Mariner - Ocho Rios Tendered or Docked??? Nervous Bride

[StlGal]

Hi, my FI and I are sailing onboard the Mariner on 6/3/07 along with 24 other friends and family. We are getting married on in the morning Wednesday, 6/6/07 on the beach.

 

According to the RCCI itinerary the ship is docked in Ocho Rios. However, according to some passengers who have recently returned from Western Mariner cruise the ship was tendered.

 

We are getting married at 10am on the beach. When I leave the ship I will have my wedding dress on and had hoped to avoid a tender and be able to go directly to the cab.

 

Can anyone who has recently returned from Mariner Western tell me whether you were tendered or docked?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

the nervous bride,

angie

[skyking]

The Mariner docks in Ocho Rios..Hope this calm's the nerves:)

[uksimonusa]

Hi, my FI and I are sailing onboard the Mariner on 6/3/07 along with 24 other friends and family. We are getting married on in the morning Wednesday, 6/6/07 on the beach.

 

According to the RCCI itinerary the ship is docked in Ocho Rios. However, according to some passengers who have recently returned from Western Mariner cruise the ship was tendered.

 

We are getting married at 10am on the beach. When I leave the ship I will have my wedding dress on and had hoped to avoid a tender and be able to go directly to the cab.

 

Can anyone who has recently returned from Mariner Western tell me whether you were tendered or docked?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

the nervous bride,

angie

 

Website shows it as docked, always been docked every time we've been there

[kruzerci]

Mariner always docks in Ocho Rios.

[OHCruisinDad]

We were recently in Ocho Rios on the Voyager (sister ship to the Mariner) and we docked.

[StlGal]

Thanks to everyone for your prompt responses. You have definitely helped to calm my nerves. :)

[Javadelcamp]

StlGal,

 

We were on the Explorer last week and docked in Ocho Rios (along with a Carnival ship). However, the lines to get off of the ship were VERY long. You needed both your SeaPass card AND a photo ID (passport, driver's license, etc.). A lot of people forgot those things, so it made it hard to get off the ship quickly. To put this in perspective, disembarkation was on Deck 1, but we were lined up all the way to Deck 5. It took us a good 30 minutes to make it to the pier, and then it was a little confused as to which taxis were available, and which were reserved for excursions and individuals.

 

This may be unusual, but as such here is my advice: Let Royal Caribbean know your plans in advance. Call them before you leave, and visit the purser's desk the day you board to see if any special arrangements can be made for you and your party to be the first off of the ship. Make sure that all guests have the needed documents to get off of the ship. We have never been asked to bring a photo ID in addition to SeaPass cards in any other ports of call, but it was non-negotiable here. (Funny about the confusion--they announced it constantly for 2 days during the PA addresses and at the shows, and it was printed on the first page of the Cruise Compass, but you know how things go...)

 

My second bit of advice is to pre-reserve transportation in the port. I don't have any recommendations for you on this since we didn't do it, but I'm sure that others do. Perhaps charter a mini-bus, a limo, or talk to the folks who are hosting your wedding to see if they can arrange it. Have someone standing in the pier's parking lot with signs indicating that the vehicles are for your wedding party.

 

Being a fairly recent bride myself, I know how the jitters can keep your mind whirling! Take few steps, though, and all will be well. We saw a BEAUTIFUL wedding taking place on Shaw Park Beach when we were there last week. If this is anything like what you have planned then you are going to be absolutely thrilled! The Mariner is our favorite ship, and I know that you'll love that, too, if you haven't already been onboard.

 

So, deep breath! As they say in Jamaica, "There are no problems, only small situations. Yeh, mon." Congratulations and good luck!

[flagger]

I would be more worried about the cruise missing Jamaica all together due to weather, an emergency or mechanical. Cruiseships can and do miss ports for a variety of reasons. They can also substitute them for another.

 

I would never count on a cruiseship to get me to my destination.

[time4u2go]

I would be more worried about the cruise missing Jamaica all together due to weather, an emergency or mechanical. Cruiseships can and do miss ports for a variety of reasons. They can also substitute them for another.

 

I would never count on a cruiseship to get me to my destination.

I was thinking the same thing. I hope everything goes OK, but I can't imagine depending on a cruise ship to transport me to my wedding!

[Ocean Boy]

Jamaica is rarely missed because of weather unlike Grand Cayman or Labadee. But I, too, wpuld not count on a cruise ship to get me to any particular port.

[StlGal]

StlGal,

 

We were on the Explorer last week and docked in Ocho Rios (along with a Carnival ship). However, the lines to get off of the ship were VERY long. You needed both your SeaPass card AND a photo ID (passport, driver's license, etc.). A lot of people forgot those things, so it made it hard to get off the ship quickly. To put this in perspective, disembarkation was on Deck 1, but we were lined up all the way to Deck 5. It took us a good 30 minutes to make it to the pier, and then it was a little confused as to which taxis were available, and which were reserved for excursions and individuals.

 

This may be unusual, but as such here is my advice: Let Royal Caribbean know your plans in advance. Call them before you leave, and visit the purser's desk the day you board to see if any special arrangements can be made for you and your party to be the first off of the ship. Make sure that all guests have the needed documents to get off of the ship. We have never been asked to bring a photo ID in addition to SeaPass cards in any other ports of call, but it was non-negotiable here. (Funny about the confusion--they announced it constantly for 2 days during the PA addresses and at the shows, and it was printed on the first page of the Cruise Compass, but you know how things go...)

 

My second bit of advice is to pre-reserve transportation in the port. I don't have any recommendations for you on this since we didn't do it, but I'm sure that others do. Perhaps charter a mini-bus, a limo, or talk to the folks who are hosting your wedding to see if they can arrange it. Have someone standing in the pier's parking lot with signs indicating that the vehicles are for your wedding party.

 

Being a fairly recent bride myself, I know how the jitters can keep your mind whirling! Take few steps, though, and all will be well. We saw a BEAUTIFUL wedding taking place on Shaw Park Beach when we were there last week. If this is anything like what you have planned then you are going to be absolutely thrilled! The Mariner is our favorite ship, and I know that you'll love that, too, if you haven't already been onboard.

 

So, deep breath! As they say in Jamaica, "There are no problems, only small situations. Yeh, mon." Congratulations and good luck!

 

Hi Javadelcamp.

 

Thanks for the heads up about the lines the need for both the SeaPass & photo id. I'll be sure to pass this information along to our group so they can be sure to have both before get in line. As I am leaving the ship with my parents 30 minutes before my FI & the rest of our group (19 others), I will be sure to be in line by 9am at the latest.

 

I have already sent an email to RCCI requesting priority disembarkation. Still waiting to hear back from them. But will follow up via phone if I haven't heard anything by the end of the week. I have a feeling that they will not do this for us, as we are not using their contracted wedding company (Royal Romance), but instead a private island coordinator... but it never hurts to ask. :rolleyes:

 

Never been on RCCI before, only DCI & CCL. Heard so many great things about Mariner we absolutely cannot wait!

 

Our private coordinator has already arranged for private transportation for my parents & myself as well as a bus for the rest of the group. But thanks for the suggestion.

 

As far as using a cruise line to transport us to our wedding... not too worried about that, since as one poster noted the ship almost always docks in Ocho Rios. And worst case scenario, my FI gets a "get out of jail free card"! hah! :p Seriously though, we would just go to plan B and get married back at home. Still will be a fabulous time with our family & friends!

 

Thanks again to everyone! Now I only have 100 other things to stress out about. hah!

 

angie

[DHADEN]

Hi Angie!!! How are you and Les holding up???;)

First of all, I'll bet whoever said the Mariner will Tender was confused with Grand Cayman. The ships always tender there, but they always Dock at Ocho Rios. It's a very big facility that can handle up to 6 ships.

We are scheduled to get in there at 9:00, but a lot of times the ship arrives much earlier. I would try to get to the "Disembarkment" by 8:30 just in case. ;)

"I have a feeling that they will not do this for us, as we are not using their contracted wedding company (Royal Romance), but instead a private island coordinator... but it never hurts to ask."

I think if you talk to one of the officers/Hotel manager at least by Monday, they can arrange something for you and the whole group. We love RCI BECAUSE of this kind of stuff. Every staff we have encountered on every ship are soooooo good at helping in unusual situations.

Take deep breaths

It's gonna be GREAT!! :D

[Javadelcamp]

Donna is totally right...Royal Caribbean IS great about making accomodations. I'll bet that they can work something out, even if you aren't using their wedding service.

 

Good to hear that you have transportation and all of those other things in place! I would also agree with the other poster who suggested lining up by 8:30 a.m. We went down at 9 a.m. (our time in port was 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) and ended up at the back of a VERY long line. Found out that most others had anticipated the line so had started lining up at 8:30.

 

Good luck, and have a GREAT time! Neat that so many are traveling with you! I'll bet that the weather will be just fine for docking. Our guide last week said that May is the rainy season, but that the rain doesn't normally hit until the afternoon. We found that to be true, with sun all morning and then clouds and thunder at about 2:30.

 

ENJOY YOUR DAY!

[FitzLA]

 

"I have a feeling that they will not do this for us, as we are not using their contracted wedding company (Royal Romance), but instead a private island coordinator... but it never hurts to ask."

 

I bet they were confused with Cozumel. Due to the dock damage from the hurricanes, ships still tender much of the time. So sometimes they dock, but others they tender. That might have been what they confused it with.

[Sally Forth]

I would be more worried about the cruise missing Jamaica all together due to weather, an emergency or mechanical. Cruiseships can and do miss ports for a variety of reasons. They can also substitute them for another.

 

I would never count on a cruiseship to get me to my destination.

My thought, too. That happened on our Hawaii cruise when we missed Maui and the bride and groom couldn't get off the ship to where their guests were waiting for them.

 

Viv

[ali07]

We were on the March 11 cruise this year. The Mariner was docked at Ocho Rios, however, there weren't any other ships there that day....perhaps that makes a difference?