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Item: Mariner of the Seas
Rating: 4.8
Author: joexu

Mariner of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Bahamas

joexu

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 8

Helpful Votes: 117

Overall rating:

4.8 out of 5

4 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral Roundtrip)

Sail date: July 29, 2019

Ship: Mariner of the Seas

Cabin type: Inside

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 5 years ago

Review summary

The ship was great, but the stop at PPDACC was the BEST! Will DEF be a focus of my future bookings! The swim up pool bar at the Oasis Lagoon was the place to be....just wish the bathrooms weren't so far away!

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Smooth...Quick....on the pool deck with a margarita by 10:40!!!!

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

Windjammer was typically good, nothing to write home about....I thought the MDR was good but not great on the food choices, especially desserts. Nothing bad, just nothing WOW! NOTE: Bar tending staff were out of this world, and our MDR table staff were also wonderful!

Windjammer Café

5 out of 5

It is what it is....staff did a great job of getting coffee refills and clearing tables.

Schooner Bar

5 out of 5

My "Happy {Place" on any Royal ship.....LOVE the bar staff and the trivia games

Main Dining Room

5 out of 5

Service was great....food was good but nothing WOW.

Café Promenade

5 out of 5

I miss the straight forward Sorrentos for my late night "Pizza Drive By" as Sheri of CTTV fame calls it, but the pizza here is the same stuff...GREAT!

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

Sky Pad was great fun (did it on sea day with reservation....long wait for those with no reservations!) Slide was fun, new pool deck was very nice. I still favor the larger Solariiums on the bigger ships...hard to find a good chair here.

Spa and Fitness Center

5 out of 5

Always a fave place on port days!

Dunes Mini Golf

5 out of 5

First time....a very simple but fun diversion (kinda like shuffleboard!)

Solarium

4 out of 5

I like a bigger Solarium with more chairs and pool space, but this was fine

Casino Royale

5 out of 5

Lucked out with a live Texas Hold Em game every night....pit and dealers were their usual nice and professional stuff!

Entertainment

4 out of 5

Ice show was fantastic! Main Theatre Headliner entertainment excellent as always. Did not care so much for their main show as the musical "covers" were no where near the original versions.

Library

5 out of 5

This was the best one I've ever visited on a RCI ship....stocked with simple backgammon, chess and checkers and dominos and actually had a good supply of books!

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

As excellent as always!

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Standard inside, Room 8357, only surprise was that they did not add a lot more outlets in their big $115m remodel. But it is what it is!

Ship tip

Make reservations for whatever possible. Perfect Day at CocoCay was just that! The highlight of the ship! Also, do ALL of you prep ahead of time: photos, passport info, credit card, etc.....this is what made Embarkation AND Disembarkation a BREEZE!

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Port Canaveral, Florida

5 out of 5

Did the Kennedy Space Center tour on DisEmbarkation Day which had a bus pick us up, take us on a driving tour AND stop at the Center, with a final drop off at the airport for flight home....Nice tour and convenient!

Thumbs Up 12

Nassau, Bahamas

5 out of 5

Stayed on the ship and enjoyed an empty Solarium and Spa discounts....Best thing to do in Nassau!

Thumbs Up 15

Perfect Day At Coco Cay, Bahamas

5 out of 5

Highlight of the trip! RCI just announced cruises with DUAL STOPS at PPDACC..... I would HEARTILY recommend this!

Thumbs Up 9