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Enjoyable short cruise with family 

Hong Kong

We chose this cruise to get an extra 4 C&A points to boost us up to Diamond/Celebrity Elite for booking upcoming cruises. Also, we had not been to Catalina or Ensenada before, so this was a reasonable choice of itinerary. Our dates were constrained as well, so we settled on early November for this cruise.

We booked our own flights, and arrived with minimal time due to a 2 hour delay arriving at LAX. At least we had booked the RCI transfer, so they waited for us to arrive. We boarded easily and settled into our cabin. 

We bid for an upgrade and got a slightly larger cabin for not a lot more money. We won't know if this was worthwhile or not, but we probably could have saved some money by sticking with our original cabin.

The first day was at-sea, because we had to go all of 26 miles from LA to Catalina. In fact, we sailed into Mexican waters because the US Navy was doing some drills near San Diego and our captain (wisely) decided to avoid the area. It was windy, so the pool and hot tubs were not very busy.

The second day in Catalina was much nicer, with less wind. We skipped the shore excursions and wandered around town on our own. 

The third day in Ensenada was nice also. We opted for a tour of La Bufadora from the company providing a low-cost shuttle into town. (It was less expensive than the RCI shore excursion, only $20 per person in cash.)

The My Time dining was disappointing, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The service was very slow; we sometimes waited 30 minutes between courses and spent 2 hours total for dinner. We ordered champagne to use our 50% off two drinks per person (Emerald benefit) but the champagne was flat by the time it was served. We sent it back, but the second order was flat also. We got a refund for the drinks from guest services, and tried again the last night of the cruise. Same thing. Eventually, they brought a full bottle and opened it at the table to make sure we got a decent glass. However, since they never brought a bill for any drinks ordered with dinner, we had no way to know we had been charged full price. I had to get this adjusted after we returned.

We did not try the specialty restaurants at all... too expensive for what we would get. We opted instead for a nice lunch in Avalon on Catalina Island. Some of the casual venues, like Playmakers sports bar, charged extra for all of their bar snacks (wings, chips, etc.). They had nothing that was complimentary. Johnny Rockets was extra cost as well. There were only a few places where you could eat for no extra cost, which was fine for a 3-4 night cruise but would get tiring quickly on a longer itinerary. RCI used to have promos everywhere for the drink and specialty dining packages. These have disappeared, but they still nickel and dime you every time you want something more than just the basics. I think they could easily include a few more things in the cost.

We did not get the beverage package (at $109 per person per day plus 18% gratuity), figuring that we'd just pay for what we ordered. They offered a 25% discount per person on the second day, which would still have cost $79 per person plus gratuity. Buying by the glass only cost us $300 total, far less than the package. (Next cruise, when we are Diamond, we will get four $14 drinks per person per day for free, which will help immensely with the extra cost.) The drinks were good quality overall.

The pool area was decent, though the hot tubs were always overcrowded. The pool area has cabanas to rent, but the price seemed exorbitant ($300-ish for the 4-night cruise). No deal.

The cruise director and staff were enthusiastic and fun. They improved the experience overall, but the officers and staff were not present on deck during the cruise. Yes, I know they have duties, but other lines find a way for the officers to be out with the passengers and available for discussion. Likewise, the guest services people were present, but did not seem to be very helpful or interested.

We did not try the fitness center, spa or other services. We did not buy anything from the shops. The casino allowed smoking for the "active players" but there was too much smoke drifting from the Deck 4 casino up the stairs to the Promenade on deck 5. It made for an unpleasant walk sometimes from the front of the ship (shows) to the back (dining).

The ship felt shabby, worn and tired overall. It was launched in 2002 and some refurbishment was done in 2019. We noticed only that carpets had been replaced in the dining rooms. The cabins don't seem to have been renovated since the ship was built. The high-traffic areas like the elevators should be improved during every refurbishment cycle. It appears that the ship will get some additional work in spring 2024, but it's hard to know what they will change/improve.

Overall, this was average at best. Royal Caribbean is not competitive with even Norwegian, which we have sailed on very recently. I hope that we will do better on another line.

Tired ship, lackluster service, almost everything cost extra

We chose this cruise because we did the same itinerary on the same ship in October 2022.  It is hard to describe how much it has gone downhill in a year's time but here goes.  Embarkation was fine and moved at a swift pace as well as disembarkation.  The room attendant was awful.  Our room was not ready until 2 which is OK as long as everything is ready to go once we got in the room!  Once we got in the room we discovered we had no bathmat and no facial tissues.  We called housekeeping and they acted like they did not want to be bothered and had an attitude.  The room cleaning time was never consistent.  One day we were gone all day and came back to a dirty room.  We called housekeeping and they said she won't clean until 6 or 7 PM.  We had no clean towels left as we had thrown them all on the floor expecting to have the room cleaned while we were out all day.  Again, housekeeping acted like they could care less.  BTW there is no longer turndown service which we were fine with as long as the room was at least cleaned once a day!  Now on to Food.  In Oct 2022, the food was excellent on the buffet.   Fast forward to Oct 2023 and the rate at which the food has gone downhill is indescribable but I will try my best.  The buffet food was the same every day.  Virtually all of the food was tasteless, cold, and lacked quality and variety.  Meat which included chicken, "prime rib" and steak was all tough.  Breakfast was the same every day as well.  The pastries were the same selection every day and got progressively more stale as the cruise went on.  Scrambled eggs and omelets were right out of the freezer.  Desserts were all frozen.  Had a piece of red velvet cake one day and the amount of red food coloring was shocking!  I thought I had cut my gums open when I brushed my teeth afterwards.   Pizza station?  Forget about it!  None to be found unless you count the nasty pizza that appeared to be sitting out for days at a restaurant called the Promenade  The Mexican restaurant called El Loco Fresh is just as awful!  The nacho cheese was ice cold!  Johnny Rockets is the hamburger joint.  One day it was decent and the next it was like we went to a different place.  No flavor!  You have to pay for Johnny Rockets BTW.  One day we wanted to do room service which as a joke.  They never answered the phone!  If you want room service..good luck with that!  In all, this was an awful cruise and if I could give it less than one star I would.  Do not go on Royal Caribbean!  There are much better cruise lines to choose from.

Shockingly Disappointing

The ship is very old and the furniture is ripped and needs cleaning.  We were surprised how dirty the ship is. Carpet desperately needs cleaning. Service and all amenities are cut back. The cabin service has been cutting back. The Windjammer food is HORRIBLE. Cold burgers are served.  Most dishes are very tasteless. I really not looking forward to  the food on this ship.The specialty restaurants are expensive and not worth the money.

The service in the dinner room is however good. But the food served 

In the dining room is not tasty. The waitress and waiters can not do enough for you. Very kind. A reating.

I will not recommend this cruiseline.. 

Disappointed with Royal Caribbean cruises

First i want to say this was my 2nd cruise and my brother's 1st, carnival was much better. This cruise lacked things to do.  I requested 2 weeks in advance to have it noted that my BROTHER and I were cruising and to have the best already separated. They didn't. Out bathroom reaked of urine the whole time even after we sanitized it when we first arrived. The hallways were so narrow. I had an acct nowhere in the acct or via email did it say download the app it will have all that you need to know in that. I found that out day 2 mid day from 2 little old ladies that were our saving grace. We downloaded the app and everything went smoother there after. Breakfast wasn't great lunch was half way decent dinner was excellent every night. I didn't like how they tried to charge me for towels that EVERYONE left on the chairs not the ppl Givin the towels out nor a sign mentioned giving the towels back directly otherwise I wouldn't have left them in my seat. I caught it in time. I can only imagine how many people they get that don't check their charges until they leave. The wifi was not the greatest but it half way worked. Pedro at guest services was a delight he helped me get the app and showed me how to work it. He helped me twice and I want to mention him so if there are any incentives given to employees I would like him to receive them. Overall it was a decent time  royal caribbean goes alot of places id like to visit but I'm not sure if I'd try them again.

I read a review similar to mine so I know I'm not crazy now

The design of the casino on deck 5 just underneath the plaza makes it so that all the cigarette smoke rises up to the promenade. Bad ship design. I had to wear my mask the fist night as the smoke was too potent in the promenade it made it hard to breath. The music in the main pool on deck 11 was so loud I couldn't carry on a conversation with my spouse. It was definitely a party crowd as there were a few drunk folks stumbling around. I know it was supposed to be a family friendly cruise, but noticed more single folks ready to party than families. They only had one pool for kids and it was small and often crowded. They had 3 jacuzzi's in the main area and they were always full so found it hard to squeeze into. The mini golf was the best part, my son loved it but it needs maintenance. The food at the buffet felt like cafeteria food so we preferred the paid dining at Jamie's and the sushi restaurant. I preferred the food on Princess better, but it's been a while. Probably wouldn't do another royal cruise line unless I know the food is fantastic.

Not enough pools, music too loud and bad casino design.

This is my third sailing on Royal Caribbean and I would have to say the food quality has dropped off considerably. First time with a 3-day cruise, entertainment was good - the main theater show "Showgirls" was very good, the entertainment team was mixed. Jessica and Monica were very good. Playmakers staff was excellent, the bar tenders made some specialty drinks that were excellent. There buffalo wings had good flavor but the meat on the wings left something to be desired. This time we went with a budget room and it seems that our room attendant was budget also. Our last 2 cruises were on balcony rooms with very attentive and personable attendants. The main dining room staff was excellent _ Jenneive and her assistant were very good. The pizza from Cafe Promenade was better this time around, Freedom of the Seas was amazing. Our room on the second deck was in good shape. We did not bother with the fitness center this time. Although the same class as Freedom which has the gym on the upper deck near the bow, this ship seems to be an afterthought tucked away in the back.

Food quality on the downward trend.

Cruised on multiple cruise lines, been on 3 Royal Caribbean cruises including cruise on Oasis of the Seas. 

I must give five stars for the fantastic activities they offer, such as laser tag, ice skating, water slides, and boogie boarding. The staff overseeing these activities were truly amazing, and the pool deck lifeguards and water slide attendants were friendly and attentive.

Our balcony cabin is showing signs of wear and tear. You'll notice chips on the mirrors and in the restroom, as well as sticky tape residue left on the walls.  Our first-night request for a tissue box was forgotten, and despite being told it would take 20 minutes, it actually took over an hour to receive it

Unfortunately, the main dining room left much to be desired. When we went there for dinner on the second day, it was chaotic. If you have my-time dining, which we didn't realize we had since we have 5:30 pm dining on our cruise card, you get treated as a second-rate passenger. They call out your number like lottery and seat you all the way in the back, and the food is not appetizing at all. It was disappointing to find that the dining room food was of the same quality as an Windjammer buffet. Our experience at Hooked wasn't much better; the food there tasted fishy, and the manager wasn't very pleasant. However, the restaurant servers were great.

On a positive note, we received an animal towel every day from our room attendant. Overall, this cruise felt like a "one and done" experience for us. Having been on many Princess cruises before, I can confidently say that their food is far superior. Would I stay or recommend this ship? Probably not.

One and done!

Although it has been a while since we did a short cruise, we decided to do the 4 day Ensenada/Catalina Island run for a quick getaway. Unlike the 3 day weekend cruises, which are usually about the same price as the 4 day weekday cruise, the ship was not full of drunks and wild parties. The ship was in amazing shape and the crew was very friendly. Even with 3,685 passengers, out of a capacity of 3,900, the ship did not feel crowded except for the first lunch in the buffet which is normal for any cruise. 

In April, we sailed on a 7 day Carnival Panorama cruise and found that ship to have major smoke issues in, and near, the casino. Carnival also did not ask people to wash their hands, or use hand sanitizer, before entering the buffet. They  did have a few hand washing stations hidden in the buffet, but only twice in 7 days did we see them being used.  Royal Caribbean, on the other hand, has built in sinks in the hallway entering the buffet, and a employee (Mr. Washy Washy) stationed there to remind people to wash their hands. Royal Caribbean defiantly beats Carnival in the germ killing area. They also beat Carnival in the smoking area. Although smoke was noticeable in the casino, Royal Caribbean perfumed the area (a warning to anybody sensitive to perfume), and seemed to have a better air filter system. 

For future cruiser on the Navigator, a hint is that once you board the ship, go on the app and you can reserved the free ice skating, and free laser tag, activities. Also, while in port, both of the waterslides, and Flowrider, remain open. With most of the people off the ship, it is a great time to use these items with no lines. Another hint is to walk deck 4 to the front of the ship and you will find yourself on the helipad. 

Our favorite bar was the Bamboo Room followed by the Schooner Bar. Their cocktail selections were amazing. Prices ranged from $12-15 per drink. For the Bamboo Room, try the On The Run (rum with watermelon juice and some other minor items) which is served in a fun to go bag instead of a traditional glass. 

Although food is subjective, we found the food to be tasty and presented well. The pizza served on the ship is thin crust.  The taco bar on the pool deck was great for a quick taco, or for some nachos. It is near the free ice cream station. 

With two water slides, Flowrider, rock climbing, ice skating, laser tag, an escape room (additional charge), pools, hot tubs, and mini golf, we were never at a loss of what to do. Defiantly will keep an eye out for another 4 day cruise on the Navigator in the future.  It is great having Royal Caribbean back in Los Angeles.

4 day quick getaway 

This is the absolute worst cruise I have ever been on. The crew is absolutely rude, every member I have been unfortunate to run into. The ship is old and dusty, extremely gross staterooms. Extremely unorganized, and unprofessional. I highly suggest anyone to avoid this ship, or better yet the entire cruise line. Norwegian far excels in EVERY aspect over Royal Caribbean. Do NOT make the mistake of taking this cruise line, especially this ship. They also don’t warn you in their contract of carriage that you could be stuck on their ship after embarkation without paying a ridiculous sum in taxes to leave. I want nothing more than to get off this ship since day 2, and all I have been given was rude responses from their staff and told I would have to pay nearly a thousand dollars just to get away from this help they call a vacation cruise.

TERRIBLE

6th cruise and 1st on Royal Carribean.  This was a 4 night quickie to Ensenada and the previous 5 were week long cruises with 4 on Norwegian and 1 on MSC.  The trip was good, Ensenada better than expected, and our 1st Royal cruise had some things better than any we had cruised and some not so good.  Head to head?  Royal vs NCL on our previous ships (MSC was not good, so leaving them out).

Balcony Room-  Edge to Royal, a bit bigger.  

Pool area-  Royal takes it over NCL.  Way better design and the hot tubs were great.

Bars and bartender service-  This is a draw, both NCL and Royal do a good job in this area

Main Dining Room Food-  NCL kicks Royal to the curb here.  We ate one night in the main dining room and the steak looked like a thick cut of beef jerky and took 90 minutes.  We ate at the buffet after that, which was decent and maybe a tiny bit better than NCL's main dining.  Main dining on Royal was a joke, even worse than MSC.  The previous 4 NCL cruises?  All four?  Pretty good to really good main dining experiences with quality of food.

Upgraded restaurant (hooked seafood on Navigator of the Seas)-  Excellent, but so is Cagney's and the French Restaurant on NCL.  Both get 9 or 10 stars.

Live Music-  NCL wins this one.  Syds Pourhouse is the best entertainment you can find for live music on any cruise.  Royal did ok here with some decent music, but nothing like Syd's Pourhouse

Embarkent and Debarkment (getting on and off)-  By a landslide the LA to Ensenad was the quickest I have seen in six cruises.  Not sure if that is because Royal always does better here, or just the port, but Royal wins easily in this one.

Overall?  The 4 day ensenada cruise on Royal was fun and worth the money.  Would do it again.  For a week long cruise, Royal vs NCL?  It really is a coin flip, NCL better in some ways, royal better in others (MSC?  Don't waste your money).

The Good, the Bad and comparisons to NCL

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