LIVE - B2B Mariner 5/7/22-5/23/22 - ABC! 🎶 Easy as …um, Bermuda?

[aring75]

If you continue to walk past the craft market, you will arrive at the main shopping street. 
 

 

 

 

 

There are various apparel shops, souvenir shops, restaurants, and bars. Also, a coffee shop/bakery, gelateria, and even a little drug store. Tip for the drug store. All the labels on the OTC items on the shelves are in Dutch. However, if you turn them around, most items have a label in English on the back. 

[aring75]

We walked over one street and came out on the waterfront. Here we stopped at a restaurant at the marina and ate lunch overlooking the water. 
 

 

 

A couple of yummy beverages to cool off and we were loving the cool breezes coming in off the water. 
 

[aring75]

Got back to the room and found some yummy snacks. 
 

 

[aring75]

Cruise Compass - Day 5 - Bonaire

 

 

 

 

[lambstew]

Really enjoying your trip report!  Thank you for going to the effort to keep us entertained and informed.

Does the Mariner have a movie theater?  We were on Serenade and loved going to the small theater.

Also, what movies are they showing.  I know they have an outdoor movie screen.

Thank you!

[aring75]

2 hours ago, lambstew said:

Really enjoying your trip report!  Thank you for going to the effort to keep us entertained and informed.

Does the Mariner have a movie theater?  We were on Serenade and loved going to the small theater.

Also, what movies are they showing.  I know they have an outdoor movie screen.

Thank you!

Thanks!

 

They do have an outdoor movie screen, but not a designated movie theater. They are showing movies in the big theater. Here are a couple of screenshots from the app. 
 

 

[aring75]

Getting ready to leave Bonaire. All aboard is in about twenty minutes and it feels AMAZING outside right now. 
 

[mcgore83]

Loving this review!  Thank you for sharing!

[aring75]

Said our final goodbyes to Bonaire. 
 

 

 

And got ready for our dinner in Chops. Yum. 
 

 

[aring75]

They brought pretzel bread and multi-grain bread to the table to start. It was still warm. 
 

 

 

I started off with the crab cake appetizer. 
 

 

 

But Mark decided to try the pepper bacon. 
 

 

 

He says, “Mmmm. Now THIS is some bacon!” 😂

[aring75]

I felt like I needed something “healthy” to balance out the rest of my dietary transgressions. (That’s how it works, right?)
 

 

 

Mark got the Wedge. I think it was better than the Caesar. 
 

[aring75]

We both got the filet with red wine reduction. 
 

 

 

^^This was probably the best Chops steak I’ve had in years. It was melt-in-your-mouth tender. 
 

 

For dessert, Mark got the Key Lime Pie. He said it was good, but maybe just a little too sweet. 
 

 

 

I got the cheesecake and only ate about three bites. I was so full it was like I just hit a wall. 😩

 

 

 

Those raspberries were delicious though. 

[aring75]

After dinner we stopped in the casino for a few. I have to say, that Mariner has the “smokiest” casino we’ve been to in quite some time. I can deal with it for a short time, but it gets to be too much. 
 

Just a tip though. It’s the worst by the main entrance doorway. There’s a small non-smoking section at the back where it’s much better. But still not great. 
 

 

After the casino we went to tonight’s show. “El Gaucho” 

 

 

 

[island lady]

Just to add in more entertainment info from last night.   Mariner is only doing one night (2 shows) of the Ice skating show.   We finished early dining at 6:40...Bucky wanted to try to get a seat at the Ice Rink for the 7 pm show.   I knew better...so I told him I was going up to the cabin.  

 

He came up from there by 6:50.   As I suspected, and he had to find out for himself, there was not one single seat left to sit in by then.   Next show is too late for us "old farts" that have early bed times. 😉 

 

I was content to crawl into bed and read my book for tonight's entertainment.  😄 

[aring75]

Willemstad, Curaçao 

 

Of all the Caribbean ports we have enjoyed, I have to say I love walking around on my own in Curaçao best. It is easy to get to town, very pedestrian-friendly, and has lots to see. 
 

Once you get off the ship, you walk straight ahead to the end of the pier. Here you will find a few outdoor shopping kiosks, a small bar, and the (port area) taxi stand. 
 

 

 

 

You veer to the right and follow a well-marked pathway toward town. 
 

 

 

[aring75]

This walkway is great for getting a picture of the ship in port. 

 

 

After about a 5-10 minute walk down this pathway, you will come to the shops and restaurants of the Renaissance (Wind Creek) Carnaval hotel and casino. This area has many familiar “cruise port” shops like Diamonds International, Cariloha, Del Sol, etc. 

 

 

 

[aring75]

As you exit the fort, the walkway continues along the waterfront toward the swinging pontoon bridge. 
 

 

 

There’s a small straw market type area set up along the walkway. 
 

 

 

There’s also another taxi stand, a bar, and a flavored ice stand. 

[aring75]

The bridge floats on multiple pontoons and will pivot open for ships to come into the inner harbor area. 
 

 

 

You cross the bridge and can get your postcard picture of the colorful Dutch architecture. 
 

 

 

 

Mine isn’t postcard quality, but I got impatient and didn’t want to wait for a clear shot. 😁

[aring75]

The pathway over the bridge lets you out right in Otrobanda, one of Willemstad’s historic quarters, and the main tourist shopping district. 
 

 

 

 

If you look to your left as you are leaving the bridge area, you will see the Punda Love Heart Sculpture. 
 

 

[aring75]

The pathways are wide, easily walkable and traffic is restricted to only a few main streets. 
 

 

 

 

You will also find plenty of places to have a seat and take a break if need be. 
 

[aring75]

There are several outdoor cafés in town. 
 

 

 

Or, if you turn and head to the waterfront, you can dine overlooking the water. (We did this on one of our previous trips, but were there too early today. 
 

 

 

Next to the restaurants of the Waterfront Arches, there is also a public restroom. 
 

[aring75]

We started to get a little too warm so headed back to the ship. 
 

Checked with guest services who said our COVID tests for entry to Bermuda are scheduled for tomorrow morning. 
 

Decided to find some lunch. 😊

 

 

 

[aring75]

An order of 1/2 rings, 1/2 fries and the Original with pepper jack. 
 

 

 

 

No dessert. I’m so sorry and I’ll try to do better next time. 😁

[aring75]

Got held up leaving Curaçao due to a medical emergency. But now we are on our way back to PC via two more relaxing days at sea!

[aring75]

Tonight’s attire for dinner was “Tropical Night,” but the menu looked like the second formal night dinner.