New ~ ? about Mariner of the Sea

[stacyinpa]

I am getting ready to pick either the Voyager or the Mariner, altho I am leaning towards Mariner.

 

Can you answer some questions for me:

 

1. Can you use the sports deck all day and nite? I am wondering if there are certain hours to play basketball, volleyball...etc on that deck? I know the rock wall you have to sign up for, but I wanted to know about the basketball area.

 

2. Is there late nite ADULT entertainment? EX: comedians...etc

 

3. Is there events for kids (mainly asking about 12 yr and 17 yr olds) to get involved in other then going in the clubs?

 

4. Is there 2 shows a nite so those of us who have late seating dinner can also see the shows? If my dinners at 830PM, is the show afterwards?

 

5. There are 5 of us so we are going to get a Family Oceanview room...any tips for us? We had previously been on another line and 5 of us in a room was no problem. Any suggetions on a deck or category for me?

 

6. Can the kids get ice cream all day long? It is frozen yogurt tho isnt it..not ice cream?

 

7. When I look at the pictures I see 2 larger pools in the center and then the solarium (adults) --- those 2 larger pools are for everyone right?

 

And lastly.....if you had to chose between the Voyager and Mariner, which one woudl you pick and why?

 

In advance I THANK YOU for your help. I am new to Royal Carribean and trying to pick a neat ship with lots to do for the kids as well as us. We are 37,35,17,12, and a 28 yr odl cousin who is now hooked on cruising :)

 

 

Thanks a Bunch!

Stacy

waljs@verizon.net

[Cincy-David]

I am getting ready to pick either the Voyager or the Mariner, altho I am leaning towards Mariner.Can you answer some questions for me:

 

1. Can you use the sports deck all day and nite? I am wondering if there are certain hours to play basketball, volleyball...etc on that deck? I know the rock wall you have to sign up for, but I wanted to know about the basketball area. Yes, these areas were open all nite when we were on the the week after Thanksgiving. The supplies (balls, golf clubs for mini golf) were all left out for use.

 

2. Is there late nite ADULT entertainment? EX: comedians...etc

On the Mariner, there was only one night of adult comedy. I think this was on Wednesday night. There is other entertainmnet every night, but nothing specifically of an adult nature.

 

3. Is there events for kids (mainly asking about 12 yr and 17 yr olds) to get involved in other then going in the clubs?

YES, the Oceans Adventure program is tops for kids in this age group. They have activities day and night for kids in all groups that are rumored to be the best of any cruise line. The kids on our ship raved about them.

 

4. Is there 2 shows a nite so those of us who have late seating dinner can also see the shows? If my dinners at 830PM, is the show afterwards?

Regardless of the dinner time, there shows build around both seatings. We had late seating and no problem making the shows that were arranged for our seating. I prefer late seating as there tends to be less children, but it is purely your preference. Don't let show times steer you one way or another. If you hav elate dinner, you go to your shows first. The only exception is the variance for the ice show, which is not to be missed. You will miss nothing by choosing either seating time.

 

5. There are 5 of us so we are going to get a Family Oceanview room...any tips for us? We had previously been on another line and 5 of us in a room was no problem. Any suggetions on a deck or category for me?

Can't answer this one, it was just myself and my wife.

 

6. Can the kids get ice cream all day long? It is frozen yogurt tho isnt it..not ice cream?

There is frozen yogurt available all day and into the evening at the pool and one other location that I never looked for. It is not available all night, but well into the evening. There is ice cream available at the Ben and Jerrys about 16 hours a day, but there is a charge for this premium ice cream...

 

7. When I look at the pictures I see 2 larger pools in the center and then the solarium (adults) --- those 2 larger pools are for everyone right?

YES, the two pools and the two whirlpools are open to all guest and are open all day and night. They do close down one of them during the night hours and leave one open. The solarium pool is just for adults.

 

And lastly.....if you had to chose between the Voyager and Mariner, which one woudl you pick and why?

I have only been on the Mariner so I cant pick one over the other. From what I have learned on this site (which is extensive), I don't think it matters, one is almost identical to the other. Let your desitinations help make the decision. The Mariner is a beautiful ship with a great staff. I highly recommend it. I took my first cruise on it and am hooked on cruising for life.

 

My picture link is below if you care to review my shots.

 

In advance I THANK YOU for your help. I am new to Royal Carribean and trying to pick a neat ship with lots to do for the kids as well as us. We are 37,35,17,12, and a 28 yr odl cousin who is now hooked on cruising :)

[GMoney]

Hi Stacy - The good thing is that you can't really go wrong with your choice, as they are both great ships. Having just completed my 31st RCI cruise, below are some things I would consider. Best of luck!

 

- As far as your questions go, VOS and MOS are sister ships run by the same line. The answers are likely to be the same (or very similar) for both vessels.

 

- Voyager is the first ship in its class; Mariner is the 5th, and therefore much newer with a slightly more refined design. Both ships are in very good shape, but Mariner has a bit less wear and tear.

 

- Departure port. Not sure when you plan on sailing, but VOS sails from Miami and will then deploy to Europe; MOS sails from Port Canaveral. Airfare may be a consideration.

 

- Itinerary. Depends on where you may have already gone and where you are looking to go. If the Caribbean is the ultimate destination for both, you may want to consider an eastern itinerary due to all the tendering required on popular western stops due to hurricane damage.

 

Here are the answers to your questions, to the best of my knowledge:

 

1. The basketball court may have posted hours, but I have never really seen them enforced, and have played in the evenings. You are more likely to be deterred by winds or the roll of the waves. Exact hours and enforecement will vary slightly by ship (just like with the pools).

 

2. There are generally 1-2 late night comedians on a 7 day cruise, with performances generally starting around midnight. Again, it all depends on your ship and sail date.

 

3. Not sure, sorry.

 

4. There are generally 2 shows a night, one for main dining and one for late dining. If you have late dining, your show will generally be after dinner (but not always). There is generally a single welcome aboard and farewell show.

 

5. No suggestions...

 

6. Free self serve ice cream is available most of the day (from about 11am - 7pm). It is usually frozen yogurt or low quality soft serve, and usually it's cone only (no cups) with no additional toppings available. You can also usually get free hard ice cream in the Windjammer when it is open for casual dining, or from room service, but availability and flavors will vary. All Voyager class ships now offer Ben and Jerrys Ice cream, but that comes at an additional fee.

 

7. There are 2 primary pool areas. The main pool is in the center of the ship, is divided in 2, and is completely uncovered. This is for all ages, and serves as the center of entertainment on sea days. The Solarium pool is on thw same deck, but more forward. It offers some additional shade cover and cushioned deck chairs, and is for adults only (18 years old and up). Enforcement of that rule is selective, but generally observed. VOS has a small kids pool on Deck 11 aft; MOS does not.

[stacyinpa]

I enjoyed the advice and the pictures! Thanks a bunch!

 

Did the shower have a shower curtain that 'sticks' to you? My friend thought the bathroom has some sort of slide door. Just wondering.

 

It sure is a beautiful ship!

 

Anything else ya can tell me :)

 

Thank You,

Stacy

[beachchick]

Actually, there are several night time entertainments that are for adults only. The comedian as mentioned is one. Others are Quest, Love and Marriage, and often the piano bar later in the evening. Of course, the adult discos and casinos are for 18 and over. Besides the Solarium, that's about all I can think of off-hand that are adults only places/activities.

 

beachchick

[Stormlover]

Yes the Mariner has the round roll around shower doors.;)

[snowmouse]

I think that I have heard the balconies are set up a little bit differently on the Mariner than on the slightly older ships. I, too, have only been on the Mariner (on adventure in 3 weeks, though...yippee). I agree with above posters, choose by destinations,you will find the ships VERY similar.

[luv2dance2]

In answer to question number 5, I would suggest connecting rooms. For our last two cruises, one on the Voyager, one on the Explorer, we got 2 connecting inside cabins. Our 3 children stayed in one, my husband and I in another. It was nice to have both privacy and immediate access to them in the night. We have had balcony rooms in the past, but we are in our cabins basically to sleep and get ready and didn't feel like it was worth the extra $$, but everyone has a personal preference with that issue. Hope it helps.

[anthk333]

In addition to the post above, if you really want a family oceanview, book early. Those cabins sell out very far in advance.

[captain bob]

Been on VOS twice, NOS twice, AOS once and MOS in 3 weeks. Go with the Mariner. IMHO, Voyager has slipped a bit. The

MOS and NOS both get top reviews and are the second generation Voyager design.

[Cincy-David]

 

Did the shower have a shower curtain that 'sticks' to you? My friend hought the bathroom has some sort of slide door.

 

Anything else ya can tell me :)Thank You,Stacy

 

It is a beautful ship, even at almost 3 years old, it looks brand new. (Pardon my typos, I am doing this very quickly while watching TV)

 

Showers - the showers do have the wrap around glass doors. These are a huge improvement over the old fashioned plastic curtains. Even for a very large person like myself, 6'6" / 350 lbs, I had no problems. The bigger problem was the wife hogging the bathroom (hope she doesn't read this). If this is a problem, many husbands opt to shower in the mens bath house at the solarium pool area. The showers are much larger and you can take all the time you want, and they have the added benefits of a steam room and sauna right there to add to your relaxation.

 

Several other things to share:

 

Do not miss the night time activities, many of them are hilarious and a lot of fun. I especially like Battle of the Sexes and QUEST (adults only - do not miss this). The dancing through the decades dance that follows the Battle of the Sexes was a lot of fun, complete with a twist competition.

 

The Love and Marriage Game is also a hoot. I have never laughed so hard.

 

The shows are nice when the Singers and Dancers perform. Some nights you just have comedy. They were always funny, but not exceptional. If Blair Shannon is on board, then don't miss. He was not on our cruise, but he is often on RCCL. I am somewhat of a fan because he is from my hometown of Cincinnati and is well known here in the city.

 

Also not to miss. The Wednesday night pool side buffett and the Gala Buffett on Friday night, it is amazing what they can do with food. It is beautiful to look at, although much of it was not as tasty as it looked. By Friday night you wil lbe so gorged you don't want it anyway.

 

If you want to ice skate, you must have long pants. Many didn't get to skate, cause the only long pants they had were dress or formal.

 

If you are staying in the Cocoa Beach area the night before. I recommend Hotwire.com to get the best rate. Almost all of the hotels are nice and this will get you the best price. Parking at the pier is $70.00. Several of the hotels offer a park and transport package. I would avoid this. The savings is not that great and the waiting for the vans when you return to port is a pain in the butt.

 

If you are flying, ignore this previous paragraph....

 

Alternate restaurants book up early, so if you want to go to one, make reservations early. We did not and enjoyed the dinners in the dining room very much.

 

My biggest suggestion. Heavily participate in the Cruise Critic chat rooms for your specified cruise. I made 16-20 friends in advance on the boards and it made a much more enjoyable cruise going in to a group a friends that had been made in the months before the cruise. We formed such a close relationship in advance that we are already planning a reunion in Atlanta this summer.

 

It will make a huge difference in your cruise. In addition to our scheduled meet and mingle, we even had an extra one about an hour before the muster drill on sail away day. By meeting in advance, we had new friends from the get go. On a ship with over 5000 people on it, it is very nice to have a circle of friends who know your name. I cannot say enough about this, log on everynight and keep in touch. I was blessed with many long time cruisers who helped me in more ways than imaginable.

 

I even used the CC thread to find our tablemates for our table of 8 at dinner. By swapping reservation numbers, I was able to have my travel agent link us all together so we could sit at dinner together. It eliminated the fear of getting "bad" table mates. We all knew each other in advance and had lots in common before we even got there. ( Do not share Reservation numbers on the thread, do it through email for your protection).

 

I hope this helps.

Dave