Life at Sea
When people think about a Mexican Riviera cruise, they usually focus on the ports β Cabo, MazatlΓ‘n and Puerto Vallarta. And understandably so. But Navigator of the Seas turned out to be an experience all on its own. Between the entertainment, dining, activities and unexpected little moments, life onboard became just as memorable as the destinations.
Our Stateroom
We splurged on balcony staterooms for this cruise β one for Doug and me and one for our travel companions β and I would do it again without hesitation. There is something absolutely magical about stepping out onto your private balcony in the morning with a cup of coffee and watching the ocean go by. Or catching that breathtaking sunrise as the ship pulls into Puerto Vallarta. Or standing out there at night with the stars above and the dark water below and just breathing it all in.
If you're on the fence about upgrading to a balcony β especially on a Mexican Riviera itinerary where the scenery is stunning β I say go for it. It changes the whole experience.
Sea Day Strategy
Here's one of the most practical tips I can share about this cruise β use your sea days wisely! The Mexican Riviera itinerary has two sea days at the beginning of the cruise β Days 1 and 2 β and these are the perfect time to book everything that requires advance planning.
Think about it this way: on port days you're rushing off the ship early and trying to get back in time for dinner or a spa appointment. That's stressful and takes away from your port experience. Book your cabana, your spa treatments and your specialty dining reservations on sea days when you have nowhere to be and nothing to rush back for. You'll enjoy everything so much more!
The Cabana β Worth It?
On Day 2 β our second sea day β we rented a cabana on the pool deck and it was one of the best decisions we made the entire trip. The cabana rental was approximately $260 and included water and drinks for two. But that depends on when you purchase, whether purchased prior to embarking the ship or once you on the ship, prices vary. Our travel companions had drink packages so the guys took full advantage β ordering beers they didn't even end up drinking and carrying them back to the room! π We also received a lovely fruit platter which was a perfect mid-morning treat.
Here's the key practical tip: Day 2 is the sweet spot for cabana rental β Day 1 you're still getting your bearings, finding your way around the ship and settling in. By Day 2 you know where everything is and can truly relax and enjoy the cabana experience to the fullest. And the weather cooperated beautifully β it was the calmest most gorgeous day of the entire cruise. After that the wind picked up considerably. Book your cabana for Day 2 β you'll thank yourself later!
The cabana gave us a private shaded retreat from the pool deck crowds, comfortable seating and that wonderful feeling of having your own little corner of the ship. Highly recommended!
Spa Experience
One of the most unexpected and wonderful experiences of the entire cruise was my acupuncture session at the Vitality Spa. I know β acupuncture on a cruise ship sounds unusual! But it was absolutely awesome and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
My one piece of advice β book your spa treatments on a sea day or toward the end of the cruise on your return sea days. I had my acupuncture before our port adventures and while it was wonderful I didn't get to fully relax and enjoy the afterglow before we were rushing off the ship. Next time I'm saving the spa for the final sea days when I can truly float back to the stateroom and do absolutely nothing afterward! π
The Vitality Spa also offered a full range of other treatments β massages, facials, hair services and more. Check the daily Compass newsletter for spa specials and deals throughout the cruise as they often run discounted offers on port days when the spa is quieter.
Dining Favorites
The Navigator of the Seas has an impressive variety of dining options and we made the most of them. Here's our honest rundown:
Windjammer Marketplace
The Windjammer is the ship's main buffet and we ate breakfast here most mornings. The variety is excellent β something for everyone at every meal. What made it extra special for us was our server Renee, who somehow managed to take care of us here at breakfast AND in the main dining room at dinner every single evening. The dedication and work ethic of the crew never ceased to amaze us.
Main Dining Room β My Time Dining
We used My Time Dining for our evening meals in the main dining room which gives you the flexibility to dine when you want rather than being locked into a set time. Our tip β book your My Time Dining reservation as close to 5:00pm as possible. We found that walking up to the Deck 3 standby line around 5:15pm worked most nights without a reservation. Renee was our server here too and he was absolutely wonderful every single night.
Chops Grille
Great service. Honest opinion: atmosphere excellent, steaks good but not unforgettable.
Entertainment β Highlights
ISkate β Studio B
If you only do one onboard entertainment activity on the Navigator of the Seas make it ISkate. I genuinely did not expect to be as blown away as I was. The ice skating performances in Studio B were professionally choreographed, beautifully flowing and always perfectly in sync β set to wonderful music that made the whole experience feel like watching a world class performance. It was one of the most unexpected highlights of the entire cruise. Don't miss it β check the Compass newsletter for show times as soon as you board!
Jennifer Singer β Headliner Showtime
Jennifer Singer's headliner show was a dramatic and powerful evening of music β she performed with her backup singers and delivered classic hits from artists like Celine Dion, Carole King and Alanis Morissette. It was a full sing along experience that had the whole audience on their feet. Highly entertaining and very well produced.
Cruise Director @heymeyoftheseas and her
amazing crew bringing the party to the
Royal Promenade aboard Navigator of the
Seas! π’π
The Royal Promenade Crew Dance Party
One of the most spontaneously joyful moments of the entire cruise happened in the Royal Promenade when the crew broke into a full dance party β performers on the bridge above, dancers on the promenade floor below, colored lights everywhere and music filling the entire space. The energy was electric. We captured it on video and in photos and it perfectly captures what makes Royal Caribbean so fun.
And then there was our accidental star β a very confident gentleman in a cowboy hat who wandered into almost every single one of our photos completely unbothered and absolutely owning every frame. He may have been the most photogenic person on the entire ship! π
Belly flop contest on the pool deck β
these brave souls giving it everything
they've got for the crowd! ππ
The Belly Flop Competition
The International Belly Flop Competition at the pool deck was exactly as ridiculous and wonderful as it sounds. Brave volunteers launched themselves off the diving platform in the most spectacular belly flops they could manage while the crowd cheered and laughed. It was pure cruise fun and we have the photos to prove it! π
Unexpected Cruise Fun
The Great Tropical Shirt Conspiracy π
Before we even boarded the ship someone in the Royal Caribbean Facebook group had a brilliant and slightly mischievous idea β she suggested that all the wives secretly buy their husbands the same tropical shirt and surprise them at the 80's trivia night. Doug spotted the post and immediately told our travel companion Patti to buy the shirt for Stanton. Did Doug buy one for himself? Absolutely not! π He was perfectly happy to engineer the prank from a safe distance while keeping his own outfit completely conspiracy-free!
When trivia night arrived the sight was absolutely priceless β man after man walking in wearing the EXACT same tropical shirt! Some noticed immediately and burst out laughing. Others wandered around completely oblivious for ages. Stanton being the wonderful sport he is took it all in stride and wore that shirt proudly! π
Moral of the story β join your Royal Caribbean Facebook group before you cruise. You never know what mischief is waiting for you!"
The Duck Hunt β A Cruise Tradition! π¦
If you haven't heard of the rubber duck hiding tradition on cruise ships you're about to have your mind blown! Passengers hide small novelty rubber ducks around the ship for fellow cruisers to find β it's called Duck Duck Cruise and it has become a huge trend on Royal Caribbean ships.
Our travel companion Patti became the unofficial duck hunter of our group β finding a Jesus duck π, a penguin duck and several other novelty rubber ducks throughout the cruise. Doug and I happily donated our finds to her growing collection. By the end of the cruise she had quite the little fleet β all of which are now proudly displayed on her work desk! π
If you want to participate bring a few small rubber ducks from home, hide them around the ship and watch the joy spread!
The Royal Caribbean Charm Bracelet β A Daily Souvenir
One of the sweetest little traditions we discovered on this cruise was the Royal Caribbean charm bracelet. Doug and Patti each started a bracelet and Doug surprised me with one too! The bracelet itself was complimentary and the starter pack of 5 charms was just $10. After that each daily charm of the day was $5 β and I ended up collecting 11 charms altogether by the end of the cruise! That's 11 little daily memories for a total of around $40 β such an affordable and meaningful souvenir.
I'll be honest β Doug bought me the bracelet and the starter charms but I may have had to fund a few of my own along the way! π And here's a nice bonus β there's no tax on purchases made onboard the ship. By the end of the cruise you have a beautiful wearable souvenir that tells the story of your entire voyage day by day. Such a lovely and very affordable tradition!
Starbucks β My Guilty Pleasure & Morning Walk Confession
There is a Starbucks on the Navigator of the Seas and I visited it entirely too many times. π My honest advice? Before you board check the Royal Caribbean website for their coffee card option β I spotted it pre-cruise and wish I had purchased it! Royal Caribbean sells a coffee card that you can use at Starbucks onboard which is much more convenient than tapping your SeaPass every single visit and may save you money too. Do yourself a favor and look into it before embarkation day β your future caffeinated self will thank you! β"
Doug, Patti and I started a lovely tradition of morning walks around the ship β except I may have been a little slower than my walking companions! π On more than one occasion I took a strategic shortcut that somehow ended with me at Starbucks and back in the stateroom while they were still lapping the deck. "We wondered what happened to you!" they said. I just smiled and sipped my coffee. No regrets whatsoever! π
Josari & The Towel Animals
Every evening when we returned to our stateroom Josari our wonderful room steward had left us a towel animal on the bed β bears, elephants and other little creatures waiting to greet us after our long days of adventure. It's one of those small touches that sounds simple but genuinely makes you feel taken care of. After an exhausting but amazing day in port there was something truly lovely about coming back to find a little surprise waiting.
Josari kept our stateroom spotless, our towel animals creative and our hearts full. We gave him $40 at the end of the cruise and our travel companions gave him $40 as well. He absolutely earned every penny and more.
Practical Cruise Tips
The Time Changes β Don't Get Caught Out!
The Navigator of the Seas changes ship time twice during this itinerary. Watch for the little βWeβre Time Travelingβ cards left in your stateroom and donβt ignore them β missing a time change can mean missing breakfast, an excursion, or worse!
SeaPass / Royal App / VOOM
Your SeaPass card is essentially your key to everything on the ship β your stateroom, your onboard purchases, getting on and off at ports. Keep it with you at all times and never lose it!
The Royal Caribbean app is genuinely useful β download it before you board and use it to book My Time Dining reservations, check the daily schedule, make shore excursion bookings and navigate the ship. It works on the ship's wifi without purchasing an internet package which is a nice bonus.
Speaking of internet β VOOM is Royal Caribbean's onboard internet service. It's available for purchase if you need to stay connected. Our honest advice β disconnect as much as you can and enjoy the cruise! But if you need it for work or keeping family updated it's reliable enough for basic browsing and messaging.
A Note on Dress Up Nights
I want to be honest about this one β I packed outfits for the dress up nights and we never made it. After long exciting days exploring the ports we were simply too exhausted to get dressed up and head back out for a formal evening. No regrets β the port days were absolutely worth it β but if formal nights are important to you just know that they tend to fall on port days on this itinerary. Plan your energy accordingly! π
The Overall Ship Experience
The Navigator of the Seas is a beautiful well-run ship with something for everyone. The crew β from Renee to Josari to Nilo to Elmer β were exceptional human beings who worked incredibly hard to make our cruise memorable. The entertainment exceeded our expectations especially ISkate. The dining options gave us variety without ever feeling overwhelming. And the little unexpected moments β the crew dance party, the belly flop competition, the towel animals, the duck hunt and the daily charm bracelet β reminded us why cruising is such a uniquely joyful way to travel.
Would we sail the Navigator of the Seas again? Without hesitation. π’
What We'll Do Differently Next Time
Every cruise teaches you something and this one was no exception! Here's our honest list of things we're doing differently on our next sailing:
Bring a Starbucks prepaid card β I visited the ship's Starbucks entirely too many times to count. Next time I'm loading up a prepaid card before I board so I can feed my habit without the guilt! π
Book Hooked Seafood early β We walked past it every day and never made it in. Never again. That reservation is getting made on embarkation day next time!
Book Izumi's twice β Once was simply not enough. We should have gone back for a second night and next time we absolutely will!
Tip more generously from day one β Looking back at Rubin in MazatlΓ‘n and our incredible crew members Renee, Josari, Nilo and Elmer β we should have been even more generous. Next time we're tipping bigger and tipping earlier. These hardworking people deserve it!
Better walking shoes from the start β The bruised toe from Puerto Vallarta's cobblestones taught me a valuable lesson. My Hoka Clifton 10s are already packed for next time. Don't make the mistake of wearing old worn out shoes on a cruise with significant port walking!
Rent the cabana on Day 2 β Day 2 is the sweet spot. Day 1 you're still finding your feet β by Day 2 you know the ship and can truly relax and enjoy it. And book early because the best cabanas go fast!
Save the spa for the return sea days β My acupuncture was wonderful but next time I'm booking it on the final sea days so I can fully relax afterward without rushing off to a port!
And the most exciting new addition β The Retired Wife Duck Hunt! π¦
Next time I'm bringing a whole bag of rubber ducks to hide around the ship β in the elevator, tucked behind a bar, sitting by the pool, maybe even on the FlowRider! π Each duck will have a little tag attached that says:
"You found a Retired Wife Duck! π¦ Email me at [email protected] or find me on Instagram @retired_wife and tell me where you found it!"
I cannot wait to see where they end up and who finds them! So if you happen to be on the same cruise as us β be on the lookout! You just might find a little feathered friend waiting for you somewhere unexpected! π¦π
And if you DO find one β please reach out! I'd love to hear your story and you might just end up featured on RetiredWife.com!
Our Mexican Riviera Cruise Guide includes onboard tips, excursion ideas and planning resources from our trip.