Wonderful company we could not fault. (Royal Caribbean International)

Member Name: Densiegirl

Product:	Royal Caribbean International
Date:	28/03/09 (18 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great holiday with variety and the option of a touch of formality or keeping it casual.

Disadvantages: Can be tiring if you try and do too many excursions.

The ship we sailed in was Navigator of the Seas and we could not fault it. This ship is one of the Voyager class and is one of the larger ships. It has a good choice of bars, restaurants, shops, an ice rink, theatre, rock climbing, 9 hole mini golf course, spa and fitness areas, basketball court, swimming pools, jacuzzies, childrens areas and clubs.

It was our first cruise and we went with another couple. We chose a five night cruise as we were uncertain if cruising was for us, and the girls in particular, were slightly anxious about being sea sick, we weren't though did feel a little wobbly when back on dry land at the end of the trip (although this may have been due to an inner ear infection). We did encounter some less pleasant weather, but as the ship is so big you could not really feel it - and I do get seasick!

I booked online with Royal Caribbean's own website and found it very easy to use. You can pick your own cabin. We opted for a balcony stateroom and our friends went for the cheaper promanade stateroom. The price difference was about £200. We were able to ensure our rooms were on the same floor and not too far from each other. We booked our own flights through Globespan and saved a little this way. We also opted to spend a night at either end of our cruise in Barcelona where our cruise began and ended. This worked very well for us.

When you arrive at the check in point your luggage is swept away and delivered to your stateroom. There was a long queue to check in but this moved fairly smoothly as they had plenty of receptionists.

You have your photo taken as you board - this is one of the many opportunities you have to be photographed, you do not have to buy them but they are a nice momento. You are also given your boarding card which you keep with you at all times and need to get on and off the ship. Anything you purchase on the ship is charged to your room so you just show your card.

We were pleasantly surprised with our stateroom and our luggage was already waiting for us, though they do advise it may take up to a couple of hours to arrive. The room was a good size with a 6 foot bed, table and chairs, dressing table, plenty of well thought out storage and a small but adequate ensuite. Every space is used thoughtfully and we had loads of room to unpack cases. We also had the private balcony with 2 chairs and a table. Our friends room was of a similar size and overlooked the promenade - an indoor street running through the ship. None of us had any complaints about the rooms, and were not bothered by any noise from the neighbouring rooms which were occupied and were all happy with what we had paid for our respective rooms.

There is a welcome buffet laid on when you have checked in, this is just the start of constantly available food, which was of very high standard. This is an American ship so the food is slightly more geared to American tastes, but there is a huge choice. We mainly ate in the buffet restaurant or in the evening ate at our preassigned table in the more formal dining room (dress code was casual but smart, and suit/kilt for men and dress/smart outfit for the women on the formal night). We opted for the later sitting which was 9pm as this gave us time to recover from our day trips. Both these eating options are included in the cost of your cruise. There are other restaurants available with a small supplement, but we had so much choice we didn't see the point in spending extra.

We enjoyed all the entertainment onboard, our headline act was the Drifters. The shows were good and there are ice shows also. You are given a daily newsletter detailing all the entertainments etc and there is a very varied choice to suit all tastes. It is up to you how much you avail yourself of this, there was no pressure to join in with anything.

We booked a trip through the ship to go to Monaco from Cannes, our guide was not great and our coach was late back, but because the ship had organised it they had to wait for us.

At Livorno we took a taxi to Pisa along with some others from the ship. The driver waited for 2 hours there and then took us back to the ship, you dont pay the driver until you return. This worked out cheaper than the ship organised excursion.

At Civitavecchia we organised to be met with our own driver for a private trip in a Mercedes people carrier. As there was only 4 of us this worked out slightly more expensive that the organised trips, but if there was a group of 6 it would work out around the same if not fractionally cheaper. This was well worth the money. We were driven right up to all the main attractions in Rome, our driver could obtain tickets that could fastrack the queues (these were in addition to the tour cost), this was especially useful at the Colesseum and the Vatican. We virtually covered the majority of the tourist attractions in Rome in a day - this was over 10 hours though! The company we used was discoveryguidedtours.com, our driver was great and answered any questions we had, he also had plenty bottles of water to keep us going and could recommend places to eat etc. They also tailor made the tour to suit your interests. I would highly recomment this option, but be aware that with any excursion you undertake on your own the ship will not wait for you if you are late back. He informed us that they are insured so that if they do not get you back to the ship in time they are liable. We prebooked this, and you although if the ship cannot dock due to inclement weather you will not be charged.

It is possible to cruse without spending a lot more than your original cruise cost as so much is included. However if you want to take advantage of the many varied excursions, on board shops, photos, alcoholic drinks etc you will have a bill to pay at the end of your trip. The charges are in dollars so if the exchange rate is good it's not too bad, but in the present climate this will be more costly. We felt that the extras on board were quite fairly priced.

Overall we could not fault our cruise and would definately recommend it. If you want to keep costs down stick to the free soft drinks, just wander around in the ports you dock in and dont get carried away with souveniers! The staff throughout the ship were excellent, especially our room attendant and waiters, you can prepay your tips which is useful and you then get vouchers at the end of your trip to give to the staff you wish to reward. You will have an early start on your last morning as you are off the ship very early, but we were impressed by how well organised this was.

I would recommend trying this type of holiday as it is great for all ages and especially a large group of mixed ages. Don't let worrying about sea sickness stop you as there is a doctor on board and they can provide you with medication should you require it. As I said I am not a good sailor and I was fine. The midnight buffet and disco on the top deck is great fun and you will forget you are in the middle of the sea. It is lovely to see a place, spend your evening on a floating luxury hotel and awaken to a whole new vista in the morning.

Summary: Excellent service, great cruise line which I would highly recommend.