The Lollipop Road

Posts Tagged ‘family cruise’

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

In our reviews, we attempt to cover all aspects of the cruise in a fair, but candid manner, pointing out the good, the bad and the ugly.  Each category will earn a Rating from A+ through F; our overall score will reflect a weighting of each category score.  Each review and rating is done from a families point of view, so if you are single or a couple traveling without kids, your priorities may differ. Now, on to the review.

I spoke to over a dozen families during this cruise and their comments and sentiments fairly reflected my observations and experiences.

Reservation/Documents

Rating:  A-

I reserved my 5-night Caribbean cruise through our normal online travel agency where I was able to take advantage of an onboard credit promotion.  I opted for an inside guarantee. Unfortunately, I ended up with a standard inside on Deck 8 about as far forward as you can get – a connecting stateroom nonetheless (more on that later). I suppose that is the risk of booking a guarantee.

The online check-in process was fairly easy and I opted to receive luggage tags via mail. I also chose to reserve one dining time in advance, which was an easy task.

Pier Check-in/Embarkation

Rating:  B+

I arrived at the terminal at 11:50 AM to be greeted with a very long line that stretched the length of the terminal building. I wasn’t checking luggage, so I quickly made my way to the back of the line. After about ten minutes, the line began moving and shade was a welcome shadow.

As the line made its way toward the entrance, we learned that there had been a power outage in the terminal that morning, which delayed the embarkation process. Once we were moving though, we were moving. The line split once inside and five security staff were checking documents. I made my way to the check-in line, which was surprisingly short, despite the flood of people who had been backed up.

The check-in moved quickly and I was directed on board. From the time I stepped out of the taxi until the time I stepped onto the ship, an hour had elapsed. Not bad for having had a power outage – kudos to the RCI check-in staff. Ten minutes later, I was in my cabin, with my luggage.

Accommodations

Cabin Rating:  C+     Cabin Service Rating:  A

As I explained, I had reserved a guarantee and was assigned a standard inside at the very forward of the ship. To make it worse, the cabin had a connecting door with another stateroom. I took the risk; however, given that Promenade cabins were available as well as dozens of other cabins, why did I get assigned this cabin while first-time cruisers were given glorious upgrades? A lesson to the folks reserving a guarantee, the outcome can be very good or very bad.

As I entered the cabin, I remembered exactly how small Royal Caribbean’s standard cabins actually are. At 158 square feet, this cabin is 20-30 square feet smaller than some of RCI’s competitors. Against the back wall was two twins that had been converted to a queen. There was a small nightstand on each side and not enough room to really walk on either side of the bed. The round mirror unfortunately didn’t help the room look wider.

To the left was a small closet and beyond that, a desk with drawers on each side, a mini-bar, television and safe. Across from the desk was a single chair and a coffee table. Next to the chair was the infamous connecting door (more on that later). Note that standard cabins in this category typically offer a love-seat sized sofa, but in cabins with a connection door, this becomes a single chair.

Across from the closet was the bathroom, and here is where I had to do the double-take. This cabin had the smallest bathroom that I have had in a cabin, well at least since the last time that I cruised on Royal Caribbean; I guess I had blocked it out. The shower is as small as it looks, although in all fairness, it does allow enough room to shower, but you’re not getting anything else done in there. The bathroom has a corner storage cabinet…and that’s it. One person at a time is all that you’ll fit in this bathroom.

The cabin was also equipped with a bulky television (with movies, Fox News, CNN, ESPN and various kid’s programming), desk telephone (not kid friendly), bar soap and shampoo (in a dispenser), a safe, mini-bar and a hairdryer. Storage was a bit tight for a 5 night cruise. The closet had shelves and the desk had six small usable draws. There was one other small cabinet above the television.

Unfortunately, the remote didn’t work properly, but I wasn’t watching television anyhow. One of the drawers was also crooked and hanging out, but I fixed it as best as it’s getting fixed. Other than that, everything else was in working order.

Now, for the connecting door. The problem was this – you could hear everything clearly through the door. Luckily my neighbors were very nice and not very loud. They went to bed early, woke up at a reasonable hour, never blasted the television and never talked like they were on their cell phone in the middle of a noisy bar. However, there is no privacy because of the design of the connecting door. This is a quad occupancy cabin, but I can’t even imagine sailing in this cabin with two adults and two children – there simply is not enough space.

The cabin steward was very professional, called me by my name and did the one thing that I asked of him and that was to keep the ice bucket full.. The cabin was always tidy, and clean. He never bothered me, even though my schedule may have been erratic. Overall, he was one of best cabin stewards I’ve had in a while.

Food/Dining Service

Food Rating:  B     Dining Service Rating:  B+

The selection at the buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner consisted of an extensive array of standard American cuisine as well as ethnic specialties. Each day there were several Indian and Stir-Fry entrees and sides as well as other special ethnic selections throughout the cruise. There were several stations, so there was always somewhere to get food without much of a line. They also offered grilled food inside, which did two things. One, the food was pre-cooked instead of freshly cooked, resulting in dry burgers that would sit in the tray for a while. Two, it added additional traffic to a crowded area and impeded traffic flow. Bad design and bad grilled food.

The drink selection was good – iced tea, lemonade and fruit punch. Although there are soda dispensers in the Windjammer Cafe, they are for passengers who have purchased the soda program. On the downside, the soft-serve ice cream station shut down when the Windjammer closed at 9:00 PM – disappointing. On the upside, Cafe Promenade offered sandwiches, pizza and light desserts 24 hours a day.

The seating at the buffet was adequate, most of the time, although on sea days, families were having a tough time finding a table. I did like the bar type seating. The downfall is that there is little outdoor table seating and it is not close by. The Windjammer Cafe could use a slight tweaking in the design.

Staying on that subject, the two specialty restaurants, Portofino and Chops are located at the entrance to the Windjammer. Surprisingly, noise didn’t filter into the restaurants, so I guess it was as good a place as any. Both offer a slightly upscale meal in a quiet, romantic environment.

I did dine in Chops and from that came two basic complaints. First, the waiter was very difficult to understand. That would be okay if he were the best waiter on the ship and was assigned there because of that. However, his service was no better than that of the waiters in the dining room, except I literally couldn’t understand a word he said, so I nodded a lot. Second, although the food was very good, the Rib Eye was tough and lacked flavor. I mean, this was tough to cut and chewy. I’m just saying, when you charge a $25 cover, I expect a prime selection of beef. I also asked the waiter to describe how the Alaskan Halibut was prepared. When he was done, I was uninspired to order it.

They also touted their Chocolate Mud Pie dessert as being simply the best. While it was very good, it was more like a piece of mouse cake than mud pie. Overall my dinner in Chops was somewhere between a regular dinner in the main dining room and a dinner at a fine dining restaurant. I probably wouldn’t pay the $25 again.

Royal Caribbean offers My Time Dining, which allows you to dine anytime you’d like. You can make reservations prior to sailing, on the ship or you can just show up and wait for a table. I did all of those, dining at various times and never had a wait.

The food in the dining room ranged from good to excellent, with the average being very good. Unfortunately, the one other time that I had beef, the prime rib, it was also tough and tasteless – perhaps this is a pattern. Breakfast and lunch is interesting, because there is a self-service aspect. At breakfast, you can fetch your own fruit, cereal and juice, while at lunch you can custom make a tossed salad, which was terrific.

Breakfast was a waste of time in the dining room. We had to serve ourselves half of our food, waited way too long for the rest (supposedly a backup in the omelet line) and there was less of a selection than at the buffet. This is a definite skip.

The service in all of the dining venues was very good. Although there was nobody to assist you with your plate at the buffet, the staff was friendly and very quick at clearing tables. Notice that I said plate – Royal Caribbean has removed trays from the Windjammer Cafe.

Overall, I have to say that the food selection was very good as was the overall food quality, although the beef was disappointing. The cover charges for the specialty restaurants, however, are not justified by the menu. I also had an issue with reservations. When I called in the morning, there was supposedly nothing until 9PM for the next day. Yet, when I called in the afternoon, I could have named my time and the restaurant was not full. Something just didn’t add up.

Room service (24 hours) was available and they did a very good job of delivering food hot and on-time. They even contact you in advance to notify you that they are coming in a few minutes – bravo! Also available until Midnight most evening is Johnny Rockets, a casual eatery serving burgers and the accompaniments, for a cover charge of $4.95 per person. Their delicious, rich and thick milkshakes are additional, but yummy. The unique experience also comes with entertainment every 30 minutes.

Activities/Entertainment

Rating:  B

I wish these categories were separate, because the activities were excellent, deserving of an “A”, but I can’t give the tired old entertainment anything more than a “C”. I know that I’ll get beaten for that last one, but please hear me out.

Royal Caribbean has been doing the same type of entertainment for over 20 years. While every other cruise line is looking to mix it up, Royal Caribbean continues to book the same dancing, singing, comedic magic type entertainers. You could have switched the three main shows on this cruise with three shows on my 1988 Sovereign of the Seas cruise and nobody would have known the difference. I know that people like the quality of the production and the variety of the music, but it just isn’t hip or “happening” and certainly is not family friendly. I believe that Royal Caribbean has realized this and is trying to implement a change with Oasis and Allure. Hopefully that change filters down into the rest of the fleet, soon.

Royal Caribbean has done a tremendous job at integrating family activities and it’s more than just a few. Each and every day, they offered family activities; and cool ones, not just lame stuff, like family bingo. Of course, the selection of adult activities is also excellent. The musical entertainment is diverse and there is something to appeal to every audience. I was also surprised that the movie selection included family favorites, like Alice in Wonderland and Shrek 4. Finally, the ice skating show, although geared more to an adult audience, certainly can hold the interest of kids for at least for about 20-30 minutes. A few tweaks and this could be a great family friendly production.

Overall, if Royal Caribbean could add a few family friendly productions to the evening lineup (such as the Dreamworks productions that are in the making), they would make a giant leap forward in consistently attracting younger families. While they would still not be at the level of Disney, they would take second place in family friendly activities and entertainment.

Onboard Amenities/Features

Rating:  B+

Sailing on board the Navigator of the Seas can be like playing in an amusement park. We love that Royal Caribbean devotes so much space to public areas. Rarely does the ship feel crowded or lacking activities, although the main pool area as well as the Windjammer Cafe can be bustling on sea days.

A rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, 9-hole miniature golf course, in-line skating track, deck sports (table tennis, basketball, shuffleboard and a kid only game deck), movie theater, Royal Promenade (boasting Ben & Jerry’s and a Cafe) and two main pools with wading areas round out the family friendly facilities. Johnny Rocket’s also provides a hip hangout for families and teens willing to pay the $4.95 cover charge.

What is missing from this ship is a pool area for younger kids. Unlike other Voyager Class ships, the Navigator of the Seas does not offer Adventure Beach, but rather has opted to utilize this space as a teen sun deck. During this cruise, that area saw more adult usage than teen usage. This makes the main pool area a bit more crowded during the day. Although there is ample lounge seating on all of the open deck areas combined, the immediate area around the pool has a peculiar layout.

The Solarium is not covered, but it does provide a quiet space with a small pool and two large whirlpools where adults can get away for some relaxation. The extensive fitness center also offers a hydrotherapy pool that is complimentary.

Overall, this ship is ideal for families with teens and tweens. For families with children under the age of 5, there are definitely better ship selections within the Royal Caribbean fleet (due to the lack of a kid’s pool or splash zone). For the families with children between 5 and 9, it is a toss up and will depend on your child’s specific interest and willingness to participate in the kid’s program without any parental transition time.

Adventure Ocean

Rating:  B-

Royal Caribbean’s kid’s program, better known as Adventure Ocean has many facets and is far reaching in terms of activities. The program is divided into 5 age groups, Aquanauts (3-5), Explorers (6-8), Voyagers (9-11) and two teen groups (12-14 and 15-17). On board the Voyager Class of ships, including Navigator of the Seas, you’ll find one large space broken up into two sections for the youngest groups. The tweens have their own space as well. The two teen groups then share two separate spaces, a lounge and a nightclub. On the Navigator, the aft sun deck is reserved for teens; however, on some Voyager class ships, this area is occupied by Adventure Beach, a play area with fun pools and slides.

Despite this being a relatively new ship, the teen spaces on Navigator are somewhat sparse and dated, as compared to the hip teen lounges found on many ships these days. There are computers and video game terminals for the Explorers and Voyagers, but not much else. The Aquanauts space is a little bit more fun with a mini-slide and cool play table. One of the unique features that I haven’t seen produced on any other cruise line is an outdoor game deck just for kids. There is also a huge video arcade, which is situated in the middle of all of these spaces.

Adventure Ocean requires that children be 3 years old to participate and all participants must be potty-trained. Parents are not allowed in the club area, so for those families with shy or apprehensive children, there will be no transition time allowed. We see this as a potential problem for some children that may result in them not participating at any time during the cruise.

From a security perspective, there are no gates, so in order to prevent kids from wandering out, they block off the exits with small stool-type seats, ropes or chains. All you will need to pick up your child is your cruise card. According to the youth counselor, once they know the parents, identification is not necessary. Unfortunately, these security controls are a bit reminiscent of what we experienced on NCL. We’d like to see Royal Caribbean update their spaces and at the same time improve the security process, which then might allow parents access to the club to transition their children.

Although there were 179 kids under 18 on the ship, program participation was slim and age groups were being combined. Again, countless family activities were scheduled (family golf tournament, family ice skating, family water balloon toss, family science fun, etc), but there was a lack of participation. I cannot determine if this was indicative of the program or the mix of passengers. They definitely get an “A” for effort; the staff was very courteous and professional. I love the fact that they also offer a lunch and dinner program on select days. Their extended hours, from 10:00 PM until 2:00 AM ($6/hr) are also helpful when you need a night out. Babysitting is available in-cabin for $12/hr.

For the youngest cruisers, there is the Royal Babies and Royal Tots programs that offer activities and play time during select hours each day (participation requires parent supervision). The quality and extent of this part of the program is one of the best in the industry, simply based upon the fact that counselors are dedicated to interacting with the parents and children. That leaves us even more puzzled and disappointed in the security and transitional issue that makes it difficult for some parents to make this program work for their kids.

Overall, Royal Caribbean gets dinged on the lack of transition as well as sparse kid and teen spaces that are a bit outdated. On the other hand, the youth staff was great and the level of activities provide this program with a great deal of promise.

Ports Of Call

Rating:  B+

This 5-night sailing called at Montego Bay, Jamaica and Labadee (RCI’s private island).  Labadee is a great stop for kids as there are tons of activities that have been added in the past few years. There is a small splash zone next to a small play area. There is also an aqua park with a water trampoline and several icebergs to climb as well as an alpine coaster that plunges down a 360 degree spiral at 30 MPH. For teens, you’ll find a 2,600 foot zipline that crosses over water from one end of the resort to the other. On the downside, the Artisian Market has exploded and is a bit out of control. For more information, read our full review of Labadee.

Our port call in Ocho Rios was changed to Montego Bay due to dock availability issues. We are not big fans of Jamaica, nor are many of the passengers that I spoke with. This could be a truly great itinerary if Royal Caribbean would add Grand Cayman or Key West in place of Jamaica.

Getting on and off the ship was pretty easy. In Labadee, security screening occurs on shore, making the line to get onto the ship flow more quickly. Overall, Royal Caribbean gets a thumbs-up on the improvements at Labadee, especially the new dock, which eliminates the need to tender.

Crew/Cleanliness

Crew Rating:  A     Cleanliness Rating:  A

I have rarely seen a friendlier crew or a cleaner ship. The crew was consistently upbeat and conversing with passengers. They were eager to please and until the last day, outgoing and polite. Why is it that on every cruise line that the last day seems to be the downward spiral of service and friendliness? I mean, if someone looks directly at you and greets you, should you not greet them back? Despite the questionable enthusiasm on departure day, I’ve still given them an “A”.

On cleanliness, there was always crew cleaning; my cabin was spotless and the buffet area was never cluttered with dirty dishes, except again, on departure morning. Despite the fact that the ship is 8 years old, it looks fresh and well maintained, with the exception of the kid’s and teen areas that could use a refresh of the décor.

Disembarkation

Rating:  B-

I think that the departure process may be a little chaotic, but I’m not sure if the problem lies with Royal Caribbean, customs or the port workers. Here are the facts: Departure groups are assigned colors as well as a specific departure time. Groups are assigned a lounge, but lots of people ignore that and go elsewhere. At 10:15 AM, there was a long line to enter the terminal upon disembarkation. There was a line to collect luggage. There was a line to clear customs. Lots of people were confused.

It just seems that at 10:15 AM, disembarkation should be nearly complete. Royal Caribbean is certainly flexible in its departure process as it allows passengers carrying their luggage to depart at their leisure. Perhaps it is the process in the terminal that causes the delay, compounded by the fact that the Navigator was the last ship to dock that morning. On the upside, not once was I harassed to leave my cabin or any public area during disembarkation. For the people having to claim luggage, this experience was likely not as good as mine.

Conclusion

The food was very good and the crew was excellent. The public facilities are not only ample, but also appeal to families. Families absolutely love the Royal Promenade, ice rink, rock climbing wall, mini-golf and adults-only Solarium.

On the downside, the cabins are smaller than that of Royal Caribbean’s competitors (other than NCL) and the evening entertainment consists of the same old (but good) variety type shows that lack family appeal. The real deal breaker for many families will be the lack of transition opportunities for Adventure Ocean, which likely has a direct impact on their participation levels. With no kid’s pool, the Navigator also poses a challenge for families with kids under the age of 3.

For the first time, we’ve split our rating by age group. Unfortunately, the lack of a kid’s pool area (specific in this case to the Navigator) and Adventure Ocean transitional issues warrant a slightly lower score for families traveling with kid’s under the age of 9.

Overall Rating:  B (B+ for families with Teens/Tweens)

Positive – Selection/quality of food, family friendly activities, excellent crew/service, generous public areas and family friendly facilities.

Negative –Lack of a kid’s pool, same old production shows and a lack of transition time for Adventure Ocean.

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

Disclosure

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

It has been 24 years since Royal Caribbean’s Labadee, on the island of Hispaniola, first opened. I stepped foot on the tropical paradise for the first time 22 years ago; my, how things have changed. Long heralded as one of the best private retreats by its visitors, Labadee has been an extremely popular port of call, luring passengers in with its beauty and cultural diversity.

In January of this year, Royal Caribbean received a great deal of grief for continuing to call at Labadee despite the horrible suffering that was occurring in Haiti after its devastating earthquake. Royal Caribbean stood its ground and stood by the people that had long made their private retreat a success.

When you visit Labadee today, you’ll pull alongside a new concrete dock that juts out into Buccaneer’s Bay. This massive undertaking was completed last year, just in time to accommodate Royal Caribbean’s new Oasis of the Seas, the largest cruise ship afloat. Labadee is now only the second cruise line private “island” to allow passengers to simply walk off the ship and into paradise (the other is Disney’s Castaway Cay). Eliminating the need to tender has resulted in a significant upgrade in the resorts appeal to families.

The walk from the ship to the tram station at Dragon’s Plaza is about 1,500 feet. The developed areas have concrete walkways that will take you around most of the resort, so a stroller might not be a bad idea if you have a young child. Just be warned that certain areas do get a bit overrun with sand.

The tram offers two stops, one at the Barefoot Beach Club and the other at Town Square. Most passengers are going to the second stop, so be sure to let the driver know if in advance if you plan on getting off at the first stop. The trams run frequently and hold about 40 people.

The nicest ares, Barefoot Beach Club is dedicated to Suite guests (yet another good reason to book a suite) and offers beach cabanas, a private buffet and lots of shade. For the general population, there are three beach areas: Nellie’s Beach, Adrenaline Beach or Columbus Cove. The smallest, Nellie’s Beach offers kayak and paddle boat rentals as well as a tavern nearby. You’ll find a few snorkelers in the area as well. Nellie’s is a great family beach.

Adrenaline Beach is the largest stretch of beach, but most of it is not open to swimming. Although you will be told that there is no swimming at all, there were indeed people wading in the water toward the far end of the beach. This area is popular with couples who are looking to utilize the free shade shelters that dot Adrenaline Beach.

The farthest and most crowded beach is at Columbus Cove. Although there is ample beach to stake out your spot, it can get a bit hectic with all that is going on. Many of the tours leave from this beach and you’ll also access the Aqua Park from here as well. If you have a choice, Nellie’s Beach would be preferable for families.

Adults were actually enjoying the Aqua Park more than the kids. Royal Caribbean requires that children under 48 inches be accompanied by an adult, but I would say that even kids up to 54 inches or 8-9 years of age may still need assistance. Climbing on the various trampolines and icebergs is definitely one of those activities that is fun for the entire family. At $15 for 50 minutes, it is a great family activity that won’t break the bank.

One thing that you will find is plenty of beach chairs, hammocks and swaying palms that provide shade from the shining Caribbean sun. Restrooms are located at Columbus Cove, Town Square, across from the Beach Club and at Dragon’s Plaza. The largest and nicest facility is at Dragon’s Plaza, so may I suggest making that stop before boarding the tram.

Labadee also offers some fun family friendly activities. The recently added Dragon’s Tail Coaster takes you up into the hills on a two-person coaster car before dropping you into a 360 degree spiral, back to where you started. This approximate 90-second ride is lots of fun. There is a weight limit of 360 pounds per car and children must be at least 5 years of age. Only children 12 and up may ride alone as you will need to do your own braking to stop the car. The cost is $19 for one ride or $25 for two rides. Combining this with the Aqua Park offers a $5 discount.

Racing across the sea and above your head, you might notice the Dragon’s Breath Flightline that stretches 2,600 feet from the top of a hill above Adrenaline Beach, across the water, to its end point at Dragon’s Plaza. You don’t need to do any work with this one; you will be strapped into a sitting position and gravity does the rest. I especially like it, because it accommodates five riders (there are five parallel lines), so a family can ride the line all at the same time. At $85, it is a bit steep, but it is one of those experiences that you’ll never forget. You must be at least 60 inches and 75 pounds to participate. Maximum weight is 250 pounds.

With all of this activity, you’re bound to be tired. Next stop, lunch. Lunch pavilions are located near Adrenaline Beach as well as Columbus Cove. Serving the usual fare of hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, corn, ribs and salads, there is enough to fill you up, but the quality and freshness was not up to par. The best offerings were the fruit and the cookies, everything in between was a bit disappointing. Drinks (water, punch and iced-tea) are also available.

Labadee also offers a small kid’s play area across from the Beach Club. Staffed by a couple of counselors, it was empty for much of the day. Behind it, however, is a splash zone with squirters and buckets that was entertaining for younger kids on a hot day. For more family activities, you’ll find a few sports courts at the end of Adrenaline Beach as well.

The one negative that has gone from contained to out-of-control on Labadee is the Artisian Market. The original marketplace building, which still houses a dozen or so low-key merchants was a pleasure to shop. Unfortunately, the trail that leads to Columbus Cove is now lined with aggressive merchants who make traversing that area a little less pleasant than it should be. If you are going to Columbus Cove, I recommend getting off the tram at the Beach Club, then walking to Nellie’s Beach. To the front left as you face the water there is a stone path that will lead you over to Columbus Cove. This route will bypass the Artisian Market.

We have long enjoyed our hand-crafted items that we brought back from Labadee over the years and I did make a purchase on this trip as well. However, the merchants made the shopping experience neither pleasant nor one that reflects positively on Royal Caribbean. By the way, you should pay no more than one-third the original price that you are quoted. If you see something you like, ask them “how much?”, offer them one-third and don’t budge. There are what seems to be 100 or so merchants all offering mostly the same crafts, so you’re sure to find what you want at the price you want.

Overall, I still love Labadee and I love the new and improved Labadee even more. It isn’t Castaway Cay, but it is still a great place where families can have fun.

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

Disclosure

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

Royal Caribbean’s kid’s program, better known as Adventure Ocean has many facets and is far reaching in terms of activities. The program is divided into 5 age groups, Aquanauts (3-5), Explorers (6-8), Voyagers (9-11) and two teen groups (12-14 and 15-17). On board the Voyager Class of ships, including Navigator of the Seas, you’ll find one large space broken up into two sections for the youngest groups. The tweens have their own space as well. The two teen groups then share two separate spaces, a lounge and a nightclub. On the Navigator, the aft sun deck is reserved for teens; however, on some Voyager class ships, this area is occupied by Adventure Beach, a play area with fun pools and slides.

Despite this being a relatively new ship, the teen spaces on Navigator are somewhat sparse and dated, as compared to the hip teen lounges found on many ships these days. There are computers and video game terminals for the Explorers and Voyagers, but not much else. The Aquanauts space is a little bit more fun with a mini-slide and cool play table. One of the unique features that I haven’t seen produced on any other cruise line is an outdoor game deck just for kids. There is also a huge video arcade, which is situated in the middle of all of these spaces.

Adventure Ocean requires that children be 3 years old to participate and all participants must be potty-trained. Parents are not allowed in the club area, so for those families with shy or apprehensive children, there will be no transition time allowed. We see this as a potential problem for some children that may result in them not participating at any time during the cruise.

From a security perspective, there are no gates, so in order to prevent kids from wandering out, they block off the exits with small stool-type seats, ropes or chains. All you will need to pick up your child is your cruise card. According to the youth counselor, once they know the parents, identification is not necessary. Unfortunately, these security controls are a bit reminiscent of what we experienced on NCL. We’d like to see Royal Caribbean update their spaces and at the same time improve the security process, which then might allow parents access to the club to transition their children.

Although there were 179 kids under 18 on the ship, program participation was slim and age groups were being combined. Again, countless family activities were scheduled (family golf tournament, family ice skating, family water balloon toss, family science fun, etc), but there was a lack of participation. I cannot determine if this was indicative of the program or the mix of passengers. They definitely get an “A” for effort; the staff was very courteous and professional. I love the fact that they also offer a lunch and dinner program on select days. Their extended hours, from 10:00 PM until 2:00 AM ($6/hr) are also helpful when you need a night out. Babysitting is available in-cabin for $12/hr.

For the youngest cruisers, there is the Royal Babies and Royal Tots programs that offer activities and play time during select hours each day (participation requires parent supervision). The quality and extent of this part of the program is one of the best in the industry, simply based upon the fact that counselors are dedicated to interacting with the parents and children. That leaves us even more puzzled and disappointed in the security and transitional issue that makes it difficult for some parents to make this program work for their kids.

Overall, it seems that all of the family friendly facilities on board have lured families away from the kid’s program (at least on this sailing). Admittedly, with an ice rink, rock climbing wall, mini-golf course, two pools, a huge arcade and lots of outdoor sports opportunities, perhaps family time is more fun on Royal Caribbean.

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

Disclosure

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

After 30 cruise, I’m not sure if I’ve ever had two days that are alike. I’ll admit that there are similarities and common themes, but rarely doesn’t a surprise or two crop up in the middle of what would otherwise be another ordinary day on the sea. So, why do I always do an article on “A Day On Board”? Well, I think that it provides a unique look at what to expect and why you should always keep an open mind and a good attitude. Now on to “A Day On Board The Navigator of the Seas”.

Today started out like many others; I was on my way to the cruise terminal at Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale. I was being brave this time around and decided to fly down on the same day as the cruise. I say “brave” because one never knows what flight delays can occur and I’d hate to be the one sitting on the dock waving goodbye to the ship. Other than sitting next to a linebacker, then a college B-ball player on the flights down, nothing unusual. Oh yeah, other than I walked with a slight lean the rest of the day as a result of the aforementioned seat mates.

I decided to carry-on all the way and it worked out perfectly. I zipped through the airport and into a taxi for the 10-minute ride over to the port. When I saw that the new (as in no one has sailed her other than crew) Allure of the Seas was docked directly across the channel from the Navigator I was stoked. A few short minutes and I’d be on the ship. Um, wait a minute, what is that line? It appears that they experienced a wee bit of a power outage and were a wee bit behind. Argh! No worries, that is why they make rollers on them there bags.

Once they had everything restored, the Royal Caribbean folks got to moving…and fast. Despite the glitch, I was on the ship exactly one hour from when I arrived – with my luggage. I immediately made a bee line for the Promenade, where I would start snapping photos of the Allure. It is so large that it wouldn’t fit in one photo frame from thousands of feet away. Ten minutes later I was in my cabin and reminiscing about how tiny the bathroom/shower really is on this ship. Soaping up the walls and spinning seems to be the best way to take a shower.

I had been on a 32 hour fast (because I forgot to eat), so I presumed I was hungry. Although I like the layout of the buffet on the Navigator, it is a bit strange that the grill is indoors and that there is like, no (or little) outdoor seating. I scoped out the pickings as I always do before making final selections. Glad to see there was some Indian cuisine a nice salad bar and at least one good dessert (yummy coconut slice). Soon I was off to check out the ship.

I made a commitment to use the stairs the entire trip and was successful so far. I made a stop at the expansive kid’s area and chatted it up with one of the counselors. It appears that there are only 179 passengers under 18 on this sailing. “Only 179?”, I asked. Apparently it’s all relative. Anyway, that meant combined age groups – bummer for the 6-11′s. Anyway, the facilities are a bit sparse and there is no Adventure Beach. In its place, there is a teen sun deck in addition to a teen lounge and a teen nightclub. Lots of teen spaces, but where are all of the teens?

We chatted on for a bit and apparently Royal Caribbean does not allow parents to transition kids into the club, which means that if you have a shy or apprehensive child you are flat out of luck. Perhaps that is why I’ve seen so many young kids wandering the ship with their parents on this cruise. It could be a deal breaker for some families, mine included.

Any-who, it was time to move on to the rest of my self-guided tour. I like the layout of this ship, the ample public space and the Royal Promenade. It can be a bit touristy (the aforementioned RP), but hey, I enjoy noshing in the Cafe Promenade, so it’s all good. Are people really lining up to book shore excursions already? Don’t get me started…

Since I had my luggage, I decided to unpack, write for a bit, then head to the muster early. Good thing I did as I got one of the last seats. No life vest required and you get to sit the whole time…I like it. Afterward, I went back out on deck for sail away. I listened to the music, wrote a bit more and snapped photos of the departing Coral Princess and Celebrity Equinox and Allure once again as we departed.

I selected My Time Dining and made an advance reservation (before sailing) for 7PM to see how it all worked. I showed up early and the dining room dedicated to flexible dining was like, empty. I was seated with 7 other folks who had been there for about 5-10 minutes. I’m always hesitant about joining a large group, but this time we had a blast. We had an ex-minor league hockey player and his wife, a couple who worked at a sky diving school/place/thing, a retired gent who travels around in an RV and a young couple who balanced the insanity.

So, lesson learned,a big table can be fun. Oh, and I have an invitation to go sky diving. As it turns out, they’re only a hundred miles from where I live. Stay tuned for those photos! After we broke up, I headed up to the buffet to check out the food up there and see if there was an edible dessert – nope none there either. I had opted for the safest choice at dinner – butter almond ice-cream…yummy.

As I staggered back to my cabin, I had the notion of writing a bit more, right after my 5 minute nap. Well, I didn’t wake up until 6:30 AM; I think I was tired. It was a long hard, but fun day on board the Navigator of the Seas.

New to family cruising? Check out some of our great family cruising resources.

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

Disclosure

For those folks who follow us regularly, you probably know that we’ve been working hard on a book that we believe is not only long overdue, but that will also revolutionize the way that families approach cruise vacations. We’ve made incredible progress since we began back in May and we’re still looking to get it to press by the end of the year. In conjunction with that goal, I’m making one last “research” trip on November 15th aboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas. Yeah, I know, “research” – lots of people poke fun at how hard it must be to take vacations for a living – my fellow travel writers know the truth – it really is hard work testing all those lounge chairs, swimming in every pool, relaxing in every hot tub and trying to sample every type of food onboard…no, really, it is a burden.

Okay, enough of that, now on to why I’m writing today. Earlier this year, we put together a month-long cruising event that was quite a success. So, in conjunction with my upcoming sailing, we’ll be putting together a “mini” live cruising event that will give readers the opportunity once again to follow the adventure day by day. We’ll be publishing the following articles with plenty of special insights and tips into cruising with Royal Caribbean International.

• November 16th – A Day Aboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas
• November 18th – Royal Caribbean For Kids – Adventure Ocean and Beyond
• November 19th – The New and Improved Labadee
• November 20th – Twitter Digest (of all tweets from onboard)
• November 21st – Cruise Review – Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas

If you’ve ever thought about cruising with kids, cruising with Royal Caribbean or just cruising period, you won’t want to miss this event. You can also follow our live tweet stream on Twitter @thelollipoproad or follow our dedicated hashtag #noslive. This time around we’ll also be doing something a little bit different, so be sure to check back on Monday, November 15th, because we believe everyone will want to participate.

For those who haven’t already subscribed, take a few minutes to Subscribe to our alerts. As an incentive, we’ll send you a discount code to be used toward the purchase of our new book, Cruising Family Style – A Guide to Cruising With Kids once it is launched later this year. Also, in 2011, we’ll be launching a monthly newsletter that you won’t want to miss. Sign-up and stay tuned for more details.

Disclosure