Just back from Navigator. Very long multi-post review

[dodgersmom]

Just got home from a great week on the Navigator. Here is my day to day blog. Please feel free to ask any questions.

 

Day 1. Dallas to Galveston

 

The nice thing about cruising from Galveston is that we drive from home. The bad thing is that the sense of urgency to get ready is not the same as if we fly and go in a day early. So Saturday was spent doing a 5k race in the morning, errands, visiting with some neighbors who are moving.... Finally, at 9:45 packing started. (I have a best friend with severe Type A personality. I texted her when we started and told her that if she was in my house at that moment her head would explode. She cruised 2 weeks earlier and was packed a week before her sail date!). To add for context, I am 50 and DH is 47. We are very active runners and not partiers at all. We are Diamond C&A status.

 

So packed, car loaded and in bed about midnight. 5:45 alarm. Checked about 20 times to make sure we had our passports and on the road at 6:45. Beautiful clear day and no traffic. 2 potty and gas stops at Buckee's. If you are from Texas, you understand the pilgrimage to Buckee's that you have to make if you travel south from DFW.

 

Got to the port about 12:30 which was exactly as we planned. Having been on the Navigator (and Adventure and Mariner) several times before, we planned to get on at 1 so the cabins would be ready. Not a lot of exploring of the ship was needed.

 

Drove to the terminal first to drop off bags. HOLY LONG SECURITY LINE BATMAN!!! I swear the line went almost to the Carnival terminal. Oh well, we are on vacation. No problem finding a porter to take the bags. Parked around the corner at the Park and Cruise. Paid the $10 extra for an inside spot. Well worth it if a hail storm comes through while we are gone. Walked over and got in line. This is the part where membership has its privileges.

 

Someone from the cruise line was there and telling anyone With Diamond or higher C&A status or suite guests to go through the doors into another line. Wow, that probably just saved us about an hour in line for the security scanners. Through security. They made me go to another table to check that my 2 bottles of wine were just that. Right to the check in line and on the ship. For us, I can say that the boarding process was very easy. But, if you are not in a suite or do not have C&A status, I can tell you that it seems like a frustrating way to start your vacation.

 

Up next, on the ship.

[dodgersmom]

Day 1. Dinner and lights out

 

They have a deal that if you book Sabor on day 1 you get a 20% discount. I believe you have to book onsite. So we took advantage. A quick note, for the past several years, we have not visited the MDR, preferring speciality restaurants and the Windjammer. Just a personal preference. We look at dinners as our excursions since we generally do our own thing In the ports. With that being said, we brought our bottle of wine down for our 7pm reservation. We have heard so many great things about Sabor. There was a lot of good and some just ok.

 

The restaurant looks very nice. It's in the spot where the Dungeon nightclub was on Deck 4 outside of the Schooner bar. It was very nicely decorated. The table side guacamole was wonderful. They make it to your preferred level of spiciness. We ask for medium spicy and it was perfect. The chips were great too. We ordered the calamari and the jalapeño wrapped chicken appetizers. The calamari was fantastic. The chicken was just OK. I found them to be a little too heavy and a bit dry. But, they were very tasty. The main courses is about the only thing neither of us were thrilled about. I got the Tuna Crusto and DH got the chicken and roasted corn empanadas. They were not bad per se, just not great. Desert, on the other hand, was amazing. They bring out a tray of about 5 different deserts in sample sizes. They were fantastic. We also finished about 3/4 of a bottle of wine! Very nice to see the corkage fee go away. So, my recommendation would be to absolutely try Sabor but I would not order those entrees again.

 

So, what do two younger than their years cruisers do at 9pm, we go back to the cabin and are asleep by 10. Hey, it's our vacation!!

 

Some general observations. We were concerned about catching the tail end of spring break, but all the Texas public schools and colleges had already had theirs. I do think that it must be spring break for Mexico. It seems, and remember I am writing this on the morning of day 2, that the majority of the ship is Spanish speaking. That is just an initial observation, and completely irrelevant to us or our cruise experience. Just an observation.

 

Up next. Day 2. What exactly is a pre-breakfast, the gym, will we find chairs at the pool, Chops and can we make it up past 10pm.

[godawgs227]

New to cruising out of Galveston. Which terminal does Navigator use?

[gks314]

Really looking forward to your review; thank you for taking the time.

 

We, too, are from Dallas and we sail on Navigator in June. As we are a family of 4 in two balcony cabins and without C&A status, what time would you advise for us to get to Galveston? I'm equally happy to drive down early Sunday or spend Saturday night in Houston or Galveston.

 

I'd like to minimize the pain of checking in and boarding.

 

Thanks in advance,

--Greg

[gambler]

Thank-you, can't wait for more.

[JimAOk1945]

I'm looking forward to your review. It's been a couple of years since we cruised from Galveston. We will be on the Navigator in 3 weeks. :D

 

I understand the RC terminal has been renovated/enlarged. Is the construction finished or still on-going?

[dodgersmom]

New to cruising out of Galveston. Which terminal does Navigator use?

 

Royal uses terminal 2. Carnival is in terminal 1

[dodgersmom]

Really looking forward to your review; thank you for taking the time.

 

We, too, are from Dallas and we sail on Navigator in June. As we are a family of 4 in two balcony cabins and without C&A status, what time would you advise for us to get to Galveston? I'm equally happy to drive down early Sunday or spend Saturday night in Houston or Galveston.

 

I'd like to minimize the pain of checking in and boarding.

 

Thanks in advance,

--Greg

 

Hi Greg. We got to the terminal at about 1 and the line to get through security was pretty insane. I would try to get there at about 11:30. You may still have to wait to board but probably avoid the craziness. We drove down Sunday morning as we knew we could avoid the lines with C&A. You may be better off getting there Saturday.

[dodgersmom]

I'm looking forward to your review. It's been a couple of years since we cruised from Galveston. We will be on the Navigator in 3 weeks. :D

 

I understand the RC terminal has been renovated/enlarged. Is the construction finished or still on-going?

 

Hi Jim. I did not notice any construction happening at the terminal. I saw signs that they were going to be improving it.

[dodgersmom]

Got these a bit out of order.

 

Day 1. On the ship.

 

We had just been on the navigator 18 months prior in Europe pre dry dock. I was impressed with how great she looked. We had cabin 8292. A mid-ship balcony. The cabin looked great. Very clean. New flat screen TVs and carpets. They also removed the coffee tables which I thought was a waste of space (and a potential broken toe hazard in the middle of the night). We had a 6 pack of Evian water waiting which was nice as before, we got 1 bottle. One thing that struck us, was the size of the balcony. We had been sailing in hump cabins for the past few years. Guess we got used to the bigger balcony size because it looked so much smaller. It will, however, do just fine for us for the next 7 days. Dropped our carry-ons and to the Windjammer. The Windjammer looked nice. I think the carpets, tables and chairs were all new. It was not all that crowded (since I assume the masses were still in line waiting to get through security).

 

So, while some things change and get refurbished, some things stay the same, like the food choices in the Windjammer. Nothing really grabbed us so we made 2 big salad plates. I was happy to see that they added spinach to the selection. I'm not complaining about the Windjammer food yet. Keep in mind, it's only day one and I am writing this at 7:30am on day 2 while I enjoy my pre breakfast of coffee and pastry. More on pre-breakfast on day 2 so you have to keep reading.).

 

Back to the cabin. No luggage yet but not a surprise. We were both tired from so little sleep the night before so we just put on the basketball game and we both browned out until our cabin steward, Angela stopped by to introduce herself and see if we needed anything. We asked for some robes and wine glasses. We tipped her an extra $20. Just something we always do. She was back in about 10 minutes with the robes and glasses. Muster was painless. Watched sail away from the balcony then walked the ship, got a quick bite at cafe promenade and just relaxed until our 7pm Sabor reservations.

 

Up next. Night one, Sabor, bedtime and some general observations.

[George C]

Can you tell us who was piano player or names of the bands on board we leave on 4/26 ( glad we are diamond)

[dodgersmom]

Can you tell us who was piano player or names of the bands on board we leave on 4/26 ( glad we are diamond)

 

Hi George.

Phil Anderson was in the Schooner Bar. Bubba Feathers was in the bar on deck 4 outside of the casino. Please tell Nadia, the concierge in the DL that we said hi. She is wonderful.

[Wilson]

Howdy neighbor. We live on the border of NRH and Keller.

 

Look forward to our NOS cruise 4 Sundays from today.

 

We heard that Bubba Feathers will be taking a break in May. No objection here as we are NOT fans of country music.

 

Lines...ugh. We make Diamond status in the middle of the cruise, but fortunately we are in a Suite. :)

 

Thank you for posting a review.

[George C]

Hi George.

Phil Anderson was in the Schooner Bar. Bubba Feathers was in the bar on deck 4 outside of the casino. Please tell Nadia, the concierge in the DL that we said hi. She is wonderful.

 

Thanks they were same people on as last year, not my cup of tea, but hostess of Diamond lounge was excellent , preferred diamond lounge over CL

[Paulette3028]

Looking forward to reading about your time on Nav -- we are sailing on her in November, when she is sailing out of Port Everglades again.

[dodgersmom]

Day 2. At sea

 

After a great first nights sleep I was ready to continue our cruise tradition of pre-breakfast. We try to workout daily on the ship. We look at it as paying it forward for all the non-normal stuff we eat. So, we start the day with room service coffee and pastries that we enjoy on the balcony before going to the gym and then the Windjammer for "real" breakfast. We set our order for between 7:30 and 8. In the past, we have gotten a call before they come so we can be ready. This morning, at 7:15 there was a knock on the door waking us from our cruise induced slumber. Regardless, that they were early, and we got no call, it was wonderful to sit on the balcony and enjoy the sounds of the ocean.

 

They gym was very much the same as I remember. Not sure if they changed it at all during dry dock. It was more than adequate for our at sea needs with plenty of treadmills, elliptical and weight machines. The free weight area was pretty small but looks well stocked with dumbells. Don't recall seeing any barbells. The gym was packed when we got there at about 9:30. We actually thought it would be empty as it was late in the morning. Had to wait a few minutes for 2 treadmills to open. Ran for about 45 minutes. The gym was hot but it was way too windy to run up on the deck. Figure port mornings we will get to do that.

 

Breakfast in the Windjammer was as disappointing as I remember. The fresh fruit was good, but the oatmeal I tried was mealy and just tasted terrible. The bagel was hard. I ended up getting a bowl of cereal. Can't really mess that up. DH had some eggs and bacon. He said they were "fine". He said the bacon was better then usual. I am not an egg lover so have to defer to him on that. He will try the omelette station today so I will let you know how that was. The WJ was packed. This is obviously a late crowd. We ended up sitting at the end of a table occupied by others. Not a problem, but they were making announcements for people to vacate their tables when they were done.

 

After breakfast went to the Solarium to see about getting chairs. The chair hogs were in full swing as we walked through the Solarium on our way to the WJ, we saw many chairs with rolled up towels on them. Those same towels were on those same chairs when we came back. We thought about moving them but ended up finding 2 chairs in the shade next to some really nice folks. As I am anti-chairhog, DH went back to the cabin first to change and then I went when he got back. Spent about 3 hours there until the shade disappeared and it was time for lunch. The pool patrol folks did a great job with the kids who tried to use the Solarium. They were on them immediately telling the parents that the were not allowed to be in here. Yeah for following the rules. I did think I figured out later in the week that the pool attendants put the rolled up towels on the vacant chairs. Duh. That was a lesson learned.

 

Lunch in the WJ was surprisingly good. Nothing special but a salad, burger and fries. The fries were exceptionally good though. It was, however, the same old stuff. And really, the burger was the only thing that appealed to us so we were glad they were good. It was packed again at 2:30. This really is a late crowd.

 

Back to the cabin for a nap, down for day 1 of progressive trivia. We also were able to take advantage of the 3 free drinks preloaded to our cards. That is a wonderful benefit. We are playing trivia with a really nice family we met the night before at Sabor. After trivia, went to the casino to see if the 6 dollar blackjack tables were busy. There were a few seats so we sat. Did well actually and walked away with 50% more than we sat down with.

 

Up next. The Diamond lounge and dinner at Chops.

[bighairtexan]

Phil Anderson (Schooner Bar piano guy) is supposed to go on break this coming Sunday. Not sure when/if he'll be back. Say what you want about him, he packs the place. The bartenders LOVE him because there's never an empty seat when he plays.

 

He had a short term sub for a few weeks last November. OH LORDY SPARE ME! The place was a ghost town.

[Paulette3028]

Phil Anderson (Schooner Bar piano guy) is supposed to go on break this coming Sunday. Not sure when/if he'll be back. Say what you want about him, he packs the place. The bartenders LOVE him because there's never an empty seat when he plays.

 

He had a short term sub for a few weeks last November. OH LORDY SPARE ME! The place was a ghost town.

 

Generally it is a 2 month break.

[spookwife]

Day 2. At sea

 

After breakfast went to the Solarium to see about getting chairs. The chair hogs were in full swing as we walked through the Solarium on our way to the WJ, we saw many chairs with rolled up towels on them. umm the staff does that every sea day. rolled towels do NOT indicate a 'saved' chair. the problem is once towels get used it takes forever to get new replacements stocked. the chairs that get saved/hogged are the ones in a line against the windows Those same towels were on those same chairs when we came back. We thought about moving them but ended up finding 2 chairs in the shade next to some really nice folks. As I am anti-chairhog, DH went back to the cabin first to change and then I went when he got back. Spent about 3 hours there until the shade disappeared and it was time for lunch. The pool patrol folks did a great job with the kids who tried to use the Solarium. They were on them immediately telling the parents that the were not allowed to be in here. Yeah for following the rules. I did think I figured out later in the week that the pool attendants put the rolled up towels on the vacant chairs. Duh. That was a lesson learned. guess I should have read the whole paragraph huh heheheh

 

 

 

Up next. The Diamond lounge and dinner at Chops.

 

WJ was a major disappointment the whole time and like idiots we waited until the end of the cruise to hit the MDR for lunch( we had a suite so ate in Chops for breakfast every day)

but yeah the fries WERE very good. the pulled pork was not bad either.

[Paulette3028]

WJ was a major disappointment the whole time and like idiots we waited until the end of the cruise to hit the MDR for lunch( we had a suite so ate in Chops for breakfast every day)

but yeah the fries WERE very good. the pulled pork was not bad either.

 

On our recent Indy cruise we did the MDR for lunch....I was not impressed at all with the menu. People rave about the tutti-fruity salad they offer....it is nice, but if I have to go to the buffet in the MDR for it -- I am not happy...I went to the MDR for a sit down lunch, not serve yourself. Nothing on the lunch menu interested me.

 

I expect it will be the same on Navigator....and I am fine with WJ or Café Promenade for shrimp rolls or chicken wraps for lunch.

[Summerknight]

Following...thank you for your review

[JimAOk1945]

dodgersmom,

 

Thanks for the update about the terminal.

 

Question: Is the Café Promenade open on embarkation day? We would rather get a quick bite to eat there than the Windjammer.

[dodgersmom]

dodgersmom,

 

Thanks for the update about the terminal.

 

Question: Is the Café Promenade open on embarkation day? We would rather get a quick bite to eat there than the Windjammer.

 

Yes, it was open. I recommend the chicken wraps. They were very good. And always a great place to grab a cookie.

[JimAOk1945]

Yes, it was open. I recommend the chicken wraps. They were very good. And always a great place to grab a cookie.

Thanks for the tip! You are a treasure trove of information. I'm so glad you don't mind answering my questions.

[dodgersmom]

Thanks for the tip! You are a treasure trove of information. I'm so glad you don't mind answering my questions.

 

Ask away!