8562 is nice but there was obvious aging in the bathroom, mostly. The faucet was no longer very shiny and had patina marks. There was rust along the bottom frame of the bathroom door. Our toilet seat had a brown stain on the front that would not come off. The toilet had black stains that appear to be permanent since they remained for the duration of our cruise. The wall cabinet had obvious age marks along the bottom. The cabin has a king bed with overhead Pullman and a sofa bed. Our coffee table was missing. On the plus side, the cabin felt pretty spacious. The balcony has an actual table instead of the little side table. Other than the age issues, the cabin is fine. We slept really well. The only noise really was the very loud baby in the room next to us.

Our guide gave us a mini tour by pointing out points of interest along the way. We got to the hike location and got another mini tour of an old sugar mill. Our guide, Al, is very proud of his country, as he should be, and spent some time explaining local culture and traditions. During the hike, he pointed out many local plants and explained how they are used. The scenery during the hike was beautiful and the natural setting is pristine. We had a monkey sighting but they were on the side of a mountain across from where we were. Al said that they would avoid us if they could and that's apparently what they were doing. 

We did not see any waterfalls, just a few streams. Earlier, Al mentioned that there was a drought in the Caribbean. This may explain the lack of waterfalls. He stopped frequently to explain certain sights to us. Our almost 7 year old was with us and a few older people. The breaks were appreciated. We made our way off the hiking trail and back to our starting point. Al provided a local raisin tart and ginger juice as refreshments. He then walked us over to the botanical gardens at Romney Manor, which are a beautiful and tranquil setting. In the midst of it is Caribelle Batik. When you walk in, there are two ladies demonstrating the batik making process. The rest of the building is a gift shop where you can buy assorted items made with their batik patterns.

The distance for the tour itself is pretty short. It just goes around to the back of the Fort Morro. The boat goes very slowly, however. The tour is just under an hour. It may be longer if there is a larger group. During the ride, our guide, Nelson, stopped at certain points along the way to tell us facts about the island and its history. Nelson explained how the fort helped protect early inhabitants from invaders and cannibals. He also pointed out interesting sites around the fort as well. On the way back, Nelson was kind enough to let our son sit in the captain's chair and help steer the boat. He was thrilled to bits. When he wrote the summary of our trip for school, that was all he wanted to write about. Overall, this was a great experience. San Juan Water Tours is a very professional operation. Shore Excursioneer is questionable. Read my full review for more info on our experience with Shore Excursioneer.

If you're like me and find the cabin numbering confusing, it may mean more walking to get back to one of the two opportunities you have to cross to the other side of the ship if you find yourself wandering around on the wrong side.On one hand, we had a good time but we have pretty much decided we won’t sail on this RCI class ship again.

Navigator of the Seas Review

Well, The Ports Were Fun

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Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Balcony

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