trip report: 4 day navigator of the seas to cozumel
Feb 28th, 2008, 12:10 PM
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trip report: 4 day navigator of the seas to cozumel
I found little information on this board in detail so I thought it might be helpful to others to share my experience. I just returned from my first RCCL cruise (and 5th overall cruise) on Navigator of the seas leaving Fort Lauderdale on FEb. 21, 2008. I flew from the west coast and arrived the night before at 9:30pm. I stayed at the Marriott Courtyard Airport and Cruise terminal. It was wonderful: free airport transfer, smiling friendly front desk people, clean/stylish lobby, free wireless in lobby and free internet in your room, free breakfast the next day, a gym room with essentials, very smooth coordinated free transfers to the cruise terminal the next day. Who could ask for more? Room was clean and fine; not inspired but very serviceable.
Upon arrival, check in was a breeze. WE arrived at noonish and there was no line. Our rooms were ready and we went directly there with our luggage; we had minimal carryon luggage. You do have the option to have them deliver the luggage to your room later. WE had an inside room on level 6 aft and loved it. It was soo dark for great sleeping. Room was small but adequate and attractively decorated. My only complaint is that I did not like their pillows. I did not inquire if there were alternatives; I could live with it.
Itinerary: we left at 5 pm and cruised all the next day and arrived on second morning in Cozumel then cruised all the day after and then returned at 7 am on day 4.
The ship: it was gorgeous with ice skating rink and rock climbing wall. Great gym, larger than on Carnival's Elation. All public areas were beautiful and well maintained. Their promenade is something else.
Kids' program: This was just awesome. Their area is so much bigger than on other cruise ships and they have them divided into 3 year spans. My son was in 9-11 Explorer group. He did not want to leave. they are professionals at entertaining these kids. They have new activities about every 15 minutes to 30 or 45 minutes. I ended up letting him stay for the late night events where they charge $5/hour because he was having so much fun. The arcade in this area was also fabulous although I did not let him play there.
Food: Typical for a cruise ship. Good in general. Lots of quantity and variety. Not spectacular but impressive effort and huge buffets. I am pretty finicky about my food. We were seated at a large table with 4 other families which was very nice. It was great socializing.
Entertainment: Caliber of dancers at show time was fabulous; Broadway level. The ice skating shows were also marvelous. They had fun activities throughout the day but not as much as Carnival did. It was more low key here.
Cozumel: excursions. I did my own thing and rented a car, Jeep Wrangler. Wow, this was a lesson in relearning how to drive a stick shift! And expensive, about $45 for the day. The beaches on the side of the cruise ship were not impressive with murky brown water. We finally discovered a beach on the other side that was sooo spectacular; it is one of the best beaches in the world. Powder white fine sand and blue clear water. Unbelievable the contrast. This was called Playa San Martin and was deserted!!!! Everyone was congregating in the crappy beaches on the other side. Oh, we also enjoyed a fresh coconut at one of the beaches; $3.
Upon departing the ship, I had not realized that all the car rentals had free pickup at the cruise terminal. I took advantage of this but waited an interminable, awful 45 minutes!!! for the Thrify shuttle to arrive. I would advise you to have the local number on hand to call them if in this position.
Overall, a spectacular cruise. People who worked there were so happy and friendly and went the extra mile. Very nice clientele of cruisers....entire range of ages and families versus couples, etc. I really liked that.
Upon arrival, check in was a breeze. WE arrived at noonish and there was no line. Our rooms were ready and we went directly there with our luggage; we had minimal carryon luggage. You do have the option to have them deliver the luggage to your room later. WE had an inside room on level 6 aft and loved it. It was soo dark for great sleeping. Room was small but adequate and attractively decorated. My only complaint is that I did not like their pillows. I did not inquire if there were alternatives; I could live with it.
Itinerary: we left at 5 pm and cruised all the next day and arrived on second morning in Cozumel then cruised all the day after and then returned at 7 am on day 4.
The ship: it was gorgeous with ice skating rink and rock climbing wall. Great gym, larger than on Carnival's Elation. All public areas were beautiful and well maintained. Their promenade is something else.
Kids' program: This was just awesome. Their area is so much bigger than on other cruise ships and they have them divided into 3 year spans. My son was in 9-11 Explorer group. He did not want to leave. they are professionals at entertaining these kids. They have new activities about every 15 minutes to 30 or 45 minutes. I ended up letting him stay for the late night events where they charge $5/hour because he was having so much fun. The arcade in this area was also fabulous although I did not let him play there.
Food: Typical for a cruise ship. Good in general. Lots of quantity and variety. Not spectacular but impressive effort and huge buffets. I am pretty finicky about my food. We were seated at a large table with 4 other families which was very nice. It was great socializing.
Entertainment: Caliber of dancers at show time was fabulous; Broadway level. The ice skating shows were also marvelous. They had fun activities throughout the day but not as much as Carnival did. It was more low key here.
Cozumel: excursions. I did my own thing and rented a car, Jeep Wrangler. Wow, this was a lesson in relearning how to drive a stick shift! And expensive, about $45 for the day. The beaches on the side of the cruise ship were not impressive with murky brown water. We finally discovered a beach on the other side that was sooo spectacular; it is one of the best beaches in the world. Powder white fine sand and blue clear water. Unbelievable the contrast. This was called Playa San Martin and was deserted!!!! Everyone was congregating in the crappy beaches on the other side. Oh, we also enjoyed a fresh coconut at one of the beaches; $3.
Upon departing the ship, I had not realized that all the car rentals had free pickup at the cruise terminal. I took advantage of this but waited an interminable, awful 45 minutes!!! for the Thrify shuttle to arrive. I would advise you to have the local number on hand to call them if in this position.
Overall, a spectacular cruise. People who worked there were so happy and friendly and went the extra mile. Very nice clientele of cruisers....entire range of ages and families versus couples, etc. I really liked that.
Mar 3rd, 2008, 05:31 AM
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Thank you for posting this report! I couldn't believe it when I heard the Navigator was doing short cruises! That ship blows the rest of them out of the water, especially Carnival's crappy short cruise ships. I was on Navigator's maiden voyage and loved the ship. What was the smoking situation like? Which is their designated smoke free bar? We were on Liberty the first week after the no smoking in cabins rule came out and we found that the indoor areas were really, really bad; especially Vintages, the English (Promenade) Pub and Boleros.
Mar 3rd, 2008, 06:22 AM
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Yea, the Navigator rocks! It is an awesome gorgeous ship. It is quite possibly the best value I have ever had in travel. I paid about $300 per person for the inside cabin; it is their lowest price of the year and I made my schedule adapt so I could do it.
About the smoking, it really didn't bother me. I can't even remember which places were designated no smoking. I hate the smell of smoking but perhaps you are even more sensitive to it than I am. These days, I am only bothered by it in Vegas (OMG,ugh!!), you can barely breathe while going through those casinos, and in Europe where they smoke a lot more. I know they made an announcement of the areas they now designate as smoke free. I didn't go to the pub or Boleros but they didn't seem smoky as I walked by. The casino is probably where the scent was the strongest.
How was Liberty? Isn't that their newest line? I can't wait to go on those ships with the wave water park.
About the smoking, it really didn't bother me. I can't even remember which places were designated no smoking. I hate the smell of smoking but perhaps you are even more sensitive to it than I am. These days, I am only bothered by it in Vegas (OMG,ugh!!), you can barely breathe while going through those casinos, and in Europe where they smoke a lot more. I know they made an announcement of the areas they now designate as smoke free. I didn't go to the pub or Boleros but they didn't seem smoky as I walked by. The casino is probably where the scent was the strongest.
How was Liberty? Isn't that their newest line? I can't wait to go on those ships with the wave water park.
Mar 3rd, 2008, 06:36 AM
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We've sailed the Liberty and the Freedom. Lots like the Navigator, but more perks! The Flowrider is a HOOT and great to watch but I wouldn't do it, lol. We're on the Independance next January. I've done 13 cruises with RCCL. Princess did a much better job with non smoking areas, but the ships weren't as magnificent. Still, I had so much trouble with smoke on the last cruise, I don't know how long I can continue. Seems the new regulations have made it worse for the nonsmokers!!
Mar 3rd, 2008, 12:05 PM
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wow, you are quite the cruiser! I look forward to trying out those newer ships in the future. Are you local in Florida or do you also have to get a hotel....if so, do you have one to recommend?
Mar 3rd, 2008, 01:35 PM
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No, not from FL. We have to escape the winter, then often take a Sept/Oct hurricane cruise, plus I'm taking kids for Spring Break the 3rd time. It's nice, because I'm diamond status and you get lots of nice perks! 
We've stayed at several hotels depending onthe port. Last cruise, we stayed in FLL at the La Quinta airport and shuttled to Miami the next day. We had FF tickets on SWA. I've also stayed in FLL at the Embassy Suites- very nice last time. However, generally speaking, we usually try Priceline for a hotel. This year's cruise concided with the Miami marathon, so we were lucky to find anything reasonable. One year, it was Super Bowl weekend! YIKES. We flew to Orlando, rented a car and stayed in W Palm Beach, then drove to Miami the next day.
We've stayed at several hotels depending onthe port. Last cruise, we stayed in FLL at the La Quinta airport and shuttled to Miami the next day. We had FF tickets on SWA. I've also stayed in FLL at the Embassy Suites- very nice last time. However, generally speaking, we usually try Priceline for a hotel. This year's cruise concided with the Miami marathon, so we were lucky to find anything reasonable. One year, it was Super Bowl weekend! YIKES. We flew to Orlando, rented a car and stayed in W Palm Beach, then drove to Miami the next day.
Mar 3rd, 2008, 02:51 PM
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If you do FLL again, try the Marriott courtyard. It is sooo convenient for cruising and quite nice. I used my ff miles/points to end up paying $120 for my one night. Going rate was $169 or higher.
Mar 17th, 2008, 04:35 AM
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I just want to take a second and note that I do not recommend renting a car in Cozumel! It looks like it worked out okay for ncccounty but when we were there ('04) we rented a Jeep and some locals tried to carjack us and the jeeps were breaking down all over the island!! It seemed like every turn we made we saw another jeep with Americans in it broken down on the side of the road. So do this with caution!
Mar 19th, 2008, 01:55 PM
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Thanks for the trip report! We're leaving on this same ship on April 7 for our first cruise. We're looking forward to it. Did you go to Belize as well? I'm trying to figure out what we're going to do while we're there.
Mar 19th, 2008, 02:28 PM
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I am so envious Rosebud! Wish I was on that trip with you. And Belize, wow! I'd love to go there. They have great diving and probably snorkeling as well. The ship is gorgeous. Be sure to catch one of the ice skating shows.
Mar 21st, 2008, 05:55 PM
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Mine was a shorter trip and we only stopped in Cozumel. Two full days cruising. I generally prefer many stops but I liked the ship and my son loved their kids activity center so we had a great time. I happen to love diving and snorkeling so Belize would be very attractive to me as well. My only regret is that we didn't have enough time in Cozumel to do any snorkeling...it is supposed to be great there as well.
Mar 29th, 2008, 04:55 AM
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A note/tips about the Cozumel stop:
- Tons of great stores and deals. They open at 9am, which is why if leaving the boat too early you will find a lot of stores/kiosks are closed.
- Prices go up for articles in the afternoon; they figured you walk around, are now in a hurry to get back to the ship and really want that ceramic you saw. Guess what; it will cost you more! If you like something you saw in the AM, do not wait to late in the afetrnoon to get it, more likely than not, they will move merchandise and place the higher-ticketed items out.
- the farther you get from the main square area, the cheaper deals you get. We told the taxi to take us to the extreme end of the main street and we walked our way back to the main square. Close to the end, the t-shirts were 7/$20. By the time you get to the main square, the SAME T-shirts were 2/$20 everywhere.
- try to speak some Spanish and be courteous; it goes a long way.
- desist on renting a jeep; too many tales of break-downs and robberies to be a coincidence.
- Paradise Island beach is nicer and cheaper to get to than Playa Mia. First off, there is no access fee, no chair fee, and the beach is steps from the kiosk area. I walked to Playa Mia from Paradise and did not have to pay a penny. Went right back to Paradise, much nicer.
- waiters at Paradise will hand you a menu when you get there. From there on, if you want a drink/food you called them, no hovering or hard sell.
- While Playa Mia has more kid-friendly activities, the huge floating trampolines they had at Paradise Island were a HUGE hit with kids. They were free and it really kept kids of all ages in a fun group with parents watching/ relaxing from the shore. At Playa Mia there was a lot of crying and long lines for every activity they had. I could not get out of there fast enough.
Hope this helps.
- Tons of great stores and deals. They open at 9am, which is why if leaving the boat too early you will find a lot of stores/kiosks are closed.
- Prices go up for articles in the afternoon; they figured you walk around, are now in a hurry to get back to the ship and really want that ceramic you saw. Guess what; it will cost you more! If you like something you saw in the AM, do not wait to late in the afetrnoon to get it, more likely than not, they will move merchandise and place the higher-ticketed items out.
- the farther you get from the main square area, the cheaper deals you get. We told the taxi to take us to the extreme end of the main street and we walked our way back to the main square. Close to the end, the t-shirts were 7/$20. By the time you get to the main square, the SAME T-shirts were 2/$20 everywhere.
- try to speak some Spanish and be courteous; it goes a long way.
- desist on renting a jeep; too many tales of break-downs and robberies to be a coincidence.
- Paradise Island beach is nicer and cheaper to get to than Playa Mia. First off, there is no access fee, no chair fee, and the beach is steps from the kiosk area. I walked to Playa Mia from Paradise and did not have to pay a penny. Went right back to Paradise, much nicer.
- waiters at Paradise will hand you a menu when you get there. From there on, if you want a drink/food you called them, no hovering or hard sell.
- While Playa Mia has more kid-friendly activities, the huge floating trampolines they had at Paradise Island were a HUGE hit with kids. They were free and it really kept kids of all ages in a fun group with parents watching/ relaxing from the shore. At Playa Mia there was a lot of crying and long lines for every activity they had. I could not get out of there fast enough.
Hope this helps.
Apr 23rd, 2008, 07:58 PM
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Well, the Majesty is one of the oldest ships with the fewest amenities. I have had less than ideal cruises on the Sovereign and on Carnival's Jubilee and Sensation. The older the ship and thus cheaper the cruise, the lower the expectations. Did you read any reviews prior?
Aug 18th, 2009, 07:08 PM
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We loved Voyager of the Seas. We did the trans-Atlantic out of Galveston last April. Famtastic! Hardly had time to read the book I brought. We live in Florida, have cruised much and on many cruise lines. This one was so much fun, had great people, crew, entertainment. Texans are good to travel with, and RCL did cater to them. Much enthusiasm. No grumbling, no one saying their other cruises were better, etc. The crew was always on top of everything: Party, party, parades on the Promenade, laughs, but no heavy drinking, at least not before midnight. Good cruise director-and-assistant team from Canada. So happy were we that we booked another trans-Atlantic right on the ship--Navigator of the Seas out of Miami, April 2010. Can't wait. New itinerary. We'll do the ice skating this time, maybe the skateboards. And be prepared for the Black and White Ball and Sock Hop (on the ice skating rink cover).
