Cruising on the Navigator soon

[AbeFrohman]

I will be getting on the Navigator in two weeks and wanted to know if there are any tips or comments that would enhance my cruise on this ship??? This will be my first Regent cruise and any other advice about this line would be appreciated as well. Thanks in advance.

[bridey56]

I guess I'll see you onboard. This is my first cruise ever. Any advice?

[gilligan cruiser]

we will be on the navigator in June, this will be my first time, but my better half has been on about 20 cruises

[Wendy The Wanderer]

This is a nice ship. It's small and therefore intimate. The cabins are large and lovely. Compass Rose is a good dining room. We enjoyed the ship very much. No viable alternative dining for dinner, that's the only drawback (some people love Don Vito's, I don't). But that's insignificant really. Portofino is a very nice casual room for breakfast and lunch, and you should get some spectacular poolside buffets as well.

 

If you're gregarious, ask to be seated with others at dinner. You will get to enjoy your wonderful meal with 4 or 6 other guests and you will meet some very nice people that way. Tables for 2 are easy as well. So is room service.

 

Enjoy!

[linda_22003]

My husband and I were on the Navigator in March. I posted a review here which may be useful to you. Enjoy your trip!

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=39294

[cusyl]

We sailed on her last November and here is my review: :D

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=35190

[AbeFrohman]

Thanks for your replies. One question though: Is there an outside place to run or walk on the ship for exercise? Thanks.

[cusyl]

I'm not a walker myself so I don't remember. There should be a place up above Lido deck pool.

[JoAnne B]

Abe

 

Yes, you will find plenty of walkers aboard.

 

I reread both reviews and wanted to make one comment about a major change on the ship...the new shops are very upscale, as in pricey not necessarily quality. On the crossing there was a limited variety of very overpriced logo-wear. They no longer set up tables in the atrium with daily "specials". As a result there is a smaller selection of more expensive pieces, most behind locked doors. I asked to look at one amusing piece (a cat appearing to hang on a chain) and the price was a lot more than I paid for my cruise, even with the single supplement. I said no thanks as gracefully as I could to cover my shock. Walking by, the shops were empty most of the time. For the first time ever, I didn't manage to spend my onboard credit, but let it slide into the deposit for a newly booked 09 cruise.

 

But of course the tacky pseudo-art hasn't disappeared. I think they got this one backwards!

 

Joanne B

Houston

[cruiseluv]

I don't understand why Regent doesn't do a better job in bringing merchandise normal people would consider buying!

 

i just came back from a TA on a Princess ship. They had several stores with very nice stuff, especially jewelry. One of them was really high end jewelry, but another was fine costume jewelry and they did a lot of business. Also, a store selling muramo glass things, Lladro and othere fine ceramics. Also duty free perfums and cosmetics. of course, this is a bigger ship, so it has more space for stores. But the times I ahve been on Regent ships I have found their stores to be sorely lacking.

 

Regarding Navigator, you'll love it. I have cruised twice on it and would jump at the opportunity to do it again.

[BILLP1]

Not a mall . It is a cruise ship with limited space...

[cruiseluv]

Not a mall . It is a cruise ship with limited space...

 

I understand that. The only thing I'm pointing out is that they should make better use of the space they have allocated to stores. Like bring merchandise people want to buy. It has nothing to do with it not being a mall.

[yarlenna]

I really liked the lack of shopping. I didn't buy any junk - and am now saving for my next cruise. If they had anything I would like to buy - then the time for the next cruise would be another month or so.

[HappyCruiser44]

I don't think many of us would equate a Regent ship with a mall so that remark is a bit out of line in my opinion. I do agree with the other posters that what merchandise is carried on the Regent shops is sorely lacking in terms of pricepoint and appeal.

[wishIweretravelling]

I really don't understand the allocation of space for boutiques for a cruise ship that is so port-intensive on most of its cruises. Wouldn't most people with any interest in shopping prefer to do it on shore? Given the limited space on Navigator, I'd much rather see that space used for something like a coffee lounge.

 

I can't imagine that the boutiques do that well financially. Yes, I look in them on each cruise, and even buy if I see a well-price piece of logo wear of costume jewelry. But if they've gone to high-end pricing, I doubt they'll see much of that kind of impulse buying. So I'll be surprised if the new boutiques don't do even worse than the old.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

All I really want from a boutique is good logo-wear (haven't found a decent windbreaker, can't see why they don't stock lots of this basic stuff.) And sundries. On the PG, pearls are a big thing, and they do have really nice resort-wear. In fact, it's the only decent boutique that I've found on the 4 ships I've been on.

[Travelcat2]

This is such a beautiful little ship -- cozy, warm -- great suites. I cannot find one negative thing about this ship. Oops, well, wish it had two more dining choices. Don't worry about shopping on board -- plenty of places to shop while docked!

[Phylhering]

Hi JoAnne.

 

Yes you are correct about the new stores. NOTHING to buy. While it is true it is not a mall, you would think that they should still want to sell things. Being in the retail business, it is not good use of floor space. They probably lease it out and could care less if the stores don't make money. But you would think someone would care about the profitability of the floor space. Would love to see the amount of sales per square foot for these shops as compared to other ships.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

I've managed to always find a trinket or two on most of my Regent Cruises. Haven't been on since the new change of boutique.

The last lessor, Evoke, is also the Boutique operator on Oceania.

Lots of stuff from the Black Gem Pearl Co onboard

The same Baltic Amber pieces too

Ship to Ship the same merchandise - very pricey.

Almost NO perfumes, makeup items or sundry assortment. Same purse selection for a few years and overpriced for them. The 'sales" have been mostly junk quality stuff.

 

A new store operator would be very welcome.