11 Best Things to Do on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas

Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas is on the relatively older side in relation to Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Built-in the early 2000s, it was the fourth Voyager-class cruise ship for Royal Caribbean and the first, second-generation, Voyager-class cruise ship. Built-in Finland, it was launched in 2002.

As of mid-2019, the ship was the 30th largest passenger ship in the world, which, while isn’t terribly impressive, still makes it pretty large. The ship is 139,999 gross tons with a length of 311 meters.

It has a 4,000 maximum passenger capacity, though it typically carries, with double occupancy, 3,386 passengers, served by a crew of 1,200 individuals.

Also Read: 17 Must-Know Things about Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas

The ship has sailed all over the world thus far, including itineraries around the Caribbean, Mexico and the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. It has undergone several different dry docks.

In 2014, it was dry docked with significant modifications, including the increase of the number of cabins on the ship, the addition of a Wave Loch FlowRider surfing simulator, the addition of an outdoor moving screen and the addition of two new lounges. Several public facilities were also removed in this 2014 dry dock.

The most recent dry dock occurred in 2018, when the ship was dry docked in the Bahamas, receiving renovations to the tune of multiple millions of dollars. This dry dock included the addition of water slides, new restaurants, new cabins and a new pool deck.

Are you planning to take a Navigator of the Seas cruise in the near future? If you’re considering taking a cruise aboard this Royal Caribbean vessel, what can you expect? And what should you do?

We’ve compiled a list of the can’t-miss activities while aboard Navigator of the Seas, so you can plan the best itinerary possible. Check out these 11 activities.

1. New Outdoor Offerings

There is plenty of new outdoor offerings onboard, thanks to that 2018 dry dock in the Bahamas. The amplified pool deck is the perfect place to catch some rays (or some waves).

The pool is twice the size that it originally was and there’s an entire deck dedicated to spaces for you to relax in your lounger, swim or otherwise enjoy the sun and shade.

New water slides include The Blaster, an aqua coaster that’s not only the longest water slide at sea, but that also features the longest stretch of water slide ever suspended over the water.

You and your friends or family members will be propelled via five water jet blasters around dips and turns and drops, all at a dizzying height over the water.

Meanwhile, Riptide is the only headfirst mat racer water slide at sea, and part of one of the slide’s curves is transparent as it goes out over the water, so you look like you’re actually about to slip and slide right out into the open ocean. It’s definitely an exhilarating, can’t-miss experience!

Of course, if you don’t want to get your blood pumping quite that much during your Navigator of the Seas cruise, you can easily just kick back with a drink at the pool deck and let the rest of the family have that fun.

2. Chow down on new eats

That 2018 dry dock also added some new eateries to the ship, so you’ll want to try those out, if you can. Hooked Seafood offers New England-style seafood, including crab cakes and chowders, as well as oysters and other seafood favorites.

Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver is a star-studded eatery created by the world-famous chef, boasting a tantalizing menu of Tuscan dishes and family-style Italian favorites, including plenty of pasta.

For something more casual, you can enjoy the Mexican favorites available at El Loco Fresh or the milkshakes and burgers at Johnny Rockets Express, which serves classic American fare in a poolside setting (there are even spiked milkshakes for the adults!).

3. Try the all-new ways to get your drink on

The revamped Navigator of the Seas offers two new watering holes where you can enjoy a variety of cocktails, both favorites and new offerings. The Bamboo Room is all about the classic tiki experience, serving Polynesian-inspired craft cocktails and small plates for a yummy combination.

The Lime and Coconut is an expansive, poolside bar with three different levels, including a rooftop, third-floor spot. Whatever kinds of vacation-mode cocktails you’re craving, The Lime and Coconut can serve it up, any time day or night.

4. Classic Dining Options

While all the new fare is plenty cool, you don’t want to miss out on trying the classic dining options onboard, particularly if you’ve never taken a Royal Caribbean cruise before, and especially if you’ve never cruised on one of Royal Caribbean’s Voyager-class cruise ships.

The three-deck main dining room is available to all cruisers, free of charge, and you can show up for a seating during My Time Dining, or at set times for select dinners.

Dinner menus are filled with elegant favorites, including a lot of steakhouse-type options. You can upgrade your main dining room options for an even more elevated experience (though you certainly don’t need an upgrade in order to have a great time).

Other options include Windjammer, a buffet serving breakfast all the way to late-night snacks, with lots of different eats on display; the Cafe Promenade, with coffee and snacks; Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade for all of your favorite sports bar-style eats, including burgers and wings; Chops Grille, for signature steakhouse food; Izumi, serving Asian cuisine, including sushi; and a Starbucks, with all your normal Starbucks drinks.

Not all of these restaurants are included in the normal price of your cruise, but most are fairly priced. Twenty-four-hour room service is also available.

5. Bars or Lounges

Just like there are plenty of great classic restaurants aboard Navigator of the Seas, there are similarly lots of great classic bars and lounges beyond the two new options, The Bamboo Room and The Lime and Coconut.

Stop by Schooner Bar, for piano sing-along sessions on occasion. Try R Bar near the Royal Promenade, for classic cocktails and plenty of social space.

Enjoy some dancing (Latin-style) and cocktails (also Latin-style) at Boleros, with live music. Grab a British pint at Copper & Clover. A club-style feel can be found at Star Lounge and Cosmopolitan Club.

6. Catch a show or another fun on-board activity

Of course, while you could spend your entire Navigator of the Seas cruise at the pool and the cool new pool lounge, and hopping between each tasty restaurant and bar, you’d be remiss to not catch a show or one of the other many fun, on-board activities.

The ship’s primary theater offers traditional cruise ship-style shows, a la Broadway, including musicals. Light shows and ice skating are also on the itinerary. There are plenty of classes and group activities available to cruisers of all ages, too. Trivia contests, sports tournaments, bingo, pool contests, dance classes — it’s all an option.

7. Escape from the kids for a bit

Like many cruise ships, Navigator of the Seas offers parents a place to escape from their kids (or for any adult cruiser to escape from the sometimes loud crowds aboard the ship). The adults-only Solarium space offers a pool, loungers and hot tubs, and provides the perfect spot to relax in the sun away from the kid-filled and sometimes very energetic main pool.

8. Enjoy a little quiet time

Those who prefer a little alone time or a bit of quiet space for recharging can find that aboard Navigator of the Seas and, no, you don’t have to stay in your stateroom in order to have it.

You can go to the library and card room, a small and chill space where there’s lots of seating and plenty of board games, card games and books to check out and enjoy.

If you need to check some email in a business-appropriate setting, you can go to the tech station and have the team help hook you up to the Voom high-speed internet service that Royal Caribbean offers.

9. Take a trip to the spa

If you want to leave your cruise feeling a little more rejuvenated, maybe a little more polished, you can have that when you take a trip to the onboard Vitality Spa.

The professional spa is equipped with a range of spa products you likely are already familiar with if you frequent spas on occasion while traveling, and the full spa menu offers all your favorite treatments, from classic massages to facials to wraps.

There are also medi-spa treatments and acupuncture treatments available. The spa features a salon, too, with full hair, nail and beauty services (including teeth whitening). You just have to talk to your cruise planner to book an appointment and you’re in!

10. Shop for a unique souvenir

There’s plenty of shopping to be had on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship. Peruse the tax- and duty-free boutiques and find special deals on some of your favorite brands. Whether you’re shopping for a new watch or piece of jewelry, a fine bottle of wine or a spirit you can’t find elsewhere, or clothing or beauty products, you’ll find it.

11. Enrich the kids

While the kids could spend their entire trip filling their faces with sugar and splashing in the pool (which there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that — it is vacation after all!), they can also enjoy some more enriching activities when you take them to Adventure Ocean (which is included in the overall price of your cruise). The Adventure Ocean kids club offers places for children of every age to hang out, learn something new and show off their creativity.

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