Navigator Rehab Shakedown Review

Just back from the first Navigator Rehab 4 night cruise and here are MY opinions on the new and improved Navigator.

Firstly, I just want to say that comments posted criticizing my opinions are not welcome here. These boards are here to provide information about lines, ships, ports and cruising in general and by their very nature are totally subjective...of course others may feel differently about things so telling someone what they thought is not what others may think is totally silly. We all have our opinions and they are all valid. Off soap box.

With that said, my quick take on the new and improved Navigator....

Todd is still downloading pics to SmugMug so it will take a while to get them on here.

The 4 of us, DH and his parents and I drove down to Galveston on the morning of departure, a quick 4.5 hr drive. We arrived shortly after 11:25, were aboard by 12:10, best check in we've ever had there. Guess most people were already on the ship. We had booked the cruise on Tuesday after reading about the reduced rates here, just couldn't pass up a Z guarantee because it was soooooo affordable...can I say 199 each? Very spur of the moment for this OCDer...And anyway all my friends were going! Since the ship was reported to be only 50% full I figured it would be a possible upgrade and I wanted a new Virtual Balcony cabin...when we reached the port I did a quick check with RCCL to see if they had assigned a room and sure enough, we were put on deck 9 in the VB. Yeah, great start!

After doing WJ which I will comment on in the next installment, we went straight to the room, couldn't wait to see the T.V.!

And there it was, but it wasn't all like the advertised nor talked about VB. In the media write up, they mentioned it would have a real handrail on the outside of the screen...NOT. IMO the stantions and handrails were a bit dinky but close enough. It is a fixed CGI that stays on the screen and then they control the view you see and the sound you hear. It had an image of the pier area and the sounds of the guys moving luggage and getting the ship ready could be heard. I lay down on the bed to see how it would feel and before you know it, I was napping, the sounds were very soothing even though it was noisy down there.

At this point I wanted to insert pics, but dang they are still uploading...anyway on Thursday we were in Promenade Cafe and happened to sit next to the I.T. tech responsible for this new innovation. We talked for a long time about it and he gave me his email addie so we could discuss what I thought about it. His name was Mr. R Farzad. Very friendly guy. While we were talking several more RCCL guys came in, including Ken, didn't remember his last name, but he was the the head Specialty Restaurant guy for RCCL, and we told him we had rez for Izumi and Chops. He invited us to have dinner on him in Sabor as he especially wanted feedback there. WOW! It pays to be obnoxious and speak to those people with the RCCL nametags on!:rolleyes:

Mr. Farzad mentioned that they had 4 cameras, VERY expensive ones that had the best resolution and light capturing lens in the world and would even capture low light night time views of the sea, but that you would need to have some ambient light like the moon or very clear starry night to make out anything. They are toying with the idea of your having the port or starboard views depending if you are on that side of the ship, but can let you view forward and aft at different times like coming into and leaving port. We did indeed see all 4 views while in our room, but my favorite was the aft view of the wake on Saturday, our last sea day, but the sound only came on for a very short time. He told us they were trying to decide if and when to put the sound on because of people trying to sleep in their cabin. The unit does have a remote that lets you adjust this, but apparently they were having trouble with that. So they kept the sound off most of the time. It was a very interesting discussion!

I LOVED the concept. They put the screen on the long wall of the cabin and took out the usual short couch that used to be there. Put in a small club chair which was in the way a lot, don't know if I liked it at all, but you could re position it and actually sit in front of the screen and watch the water. And I guess you do need a chair in there. Then the view is reflected in all the mirrors around the cabin. The make up mirror, the long mirror on the bathroom wall and the round mirror above the beds, it is the neatest effect, you look around the cabin and see it all over, and it really pushes out the walls and makes the cabin seem much bigger and less tomb like. Would I pay the almost 200 more than the other interior cabins...maybe a time or two. But with our Diamond discount we could own an E2 for only $50 or so more, so we'd probably go with the REAL balcony. But on occasions like this one when you can do a short cruise for around 611 dollars, in a pinch I would do it.

First morning:

http://asicit.smugmug.com/Navigator-2014/Navigator-2014/i-3Cx4npV/0/M/DSC_0099-M.jpg

If anyone has any experience with SmugMug please chime in about posting pics.

Can't get the pic to post just the link.

Nice! Keep it coming, Thanks

If anyone has any experience with SmugMug please chime in about posting pics.

 

Can't get the pic to post just the link.

Good to see you and spend time with your family. Thanks for taking us up to see your room. I liked it a lot. Yet, as you said..taking a real balcony of course would be better.

Hope your cold is leaving you! Keep in touch!

Love, Natasha & Marci

Great write-up so far. I can't wait to see the pictures.

Thanks Natasha, great to see you, wish I could've visited with the 3 Cindy's but I never saw them.

Still dealing with the cold/allergy thing:o

Pics are coming soon, now I am downloading to my PC so I can post actual pics...sorry for the delay.

The new Cosmopolitan Lounge i.e. Viking Crown:

O.K. I got it!

I'm so excited to read your review. I'm glad you made the comment about your opinions being subjective. I'm fairly new to this community and I've read some really rude comments on other reports and reviews. I'm taking my first cruise on NOS in November. Reading reviews and reports from experienced cruisers has really helped in the decision making process. ;)

I'm looking forward to more of your review. Have a great day!

Diamond Lounge:

I'm so excited to read your review. I'm glad you made the comment about your opinions being subjective. I'm fairly new to this community and I've read some really rude comments on other reports and reviews. I'm taking my first cruise on NOS in November. Reading reviews and reports from experienced cruisers has really helped in the decision making process. ;)

I'm looking forward to more of your review. Have a great day!

 

Thanks, you will enjoy her! I have a few negative comments to add when I sum it all up, but overall Navigator is looking great! Very trendy

As you see new fabrics in the diamond lounge...here I want to give some observations about RCCL's choice of furniture. I really feel that someone needs to be paying attention to the size of the average cruiser and the comfort factor as opposed to just what is new trendy and looks good. I have found most of their chairs to be too short in the back,( you can't sink into them), not deep enough and too slender...in short not comfortable. Just sayin! They all have pillows (waste of money...every evening we went in everyone had thrown them out of the chairs:p)

The taller chairs on the right side of the picture are good, but everyone rushes to get them.

Thanks, you will enjoy her! I have a few negative comments to add when I sum it all up, but overall Navigator is looking great! Very trendy

We sailed on the Navigator for two weeks in October and November and even before the facelift we thought she was beautiful. The Navigator had such a good vibe to it! I look forward to more of your trip report. Thanks for doing this in such a speedy manner. You know we've all been busting a gut to see what she looks like now. :D

Mr. Farzad mentioned that they had 4 cameras, VERY expensive ones that had the best resolution and light capturing lens in the world and would even capture low light night time views of the sea, but that you would need to have some ambient light like the moon or very clear starry night to make out anything.

Mr Farzad is quoted in this rather interesting article:

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2014/01/31/royal-caribbean-unveils-virtual-balconies-on-its-ships/

I was going to offer smugmug help, but that is apparently unnecessary.:D My wife would probably like the pillows....

jc

I don't know if these were here before rehab, but I loved these in the Cosmopolitan Club of Viking Crown. I am a great fan of the ships' art collections!

Diamond Lounge:

[/quotAre my eyes deceiving me or is that outdoor table seating just beyond the end of the Diamond Lounge??

 

Diamond Lounge:

[/quotAre my eyes deceiving me or is that outdoor table seating just beyond the end of the Diamond Lounge??

 

 

That outdoor seating belongs to the Diamond Lounge!

Mr Farzad is quoted in this rather interesting article:

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2014/01/31/royal-caribbean-unveils-virtual-balconies-on-its-ships/

Yes, I read that, but it doesn't look anything like that mock up. If you look closely, in the pic provided in the article, you can plainly see a glass panel, just like a real balcony. So far there is nothing but the stantion and a railing imposed over the actual real time video.

 

That outdoor seating belongs to the Diamond Lounge!

 

Yes, and it was very pleasant going out there!:D Lots of overflow if needed.

Here would be a good place to insert Izumi pics since it was put in where Cloud Nine and the card room were. We absolutely loved the experience here and the food was divine!

If anyone has any experience with SmugMug please chime in about posting pics.

 

Can't get the pic to post just the link.

It looks like you got it figured out. If you still need help, chime in and I'll walk you through it.

Me 2.Love to sit in the back. Nice fresh air enjoying my scotch:D

Carpeting:

The staff were excellent here.

It looks like you got it figured out. If you still need help, chime in and I'll walk you through it.

Thanks Cindy, I'm proud of myself that I figured it out:o I'm such a non techie

I'm enjoying reading your review! Thanks! :D