Navigator of the Seas
Navigator of the Seas is the fourth of five the Voyager Class ships to be launched into service by Royal Caribbean International. Like her sisters she is post-Panamax and unable to cruise into the Panama Canal or navigate into smaller ports. However life on-board is a plethora of activities to occupy all cruise passengers. Navigator of the Seas is also a second generation Voyager class ship and differs slightly to her sisters Adventure, Explorer and Voyager, she features glass balconies plus a larger Windjammer Cafe (signature dining restaurant by Royal Caribbean International). She also includes an Asian fusion buffet restaurant named “Jade” which has subtle hints of Orient in it’s colour schemes and furnishings but does not require you to kneel or use chop-sticks to dine.
Navigator of the Seas features an out-door climbing wall and indoor ice rink, Royal Caribbean being the first cruise company to provide this facility on-board all five Voyager class ships as well as their Oasis and Freedom class ships. Navigator of the Seas also provides a jogging track, roller-blade track, mini-golf, and three swimming pools, one of which is adults only, the Solarium is a great place to take a book and relax after a swim.
With over £2 million in on-board artworks she is (like her sisters) something of a floating art gallery. As well as appealing to older more mature guests, she often sails with a variety of cruise passenger types, absorbing them well into her huge dimensions. A stroll down the Royal Promenade is something like visiting a US shopping mall – you will forget that you are on-board a moving ship, Navigator of the Seas Royal Promenade is lit differently depending on the time of day, in-fact a lot of the ship seems to glow purple during the evening, reverting back to white and gold lighting during the day-time.
Navigator of the Seas was the first of Royal Caribbean’s ships to feature an on-board Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream parlour, due to the popularity this received on-board Navigator – Royal Caribbean International have since rolled out the concept across many of their ships.
Dining on-board Navigator of the Seas is a mixture of formal and informal eateries. Windjammer Cafe is a popular place to eat and a signature restaurant across all Royal Caribbean ships, the buffet style service suits the young and family passengers. The three tiered main formal dining restaurants on-board Navigator are the ballet performance-named “Swan Lake”, “Coppelia” and “The Nutcracker”. These dining halls are luxurious and grand, chandelier topped with exceptional service. Visit the Jade buffet restaurant for a taste off the Orient or Cafe Promenade for some delicious pastries.
Worth mentioning is the Dungeon, Navigator of the Seas on-board night club, this is an evening congregational area for a lot of younger passengers. Furnished in a Gothic style, with skeletons hanging from the rafters you’ll be sipping cocktails and tapping your foot in no time.
Staterooms on-board Navigator are very spacious considering the passenger to ship-size ratio. All staterooms are very well kept, brightly lit and come with modern amenities, a flat screen TV/ radio, en-suite shower, 24 hour room service and the much needed survival hair dryer.
Be sure to visit the Viking Crown Lounge, from this vantage point you’ll get and excellent view of the ship, and be able to enjoy a drink or two in this spacious comfortable lounge whilst watching the world go by.
