Brilliance vs Navigator

[RIAFT]

Cruised on Brilliance of the Seas last year and it was fabulous. No criticisms at all. Great cabin, great service, great food, great kids' facilities.

 

Booked a cruise on Navigator of the Seas for next month but have read mixed reviews.

 

Highlights for me on Brilliance of the Seas were going on the water slide in the kids' pool area with my 4 year old, and taking breakfast at the Windjammer and walking through to the open deck area at the rear to enjoy eating in the open air. Fantastic.

 

However, I understand that Navigator doesn't even have a kids' pool, let alone water slide, and that the Windjammer is completely enclosed so you can't walk through to the deck area and eat outside.

 

Can anyone reassure me that the Navigator has its compensations please ?!!!

[BrainChemicals]

I think they have a kids pool. When I was on the Voyager a few months back loads of people were taking food from the Windjammer outside around the pool.

[RIAFT]

Thanks for responding, Brain, but whilst some Voyager class ships do have a kids' pool, I don't think Navigator does.

[cb at sea]

It's true that the Voyager class ships don't have outdoor WJ dining, but you can still take food out, and eat by the pool, if you want to!

[acwmom]

You are correct. Navigator does not have a kids pool. They do have a large sundeck for teens, but no pool like I've seen on the other Voyager class ships. We traveled on Serenade with our kids, and honestly prefer it to the Navigator.

 

While it doesn't have the ice rink or Promenade, the level of service seemed a little higher, and the ship nicer. Our kids (both boys, 6 and 9 at the time), loved Serenade.

[scorpiomum]

oh no dont tell me that please.....we sailed on brilliance last year, our first cruise and loved it and are also booked on Navigator in 3 weeks. i was really excited to be on a 'bigger' ship so i really hope that we love it as much as Brilliance.

[dubaihammer]

We have recently sailed on both ships. I can assure you that you will enjoy the Navigator just as much as the Brilliance.

[silentbob007]

You will find an opposite interior setting ... Navigator will focus your inside time onto the Royal Promenade, while Brilliance focused it outward at the ocean. Definitely a different atmosphere.

[acwmom]

oh no dont tell me that please.....we sailed on brilliance last year, our first cruise and loved it and are also booked on Navigator in 3 weeks. i was really excited to be on a 'bigger' ship so i really hope that we love it as much as Brilliance.

 

 

I didn't mean to scare you, the Navigator was wonderful too. In fact, that cruise was without kids. Just pointing out that it didn't have the kids pool and slide. My DH and I had a wonderful kids free vacation!

[DonnaK]

We love Voyager-class ships! Yes, it might not have a few features that you love on the Radiance class ships, but it has other nice things that those ships do not have. The ice skating show is outstanding. Your child can go ice-skating (mine had a blast doing this!). The pools are fun, even if they don't have a slide. The evening parties and parades on the promenade give a street-fair atmopshere to your evenings. There is an outdoor promenade on deck 4. There are tables outside the Windjammer in the pool area for you to eat outdoors.

 

While this ship is different, it isn't any less desireable. It's hard to imagine that anyone wouldn't love Navigator, even if they love Brillance a little more.

[39august]

These are my two favorite ships! But, they are differenct. The pluses for Navigator for me are the Boleros Bar and the Vintages Wine Bar. And I do enjoy the goodies at the Promenade Cafe. And tho' I think Brilliance is the most beautiful ship I have sailed (and I've sailed quite a few), I don't like the small shops area and how very crowded it gets going to and from shows.

[RIAFT]

oh no dont tell me that please.....we sailed on brilliance last year, our first cruise and loved it and are also booked on Navigator in 3 weeks. i was really excited to be on a 'bigger' ship so i really hope that we love it as much as Brilliance.

Sounds like we'll be on the same cruise. I'm sure it'll be great.

[Cruising89143]

I have been on the Navigator three times and she remains one of my all time favorite ships. I have not cruised on the Brilliance but have on the Jewel which is a sister ship. I did like the large outdoor eating area but give me a Voyager class ship any day over a Radiance class. Still plenty of places with connections to the sea. Each class ship has both plus and minus but overall I think that you will enjoy the Navigator.

[scorpiomum]

i have a quick question...my dh said on Brilliance the only thing he missed was a quiet bar/area where he could sit and have a drink and watch the world go by (or rather sea go by!). can anyone think of a place on Navigator that might match this description? i think on Brilliance there was a games/card room that was ok except the bar was only open when they were actually using it for games, then it was too noisy for him. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)

[RIAFT]

i have a quick question...my dh said on Brilliance the only thing he missed was a quiet bar/area where he could sit and have a drink and watch the world go by (or rather sea go by!). can anyone think of a place on Navigator that might match this description? i think on Brilliance there was a games/card room that was ok except the bar was only open when they were actually using it for games, then it was too noisy for him. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)

There was a bar on the top deck of Brilliance that we used to pop into for a quick drink whilst waiting for our 3 year old (now 4) to finish in the kid's club at 10pm (which she adored). We were often literally the only people in the bar at that time, so overcrowding and noise was certainly not a problem.

[DonnaK]

i have a quick question...my dh said on Brilliance the only thing he missed was a quiet bar/area where he could sit and have a drink and watch the world go by (or rather sea go by!). can anyone think of a place on Navigator that might match this description? i think on Brilliance there was a games/card room that was ok except the bar was only open when they were actually using it for games, then it was too noisy for him. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)

 

 

How about the Viking Crown Lounge all the way at the top of the ship? It's indoors, and the view is awesome.

[scorpiomum]

thanks DonnaK...the Viking Crown lounge looks perfect.