NAVIGATOR OTS - Just returned

[HOSKI]

2 hours ago, sgerth said:

  We will also be on deck 7 Junior Suite aft and like the idea of the upgrades on that deck.  Hopefully they were also done in our JS.

We loved the deck 7 aft junior suite.  To us it was the perfect location.

[itsanita]

Thanks for the great review.  I will be taking my kids and grandchildren on the ship in the fall for my husbands 70th Birthday. 

Looking forward to a great weekend.  

Are the slides free or an additional charge?  

[eroller]

6 minutes ago, itsanita said:

Thanks for the great review.  I will be taking my kids and grandchildren on the ship in the fall for my husbands 70th Birthday. 

Looking forward to a great weekend.  

Are the slides free or an additional charge?  

 

 

Slides are free.  Best time to ride them is in port when most people are ashore.  

[Clarea]

7 minutes ago, itsanita said:

 ...

Are the slides free or an additional charge?  

 

No extra cost for the slides.

[itsanita]

6 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

No extra cost for the slides.

thanks!!!  

[soak01]

Voyager is due to also get amplified this year, so can't wait if it lives up to your Navigator experience.

[kevnick0814]

Thanks for doing this. On Nav in 11 days!

One of your pix shows a lower deck, with what looks like the muster signs hanging from the ceiling.

Is that Deck 4?

I heard that is a good alternative to the top deck track to get a run in. 

If it is, that looks perfect!

[ShillyShally]

20 hours ago, eroller said:

 

 

This was a full ship charter, and the theme was Spring Break Adult Only Party Cruise.  A friend told me about it so that is how I heard about it.  10 of us ended up booking.  Parties went till sun up, either in the Royal Promenade or the pool deck.  I made it one night till 4:30am but that was pushing it!  I would not have wanted a Royal Promenade view cabin as the music could be heard loud and clear in the cabins.  My cabin was very quiet.  I wasn't sure what to expect but it was a lot of fun.  People partied and had a great time but I never witnessed any bad behavior, people being disrespectful, or fights of any kind.  Not to say it didn't happen but I didn't see any of that.  You know how people can get sometimes with too much alcohol.  To be honest I've witnessed really bad behavior on some Carnival cruises (not even adult-only - just normal), but none on this one.    

Good to know!  Thank you so much for your review!  So bummed about the fitness center - I am rarely motivated to use it on a cruise but have to at least ride the bike everyday for my knee's sake, this will limit me extending my quick bike rides 🙂  Makes me think of the gym on Majesty, where the machines were very limited due to ceiling height.  

[ken_nyc]

Thank you for taking the time for your review!

[39august]

So since the Diamond Lounge moved down to the old cigar lounge, is the former Diamond Lounge now the Suite Lounge?

[LuCruise]

Thanks for your review.  We'll be on her in August and can't wait.  I'm happy they've put in the different slides....I may even try the tube one.

 

Sorry you didn't like Hugo as CD (was gonna ask who you had and then saw the compass you posted).  We have him on Mariner.  He is very energetic and funny, but can see him not being everyone's style.

 

How were the shows?  I assume they have 1 or 2 production shows and then a headliner or two?

[Clarea]

2 hours ago, 39august said:

So since the Diamond Lounge moved down to the old cigar lounge, is the former Diamond Lounge now the Suite Lounge?

 

Yes.

[crewzerguy]

On 3/17/2019 at 7:20 AM, eroller said:

Second was the only aspect of the refit I did not like.  Lots of new cabins were added to where the spa used to be.  Gone are the wonderful mens/womens steam and sauna with the great views of the ocean.  All cabins now.  Also gone is the forward facing fitness center with great views.  It's all cabins now as well.  The size of the spa was greatly reduced and now occupies just a small interior area that is in the center of where all these cabins were added.  It's disappointing especially because the Voyager Class had one of the nicest spas and fitness centers afloat.  The fitness center was actually moved aft, to an area on the port side of the ship.

 

Thank you for the great review, in it you have answered one of the main questions I had about the new refurbishment of Navigator and that is your confirmation that the GYM has been relocated further aft and that the Mens and Womens change rooms are gone that previously offered the steam and sauna rooms. I agree the Voyager and Freedom class ships offers/offered the best set up and I'm now fearing that both class of ships when "Amplified" will suffer the same fate as Navigator........do we know if the same was done to Mariner when it was amplified?? Could you tell if the new Gym area was offering Mens and Womens steam facilities? cheers

[tonyweir]

We were on the first sailing after the refurb. 9 days of fun! Our cabin was next to where yours was. The ship was awesome. The water coaster nor the gym were open but the water slide was fast!

 

Great pictures!

[eroller]

On 3/18/2019 at 9:04 AM, kevnick0814 said:

Thanks for doing this. On Nav in 11 days!

One of your pix shows a lower deck, with what looks like the muster signs hanging from the ceiling.

Is that Deck 4?

I heard that is a good alternative to the top deck track to get a run in. 

If it is, that looks perfect!

 

Correct it's the Deck 4 promenade, a wonderful space!  It's full wrap around but at the front you have to go up a flight of stairs which leads to the bow.  It's honestly one of the best open promenades afloat, and one of the few ships you can go all the way to the tip of the bow.  At night under the stars it's wonderful up on the bow, and yes it was open even then.  

[eroller]

45 minutes ago, crewzerguy said:

 

Thank you for the great review, in it you have answered one of the main questions I had about the new refurbishment of Navigator and that is your confirmation that the GYM has been relocated further aft and that the Mens and Womens change rooms are gone that previously offered the steam and sauna rooms. I agree the Voyager and Freedom class ships offers/offered the best set up and I'm now fearing that both class of ships when "Amplified" will suffer the same fate as Navigator........do we know if the same was done to Mariner when it was amplified?? Could you tell if the new Gym area was offering Mens and Womens steam facilities? cheers

 

 

I do not believe there will be any steam/sauna near or in the new aft fitness center.  Simply a workout room, but not having seen it I can't confirm that for sure.  In the new small spa, there is a small sauna (maybe 4 people) but it's only available for those that booked a spa appointment, and they are limiting usage to 20 minutes as it's so small.  A very poor replacement for what was once one of the best steam/saunas on any ship.  

 

As for MARINER, she did not receive quite as extensive of a refurbishment and only 6 cabins were added on Deck 11 forward where the current spa and fitness center are located.  For this reason I believe her original steam/sauna is in tact, but I can't confirm this for certain.  Her original location (forward) for the fitness center definitely remains the same.  

Edited March 20, 2019 by eroller

[eroller]

7 hours ago, LuCruise said:

Thanks for your review.  We'll be on her in August and can't wait.  I'm happy they've put in the different slides....I may even try the tube one.

 

Sorry you didn't like Hugo as CD (was gonna ask who you had and then saw the compass you posted).  We have him on Mariner.  He is very energetic and funny, but can see him not being everyone's style.

 

How were the shows?  I assume they have 1 or 2 production shows and then a headliner or two?

 

 

Yup Hugo really wasn't my cup of tea at all!  

 

The shows were great.  

 

Production:  Showgirl! and Ballroom Fever (enjoyed them both) 

 

Ice Skate:  Reach for the Stars (best ice skating show I've seen on Royal)

 

Headliner:  Absolute Journey Tribute Band (loved them!)

 

Comedian:  Lester Bibbs

 

Late Night Laughs:  Steve Caouette

 

I believe the shows Ballroom Fever and Reach for the Stars are all new productions for the ship since the refurb.  

[eroller]

8 hours ago, 39august said:

So since the Diamond Lounge moved down to the old cigar lounge, is the former Diamond Lounge now the Suite Lounge?

 

 

Correct.  

[crewzerguy]

On 3/17/2019 at 7:20 AM, eroller said:

I do not believe there will be any steam/sauna near or in the new aft fitness center.  Simply a workout room, but not having seen it I can't confirm that for sure.  In the new small spa, there is a small sauna (maybe 4 people) but it's only available for those that booked a spa appointment, and they are limiting usage to 20 minutes as it's so small.  A very poor replacement for what was once one of the best steam/saunas on any ship.  

 

As for MARINER, she did not receive quite as extensive of a refurbishment and only 6 cabins were added on Deck 11 forward where the current spa and fitness center are located.  For this reason I believe her original steam/sauna is in tact, but I can't confirm this for certain.  Her original location (forward) for the fitness center definitely remains the same.

Thanks again, what you have noticed pretty much appears to be reflected in the new deck plans, Im really hoping they dont play with this area too much on all Voyager and Freedom class ships as I agree with you the current set up is the best offering. cheers

 

[kevnick0814]

14 minutes ago, eroller said:

 

Correct it's the Deck 4 promenade, a wonderful space!  It's full wrap around but at the front you have to go up a flight of stairs which leads to the bow.  It's honestly one of the best open promenades afloat, and one of the few ships you can go all the way to the tip of the bow.  At night under the stars it's wonderful up on the bow, and yes it was open even then.  

Good stuff.

Thanks eroller. 

[eroller]

I also like the newly redesigned SeaPass cards.  So much better and overdue for a graphics change.  The old style cards were still being used on my MAJESTY cruise just a month ago.  

[eroller]

Attached is a link to all the pics, including the Cruise Compass.  

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eroller/albums/72157707692539744

[Jandex]

On 3/18/2019 at 8:30 PM, soak01 said:

Voyager is due to also get amplified this year, so can't wait if it lives up to your Navigator experience.

We are booked on Voyager Jan 2020. Hope this is the case. The ship looks fantastic. 

[eroller]

14 hours ago, Jandex said:

We are booked on Voyager Jan 2020. Hope this is the case. The ship looks fantastic. 

 

 

Hopefully they do over the main pool area and slides like NAVIGATOR, but leave the large spa and fitness center in tact like on MARINER.  That would truly be the best of both worlds and make VOYAGER the best of the refitted ships.  Time will tell.  

[Clarea]

15 minutes ago, eroller said:

 

 

Hopefully they do over the main pool area and slides like NAVIGATOR, but leave the large spa and fitness center in tact like on MARINER.  That would truly be the best of both worlds and make VOYAGER the best of the refitted ships.  Time will tell.  

 

That would be great, but I would be very surprised if RC does not gut the fitness center like on Navigator.  I don't think the bean counters can resist all those new staterooms being added.