Mariner, first impressions

We boarded the Mariner yesterday after an overnight stay in Miami. The Regent rep at the hotel advised us to get a later transfer from the hotel to the port and we would then board straight away. We arrived at the port at approx 1.30 but it took an hour before we were processed and able to board. However you soon forget that wait. The ship is beautiful, luxurious but understated. Our concierge suite is lovely and very comfortable. We have found the crew to be so friendly, efficient and helpful. Last night we had dinner in Sette Mari and it was wonderful. Today at sea so spent the morning around the pool. However rain is forecast for tomorrow. Looking forward to what is still to come.

Nice! I want to continue to hear all about it! I board in 12 days! :)

Have a great cruise.

Sounds like a great start to your cruise. Have a great time and look forward to your posts. Jean.

Yes, looking forward to hearing more about your trip and the places you eat during the cruise. Have a great trip and enjoy every hour of it.

Thank you for taking the time to post. Look forward to more from you. Have fun.

We were due to go on a beach break today but the captain forecast thunderstorms, so we didn't go. But there is still no sign of them. It did mean that we get to enjoy another day around the pool, and it is very quiet as lots of people have got off.

Last evening we enjoyed a few pre dinner cocktails, listening to guitar music and then ate in Compass Rose. We like to eat late (8.30) and we're the last to leave, but didn't feel rushed. The food was wonderful. My husband enjoyed the fresh horseradish with his perfectly cooked steak. I enjoyed the fish dish. My husband likes to finish his meal with a cheese plate and he said the blue was perfect. It is often too cold but last night was warm enough to be running around the plate.

We then headed to the casino and came out level, so that's considered a good night!

Gotta go as he has just brought me a mimosa!

Still loving the ship.

Great to hear about your cruise.

We get on her in March , our first regent experience.

Thanks

Great to hear about your cruise.

We get on her in March , our first regent experience.

Thanks

This is our first Regent as well. All I can say is you will love it. Afraid it spoils you though for other mainstream cruise lines.

Last evening we had dinner at Signatures. We had made a reservation for 8.00 but somehow it was changed to 7.00. A quick word and it was soon sorted. I am a bit of a heathen when it comes to food, very picky and only eat chicken or fish and no sauces. But I have certainly not gone hungry on this cruise. My husband says it is the best food he has ever had.

Today we were at Harvest Caye. As we were the only ship in it was pretty deserted. You could have as many loungers as you wanted. It is all very nicely done, very clean and again staff were very friendly and helpful. I know it is new and the first time Mariner has been there. We had a jaunt on an electric float boat, which I was told was very easy to steer, use the throttle and turn the handle left or right. But I couldn't get the hang of it and had to be rescued. Husband was not impressed and when we changed over he had us gliding around, no problem. There are lockers available to store your belongings.

I tried out my new full face snorkel mask ( a gift from santa). It was great but the water was so cloudy I couldn't see any thing. But I know the mask works.

Lots of places to buy food and drink. A huge swimming pool, again with lots of loungers. A few stores selling local produce.

I almost forgot. There were a lot of life guards, and I mean a lot! Both on the beach and around the pool. A wonderful splash zone for children, although there are not many on this sailing.

Very, very hot today.

Thanks so much for the first review of Harvest Caye. Unfortunately, it does not sound like the type of experience we would enjoy. It is puzzling that Regent will go to an island - not owned by the parent company - and provide drinks and lunch but does not offer "included" or "free" food or beverages on Harvest Caye.

The snorkeling sounds mediocre at best. I guess this would work well for people that enjoy lying on the beach or by the swimming pool.

Continue to enjoy your cruise as much as we are enjoying your reports:)

Thanks so much for the first review of Harvest Caye. Unfortunately, it does not sound like the type of experience we would enjoy. It is puzzling that Regent will go to an island - not owned by the parent company - and provide drinks and lunch but does not offer "included" or "free" food or beverages on Harvest Caye.

 

The snorkeling sounds mediocre at best. I guess this would work well for people that enjoy lying on the beach or by the swimming pool.

 

Continue to enjoy your cruise as much as we are enjoying your reports:)

Although very quiet today with only 700 passengers on the ship and many of them off on trips I can imagine with a large NCL ship in it would be a very crowded experience. However coming from a cold U.K. and a very cold North Sea we like to dip our toes in warm water now and again. I was very disappointed with the cloudy water though as I don't get to snorkel often.

Thank you for your review.

We are long time Princess cruisers (Elite), along with Celebrity (Elite) and Azamara (2), amongst several older lines that are no longer with us.

We have been long looking at Crystal, Oceania and Regent as our new "Go To" line. Given your review, I think that we will be leaning toward Regent.

The more I read of your review, the more it sounds like a good fit.

Looking forward to reading more.

Thank you.

Thank you for your review.

 

We are long time Princess cruisers (Elite), along with Celebrity (Elite) and Azamara (2), amongst several older lines that are no longer with us.

 

We have been long looking at Crystal, Oceania and Regent as our new "Go To" line. Given your review, I think that we will be leaning toward Regent.

 

The more I read of your review, the more it sounds like a good fit.

 

Looking forward to reading more.

 

Thank you.

We are diamond plus with Royal Caribbean, elite with Celebrity, and we have sailed Cunard. Regent is definitely a notch above, even Cunard. We are loving every minute of this cruise. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Sounds wonderful We sail on the Mariner on March 29 and getting excited

Not a good day today. We hit bad weather last night and the captain said it would last around 48 hours. Today we should be in Roatan, Honduras but the ship cannot get near the port. We are sitting outside at the moment as there is a medical emergency and they are trying to get someone off. Once that happens I don't know what we will be doing. The captain said there is nowhere else for us to go as the weather is bad in the whole of the Gulf of Mexico.

I wouldn't want to be the person who is ill today, hopefully it will all be ok for them.

Too bad about the weather. And bad for the sick person as well. I hate missed ports.

Only home 4 days and you are making me miss Mariner already. So sad in regards to someone having a the medical emergency. Praying it is resolved positively.

We also had some fairly rough seas during our voyage. The ship handles it quite well and Captain Serena makes every effort to make it as comfortable as possible. You are in good hands.

Enjoy your cruise :)

With some difficulty the unwell passenger has been taken off and the crew are back on board safely. We are now sailing very slowly, swells of 3 metres and winds of 50 knots. But the captain has just said it is going to get worse in the next 12 hours with swells of 4 metres and wind speed 60, there are 3 low pressure fronts hitting us . I am sad to have missed Honduras but realise there was no choice. The captain has to put safety first and she said there is no other port for us to go to. Tomorrow is a sea day but not sure it is going to be much better than this.

For now enjoying what we can of the ship. Fortunately we don't suffer from the motion so will be having lunch shortly!

Hope things settle down for you and it's a more relaxing pace to your next port. Enjoy all the Mariner has to offer in the meantime. Jean.

Last evening we had dinner at Signatures. We had made a reservation for 8.00 but somehow it was changed to 7.00. A quick word and it was soon sorted. I am a bit of a heathen when it comes to food, very picky and only eat chicken or fish and no sauces. But I have certainly not gone hungry on this cruise. My husband says it is the best food he has ever had.

 

Today we were at Harvest Caye. As we were the only ship in it was pretty deserted. You could have as many loungers as you wanted. It is all very nicely done, very clean and again staff were very friendly and helpful. I know it is new and the first time Mariner has been there. We had a jaunt on an electric float boat, which I was told was very easy to steer, use the throttle and turn the handle left or right. But I couldn't get the hang of it and had to be rescued. Husband was not impressed and when we changed over he had us gliding around, no problem. There are lockers available to store your belongings.

 

I tried out my new full face snorkel mask ( a gift from santa). It was great but the water was so cloudy I couldn't see any thing. But I know the mask works.

Lots of places to buy food and drink. A huge swimming pool, again with lots of loungers. A few stores selling local produce.

 

I almost forgot. There were a lot of life guards, and I mean a lot! Both on the beach and around the pool. A wonderful splash zone for children, although there are not many on this sailing.

 

Very, very hot today.

Merly, I'm sure enjoying reading your postings and so happy you're enjoying your cruise. We too LOVE Regent !

You mentioned about the electric float boat...doesn't sound good to me. We're going to be on the Mariner in April. In Harvest Caye we're booked on the JUNGLE RIVER RAFTING. Did you happen to over hear anyone's comments good or bad about that excursion?

In Costa Maya we're waitlisted for the BEACH POWER SNORKEL (would likely clear waitlist) but now I'm having second thoughts. It sounds like the snorkeling isn't so good and I hate cold water...I'm a wimp.

I appreciate your opinion (or anyone else's who reads this). I can't even remember if we've been to Costa Maya before. Is this the kind of port where we can not book anything and just walk around or take the ship's shuttle ?

Keep having fun Merly and thanks so much for all your great posts.

Merly, I'm sure enjoying reading your postings and so happy you're enjoying your cruise. We too LOVE Regent !

 

You mentioned about the electric float boat...doesn't sound good to me. We're going to be on the Mariner in April. In Harvest Caye we're booked on the JUNGLE RIVER RAFTING. Did you happen to over hear anyone's comments good or bad about that excursion?

 

In Costa Maya we're waitlisted for the BEACH POWER SNORKEL (would likely clear waitlist) but now I'm having second thoughts. It sounds like the snorkeling isn't so good and I hate cold water...I'm a wimp.

I appreciate your opinion (or anyone else's who reads this). I can't even remember if we've been to Costa Maya before. Is this the kind of port where we can not book anything and just walk around or take the ship's shuttle ?

 

Keep having fun Merly and thanks so much for all your great posts.

The electric float boat is billed as " navigating through a narrow coastal waterway and circumnavigate mangrove islands watching and listening for local birds and other wildlife". As this is newly built and newly planted this wasn't quite the case. It was like going on a pond in a park. But still ok for half an hour. The Jungle River Rafting is along a mountain spring fed river. A 30 minute boat transfer to the main island and then a bus drive inland for 30 mins passing through an authentic Mayan village . At the end it says you can change into dry clothes.. I don't know any one who did this. I am quoting the leaflet.

I don't know any one who did the snorkelling in Costa Maya. (The water in Belize wasn't cold). In Costa Maya there is a small market with local vendors and some bars in the pier area. I think you can walk into the town but I don't believe there is much there. We stayed in the pier area for a while then got back on to enjoy the ship.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Merly! :)

After 2 days of pretty grim weather today has been better in Key West. We went Para Sailing!!!!!! Actually, although I was a bit scared, it was a great experience, the youngsters who took us out on the boat were great. The trip was around an hour and we were in the sky for around 8mins. One of the crew took lots of photos and you could buy the card for $40. Which we did as you have to have proof that you did it, right!

So last night tonight.. We have had a fun last day, have me some lovely people this last 7 days and are not looking forward to going back home to a cold UK.

Enjoy your last evening on board. Glad you have had a great cruise. Yes brace yourself for a chilly wintery UK, bring home the sunshine. Safe travels home. Jean.

Thanks Merly for your reports, and sorry you had less than ideal weather, and have to leave the ship tomorrow.

Perhaps someone can remind me what's happening to Mariner between tomorrow (Thursday) and next Tuesday, January 17th, when we board for the first leg of the S.A. circumnavigation, to Lima.