Royal Caribbean International
Navigator of the Seas Cruise Review
7-Day Western Caribbean

Nancy Norris
trvljrnlst@aol.com
Age: baby boomer
Occupation: travel professional
Number of Cruises: lost count after 30+
Sailing Date: November 26th, 2005

Introduction:
Well, it’s the end of November in Cleveland, and that is my cue to head for warmer climes. Besides, I was beginning to suffer wanderlust and needed a cruise jolt. Although I have been to the Caribbean on numerous occasions, I had not yet sailed on the Navigator of the Seas and the timing was perfect. So, I was looking forward to joining other travel professionals on a seminar-at-sea. Since the weather is always unpredictable this time of year in this area of the country, I made arrangements to fly to Florida a day before the cruise (something I always advise, if at all possible). As it turned out, that was a very wise decision. Now, there was a winter storm that brought a significant amount of snow to our area on Thanksgiving Day, but my flight from Cleveland the next day actually left on time. However, I had to change planes in Nashville and that is where my problems began. There was a substantial delay to my flight leaving Nashville. Had I chosen to fly in the day of the cruise, in all likelihood, I would have missed the cruise. As it was much cheaper to fly to Fort Lauderdale and take a shuttle to Miami the day of the cruise, I made reservations at a hotel near the airport for one night.

Embarkation:
I took a taxi from my hotel in Fort Lauderdale to pier and Miami ($80 including tip) and arrived at the port about 10:30 AM. There was a sign that indicated embarkation was scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM, but that was not actually the case. When we arrived, a fairly long line was already beginning to form at the security checkpoint. In fact, thanks to the priority boarding Diamond Members in the Crown and Anchor Society are provided, my friends and I were on the ship before 11:30 AM. This is just one of the reasons that it is quite worthwhile to cruise on Royal Caribbean often. While our staterooms were not ready this early, we were welcomed aboard and invited to have lunch at the Windjammer Café.

The Promenade

First Impression:
There is no question that the Voyager Class ships offer a “WOW” factor that is unsurpassed, and the Navigator is no exception. While I have sailed on Voyager Class ships four times before (Explorer twice, Voyager and Adventure), the Royal Promenade that is the heartbeat of these ships never ceases to impress me. While these ships are sisters, they are in no way identical. Each has their own artistic touches and creative nuances that set them apart from each other.

The Promenade

The Navigator’s promenade is a combination shopping mall/entertainment boulevard that traverses the length of the ship, is longer than a football field and four decks high. A restored Bugatti, a focal point of the promenade, is an example of the Navigator’s stylish simplicity that manages to combine beauty and practicality. The ends of the promenade are anchored by dual atria that span 11 levels. Immense, fabulous sculptures embellish each atrium and bring light and movement into this indoor space.

Cabin 8577

My Cabin:
I had been assigned Promenade Stateroom #8577 (mid-ship, deck 8). Upon entering the cabin, the first thing I noticed was the bay window that overlooks the Promenade. A cushioned loveseat lies beneath the windows. The bowed angle of the window made this stateroom look larger than its actual 153 square footage. A sitting area with small sofa and cocktail table round out this comfortable, cozy space. By the way, the window dressing included a sheer curtain and a black-out drape that worked quite well for completely blocking out the light from the Promenade. A desk/vanity lines the opposite wall. The refrigerator/mini-bar is housed below the desk. There were 2 electrical outlets below the mirror, and there was a hair dryer in the top drawer. (Beware: The hair dryer is one that requires you to hold down the power button for it to operate. This can make styling your hair a little difficult.) There were small shallow shelves hidden behind both sides of the vanity mirror. An interactive TV sat on the open shelf at the end of a second corner shelving unit which had 2 additional open shelves above and 3 small drawers below. There was very limited drawer space (a major drawback to an otherwise good cabin configuration).

Another View of Cabin 8577

A very comfortable king-size bed (actually 2 twins pushed together) with rounded corners sat between 2 nightstands and 2 reading lamps attached to the wall. The reading lamps conveniently had 2 switches, one for overall cabin lighting and the other an adjustable reading light. The beds were high enough to store my luggage underneath. The bathroom is small, but adequate. One of the nicest features of the bathroom is the shower stall. The circular shower stall had a sliding glass door. No more cloth shower curtain that loved to get familiar with your body while showering. Excellent shower pressure, adjustable shower head and retractable clothesline were added enhancements. However, I did have some difficulty with the control to adjust the temperature. A shower dispenser provides shampoo and shower gel, however, as a diamond member complimentary bottles of shampoo, bath gel and body lotion are supplied.

The Navigator of the Seas (Anchored in Labadee)

The Ship:
Where to begin? At 142,000 gross registered tons, the Navigator has an abundance of public space to explore. But, Tom Ogg has already written an excellent mega-review of his last cruise aboard the Navigator that includes a detailed photo log of the ship. Therefore, in this review I plan to focus on the cruise experience itself interjecting descriptions to capture some of the aspects of the ship that I found exceptionally appealing or interesting and refer you to his review for the specific details of the ship’s layout. (http://www.cruisereviews.com/RoyalCaribbean/NavigatoroftheSeas30.htm)

Food & Service:
As is the case with all the Voyager Class ships, there is NO shortage of places to dine.

The Main Dining Room

The main dining room is actually a huge three level restaurant with a beautiful curved, arched staircase that connects the levels. A massive chandelier adorns the center of the dining room and is surrounded by the open upper two levels. Dinner is served at two sittings (6:00 PM and 8:30 PM) and breakfast and lunch are both open seating. I did not partake of any breakfast or lunch meals here, but each evening brought something quite pleasing to my tastes, and I found the selections offered each evening provided ample diversity. The encrusted fillet of cod served on the first night and the prime rib on the second formal night topped my list of favorites in the main dining room. Our group had chosen late seating (my personal preference) and within the four tables assigned to our group, we had three different serving teams. Since we were able to enjoy “round robin” seating, I had the pleasure of sampling the service of all three teams. While their personalities and serving styles were a bit different, all of them were competent and provided good service. There was a young woman assigned to one of the tables that was particularly exceptional and she managed to make sure I was well taken care of no matter where I sat. She even went out of her way to take care of a wine situation that was clearly not her responsibility. (I apologize for not remembering her name as she deserves special recognition.)

Jade and the Windjammer Cafe

The Windjammer Café is actually just one section of a much larger dining area known as the Plaza. Upon entering the Plaza, the first dining venues you come upon are the two specialty restaurants:

Portofino Restaurant

Portofino on the port side and Chops on the starboard side.

Chops Grille

We ate at both of these restaurants and the service and food at both were excellent and worth the extra $20 cover charge. Then as you move aft the first buffet area you come to is Jade serving Asian fusion fare. The Southeast Asia dishes that they serve are not on my taste buds radar so I can not give you a personal recommendation, but it was quite popular at lunch time. The Windjammer Café is further aft and offers a number of serving stations scattered throughout the space which helps alleviate congestion and allows for a fairly even traffic flow. Open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks and casual dinner provide a wide assortment of food choices. Fresh fruit, yogurt, juice and other healthy choices as well as the traditional breakfast offerings (including a station for eggs cooked to order) were served each morning. Lunch always saw many different selections. On the main buffet there was always a fish and meat selection, daily specialty carved meats, potatoes, soup, breads, steamed vegetables and a full salad bar. A special pasta station, sandwich bar, a hamburger, hotdog and French fries station and a dessert station rounded out the luncheon offerings. I did not test the casual dinner menu. Waiters served coffee, iced tea and lemonade at the tables.

Cafe Promenade

I also enjoyed lunch at Johnny Rockets on the last day of the cruise. The burgers are good, but I really go there for the milkshakes. (Hey, it was the last day. I could diet when I got home!) The dance routine the waiters perform in this 50’s style diner make eating there even more fun. It’s worth it to enjoy a meal there at least once during a cruise. Rounding out the dining options are the Café Promenade serving coffee, sandwiches and pastries is open 24 hours. Here’s a tip: I found the coffee in the Windjammer to be barely palatable, but the coffee served at the Café Promenade was always good. A Seattle’s Best (serving specialty coffees for a fee) and Ben & Jerry’s (also extra charge) are also part of this dining area in the promenade.

Entertainment:
I found Graham Seymour, the amiable Cruise Director, to be humorous yet not overbearing. I thought he maintained just the proper balance between professionalism and friendly down to earth demeanor. The obvious highlight of the onboard entertainment is the Ice Show. I have shared details about specific entertainers and performances on board in my daily travelogue, but, suffice it to say, the Navigator offers a wide variety of entertainment options. They run the gamut from classic to rock, from jazz to Caribbean & Latin beats. There are solo pub entertainers, duos, trios, ensembles, dance bands, parades and a DJ. You can karaoke one night, watch a production show with a talented singer and dancer production team, dance until the wee hours at the disco or relax in one of the numerous lounges and listen to sweet melodies. The Navigator has a solid entertainment staff that manages to keep things lively throughout the day and night.

Departing Miami

My Cruise Travelogue:
Day 1 (Miami):
As I already mentioned, our cabins were not yet ready, but our stateroom attendant’s were quite accommodating and allowed us to stow our carry-ons in our rooms before venturing upstairs to the luncheon buffet. Since we had been able to board the ship so early, we were amongst the first guests to enjoy lunch in the Windjammer Café. After sampling some of the wide array of food that was offered, a tour of the ship was in order. One of the things that I particularly like about this class of ship is the well-designed physical layout. The promenade and book-end atria provide the central focus of the traffic flow, making it easy to establish your bearings and find your way around the ship with relative ease. Once we completed our tour, we made our way back to our respective cabins to rest, clean-up and await the requisite muster drill. Speaking of the muster drill, I must admit to being a bit confused by the designated lifeboat stations. My cabin was located about halfway between the two other cabins that my friends occupied. However while they were both assigned to the same lifeboat in close proximity to the stairs nearest our cabins, I was assigned a muster station at the complete opposite end of the ship. Very confusing and not at all practical! With the lifeboat drill behind us, we could now begin to enjoy the cruise. The sail-away deck party kicked things off and I was already ensconced in my cruise mode.

My luggage had arrived and I was unable to unpack before meeting my friends in the Concierge Lounge for a cocktail. (One of the major benefits of being a Diamond Member of the Crown and Anchor Society is the complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres provided in the lounge every evening before dinner from 5 – 8:30 PM). We were unable to stay long, however, as the travel professional group that we were traveling with had a Meet and Greet Cocktail Party scheduled at 7:30 PM in The Dungeon (the disco). Having sailed so frequently on Royal Caribbean, I felt no need to attend The Welcome Aboard Show at 8:00 PM. It was a treat to greet familiar faces and meet the other travel professionals with whom I would be enjoying the next 7 days. After a pleasant social hour, our group exited en masse to our assigned 4 tables on the starboard side of The Nutcracker Dining Room (the main and lowest level of the tri-level restaurant). My first dinner meal of the cruise was excellent. I can highly recommend the crusted, baked cod as it was flaky, moist and quite tasty. After lingering a short while over coffee and dessert, a number of us retired to one of the group’s atrium cabins to watch the Bon Voyage Parade on the Royal Promenade at 11:15 PM. One of the benefits of these cabins is the excellent view they offer for watching the promenade parades. At the conclusion of the parade, some of the group headed off to the disco while others (like myself) retired to their cabins for the evening.

Day 2 (At Sea):
I awoke rested and ready to attend our group’s morning seminar at sea. Now, I mentioned earlier that one of the nice the things about the layout of this ship was the ease of getting from one area of the ship to another. Well, let me amend that comment by saying that the Conference Center, where our seminar was to be held, on deck 2 is an exception. Once we all located the meeting room, the seminar was informative, lively and time quickly flew by. By the time I left the meeting, changed into my bathing suit and grabbed a quick bite to eat in the Windjammer Buffet, the multi-level lounge area was quite packed and it was difficult to find an unoccupied chair in the sun. Anyone who has read one of my reviews knows how much I crave my sun time and a lounge chair in the shade was just not going to suffice. By the time I found a place to plant my body for the duration of the afternoon, it was already 1:30. Ah, but once I settled in, the sun felt marvelous. It did, however, get quite windy later in the day and I had to seek shelter in the Solarium.

The Navigator of the Seas Pool Area

This was the first of the two formal nights and the Captain’s Welcome Aboard Reception was being held in the Royal Promenade from 7:30 – 8:30. Once again, having been there/done that I opted to enjoy a glass of wine before dinner in the Concierge Lounge. I had arranged to sit with a few of the other travel professionals from our group for dinner and we enjoyed a wonderful meal while spending a great deal of time laughing and reminiscing about other shared experiences. (One of the advantages to prepaying your gratuities as a group is the latitude to move about our assigned tables, dining with different people each evening.) After dinner, I made my way to the Metropolis Theatre for the evening’s production show “Now and Forever”. The Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers performed an excellent tribute to contemporary Broadway. I am a Broadway musical fan, so this show was particularly appealing to my tastes. I thought the set designs, costumes and performances were all first-rate. From there I proceeded to the Dungeon as I had promised the agents I had dined with that I would join them there. The disco was already quite crowded and the dance floor was lively. Unfortunately, after about 15 minutes of exploring the nooks and crannies of the two-level lounge, I never found my friends. As it had been a long day, and truth be told I was beginning to wary, I decided to bail and retire for the evening.

The Entrance to Labadee

Day 3 (Labadee):
We arrived at RC’s private island around 8:00 AM and tender service began shortly after 8:30. The skies were brilliant blue, the sun was shining and I was anxious to see what changes and improvements had been made since my last visit. However, a group of us decided to avoid the early tender rush, enjoyed a leisure breakfast and made our way to shore about 10:30. By the time we arrived, most of the lounge chairs at the beaches close to the tender pier were quite crowded. We decided to wander to the far end of the island retreat to Hideaway Beach.

There are Still Uncrowded Spots on Labadee

A wise move, as the beach was relatively uncrowded. As we walked,

I was impressed with the many new enhancements that had been added to the island, particularly the water park area. A local duo played Caribbean music, a bar and restaurant were both nearby. There could be no denying we were in the tropics, it was definitely hot, hot, hot! But, oddly the ocean was a bit chilly making it less than inviting (at least for our group). So, we lounged for a while, checked out the luncheon buffet and spent a brief few moments in the ocean.

The Beach on Labadee

But before long, the heat was beginning to get to all of us and decided to return to the ship early. We finished our sun worshipping at the pool and then made our way to our cabins to rest, shower and prepare for the Ice Dancin’ Show.

The Concierge had secured us tickets for the 7:15 show that evening, and having attended the show on previous ships I was definitely looking forward to the performance. Well, I wasn’t disappointed! This is a fabulous show and is a definite DON”T MISS for anyone sailing on a Voyager Class ship. The evening only got better as we had made reservations at Chops for dinner. My steak was superb, with service and ambiance to match. This specialty restaurant is worth every bit of the $20 pp service fee. Our options for after dinner activities ranged from Monday Night Football at the 19th Hole to the singing impressionist, Martin Dube, in the Metropolis Theatre. Well, I had the pleasure of hearing Martin Dube perform previously, so I opted to wind down my evening with a glass of wine at Vintages Wine Bar. I would have liked to check out the 50’s-60’s revival “Rockin’ Through the Ages” in the Ixtapa Lounge later that evening, but a day in the sun, a full meal and a few glasses of wine and I was quickly fading. Besides, we had an early reservation for a vigorous, private tour in Ocho Rios the next morning.

The Navigator of the Seas in Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Day 4 (Ocho Rios):
I had made arrangements online for Trevor Hudlin to provide a private tour before departing on the cruise. Tom Ogg and I had wanted to spend our day focusing on photos and updating information for Port Reviews. Tom’s son, Andy, and Andy’s girlfriend had accompanied him on this cruise, so the four of us headed off for the day. A very charming lady was at the pier to greet us and escorted us to Trevor’s waiting, air-conditioned van. Within minutes of meeting this friendly and amiable gentleman, we knew we had made a wise decision. Trevor was knowledgeable without being tedious, was humorous and entertaining, yet totally professional. He was totally accommodating and our day unfolded at our pace and preferences. Our first stop was Dunn’s River Falls.

Nancy, Andy and K Climbing Dunns River Falls

Tom had injured his foot right before the cruise, so he wisely chose to forego the climb. This turned out to be fortuitous, as it offered him the opportunity to follow our climb up the falls on the footpath and capture pictures of our trek. Andy, K and I chose to attempt the climb on our own, rather than being led by a guide with 15 or 20 other climbers holding hands. Personally, I found the climb much more pleasurable on our own as we were able to pass groups and move quickly up the falls at our own pace. The climb was exhilarating, but challenging in spots. Make sure to wear shoes with good traction for the climb (not sandals). By the time we reached the top, we felt a well deserved Red Stripe Beer was in order. So, while taking a brief stroll through the market at the top of the falls we were pleased to locate a vendor serving Red Stripe. I have heard many horror stories about the aggressive and rude locals pushing their wares, but I did not find that to be the case at all. A smile and hello along with a polite “No thank you” was all that was required. When treated with respect, rather than disdain they responded in kind. Hmmm, not unlike any of us.

Trevor Hudlin

Trevor was waiting for us in the parking lot and we were swiftly on our way to our next adventure, tubing the White River rapids. As we drove through the outskirts of town, Trevor kept us entertained with a brief narrative of the area. Once we approached the road that led to the entrance to the river, we stopped at a local vendor’s small makeshift snack/beverage market to purchase a few Red Stripes to enjoy on our river ride.

Nancy, Andy and K Getting Ready to Tame the Mighty While River

We were introduced to our guide, led down the path to the river entrance, assisted into our rafts (over-sized inner tubes with plexiglass bottoms) and off we went. From the onset, we were laughing our way down the river and thoroughly enjoying the experience. While there were a few rapids to navigate, they were certainly manageable; and for the most part, the river offered calm waters for a leisurely float. Not only was the whole adventure great fun, but we encountered less than a dozen other tourists on our river journey. This is definitely one of my recommendations for a “must do” in Ocho Rios.

Fern Gully

Once again, Trevor was waiting for us with a big smile at the end of the excursion and we climbed into the van for the final leg of whirlwind tour: Fern Gully. Populated with a wide variety of rain forest ferns the drive was awe inspiring and worth a visit. By now it was mid-afternoon, so we had Trevor drop us off at Margaritaville for lunch. If you are looking for an excellent tour guide in Jamaica, Trevor is your man. If you wish to read more about our tour with Trevor, check out the special report at our sister site, Port Reviews (http://www.caribbeanportreviews.com/OchoRiosJamaica55.htm) Lest you think our day’s adventure was complete. We had one more stop to make before returning to the ship: A visit to Lobster Dave’s.

Lobster Dave

Tom had discovered this hidden gem on a previous cruise and the rest of us were anxious to see for ourselves. The local fish market is located just to the left of the fence along the Margaritaville property, and Lobster Dave’s is an open air restaurant adjacent to the fish market. We walked to the water’s edge planning to cross over to the other side and a group of locals happened to be standing there. When we told them where we were headed, they beamed and eagerly assisted us around the water’s edge. You see, ever since Tom had mentioned the excellent lobster and other fresh fish that is served at Lobster Dave’s, he had become quite a local icon. In fact, since Tom’s last visit, Lobster Dave had made a number of improvements to his property. I must admit, when Lobster Dave recognized Tom it was quite touching to see the reception he received. We were introduced to everyone and Lobster Dave proudly showed us all the renovations he had made to the space. He had even added an aviary of which he was exceptionally proud, and I was “honored” with an exclusive visit inside. (Ah! What I do for the sake of Cruise and Port Reviews!) If you don’t mind a little local color, this is a dining opportunity that will be a highlight of your visit to Ocho Rios. Much too soon it was time to return to the ship and relax before getting ready for the evening.

Having settled into a regular routine, I met my friends in the Concierge Lounge for a pre-dinner cocktail. We then made our way to the Nutcracker for yet another excellent dinner and enjoyable table conversation. It was fun hearing about everyone’s experiences in port. After lingering over coffee and dessert, some of the group was going to the Metropolis Theatre for the Love and Marriage Game Show before attending the poolside party, “Dancing Under the Stars”. I, on the other hand, was having difficulty even keeping my eyes open during dinner and knew that my evening was drawing to an end. (A full day of activity and a few Red Stripes had definitely taken their toll). I did manage to stay awake long enough to watch the Mardi Gras Parade at 11:30 from my window and then, it was light’s out.

The Pool Area

Day 5 (Grand Cayman):
We were blessed with another day of perfect weather and having risen early, I was able to enjoy an early morning power walk and watch the other ships pulling into port. I have been to Grand Cayman numerous times and as I watched ship after ship anchor in the harbor, I made a decision. With 7 very large ships in port and the last tender scheduled to return at 3:30 PM, I decided to stay on board. Actually, for those of us who cruise frequently, remaining on the ship on port days can be the most blissful days of the cruise. The quiet and empty pool deck is a welcome respite, and a day of doing absolutely nothing but lounging in the sun was just what I wanted. I wiled away the entire morning and afternoon in the sun before heading to the internet café to check mail, then try to catch up on my journaling (I must admit to being quite remiss over the last few days in that regard).

Before meeting my friends in the Concierge Lounge pre-dinner, I took a quick peek at the 7:00 PM pre-dinner headliner show of Judy Kolba. I had seen her perform on another cruise and I just wanted to see if she was as I remembered – lively, talented and full of energy – she was. I was looking forward to dinner this evening as it was LOBSTER night. Interestingly, I had been accustomed to lobster being served on the second formal night, so this was a pleasant variance. The lobster was moist and tender, and although not exceptionally large, adequate for my appetite. Additional lobster was available for the asking and many members of our group took advantage of the option to order two (and in some cases even more). Dinner was rather lively this evening due to some pranksters from our group and, as usual, we were some of the last people to vacate the dining room. Since I had missed connections with some of my traveling companions in the disco earlier in the week, we decided that we would try again this evening. So, after dinner our first stop was the Cosmopolitan Club to listen to the Cosmopolitan Quartet. This was the first opportunity I had to hear them and I was totally impressed. The female vocalist was simply amazing! They finished their set at 11, so from there we were thinking about checking out “The Quest” (a hilarious audience participation game that should be experienced at least once), but remembered that this evening was the Grand Gala Buffet. Granted, none of us was even the slightest bit hungry, but we did want to go for the viewing. No matter how often I see these magnificent displays of culinary artistry, I am always amazed and impressed. From there we made our way to the disco. By the time we arrived, it was already crowded and things were definitely in full swing. I love to dance and once I got on the dance floor it was hard to slow me down. But, as it turned out, my evening did not last quite as long as I had anticipated. We took a break, found some seats and it was not long before a drink that my friends had ordered for me in the Cosmopolitan Club began to take effect. They insisted I try a “Call Me a Cab”, which I foolishly did and the rest is history. All I can say is: its name is well deserved because just one can do you in. Try one at your own risk.

Day 6 (At Sea):
The second of our two seminars was scheduled for this morning, so I had ordered room service – both as a convenience before the meeting AND as my back-up “wake-up call”. Service was prompt and my omelet was still warm and prepared as ordered. Some cutting edge ideas were discussed at the meeting and provided fodder for some interesting group interaction. Due to the special Crown & Anchor luncheon for Platinum and Diamond members scheduled for 11:30 our meeting concluded a bit early, but the group would be meeting later that evening for our group photo. Personally, I found this private luncheon held in the Cosmopolitan Club to be disappointing. The limited buffet options were lackluster and waiters were quite slow to fill any drink orders. I know this is just a gesture of appreciation for our loyalty, but I would have been far better off foregoing the recognition and lunching at the Windjammer Café (which, by the way, was exactly what we did after leaving the affair). By the time we finished our two lunch sessions, it was already close to 1:30 and I was anxious to get out in the sun. After spending a few hours in the sun, I spent a short time in the internet café before retiring to my cabin to do some journaling and get ready for the second formal evening of the cruise. We met early in the Concierge Lounge before attending the pre-dinner performance of the “All Access Production Show”. This was the weaker of the two shows. While the musical theme of the show was “going through the decades of time”, some of the song choices seemed ill suited for the genre in which they were being performed. Where the costuming and set designs in the first show were flashy and elaborate, these were minimal. The whole production just did not have the same impact and did not hold my interest. Conveniently, our group photo was to take place on the stairs just outside the theater. After the group photo some people lingered in the Schooner Bar for a pre-dinner cocktail, but we had made other arrangements. We had enjoyed our dinner at Chops so much, we made reservations for Portofino, the other specialty restaurant, this evening. One of our waiters from the main restaurant suggested that if we had liked the filet at chops, the steak at Portofino was even better. Although Italian fare is the specialty of this restaurant, I decided to test his recommendation.. Once again the service was impeccable and our meal was extraordinary. However, while I found my steak to me quite flavorful and tender. I liked my steak at Chop’s better. (Of course, it may have something to do with succumbing to the temptation of adding béarnaise sauce to my filet.) Both dining venues are a special treat, but if I had to choose between the two, I’d lean toward Chop’s as a slight favorite. After dinner everybody chose to head off in their own separate directions. The shops were open until 11 and I had hoped to pick up a few items before they closed. As I knew what items I wished to purchase, I quickly accomplished my task and decided to have a final glass of wine at Vintages before retiring for the evening. Others from our group had a similar idea, so I joined them for a short while and then headed for bed.

The Last Dock in Nassau Harbor Overlooking Paradise Island

Day 7 (Nassau):
Okay, our final stop on the cruise was Nassau and if there is one place on this itinerary that I had visited more than any other, it was Nassau! The ship was not scheduled to arrive in port until 11 AM, but I had already made the decision that once again, I was going to stay onboard. Besides, I was going to be back in the cold weather of Cleveland too soon and needed to store up as much of the sun’s rays my body was willing to gather. It was a totally relaxing and enjoyable day and much too soon it was time to venture indoors and begin the dreaded task of packing to go home. While I had good intentions, when I did get back to my room I decided a short nap was much more appealing. (Can you say, “procrastination”.) By the time I awoke, I had just enough time to shower, change and meet my friends at the Concierge Lounge to properly thank the Concierge for her personal service. We were somewhat rushed for time as we had agreed to meet some of the group for a brief web site building demonstration before our final scheduled cocktail gathering. This is always a bittersweet gathering as we exchange business cards and make plans to maintain the new friendships we have established. The group then made their way to the restaurant en masse for our final dinner together. Ah, I hate the frequency that I must use the word “final” as I write my reviews for the last day! Even saying good-bye to our wait staff is not always easy. While some of the group were planning to “go out and play” one last time, I was forced to go back to my cabin to take care of the task of packing that I had managed to escape earlier that day. While I did hope to achieve the task quickly and make the rounds, the best I could do was take a brief break to wander down to Vintages for a final glass of wine (which I had planned to take back to my room while I finished packing). However, once there, I again met some others from the group so my plan went slightly awry – but, I did manage to excuse myself to finish my task.

Disembarkation:
I had made plans to rent a car and drive to Ft. Lauderdale to attend the final day of a cruise trade show. Tom, Andy and K were all flying home from Ft. Lauderdale that day, so I offered to drive them. As C&A Diamond Members we had priority disembarkation and were the first off the ship. Unfortunately, our quick egress was for naught as the Alamo shuttle took forever to arrive. But, we were still in our rental car and on our way for a brief drive through South Beach before 10 AM.

Random Thoughts & Comments:
--One of the primary concerns of an Atrium Cabin is that the noise from the Promenade
will filter into your room. I found the room remarkably quiet, with the exception of
the music during the 2 promenade parades and even then it was not overly invasive.
However, I was on deck 8 and not near any of the speakers mounted along the
promenade wall.
--Get your morning cup of coffee from the Café Promenade or room service.
--Don’t miss the Ice Show – it is a definite “Must-See”.
--Make sure to read your Daily Compass for the announcement as to where and when to
secure your Ice Show tickets.
--Internet access on this ship is affordable and accessible. It is wired for Wi-Fi, and there
are a number of hot spots throughout the ship. There are a number of computer
terminals in the Internet café, as well as other locations throughout the ship. RC now
offers the standard $.50 a minute pricing plus various packages ($25 for 59 min / $35
for 89 min / $50 for 151 min). The is also Cyber Cabin convenience for a one-time
access fee.
--If you are considering laptop Wi-Fi service, you might want to consider booking a
stateroom on deck 8 near the Internet café. Due to their proximity to the Internet
café, many of the members of our group found they had wi-fi service in their cabins.
--One of the latest technologies to become available on the Navigator is wireless mobile
maritime service. If you have a mobile phone that has GPRS capabilities you will be
able to use your own mobile phone while out at sea.

Looking Down on the Navigator of the Sea's Atrium

Overall Impression:
The Navigator of the Seas is a floating resort. Its revolutionary design and unparalleled amenities make it a great choice for first time cruisers, active couples, singles and families. This would be a perfect ship for anyone considering a family reunion on a cruise ship. With so much to offer onboard, the Navigator of the Seas IS the destination. The actual ports of call are just an added bonus. It does not have the feel or style of a typical ocean liner. So, if quiet days spent watching the ocean is your idea of a perfect cruise, then this ship is not for you. But if you love resort vacations with non-stop activity, then the Navigator (or any of the Voyager Class ships) fits the bill. I had a great time on the Navigator and would not hesitate sailing her again.

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