Wine Making
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Cruise Review
   
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La Minita Coffee ' It's In The Green Beans
La Minita; Spanish for 'The Little Gold Mine' says it all. La Minita is arguably the best coffee in the world and is sipped by the who's who in the specialty coffee industry as well as .....
La Minita; Spanish for 'The Little Gold Mine' says it all. La Minita is arguably the best coffee in the world and is sipped by the who's who in the specialty coffee industry as well as .....
The newest of Voyager class vessels, Royal Caribbean has
introduced in December 2002 the Navigator of the Seas. One of
four ships that can claim to be "the world's largest", complete
with a roller blade track, ice skating rink, and rock climbing
wall. Plus a boulevard full of shops, bars and cafes known as
the Royal Promenade, and a 1950's style diner: Johnny Rocket's,
great for burgers, dogs and shakes and a nickel jukebox. Plus a
Latin jazz bar and a Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlor.
We sailed on a 2 day special Inaugural cruise. Navigator will
The First Leaf Of Life
Talking with a friend of mine while we were on our weekend shopping trips at a local herbarium and flower shop, we reminisced about the good times when .....
alternate between 7 day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.Talking with a friend of mine while we were on our weekend shopping trips at a local herbarium and flower shop, we reminisced about the good times when .....
Our observations are limited to the time we spent onboard.
If you have sailed on the Voyager of the Seas you will notice
that the steel oval framings of balconies are gone, replaced
with full-length glass and teak railings.
As big as it is, Navigator never felt over crowded and we were
able to experience a variety of activities without the long
lines one would of expected for a cruise ship that houses 3800 +
guests.
Three main dining rooms, Swan Lake, Coppelia and The Nutcracker,
which are actually all part of one three-story venue offer
traditional assigned seating dining. For breakfast and lunch,
it's open seating. Windjammer and Jade offer a sumptuous buffet,
with Jade featured some very innovative Asian/ Fusion cuisine
that would delight anyone's palate with the subtle flavors of
the Orient. At dinner time, Windjammer and Jade are a casual
alternative to the dining room. We thought the wait staff
service was good and the food was well prepared, the
presentation consistent and the choices plentiful. All
consistent with what you find at a fine-dining establishment
back home. If you visit the Royal Promenade, you will find
pastries in the morning, sandwiches, pizza and deserts at night
as well as Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Berringer Wines. At
Johnny Rockets, the 50's themed diner style restaurant features
red naugahyde booths, Formica counters, a jukebox, signature
burgers, hot dogs, chili, french fries and onion rings. The food
here is included. All you pay for are Cokes, and ice cream
shakes.
For an upcharge of $20.00 per person you can dine at either
Portofino, an Italian specialty restaurant or choose Chops
Grille, A New York style restaurant featuring a high quality
steakhouse menu. Make your reservations as soon as you get
onboard cruise or you may never get the opportunity to enjoy it.
If you get a sweet-tooth or hunger pains ( How could you? ) at
2:00AM, no problem. Navigator offers a limited room service menu
available round-the-clock.
Visit the Connoisseur's Club where you can enjoy aperitifs and
fine cigars or stop by the Champagne Bar, An elegant but cozy
atmosphere to share a glass of wine or champagne. As wine
lover's we enjoyed Vintages, the first totally dedicated wine
bar afloat. Here you can savor wines from the world's finest
wine producing regions featuring Robert Mondavi and Beringer,
with wine appreciation programs. The staff is well versed in the
history and education of wines. Wine tasting can highlighted the
essences of wine and the staff helped pick the right kind of
wine for us. On the Royal Promenade you'll find the Two Poet's
British style pub and Cafe' Promenade that features Seattle's
Best Coffee. Then there is Schooner Piano Bar, and Bolero's an
upscale 'Latin Lounge" featuring composers of Bolero's and other
popular rhythms of the 50's and 60's. Plus there are a number of
Bars scattered throughout the ship.
The Navigator of the Seas' Library has one of the largest
collection of books I have ever seen on a cruise ship. We were
able to surf the net and check our e-mail at Royal Caribbean
Online. ( 20 work stations available at an extra charge )
On the upper decks you will find two main pools and an
adults-only pool at the Solarium. Workout at the Shipshape
Fitness center or the Spa. Here you will find spinning bikes and
free weights, treadmills, cross trainers, bicycles, weight
machines and a thalassotherapy pool. The ShipShape Spa has an
ocean-view salon, massage rooms, and a relaxation area with
ocean view.
Send the kids to Club Ocean with what Royal Caribbean calls the
world's largest youth facility afloat. There is Navigator Dunes,
a nine-hole miniature golf course, roller blade course, Jogging
track, full-size basketball court, golf simulator and towering
200 feet above the sea a rock climbing wall designed to
challenge experts and beginners alike. ( Too scary for us- no
guts, no glory )
In the Viking Crown Lounge, we found the Cosmopolitan Jazz Club,
a great cosy lounge for drinks and good vibes. There is also a
Card Room, 19th Hole Golf Bar and Navigator has a Wedding Chapel
that can accommodate 60 guests.
We had a balcony stateroom with twin beds that can be converted
to queen size bed, private bathroom, phone, closed-circuit
television, mini bar and a hair dryer. No complaints here. The
cabin was a good size, though not huge and the balcony really
added to the spacious feeling. Nothing beats a view of the sea
and the stars at 1:00AM. Very romantic.
There are 1,500+ staterooms of which over 900 are ocean view and
of those, 0ver 700 have a balcony/verandah. There are also
interior cabins, with over a hundred of those with a window that
overlooks the Promenade. The cabins have twin beds that can be
converted to queen-size. If you bring your own laptop you can
hook-up right in your cabin to internet access at an extra
charge. If you are looking to go over the top, check out the
Royal Suite: a separate bedroom with king-size bed, private
balcony with a hot tub, whirlpool bath, living room, wet bar,
dining area, tv/dvd entertainment system and a baby grand piano.
Broadway style show productions at held at Metropolis. In "Now &
Forever", the cast performs music and dance from such shows as
Dreamgirls, The Producers, and Mamma Mia. An ice extravaganza in
Studio B on Deck 3,"Ice Dancin'," features an international cast
including Russian, Canadian and American skaters. Great show.
You will need a ticket to see the show as space is limited. At
other times, there is open skating for guests. There is singing
and dancing in The Ixtapa Lounge, and a variety of musical
choices at venues throughout the ship ranging from classical,
rock, country western, and jazz.
A really fun to watch experience is the Mardi-Gras Parade where
-- jugglers, comics, costumed characters and other performers
parade through the Royal Promenade and perform for you.
Adventure Ocean, Royal Caribbean's youth program is a great
expereince for your kids. There is a 22,000 sq.ft.area that
includes computer stations with activities divided into age
groups:(1)three to five year olds,(2)six to eight year
olds,(3)nine to eleven year olds, and(4)teens; twelve to
fourteeen and fifteen and seventeen. You will find an art
studio, large play area, themed events, and science programs.
Adventure Art by Crayola projects...and a lot more activites,
too numerious to mention here.
Navigator has an outdoor area for teen parties with music and
food service. Fuel is the teen disco, complete with dance floor
and Internet Caf. Teens also can hang out at The Living
Room....or play games in the video arcade.
Baby-sitting is available.
Overall, we give Navigator of the Seas an 8 ( out of a possible
perfect 10 ). We think Navigator is a great for honeymooners,
couples and families and especially for groups. There's plenty
of room and lots to do for everyone.
About the author:
Travel Professional