Overall, we had a terrific time on our short cruise. I was just really pining to get on a cruise ship again (last time having been May, 2019), and the timing was good and the price was good. We had a balcony room (1532, which is Deck 10, Port, 2nd cabin from the very front). I really just wanted to enjoy my drinks package to the fullest, and have some of that carefree relaxation that for me really only comes on a cruise.

And for the most part, I got that, and I'm very happy overall with the experience. But there were a few things I noticed that were less than ideal, and I guess I'll focus on some of those, not because I want to be negative, but I find I enjoy my travels more if I understand the frustrations I might face in advance. Then I'm ready and it's not a big deal.

The capacity of Navigator (which we've been on before, prior to her amplification) is 4000ish. We had (we were told by the crew) just 2600 on board. So overall things were less crowded. You could actually find deck chairs in the middle of the afternoon!! Lines at the Main Dining Room (MDR) were modest. We had reservations, but even so, never waited more than 2 minutes to be seated at our My Time Dining spot. But the smaller crowds also meant that a certain energy was often missing. This was particularly true on the Promenade deck. The poor English pub never had more than 5 or so guests whenever we passed by. (Although the took out some of the booth seating in there and really made it un-inviting with plain wood tables and chairs. It went from a cozy, leathery pub a few years ago to a something with very little character.) The Bamboo Room (our favorite interior spot) was not well attended. Playmakers had a bit more energy, with families hanging out and playing games, but it was never so crowded that you couldn't easily find a spot. So the lower crowds were good and, well, less good. Read more