Back from Mariner of the Seas, tips and review

[Paelos]

I wrote a full review of the ship but I thought I'd point out a few things here for people that may be considering the Mariner of the Seas on a 3 night weekend cruise that includes Coco Cay.

 

• If you want/need bar service in the morning, the best place to go seemed to be the bar in the Windjammer. They were open early and there was usually never a line to get a drink.
• The Royal promenade bars didn't really open until around 1:30PM, which sort of stinks when you don't want to go to Nassau because Nassau sucks.
• I honestly don't think there's much to do on the ship during the days. Because this is a shorter cruise, I think they take the daytime entertainment portion by the staff way less seriously. I did one early trivia and it was general knowledge where they gave away pens. I mean some on, at least do keychains or something cool with a logo on it. Pens are terrible. I also lost. I'm not bitter.
• The staff was amazingly friendly. I've done Carnival and Norwegian and these guys blew them away with how they were trained. Bartenders knew my name and my drink when I was walking up to the bars. Servers were always smiling and ready to answer questions. The please wash your hands guy playing the guitar in the Windjammer always sounded like he wasn't tired of singing about hand washing.
• Elevators didn't seem to be an issue as long as you're not the type of person who needs to get an elevator in 10 seconds.
• I had an interior room, and it was the first time I'd done that. They aren't for me. It felt like a prison cell after a while. Also I can't get the dang rooms cool enough.
• One of the pools was drained and closed for some reason? Not sure why. Everybody just crammed in the other pool like sunburned sardines.
• Good people watching on this ship. Especially if you like weird tattoos, there were plenty. Winner of the trip was the lady with three lion heads across her chest. I have no idea why.
• Coco Cay is probably the single coolest island I've been to on any line. I would have loved to skip crappy Nassau entirely and just do an overnight there so we'd have two days at Coco Cay. I think they'll end up doing this at some point. Seriously cruise industry: Nassau sucks stop going there.
• Captain Jacks at Coco Cay has great, comfortable padded chairs with game tables for chess and Jenga. Also they have a guy that plays guitar during the day and takes requests. His name is Jimmy and he likes to ask where you're from and see if you'll get up and sing with him. Bar service there is excellent, they come around to tables often and take orders. It's never very crowded. Great spot to chill if you don't want to get into the meat-grinder that is the swim up bar in the Oasis pool.
• Playmakers was the best bar on the ship. Al and Sasa (my Filipino bartenders) were amazing and had done a combined 21 contracts. Great guys with great attitudes that definitely deserve promotions.
• The food in the MDR was just okay. I was hoping for more when I got the menus. But if I'm being honest, while the service was good, I didn't really enjoy the execution of a lot of the dishes, and one of them made me nauseated on night 3. I ended up just going to bed.
• The Windjammer had a great selection, and a good breakfast. Seats near the windows were the best. Salads were cold and the options were plentiful. I would recommend getting the chili beef they use in the taco station and the queso there and making your own version of chili cheese fries. It was the best thing I ate there, and I'm unashamed. I think the worst thing were the Indian selections, just not enough flavor and spice to be honest. Also I think they need better desserts, which were really lacking in the buffet. Like a smattering of Jello cups and weird cream cake things isn't a good dessert selection. Where's the pie people?
• The escape room was really fun and worth the $20. I didn't really pay for anything else on the ship besides the drink package (WORTH IT!), but that escape room is worth the money. Top notch. We did "escape" but ran out of time. It's not easy.
• The casino was so smoky my friend couldn't hang out there. I won some money on the slots and lost it all back on the blackjack tables. I know it's bad luck, but I still think the ships screw the odds too far in their favor to keep me playing anymore. 6-5 on a blackjack is crap, and I'm sick of casinos doing it unless you're willing to bet $25 a hand. But the tables were jammed every night, so they are going to keep going there.
• I loved that they had ESPN on the TVs so I could catch actual sports instead of just Sky sports telling me about cricket.
• The closer you got to the lido deck, the 20-something drunk moron quotient started to skyrocket. I'd recommend not hanging out there on a short cruise like this if that's going to bother you. I prefer my drunk morons in their 30s and 40s personally.
• Passengers on the ship were pretty friendly and actually liked to talk. This was positive because I too, enjoy the talking. On the flipside, I ran into a few people who wanted to be snotty. Here's a hint though, if you're going to spend most of your time cruising complaining about how much this ship sucks? Stop cruising. Find another hobby and stop complaining about it in the elevators. Go complain in your prison cell of an interior. 
• Try the drinks in the Bamboo room. They're weird and cool. Just don't hang out there because I honestly think it's too dark in there. The vibe is spooky tiki which I don't think they were going for.
• The pizza at Cafe Promenade bailed me out of some very hungry times when I didn't like anything else on the ship. It's not great pizza but they use real cheese and it hits the spot when you're hungry.
• They do parties on the promenade. I didn't go to any of these, but my friend did and he was out until 1AM, so they were obviously fun.
• If there was a cruise director I never saw him. I heard him occasionally on the overhead, his name was Marcello I think. He did not impact my fun.

 

I'd recommend going on the ship since it's a relatively cheap way to see Coco Cay, which is honestly the whole reason to do this cruise. The rest is just fine, but I'd say basically an average experience from a ship perspective, with the exception of service. That was outstanding.

[John&LaLa]

Do you have a link to your review?

[sandebeach]

Interesting review, thanks for the info on Captain’s Jack, I will definitely check that place out the next time we go to CocoCay. 

[Clarea]

Thanks for the very detailed review!

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

Do you have a link to your review?

Here’s a link only you could enjoy. A movie. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats_(2019_film)

[PghSunny]

Thanks for the tips and review.  I'm sailing on her a week from Friday.  I loved Coco Cay in June.  Can't wait to return!  I agree about Nassau.  It would be so much nicer if we could stay overnight at Coco Cay.

[Paelos]

15 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Do you have a link to your review?

 

Not yet because they haven't posted it but I'll link it when it gets posted.

[kccrzr]

Thanks for posting your thoughts/information.  I will be on the Mariner for the first time in 10 years in January, so this was helpful.

[kevinkingmd]

I was just on Mariner and I'd say you got it right on the nose.  Nice review!

[TYMAN]

Nice review. Was on it in May, we’ll be back in 24 days. This time we’re staying on the ship in Nassau. Here’s the food Menu at Captain Jack’s if anyone is interested. 

[myacuna]

Maybe an odd question but are the cabin doors on Mariner magnetic? We usually never do door decorations, but considering our cruise is celebrating three birthdays, I thought it might be fun this time around.

[Clarea]

20 minutes ago, myacuna said:

Maybe an odd question but are the cabin doors on Mariner magnetic? We usually never do door decorations, but considering our cruise is celebrating three birthdays, I thought it might be fun this time around.

 

Magnets will stick to doors, walls and ceilings.

[myacuna]

1 minute ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Magnets will stick to doors, walls and ceilings.

 

Helpful, as usual. Thank you!

[mkrr1123]

Thank you for this review.  We are embarking on our first cruise on this ship next Friday.  We are very excited and nervous since it is our first cruise and the planning has been very different than any other trip I have taken.   I mean I can plan a Disney trip with my eyes closed but this has been a challenge for me.  We do plan to get off the ship briefly in Nassau so that the kids can say they were in the Bahamas.  Is there a bar that anyone recommends since 3 of the four will be legal there and I know that would like to get a drink?  We would just be walking somewhere no taxis. 

 

Thank you

Kathe

[myacuna]

5 minutes ago, mkrr1123 said:

Is there a bar that anyone recommends since 3 of the four will be legal there and I know that would like to get a drink? 

 

You have tons of options in Nassau within walking distance. If you want to have some beach time with it, go to Junkanoo - there are several huts with "beer bucket specials" as well as fresh fruity drinks. We have also walked up into the shopping area (not the straw market) and have found some fun places to sit and drink. I wish I could remember the name of the hole in the wall we went to...all i remember is that it was in an alleyway and had strong free wifi and good drinks.

[Clarea]

12 minutes ago, mkrr1123 said:

 ... Is there a bar that anyone recommends since 3 of the four will be legal there and I know that would like to get a drink?  We would just be walking somewhere no taxis. 

 

Thank you

Kathe

 

Señor Frogs

[mkrr1123]

Thank you.  We are looking forward to the trip.

 

[PghSunny]

40 minutes ago, mkrr1123 said:

Thank you for this review.  We are embarking on our first cruise on this ship next Friday.  We are very excited and nervous since it is our first cruise and the planning has been very different than any other trip I have taken.   I mean I can plan a Disney trip with my eyes closed but this has been a challenge for me.  We do plan to get off the ship briefly in Nassau so that the kids can say they were in the Bahamas.  Is there a bar that anyone recommends since 3 of the four will be legal there and I know that would like to get a drink?  We would just be walking somewhere no taxis. 

 

Thank you

Kathe

 

August 2nd? I'm on the same cruise.  Can't wait!

 

Have a great time!

 

Edited July 26, 2019 by PghSunny

[booplesnoople]

On Mariner in October for the Halloween cruise, glad to hear stuff about it. Can't wait till your review gets posted!

[RazorbackIslandGirl]

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us all! Sounds like even with all cons you were still able to have fun & enjoy your cruise. I'm with you on the people that can only seem to find all the negatives & constantly complain but still continue to cruise. It baffles me! BTW... Nassau isn't my favorite port either. Although, I always manage to find something fun to occupy my time.😉

[Evilgrin72]

Question : do they have any of the video blackjack or video craps machines in the casino?  Not the video poker machines that also sometimes have a blackjack game, but the "tables" with the video dealer?  They had them on Allure but I don't recall seeing any on Freedom.  I was hoping maybe they added some during the drydock/refurb but am not hopeful.  My mother loves to play BJ but won't buck up for the RCCL minimums and I refuse to play 6/5 BJ unless it's $1 a hand.  Thanks.

[RazorbackIslandGirl]

I only recall seeing them on the Allure. But, maybe I just wasn't paying attention.😉

 

[Evilgrin72]

59 minutes ago, RazorbackIslandGirl said:

I only recall seeing them on the Allure. But, maybe I just wasn't paying attention.😉

 

Damn.  I love those for popping by the casino for a few quick hands before/after dinner when I don't feel like risking $100 in 10 minutes.  Small potatoes for them, though - maybe not worth the cost to retrofit the casinos with them.

[Paelos]

3 hours ago, Evilgrin72 said:

Question : do they have any of the video blackjack or video craps machines in the casino?  Not the video poker machines that also sometimes have a blackjack game, but the "tables" with the video dealer?  They had them on Allure but I don't recall seeing any on Freedom.  I was hoping maybe they added some during the drydock/refurb but am not hopeful.  My mother loves to play BJ but won't buck up for the RCCL minimums and I refuse to play 6/5 BJ unless it's $1 a hand.  Thanks.

 

Not that I saw no. The casino is rather small by most comparisons. The minimums for blackjack were $10 at the lowest, and yes it was 6/5 which I played because I'm an idiot.

 

If memory serves there were about 10 tables going with either blackjack, three card poker, or some other variant. There was a poker table going, and also roulette and craps. The rest was slots, where I should have stayed. I liked the Magma slot game and was winning there but in a small manner ($12 once, about $7 once, and $4 another time). I recommend sticking with the slots on night one when they always seem looser to me, then packing it up and never going back.

[Paelos]

3 hours ago, RazorbackIslandGirl said:

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us all! Sounds like even with all cons you were still able to have fun & enjoy your cruise. I'm with you on the people that can only seem to find all the negatives & constantly complain but still continue to cruise. It baffles me! BTW... Nassau isn't my favorite port either. Although, I always manage to find something fun to occupy my time.😉

 

I'm a snarky dude by nature, but yes if you can find a really bad time on a cruise short of getting dysentery or the ship hitting an iceberg, I think you have a little too lofty of expectations for your cruise. A bad cruise to me is still like a 14 on a scale of 1-10 in my work week.

 

I had a great time, and I would sail with Royal Caribbean again. I wouldn't sail this same ship again, but I don't EVER really want to sail the same ship twice unless I'm evacuating from somewhere due to a possible zombie Apocalypse. I do recommend going on Mariner though.

 

Everything wasn't awesome, but it's not supposed to be. Many things were awesome, and I like to let those be the memories without feeling like I'm Pollyanna about my entire experience, because that wouldn't be emotionally honest or help you guys at all.

 

I'm sure if I was around Nassau more often I could find a good way to negotiate the experience, but it's probably the only place in the Caribbean I feel like I had to TRY to find my fun, which is sort of a knock in and of itself. Heck, the first time I even tried an excursion there it was cancelled because of wind. Like seriously, wind. And yeah it was windy but I wasn't going parasailing or in a balloon, we were going snorkeling.

 

This time I got off the ship for the sole reason of going to see the tour at Pirate Republic brewing, and because it's the Bahamas the tour guide just didn't show up that day. I was like yep, fits perfectly with this place. I drank a flight of beer and bought a shirt because the logo is cool.