Galveston/Navigator Clue....??

[Topo Gigio]

Vintages is already there, but it's being upgraded with the same improvements they made to it on the Mariner. In fact, the wine machines that were just installed during the Mariner's short drydock are being taken out and installed on the Navigator. I offered to bring one of the machines home as a souvenir since they weren't needed on the Mariner, but alas one wouldn't fit in my suitcase...and they're $10,000 each!:eek:

We thought the improved Vintages was great! We were in there every night before dinner.:)

When we disembarked on Sunday, they were already removing a lot of things from the ship. Some of it, like casino carpet, was just going in a dumpster. However, since the Navigator's drydock is taking place in Galveston, I wonder if some of the Vintages fittings were being removed and stored for January? I know Vintages is one of the venues on the Mariner that is being repurposed for shopping.

One thing on the Navigator refurb list that disappeared that I found really interesting was the "Concierge Club." Since Navigator already has an "inside cabin" CL, is it possible they're going to relocate it to a larger more appealing space? We spent very little time in there in the evenings because it was always so crowded.

The Mariner's new Diamond Lounge is beautiful! Alas, we weren't eligible to enter last week...but we are now!:D

 

Navigator's dry dock is not taking place in Galveston but in Freeport, Bahamas.

[Cindy]

Navigator's dry dock is not taking place in Galveston but in Freeport, Bahamas.

 

Sorry...my mistake! Someone who just got off the Navigator TA was under the impression it would be in Galveston. At least it's on this side of the Atlantic!:)

[rushedmom]

Vintages is already there, but it's being upgraded with the same improvements they made to it on the Mariner. In fact, the wine machines that were just installed during the Mariner's short drydock are being taken out and installed on the Navigator. I offered to bring one of the machines home as a souvenir since they weren't needed on the Mariner, but alas one wouldn't fit in my suitcase...and they're $10,000 each!:eek:

 

:D

 

 

My Bad I meant improved Vintages... I want to use a wine machine, they look cool! lol

[JYD Hawkeye]

Hope they open the schedule up some for NV. We had a ball last week on the Mariner and want to use our NCC on the NV, maybe even a Trans Atlantic if it comes up. Dont care to fly anywhere to cruise. If I have to fly, I will trade my timeshare somewhere and just stay a week. May try to find another couple again to split a week in the timeshare again. Good deal for all. I pay for the 2 br. condo for a week, they pay for the airfare, and we pay for our own All-Inclusive if the resort offers it.

[FLACRUISER99]

Hope they open the schedule up some for NV. We had a ball last week on the Mariner and want to use our NCC on the NV, maybe even a Trans Atlantic if it comes up. Dont care to fly anywhere to cruise. If I have to fly, I will trade my timeshare somewhere and just stay a week. May try to find another couple again to split a week in the timeshare again. Good deal for all. I pay for the 2 br. condo for a week, they pay for the airfare, and we pay for our own All-Inclusive if the resort offers it.

How are you planning to do a Trans Atlantic without Flying?:rolleyes:

[JYD Hawkeye]

How are you planning to do a Trans Atlantic without Flying?:rolleyes:

I meant I dont like to fly to do domestic cruising. Why fly or drive to New Orleans to cruise the same places I can go to from Galveston.

[Texas_firefighter]

Vintages is already there, but it's being upgraded with the same improvements they made to it on the Mariner. In fact, the wine machines that were just installed during the Mariner's short drydock are being taken out and installed on the Navigator.

 

We thought the improved Vintages was great! We were in there every night before dinner.:)

 

 

 

 

Great news! We love visiting Vintages before dinner! Thanks for the info!

[ssb]

A good sign for Galveston hopefully::)

 

I have read that

Royal Caribbean is reducing its fleet of cruise ships offerings in European sailings in 2014 by an additional 10%.

 

It also said they have steadily been scaling back the number of cruise ships it sends to Europe after a few years in a row of mediocre sales, thanks in part to financial instability in the region as well as negative media related to the Costa Concordia tragedy.

 

Royal Caribbean did report demand for the Oasis of the Seas to Europe

in 2014 is high for its two-month adventure to Europe.

[hince57]

When I was on a Navigator TA a couple years ago, the Chief Engineer said that Navigator might be getting a Flowrider at her next drydock. He was also the one that told us that Oasis would go to Europe for her drydock. (This was in spring 2011.) I've read on CC that the Explorer Captain recently hinted that she would be getting a Flowrider. So, it might be one of the new features. We'll have to wait and see;) Navigator will be different from Mariner. Mariner had a very short 10 day drydock. Navigator's is over 4 weeks.

 

if that sucker gets a flowrider, i might be on it twice a year.

[TEXASMUNK]

seems to have come and gone. Any way you look for Navigator on the RCI web site, it is no where to be found in May 2014. So we are still in limbo.

Guess we will wait yet another week to see......

[Cindy]

Tick...tock...tick...tock...tick...tock!:rolleyes:

My fingers are getting tired from the number of times per day I'm checking RC's site hoping to see some Navigator itineraries for May 2014 and forward.:o

[CENTEX CRUISER]

This is the reply I received today from Royal...Sounds like a hint maybe..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your email. We apologize for the delay in our response.

 

Royal Caribbean International has not made any announcement to sail year round from Galveston, Texas. Please continue to monitor our website (http://www.rccl.com) for any updates.

 

Mr. V........ thank you for choosing Royal Caribbean International and for your continued loyalty to Royal Caribbean International. We look forward to welcoming you back onboard in the near future.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

Kathy Reese

Customer Service Representative

[CruzinSuz]

This is the reply I received today from Royal...Sounds like a hint maybe..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your email. We apologize for the delay in our response.

 

Royal Caribbean International has not made any announcement to sail year round from Galveston, Texas. Please continue to monitor our website (www.rccl.com) for any updates.

 

Mr. V........ thank you for choosing Royal Caribbean International and for your continued loyalty to Royal Caribbean International. We look forward to welcoming you back onboard in the near future.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

Kathy Reese

Customer Service Representative

 

 

Doesn't sound promising, but you never know....she didn't say no.

[Tucker in Texas]

A Royal Crown rep said they would be announcing the itineraries next Tuesday, April 30.

 

Could or could not be true but worth checking out.

 

Tucker in Texas

[G-Force]

Hey!!! Doing great! Always checking cruises ya know!!:D Any on your horizon?

 

 

We just got off of Mariner's last Texas departure. Took Alyssa and Red with us, stayed in a GS (AWESOME!) Pretty stoked about Navigator's year-round status... Looking pretty hard at that 6 day in May, then if she sticks around a Summer Cruise in "15 with the whole family. Will have the 2nd of the six married off by then...

 

Rhonda sold Purple Sash, bought a reg-top Benz, and is now "re-taking" the house.

 

I hope y'all are doing great. We couldn't help but think of y'all when we were "Sting-Ray Sailing". "Rebecca" is larger than last time but Marcus said she lost her tail just a couple of weeks after we cruised... It was really interesting because some of the "cheaper" tours don't feed anymore. So as soon as we hit the water we were covered up from the rays leaving everybody else and coming to us... Then as soon as we left to hit the reef for our snorkel, the rays left too. I would've hated to have been those non-feeding boat captains...

[Eng23]

For those folks who have not seen the info on Navigator going to Galveston check out this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1836877

 

There is a link on that thread to the announcement and what will be going onto the Navigator while in dry dock. :)

[BedfordCruisers]

Just looked at RCI site and it shows Navigator out of Galveston for Mid May 2014....but N/A for pricing.....possible clue?

 

RCI just announced Navigator will be in Galveston year round now..

[smoosh21]

I wanted to add that the wine machines were still on the Mariner during the Transatlantic I used them several times. They were still there at the end of the cruise, so I am guessing they went at least as far as Dubai.