Navigator review: B2B 4/19-5/3

[dancingranni]

We flew in the night before and stayed at LaQuinta Hobby Airport , using their Cruise&Stay package. It worked very well for the four of us. It was nothing fancy, but the room was clean, the beds comfy, and the continental breakfast was good. Our transportation to the port and then back to the airport on the day of return was included. All of this for $292....I found it quite reasonable. There are no businesses within walking distance close by. They offer a shuttle to go somewhere for dinner...but know they only have one that runs at 6:00p.m. We took a taxi to and from dinner and had the driver make a quick stop at a liquor store so we could buy some wine to take with us, as now RC allows 2 bottles per stateroom.

 

Embarkation went smoothly and we were in our rooms by 1pm.

The ship is beautiful, however I agree with previous posters that the solarium is a bit underwhelming compared to other RC ships.

 

Golda, our stateroom attendant for our first week was OUTSTANDING. Besides keeping our room meticulously clean, she emptied the frig for us, got us wineglasses and extra hangers, and transferred all of our belongings to our new room for the second half of our B2B. She always wore a beautiful smile and a great attitude.

 

My first week was clouded by the fact that I had left behind a sister who was in the hospital very, very ill. I mention this only so I can tell you how wonderful Guest Services was. They allowed me complimentary,unlimited ship to shore phone calls to check on her progress. For this I was so very grateful. She began recovering nicely and I did not abuse their generosity by using phone calls the second week.

 

I cannot sing loud enough praises for "Kelly" the C&A Loyalty Ambassador. She was over the top helpful on so many things and she has the dearest personality. Please go visit her if you get the chance. Tell her Donna said "Hello".

 

The first week we did MTD, but could only get a 5:45 (or MUCH later) reservation. In retrospect I think I would just do the "show up" approach. The second week we did Main seating..it was on the first floor of the Sapphire dining room and I felt the atmosphere was much nicer.

 

We loved all the entertainment venues on the ship. We didn't do the Flowrider. but what fun it was to watch. The Ice show is fabulous, a don't miss. We thoroughly enjoyed all the shows in the theatre, with exception of the comedian on the last night, who was uncomfortable, unbearably bad! :eek: I almost felt they booked him unseen, unheard as a last minute replacement for a no-show.

 

The Casino is brutal...lol, and I really think Bingo is a joke, incredibly expensive for 4 short games and small pots.

 

Food is subjective, plus I am easily pleased, so I won't review that.

 

I wish they had at least one dance venue with a decent sized dance floor. Studio B would be perfect for that.

 

Oops...time for dinner and cards. I'm out of time, but not out of things to say...will return later..prob. tomorrow. :)

[CCC3]

Awesome! We sail on the Navigator in 23 days! I'd love to hear more!

[alonzo14]

Thanks for the review! We will be on the Navigator soon! I'm excited!

[Ladysilver]

Glad you enjoyed your cruise! I LOVE the Navigator!! :D

[hince57]

Look forward to hearing more! What made the casino brutal? Just losses?

[dancingranni]

Look forward to hearing more! What made the casino brutal? Just losses?

 

Very nice casino...I'm just a very bad gambler..LOL!

[jayblue]

I'm on in November.

 

Great review!

[dancingranni]

We were fortunate to be on a B2B because on April 26, the end of week one, debarkation was a nightmare. I heard it's always worse at the end of the week that has Belize and Roatan...due to drugs, I guess. Also I believe there were some computer glitches. Anyway we were escorted off thru customs and back on quite quickly. Unfortunately it was past the lines of very unhappy passengers who had been waiting in line a long time. We received lots of dirty looks and a few choice words...:eek: I tried to put myself in their shoes.

The second week debarkation went quickly and smoothly.

 

Week 2 was even better because we had finally achieved Diamond status. Best part was the free drinks :D We went to all the shows again and enjoyed them just as much.

 

Ports of Call:

Roatan: We went with Victor Boden Tours. The 4 of us did their private excursion. We went to Monkey Business, their little zoo, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Then we toured the area, with a great guide who was very informative. He then took us to a resort on West Bay Beach to snorkel, swim and relax. He took us back when we were ready to go. It was a wonderful day.

 

Belize: We did a private snorkel excursion to Ho Chan and Shark Ray Alley through Shore Excursioneer....which is just a middle man. We ended up with Splash Wave Tours. There was good and bad about this, and if anyone is interested I can post more. The best part is their guarantee to get you back to the tender in time. Overall , I enjoyed it very much.

 

Cozumel: We went to Chankanaab Park (sp.?) I absolutely LOVED it. It had the best snorkeling of my trip, good food, and lots of fun things to see and do.

The water was unbelievably blue, the sand soft and white, and hammocks and chairs under palapas were plentiful. A great day!

 

Grand Cayman: We took a taxi to Smith Cove, a very picturesque local beach nearby. It has nice swimming, some things to see snorkeling, restrooms, a shower, and some picnic tables. I had fun watching crabs scurrying around on the rocks, geckos, a small iguana.....and so many chickens I thought I was in Kauai..lol.

 

Falmouth: We stayed in the port area and spent the afternoon at Margaritaville, enjoying good food, drinks and the beautiful pool with a waterfall and swim-up bar. The music was great and the atmosphere lots of fun.

 

Well, I'm done for today. Next post will be random thoughts, both good and bad.

 

Happy Mothers Day tomorrow..to all whom that applies. :)

[Living4cruising53]

I love to dance. We're there any dance parties? Do they do any line dances or country iine dances?

[dancingranni]

Each day in the compass they will post various onboard activities. That is where you will find the dance venues listed. We enjoyed several fun dance sessions out on the pool deck. There are also several bar areas that have dance floors and music in the evenings.

 

We also love to dance...have been line dancing 2 to 3 times a week for over 20years. Have a wonderful cruise!

[sredish]

Hi there! Thanks so much for your little review. Loved the positive comments!

 

Can you please tell me how busy Smith Cove was when you went? We are looking for a place to spend the day snorkeling and just enjoying the scenery...but not necessarily with 500 of our closest friends. :eek: I'm certainly not expecting it to be empty...just curious how busy it was when you went.

Edited May 22, 2015 by sredish