Navigator of the Seas first sailing canceled due to upgrade delays

In:
13 Feb 2019

Royal Caribbean announced today it has canceled the first sailing of Navigator of the Seas following a multi-million dollar upgrade, due to construction delays.

In a statement to RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com, Royal Caribbean confirmed it has canceled the Sunday, February 24 sailing of Navigator of the Seas, which would have been the first sailing back for the ship. Royal Caribbean said the reason for the cancellation was due to, "poor weather conditions have affected the progress of the ship’s outer decks."

"Although it is important to complete the ship on time, it is most important to ensure that we deliver 100 percent on our promise to provide the memorable experiences our guests enjoy with Royal Caribbean."

"Any decision that disrupts our guests’ vacations is a difficult one to make, and we realize this is disappointing news. We are providing our guests with compensation for their cruise fare, prepaid onboard amenities and airline cancellation fees. "

Guests with reservations on the February 24 sailing will receive future cruise credit as well.

The new plan is for Navigator of the Seas to return to service on the previously scheduled 9-night Southern Caribbean cruise departing from Miami, FL on Friday, March 1.

Navigator of the Seas is currently receiving its major modernization in Freeport, The Bahamas, which will add new water slides, dining options and revamp its pool deck.

Video: 3-night Royal Caribbean tips and tricks

In:
31 Jan 2019

Have you ever taken a quick three-night weekend cruise? We have a brand new RoyalCaribbeanBlog video filled with tips for anyone taking these quick cruises.

Royal Caribbean offer some great three-night sailings that are wildly popular with guests who want to enjoy a short cruise vacation that provides a break from the daily routine without a huge investment.  If you are considering one of these short sailings, check out this video that is filled with important things to know about short cruises!

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!

So check out the video and then let us know: What is your best tip for a quick three-night cruise?

Navigator of the Seas will get new water slides, restaurants and experiences in major 2019 refurbishment

In:
01 Nov 2018

Royal Caribbean announced a $115 million modernization for Navigator of the Seas, with a lineup of firsts and Royal Caribbean favorites, including an awe-inspiring Caribbean poolscape, waterslides, the first blow dry bar at sea, nightlife and dining, and thrilling activities for the whole family.

Navigator of the Seas will undergo a refurbishment in early 2019, return to service on February 24, 2019 and offering 3- and 4-night Caribbean cruises from Miami. Beginning May 2019, Navigator will offer short Caribbean itineraries that will visit the cruise line’s highly anticipated private island in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Navigator will get two new waterslides that have never been offered on any other ship.  

The Blaster, the cruise line’s first-ever aqua coaster and the longest waterslide at sea, will offer a two-person raft that will propel them through more than 800 feet of hills, drops and straightaways, which includes extending over the side of the ship for a rush of ocean air.

 

On its counterpart, Riptide, guests will plunge headfirst down the industry’s only headfirst mat racer and reach an exhilarating finish through a translucent tube with endless ocean views.

Royal Caribbean also decided to completely reimagine its pool area, with a Caribbean feel.  The standout resort-style deck takes on a new look with more pool for everyone – even a Splash Pad for tots – and all the ingredients that make for a perfect weekend.

While hanging at the pool, guests can checkout the new two-level signature bar, Lime and Coconut, which will serve cocktails and live music well into the evening.

Another first for Navigator of the Seas will To Dry For, the first standalone blow dry bar at sea. Offering blowouts, hairstyling and polish changes, plus a selection of wines and champagnes, the new space is the perfect stop for a quick beauty fix before a night out.

Navigator of the Seas will get even more additions:

  • First Johnny Rockets Express
  • Bamboo Room Polynesian-themed lounge
  • Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, featuring a new Owner's Box VIP room
  • Jamie's Italian specialty restaurant
  • Hooked Seafood specialty restaurant (replacing Sabor Modern Mexican)
  • Starbucks
  • El Loco Fresh (coming to the reimagined pool deck)

Families will love to hear about some of the other new activities Royal Caribbean will add to Navigator of the Seas, including:

  • Glow-in-the-dark laser tag with Battle for Planet Z in Studio B
  • Mini-golf
  • Royal Escape Room: The Observatorium

Younger kids will enjoy Royal Caribbean’s new take on the Adventure Ocean youth program in a newly designed open, free play space. With trained staff and the cruise line’s award-winning programming, the modern concept will let imaginations roam free with activities organized by interests at every corner.

The teen areas will also sport updates with a redesigned Living Room, the teen-only laidback hangout, as well as a new “hidden” entrance and outdoor deck that serves up nothing but chill vibes.

Navigator of the Seas will be the third Royal Caribbean ship to undergo a Royal Amplified upgrade. Royal Amplified is a $900 million imitative to reimagine Royal Caribbean's fleet through a new modernization effort.

Navigator of the Seas diverted to Vigo, Spain for needed repairs

In:
29 Oct 2018

Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas was forced to change her itinerary and reroute to Vigo, Spain after a technical issue it encountered required repairs to be made.

Multiple news outlets in Spain are reporting Navigator of the Seas stopped in Vigo on Sunday to conduct repairs. The ship remains in Vigo today as well.

Cruise Hive posted a statement from Royal Caribbean about Navigator of the Seas.

"Navigator of the Seas is making repairs to resolve a technical issue. The ship is fully operational with no impact on its maneuverability or the safety of our guests and  crew. However, because of time needed to make the repair, it was necessary to modify her current itinerary.

Navigator will now call on Vigo, Spain for an overnight stay on Sunday, Oct. 28. It will then sail on to Gran Canaria, Canary Islands on Wednesday, Oct. 31 and Tenerife, Canary Islands on Thursday, Nov 1. The ship will return to Southampton, England on Monday, Nov. 5 as scheduled."

According to crew-center.com, Guests aboard Navigator of the Seas reported an announcement by the ship's Captain that stated one of the stablizers broke and the result was a hole in the hull of the ship.

Navigator of the Seas scheduled to be first ship to experience Perfect Day at CocoCay

In:
11 Oct 2018

Royal Caribbean has informed its travel partners that the Navigator of the Seas May 3, 2019 sailing is targeted as the first ship to experience private destination Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Navigator of the Seas will sail a 3 night Bahamas sailing between May 3-6, 2019.

Perfect Day at CocoCay is a $200 million makeover of Royal Caribbean's private destination in the Bahamas.  CocoCay will offer guests plenty of ways to relax and enjoy beautiful beaches and pristine water, plus thrilling experiences like Thrill Water Park, ziplining and water sports.

According to Royal Caribbean's website, Thrill Waterpark, the Zip Line, Splashaway Bay aqua park, Up, Up and Away helium balloon, Captain Jack’s Galleon, Skipper’s Grill dining, Captain Jack’s dining, Chill Island, Chill Grill dining, and Oasis Lagoon freshwater pool will open in May 2019.

Perfect Day at CocoCay will open in phases, and May 2019 marks the first phase opening.  

First look at Royal Caribbean 2019-2020 Short Caribbean itineraries

In:
20 Nov 2017

Royal Caribbean will be putting on sale this week its 2019-2020 Short Caribbean itineraries, and we have a look at the various itineraries that will be available.

The new bookings will go on sale tomorrow, November 21st, 2017.

You can view each ship's sailings here:

The opening schedule for the 2019-2020 sailings is as follows:

  • Northeast, Canada & Bermuda: Summer 2019: Week of December 4, 2017
  • Europe Phase I & Alaska: Summer 2019: Week of December 11, 2017
  • Remaining deployment: Spring 2018

Sabor Modern Mexican becomes Sabor Indian Cuisine on Navigator of the Seas

In:
24 Jul 2017

While Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas is offering cruises from the United Kingdom this summer, the cruise line has temporarily changed Sabor Modern Mexican to Sabor Indian Cuisine to cater to the tastes of its British cruisers.

Amanda Scriven-Purcell shared photos on Facebook of the changeover, with a look at the Indian food offered.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Craig Duncan is also on Navigator of the Seas, and indicated the change was made on the current sailing to cater to the U.K. market.

This is not the first time Royal Caribbean has made a temporary change to its specialty restaurants.  On Radiance of the Seas, Rita's Cantina became Rita's Crabshack while the ship was in Alaska.

Izumi on Navigator of the Seas restaurant review

In:
15 May 2017

Izumi has developed a reputation across Royal Caribbean's fleet of offering top-notch Japanese cuisine, namely sushi.  While sushi is a popular choice for many guests, there are other great menu options to consider.

On Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas, Izumi's theme fuses and function for a restaurant that has a sleek, modern look to it.  Located on deck fourteen in a rather small area, the restaurant makes the best utilitarian use of their limited space. There are tables throughout the restaurant that provide views of the ocean, along with a sushi bar that has ample seating as well. 

We dined at Izumi on a number of occasions while onboard Navigator of the Seas and one thing worth noting about Izumi is the level of service.  Based on our interactions with numerous the servers at Izumi, I am confident in saying that the service is top notch. The crew members were attentive, stead-fast in their service and made themselves available to answer questions or assist throughout the meal.

Often we hear from readers who tend to avoid Izumi because they, "don't eat sushi."  In fact, my wife is one of those people that does not eat sushi (no one is perfect), but Izumi's menu offers a good variety of choices that go beyond just sushi.  So while I indulged in a steady serving of underwater goodness, my wife and friends who joined us, were able to take advantage of the land-based foods.

Izumi is priced a la carte, which means there is cover charge and you pay for only what you order.  What I love about Izumi is the option to drop in for soup and a roll, or untighten my belt and dare the sushi chefs to do their worst best .  In fact, there is a takeout sushi option that I regularly took advantage of, and brought a roll or two back to my stateroom balcony.

Every meal at Izumi includes an edamame appetizer, which is perfect for sharing. It is topped lightly with salt, and a great start to our meal. 

Personally, I always order miso soup to accompany my meal.  There is something about having miso soup that makes the meal complete.  Plus, it is light and has great flavor.

For guests who prefer not to eat sushi, the best choice on the menu are the hot rocks (Ishiyake), which are literally slabs of rock that are heated to 575°F.  Your food is served raw on the side, and you then place the food on the hot rock and cook it in front of you. 

There are four varieties of ishiyake to choose from, and all are served with vegetables and steamed white or fried rice:

  • Mixed seafood (scallop, shrimp, lobster, salmon)
  • Chicken breast
  • Chicken and beef skewer
  • Beef tenderloin

All hot rocks come with lemon ginger vinaigrette, teriyaki sauce and Thai sweet chili dipping sauces. Cooking the food is as fun as actually eating it.  Our waiter made himself available to assisting in the cooking process, which we took advantage of to avoid any concerns that our food might be undercooked. While Navigator of the Seas (and most other ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet) lack a hibachi option, this is the next best thing.  For anyone that has no desire to eat sushi, this is a solid alternative.

Being the sushi maven of the group, I opted to try freshwater eel (unagi) sashimi, along with DX Sushi combo.  The eel sashimi had terrific flavor, and worked on its own or as a "topper" to one of the sushi rolls in my combo.

A friend went for the rainbow roll, which is a classic sushi choice.

For dessert, we ordered a round of assorted Mochi ice cream.  After the typically salt-infused foods earlier, having something sweet in the form of Japanese ice cream was the perfect way to finish the meal.

Overall, Izumi earns high marks for its reasonably priced, yet all around terrific, menu. Offering relatively mild options and more adventurous fare makes it a restaurant that most people will enjoy if they give it a chance. With the advent of Royal Caribbean's specialty dining packages, having $30 per person to spend at Izumi will likely result in a very filling meal. 

Looking around Izumi, it always seems like everyone dining in Izumi is satisfied with their choices. I have been dining at Izumi since it was a small outpost at the very top of Oasis of the Seas, and in the years since, Izumi has become a great choice that is unlikely to disappoint.

Spotlight: Tapas plate at Vintages on Navigator of the Seas

In:
04 Apr 2017

Vintages is well-known across Royal Caribbean ships as being the spot onboard to grab a glass (or bottle) of wine, but they also serve up tapas for guests to enjoy.

Vintages has offered tapas for a while now, but in the name of "research," we wanted to try it out for ourselves to see what is offered.

Tapas are small plates of food that originated in Spain.  Traditional tapas are mix of appetizers or snacks, but they are served closer to a small plate in style.

On Navigator of the Seas, we tried the tapas option, which costs guest $5 for a plank full of meets, cheeses and fruit.

Tapas are available each evening in Vintages, beginning at 5pm.  It takes just a few minutes to prepare, at which point the server brings out your serving.

You will find grapes, prosciutto, salami, brie and more.

Do you want to try the tapas at Vintages? Let us know in the comments!

Photo tour of Grand Suite on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas

In:
04 Mar 2017

Have you ever considered staying in a suite on a Royal Caribbean cruise? Suites offer a great deal of living space, along with some very nice benefits.  The Grand Suite is the first true level of suites, in which guests enjoy the full benefits of staying in a suite.

We recently enjoyed staying in a Grand Suite while onboard Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas. Photo of this room are from stateroom 1586.

The Grand Suite can accomodate up to 4 guests and features a spacious living room with desk, drawer space, vanity, sofa, and chairs. 

There is a large private bathroom with tub and shower.  Emphasis on the word "large", because this bathroom has a lot of space.

The two twin beds can convert to a queen-sized bed and also has a curtain that can completely cut off the bedroom from the rest of the suite.

This Grand Suite has floor-to-ceiling glass doors that lead to your private veranda. The balcony offers a table, chairs and a lounge chair.

The Grand Suite measures 401 square feet with a 104 square foot balcony.

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