First Cruise... First Review!

[<M&M>]

Navigator OTS 5/20/06...

I can sum up the entire experience in one sentance. "Why did it have to end?"

Well I was a first time cruiser who honestly was not sure if I was going to enjoy it at all, though I went into it with high hopes. I thought we were in for trouble when I saw the forcast for the week of the cruise was horrible, but thank goodness the weather man could not have been more wrong. I thought that they were not that organized when we checked in and found out we were at table 000... which means none assigned, (we booked over 9 months ago), but we ended up with a great table (nicknamed forever table zero) up on a small pedistal surronded by a railing, and we were seated with a great family from Texas that made our meal very enjoyable.

And from there it just got better. Our excursions (12 metre challange and BOB adventure) were great fun. Our waiter Salmen and asst waiter Alonzo were good fun, thought the Head waiter Kal was a little annoying in his mannerisms. Our steward Ishmail (how appropriate) was efficient and almost unnoticeable (a plus in my oppinion). Everyone was great all the way down to the Asian guy who crooned "good morning good morning" everyday as we entered the Windjammer. The photos they took were almost always excellent. The shows were entertaining. Grayham Seymore (CD) was funny as hell, and who knew he could sing?

Over all I had very few complaints, I never want to hear about "Diamonds International" ever again. I wish that the 2 little nordic childrens parents would have told them that they really are not supposed to "Swim" and "Dive" in the hot tubs, I know there were adult only areas but the music and games were not in those areas. I didn't mind them in the tub, jus all the splashing and bumping into me. and well really thats all I can say bad about the cruise ship.

The ports however were just OK. Pretty water but the towns were not the quaint areas I was expexting they were just jewelry store after jewelry store all the exact same. THe excursions in St Thomas and St Maarten were great, so that made up for the shopping and town aspect of those islands. San Juan was nice all around. But Nassau was depressing looking , but my wife liked the open air shopping, so I guess it was OK.

Well any questions feel free to ask (I have no Information on kids activities or gambling or nightclubs).

Sob, I don't want to go back to work tommorrow....

[TennisLover]

Tell us more about the ship!

 

And, if you didn't do nightclubs, what did you do at night?

 

We're on Navigator in February and I love to hear everyone's opinions on it.

[<M&M>]

The ship was clean and in great shape. I did not see anything that needed repair. The ride was as smooth as glass. And the staff freindly. As far as night time we had the late dining time so we did not finish eating till 10:30 and all of our shows were After dinner so they did not end until 11:30 to midnight. And after that we went to bed.

[raytownlady]

Glad to hear you had a great cruise! We are sailing on the Navigator in October. Which nights were the formal nights?

[seahags]

...well, now the hook's set! Same happened on our first cruise and we'll be Diamond+ this Fall!! Salmen was our waiter on our first cruise (the Adventure of the Seas) and was getting ready to transfer to the Navigator for its inaugural season...guess he's still there. He was wonderful, glad to see he's still around!!!

 

Hope all your cruises are wonderful...there's SO much to see out there!

 

:D

[cruizinmimi]

M&M,

 

So glad you enjoyed your first cruise. You'll never be the same again:D The cure is to start planning your next cruise.

 

I'm so glad to hear the "Goooooood Mooorning" guy is still greeting everyone in the Windjammer.

 

Linda

[johnjen]

Over all I had very few complaints' date=' I never want to hear about "Diamonds International" ever again.[/quote']

 

What is Diamonds International? Thanks for the heads-up, whatever that may be!

[Dockman123]

What is Diamonds International? Thanks for the heads-up, whatever that may be!

 

It is a jewelry store that has multiple shops in almost every port.

[nfused2cruze]

Congrats on your "firsts."

 

May you have many more - of course by then it will be seconds and thirds, etc. :p

[Nanatravel]

Mark & Michelle glad you had a good first experience. Now plan on a Western Caribbean cruise: lots less shopping. Cozumel for Silver and Jamaica for Blue Mountain Coffee $$ - that's it really.

[abhb]

Were there any themed nights? We are going on NOS in June (western caribbean) Just curious.

[uksimonusa]

we just got back from the same cruise, spent most of our evenings in the Two Poets Pub on the Promenade, being entertained by Shane, the Guitarist, very talanted and friendly.

 

Just had one question when we left.

 

Who is Alice!!!!

[johnjen]

It is a jewelry store that has multiple shops in almost every port.

 

What's the reputation of this "Diamonds International?" Do they warn you not to get the ring wet?

[just4kixx]

M&M,

 

So glad you enjoyed your first cruise. You'll never be the same again:D The cure is to start planning your next cruise.

 

I'm so glad to hear the "Goooooood Mooorning" guy is still greeting everyone in the Windjammer.

 

Linda

 

me too! :D He really set the mood whenever we walked in the Windjammer and he was there greeting us!

 

Thanks OP for the memory update and the smile!

 

A~

[teachones]

Glad you had a great time. We will be on this cruise in July. Was there a smart casual night? We are trying to pack light and don't want to pack a sport jacket if it isn't necessary. Thanks!

[<M&M>]

There were 2 formal nights (one slightly more formal, but I would have felt underdressed inless thaqn a suit). Smart casula is the dress code for the 2 specialty shops though. And they have many unique photo opportunitues so the sports coat May be a nice option.

 

The formal nights were the 2 sea days (Sunday and Thursday).

 

There was a caribbean theme night on Wednesday I think, but that was it for themes.

 

Diamonds International/ Tanzinite International ect... are the jewlery stores that are on the recomended shopping list from RCI. If you get the shopping passport they sell all the DI stores will give you free gifts. Quality seemed fine, but the stores were everywhere! Also the shopping guy on board pushed them relentlessly. And I think they might just possibly be owned by RCI, way too much in bed together to not be connected somehow.

 

I also found even the jewlery shopping all around to be not much cheaper, if not more expensive than in the states, (at least at the pieces I looked at) for example I have a Swiss Army Watch, I saw the Exact same one in a shop in St Thomas. The Duty free, tax free , haggled down price was $15 MORE than I paid for it on sale at Watch world in the mall (only $5 cheaper than the normal price). Also I bought my wife a nice 3 diamond ring a few months ago. One of the jewlers said that she could trade up, that they would give us what they would charge for the piece as credit to a bigger ring. I asked what he would sell her ring for and after carefully looking at it told me $2400US. I only paid $1600US from my local jewler at home. So make sure you know EXACTLY whay the EXACT piece you are looking at would sell for at home. There seems to be the "Wholesale club" mentality going on down there (ie everyone says it is cheap therefore the price must be good, but it sometimes is a bad price in disguise)

[Twaincruisers]

Glad you enjoyed the NOS; we've been on her twice because we missed Labadee the first time due to the political unrest. Yes, Diamonds International is everywhere! We are browsers rather than buyers and I can't remember ever being in a DI, but we like to browse stores in downtown St Thomas and Old Street in St Maarten. We've found that waiters and dinner companions can make or tarnish our cruise experience. So where do you go next?

[uksimonusa]

M&M,

 

So glad you enjoyed your first cruise. You'll never be the same again:D The cure is to start planning your next cruise.

 

I'm so glad to hear the "Goooooood Mooorning" guy is still greeting everyone in the Windjammer.

 

Linda

 

That made us smile as well, but not as much as the 2 girls on the Mariner last year, they sang

 

"Good Morning, either way, enjoy your breakfast" while at the same time pointing to both sides of the windjammer:D

[emdia43]

Yeah- weren't they the cutest thing!! Only it came out like "Enjoy your BLEKFAST"..... they made me laugh every morning.:)

[<M&M>]

So where do you go next?

Back to work. And hopefully we will be able to do another cruise in 3 or 4 years. So who knows where we will go then.