Mariner of the Seas Cruises

Life aboard Mariner of the Seas
Mariner of the Seas sails year round from Port Canaveral in Florida. From there she offers 3- and 4-night cruises to the Bahamas, visiting Nassau the capital of the Bahamas, and the RCI company resort port of Coco Cay. The longer cruise has one sea day, or visits Coco Cay twice. Coco Cay is essentially a stand-alone beach resort – a place to relax rather than explore. The ship is lively, centred on the Royal Promenade where there are disco-themed dance parties and live music any time of day. Mariner of the Seas entered service in 2003. The massive 2018 refit added the Sky Pad virtual-reality bungee trampoline, the Perfect Storm three-storey dual water slide, laser tag game, Escape Room challenge, FlowRider surf simulators, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, new dining venues and 40 more cabins. At 137,276 GT she carries 3344 passengers.

Mariner of the Seas is a large floating island resort that berths at the larger ports. The ship caters for family activities, large conferences, has Wi-Fi ship wide, wheelchair access, and also couples wishing to tie the knot in the wedding chapel. Though large, the ship offers a good passenger space ratio. Décor throughout is warm and attractive and you’ll need good walking shoes to become familiar with the many public spaces. Though carrying over 3000 guests, dining, entertainment and activity centres are spread throughout the ship and elevators are fast. You pay for many extras including gratuities, and need to plan where to eat and what to purchase, so order packages online before your cruise.

Accommodation
Staterooms come in four main categories and 22 grades, with variations based on guests’ needs: Suites/Deluxe Staterooms, Balcony Staterooms, Outside Staterooms and Interior Staterooms. When selecting accommodation consider the view, the level of privacy, and location near to or far from activity areas. All staterooms come with private bathroom, vanity area, hair dryer, interactive TV and phone. Many cabins are family-friendly with up to four additional bunk beds, and interconnecting rooms. Promenade staterooms overlook the interior Royal Promenade, and some accommodate up to six people. There are no single cabins, and many are wheelchair-accessible. In-cabin service and dining is available 24-hours.

Travel in style with a selection of six categories of Suites, which are especially good for large families needing more space, and may include complimentary concierge service. Suites come with priority check-in, most have multiple rooms and balconies, and depending on the suite you may have whirlpool tub, baby grand piano and an entertainment area, and accommodate up to 8 guests. The stateroom’s TV enables guests to request room service, to book show tickets, shore excursions, movies and specialty dining, and keep track of their onboard account. Smoking is not permitted inside any stateroom and any stateroom balcony. Cigarette, cigar, e-cigarette and pipe smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas.

Food and Dining
For the Main Dining Room, spread over three levels, select from three dining choices before cruising: fixed seating at the same table nightly, at either early or late sitting; open-seated My Time Dining (with pre-paid gratuities) at a flexible time; and early sitting My Family Time Dining that allows children aged 3 to 11 years to leave for their Adventure Ocean kids club. Menus feature healthy, vegetarian and kosher options. Special dietary needs can be catered for by giving advanced notice. Menus change daily throughout the cruise. Evening dress is casual or smart casual. Expect one to three formal evenings in the Main Dining Room during your cruise. There are seven complimentary eating options, including Windjammers Café, Jade Sushi and Asian cuisine, Café Promenade for coffee, pastries/snacks, and room service.

Specialty dining (with a cover charge) can be booked for Chops Grille steakhouse and Portofino restaurants. The Mystery Dinner Theatre, set in Portofino, combines your meal with theatre drama and intrigue. Dine casually at Johnny Rockets, and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is the place to go for ice-cream and frozen drinks. Take your family to dine 1950s style at Johnny Rockets. Café Latte-tudes serves specialty coffees and sweets. In all, the ship has 17 bars, clubs and lounges. There are package deals for wine, juice, sodas and bottled water.

Entertainment
Signature features to entertain you include: Broadway-style productions in the Main Theatre; Studio B’s ice shows, comedy, game shows, onboard parties, and cooking demonstrations (and when the rink is not being used, skate for free); and gaming in Casino Royale. Live music features around the pool, in the main dining room, and in many lounges, bars and specialty venues. There are always parties and parades to join. Alternatively, just stroll around the Royal Promenade and shop duty-free, or for a quiet time retire to the Library/Card Room or Internet Café.

On-shore excursions and explorations can be pre-booked or arranged on board. Choose from a range of classes and seminars to bring out your creativity and expand your knowledge. The Vitality Spa and Fitness Center is fully equipped and runs a variety of beauty services and fitness classes. Activities include use of the outdoor sports deck, mini-golf course, golf simulators, in-line skating, ice-skating rink, six whirlpools, SCUBA diving program (in the Caribbean), and a full-sized sports court for basketball, paddleball and volleyball. The Solarium is exclusively for adults. Teens have their own lounge areas and disco, and the Adventure Ocean youth programmes cater for all ages. And every RCI ship has a rock-climbing wall.

Explore the decks

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