Cruise question-Western Carrib. Mariner of the Seas?

Question

So we've booked a cruise on RC on the Mariner of the Seas for the Western Carribbean, leaving June 29th for 7days.

What is the earliest time you can board the ship, are the lines lower at that point and is there an advantage to boarding early?

If you have taken the ship, positives and negatives about the experience?

Any special tips?

What do drinks cost?

Are products (shops) cheaper, more expensive or about the same as products in any mall in the US?

Are there things that very active and friendly people should definitly do or skip?

Thanks, any and all information helpful. I know some of this stuff is on their website but I'm just looking for practical experience.

Answer 1

I have been on three cruises, two of which were Royal Caribbean. And it is the BEST.

Usually, the ship leaves at 5pm, and you can start boarding at 12 noon, and sometimes earlier. The earlier you get there, the more time you have getting to your room, and getting familiar with the ship. If you are in a suite, you will most likely have express boarding and be put right to the front of the line.

I have not been on Mariner, so I don't know the ship very well. If you are an active person, I would look at the ice skating rink and sports deck. Playing basketball late at night with a lot of people is a lot of fun too.

If you are going to Cozumel, I highly recommend the Mayan ruins. It was really cool to see how they are still standing and the history behind them. The bus tour is the best way to go. I went there in August, and it was HOT. I strongly recommend bringing a lot of water bottles with you. When I went, the bus stopped at a rest stop where we could get off, stretch our legs, go to the restroom, and buy some snacks. On the way back, they also give you a meal. Make sure you have your camera for this day.  

I am only 16, so I don't really know what drinks cost. I know for sodas, its $6 a day, for unlimited sodas. I would recommend that. All you have to do is show them your card, and they will give you a soda.

On the ship, products are generally more expensive. However, my cousin bought a watch for about $1,000 cheaper than what it would be in the states. As far as souviners, sometimes its best to wait until the last day. They usually have discounts on there t-shirts and such.

As far as activities, bingo is extremely fun. The Quest, which is generally an adult game, is hilarious. But that may vary by ship. The Love & Marriage game show is also good. Its similar to the Newlywed Game.

Hope you have fun and enjoy yourself. Cruises are the best way to travel =]

Answer 2

we took our first cruise with r caribean - radiance of the seas - and now we have booked another.....u will be hooked believe me.

well.........the dpeartue lounge is the the ONLY  downside to getting on ship.....the one in f luaderdale is alike a very large high roofed cattle shed with rows and rows of seats........yes we got on early but so did hundreds of others so its not exactly where u willbe on ur own wit this idea......

this was the only ...i repeat only negative............there was no other......u will see what i mean.........u will not be sorry..........

sial aways are great just enjoy the music and the blue seas......and be happy !!!!

drinks ???  well the sails away punch/cocktail sells at 4- 5 $ = 2.50£

we bought a wine package there bronze/silve /gold we chose silver so u get about 8/9 bottles of good wine for about 100$

so that meant we can have a bottle of wine from  the silver / bronze list

when u go to lunch /breakfast in the 'windjammer' u get iced teas and all juices are free / cordials etc........

we bought duty free off ship and thy hold it for u  and bring it to ur room on last day

one day we managed to get a bootle of whisky from st.thomas and thy did not find it in the ruck sack.....

but every time u get off ship.its like tight security getting back on.like the airport dep.

we found some products quite cheap on board - then again we r from the uk ...so the $$$$ is good for us....

just lay back and enjoy.....

go to www.webshots.com

u will find lots of pics there

just tap in ur ship name

and cruise critic is fantastice - would not be without that

Answer 3

you have picked a very good cruise for your first time and since you are going on a Royal ship you will never want to go on any other cruise line (not that there is anything wrong wtih them we have been on Carnival also but RC is by far the BEST) . we sailed exclusivly on the Navigator which is a sister to the Mariner.

we have found that boarding in the last half of the boarding time is the fastest because most of the passengers have already been let on.  say at 2:00 if the boarding times are from 12:00-4:00. especially since you are going at the last of June the embarkation pier will most likley be a very hot building with the sun beating down and all of the passengers gathered in the building waiting in line.

as for a special tip check for the Cruise Compass which is a newsletter that is left in your room everyday, this gives you a complete listing of everything that you can do the next day.  one thing that you should not miss is the themed parties that they have in the large open area called the Royal Promenade.

also be sure and swim with the sting rays at Grand Cayman

finally have lots of fun but i hate to tell you there is no way that you can possibly see and do it all (believe me we have tried) but this just means that you will have to go agian, which you will want to do as soon as you get back. maybe we will see you out there next time. Bon Voyage!!!

Answer 4

You can get answers to all these questions [and things you never thought to ask!!] at CruiseCritic.com.  Click on "Boards" at the top of the page and then choose your topic.  Also check out "Reviews" - click on the passenger reviews button.

The cruise line will tell you the official boarding time.  However, you can almost always board earlier than that.  Some people like to get there very early, but you may just end up waiting in a maybe not-so-comfortable area for the boarding process to start.  What times are most crowded is very unpredictable, due to many variable factors.  In my experience, getting to the pier between 11-12 is good, but you never know.

The advantage to boarding early is that you can explore the ship and get "the lay of the land", although nothing will be open except the buffet restaurant.  That's another "plus" of boarding early - you can go up and enjoy a nice lunch [although many other passengers will have the same idea!].  The down side is that you have to carry your carry-on luggage around with you wherever you go, because the cabins are usually not available before 1:30 or so.  [Be sure and have things you might want the rest of the day in your carry-on - swimsuit, etc, because you might not get your luggage until late afternoon/early evening.]

Drinks will be a bit more than you'd pay on a land-based venue and there is an automatic 15% gratuity for each one, including soft drinks.

If by "shops" you mean those on the ship - they will definitely not be cheaper.  Be sure you have plenty of "necessities", like film, sun lotion, Tylenol, benadryl [for sea-sickness], etc because it will cost a lot in the ship's store.  You can always wait until you get to a port and then go to a drug store for what you might need, if necessary.  Some people love to shop in the various ports and, if you know what you're buying, I guess there are bargains to be had.  [I never do any "serious" shopping, so I'm no expert.]  If you want to shop for pricey items, be sure and do some shopping around at home first, so you know whether or not the prices in port are really a "bargain".

Have never sailed on RC, but most ships have a variety of activities for all different tastes - bingo, spas, karaoke, gambling, art auctions, trivia contests, pool games, shows, sing-alongs in the bar, yoga classes, gym facilities, etc, etc.  Some of these cost extra, of course.  Lots of info about this at CruiseCritic.

As to positives/negatives - these are a matter of opinion and you'll get lots of those, again, at CruiseCritic.

Hope you have a great cruise!  But beware - once you've cruised you may never want to stop!!

Answer 5

We did this exact same cruise out on Port Canaveral Florida this past December on the Mariner.  A few weeks before the cruise you will receive an information package which will probably tell you not to arrive at the port to board until about 2:00 PM.  That's what we got.  HOWEVER, its been my experience of about 20 cruises, many on Royal Caribbean, that you can generally start boarding about noon, or shortly thereafter.  If you are in RC's frequent cruiser club, Crown and Anchor, you may be able to board early.  We are normally on ship about 1:00PM.

The time it takes to board can vary but when we departed Port Canaveral on the Mariner it took about half an hour and a good part of that was waiting for boarding photos and getting security photos taken for the cruise card.  They are pretty well organized at that port and things go quickly.

We like to board early because we like to get lunch before the Windjammer Cafe buffet gets too crowded and we also like to explore the ship and take pictures of it and us on it before its crowded with people.  Our cabin has generally been ready when we board and even if the cabin steward is still finishing up we drop our carry on stuff in the cabin and go.  Also, the gym, pools and hot tubs are generally open when you first board so if you want to get wet as soon as you get on take swim clothes on in your carry-on and do it.

The Mariner is one of 5 Voyager class ship and we have been on the Adventure also which is identical.  I really like the ship and its features.  There are lots of on-board activities like the rock climbing wall, in-line skating track, an ice skating rink, a mini-golf course and a full sized basketball/volleyball court.  There will be a free ice capades type show during your cruise.  The show is free but you must go to a designated area to get tickets and seating is first come-first served so be sure to get to the show early.  The skaters are former Olympic skaters and they put on a great show.  

The ship has a promenade down its middle with shops and  eating/drinking places.  I never really buy much in shops on ships except "T" shirts and small stuff.  Its not really like going to a regular mall.  You will generally get better prices on jewelry and pricey stuff in port cities.

The biggest negative I had about the ship is the Windjammer Cafe can be a hard place to find a seat many days.  We usually stayed away from it at breakfast and ordered room service.  The room service is free and pretty quick.  There will be a breakfast menu hanging on the wall in your cabin and all you need do is fill in what you want, what time you want delivery, and put it outside your door on the handle by about 3:00 AM.

Drinks are generally in the range of $5.50 to $8.50 with the fancier and call brands costing more.  Also each drink will have a 15% gratuity added to its total.  You can save on drinks by specifying when you order a plain glass rather than the fancy souvenir glasses; they add about $2.00 to the drink cost.

I suggest that you try all of the activities on ship that interest you.  When you go to Jamaica the two main attractions will be Dunn's River Falls (a must do) and river rafting (non-white water) floating on the Martha Brae or another river.  Both of these activities are great.  In Grand Cayman you can get a taxi/van to 7-Mile beach for about $5. each person each way.  Its a quick trip and there are taxi's there to bring you back whenever you are  ready to return to the ship.  Be sure to buy some Tortuga Rum Cake while in the Caymans.  There a store there that offers free samples.

Cozumel is the place to go to the beach and snorkel.  If you want to see Mayan ruins go on a tour to the mainland to Chicken Itza.  Its expensive and all day but worth it if you want to see the best stuff.  Also there is a trip to the main land to a place called Xcarat that is also nice; expensive also.

Your cruise will stop at RC's private island Labadee on the island of Haiti.  There you can go Jet ski, pedal an ocean canoe or do a zip line.  For these you must pay a fee. The island activities are free; lots of beach areas, shade and places to relax.