Live from Navigator March 17, 2017 - Ship Faced Shamrock

[Chasep17]

Chase, I know you couldn't get the drone up today, but enlisting a helicopter...really?

 

I hope your Photoshop skills can remove a man who appears to be in his underwear, perhaps a flesh tone pair.

 

 

 

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You have no issues, as I had forgotten to load the SD card. O well.

[Chasep17]

Now you are probably wondering why I would voluntarily get up early on a sea day. Well those of you smart folks that follow @OurTwoSuitCases on YouTube know that I am traveling with an extremely talented videographer that has created some amazing and highly viewed music videos from the decks of Royal Caribbean cruise ships (most recently the Harmony of the Seas).

 

Well this cruise would be no different, and Chase would have us all up early to begin the filming. Of course he was easily able to coax me into joining the process with the promise of lots of drinking between takes.

 

 

As you can see, robes are getting a lot of play this trip.

 

Stay tuned for what is sure to be another epic video from Chase and White Shorts in a few weeks. I promise to post the link here.

 

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I still wonder what the bridge must have been thinking, and how close we were to having security converge on our location.:confused:

[NewfieGuy1972]

Thanks for the live TR fella, just watched the Harmony vid you did...amazing job!

[SilkySal]

Sorry, I am going back through for any unanswered questions. No, there is no cutout that allows for views on the starboard. I was actually conversing with the family staying in the room about that at sail-away.

 

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Damn Daniel!! (just google it) Oh well, thanks for checking and for the great review!! CHEERS!!

[CruiseLifeRick]

Final thoughts and some additional photos (including from the Quest) coming tonight. I got eight hours of sleep last night, which might be more than I received in the previous nine days. So it is much better that I didn't try to articulate any real thoughts last night.

[Chasep17]

#AdventureSquad in Curacao

 

 

We don't always pose like a boy band, but when we do, it's in front of a Temple

 

 

While in Aruba we like to to jump in photos, even if it takes 24 tries.

Edited March 27, 2017 by Chasep17

[CruiseLifeRick]

 

Remember when your parents would ask you if "your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?" I wouldn't even hesitate with these two gentlemen.

 

 

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[wolfganghowell]

That is one of the best cruise photos I've ever seen. Greatness.

[CruiseLifeRick]

That is one of the best cruise photos I've ever seen. Greatness.

 

You can thank White Shorts for these gems. Girl has got serious vision.

[dh6230]

Anyone donate o- blood at 1am? I hope the guy is ok.

[CruiseLifeRick]

Anyone donate o- blood at 1am? I hope the guy is ok.

 

True story, most of us were dancing in the club and all of sudden the speaker volume dropped dramatically, but did not actually go silent. We turned to DJ TicTac to see what was happening and he seemed just as confused. Less than a minute later the sound returned to normal and we continued on with our night. It wasn't until the next morning that we heard about the request as we never heard the announcement over the muffled speakers in the Cosmopolitan Club.

 

I am not O-, so I wouldn't have been able to help. We definitely hope that the patient is doing well.

[Sanra]

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[A&L_Ont]

True story, most of us were dancing in the club and all of sudden the speaker volume dropped dramatically, but did not actually go silent. We turned to DJ TicTac to see what was happening and he seemed just as confused. Less than a minute later the sound returned to normal and we continued on with our night. It wasn't until the next morning that we heard about the request as we never heard the announcement over the muffled speakers in the Cosmopolitan Club.

 

I am not O-, so I wouldn't have been able to help. We definitely hope that the patient is doing well.

 

Had there been a donating match your blood/alcohol level could have provided anesthesia qualities as well. Unfortunately that wasn't the case but hopefully they are doing well.

[Lionesss]

Had there been a donating match your blood/alcohol level could have provided anesthesia qualities as well. Unfortunately that wasn't the case but hopefully they are doing well.

 

 

 

LOL

Blood transfusions and alcohol made me think ....................

 

When I was a student nurse circa 1975, (Many of you yongins' were not born yet and yes dinosaurs roamed the earth then) and doing my Obstetrical rotation ----We would hang Alcohol (etoh) I.V's to stop labor.

This was more painful for us than the patient.

Can you imagine a pregnant patient in labor, trying to stop contractions with these IV's

It was not pretty, barf city. Cranky drunk moms to be.

Too bad we did not have better recording devices then, You tube would have been busy.

 

 

We should have just given them a couple Captains and coke for the ride.

And yes if you were drinking of course the ETOH would still be in your blood, that is why we record blood alcohol levels and note them before we give anesthesia to trauma patients.

 

I am sure the need for giving blood in an emergency out weighs the risk of the alcohol blood level.

 

Just saying

[Back2golf6]

Hey Rick, quick question:

 

We have golf carts rented for our day in Bonaire and will be venturing out on our own. We will probably only run one of the two routes. Which did you find more enjoyable, the northern or southern? As of right now, from stuff I have been reading, I am leaning more toward hitting the southern - but would be interested in input from someone who has just done both.

 

Thanks!

 

I was on this same sailing and we did the golf carts. It was a great experience. We went both North and South; we started out heading South towards the salt flats and Donkey Sanctuary (which was GREAT!!!) and then headed up North to the Flamingo Sanctuary. There was more to see in the South (in my opinion), but the views heading up North were spectacular!!!!

 

Whatever you do, try to avoid Golf Cart #2. . .that's the one I had and I thought I was going to have to push it back to the pier!!!!

Edited March 28, 2017 by Back2golf6

[Dan-P]

I was on this same sailing and we did the golf carts. It was a great experience. We both North and South; we started out heading South towards the salt flats and Donkey Sanctuary (which was GREAT!!!) and then headed up North to the Flamingo Sanctuary. There was more to see in the South (in my opinion), but the views heading up North were spectacular!!!!

 

Whatever you do, try to avoid Golf Cart #2. . .that's the one I had and I thought I was going to have to push it back to the pier!!!!

Thank you, and great tip on cart #2!

 

Dan.

[CruiseLifeRick]

Final Thoughts

 

Time to turn off the sarcasm – very unlike me, I know – but if you recall I started this thread with the expectation that this cruise was going to be about as much fun as a game of Canasta on a Holland America sailing. Well folks, I am here with hat in hand to say that my nine nights on the Navigator was probably one of the most enjoyable and memorable sailings that I have had in many years – don't tell White Shorts.

 

Ship

 

This sailing marked my fourth time on the Navigator of the Seas and the seventh time on a Voyager Class, placing it as the ship and class that I have sailed the most times on. While not my favorite class – the Quantum Class claims that title with me – it still holds a very special place in my heart as it was in fact the Voyager of the Seas that first hooked me on Royal Caribbean. I still find the Navigator to be as beautiful as I did 13 years ago, when I first stepped foot on her, and I continue to be fascinated at what an architectural marvel this class of ship is even when compared to some much newer ships by those "other" cruise lines. That said here is my wish list, which will never come to fruition, I know!

 

1. Bring Back the Nightclub on Deck 3/4 - The Viking Crown just does not serve this function well in my opinion. Remember when the Cruise Director staff would finish up the 70s party on the Promenade or the Quest in Studio B and start a dance train of people right into the Dungeon/Crypt/Dragons Liar, and keep the party going. Well asking people to make their way all the way up to Deck 14 really breaks up the crowd. One of the reasons that the Quantum class is my favorite is that the Music Hall, which functions as the nightclub, allows for the late night crowd to essentially stay in one place without having to relocate around the ship in search of things to do. The perfect ship would keep late night activities such as the dance club, casino, adult comedy and most importantly pizza in close proximity to each other. Quantum and Oasis Class both check the box here, so why did we have to flip the script on the Voyager Class?

 

2. Replace the Star Lounge with Boleros - Does anyone know why the Star Lounge exists? I do not. Meanwhile, you have a ship that sails from Miami six months a year, with a dance floor the size of my living room for Salsa dancing. Royal take a page from your Empress deck plans and make it bigger. Also, no offense, but I do not want to hear Salsa music while waiting for dinner or enjoying a cocktail at the R Bar.

 

3. Replace Boleros with Vintages - I think Vintages gets very little foot traffic, outside of the Captain's Reception, on the Royal Promenade and would fare much better at the footsteps of the MDR and would also be a better companion to the R Bar one deck above.

 

4. Give us Sorrento's - I haven't made up my mind on the logistics here, but I do know that the pizza quality at Cafe Promenade is just not the same.

 

Food

 

As usual, I had breakfast and lunch in the Windjammer and found the food to serve its purpose, which was to provide a base for the excessive amounts of alcohol being consumed. Did anything wow me? No, but I would say that generally breakfast and lunch are meals that fall into the "eat to live" and not "live to eat" category. Dinner this go around consisted of two nights at Sabor, two nights at Chops, two nights at the Windjammer, one night at Izumi, one night at Giovanni's and one Chef's Table experience. All the speciality restaurants were excellent as usual and the Chef's Table once again stole the show for the week. Look out for the Crab Cakes in the Windjammer on Day Five...one word - Killer!

 

One complaint, again would be the subpar pizza. Can't Royal hire some of my fellow Italians over at Carnival or Princess to get this piece of the equation correct?

 

Crew

 

Mixed bag this sailing.

 

Bartenders - Exceptional with plenty of heavy hands. Big shout out to my boy Petar at the Sky Bar. Ask for an Italian Tea and say Rick sent you. ;)

 

Room Attendant - Always present and very attentive.

 

Windjammer Servers - Fantastic and always there asking if you want a refill.

 

Speciality Dining Wait Staff - With the exception of Andres at Chef's Table, I would say this is where I felt the least connection all week. Purely there to take order, place order, and clear your plates. No real conversation or personal touch. Perhaps the "seen and not heard" is the preference for some, but I am a talker.

 

Cruise Director Staff - Two thumbs down. I am going to get a bunch of responses to this I'm sure, but I think Cuddy is one of the dullest CDs I have ever had. This was my second time cruising with him and I witnessed no difference from December, so please don't tell me it must have been an off week for him. He showed up to perhaps only a handful of events the entire nine days and when he did he seemed to have no real connection with the audience or, more importantly, his fellow Cruise Director Staff, which I think is very telling. The whole team just seemed to be going from event to event, checking boxes, but never really coming across as having fun or trying to build relationships with the passengers. One standout on Cuddy's staff is Antonio from Spain, who is such a wonderful character, but unfortunately is working with a bunch of stiffs.

 

DJ TicTac - Royal should take him and his MacBook and throw him into the Atlantic Ocean or the nearest Save the Waves canister. I have never seen a DJ give exactly zero (insert letter to the right of D on your keyboard) that the passengers were displeased with his selections and would entertain about one in twenty requests each in night. We made the best of it of course, but my word. Oh and TicTac...real DJs know how to mix a song...I can sit here on my computer and press the shuffle button on my Spotify playlist as well. #noskill

 

Entertainment

 

Outside of the Love and Marriage Gameshow, which was very funny while continuing to be very predictable, I did not attend any other shows in the Main Theatre this trip. I even passed on the ice show as I had already attended in December. I would have liked to see the Comedian for his late night adult comedy show, but I suspect I was inebriated whenever that was happening.

 

Itinerary

 

I am so glad I did this itinerary again, this time spending far less time on tours that consisted of transversing the islands to reach obscure photo opportunities and using my stay to really enjoy the beaches and to unwind with a drink in my hand. My most memorable shore activity would have to be a tie between the Sandbar in Labadee and the Catamaran in Aruba, both of which really had to do with the fantastic group I had the pleasure of cruising with this week.

 

The Squad

 

So what made this one of the best cruises? Like anything in life, great experiences are really attributable to those that you share them with. I met and developed friendships with an amazing group of people this week, which has left me feeling nothing short of blessed. I have memories with this crew that will surely be part of stories I will be telling for years to come. So to team #SquadGoals...a very big thank you and I cannot wait to cruise with you again one day!

 

Edited March 28, 2017 by CruiseLifeRick

[CruiseLifeRick]

I cannot close this down without giving Mr. P and White Shorts their own post for two reasons:

 

1. Because they are the winners of The Quest this sailing, which I think takes their championship tally up to something like 18;

 

He makes it rain...bras

 

A couple that dances together...stays together.

 

Unless she tries choking him first.

 

Don't ask...

 

Winner, winner chicken dinner!

 

 

2. Because they became lifelong friends of mine this week and I can honestly say that I have never connected and related with two people as quickly as I did with them.

 

 

 

Now, can God just send me a wife that easily?

 

Peace out everybody...see you on the next one!!!!

Edited March 28, 2017 by CruiseLifeRick

[boontj2003]

42k views and counting...pretty amazing and impressive. Wow! Just wow. Great review

[sayvan]

Great review... I thoroughly enjoyed the trip even if I had to go to work everyday!

 

 

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[Clarea]

One of the top ten reviews I've read here! Outstanding Rick, thanks for an amazing review.:D

[CruiseLifeRick]

One of the top ten reviews I've read here! Outstanding Rick, thanks for an amazing review.:D

 

 

Thanks, Bob! That definitely means a lot coming from you. I hope to sail with you one day.

 

 

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[chaswelf]

I was on this same sailing and we did the golf carts. It was a great experience. We went both North and South; we started out heading South towards the salt flats and Donkey Sanctuary (which was GREAT!!!) and then headed up North to the Flamingo Sanctuary. There was more to see in the South (in my opinion), but the views heading up North were spectacular!!!!

 

 

 

Whatever you do, try to avoid Golf Cart #2. . .that's the one I had and I thought I was going to have to push it back to the pier!!!!

 

 

We also did the carts, fantastic.. you can easily do both south and north in a day. We left about 9ish and went south first, stopped at Jibe beach for a drink and got back to the ship around 11:45. Went back aboard for lunch and headed back out at 12:45 and did the north loop. Got back to the ship at 3:30. My tips are to reserve early they were sold out when we arrived, expect a wait to get your cart, because they take time with each group to go over the map and talk to you about what to expect along the way and this can take 5 minutes or so. The pick up point is less than a 5 minute walk from the ship. You will be on public roads with traffic since the carts can go about 25-30mph you will be passed and we pulled over several times to let faster traffic pass.

 

 

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[floatel_lvr]

I still wonder what the bridge must have been thinking, and how close we were to having security converge on our location.:confused:

Great videos... thanks for sharing!!!

[A&L_Ont]

One of the top ten reviews I've read here! Outstanding Rick, thanks for an amazing review.:D

 

I have to agree Bob. The writing style and photos are amazing. Rick dislodged one other writer (Gatorwop) that I liked from my top ten who had a similar style but hasn't been here in a while. I think that poster either stopped cruising or coming to CC. :confused:

 

If I ever cruised with Rick I'd never keep up with him on the dance floor for obvious reasons, lose by a mile in the tan department and might barely keep up in the beverage department. All that being said I bet it would be a blast.:D

 

Great job Rick, and thank-you for bringing us along.