FIrst Cruise - RCI has set the bar pretty high!

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 12

Review summary

I went on my first cruise in March 2013. I am officially HOOKED on cruising. The Mariner of the seas is a gorgeous ship! I don't know what it looked like before it's 2012 renovation but it was absolutely stunning in March 2013! The public areas were gorgeous! Marble and glass everywhere. I had no idea it would be so elegantly decorated. The Royal Promeande was so much fun! It was like being on a cool little street in town. You had your neighborhood pub (Whig & Lyre), a corner cafe (Cafe Promanade), a wine shop (Vintages), a General Store and a couple of shops. So neat to have something like that at sea. The parades that took place on the Promenade were a wonderful spectacle as well. The onboard activities (trivia games, line dancing sessions, dance classes) were great! Even though we had bad weather the first day and a half, I was never bored. If you're ever on the Mariner, you MUST do the Thriller dance class. It was so much fun to learn and then PERFORM it on Friday night before the Quest game. The instructor for this was also the Cruise Director. He was awesome!!!! Not just as an instructor, but as a Director. The morning and evening shows he and Cuddy put on were hilarious! I know food can be VERY subjective, but to me and my 13 year old son, the food was good and plentiful. It food wasn't 5 star, but it was tasty and there were many options every night. I never had a problem choosing something on the menu. Most nights I was trying to narrow it down! The MDR staff was the epitome of professionalism. I felt like an honored guest at dinner every night. My stateroom attendant was great as well! My room was always kept tidy and my ice bucket was kept full. My towel animals were also cute. I just wish there was one EVERY night (we only got 3). The shows were wonderful. The Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers were great! The show Gallery of Dreams was wonderful! The singers also performed nightly on the Royal Promenade. I LOVED having so much live music on board. Latin Power, Fleur de Lis, and Riddim Wave (I think that's their name) were fantastic! I also enjoyed both the comedians they had on board. I missed the Tribute to The Temptations and I hate that I did because I heard it was wonderful! All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip. I'm already booked for 2014 and am planning a cruise for 2015, 2016, and 2017. Royal Caribbean and the Mariner will NOT dissapoint! Bon Voyage!

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

Onboard Activities

Entertainment

Children's Programs

Service and Staff

Ship Quality

Cabin / Stateroom

Ports of call

Galveston, Texas

Coxen Hole, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

Belize City, Belize

Cozumel, Mexico