Mini-Trip Review from Navigator-- 1/29/17

[iambumbo]

Overall a good cruise with just a few minor issues. This was my 12th cruise, 6th on Royal Caribbean (rest on Carnival, Norwegian, and Princess). I was joined by my girlfriend, who's had about the same number of cruises though this was her first on RCL. For perspective on my random musings, I'm 44, she turned 37 on the ship. I'm happy to answer any questions if I'm able.

 

Off we go!

 

We flew nonstop out of Midway Chicago airport the day of the cruise. Yes, risky I know, and I'd never recommend it, but we were trying to save money on a hotel in Miami on a Saturday since we're going on a 10-day cruise in May. Also made sure to have trip insurance that kicked in on a 3-hour flight delay just in case. As it turned out, no issues getting down there as our Southwest flight left a little before 6am and got us into Ft. Lauderdale just before 10am. Coming from about 3 hours away, we used Hotwire for a room at the Marriott near Midway for $59 base rate. Decent hotel but probably a little below usual Marriott standards. For that price, who cares.

 

Bags showed up and we took an Uber down to Miami. Unfortunately a cold front had come through a few days earlier so we had the most lousy weather that area had seen all month. Rained all day and 60 degrees at most. C'mon, Royal Caribbean, couldn't you at least control the weather? ;) Think the weather caused a little surge pricing as the ride down was about $57. Ride back to FLL from the pier was only about $35.

 

We arrived at the pier around 11am. Took us probably about 45 minutes to get through the line. I'm platinum level C&A but the line didn't seem to move much faster than the newbie section which had more agents. After getting onboard, we immediately stopped for a quick drink and headed up to Windjammer. It was pretty packed and hard to find a table which was a common occurrence this week. Wish I'd looked in the adjacent specialty restaurants earlier because they seemed to have seats when I noticed they were open the last couple days. Food in the Windjammer has enough options for any tastes (I'm a picky eater). Great food? No, but decent enough and well worth the convenience. We ate all our breakfasts and lunches there.

 

We went down to our cabin shortly after rooms opened. We had a virtual balcony since we wanted something cheap but the GF always had balconies before and was concerned about just a traditional interior. Thoughts on the balcony? I wouldn't spend much extra for it again. I think we only paid about $20 each for it vs. basic interior, and I wouldn't go beyond that. It was nice to see the weather outside but it's really just a big TV screen that doesn't change perspective. They also put a fake balcony ledge across the screen which looks silly. It's obviously not a real balcony, RCL, just let us see the untouched view.

 

Side note on the virtual balcony-- the screen was frozen when we got there. Told our cabin steward when we met him and he said he'd put in a maintenance call for us. It still wasn't working by the next morning so I went down to guest services-- they said they'd send a worker up to fix it. When we came back to the room several hours later, it was fixed. The guest services rep called the room later that day to confirm it had been fixed which was appreciated. An even nicer touch was when she sent a bottle of wine up on the last day of the cruise. Compensation wasn't something I'd requested or even suggested, but that was still a smart PR gesture. We had the drink package so kind of moot too, but the GF still enjoyed the wine. :)

 

With the weather being so lousy, nobody was hanging around on deck. In spite of that, ship didn't feel too packed in the afternoon as lots probably stayed around their rooms. After muster drill at 4:30, we went outside for 5:00 sailaway and the rain had let up a little. Of course, the beach was empty with the weather so nobody there to wave us off. Boooooo. Went back to the room to unpack as our luggage had arrived and then had a few more beverages before dinner.

[daze6399]

Glad to hear they fixed it. I'd love to see them do more with the vbalconies. There's a ton of potential there with very minimal extra cost. Having an option to see the compass on there would be pretty cool and provide some value.

[Newbcruiser1]

Following along! Was on this sailing as well and curious to hear your perspectives! We too agree that it was an overall good cruise with some hiccups and negatives.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[iambumbo]

Staying on the subject of the room, other than the virtual balcony it was your typical interior cabin. The GF was a little freaked out upon seeing the size of the shower (remember, she's new to RCL) but once inside thought it was fine once she figured out a way to shave her legs. Our cabin steward Mark from St. Vincent was fantastic all week. The GF was hesitant about him when she discovered a week old Compass underneath the bathroom counter along with a, um, disgusting hair. That proved to be just a blip though as he did a great job all week cleaning our cabin and always pleasant to talk with. Bed was a little firm but fine to sleep on. The pillows were way too soft (we both like sleeping with heads elevated) and we asked Mark for a few extra pillows. The extras were nice and firm and we slept much better after that.

 

One of the minor complaints was about room temperature in the cabin. Even at the coolest setting, the room never got cool enough to be fully comfortable, especially at night. I didn't notice a problem with the common areas, so must have been by design. I'm usually cold in most places too. I'm not suggesting it was sweltering hot in the room but about 5 degrees cooler would've made all the difference. Again, just a nit.

 

Moving on to dinner, we had a great set of waiters in Swapneel and Andre. Courteous and pleasant, with good timing in serving not too fast or slow. As for food, I'm a big fan of the everyday menu in case there wasn't anything you were too fond of in the daily menu. I ordered two entrees every night as I enjoy a big meal, and I was very satisfied with the quality. I'm not a fan of appetizers but they've got something for everyone-- my favorites were the fresh fruit and cold soup options. I'm not much help on desserts but the GF seemed to like them.

 

Call me a traditionalist but I still prefer a set dining time to anytime. I love having the same wait staff who pick up on your preferences, and it's also nice to carry an ongoing conversation with the same people all week. Although the GF took personal offense when one couple requested a table change. ;) I said, why would you want to spend more time with people if they don't want to be around you? The formal night also should stay. Nice to see everyone dress up for a night for those who want to participate-- I hope RCL never decides to get rid of that occasion like many others have.

 

We went to Chops Grille for the GF's birthday. We'd made reservations online ahead of time for $28. We got there about 25 minutes early but they were still able to seat us right away. The food overall was excellent-- the 9 oz. filet was phenomenal. The GF added on the lobster for $21 which she said was pretty good too. We had a little laugh in that the first tray of bread was hard and we assumed it was supposed to be that way but realized it was actually stale when the second tray tasted normal.

 

Our other nit from this trip was the service at Chops. Our waiter was great until about halfway through our meal when 2 tables of officers showed up to eat. Then his service diminished significantly as he focused on them. I don't blame him at all as I understand the dynamic-- these folks are your day to day bosses and you want to make sure to give them great service. However, what I found disappointing is not one of the 9 officers picked up on the fact that our service was being compromised because of them. If you're going to convince people that this is a premium product for which they should pay a premium, you should make sure the experience lives up to it. Bottom line-- did it ruin the night? Of course not. But those officers should be coached to pay better attention in public areas that the customer's needs should always come first, and I did comment on it in the RCL survey. In spite of this experience, I still would absolutely recommend Chops as an alternative for those wanting a little something more special than the main dining room.

 

And yes, the main dining room waiters still serenade you on the final night! :)

[iambumbo]

Glad to hear they fixed it. I'd love to see them do more with the vbalconies. There's a ton of potential there with very minimal extra cost. Having an option to see the compass on there would be pretty cool and provide some value.

 

Near the elevator banks they have large touchscreens that you can use to access the daily compass so maybe they figure that's good enough. That was a nice feature they didn't have when I was on Navigator 4 years earlier. It is convenient when you're out and about.

[dh6230]

Near the elevator banks they have large touchscreens that you can use to access the daily compass so maybe they figure that's good enough. That was a nice feature they didn't have when I was on Navigator 4 years earlier. It is convenient when you're out and about.

 

What was your cabin number? We have VB on the Navigator on an upcoming cruise. Thanks.

Edited February 4, 2017 by dh6230
grammar

[iambumbo]

What was your cabin number? We have VB on the Navigator on an upcoming cruise. Thanks.

 

We were in cabin 9301. I recommend the location. Close to elevators but not too close and easy to get to locations up and down.

[iambumbo]

Figured I'd address the drink package questions that keep coming up. Yes, you can still get pretty much anything on the menu with the package. Yes, there are a few things listed on there as "premium" drinks which will cost more but that's just an option. We like to drink champagne and although they don't show it on the menu, there is a champagne option that is $12 or less though I never caught the name. You obviously can get more expensive brands if you like as well, same with wine. The only drink all week we ordered which wasn't on the menu was a glass of Moet Chandon that the GF wanted with dinner at Chops, and the waiter made clear it was $2 more, which of course was no biggie as it was listed on the menu as $14. My guess is they're directed to make clear if you're going outside the package so shouldn't be an unintentional issue.

 

The Moet reminded me of a funny story-- a guy asked to order a glass for his wife at the pool bar but the bartenders couldn't ring it in. Apparently they're not supposed to sell glasses of wine/champagne outside the package at the pool bars because it's so rarely bought there it would go flat before the bottle is emptied. The guy said he didn't want the bottle so he walked off miffed. I would've just gone to the Windjammer bar around the corner but that's me...

 

Overall no complaints with the beverages or bar service. As we see on so many ships, several bartenders will remember you from day to day and your drink preferences. We bought the package ahead of time on Cruise Planner for 20% off, or $41/day plus 18% gratuity. We definitely got our money's worth out of the package. Buy it ahead of time if you want it because it is $55/day onboard. It's clear based on the increased drink pricing that they're trying to push you into getting the packages. I hope eventually they'll cave like the others and just offer that as a perk in exchange for slightly increased pricing. Celebrity is part of corporate RCL and they do it-- why won't RCL?

 

My drink package tip-- seems like a lot of people don't know you can go to the Windjammer bar and order "fresh squeezed orange juice" with the drink package. It's very delicious and much better than the watered-down machine stuff. Definitely worth the 2 minutes to order it.

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[iambumbo]

Our ports were Nassau and Cozumel, both of which I'd been to before. Before departure we'd thought about going to Pearl Island or Blue Lagoon for a beach day in Nassau but with the recent cold front, we thought that might be too chilly and getting in the water seemed unlikely. So instead we just decided to wander the city on our own. I'd read a little bit about Fort Fincastle and the Queen's Staircase, which were an easy 15-20 minute hike from the pier. There were some nice photo ops and we killed a good hour there. After that, we walked through the shopping areas. The straw market is huge with tons of stuff but after 3 rows, you've already seen everything for sale and it's just more of the same. Then we decided to stop at Senor Frog's for a bite to eat and a nice view of the ships in port. By then we'd killed off most of the afternoon so headed back to the ship. As we headed through port security we saw a girl being virtually carried by her friends toward the Carnival ship in port. Watching her do the drunken stagger and then finally collapse before getting up after a short nap made for an entertaining walk to our ship. You can always count on a few of those from any port. I can see getting a solid buzz but never understood the point of literally being unable to walk.

 

In Cozumel, we got a day pass to Secrets Aura Cozumel, very near Chankanaab. About a $15-17 cab ride from the International Pier where we docked. The GF has a travel agent pass so she got in for free and I only had to pay $28. Nice all inclusive for the day, though not as nice as one we'd been to in Jamaica last year. Drinks were good and service phenomenal. Probably wouldn't stay there but we had a good time. The pools weren't heated though so they were absolutely freezing. Very strange to have the swim-up bar in the back of the resort where you couldn't even see the oceanfront. They had a small snorkeling area where you could use their equipment for free but not much to see. Got back to pier area about an hour before departure and did some power shopping in that area, some deals to be found.

 

Overall the ports weren't the greatest but that's as far as you can go for 5 days. Plenty of options for excursions through and outside the ship so probably sufficient for first timers.

[easyboy]

Enjoying your review. Following along.

[iambumbo]

Thought I'd relay some additional observations from the GF who had a non-RCL cruiser's perspective.

 

*** She thought the pool area was definitely bigger and nicer than other cruise ships she'd been on. Guess I'd kind of taken that for granted.

 

*** She was impressed by the level of activity in the Flowrider/sports deck areas. She noted they were usually empty so RCL made a good use of that space. I agree completely.

 

*** She thought the returning cruiser's party was a waste of time, probably because we have the drink package. ;) Some of the pretentiousness of the repeat cruisers is a little over the top, but I find it amusing.

 

*** She felt drink service on the pool/sky deck was better than other lines. While that's true, when I'm thirsty, I prefer to just hit the bar myself.

[iambumbo]

Some general thoughts about the entertainment: We didn't catch any of the headliners or main acts except for a few minute of one of the dancer shows, so can't really comment on that. All of the live music was pretty good, with a nice variation in styles so there's something for everyone. The usual promenade shows (disco, circus) were entertaining.

 

Since I was last on Navigator, they'd gotten rid of the two-level disco and replaced it with Sabor, so I was curious how the late night scene would be affected. Of course, the old club was pretty hit and miss too. I was a little skeptical that people would hike up to level 14 for the new Cosmopolitan Club but it seemed to be well-attended and the DJ had a good mix of tunes.

 

Poolside activities were the usual kind of stuff and kept you interested when the bands weren't playing. We were pleased that the level of chair hogging you see everyone wasn't as bad, relatively speaking. We didn't get to the deck until 11am or later and found decent spots on the sun deck. Of course, the cooler weather this cruise probably played a role in that too.

 

I'm not sure if the adult karaoke falls under entertainment but here's a hint-- people are there for fun so sing fun songs and don't be afraid to be over the top. If you think people will love you croon that special ballad because it's your jam... you're wrong.

[ElmwoodPark]

We were on this same cruise. I found it interesting to read your perspective on the trip. Did you find out what caused the evacuation of the luggage/customs area on Friday morning?

[iambumbo]

We were on this same cruise. I found it interesting to read your perspective on the trip. Did you find out what caused the evacuation of the luggage/customs area on Friday morning?

I didn't hear but I saw someone started another post on that very subject and nobody seemed to have any answers there either. Fortunately we were almost to the end of the customs line when the siren started going off so we were outside fairly quickly thereafter.

 

Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Forums mobile app

[cantwaittogoagain]

 

Side note on the virtual balcony-- the screen was frozen when we got there. Told our cabin steward when we met him and he said he'd put in a maintenance call for us. It still wasn't working by the next morning so I went down to guest services-- they said they'd send a worker up to fix it. When we came back to the room several hours later, it was fixed. The guest services rep called the room later that day to confirm it had been fixed which was appreciated. An even nicer touch was when she sent a bottle of wine up on the last day of the cruise. Compensation wasn't something I'd requested or even suggested, but that was still a smart PR gesture. We had the drink package so kind of moot too, but the GF still enjoyed the wine. :).

 

Interesting on the VB. We were on the 1/20 sailing and also had a VB. Ours wasn't working all week - it didn't have sound, wouldn't turn off for a few days, would get frozen quite often and then started turning completely green. We had maintenance come by 6 times and after they still couldn't fix it, they offered us future cruise credit. I wonder if this is a common occurrence on this ship?

 

We were in 9621

[iambumbo]

Interesting on the VB. We were on the 1/20 sailing and also had a VB. Ours wasn't working all week - it didn't have sound, wouldn't turn off for a few days, would get frozen quite often and then started turning completely green. We had maintenance come by 6 times and after they still couldn't fix it, they offered us future cruise credit. I wonder if this is a common occurrence on this ship?

 

We were in 9621

 

I got the sense it wasn't unusual. Ours was green when we got there. It froze again after the maintenance fix but I figured to try the on/off switch to reboot and that worked. Sounds like that didn't work for you.

 

Out of curiosity how much credit did they give you? Hopefully enough to cover the premium between that room and a basic interior cabin.

 

Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Forums mobile app

[cantwaittogoagain]

I got the sense it wasn't unusual. Ours was green when we got there. It froze again after the maintenance fix but I figured to try the on/off switch to reboot and that worked. Sounds like that didn't work for you.

 

Out of curiosity how much credit did they give you? Hopefully enough to cover the premium between that room and a basic interior cabin.

 

Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Forums mobile app

 

 

They gave us 20% of what we paid for the cruise, more than fair.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums