Review - w/ pictures - Navigator OTS - March 2 to 9, 2013

[Tennessee_Cruiser]

Navigator's drydock is scheduled for early 2014.

 

The unofficial Royal Caribbean Blog says Dec. Is there a more authoritative website I should be using?

[joandian]

Thanks to you both about the revitalization info. I love the updates to Mariner so Navigator should be just as wonderful.

 

Jo

[Clarea]

The unofficial Royal Caribbean Blog says Dec. Is there a more authoritative website I should be using?

I've been using this:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/EveryShip

 

However, the schedule and list of ship improvements changes periodically, so this far out it's hard to say what will happen.

[Tennessee_Cruiser]

I've been using this:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/EveryShip

 

However, the schedule and list of ship improvements changes periodically, so this far out it's hard to say what will happen.

 

Thanks!!

[Cuizer2]

Great review so far, thanks! Do you know if Navigator has been to dry dock to be revitalized the way Mariner was? We are considering doing the TA on Navigator next year so I'm enjoying your review.

 

Jo

 

No, the Navigator has not received the upgrades yet.

[Topo Gigio]

I stand corrected. That ship in post number two is the Navigator of the Seas. I can barely read the name on the side. I also compared the ship to the picture of the ship I took myself.

 

The ship pictured in post number six is indeed the Navigator of the Seas.

 

We can do this another way. It clearly is not the Oasis class. It doesn't have ears, so it isn't a Freedom class. The vision and Sovereign class don't have a helicopter pad in front. So that only leaves the Voyager class and the Radiance class.

 

The Radiance class has eighteen life boats - nine on each side. The Voyager class has 26 lifeboats - thirteen on each side. The ship in post number six has thirteen lifeboats on its side. Thus it is a Voyager class ship and since it says Navigator on the side, it is the Navigator of the Seas.

 

It's NOT the Navigator!! they can put whatever name they want on it, but that doesn't make it the Navigator!

[Cuizer2]

It's NOT the Navigator!! they can put whatever name they want on it, but that doesn't make it the Navigator!

 

First of all, it is the Navigator.

 

Second of all, Royal Caribbean can name it whatever they want, and that is what it is. So if Royal Caribbean puts the name Navigator on it, it is the Navigator.

 

Third, why don't you tell us what ship you think it is. As I explained earlier, it has to be a Voyager class ship.

 

Fourth, why don't you think it is the Navigator?

 

Finally, why don't you just give it up, the ship pictured is the Navigator of the Seas.

[mpoole3]

It's NOT the Navigator!! they can put whatever name they want on it, but that doesn't make it the Navigator!

 

Please stop questioning his review, he clearly put a lot of time and energy into this for us all to enjoy.

 

Thank you again, this review is outstanding and very informative.

[Scubadoobie2]

It is interesting that you are having this discussion about which ship is in that picture. The name on the ship clearly says "Navigator." But, take a look at the differences in balconies between the earlier Voyager class ships and the later ones. The balconies are quite different.

 

The early ones had steel instead of the bluish, see-through glass (or plexi-glass?) below the railing. See, for example, the Adventure and the Explorer.

 

The Navigator, by contrast, today clearly has the see-through, glass below the railing. The "Navigator" photo in post #6 says Navigator but clearly shows balconies with the steel lower section.

 

My guess is that it is a photo of an earlier Voyager class ship and someone altered the picture. Or, perhaps, and I have no idea, when the Navigator was first built it had balconies with steel lower sections?

 

Maybe someone with greater expertise about these ships can solve this mystery. Very, very interesting.

[Scubadoobie2]

P.S. It is a great review. Thanks for posting it and all the pictures. You clearly put a lot of effort in it and it shows. :D

[cathep]

Please stop questioning his review, he clearly put a lot of time and energy into this for us all to enjoy.

 

This is much nicer said than what I was going to say. ;)

[Tennessee_Cruiser]

Please stop questioning his review, he clearly put a lot of time and energy into this for us all to enjoy.

 

Thank you again, this review is outstanding and very informative.

 

AMEN! This is a great review. Some people are busy bodies and don't have anything better to do. :eek:

[scoob2010]

Thanks for the review and the great pics.

 

I'm booked for next Spring Break already.

[Cuizer2]

It is interesting that you are having this discussion about which ship is in that picture. The name on the ship clearly says "Navigator." But, take a look at the differences in balconies between the earlier Voyager class ships and the later ones. The balconies are quite different.

 

The early ones had steel instead of the bluish, see-through glass (or plexi-glass?) below the railing. See, for example, the Adventure and the Explorer.

 

The Navigator, by contrast, today clearly has the see-through, glass below the railing. The "Navigator" photo in post #6 says Navigator but clearly shows balconies with the steel lower section.

 

My guess is that it is a photo of an earlier Voyager class ship and someone altered the picture. Or, perhaps, and I have no idea, when the Navigator was first built it had balconies with steel lower sections?

 

Maybe someone with greater expertise about these ships can solve this mystery. Very, very interesting.

 

Good point. Maybe it is a prototype Navigator and then Royal Caribbean said, you know what, I think it would look better with glass balconies rather than steel, and they redid it.

 

I'm kidding of course. I'll post the picture as I received it from Royal Caribbean and I believe I have one more that they gave me (a night time view of the ship).

 

Here is a picture of the Voyager of the Seas (I know it is because I took the picture) ...

 

 

And here is a picture of the Navigator of the Seas (again - this is one I took in 2004) ...

 

 

Either the angle makes it look different or someone (not me) went through a lot of trouble to fake a picture of a ship that they must have hundreds of pictures of.

 

At any rate I'll post more when I get home (figure around 10pm or so in California).

[wocheez]

It's NOT the Navigator!! they can put whatever name they want on it, but that doesn't make it the Navigator!

 

Seriously doesn't matter that much! Get over it already and let him get on with his review which we are all enjoying!!

[Topo Gigio]

It is interesting that you are having this discussion about which ship is in that picture. The name on the ship clearly says "Navigator." But, take a look at the differences in balconies between the earlier Voyager class ships and the later ones. The balconies are quite different.

 

The early ones had steel instead of the bluish, see-through glass (or plexi-glass?) below the railing. See, for example, the Adventure and the Explorer.

 

The Navigator, by contrast, today clearly has the see-through, glass below the railing. The "Navigator" photo in post #6 says Navigator but clearly shows balconies with the steel lower section.

 

My guess is that it is a photo of an earlier Voyager class ship and someone altered the picture. Or, perhaps, and I have no idea, when the Navigator was first built it had balconies with steel lower sections?

 

Maybe someone with greater expertise about these ships can solve this mystery. Very, very interesting.

 

Bingo!

[Cuizer2]

Okay, I'm back. Here are five photographs. I'll let you decide which ship ...

 

This one I received from Royal Caribbean while on the ship earlier this month ...

 

This one I also received while on the ship earlier this month. This is the photo that I put in post number six. The only difference is I erased the "Navigator of the Seas" from the ocean before posting ...

 

This IS a picture of the Navigator that I took while in Cozumel on a cruise in Aug 2004 ...

 

This IS a picture of the Navigator in Labadee in August 2004 that I took from a tender going back to the ship ...

 

This is a stock photo I downloaded from Royal Caribbean or the builder of the ship (I don't remember which or when) that was labeled Navigator of the Seas (I have stock photos of all five of the Voyager class ships) ...

[Cuizer2]

Okay, now back to our regularly schedule review ...

 

Wednesday, March 06, 2013 – Falmouth, Jamaica

 

The captain said that we would back in. I thought that mean we would spin before docking. But instead we spun before backing down a fairly narrow channel. We docked with my balcony facing the dock and the village created by Royal Caribbean. So I was at the back of the ship taking pictures of the dock as we approached the pier. The Freedom of the Seas arrived soon after us. Per the captain, we can expect temperatures between the upper seventies and lower eighties. We are also warned that the crew is having a safety drill and that the passengers should ignore the call to muster stations and other safety drill related announcements.

I have my only ship sponsored shore excursion (Jamaica Swamp Safari Village) that meets on land at 10:15am, so I am in no rush. I go back to the cabin to upload the photographs, work on this and back everything up. Then I shower, dress and grab a banana for breakfast. I head down to the dock to explore the village on my way to where the tour meets. I pose for my only gangplank photo and the woman who I spoke to last night about the missing group photo is there and informs me that the group photo book has been found.

The village is a really neat area with all the usual trappings (Diamonds International, Tanzanite International, Del Sol, hair braiding …). However, the prices are high, which leads me to wonder what percentage of each sale goes to Royal Caribbean. Also, the tax rate is something else. I bought a hot dog for $5 and with tax it came to $6 (that is 20%). However, that was a cash transaction. Based on a printed credit card receipt I have, a $5.15 drink includes an eight-five cent GCT tax. That comes to 16.5%, which is double the sales tax I pay living in Los Angeles.

I am going to the Swamp Safari Village. I signed up for the tour a while ago and don’t remember exactly what it is, but I do remember it sounded interesting. It turns out to be a place crocodiles are brought to when they are captured after threatening people or pets. There is also a bird aviary, snakes and rodents, but mostly crocodiles. It is also the place where the famous crocodile-jumping scene in Live and Let Die (James Bond) was shot. They also have a pet baby goat named shampoo which follows the person who gave him his milk around just like a little puppy. That was an enjoyable tour. It gets my recommendation.

To get back into the village next to the ship every single one of us, while still on the bus, had to show our room key. Yet I am surprised to find at least two school groups inside enjoying the day. I have no problem with it, but if it is only for cruise ship passengers, then why are non-cruise ship passengers allowed in? At any rate I decide to enjoy some jerk chicken at the Spice Chicken and Bar (the only restaurant I saw inside the fenced in area).

Back on the ship I decide to shower rest and work on this, except I get wrapped up in a couple of programs on the TV and don’t get much of this done. Before dinner I go get the group picture before they lose it again. At dinner the other table is empty (tonight they all went to Chops). If I recall correctly, our group has one first seating table and three second seating tables, all next to each other. I ask for an appetizer portion of the pasta and order another steak from Chops (which cost less this time as I don’t have to pay the Louisiana sales tax). However, I ended up with the full dinner portion of the pasta. In addition I used another one of my two for one drink coupons.

After dinner I head back to work on this, upload my pictures and back everything up. We are moving our clocks back one hour (back to central time) tomorrow morning. I also check out the movie offerings on the TV and find one I might watch on Friday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cuizer2]

 

 

 

 

 

[Cuizer2]

 

 

 

 

 

[Cuizer2]

 

 

 

The next three are sunrises ...

 

 

 

Sunrise over Cozumel ...

[Cuizer2]

Thursday, March 07, 2013 – Day at Sea

Today is a nice relaxing day at sea. My plans are to leaving the cabin long enough for the room steward to do his thing, attend the Captain’s Corner at 1pm, do a little swimming and attend a Top Tier event (which I assume is for Diamond and up). Diamond members also get invited to a behind the scenes chit-chat with the entertainers. I did that on the Enchantment (where I was Emerald) and didn’t find it all that interesting. I’m waiting until I make Diamond Plus and then get invited to a bridge tour. Also, tonight is the second formal night.

I’m up in time for sunrise but can see that there are clouds on the horizon, so I never leave the cabin. Later in the morning I shower and dress, then go to breakfast. I don’t bring breakfast back to the cabin so that I am not interfering with the cabin steward. After breakfast I run around taking more pictures hoping to kill an hour before returning to the cabin. My plan works and when I return to the cabin the cabin steward has finished his work.

I upload the pictures, work on this and soon it is time for the Captain’s Corner. I didn’t take notes, but I did ask a couple of questions and I remember one other question that was asked of the captain, who was the only one there (usually the hotel manager, ship’s engineer or cruise director also attend).

I asked about the vacation schedule of the lower ranking navigation officers. We all know the captain only works 50% of the year and that the rest of the crew works sixty-seven to seventy-five percent of the year. But nobody ever mentioned what the lower ranking navigation officers’ schedule was. They also work 50% of the time and I was surprised to learn that there are more than one first officer and second officer aboard this ship. I also asked about the clearance when turning in the river (when leaving the Port of New Orleans) and when passing the other two cruise ships. The captain said that there was about 45 feet of clearance in back and about 400 feet in front when he spun the ship before leaving New Orleans. He says you always want to leave lots of room in front just in case you have to get going in a hurry. He said there was 400 feet of clearance between the Carnival Conquest and our ship, and slightly less between the NCL ship and our ship.

The other question I remember was about what was learned from the recent Carnival problems. The captain said the report on the Triumph fire is not out yet. As to the Splendor he said that the Carnival ships and the Royal Caribbean ships are built differently. That the Carnival ships have one breaker box while Royal Caribbean ships have two, so that if a Royal Caribbean ship loses one breaker box for whatever reason, the ship will still have half it power available. That sounds like something that should be a requirement on all new builds (in my opinion).

After the captain’s corner I asked him if he knew the name of the NCL ship. He said it was the Sky or Star. I’ve been on the Star and it was not the Star. However, someone else said it was the Spirit and that is a possibility. It is either the NCL Sky or the NCL Spirit, but I don’t know which. After that I went swimming. The pools were less crowded than I would have expected. However, the weather is nice, not hot, so that may have something to do with why there were not more people in the pool.

After swimming I showered, uploaded the pictures, brought this up-to-date and checked my account balance against my own records. Oops, there is an error. I’ve been charged for two gratuities today. Down to guest services to have that corrected. I am told that that the extra gratuity is tomorrow’s gratuity and that I will not be billed for a gratuity tomorrow (we will see about that).

There was a sunset worth photographing today. There were some clouds on the horizon but not enough to totally block the sun, so finally something worth photographing. And the best part was I never had to leave my balcony.

Well, time to get ready for tonight, so I’ll see you after dinner.

Well, the “Top Tier” event was for platinum and above. That is not so “Top Tier” since platinum is the second lowest tier (just above gold which is the lowest tier). Nothing unusual, though the captain did recognize me (I guess I asked too many questions at the Captain’s Corner). Still, it was nice event.

Afterwards I posed for four pictures wearing my red Caribbean shirt from Hell (the word Hell was covered up by my jacket). Then for dinner I had the pasta as an appetizer (and this time it was an appetizer portion) and prime rib as the main course. Both were very good. In fact, I would have to say that the meals I have had this week are the best I have had on Royal Caribbean and up there with the best I have had on any of my cruises.

So, I’m back in the cabin now updating this and uploading my photographs (including some food porn from last night and tonight), and updating my spreadsheet with the all the spending I have done (I also used the last of my two for one drink coupons). Tomorrow I’ve got a group golf tournament at 10am and a garbage pail party at 3:30pm (I have no idea what that is) and unfortunately I also have to pack. So until tomorrow morning, good night.

For those that are interested, I have uploaded over 2300 photographs taking up 12.5 gigabytes of space. This review is currently over nine thousand words taking up sixteen single spaced type written pages.

 

The following are sunsets ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cuizer2]

More sunsets ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cuizer2]

And a few more sunsets ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cozumel ...

[Cuizer2]

Still in Cozumel ...

 

 

 

Grand Cayman ...