Back from Navigator 11/20-11/27

[Sam of the Seas]

Just back from NOS...I will try to put together a review later. For now, if anyone has any questions, I will do my best to answer them.

 

Sam

[Cruising89143]

Hi Sam, I will be leaving Saturday on the Navigator also going to the eastern Caribbean. I do have a few questions to ask.

 

How was embarkation? I have always arrived no later than 11:00 but I have heard horror stories about this taking longer than usual with the recent immigration changes.

 

Where did the ship dock in San Juan? Was it the Pan American pier or the docks at old San Juan?

 

Any info on the above would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

[bankofdad]

We're doing the eastern on NOS as well. Curious to know if you were traveling with kids, and what you did at each port. What type of stateroom and how was it? Favorite watering hole? We'd also like to know about embaration and debarkation.

[PAGA]

Not Sam, but I can answer some of your questions from NOS 11/20-27.

 

We are Platinum C&A and were in the waiting room at 11:30 when the first call was made for Platinum & Diamond members to begin the boarding process. We were allowed to check-in and get our SeaPass cards but werethen directed to another waiting room (that was too small to hold all of us) until 12:30 when we were allowed to board. My mom, who was not even in the waiting room when we went thru the first layer of security boarded only about 20 minutes behind us.

 

The Navigator docks at the Pan American pier in San Juan (the same one Adventure leaves from) and the Captain reported at the C&A party that that is the Navigator's assigned slot until at least the end of the year.

 

My immediate family is 4 of us -- early 30's, 14 and 6. Our total group was 17 people ages 6 - 70+ spanning 4 generations on both mine and my husband's side of the family. 5 of the 17 were first-time cruisers and all had a blast!!

 

See my post from today for a more detailed review.

 

- PAGA

 

6 RCCL

4 Celebrity

[Sam of the Seas]

Sorry for getting back to you so late. This work thing makes it hard to goof off :)

 

Embarkation: We are lowly Gold members who had the RCI shuttle bus from Ft. Lauderdale. We arrived at the pier around 1:15 and were on the boat by 2:00. I don't think it could have gone any more smoothly. I will say there was some confusion at the airport and getting people to the proper buses, but we managed.

 

As the other poster replied, we were at the Pan American pier in San Juan.

 

Our favorite bar? Probably the Two Poet's on the Promenade because we love to people watch.

 

What we did at each port...

San Juan: Walked around Old San Juan. We didn't book a tour here, but found that most were cancelled. We heard it was because our scheduled time of arrival was too late...2:00 p.m. That may be so, but that was a well known fact for a very long time.

 

St. Thomas: We did the BOB excursion in the morning. It was a lot of fun and when you aren't "Bobbing," you get to snorkel. The water was fantastic. We finished the day with a little shopping.

 

St. Maarten: Shopping in the morning (really shouldn't have done that...) and Orient Bay in the afternoon. Fantastic beach, some nudity, beautiful water. Bad thing: Full and I mean full of seaweed. You'll be picking that off forever.

 

Nassau: DH's dive was cancelled so we walked around town and ate at the Hard Rock Cafe. Nassau's not one of my favorite ports...would have much rather done something in the water. Really disappointed with the Dive people on this cruise. Explorer's team was much, much better.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Sam

[sbell1]

If you were at the Pan American pier, do you have to take a taxi to Old San Juan or to the forts?

 

Thanks

[Cruising89143]

Thanks for the info.

[PAGA]

Yes, from the Pan American pier you need to take a taxi to get to anything. There is a small private plane airport located directly beside the pier.

 

- PAGA

[CoBob]

We too just got off the Navigator. It was our best cruise ever!!!!! Hey Sam we spend every night at 2 Poets. We sat in the middle of the room with the younger kids and the really good looking blonde, myself and a few others. I still can't stop singing Ali, Ali Ali Ali ....... :) That was so much fun. I haven't been to a pub in 20 years - what a blast.

 

Embarkation was very wasy. We were there at 11:15 and were on by I think noon. Debarkation took a little longer because we never heard them call our color - we waited in the lounge like we were supposed to but... The lines going through went slowly due to the customs agents - this had nothing to do with RCI.

 

The crew on board were the friendliest we have ever experienced. We would love to do this one again.

[stwest]

I was wondering what types of beer they sell on board the Navigator. If they don't sell what we drink (Dos Equiis, Corona, Miller Lite, Michelob Lite and Michelob Ultra), we might take it on board. We've also been known to take a six pack with us to enjoy from the room so I'd be interested to know how it is packaged - cans, plastic bottles or possibly glass bottles (since some are only sold in glass)?