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Navigator April 6, 2014

Cindy

By Cindy,
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Cindy

Cindy

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Here are some random (very random!) thoughts about our cruise on the Navigator out of Galveston on April 6, 2014. I've also included a link to pictures with lots of ship pictures! I apologize if this is kind of "all over the place." I've been extremely busy since we got back, and I have two trips coming up in less than a month that I'm not ready for!

 

Pictures: Navigator of the Seas April 6, 2014

 

 

 

The Port of Galveston has made many much appreciated improvements in the last few years, but they still have some work to do. Even with an on-time ship arrival, there was still a lot of chaos outside the terminal. They have split the drive in front of Terminal 2 into arrivals and departures which seems like it should help with congestion, but unfortunately people weren’t aware of the new process and were dangerously cutting over at the last minute.

 

Hopefully with the terminal expansion they will be able to identify priority boarders before they enter the terminal as they do in other ports. Jim took the car over to EZ Cruise, then we had to snake through the endless line outside to get in the terminal. Just my opinion, but if you’re going to have priority suite and loyalty check-in, then there should be a way to expedite the process outside the terminal. Security was also slow, but once we cleared that hurdle we were checked-in and on the ship in no time.

 

When we were leaving after we disembarked, there were big families arriving for drop off for the April 13th cruise even though it was before 9:00. They completely ignored the signs and the traffic control officer so they could drop-off curbside. I’m glad they made things so convenient for themselves, but they really clogged things up for those of us who were just trying to go home!

 

I loved the new décor and the parts of the ship that have been redone. :) The new cabin décor is a big improvement…I didn’t miss the mustard yellow couch covered with bright circles or the endless corridors of 1990’s favorites aqua and peach! The new specialty restaurants are beautiful, and the Flow Rider is great! I do think all the newness makes a couple places look tired and dated…the décor in the CL and the Schooner Bar are unchanged, and I was surprised to see badly torn upholstery and broken chairs in the Schooner Bar. I also noticed quite a few outside lounge chairs in disrepair or with no straps on them at all, but then there were some new brown chairs with webbed slings instead of straps, so perhaps there is going to be a replacement program.

 

Other HUGE improvements were the new pool and balcony decking and – hallelujah! – non-slip tile outside the Windjammer in the area between the buffet entrance and the doors out to the pools. There was carpet on the stairs by the theater. If I recall correctly from the Mariner, those used to be pretty but slippery marble stairs, so I think they’re looking for all possible ways to make the ship a bit safer. Unfortunately the carpet they chose in that high-traffic area is off-white, so I think it is destined for replacement again soon. I also thought the new photo system was a vast improvement…apparently it’s the same system they use on the Oasis and Allure. The area is much smaller than it was, but it’s also much neater and cleaner. I thought they did a great job putting in the Flow-Rider and making it look like it belongs, and the new cabins on Deck 12 are beautiful! They did some work to the shops on the Promenade…took out walls and made the outside signage consistent and more modern. I wasn’t overwhelmed by the selection, but then again I don’t really need to be shopping! Finally, the Diamond Lounge is a wonderful addition. It’s SOOOOO much nicer than the CL since it has big windows and outside seating.

 

We left more or less on time. I noticed more emphasis this year on what liquor they can and can’t sell while the ship is in Texas waters, and all the rules that have to be followed while they’re in port. We had a whole page with a list of allowable drinks, which I’ve never seen before. Texas really needs to change that ridiculous law. To me, it’s something that sets Texas ports apart from ports in other states, and not in a positive way.

 

Unfortunately our M&M time had changed from what was on the website as late as the Thursday before we sailed. We had to scramble a little because we had a HUGE cabin crawl, but it all worked out OK. I found the reason for the change annoying…they decided to have the Suite Cocktail Party at 11:30. How silly is that? A cocktail party at 11:30 in the morning?

 

Our cabin (GS 1578) was a bit of a mixed bag. We had a great and enthusiastic cabin attendant, and for the most part the suite was as expected. We did have some plumbing problems during the week (no flush or delayed flush) that weren’t limited to just our cabin…I saw quite a few plumbers in the hall! Jim and I also thought ventilation was poor in the middle of the night. We both kept waking up because we were hot, which is normal for me but doesn’t usually bother Jim at all. Speaking of hot, we both thought the temperature in most of the public areas on the ship was uncomfortably warm. It was very stuffy…the A/C didn’t seem to do a good job of taking the humidity out of the air. I had also hoped for a newish and more comfortable mattress, but the one I slept on appeared to be a Pinnacle member...it had been on a lot of cruises!

 

I don’t know what it is with us and balcony lounge chairs…last year the chaise was falling apart, and we were told it was because the better chaises with cushions were being reserved for Asia. This year we arrived to find we didn’t have a chaise at all. Ricardo (the concierge) said they removed them for safety reasons because people kept getting drunk and falling off. Uh, no.:rolleyes: That comment irritated me to no end. There are still loungers on the balconies of the Owners Suites and the Royal Suite, and in Cozumel we saw tons of lounge chairs on the Allure’s balconies. Is it only your Navigator GS cruisers who have a drinking problem? If you took them off because they’re broken or being replaced with something different, or you decided a Navigator GS doesn’t get them, fine…just tell me. Don’t make up some ridiculous story about people getting drunk and falling off the chair. At any rate, we requested a chaise and there were two on our balcony by the time we got back from dinner.

 

We thought the food was good…exactly what we expected but service in some areas was just a smidge off…they really seemed short staffed in some venues. Dinner Sunday night was very slow. We sat at a different table the rest of the week and our dinner service was good (we really liked our waiter), but we thought the suite breakfast in Chops was very slow this year, and many bars seemed understaffed. Even getting people into the dining room and seated was slow. Instead of having someone man the computers and a separate person to seat people, the staff had to leave the podium to seat, then return to deal with the next person. I’m not ready to say it was as bad as the anytime procedure on HAL, but it certainly wasn’t as quick and efficient as Mariner last year.

 

Menu Order

Sunday – Mojo

Monday – Saffron (Formal Night)

Tuesday – Pimento

Wednesday – Basil

Thursday – Sage

Friday – Jasmine (Formal/Lobster)

Saturday -- Pomodoro

 

We went to Giovanni’s Table on Thursday because we didn’t care for the MDR menu, and I would also recommend a specialty restaurant for Saturday if you want to do more than one. That was my first time to have the Pomodoro menu, and I found it pretty “blah”.

 

I thought it was funny…they were REALLY pushing the “new improved” Chops. Every time we went anywhere near the place we were accosted with pleas to book. At lunch on Monday the staff came to the table next to us and gave their spiel…they were pretty insistent…the couple finally said, they were dining at the Captain’s Table as they have on every cruise they’ve taken! We saw the same couple at the Captain’s Table on both formal nights…they must have been way more important than us!

 

Back to the specialty restaurants…I did not care for the look of Chops at all. The tables weren’t designed to be used without tablecloths like the ones in Giovanni’s Table, and I thought the venue looked cheap. Just my opinion. We were given mini-paper menus in an effort to tempt us to eat there, but we didn’t bite. The only specialty restaurant we ate in was Giovanni’s Table, which was as wonderful as I remembered. Sabor got good reviews from the people I talked to, but I never could convince Jim to pay extra for Mexican food on a ship, and people also liked Izumi, although the menu is too sushi-heavy for two people who don’t eat it! I thought overall the specialty restaurants were struggling a bit for customers. I just never saw many people in them. I think they would do better if they started offering a package ahead of time on the website. Strangely enough, Chops is the only restaurant I neglected to take pictures of. I guess I really was underwhelmed!:p

 

Our Cruise Critic events were great! They were well attended by very nice and friendly people. Some roll calls are better than others, and this ended up being a good one. We didn’t think the official M&M was as good as some other recent ones we’ve been to. It was just, “Welcome, here are your prizes.” Jim and I are still trying to win one of the sling backpacks they hand out, but so far they have eluded us. I guess we’ll have to keep cruising! Our cabin crawl was really well attended…we probably had 50 people! The only problem was that the OS dropped out at the last minute because of the conflict with the Suite Cocktail party.  I thought the VB was interesting, and the new cabins on Deck 12 are lovely…very bright and airy. We got to see a Panoramic OV, and the family version. The slot pull was also well attended…26 people, and we all won $5. The only person who really hit anything of note was Amy (TEXinCAN)…if you’re reading this, thanks for bailing us out!

 

Speaking of the casino, we both did OK in there. I thought the slots were reasonably generous for a ship, and Jim redeemed himself at the Blackjack table towards the end of the cruise. I hope I don’t offend anybody with this next comment, but the smoke in there is a problem. They just can’t seem to ventilate it properly, and with the new, more restrictive rules there are more people smoking in the casino than ever.

 

We had the Royal Replenish and thought it was a pretty good deal for us. We loved the convenience, and drank a lot more water than we would have without it. We also enjoyed Starbucks in the morning instead of any other coffee including the CL or the DL, and fresh-squeezed Orange Juice for breakfast each day. I was sad on Sunday morning when I sent Jim down for Starbucks and they told him our ability to replenish had expired.  Fortunately we had thought to stock up on water for disembarkation the night before. Despite all the water, for some reason we both got very “puffy” on this cruise. Jim had a hard time getting his wedding ring on and off, and by mid-week he had to leave it off. I had to wear just my engagement ring or just my wedding ring…the two together were very uncomfortable. Maybe there was more sodium in the food than usual? We’ve never had that happen before, and neither one of us added salt to anything during the week.

 

We were busier on this cruise than we are on some. I thought the cruise and entertainment staff was great! We played a lot of trivia (and even won clicky pens!) and spent a lot of time listening to Phil Anderson. The ice show was very good, the guest entertainers were strong, and we went to the Quest for the first time in years. Hint – don’t let your husband volunteer your bra if you don’t want it to come back to you soaked with a stranger’s sweat!:eek: Yes, I had to allow it to dry before I put it in the dirty clothes bag! We also thought the staff did a good job with activities like the 70’s disco party and the parade. Maybe because it was “just us” on this trip, we found ourselves doing more than we have on some other occasions. As usual, we spent a lot of time in Vintages…we loved Napa (the wine stewardess) and true to form we didn’t mind spending the money for what we wanted instead of drinking the “free” stuff in the lounges. I don’t know what Vintages looked like on the Navigator before the refurb, but it wasn’t as nice as the one on the Mariner. They did not put in the enoteric wine machines. There were never very many people in there, and I have to wonder how long Vintages will stay around…I can see RCI replacing it with something they feel will generate more revenue. Oh well, we did our part!

 

Ports – We got very lucky and had beautiful weather in all three ports. We don’t plan much on these Galveston itineraries any more. In Roatan we had a wonderful day with our Victor Bodden driver, Ann. She took us to French Bay, the Parrot Tree Resort, Mayan Experience (butterflies), West End Village, and the Cameo Factory. It was just what we wanted…a nice, leisurely day in a beautiful place. I hope they can work out their problems, because Roatan is one of our favorite Caribbean ports. I’d hate to see it dropped from itineraries.

 

In Belize we stayed on the ship. The first thing we did was have our appointment with the LA…we had booked early in the week, and I’m glad we did. With the changes in the Next Cruise program, many more people wanted to book actual sailings, and there weren’t enough appointments to go around. Much to our surprise, for the first time in a decade we don’t have anything booked out of Galveston. I can’t quite figure out what RCI is thinking with their Galveston pricing, but when we realized we can fly to Florida, get a hotel, and cruise in a suite on the Oasis for less than a GS out of Galveston it was kind of a no-brainer. We also booked a Celebrity cruise through the Panama Canal for 2016. We thought the price for 15 nights was reasonable and the perks (free beverage package and $350 OBC) are great! One disappointment this day was that Johnny Rockets is no longer open for lunch on port days. I understand that – we would often be some of the only people in there – but I really dislike buffets and hate to have lost an alternative to the Windjammer. This was also a perfect nap on the balcony day, and the day Jim entertained us on the Flow Rider.

 

In Cozumel we had also hired a driver – Leo from Tours Plaza. I started researching as soon as we got home last year because our Jeep tour to the east side of the island didn’t stop any of the places I wanted to stop. Leo was great…he took us any where we wanted to for as long as we wanted to stay there. It was another lazy, leisurely “do as we please” day. If you’ve never been to the “wild” undeveloped side of Cozumel I highly recommend it. It’s totally different than the very touristy area where the ships dock. One thing I saw in Cozumel that I thought was strange was the Norwegian Epic. I think that has to be the most unusual ship I’ve ever seen!

 

All in all we had a great time! The Navigator is a beautiful ship, and I thought most of the staff and crew were exceptional.:D I have all the compasses and menus…I don’t have time to scan them all, but if you have specific questions I’d be happy to try to answer.

Edited by Cindy
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overthehillcruiser

overthehillcruiser

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Thanks for the great review and all the info as we will be on it in November, probably our last cruise as we have been on quite a few and are going to do some AI's for a change. As you mentioned the Galveston prices, especially the Liberty, have gone a little crazy. Our Navigator cruise is less than half of most of them. I am glad you enjoyed Roatan. Maybe this will influence a lot of people who are afraid to go there now..

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Cindy

Cindy

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As I said, we had a delightful day in Roatan, as we have every time we have visited there. I wouldn't hesitate to choose a cruise with Roatan on the itinerary, and I think it's a lot like most places...there are some good folks and some bad folks. Tourists should take ordinary precautions, use common sense, and not venture to areas that are known to be unsafe.

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overthehillcruiser

overthehillcruiser

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I am curious if you have been to Roatan before ? I am having a hard time understanding why so many people have such a fear of it since the incident. You wouldn't catch me at night in Detroit, Chicago, etc., but you would in Roatan...Compared to Jamaica, actually no comparison. Sorry, I am just puzzled over this?

Edited by overthehillcruiser
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auxxcay

auxxcay

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We are sailing that same itinerary on June 29th. I would love to see the cruise compass if you have time to scan them. Your review was terrific. thanks so much. Also - trying to figure out what to do in Cozumel. HAve two teenage daughters (15 and 17)who want a beach day but I'm tired of cozumel. Did you like the other side? would it be worth hiring a driver to just tool around over there with the girls? Any place you would suggest we stop?

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Retired LEO

Retired LEO

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Be careful in Roatan.

 

And Nassau...and Cozumel...and Jamaica...and Aruba

 

You get the picture. Anything can happen anywhere. If you're going to let something like this bother you then you might as well stay home in a bubble. You're not safe anywhere.

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Cindy

Cindy

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We are sailing that same itinerary on June 29th. I would love to see the cruise compass if you have time to scan them. Your review was terrific. thanks so much. Also - trying to figure out what to do in Cozumel. HAve two teenage daughters (15 and 17)who want a beach day but I'm tired of cozumel. Did you like the other side? would it be worth hiring a driver to just tool around over there with the girls? Any place you would suggest we stop?

 

Someone already posted the Compasses. Here's a link to that thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2029092

 

If your girls just want a beach day, I would go to Nachi since it's all inclusive and they limit the number of people to 100. There aren't big beach clubs over on the other side of the island, but there are some beautiful beaches. One is at Punta Sur, but there are others. Our car (it was a van) and driver was not expensive, and the price we paid was good for 2-4 people. If you go to the east side of the island, just know you will have a very different experience than you will if you stay closer to the ships and go to one of the popular tourist beaches. My husband and I love it over there, but then again we're not 17 and we don't feel like we need to be right in the thick of the action!

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overthehillcruiser

overthehillcruiser

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The east side is quite beautiful, probably not the safest for swimming, but you can surely get away from the crowds. There are several beach clubs along the way. I believe this photo was Punto Moreno when we were there..

We are sailing that same itinerary on June 29th. I would love to see the cruise compass if you have time to scan them. Your review was terrific. thanks so much. Also - trying to figure out what to do in Cozumel. HAve two teenage daughters (15 and 17)who want a beach day but I'm tired of cozumel. Did you like the other side? would it be worth hiring a driver to just tool around over there with the girls? Any place you would suggest we stop?

 

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gunka

gunka

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We were getting on when you got off. Our cruise was during the week of Good Friday and there were some 1500 passengers from Mexico. Many of them drove and we heard that there were many first time cruisers in the group hence the early arrivals with the families. The additional 500 or so passengers with the dry dock changes added a lot of confusion to boarding and getting off the ship. Long long very slow lines.The terminal is pretty much unchanged since the Rapsody was there with a lot less people. We also noticed the lack of cruise personnel outside the terminal to keep things moving. A really bad change.

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Cindy

Cindy

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We were getting on when you got off. Our cruise was during the week of Good Friday and there were some 1500 passengers from Mexico. Many of them drove and we heard that there were many first time cruisers in the group hence the early arrivals with the families. The additional 500 or so passengers with the dry dock changes added a lot of confusion to boarding and getting off the ship. Long long very slow lines.The terminal is pretty much unchanged since the Rapsody was there with a lot less people. We also noticed the lack of cruise personnel outside the terminal to keep things moving. A really bad change.

 

I think the problems you had were more associated with Holy Week/large numbers of non-US Citizens than the changes to the Navigator. We had the same problem one year on the Voyager when we came back in on Easter Sunday. The port tends to be understaffed on holidays, and all the Mexican citizens take longer to process than the US citizens do. There was no confusion with boarding or disembarkation for our sailing. As a matter of fact, it was one of our fastest Galveston disembarkations ever, and we've cruised out of Galveston on seven different ships.

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Caribbeansunrise

Caribbeansunrise

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............I don’t know what it is with us and balcony lounge chairs…last year the chaise was falling apart, and we were told it was because the better chaises with cushions were being reserved for Asia. This year we arrived to find we didn’t have a chaise at all. Ricardo (the concierge) said they removed them for safety reasons because people kept getting drunk and falling off. Uh, no.:rolleyes: That comment irritated me to no end. There are still loungers on the balconies of the Owners Suites and the Royal Suite, and in Cozumel we saw tons of lounge chairs on the Allure’s balconies. Is it only your Navigator GS cruisers who have a drinking problem? If you took them off because they’re broken or being replaced with something different, or you decided a Navigator GS doesn’t get them, fine…just tell me. Don’t make up some ridiculous story about people getting drunk and falling off the chair. At any rate, we requested a chaise and there were two on our balcony by the time we got back from dinner.................

 

Now this concerns me greatly. We are in a GS May 18. My wife will not be a happy camper!

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Jimnbigd

Jimnbigd

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We haven't had a chaise lounge on our last several cruises. Maybe it's because we booked inside cabins. :rolleyes:

Too bad Phil Anderson has left -- I'll miss him. Bubba Feather should still be on the ship for my May 18 sailing.

(Or maybe Phil will be on after all -- I just saw on his facebook he "worked things out with RCCL".)

Now, we need to start a "get Derek Lewis back" campaign.

Edited by Jimnbigd
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George C

George C

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We haven't had a chaise lounge on our last several cruises. Maybe it's because we booked inside cabins. :rolleyes:

Too bad Phil Anderson has left -- I'll miss him. Bubba Feather should still be on the ship for my May 18 sailing.

(Or maybe Phil will be on after all -- I just saw on his facebook he "worked things out with RCCL".)

Now, we need to start a "get Derek Lewis back" campaign.

 

I agree with the "get Derek Lewis back" campaign, his shows were so much fun

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CanDMan47

CanDMan47

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I noticed more emphasis this year on what liquor they can and can’t sell while the ship is in Texas waters, and all the rules that have to be followed while they’re in port. We had a whole page with a list of allowable drinks, which I’ve never seen before. Texas really needs to change that ridiculous law.

 

As a virgin cruiser, I don't quite understand what you mean by allowable drinks. I don't need a complete list, but can you or anyone give me some examples of what they can't sell in port, and why?

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