Navigator Mar. 1, 2019 - 9 Nights Southern Caribbean

[Choozin Cruizin]

37 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

UNLESS it’s travel agent OBC.

It is. But thank you.

[Cruising to Retirement!]

On 3/18/2019 at 2:50 PM, Marc Van Niekerk said:

Any chance you post a link to this fabulous spreadsheet?

Thanks Twangster for this link for voom 1 device for our 9 night Navigator tomorrow!  We definitely booked it ahead of time through the planner!  It definitely made more money sense!  We can't thank you enough for your awesome blog along with Thetchie from March 15th!  We can't wait to board tomorrow!  I'm so glad I found this awesome blog with all you cruise loving people!  A quick question.  Did you happen to notice if the dedicated suite section was crowded a lot?  Hope you are enjoying another cruise right now!

Michelle

[twangster]

27 minutes ago, Cruising to Retirement! said:

 Did you happen to notice if the dedicated suite section was crowded a lot?  Hope you are enjoying another cruise right now!

Michelle

Yes, it did look pretty full at times like sea days    

[ReyRod]

Wow! What an Amazing Blog! I have to very odd questions :), 1 is the Pizza available 24/7? and 2 is soft serve ice cream available 24/7? I know they made the machines by the pool no longer 24/7 so I assume that's not open all the time. Is there another machine that is? Sorry for the weird questions , I will be traveling with my 7 year old son who has a thing for pizza and ice cream :).

[twangster]

42 minutes ago, ReyRod said:

Wow! What an Amazing Blog! I have to very odd questions :), 1 is the Pizza available 24/7? and 2 is soft serve ice cream available 24/7? I know they made the machines by the pool no longer 24/7 so I assume that's not open all the time. Is there another machine that is? Sorry for the weird questions , I will be traveling with my 7 year old son who has a thing for pizza and ice cream :).

Pizza and ice cream are not 24x7 on Royal Caribbean.  Navigator is no exception.  

[rjac]

38 minutes ago, twangster said:

Pizza and ice cream are not 24x7 on Royal Caribbean

What about room service?

[twangster]

3 minutes ago, rjac said:

What about room service?

I suppose if they wanted to spend $9 for ice cream or pizza they could use room service but I suspect they hail from Carnival where pizza and ice cream are free 24x7. 

[ReyRod]

On ‎4‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 10:07 AM, twangster said:

I suppose if they wanted to spend $9 for ice cream or pizza they could use room service but I suspect they hail from Carnival where pizza and ice cream are free 24x7. 

Thanks for the quick reply :) it will be my kids first cruise ever and my wife and I's second (yes the first was on a carnival ship). We are super excited for this trip :). Hoping this cruise goes well for my family so I can convince them to make this an annual event :) I have the cruise bug and need them to get the bug too :)

[Cruising to Retirement!]

On 3/28/2019 at 10:56 AM, Cruising to Retirement! said:

Thanks Twangster for this link for voom 1 device for our 9 night Navigator tomorrow!  We definitely booked it ahead of time through the planner!  It definitely made more money sense!  We can't thank you enough for your awesome blog along with Thetchie from March 15th!  We can't wait to board tomorrow!  I'm so glad I found this awesome blog with all you cruise loving people!  A quick question.  Did you happen to notice if the dedicated suite section was crowded a lot?  Hope you are enjoying another cruise right now!

Michelle

Hey Twangster I wanted to thank you again for preparing us for all of Navigator's new awesomeness!  We did it all!  Our assigned group in the escape room ESCAPED ON DAY 2!  And it was all great from start to finish!  Loved, loved Hooked!  Went twice!  went to Jamie's but wasn't as thrilled as on Harmony and Anthem!  Hopefully better on Symphony on the 27th of this month!  The ice show was absolutely wonderful with the drones!  We went twice!  They provided for Suites behind the curtain tour of the ice show and saw the drones up close and were schooled on how they are coordinated in the show!  Very informative!  They are expanding the Suite area while we were there also!  It was a great experience in The Hawaiian Suite for a once in a lifetime experience!  That's for sure!  We were even invited with two other couples to have dinner with the chief engineer in the dining room with a special dinner!  Bill said best 59th birthday ever!  He was so personable and informative!  Not sure that will ever happen again, but we appreciated and soaked up every minute!  

Of course we had drinks in the Bamboo room with the sliders and the noodle asian salad and thought of you which was great too!  The internet worked great for Bill too all over the ship!  The ship has a different personality for sure since last year's sailing!  

Our second time in Bonaire was even more beautiful!  It was the first time where were in Curacao longer so we took the sunset catamaran cruise which was to die for!  They opened the swinging bridge for us we then went way back in the waterway which i've always wanted to do which was a new world really lots of yummy snacks and lots of drinks too!  Also came out and went up the coast and went into another waterway which was very nice also!  And the Sunset pics were wonderful!  Highly recommend!

Well thank you, thank you again for getting us prepared!  Hope we meet someday!  PLEASE KEEP BLOGGING FOREVER!  You get the best pics and fantastic recommendations too!

Only one down note!  They had a Zumba cruise on the 5 night before us and were on our cruise!  Didn't see them since I don't do anything before 10 am trivia unless it's an excursion.  But everyone from the "team" did not know that you had to get off in between sailings so they were all in bed!  So they dragged them down first.  We were not able to get on the ship until right before noon!  That is the latest we have ever got on a ship!  What made this bad for me is that I had just drank an extra bottle of water and large cup of coffee so I thought I was going to float with the ship!  I barely survived!

Wasn't the washy washy guy hysterical!?!  He was the nicest and best we've ever seen!  He even came into the main dining room and helped sing Happy Birthday to Bill!  It was a hoot for sure!  Well I must go and finish washing clothes before April 26th Symphony!  We have our cruises very close this year because we are going to be Grandparents later this Year for the first time!  I'm so excited!  Also thought of you Sabrina while were were eating in La Bamba post cruise!  It was fabulous as always!

I will continue to enjoy this awesome site, Matt, with all you awesome cruise loving people!

Michelle and Bill too!

 

[twangster]

54 minutes ago, Cruising to Retirement! said:

I will continue to enjoy this awesome site, Matt, with all you awesome cruise loving people!

Michelle and Bill too!

So glad you found this helpful!  Carry on and cruise more!

Cheers!

[Cruising to Retirement!]

On 4/9/2019 at 6:34 PM, twangster said:

So glad you found this helpful!  Carry on and cruise more!

Cheers!

Twangster and Matt,

Hi again.  I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me.  We turned Diamond Plus on our March 29 night Navigator cruise.  We are sailing next Saturday April 27th on Symphony.  I was reading that there is special seating section for the shows under Diamond Plus benefits.  Does that apply to the Aqua theater shows, Hairspray, etc.?  I know it there is for Suites and Pinnacle.  Also I was wondering if there was any special events available such as Bridge tour, Galley tour, or backstage tour for Diamond Plus?  We were in Owner's Suite on Navigator and in an oceanview balcony on Symphony.  Also do these same benefits apply to the Anthem?  We are on the nine night on May 23rd in a x large Jr. Suite.  Would be nice to get priority seating to the shows too.  We have our cruises so crunched together this year since we are going to be first time grandparents later in the year.

If there is any other things we should know, please, please share!  We would really appreciate all feedback!  You and Matt are a wealth of information!  I learn new things everyday from everyone!  I wish we could cruise as much as you do, Twangster!  I'm so very happy for you...  I sort of feel like I'm going on more cruises through all your awesome live blogs and of course those great pics!  Matt you give us on the spot info as it is happening.  I'm so glad you started this blog.  Hopefully we can join a cruise with you happy bunch of cruise people!

Thanks,

Michelle

[twangster]

12 minutes ago, Cruising to Retirement! said:

We turned Diamond Plus on our March 29 night Navigator cruise. 

Woot!  Congratulations!

12 minutes ago, Cruising to Retirement! said:

I was reading that there is special seating section for the shows under Diamond Plus benefits.  Does that apply to the Aqua theater shows, Hairspray, etc.?  I know it there is for Suites and Pinnacle.  

In my experience implementation of reserved seating for Diamond Plus (D+) varies based on C&A numbers for that cruise.  On my Symphony transatlantic there were a lot of top elite.  The entire center section of the Aqua Theater was Suites/Pinnacle/Diamond Plus.  Normally it is only two rows.   It isn't always marked or obvious.  In the main theater it is generally on the lower level in the raised section covered by the upper level in the first two rows of that section.  This too can vary.  Probably best to ask the various crew standing around directing or guarding a section.  Ask "Diamond Plus?" and they should point you in the right direction.  

Pinging @Matt since he has sailed Symphony on a regular cruise versus the transatlantic that tends to be so elite heavy they change things quite a bit.

12 minutes ago, Cruising to Retirement! said:

Also I was wondering if there was any special events available such as Bridge tour, Galley tour, or backstage tour for Diamond Plus?  We were in Owner's Suite on Navigator and in an oceanview balcony on Symphony.  Also do these same benefits apply to the Anthem?  

In theory as a D+ there should be an Entertainment Tour and a "Behind the Scenes Tour" but this isn't the full "All Access" tour sold as an excursion.  It might be a galley tour, it might be a bridge tour, it might be both.  It varies by cruise.  There should be a letter or card in your cabin on boarding day.  There is deadline to return it, usually to a drop box at the loyalty desk or at guest services.  Sometimes there are so many D+ or P that they can't offer them. 

This applies to all cruises but sometimes they don't happen.  If in doubt talk the loyalty ambassador on board.

12 minutes ago, Cruising to Retirement! said:

We have our cruises so crunched together this year since we are going to be first time grandparents later in the year.

Great news!

[Cruising to Retirement!]

17 hours ago, twangster said:

Woot!  Congratulations!

In my experience implementation of reserved seating for Diamond Plus (D+) varies based on C&A numbers for that cruise.  On my Symphony transatlantic there were a lot of top elite.  The entire center section of the Aqua Theater was Suites/Pinnacle/Diamond Plus.  Normally it is only two rows.   It isn't always marked or obvious.  In the main theater it is generally on the lower level in the raised section covered by the upper level in the first two rows of that section.  This too can vary.  Probably best to ask the various crew standing around directing or guarding a section.  Ask "Diamond Plus?" and they should point you in the right direction.  

Pinging @Matt since he has sailed Symphony on a regular cruise versus the transatlantic that tends to be so elite heavy they change things quite a bit.

In theory as a D+ there should be an Entertainment Tour and a "Behind the Scenes Tour" but this isn't the full "All Access" tour sold as an excursion.  It might be a galley tour, it might be a bridge tour, it might be both.  It varies by cruise.  There should be a letter or card in your cabin on boarding day.  There is deadline to return it, usually to a drop box at the loyalty desk or at guest services.  Sometimes there are so many D+ or P that they can't offer them. 

This applies to all cruises but sometimes they don't happen.  If in doubt talk the loyalty ambassador on board.

Great news!

Thank you Thank you Thank you for all the great info Twangster!

I will be sure to look for a letter or card as you mentioned for any tours, and ask the various crew standing guarding the sections!  I will keep my fingers crossed there are not too many loyalty members onboard so unable to accommodate Diamond Plus members!  I will definitely talk with the loyalty ambassador who would share info regarding the tours and seating options for Diamond Plus on our cruise!

I also wanted to share that when we were on our Navigator cruise they were expanding out the suite pool area next to lime and coconut.  We didn't have a problem twice we went to get seating, but I guess there is an issue with not enough seating.

Thanks again!  Hope you are getting ready to go on another great cruise with blog in the very near future.  I always look forward to them!

Michelle

[Rags1]

I’m embarking on the “new” Navigator on Monday. This will be my first Royal non-Oasis Class cruise since I did the Song of America in 1992!  Thanks for providing such great information and photos. I’m much more excited for this trip after reading your review. Thanks!