I had planned this boat trip for seven months. A friend and I who had sailed on Carnival and Celebrities were eager to try the Royal Caribbean after hearing a lot of good things about the beauty of the ship, the quality of food and service, etc. Second, I surprised my retired parents by accompanying them (last year I surprised them with an Alaska ship that I will review later), and they were overjoyed to discover that they would once again sail the Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas, which they said was their favorite boat of 13 other boats. they had gone. With the ship just as it was leaving the dry seabed for development, it was ready to go to brand new places that none of us have ever visited: Roatan Island, Honduras, and Belize City. Expectations were high.
Then came the voyage. Although I have no intention of saying that we had a bad time on this voyage, I think it is fair to say that our expectations were slightly diminished, from the moment we arrived at the Port of Galveston. Let me take you to the high and low light of life on the high seas aboard the Navigator of the Seas.
The Highs
Our Restaurant-- The best service we found on the ship was at the Sapphire restaurant, which is undoubtedly the best restaurant I've ever seen on a cruise ship. Entering the dining room is like entering an opera house with large floors and three levels of dining room with windows on each side. Our two servers were very attentive, noticing the stepmother's choice of homemade ice cream with two glasses of ice, 2 tea bags and hot water, waiting for her every night. I could have accused him of being a "tea snob," but then I would have to look in the mirror with my Starbucks in my hand and point my nose at the Folgers. We all enjoyed a variety of foods and thought that the food was of the highest quality, with the service serving as a clock. It was a real treat to eat every evening.
Here's to dinner. I am a goof-ball in blue.
Cabin-- Inside cabin 7667 (Aft Port) was a wonderful home for our church at sea. My parents lived in the neighborhood in 7669. With an indoor house, there was plenty of room to store all our belongings and have a very clear entrance. I would say the bed was solid, but it's all about you. my favorite as my friend and colleague Jay (a boy in purple) said his was okay. Adequate cabinet space and closet allowed each person to have enough space for disassembly. Our manager's service was also excellent, re-collecting and collecting twice a day.
Ship-- Navigator is a really good ship. Notably, the Royal Promenade, a series of shops, restaurants and taverns in the backyard give passengers the feeling of walking on a paved road while at sea. I recommend Poet Poet Pub to get a good ambiance and view people. The main atrium is beautiful, and the various living rooms and bars are specially designed and comfortable. The swimming pool is also impressive, with two large pools surrounded by several hot tubs, some of which are shady. For the most part there are plenty of seats inside and out in the shade, but if your beach trip is full it is best to get there early to catch up. We also thought that a nightclub overlooking the swimming pool with its windows from the floor to the ceiling added a nice touch to the boat's delivery. The ship's casino is also decent, but since smoking is allowed there, you may end up smelling like an ashtray.
Watching the Royal Promenade
Grand Atrium
Drink Package - Three of us on this voyage had an excellent package of $ 55 a day, but since my father only drank beer, we got him a basic package. At first glance, this package might seem a bit priced (some of the most expensive Royal Caribbean beverage packages at sea), but we've all got our money's worth. What I really liked was that there was really nothing on the drink menu that you had no access to compared to super premium items. You can even opt for Gray Goose vodka at no additional charge. The reverse side here is the bar service (see below).
Theater Fun - If you happen to find yourself in Navigator of the Seas, don't miss the ice-skating show. It was good and it was much better than I thought it would be. We also enjoyed non-character Elton John, a bar flair show and an adult game show.
They are inferior
Getting Started / Negotiating - The words fiasco, nightmare, eternity and chaos come to your mind both. This was the worst BEST / cancellation I had ever had, and my parents who had been on a voyage for the past 13 years agreed. We should have expected this when the Royal Caribbean sent us an email before the voyage instructing us to arrive at certain times based on the deck where our closet was. As it turned out, we flew into Houston, and our departure left us at the right time, which was 12:30 p.m. We did not step into the boat until about 2 p.m., as we were caught in two separate rows, both of which were moving very slowly. This is definitely not the way you want to start your holiday, and the few smiles that would be found in the security and check-in lines. Note, I totally expected to wait a bit to get in, but this was just ridiculous. I think the longest wait I ever had before this was the top 30 minutes. I definitely expressed my dissatisfaction with the woman who came in.
The argument was just as bad. Since we had a driver waiting for us, we decided to check it out and were given a time and place to meet. We did this on other trips without a moment's hesitation, when the police inspected the goods and boarded a ship to collect the forms. In the past, we had just come out of the ark. Not at this time. When we arrived at the designated area, we waited another 45 minutes just to be allowed to disembark. Once you are out of the ark, guess what? One line, another 45 minutes past customs. I ended up being charged extra waiting fee by my driver, thanks to the Royal Caribbean and the Port of Galveston.
Important - I will never sail from Galveston, Texas as it is clear that they do not have the capacity to manage the volume of human vessels. Basically, the Royal Caribbean has left a negative impression and a negative perception of the latter.
Service - With the exception of our caterers for dinner, service at the pubs and lounges on this ship was a very good measure and not something I was used to on the trip. While some bartenders were prominent, it usually took a while to get a drink and you often felt like a problem to the bartender or the server. The worst service was probably in the swimming pool. Some might say I need more, but if I spend my hard-earned vacation I want a decent service. Time. I didn’t really get it on this boat trip. My parents also commented that “things were not like this cruise ship” as their previous experience in Navigator of the Seas.
Kids, kids, kids-- OK, I'll probably get eye-rolls for this, and maybe for some it won't be negative, but there were too many kids taking the place of the big lake on this ship. . As elsewhere, parents are a little guilty here, allowing their little monsters to play and stalk others in the big lake, but I blame the Royal Caribbean for not enforcing the rules of the pool. On a previous trip, children were not even allowed into the hot tub, but they were in it. Granted, there is only an adult swimming pool and a hot tub, but the problem is that there is no entertainment there (not that the entertainment in the swimming pool was anything you could write about at home).
We did not participate in any of the tours, so I could not comment on their level. We have heard various comments that the tours were very expensive and not worth the money. Another voyage was delayed even by over an hour and had to be brought by boat from Honduras.
Decision - If I had to choose between the Royal Caribbean and Carnival, I would go with Carnival based on my past experience. I am not completely closed on giving the Royal Caribbean another chance, but they will have to fully enjoy me to keep me coming back.
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