Cruising

I believe that vacationing on cruise ships may be one of the best things I have ever experienced, and I am not the only one who thinks this way. The blog I chose to write about was an informative and opinionated review of a cruise that a woman (Alice) and her family took on the ship Navigator of the Seas. The review can be found at www.cruisecritic.com, and is simply titled "Royal Caribbean International, Navigator of the Seas". Alice tells about their journey traveling to their port of call, Miami, and boarding the ship. Once onboard they explored the ship and went to find their cabin. She explains the experience that they had onboard, the shows, food, entertainment, the staff, the ports of call and the things they liked.

I enjoyed reading this review, because I too liked many of the same things her and her family found interesting or enjoyable on the boat, and have cruised on the same ship. There was one thing I found very different about our travel experiences. In the beginning of the blog, Alice says that she and her family did not have to wait long in the lines of the pier terminal. Maybe they got there at a slower time than we did, but of all the four times I have been on a cruise; the lines have always been very long in the terminal. The last cruise I went on was by far the worst. My family and I stood in line until our whole body went numb with boredom. I was so excited to get on the boat that I felt like a child trying to sleep the night before Christmas; you never can, and the minutes feel like hours because you are so anxious. When comparing my experience with hers, I can relate to almost everything, and feel the same way.

Like the author, my family and I had to wear very casual clothes to dinner the same day we boarded the ship, since the luggage does not usually arrive until 6:30 or so, which can be a hassle if you packed something you needed right away in it. At dinner, I too found our waiter to be magnificent, and was always there to be of help or service. There is not just the main dining area, there are also other restaurants as well such as Johnny Rockets. "Johnny Rockets was a dinner choice one night, but it wasn’t what we expected, so we didn’t return". Unlike the author and her family, I enjoyed eating at Johnny Rockets and went there several times. The Windjammer buffet was another dining option. My family and I ate there everyday. We would go there for breakfast, lunch, and even sometimes dinner if we missed our dining time. "Lunches were usually in the Windjammer mainly due to time restraints", which seemed to play a role in Alice’s experience too when they would dine there.

There are countless activities on the ship like a rock climbing wall, golf, swimming pools, the casino, and other bar activities. I enjoyed the experience of the rock climbing wall and even losing in putt-putt. The author and her husband liked playing the slots in the casino, which I will admit had me addicted most of the cruise. The different activities and trivia games offered in the bars were also very amusing to my family and I, as well as by Alice. Her children were not allowed to roam the ship alone because they thought it would create too much trouble such as; disturbing guests, or staff; which I believe is not true. I understand not letting her younger ten and twelve year olds explore alone, but I believe her sixteen year old should be allowed. I would wander alone on the ship all the time when I was sixteen and it never lead to too much trouble. Besides at night there aren’t too many things to get into when you are sixteen. The teen club closes, and the adult club checks i.d’s.

A thought of the author’s that I do agree with is the fact that the staff on the ship is very friendly. I met some great crew members onboard on my previous cruise. We actually hung out and even exchanged emails so we could stay in touch. The shows and entertainment on the boat were incredible. Alice tells about how her children enjoyed seeing them, and how she loved the Love and Marriage show. I first saw this show on my last cruise and also found it to be a hoot. Tears were streaming down my face I was laughing so hard. The author then tells about the ports of call and what they did on each island. I was in total agreement with her belief that St.Thomas is very beautiful. The water is crystal clear, and the shopping is always fun.

Disembarking the ship was always a sad day for me. It meant vacation was over, but the process of leaving the ship is well organized and easy. Like the author I LOVED the ship and would definitely return to it and would recommend it to anyone!