Our 8 night cruise to the Western Caribbean departed from Ft. Lauderdale on March 28th. We initially booked our airfare through Regent but learned that we could book it ourselves with a savings of almost 50%. Flying from the west coast requires an overnight stay in Ft. Lauderdale so we booked into Embassy Suites - a short drive from the airport (note: most things in Ft. Lauderdale are near both the airport and the port).

We were very happy with the accommodations which included free internet access in the lobby and a full breakfast. Across the street is a pub, Waxy O'Connor's where we had a good meal and a nice Guinness! The hotel is walking distance to a supermarket, drug store and liquor store. It also provides shuttle service to the ship every half hour.

Embarkation was fast and efficient. It was interesting to see that many passengers had already boarded the ship by 12:30 p.m. and were dining in Portofino restaurant on deck 10. We were impressed at how "new" the interior of the ship was. The Navigator is beautifully furnished - very tasteful as well as comfortable. Read more