Navigator of the Seas - 9.6.15 - REVIEW

[GetToLivin]

Hey ya'll! I wrote up my first review. I'm in my early 30's and went on a cruise with my sister (bye bye kids!) and thought I'd just share my experience, I hope it helps those looking forward to the same ship and/or itinerary!

 

Embarkation: If you’re a Crown and Anchor member you’re fine, the lines were quick and easy. If you’re not, get ready for a long wait! Everything was quite orderly the day of embarkation, no complaints as we were on the ship by 11:30am with a fruity drink from the pool deck in hand!

 

Muster Call: Please, PLEASE, just be there when they say to be there. We waited in the boiling heat, with no breeze/wind, for almost 20 minutes due to people shuffling into lines as they please. People were so hot they began feeling nauseous…

 

Room: We had a Promenade room, 7263, which was decently sized (for what it was) and having the window to look out of did make the room seem more open and comfortable. I’d book this room again as it's a nice medium between not wanting an interior, but not wanting to shell out for a balcony.

 

Cozumel: Getting through security points was easy; aside from a sea pass we were never asked for more identification. While people were generally kind, we were duped when we took a taxi that, instead of charging $4/person, decided to charge us $17/person. It was our mistake for not getting into a van jammed full of people I guess ;-) We went to Mr. Sanchos Beach Club and paid for the all-inclusive experience ($55/person); which was worth it for us. The drinks were great, we were brought to our chairs where we had a waiter for the next several hours and the private beach was incredibly relaxing. If you get food, order it off the menu, it’s fantastic. The “buffet” is a joke and incredibly sparse, don’t even bother going up for it. All in all I’d go back to this resort, it takes care of the pampered “fix” with the attentive waiter, good drinks, relaxing private beach and amenities.

 

Grand Cayman: Again, getting through security was a breeze, we were only ever asked for our sea pass. Taxis here were nominal at around $4 to get to several beaches…we went in a packed van this time ;-) People on the island were absolutely fantastic, very kind and bubbly. We spent the day at the Royal Palms and I could not recommend this spot more! Yes, there is a $2 entry fee but the beach is beautiful, private and incredible. Since there aren’t any “water sports/kids water toys/etc” it was sparse of kids/teens, which made for a quiet and peaceful day! This spot is purely al a carte, beach chairs are $8, drinks ran anywhere from $10 on up and were well made, some of the best drinks I had on the trip. Again, if we ever go back to this port we’ll be at this location, it was fabulous! Grand Cayman is a port I would go back to over and over again :-)

 

Jamaica: First, let me say, the port at Falmouth is fantastic. It’s new and full of great shopping; definitely try to make time to look around! But since I hadn’t heard the best things about Falmouth we decided to make this our excursion day. We did the Chukka Ziplining Canopy and Dunns River Falls tour. Our guides were great, very informative and funny during the hour long drive to Chukka. Once we arrived we were fitted with gear then sent on a 10-15 minute hike towards the start of the zipline. During our hike several of the male guides began to make conversation, most of it polite, some of it not. Case in point, when myself and another woman were “barked” at by a young guide who thought this was either flattering or funny. We found it to be neither. But moving along we began our adventure and the ziplining in and of itself was fun. There are lines, you do wait a while, and you WILL be tired at the end of it. It took us a good two hours to complete everything simply due to the volume of people in our group. Once you get back to home base they have a buffet set out for you. I use the term ‘buffet’ lightly. In fact, they shouldn’t call it that; it’s a spread of chicken, rice and beans, and salad (which, you know, we’re told not to eat anyway!). It was disappointing to say the least, you would do well to bring along some other snacks. Oh and, unlike the other ports, we were asked for tips several times after the tour.

 

From there we went to Dunns River Falls, which was 20 minutes away. Dunns River is pretty neat when you take it in, however, you will be soaked head to toe when done. The climb isn’t terrible if you’re in decent shape but just know you can’t bring any phones/video/etc so it kind of takes away from documenting the experience…bring waterproof gear if you want to do that. I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t terribly impressed by this excursion though it was beautiful to behold. It was the type that sounded more exciting v. the actual experience. I definitely wouldn’t recommend doing this tour together with the ziplining only because it is A LOT of physical exertion…this is coming form someone who runs half marathons. I had enough midway through; it’s just too much for one day of activity. Again, at the end, we were asked for tips. Honestly out of all of the ports this was my least favorite. Jamaica is very poor (which you will see as you drive through the country), the people are kind but the constant barraging for tips (and I am a tipper!) just leaves you feeling nickeled and dimed and guilty for not throwing money to everyone who makes eye contact. I wouldn’t get off the ship if I found myself at this port again.

 

Experience on the Ship: I have nothing negative to say. Every single staff member we came across was friendly and kind. Props to our waiter Bovino, if I could have him on every vacation I would…he would always bring us extra treats and was very attentive, just a lovely person. The food overall was good, of course, some dinners were better than others but I don’t have any complaints. We did "My Time" dining and always had a seat right by the window -- you can make reservations every day or just show up. If you show up just know you might be moved to a different section each time.

 

The shows: I appreciated the entertainment for what it was and with that I’ll say the shows with live music compilations definitely received more positive feedback from the crowd. Without live music the shows came across as cheesy, JMHO. They have an awesome orchestra, I couldn't put my finger on why they didn't utilize them more, completely changed the atmosphere when they did. We never did get to see the ice show, they sell out very quickly so maybe next time.

 

Bars, etc: Karaoke in the Star Lounge was a nice way to kill time and have a drink in between events and the singers were actually very entertaining. This was also our first time with Quest and I will be sure to be at every single one from now on, I have not laughed so hard, what a great time! My favorite place though was the Two Poets Pub…a warm and relaxing atmosphere, good beer and just a nice way to chill out. This was my first time on this class of ship and I was extremely happy with the amenities, this is a new standard of sailing for sure!

 

Disembarkation: Holy crap, I have no idea what the heck happened but it was the biggest mess of people and luggage I’ve ever been in the middle of. There were no lines outside of the ones we formed ourselves. No people to navigate us. No rhyme or reason to ANY of it. COMPLETE CHAOS. Somehow we managed to find a line and get out….lol…

 

This was my third cruise with RCCL and I have no reason to look anywhere else, I just love them. We booked our 4th on the ship and can’t wait for our next adventure!

[waitingtogo]

thanks, we leave this sunday.....

[amma15]

Hey ya'll! I wrote up my first review. I'm in my early 30's and went on a cruise with my sister (bye bye kids!) and thought I'd just share my experience, I hope it helps those looking forward to the same ship and/or itinerary!

 

Embarkation: If you’re a Crown and Anchor member you’re fine, the lines were quick and easy. If you’re not, get ready for a long wait! Everything was quite orderly the day of embarkation, no complaints as we were on the ship by 11:30am with a fruity drink from the pool deck in hand!

 

Muster Call: Please, PLEASE, just be there when they say to be there. We waited in the boiling heat, with no breeze/wind, for almost 20 minutes due to people shuffling into lines as they please. People were so hot they began feeling nauseous…

 

Room: We had a Promenade room, 7263, which was decently sized (for what it was) and having the window to look out of did make the room seem more open and comfortable. I’d book this room again as it's a nice medium between not wanting an interior, but not wanting to shell out for a balcony.

 

Cozumel: Getting through security points was easy; aside from a sea pass we were never asked for more identification. While people were generally kind, we were duped when we took a taxi that, instead of charging $4/person, decided to charge us $17/person. It was our mistake for not getting into a van jammed full of people I guess ;-) We went to Mr. Sanchos Beach Club and paid for the all-inclusive experience ($55/person); which was worth it for us. The drinks were great, we were brought to our chairs where we had a waiter for the next several hours and the private beach was incredibly relaxing. If you get food, order it off the menu, it’s fantastic. The “buffet” is a joke and incredibly sparse, don’t even bother going up for it. All in all I’d go back to this resort, it takes care of the pampered “fix” with the attentive waiter, good drinks, relaxing private beach and amenities.

 

Grand Cayman: Again, getting through security was a breeze, we were only ever asked for our sea pass. Taxis here were nominal at around $4 to get to several beaches…we went in a packed van this time ;-) People on the island were absolutely fantastic, very kind and bubbly. We spent the day at the Royal Palms and I could not recommend this spot more! Yes, there is a $2 entry fee but the beach is beautiful, private and incredible. Since there aren’t any “water sports/kids water toys/etc” it was sparse of kids/teens, which made for a quiet and peaceful day! This spot is purely al a carte, beach chairs are $8, drinks ran anywhere from $10 on up and were well made, some of the best drinks I had on the trip. Again, if we ever go back to this port we’ll be at this location, it was fabulous! Grand Cayman is a port I would go back to over and over again :-)

 

Jamaica: First, let me say, the port at Falmouth is fantastic. It’s new and full of great shopping; definitely try to make time to look around! But since I hadn’t heard the best things about Falmouth we decided to make this our excursion day. We did the Chukka Ziplining Canopy and Dunns River Falls tour. Our guides were great, very informative and funny during the hour long drive to Chukka. Once we arrived we were fitted with gear then sent on a 10-15 minute hike towards the start of the zipline. During our hike several of the male guides began to make conversation, most of it polite, some of it not. Case in point, when myself and another woman were “barked” at by a young guide who thought this was either flattering or funny. We found it to be neither. But moving along we began our adventure and the ziplining in and of itself was fun. There are lines, you do wait a while, and you WILL be tired at the end of it. It took us a good two hours to complete everything simply due to the volume of people in our group. Once you get back to home base they have a buffet set out for you. I use the term ‘buffet’ lightly. In fact, they shouldn’t call it that; it’s a spread of chicken, rice and beans, and salad (which, you know, we’re told not to eat anyway!). It was disappointing to say the least, you would do well to bring along some other snacks. Oh and, unlike the other ports, we were asked for tips several times after the tour.

 

From there we went to Dunns River Falls, which was 20 minutes away. Dunns River is pretty neat when you take it in, however, you will be soaked head to toe when done. The climb isn’t terrible if you’re in decent shape but just know you can’t bring any phones/video/etc so it kind of takes away from documenting the experience…bring waterproof gear if you want to do that. I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t terribly impressed by this excursion though it was beautiful to behold. It was the type that sounded more exciting v. the actual experience. I definitely wouldn’t recommend doing this tour together with the ziplining only because it is A LOT of physical exertion…this is coming form someone who runs half marathons. I had enough midway through; it’s just too much for one day of activity. Again, at the end, we were asked for tips. Honestly out of all of the ports this was my least favorite. Jamaica is very poor (which you will see as you drive through the country), the people are kind but the constant barraging for tips (and I am a tipper!) just leaves you feeling nickeled and dimed and guilty for not throwing money to everyone who makes eye contact. I wouldn’t get off the ship if I found myself at this port again.

 

Experience on the Ship: I have nothing negative to say. Every single staff member we came across was friendly and kind. Props to our waiter Bovino, if I could have him on every vacation I would…he would always bring us extra treats and was very attentive, just a lovely person. The food overall was good, of course, some dinners were better than others but I don’t have any complaints. We did "My Time" dining and always had a seat right by the window -- you can make reservations every day or just show up. If you show up just know you might be moved to a different section each time.

 

The shows: I appreciated the entertainment for what it was and with that I’ll say the shows with live music compilations definitely received more positive feedback from the crowd. Without live music the shows came across as cheesy, JMHO. They have an awesome orchestra, I couldn't put my finger on why they didn't utilize them more, completely changed the atmosphere when they did. We never did get to see the ice show, they sell out very quickly so maybe next time.

 

Bars, etc: Karaoke in the Star Lounge was a nice way to kill time and have a drink in between events and the singers were actually very entertaining. This was also our first time with Quest and I will be sure to be at every single one from now on, I have not laughed so hard, what a great time! My favorite place though was the Two Poets Pub…a warm and relaxing atmosphere, good beer and just a nice way to chill out. This was my first time on this class of ship and I was extremely happy with the amenities, this is a new standard of sailing for sure!

 

Disembarkation: Holy crap, I have no idea what the heck happened but it was the biggest mess of people and luggage I’ve ever been in the middle of. There were no lines outside of the ones we formed ourselves. No people to navigate us. No rhyme or reason to ANY of it. COMPLETE CHAOS. Somehow we managed to find a line and get out….lol…

 

This was my third cruise with RCCL and I have no reason to look anywhere else, I just love them. We booked our 4th on the ship and can’t wait for our next adventure!

 

I'm going on my first cruise next month on the NOTS. I'm also in my early 30s and this will also be a girls trip with husbands and kids left behind (mother daughter trip, 3 mothers 3 daughters). I totally enjoyed reading this! Any experience with wifi?

[seaman11]

good review, no mention of food which i found low brow on this ship. with no good late option to eat at all. thoughts on food OP?

[cincicruisers]

Thank you for taking the time to post a review. Glad to hear you had a great vacation.

[GetToLivin]

Hey there! Well food was decent...there were better days than others.

 

Main Dining Room: Pasta dishes were AWESOME, well flavored and baked. Things like Chicken and Pork I wasn't impressed with, just very tough or fatty. Lobster (Night 6) was AWESOME, well done meal and felt very special. Desserts...truthfully it's hard to disappoint me there. As for appetizers I love the escargot.

 

Windjammer: Well, it's great when you don't want to get dressed up and you simply want to nosh. I didn't mind the salad bar and the meat products up there, it seemed like they were cooked more appropriately to be honest. Good variety of food items (comfort food, too) which was really nice some times. Breakfast was ALWAYS good, great variety of options.

 

Promenade Cafe: They had little sandwiches and pizza, a few desserts, too. It's ok. It's good for that moment you just need a snack, but I wouldn't purposely go there to eat from their options.

[GetToLivin]

I'm going on my first cruise next month on the NOTS. I'm also in my early 30s and this will also be a girls trip with husbands and kids left behind (mother daughter trip, 3 mothers 3 daughters). I totally enjoyed reading this! Any experience with wifi?

 

I didn't utilize WiFi on the ship, honestly I loved not being connected for the most part :-) I will say this, I was able to find free WiFi at most ports without issue and took that opportunity to send pics/check emails. What I have heard, was that WiFi on the ship was still very slow and only really good for emails or light searches. I hope this helps :-)

[seaman11]

Hey there! Well food was decent...there were better days than others.

 

Main Dining Room: Pasta dishes were AWESOME, well flavored and baked. Things like Chicken and Pork I wasn't impressed with, just very tough or fatty. Lobster (Night 6) was AWESOME, well done meal and felt very special. Desserts...truthfully it's hard to disappoint me there. As for appetizers I love the escargot.

 

Windjammer: Well, it's great when you don't want to get dressed up and you simply want to nosh. I didn't mind the salad bar and the meat products up there, it seemed like they were cooked more appropriately to be honest. Good variety of food items (comfort food, too) which was really nice some times. Breakfast was ALWAYS good, great variety of options.

 

Promenade Cafe: They had little sandwiches and pizza, a few desserts, too. It's ok. It's good for that moment you just need a snack, but I wouldn't purposely go there to eat from their options.

well you seem easily pleased, thats a great ship if you arent a foodie. one that tiny cold sandwich and cheap pizza as a late night snack everyday was very boring. nothing like other ships i have been on i just hope its not accross the board on royal. its a deal breaker for me.

[philobeddoe]

I'm going on my first cruise next month on the NOTS. I'm also in my early 30s and this will also be a girls trip with husbands and kids left behind (mother daughter trip, 3 mothers 3 daughters). I totally enjoyed reading this! Any experience with wifi?

 

Just got off the NOS on the 27th. As far as wifi, slim to none. We had to have some type of contact back home on Sat. the 26th, and it was slow going. Texts were hit or miss, so we voice called and it was better than I thought. But, streaming or downloading will take forever. You're better off hopping on some free wifi in your ports of call.

[Paulette3028]

good review, no mention of food which i found low brow on this ship. with no good late option to eat at all. thoughts on food OP?

 

Experience on the Ship: I have nothing negative to say. Every single staff member we came across was friendly and kind. Props to our waiter Bovino, if I could have him on every vacation I would…he would always bring us extra treats and was very attentive, just a lovely person. The food overall was good, of course, some dinners were better than others but I don’t have any complaints. We did "My Time" dining and always had a seat right by the window -- you can make reservations every day or just show up. If you show up just know you might be moved to a different section each time.

 

 

To Seaman11 - The OP did comment on the food on the ship, as you can see by what I highlighted for you.

[hogwildcruzers]

Is the escargot available every night?.....we love the stuff and one of the things my wife looks forward to more than the dinner itself.

[Clarea]

Is the escargot available every night?.....we love the stuff and one of the things my wife looks forward to more than the dinner itself.

If it's in stock, it's available every night.

[gigi65]

Is the Piano Man still in Schooner bar?

[philobeddoe]

Is the Piano Man still in Schooner bar?

 

If you mean Phil Anderson, then yes he is. As of 9/27 anyway.

[doublej]

DH and I were also on the 9-6-15 sailing of Navigator. I agree with the comments about the food. Seems like Wed. and Thurs. night menus were a little weak, but we certainly found something to eat. We had My-time dining at 6:30 and were seated fairly quickly each night except for Friday. I guess everyone decided to try the lobster. We had to wait until nearly 7:15 but that was no big deal. Our waiters, Rodrigo and Rommel were wonderful and we always wanted to be in their table section. We were always able to make the 8:30pm shows. However, there were 2 nights that shows were only at 7:00. We had a promenade room on deck 6 and it fit our every need. The crew was always polite and eager to assist in any way.

We had a great day at Playa Mia in Cozumel, enjoyed the Cayman Spirits rum tasting in Grand Cayman, and the great pool and margaritas at Margaritaville in Falmouth.

We've always enjoyed our RCCL cruises, and this one did not disappoint. Now on to Liberty for Thanksgiving!

Edited October 1, 2015 by doublej

[minimartha]

Thanks for this. We will be on her for the 3rd time in Feb. Its been a while since we've cruised on the Navigator though.

[texascat]

I am so proud that you went for your Mom's 75th! We are taking my Dad for his 85th and my brother doesn't care enough to go with him. I'm sure your Mom appreciated you making the effort.

[RiotAct]

Great review. THANK YOU for the recommendation of Royal Palms in Grand Cayman! My wife and I are going to GC for the first time on the Carnival Breeze in early 2017, and I had been searching for a nice, relaxing beach with good drinks and not too many loud kids. It seems like that will fit the bill perfectly!

[CCC3]

Love the Navigator! Sorry she's leaving Galveston!

[Sat1]

 

 

Disembarkation: Holy crap, I have no idea what the heck happened but it was the biggest mess of people and luggage I’ve ever been in the middle of. There were no lines outside of the ones we formed ourselves. No people to navigate us. No rhyme or reason to ANY of it. COMPLETE CHAOS. Somehow we managed to find a line and get out….lol…!

 

To help future cruisers, when you reach the bag claim area, stay next to the wall on your fight. Stay in line, use a porter to walk with you, claim your bags, take you to customs, then outside. Much faster, for the few bucks, and worth it.