I had deliberate on this cruise for seven months. A pal and I who had formerly cruised with Carnival and Celebrity have been keen to attempt Royal Caribbean after listening to such a lot of fantastic matters approximately the splendor of the deliver, fine of meals and provider, etc. For the second one time, I amazed my retired dad and mom with the aid of using taking them with us (the preceding yr I had amazed them with an Alaskan cruise which I will assess later), and that they have been simply giddy with pleasure after they determined out that they could over again be journeying aboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, which they claimed changed into their favored deliver of thirteen different cruises that they’d taken. With the delivery cleanout of dry dock for upgrades, have been set to visit a few brand-new locations none people had ever visited: Roatan Island, Honduras, and Belize City. Expectations have been high.
The Highs
Our eating revel in– Most clearly the high-satisfactory provider we acquired at the deliver changed into withinside the fundamental Sapphire Dining Room, that is surely the maximum suitable eating room I even have visible on a cruise deliver. Walking into the eating room is like getting into a regal opera residence whole with a grand staircase and 3 stages of eating with home windows on every aspect. Our servers have been extraordinarily attentive, noting my step-mother’s choice of creating her very own ice tea with glasses of ice, 2 tea luggage, and a few warm glasses of waters, which changed into looking forward to her each night time after night time one. I should fault her for being a “tea snob,” however then I’d study myself withinside the replicate with my Starbucks in hand turning my nostril up at Folgers.
Here we’re at dinner. I am the goof-ball in blue.
The Cabin– Inside cabin 7667 (Aft Port) changed into domestic candy domestic for our week at sea. My dad and mom have been proper round the corner in 7669. For an inner cabin, there have been lots of room to stow all of our stuff and feature a very clean area to transport in. I could say the mattress changed into a piece hard, however it is all approximately your choice as my pal and journeying associate Jay (the man in purple) stated his change as simply proper. The ample closet and drawer area allowed us to every have enough area to unpack. Our steward provider changed into additionally top-notch, re-stocking, and tidying up two times daily.
Overlooking the Royal Promenade
The Grand Atrium
Beverage Package–Three people on this cruise had the top class package deal for $ fifty-five in keeping with the day, however, because of my dad’s best beverages beer, we were given him the primary package deal. At first glance, this package deal would possibly appear a piece pricey (Royal Caribbean’s beverage applications are a number of the maximum highly-priced at sea), however, generally we were given our cash’s worth. What I, in particular, favored changed into that essentially not anything at the drink menu changed into off-limits brief of the extraordinary top class stuff.
You should even choose Grey Goose vodka at no more charge. The turn aspect right here is the bar provider (see below).
The Lows
Embarkation/Debarkation–The phrases fiasco, nightmare, eternity, and disorganization come to thoughts for each. This changed into hands-down the WORST embarkation/debarkation procedure I even have ever skilled, and my dad and mom who have been on thirteen preceding cruises agreed. We must have predicted this while Royal Caribbean despatched us out an email previous to the cruise teaching us to reach at positive instances primarily based totally on the deck on which our cabin changed into located. As it happened, we had flown into Houston, and our switch dropped us off properly on the time we have been prepurported to be there, which changed into 12:30 p.m. We did now no longer step foot at the deliver till nearly 2 p.m, as we have been caught special lines, each of which have been extraordinarily slow-moving. This is clearly now no longer the manner you need to begin your excursion, and only a few smiles have been to be determined withinside the protection and check-in lines. Mind you, I completely count on a piece of a wait checking in, however, this changed into simply ridiculous. I assume the longest wait I even have ever skilled previous to this changed into half-hour tops. I clearly expressed my dissatisfaction to the check-in lady.
Bottom line–I will by no means cruise from Galveston, Texas once more as they definitely do now no longer have the cap potential to address the extent of humans that cruise ships have. Basically, Royal Caribbean left a bad first influence and a bad closing influence.
Service–Aside from our servers at dinner, the provider withinside the bars and lounges in this delivery changed into common at high-satisfactory and actually now no longer what I am aware of on a cruise. While a few bartenders have been standouts, it normally took all the time to get a drink, and frequently you felt as in case you have been a hassle to the bartender or server. The worst provider changed into possibly on the pool bar. Some would possibly say that I am too demanding, however, once I spend my hard-earned cash on excursions I need a first-rate provider. Period. I failed to truly get it on this cruise. My dad and mom additionally commented that “matters simply were not identical in this cruise” as their preceding revel in on Navigator of the Seas.
Kids, youngsters, youngsters– OK, I am possibly going to get a few eye-rolls for this, and perhaps for a few it would not be bad, however, there have been simply too many youngsters taking up the principle pool place in this deliver. As with anywhere else, dad and mom are in part responsible right here, permitting their little monsters to run amuck and splash others withinside the fundamental pool, however, I fault Royal Caribbean for now no longer imposing pool rules. On beyond cruises, youngsters were not even allowed in warm tubs, however, they have been on this one. Granted, there’s an adults-best pool and warm tub, however, the hassle is that there is not any leisure there (now no longer that the leisure at the principal pool changed into whatever to put in writing domestic approximately).
