 Expert Review |  | | | | |
| | | | | Overview
This is the fourth of five in Royal Caribbean's Voyager Class, among the biggest vessels in the world, with so much to see and do onboard, you may soon wish you had booked back-to-back cruises. Like her sisters, Voyager of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas sports some of the industry's most amazing features: a rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, an indoor, mall-like promenade, basketball court and in-line skating track. Although Navigator of the Seas is definitely a member of the Voyager family, she has her own look and amenities. This ship has more exterior glass (in balcony cabins) than her predecessors, and such features as a wine bar for appreciation and entertainment, expanded youth facilities, a new Plaza area with a variety of dining options (both no-fee and fee), the first Latin jazz bar at sea (mojitos, anyone?) and the first sea-going Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlor (Royal Caribbean has since spread these various concepts across its fleet). | | |  top | | | | Dining
A new dining venue for Royal Caribbean (and, again, another concept that worked well enough to spread to other ships) is the line's first Asian fusion restaurant, Jade. The restaurant is housed within the lido area (a new area on Voyager class ships with a bar and dining options) on Deck 11. Jade is a no-fee, buffet-style eatery, serving dishes from Southeast Asia -- from Bangkok to Beijing. Such dishes as shredded vegetables in lemon sauce, Japanese sushi, and Chinese wontons, made for a quick, exotic and delicious lunch. As well, passengerscan enjoy a pre-dinner sake, tea or traditional cocktail at the Plaza Bar, with its backdrop of cascading water, at the entrance to the Plaza area. The three-story main dining room -- with each of its three levels named after famous ballets: Swan Lake, Coppelia and The Nutcracker -- is exquisite, with a warm and welcoming color scheme in burgundy and gold, a grand staircase and a bronze sculpture of a dancer. Dinner is served in two traditional seatings; breakfasts and lunches are open seating. Vegetarian and ShipShape items (low in fat and cholesterol) are featured. There aren't too many tables for two in the dining room, but those who wish to dine a deux have a variety of options in the alternative dining venues. Two with fees ($20 per person each) are Chops Grille on Deck 11 in the Plaza area, serving traditional steakhouse fare including steaks and, er, chops, salmon, family-style mashed potatoes, and sinful desserts. Portofino, also in the Plaza area, is the other specialty restaurant (. It is a romantic, ocean-view venue, serving Northern Italian cuisine -- from an antipasto appetizer pasta first course, meat second course and dessert (we never tire of the tiramisu. Johnny Rockets, a Voyager class staple at this point, is on Deck 12, and features juicy burgers, fries, thick and filling chili, and thick shakes (my mouth is watering, just remembering a late afternoon snack there. There's a $4.95 per person charge to eat at Johnny Rockets -- whether you eat in the restaurant or order for take-out. Beverages (such as the fabulous milkshakes) are available for an extra charge -- and you can even get a draught beer. The Windjammer Cafe on Deck 11 in the Plaza area, serves buffet-style breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks and dinner. Several stations including salad/sandwich/soup, meat carvery, entrees, burgers, breads, thirst quenchers and frozen yogurts make it easy to get your choices for a meal expeditiously. As part of RCI's Golden Anchor Standard of service, waiters come around the Windjammer offering coffee, iced tea and lemonade to diners -a nice touch, so you don't have to be getting up or juggling drinks with your food. The Cafe Promenade is a good spot for a quick breakfast, lunch or snack. This no-fee sidewalk cafe is great for people-watching (it's located on the Royal Promenade) -- and serves fruits, rolls, sandwiches, pizza, cookies and other goodies as well as espressos made with Seattle's Best Coffee (which is a'la carte priced). Steps away, also on the Royal Promenade, is Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop, with 16 of the company's famous flavors. Cost of a small cup of ice cream is $2.50; medium cup, $3.25; large cup, $4. Add $1 for a waffle cone. If you are watching your expenses, next door to Ben & Jerry's is Sprinkles, a free frozen yogurt station. Royal Caribbean's room service options are available around the clock via 24-hour menus that offer a range of snacks and sandwiches. At breakfast, continental dishes, along with a handful of egg entrees, are available both in cabins and suites. Items off the main dining room menu can be ordered at dinner. There is no charge for room service (though a buck or two gratuity is recommended). | | | | top | | | | Public Rooms
An $8.5 million art collection graces the ship -- with a mind boggling 2,213 art pieces in the public spaces. The Royal Promenade, in essence a seabound mall, is the heart of the ship. It's four decks tall, longer than a football field and anchored at each end by atriums. Anchored by shops, bars and casual eateries, on special nights, the Royal Promenade comes alive with street entertainment such as jugglers, magicians and mimes and at 12:30 a.m. -- at least once on every voyage -- it sets the scene for a fun Mardi Gras parade with music from various parts of the world. Monumental sculptures adorn each atrium, including our favorite work of art onboard, Aquaria, by American sculptor Larry Kirkland. This spectacular sculpture that spans the 11 levels of the Centrum atrium, has 6,000 shimmering, hand-gilded spheres inspired by the bubbles produced by scuba divers. An assortment of lounges range from intimate enclaves like the Champagne Bar to Vintages (a wine bar in association with Robert Mondavi and Beringer Blass Wine Estates with wine appreciation programs for both novices and aficionados), and the Two Poets Pub. Other public spaces include an ocean-view, intimate wedding chapel for 60 guests on Deck 15, the Vegas-style Casino Royale (with a New Orleans theme here) featuring nearly 300 slots, eight blackjack tables, three Caribbean Stud Poker tables, three roulette wheels and a craps table. There's also a library, a cyber lounge with 19 computer stations: royalcaribbeanonline -charge is 50 cents per minute (and a flat surcharge of $4.95 per transmission to send a video postcard). Like on all Royal Caribbean ships, there is no self-service launderette, so pack accordingly. | | | | top | | | | Cabins
Of the total 1,557 staterooms, 939 are ocean view and of those, 707 have balconies (with balconies featuring more glass and being more open, airy and slightly larger than on other Voyager-class ships). There are 618 interior cabins, but of these, 138 are what the company calls "promenade view". This means that there is a window -- and it looks out onto the Royal Promenade. So you don't have a view of the sea but, for the non-claustrophobic, you at least have a view. Cabins are tastefully decorated in pleasing tones with fine, lightwoods -ours was done in restful greens and beige-with art on the walls. All staterooms have beds that convert to queen-size configuration with mini-bar, hair dryer, television with closed-circuit and satellite programming options, phone and individually-controlled air conditioning. There are a dozen categories of suites culminating in a lavish Royal Suite with everything needed to for utter indulgence; there's a separate bedroom with king-size bed, private balcony with hot tub, spacious bathroom with whirlpool, living room with sofa-bed, wet bar, dining table, entertainment center -and yes, even a baby grand piano. The top categories of suites which also include the Owner's, Royal Family, and Grand Ocean View Suite guests have access to the Concierge Club on Deck 9 for spa and dining reservations and shore excursion bookings. | | | | top | | | | Entertainment
There are options galore: Broadway-style productions, like Now & Forever featuring the 14 Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers performing music from such shows as Dreamgirls, The Producers, Mamma Mia and Fosse, as well as variety shows are presented in the 1,350-seat, Art Deco-style Metropolis Theater. This show lounge is elegant with such Art Deco touches as stylized, elongated female figures on the curtain, typical wall sconces and skyscrapers in a sunburst pattern on the ceiling. One of the most unique features at sea -- and found on all the Voyager class ships -- is the ice rink in Studio B; typically there's at least one performance if not more on every cruise. It received a standing ovation during our sailing. There is piano music in the signature, nautical themed Schooner Bar, and Latin jazz with a side of "mojitos" and other popular Latin drinks beckon in Boleros. The Ixtapa Lounge has karaoke and themed night parties. Smokers will enjoy the Connoisseur Club, a cigar lounge housed within the Ixtapa Lounge. You can sample a pint or two at Two Poets Pub within sight of portraits of such luminaries as Dickens and Thackeray. Or sip bubbly at the Champagne Bar. There is smooth live jazz at the Cosmopolitan Club in the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 14. Sports fans can head for 19th hole, the sports bar. Not tired yet? Well, a popular late nightspot is The Dungeon, the two-story disco with a decor evocative of Medieval Europe. | | | | top | | | | Fitness and Recreation
One of our favorite areas on board was the Solarium, a pleasant enclave themed to Tuscany, with a pool, fountain, two Jacuzzis, bar and lots of chaise lounges facing the sea, along with greenery, bronze horses, and murals inspired in the Tuscan countryside of Italy. Nearby is the ShipShape Center on Deck 11, with its mirrored, ocean-view aerobics area with spinning bikes and free weights, ocean-view gym with 20 Lifefitness treadmills, 14 Lifefitness elliptical cross trainers, six recumbent bicycles and four stationary bicycles, Lifefitness weight machines and steppers, additional free weights and a round thalassotherapy pool. A stereo system and television monitors provide entertainment while you work out. The ShipShape Spa, one deck above, is a serene oasis with an ocean-view beauty salon, 14 massage rooms, one dry floatation room, Rasul suite and a relaxation area with sea views. Other fitness and recreational facilities include a jogging track (five times around equals one mile) an outdoor sports deck complete with mini-golf and golf simulator; a full-length sports court for basketball, paddle ball or volleyball; a curvy in-line skating track; and of course, the awesome Rock-Climbing wall -- 200 feet above the sea. Are you game? If not, it's fun just to watch! | | | | top | | | | Family
RCI's youth programs are second to none, but in Navigator of the Seas they have really outdone themselves, as the Adventure Ocean facilities on Deck 12 have been expanded on this vessel to a whopping 22,000 sq. ft. -that's 6,000 sq. ft. more than on any other Royal Caribbean ship. Areas include a section for three to five year olds with seven computer stations, a new art studio area and an ocean liner-themed play area; a room for six to eight year olds, that has been quadrupled in size from previous Voyager-class ships, featuring seven computer stations, themed evenings, Adventure Science, including an exploding volcano, and Adventure Art by Crayola projects including making masks from a variety of regions of the world; and a section for nine to 11 year olds, with seven computer stations, five flat-screen televisions and such activities as Survivor Night, conducted by the year-round counselor staff of 14 (which is beefed up with two more for school holiday periods). Teens have three special areas to hang out in and their program has been divided (sensibly) into two age groups: 12-14 and 15-17. Navigator has a Back Deck, an outdoor area for teen parties with music and buffets. Fuel is the teen disco, complete with dance floor, Internet Cafe with eight stations, four flat-screen televisions and bar for nonalcoholic drinks (a Coke Card for unlimited drinks is $20 for the whole cruise; an Ocean Potion Card is $24.95 for 12 non-alcoholic specialty drinks). Beyond this, teens also have The Living Room, a place to hang out during the day with games, books, flat-screen television, futuristic furniture and Internet Cafe with seven stations. This last place is so cool the counselors have to politely chase many an adult away! A large video arcade is nearby and so is Johnny Rockets to satisfy the teen appetite with burgers, fries, shakes and other goodies. Group baby-sitting is available from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. in Adventure Ocean. Cost is $5 per hour per child. Children must be at least three years old and fully toilet trained -no diapers or pull-ups. In-cabin baby-sitting is available through Guest Relations and must be booked at least 24 hours in advance. Children must be at least six months old. The charge is $8 per hour, in cash, for up to two children within the same family; and $10 per hour for a maximum of three children in the same family. There is a two-hour minimum requirement. | | | | top | | | | Fellow Passengers
Average age is early 40s. People from all walks of life with a good mix -couples, singles, and many families. | | | | top | | | | Dress Code
Casual is the key word during the day. There are two formal nights when dark suits and cocktail dresses predominate. Other evenings, most guests don country club casual attire. | | | | top | | | | Gratuity
Royal Caribbean recommends $3.50 per person, per day to the dining room waiter; $3.50 per person, per day to the cabin steward; $2 per person, per day to the assistant waiter. Royal Caribbean also recommends $0.75 per person, per day to the headwaiter, but we don't necessarily unless the service was special. A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to bar tabs. | | | | top | | | | | Expert reviews are provided by CruiseCritic.com, an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation. | |  | |
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