Cheapo Dad's Trip Report on the Navigator of the Seas (Maybe with few pictures added)...

[harryfat1]

8 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

I've been to the VooDoo donuts in Portland, I just can't remember which one as it was about 10-12 years ago. Even looking at the pictures isn't helping me.  Then again, it was the morning after a night of brewery-hopping all over town. Seriously, I think there is a brewery on every corner. 

 

Anyways, I bought a bunch of donuts which was a mistake as each donut is a meal unto itself. It's quite possible it was my breakfast, lunch and dinner. The sugar crash was real.

 

 

I've been enjoying your posts so much, I forgot there was a cruise happening somewhere in here. 😀

 

Then again, I'm, 5 days behind so I should keep my wise-guy comments to myself.

 

I don’t think it matters which VooDoo Donuts you order from – like you said, they are all heavy-duty donuts that will stay with you for a while (as in being in your waistline next few months after eating a dozen of them).

 

Yeah, so far on this thread we have talked about how anal we all are/Donuts/Cirque/Punctuations.  The Mexico cruise talk is just filler information until someone gets inspired by a picture and then we all digress down that road.

 

The Psychology profession can probably make a case study from this thread for those people with ADHD as to “how to stay focused on the main topic” and do the exact opposite of what we are doing.

 

No worries about being behind – there’s a time warp sensation when you enter this Twilight Zone where in the real world it may be 5 days later but in this alternate universe where 1 cruise day is like 7+ real days (like the dog days), we are still on day 1 at 1 PM on boarding day after 250 posts.

 

The dude who asked about Hurricane Hillary's boarding question at the beginning of the thread has already come back and gone on his next vacation while we are discussing the importance of punctuation...

 

Good thing @Sea dog’s cruise on the Navigator is NEXT October or else I would be part of his next “live” cruise report…

[harryfat1]

8 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

Me too. And from the looks of it, your hotel had a pretty decent breakfast.  I've been burned once or twice when the free breakfast turned out to be nothing more than a box of plain, stale donuts & weak coffee.

 

You mentioned you stayed at one of the Marriott brands but i don't remember which one.

 

 

Yes, I triple check every nook and cranny & I'm a 0.345 on the anal scale.  On a good day.  Sometimes a -4.0

 

 

The hotel is Marriott TownPlace by LAX:

 

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/laxth-towneplace-suites-los-angeles-lax-hawthorne/overview/

 

With the Marriott family, I like TownPlace and Residence Inn the most as they have mini kitchens and tables and sofas to stretch out after a long day in the car/plane.

 

Hilton has the Homewood Suites brand that's the same thing.

 

IHG has the Staybridge Suites as their offering.

 

All are good for big family rooms with lots of space for long stays/road trips.

 

Besides cruises, we have been on many road trips throughout the years.  From California, we have driven to Oregon/Washington/Nevada/Arizona/Wyoming/Utah/South Dakota on various road trips so we are road warriors in staying at many hotels in the West. 

 

My profile picture here on CC is the picture from our visit to Arches National Park in Utah. 

 

[harryfat1]

8 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

I love this picture for the contrast.  The USS Iowa - one of the biggest, most powerful battleships ever built by the US Navy - looks skinny & scrawny compared to the (now) mid-size Navigator.

 

It would be ironic (albeit sad) if the best picture I post this entire trip report (after hundreds of them) is from a webcam...Imagine getting beat out by a webcam for the best photo on your vacation...😜

[harryfat1]

7 hours ago, HappyTexan44 said:

If something is left, it is always something important.  We clear a corner of the room, then pile all the hotel's bedding in the corner. All the hotel's towels go in the floor of the shower.  That makes it easier to spot our stuff.  About 10% of the time we find stuff left by a previous guest.  We also triple-check each others work.  (Each person does a complete sweep of a cleared room).  

I'd put myself around 9.2 anal also.   Some people might think I'd be more, but I sometimes forget to do a pre-move in bedbug check.   
 

Yeah, I think when you are at the triple-check stage, you are pretty high on the anal scale.

 

So what is the process to check for bedbugs?

 

Also, the length of stay will have a correlation with how likely you will leave something behind.  The longer you stay, the more likely you will leave something behind.

 

Whereas if you are just there for one night like a pre-cruise stay, chances are you are leaving everything inside the suitcase for the night so you have less chance to take things out that you will forget to take with you.

 

Although as many parents will attest - you better not leave a child's favorite stuffed animal or toy behind.  If "Mr. Boo Boo" is not coming home with your kid post-vacation, that's not going to be a happy kid in the back seat... 

[harryfat1]

7 hours ago, LobsterStalker said:

This is where I have evolved I guess. I used to be soooo worried about leaving something , but now It's a pretty basic check then 

Wallet/Purse ... Check

Keys... Check 

Phone... Check

Other than that if I leave a bottle of shampoo or some dirty socks... I won't much care 

 

Cheers

Agreed.  For most adults, just the wallet and phone (laptop/tablet are in the same category) are the most important things to make sure you have with you.  

 

But if you have kids, their attachment to toys is on a different emotional level than adults.

 

Or maybe if you are an adult with a special fondness for a particular toy, we all would love to hear about it...

[harryfat1]

5 hours ago, Fishfan0073 said:

I had the opportunity to see "O" front row a few years ago.  We have seen 6 or 7 different shows and will say "O" was the best of the bunch.  I am sure being in a permanent theater helps them do different things, but it was worth the money.  

 

3 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

I agree that O was the best Cirque show that I've seen.  The water stage and associated acrobatics was incredible.  I loved Ka...seen it twice...because of the huge rotating stage.  An unbelievable engineering and choreography feat.  But I liked the overall O performance better. Launching people from the swings into the water was spectacular.

OK, you guys convinced me to see "O" on my next Vegas trip. 

 

With my luck, the week I'm in town, that's the week they are not performing...DOH!

[harryfat1]

OK. Time to add in some filler time and talk about the Mexico cruise until someone has a brand new topic (or rehash an old one we have covered so far)...

 

++++++++++++++

So we rested in the cabin for a while as it had been a hectic morning since arriving at the pier, checked in, danced with @BIBPhotography at the back of the ship area, ate lunch, and walked around the Royal Promenade area.  Now is a good time to just rest and let it sink in that you finally made it to your cabin on day 1 of your cruise.

 

But it’s not like we are planning to take a nap or anything. Time to check out the ship even though we are familiar with this class of ship, it’s a good opportunity to get reacquainted as we haven’t sailed on RCI for almost 6 years.  Old man memory being what it is – a quick refresher doesn’t hurt.

 

Starting near the top with the on deck 14 at the Viking Crown Lounge area.

 

 

Looking down at the pool deck.  Still very empty as many people are not ready for the pool.

 

Here’s a tip – pack swim gear in your carry-on if you want to utilize the water facilities early before the big crowd sets in.  Many people packed their swimming gear inside the big suitcases but those haven’t been delivered yet so have them in your carry-on or backpacks if water sports is important to you.

 

 

Now is a good time as any for everyone to meet the "fam".  There's me in my typical Hawaiian shirt on day 1 of the cruise.  Nothing says you are on the cruise like a Hawaiian shirt - except when you are in Alaska and it's cold and rainy when you board...

 

 

More pics of the area

 

 

 

 

One and only picture of the Lime Coconut Bar as we didn’t buy any drinks the entire cruise.

 

 

Another obligatory name picture only of the specialty restaurant. No need for sushi on this cruise as we gorged on it last night.

 

[harryfat1]

People are on the FlowRider already. These are the veteran cruisers that have already changed with swimsuits in their carry-ons as it's only 2 PM and luggage is not all in the cabins yet

 

 

Now is a good time to talk about the water slide.  The ship got a water slide upgrade during the "amplification" process.  The "Blaster" slide is supposed to be the longest one on any cruise ship.  It's a 2 person water raft and part of the ride has you "over" the outside of the ship. We rode on it on Day 2 but since I took few pictures of it, now is a good time for a quick introduction.

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

The boys did their rock climbing as there was no line to get on

 

 

 

[HBE4]

1 hour ago, harryfat1 said:

or rehash an old one we have covered so far)

 

Well, since you gave me the option...

 

How comfortable did you find the 2nd couch in the Promenade View Room, the one in front of the window?

 

Years ago, I had the same cabin type on Liberty of the Seas and the cushions on the couch were for looks only because they certainly did not cushion anything. It was like sitting of a block of cement.

[perfect match]

3 hours ago, harryfat1 said:

 

OK, you guys convinced me to see "O" on my next Vegas trip. 

 

With my luck, the week I'm in town, that's the week they are not performing...DOH!

If O is dark when you’re in Vegas, go see Le Reve at the Winn. We have seen both shows twice an while we love both, Le Reve is in my top 5 live shows ever. What sets it apart is the water theater in the round with numerous access points for the actors to enter and exit the theater ranging from 90 feet above the water in the top of the dome to below the water to various points all around the theater. 
 

Now, let’s talk about your Mexico cruise. It will take my mind off of our 🌀 Idalia watch. Hopefully her path will stay west and north of us. Might catch @bobmacliberty more than us.

 

My DH would definitely love people watching from the sofa in your room. My surgically repaired knees would need a lot of well placed pillows for me to have any chance of being comfortable there. I’d rather have chairs.

 

 I’m trying to remember if we’ve ever sailed on a ship with a Viking Crown Lounge? We’re not drinkers so not surprising that we haven’t been there, but I see that the views would be awesome! I know they’re not on Oasis class but how about Freedom or Quantum class? 
 

That water slide in your pictures looks and sounds a lot like the Aqua Duck on the Disney ships. We enjoyed the Aqua Duck slides on Disney Dream and Fantasy so I’d try the one on Navigator.

[harryfat1]

San Pedro isn't a pretty cruise port as it's mainly a working dock.  Between them and Long Beach port, they account for a big part of the imports/exports of the Southern CA region cargo ship traffic.  Not sure if there are any other working ports besides San Diego down in So Cal that is an industry port.

 

 

My car is parked somewhere down there...

 

Remember that big building to the left on the last day

 

 

More cranes in the background as more people are going to the pool now at 2:30

 

[harryfat1]

1 hour ago, HBE4 said:

 

Well, since you gave me the option...

 

How comfortable did you find the 2nd couch in the Promenade View Room, the one in front of the window?

 

Years ago, I had the same cabin type on Liberty of the Seas and the cushions on the couch were for looks only because they certainly did not cushion anything. It was like sitting of a block of cement.

Sure, everyone is welcome to talk about anything on this thread. 

 

Assuming we all upgraded to the premium plan on the CC member that allows everyone unlimited posting privileges on these boards go ahead and post away...

 

Yeah, the sofa near the window is pretty hard.  No cushion to speak of but I put stuff on it more than sit on it.  My wife doesn't mind as she wants to people-watch and see what's on sale for the various sidewalk sales. 

 

But the sofa is pretty wide to put stuff like backpack/jackets/on it to free up floor space

 

[harryfat1]

1 hour ago, perfect match said:

If O is dark when you’re in Vegas, go see Le Reve at the Winn. We have seen both shows twice an while we love both, Le Reve is in my top 5 live shows ever. What sets it apart is the water theater in the round with numerous access points for the actors to enter and exit the theater ranging from 90 feet above the water in the top of the dome to below the water to various points all around the theater. 
 

Now, let’s talk about your Mexico cruise. It will take my mind off of our 🌀 Idalia watch. Hopefully her path will stay west and north of us. Might catch @bobmacliberty more than us.

 

My DH would definitely love people watching from the sofa in your room. My surgically repaired knees would need a lot of well placed pillows for me to have any chance of being comfortable there. I’d rather have chairs.

 

 I’m trying to remember if we’ve ever sailed on a ship with a Viking Crown Lounge? We’re not drinkers so not surprising that we haven’t been there, but I see that the views would be awesome! I know they’re not on Oasis class but how about Freedom or Quantum class? 
 

That water slide in your pictures looks and sounds a lot like the Aqua Duck on the Disney ships. We enjoyed the Aqua Duck slides on Disney Dream and Fantasy so I’d try the one on Navigator.

Yeah, best wishes to all in the potential path of the hurricane.  Hope it doesn't cause any major damage.

 

Thanks for the info on Le Reve.  Vegas has no shortage of entertainment.

 

We go to Vegas, not as a final destination but more of a "passing by" on our way to Utah or seeing other sites around the area.  If visiting during the winter, be sure to see Death Valley.  

 

For Star Wars fans, this area was part of the scene of the Mandalorian TV show

 

 

Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below Sea Level 

 

 

This is known as Devil's Golf Course...

 

 

Oh, yeah, you asked about Crown Viking Lounge.  Yes, they have one on the Freedom class ships as well.

 

Pics from our 2017 Indy cruise

 

 

[bobmacliberty]

9 hours ago, harryfat1 said:

 

OK, you guys convinced me to see "O" on my next Vegas trip. 

 

With my luck, the week I'm in town, that's the week they are not performing...DOH!

 

I think Harry would love the show.  Cheapo Dad however might not, since tickets for the cheap seats are often around $150. 😧

[bobmacliberty]

6 hours ago, perfect match said:

Now, let’s talk about your Mexico cruise. It will take my mind off of our 🌀 Idalia watch. Hopefully her path will stay west and north of us. Might catch @bobmacliberty more than us.

 

Idalia shouldn't hit us too badly.  The current forecasted path is a little west of us also.  It should be a tropical storm near us and we should just get some wind and rain (although I guess any hurricane is "just" some wind and rain).  Lake City and the west coast of Florida north of Tampa seem to be where most damage may be done.  Having said that, it can still shift in any direction and could go right over the top of us.  At least coming across the state from west to east, the storm surge shouldn't be bad.

 

Edit: People around here are concerned about this year's hurricane season in general.  The water temps in the Gulf, and even the ocean, are higher than normal after such a hot summer, which equates to energy for storms.  

Edited August 29, 2023 by bobmacliberty

[The Fun Researcher]

Thanks for posting so much about the Connecting Promenade Cabins!  I've looked at these many times but haven't booked them partly because we are a family of five and two connecting promenade cabins aren't enough.  However our oldest now tends to get tied up with college stuff and can't always join our cruises.

 

So, you mentioned the noise from the parties.  Other then the parties how quiet are those cabins?  Are they like any other interior cabin, nice and quiet?  Do you hear noise from the Royal Promenade area?

 

Thanks.

[FionaMG]

1 hour ago, The Fun Researcher said:

So, you mentioned the noise from the parties.  Other then the parties how quiet are those cabins?  Are they like any other interior cabin, nice and quiet?  Do you hear noise from the Royal Promenade area?

 

We've stayed in these cabins three times, twice on Adventure and once on Navigator. The room we had on Navigator - 7279 - was right opposite the pub and we did notice noise in that location, not just from the live music in the pub, which often went on until past midnight, but also there seemed to be a sort of bass rhythm that went on into the small hours. I don't know where it was coming from, if there was maybe a crew area nearby or something, but I definitely wouldn't recommend that particular area.

 

However, we had absolutely no noise issues in our two Adventure cabins, both of which were located closer to the ends of the promenade - 7557 and 7593.

 

We've never sailed in a true inside cabin so I can't compare.

[harryfat1]

8 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

I think Harry would love the show.  Cheapo Dad however might not, since tickets for the cheap seats are often around $150. 😧

Yeah, the Cheapo person in me will balk at first at the price but as one gets older, you realize you can’t take it with you when you are done.  No need to leave that much money to the bratty future grandkids who won’t appreciate the lifelong savings they have inherited. 

 

It’s better that Grandpa spend the money on fast women/slow cars (or is it the other way around?) rather than leaving it to them…😜

 

We were talking about it the other day how much we missed the Oasis class mega-ships.  Forget the Icon’s outrageous pricing for the next few years but somewhere down the road, we need to book another “O” class ship. 

 

Feeling nostalgic now that we are talking about the water show I went back and grabbed a few old pics from the Allure on the Water show as that's the only one we have experienced.

 

Also missed having SLR in taking night time fast moving objects.  The shutter lag on cell phones makes it harder to capture some of the subjects compared to an SLR but we no longer cruise with our SLRs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, need to book an “O” class ship for 2025 but not the Allure as we are the “One and Done Crowd” so we need a different ship with different décor/venue.  Maybe combine it with a few days at Disneyworld and then sail out of Port Canaveral as we have never done that before…

[harryfat1]

8 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Idalia shouldn't hit us too badly.  The current forecasted path is a little west of us also.  It should be a tropical storm near us and we should just get some wind and rain (although I guess any hurricane is "just" some wind and rain).  Lake City and the west coast of Florida north of Tampa seem to be where most damage may be done.  Having said that, it can still shift in any direction and could go right over the top of us.  At least coming across the state from west to east, the storm surge shouldn't be bad.

 

Edit: People around here are concerned about this year's hurricane season in general.  The water temps in the Gulf, and even the ocean, are higher than normal after such a hot summer, which equates to energy for storms.  

Hopefully, the hurricane will miss you guys.

 

I think my fellow CPA buddy, @JamesEM, in South Carolina, could be in the storm’s path by Thursday morning. 

 

Here's wishing that the storm will veer East quickly when it’s out on the Carolina coasts and miss the land area.

[harryfat1]

2 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Thanks for posting so much about the Connecting Promenade Cabins!  I've looked at these many times but haven't booked them partly because we are a family of five and two connecting promenade cabins aren't enough.  However our oldest now tends to get tied up with college stuff and can't always join our cruises.

 

So, you mentioned the noise from the parties.  Other then the parties how quiet are those cabins?  Are they like any other interior cabin, nice and quiet?  Do you hear noise from the Royal Promenade area?

 

Thanks.

 

1 hour ago, FionaMG said:

 

We've stayed in these cabins three times, twice on Adventure and once on Navigator. The room we had on Navigator - 7279 - was right opposite the pub and we did notice noise in that location, not just from the live music in the pub, which often went on until past midnight, but also there seemed to be a sort of bass rhythm that went on into the small hours. I don't know where it was coming from, if there was maybe a crew area nearby or something, but I definitely wouldn't recommend that particular area.

 

However, we had absolutely no noise issues in our two Adventure cabins, both of which were located closer to the ends of the promenade - 7557 and 7593.

 

We've never sailed in a true inside cabin so I can't compare.

We like these Promenade cabins for view and value.  We are not the classic CC cruisers here that like to look at the ocean from the cabins. We prefer changing scenery instead.

 

Another thing to point out for a family of 4 is that it’s NOT easy to get 2 connecting cabins on the newer RCI ships.  Most connecting cabins now have a double connected to a triple or a quad.  For a party of 4, these Promenade view cabins remain a solid choice for 4 people. 

 

I had a difficult time finding many double/double connecting cabins on many of the newer ships on RCI and other cruise lines.   

 

As Fiona mentioned, some people have complained about noise if you are above the pub as that closes late into the night and they have musicians there singing.

 

Deck 8 would provide you with an extra deck of sound insulation as well.

 

You will need to look at the deck plan of Deck 5 and then superimpose your potential cabin over Deck 5 to see where you may be.

 

Stay away from the English Pub area

 

 

A good place would be right over the shops as they always close be 11 PM and no music from there.  Especially if you are over the high-end watch and purse shops.  Not much foot traffic to keep you up late into the night.

 

The final thought is the Freedom class Royal Promenade is longer with a different design than the Voyager class ships with the Café Promenade at the back half of the ship on Freedom class. There’s the addition of Sorrento’s pizza toward the front of the ship that opens late into the night and the kitchen noise might be a bother for some folks.

 

 

 

[HappyTexan44]

20 hours ago, harryfat1 said:

So what is the process to check for bedbugs?

1. Don't bring your luggage in until you check.   
2. Turn off the lights as much as possible and look for tiny brown lines around the bed.   They are like ants following a track and the brown is dried blood.  
3. I have a tiny blacklight flashlight about the size of my thumb.   I use that to look for them in the places they can hide in the edges of the mattress.  They'll be bright spots.
4. Look in the drawers with the blacklight.  

 

If you don't have a blacklight with you, #1 - #2 should most likely be good.   I'm a gadget gal, so I think its cool to have an excuse for another gadget.   

 

I have a friend that brought them home from Disney.   You can get them anywhere since the person before you might have brought them.  She spent months and $XXXX to get rid of them at her home.  

 

[harryfat1]

21 hours ago, perfect match said:

If O is dark when you’re in Vegas, go see Le Reve at the Winn. We have seen both shows twice an while we love both, Le Reve is in my top 5 live shows ever. What sets it apart is the water theater in the round with numerous access points for the actors to enter and exit the theater ranging from 90 feet above the water in the top of the dome to below the water to various points all around the theater. 
 

Now, let’s talk about your Mexico cruise. It will take my mind off of our 🌀 Idalia watch. Hopefully her path will stay west and north of us. Might catch @bobmacliberty more than us.

 

My DH would definitely love people watching from the sofa in your room. My surgically repaired knees would need a lot of well placed pillows for me to have any chance of being comfortable there. I’d rather have chairs.

 

 I’m trying to remember if we’ve ever sailed on a ship with a Viking Crown Lounge? We’re not drinkers so not surprising that we haven’t been there, but I see that the views would be awesome! I know they’re not on Oasis class but how about Freedom or Quantum class? 
 

That water slide in your pictures looks and sounds a lot like the Aqua Duck on the Disney ships. We enjoyed the Aqua Duck slides on Disney Dream and Fantasy so I’d try the one on Navigator.

Forgot to reply to your question on the water slide.  Yeah, very similar to the Aqua Duck from Disney.  RCI stole (errr, I meant, inspired by) Disney's design. RCI version is supposed to be bigger as they claim it's the largest water slide on any cruise ship.

 

Here's the YouTube video on the Blaster (the raft one)

 

 

[harryfat1]

5 hours ago, HappyTexan44 said:

1. Don't bring your luggage in until you check.   
2. Turn off the lights as much as possible and look for tiny brown lines around the bed.   They are like ants following a track and the brown is dried blood.  
3. I have a tiny blacklight flashlight about the size of my thumb.   I use that to look for them in the places they can hide in the edges of the mattress.  They'll be bright spots.
4. Look in the drawers with the blacklight.  

 

If you don't have a blacklight with you, #1 - #2 should most likely be good.   I'm a gadget gal, so I think its cool to have an excuse for another gadget.   

 

I have a friend that brought them home from Disney.   You can get them anywhere since the person before you might have brought them.  She spent months and $XXXX to get rid of them at her home.  

 

Mind if I ask you how did you become so knowledgeable in bed bugs area?

 

On step #2 - when you say around the bed - as in on top of the bed/underneath the bed?  Which part of the bed am I supposed to look at?  

 

At the risk of sounding dumb (easy for me to do), isn't it counter-intuitive to turn down the lights to see?  How can I see if it's all dark with no lights on and the carpet is dark colored?  How do I find the dark brown trail on a dark carpet in the dark?

[harryfat1]

More of the day 1 boarding ship tour:

 

+++++++++++++++++

 

Here’s the ship’s Solarium – Adult-only area.

 

 

Historically I have never sat at the solarium as the minimum age to be inside the solarium is 16 and since we cruise as a family, I have never stayed there when the boys were younger.

 

Truth be told, I’m not really the solarium type anyway.  As I said in post #2, relaxing on a cruise isn’t why I cruise.  I know that runs contrary to most of the CC posts here of people who love the solarium but I cruise for new experiences and as some probably know by now, I vacation through my camera/phone lens. I need new things to do/see for my vacations.

 

I can see myself going to the solarium, taking my 10 plus pictures, and then sitting on the chair and thinking, now what?

 

I can look at the ocean and the waves for maybe 2 minutes but then what? 

 

It’s the same ocean as it was 2 minutes ago and the 20 minutes before that and will be the same ocean 20 minutes from now.  It hasn’t changed. 

 

I have nothing to take pictures of if it’s not moving/changing. Something needs to happen…

 

I guess I could take a nap but I can take a nap for free at home.  I spent thousands of dollars to be on vacation to see/do something so I want to maximize my money spent. Did I mention I'm cheap?

 

I could read a book – but since I’m illiterate, that won’t work…

 

On our next cruise in December, I will be on the Odyssey and I have seen YouTube videos on how nice the Solarium is on that ship compared to these older ships so maybe I will give it a try to sit and “relax” – not sure I understand that feeling on vacation but we will see...😜