Navigator - Alaska - May 2015 - Post-cruise Thoughts and Pictures

[Suzez]

Thank you. I really enjoyed ready this review and looking at your photos. My husband and I are booked on Navigator for April next year, it will be our first time with Regent. We will of course use the ship tours. it makes sense. We will just be able to do one per day. As there are no days at sea, this will probably be enough. We have nine port days solid.

 

I did wonder about the ships lack of forward observation lounge. This is somewhere we like to sit. Hopefully the weather will be nice enough, that there will be no need for one.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

computerworks, thanks for all the details--makes me want to sail again! I agree with almost everything you said about Navigator and your Alaskan experience. I love this ship, personally, and I'm glad it's in good shape.

 

I agree that included excursions make a certain sense in Alaska, but other places we'd rather roll our own. I also agree about the boutique--where is the branded merch? I have tried to buy a branded windbreaker, for example, and haven't managed since 2004 (and that jacket is long gone.)

 

We really enjoyed Terry Breen, but perhaps she's been doing this gig too long, who knows?

 

I'm surprised you had trouble getting into Prime 7, but perhaps that's because you waited until the latter part of the cruise? They're supposed to give everyone at least one kick at the can.

 

Regent has become too pricey for us, but if we did Alaska again, it would definitely be on Regent.

 

I did wonder about the ships lack of forward observation lounge. This is somewhere we like to sit. Hopefully the weather will be nice enough, that there will be no need for one.

 

Believe me, the aft lounge, Galileo's is wonderful. And there's an aft deck that's marvellous when it's warm enough (and there are heaters.)

[computerworks]

 

I'm surprised you had trouble getting into Prime 7, but perhaps that's because you waited until the latter part of the cruise? They're supposed to give everyone at least one kick at the can.

 

Not really any trouble getting in... we had made our res in advance for the last night of the cruise... it was when we tried, early in the cruise, to get an extra entry on two separate nights that we were unsuccessful. It was worth an ask.

[Sunprince]

Thanks for all the pictures and commentary. I am a visual type of person and dislike having to read volumes to get the message, so I love when posters add photos, it is so helpful! Thanks again

 

Also, my "Regent" friends were also on the cruise, they equally enjoyed it!

[Travelcat2]

Regarding the aft lounge, IMO, the only time a forward lounge is really nice is in Alaska and on Panama Canal cruises. For this reason, I'm happy to see the Mariner going back to Alaska next year (also, the Mariner can handle the amount of children that are onboard in Alaska during the summer -- they have Stars Lounge which is large and is used for Mariners Club).

[Nigella]

Thank you for your lovely pictures and interesting report.

[poss]

Yo, Wendy-- what about that May 18 sailing next year? My memory is that you had not-so-great weather last time, as did we. And we all loved Alaska anyway. I'm eyeing that Mariner cruise. It really was nice to have the forward observation capability.

Computerworks: That was one terrific report!

Edited May 18, 2015 by poss

[Travelcat2]

poss: You are referring to the "group" sailing that we will also be on ...... right? It seems that Alaska can have good or bad weather anytime in the spring or summer. Next year is our third Alaska cruise in May so we obviously like that time of year. When are you going to book?

[poss]

T.C. Yup, that sailing. As far as when we're going to book, my husband's grandmother used the saying "When the cows come home." Maybe then? My wonderful, wonderful husband is not in tip-top shape, and we lost a whole bunch of $$ when we had to cancel last year around this time. More important, it somewhat frightens me to be away from known medical care, in case something happens. I'm figuring that since the cruise will be North America, I may get brave enough to give a try. I'm glad we did all that glacier walking and great hiking when we visited last time. I'll miss the more active excursions, but oh, that scenery....

[Mudhen]

Just loved that review, complete with photos! What a great way to do a review! Thoroughly enjoyed the read......thank you for taking the trouble to post!

[Travelcat2]

T.C. Yup, that sailing. As far as when we're going to book, my husband's grandmother used the saying "When the cows come home." Maybe then? My wonderful, wonderful husband is not in tip-top shape, and we lost a whole bunch of $$ when we had to cancel last year around this time. More important, it somewhat frightens me to be away from known medical care, in case something happens. I'm figuring that since the cruise will be North America, I may get brave enough to give a try. I'm glad we did all that glacier walking and great hiking when we visited last time. I'll miss the more active excursions, but oh, that scenery....

 

Just a small suggestion . . . . check into medical care at the ports that you/we will be visiting. Since the cruise is in the U.S. (except for a stop or two in Canada), it is possible that you have medical coverage in Alaska. Or, maybe you have coverage outside of the U.S. that you haven't thought about. Hope the cows don't have to come home before you book:)

[Troban]

Thank you so much for the thread. We are leaving in am to get ready to board Wednesday morning. North to Alaska....

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Yo, Wendy-- what about that May 18 sailing next year? My memory is that you had not-so-great weather last time, as did we. And we all loved Alaska anyway. I'm eyeing that Mariner cruise. It really was nice to have the forward observation capability.

Computerworks: That was one terrific report!

 

Hey Poss, I have thought about it, believe me--we'd love to do Mariner since we haven't been on that ship.

 

But at the moment, May/June is out for us, since David is still doing some teaching during the spring. It used to be our favourite time to travel, since when classes ended, he was free, and our anniversary is in May. But now these months are off limits (until he packs it in for good, which he threatens to every year, but then gets enticed again.)

 

And, as you may see from my signature, we're kind of maxxed out on booked trips right now--Egypt, Rhine/Danube, Tahiti. So Alaska may have to wait until 2017, if ever. We're doing as much *big* travel now, since soon we will probably be more constrained, physically. I'm sure you can relate to that. Carpe diem!

[lwajsman]

..and a postscript about Internet onboard.

 

We never had a problem using the Internet for communication or posting pictures. In fact, I repaired a client's mail server while sitting by the pool one day. :cool:

 

WiFi coverage was prolific and lacked any dead zones that I could find

 

 

Speed is always a function of location... and I experienced as much a variance as a factor of 8 based upon where we were. You just need a bit of patience in the low bandwidth zones.

 

 

I really like your WIFE meter, until I put on my glasses and saw it pertained to your internet signal (WIFI).

 

Thanks again for sharing your trip with us. We are sailing July 1st on Navigator.

[Uncle D]

You posted:

 

Earlier in the cruise, we asked twice to see if we could get into Prime 7 and were met with an icy "..I have nothing." So, I stopped asking, and found it to be no loss... The Prime 7 meal was very good, but not dramatically different from a dinner in the MDR.

 

Maybe you should have named your thread FOOD on Navigator...

Looks like the OP in the other Food thread on this board ate in specialty restaurants on multiple occasions with F&B Manager, GM and other senior officers.

Sorry it did not work out for you. Especially since there is no class system on Regent and everyone is treated equally.

[computerworks]

Maybe you should have named your thread FOOD on Navigator...

Looks like the OP in the other Food thread on this board ate in specialty restaurants on multiple occasions with F&B Manager, GM and other senior officers.

Sorry it did not work out for you. Especially since there is no class system on Regent and everyone is treated equally.

 

Ha!

 

It was no big deal.. was just curious to sample the "specialty" ahead of our appointed time.

 

As far as the other dinner partners, we make a point of not sitting near the kitchen and never eating with the help. :cool:

[Tucruisers]

Just to add my thanks for this thread, especially as we were on (and have just got off) the following 10 day Vancouver round trip cruise. We were fortunate to have similarly good weather and a great cruise overall, I would share so will not repeat most of the OP's views, it was also interesting to see the perspective of someone who has had wider experience of other cruise line than we have.

Our experience has been with Regent and Seabourn, and although we had a great cruise my view is that Navigator suffers in comparison to Mariner, let alone the Seabourn fleet. Our Suite was nice, spotlessly clean, but in truth the furniture, especially the seating, was a bit shabby with threadbare settees. The wifi was (much) slower than on Mariner and the restaurants struggled to cope at times.

Against this, the trips were great and we particularly appreciated the tour of Vancouver provided after we disembarked, much better than spending all day at the airport!

[Travelcat2]

Just to add my thanks for this thread, especially as we were on (and have just got off) the following 10 day Vancouver round trip cruise. We were fortunate to have similarly good weather and a great cruise overall, I would share so will not repeat most of the OP's views, it was also interesting to see the perspective of someone who has had wider experience of other cruise line than we have.

Our experience has been with Regent and Seabourn, and although we had a great cruise my view is that Navigator suffers in comparison to Mariner, let alone the Seabourn fleet. Our Suite was nice, spotlessly clean, but in truth the furniture, especially the seating, was a bit shabby with threadbare settees. The wifi was (much) slower than on Mariner and the restaurants struggled to cope at times.

Against this, the trips were great and we particularly appreciated the tour of Vancouver provided after we disembarked, much better than spending all day at the airport!

 

Actually, the Navigator is overdue for a refurbishment so it does not surprise me too much that some of the seating was a "bit shabby". Agree that the Mariner (and the Voyager) are far superior to the Navigator. However, this was the OPS first experience on Regent and, IMO, the Navigator is a great place to start. The OP enjoyed the cruise enough to book an Explorer cruise and may decide to book a cruise on other ships.

 

Good to hear that Regent gave you a tour of Vancouver. It is an amazing city!

[computerworks]

...Our experience has been with Regent and Seabourn, and although we had a great cruise my view is that Navigator suffers in comparison to Mariner, let alone the Seabourn fleet. Our Suite was nice, spotlessly clean, but in truth the furniture, especially the seating, was a bit shabby with threadbare settees. The wifi was (much) slower than on Mariner and the restaurants struggled to cope at times.

 

Tucruisers, glad to hear you had good weather and a great cruise, too.

I guess this shows there can be variations in service, cruise to cruise...and cabin to cabin.

 

Our furnishings looked fine and showed little or no wear. We rarely saw Compass Rose at more than 50% capacity. Service levels did vary, as I noted, but by and large, it was very smooth. Other than brief spotty outages, the internet was more than acceptable for the majority of the cruise.

[Gray Eagle02]

We are currently on the Navigator and the Internet is completely unacceptable. It is completely unavailable in our stateroom. I have discussed this with the computer rep and he had a somewhat indignant response and said too many people were on and this affected speed and availability. Actually I was unable to get on at 3AM in the morning so i suspect something is fundamentally wrong with the WiFi system that has nothing to do with volume.

[Travelcat2]

We are currently on the Navigator and the Internet is completely unacceptable. It is completely unavailable in our stateroom. I have discussed this with the computer rep and he had a somewhat indignant response and said too many people were on and this affected speed and availability. Actually I was unable to get on at 3AM in the morning so i suspect something is fundamentally wrong with the WiFi system that has nothing to do with volume.

 

Whenever there are too many people on the computer (on any of the ships), the internet speed slows down. Regent has been working on this and it is better than it used to be. When we were last in Alaska, there were 2-3 days when internet was not available at all. The OP did not have any black out areas which is an improvement. Some suites are further away from the signal (or whatever the units are called on a ship) and have poor internet reception.

 

The best reception is typically near the internet café. And, as you learned, when you get online when most people are not on, it is much better.

 

Hope you mention the computer rep's. attitude on your mid-cruise questionnaire. That attitude is not acceptable!

Edited May 22, 2015 by Travelcat2

[Gray Eagle02]

Whenever there are too many people on the computer (on any of the ships), the internet speed slows down. Regent has been working on this and it is better than it used to be. When we were last in Alaska, there were 2-3 days when internet was not available at all. The OP did not have any black out areas which is an improvement. Some suites are further away from the signal (or whatever the units are called on a ship) and have poor internet reception.

 

The best reception is typically near the internet café. And, as you learned, when you get online when most people are not on, it is much better.

 

Hope you mention the computer rep's. attitude on your mid-cruise questionnaire. That attitude is not acceptable!

 

Thanks for the reply. We were on the Navigator and the Mariner in the past and the Internet was far superior to this cruise. I was under the impression they had improved WiFi fleet wide so was surprised to find service much worse. BTW,we had a cabin in the same general area the last time we were on the Navigator and our WiFi reception was much better (as compared to no reception now).

[ChatKat in Ca.]

People sign on with their personal devices and don't sign off - taking up bandwith.

Edited May 22, 2015 by ChatKat in Ca.

[Travelcat2]

Thanks for the reply. We were on the Navigator and the Mariner in the past and the Internet was far superior to this cruise. I was under the impression they had improved WiFi fleet wide so was surprised to find service much worse. BTW,we had a cabin in the same general area the last time we were on the Navigator and our WiFi reception was much better (as compared to no reception now).

 

When you were on the Navigator, was it also in Alaska.? As I mentioned, we found the WiFi reception in Alaska much worse than in most other areas. However, from reading what the OP posted, their reception was fine.

 

Enjoy your cruise:)

[computerworks]

Honestly... never had a problem with the laptop in the cabin (Deck 5) or in the public areas...

...nor with my smartphone or my netbook.

 

Gray Eagle02, were you using an iPad?

Edited May 22, 2015 by computerworks