This was our 25th cruise and second time on the Mariner. It was a nice get away that allowed us to take advantage of the holiday week and only use 3 days of vacation time. Regarding the ship, we're an older couple so we actually prefer Radiance class ships to the Voyager or Oasis class, but it's still nice to be at sea no matter what the ship or cruise line. Next up over the coming year are the Prima, Equinox (2nd time) and Ascent.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Breezed right through
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Windjammer was overcrowded most of the time, but we prefer a quick in and out buffet vs. a 2 hour dinner ordeal, so we dealt with it.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Pools were of course crowded as always and the main pool deck design doesn't help. There is never enough pool area on a cruise ship to satisfy everyone on a nice day. Escape Room was challenging and fun.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Ice show was really good.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Bar service was pretty good no matter where we were. Rose from Playmakers was one that stood out for us.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Been on this ship previously and came away with the same impressions as last time. The biggest negative for us is again that the Windjammer is poorly laid out and there was hardly ever a seat to be had. I literally watched the same guy walk around past us 4 times with his plate looking for a place to sit. That scene was repetative. Some of the other RCL ships are better at this, but this particular area of the ship was poorly designed.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
It was our first time in a promenade room. My wife liked that it had a little more room with the window seat than an interior, but the promenade window held zero value for me vs. an interior. The light that came from the promenade always made me feel like it was gloomy and cloudy even though in reality once we actually got outside, that was far from the truth. I'd prefer a balcony or oceanview with natural daylight.
Ship tip
Get to the Windjammer early whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner. It soon becomes overcrowded with people trying to find a place to sit.
Did the Cozumel Bar Hop for the second time and visited the other side of the island which is actually quite scenic. Would recommend this to any drinking age adults who enjoy a scenic beach, drinking at local beach bars, wants someone else to drive and hasn't been to the other side of the island.
We both only had one bag each, so we got up extra early, skipped breakfast, walked off with our bags and were off the ship around 7:30am and home by 9am.
*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.
