Syd58 Posted July 23 #1 Share Posted July 23 We're considering a cruise on Mariner. Some reviews have indicated that the ship is old and needs refurbishment and that the cabins are small relative to some of the newer ships. I would like to get the opinion of some of you who have sailed on her recently. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaflamingo Posted July 23 #2 Share Posted July 23 "Is it as bad as some reviews?" Depends who you ask. If you ask someone who wrote a bad review then..yes. If you ask someone else, then...no. Mariner is old. Commissioned in 2001 and was refurbished in 2018. She's due to be refurbished in Nov. 2025. Yes, she has the smallest cabins (sort of) up through Concierge. Explorer, Splendor, and Grandeur lowest level cabins are smaller. But her Penthouses are wonderful. She has 2 specialty restaurants, Prime 7 and Chartreuse, but no Pacific Rim. But she may be the most stable ship in the fleet. She does handle rough weather quite well. We sailed on her in 2018, right after refurbishment, then again last Dec. So sure, we noticed she's ready for refurbishment, but so is Navigator and Voyager. But the food, service, etc. was 100% Regent standards. So depending on when you are planning on cruising, she could be newly refurbished or not. But as a first Regent cruise, knowing that her decor will be "dated," then if price and itinerary are what you want, go for it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flossie009 Posted July 23 #3 Share Posted July 23 (edited) In our opinion Mariner has the best layout of public areas of any of the ships in the Regent fleet. Although the suites D-H are a little snug, the Penthouse & Horizon suites are large and well configured. Suite decor is fine; suite bathrooms are dated. Edited July 23 by flossie009 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepFreeze63 Posted July 23 #4 Share Posted July 23 I have done 28 Regent cruises; 4 on the Mariner but none on Mariner since 2019. I agree with all the above comments BUT much prefer the newer ships. I have a 23-day Marnier booked in 2026 because: love the itinerary, got good price for booking in 2023, snagged a great Penthouse C suite AND after refit in late2025. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrlevin Posted July 23 #5 Share Posted July 23 I am 52 days into an 83 day cruise on Mariner. Last Christmas I was on Mariner along with flossie for a 25 day cruise. I have spent over 200 days on Mariner over the last 20 years. It was my favorite ship 20 years ago and is still my favorite ship. YMMV 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd58 Posted July 23 Author #6 Share Posted July 23 1 hour ago, papaflamingo said: "Is it as bad as some reviews?" Depends who you ask. If you ask someone who wrote a bad review then..yes. If you ask someone else, then...no. Mariner is old. Commissioned in 2001 and was refurbished in 2018. She's due to be refurbished in Nov. 2025. Yes, she has the smallest cabins (sort of) up through Concierge. Explorer, Splendor, and Grandeur lowest level cabins are smaller. But her Penthouses are wonderful. She has 2 specialty restaurants, Prime 7 and Chartreuse, but no Pacific Rim. But she may be the most stable ship in the fleet. She does handle rough weather quite well. We sailed on her in 2018, right after refurbishment, then again last Dec. So sure, we noticed she's ready for refurbishment, but so is Navigator and Voyager. But the food, service, etc. was 100% Regent standards. So depending on when you are planning on cruising, she could be newly refurbished or not. But as a first Regent cruise, knowing that her decor will be "dated," then if price and itinerary are what you want, go for it. I would not have asked the question had there not been a number of negative reviews. Other issues such as worn carpet and malfunctioning toilets have been noted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pcardad Posted July 23 #7 Share Posted July 23 11 minutes ago, Syd58 said: I would not have asked the question had there not been a number of negative reviews. Other issues such as worn carpet and malfunctioning toilets have been noted. The toilet issue was temporary in nature and was caused by a guest flushing something that should not have been flushed. It was fixed. I would not hesitate to sail on any Regent ship. I prefer the older ships as I am more into comfort than fancy but that's just me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd58 Posted July 23 Author #8 Share Posted July 23 Has there been a public announcement of the 2025 refurbishment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pcardad Posted July 23 #9 Share Posted July 23 (edited) 21 minutes ago, Syd58 said: Has there been a public announcement of the 2025 refurbishment? I have been told about it repeatedly by employees and staff. I do not know if they will discuss it if you call as a guest but they should. There is also a huge block of time with no cruises that coincides with the dates I have been given...November 4 to November 25. Edited July 23 by Pcardad 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ysolde Posted July 26 #10 Share Posted July 26 On 7/23/2024 at 8:46 AM, Pcardad said: I have been told about it repeatedly by employees and staff. I do not know if they will discuss it if you call as a guest but they should. There is also a huge block of time with no cruises that coincides with the dates I have been given...November 4 to November 25. This is interesting. And nice. We have a Christmas cruise booked on Mariner December 2025-January 2026. We booked it really early (about a year ago now) because we wanted to ensure that we got a suite with a step in shower. I have a mobility impairment and while I don't absolutely need a fully accessible suite (I'd rather not take it from someone who needs it), a step-in shower is non-negotiable. I mean, I suppose I could go to the spa to shower everyday, but I have not used a communal shower since college. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaflamingo Posted July 26 #11 Share Posted July 26 On 7/23/2024 at 11:25 AM, Syd58 said: Has there been a public announcement of the 2025 refurbishment? We are booked on Mariner on the cruise that ends Nov.3, 2025. If you look at the website you'll see that the next cruise isn't until Nov. 26, 2025. That's 3 full weeks (plus a few days). Coincides with the "rumor" that it will be in major overhaul. I haven't seen it officially announced, but it seems pretty strong that this will be when it happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusieQft Posted July 26 #12 Share Posted July 26 On 7/23/2024 at 5:11 PM, Pcardad said: The toilet issue was temporary in nature and was caused by a guest flushing something that should not have been flushed. It was fixed. Whatever the underlying cause, recurrent would be more accurate than temporary. I am on Mariner now, midship deck 7, with the Grand Voyage June 2 to Aug 24. Since we boarded, our toilets have been non- functional at least 4 times. The crew gets right on it each time, and fixes it within a few hours. But it happens with some regularity. Once we observed duct tape being used on the pipes, hopefully just to hold while the glue set.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong1 Posted July 26 #13 Share Posted July 26 47 minutes ago, SusieQft said: Whatever the underlying cause, recurrent would be more accurate than temporary. I am on Mariner now, midship deck 7, with the Grand Voyage June 2 to Aug 24. Since we boarded, our toilets have been non- functional at least 4 times. The crew gets right on it each time, and fixes it within a few hours. But it happens with some regularity. Once we observed duct tape being used on the pipes, hopefully just to hold while the glue set.... Yup...that single pesky guest keeps popping up on lots of Mariner (and only Mariner) cruises! Rumor has it that this particular Regent customer only sails on Mariner (apparently, their favorite ship) and spends most of their cruising time just randomly going into various bathrooms throughout the ship...recreationally flushing foreign objects down all the various toilets all over the ship! He (or she) is known as "the Phantom Flusher" 🤪 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrlevin Posted July 26 #14 Share Posted July 26 1 hour ago, SusieQft said: Whatever the underlying cause, recurrent would be more accurate than temporary. I am on Mariner now, midship deck 7, with the Grand Voyage June 2 to Aug 24. Since we boarded, our toilets have been non- functional at least 4 times. The crew gets right on it each time, and fixes it within a few hours. But it happens with some regularity. Once we observed duct tape being used on the pipes, hopefully just to hold while the glue set.... Karen, I am so glad that I haven’t experienced the same issue on deck 9. I would be livid (and I am livid with Miami now but enjoying the cruise tremendously). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnthesailor Posted July 26 #15 Share Posted July 26 20 minutes ago, mrlevin said: Karen, I am so glad that I haven’t experienced the same issue on deck 9. I would be livid (and I am livid with Miami now but enjoying the cruise tremendously). We just got off Mariner a few days ago and had no issues with waste plumbing on deck 8. We did have a problem with the shower valve and they promptly replaced it. Crew was great but at times appeared short staffed, especially in the lounges and at times in La Varanda. I did notice a lesser selection at breakfast and lunch buffet (but still very good) and had one poor dinner (featured steak on right side of menu in Compass Rose). I may be wrong but it also appeared that they “tweaked” the internet settings to exclude full usage of Apple News+ which worked well onshore at each port. I theorize (but could be wrong) that it is considered to be streaming. Oh well, I’ll get a VPN to bypass that on upcoming cruises and also get the three newspapers printed each day that are free to Titanium ( which I had stopped doing on the last several cruises) instead of depending on online news. mrlevin - sorry that you also have issues with Miami. It appears to me that they have radically de-emphasized customer service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pcardad Posted July 26 #16 Share Posted July 26 1 hour ago, pingpong1 said: Yup...that single pesky guest keeps popping up on lots of Mariner (and only Mariner) cruises! Rumor has it that this particular Regent customer only sails on Mariner (apparently, their favorite ship) and spends most of their cruising time just randomly going into various bathrooms throughout the ship...recreationally flushing foreign objects down all the various toilets all over the ship! He (or she) is known as "the Phantom Flusher" 🤪 Cute but the fact is that a guest flushed something last year that set off a chain of events on the Mariner's older system. It is slated to be addressed during drydock. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea3PO Posted July 26 #17 Share Posted July 26 On 7/23/2024 at 11:46 AM, Pcardad said: I have been told about it repeatedly by employees and staff. I do not know if they will discuss it if you call as a guest but they should. There is also a huge block of time with no cruises that coincides with the dates I have been given...November 4 to November 25. Have you heard anything about what is happening with Mariner after the 14-night November 26, 2025 transatlantic from Barcelona to Miami (arriving on December 10, 2025)? The next cruise is scheduled to depart on December 13, 2025. The nights of the 10th, 11th, and 12th are open. Any ideas? It would be an awfully short charter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pcardad Posted July 26 #18 Share Posted July 26 (edited) Probably a corporate charter for Regent/Apollo employees and/or Travel Agents to showcase the new dining option and recent drydocks changes. Edited July 26 by Pcardad 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrlevin Posted July 26 #19 Share Posted July 26 2 hours ago, Johnthesailor said: We just got off Mariner a few days ago and had no issues with waste plumbing on deck 8. We did have a problem with the shower valve and they promptly replaced it. mrlevin - sorry that you also have issues with Miami. It appears to me that they have radically de-emphasized customer service. Were you in 802? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olindacat Posted July 26 #20 Share Posted July 26 I was onboard up until the 23rd of this month, and had a great trip. I was also onboard when there were people with toilet issues on a NY-Miami cruise last fall as well. We loved our time on the Mariner so much. There are no perfect hospitality venues anywhere. There is always something that goes afoul whether you are staying in a hotel or on a ship. I look closely at details, pay attention to nuanced moments and feelings that are out there whether they are from crew or other cruisers, or the ship itself. We were <a PH and while yes we had to jockey our way around the table when the bench was out, or pay a little attention to how we moved about in the shower or the closet, the space was fine. We were excited just to be away, so well-cared for, not to have to do laundry, to enjoy the pool and the jacuzzis when they were often empty, and so many other things. To the OPs concerns about the negative reviews: I've read many, and will not discount those people who had rough waters at times. There are going to be bumps in any road, as I mentioned, but if you take it all into context—look beyond a little discolored grout, or a piece of steak that isn't the greatest, a in my case a mattress with no edge support—the Mariner is a great ship. Phenomenal. At one point, can't recall which port, the Oceania Nautica was docked next to Mariner. I had done a couple of trips on that ship, and was looking it over from our balcony. I was very happy to be onboard the Mariner! I wish I could have stayed longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnthesailor Posted July 26 #21 Share Posted July 26 1 hour ago, mrlevin said: Were you in 802? No, 86x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curmudgeon98 Posted July 26 #22 Share Posted July 26 My biggest gripe with Mariner was the very awkward tub showers in the standard cabins. High sided and raised several inches above floor level. At 6-1, I had to stoop a bit to not hit my head on the ceiling in the shower. Other aspects are more a matter of personal taste (decor, entertainment). On our cruise Sette Marie was pretty poor (table service, but the food was essentially buffet food plated and brought to you - some dishes survive that treatment better than others). Otherwise food and wine were good. While I don't rule out Mariner entirely for future cruises, I look to other Regent ships first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaflamingo Posted July 27 #23 Share Posted July 27 23 hours ago, SusieQft said: Once we observed duct tape being used on the pipes, We were on Mariner in Dec. and had a couple of toilet issues, luckily, in our cabin, only when the entire system was shutdown for repairs. But what we heard (and honestly I have no idea if this is true or not, but made sense) is that they were having leaks in the Vacuum system that prevented it from creating the vacuum needed in sections to flush the toilets. That would explain duct tape for sure. It seems to be an on and off again problem. Mariner just finished a long World Cruise and by most reports the toilets worked pretty much just fine. I followed it pretty closely on here and other social media and no one complained and some even commented no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hambagahle Posted July 27 #24 Share Posted July 27 Several people I know were on the Mariner on the 2024 World Cruise. That is a LOT of time on the ship. Their reports were very positive. I am sure that many things on this ship need up-dating. Nothing you can do about the "normal" suite size either. We have had Penthouse (A,B,C) and Seven Seas Aft suites. All were great. One cruise we "downgraded" to a normal suite. It was way too small for us. I just read a really damming critique of Mariner on Trip Advisor. However - parts of what the person "complained" about were cultural differences. Not all though. Best to hear from someone who just got off the Mariner to get an updated impression I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hambagahle Posted July 27 #25 Share Posted July 27 3 minutes ago, papaflamingo said: We were on Mariner in Dec. and had a couple of toilet issues, luckily, in our cabin, only when the entire system was shutdown for repairs. But what we heard (and honestly I have no idea if this is true or not, but made sense) is that they were having leaks in the Vacuum system that prevented it from creating the vacuum needed in sections to flush the toilets. That would explain duct tape for sure. It seems to be an on and off again problem. Mariner just finished a long World Cruise and by most reports the toilets worked pretty much just fine. I followed it pretty closely on here and other social media and no one complained and some even commented no problems. Jim Stoddard reported regularly on the "toilet issues" throughout the World Cruise and never once said there was any problem... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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