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Mariner of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Bahamas
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 21
4 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day (Port Canaveral Roundtrip)
Sail date: February 22, 2022
Ship: Mariner of the Seas
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 2 years ago
Review summary
This was a great first cruise after the pandemic break. The relaxed atmosphere, itinerary, reduced capacity and attentive crew made for a very restful vacation. Royal lived up to their name on this sailing. We're so happy to be back at sea!!Embarkation
I was tempted to give this less than 5 stars because we did have to queue up out side the terminal. However, when you consider that the ship did not get into port until nearly noon and we were on board with the required safety checks completed and drinks in hand before 3:30 that's not too shabby! the process went smoothly and we were on board within 20 minutes of the doors opening.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
We stuck to the Main Dining Room for most of our cruise except for two lunches and one breakfast in the Windjammer. The only disappointing dish we had was the seafood fettucine in the Main Dining Room. The pasta and sauce was excellent but the quality of the seafood (small varieties of shrimp and scallops and even the mussels were overcooked) was sub-par. Everything else was delicious. Our waiter (Marlon) and assistant waiter (Roni) were friendly, knowledgeable and their timing was excellent. (I like to pair wines with the courses and Roni was great!) In fact if we had followed Marlon's recommendations we would have avoided the sub-par seafood fettucine.
Onboard Activities
We were on this cruise to relax so we did not participate in many activities other than the hot tub, mini golf and lounging on deck but we did tour the ship and watch others as they participated. Everyone appeared to be having fun and it looked to be running smoothly.
Entertainment
I hate to drop a star for this one. The stage shows were excellent, especially the ice show. The headliners and orchestra were great. I was, however, disappointed in the quality of the entertainers in the various bars (with the exception of the female guitarist/singer in the Pub). They weren't terrible but they just weren't up to the standard I have come to expect with Royal.
Service and Staff
Everyone was on top of their game! I've already mentioned our Main Dining Room team but we had excellent service through out the ship. Our room steward (Tarmono) on deck ten kept everything neat and clean, our ice bucket filled and was always quick to help with special requests. The bartender in Boleros remembered that I only wanted 3 ice cubes in my scotch and smiled every time we came in. We don't cruise expecting to be treated like royalty but on this cruise Royal lived up to their name.
Ship Quality
Mariner has been at sea for 20 years so she does show her age here and there. For our sailing she appeared to be well maintained and clean. The 2018 enhancements make here comfortable and provide for activities, entertainment and the variety we have come to expect form Royal.
Cabin / Stateroom
We were originally booked into a balcony cabin on deck 8 but successfully bid on a junior suite through the Royal Up program. We enjoyed the added living space, the full sized tub/shower and the large closet. Having the espresso machine in the cabin was very nice in the mornings. Being on deck 10, we did hear a little noise from time to time but it never presented any problems with sleep or conversation. In fact I'm not even sure that what noise we experienced was due to having the Windjammer above us or if it was from some other source that we might have heard on a lower deck.
Ports of call
We did stay the night prior to our cruise in Cocoa Beach. We had a good night's rest at the Days Inn (an older, lower budget motel near the pier) had a great meal at Sandbar Sports Grill right on the beach (great fish tacos!) and did a little shopping at Ron Jon's. The Port itself is easy to access from the highway and the signage is clear and easy to navigate.
Thumbs Up
1
We did not leave the ship in Nassau since we have been here numerous times in the past. We just wanted to enjoy the day relaxing on board instead of having to deal with any potential COVID restrictions in port.
Perfect Day At Coco Cay, Bahamas
We spent the day at Chill Beach. With the reduced capacity (Mariner sailed with app 2100 passengers for this trip) we had no problem finding a pair of loungers and umbrella in the first row. We brought our own snorkel gear but signed a waiver and got the (required) vests from the Snorkel Shack. The water was chilly at first but with the sun and activity we warmed up nicely. The water was a little rough so we did not go out to the "shipwreck" although others did. There were plenty of fish around the rocks to keep us entertained. The food was great, our fellow passengers were friendly, the drinks were refreshing and we had a wonderful time!
Disembarkation
We elected to depart using self assist. We had plenty of time to eat breakfast in the Main Dining Room and leave during our scheduled departure time. We walked right off with no delays, loaded our luggage in the car and were on the road in no time.
Traveler Photos
