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Navigator of the Seas Tips & Best Things To Do

In:
12 Jun 2020

Navigator of the Seas offers short cruise vacations to the Bahamas, and between its getaway sailings, recent ship wide update, and low price point, there is a lot to love about her!

Weekend sailings, visits to Royal Caribbean's private island, water slides and great dining are just some of the fun things you can find on Navigator of the Seas.

If you have a cruise booked on Navigator, or are considering booking a cruise, here are my favorite things about this ship and tricks for making the most of your vacation!

Water Slides

One of the new features added to Navigator of the Seas are the Blaster & Riptide water slides, and these are an instant hit with everyone.

Royal Caribbean has begun to embrace having water slides on their cruise ships, and these are two types of water slides not available on any other Royal Caribbean ship.

The Blaster is Royal Caribbean's first aqua coaster, and it is also the longest water slide at sea.  You hop into a raft and race down more than 800 feet of dips, drops and straightaways that extend over the side of the ship.

On Riptide, you can go on a headfirst mat racer slide that provides a completely different perspective on the way down. Just try to keep your eyes open the whole time!

Water slide tips

Pack your bathing suit in your carry-on luggage on embarkation day so that you can take advantage of the slide being open with much shorter lines.  Most guests do not have their bathing suit in those first few hours onboard, which makes this the best time to ride the slides with minimal waits.

Don't be afraid to say excuse me. The stairs leading to the top of the slides are shared between both slides, but often some guests will congregate together while waiting and block the way. Be sure to politely ask to move past them if you do not see the end of your line.

Bamboo Room

Tiki bars are all the rage, and Navigator of the Seas features the largest edition of the Bamboo Room onboard.

Serving a South Pacific vibe, the Bamboo Room offers a great variety of cocktails, many of which are unavailable anywhere else on the ship. In fact, there is a wide range of drinks to choose from.

There are even a few food items on the menu, if you choose to indulge.

The Bamboo Room is the perfect spot to meet friends and family for a pre-dinner drink, or round out your evening, and it really stands out from the usual bar and lounge scene onboard.

Bamboo Room tips

Ask the bartenders for suggestions. The cocktail menu has a lot to choose from, so do not hesitate to ask the bartenders and waiters for what they prefer or which beverages are the most popular.

Check out the decor. Being a tiki bar, the Bamboo Room has a lot of kitsch to it, including a parrot that appears periodically in the digital art.

Your drink package works here. Just like any bar or lounge, your drink package covers beverages ordered at the Bamboo Room!

Family fun

 

One of the areas Royal Caribbean targeted for updating on Navigator of the Seas in her 2019 refurbishment was the family areas onboard.

Adventure Ocean and the Teens Club have been transformed, with a new approach to these areas. Adventure Ocean has been reworked with more free play space. The Living Room (teens club) has been reimagined, complete with a backyard hideaway area. If you have younger children (under 36 months), there is a nursery onboard as well.

When the kids are not in the club, you can challenge them to a round or three of laser tag. Located in the ice skating rink, teams face off in the Battle for Planet Z. It is another complimentary offering, and a very popular sea day activity.

Navigator of the Seas also features an updated mini-golf course on deck 12 that is a fun challenge for all ages.

Family fun tips

Register kids for Adventure Ocean on the first day. There will be an open house held (usually in the early afternoon) of the first day of the cruise, so be sure to go up to meet the staff and meet the staff. Plus, it will save you time later.

Try mini-golf at night. Not only is it not nearly as hot during the evening, but a round of mini-golf after the sun sets is a great evening activity.

Specialty restaurants

Navigator of the Seas features some of my favorite specialty restaurants on any ship! While there is plenty of great complimentary food onboard, sometimes you just feel like indulging a bit with something different.

Sushi lovers will really enjoy Izumi, which is among the most consistently good restaurants across Royal Caribbean's fleet. There is a good variety of sushi and Japanese specialties, including the popular hot rock options.

Jamie's Italian was added in 2019 and serves up an inspired menu of fresh takes on classic Italian dishes. The creation of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, it is must-eat whenever I am onboard.

If seafood is more your thing, Hooked Seafood has a lot of compelling choices, including lobster, muscles and more.

Don't overlook the other great specialty dining on Navigator of the Seas, including Chops Grille, Playmakers Sports Bar & Johnny Rockets. Having all of this variety is one more reason why Navigator of the Seas stands out as a great choice.

Specialty dining tips

Buy a dining package. If you know you want to try more than one specialty restaurant, your best bet is to purchase a dining package.  Dining packages will absolutely save you money compared to trying to dine at the same amount of restaurants and paying the cover charge individually.

Try the sushi making class. A really fun activity offered onboard is the sushi making class.  One of Izumi's chefs takes you through the process of how to make a few different kinds of sushi rolls, and you get to eat all of your creations after! Be sure to come hungry, because it is basically a meal.

Escape Room

Royal Caribbean has been adding escape rooms to many of its cruise ships, and the escape room on Navigator of the Seas is a must-do!

The Observatorium is one of the most challenging escape rooms I have tried across the fleet. If you have never done an escape room, you have one hour for you and a group of other guests try to solve a series of clues, puzzles and patterns that will lead you to unlocking the solution to the larger puzzle.

I have found escape rooms to be a completely different kind of thrill, because it pits your wits against the clock to solve them all. You will have to work with your team to figure it all out, and the sense of accomplishment if you manage to escape in time is an amazing feeling.

Escape Room tips

Pre-book if you want to try it. Spots for the escape room go quickly, so be sure to pre-book it on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site before the cruise.

Don't be shy. You will be grouped with other guests, but the key to beating the escape room is communication. You need to talk with each other, and in some cases, split up and assign tasks. They key is maximizing your time and having groups work together to figure it all out.

Lime & Coconut

 

The entire pool deck was revamped on Navigator of the Seas, and it is home run with all the changes that have been added, including the Lime & Coconut bar.

First and foremost, the pool deck has been re-done with casitas, loungers, more hot tubs and a very inviting poolscape. As soon as you see the pool, you know exactly where you will want to go everyday. 

  

The crown jewel of the new pool area is the Lime & Coconut bar, which is a triple level bar scene that is a combination of bar, party spot and place to be seen.

The first two levels of Lime & Coconut have their own bars, and the third deck is a rooftop sun deck that is great for relaxing, and chilling.

Pool deck tips

Get up early for a casita. Those awesome looking casitas are reserved early, so if you want one, set your alarm early and then catch up on sleep after you grab yours.

Watch the sunset from the Lime & Coconut. Royal Caribbean designed this new space to have a nightlife to it, and I think it has the best vantage point for catching a beautiful Caribbean sunset.

Try the signature drinks. The Lime & Coconut bar features its own selection of drinks not available elsewhere, so be sure to grab one of the menus and try them all (and they work with the drink package)!

Try El Loco Fresh. No day at the pool is complete without some grab-and-go Mexican food from El Loco Fresh. Located near the pool, it is easy to grab chips, quesadillas, tacos and more to bring back to your chair.

Perfect Day at CocoCay

Sailings on Navigator fo the Seas will include at least one visit to Royal Caribbean's completely revamped private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

While Navigator is where most of the focus is right now, CocoCay is worthy of booking any cruise and will become an absolute highlight of any sailing.

Your visit at Perfect Day at CocoCay can include time at the beach, pool, or water park, and you can tack on a zip line or helium balloon ride, fantastic dining or even a cabana or day bed.

All cruise lines throw out words like "paradise", but CocoCay really hits all the high-notes for a fun day.

Perfect Day at CocoCay Tips

Check out our Do's & Don'ts of Perfect Day at CocoCay!

Plan what you want to do before the cruise. Like so much of Royal Caribbean, you stand to greatly benefit by pre-booking as much as you can. Many things sell out, and booking in advance will be cheaper than waiting to book onboard.

Don't skip the food. CocoCay does not have just typical private island food. There is a tremendous variety, and almost all of it is complimentary! Be sure to try the crispy chicken sandwich and mozzarella sticks at the Snack Shack!

Drink & WiFi packages work at CocoCay: If you buy an unlimited drink package or internet package, those benefits extend to your time at Perfect Day at CocoCay. It greatly enhances the value of these packages by having a full day of use here.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver visits Royal Caribbean cruise ship

In:
08 Oct 2019

Jamie Oliver visited Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas in Miami on Monday for a stopover at one of his namesake restaurants onboard.

Photo by Linken D'Souza

Navigator of the Seas is home to one of Oliver's restaurant at sea, Jamie's Italian.  The specialty restaurant's menu is based on tasty, simple Italian food, made from fresh ingredients with a casual dining experience, designed to be welcoming to everyone. 

Since the launch of Quantum of the Seas in 2014, Royal Caribbean has offered guests the opportunity to dine at  Jamie's Italian specialty restaurant on many of its ships.

Video: Navigator of the Seas Sails Amped Up with Firsts and Favorites

In:
26 Sep 2019

Royal Caribbean International’s newly amplified Navigator of the Seas is sailing from her year-round home in Miami with a $115 million new look. Guests can choose from an adventure-packed lineup of bold, new experiences and Royal Caribbean favorites, from adrenaline-inducing features to an array of elevated dining and nightlife. With 3-night weekend and 4-night weekday cruises to the cruise line’s new private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and highlights on board like The Blaster, the longest aquacoaster at sea; a redesigned Caribbean poolscape; the new three-level bar, The Lime & Coconut; and the first blow-dry bar at sea – To Dry For, Navigator has been reimagined into the ultimate short getaway.

Royal Caribbean CEO visits hurricane relief effort in The Bahamas

In:
08 Sep 2019

Royal Caribbean's top management met with Bahamian officials and its charity partners earlier today in Freeport, Bahamas to discuss its hurricane relief efforts.

Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Chairman and CEO and Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley arrived in Freeport as Navigator of the Seas helped distribute thousands of meals and supplies to continue the food relief effort in Grand Bahama in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.

Volunteers from Royal Caribbean’s offices in South Florida joined the effort by boarding Navigator of the Seas this week to assist with hurricane relief. Known as “Go Team” the group is assisting unload relief supplies and evacuee efforts.

Royal Caribbean crew members unloaded relief supplies and meals for distribution at Grand Bahama as part of the company’s disaster relief operation to bring relief supplies and 20,000 daily meals to the impacted community. Meals include sandwiches, proteins with rice and fruits and snacks. Navigator of the Seas is one of many Royal Caribbean ships that will visit Freeport until they can equip a field kitchen to continue the work from there.

As part of its relief efforts in Grand Bahama, Royal Caribbean worked with Bahamian officials to transport evacuees from Freeport, Grand Bahama, to Nassau, Bahamas onboard its ships.

“We can’t make every bad memory of Dorian go away. But we can start making things better—today,” said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Royal Caribbean organizes first Bahamas relief efforts in Freeport

In:
06 Sep 2019

In the days since Hurricane Dorian devastated The Bahamas, Royal Caribbean has mobilized its cruise ships to begin bringing much needed supplies to affected areas.

Yesterday, Empress of the Seas became the first to activate the company’s disaster relief operation to bring relief supplies and 20,000 daily meals to the Freeport, Bahamas community.

Crewmembers prepared sandwiches, proteins with rice and fruits and snacks for the company’s first distribution at noon today. Over the next few days additional ships from its fleet — Symphony of the Seas, Celebrity Equinox, Mariner of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas — will repeat the process.

Guests sailing on Navigator of the Seas were informed their ship would spend Sunday morning in Grand Bahamas Island to assist with disaster relief, followed by its regularly scheduled visit to Nassau. In addition, Navigator of the Seas will bring aboard evacuees like, children, elderly, or those that need immediate medical attention, that will be transported to Nassau hospitals via tenders.

Thanks to Skyler for providing this letter

Mariner of the Seas will also perform similar relief efforts on Saturday, when she spends her morning in Grand Bahamas Island to assist with disaster relief.

Thanks to Amy for providing this letter

Along with Empress, the company is deploying container ships with much needed supplies including 47,000 bottles of water, 362 generators, 250 tarps, 25,000 square feet of plywood, 55,400 diapers and 7,500 pounds of pet food.

Royal Caribbean is committing $1 million to Dorian disaster relief and matchingevery dollar of guest and employee donations. To make sure those donations go where they can do the most good, they are collaborating with the Bahamian government and its non-profit partner, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), and a network of Bahamian charities and other local organizations, including the Bahamas Feeding Network.

“We can’t make every bad memory of Dorian go away. But we can start making things better—today,” said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Video: Navigator of the Seas secrets

In:
29 Aug 2019

We are sharing our favorite hidden secrets about Navigator of the Seas in this RoyalCaribbeanBlog video!

Royal Caribbean added some big changes to Navigator of the Seas in 2019, and we scoured the ship to find (and now share) little known secrets… from cool spots to ways to beat the crowd to unique entertainment, and SO much more. 

And if you love this video, we have lots of other great cruise videos to watch on our Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel!

By the way, have you subscribed yet? Be sure to subscribe to our channel and never miss a single episode!

If you have cruised on Navigator of the Seas, what is your favorite secret about the ship? Share your ideas in our comments!

Hurricane Dorian alters four more Royal Caribbean ship itineraries

In:
28 Aug 2019

Royal Caribbean announced itinerary changes to three more Royal Caribbean ships, and decided to wait on making a decision for sailings this weekend in order to take advantage of more accurate predictions.

  • The August 26th sailing of Navigator of the Seas had their day in Perfect Day at CocoCay scheduled for Wednesday changed to Nassau, Bahamas. 
  • The August 26th sailing of Mariner of the Seas will have their day in Perfect Day at CocoCay scheduled for Thursday changed to Nassau, Bahamas. 
  • The August 24th sailing of Empress of the Seas will remain in Cozumel on Friday and then spend a day at sea on Saturday. The extra day in Cozumel replaces a scheduled visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.
  • The August 24th sailing of Symphony of the Seas will have their day in Perfect Day at CocoCay scheduled for Friday changed to Nassau, Bahamas. 

Royal Caribbean is deferring itinerary changes for the Navigator 8/30/19, Mariner 8/30/19, Harmony 9/1/19, Harmony 8/25/19 & Symphony 8/31/19 by an additional day in order to get more accurate prediction models. 

"Currently, the two main weather models used for prediction (American & European) have the storm going different ways. So, we’re going to wait a bit more to evaluate the new data, which we’ll receive this afternoon. Then, we’ll confirm alternate ports and share your final itinerary changes with you by 3 PM on Thursday, August 29th, or sooner."

Royal Caribbean also stated that the Harmony of the Seas 8/25/19 and Symphony of the Seas 8/31/19 sailings were never sailing to CocoCay, but their itinerary may be impacted by Hurricane Dorian in order to steer clear of any adverse weather.

Royal Caribbean adding late night and two call visits to Perfect Day at CocoCay

In:
14 Aug 2019

Royal Caribbean announced it will begin offering select sailings that visit Perfect Day at CocoCay twice, along with late night stays.

Beginning September 30, 2019, Royal Caribbean will offer 4-night itineraries to the private island destination across nearly 40 sailings. Three exclusive cruises also make their debut today.

In addition, three one-of-a-kind cruises with late-night visits to the island will be offered on Navigator of the Seas. Travelers of all ages will have the chance to extend the excitement long after the sun sets with traditional Bahamian-inspired activities, including a Junkanoo Jam Up Party, an island barbeque and performances by a calypso band and fire dancers, topped off with unforgettable farewell fireworks before setting sail.

The new itineraries are available to guests on select Navigator and Mariner of the Seas sailings.

"Perfect Day at CocoCay has revolutionized private destinations in the vacation industry, and the resounding feedback from our guests is that they want more – more time and even more ways to experience the island," said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "We’re building on an incredible adventure that’s already winning the hearts of many."

Video: Royal Caribbean Opens First Standalone Blow-Dry Bar at Sea

In:
17 Jul 2019

Royal Caribbean International heats things up with the $115 million transformation of Navigator of the Seas. Among the next-level adventures now on board the newly amplified ship is the first standalone blow-dry bar at sea. To Dry For touts a menu of services, from blowouts to hairstyling and polish changes, perfect for guests looking to sit back and get 

Video: Amped Up Navigator of the Seas Arrives in Homeport of Miami

In:
19 Mar 2019

Royal Caribbean International’s newly amplified Navigator of the Seas is now sailing from her new year-round home in Miami with a $115 million new look. With a thrilling combination of bold, new adventures and Royal Caribbean favorites, including adrenaline-inducing experiences, an array of elevated dining and nightlife and memory-making moments, Navigator has been reimagined into the ultimate short Caribbean getaway from South Florida. The 3,386-guest ship offers sail 5- and 9-night Caribbean itineraries through May 2019, and then sets course for The Bahamas with 3-night weekend and 4-night weekday cruises, including visits to the cruise line’s new, highly anticipated private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay – the unparalleled thrill and chill destination.

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