REVIEW: Mariner 9-night Western Caribbean cruise, 8/29 - 9/7

[njreindeer]

My husband Dru and I (ages 34 & 42) came home last Tuesday night from Mariner’s Frances-extended 9-night cruise to the Western Caribbean, and what a trip it was. Before our trip all of your reviews were SO helpful that we definitely want to provide some information of our own, hoping to help some of you, too. Please forgive me if this is WAY too long and you start to nod off, it’s just that there was so much packed into 9 nights that we want to tell you about!

 

Here is Part 1… Parts 2-to-? to follow (in this same thread).

 

 

Saturday 8/28 – The Night Before

 

We heeded everyone’s advice to fly in a day early and not risk missing the boat, so we flew into Orlando late Saturday night and stayed at the nearby Airport Clarion. Can’t say we were happy with the hotel or the attitude-laden staff, but we knew that we would be there for less than 12 hours so it didn’t really matter. What did matter was that we were in Florida and ready to start our adventure!

[njreindeer]

Sunday 8/29 – Cruise Day 1: Embarkation

 

Got up nice and early and took the hotel’s complimentary shuttle (runs every half-hour) back to the airport to meet RCI’s representatives, since we had pre-purchased RCI’s airport-to-pier transfer. We easily found the RCI reps in their gold-colored golf shirts inside the airport’s Meet & Greet area around the A 4 & 5 parking spaces. The reps were wonderful, gave us boarding numbers, made sure we had the Mariner luggage tags affixed to our luggage, and assured us we’d be in the first shuttle out (which left early – instead of 10am, it left by 9:40, which was fine with us!). Time to get on the bus – RCI’s crew loaded our luggage onto the bus (this was the last time we saw the luggage until it arrived in our stateroom hours later). We waited a few minutes to completely fill the bus, then were off on the seemingly-quick 45-minute ride to the port. The bus’ air conditioning wasn’t working that well and it was a hot, crowded ride although I don’t think anyone really cared or complained. On the way, the bus driver told us that when we got off, the porters wanted us to tip them about $5 per bag since up to five people would actually handle our bags between the bus and our stateroom – and this was in addition to a tip for the driver. Dru and I weren’t sure if he was kidding but gave a healthy tip to ensure that our bags actually GOT to our stateroom.

 

When we got close to the port, we saw her – Mariner dwarfed both Disney’s Wonder and Carnival’s Fantasy. Mariner was gorgeous, mammoth, unbelievable. We snapped lots of pictures before even getting off the bus – you can see her from a couple of miles away (the port comes up on the left-side of the bus). When we pulled up, the previous cruisers were still debarking so we had to walk around to another entrance. The port building is beautiful, looks very new and bright and clean. Inside, we and our carry-ons went through a security scanner, then up the escalator to wait in a check-in line. We thought that everything went very smoothly, with plenty of representatives around to answer any questions or direct you to the right waiting area. FYI – we snapped a few pictures inside the port building but were nicely told to stop until we were actually on the ship (security reasons I guess). We did get a shot of a group of women all wearing big, ornate red hats, purple dresses and red shoes, and were told that they were part of the Red Hat Society, an organization with no meetings or dues or by-laws, just senior women who love to cruise and have a good time. Good for them!

 

We were booked on deck 7 in cabin 7562 and were directed to a check-in line for decks 6 & 7. When it was our turn at the desk, check-in was painless with a very friendly, smiling rep who checked our identification and birth certificates (she didn’t even need to look at our marriage license, for my last name) and issued us our first SeaPasses. Then to another waiting area and the next line where our photos were digitally added to our SeaPass cards (they’re encoded on the magnetic strip, not visible on the card). The next step was to actually walk the gangway onto the ship, which wouldn’t be allowed until (I think) 11:45am. We were in the first group of about 50 in line and everyone was friendly and buzzing with anticipation. At exactly the right time, the gangway was opened and we walked onto the ship onto deck 4. When we walked inside for the first time we were completely blown away. It was gorgeous! Everything gleamed and every face smiled. We were told that the cabins would be ready at 1pm, so we did what everyone else did, went up to the Windjammer for lunch.

 

The view from the Windjammer is panoramic, one of the most beautiful on the ship, especially when viewing the ship’s wake (our other favorite: the view from Ellington’s). It wasn’t too hard to find seats, but I’m sure an hour later it was a major task. This was our first taste of the Windjammer’s food, which we thought was just ok (Dru called it “a whole lot of mediocre food”), the hunt for seats (it sometimes felt like we were playing musical chairs), and the fight not to be bumped and pushed on our way to get breakfast or lunch. By the end of the vacation we had completely abandoned the Windjammer and instead opted for the less frenetic dining room or Promenade Café. Dru and I always try to be courteous, it’s just the way we were brought up, but we definitely noticed a lack of courtesy when it came to fighting your way to a table or the buffet line. We can’t say many negative things about this vacation, but this is the one biggie, the rudeness of some fellow passengers.

 

In the Windjammer, make sure you walk around to every buffet station to see what they have to offer. You can’t believe how many different food items they have, and you should be able to find something you like. Our tip: stay clear of the pre-made scrambled eggs (the made-to-order omelets are better), and the pre-made hamburgers. The fresh fruit was great, and oh those cookies! The same cookies as in the Promenade Café – especially loved the Range (range?) Coconut cookies and could really go for one right now! FYI – beverages included with breakfast were juices (orange, grapefruit, etc.), ice water, coffee & tea; at lunch, they were lemonade, iced tea, ice water, coffee & tea. Waiters walk around with them on platters, and you can also pick up as many as you need from the beverage stations.

 

At exactly 1pm the doors to the cabin hallways were opened, and we took the long walk down the hallway to #7562. We thought it was adorable and sparkling clean, with plenty of nooks and crannies to store our stuff (including fitting all of our luggage under the bed) and the cutest circular shower. Considering how compact the bathroom was, we both thought that the shower was a good size. Everything was very clean and neat, and we found the first day’s Cruise Compass waiting for us. We were worried that we’d walk into our cabin and smell stale smoke, or have it constantly wafting over onto our balcony. I guess it’s just luck of the draw, but we didn’t notice it in either place at any time. FYI – the balcony was just the right size for a couple of chairs and a small table, with frosted-glass panels between us and our neighbors, and clear-glass panels between us and the sea. What a beautiful view! Dru remarked how great it was that we always had an oceanfront view. We then met our cabin steward, Adrianna, and another cabin steward, Henry. Both were very accommodating with easy smiles. Dru immediately tipped Adrianna but honestly, I think her service would have been just as good if we hadn’t pre-tipped, I think that’s just the way she and everyone else on the ship is. While we still had cell-phone service we made a couple of calls, then unpacked (Adrianna brought us our luggage right away, don’t ask me how she got it so early), then explored the ship. On Deck 5 the Royal Promenade was crowded but in a good way, like the Wildwood boardwalk at the Jersey Shore on a summer night. We were completely amazed at this ship. We kept looking for a space or a hallway that lacked meticulous attention to detail, or a blank area without character or color or artwork, and we never found it. I can’t say it enough, every inch of this ship is colorful, tasteful, inviting, gorgeous.

 

At 3:45 it was time for the muster drill which is every bit as much fun as you’ve read (are you getting the sarcasm here?). The crew is VERY serious about the drill, and until everyone reports to their assigned stations in their life vest and stands in orderly rows, no one gets to leave, so it’s best to just do what they say and get it over with (besides, it really is good information to know!). It was so hot with those things on and no breeze, at one point I turned around to look at my husband behind me and he looked like he’d just been through a sprinkler – but oh, that was sweat. I know they tell you not to take pictures during the drill, but I still wish I’d had my camera to get a few shots for the photo album. (FYI – yes we did hear a few people blow into the whistles on the life vests….. eewww!).

 

--- more to come ---

[njreindeer]

We wound up on deck 11 just after 4pm, where in an hour we’d be sailing away for the first time. There was Caribbean music (I think it was the band Mega 4, and if it was they were great), and waiters passed around fun drinks in keepsake glasses (at I think $5.95 each) – I think ours was a layer of frozen strawberry daiquiri and a layer of pina colada in tall Schooner Bar glasses. We walked up to Deck 12 forward for sailaway, watching first Disney Wonder then Carnival Fantasy leave port ahead of us (Disney’s horn really did play “When You Wish Upon a Star,” and it did sound magical). When it was our turn we had a great view of the channel and leaving Florida, and this is where we met two wonderful people who we’re happy to call friends now, Miranda and Mike from Covington, GA (celebrating their 1st anniversary). We stayed out on Deck 12 with them for a long time, until the land was far far away, enjoying the breeze and calm water and the drinks. We made a date to have dinner with them in Portofino’s on Tuesday night, then went back inside to walk around a bit and get ready for second-seating dinner, which on the first night only was at 9pm.

 

Our first night’s casual dinner was in the Rhapsody In Blue dining room on Deck 3, at table 302. Each dining level – ours, Top Hat and Tails on Deck 4, and Sound of Music on Deck 5 – has its own décor which tastefully coordinates with the other levels. The dining rooms are immense and ornate, something you’d expect to see on the Queen Mary II or an upscale cruise ship from times past. Each one is strikingly beautiful. Our table was waaaay in the back near the kitchen, but our servers and tablemates were so great that we didn’t mind at all. Our waiter was Natasha from South Africa, and assistant waiter Juan was from Mexico. Natasha was as professional yet warm and friendly as they get, and Juan was absolutely adorable and friendly and helpful in any way he could be. I don’t know how they do it, constantly smiling and offering the best possible service at every dinner to every guest while being very genuinely happy to serve you. They’re wonderful, and we miss catching up with them at the end of the day.

 

Our tablemates were great, three other couples (two of them were together, from Connecticut) and there was never a lack of conversation. Heather and Tyler live in Ocala Florida, and we certainly hope they found their home as they left it pre-Frances.

 

The food in the dining room was always good to very good, depending on your selection. Don’t hesitate to ask your waiter what’s good each night, since he/she should know what’s best (one night I was torn between salmon and beef tenderloin, and Natasha pointed me to the beef – you won’t be disappointed with it!). Some things that I could have done without: chilled pear soup (tasted like tepid, watery applesauce), cod fish entrée (seemed dry), banana parfait dessert. Some things I loved: rustic tomato soup (our whole table devoured it), beef tenderloin, chicken Philadelphia, vidalia onion tart, Mahi Mahi (Natasha had the chef grill it for me instead of tempura-battered and fried).

 

The Welcome Aboard parade was in the Royal Promenade at 10:45, and we caught a few minutes of that before checking out the casino. The “looseness” of the slot machines seemed to change day-to-day, sometimes I couldn’t miss and sometimes I couldn’t buy a payout, although Dru did pretty well on roulette through the week. One note: We thought that we’d never even make it to the casino all week, but in actuality we stopped there for at least a little while six nights! If you want, you can even get cash on your SeaPass. (FYI – look for the smoke-free slots and table games if smoke gets a little thick in there for you.) A quick drink at Ellington’s on Deck 14 and we were back to the cabin for the night. A nice touch every night were the chocolate mints on our pillows and the next day’s Cruise Compass. So nice to have your cabin made up twice a day… I miss that now too!

[njreindeer]

Monday 8/30 - Cruise Day 2: A Sea Day

 

The next morning we got up around 8, showered and headed to the Windjammer for breakfast. Again, their vast selections for breakfast are mind-boggling… cold cereals and yogurt, grits with all the fixin’s, biscuits and gravy, made-to-order omelets, smoked fish and lox, miso soup and egg fried rice (in the Jade section), sausage and ham and bacon, three different kinds of breakfast potatoes, fresh fruits and cheeses, juices, coffee and tea, pancakes and French toast and waffles….. the list goes on. Just make sure you take the time to walk around and see everything they offer, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for. Finding seats can occasionally be challenging but there are lots of different seating areas in the Windjammer so just keep walking. And try to be a defensive walker, because chances are some of the people around you won’t be watching where they’re walking and you could wind up like my husband with a sleeve soaked through with miso soup.

 

We thought about hanging out at the pools for awhile after breakfast but it was VERY crowded – yes, the chair hogs were out in full force, and we didn’t notice anyone doing anything about it, although we admittedly could’ve missed the patrol – and it was VERY hot in the sun, and in many places VERY smoky. Someone mentioned that there was a smoking and a non-smoking side of the pools but we honestly never found it, wherever we walked seemed pretty smoky to us. (Note – there are three pools on Mariner, two for everyone and one – the Solarium – for passengers over-16 only). We decided to bag the pools for then and go back around 5pm, when the first-seating dinner people would be getting ready and the pool area would be less crowded.

 

At 1pm we went up to Ellington’s for the Cruise Critic Meet & Mingle – how great it was to meet so many people that I felt like I already knew! Everyone attending got a logo lanyard with a pocket for your SeaPass (very handy), and there were drawings for a few giveaways too, like an RCI cap and a really adorable RCI mouse (congratulations Del!). Everyone looked pretty much like I had thought, although someone had thought I was a petite & perky little blonde (perky? Sure! petite & blonde?... not so much! )

 

Afterwards, Dru was dying to hit the ice rink, just to say that he had ice skated on a cruise ship in the middle of the Caribbean. They have certain times when you can skate, just check your Cruise Compass, and make sure you wear long pants, no getting on the ice without them. I have trouble walking straight on non-moving dry land let alone on swaying ice, so I stayed on the sidelines taking pictures. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, and he said he didn’t really notice the ship moving much while he was out there. The ice rink – Center Ice – is smaller than a regulation-sized rink but it and the seating areas are beautiful and really innovative. It was nice and cool in there too!

 

Later we spent some time at the pools (we were right, about 5pm is a great time to go), and stopped by the Pool Bar (Deck 11) for an interesting concoction – I told the bartender (a great guy from Jamaica, wish I remembered his name) that I wanted something frozen and chocolaty, and he came up with something he called a “Chocolate Bomb,” which had hints of banana and maybe Godiva chocolate liqueur in there. It wasn’t the only one I had during the week… Also loved stopping by the Sky Bar (Deck 12) for a BBC – Bailey’s, Banana and Pina Colada. Life just doesn’t get any better than this. :)

 

At 8:30 it was time for our first formal dinner, the Captain’s Gala. Yes, women really do wear evening gowns (I did and was thrilled that I wasn’t the only one), and men really do wear suits and tuxes (mostly suits). Before dinner on each level outside of the dining room entrances, a photographer was set up to take formal portraits. You could view and purchase them the next day (and for days after) on Deck 3 (I think) at the Photo Gallery. Before dinner, Captain Olsen, who was wonderful throughout the cruise and especially during the ever-changing Hurricane Frances ordeal, made an announcement apologizing for not being able to make it to the Captain’s Gala dinner, but there was a medical emergency on board that he was tending to. He also said later that at around 11:30 that night we would rendezvous with a Coast Guard helicopter to bring the patient to a nearby island hospital. At around that time, we wandered out on deck and found many curious passengers forward on Decks 11 and 12, waiting for the chopper. While we thought it was in poor taste to take pictures or video of the event since it involved a sick passenger (although we saw many doing this), we were curious about how the chopper would find us and land on the helipad on Deck 5. We soon noticed the ship slow to a stop in the middle of nowhere, and saw the eerie sight of the helicopter’s headlights in the black in the distance. As they approached, you could start to hear the blades whipping through the night air and feel the stiff wind they generated. We watched for a few minutes like everyone else, half feeling guilty and half intrigued, while the copter came near and then just hovered for minutes just off our bow. We decided we’d seen enough and didn’t actually wait for the helicopter to land, but what we experienced made us feel like we were on The Weather Channel’s “Storm Stories.” Thankfully, later in the week the Captain said that the patient had had surgery and was doing just fine, and if I’m not mistaken, I think that he had rejoined our cruise in Cozumel! That certainly was good news.

 

In case you’re wondering (I bet the ladies here are!), it seems like a lot of people got changed after dinner on the formal nights, and even on the casual nights. It wasn’t unusual to walk around after dinner and see gowns, suits, khakis, shorts and sneakers on the same elevator. I know that some cruisers don’t like such a casual atmosphere, but it didn’t affect our vacation one bit. We figured live and let live, and we did the same – some nights we stayed dressed, some nights we were back in shorts by 11. We kind of liked the diversity of it all, the fact that a cruise on this wonderful mega-ship could be all things to all people at once.

 

Dru took a quick dip in the pool (very cool that at least one pool and whirlpool were open 24/7 – this ship really caters to your every whim!) and I hung out nearby in a lounge chair, then it was off to the elevators and back to our cabin for the night. FYI – during the entire 9-night trip, I think we only had one extra-long wait for the elevators and had to use the stairs instead. Most of the time the wait was reasonable, and we only had one instance of getting on and finding all of the buttons pushed (also FYI, we didn’t notice too many kids on the cruise, and the ones we did run into were great).

 

We were excited about the day coming up, which was our first port stop: Labadee!

 

--- more to come ---

[gamomluvs2cruise]

I love the details of your trip! I will be there in two weeks!(9-26) I am really enjoying your report! Thanks!

 

Carol:)

[michelle319]

What an awesome review! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of it.

[TonyaJune]

Great review, I'm anxious to hear about the rest of the trip. It sounds like you had a wonderful time.

[Tyron]

An AWESOME review...looking forward to reading the rest! Thanks for sharing your experience with us.:cool: :D

[Bandit236]

Hi,

Great review. We were there in March and had an equally exciting time. Can't wait to hear what you got to do on your extra days at sea. Thanks.

[LLM]

What a wonderful review! I'm looking forward to reading more.

 

Lisa

[njreindeer]

I'm so glad that it seems like you're enjoying the review! AND I'm so sorry that this is taking so painfully long to write... I'm trying to take my time with it and remember all of the details that made this a remarkable vacation. It may be slow-coming, but it will definitely eventually come... Thanks for your patience!

 

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Tuesday 8/31 - Cruise Day 3: Labadee

 

This was an exciting day, our first port stop in Labadee. Since it was broiling hot outside, and since we had no formal excursions planned, we decided to take our time having breakfast in the morning and taking some pictures of the island from Deck 12. We had heard that Labadee was beautiful but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The waters were very clear and that Caribbean turquoise-blue-green color, and the island mountainous with pristine beaches. All of the colors juxtaposed against the bright blue sky were more vivid than any postcard I’d seen. It looked like the perfect place to chill and just enjoy being in the Caribbean, and it certainly was. Royal Caribbean has a real gem in this island oasis.

 

Around 10:30 we headed down to Deck 1 for the tender to the island. The tenders run almost continuously, so don’t worry if you miss one, another will be right on its heels – just remember to bring your SeaPass card and picture ID or you may have trouble getting back on the ship! At every port stop, we packed a lightweight duffel bag with essentials like strong sunblock, water (Adrianna filled our 2-liter Thermos – $2.99 from Dick’s Sporting Goods – with ice every day, or you can buy bottles of water on the ship for about $3.50 each), camera, sunglasses, beach towels. The tender to the island is a quick & smooth five-minute ride during which you pass the Water Park. When we got off the tender we weren’t sure where to go, it seemed like there were SO many people and lounge chairs stuffed onto one beach that there wasn’t room for one more, but we were wrong. We turned left to the first beach area, and a friendly and helpful local man offered to set up a couple of chairs for us in the shade (and of course we tipped him for his help). Don’t forget that everyone you encounter on Labadee is affiliated with RCI, since the area is fenced off from the rest of the island. Because of the sun and heat we didn’t venture over to other beaches but were told that just one or two beaches and a few minutes’ walk away the beaches were just as picturesque and much less crowded. After liberally dousing ourselves with sunblock (even my Italian skin is no match for the strong Caribbean sun!), Dru went to pick up the floating beach mats we had reserved ($10 each ahead of time and worth the price) and we made our way into the Caribbean Sea. We had been warned that the waters surrounding Labadee were chilly, although to us it felt great since we’re used to Mid-Atlantic beaches with the warmest temperatures reaching 75˚ or so. Since I don’t swim and have been known to panic in an overfilled bathtub, I was keenly aware that the sandy bottom seemed to slope down a little more quickly than I’m used to in New Jersey, so I found a nice, calm, clear area of level sandy bottom and pretty much stayed there, while Dru, who swims like a fish, ventured out to the floating rope that marked off the bathing area. Just hanging around, holding on (for dear life) to my beach mat, enjoying the calm Caribbean and the view was very peaceful and relaxing – even with so many of our cruisemates closeby – that I’m surprised we ever got out of the water. And the view of the ship from the beach is magnificent, better than a postcard. Dru’s one regret was that he didn’t rent a waverunner that day and get a close-up view of the ship from the water and sightsee around the island. So our advice is if it looks like fun, don’t hesitate, just “get out there” and do it.

Eventually we were hungry – there’s just something about the ocean air. After getting out of the water and snapping dozens of pictures (make sure someone gets one of you with the ship in the background, it’s a fabulous souvenir!), we walked over to the food pavilion. On the way, we passed by a market area manned by the locals and full of their handicrafts, and everything we saw was eye-catching and unique. One note: even though we were forewarned that the Haitians might get “in your face” in trying to sell their wares, we weren’t prepared for how aggressive they could actually be. No one got physical, but we couldn’t even stop to examine all of the beautiful hand-made items without being simultaneously bombarded by every seller within earshot. The things they have to sell are certainly worth the effort, but understand that you’re probably their chief source of income and you’ll need to be polite but steadfast in your shopping.

 

Before you get to the food pavilion, you’ll pass a “Sanitizing Station” with dispensers that hold antibacterial foam similar to antibacterial gel. More than one crew member preached the value of handwashing to us during the cruise, as everyone’s very careful about germs and avoiding viruses that can spread through a cruise ship life wildfire. As the dining room maitre-d’ advised us, do yourself and the crew a favor and wash your hands with warm, soapy water before eating anywhere on the ship or on land. At the food station, there was live local music and dancing, and hamburgers, hot dogs, something I loved called tropical slaw (coleslaw with pineapples and currants), lots of fresh fruit, red beans and rice, punch, and the like. There were plenty of benches to find a seat and the atmosphere was like an island party.

After eating we went back to the market area to buy this beautiful hand-carved and lettered wooden globe we’d seen earlier. We also tried to go to the inside market area, but when we were bombarded right at the entrance by a flock of overly-eager sellers we just turned around and went to the outside area. We wound up carrying the globe with us on the plane ride home, and joked that the security screeners were going to think we had a shrunken head in the totebag (it was just the right size…).

 

After swimming and eating and shopping, the sun and the heat were starting to get to us and all we could think about was the air conditioning back on the ship, so about three hours after arriving we headed back to the tender dock to leave this beautiful island. Photo op: heading back to the ship on the tender, you can get some beautiful up-close shots of the ship. When you get back to the ship and go through security, don’t forget to remove your sunglasses as they run your SeaPass through the computer – the security screeners need to see your eyes too, to make a positive ID.

--- more to come ---

[njreindeer]

Dru was still hungry (hey, he’s a guy) so we went to Johnny Rockets (sat inside for the air conditioning – when the ship’s sitting still there’s not much of a breeze). He devoured a big fat juicy burger and I was in heaven with the creamiest banana-chocolate malt I’d ever had. You gotta love a 50’s-style diner where the waiter puts dishes of fries and onion rings in front of you as soon as you sit down. The surcharge lives on by the way - $3.95 per person, the food is included and all-you-can-eat, and the drinks (including those malts) will cost you, although not too much. The jukeboxes are a nickel a song, but it seems like they’re always already playing. And when something like “Stayin’ Alive” comes on, just watch the waiters dance! They actually seemed like they were enjoying themselves too – even the cooks in the back got into the act. Now we know why the kids on the ship love this place so much. We’ve never even been to the one right here in Philly, but I’m sure we’ll check it out soon.

Later on that afternoon, we went back to the Pool Bar for (more than) one of those Chocolate Bombs and hung out on Deck 12 just watching the world go by. Along with Ellington’s, this was a favorite place on the ship to just chill and watch the glistening sapphire water rush by.

After a little shopping in the Promenade – including a bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream for our room for a lot less than we’d pay at home, including the corking fee – we got ready for dinner at Portofino’s with Miranda and Mike. Dru wanted to wear a short-sleeve button-down shirt and dress pants that night, and I wanted to wear pale yellow pants and a pretty top, but we were both worried that we’d be too casual for the suggested “smart casual” code and all of the other diners. What we were wearing wound up matching our friends’ outfits and pretty much everyone else in the restaurant. After the cruise, I realized that my husband was (as usual!) right – I spent WAY too much time worrying about clothes instead of just trusting my own judgment and looking forward to this fabulous vacation.

Dinner was a lot of fun, especially since Miranda and Mike don’t know too many “Yankees” and we don’t know too many southerners, so the conversation was always interesting. Whether the talk turned to politics or religion or sports or the American family, we all seemed to share similar points of view, and the stories that the guys told had us laughing all night. AND my husband’s beer-pouring trick just mesmerized Mike and one of the bartenders: it involves bending the flip-top at such an angle that you can lean the beer can on the glass and let the glass fill up without holding the can. For some reason I still don’t get, guys get really turned on by this. I think they envision amazing and amusing friends with their beer-pouring prowess during such male-bonding rituals as Sunday afternoon football. If you see a bartender on the ship pouring beer this way, you know who started the craze!

Now the food that night was good, some things very good, but Dru and I didn’t think it even came close to Chops the next night. I hate to say this but we can’t even remember exactly what we had for dinner at Portofino’s. I know that there was creamy risotto, and I had some kind of veal (which was very tender), and that the bread basket included tasty, crispy garlic flatbread. And dessert was both artistic-looking and very tasty… Miranda had the tiramisu, which she said was just the best ever, and the rest of us had flourless chocolate cake which was a dream for a chocoholic like me. We definitely think that dinner was worth the $20 cover charge per person (plus tip), since you’ll never get dinner at such a posh restaurant at home for that kind of money. We might be a little spoiled though, both from my mom’s authentic Italian cooking and from all of the amazing Philly and South Jersey Italian restaurants at our disposal. Bottom line: you won’t be disappointed by Portofino’s. If you can swing it, it will be a memorable evening that’s much quieter and more intimate than the dining room.

I have to mention the drinks that Miranda and I had at dinner… Adrian, the sweet, friendly bartender from Romania at the Plaza Bar in the common area between the Windjammer, Portofino’s and Chops, made us up a couple of Wang Wangs. Now I can’t tell you exactly what’s in a Wang Wang, but it really packs a sneaky punch! It’s a pretty coral-pinky color with a cherry and orange slice for decoration, and it reminded me quite a bit of an Alabama Slammer. I know that it’s sweet and fruity with lots of alcohol, but luckily we didn’t have to drive anywhere that night! And I swear that Adrian made them stronger and stronger as the night went on… yes, we actually had more than one of these potent potions. By the time we left the restaurant our faces were the color of the drink, and we were veerrry happy. I highly recommend a Wang Wang and getting to know Adrian, your time with both will be memorable.

After parting with Miranda and Mike, Dru and I stopped back in our room and found quite a nice surprise waiting for us: our first towel pet! There he was, sitting on our bed facing the door just waiting to meet us, an adorable fluffy towel puppy wearing Dru’s sunglasses. Every night from then on we found a new little friend waiting for us after dinner (guarding our pillow-chocolates), and we saved every one in our own little in-cabin zoo. We took a picture of the little guy and headed out for a stop in the casino and then to the Dragon’s Lair for their 1980’s hour. The nightclub is a little smallish although we never felt cramped, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in atmosphere. When you enter, you’re magically transported to a creatively-lit two-story gothic dream. The music was good – DJ Ron is a master at special effects and mixing high-energy sets – but I think I was a little too Wang-Wanged-out to shake my groove thing on the dancefloor, so we listened for a while then realized it was time for bed. This day was exactly what we thought a cruise day would be – a sunny tropical beach, lively dinner with friends, exciting nightlife, then falling asleep before our heads hit the pillow!

The next day would bring our second port of call: Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

 

--- more to come ---

[nicurnc]

I am so enjoying your description of life & times on the Mariner. We sail on November 7th.We are originally from Jersey, so I can relate to your comparissons to Wildwood and all the great Italian restaurants!

 

Thanks for taking the time to write for us!

 

Loretta

[Harlow2]

Terrific Review! Love your attention to detail. Just one question: What exactly does the water park on Labadee consist of?

 

 

Thanks!

[scotmonson]

A great review. Thanks for the effort.

[ellen m]

Looking forward to the next installment!

[njreindeer]

Wednesday 9/1 - Cruise Day 4: Ocho Rios

Good morning Day 4, and the beautiful landscape of Ocho Rios, although it wasn’t a completely good morning for us. Dru and I both have bad allergies, and it turned out that there was something in our cabin from the get-go that we were very allergic to. Never figured out what it was – we ruled out goose-down pillows, since our pillows were 100% acrylic – but by Ocho Rios morning we were really feeling it, puffy eyes and sore throats and all. And I had somehow aggravated an old skiing injury (repeat after me: I will NEVER pack the kitchen sink again only to lug it around in airports for a day!), so my knee felt like the size of an agitated blowfish. Couple that with the intense sun and heat and I guess we weren’t the happiest little campers in the forest that day. But luckily we hadn’t planned on any excursions for Jamaica … Dru and I had been to the island once before and because of the aggressive drug dealers and marketplace sellers we were going to just play it by ear and maybe head to Margaritaville then call it a day. I don’t think either of us was in any shape to try climbing the slippery Falls!

And I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but… if we have one complaint about the beautiful Mariner herself, it’s the water that comes out of the bathroom sink. It’s warm or hot, all the time, period. No cold. I know nothing about the inner-workings of a ship but I thought it was curious that a ship that sports an ice rink and a rock wall and so many high-tech advances couldn’t give me cold water in the bathroom. Add brushing my teeth with hot water to the morning of Day 4 and I was a little on the grumpy side (for me, anyway) even in the middle of this Caribbean playland.

We took our time getting ready and stopped at the Windjammer for breakfast (I think this was the morning I discovered the biscuits and gravy… a definite bright spot to start the day!), and when we were lucky enough to get a window seat facing the island, were treated to a close-up view of Carnival’s Paradise at a nearby dock (Paradise is their non-smoking ship – it even has a big non-smoking symbol painted on its side). While every other cruise ship we saw during our vacation looked beautiful – I mean, how bad can a cruise ship really look? they’re all majestic against the clear-blue sky and teal-green Caribbean waters – they all paled next to our sparkling-new behemoth Mariner. In comparison, most of them looked small enough to be Mariner’s mid-morning snack! After breakfast we stopped up on Deck 12 for some pictures of the mountainous nation with all her colors – pink resorts and white homes dotting the rich emerald-greens of the hillsides. This was our first experience actually being docked at a port, not needing any tenders. While the tenders run often and seamlessly, it’s definitely a time-saver just walking off the ship and being in the new place. On the dock we noticed an information sign from the ship, telling Mariner’s cruisers what time to be back on the ship (by 4:30pm for a 5pm sailing) and to keep our watches on ship’s time, since Jamaica is one-hour behind that. After snapping a few up-close-and-personal shots of Mariner’s rounded hind quarters, we began the short five-minute trek to Margaritaville. Now while no one will accuse us of being athletic, we do occasionally play racquetball and ride bikes and go to the gym so a little relatively-level walk like this should be a no brainer, right? Again, that strong Caribbean sunshine and heat (and my knee) made this a real test for us. We made a pit-stop for air conditioning in the first souvenir shop we saw, like a minute from the ship, then vowed to make it nonstop to the promised land. We were told that no matter what the local taxi drivers said, just to follow the road straight ahead and it would lead us right to the Margaritavile complex, just across an overpass and to the right. We heard later from another couple that they had trusted a cabbie and got in, and he took them the long scenic way to the same restaurant we could almost see from the ship’s dock.

When we made it to Margaritaville I almost felt proud of myself and vowed never to let on how hard that short walk really was, but luckily Dru was on the same page. We couldn’t wait to get something cold to drink, and couldn’t imagine how people could imbibe the harder stuff in the heat and not pass out… On the way to the entrance, we passed lots of locals vying for our attention but we just kept walking with our heads down, not making eye contact. Near the restaurant there are quite a few shops with lots of local wares, including colorful hand-dyed clothing and delicately-carved wooden ornaments. While these things all looked intriguing, we went right to the bar – Fins Bar – found two seats and ordered four sodas for the two of us. Another Kodak moment – Dru decided to pop a picture of me sitting there, and it’s definitely not the most beauty-queenish I’ve ever looked… seeing the pic now I can still feel the steamy stagnant air and smell the strong fish smell. I don’t think anything ever tasted as life-affirming as those icy drinks in the tall, frosty glasses. I felt refreshed and renewed, but even more importantly, I felt like I could actually make it back to the ship without passing out! I think Jimmy Buffet would have been proud of everyone at Margaritaville that day, form the bartenders to the busboys to the patrons happily lolling the day away in a margarita daze. The pace there is just like the song intended: very laid-back, with a DJ spinning loud happy music and welcoming Mariner and Paradise patrons for awhile, just a big inviting beach party. We didn’t hit the beach there but some others who did didn’t want to leave. What Dru loved was the water slide going from the second-floor deck down to the pool which was just next to the bar and dining tables. I was the moment’s photographer – I have got to learn to swim one of these days so I can stop chronicling everyone else’s aquatic life and start living it too! – and caught my beloved raging head-first down the slide into the pool. You know he’s got the soul of a child when ten-year-olds watch his antics with amused stares of disbelief.

Before leaving we visited the Margaritaville gift shop and stocked up on some fun stuff – glasses, t-shirts, a “License 2 Chill” license plate. Although we were feeling a bit out of touch, like we were missing out on the heartbeat of the island by not exploring it further, we turned and started the sweaty trudge back to the ship. When you cross that gangway and the air conditioning first hits you it’s like your own personal Nirvana! We were glad we were back, and could enjoy an uncrowded ship with most of our fellow cruisers still on the island.

 

--- more to come ---

[njreindeer]

We took this opportunity to grab our camcorder and walk around the ship, chronicling everything from every deck including the helipad at the bow of Deck 5 (yes, every time we went out there I had to do the Titantic thing…). What a great keepsake this is now when we look at it, it feels like we could just walk downstairs and grab one of those luscious cookies (the stale chocolate chips in our own kitchen somehow just don’t compare…). At my insistence, we also stopped in the gym because I wanted to jump on a scale and see how I was doing with the nonstop eatfest that is a cruise, and while perplexed Dru joined me. I was pleasantly surprised when the scale proclaimed that I had lost 50 pounds since embarking! Dru got on and he had lost a whopping 62! Yes the scale was just a touch out of whack, but it’s nice to dream, isn’t it? :)

During sailaway we found ourselves with a couple of sodas on Deck 12, drinking in the breeze and watching Jamaica begin to fade in the distance. Back in our cabin we got ready for a dinner we were so looking forward to – Chops Grille at 7pm, just the two of us. While we really enjoyed our lively tablemates in the dining room, and we loved having dinner with our new friends the night before in Portofino’s, we were really looking forward to a big juicy steak and a little table for two in Chops. Mention Chops now and Dru’s expression turns to pure bliss… we LOVED this restaurant, there’s nothing about it that we would change. The manager, the servers, Adrian our favorite bartender again, the view, the décor, and of course the food were as good as it gets. We had made reservations for tonight, the infamous “Caribbean Night” in the dining room, almost as soon as we had boarded on Sunday, and we were glad that we did… turns out that quite a few people had the same idea to miss the Caribbean foodfest so Chops was booked solid for the evening. Everything was elegant, upscale and out of this world. And for the $20 cover per person plus tip, you couldn’t ask for a better gastronomic experience. Dru started with the cheese and onion soup, I had the marinated (in olive oil & garlic) portobello mushroom cap, then we both tried a crabcake appetizer (it’s dangerous when you can order as many appetizers as you want!). I didn’t go near the Wang Wangs that night ‘cause I didn’t want to have to be poured into bed again :p , so I went with the slightly more innocuous Fuzzy Navel, the best I’ve ever had (tasted just like a sweet, juicy, alcoholic peach), and Dru had an import on tap. They had some beautiful entrees to choose from, including prime rib, salmon, chicken, New York sirloin, and we both had the 10-ounce filet mignon (it’s also available in a 7-ounce portion). Dru had ordered his well-done with no pink in the middle, and I had requested mine medium-well… they were both cooked to perfection, and the most tender, flavorful cuts of beef we’ve ever enjoyed. Your server will offer you three different sauces for the beef – a bearnaise, au jus, and cracked peppercorn, and we recommend you don’t pass up the au jus, it’s thick and smooth and just full of beef flavor. You can order as many side items as you want, including grilled asparagus, mashed potatoes, marinated mushrooms, onion rings… everything we tried was tasty and a wonderful complement to the beef.

Now for dessert, our friends Miranda and Mike (who had eaten at Chops on Sunday) had encouraged my chocoholic soul to order the mud pie and boy was I not disappointed. For his dessert, my dear sweet hollow-legged hubby ordered himself a 7-ounce filet mignon. Yes you read that right. We’ve been to the best steakhouses in the Philadelphia area, including the Capital Grille, Morton’s, Ruth’s Chris, but Chops was the winner hands-down in every category, and Dru loved it so much he just had to have another few bites of filet. I did notice him slyly loosening his belt a notch or two before the second entrée arrived, but he was able to down every succulent bite without hesitation. I don’t know how he did it, but while I saved room for chocolate, this was his dessert. God bless the man.

After dinner we stopped back in the cabin and found our new towel pet, a cute little frog, then headed out to the pool deck for the Bartender Flair show, which was better than the Tom Cruise’s antics in “Cocktail,” and hung out for the “Dancing Under the Stars” Deck Party. My advice to RCI is to have more nighttime pool deck parties like this, with live music and flowing frozen drinks and the Pineapple Bar, because I think most of the ship turned out for it. We had a blast, but were way too full to try the beautiful desserts or fruits, although we did make room for pina coladas in really unique keepsake glasses that we’ve used every day since coming back home. We noticed that people were dressed all kinds of ways – very casual in shorts and sneakers, wearing bright Caribbean colors to get into the spirit of the night, some sparkly nighttime dresses, golf shirts and khakis and sandals… I can’t tell you enough that almost anything goes as long as it’s not something you’d clean your house in, just use your best judgment. We joined the “Hot Hot Hot” conga line with Mega 4 belting it out in the background and danced until we were ready to drop.

Back to the cabin and finally to bed, we were really looking forward to the next day – Grand Cayman and Stingray City!

A few random thoughts…

-- Since we knew we weren’t going to be in the dining room for two nights in a row – Tuesday and Wednesday – we let our tablemates and our waiter know ahead of time. We just thought it would be nice so they wouldn’t hold up the start of dinner service for us, and Natasha thanked us for the gesture.

-- If you’re not into loud club music, the Lotus Lounge on Deck 5 had ballroom dance music on a few nights during the cruise. The lounge is, of course, beautiful, just like every other inch of this ship. What seemed like the hottest party almost every night though was the open-air Latin bar Bolero’s on Deck 4… always music with a Latin flair, always jumping and crowded.

-- The Krooze Komics (two women, actually) were pretty talented, and we saw them all over the place, juggling, doing some physical comedy, and often getting anyone nearby into the act. Kids of all ages loved them.

-- Don’t forget to check your Cruise Compass for the times to pick up tickets to the ice shows during the week. The shows are absolutely free, but due to the limited seating in the ice rink tickets are required. The tickets are first-come, first-served. And we LOVED the ice show! Would’ve actually gone twice if we knew how colorful and lively it was.

--- more to come ---

[Bargeo]

Love your review......please continue!!!!

[LLM]

You're review is awesome! It is so full of detail. DH and I are planning on going to Chops when on the Mariner in a couple of weeks. I am so glad to hear how much you enjoyed it. How long was your dinner there? Thanks!

 

Lisa

[triplemom3]

You aren't an author by trade, are you? If not,you should be~Love the review and the awesome detail! Truly appreciated!

[garnetjanet]

Thank you, njreindeer, I am LOVING reading your review!! It is bringing back so many details (some I had forgotten about) from our cruise. It is going to be SO hard to wait 2 years! I had forgotten (I don't know how) about the lack of cold water in the bathroom sink. I HATED that! Almost nothing worse (for me) than brushing your teeth with warm water. Another thing I had forgot to point out in my review was how GREAT it is to NOT have your room number on your seapass card. I was SO PARANOID on the Golden Princess about losing one of our cards since they DO print your room number on your card. I about lost my mind when my husband found he had lost his card (and while we were on their private island)! Anyway, BIG PLUS to RCCL (from me) on this security issue!

 

By the way, I have added "Chocolate Bomb" to my list of things to do/get when we go back!! YUM!! I can't wait for the rest of your review!!:D

[njreindeer]

Thursday 9/2 - Cruise Day 5: Grand Cayman

Now this was a day we had been waiting for, and we were hoping that the seas weren’t too rough to dock and tender in. The morning was another gorgeous one and, thankfully, didn’t feel quite as oppressively hot and humid as the day before. After double- and over-dosing on allergy medicine and Advil my head and knee were feeling better, although Dru looked like a poster for Claritin. We got up nice and early because we wanted to catch the first tender out … we had booked a Stingray City snorkeling trip a month or so earlier through Soto’s Cruises on the island, and they were to pick us up just off the dock by 8:30am local time for a 9:30 – 12:30 trip, and there was no way we were going to miss the boat! Again, there was no need to worry, the tenders hold a lot of people and run very frequently. I had high hopes for the day personally, since even though I can’t swim or snorkel, the Stingray City sandbar is notoriously shallow enough to just stand in, and being on the tallish side, I figured I might be able to join Dru in a water event! Very exciting, couldn’t wait to meet and greet with the rays.

FYI, we had picked Soto’s because I knew they were a reputable outfit from my trip to Cayman years ago (the Soto boys’ father, Bob Soto, is one of the biggest and best-known dive outfits on the island), and because we wanted a boat that didn’t pack us in like sardines. AND the price couldn’t be beat too, $24 per person for a three hour tour. At the end of the day we were pleased on all fronts with Soto’s and highly recommend them. The crew was friendly and fun and helpful, and they provided all equipment and ice water too. They also advertised that an underwater videographer went on each snorkeling trip to capture the fun – and then charge exhorbitant amounts of money for the resulting DVD. We didn’t care, hey it’s a vacation and possibly a once-in-a-lifetime chance to mingle with the rays, and we happily paid the $66 for the finished the DVD to be mailed to us within a few weeks (they were quick, we received it a few days ago!).

Duffel bag packed and ready, we did catch an early tender, stopped on the dock for a picture by the ship’s photographers (believe me, you don’t have to look for them, they’ll make themselves known!), then made a right turn and headed for the parking lot near the Hard Rock Café to wait for Soto’s. An added bonus – on the way you pass Atlantis Adventures (they operate in Cozumel too), and on the sidewalk outside of their office is a genuine submarine, one of the tiny three-person research subs they take down to about 1000’. For a hefty price – $395 per person now – you can book the tiny yellow vessel and have the adventure of a lifetime seeing things in the blue deep that no recreational diver has ever seen. I was thrilled that I could show the sub to Dru – I may panic in a wading pool, but back in ’89 I had no trouble going down just over 1000’ in this tiny tin can. After describing it to him so many times, he was surprised to see just how mini it really was, and wondered if even he would have had the nerve to take the plunge!

We were the last ones to make it to Soto’s van, so we piled in, claimed a couple of jumpseats in the middle, and were off. It’s a quick 10-minute ride to the snorkeling boat on the other side of the island where they check everyone in, take payments, hand out equipment and get going. In the channel out to the open water, the scenery we passed was impressive: big, beautiful pastel-colored homes with perfect lawns and flower beds, all with gleaming pleasure craft docked outside. This looked more like Miami Beach than a speck in the Caribbean. After seeing Haiti and Jamaica, it was a real eye-opener to be on an island where the locals probably make more than I do! This island exudes wealth, and chances are you won’t find the local handicrafts or wide-eyed sellers here… More likely you’ll find pristine gemstones and Lladro and other trinkets you’d go to New York or London to buy, along with upscale restaurants and resorts. I can’t help but wonder what these stunning homes look like now though, since Cayman didn’t fare well during the recent storms. I just hope that it can regain its former luster, it’s always been a real gem in the middle of that jewel-like sea.

The Soto’s boat went out about 15 minutes before stopping for its first of two snorkeling stops before the grand finale at Stingray City. Dru was amazed at the color of the water and just how clear it was – he had never snorkeled before but couldn’t wait to try. Me? Well I made friends with a woman on the boat who like me hyperventilates merely at the word “swim.” And the funny thing is that she and her family live about five miles from us! Talk about a small world, ours was shrinking fast. When the boat stopped, one of the crew gave a quick talk about what to look for under the surface… it was so clear that from above we could easily see fish and coral formations. He also made it clear that there was fire coral in the area and touching it would be more than unpleasant – I think that the waters off of Cayman are a national marine park anyway, and divers and snorkelers are prohibited from interfering with Mother Nature. Everyone jumped in the drink and had about 25 minutes to explore this first area, and I started taking photos of the crowd. Dru brought a waterproof camera with him and got some great pics of the underwater life (it was a disposable Fuji camera from Wal-Mart and cost about $7.95 for 27 shots, and it took vivid, true-to-life colorful pictures). Once everyone got back on the boat, it was a speedy five minute ride to the next stop, 25 minutes to look around, and then on to the star of the day, Stingray City!

Stingray City was less than five minutes away, and you didn’t need a compass to find it – just look for all of the other snorkeling boats neatly circling the sandbar. We did see some other boats that had so many snorkelers packed onto one boat they looked like lifesavers stuck together in a roll. The Soto’s crew went over all of the do’s and don’t’s of getting to know and feeding the local rays, including how not to get stung accidentally, and then let everyone loose in the shallow water to get up close and personal with some aquatic life. While the water was only about five feet deep, with all of the boats and active people in the area it was very wavy, and unfortunately I chickened out and stayed onboard to play photographer (again). When the Soto’s crew saw that I really wasn’t coming in, one of them brought a small, friendly gray stingray over to me to touch and say Hello. That’s one word that applied to every ray: friendly. They’re not only used to people being in their world, they seem to love people in their world, because they know that we’re going to feed them juicy squid. They probably also realize after all these encounters with our species that we’re not there to hurt them, just to hang with them for a little while. The crew were much less timid with the rays than the snorkelers were, picking them up, stretching their mouths for people to see, and – I think this amused them the most – rubbing them all over someone’s face or back when they weren’t suspecting. Dru was the victim of the back thing at least once… he said it felt slimy but kind of velvety. To feed the rays, people just made a fist and held the squid in there, and they didn’t have to look for the hungry sea-flyers, they came out of nowhere for lunch. There were families on the boat with pre-teen kids, and all of the kids seemed to be having the time of their lives. I watched them thinking how great it was that they were so young but so well traveled, doing things like feeding Caribbean stingrays. What vivid lifelong memories they made today!

--- more to come ---

[njreindeer]

After maybe a half-hour of the friendly feeding frenzy, everyone got back on the boat buzzing about their newfound aquatic acquaintances. It was funny, when the boat first left the dock everyone was kind of quiet and kept to themselves, but by now we were all like one big happy family, having shared something so unique and wonderful. When we docked again, the passengers thanked the crew by tipping them, then we were on the shuttle bus headed back to Georgetown and the ship dock. We’re not power-shoppers but we still took home a few trinkets from Grand Cayman, like a beautiful indigo-blue gemstone globe paperweight (only $25!), some glasses and t-shirts, and of course baseball caps for Dru (his collection grows…). Just about anywhere you look there’s another shop selling top-of-the-line gemstones and watches and figurines, you pretty much can’t go wrong no matter where you turn. We didn’t attend any of the shopping talks on the ship, but got some of info from the in-cabin port & shopping channel, and from the shopping page left in that day’s Cruise Compass. Definitely helps to do some homework so you know you have a direction planned, instead of (like us) aimlessly wandering the streets until we found something of interest.

 

Back on the ship, our thoughts turned to two things: Johnny Rockets (I don’t know if our thoughts ever really left JR’s!), and changing our flight scheduled for original debarkation day, Sunday. By this point in the cruise, we hung on every word from the Captain in his frequent updates over the PA system, since he had been hinting all week that Sunday wasn’t looking good because of Frances on our heels. By now we thought that we’d be there one extra day, so after another amazing lunch featuring smooth and rich chocolate banana shakes, we went back to our cabin and tried calling US Airways. Getting a line out was a challenge at best, and as the cruise went on, the crew was accommodating enough to allow free ship-to-shore calls (limit 5 minutes, please) and free internet access (10 minutes…) so everyone could make alternate travel arrangements or call their families to do the legwork from home. RCI said they’d take care of the people for whom they originally booked airfare, and the rest of us were doing the best we could to fend for ourselves. As of Thursday night, we weren’t fending too well and pictured ourselves being stranded in Florida for days.

 

Thursday night was the second formal night, and we had been looking forward to getting all dressed up again. Funny thing, we didn’t factor in how bone-tired we’d be from the sun and the surf and just from the pace we kept up on the ship. Luckily we were on the same page and couldn’t even think of dressing to the nines that night, so we stayed in casual clothes and headed down to Center Ice for “Ice Under the Big Top” at 7:15pm. The show lasted maybe 45 minutes and was dazzling. The dancers, the colorful costumes and lighting, and the amazing things these people could do while hanging suspended from the ceiling brought down the house. If we hadn’t seen it we wouldn’t have believed what these young professionals could do on such a small patch of ice on a moving ship. They give it everything they’ve got and it shows, and better yet, they look like they’re really enjoying every minute of it as much as we did. Fit it into your schedule, you’ll be mesmerized.

 

After the ice show we thought we’d try a casual dinner in the Windjammer… well I guess we waited too long because we didn’t realize that the Windjammer closed for dinner at 9pm! We could have ordered room service, but it’s really true that you don’t spend much time in your cabin during a cruise, there’s just too much to see and do on the ship. Thank goodness there’s always the trusty ol’ Promenade Café, a great hangout to watch the hustle-bustle of onboard life. Their mini-sandwiches packed a big flavor punch that we needed (had some imaginative ones too, like the ricotta with black olive tapenade), so we picked up a bunch, got a front-row table, and lazily ate while watching the world go by. I think the times in that mall were some of my favorites throughout the cruise, it’s a prime place to see and be seen and feel the “pulse” of the ship. A slice of pizza (for Dru) and a bunch of tender sweet cookies later, we had enjoyed our own informal dinner and had the rest of the night to ourselves.

 

We didn’t make many of the shows onboard but we did want to check out the next one on the schedule that night, “Pure Energy” at 10:45, a tribute to the music of the 80’s. I wasn’t as convinced about this one as Dru was, but I was so glad we went, the singers and dancers were fantastic. Again, the lighting and colors and costumes were eye-catching, and they sang just enough of each song to keep it interesting, then moved on. The intensity and enjoyment-factor of the performers made this unforgettable.

 

Back in our cabin our Caribbean zoo grew, now including a towel bunny – how she got those long ears to perk up like that I have no idea. We thought we were going to stop in just for a few minutes and then go back out to the dining rooms for the Gala Midnight Buffet, but we both made the mistake of sitting on the bed and laying our heads back just for a moment. The next time I opened my eyes the sun was shining! Not that we were starving (since 50% of everything we did onboard was eat anyway), but we heard that we missed a real culinary and design marvel. From 11:30 – 12:15, the buffet was open for viewing in the Sound of Music dining room, and 12:30 it was time to eat what the chefs so painstakingly crafted. Don’t fall asleep like we did, try to hit the buffet! The sleep felt good, but the t-shirt I saw was right – you can sleep when you get back home, vacation is the time to indulge!

 

One other note on this night – at midnight there was a Ladies’ Night revue in the Dragon’s Lair featuring the “Mariner Men.” Dolores (“lovingmom” from this board) later told me I missed quite a show! I won’t spoil it for you, but it sounds like it was well worth the (free) price of admission… if you’re at all interested ship officers dancing in their underwear... ;)

Tomorrow would be a day we were looking forward to for so many reasons… we’d never been to Cozumel and heard how beautiful it was, we were booked on a submarine excursion, and our Verizon cell phone would work again!

 

--- more to come ---

[gamomluvs2cruise]

I could almost picture Grand Cayman while reading your review of it. How I wished there wasn't such devastation there!!! I have dreamed of going to the Cayman Islands for years!(thanks to John Grisham's books) We had the stingray city, snorkeling and beach adventure(seven-mile) booked and we were really looking forward to this. I feel kind of selfish being so disappointed because of the loss that others are dealing with right now!

 

I am glad that your experience was so wonderful. At least we get to see GC through your eyes. Thanks!

 

I look forward to reading the rest of your report!

 

 

 

Carol:)