As one of The Bahamas’ leading travel and cruise industry companies, Premier Travel and its clients were invited on a familiarization tour of the latest cruise ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, ‘Navigator of The Seas,’ when she docked recently in Nassau Harbour.
Premier Travel’s assistant manager, Patricia Tavares, explained, that this was both a token of customer appreciation and an outward demonstration of Premier’s long-standing relationship with Royal Caribbean geared toward highlighting the many advantages of vacationing by cruise. According to industry statistics, cruise ships are still one of the most popular vacation experiences for many families and couples.
Premier clients were recently treated to a ship inspection and luncheon aboard this state of the art cruise ship where they learned the advantages of cruise vacations and the all-inclusive experience. When onboard, the group was guided through the ship’s lavish Casino to the conference area for a brief presentation.
Ms. Tavares thanked the group for coming and welcomed them aboard the Navigator of the Seas.
Often dubbed a floating vacation, cruising is said to give extreme value for money. Premier’s cruise specialist, Fairie Kraft highlighted that cruising is an ‘all inclusive’ holiday option that provides your meals, accommodation, entertainment and of course transportation at a fixed cost. She said, “This way, you know and have paid the major costs of your vacation before you leave home. The fascinating ports of call are an added benefit that makes cruising a truly advantageous vacation option.”
The tour was directed by Sandra Hurson of A&A Tours’, regional sales representative for Royal Caribbean. Mrs. Hurson highlighted the many diverse and distinguishing features of Royal Caribbean and its latest ship before escorting the group through the dynamic vessel and its many amenities.
The Navigator of the Seas is 2002 feet in length and has 15 decks, the uppermost of which features the Skylight Chapel, a favourite for saying ‘I do” at sea. It has a capacity of 3100 passengers and 1100 crewmembers.
The world’s first ever rock-climbing wall at sea distinguishes the Navigator from any other cruise ship, as does their exclusive ice skating rink, which is open to passengers and also stages exhilarating theatrical performances.
Exciting amenities also include a 9-hole golf course, full court basketball, inline and ice-skating, an internet cafe and the Royal Promenade, the first ever city-street at sea.
This naturally lit 4-storey mall is lined with shops and bars and is often a hub of onboard activity. The Shipshape Fitness Center, a luxurious fitness center and spa, is a state of the art facility and the largest of any cruise ship afloat.
Children from ages 3 to 17 are well taken care of at Adventure Ocean, the Navigator’s floating kids’ camp. Here, education and entertainment are combined in a safe and secure environment to ensure a memorable and enjoyable time for the children while moms and dads are free to relax and enjoy themselves.
Adventure Ocean also boasts a supervised, modern and high tech video arcade and disco, just for the kids!
The Navigator calls into Nassau every other week and after laving Nassau Harbour she is destined for San Juan, Puerto Rico and then onward to Labadie, one of Royal Caribbean’s two private islands. Coco Cay in The Bahamas is the other of the cruise line’s private islands and a popular port of call for Royal Caribbean’s Sovereign of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas.
Long time corporate and personal customer of Premier and dedicated cruiser, Lowell Mortimer, has been on about a dozen cruises with Royal Caribbean International. As for touring the Navigator of the Seas before actually sailing, Mortimer complimented Premier Travel on what he called an ‘excellent idea and incentive.’ For him, cruising is the ultimate vacation and his cruise travels have taken him as far as Scandinavia, Alaska, South American and the Panama Canal. Value for money, efficiency, great service and food and a relaxing ambiance are what he generally looks for on a cruise all of which he confirmed are amply met by Royal Caribbean.
Kraft further explained that many Bahamians have literally become hooked on cruising and they have also become a favourite for church and business conferences, as attractive group rates are available. She stressed that cruises offer an excellent value compared to land-based vacations.
Confirming that cruising is indeed an addictive adventure, Sherwin Pinder of Eleuthera has enjoyed eight cruises with Royal Caribbean over the years. His trails have recently taken him as far as the Orient. Great food and entertainment are high priorities for Pinder who noted that the capable staff at Premier efficiently assists him in securing the best cruise value for money.
Tavares concluded that one of the major advantages of a cruise vacation is that the ship is your moving hotel. She explained, “You unpack once while the ship travels to different destinations. You can wake-up in a new location without the hassle of changing hotels, reservations and time schedules for trains or airplanes. That way, you maximize your vacation time and the transportation between destinations is part of the fun.”
Premier Travel has served the travel needs of Bahamians since 1988 and has developed a relationship with Royal Caribbean International that has allowed them to assist their clients in securing the best cruise rates and packages available.
Providing World-class customer care and service, Premier and Royal Caribbean have assisted thousands in saying bon voyage to the mundane vacation and hello to the exhilarating yet relaxing experience of vacationing at sea.
By Leah Davis
