It’s been 10 years since Royal Caribbean had a ship based on America’s West Coast. That all changed with a short sailing celebration this past Wednesday November 16, 2021 with the arrival of Navigator of the Seas from its new homeport of Los Angeles. Royal Caribbean welcomed onboard approximately 2,000 passengers by special invitation to travel professionals to sail for 3 days and 2 nights to Ensenada, Mexico. My wife and I, from TeamTullyTravel, were very happy to receive one of these special invitations not only to make the sailing but to hear the many changes Royal Caribbean were making to their guest experience and to their ships.
The sailing was three-fold. The first was to introduce the Royal Caribbean name back to the West Coast where their caliber of cruising experience has been sadly missed. Second was to announce the many new and exciting changes Royal Caribbean has added, not only to their overall product and marketing strategy, but all of the new changes and adventures on the ships that will sail the West Coast. Lastly it was to introduce the health and safety protocols they have established across their entire line, to keep all passengers and crew safe while sailing.
It was an appreciative crowd of travel industry professionals, grateful for the efforts of Royal Caribbean to support their efforts during the most difficult period in the history of the travel industry, with cruising especially hard hit. In its dedication to the many thousands of professionals who direct their clients to sail with Royal Caribbean, they in turn provided millions of dollars in interest free loans to agencies to keep them afloat during the past 2 years.
Voyages from LA’s World Cruise Center will vary in length and destinations. There will be 3-4 nighters with stops in Catalina Island, CA and Ensenada, MX; 5 night cruises with a stop in Cabo San Lucas, MX; 7 night sailings that include the ports in Mexico of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. This will be the first time the line has based a ship in the Golden State since Mariner of the Seas left back in 2011 due to violence in Mexico.
So enough of the background let’s get to the good part and take a look at the Navigator of the Seas we sailed on our cruise. Navigator is part of the Voyager Class ships for Royal Caribbean. This is the class below the largest class of ships, Oasis that RC sails. The Voyager class has 8 ships in its fleet. The Navigator, which we sailed, holds 3,990 passengers and went through a $115 million “amplified” upgrade in 2019, so it has many of the same features and venues as newer Royal Caribbean ships.
Water Slides
The Blaster – The cruise line’s first aqua coaster and the longest waterslide at sea propels thrill seekers through more than 800 feet of dips, drops and straightaways that extend over the side of the ship.
Riptide – The industry’s only headfirst mat racer water slide, complete with an exhilarating finish through a translucent tube for endless ocean views. Take a test ride.
The Promenade
The Royal Promenade serves as the main thoroughfare on some of the Voyager and Oasis class Royal Caribbean cruise ships. This passageway, flanked by bars, restaurants, shopping and entertainment venues, is a microcosm of Royal Caribbean's "wow" factor, and it maintains a light and fun atmosphere all hours of the day and night. Cruisers can sample the line's food and drink at many of the restaurants and bars that line the Royal Promenade. Each ship has a slightly different make up of what stores and eateries are part of its Promenade. It’s a great spot to socialize, eat, relax and generally just “people watch.”
The Royal Promenade is not only chockablock with places to eat, drink and celebrate, but it's also the ship's logistical hub, where passengers can take care of business at the guest services desk, talk to future cruise consultants or book a tour at the Explorations! shore excursions desk. Additionally, a dozen or so Promenade cabins overlook the space for cruisers who really want to stay near the center of it all. It is an avenue that bustles with activity day or night and a great place to spend some time.
Pool Deck
The pool deck is always a great place to relax, swim or most importantly when you are participating in the first two, EAT. Navigator’s pool deck will not disappoint you in any of these three and is definitely a sweet spot for most guests. Whatever your pleasure, you will want to venture and participate in all things this enhanced pool deck offers. Oh, and don’t forget the sunscreen!
Restaurants
Eating is always a big part of cruising and in this category Navigator of the Seas does not disappoint. Here is just a sampling of many of the great places to satisfy your appetite. You can choose from the complimentary venues like:
Windjammer Cafe, which is open from 6:30am to 11:30am for breakfast and 11:30am to 3:30 for lunch.
Cafe Promenade is open 24 hours a day for coffee, snacks, pastries, sandwiches, pizza, and small desserts. Then you have the two main dining rooms on decks 3 and 4 open for breakfast and dinner.
El Loco Fresh located on the pool deck, is a Mexican-inspired venue that offers tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos with a custom salsa bar. El Loco Fresh is open midday for lunch only starting between 11am to 1pm and remaining open until 6pm. This quick-service station is the perfect spot to grab some snacks while lounging near the pool and is a great alternative to the Windjammer buffet.
Chops Grille is the Royal Caribbean signature steakhouse and is located on Deck 11 outside of the Windjammer. This specialty restaurant currently has an up-charge of $42.99 on Navigator of the Seas. It is a mix of high end seafood, meat and poultry dishes.
Jamie’s Italian, by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, is a casual Italian specialty restaurant also located on Deck 11 outside the Windjammer. Jamie’s Italian on Navigator of the Seas is open nightly for dinner from 5:30pm to 10pm and for lunch on Day 1 from noon to 1:30pm. This specialty restaurant up-charge for dinner is $34.99 per person and $19.99 for lunch.
Hooked is an upscale yet casual seafood restaurant. This venue is located on Deck 4 across from the Schooner Bar and is open nightly for dinner from 5:30pm to 10pm. For an up-charge of $39.99, you can dine on cruiser favorites like drunken mussels, whole Maine lobster, the messy fish sandwich, or the Captain’s Platter.
Izumi is another Royal Caribbean fan favorite offering Asian-inspired dishes and sushi at a la carte pricing. Available to book only pre-cruise is a unique five course meal for $49.99. This option includes Miso Soup, one starter, one Signature Roll or bowl of Ramen, five pieces of your favorite type of Sashimi or Nigiri, and one dessert. Izumi is open for lunch on Day 3 noon to 1:30pm and 5:30pm to 10pm for dinner.
Some of the other restaurants onboard that carry an upcharge are Johnny Rockets, Starbucks, Playmakers Sports Bar, and a favorite for everybody, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. We tried it several times and I can attest, it is too hard to pass this one up.
The last reason Royal Caribbean invited travel professionals onboard this sailing was to announce its protocols for sailing beginning in November and continuing into the future. Hours after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an extension of the Conditional Sailing Order, Royal Caribbean released its health protocols for cruises departing the United States. Protocols have been released for ships sailing from the United States, as well a separate policy for ships sailing from Puerto Rico. Please refer to Royal Caribbean's protocols online.
Vaccinations: All guests 12 and older must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before sailing. You must show your CDC Record Card at check in.
Testing
Vaccinated guests 12 years and older are required to present a negative COVID-19 Test Result (antigen or PCR) for a test taken no more than 2 days prior to the sailing's departure date and before their arrival to the terminal. Unvaccinated kids ages 2 to 11 must show a negative test result for a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 3 days before boarding day. Kids’ pre-cruise test cannot be taken on boarding day, because that may affect the sample taken during the kids’ test at the terminal. In addition to the pre-cruise test, kids will take one or two more tests. No testing required for guests under age 2.
At the Terminal: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 years are required to take a PCR test for COVID-19 when checking in at the terminal. Registration details for this test will be sent via email in advance. This test is complimentary.
Prior to Disembarking: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 will take a complimentary antigen test prior to debarkation. Depending on sailing length, there may be additional testing. Registration details will be provided onboard. Guests under 2 years of age will not be tested.
Masks
Masks are required in the terminal, in select locations inside the ship, and may be required at various destinations. Guests under 2 years old don’t need a mask.
Masks are NOT required to be worn:
In open-air areas of the ship, unless you are in a crowded setting.
In the pool or any activity where they may become wet.
At venues designated for vaccinated guests only, such as select bars, lounges, restaurants and shows.
In your stateroom when you are with your traveling party.
By any guest under the age of 2.
Though these are the protocols Royal Caribbean has listed and require for their cruises, once you are onboard ship it feels very normal. The key is having vaccinated and tested passengers and crew. This leads to a secure feeling we all had pre-pandemic and a happy cruising experience. This cruise was a good way for Royal Caribbean to test their protocols in a smaller passenger setting, and from what we saw, it worked very well.
The only times my wife and I wore our masks were boarding in the terminal and disembarking as required and getting into an elevator with several other people. The rest of the time it was masks off, what a relief. Thanks Royal Caribbean.
I would like to point out the outstanding attention the crew and officers made to each guest while we were onboard. There was never a time that you passed a crew member or officer, anywhere on the ship, that they didn’t say hello, ask you how your day was going, or if they could be of any assistance to you. It truly was an exceptional experience, one that we can pass on to our clients to sail with Royal Caribbean in the future.
Finally, I want to thank Royal Caribbean for the special invitation to join them on this cruise, albeit a short one, to see the new adventures that lay ahead in future cruises, especially now being stationed on the West Coast. The changes to the Navigator were well done and will be embraced by young and seasoned cruisers alike. Finally it was nice to see that they are really emphasizing safety, through their Covid protocols, that a majority of passengers and crew must be vaccinated and tested prior to sailing. It certainly gives one piece of mind while on board and provides a superior cruising experience.
If you like the pictures you have seen so far, take the full tour of the Navigator of the Seas and see for yourself what a fabulous ship this is to take your next special trip. Then contact us at TeamTullyTravel to “Make Your Dreams Come True.”