In addition to 24-hour room service, the Seven Seas Navigator has two main dining rooms--the Compass Rose Restaurant and the Portofino Grill. The Compass Rose is the main restaurant, serving three meals a day from the menu. The Portofino Grill has its own galley and serves a buffet breakfast and lunch with both indoor or outdoor seating, and is set up as a small, reservation-only alternative restaurant at night. The Portofino has a set theme each evening such as "Italian Steakhouse", "Thai", or "Tex-Mex". There is no service charge for dining in the Portofino Grill or anywhere else on the gratuities-included Seven Seas Navigator.
Like many cruise ships, passengers can eat non-stop around the ship if they wish. Early morning risers could find continental breakfast in the Galileo Lounge, followed by a buffet breakfast in the Portfofino Grill, and a menu breakfast in the Compass Rose. From 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, one could move to the Pool Grill for outstanding hot dogs or hamburgers and French fries, maybe taking time out to eat a "real" lunch at the Portofino or Compass Rose. Oftentimes the Pool Grill would have a special theme such as barbeque or grilled fish. Passengers who feel a little famished in mid-afternoon can have tea (and wonderful pastries/snacks) in the Galileo Lounge before having drinks and canapés in the lounge. Finally, there is dinner at the Compass Rose or the Portofino Grill. The Seven Seas Navigator does not have (or need) a midnight buffet! The 24-hour room service will get anyone over the hump from dinner to breakfast the next day. Juanda and I managed to get by on the small pieces of chocolate left in our suite each night with the turn-down service.
The cuisine on the Seven Seas Navigator was varied and excellent. In addition to interestingly-prepared choices of meat, fish, or chicken, the Compass Rose menu always included "lite-fare" options for those who were trying to watch their calories. I tried to choose at least one item each evening from the "lite-fare" list, but I'm sure it did not offset all of the other goodies I was eating. Even those who had been onboard for over 50 days seemed to still enjoy the cuisine. The artistic talent of the chefs onboard was most evident during the Galley Brunch we had one day during the cruise. The food carvings and presentation was outstanding. We especially appreciated the complimentary wines with dinner, several of which were excellent. Although the chef has a recommended white and red wine with each dinner, the entire list of complimentary wines is also always available.
Overall, the Seven Seas Navigator provides exceptional quality, exotic itineraries, and almost all-inclusive pricing. Since the ship often features a different itinerary with each cruise, those wishing for a longer voyage can easily combine two separate cruises or choose one or more segments of a mega-voyage like the one we sailed on. If you are ready to try a small ship with big ship facilities and yacht-like service and amenities, then the Seven Seas Navigator may be right for you!
