I cannot imagine a better first cruise. The experience left a great lasting impression!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Quick and Easy
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Good God was the buffet great, we didn't even want to try the other restaurants. Indian/Halal food was offered every meal, and I thoroughly enjoyed some with each meal. The donuts on this ship were the best I ever had.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
The pools tended to get overrun by youths, which is my only complaint. There is an adult-only pool deck but it should be restricted to 25+ to the prevent "bruh" infestation.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Every performance was top notch.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Kadek was our room steward. He remembered our names, was polite and professional, and far exceeded our expectations.
The buffet stewardess, whose name tag I got a blurry picture of, always made our day. Washy-washy!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Considering the ships age, it was in tip-top shape. Staff cleaned up leftover messes made by passengers immediately. There were Kool-aid stains on the carpet here and there, but at no point did I get grossed out.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The bed was comfy and the room was clean. It was roomier than I thought it would be. Our steward Kadek took the best care of us.
Ship tip
Although the Mariner is small by today's standards, I thought it was the perfect size for two days "at sea". Bring a water bottle to fill up with ice water at the Promenade.
Galveston is a mosquito infested h***scape. We spent an extra night prior to the cruise to avoid traffic delays in Houston, which was a good choice, and there are things to do between waking up and boarding. We visited the Moody Mansion and took a free ride on the ferry to scope out dolphins. There is a burrito joint in the Exxon at the corner of Harbor and Ferry street that you gotta try!
Aside from pushy merchants, the port area is beautiful. Wait until you're on the cruise to choose an excursion. We went on the Mayan ruin and chocolate tasting excursion. David, our host, was a great tour guide who has extensive knowledge on the ruins and I learned a lot. We had enough time after the excursion to go swimming in crystal clear waters at the cruise port afterwards.
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