Royal Caribbean - Navigator of the Seas Review

Getting to the Ship
We arrived at MIA having not pre-booked transportation to the cruise terminal.  This wasn't a problem, because we easily located the RC people and paid them directly, and got on the bus.  Looking back now after 3 other cruises, we really should just always pre-book cruise transportation from the terminal.

The Ship:
Navigator is a rather large ship.  We considered it Las Vegas at Sea.  It's flashy and bright colors, lots to see, hear, explore and eat.  We were in our late 20s during this cruise, so we checked out the climbing wall, roller blade rink, basketball court, pool, etc.  We kept ourselves busy during the days at sea.   The Promenade is a cool feature.  It was a great place to get some after port / pre dinner snacks and shopping.

The Rooms (inside cabin)
We were on a budget this cruise, so we took an inside cabin on a lower deck. We did our research and found a deck that had rooms above and below us, so it was quiet at night.  A problem we had was that the room was so dark that we couldn't tell what time of day it was.  We didn't have an alarm clock with a light; we had to turn on a light to see that is was 4am and not 8am.  There is a clock in the room, but it is on the phone and doesn't have a light.  The bathroom was nice and compared to the other ships we have now been on, we liked this shower the best. Keep in mind, it is what it is, a small bathroom in a small room. 

Nightlife and Drinks onboard
The bars, clubs and shows were nice.  I even got to see part of the ice show, but my boyfriend's (now husband) tolerance for ice shows only lasted 15 minutes so we didn't stay for the whole thing.  I was entertained. 

The prices are expensive for drinks; we just kept an eye on what we were ordering and took full advantage of free drinks.  During the Captains reception we found a great spot next to the entrance for the champagne servers.  They wouldn't let us be without a drink.  Also the art auctions are another great way to get free champagne.  If you really like champagne, sit at the bar, and the bartender will keep refilling your glass and you don't have to wait for the next round to come out. 

Ports:
Labadee: Beach day, bring some money for some island trinkets, and tipping the guys who move your chairs around.  I found the beach really windy, so laying out wasn't very pleasant at first,  then we realize that the beach curved around, and was much nicer on the other side.  I suggest walking around a bit first; don't just take the first chairs you see.  They might be vacant for a reason. 

Ocho Rios:  We did the Dunn River Falls tour, where you walk up the falls.  This was great, it was fun and the locals who offer to help you up are really nice.  The only experience I would pass on, is the path to the exit.  I'm not a big shopper especially if we have to barter, because I'm really bad at it.  So I would suggest if you don't like straw markets go out the entrance, and bypass the shopping area.  They are very aggressive.

George Town:  We picked up a Grand Cayman bus (AKA van) that took us to the turtle farm, and learned about turtles and what they are doing at the farm.  After the turtles we hoped on another ‘bus' and went to Hell.  This place isn't much, just a Post Office to send postcards back saying to went to Hell, and a really interesting volcanic lava field overlook, that's how it got its name.  We picked up another ‘bus' and got back on the ship.  It was very easy to get around, and we probably saved a lot of money doing this port on our own.

Cozumel:  We took the 6 hour cruise tour to Tulum. First you have to leave the island of Cozumel, this consists of a very bumpy ride on a high speed ferry.  If you get sea sick easily, I suggest taking Dramamine or skipping this tour.  Then we boarded a bus for a long ride, I don't remember much of it because I fell asleep.   The Mayan ruins were interesting; we had a great guide and learned a lot.  There is also a beach if you need to cool down while on the tour. 

Overall experience: 
We loved it, in fact just after this cruise we got engaged and planned our honeymoon; a 2 week cruise on the Mediterranean sea with Royal Caribbean.