Some good, Some not so good. Organized and Clean but not a lot to do on the boat.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Royal does moving people much different than Carnival, much quicker, much more comfortable
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The main dining rooms food and service was excellent, shout out to Ceasar and Samit. They anticipated everything before we asked for it. Wonderful food and we actually took the kitchen tour which helped us understand how it is all done. I would not recommend the tour though, very quick and information was only given when questions were asked. Windjammer was not up to par. lackluster food, no omelet stations, just moving people through like cattle. Pizza was ok and most cruisers ate there. We were continually being pestered to eat at the specialty restaurants but declined as we were shown menus with no prices.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Pools were mostly closed because of the rough seas. fitness center was excellent as was the rock climbing wall but very little else was worth the effort. We did the Escape Room and it was first rate but the kitchen tour was way too brief for what they charged. Not much in the way of trivia or parties or other activities. Meh
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Most of the bands were the same ten musicians. There was a keyboard player on board that was one the best Ive ever seen. We saw two shows and found the talent to be sufficient but the shows were half of what a comparable show at Carnival contained.
Children's Programs
Because our children are grown and gone and we are thinking about Virgin next time and see what a cruise is without kids.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Miguel took care of us on our room and he was excellent. Againk, Ceasar and Samit were world class in the main dining room. Im not sure how the bar staff works but when the same waiter asks you 4 times in 15 minutes for drink orders, you have to think theyre getting a taste of the action.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The Mariner is an older ship but it is clean and gorgeous. We have been on Icon class ships and we found the Mariner to be a bit small although we loved the Deck 3 open deck that you could walk around the ship on. We found the design of the ship to be baffling. There were tons of obstacle course traps where you had to go up one deck and go down to the other elevators to get where you wanted to go. It took us a while to figure it out but it is a small ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Very clean but, at first, we found the cabin to be small. We were just unlucky that we ended up in a cabin with an adjoining room so we had one chair instead of the couch that our friends had. The old school round door showers were tough to get a good shower in and it was a relief to come home and actually wash our feet.
Ship tip
Stick to the Main Dining Room for better food and service.
The Royal port is the only way to go with cruising. Excellent on and off, tons of smiling folks helping you with where to go. We kept our bags and left witht he first group and we were out of Galveston 30 minutes later.
Mahhual is still a manufactured cruise stop. We took an excursion on the highlights of Maya Costa and the only thing it did is show you just how little these folks have. Royal has purchased a huge amount of land and the hotels and waterparks are coming but right now its still a bunch of t shirt shops and a pool. The excursion was an excuse to drag more cruisers in front of folks trying to sell trinkets to survive. Some day it will be gorgeous but you have to wonder if the locals are going to get their share.
I used to dive when I was younger and I have been going to Cozumel since the 70s. I mourn the island it was and once the International pier was built, the Island has changed forever. You cant stop progress. We took the Dia de Muertos excursion and loved it. Eduardo obviously loves his Island and his culture. Take this one if its offered. Otherwise, watch it when you go into Senor Frogs. They will put drinks on your table whether you order them or not. I ordered a Beer and they gave me a 20 dollar 84 ounce mug. The nachos are excellent though, just check your ticket, they are a scam waiting to happen.
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