Navigator of the Seas Will Skip Europe This Winter

Does Royal Caribbean know something about the possibility of softening demand in Europe, or were winter cruises in the Mediterranean simply unattractive?

The line has announced the redeployment of Navigator of the Seas for the 2011-12 winter season, which will offer a wide selection of Caribbean vacation options. Instead of sailing its originally scheduled 14-night winter cruises in the Mediterranean, Navigator will now reposition to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and operate a range of 5- to 9-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries beginning Nov 20, 2011. The ship will also offers a 14-night, trans-Atlantic itinerary from Rome to Port Everglades, departing Nov 6, 2011, and a 15-night return cruise to Rome on April 14, 2012.

From Port Everglades, Navigator of the Seas will alternate a 6-night Western Caribbean with an 8-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary. Ports of call on the 6-night sailings include Grand Cayman, the newly opened Historic Falmouth Port, and Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private beach destination on the north coast of Haiti. The 8-night sailing features calls at St. Maarten, St. Kitts, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Labadee.

Additionally, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary, with departures on Jan 8 & 22, 2012, subtracts a call at St. Kitts from the 8-night itinerary, while a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary, departing Jan 15, adds a call to the 6-night itinerary at Cozumel, Mexico. A special 9-night New Year’s cruise, departing Dec 30, 2011, adds a call at St. Thomas to the 8-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary.

Happily, Europe’s loss is our gain here in North America.