Navigator of the Seas was AWFUL

[miamiyogi]

Obviously you have a vested interest in replying to my post or you wouldn't have been so emphatic.

 

I have ZERO vested interest. I am emphatic about the truth; and was encouraging you to being a little more detailed about the entire experience.

[delboy1145]

cryovac sealed pre-prepared "PRime Rib", to the toilet system that broke down, to the lack of skating time,to the poorly trained service staff

Have other experienced the same perspective

 

Sir I sailed the transatlantic cruise on Navigator this year which would be the cruise prior to yours and found the staff plesant and curtious, The prime rib was excelent served rare so I how it can be pre-prepared did you send it back to the chef or just eat it and whined. If they dont know its broke they ain't gonna fix it.

The toilet system made it across the atlantic with no problems it only breaks down when idiots put things down that shouldn't go in there.

I've sailed the explorer,voyger and navigator and believe the navigator is the better ship.

I read before sailing that people were not happy with the food but we had lobster twice Escorgot, prime rib,lamb shank,sirlion steak what more do you want for your 2bucks.

Our waiter and assistant waiter were as good as any I've met the head waiters were always visable so if you had a problem you should have called one over thats what their paid for.

The only problem we had was queue jumpimg and getting off the ship because your imigration held things up

Yes I'm british and I call a spade a spade so if you find something wrong ask some-one to fix it, if they don't then tell some-one higher up and if that doesn't work then whine on here

[Tranquil Waters]

There is no doubt that RCI (and perhaps other cruise lines as well) has very much declined in product offered in the past several years. Having cruised 15 years (not a long time compared to many on this site), we have definately experienced the decline. :( And will be giving other cruise lines a try in the future. We will sale on Freedom in Jan as we had $2400 off a cruise from RCI VISA card that we did not want to lose but that will be it for a while.

 

That being said, I think the problem is exaggerated on the shorter cruises. You tend to get a younger, more active crowd that is not always as careful of someone else's property (dare I say the "all about me" generation"? :eek::D) And the ships seem to take more of a beating with the frequent turnover of cruisers. We saw a real difference in the apprearance of Navigator just 8 months after she went to 4 and 5 night cruises. It was like night and day. Such a shame - we had always found her to be a lovely ship prior to the changes. :(

[seatraveler1]

As a Travel Agent Sue L, you should perhaps be a bit more careful in your defence on RCI. You do seem inclined to defend RCI at the expense of those who have negative things to say. Not really a good idea for a Travel Agent.

 

I quite agree with you! Incidentally, my travel agent is far too busy to spend all day on CC to accumulate so many posts!:rolleyes: Of course you can say you're anybody on this board;).

 

We have never had a problem on Navigator or any other ship with Royal as to make it un-enjoyable for us.

[bradleyd]

you were in the kitchen?

Nope. Used to sell to restaurants before I had a life. I remember pre-cooked prime rib being used by a few places. Sure you know what your talking about?

[zywnywld]

I've gotten rebuked here a few times and felt that loyal RC cruisers or RC people submit most of the posts. I do like the RC ships. Haven't had a bad cruise yet, but I have had a few issuses. Maybe I'm a jinx, but my cruises keep getting cancelled and I must rebook. Explore is are next on Jan 15, after the April 9 was cancelled, and if I had known the ship was coming out of dry dock the day we're to leave I'd be cruising somewhere else.

BUT, I do like the shipboard experience, would like some new ports and don't see another line going anywhere much different..

[Elizanessie]

cryovac sealed pre-prepared "PRime Rib", to the toilet system that broke down, to the lack of skating time,to the poorly trained service staff

Have other experienced the same perspective

 

Sir I sailed the transatlantic cruise on Navigator this year which would be the cruise prior to yours and found the staff plesant and curtious, The prime rib was excelent served rare so I how it can be pre-prepared did you send it back to the chef or just eat it and whined. If they dont know its broke they ain't gonna fix it.

The toilet system made it across the atlantic with no problems it only breaks down when idiots put things down that shouldn't go in there.

I've sailed the explorer,voyger and navigator and believe the navigator is the better ship.

I read before sailing that people were not happy with the food but we had lobster twice Escorgot, prime rib,lamb shank,sirlion steak what more do you want for your 2bucks.

Our waiter and assistant waiter were as good as any I've met the head waiters were always visable so if you had a problem you should have called one over thats what their paid for.

The only problem we had was queue jumpimg and getting off the ship because your imigration held things up

Yes I'm british and I call a spade a spade so if you find something wrong ask some-one to fix it, if they don't then tell some-one higher up and if that doesn't work then whine on here

 

Mmm well we did the transatlantic on the NV also..and I wasnt impressed at all with the food and service.

If you like your beef well done its like asking for the moon...they look at you as if you are nuts and shake their heads.

3 times on first formal night in the dining room we sent our steak back...so we didnt go to the dining room again.

Not only that, one of the young waiters was I think out of order the way he treated my son's girlfriend...he was very much over friendly and it concerned her and me..she shrunk back from him and felt very uncomfortable with his attention.

 

My saviour was a great girl called Sanja at Guest Relations..she always went over and above to help us out with any problems or queries we had.

 

The WJ staff were the dourest staff I have ever come across on a RCCL ship.

 

Miguel our stateroom attendant was brilliant...he really deserved his tips..oh boy did he earn them...and of course I tipped him more than suggested amount.

 

We had a problem at the CL second last night where the guy at the door insisted my son had to be 21 to get in there...well I was fuming mad and told him to just forget it after he kept being rude about it. I told Carlos the concierge about it the next day and he apologised profusely. He had just stepped away from the CL for few minutes at the time and it was a newbie who was standing at the door. For those who dont know,in Europe it is 18 for CL as long as the waiver is signed which of course it was as we had been in the CL earlier in the sailing. Carlos as usual was top notch Concierge and I loved it when he gave me a printed out pic of Oasis arriving in FLL which a friend had sent to him to give me.

 

We had problems with one of the toilets in our suite...but a word to maintenace and it was sorted very quickly...and no we didnt put somethng down there that should have been...we aint that duh.

 

This was our 3rd time on the NV having done her before for 7 & 14 nights...but for us it will be the last time...although lovely ship...she just didnt have the buzz about it that we like when cruising. She looks a little tired and bittie out of date.

[barbie5401]

I never thought I would have anything negative to say, however, we just got off the Navigator of the Seas for thanksgiving and it was not what I remember.

 

Diamond Breakfast: No tables for two - 4 big tables. Coffee speciality machine broken they had to go to another deck to make the coffee. The service was nothing to rave about, so we only ate their once.

 

WJ food: There was nothing that wasn't fried, sauted or greasy in the assortment of food, except the salad. It appeared to be left-overs recycled.

 

MDR: When we booked we selected second seating at 8:30 had no idea that they changed it to 9:00 until I got my seapass. That change created lots of problems - there was such a high demand on room service that twice we didn't get our order and the other two items it took almost 2 hours.

 

Priority Departure: We received the letter come to this lounge by 6:15 a.m. and you will be able to leave the ship by 6:30. Did you know they changed the rules - White tag individuals who were doing express got priority and us Diamonds waiting in the lounge go after Express. When the LA started talking to people this morning, I thought she was telling them you had to be diamond to be in this lounge she wasn't she said if you were given white tags - go down to 4. Well you could image the mess of people in the hallways, on the stairs in the elevators all waiting for the clearance - it was so poorly done.

 

Cabin Steward: Just did his job - nothing more - didn't even know his name - name introduced himself. One night we turned in early and he said he couldn't give us our Compass because the DoNotDisturb was on the door and he couldn't slide it under?

 

FOLIO: None given out - the purser said he can't produce them until 6:00 a.m. - I always had mine earlier?!

 

ICE SHOW: The same one I saw in December of 07??

No robes in room. Unable to get reservations at the speciality restaurants unless you did it online before.

 

 

All in all it just was the same. Maybe they emptied out all the good employees for the Oasis? Maybe because the fares were low? who knows, it just wasn't the same as what we are used to.

__________________

[bradleyd]

I never thought I would have anything negative to say, however, we just got off the Navigator of the Seas for thanksgiving and it was not what I remember.

 

Diamond Breakfast: No tables for two - 4 big tables. Coffee speciality machine broken they had to go to another deck to make the coffee. The service was nothing to rave about, so we only ate their once.

 

WJ food: There was nothing that wasn't fried, sauted or greasy in the assortment of food, except the salad. It appeared to be left-overs recycled.

 

MDR: When we booked we selected second seating at 8:30 had no idea that they changed it to 9:00 until I got my seapass. That change created lots of problems - there was such a high demand on room service that twice we didn't get our order and the other two items it took almost 2 hours.

 

Priority Departure: We received the letter come to this lounge by 6:15 a.m. and you will be able to leave the ship by 6:30. Did you know they changed the rules - White tag individuals who were doing express got priority and us Diamonds waiting in the lounge go after Express. When the LA started talking to people this morning, I thought she was telling them you had to be diamond to be in this lounge she wasn't she said if you were given white tags - go down to 4. Well you could image the mess of people in the hallways, on the stairs in the elevators all waiting for the clearance - it was so poorly done.

 

Cabin Steward: Just did his job - nothing more - didn't even know his name - name introduced himself. One night we turned in early and he said he couldn't give us our Compass because the DoNotDisturb was on the door and he couldn't slide it under?

 

FOLIO: None given out - the purser said he can't produce them until 6:00 a.m. - I always had mine earlier?!

 

ICE SHOW: The same one I saw in December of 07??

 

No robes in room. Unable to get reservations at the speciality restaurants unless you did it online before.

 

 

All in all it just was the same. Maybe they emptied out all the good employees for the Oasis? Maybe because the fares were low? who knows, it just wasn't the same as what we are used to.

__________________

Thank you for confirming my earlier post. The whole cruise was awful!

Not uncommon anymore on Royal.

[hawaiisloth]

My wife and I had taken two prior cruises, both on Regent.

 

Because it fit perfectly with our schedule, we took a one-week Med. cruise on NOS in September 2009.

 

We had a JS with a great fare.

 

We had a wonderful time. The cabin was great and service was excellent.

 

The food in the MDR was OK, not great (the prime rib was not good), the food in the Windjammer was very good, and the meals in Portofino and Chops were great (a Chops steak was one of the best I ever had).

 

More importantly, even though the cruise was sold out (!) we never felt crowded or rushed, and everything was organized very well. We were very impressed. Indeed, we enjoyed our cruise so much we booked another one just after Christmas on the MOS.

 

I commented to friends after the cruise (and after hearing some perspectives about the cruise different than mine) that having a good time is in part about managing expectations, and that people who really work at it can have a bad time anywhere.

 

I am sorry that some had a bad time on the NOS--we had a great time--and I wish those trying different cruise lines good luck in their putative greener pastures.

 

[We are in our mid-50s and I am a tough grader].

[bradleyd]

My wife and I had taken two prior cruises, both on Regent.

 

Because it fit perfectly with our schedule, we took a one-week Med. cruise on NOS in September 2009.

 

We had a JS with a great fare.

 

We had a wonderful time. The cabin was great and service was excellent.

 

The food in the MDR was OK, not great (the prime rib was not good), the food in the Windjammer was very good, and the meals in Portofino and Chops were great (a Chops steak was one of the best I ever had).

 

More importantly, even though the cruise was sold out (!) we never felt crowded or rushed, and everything was organized very well. We were very impressed. Indeed, we enjoyed our cruise so much we booked another one just after Christmas on the MOS.

 

I commented to friends after the cruise (and after hearing some perspectives about the cruise different than mine) that having a good time is in part about managing expectations, and that people who really work at it can have a bad time anywhere.

 

I am sorry that some had a bad time on the NOS--we had a great time--and I wish those trying different cruise lines good luck in their putative greener pastures.

 

[We are in our mid-50s and I am a tough grader].

 

You're exactly right. If you don't expect much from Royal Caribbean you won't be dissapointed. Well put!

[hawaiisloth]

You're exactly right. If you don't expect much from Royal Caribbean you won't be dissapointed. Well put!

 

Bradley,

 

I had read many reviews of RCCL before I booked the NOS, and I believe I had a realistic view of what the cruise would be like.

 

However, some of the reviews were very negative, and I was concerned about whether I had made a mistake in booking.

 

So my attitude going in was cautious optimism.

 

The cuise was not perfect, but very little in life is.

 

However, my wife and I loved the cruise and we believe the staff and cruise line did a great job. And we voted with out wallets, since we immediately booked another cruise for this December.

 

I am very sorry you had a bad time on your cruise, and do not doubt that you had serious problems.

 

But I imagine there were many on your cruise that had a great time, just as I know there were those on our cruise who didn't.

 

I want other posters to know, however, that some who recently cruised on NOS had a great time, and not because they expected "nothing" from RCCL, but rather, because they believed the cruise they took was excellent.

 

Take care.

 

Mark

[clochette]

Not to mention the nickel and diming of everyone for just about everything added to the poor environment on this trip and others in recent past.

 

I am just curious as what you felt was "nickel and diming" you, was there something new that you had to pay for, I am always prepared for what I have to pay, and have never felt that way.

[steponboard]

I quite agree with you! Incidentally, my travel agent is far too busy to spend all day on CC to accumulate so many posts!:rolleyes: Of course you can say you're anybody on this board;).

 

.

I believe all Travel Agents should be identified because they have a vested interest in SELLING these cruises and you take with a BIG grain of salt what they say

[JuPe]

First of all, I'm really amazed how some posters are addressing other posters opinion and almost attacking them verbally for some things which are totally off topic.

 

Second point, if the above mentioned people threat the staff in the same way, I can understand why some of them are not always motivated to smile endlessly, especially if they have just started onboard. A simple thank you and some interest in the their job and their life is not too much demanded. I have enjoyed having a little chat and encouraging them in their work, especially when they have to be away for a very long time from their families.

 

And finally to the point, I sailed on NOS just before the TA from Malaga to Teneriffe and Madeira. Before that I have sailed once on the Splendour of the Seas, once on the Norwegian Gem, once of the m/s Kristina Regina and countless times between Finland and Sweden. My experience on the NOS was mostly positive and the positives will stay long on my mind: good food, nice gym, nice cabin, great ice show, funniest Quest show and friendly staff.

 

There were of course some negative, like the embarkation in Malaga and the non-functioning MTD. But those didn't ruin my well deserved holiday.

[cruisinfanatic]

Thank you for confirming my earlier post. The whole cruise was awful!

Not uncommon anymore on Royal.

I guess you better visit Cunard soon then

[Illmaxict]

to the OP:

 

I'm sorry you had such a poor time on the Navigator. Myself and 2 friends were on it last june in the Med. We had a great time. Thoroughly enjoyed every facet of what was offered. We found the crew to be nice and extremely helpful in certain circumstances. We had no complaints whatsoever.

[Gilgo Surfer]

But besides that, did you have a good time?

 

Hate to burst your bubble, but all fresh meat aside from burgers is shipped cryovac sealed

 

SeasUs, I noticed you will be on the Explorer on Jan 14th. My wife and I will be on this cruise as well:)

 

As far as OP, sorry your cruise didn't go so well and I hope your next one is much better. If my upcoming cruise on Royal is as good as my last one I'll have no complaints.

[cruisinfanatic]

SeasUs, I noticed you will be on the Explorer on Jan 14th. My wife and I will be on this cruise as well:)

 

As far as OP, sorry your cruise didn't go so well and I hope your next one is much better. If my upcoming cruise on Royal is as good as my last one I'll have no complaints.

Can't wait. Are you bringing a snow shovel?

[Retired LEO]

I am truly looking forward to my TA on Navigator next year more than ever now.

[Sue L]

As a Travel Agent Sue L, you should perhaps be a bit more careful in your defence on RCI. You do seem inclined to defend RCI at the expense of those who have negative things to say. Not really a good idea for a Travel Agent.

 

He specifically asked

Have other experienced the same perspective of Royal. Please share you views with me

Well I shared, I am saying what I experienced as a traveler not as an agent. I booked this cruise before I was one. I had a wonderful cruise and I said that . You know me for a long time and this attack is one of the reasons I am no longer enjoying this site. I book all cruise lines but I prefer RCCL as a cruiser and I shared my views.

 

I quite agree with you! Incidentally, my travel agent is far too busy to spend all day on CC to accumulate so many posts!:rolleyes: Of course you can say you're anybody on this board;).

 

We have never had a problem on Navigator or any other ship with Royal as to make it un-enjoyable for us.

 

I have only been an agent for a year and a half, most of the posts are before I started so please refrain from judging what you don't know about. And for the record I am on lunch break.

[Lynnees]

He specifically asked

Have other experienced the same perspective of Royal. Please share you views with me

Well I shared, I am saying what I experienced as a traveler not as an agent. I booked this cruise before I was one. I had a wonderful cruise and I said that . You know me for a long time and this attack is one of the reasons I am no longer enjoying this site. I book all cruise lines but I prefer RCCL as a cruiser and I shared my views.

 

 

 

I have only been an agent for a year and a half, most of the posts are before I started so please refrain from judging what you don't know about. And for the record I am on lunch break.

 

Yes, I remember when you became an agent and you were so excited. And, just for the record I am an agent to, albeit a part time one as there isn't enough money to be made so I have to work at a full time job.

 

However, once you became an agent you should have refrained from passing judgement on any cruiselines. We all have our favourites but as a TA I do not post my opinion on any ship on any line as much I would like to at times.

 

It's only fair to those who cruise for TA's not to show the lean too much towards a particular cruiseline.

 

You are a strong advocate for RCI but in the process you have flamed other lines such as Carnival and that isn't right for someone in your position.

[barbie5401]

Sorry, but I for one value Sue's opinion. If the moderator's thought what she was saying was inappropriate in her position as Travel Agent then they would of pulled the thread.

[The Big Booper]

You're exactly right. If you don't expect much from Royal Caribbean you won't be dissapointed. Well put!

 

Methinks you have gone ballistic with some of your comments. And we spent 12 nights on the ship ( 7 sea days) and you spent 5 nights.

 

One of my complaints was that, on a 12 night cruise, Bufferey decided not to have the Quest, the signature activity for RC. So after reading all the reviews of the ship in Florida -

 

Did you enjoy the Quest?

The Ice Dancin' show

The 2 Parades

70's night in the promenade

Midnight international buffet

The ironman competition at the pool

and so on

 

There were problems for us on this longish cruise but it was scarcely awful.

[TBSCruiser]

Yes, I remember when you became an agent and you were so excited. And, just for the record I am an agent to, albeit a part time one as there isn't enough money to be made so I have to work at a full time job.

 

However, once you became an agent you should have refrained from passing judgement on any cruiselines. We all have our favourites but as a TA I do not post my opinion on any ship on any line as much I would like to at times.

 

It's only fair to those who cruise for TA's not to show the lean too much towards a particular cruiseline.

 

You are a strong advocate for RCI but in the process you have flamed other lines such as Carnival and that isn't right for someone in your position.

 

Why isn't it fair? Isn't that the job of a good agent to give their clients the benefit of their expertise and tell what they like and don't like about a line?

I for one enjoy Sue L's opinions.