Come November of this year, the Navigator of the Seas will sail into Galveston and call it home, for the winter months at least. It will be replacing Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas. But don’t lose sleep over the change, since the Navigator is cut from the same cloth, so to’speak. This means that when you sail on board the Navigator, all your favorites will still be there. You will still be able to have a pint at the Wig & Gavel on the Promenade; and you will still be wowed by the Olympic quality ice show. Schooners Bar will still be hopping’ every night with amean piano player cranking’ it out on the ivories and taking the audience along for a
fun ride. And, of course, the Viking Crown Lounge at the pinnacle of the vessel, laden with commanding views from every seat, will still reignsupreme over the entire ship.

However, you’ll have to wait until Feb 2014 for the new features the Marinerreceived last April. Like the big movie screen poolside and the extremelyhandy what’s-happening- where screens found on every floor at the top of thestairs near the elevators. Who cares if you forgot your daily activity paper withthese interactive screens ready to assist you? You can not only find something fun to do at almost every hour of the day, but then the screen shows you how to get there. Sweet. And even though we’ll be without a Royal Caribbean ship for an entire month in January 2014 while she gets revitalized (that’s ship talkfor a facelift), our petit bonus when she returns is a never- done-before fournight cruise. So if you’ve ever wanted to tryout RCCL but didn’t want to committo seven nights, then this is your chance. The prices are fab, the ship is fab, and the time of year is just about perfect – when we’re all sick of the cold andthe rain and
ready for the warm Caribbean breezes … and a rum punch or two.

I, for one, am curious to see the different decor inside the Navigator. While each of the ships within a certain class has the same basic design, the finishing touches can be different. The Mariner has a myriad of ingeniousmetal art displays, Britto sculptures by the pool, and a dazzling curtain in themain showroom, for starters. Walking down each hallway brings with it newdelights behind glass; and a couple of displays are even interactive. Granted,this isn’t why one goes cruising, but it makes traversing the ships a morepleasurable walk.

Texans love their Voyager Class ships. And Royal Caribbean keeps delivering. First with the Voyager, now with the Mariner, and this Fall comes the Navigatorof the Seas

This is the fourth of five in Royal Caribbean’s Voyager Class, among the biggest vessels in the world. With so much to see and do onboard, you may soon wish you had booked back-to-back cruises. Like her sisters, Voyager of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas sports some of the industry’s most amazing features: a rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, mall-like indoor promenade, basketball court and in-line skating track.

Although Navigator of the Seas is definitely a member of the Voyager family, she has her own look and amenities (many of which were repeated on Mariner of the Seas, the last of the five sister ships). This ship has more exterior glass (in balcony cabins) than her predecessors, and such features as a wine bar for appreciation and entertainment, expanded youth facilities, a Plaza area with a variety of dining options (both no-fee and fee), the first Latin jazz bar at sea (mojitos, anyone?) and the first sea-going Ben & Jerry’s ice cream parlor (Royal Caribbean has since spread these various concepts across its fleet).

Navigator of the Seas Fellow Passengers

While most passengers hail from the U.S., the ship does attract folks from other countries (and publishes the daily “Cruise Compass” in a variety of languages). Mariner of the Seas appeals to a wide variety of ages and a good mix of couples, singles and many families. (With so many kids onboard, the average age is typically younger than 40.) Regardless of age, passengers tend to be very active in spirit.

Navigator of the Seas Dress Code

Casual is the key word during the day. There are two formal nights when dark suits and cocktail dresses predominate. Other evenings, most guests don country club casual attire.

Navigator of the Seas Gratuity

Royal Caribbean passengers are charged $12 per person, per day ($14.25 for suite guests). Gratuities can be prepaid or will be added on a daily basis to passengers’ SeaPass accounts during the cruise. Passengers can modify or remove gratuities by visiting the guest services desk while onboard. A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to bar tabs.

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