Navigator of the Seas 12.8.2012 Pictoral Review

[kruzerci]

I've got to say, we probably had one of the prettiest sunsets I've ever seen on a cruise as we departed Grand Cayman. It was incredible. The pictures don't even do it justice.

 

 

 

 

As the beauty of the sunset started to fade, we got dressed and went to the diamond event for a couple glasses of wine before going to Portofino. Our appetizers, the risotto al gamberetti was incredible. The scallop, lobeter, and salmon skewer was also very good. I didn't take a picture, but it was all beautifully presented.

 

After dinner at Portofino, we had the ice show, which was the best show we saw all week.

 

 

 

A quick bite of dessert in the Cafe Promenade and it was time to go to bed after a long day!

 

[kruzerci]

Hi, I was wondering how much the parking was at the whale lot. Thank you so much!!

 

I can't remember for sure, but it seems like it was $16 per day, if I remember correctly.

[Ladysilver]

REALLY enjoying your review and beautiful photos!! :D

[Canadian Tyler]

Great pictures and review!!

[appraise]

Thank you for posting kruzerci. We will be aboard the Navigator February 9th for our first cruise, for Mardi Gras and Valentine's !!! ;):D:)

[14Terry]

Awesome photos and review! :D

[maggieq]

Thanks so much for posting the pics and review. Brings back fond memories of our first RCCL cruise...as you can see by my signature...we were hooked after the Navigator. Like to try cruising from a different port.

[jv_nyc]

Love your posts - can't wait to read the rest of the trip. We're on the Navigator for this cruise three weeks from today!

[kruzerci]

Sorry for the long delay, I've got so much to catch up on this weekend!

 

We woke up early the next morning and did our usual routine, workout for an hour or so and then steam and shower before a light room service breakfast. Good thing we brought so many $1 bills...

 

We were on the balcony when we started to approach Falmouth and began to back alongside the pier.

 

 

A local fishing... way out from land.

 

 

We could tell as we arrived that Falmouth was more complete than it was when we stopped there on Freedom in May. More shops were opened and there were bands playing on land as the ship docked.

 

[kruzerci]

We booked the Chukka Beach Break when we got on the ship. It's nothing spectacular, but we don't feel comfortable enough in Jamaica to venture out on our own. It was just $30 a person and it includes a bus ride there and back, beach chairs, and a private beach.

 

Anyways, we were taking out time getting ready, thinking the group was supposed to meet at 9 AM, but for some reason I looked at the tickets and realized I was mistaken, we were supposed to be there at 8:30. So we had to hurry down to the gangway and barely made the bus. When they say meet at 8:30, they mean it, the bus left at 8:35!

 

 

 

[SamFritz]

We sail NOTS on February 16. Now I've got cruise fever. Seven weeks can't pass quickly enough.

 

 

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[kruzerci]

The bus ride was really short and the staff was friendly, trying to get everybody excited for a day at the beach. We were at the beach within ten minutes.

 

After a brief group orientation, explaining where the bathrooms, showers, gift shop, optional lunch, etc. were located, we went and got chairs. It wasn't crowded. Another beautiful day.

 

 

 

There was a little local dog hanging around on the beach most of the day. He was so ugly that he was cute. What a hard life...

 

 

Freedom of the Seas made her way to Falmouth soon after we arrived at the beach. We watched her sail past us and soon enough, her passengers began arriving, but there were still plenty of chairs for everybody. The only time it felt crowded was when they announced "buy one get one free frozen drinks" at lunch time... we were at the beach... it was hot out... there was one blender... you can imagine ;).

 

 

We left shortly after 1PM because we were getting hungry and some storm clouds in the distance made it look like it may rain, but it passed over within a few minutes.

 

 

Back to the Navigator for some lunch and drinks on the top deck.

 

[kruzerci]

The ride home wasn't as pleasant as the ride there, they made us wait for the bus to fill up before we could leave the beach (even though they say shuttles run every 15 minutes). It took about an hour for the bus to fill.

 

We bought a couple bottles of rum for some friends before getting back onboard the ship. It was very cool seeing our favorite ship (the Freedom) docked beside us in Falmouth. We love both ships.

 

The shopping area and the Navigator.

 

 

Freedom from our balcony

 

 

A quick bite from the Windjammer. Probably one of the only times we ate lunch in the buffet all week.

 

 

Our beautiful view for the afternoon.

 

 

 

I like Falmouth for a beach day. Even though the port area is really a "fake" historical Falmouth, the buildings are pretty, clean, and new, and the people aren't pushy and intimidating like we've experienced in Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. I know Falmouth gets a lot of negative reviews, but for what we enjoy on vacation (laying in the sun and lounging on the beach) its perfectly fine.

[kruzerci]

The rest of the afternoon seemed to fly by, as they always do. Before long it was time to leave Jamaica behind. Captain Anderson blew the ships horn and finally announced that we were waiting for a couple who missed the bus on their tour. We waited 30 minutes for the couple stragglers. It looked like they had no idea the ship was waiting to leave, they took their sweet time strolling down the pier :p.

 

 

Until next time, Jamaica! Another pretty sunset as we sailed away. Time to open one of our carry-on bottles of wine. By the way, our room attendant was great and filled an ice bucket and put wine glasses in our cabin every afternoon in case we wanted a bottle of wine.

 

 

 

[kruzerci]

I had an appointment at 6:30 with the Loyalty Ambassador to book another cruise. We had planned on doing Allure in May, but had to change to a B2B on the Enchantment so that we could be home for a wedding on the Sunday we were to arrive home. We will just have to wait and do Allure in early 2014.

 

So I booked our May vacation and also booked Independence for next December. It makes it so much easier to get off one cruise knowing that you have more to look forward to.

[SamFritz]

Can you say anything about the Chukka beach break? We're thinking that may be our beach day. We loved the Jungle Beach break in Costa Maya, and passion Island in Cozumel. If you've been to either of those, how does it compare?

 

 

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[kruzerci]

We had a casual dinner in the Windjammer that night. The food was much better than the food in the MDR. They also had a great variety of Italian and Asian foods. Trying to stay healthy, we sampled the "good stuff" but had a piece of salmon, which was actually good and freshly made, and sauteed mixed vegatables.

 

After dinner we headed up to the Viking Crown. They had a live band in there every night. We stayed up late having a few drinks and enjoying the atmosphere up there. It was crowded every night we made it up there.

[kruzerci]

Can you say anything about the Chukka beach break? We're thinking that may be our beach day. We loved the Jungle Beach break in Costa Maya, and passion Island in Cozumel. If you've been to either of those, how does it compare?

 

 

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I will say that we enjoyed it more the first time we went, in May. To be completely honest, on the bus ride home, people either thought it was a great value (like us) or were disappointed and didn't like it.

 

Like I said, it's a safe ride to and from the ship and they have clean bathrooms, changing rooms and showers. When I say clean, I mean there is a cleaning lady that literally cleans the bathrooms after every person uses it. The way we looked at it, anywhere else, we would have paid at least $40 to get a cab and rent a set of chairs on a public beach, and with Chukka, we got a ride, chairs, a private beach, and a friendly staff.

 

Another nice thing about Chukka was that busses began running back to the ship at 12 PM, so you can leave at your leisure between 12 and 4. That being said, like I mentioned before, it took us a while to get back to the ship.

 

If you are looking to spend the entire day at a beach, you may or may not be disappointed, but since we planned on going back to the ship after lunch, we didn't want to pay a fortune for a few hours on the beach. It has been years since we went to Passion Island, so all the beaches in Cozumel seem to run together, but I would say it is more along the lines of Playa Mia in Cozumel (without the water activites) if my memory serves me correctly.

[Megan07]

I was in Jamaica with you! I was on the Freedom! Liking your review!

[jv_nyc]

Hi kruzerci - quick question - was the all inclusive drink package offered on your sailing? If so, how did one sign up? Thanks!

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the review!

[10717]

Brings it all back, I was on this cruise as well as the one prior. Good job.

[kruzerci]

Hi kruzerci - quick question - was the all inclusive drink package offered on your sailing? If so, how did one sign up? Thanks!

 

Yeah it was. I'll see if I have the flier when I upload the compasses. You could sign up for it at the same tables as the coke pass tables.

[audrey]

great review we will be going on nav in march

[dreamer976]

Enjoying your review and photos very much. Thanks for taking the time to take us along.