March 25 Navigator

[Marylis]

Well, we took the plunge and booked our Very First Cruise:D -- we will be on the March 25 sailing of the Navigator, Ft Lauderdale to Ft Lauderdale, 7 days. We are [i]very[/i] excited. We have checked out a huge stack of Caribbean travel books from the library, have been lurking in the travel sections of bookstores, and are spending an inordinate amount of time online. While we are still somewhat disappointed that we couldn't swing the Paul Gaugin, we are very excited about this itinerary and are looking forward to seeing what we think of the Navigator. We eagerly read all the recent posts about the Navigator, and were very interested to find such a wide range of opinion. It seems like people either love the Navigator or don't -- there doesn't seem to be much in between. We've found a few people who listed the Navigator as one of their favorite ships, and [i]Frommer's[/i] listed the Navigator as one of their favorite luxury line ships, so we're curious to see how we respond.

Note to Jim B: sorry we didn't respond sooner to your post about possible free airfare deals to make the Paul Gaugin more affordable -- we appreciate you thinking of us:) We [i]did[/i] look in to it, but it doesn't look like any free air fare is being offered in 2005. Maybe because it's the last year, demand is up and they don't have to. Anyway, the best deals were being offered in the spring, ending in March, and in December. Since we couldn't swing it in March, and couldn't imagine waiting until December (even now I'm not sure how I'm going to bear waiting until spring), we decided to book the Navigator.

I haven't totally given up hope on a Paul Gaugin cruise, though. It's likely that we [i]will[/i] be able to swing a December PG sailing, even with going on the Navigator in March. The biggest obstacle is that for the last two years we've been planning a "Christmas in the Canadian Rockies" train trip on VIA Rail in Decmeber 2005, and Lis is still very attached to that plan. However, I have been working on her, and I sense some weakening as we pour over our cruise books and surf the various ports of call and excursions on line (she is especially enamored of the PG marina...). My hope is that the Navigator will be so glorious, and the repeat customer and booking on board discounts will be so tempting, that I will be able to sway her to the PG in December. After all, the Rockies will be there in 2006 (one fervently hopes, anyway) and the PG won't.

Speaking of booking on board, how does that work? Do you put down a deposit, and then make arrangements through your regular TA? Are you able to hold a particular room? Is the discount in addition to the returning cruiser discount? I assume that there is the same up-until-120-days-before-sailing timeframe for cancelling...?

Anyway, thanks to everyone who answered our questions, and thanks to everyone else who posts their opinions of theirs ships and excursions -- this board has been very helpful to us as we made our decision. Hopefully we'll meet some of you in March:)

Mary

[2417rocky]

Hi Mary, You will love the Caribbean. I hope you have a great cruise. Do your homework about pricing for the PG. The ship couldn't give us a very good price for next year, even when booking while on the cruise. The TA on the ship wasn't very helpful either. They seem to make everything sound like it is a price you can't pass up. (But is was) Happy cruising, Rlf

[Sage]

Marylis,

We too have taken the plunge and booked the Navigator for our first cruise with Radisson, so we will be reading with much interest your impressions of the ship. We are on the November 8th sailing next year to the South Pacific and Hawaii.

[Marylis]

Sage -

I saw the cruise you were talking about during some of my cruise web surfing -- that's the LA to Tahiti to Hawaii to LA trip, right? Almost a month? It looks glorious -- how lovely to [i]cruise[/i] to Tahiti instead of flying there, plus the side trip to HI. Plus, since I'm in Portland, I'd be able to take the train to and from LA and avoid ever stepping foot on a plane. That one is definitely stored away in my "maybe someday" category (along with the trip to Europe and return on the Vogager transatlantic crossing...):)

Mary

[Sage]

Marylis,

Yes, that is the cruise that you saw leaving from L. A. My husband doesn't like to fly, and this was a lovely alternative to making that long flight to the South Pacific. This will be our longest cruise so far, and we are anxiously reading everything we can find on the Navigator. I understand that the Navigator will be in the movie After the Sunset, so we are going to go to the movie in hopes of getting a glimpse of the ship as well. We are very excited about the ship and the cruise line.

[venicecruiser]

Mary - You will love the Navigator! I spent 16 days onboard in April and did not want to get off! Superb service, wonderful food, and lots of pampering...:)

Sage - I am looking at the trip you booked. No decision yet, but hoping!

Claudia