Bamboo Room Navigator of the Seas and Drink Packages

[wallyboag]

Hello-

 

I am sailing on the Navigator 3 days out of Los Angeles and bought the drink package, in part because I love Tiki Bars and the menu of the Bamboo room appealed to me. I could see myself have a drink or two or five there each day.

 

Today I watched a vlog and they were in the Bamboo room and said that drinks were $14 in there, which is a dollar more than the $13 drink limit on the beverage package. Is this the case? Are beverages at the bamboo room not included in the package? Or is the $13 price out of date and has been moved up to $14? I might be canceling my drink package and go ala carte instead of so.

[AshleyDillo]

All drinks are included in the package. You just pay the overage if it is over $13.

[jbr5049]

Bamboo room was forgettable at best unfortunately. 

[cruisegirl1]

2 hours ago, jbr5049 said:

Bamboo room was forgettable at best unfortunately. 

I tend to agree.  The place looks fun and the drinks look interesting but many of the same (sweet) ingredients as other bars.   The few drinks we tried all tasted the same.    We only went to the Tiki Bar on Mariner so perhaps I'll give it a try on another ship.  

M

[bonsai3s]

Here's the menu from the Navigator.

[Coralc]

42 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

Here's the menu from the Navigator.

 

It looks like it may go the way of Rita's Cantina. It is kind of a poor selection. IMO. 

[wallyboag]

Thanks everyone!

[lilguy24]

going on april 22 and was wondering how to find the menus of the restrurants and also the dress code hubby likes to were shorts (dress ones no jeans) wondering if they are accepted in the dinning room or needs to wear pants. Does anyone know if one will be allowed to site see on your own?

[bonsai3s]

5 minutes ago, lilguy24 said:

going on april 22 and was wondering how to find the menus of the restrurants and also the dress code hubby likes to were shorts (dress ones no jeans) wondering if they are accepted in the dinning room or needs to wear pants. Does anyone know if one will be allowed to site see on your own?

Menus on Royal App.

It used to "pants only" for dinner...we haven't seen anyone stopped at the door of any dining venues recently.

Yes, you can site see on your own.

 

[MikeTheNFT]

On 12/16/2021 at 8:31 PM, bonsai3s said:

Here's the menu from the Navigator.

 

This thread just got bumped up and I just noticed this. How interesting - thanks for posting. It seems a bit silly they've set all these prices for $14, when as others have mentioned you can basically get the same drinks from any bar for the standard $13 covered by the drink package. 

 

Like, looking at those drink ingredients I could order those at any bar on the ship and have it be covered by the drink package pretty much, at least from any worthwhile bartender. 

 

$2 more for a very slightly premium rum in the mai tai? $2 more for a zombie you can just order anywhere on the ship for free with the package? It just seems a bit ridiculous.

[cot427]

For anyone who knows and appreciates Tiki bars, this pricing is logical. Tiki drinks are not easy to make, they are time consuming in preparation of both the drink and the presentation. The classic cocktails are less so and don't have as much of the presentation flair as the specialty. 

 

Sure, the Bamboo Room on Royal isn't as up to far as really good Tiki bars on land, but they are trying. Was on the Navigator in 2019 and they had 3 permanent bartenders in the Bamboo Room and we spent a lot of time there. They work hard, and from what I understand, harder than a lot of other bar positions. There is so much prep that goes along with this bar too, they would have to get there way earlier in advance for this particular bar than other bars. 

 

I just don't think it's a good concept for a cruise ship. Too much prep, too much time put into making the drinks and people don't appreciate it. 

[fishernrex]

Putting my 2 cents in here.  Hubs and I both love tiki bars -  Seriously, we seek them out when on vacation.  Bamboo room is hit or miss -  Much like other spaces/bars in the ship, it really depends on who's in there.  We've had trips where that was our favorite bar to hang out in and other trips where it was just dead and not as much fun.  Overall though, I think I would miss it if it weren't there.  Always good for at least one night/day on a quick weekend cruise. 

[kruzerci]

It would be such an amazing bar if they didn't make all the drinks so overly sweet and sugary with those Island Oasis mixers they use all over the ship! Royal is totally missing it with the craft cocktails. 

[Baowen]

I've been on the Navigator a few times recently. I've always had the drink package but did not get charged extra for our numerous specialty drinks in the Bamboo room.   Find Bhiju in the Bamboo Room - He's great!

Beth

[brillohead]

14 hours ago, kruzerci said:

It would be such an amazing bar if they didn't make all the drinks so overly sweet and sugary with those Island Oasis mixers they use all over the ship! Royal is totally missing it with the craft cocktails. 

Royal doesn't use Island Oasis mixers.

[cot427]

9 hours ago, brillohead said:

Royal doesn't use Island Oasis mixers.

 

And definitely not in the Bamboo Room. 

[HBCcruiser]

19 hours ago, Baowen said:

Find Bhiju in the Bamboo Room - He's great!

We are going in 2 weeks. What is your favorite drink there?  

[taglovestocruise]

22 hours ago, Baowen said:

I've been on the Navigator a few times recently. I've always had the drink package but did not get charged extra for our numerous specialty drinks in the Bamboo room.   Find Bhiju in the Bamboo Room - He's great!

Beth

You got lucky, had a Royal Zombie four times over four days. Got dinged $1.28 each time, and we tipped a buck a drink cash. We were using the D+ vouchers.  We did have a bartender in the Plaza Bar and at Schooners that did not charge against our vouchers. 

[brillohead]

3 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

You got lucky, had a Royal Zombie four times over four days. Got dinged $1.28 each time, and we tipped a buck a drink cash. We were using the D+ vouchers.  We did have a bartender in the Plaza Bar and at Schooners that did not charge against our vouchers. 

What was the extra dime for?

Should have been $1.18 -- a dollar for the drink, and 18-cents for the gratuity.

[taglovestocruise]

15 minutes ago, brillohead said:

What was the extra dime for?

Should have been $1.18 -- a dollar for the drink, and 18-cents for the gratuity.

That is exactly what I thought. Had to look at the menu to make sure it wasn't  $14.50, and it was not,  just s straight up 14.00.

.

SAIL DATE 01/10/2022 STATEROOM 9238 BOOKING # 9379158 

 

1/10 BEVERAGES 14016598 BAMBOO ROOM 1.28

1/10 BEVERAGES 14016597 BAMBOO ROOM 1.28

 

                         I will contact Michael Bayley and demand a free cruise. 

Edited February 5, 2022 by taglovestocruise

[brillohead]

4 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

That is exactly what I thought. Had to look at the menu to make sure it wasn't  $14.50, and it was not,  just s straight up 14.00.

.

SAIL DATE 01/10/2022 STATEROOM 9238 BOOKING # 9379158 

 

1/10 BEVERAGES 14016598 BAMBOO ROOM 1.28

1/10 BEVERAGES 14016597 BAMBOO ROOM 1.28

 

                         I will contact Michael Bayley and demand a free cruise. 

 

 

 

They must have liked me more the next week than they liked you!  LOL


SAIL DATE 01/17/2022 STATEROOM 9529 BOOKING # 374783
 
1/18 BEVERAGES 14021592 BAMBOO ROOM 1.18
 

[Jasukkie]

I also was charged $1.18 using a voucher. I was one and done at the Tiki bar, as much as I wanted to love it. Something is missing there, or maybe it's the layout and placement on the promenade. At least some of the drinks are pre-made slushies from a machine, not really much effort with those. 

[brillohead]

41 minutes ago, Jasukkie said:

I also was charged $1.18 using a voucher. I was one and done at the Tiki bar, as much as I wanted to love it. Something is missing there, or maybe it's the layout and placement on the promenade. At least some of the drinks are pre-made slushies from a machine, not really much effort with those. 

I agree with you.  When I think tiki bar, I think of wide open beach spaces, and the Bamboo room is like a dark, cramped cave, IMO. 

 

I also didn't see the point in them charging an extra dollar for a banana slushie versus a margarita or daiquiri where the bartender has to at least dish up the ice and pour the mix into the blender, and then wash out the blender afterward. 

[CruisingRealtor2018]

On 2/4/2022 at 1:40 AM, brillohead said:

Royal doesn't use Island Oasis mixers.

Definitely used them for every daiquiri on our last cruise

[brillohead]

2 hours ago, CruisingRealtor2018 said:

Definitely used them for every daiquiri on our last cruise

All eight cruises I've been on since the restart (from FL and CA) have used Nestle Sunsational mixes, not Island Oasis. Maybe they use Island Oasis on EU cruises?

https://www.nestleprofessional.us/brands/sunsational