Great experience for a ‘first-timer’!

Navigator of the Seas Cruise Review

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 18

Overall rating:

4.6 out of 5
Navigator of the Seas

4 Night Catalina & Ensenada (Los Angeles Roundtrip)

Sail date: August 29, 2022

Ship: Navigator of the Seas

Cabin type: Inside

Cabin number: 6577

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

It was a great experience for a first timer to get my feet wet! I think the single supplement is ridiculously expensive, and they should look at that. The cruise itself was enjoyable, lots of little places to get away, you can ignore the crowds if you wanted to, food was plentiful, the promenade is a great idea, the shows were really good for the most part, and people seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Embarkation

5 out of 5
It was so easy! I think we were on the ship in less than 15 minutes!

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5
Windjammer - it was ok, seemed a little chaotic; we had breakfast there once and lunch once. The staff were great, constantly cleaning and wiping the tables clear. Mexican place by the family pool. Perfect for a snack. Made the best nachos to pick on most days! Burrito was tasteless, just filled with rice. Salsas etc we’re great, everything fresh and loads to choose from. Dining room - we ate there every night, and it was so good most evenings. Our servers - Adi and his partner - were incredible. Food came on time, spaced well, little portions which was a good idea. Potatoes were not good - I wish someone showed them how to make good mashed spuds(!!), but in all we really enjoyed it. Dining room was really quiet, not a lot of people ate there. We all loved it.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5
The quiet pool was busy for the first day and a half which sucked, but then it was sorted out and was well used. The family pool was packed all the time. No problems with being too cold, as I’ve seen in earlier cruises. Fitness room was well appointed.

Entertainment

5 out of 5
Ice skating show was great, as the rink was little but they held their own. The music was well-picked, we were told the skaters got to choose their music and if that was the case, you could tell, it was a really good show. Get there early for the drone part to the start of the show. Amazing! The rock show - best music ever, great audiences rocking out, it was really enjoyable. The showgirl show was great also; gorgeous men, beautiful ladies and the costumes were so pretty. Really enjoyed this show too. Not really into hanging in the lounges but the jazz band next to the casino were nice to listen to as you went past. The promenade shows - 70’s one night, the entertainment crew did a good job, but the 80s night was just the best! So much fun!

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
I had no issues with the staff at all. My room steward Jairo was the best. Asked for a mattress topper - done. Extra towel or two - done. Always with a smile every time I saw him, and he called me by name. A good skill to have. Dining room waiters - Adi and partner, amazing! Never had to wait for anything. Checked on us constantly. Everyone was so nice, always smiling. Some of these are on these ships for 9 months before going home to families - I think they all deserve medals!

Ship Quality

5 out of 5
The boat was spotless. Clumsy people dropping food plates and glasses in the buffet - cleaned up immediately. Sinks and soap at the buffet - great idea. Sanitizer stations everywhere.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
Cabin was small but perfect for one person. Shower was great! Surprisingly so! Jairo, our attendant kept it spotless. We had a couple of rooms across the way flood, which was a bummer as the corridor stank badly, but nobody’s fault, as no one was in the rooms that flooded.

Ship tip

Use the porters at the customs line at the exit. We got one and we were through in 5 mins, and the lines were horrendous to get through at the regular exit.

Ports of call

Ensenada, Mexico

4 out of 5
It’s a typical Mexican town, my hearts break with the little kids trying to sell you stuff as soon as you get off the shuttle. We ended up booking a bus tour to the ‘blow hole’ and street market with the same people who coordinate the shuttle from the ship, and we had a blast. Monica our guide was great. The stories she had about the area on the ride there and back, was great. If you don’t like crowds and people hassling you, don’t do the street fair, but I loved it.

Catalina Island, California

4 out of 5
We got off early, had a coffee, walked to the old casino, did some window shopping, walked some back streets and went back to the ship as most people were only arriving on the island!

San Pedro (Los Angeles), California

5 out of 5
So easy to park, literally next door to the ship. Couldn’t have been any easier for entrance and exit!

Disembarkation

5 out of 5
We waited till much later to get off the boat and went for breakfast! Made a huge difference, we had no crowds and it was really easy.
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