Two weeks on the Navigator, from Montreal to Reykjavik

[Travelcat2]

I also appreciate the TS's posts - both negative and positive. However, had the TS done research on CC before booking the cruise, they would have known that the Navigator was not a "stable" ship and could shake quite a bit. IMO, there is no longer any reason for anyone to not know that is the case on Navigator.

 

Agree with poss that there is a lot of "bite" in the posts. Hopefully they are enjoying the cruise and realize that the experience would be quite different if they were sailing on Regent's other ships.

[forgap]

I appreciate the "bite"... honest, straight forward writing. I'm not sure why there is a need to sugarcoat the experience. Somethings are great, others not so much. I agree that Navigator needs to be retired?

[Seashoregal]

Reading reviews gets me ready for my cruises.

I am glad when people give an honest review and don't sugarcoat it.

 

I always research TripAdvisor when planning a trip.

 

 

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[flossie009]

Reading the TS/OP's original post, they had done their research, knew about the vibration/stability issues and chose their cabin location accordingly.

 

However, it was useful to hear the observations on the full extent of the Navigator issues, which some had erroneously posted as having been fixed.

 

It is always good to read balanced unbiased reviews on these Boards.

Thank you, Fletcher

[BBWC]

We are on the ship as well and are part of the group doing the full 60 days. This is our first time on Navigator and I was a bit apprehensive before boarding, but I am really enjoying the ship. Only feel the vibration a bit up on top in Galileo's, I don't actually recall ever feeling anything in La Veranda. Our cabin is on deck 5 forward, so no problem there.

 

I am really enjoying the new menu in Compass Rose, so far for us the food has been excellent and always prepared as ordered. Have not tried Prime 7 yet, we are happy with our one reservation since there is so much choice in CR. Service is also very good. Even when full in La Veranda, we can barely sit down before someone shows up to ask us what we would like to drink.

 

 

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[Joanandjoe]

Our cabin is on deck 5 forward, so no problem there.

 

We, too, are enjoying the diary of the trip, since we were in Corner Brook & St. Pierre on Oceania a few years ago. Miserable weather? Check. St. Pierre disappointing? Check, made worse in our case because it was a major Catholic feast day, and nearly everything was closed. Corner Brook disappointing? No! We had a local guide who took us to a place where lobsters were landed, and we "helped" the fisherman haul them onto the dock. We also saw a small marine exhibit (which they opened especially for us, since it was not yet open for the season), and a lot of beautiful scenery. Quite a nice port for us, and the town gave a party for everyone on the dock that included music and samples of blueberry pie and maple syrup!

 

On our next Navigator cruise (from Amsterdam to NYC via Iceland and Greenland), we've booked 527. Is that a good location, or is it too close to where the stewards congregate? We could choose 612 instead, but maybe that's too far forward. Any thoughts on cabin selection, and on vibration in G cabins?

Edited August 24, 2017 by Joanandjoe

[wishIweretravelling]

 

On our next Navigator cruise (from Amsterdam to NYC via Iceland and Greenland), we've booked 527. Is that a good location, or is it too close to where the stewards congregate? We could choose 612 instead, but maybe that's too far forward. Any thoughts on cabin selection, and on vibration in G cabins?

 

I've stayed in 612 before, and thought it was fine. You might hear the anchor going down when in an anchorage port, but fortunately Navigator is able to dock in most ports--one of the benefits of a smaller ship. And hearing the anchor can happen in any forward cabin on any ship. I don't find the sound bothersome, but then I'm a pretty sound sleeper.

 

I've not stayed in 527 before, but I have never heard of stewards making noise being a problem on any Regent ship. I believe all G cabins are forward, so vibration is not an issue. The vibration is limited to the aft.

[Seashoregal]

Interesting, we will be going on Royal Carribean's Navigator of the Seas.

I've read the same vibration complaints.

Wonder if the built around the same time!!

 

 

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[Joanandjoe]

Interesting, we will be going on Royal Carribean's Navigator of the Seas.

I've read the same vibration complaints.

Wonder if the built around the same time!!

 

Good joke. In case you're serious, Navigator was officially built in 1999, Navigator of the Seas in 2002. One of the reasons why the Regent Navigator has such bad vibration problem is that the hull was started as a Russian ship (either a spy ship or an icebreaker), than was bought by Regent's predecessor, Radisson, for conversion into a cruise ship. (Regent/Radisson old hands could probably expand on this, but hopefully in a separate thread.) The hull apparently was too stiff for a cruise ship, and Regent has never been able to overcome the vibration problem.

[Seashoregal]

Not a joke!

Won't be on ship until September,

But read in some reviews on Cruisecritic.

 

Said better to be towards middle and lower decks.

 

Will find out soon.

 

 

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[Fletcher]

ST JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND

First of all, to correct an inaccuracy, the gaming tables in the casino are blue, not green, and for the first time last night I saw a croupier with something to do, dealing cards to two men playing blackjack.

Secondly, although I had read that the puffins will all have gone to Las Vegas by August, an opinion shared by our on-board lecturer, I have to report that we saw many thousands of puffins today. But more of that later.

Some months back I saw a documentary about the design and construction of Regent’s newest ship, Explorer. It was called The World’s Most Bling And Luxurious Gin Palace Afloat. Or something like that. And I remember that one of the programmes concentrated on the design and the propellers. If they are perfectly, microscopically smooth the ship will not suffer minimal vibration. The Explorer’s propeller’s are as smooth as a baby’s bottom sculpted by Michelangelo.

However, if they are slightly rough or acne’d or punctured then the ship will vibrate in certain situations. Well, I think the Navigator’s propeller has over the years suffered from dry dock damage and deliberate attacks from giant squid in the Humboldt current. Anyway, reader, that’s my final word on the technical aspects of the Regent Seven Seas Vibrator. Frankly, I don’t know what I’m talking about but I write with total conviction.

Now, I hope you won’t think me being presumptuous when I say on behalf of all passengers that we had a very enjoyable day in St John’s which is a good as dammit the easternmost point in North America. I say this despite our know-all guide who pointed out that one of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska lies on the other side of the dateline and can therefore claim to be further east than Newfoundland. It was amazingly hot for Newfoundland. It was about 70 degrees and with the wind chill it felt like 80 degrees. The sun was baking. Freaky weather.

As our excursion to see the puffins was not until 12.25pm, we went for a walk in the city. It’s very steep and someone has described it as a lower-key San Francisco what with the clapboard Victorian housing and all. Well, I didn’t spot a cable car and in truth it isn’t like San Francisco at all. However, it is a fairly interesting place once you leave behind the ugly 1970s buildings on the harbour. There are hundreds of these vernacular houses painted red white and blue as well as a variety of greys and browns. It’s all colour co-ordinated and quite attractive in its way. It’s also a bit rundown and grungy - 1960s shops which Sonny and Cher would have been pleased about. Tattoo parlours. A shop called Get Stuffed. You know the scene, man.

I really really wanted to buy something. I wanted to buy something in Corner Brook but I didn’t need a spare part for my pick-up truck. I wanted to buy something in St Pierre & Miquelon but I didn’t want a plastic flower pot or a wheelie bin. What I wanted was a beanie with a puffin or ‘Newfoundland’ knitted into it. I still haven’t spent a dime.

In the afternoon we drove to Bull’s Bay, or vice versa, and got aboard O’Brien’s boat and set sail out of the bay, past a portable oil rig, into a choppy sea. This was a great trip with a man called Con who was the guide. He knew everything, he sang Irish songs, he got everyone to sing or clap. After maybe 15 minutes we got to several offshore islands where puffins, guillemots and other seabirds had made their breeding home. The area was teeming. Our boat got quite close to the shore so we could all get some decent pictures given that the ship was bouncing around and the birds just wouldn't stand still and pose and smile. We bobbed around for half an hour admiring the wildlife spectacle. We even saw a gull grab a puffin and everyone shouted ‘No! Don’t do that! Puffins are so cute!’ So the gull said, ‘OK’ and let the puffin go.

On the way back to the harbour we spotted a humpback whale which did several mini-breaches, teasing us. It never showed us its tail. But as most whales have left the area it was a nice bonus at the end of a great day.

We now have two sea days heading towards Greenland.

[RachelG]

Nice report! Your excursion sounds excellent.

 

 

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[BBWC]

Joanandjoe -

we are in 524 and think it is a great location. We don't hear any noise at all on the outside. It is our first time without a balcony and we don't mind at all.

 

 

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[Boatmans Lady]

Joanandjoe -

we are in 524 and think it is a great location. We don't hear any noise at all on the outside. It is our first time without a balcony and we don't mind at all.

 

 

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Thank you for this post and mentioning not missing the balcony. We have sacrificed the balcony for upgrading to business class flights, as we have a 12hr flight to LA and two flights over 23hrs in total coming home.

We are a deck above in 616 so hoping no vibration, but as we are used to little sailing boats, 5-8 cabins, vibrations don't worry us much.

[Kwaj girl]

Fletcher: enjoying your daily diary or do they call it blog these days? Can't wait to hear your take on Greenland as that is on our bucket list....some day! This might cause some dissent among the ranks but you are on one of our favorite ships....can't wait for our WC in January. Thank you for sharing your adventures.

[RachelG]

Just heard from friends of ours, Clay and Jennifer from Texas, who are onboard. Really fun couple. Say hi from me if you happen to run into them.

[Fletcher]

We are at sea again today and tomorrow make our first stop in Greenland - this will be Nuuk where we have booked a whale watching trip in the morning. The ship is riding the moderate waves quite well and everyone seems happy, despite the drab weather. It's getting noticeably colder as we head north. I'll spend today going to another of Michael Scott's excellent lectures and then I'll go squidgy-eyed as I sort out my puffin photos.

[Fletcher]

I had abandon my eggs and bacon at La Veranda this morning. The vibration was way beyond anything I've felt so far. Trying to eat with what seems like a propeller shaft drilling into your bottom was not exactly comfortable so I went down to Coffee Connection and had a couple of pastries.

 

Michael Scott gave a fascinating talk about Greenland this morning - climate, ice melt, invasions by Norsemen, European Union, cod fishing . . . the works. Tomorrow's port of Nuuk looks like a Soviet gulag.

[ronrick1943]

Really that bad! Guess one should think about that ship before booking.

[Travelcat2]

Really that bad! Guess one should think about that ship before booking.

 

Absolutely! I am not a Navigator fan and when I try to warn people about the vibration (amongst other things), posters will pipe in and say that it didn't bother them. I guess we all have different tolerance levels.

[BBWC]

Yes, we really do gave different tolerance levels. It does not bother us at all (including La Veranda this morning), so I am happy that we booked Navigator despite the advice to the contrary on this board.

 

 

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[warburg]

Greetings from South Beach, Fletcher. It is time for you to publish your travel memoirs. Maybe you have already, and I just don't know where to them. I am so enjoying your narratives as they are such a pleasure to read. Your image of smug whales had me laughing so hard it woke up my lazy Chihuahuas. It is also extremely generous of you to spend your cruise time entertaining us. Thank you. I look forward to your next episode, as much as I looked forward to Downton Abbey.

Mary

Edited August 26, 2017 by warburg
corrections

[Fletcher]

NUUK, GREENLAND

I love sea days. Nothing to do except sit out on your balcony and watch the ocean slide by. But on this particular sea day we saw rain. All day. Nothing but rain. And overnight as we crossed the Davis Strait, which separates Canada from Greenland, the sea became quite heavy so we didn’t sleep very well. We wondered how the hell the Navigator could launch its tenders in weather like this.

And then, wonder of wonders, we went out on deck at 7am and the sun was blazing and ahead was a marvellous vista of jagged snow-capped peaks and, in the dark blue water, a few icebergs the size of sugar lumps. And then came Nuuk, scatter gunned along the rocks, an incredible jumble of painted houses, which were pretty, and many Soviet-style apartment blocks, which weren’t pretty at all.

We tendered ashore without a problem and took a Fjord and Whale-Watching boat trip. We used up more of our on-board credit to pay for it - $99 each for two hours there and back. On the puffin trip a few days ago there were about 100 of us on a boat with two levels, a lower covered deck and an open one above. That was ideal. The boat in Nuuk wasn’t ideal at all. There were just 12 of us, cramped and hot inside and with a front and back where you could stand and get in each other’s way. The driver went way too fast and while the scenery was majestic we didn’t spot any wildlife apart from the briefest glimpse of a seal. A rather underwhelming trip I regret to say. It seems the whales have been deliberately avoiding us, after screwing us up at Prince Edward Island.

In the afternoon, in the blazing Greenland heat which made all our layered clothing preparations fairly pointless, we took a tender and walked through the town. Now since Greenland is not a sovereign nation, you can’t call Nuuk one of the weirdest capital cities in the world. It is weird, though. A totally random development that has the word ‘frontier’ written all over it. These huge apartment blocks give the town the appearance of a Soviet gulag which is apparently close to how the Danish government regarded their distant province and its people a few decades ago. Now it gets vast subsidies from Denmark and the EU but these blocks remain, festering and fascinatingly ugly.

Tomorrow we go south to Paamiut where the only tour offered is a walk around the town for one hour. Mmmmm . . . .

 

[captjohn]

One interesting ( at least to me ) observation is that when we boarded in Montreal ,Regent must have gone shopping at Costco because they were putting Kirkland water bottles in the suits.

[BBWC]

Hmm - we have Nestle and Crystal Geyser.