Thoughts from 12/26/15 Navigator Cruise

I wanted to share a few post cruise thoughts. This is not a formal review, but more a list of a few things here and there. I've been a member of Cruise Critic long enough to know that not everyone will agree with an original poster's comments so feel free to share your perspective - no need to be argumentative or attack. Happy to answer questions.

• 
   
  Entertainment
   
  
• Overall very disappointing for New Year’s cruise compared to prior trips on Freedom class. Just nothing on this ship that really compared to Freedom class level entertainment.
  
• First night comedian was awful.
  
• Comedy juggler was good. Solid fun.
  
• Audio Vox vocal group was good, but not great. There was some moments when they seemed out of tune when singing.
  
• Comedian on last night was excellent!
  
• Three opera-like singers – not my thing but good for what they were.
  
• The show featuring various Broadway tunes was OK. Female singers were very good. Male singers were average. My kids preferred shows like Once Upon A Time from other ships.
  
• There was a Ballroom Dancing show, but I passed on that.
  
• Just Dancin’ Ice Skating show great!
  
• I thought the orchestra was great.
  
• James Brown in the pub was excellent.
  
• I feel like it’s time to retire the steel drum bands on the pool deck.
  
• Love and Marriage show was a hit this trip. The show is so hit or miss, but this one was a hit with the couples they had.
  
• The Quest. I think this was my last one. I feel like you’ve seen one - you’ve seen them all.
   
  Activities
  
• I’m a big Flowrider guy. Flowrider staff did a great job with managing lines and keeping to designated times. They were a little too generous with giving 2nd and 3rd chances. That made everything move really slow. Wait times for boogie board were very high even for a New Year’s cruise. Flowrider needs to be open more considering the amount of people on the ship.
  
• Basketball court had 3 balls. Most RCL ships have at least 6 or 7. That was odd.
  
• Lots of sports activities. Schedule seemed to offer more than other RCL cruises I’ve been on.
  
• No “Cruise Planner” provided for the week. Ridiculous. One was provided on 11/14/15 8 night cruise, but not for ours. Was told by Activities Manager that Royal doesn’t provide a cruise planner, but that’s not true so I don’t know why he would say that.
  
• 70’s street party needs to be retired. The show is dated and seems to lack more and more energy every year with every cruise I’m on.
  
• Lots of family karaoke. I’m usually very critical of ships not having more family karaoke nights, but lots of them on this ship.
  
• Too much emphasis on playing football games at the main pool at night vs. playing movies. There were movies in the evening, but nowhere near the amount from the last 8 night cruise on the Navigator. No big deal, but I would like to see more movies in the main theater. When I was on the Liberty years ago there were a ton of movies in the main theater. I know I’m on a cruise, but sometimes it’s just nice to relax and watch a movie.
  
• There was an event with the Captain and other Senior staff where they took questions. I thought that event was great and I was very impressed with the captain.
   
  Food
  
• Main Dining Room food for dinner was good. Lobster, braised short ribs and leg of lamb were highlights. Cold fruit soups are always excellent. I have a big sweet tooth, but I just don’t like the desserts on RCL with one exception – soufflés! And those were excellent. Sea day lunch quality was decent. The salad bar station for lunch is the highlight and very good.
  
• Windjammers, as always, was terrible. I’ve given up on Windjammers. Same bad experience on food quality on each RCL ship.
   
  Stateroom Attendant
  
• Very good.
   
  MDR Wait staff
  
• Excellent waiter. Asked for feedback multiple times. I’ve never had a waiter on a ship ask “is there anything I can do to make your experience better”. Very impressed with that.
  
• Excellent Head Waiter. Addressed minor issues better than any Head Waiter I’ve ever had.
  
• Bar service was originally terrible and then a replacement was provided who was excellent.
  
• Asst. waiter not good. Couldn’t understand English and not able to service us properly. She was replaced with different person who was better, but I didn’t like his personality, but he did a nice job on service.
  
• Overall thoughts on service
  
• Overall I thought the staff was excellent for a ship that wasn’t one of the larger ships. I had many positive experiences with multiple crew members. On the whole, the crew seemed very happy.
  
• Best Guest Services staff I can remember.
  
• Overall thoughts on ship
  
• I think the ship looks great. I thought I might miss the Freedom class, but that wasn’t the case at all overall. The Navigator is a fine ship and was a great value.
   
  Cruise Director
  
• I felt like he had a good command of the position. I liked what he did on New Year’s Eve with a separate one pager listing all the events separate from the Cruise Compass. I found him a little difficult to understand sometimes.
   
  Misc
  
• Cruise in review shown at the end was the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. They took what was a promotional video for the ship from years ago and blended in current video with older video. Unlike anything I've ever seen on RCL. Made no sense to me.
  
• RCL had this new concept for pictures called the Private Gallery. It's a more private experience for taking photos. Great idea until you find out after you take the pictures that they are 4 to 5 times the price of the regular photos. They should be more upfront about the pricing, but I liked the concept. I didn't end up buying any. $100 for one picture? No thanks.
  
• Like all RCL cruises, the Cruise Compass has too many fee based and stupid shopping related events listed. If RCL wants to promote shopping related promotions separate them out.
  
• I was not receiving Emerald promotions and mailings. For some reason I, along with about 20 others, were not coded correctly in the RCL system. The Loyalty Manager fixed after I talked with her.
  
• At checkin, the local port authority officials completely botched the priority checkin line and the non-priority people were let in person. I consider getting on the ship first as the biggest benefit of C&A. Once inside I raised my concern to a RCL staff member and she resolved my issue. Had she not, my checkin would have been delayed by at least ½ hour.
  

Thanks for the feedback.

Who was the Cruise Director?

The man who always has a plan - Jerome Sueur

We were also on that cruise and agree with most of what you say. We didn't like Jerome, but it's not make or break. Thought Guest Services was great! The nicest ever! Agree completely about the shows. The only two that were really worth seeing where the juggler in the last comedian. Our problem was at the future cruise desk. Everyone there seem to be for lack of a better term incompetent. They charged our credit card twice, gave us 18 different price quotes for one trip, had one of them tell us off when we questioned her as to why the price changed 5 minutes after the price quote; it was just a disaster. They kept on telling us that the prices increase and decrease depending on the time of day. I have been on 25 cruises, and am a travel agent so I do this every single day. It is not like the stock market! They had no idea what they were doing there. Overall a great cruise though!

Nice review, thanks, agree entertainment can be hit and miss but Ice show is always great

 

• 
  Activities
  
• I’m a big Flowrider guy. Flowrider staff did a great job with managing lines and keeping to designated times. They were a little too generous with giving 2nd and 3rd chances. That made everything move really slow. Wait times for boogie board were very high even for a New Year’s cruise. Flowrider needs to be open more considering the amount of people on the ship.
  

Did they do Advanced Stand-Up and Best of the Best?

Thanks for this. Will be onboard in 2 months.

Yeah, some of the acts/headliners can be hit or miss - they typically change often, don't they? Or will they have a headliner act be on the ship for several sailings in a row? Not sure how that works? Either way - hit or miss, but overall I'm usually OK.

Was Bubba Feathers band on this cruise, please?

Hello

If your trip was the 6 night cruise can you post the order of the menus and was there 1 or 2 formal nights?

Was Bubba Feathers band on this cruise, please?

Not that I know of. Would they have been a headliner show?

Hello

 

If your trip was the 6 night cruise can you post the order of the menus and was there 1 or 2 formal nights?

It was 8 nights.

Thanks for the review. Doing an 8 night next month, any issues with the pool being crowded?

Not a headliner show, just a band playing in different venues at different evening times.

Chiguypaul,

Excellent review. I to have found the the WJ isn't great but in a pinch it's okay.

Thanks,

Dave

Thank you for the review. I'm taking a group of 30 on the Navigator in April. This is good info.

By the way, I can't find where on the website to book the entertainment for our cruise. Do they not do it on this ship like other RCI ship?

Did they do Advanced Stand-Up and Best of the Best?

Yes to both.

Was Bubba Feathers band on this cruise, please?

Nope

Hello

If your trip was the 6 night cruise can you post the order of the menus and was there 1 or 2 formal nights?

I was on the eight night with two formal nights.

Thanks for the review. Doing an 8 night next month, any issues with the pool being crowded?

Busy but not crowded.

Thank you for the review. I'm taking a group of 30 on the Navigator in April. This is good info.

 

By the way, I can't find where on the website to book the entertainment for our cruise. Do they not do it on this ship like other RCI ship?

Not an option on this ship.

Speaking of pictures, how much do they usually run? Has someone posted a price list somewhere?