Freelance writer Anne Kalosh sailed on a preview cruise of
Royal Caribbean International's Navigator of the Seas. Her report
follows:
he Navigator of the Seas offers
many of the same features found aboard its three Voyager-class
sisters: the rock-climbing wall, the ice rink, the inline skating
track. However, this ship contains much more.
For starters, there's a steakhouse, an "Asian-fusion" buffet, a
wine bar, the first Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlor afloat, a
Latin dance club and vastly expanded children's and teens'
facilities.
Just like its sisters -- the Voyager, the Explorer and the
Adventure of the Seas, the largest passenger cruise ships operating
-- the Navigator is 142,000 tons and able to carry 3,114
passengers.
However, according to Adam Goldstein, Royal Caribbean
International's executive vice president of brand operations,
Navigator "is anything but a sister ship."
Many travel agents on this preview sailing from Miami agreed,
proclaiming the Navigator the best of its breed.
"This ship is first class. Nothing could improve it," said
Donald Iorio Jr. of Mycruiseoutlet.com in Fort Mill, S.C. "The decor is
wonderful."
Iorio said he envisioned the Navigator as ideal for families and
reunion groups. "It caters to everyone, parents and kids," he
said.
Even
from the outside, the Navigator looks different from its sisters.
On the other ships, the balconies appear as if they're cut into the
vessel's steel frame. Aboard the Navigator, they're rows and rows
of glass, providing more expansive views.
Clients boarding the Navigator quickly will find the ship's main
hub, the Royal Promenade -- the signature, four-deck-high dining,
entertainment and retail zone that forms the heart of every
Voyager-class ship. The Ben & Jerry's parlor holds a prominent
spot here.
Another first on the Royal Promenade is the Vintages wine bar,
developed in partnership with Robert Mondavi and Beringer Blass
Wine Estates.
Wines by the glass sell for $4.75 to $14.75; bottles range from
$19 to $59. In a cozy, cellar-like setting of wooden tables and
lanterns, knowledgeable "wine tenders" stage tastings, contests and
mixers.
Boleros, a new venue for live Latin music as well as mojitos,
caipirinhas and other specialty drinks, circles the Centrum one
deck below the Royal Promenade.
One of the Navigator's key distinctions is its large Plaza
dining area on Deck 11. It expands the space that previously served
as the home of the Windjammer Cafe on the other vessels, adding a
bar serving sake and tea as well as cocktails and wines.
Also here is Jade, billed as an Asian-fusion restaurant. But
it's really a themed buffet line serving dishes such as Vietnamese
fried rice with Asian sausage, barbecued shrimp pizza and
sake-braised salmon. There is no extra charge to dine at Jade.
Nearby in a private room is Chops Grille, a concept adopted from
the Radiance-class ships. Steaks, fish and chops along with rich
desserts are served amid an ambience of dark woods and
Tiffany-style glass. This by-reservation restaurant carries a cover
charge of $20 per person.
Beyond the new public areas, another unusual feature of the
Navigator is its $8.5 million art collection.
Meanwhile, the Centrum's lively "Aquaria" installation by
sculptor Larry Kirkland was inspired by the underwater bubbles
emanating from scuba tanks.
Subtle themes abound throughout the vessel. For example, one
staircase features conceptual art, another representational. All
the pieces adorning the spa relate to Italy's Tuscany region.
One of the most talked-about rooms on board was the Dungeon, a
sort of sexy, Gothic dance club. Passengers spin through a
revolving glass door flanked by two bronze hounds and enter an
underworld of stone walls, gargoyles, skeletons and stained glass
with images of leather-clad women. A staircase leads to the
lower-level dance floor and a lounge.
The Navigator expands Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean Youth
Program, offering five age groups in a 22,000-square-foot area --
6,000 square feet more than any other ship in the fleet.
Teens get three spaces to themselves: the Living Room hangout
(including seven Internet terminals), the Fuel dance club and the
Back Deck for sunbathing and night gatherings.
Although the Navigator brings many new twists to a Voyager-class
sailing, clients who enjoyed the sister ships will not be
disappointed. Everything there is here, from the most extensive
sports facilities afloat to vast dining and entertainment
options.
The ship offers Johnny Rockets for burgers and shakes, the
Portofino Italian restaurant, a cigar club and a champagne bar.
High above the ship is the Viking Crown observation lounge with a
jazz club and a sports bar.
Outside, there's miniature golf, a basketball court and the most
talked-about feature of the Voyager-class: the rock-climbing
wall.
Toward the front of the ship is a nifty feature called the
"peekaboo bridge," where curious guests can peer down one deck into
the Navigator's bridge and follow along with the captain on nearby
screens.
Of the vessel's 1,557 cabins, 939 offer ocean views and 707 have
balconies. Of the 618 inside cabins, 138 face the Royal Promenade.
Agents should steer sound-sensitive clients away from this
category, as noise from a midnight parade and even the music at
Boleros on Deck 4 can be faintly heard.
Miami-based Navigator of the Seas sails alternating seven-night
cruises to the eastern and western Caribbean departing
Saturdays.
Ports on the eastern itinerary are Nassau, Bahamas; St. Thomas,
U.S. Virgin Islands; San Juan; and Labadee, Hispaniola. The western
runs calls at Labadee; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Cayman
Islands; and Cozumel, Mexico.
For more information, call (800) 327-6700 or visit Royal
Caribbean's agent Web site, www.cruisingpower.com.