboard paper so I wrote a little message ever day. It did make it easier to spot our door since both Mom and I are directionally challenged.

Edited September 19, 2015 by PaintedBird

[Mark&MaryCruise]

Isn't geography grand. We live within an hour of the border to the US so we are closer to the US than we are to Alberta or to our province's capital. Makes for convenient outlet shopping but expenses travel within Canada.

 

Formal nights were day 2 and day 6. Lobster night was day 6. I think the Navigator might seem small compared to the Allure but she really has all I needed to entertain myself and less walking. I hope you enjoy her.

 

The Altan Ha and River Wallace excursion really was a gem. Don't go in expecting to see tons of animals, it's the wild after all, and you won't be disappointed!

 

Thank you! You're a gem! Oh and the less walking will be nice. :)

[PaintedBird]

Thank you! You're a gem! Oh and the less walking will be nice. :)

Thank you! Enjoy your cruise!

[MichaelCMTX]

September 6th, 2015 – Disembarking at Galveston

 

Since we had book an airport transfer through Royal, we could not self assist. Set to disembark at 8:45am, we ate in the Windjammer due to time constraints. We really needn't have rushed. The lines to disembark lasted for hours. We didn't get through US Customs until after 11:00am. Our original shuttle was scheduled for 9:45m (RC's choice not ours) but we didn't end up getting on until 11:30am. All in all it was the worst customs experience either of us has had and Mom and I have both been through customs in Europe, Canada, USA and in Mom's case, Nigeria. Galveston's cruise terminal, at the moment is a glorified warehouse. A new terminal is under construction. One of the staff said that it wasn't so much the facilities as the lack of staffing that made the wait so long.

 

Disembarking was really the only nightmare on this cruise. It was enough, however to make me leery of ever sailing from Galveston again. The cruise bug has bit me but for my next Caribbean cruise, I'll definitely pick an itinerary out of Florida.

 

We've heard from several folks due to "smuggling issues from particular places" that the Roatan/Belize route is more difficult for Customs than the Jamaica/Georgetown route from Galveston. The two trips we'd done from Galveston and the one to happen shortly were the Jamaica/Georgetown route, and neither time was Customer too big an issue. Another helpful tip, you need a Porter. It's worth the extra tip bucks.

 

So I wouldn't give up fully on Galveston. Granted you are obviously more limited in ship and itinerary choice than if you go from FL.

 

Thanks for posting your review.

[Becoming]

I was also on this cruise. My group had been called to leave and then we got stuck for another 45 minutes in the theater. We heard the computers were down in the terminal. I was grateful to still be in the air conditioning.

 

As I was going down the escalator in the terminal, a young child fell and they stopped the escalator which caused another delay. Glad I was holding on! Even when I got to an agent, the computers were running slow.

 

Hopefully this process will improve as Galveston is a great place to visit and explore!

[cruisnfool]

Was there a 50"s and 60's night