Navigator of the Seas is the fourth in Royal Caribbean's Voyager Class, the biggest vessels in the world. With so much to see and do onboard, you may soon wish you had booked back-to-back cruises. Like her sisters, Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, and Voyager of the Seas, Navigator sports some of the industry's most amazing features: A rock-climbing wall; an ice-skating rink; an indoor, mall-like promenade; a basketball court; and an in-line skating track.

Although she is definitely a member of the Voyager family, Navigator has her own look and amenities. She has more exterior glass (in balcony cabins) than her predecessors. She also has such features as a wine bar for appreciation and entertainment, expanded youth facilities, a new Plaza area with a variety of dining options (both no-fee and fee), the first Latin jazz bar at sea (mojitos, anyone?), and the first sea-going Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlor. Active cruisers of any age will love Navigator of the Seas.

Of the total 1,557 cabins, 939 have ocean views. Of those, 707 have balconies (balconies featuring more glass and being more open, airy, and slightly larger than on other Voyager-class ships). There are 618 inside cabins, but of those, 138 offer Promenade views. Cabins are tastefully decorated in pleasing tones with fine light woods and art on the walls; ours was done in restful greens and beige. All cabins have beds that convert to queen-sized configurations, minibars, hair dryers, televisions with closed-circuit and satellite programming options, telephones, and individually controlled air conditioning. Each cabin provides unlimited Internet access for guests who have a laptop onboard; the charge is $100 for a seven-day cruise.

There are a dozen categories of suites culminating in a lavish Royal Suite, with everything needed to navigate in the lap of luxury: A separate bedroom with king-sized bed, private balcony with hot tub, spacious bathroom with whirlpool, living room with sofabed, wet bar, dining table, entertainment center, and yes, even a baby grand piano. The top categories of suites—Royal, Owner's, Royal Family, and Grand Ocean View—provide guests with access to the Concierge Club on Deck 9, which can be used for spa and dining reservations and shore excursion bookings.

If sparkling sea breezes make you hungry, then there is an ocean of options to satisfy your appetite. A new dining venue for Royal Caribbean is the line's first Asian fusion restaurant, Jade. The restaurant is housed within the Plaza area (a new area on Voyager-class ships, with a bar and dining options) on Deck 11. Jade is a no-fee, buffet-style restaurant, serving dishes from Southeast Asia, from Bangkok to Beijing. Such dishes as shredded vegetables in lemon sauce, Japanese sushi, and Chinese wontons made for a quick, exotic, and delicious lunches. Passengers can enjoy a pre-dinner sake, tea, or traditional cocktail at the Plaza Bar at the entrance to the Plaza area, with its backdrop of cascading water.

The three-story main dining room—each of its three levels is named after a famous ballet: Swan Lake, Coppelia, and The Nutcracker—is exquisite, with a warm and welcoming color scheme in burgundy and gold, a grand staircase, and a bronze sculpture of a dancer. Dinner is served in two traditional seatings, while breakfasts and lunches are open seating. Service was outstanding, with great attention to detail. Vegetarian and ShipShape items (low in fat and cholesterol) are featured.

There aren't too many tables for two in the dining room, but those who wish to dine à deux have a variety of options in the alternative dining venues. Two charge fees of $20 per person. The first of these is Chops Grille, located on Deck 11 in the Plaza area. Before this, Chops was only seen on Royal Caribbean's Radiance-class ships. The restaurant serves traditional steakhouse fare including steaks and chops, salmon, family-style mashed potatoes, and sinful desserts such as Rudi's Cheesecake.

The second alternative venue is Portofino, also in the Plaza area. Portofino is found on all Voyager-class ships, and is a romantic, oceanview venue, serving Northern Italian cuisine, from an antipasto appetizer to tiramisu for dessert. Johnny Rockets, located on Deck 12, is yet another dining alternative, this one no fee. The restaurant features family favorites such as big juicy burgers, French fries, and thick shakes. My mouth is watering just remembering a late afternoon snack there.

But this is not all. The Windjammer Café on Deck 11 in the Plaza area serves buffet-style breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, and dinner. The various stations make it easy to expeditiously get your choices for a meal. These include salads/sandwiches/soups, meat carvery, entrées, burgers, breads, thirst quenchers, and frozen yogurts. As part of Royal Caribbean's new Golden Anchor Standard of service, waiters come around the Windjammer offering coffee, iced tea, and lemonade to diners. A nice touch, as you don't have to make a second trip or juggle drinks with your food.

The Café Promenade is a good spot for a quick breakfast, lunch, or snack. This no-fee sidewalk café serves fruits, rolls, sandwiches, pizza, cookies, and other goodies, as well as espressos made with Seattle's Best Coffee, and is a great place for people watching as it is located on the Royal Promenade. Steps away is Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop, with 16 of the company's famous flavors. A small cup of ice cream is $2.50, a medium cup is $3.25, and a large cup is $4; add $1 for a waffle cone. If you are watching your expenses, next door to Ben & Jerry's is Sprinkles, a free frozen yogurt station.

Still hungry you say? There is always 24-hour room service, offering a variety of meals and snacks. For breakfast there is a special menu complete with egg dishes, and during lunch and dinner, guests can order from the dining room menus.

Soda/juice packages
Royal Caribbean offers a fountain soda/juice package for both adults and children. Packages are available for purchase at all bars and lounges the day of embarkation. Stickers are placed on boarding cards and allow consumption of unlimited fountain sodas (no cans) and juice (orange, grapefruit, pineapple, and cranberry) at all restaurants, bars and lounges, and private destinations (CocoCay and Labadee). Purchasers also receive a complimentary Coca-Cola® souvenir cup.

Drink packages are currently priced at $6 per day for adults, $4 per day for children, and are applicable to the total days of the cruise. Gratuities are not included in the price. Alcoholic drink packages are no longer offered on Royal Caribbean cruises.

An $8.5 million art collection graces Navigator, with a mind-boggling 2,213 art pieces in her public spaces. The Royal Promenade, a sort of horizontal atrium, is the heart of the ship. It is ideal for people watching, and has the feel of a festive mall. A shopping, dining, and entertainment boulevard, it is four decks tall, longer than a football field, and anchored by two atria. On special nights, the Royal Promenade comes alive with street entertainment including jugglers, magicians, and mimes. At 12:30 AM it sets the scene for a fun Mardi Gras parade with music from various parts of the world... anyone for cha-cha or samba? Monumental sculptures adorn each atrium, including our favorite work of art onboard: Aquaria, by American sculptor Larry Kirkland. This spectacular sculpture, spanning the 11 levels of the Centrum atrium, has 6,000 shimmering, hand-gilded spheres inspired by the bubbles produced by scuba divers.

An assortment of lounges include such intimate enclaves as the Champagne Bar, Vintages (a wine bar in association with Robert Mondavi and Beringer Blass Wine Estates, with wine appreciation programs for both novices and aficionados), and the Two Poets Pub. You'll also find larger venues, like the Mayan-themed Ixtapa nightclub and the hallmark Viking Crown, here segmented into The Cosmopolitan Club, Cloud Nine Lounge, 19th Hole bar, and the Seven Hearts game room.

Other public spaces include an intimate, oceanview wedding chapel for 60 guests on Deck 15, and the Vegas-style Casino Royale (with a New Orleans theme), featuring nearly 300 slots, eight blackjack tables, three Caribbean Stud Poker tables, three roulette wheels, and a craps table. There's also a library and a cyber lounge (royalcaribbeanonline) with 19 computer stations. The charge is 50¢ per minute, and a flat surcharge of $4.95 per transmission to send a video postcard.

Like all Royal Caribbean ships, there are no self-service launderettes, so pack accordingly.

You'll find entertainment options galore, including Broadway-style productions like Now & Forever, featuring the 14 Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers performing music from such shows as Dreamgirls, The Producers, Mamma Mia, and Fosse. Variety shows are presented in the 1,350-seat, art deco style Metropolis Theater. This show lounge is elegant with such art deco touches as stylized, elongated female figures on the curtain; typical wall sconces; and skyscrapers in a sunburst pattern on the ceiling. An ice extravaganza in Studio B on Deck 3, "Ice Dancin'," features an international cast including Russian, Canadian, and American skaters. It received a standing ovation during our sailing.

There is piano music in the signature, nautical-themed Schooner Bar. Latin jazz with a side of "mojitos" and other popular Latin drinks beckon in Boleros. The Ixtapa Lounge has karaoke and theme-night parties. Smokers will enjoy the Connoisseur Club, a cigar lounge housed within the Ixtapa Lounge. You can sample a pint or two at the Two Poets Pub, within sight of portraits of such luminaries as Dickens and Thackeray. Or sip bubbly at the Champagne Bar. There is smooth live jazz at the Cosmopolitan Club in the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 14, and sports fans can head to 19th hole, the sports bar.

Not tired yet? A popular late nightspot is The Dungeon, the two-story disco with a décor evocative of medieval Europe.

One of our favorite areas onboard was the Solarium, a pleasant enclave themed to Tuscany, with a pool, fountain, two Jacuzzis, bar, and lots of chaise lounges facing the sea. Décor elements include greenery, bronze horses, and murals inspired by the Tuscan countryside of Italy. The adjacent ShipShape Center on Deck 11 features a mirrored, oceanview aerobics area with spinning bikes and free weights, and an oceanview gym with 20 Lifefitness treadmills, 14 Lifefitness elliptical cross trainers, six recumbent bicycles, four stationary bicycles, Lifefitness weight machines and steppers, additional free weights, and a round thalassotherapy pool. A stereo system and television monitors provide entertainment while you work out.

The ShipShape Spa on Deck 12 is where they spell relaxation with a capital R. This is a serene oasis with an oceanview salon, 14 massage rooms, one dry floatation room, a Rasul suite, and an oceanview relaxation area.

Other fitness and recreational facilities include a jogging track (five times around equals one mile); an outdoor sports deck complete with miniature golf and golf simulator; a full-length sports court for basketball, paddle ball, and volleyball; a curvy in-line skating track; and, of course, the awesome rock-climbing wall, extending 200 feet above the sea. Are you game? If not, it's fun just to watch!

Royal Caribbean's youth programs are second to none, but in Navigator of the Seas, they have really outdone themselves. The Adventure Ocean facilities on Deck 12 have been expanded to a whopping 22,000 square feet. That's 6,000 square feet more than on any other Royal Caribbean ship!

Areas for 3- to 5-year-olds include a section with seven computer stations, a new art studio area, and an ocean liner themed play area. A room for 6- to 8-year-olds that has been quadrupled in size from previous Voyager-class ships features seven computer stations, themed evenings, Adventure Science (including an exploding volcano), and Adventure Art by Crayola projects including making masks from a variety of regions of the world. A section for 9- to 11-year-olds includes seven computer stations, five flat-screen televisions, and such activities as Survivor Night, conducted by the year-round counselor staff of 14 (which is beefed up with two more for school holiday periods).

Teens have three special areas to hang out in, and their program has been sensibly divided into two age groups: 12- to 14-year-olds and 15- to 17-year-olds. Instead of having an Adventure Beach area with a waterslide, which is found on previous Voyager-class ships (and which Royal Caribbean found was underused), Navigator has a Back Deck, an outdoor area for teen parties with music and buffets. Fuel is the teen disco, complete with dance floor, Internet Café with eight stations, four flat-screen televisions, and a bar for nonalcoholic drinks (see Dining for information on soda/juice packages). As if all this was not enough, teens also have The Living Room, a place to hang out during the day, with games, books, a flat-screen television, futuristic furniture, and an Internet Café with seven stations. This last place is so cool that counselors have to politely chase many adults away! A large video arcade is nearby, as is Johnny Rockets, to satisfy the teen appetite with burgers, French fries, shakes, and other goodies.

Group babysitting is available 10 PM–1 AM in Adventure Ocean. Cost is $5 per child, per hour. Children must be at least three years old and fully toilet trained; no diapers or pull-ups. In-cabin babysitting is available through Guest Relations and must be booked at least 24 hours in advance. Children must be at least six months old. The charge is $8 per hour, in cash, for up to two children within the same family, and $10 per hour for a maximum of three children in the same family. There is a two-hour minimum requirement.

The average passenger age is early 40s, with people from all walks of life and a good mix of couples, singles, and families.

Royal Caribbean recommends $3.50 per person, per day to your cabin attendant; $3.50 pp/pd to your dining room waiter; and $2 pp/pd to your assistant waiter. Gratuities for the head waiter are left to guests' discretion.

One option is to have a charge of $9.75 per person, per day automatically charged to your account and distributed among the dining room and in-cabin service staff.

Casual is the key word during the day. There are two formal nights when dark suits and cocktail dresses predominate. On other evenings, most guests don country club casual attire.

• Cruise line - Royal Caribbean
• Ship name - Navigator of the Seas
• Type of cruise - Casual
• Total cabins - 1557
• Private balcony cabins - 757
• Decks - 14
• Total crew - 1176
• Passenger capacity - 3114
• Ship size - Large
• Officers nationality - Norwegian
• Year entered service - 2002
• Registry - Bahamas
• Ship length - 1020
• Tonnage - 142,000

Copyright 2005, The Independent Traveler, Inc. All rights reserved.