If you're looking for a short getaway on a fun ship with tons to do, Mariner will fit the bill!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
From curb to waiting lounge was under 5 minutes! Unbelievable!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
I have no complaints - I was happy with every meal. I dined in the MDR for dinner each night, Chops for lunch on embarkation day ("The Key" perk), Windjammer for breakfast. I ate lunch at Johnny Rocket's one day - I wasn't impressed with the food, the fries are abysmal, however I felt the same way when I tried it at home at the Mall of America, so I wasn't surprised. The malt was wonderful.
Johnny Rockets
3 out of 5
If you're a french fry connoisseur this place will really disappoint. I wasn't impressed by the burger either (I'm fairly difficult to please on these 2 points) - I wasn't terribly surprised as I wasn't impressed by JR when I ate there at the Mall of America, either - but I figured I'd give it a try again. The malt was excellent, and the waiters did dance, which was amusing to me.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
I'm rating 5 for the amount of activities, and the availability of them (I rarely saw any lines at any activity and I was moving around the ship all day every day) - I personally didn't use them because it just wasn't my jam on this solo trip.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
I only went to see the comedian, who was really entertaining. The band that played early evenings on the Royal Promenade had good music - but they weren't the best singers. It wasn't bad enough for me to avoid the area, though.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
I did My Time Dining and didn't always sit in the same section (due to the way I scheduled/didn't schedule it) - so I didn't get a chance to know the staff like I'm accustomed to doing. A few nights they seemed pretty rushed, although I never felt as though they were rushing ME. I was solo, so I kind of wanted my meals to flow pretty quickly and they accommodated me well.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Some people really love the Royal Promenade layout of the Voyageur and Freedom class ships. I'm probably in the minority, as I find it to be not my favorite type of layout, I really am not a huge fan of the design. However the ship was very clean and well maintained, and even though it's not going to be my favorite class of Royal Caribbean ship, I certainly wouldn't avoid the ships for an itinerary that I was interested in - in fact I'm planning another cruise on sister ship Navigator next fall because I'm going with friends and I think the activities and itinerary will be something they will really enjoy as first-time cruisers! So far my favorite class is Radiance class ships (oh, the windows!) but I am also booked on a Quantum class and an Oasis class in the future, so time will tell.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This cabin is a Promenade View room. It was clean and comfortable - I was traveling solo, so I had more than enough space, but it would be plenty large for 2 people.
I spent one night pre-cruise here - I was solo so I didn't venture from my hotel. I'm very much looking forward to going back with friends in December and my husband next February.
I booked a RCCL excursion for an Eco Walk at Blue Lagoon. The island was lovely, the staff was very entertaining. I was educated as a wildlife biologist, so my expectations are pretty hard to meet when it comes to eco tours - there really wasn't much "eco" to it, but I enjoyed the walk and the small group (5 people!) very much. I'd only return if I was traveling with someone who wanted to check it out. I did not venture into Nassau at all as I was traveling alone.
I LOVED Cococay - the beaches are beautiful and clean, the water is clear and beautiful. I'm not one for laying around on a beach, but I walked around for a few hours (searching for wildlife, which I found in the form of wandering chickens, iguanas and some Pelicans preening high in a tree). For me it was relaxing. I loved the floating bar - I hope that doesn't disappear with the redesign of Perfect Day. There was construction going on, but it was walled off and although I did hear construction noise, I really had to pay attention and actively listen for it - otherwise I never noticed it. I can NOT wait to go back, and I don't care how much of the new features are done because it's a great island now anyway. It'll be nice to have the pier though.
Holy cats - walked off the ship with my carry on, and port crew scanned my face, which took all of 3 seconds, and I was out of the terminal. Seriously, it could not be easier or quicker.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
