Mariner of the Seas (Bahamas) and Disney World - Review - Sept 30, 2019 - Oct 11, 2019

[Noreen411]

Coco Cay Map

 

When we stopped at the Suite Lounge earlier they had maps of Coco Cay which is a great idea.

We looked over this to try to figure out where we may want to go when we’re there and to sort of get an idea how it’s laid out.

 

 

[Noreen411]

Various Papers in the Cabin:

 

I took pictures of some of the documents that were in the cabin.  I didn’t take pictures of the beverage package letter that was under the cups or the Voom letter.

 

Below are the Diamond Plus letters about those perks

 

 

Below is the letter from Club Royale about being Prime.  We each had one but they are the same so no need to take pictures of both.

Edited November 29, 2019 by Noreen411

[Noreen411]

Day 1 Compass:

 

 

[Noreen411]

Monday 9/30/19 - Continued

 

Muster Drill was the traditional old fashioned type where you line up outside on deck.  This was Scott’s first time doing that type of muster as all our other cruises together were on ships where muster was inside.  

 

We went up to the top deck for sailaway near the front of the ship.  Many people were out there and we had a nice time.

 

 

Photographers were also coming around taking pictures.   We have the same pose that we did for our boarding photo.

 

We walked around the ship some more.

 

We stopped at the Bamboo Room (which I kept calling the Tiki Bar) and had a drink.  Scott had a Saturn and I had a watermelon mojito.  It was pretty empty there.

 

 

 

We don’t normally eat a big lunch and were not hungry when it was our set dinner time.  We had early seating.  We stopped in the dining room to find our table and say hello to our waiter/assistant waiter.  We let them know we weren’t staying tonight since we weren’t hungry but we would be back tomorrow.

 

We stopped at the Casino Host desk and met Chris (who posts on cruise critic) and he put my prime sticker on my card.

 

We played in the casino for a little while.  One of the dealers recognized Scott from a different ship.

 

We went to the Ice Show - Ice Under the Big Top.  We sat in the suite section and enjoyed the show.  It wasn’t super crowded which surprised me, but it’s the first night and maybe people are tired from traveling.

 

 

 

We went to the Welcome Aboard Show.  The comedian was very funny.

 

 

 

We went back to the casino.  We played until almost 2am then headed upstairs to the cabin.  We were hungry and ordered room service.  We ordered a hot dog, a quesadilla, and cookies.  Everything was good and we enjoyed it.

 

Edited November 29, 2019 by Noreen411

[LuCruise]

2 hours ago, Noreen411 said:

Hi

 

When I was looking for a pre-cruise hotel, I read a lot of good reviews for Radisson and since it was available I booked it.   I didn’t  think about breakfast being included or not, but wanted a king bed non smoking room.  I just pulled out my confirmation email and it did note that breakfast was included. I just assumed when we checked in and they gave us the vouchers that everyone received them.  

 

That’s funny that I do always take pictures of Scott with a menu.   It’s easier when you sit down to eat to remember then trying to get pictures while running around.

 

 

 

Thanks for the reply.  Just realized why. The site that we use doesn't include breakfast in the offers, but if you check Radisson directly, it does include a breakfast option.  Didn't realize it was an option by the latter.

 

Wow...really nice room (and bathroom!).  Gotta love those packing cubes.  They really help keep things organized and sounds like a huge help when you have two different trips back to back.  It takes more work for you upfront to figure it out and organize everything, but worth it in the end. 

Edited November 30, 2019 by LuCruise

[Noreen411]

Day 2 Compass and Planner

And Coco Cay Tips Sheet 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2019 by Noreen411

[Noreen411]

Tuesday 10/1/19 - Coco Cay

 

I went to the gym in the morning around 6am.   The gym is a nice size and has a decent amount of equipment.

 

I stopped at the Promenade Cafe for iced cappuccino and two bottles of water.

 

Back in the cabin I showered and got dressed.  Scott was already showered and ready when I got back.

 

We skipped breakfast today and were off the ship by 8:15.

 

It was raining and a bit dreary out but that didn’t stop us from going ahead.

 

 

 

We walked around to see where we wanted to go.  We looked at a map of Coco Cay yesterday so had an idea of where we were thinking of going.

 

They did an amazing job creating the new Coco Cay.

 

I was surprised there isn’t a separate suite beach like they have on Labadee.

 

We picked out some chairs which were already set up and put our stuff down, locked our stuff to the chairs with our KYSS bag and walked around some more.

 

We set up at a beach that wasn’t named on the Coco Cay map but it was near the snack shack.

 

We changed into our bathing suits.  We swam, snorkeled, and played with my Papasan floaty thing.  

 

We were hungry and had an early lunch at the Snack Shack.  I had a chicken sandwich, Scott had a burger, we shared mozzarella sticks and we both had soda.  The food was surprisingly good, better than we expected.

 

 

 

It would rain throughout the day for a bit then the sun would come back out.

 

We swam some more after lunch then sat on our lounge chairs.  We noticed an odd smell and assume it’s from the dredging still going on at the Coco Cay to continue to add to it.

 

At around 2:30 we changed and headed back to the ship.

 

We stopped at a little stand and bought a magnet and an ornament.  We weren’t able to find a T shirt for Scott that he liked.

 

We walked back to the ship and back to our cabin.  We watched our bathing suits, snorkel gear, etc.  I noticed that the balcony chairs didn’t have normal arms that I could clip the bathing suits to for them to dry so I brought out the magnetic hooks and hung the suits on them to dry.  I also used binder clips to make sure the bathing suits stayed on the hooks.

 

We really like the layout of this grand suite.  It is different from the grand suite we had on Anthem in the past.  The one on Anthem seemed a bit choppier where this seems roomier.

 

Scott went to the gym since he didn’t go this morning.  I hung out on the balcony and read my kindle and played on the internet.

Edited December 1, 2019 by Noreen411

[ZoeyVictoria]

I bought the same KYSS bag a few months ago, and it has been a game changer.  I am able to take things on excursions that normally would have been left in the cabin.  I have gotten a few odd looks from people sitting around us, but in all cases we locked the bag before they arrived; I think it is just so unusual that it draws attention.

[Noreen411]

5 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

I bought the same KYSS bag a few months ago, and it has been a game changer.  I am able to take things on excursions that normally would have been left in the cabin.  I have gotten a few odd looks from people sitting around us, but in all cases we locked the bag before they arrived; I think it is just so unusual that it draws attention.

I ordered this one a few years ago and totally agree it’s a game changer.  I know it’s not 100% theft proof, but it’s a great deterrent.  And we feel more comfortable leaving our stuff locked to our chair while we swim/snorkel/wander around.  

[Noreen411]

Tuesday 10/1/19 - Continued

 

When Scott got back we showered and changed.

 

We headed out, walked around the ship some, and went outside to watch us leaving Coco Cay.

 

 

 

We stopped at the Casino Bar for a drink.  I had a Malibu Bay Breeze and Scott had a glass of wine.

 

We had dinner in the dining room.

 

For appetizers Scott had the salmon tartare and a shrimp cocktail.  I had the pork taco.

 

For our entrees, I had the steak Diane, Scott had the Garlic Tiger Shrimp.  The waiter also brought lamb chops for Scott.

 

For dessert I had the tres leches cake and Scott had the Royal Chocolate cake.

 

Our food was very good.  It was odd to order dessert at the same time that we ordered our appetizers and entrees.

 

The head waiter came by to say hello and asked why we weren’t there yesterday.  We told him we weren’t hungry.  He thanked us for stopping by yesterday to let the waiters know.  So I guess he knew the story and just wanted to check with us to make sure there wasn’t something wrong.

 

We stopped in the shops.   We wanted to buy a ship ornament but they didn’t have any.  We we bought key chains that we will use as ornaments.  We also bought a ship magnet.

 

We went to the casino for a little while.

 

We went to the theater and saw the 8pm show which had Scott Cavanaugh and the Royal Singers and Dancers.  It was a good show and we enjoyed it.

 

We went back to the casino until about 2am

 

Back in the cabin we had a towel animal - a frog.

 

Scott ordered room service; a steak sandwich (no fries) and a quesadilla.  I usually take a little bite to be able to report on it better.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2019 by Noreen411

[Arzeena]

We just returned from the Anthem Thanksgiving cruise and was anticipating the post cruise gloom.......but reading your detailed review will keep me out f it.😁

We also went to Coco Cay. The weather cooperated and it was bright and sunny....really a perfect day! One of the things (among a long list of things) I am thankful for is having the opportunity to be at such a beautiful place on Thanksgiving day. I am impressed with Coco Cay. But the price tags on cabanas etc did not leave me very impressed. We enjoyed the beach and made a relaxing day.

One of our port stops was port Canaveral....you can guess where we went...YESSSSSSS DISNEY!!! Die hard Disney fan here too and totally agree that the two best things are cruising and Disney.

 

Looking forward to reading more on your cruise and your Disney visit.

Edited December 2, 2019 by Arzeena

[reney313]

Thanks for the detailed review.  We leave in a week for Disney and using a 3 day Mariner cruise in the middle as a way to relax.  I can't wait!

[Coralc]

I think your towel animal looks like a crab. 

[Noreen411]

On 12/1/2019 at 7:02 PM, Arzeena said:

We just returned from the Anthem Thanksgiving cruise and was anticipating the post cruise gloom.......but reading your detailed review will keep me out f it.😁

We also went to Coco Cay. The weather cooperated and it was bright and sunny....really a perfect day! One of the things (among a long list of things) I am thankful for is having the opportunity to be at such a beautiful place on Thanksgiving day. I am impressed with Coco Cay. But the price tags on cabanas etc did not leave me very impressed. We enjoyed the beach and made a relaxing day.

One of our port stops was port Canaveral....you can guess where we went...YESSSSSSS DISNEY!!! Die hard Disney fan here too and totally agree that the two best things are cruising and Disney.

 

Looking forward to reading more on your cruise and your Disney visit.

Hi.  I enjoy writing these.  It’s taking me a while since I got back and right into our busy season at work.

 

Did you find you had enough time to visit Disney on a cruise ship port visit?

[Noreen411]

On 12/1/2019 at 11:23 PM, reney313 said:

Thanks for the detailed review.  We leave in a week for Disney and using a 3 day Mariner cruise in the middle as a way to relax.  I can't wait!

I’m interested to hear how you found cruising in the middle of Disney rather than either before or after Disney.

[Noreen411]

On 12/2/2019 at 12:15 AM, Coralc said:

I think your towel animal looks like a crab. 

You may be right - the big eyes made me thing of a frog.  It’s cute either way.

[Noreen411]

Day 3 Compass and Planner

 

 

 

Nassau Map

Edited December 7, 2019 by Noreen411

[Noreen411]

Wednesday 10/2/19 - Nassau Bahamas

 

We both went to the gym a little after 6.  

 

We stopped at the promenade cafe for iced cappuccino for me, hot cappuccino for Scott, and bottled water for both of us.

 

Back in the cabin we showered and got dressed.

 

 

 

We had breakfast in Chops.  It reminded us of Coastal Kitchen the way it was set up.

 

I had Strawberry Pancakes.  Scott had Blueberry Pancakes.  They were good; the fruit was baked into the pancakes.  I asked before ordering since I prefer that over when you receive plain pancakes with a fruit compote on top.

 

We met a nice couple who were on their 105th or so cruise.  We chatted with them for a while.

 

We got off the ship after breakfast.  Not planning to head to a beach today Scott carried a small knapsack for any purchases and some bottles of water.

 

 

 

We walked around a bit.  We bought an ornament, a T shirt for Scott, and a post card.

 

We were back on the ship pretty early.  We wanted to try out the water slides.

 

We changed into our bathing suits and headed to the water slides.  They were closed at the time we got there but would re-open a little later.

 

We went over to the pool area and sat in the suite section. We were the only ones there.  We swam in the pool and hung out on our lounge chairs.

 

 

 

The water slides opened at 2 so we headed over there.  We both tried each color slide so we went down twice.  This was so much fun.

 

We went back to the pool area, swam a bit more, and just hung out enjoying the empty ship.

 

When we went back to our cabin, Scott fell asleep on a lounge chair on the balcony.

 

Our room steward is really good.  We have plenty of towels, ice is always filled, and he often will see us in the hallway and come open the door for us.  We haven’t had to ask for anything since he takes care of it before we even have to ask.  

Edited December 7, 2019 by Noreen411

[Noreen411]

Wednesday 10/2/19 - Continued

 

When Scott woke up we showered and changed for dinner.

 

 

 

For appetizers we both had the shrimp ceviche which was very good.  They also brought Scott a shrimp cocktail and a fish cake for us to try.  I didn’t like the fish cake.

 

None of the entrees were jumping out at us.  Scott suggested the Surf & Turf from Chops.  After all the appetizers I wasn’t that hungry.  We didn’t both need full entrees.  We ordered one Surf & Turf from Chops to share.  It isn’t the money, we could have easily paid for two.  We didn’t want to waste the food.  The waiter kept trying to get us to order something else from the regular menu too, but we were fine with the one entree.  It was the perfect amount of food for us to share.  And it was really good.

 

For dessert we ordered the warm chocolate cookie with ice cream.  This was OK.

 

We were also brought the Celebration Cake.  I think this is adorable.

 

At dinner we were talking about our plans for tomorrow and what we want to do.  Should we go to a different beach section on Coco Cay?  Should we go to the pool area on Coco Cay?  Should we stay on the ship?  

 

 

Edited December 7, 2019 by Noreen411

[Noreen411]

Wednesday 10/2/19 - Continued

 

There was an ice show at 7.  We really enjoyed it the first night so we went to see it again.

 

 

 

We went to the theater for the Magic Show at 8:15.  It started out really funny where one of the cruise staff was dressed in a tutu and had different men from the audience join her on stage and do some ballet steps.  She didn’t speak, just mimed what they were to follow her doing.

 

The Magician came out after.  He was funny.  But I think the pre-show of the girl in the tutu and the audience participants kind of stole the show.

 

We went to the casino and stopped at the casino bar. I had a Malibu Bay Breeze and Scott had Bourbon.  

 

I went to one of my favorite machines and had trouble getting money to move over.  It’s great that it’s so easy now to transfer money to the slot machine from your seapass without having to go to the casino cage. One of the casino employees had to come over and fix it for me.

 

We played in the casino until about 1:15.  Some slots and some table games.

 

Back in our cabin we had another towel animal - a lobster this time.  Very cute.

 

Scott ordered room service - wings, a steak sandwich, and cookies.  Room service has been very good this trip.

Edited December 7, 2019 by Noreen411

[reney313]

2 hours ago, Noreen411 said:

I’m interested to hear how you found cruising in the middle of Disney rather than either before or after Disney.

I'll know in less than a week!  I think it will be TOOOOO short!  We will be in Hollywood Studios a week after Rise of the Resistance opens and if the last few days are any indication, it is going to be swamped.  We have a busy schedule for the 3 days prior to the cruise in the parks.  I'll need a week to recover from that.  

 

If we get off in Nassau, it will just be to walk around a bit.  While I do love Nassau and it's been awhile since I've been there, I really think I'll prefer the relative quiet on the ship for the afternoon.  

 

I'm most looking forward to the changes at Coco Cay and keep telling myself I'll want to take it easy there as well.  The following day will be crazy getting off the ship, back to Disney, and a full day in Animal Kingdom.  And we're staying at AK lodge so I want to do some night viewing, etc. from the lodge and we have late dinner reservations.  It will be a long day.

 

Yeah, I'm already stressed at the craziness that will be Disney this trip.  We are doing too much in too few days so the  cruise should be a respite.

[johnstoc13]

Great review so far! Hoping to hop on Mariner next month, just trying to figure out dates that work with our schedules.

[kdnurs]

The Celebration Cake was adorable...I was on Mariner in Sept and Nov. and Not Once saw the sweet treat. I would have LOVED to try it!!!🥰

[Lindacruising]

Wow, thanks for this great review. We just biked this cruise for first week in January (but we have a sea day instead of the extra Coco day. Haven’t cruised RCI in over 5 years and this really helps. Can’t wait to read more.

[Noreen411]

23 hours ago, reney313 said:

I'll know in less than a week!  I think it will be TOOOOO short!  We will be in Hollywood Studios a week after Rise of the Resistance opens and if the last few days are any indication, it is going to be swamped.  We have a busy schedule for the 3 days prior to the cruise in the parks.  I'll need a week to recover from that.  

 

If we get off in Nassau, it will just be to walk around a bit.  While I do love Nassau and it's been awhile since I've been there, I really think I'll prefer the relative quiet on the ship for the afternoon.  

 

I'm most looking forward to the changes at Coco Cay and keep telling myself I'll want to take it easy there as well.  The following day will be crazy getting off the ship, back to Disney, and a full day in Animal Kingdom.  And we're staying at AK lodge so I want to do some night viewing, etc. from the lodge and we have late dinner reservations.  It will be a long day.

 

Yeah, I'm already stressed at the craziness that will be Disney this trip.  We are doing too much in too few days so the  cruise should be a respite.

Hi.  

 

I want to hear all about it.  I don’t know how old your children are (if you are traveling with children) but if there is a single rider line it could be a huge time saver.  We have used it often at Test Track and normally end up a row or a car apart.  We even did single rider when we were with my niece when she was around 7 or so and did it.  

 

People often say they need a vacation from their vacation when they go to Disney.