Best Mariner secrets

[rock the boat]

Danielbriere, I see that you are sailing the same time we are. Why don't you check out our roll call thread for this sailing. The more the merrier.;)

[tbear2762]

watch a sunrise! they tell you in the compass what time they are every morning. pick which day the weather is going to be best and fits your schedule!

 

the pub was very popular for our table for drinks in the evening.

 

the ice show is wonderful.

 

def. chops and/or portofino one night. i think wed is the best night to go.

 

take naps if you want to make it through the night time shows and midnight buffet. the sun wears you out!

 

take a ton of pictures no matter how much your husband, or family complains...because 5 months later they are the ones that really appreciate the memories!!

 

if you are in your 20s or look young take your id with you because they will make you walk alllll the way back to your room to get it!

 

take the stairs to make up for all the food you eat all week!

 

why do you need an ID on the ship I thought that is what your sea pass was for

[Would_rather_b_cruising]

I am sailing next sunday on her.

 

My num 1 tip:

 

If you are getting off the ship, order a sandwich from room service, or go to the Promonade Cafe and pick one up. That way you dont have to pay for food on shore.

[veryhotred]

Deck 4, (promenade deck), all the way forward, you will see stairs going up a deck and that leads to the bow of the ship. The stairs are sometimes closed off if it is extremely windy. It is one of our favorite places on the ship. At night it is dark up front so they can see from the bridge and it is one of the best places to watch the stars. I'll never forget, one night as we passed between St. Lucia and Martinique, a pod of dolphins caught up to the ship and began to ride the wake of the bow. You couldn't see them when they went so close to the ship, but you could hear their blowholes opening to take a breath, it was magical!

 

Thank you!!! And wow...that sounds Magnificent!!

[Darspurs]

My wife likes me to wake her with a coffee, then we don't rush to breakfast - If you are in a forward cabin (we were on deck 10 right by the elevators) just go down to deck 5 the promenade cafe (which is right by the elevators) it is much easier than going to the back of the ship to the windjammer and better coffee.

 

I went every morning around 8 or 8.30 there was virtually never anyone down there and I was back in the cabin within 2 to 3 minutes with our coffee's.

[Pootle]

That helipad bit is where my soon to be DH proposed late at night on AOS last August :D

 

There have benches up there which are good to lay back on for star gazing...

[Pootle]

I am sailing next sunday on her.

 

My num 1 tip:

 

If you are getting off the ship, order a sandwich from room service, or go to the Promonade Cafe and pick one up. That way you dont have to pay for food on shore.

 

 

Actually, I don't know if this is the same on Mariner but on AOS we called room service and asked if it was possible to get a packed lunch for one of our beach days and they were more than happy to oblige. I would guess it's fleet wide???

[kruz]

Lots like to do this on all cruises...

Get to the Dining Room and check out your table locations. If you need to change or re-arrange do so now..also make reservations for Chops and Porotifinos early too!

 

Take come time and go play Mini Golf...it's alot of fun, especially on a windy sea day!

[mrsaknar]

This is all SO helpful~ I am SO excited.... we leave THIS Saturday!! I am curious, I have heard about a peek-a-boo deck. What exactly is a peek-a-boo deck and where would we find it? Thanks again all, your tips/hints for the Mariner are GREAT!

[MrsPete]

The heli-pad for sail-away sounds great! I don't care for crowds, and this place is almost always empty -- I'd be willing to bet that not many people have "found it" yet by sail-away.

 

I'll second the vote for the little sandwiches in the Promenade Cafe. VERY YUMMY! My husband, a classic kind of guy, stuck to the ham and cheese croissaints, but I tried different things. They also serve pizza (just so-so, kind of like the good quality frozen stuff), desserts, fruit, and water. You can get a soda at the adjacent bar. All day long they have serve-yourself coffee, hot tea, and hot chocolate. The Promenade Cafe was a surprise hit for my family!

 

The movies are not first-run things; they're more like the stuff that's in the "new releases" at Blockbuster. Unfortunately, I'd already seen everything they were showing! Next time I'll refrain from renting movies a couple months before my cruise. Also, they don't serve popcorn, which bothered me a great deal; next time I'll bring along some of that pre-popped Dave & Thomas stuff.

 

At peak times, seats are hard to find in the (huge) Windjammer. It's wise to find a seat and have one member of your party sit down while the others get their food. Otherwise, you'll have a hard time finding one another, and you'll wander around with trays of food.

 

Also, on your first trip to the buffet, take a minute to walk all the way to the back. They have a "front line" called Jade, then a middle section called Windjammer, and finally a back side and several free-standing islands. Most of the time, the food in Jade and Windjammer is very simliar -- much of the time, it's identical. Early in the week you see LOADS of people standing in line at Jade, while the Windjammer section is pretty much empty. If you want cooked-to-order eggs or omlets, go to the center of the back section. In the afternoon, they advertise "afternoon tea", but it includes sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza -- it's a pretty heavy "tea".

 

The dining room serves breakfast and lunch, and they have a 30-minute meal concept. The idea is that you should be in and out in 30-minutes. They do this by limiting the number of things on the menu.

 

I liked most of the food on Mariner, but most of the desserts are substandard. Oh, they LOOK good, but it's like they're "whipped" to incorporate too much air, and most of them are rather tasteless. The cookies were normally the best dessert.

 

The cheapest beer onboard is a take-out cup at Johnny Rockets. I forget the exact price, but it was less expensive than the bars and it was several ounces larger. The brands were limited. If you walk in and buy just a beer, you don't pay a cover charge.

 

My engineer husband LOVED the peek-a-boo deck. It's a spot where you can look down into the navigation area of the ship. There was a little boy about 10 years old who was there EVERY time we went up there! He said he wants to be a ship's captain, and he was VERY taken by everything that was going on in there!

 

The islands DO NOT ALLOW you to bring food ashore. It's a customs thing. Instead, have a good-sized breakfast and eat a late lunch when you come back aboard.

 

Pay close attention to the instructions on your daily newsletter about the island stops. Sometimes they required SeaPass only, sometimes they required Seapass plus ID for adults. I don't understand why, but this isn't something I'd want to ignore!

 

I don't understand the comments about bringing your ID. You'd need your ship's ID to pay for a drink, and that'd let the bartender know whether you're "legal" or not. Perhaps the people who commented were ladies whose husbands were buying their drinks for them, and they'd left their own SeaPasses back in the cabin.

 

I saw LOTS of people on the last day complaining that they'd been overcharged for photographs. Check your bill carefully.

 

Your TV has several channels that're very useful: One's a large black and white clock, which is just right for a nightlight. Another allows you to check your SeaPass spending. Another replays the shows (not the same as being there, but nice if you're just too tired to go in person). Another gives you the weather and the position of the ship/land at all times (again, my engineer husband loved that).

 

This is a simple one, but notice that all the women's public restrooms are located on the right side of the ship, while all the men's public restrooms are located on the left side of the ship. (with a few exceptions)

 

Bring your own shampoo and conditioner. Ladies with hair of any length, that leave-in conditioner is wonderful stuff.

 

If you have teens or tweens, buy them a lanyard for their SeaPass. My girls were very good about keeping theirs on the doorknob in the cabin, and they were never locked out.

 

The all-you-can-drink Coke cup is not a good deal, especially for adults. Remember, the drinks they give you are small -- they're about half a canned soda. Especially if you're going to drink an alcoholic beverage with your dinner, you're probably better off buying your drinks as you go; however, the ship seems to imply to customers that you must either buy the refillable mug or you can never have a soda.

[DKane]

Don't miss the Quest show; it is a hoot.

 

Boleros Bar makes the best mohitos.

 

The Ice Show is a definite must do!

 

Most of all, relax and have a wonderful cruise. The Mariner is top notch.

 

I second that about the MOJITOS!!

[danielbriere]

While we're rolling here with these excellent tips, a few questions have popped up for me.

1. Other posts have suggested bringing a clock radio. Since I just learned the TV has a clock, does the ship offer wake-up calls so I can not bother bringing a clock along?

2. Someone suggested checking about your table early. If I somehow manage to get on board near the front of the line and get to the dining room right away, is there any chance of talking the maitre'd into switching our table with one that's by a window (assuming it's not already). If the answer is 'no' from your experiences, would a greased palm do the trick?

3. Must you make each room service call seperately or can you put in a standing order for a pot of coffee at 7 each morning?

Thanks.

And keep the tips coming.

[toonjie]

While we're rolling here with these excellent tips, a few questions have popped up for me.

1. Other posts have suggested bringing a clock radio. Since I just learned the TV has a clock, does the ship offer wake-up calls so I can not bother bringing a clock along?

2. Someone suggested checking about your table early. If I somehow manage to get on board near the front of the line and get to the dining room right away, is there any chance of talking the maitre'd into switching our table with one that's by a window (assuming it's not already). If the answer is 'no' from your experiences, would a greased palm do the trick?

3. Must you make each room service call seperately or can you put in a standing order for a pot of coffee at 7 each morning?

Thanks.

And keep the tips coming.

 

They do have an automated system for wake up calls so no need for a clock radio. I would check what time sunset is for the time of year you are cruising before requesting a window seat. You'll find they often shut the blinds even before sunset so the sun is not in your eyes and they always shut them when it is dark.

[TravelerThom]

...Other posts have suggested bringing a clock radio. Since I just learned the TV has a clock, does the ship offer wake-up calls so I can not bother bringing a clock along?

As has been said the ship does offer wake-up calls. Most ships have poor electrical frequency regulation - when I took a plug-in clock it lost ten minutes every day. Obviously if your clock does not plug in this is not an issue.

[titlediva]

Chops is an absolute must do! The food is great, and the service is impeccable!

 

Johnny rockets is also a MUST DO! It's $3.95, but the french fries and onion rings are wonderful.

 

Windjammer has THE BEST french fries! We ate them every single day of our cruise.

 

Labadee is a very relaxing island. We took our own snorkels, and just swam around in the cove all day! Don't forget your LABADOOZIE! They are GREAT!! Get there early so you can get a good spot on the beach - just tip your guy for your chairs.

 

Be very careful if you go into Ocho Rios! We ventured "downtown" alone and were very frightened by all the people that approached us trying to MAKE us buy their stuff. Also had someone try to sell us pot in an outdoor restaurant - but the jerk chicken was great!! Don't miss Dunns River Falls - a great time!

 

Grand Caymen was pretty, but probably wouldn't want to go there again. Not much to do unless you want to buy jewelry or do banking!!

 

Cozumel has the prettiest water! We did the Playa Mia beach break, and it was a really fun day.

 

Enjoy yourself! It's a great ship, and the crew is first rate!

[kgrassel]

why do you need an ID on the ship I thought that is what your sea pass was for

 

It should be all you need, but last week I saw several young adults with sea passes that indicated that they were 21 being required to also show picture ID to drink. Even the waiters that were passing champagne at the captains reception were carding people.

 

Also, my one of my cruise daughters (age 18) was kicked out of the casino (playing slots) because she couldn't produce picture ID to go with her sea pass. Since they do associate a picture with the sea pass as you are boarding, I'm thinking they could have checked it themselves if they were so concerned about her identity. I was not impressed with that little scenario.

[Would_rather_b_cruising]

About not bringing food onshore, I have never had a problem. The Bahamas are the only ones that are strict. Make sure to get the mayo on the side, so they don't go soggy. If you want to go to the parade, but don't like the crowds, head up one deck, and watch from the little "stubs" above.

[tbear2762]

I am sailing next sunday on her.

 

My num 1 tip:

 

If you are getting off the ship, order a sandwich from room service, or go to the Promonade Cafe and pick one up. That way you dont have to pay for food on shore.

 

Poor tip as you are not allowed to bring anykind of food off the ship per customs.

[Javadelcamp]

Take come time and go play Mini Golf...it's alot of fun, especially on a windy sea day!

 

Mini golf on a high-seas day--especially if you've had a mojito or some other fruity wonderful drink--is sooooooooooo fun! As long as your companions are good-natured, then you will find it a riot when your ball rolls toward the hole...and then away from it again. :D

 

Enjoy! We have just a few more weeks until our turn on the Mariner!

[deckgirl]

take time to listen to Captain Johnny's announcements every day. He has the best personality of any ship captain we've cruised with. There is a book about him that is sold on the ship that he will happily autograph.

[KyGolden08]

Keep the tips coming. This is our first cruise and I want it to be great so we will want to come back year after year. All your help is greatly appreciated! :)

[heydn62]

If you get the cookies or other desserts from the Promenade Cafe, they will give you milk if you ask for it.

[poppyskim]

The best chocolate chip cookies from room service every night-standing order. We order 9 cookies nightly ate a few then put the rest in ziplock bags for the next day. I also ordered extra fruit plates at breakfast and bagged the extras. When returning from the day out it was the best to have that cold fresh fruit in the mini fridge waiting for us. Also the room stewerd always had our ice bucket filled upon return for that wonderful water on the ship!

[cruisinhs]

I think I have read conflicting accounts about whether there are fridges in all the rooms on the Mariner. I know that the suites, etc. have them, but I thought someone said that after she was "redone" there were now fridges in every room. It would be handy, but not a must. Just wondering.

[Pootle]

Poor tip as you are not allowed to bring anykind of food off the ship per customs.

 

Of that's the case then why were room service happy to make us up a packed lunch, several times? We told them we were going ashore all day and would like a packed lunch and they didn't bat an eyelid....