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NOT Live from the Mariner 4/19-26/09

EmpressofPurple
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Corgiboy

Corgiboy

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Dear Empressof Purple,

I am enyoying reading your quite detailed descriptions. You have a way with words!

 

I just have one curious question, not meant to be of any judgement at all.

It is regarding not being diamond yet, but being a guest at the diamond lounge. My husband and I are diamonds ( we just made it for this trip and it will be our last time in the CL), and we have our best friends trying a cruise for the first time. I didn't want to be rude and abandon them everyday for the lounge, can we bring them in as our guests? I was wondering how that worked for you. I thought they checked cards at the door. I'd really like to bring them, but I wouldn't want to embarass them if we aren't really allowd guests.

 

Any advice you have is very much welcome,

Thanks

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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Dear Empressof Purple,

I am enyoying reading your quite detailed descriptions. You have a way with words!

 

I just have one curious question, not meant to be of any judgement at all.

It is regarding not being diamond yet, but being a guest at the diamond lounge. My husband and I are diamonds ( we just made it for this trip and it will be our last time in the CL), and we have our best friends trying a cruise for the first time. I didn't want to be rude and abandon them everyday for the lounge, can we bring them in as our guests? I was wondering how that worked for you. I thought they checked cards at the door. I'd really like to bring them, but I wouldn't want to embarass them if we aren't really allowd guests.

 

Any advice you have is very much welcome,

Thanks

Under the "rules", they are not allowed in. Denise accompanied me as my cabinmate. That's different from friends in another cabin. (and Wrona had the experience, on another cruise, of not being allowed in even as the roommate of a Diamond)

 

Now the reality: there was NO ONE at the door checking ID's on this particular cruise. On other cruises, they practically strip-search you to find out if you belong. (just joking, of course ;))

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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Third port day follows; glad many are enjoying this review!! Someday I will figure out how to upload photos to one of those photobucket sites like flickr or photobucket or what have you, and the stories will be illustrated (for what use, thought Alice, is a book without pictures or conversations...)

 

Thursday, April 23 – Puerta Vallarta

Up at 6:30, went on balcony to see us coming into Puerta Vallarta at dawn – at last, a lush, tropical city with green mountains and fresh new construction! This place feels nice. We couldn’t dock at the industrial pier, so we were right downtown, across from a mall, Sam’s Club and Walmart! (However, to get there – I found out later – you have to walk about a mile out of the way to cross the road.)

Dressed and to stretch class by 7am – just 5 people there (it was packed on the first two days of the cruise)… and just 2 of us for circuits!! They were pretty brutal: running with foam bricks, then jumping over a step stack (I just jumped at the end), squat thrust jumps, chair dips, running on steps, and pushups (I used the wall bar again). Whew! Back to the cabin and dressed for horseback riding, it was just 8:30 so I decided to have breakfast in the dining room.

They would not serve me grapefruit juice (since it wasn’t on the menu), and the Eggs Benedict bearnaise sauce kind of sad… but the poached eggs were perfect. I also had grits, a cinnamon roll, a grapefruit half, and some turkey sausage, as well as coffee with cream. Talked with Heidi and Casey, a single mom (age 43) and her 7-year-old son – very loving family, had a great idea of a single parent get-together… not for pickup purposes, but to plan family outings together.

After breakfast, back to room; Carol now up, I did final trip prep, read and then rested for a while before heading out to pier at 11am. Met up with horseback riding group – 11 of us, a family of 4, 3 couples, and me. Sigh. Made friends with Maggie and Jose, Mexican-Americans from Los Angeles, very nice. Hope to see them again. We took a 30-minute drive to the Hacienda, which was very beautiful, with a fountain, a mini-church, an open-air dining area with stage where there was a folkloric show going on (there was also a 60-foot pole in the yard, clearly for another Pampalta flyer show, but no spinning wheel here). There was a dance and music show going on when we arrived, and trick horse riding, too.

I noticed our friends from Trivia arriving, and offered to take pictures of them in front of the fountain – and asked them to do the same for me. I looked at the wares for sale in the booths by the restaurant, but didn’t want to carry anything with me on the horseback right. Also went out back to look at the horses, plus a small calf, a donkey, a pony… and an ostrich! Then our group got together (the ATV group and Rhino 4x4 group also left from this site… my Trivia friends were here for Mexican Fiesta, so this place runs EVERYTHING!!) – we went out to the horse corral, and got instructions from Murillo, our trail boss.

I placed myself in the “intermediate” group, and was given Estrella, a lovely, large reddish-brown horse with a white star on her forehead (hence the name). We headed out on the dusty trail (I had purchased a kerchief – for $3!! – to keep dust out of my nose) and began our ride. Shortly, we crossed through a rocky stream, and then went through a lot of brush by the riverbank. Families were playing in and near the waterside. We went on through various trails, trotting up small inclines, usually single file but sometimes horses would get lively and want to pass each other, or get lazy and want to hang back. I was usually in the first 5 on the way out, closer to 10 on the way back (until the end, when Estrella got excited and wanted to get home, and we ended up near the front again).

We crossed the river again, and stopped by a farm, with chickens, turkeys, dogs, and an outdoor bar (“Chino’s Bar”) under a tree. There we had a drink and had a choice of either swimming in the cool river or the hot sulfur pools from a local volcano – I chose the latter, and it was lovely, really helped loosen up my muscles from the riding and from the kayaking two days earlier. Then we dressed again and got back on the horses for the return trip. This time we went up, up, up the mountain side, by huge, towering catci (and on the edge of vertiginous drops), our trustworthy horses keeping their footing as they jogged up the steep hillside, and made their way more slowly and carefully down the other side.

We crossed the river twice more, then back to the dusty roads leading back to the ranch. I gave my camera to one of the other riders to take my picture with Estrella (I also bought the picture they took of me there for $5, and gave a $5 tip; also tipped the bathroom attendant and waiter who brought my lunch soda). For lunch we had lovely tacos with fairly limited fixings (salsa, peppers, lettuce) and I ordered a Fresca toronja (grapefruit soda, my favorite!!) – talked over food with Maggie and Jose about cruising, families, and more. The bus ride home was lively, with the tour guides from the ATV and Rhino group doing karaoke and joking with the other riders (apparently there was a tequila party somewhere…) and we were returned to the port by 3:30pm.

Showered off the horse smell and trail dust, changed into swimsuit and hit the pool deck for the first time. Chatted with a couple in the hot tub who had done the trail bike excursion – 40s but VERY fit – and they had multiple injuries, had fallen several times on a really treacherous trail – even the tour guide broke his derailleur and had to carry his bike back!! Yikes, and I almost booked that trip. Then I had the hot tub completely TO MYSELF!! I met up with Heidi (from breakfast) again, and we talked for a while. I then got into the pool, and had it TO MYSELF as well!!! This is truly a first on a giant cruise ship. I got to swim 10 laps, then rest and read in the sun for a while.

When I got back, I was going to go to Wal-Mart across the street to pick up some sunscreen, but it turns out you can’t get there from here!! Literally would have had to walk all the way up the Marina, past the Star Princess, cross the multi-lane street, and then walk all the way back to Wal-Mart – and the same in reverse to return. The couple I spoke with in the hot tub went there… by taxi!!! I did notice, returning to the ship, two good-looking blond guys… I think it was the Nelsons.

Anyway, I invited Heidi to join us for dinner at 8:30, since she was putting her son in the children’s program, and we met there later. It turns out Carol had a guest as well – Peter from the CD staff – so we had a lively table (fortunately Deb’s daughter and Virginia’s grandson were not there so there was plenty of room for all). Caesar salad family style on the table, plus a cheese plate! Can’t remember appetizer; main course of lamb w/ mint jelly and roast vegetables; dessert of dulce de leche cheesecake that was not cheesecake, but a firm mousse. Oh well.

After dinner we went to get seats for… The Quest!! Now, our Marinated group is a SERIOUS bunch of Questers… the kind that, as Abe said, brings a “bag full of crap” trying to win. We got a good, floorside section, and had most of our team ready to go. Janelle and Randy were our runners, and they were in great spirits. I won’t go into details here, in case of those who have not yet attended the Quest, but MohaveMommy caught most of it on digital video (ooh, Sharon and MerionMom, girls gone wild! Whee-hoo, John, Randy and David giving their all for the team!!) – and yes, the Marinated Mariners WON the Quest, and Janelle and Randy received lovely RCL coolers as their prize (the one piece of RCL crap I do NOT yet own!)

Afterwards I went up to “Twenty” the outdoor nightclub they had set up in the Solarium, since they turned the Dragon’s Lair over to the teens. It was nice, they had light-up drink glasses, ice cubes, necklaces, good sound system… but I walked around and around and never saw “my gang”, so I went back down to bed (another early gym day tomorrow anyway). It turned out that they were there, but I never saw them in the crowd… ah well, this has not been a dancing cruise for me yet (though I did make up for that on the last night!)…

 

I would just like to note that ONE person brought a bag - and NOT ONE THING FROM THE BAG was used.

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Corgiboy

Corgiboy

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Under the "rules", they are not allowed in. Denise accompanied me as my cabinmate. That's different from friends in another cabin. (and Wrona had the experience, on another cruise, of not being allowed in even as the roommate of a Diamond)

 

Now the reality: there was NO ONE at the door checking ID's on this particular cruise. On other cruises, they practically strip-search you to find out if you belong. (just joking, of course ;))

 

 

Thanks so much, I appreciate the info. Glad it worked for you two. Seems only right if you are in the same cabin!

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cliffday

cliffday

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My son & I were on the 4/19 Mariner cruise. It was great in every way. San Pedro was better than the last time we sailed from there. The ship was clean and in great shape. The crew was professional and helpful. Dave the Seatrek guy was terrific.

 

Food in dining room, Chops, Portofino all good (Chops was especially good). Windjammer was average, you know what your going to get there. The lunch in dining room was excellent (really like the salad bar). Only negative was room service breakfast, it was late and cold.

 

Entertainment had a terrific magic act and also the Nelson brothers (Ricky Nelson tribute), very good.

 

Enjoyed Cabo and PV a little too much...as in a little too much Hooters and little too much Senor Frog...lots of fun!

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Shaden1982

Shaden1982

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My son & I were on the 4/19 Mariner cruise. It was great in every way. San Pedro was better than the last time we sailed from there. The ship was clean and in great shape. The crew was professional and helpful. Dave the Seatrek guy was terrific.

 

Food in dining room, Chops, Portofino all good (Chops was especially good). Windjammer was average, you know what your going to get there. The lunch in dining room was excellent (really like the salad bar). Only negative was room service breakfast, it was late and cold.

 

Entertainment had a terrific magic act and also the Nelson brothers (Ricky Nelson tribute), very good.

 

Enjoyed Cabo and PV a little too much...as in a little too much Hooters and little too much Senor Frog...lots of fun!

 

I see you're on the Aprill 12, 2010 Radiance too....come join our roll-call! Lots going on there already!

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EmpressofPurple

EmpressofPurple

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Thanks everyone for chiming in with news and reviews... here are the last few days... of what is, for some time anyway, the last Mariner cruise to Mexican ports!!

 

Friday, April 24 – Cruising

Up at 6am, watching sunrise on the balcony… always lay out my workout gear, water bottle, card key etc. the night before so I make less noise for my sleeping-in roomie in the wee hours of the morning (though I’m sure it still seems like I take forever to her…) – nice feature of the JS is the walk-in closet, so I can turn on the light in there or in the bathroom without disturbing her too much. Another great stretch/abs/spin/Yoga workout series… whew! I then returned to my cabin and changed into my swimsuit, then back to the gym for sauna, steam room, and thalassoptherapy pool (i.e., lukewarm giant Jacuzzi) in the gym. Afterwards went outside to the Solarium; sat on the edge of the pool for a while, waiting for a chaise to open up; then laid out in the sun until I had dried off.

 

Decided to go to lunch in the DR… ran into Virginia and we were going to go together (she also helped me pick out a lovely "gold" choker for formal night tonight – she had bought herself a lovely gold bracelet)… we headed down to the 3rd floor dining room, and saw Deb, who was waiting for Carol, Celia and John… we waited and waited, then I went in to see if they were there already – and they were seated and eating at a full table! We decided to go up to Johnny Rockets instead, but the line was very long, so Deb went to a crafts event in Ellingtons while Virginia and I headed to the Windjammer, where I had some Chinese noodles, veggies, rice, and shrimp chips (she was still full from her dinner at Chops the night before!) – we looked for Deb in Ellingtons, but she had left (apparently the craft was okay, but as she said, the “tissue paper reveal” was kinda lame…) Virginia and I watched the belly flop competition from the windows overlooking the pool deck, read and napped in the comfy chairs… we tried JR’s again, but still a long line, so we gave up and decided we’d go tomorrow.

 

I think I slept through afternoon trivia today… hoping this chest congestion will go away rather than settle in… then dressed for formal dinner. (As an aside: I packed VERY light on this trip, re-using my excursion clothes the next day as gym clothes, and my “formal” outfits were not very formal: Chico’s travelers skirt & pants, 2 different tops, and some nice jewelry to add some glitter. My shoes were the least formal of all: gold leather flip-flops, that’s it! Well, gotta save on space somewhere. The only things I didn’t wear twice were the two formal blouses; everything else was re-used at least once.)

 

Formal dinner was delicious: I ordered 3 soups (cream of asparagus, double duck consommé, chilled pear with strawberries), fisherman’s platter (lobster tail, 3 shrimp, broccoli)… ordered two, but couldn’t finish the second… dessert sampler with savarin (rum-soaked cake, I couldn’t eat that), passion fruit cheesecake (that was delicious), and flourless chocolate cake (same as Portofinos, like a giant truffle). Deb, Kelsey and I were alone at the table, since Carol was skipping dinner to see both Nelson Brothers’ shows at 9pm and 10:45pm. I took her the special-order coffee ice cream she had requested from our waiter, delivering it halfway through the first show!

 

Deb and I spent some time in the casino – my first loss, using the $5 match-play coupons on the side bets in roulette, I was actually down $20. I then put $20 in the slot machines, and ended up coming out even there. We then headed down for the 10:45 Nelson Brothers show – very nice tribute to their father and grandfather. I knew late “Rick Nelson” from Garden Party, but not his early rock stuff or his appearances on the Ozzie & Harriet show… and I remembered the Nelsons from their 80s hair band days… they are very appealing and genuine performers, and I liked their open invitation to the audience to come and say hello after the show, get a photo or an autograph, as they remembered their father always had time for anyone. It was interesting to hear about how they grew up as hippie children in the Hollywood of the 60s and 70s, with Bob Dylan hanging around, “Uncle” George Harrison next door, and their babysitter Mama Cass Elliott… I stayed for a photograph with the two handsome brothers (they remembered Carol from the around-the-horn cruise), and then went to the Cafe Promenade to FINALLY use some of the internet package I had purchased!!

 

My CC friends at Vintages laughed as I kept wandering up and down the Promenade: first to the Cafe for Internet use.... then to Guest Relations to straighten out internet billing.... back to the Cafe for a snack to take up to the cabin... past them again to the Centrum elevators... then I just paced up and down to annoy them!!

 

(A note on onboard internet on the Mariner: they did discontinue the old cybercabin program, where you had a slow hookup in your cabin for a flat weekly fee… however, there are only a few wifi “hot spots” onboard, so you cannot use your laptop in your cabin… and I rarely wanted to cart my laptop out to Ellingtons or the Promenade – plus there are no outlets available – so I didn’t use the computer onboard as much as usual. I’m glad I brought it; I always keep a diary like this, and I track spending, etc., but I didn’t get to check my email regularly or make a “Live From” posting onboard – hence this late “NOT Live from” insead.)

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cliffday

cliffday

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My son & I were on the 4/19 Mariner cruise. It was great in every way. San Pedro was better than the last time we sailed from there. The ship was clean and in great shape. The crew was professional and helpful. Dave the Seatrek guy was terrific.

 

Food in dining room, Chops, Portofino all good (Chops was especially good). Windjammer was average, you know what your going to get there. The lunch in dining room was excellent (really like the salad bar). Only negative was room service breakfast, it was late and cold.

 

Entertainment had a terrific magic act and also the Nelson brothers (Ricky Nelson tribute), very good.

 

Enjoyed Cabo and PV a little too much...as in a little too much Hooters and little too much Senor Frog...lots of fun!

 

I should have said "Mark" at Seatrek was terrific. Sorry Mark, you look like someone else I know.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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I should have said "Mark" at Seatrek was terrific. Sorry Mark, you look like someone else I know.

 

I was going to ask you about that, Cliff. Mark is one of my favorite crew members.

 

We went to a wine "tasting" (think Roman orgy :D) together in Montevideo, Uruguay!

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PATRLR

PATRLR

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Thursday, April 23 – Puerta Vallarta

<snip>

There we had a drink and had a choice of either swimming in the cool river or the hot sulfur pools from a local volcano – I chose the latter, and it was lovely, really helped loosen up my muscles from the riding and from the kayaking two days earlier. Then we dressed again and got back on the horses for the return trip. …

 

 

Denise - The above implies you had a change of clothes and a swimsuit. Did you know in advance that swimming (on a horse, we were told at the morning session) or sulfer pools was going to be offered? We went on the 8:30 edition of this trip, and no one in our entire group (there must have been at least 30 of us) knew this was an option. To the point where we actually talked about it with the guide and he said someone needs to let RCCL know. I was not happy - I would have loved to swim with the horse and I feel cheated that it wasn't an option simply becuase RCCL was ignorant of the excursion's features. But somehow you apparently knew - how is that?

 

The one significant gripe I had with this trip was the shore excursion and port guide information. The people responsible for selling the excursions were far from helpful, and didn't seem to know the excursions at all. For example we struggled with whether to do the morning horseback trips or the afternoon sunset ride - they suggested the sunset ride. When I asked why, the best they could come up with is "the sunset ride includes a meal" - like we won't get fed anyway?:confused: They couldn't (wouldn't??) provide any more comparison than that. I'm suprised they didn't just come out and say "Take the suset ride becuase it costs more and helps our department meet its metrics". Oh - and none of them had actually been on either of the rides.:rolleyes:

 

So, I am curious as to how you knew to bring a swim suit?

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Shaden1982

Shaden1982

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I have to agree that the Explorations desk was clueless! We booked an excursion online and couldn't remember what was included...the booklet in our cabin didn't have any information in it, so we called the desk -- they knew nothing either. I had to rely on memory (:eek:), and thankfully, I was right!

They need to train these people better or have them go on these excursions themselves so they are more aware and can answer guests questions.

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SRAFROG

SRAFROG

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Hi

 

You mentioned that you had to walk a long way to go to WalMart. You were probably

parked (docked) where the Princess lines usually park. There is a gate that lets you

out of the area where the crosswalk is. Was there no one there to let you out? Usually

there is a guard there.

 

I use a scooter motorized and that is how I went WalMart.

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EmpressofPurple

EmpressofPurple

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The option to "swim in the river, or swim on horseback" was listed in the Explorations flyer description. (I never received the pre-cruise materials, so I just had what they handed out in the cabin.) On the ticket it said to be sure to wear your swimsuit under your clothes, so I didn't know if they would have changing rooms.

 

I did NOT know about the sulfur pools, or that you had to make a CHOICE between the natural hot pools and the cool river... there was not enough time for both.

 

I was confused how something could be advertised as a "sunset ride" considering that we pulled out way before sunset.

 

Sigh.

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PATRLR

PATRLR

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Now, I am the one confused. :confused:

 

First of all, we are talking about the Mariner 4/19 cruise, right? (hope so, that's what the title says) And we are talking about Puerto Vallarta, right? (That's the section of your report I was commenting on). Now that we got the obvious out of the way... ;)

 

I have the Explorations 8 page flyer in front of me (the one that lists all the excursions for the three ports) and there are two different horseback riding excursions for PV: Sierra Madre Horseback Ride (PV90, $64, offered at 8:15 and 11:15) and the Sunset Horseback ride and BBQ (PV57, $79, departs 1:45PM).

 

The Sunset ride was to a place 50 minutes north of PV called "Rancho Capomo". Your report said you drove about 30 minutes to the "Hacienda".

 

My gut tells me you were on the 11:15 PV90 Sierra Madre Horseback Ride.

 

I totally understand the confusion. I was talking in circles with someone about the horseback excursion until I realized there was two different excursions. I'd be willing to bet you intended to do the Sunset ride, but ended up signing up for the Sierra Madre ride.

 

Regardless, neither excursion in the Explorations document I have mentioned swimming. I wonder what document you were looking at?

 

This whole discussion is further evidence that there is a real problem with the Excursion/Explorations information on-board the Mariner.

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PATRLR

PATRLR

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On the ticket it said to be sure to wear your swimsuit under your clothes, so I didn't know if they would have changing rooms.

 

Oh - I meant to say, I did read our tickets and no where did it mention swimsuits.

 

This whole thing is quite strange.

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