LIVE review: Navigator of the Seas ABC Islands (1st-10th March)

[natiknc1]

6 hours ago, cot427 said:

 

Inside staterooms like that, with the sofa as a loveseat, do not pull out. Instead, the beds pull down from the ceiling, one on each side. 

Ahhhh. Ok. Thank you for clarifying!

[acthorson]

On 2/28/2019 at 9:20 AM, John&LaLa said:

 

Love the pillow. Where can I get one for Bell?

Jack's a cutie.

 

Both of you need to stop with these pics! Cuteness overload! Oh who am I kidding? Keep posting them!! Lol

[EmilyJay]

6 hours ago, Glitterati said:

It will be interesting to see what drinks are included in the package at the Bamboo room! 

 

I am a fellow Brit flying out to join the Navigator (in April). Not looking forward to the flight!

 

The Bamboo Room have “speciality cocktails” at $14 and “Classic cocktails” at $12 

 

The flight this time for us felt like it was lasting forever which is a first! Usually it goes by fairly quickly. But it’s all been worth it so far! 

 

3 hours ago, BrandFam4 said:

@EmilyJay if you can find out why Adventure Ocean isn’t open yet, I’d be ever so appreciative. 

 

Hope youre soaking up the sun the sun and enjoying your drink package so far!

Adventure Ocean is closed, haven’t heard a reason why but have heard it’s just for this cruise. Will keep you posted if it opens up or I find out why it’s closed. 

There were Adventure Ocean sign ups in the Cosmopolitan Club earlier today though. 

 

The drinks package has been going down well! 

[EmilyJay]

Day 2 Continued. 

 

We stayed in the Solarium for a few hours after boarding, I noticed there were treadmills and excercise bikes in the corner, it turns out this is the temporary gym as the actual one is closed for now. 

There are a few things closed, the aft of deck 12 is completely shut off and work is being done there. The Adventure Ocean and all that area (I think including the arcade) is closed and The Blast water slide is currently closed. 

 

After a while in the Solarium, where I noticed they had floor-ceiling cubby holes to put your personal belongings so you don’t need to leave them on a sun lounger we decided to try out the waterslide. 

Riptide was open, where you go head first on a mat. It was pretty good, it wasn’t too fast and you don’t get a face full of water which was nice. We did this a few times and then headed back to our cabin to change. 

Muster drill was uneventful, the actual talk was over in 5 minutes, we spent more time waiting around for people to show up and there was no hand washing video or song!!?? 

 

We went to the top deck to watch sailaway, we were due to sail at 5pm, but didn’t leave until about 5.30. 

After this we went to check to see if our suitcase had arrived and thankfully it was there, usually we’re very lucky and have always had our cases by 2.30pm, this is the longest we’ve waited for them. 

Once unpacked and sorted we went up to Jamie’s Italian for dinner, it’s located inside the Windjammer just after the hand washing station. 

The service was excellent and the food was amazing. 

To start we had the meat plank for 2, then mains was lasagne and the salmon with veggies and fries as a side and sorbet for dessert. 

I almost forgot to take photos as I was so hungry by this point and was ready to get stuck in. Jamie’s also do a kids menu. 

The resturant itself was nice and modern, with plenty of window seating. 

 

The rest of our evening we intended to stay up for the party and ballion drop, but this isn’t until midnight, and somehow I don’t think my eyes will stay open much longer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EmilyJay]

8 hours ago, natiknc1 said:

Emily,

Thank you for your posts. We are on April 12 sailing and on the same sailing but in reverse order. Our room is interior as well but on deck 8. Unfortunately, there will be 4 of us (kids are taking their first voyage 🙂 ). Is that sofa a pull down ?

Thank you!

Tasha

 

The sofa in our room is just a standard sofa. 

We are in the smallest cabin, I imagine you have a bigger cabin with a pull out sofa or the beds that come out the ceiling. 

It’s a small cabin, but lots of storage and we have so far found it absolutely fine for us. 

[EmilyJay]

6 hours ago, Jasonmom said:

Some have said families can use it to keep in touch with each other for free.  Is this true?  How does that work?

 

That is a fantastic time for leaving hotel to on ship.  Enjoy every minute of it.

 

The Royal App doesn’t have a messaging service, it’s just like your cruise compass but on your phone and more interative. 

To use it without paying for wifi, connect to RoyalWifi and an option will come up to buy wifi or access the Royal App for free. 

Royal IQ may have the messaging. 

 

@Wville21 We are deck 7, forward. Our catorgory cabin is the cheapest. But so impressed, plenty of storage space, new carpets and new sofa. 

 

@Canadian 1 Jamie’s we did tonight! Yum!! Main dining room we are doing tomorrow so will take a pic of the menu if I remember. Hooked looks very nice, not sure if we’ll eat there or not if not I’ll see if I can get a pic of the menu. 

 

 

[BrandFam4]

Thank you for the info and great pics! 

[Loyal2Royal83]

Who is the current Cruise Director?

[Mikew0805]

9 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

That was the old Johnny Rockets.  The Johnny Rockets on Quantum class ships are priced per item, and it appears this has been extended to Navigator.

I think I like it. I was never a fan of their onion rings or fries. I would be happy with that $4.99 burger, and save a few bucks. I can see how it would be more pricey for a family though.

[Coralc]

Why does it look like raw bacon on the left end of that meat plank? 

[Mikew0805]

1 minute ago, Coralc said:

Why does it look like raw bacon on the left end of that meat plank? 

Prosciutto.

[Coralc]

2 minutes ago, Mikew0805 said:

Prosciutto.

Thank you! ( I am used to Prosciutto being a little pinker than that.) 

Edited March 2, 2019 by Coralc

[Mikew0805]

Just now, Coralc said:

Thank you! 

Welcome.  👍

 

That plank looks delicious. I cannot wait to try Jamie's on the Symphony.

[Canadian1]

2 hours ago, EmilyJay said:

 

@Wville21 We are deck 7, forward. Our catorgory cabin is the cheapest. But so impressed, plenty of storage space, new carpets and new sofa. 

 

@Canadian 1 Jamie’s we did tonight! Yum!! Main dining room we are doing tomorrow so will take a pic of the menu if I remember. Hooked looks very nice, not sure if we’ll eat there or not if not I’ll see if I can get a pic of the menu. 

 

 

Thanks! Appreciate anything you can share 🤗

[whyrlygig]

I am happy to see the alacarte pricing at Johnny Rockets. I just want a simple burger and don’t want/need anything else.  I am much more likely to make a purchase there now. 

[Muerz]

Thanks for all your information and pictures. Looking forward to my Apr 12 sailing on this beautiful ship! It will be my first time cruising with RCCL. 

 

Any chance someone else is also onboard and in a promenade view room? I‘m booked in one of those as I found an awesome deal and I wanted to try those for a long time. It would be nice to see if those cabins have been refreshed as well.

 

I‘m not sure if I like this new Johnny Rockets Express outlet. The new menu is really small conpared to the JR on the other ships... plus paying for a burger when Carnival has excellent burgers for free is something I don‘t look forward to.

 

Does Coconut and Lime also feature food items or is it only a bar?

Edited March 2, 2019 by Muerz

[Cel_cruise]

Love the cubbies by the pool! That’s really a great idea! Plus - if chairs are unattended too long maybe chair hog stuff can be relocated to them as a bonus!

Bummer that the ship still isn’t finished yet....If I had a 10 day cruise with my kids on board and had a make shift Adventure Ocean and down a slide - I wouldn’t be very happy ....




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[EmilyJay]

8 hours ago, Mikew0805 said:

That plank looks delicious. I cannot wait to try Jamie's on the Symphony.

It was delicious! I highly recommend the plank. 

 

@Muerz Lime & Coconut is drinks only. There is frozen yogurt on the pool deck and El Loco which is free. 

 

@Cel_cruise Great idea about putting items left on chairs there! There are cubby holes each side of the solarium, next to the whirpools. 

 

It is a bummer about Adventure Ocean. I think it’s just not fully finished yet, but they have an extra 9 days to get it done for the next cruise. There doesn’t seem to be that many children onboard that I’ve noticed. 

 

@whyrlygig JR is going to suit some but not others. It would 100% suit us better now too, I guess families or large groups not so much. 

It has been very popular on this sailing and so far always fairly busy. 

 

[Biker19]

10 hours ago, EmilyJay said:

The Royal App doesn’t have a messaging service, 

It does, but only enabled on Allure and Harmony for now.

[kevnick0814]

Hi EmilyJay,

I saw a 'scope from the Nav last night. 

The 'running track' looks like it is half the width of what is normal.

Please let me know what you think.

[EmilyJay]

9 minutes ago, kevnick0814 said:

Hi EmilyJay,

I saw a 'scope from the Nav last night. 

The 'running track' looks like it is half the width of what is normal.

Please let me know what you think.

I’m not a fan of the running track personally. 

It’s not that wide and because of its location, it’s made even less wide due to edges of sun beds being on the track. 

If you’re to run early morning/ late at night it’ll be fine. But otherwise it’ll be busy with people. 

Edited March 2, 2019 by EmilyJay

[kevnick0814]

1 minute ago, EmilyJay said:

I’m not a fan of the running track personally. 

It’s not that wide and because of it’s location, it’s made even less wide due to edges of sun beds being on the track. 

If you’re to run early morning/ late at night it’ll be fine. But otherwise it’ll be busy with people. 

That's what it looked like. 😞

Oh well. This new design is not done with 9 day cruises in mind. It was for the short ones Nav will eventually do.

Thanks for the quick reply. 

[Cruising305]

14 minutes ago, EmilyJay said:

It was delicious! I highly recommend the plank. 

 

@Muerz Lime & Coconut is drinks only. There is frozen yogurt on the pool deck and El Loco which is free. 

 

@Cel_cruise Great idea about putting items left on chairs there! There are cubby holes each side of the solarium, next to the whirpools. 

 

It is a bummer about Adventure Ocean. I think it’s just not fully finished yet, but they have an extra 9 days to get it done for the next cruise. There doesn’t seem to be that many children onboard that I’ve noticed. 

 

@whyrlygig JR is going to suit some but not others. It would 100% suit us better now too, I guess families or large groups not so much. 

It has been very popular on this sailing and so far always fairly busy. 

 

 

Its not so much the change from flat fee to a la carte that bothers me about JR. That makes sense in context of a grab and go place. It’s the fact they are charging at all. 

 

Poolside eats should be easy. I want to jump out of the pool and be able to grab something. Most other cruise lines have free food there and El Loco is free. Also, Playmakers serves similar bar food in a sit down style for those who want a “step up” and want to pay.  Just seems tacky to

me to have so many places on board serving simple “bar” food and upcharging for it in light of what other cruise lines do and the history of free food on ships. 

 

At the very very least should be priced same as Quantum ships and not have a service charge. 

[LMaxwell]

Only cruise line on the planet you have to pay for a burger or hot dog and a page of the thread applauding the "reasonable" pricing.  Mariner revitalization included a "Dog House" at no additional charge. 

 

Have 4 of the new rooms on Deck 11 booked for August.  Navigator had an exceptional dinner buffet last year when we did the ABC trip on that ship; like really shockingly good.  We are skipping dining package for this ship and hoping WJ measures up again.  Truly impressive. 

[Ronaldo807]

50 minutes ago, EmilyJay said:

I’m not a fan of the running track personally. 

It’s not that wide and because of its location, it’s made even less wide due to edges of sun beds being on the track. 

If you’re to run early morning/ late at night it’ll be fine. But otherwise it’ll be busy with people. 

My wife and I were watching one of the videos and were joking about that being the running track. I didn't actually think it was...I don't see how you would even be able to pass someone walking and I can foresee having to dodge a lot of people and lounges on the run.

 

The track also doesn't appear to complete a loop. Do you just run to the one side, turn around, and run back? Or am I missing something?

Edited March 2, 2019 by Ronaldo807
Added question