Just back from the Navigator Eastern Caribbean

[SpaceCityCruiser1]

Just wanted to add a brief review of my 1/14/06 sailing on the Navigator. This was my first official cruise (I took one over 15 years ago) so I am not versed in all areas of cruising, but here it goes:

1. Beautiful jaw-dropping ship. The ship, being only 3 years old, is well taken care of and is extremely clean. The ship, while very large (15 levels), doesn't seem overwhelming. Interior maps (aft, front) are well-placed and the interiors are easy to navigate.

2. Roomy and well-thought out cabin. We had an oversize exterior cabin with balcony (maybe a D3?) and there was plenty of room. There was a nice size bathroom, 3-4 foot closet for our clothing and ample drawer space, angled mirrors (great for getting ready for all those dinners) and plenty of good lighting. Especially nice were the 2 separate lights on either side of the bed (one for room lighting, one for reading). Everywhere you looked in the cabin, there was good utilization of space and well-thought out amenities.

3. Delicious food. We are used to eating out at a variety of restaurants in a world class city, so the food was even better than expected. There was a wide variety of food in the Windjammer and Jade (buffet style restaurants), and the placement of these restaurants is side-by-side so you can sample from both at the same time. We ate most of our dinners in the main dining room (The Nutcracker) and the food and service were superb.

4. Cruise director Ken Rush. There has been a small amount of Ken Rush bashing on the forums, but we thought him very funny. He must be doing something right - RC has promoted him to CD of Freedom of the Seas. This Navigator cruise was his last before moving to the Freedom. Way to go Ken! Also, the announcements onboard were maybe a handful a day at most (not obnoxious). Plenty of information could be found in the Compass, the daily list of activities.

5. People. From the cabin steward to the spa to the dining staff, everyone we met was friendly and very happy doing their jobs.

5. Spa services. The ship uses Steiner (I believe that is their name or is associated with that name). While the spa services are not cheap, the staff was helpful and offered a good variety of services.

6. Marketing. I wasn't sure what to call this. We were versed in how much there was ahead of time. Everyone is going to try to sell you everything on board (and at port for that matter), so it is best to set your limits before you cruise and not get sidetracked. Don't get caught up in the frenzy or you may be staring at bills from your sea pass card when you get home.

6. Last but not least, activities. There was so much to do, or not do if you just want to hole up in your cabin.

 

Overall, as you can tell the cruise exceeded our expectations. We hope that you have a similar experience.

[Cruising89143]

Glad that you enjoyed the Navigator. She is a special ship in my book. The best ship to date for me.

[RoyalWoman]

Thanks for the review! Glad that you had such a wonderful cruise. We are cruising her in May and cannot wait!

[crusinKimmie]

We're leaving on the 25th. Any idea who the new Cruise Director will be then?

[Doncin]

We are leaving on the 11th....did you have to go through customs in St. Thomas? What nights were formal?

[shalee1377]

Did you have to tender in any of the ports or were you docked at all of them? Also do you have to get up early and do the customs thing one morning? I know I have read about that on some reviews but I didn't know if that was the case on the Navigator eastern caribbean route or not. I'll be on her in September.

[wolfcathorse]

Was your master Capt Bang? There was a rumor going around that he might retire 1-21 or 1-26-06.

[k2]

OH NO! Please say it is just a rumor.... we are looking forward to sailing with Capt. Bang in Sept....

[SpaceCityCruiser1]

These are great questions. Let me see if I can help.

 

First, as far as we could tell, Captain Bang is not going to retire right now. He had a great dry sense of humor and we were very impressed with his communication to the passengers.

 

Our cruise docked at all ports.

 

Customs took place at the end of the cruise when we got off the ship in Miami. It was not a big deal (you fill out a declaration form the last day of the cruise).

 

Formal nights were Sunday and Thursday. Sunday seemed a bigger deal, maybe since there were two nights and that was the first one.

 

The new cruise director introduced at the farewell show is a woman. I can't remember her name, but she had strawberry blonde hair from what I could tell in the dimly lit theater.

 

As far as checking in, we actually arrived at the pier about 3pm due to our airline flight and had no line. We were in our room about 3:30/3:45. I don't know if this is the usual case when arriving later, but most of what I read on the forums was about arriving early.

 

I hope this helps. Just remember that everyone has a unique experience (and don't read too much into the forums). Have a great time!

[SpaceCityCruiser1]

The only other thing I want to add is that there may be some changes of ship crew depending on when you sail. I know that the cruise director was taking a vacation and then moving to the Freedom of the Seas, and I don't know what the other crew members are doing.