My Review: Mariner 3-night. Friday, November 29 Sailing. Compasses, Menus, etc.

[Anita Latte]

Deciding to purchase the Flowrider Lesson…

 

I knew DH would love the Flowrider. He grew up in Colorado…loves snow sports…and when snowboarding became a thing…he had found his snow sport. Powder is his favorite. But it has been a long time since we have lived in Colorado…which we left in 1999…and since we last visited in the winter…like 2006?

 

Our last cruise was on Celebrity to Alaska…and before that, it’d been several years since we had been on a cruise…so all the news about the Royal ships getting amped up was news to me. It may be old news…but I was clueless. So when I found out that there was a Flowrider on Mariner…WOW…very exciting!

 

While I knew that DH would love it…I knew that I would be nervous…really, really nervous. But I would also want to try it…but would be very worried that I would hurt myself in the attempt.

 

I’m 47. I’m overweight. I’ve dealt with some atrophy in my legs, specifically, my left leg.

 

It’s beyond sad to say that I was injured doing the Wobble dance…but I was. I was a Zumba instructor at the time…and I had a lovely group of ladies that really wanted to learn some of the line dances that are often played on, for example…a cruise ship. So we were having a special dance party…and I was teaching everyone all the different line dances so that they could go out there with more confidence and join in the groups when the dances happened at weddings, vacations, etc.

 

Trying to be seen by the group to lead the dance…when you jump a bit right before the wobble baby wobbly baby part…I jumped too high and landed “off” on my left leg…going into the hip swivel before landing and POP…you guessed it…

 

Snapped my ACL.

 

So at the time…I was in better shape…I was teaching several classes a week…so the good news is that I literally ONLY snapped my ACL. No other damage to my knee. 

 

I happen to be one of those body aware people…generally with good control…and I’m also somewhat of a doctor phobe…and the thought of surgery freaked me out…and the long term prognosis of those that have surgery versus those that don’t is just about equal…especially for someone in their 40s who is not a professional athlete…so my ortho said he would do the surgery if I could prove to him that I really needed it…because he thought I’d be what is called a Coper…which is someone that is able to live the life they desire to live without the surgery.

 

So I am ACL deficient in one knee…living life without one. And generally I am a Coper…but two interstate moves in two years and just everything that goes along with that and having your only kid head off to college overseas…well…let’s say that I definitely need to be focusing more on my fitness. Without doing regular strength training…my injured knee means that I can’t activate my quad muscle as efficiently as I could before…and so…there’s a bit of atrophy again that I need to overcome.

 

So…me and the Flowrider…classic example of the mind being willing but the body…well…not sure how the body will take it.

 

DH has he own issues. I don’t want this post to sound like a pity party…but I want to share that we’re in the position of needing to overcome something a bit more than general nerves…

 

I really hope that maybe I could inspire someone else that has nerves to get over them and go for it.

 

All this said…I still did some research to see if taking a lesson was really helpful or not. Because the timing of the lessons…7:15 PM ONLY…was not really convenient. And the $69 price tag…times two…is in my “must contemplate this purchase” range…especially for one hour’s worth of instruction.

 

Everything I read said YES, the lesson is awesome. Very helpful. I even read how the guys that really love the Flowrider will take a lesson with EVERY cruise because the instructors meet you where you are at…and so as you advance in your skills…you can learn more tricks and more advanced maneuvers.

 

I’ll tell you…I wasn’t even sure if I would try the stand up part…but I knew the lesson would be the best venue for me figuring it out.

 

So this lesson was a big deal for us. Our embarkation evening was planned completely around the lesson.

 

With My Time Dining…we absolutely planned to not eat in the MDR for dinner this night. We planned to eat our dinner meal after the lesson…and grab a dog from the Dog House after muster to be a substantial snack meal before the lesson.

 

Worked out great.

 

Dressing for water sports after muster…

 

Dog house…there is a good selection here. Hot Dogs, German Sausage, Brats, and a Chicken Apple Sausage. Onions and peppers were out…and the board said there was sauerkraut, but I didn’t see it. The German Sausage with onions and peppers was excellent. The buns are more like rolls…and it makes it a bit difficult to eat…everything wants to squish out the top…it’s very helpful to rip out some of the middle of the roll and make a sort of bun boat…the peppers and onions will stay put better.

Hot tub in the Solarium…which is actually hot enough that you feel it when you first get in…but you get used to it and don’t feel like you are cooking in hot water.

 

Watching the sunset from a lounge chair in the Solarium…

 

 

Then we decided to go watch some Flowrider action for the first time ever while waiting for our lesson. The sun set was before 5:30 PM...so it is definitely a lesson under the lights...

 

[Anita Latte]

Flowrider Lesson...Day 1: 7:15PM

 

$69 pp for a group lesson for one hour. Minimum 4. Maximum 8.

 

They ask you to show up at 7:05PM to be sure that you have signed the liability waiver. You will get an armband that indicates that you have signed the waiver. For this cruise...a red band indicates that you satisfy the requirements for doing stand up...there is a minimum height. A white band indicates that you satisfy the requirements for the boogie board...also a minimum height requirement.

 

We had 8 signed up for the lesson...but only 6 showed up. 6 was a great number. It's fun and helpful to see others on the Flowrider but 6 let everyone get plenty of time on the Flowrider with the instructors.

 

It is recommended that ladies wear a shirt on the Flowrider...I believe this recommendation is for modesty preservation in the likely event of a wardrobe malfunction depending on swimsuit style. I will say that for the men too...you might want to tie that draw string! Lots of plumber crack on the Flowrider after wiping out and being swept away.

 

For my part...I wear rash guards. I have a short sleeved rash guard and a long sleeved rash guard. Both are an older style from Athleta. Both have a quarter zip at the neckline. For the lesson, I also wanted to try my new swim capris that I ordered from UVSkinz. The capris are fully lined which was surprising but makes sense. The rash guard was a good call...but the capris were a bit heavy with the full lining. If they were tighter in the fit, then it might not have been an issue...but when I rode the Flowrider again later in the cruise...I only wore normal swim bottoms in a full coverage brief style...that worked much better.

 

 

There was one other lady in the lesson. She wore a sort of boy short style swim bottom. Very fitted all over. That worked well. My shorts style bottom have an inch or so of inseam and a bit of flare around the leg. That would have been BAD. She also wore a sports bra that was made to be seen, which also worked well.

 

You will need to remove everything extraneous...earrings, rings, necklaces, watches...any jewelry. During the day...you can't have sunglasses.

 

Our two instructors were both Ukranian...and I wish I could remember their names...they were awesome. One was a bit more somber and serious...the other was a bit of a goof ball. A good team. They asked what everyone's experience with the Flowrider was...turns out...we 6 were ALL first timers...never been on the Flowrider at all.

 

YAY!

 

They instructed us in the order we arrived. So DH and I were going first. Which meant DH went first...LOL.

 

You start on the boogie board.

 

Tall, lanky and serious holds the board...helps you get on the board...gives you instruction. Hold the board on the sides, toward the top but not on the top. Keep your ELBOWS on the board!! Your feet will drag in the water behind you. Once you get into position...and are ready...raise your one leg up the side so that you can kick off the side wall of the Flowrider and get out into the flow.

 

Here's where the lesson is awesome.

 

The other instructor is out there already on a boogie board. He's flowing right there with you and giving you more instruction. It's monkey see, monkey do. And he will HOLD your board to help you when it is time to get up on your knees...or at least...when it is time to TRY to get up on your knees!

 

Weight forward on the board...you move forward toward the front of the flow. Lift up on the board...you move back up the flow. push in with one elbow...board moves in that direction. The normal position on the board could be likened to Cobra Pose in yoga. It can be a bit splashy in the face...being on the boogie board...but it all works together...where your hands are...where your face is...what is in the water. If you have the strength, you can do a lot of moving around on the board. The key is to keep the board generally riding the top of the wave...if one side...any side...dips into the water too much...the water catches it and that's how you go flying off the board.

 

They will help you do some fun flying...superman...and other posing on the board.

 

To get your knees up...your feet never leave the floor of the Flowrider. It's really helpful if you can do a plank pose. You have your forearms on the board and then the only other part of your body in contact with the "ground" is your feet. It's like your body is hover overing the board...THEN if you can, you straighten your arms and pull your knees up to the board. I think that it might be helpful if you can kind of make the board go under as much as you make your knees go over if that makes sense...a sort of meeting in the middle...but some of us have beer bellies...and lack that strength...

 

So the instructor is helping you by keeping your board steady...he's literally holding your board flat while riding his board and you can get your knees on the board.

 

So now you are riding with your shins on the board...feet still dragging in the water and just holding the board with your hands. If you are able...you might let go of the board and just ride while standing on your knees.

 

Or you could wipe out...

 

When you wipe out...hold your head...and try to head toward the back wall feet first.

 

Yeah right.

 

I'll just say that when you fall...it is sudden and then wham...you could be smacking into the wall.

 

It doesn't hurt too bad. LOL.

 

Everyone does the boogie board in turn. Then it's stand up time.

 

DH rides "goofy" on the snowboard...so he rode goofy on the Flowrider. That means he rides with his right foot forward.

 

When you ride...you have the majority of weight on your back foot. Ideally, you start with an even distribution of weight between your toes and heels. The instructor will hold you until you tell him he can let you go. Both hands. Then one hand.

 

So I never let the instructor let me go...I knew that my legs wouldn't last that long.

 

So if anyone has every used a balance board...that is what riding the Flowrider is like as you try to stand there. Hello! EVERY single muscle in your legs is awake...your butt...your core is like...hey, I could help...and your shoulders want to be tense...but dude is like, relaaaaaxx.

 

My issues were not putting enough weight on my heels. Wanting to put too much weight on my front foot. Having TOO much bend in my knees. Generally being too tense and nervous. Having thought about this quite a bit...your body needs to be much more reactive from the WAIST down. You have to include your hips in your bodies reaction to the flow. It's almost like a bobble head in reverse...your shoulders and chest need to stay UP...and waist down...you bobble all around on the flow.

 

I was having issues with where I was looking and so I was told that I could just look straight ahead. As in...straight in relation to my body...which is looking out over the side of the flowrider. That was actually really helpful. Almost like looking at the horizon to prevent seasickness...you keep your head up...helps to keep your chest up...helps to keep your weight over your hips and more evenly distributed on the board.

 

I did much better when I relaxed. Dude said that I was basically on my own and he wasn't really holding me up. But my legs would poop out and I was nervous to fall badly so I just had him bring me back in when my body said enough.

 

We got through the line twice...everyone had two sessions of stand up with the instructors.

 

If you were getting good...they would walk out there with you...and help you start to learn how to actually move around on the water...while still holding your hand so that you could get a feel for what the movement was supposed to feel like without suffering the consequences of the learning curve too much.

 

I didn't take any pictures during the lesson. No one did. I didn't think about it at the time...but the awkward time of the lesson meant that the only people who were around were us students. I can't recall seeing anyone else there...which was very nice, now that I'm thinking about it. Very nice to not be learning in front of a crowd.

 

DH rode the Flowrider again on Saturday. I did not. It was a stand up session and I wasn't up for it.

 

So Sunday morning...there was a one hour stand up session followed by a one hour boogie board session. DH did the stand up session...and we hung out so that I could do the boogie board. I wanted to get back on that Flowrider again but I just knew that I couldn't do the stand up.

 

At the beginning of the boogie board session...two kids showed up...so excited. And then another older wife type person came. And then I decided that I wouldn't be spoiling the kids session by jumping into the mix. It's a bit embarrassing to have to acknowledge your own limitations...and then feel like somehow, your own participation is a bit out of place. I didn't want to burst the excitement of the kids during a time that wasn't heavily attended.

 

But man, oh man...the Flowrider is a good time. And I had fun on the boogie board.

 

If you can have someone take photos...do...even if you don't like the way you look. It's super helpful to see that maybe you aren't in as tall of a cobra pose as you thought...

 

 

Definitely could have raised myself up a bit to help with the splashy water...

 

If you have some weight to throw around on that board...you can really get some speed going on your to and fro action...riding between the front and the transition...you might laugh and shriek...

 

 

Whether you are doing stand up or boogie board...keep an ear open for instruction from the staff...as a watcher...I often would see the instructors trying to offer help to anyone riding...but often the rider was paying attention.

 

 

They want to help you...it'll be a good time...I swear...

 

 

We sail on Harmony for the first time in February 2020. We're definitely going to do another lesson. And we're definitely going to work on some general strength and movement so that we can improve as riders. It's a big motivation actually...and only 10 weeks away...which is a good amount of time to make a difference so that the next times on the Flowrider will be even better. And having a better ride on the Flowrider is a pretty good reward.

 

If you have any desire to do the Flowrider...I highly recommend that you do it. I see very few other Mom types out there...but I have to believe that there are others that would like to try it but have concerns. I hope that this little report here would help to alleviate those concerns and offer encouragement to everyone to go for it.

[Evilgrin72]

19 hours ago, Anita Latte said:

 

Someone else with have to chime in on that answer...we didn't have a beverage package...

 

I created a new thread on the subject and linked your review.  Hopefully more people will read this (excellent) review as a result and clarify that for me without cluttering this thread with beverage package discussion.  Can't wait to keep reading !

[simon.hed]

tremendous review.

 

[lazydayz]

Glad to hear the flow ride went well!  Congrats.  

[Anita Latte]

If you've spent time around the Flowrider...then maybe you have experienced the really positive atmosphere back there. Everyone was feeling good at the end of the lesson...regardless of how you did...just getting out there and doing it feels like an accomplishment in and of itself.

 

What a work out!

 

We headed back to the room to change into dry clothes and grab some food...we were definitely hungry.

 

So timing-wise...we could have made it to My Time Dining. The lesson ended at 8:15 PM but I think we went a little over. But still we could make dinner service before it ended at 9 PM. We had planned to go to the buffet though...caring more to be comfortable and wearing whatever we wanted to wear...including changing back into some of the activewear that we first wore earlier this day. And in the comfort of my capri leggings and an activewear hoodie...DH in his shorts and tee...we headed to the Windjammer around 8:30-45 PM.

 

We're the type that will peruse the entire buffet before making up our minds. There was just about every kind of food you could want...and it all looked good. We like spicy and the Thai Chili Beef looked AWESOME. So did a steamed mix veg...which was simply broccoli and carrots...which were bright and al dente. Mix those together and it was a great beef and broccoli dinner.

 

I've often wondered how fresh the food would be toward the end of the buffet service, which was scheduled to end at 9 PM. As we were walking around what we dubbed the "comfort food" section...the chef in the middle of the island pulled the old macaroni and cheese dish and placed a brand spankin' new mac and cheese RIGHT in front of me. OMG.

 

You bet I took the first scoop of that ooey gooey goodness...yes I did. And it was everything you would hope mac and cheese would be.

 

So the beef was well prepared and not chewy at all. Great spice. The veg made the dish complete. And the mac and cheese...DH agreed after a bite or two...was excellent. I'm positive the timing of that influenced the quality...but isn't that true of any dish?

 

The atmosphere in the buffet in the evening is really subdued. The lighting in the table areas is much dimmer than in the MDR...kind of romantic in the very back. And there was something about the library like atmosphere that made everyone talk in a more subdued voice. It was very nice.

 

Now dessert...was another story. Soooooo disappointing.

 

We each got pieces of the big Welcome Aboard cake. The frosting was pretty good...more whipped than buttercream, but the cake was DRY. We picked out small pieces so we could eat two desserts. DH grabbed a cup with what he thought was Mousse (the sign said Jello)...and I grabbed a piece of Mocha Cake.

 

The desserts LOOKED amazing. The mousse ended up being Mango Mousse and it was OK. It was WAY more fluffy that I would expect mousse to be...like flavored whipped cream, which sounds great but wasn't. The same kind of coffee fluff made the layers in the cake...which was too fluffy on the fluff and so dry on the cake. I only ate a bite or two of each dessert and I was left WANTING.

 

Not good. This is my happy cruise and I needed a sweet ending!

 

I had noticed a Watermelon Feta salad in the salad section...and that sounded great. Love me some feta. Love watermelon. And crazy enough...that hit the spot. And I was happy with my fruit and cheese dessert.

 

And then it was time for...BEER.

 

Off to Playmakers we went.

[Anita Latte]

Playmakers had plenty of available seating. IIRC there was a poker tournament going on...we kind of like to watch Texas Hold Em Tournaments...and we always seem to watch them when we go on vacation. We don't have cable...so no channel surfing...and we never purpose to watch it...but we often find it channel surfing in hotels...and here it was on the BIG screen in Playmakers.

 

We ordered two Ballast Point IPAs. Total $16.50. DH went up to the bar to get the order.

 

There's a pool table in Playmakers. It is the cutest, littlest little pool table. The cues are pretty all straight...kind of sort of. Of the two on the rack...one has tip. Fortunately, that's the longest one...DH is 6'1". And the cue ball has dents. The table isn't self leveling and sometimes the movement of the ship affects your shot...so if you are a serious billiards player...then you might be irritated.

 

But if you played in a bar in college...at bar tables...where you could be thrilled if you could hold the table for several games playing doubles while challengers paid for the games...and if you don't get too play much any more...then you too might be thrilled to see this free to play little pool table on your date night on a gorgeous ship on vacation in a fun bar where you are drinking some really tasty IPA.

 

When those playing pool cleared out...we hopped onto the table. We did occasionally break from the table ourselves to make sure that someone we couldn't see wasn't waiting for us to leave the table.

 

When it was time to purchase the second round...I went up to the bar and that's when Franklin asked if I wanted to use the coupon on my account. I recently achieved Platinum status. How you ask? When I haven't sailed Royal in forever?

 

Before we booked Mariner...we booked Harmony. I had been looking at my C&A account and I realized that I had only been given 3 credits for my first cruise. My first cruise was back in 1990 when I was a teenager and I cruised with my parents. We sailed the Sovereign of the Seas on a 7-night itinerary out of Miami. I figured that I should have been awarded 7 points...not 3. Considering the fact that I was 4 points away from Platinum status...if I could get C&A to make the correction on my account...I could suddenly be Platinum!

 

Here's what I learned...if you SELF REPORT a cruise...then the default credit for the cruise is 3 points. I didn't join C&A until booking my 40th birthday celebration cruise back in 2010 (cruised in 2012...but booked very early). When I joined, I simply called in to tell C&A about my Sovereign cruise. Thus, 3 points. But if I could supply a booking number or give some other information so that they could locate my cruise...they could award me the proper points.

 

I had made a scrap book of that first cruise...and I still have the old punched key cards for the stateroom as well as my old Passenger Cruise Card...which has the Folio number as well as the sailing number. So I easily emailed the pertinent information and ta da! Platinum!

 

So this is the first cruise I have taken with my new status...and I'm not up at all on the perks. I didn't think to look through all that paperwork in the stateroom for the letter that detailed my Platinum perks either.

 

One Platinum perk is a BOGO for wine, beer or soda.

 

At first, I thought, heck yeah! BOGO! But then I thought...BOGO for $6.99? I said yes...but then, as the thought struck my head...my man Franklin was like yeah...if you like wine...much better deal for wine. So no BOGO use tonight...another $16.50.

 

So when it came time for round 3...and DH headed back up again. Franklin said he'd bring the drinks out to us. When he did he advised that if we were wanting to drink a bunch of beer we would be better off buying pitchers.

 

Pitchers?

 

So the deal is that you can get a 16 oz pour for $6.99...OR you can get a 60 oz pitcher for $18.00. That pitcher is about 3.75 beers with a 16 oz pour...BUT...the bonus is that they don't do pitchers! They serve out a pitcher as 4 drinks. They will handwrite 1, 2, 3, 4 on your receipt and they will circle each number when they pour it out. You don't even have to worry about the pitcher getting warm! Now THAT'S a deal.

 

BTW...the BOGO doesn't work on the pitcher. Yes, we did ask...because it doesn't hurt to ask...

 

We were happy with our 3 beers each...but when we went back on a different night...obviously, we ordered pitchers...

Pitcher = 4 beers for total $21.24.

$21.24 < ($16.50*2)

 

Even with a bit of extra tip on the pitcher because Franklin and Made (bartenders in Playmakers) offered great service...pitcher is a great deal!!

 

We're playing pool...the 70s party starts in the Promenade. Disco is very catchy...makes you move. The bartenders in Playmakers were groovin' to the music. It was a fun atmosphere all around.

 

At some point...the 70s music starts morphing into the 80s music...IIRC...remember...three 16 oz beers (7% ABV).

 

I overheard someone say...it feels just like New Years!

 

And it totally did.

 

We quit playing pool and joined the party in the Promenade. Everyone starts yelling the countdown when prompted by the CD and at midnight (ZERO!) the balloons are released from above.

 

Not to be funny but beware if you have PTSD (or other sensitivity) because everyone starts stomping on the balloons and it sounds very much like gun shots. Meanwhile...super fun to jump on the balloons! Like popping bubble wrap on steroids.

 

I should mention that throughout the evening...I would periodically head over to the Cafe Promenade immediately across from Playmakers...and grab some water from the self service drink station to bring back to Playmakers. Several people would bring in pizza or sandwiches or whatever. There is no problem doing this. 

 

At the end of the Promenade party...the line was very, very long for pizza. It looked really good...and they were replenishing the pizza quickly...and while it looked and sounded good...we decided that we were done...and it wasn't worth waiting for at that time...

 

Time for bed.

 

9 AM was the anticipated time for the gangway to be open for Nassau. Based on our plans for Nassau...we set an alarm for 8:30 AM, just to be sure that we didn't sleep the day away in our sleeping cave.

[Anita Latte]

Platinum Perks Letter November 2019

 

[Anita Latte]

We awoke before the alarm went off. It’s the bane of being an adult…losing a teenager’s ability to sleep in late. Thankfully, not too much earlier than the alarm…but still, could’ve slept longer…but nice to wake up naturally without an alarm.

 

Weather was supposed to be around 80 F, give or take…and no rain.

 

We first went to Nassau on a 4-day Bahamas cruise…2014? Researching the port…it was clear that Nassau is a common stop…and just about any future shortie cruise and many other Caribbean itineraries include a stop in Nassau. I thought that there was no need to try to pack it all in…see everything you could…because we would likely be there again. Better to just plan for one thing…and leave the many other things there are to do in Nassau for a future visit.

 

We went to Fort Charlotte and ate at the Fish Fry on that first visit.

 

The second visit…2015?…80% chance of rain. If we got off the ship, there was a store in the downtown area that carried some of the locally printed fabric that I wanted to visit. We tried to do a bit of shopping during a lull in the storm but it started up again. We shopped under the eaves and then headed rather quickly back to the ship.

 

For this…our first couple’s only visit…we decided to head over to the John Watling’s Distillery. They open at 10 AM. We would follow that up with a tour at the Pirate Republic Brewery, the only production craft brewery in the Bahamas. The website said they do tours daily at 11:30 AM and 2 PM. We were aiming for the 2 PM tour…you know what they say…

 

Beer before liquor, never sicker
Liquor before beer, never fear.

 

I’ll warn you now before it sticks in your head…they don’t do the tours of the brewery any longer. The website says they do and you can, in fact, book a tour online…or at least, it looks like you can…maybe the process is interrupted. When we showed up to ask about the tour…we learned they discontinued the tour.

 

But we didn’t know that before we set out for the day.

 

We weren’t in a hurry, as our timeline was to visit the distillery and then make the 2 PM brewery tour.

 

It was after 9 AM when we were eating breakfast in the buffet. As we do, we looked at all the offerings and thus we saw the fresh made omelet station. An attendant is there to take your order. Omelet choices:

 

The attendant writes your buzzer number on each order for your party and hands you a buzzer…Thus you can continue making selections from the buffet while they prepare your omelet. Retrieve your freshly prepared omelet when the buzzer goes off. We picked out sides of fresh fruit, including pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon…and BACON. 

 

An available table wasn’t readily apparent. But it didn’t take long to find one…and that just one section away from our preferred location. Sitting there, I realized that we hadn’t heard the all clear announcement…so I do believe that the all clear came slightly past 9 AM…but I am not positive.

 

While sitting there…an attendant with a coffee cart came through. DH said the coffee was, “not bad.” Personally, I drink coffee flavored drinks…so I was holding out for Starbucks.

 

ANOTHER great feature of the Mariner. Starbucks!

 

I could have my flavored almond milk latte on vacation. Nice. Two triple venti almond milk lattes…one with added syrup came to $16.76…which is about 18% higher than the normal cost of this order.

 

The compass quite clearly states the restrictions on food and drink leaving the ship, so we knew that we wouldn’t be able to take our Starbucks off ship. No matter. We were having a leisurely morning and were not in a hurry.

 

After coffee…time to head up to the Cafe Promenade to fill our Nalgene bottles with water. The self service water jar clearly states to NOT fill up bottles there. Simply fill as many cups as it takes to fill your bottle. No big.

 

Overnight…a Christmas tree was obviously put up. Saturday morning, November 30.

 

After filling our Nalgenes, we headed out for the distillery.

 

There were 6 ships in port.

 

So many people!

 

You have to walk through a building to actually leave the official port area…and walking through the building, you will be able to pick up a tourist map of Nassau that has all the main attractions on it. I knew John Watling’s would be on that map and so, we grabbed one to help us figure out exactly how to get there. Prior to leaving home, Google maps had said it was a 1.3 km walk…so I had a general idea of direction…and we had planned to just walk there.

 

The thing that is rather sad about Nassau is the obvious looking to the cruise ship passengers for a source of income. Taxi drivers, tour guides, and all sorts of hopefuls form something of a mob as they call out their services and look eagerly to the exiting cruise passengers for a fare or any sort of sale or business transaction. If you have a soft heart…it can be a bit disconcerting to see the obvious need that exists here…and yet, still go about your business.

 

Our strategy to deal was to just walk with purpose and avoid eye contact. In any event, a simple no thank you was all it took to those that caught our eye or attention.

 

Pay attention to the traffic as you walk along. The sidewalks can be very narrow. You will need to walk single file in some places. I didn’t time us…but we arrived rather quickly to the distillery. Note...the hills aren't necessarily steep, nor constant, but you will be walking uphill to get to the distillery. 

 

A lovely historical setting.

 

 

 

Walking up…there is a sign that will direct you to the first set of stair for the tour. The tour is free. We were greeted by the friendliest young woman with a tray of mini-shots of frozen pina coladas. YUM. She also didn’t assume that we wanted the tour…she verified that it was free and said it would take 7-10 minutes to complete.

 

It’s a good little tour. Our tour guide had some fun little lines to add that were humorous and enjoyable.

 

I was upset with myself because for Fort Charlotte, I had prepared and brought along some cash. I completely spaced that for this trip…and we had no cash to give a tip. But there was no awkwardness at the end of the tour at all. This is simply me wishing that I had brought a little something to give.

 

 

The tour ends at the gift shop, which is part of the old lobby from back in the day. The whole thing is a historic building dating back to the late 1700s. The property has been through several different seasons of life serving different purposes and is a lovely thing to see.

 

There are a lot of different drinks available here…and judging from the pina colada taster at the beginning of the tour…they could all be quite yummy…but we were interested in tasting the 4 different rums made at the distillery.

 

There are two flights on the menu. The first has the 2-year, 3-year, and 5-year rums for $10. The second flight includes the single barrel rum ($120 per bottle) for $15. We decided to split the full flight.

 

 

 

 

The pale rum and the single barrel rums are award winning rums. Our favorites were the 3-year and 5-year rums. We decided to contribute to the local economy with a purchase of one bottle each for a total of $88.65, after tax and a two bottle discount.

 

There is a very forward local resident near us where we sat on the porch…

 

 

He left us and started walking down the stairs…and then, suddenly, the tour buses arrived. It was clear that this rooster absolutely knew when the tour buses would arrive and he would go to greet the tour buses.

 

This was 11:30 AM.

 

Note…we had gone on a leisurely, but certainly not too long tour…perused the gift shop a bit…figured out our drink order in a relatively empty tap room and were already sitting on the porch leisurely sipping rum while looking at these views when the tour buses arrived.

 

 

 

 

It was after the tasting that we decided picked and made our bottle purchases. Definitely look all around the gift shop…there are pictures and paintings all around. I don’t like to give everything away in a trip report…so I will only say that the distillery has a relationship with a James Bond movie.

 

We weren’t interesting in drinking more rum…so we decided to head on over to the brewery. The buses were loading as we left.

Edited December 4, 2019 by Anita Latte

[Anita Latte]

There was nothing scary about walking around Nassau…at least along the path that we took.

 

Narrow streets and sidewalks. I believe this is St Francis Xavier Cathedral in the background…this is West St near the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, which is on the other side of the mural wall:

 

 

Away from Bay St…at least where we were…there were way fewer people. But we were never the ONLY people on any given road. We passed single locals looking like they were headed to work. We passed other tourist couples, small groups…and even one or two single tourists.

 

West Hill St was almost deserted when we first walked through it on the way to the distillery…but now it was teeming with people and tours. This is where the Graycliff is…among other things. Note that the street sign looks like W Hill St.

 

Christmas decorations on W Hill St:

 

 

As we approached the end of W Hill St, there was a man walking with a homemade percussion instrument. He said that he and his son made them, “Nothing from China here.” It looked to be something like bottle caps strung at intervals on a string connecting the tips of something resembling chopsticks. The sound was a bit tambourine like. AGAIN, I was so disappointed that we weren’t walking around with cash. It would have been a perfect little something to give to DS…which sounds odd, but he would appreciate the musical instrument and it would have been an easy item for international travel. And more importantly, it would have been helping someone out. I post about this man here…incase anyone else would like to be more prepared than I and pick up a little something that would embody Nassau a bit more than a typical souvenir.

 

Walking down Duke St…you’ll see the Government House with a statue of Christopher Columbus. If you take the distillery tour, you’ll hear a little bit about Mr Columbus…

 

We walked down George St…fun murals all over…including this one:

 

 

 

Christ Church Cathedral has that European look…

 

Hitting Bay St and continuing on to Woodes Rogers Walk…suddenly, there are tons of people again. This is where you see all the names you expect to see…Señor Frogs, etc. We continued along the waterfront where HUGE conch shells are lined up for sale and all manner of typical tourist items…hats, bags, shirts, etc. can be found.

 

I overheard a tour guide say that it was “against the law to not walk around with alcohol in your hand” as we made our way down the waterfront to our destination, Pirate Republic Brewery.

[Anita Latte]

 

Pirate Republic Brewery

 

I was extremely disappointed to learn that the brewery tours were no longer offered. Maybe it’s sessional? Maybe they will offer them again? DH thought it could be because all anyone cared about were the drinks at the end. I was told we could go outside and down the side of the building to where the brewery was to have a look…which we tried to do but the windows were all boarded with shutters…and there wasn’t any sign of workers to try to talk to anyone.

 

We headed back into the bar.

 

The bar was definitely louder than the distillery. It was Saturday and there were at least two TVs showing US College football. Many people. Outside, along the tarp covered area along the side of the building…there was music that was even louder. Normally I like to sit outside…but it was quieter inside.

 

Seating in this area is pretty limited. There is a large area for the brewery store with shirts and mugs, etc. But we were able to find available seats at one of the large high tops…we were sharing with two couples from one of the other ships in port.

Warning…there are no prices ANYWHERE. Not that you can see anyway…you have to ask.

 

We ordered the flight…choice of three beers. They were out of the Take No Quarter IPA…from left to right:

 

Coconut Porter, 
242 Hazy IPA (New England IPA) , 
Island Pirate Ale (Session IPA).

 

 

Our favorite was the Hazy…which isn't very Hazy in appearance at all, especially compared to others we have had. There IS a more hazy looking brew here...but it is the pilsner. We ended up having two rounds of Hazy.

 

 

There are quotes and interesting things to look at all around the bar.

 

 

I had read that the Conch Fritters here were really good…so…

 

 

They were EXCELLENT. The sauce had a good spicy kick too, but not too much to overpower the fritters. Very filling.

 

The restrooms are upstairs and require a code. Nice, clean restrooms.

 

There is a second seating area upstairs…but few were there…it made me wonder if it was even supposed to be used at this time? I took a peek out onto the balcony seating area…I thought that we should have been sitting up there the whole time. Above the noise of the street…but with a great view…definitely would go back to the brewery for a beer and would definitely try to sit up on the balcony.

 

For one beer flight, 4 beers, one order of conch fritters, any tax, and tip…just under $75.

 

We didn’t need to sit around drinking all day…and we were done with Nassau…so we headed back to the ship. There was an afternoon stand up session on the Flowrider from 3-5 that DH wanted to hit up. 

[Anita Latte]

So many ships!!

 

There were 6 ships in port in Nassau on November 30, 2019. The schedule I had seen only listed 5 though. You can’t see any part of the Carnival ship “parked” in front of the farthest ship. On the far side of Navigator, you can just make out the dark blue bow of the Disney ship and then the white bow of Mariner.

 

Mariner passengers had a bit of a walk to reach the port…parked at one of the furthest docks.

 

 

 

Here you can see the walk from Mariner to the port area. The Water Tower is easily identified. The Water Tower is adjacent to Fort Fincastle and the nearby Queen’s Staircase. Something we will visit on a future Nassau port stop.

 

 

Across the bay…Atlantis…as seen from Mariner aft parked next to Carnival.

 

 

It’s almost comical to stand on the top deck of Mariner and look out over all the other cruise ships.
 

 

Mariner has a nice view out towards Paradise Island...the barrier island. 

 

 

From my vantage point in the Flowrider viewing area, I couldn't quite capture the lighthouse at the end...but still picturesque:

 

[Anita Latte]

Flowrider Afternoon Session

 

The stand up session from 3-5 PM was quite popular. The line generally forms at the back corner of the Flowrider. One person is called forward into what I think of as the Stand-by position…to read/review the surf board shaped safety card while another rider is riding…and is ready to hop right on when the current rider’s session ends. 

 

Early in this session…you can see the line is across the entire backside of the Flowrider and begins to wrap around the far edge. Also note that the line for the water slides is virtually non-existent at the same time.

 

 

On Mariner, when you first sign the waiver…you will receive either a red or white wrist band. Red indicates that you meet the height requirement for stand up. White indicates that you meet the height requirement for boogie board only. On your first stand up run…you will be asked to ride the boogie board first. It literally takes seconds for you to go out into the flow…veer the board toward the far side of the Flowrider and then bring the board back to the loading side of the Flowrider. Then you can do your stand up session immediately following this boogie board ride. Even if you wipe out on the boogie board…you can immediately attempt to ride stand up. An added blue wrist band will indicate that you have completed the initial boogie board ride.

 

A word to the wise...don't be seen taking even a SIP of alcohol around the Flowrider and expect to ride. A father and son were standing in line next to DH and along comes DW...all happy and excited for them...and she gives her DH a sip of her super yummy tasty frozen tropical bit of alcoholic goodness...and that was it. No ride for that DH. They basically kicked him out of line.

 

During the next day's afternoon session after CocoCay...a man sitting next to me was watching with his DW or GF...watching and working himself up to try it for the first time. He was sitting there drinking a Pina Colada. I warned him...don't let them see you drinking that and shared the above story. So he set it aside and watched some more. Finally, he went up to sign the waiver...and he came back within eyesight of his DW/GF to just shake his head and wave her over so they could leave. IDK if they asked him about how much he had had to drink that day? Or what. I didn't get the opportunity to ask...

 

Point being...Flowrider and alcohol do not mix...

 

This is a stand up session, but the rider in this photo is about to do their initial boogie board run. Toward the end of the session…as dinner time approaches…the line was much, much shorter. Reaching only to the first surfboard at the Flowrider sign along the backside.

 

DH had a relatively long wait for that first ride...he was toward the back of the long line. Most people were leaving though...so the line didn't stay that long...getting progressively shorter. DH was able to get several runs in before we decided that we were really hungry and ready for dinner. 

Edited December 5, 2019 by Anita Latte

[Anita Latte]

My Time Dining

MDR Menu Mariner November 2019

Main Dining Room Menu Mariner November 2019

 

We had discussed our dining plans when picking out our travel wardrobes. We basically had a general plan for this entire weekend…after all…we were only going to be on board for less than 72 hours!

 

We planned for one evening in the MDR…and this was it. We knew we would have a light lunch in Nassau and be ready for an early dinner.

 

I didn’t make a dinner reservation. I wanted to see how it would be to just show up. I didn’t want to have to plan for when I wanted to eat dinner. We dressed for dinner, poured ourselves a glass of wine from what we had brought on board at embarkation and headed to Deck 3. I wasn’t sure if we could bring our bottle into the MDR without incurring a corkage fee…I’ve read that it can go either way. I didn’t take the chance.

 

There are two podiums for checking in. One is for those with reservations. One for those without. Several people continued forward with their reservations…we were the third party in line for those without.

 

It seemed that the single person at the front of the line was acting on behalf of a party of 9…and making reservations for the following night as well as figuring out when they could dinner this evening. It took a little bit. I didn’t think about how people may be taking this opportunity to do more than just check in and get their name on a list.

 

It wasn’t that long though…and in short order, the party in front of us was taken directly in to be seated.

 

When we approached…gave our stateroom number…verified we were a party of 2…and welcomed to the dining room…verifying that this was our first visit to the MDR this cruise. The attendant radio-ed in to ask about Table 307. Was it ready? No response…so we were asked to take a seat while they waited to hear about our table. We waited for just a minute or two…long enough for another party to check in and also be asked to sit and wait. Then we were escorted back to the most wonderful table.

 

Table 307 was a table for two right next to the window. I was thrilled. 

 

This is my first cruise so close to the Winter Solstice. So weird to be eating early but for it to be dark. The Disney ship had sailed…we actually had a bit of a water view and a view of Navigator, all lit up.

 

 

We were looking at the menu at 6:00 PM. At this point, this section towards the back of the dining room was relatively empty. The photo below is actually the reflection in the window. Back here…the atmosphere was very quiet…and while it did get progressively louder as the tables were filled…being on the outskirts of the MDR made for a much less noisy dining experience than I had experienced on our last cruise on Celebrity. I would definitely request this section in the future.

 

 

Tonight ended up being the Dress Your Best night. I was hoping this would be one of the better MDR menus as formal night usually has the best offerings. I was very happy to see the lamb chops on the menu:

 

 

I happen to cook. I happen to be a pretty good cook. I am one of those people in the family that everyone talks about being a good cook…and they get excited to come over whenever our home is the host home for a family gathering. Because of this…I generally order things that I DON’T cook. It’s hard to go to a restaurant and miss your own cooking…hard to enjoy a dish that you think you could have prepared better. With this in mind…I was really in the mood for the Greek Salad but I really wanted to try the Salmon Tartare. My Dad taught DS on our first family cruise, when he was similarly conflicted…Why choose? Why not have both? So I did.

 

Greek Salad…feta cheese DELIGHT!! I was surprised to see no lettuce in my salad. Then I was very happy...this is a great salad! I would definitely order this again.

 

Salmon Tartare…which was ok. I thought the salmon itself lacked flavor, but the rest of the dish compensated well for that. I was really surprised to see how PALE the salmon was. It made me think that it was partially cooked. I should have known that this would likely be Atlantic salmon. I ate it all and I did enjoy the overall flavor, but I wouldn’t order this again.

 

 

LAMB CHOPS…when ordering I was asked how I like them. I said RARE. I was informed that the chops are prepared Medium-Rare OR Medium-Well. I ordered Medium-Rare and they were EXCELLENT. Melt in your mouth. Even the mash and roast veggies were tasty.

 

 

When we ordered dinner…we ordered ALL courses at the same time. On Celebrity, I recall being presented after the main course with a separate dessert menu. While it felt very odd to be picking out dessert before having any dinner…I believe that this made a positive impact on the length of our dinner.

 

Just prior to 6:49 PM, a song suddenly started blasting through the PA system. LOUD. It was weird. Then, at 6:49 PM, the announcements started and the waiters started doing their show and dance. Suddenly, the whole MDR dining experience felt very chaotic. Loud and lots of movement…passengers whipping their napkins around in the air. Apparently we were getting an extra special treat…on no other ship would you see this…the winning act from the crew talent contest was going to perform! The song was a twisted version of whatever song it was done in the style of Gangham Style.

 

Fortunately, we were still served dessert in the midst of all this. The mini-donuts and the Creme Brûlée. Our server, Randy, was really glad that DH ordered a second dessert when he ordered the donuts. He said they were a bit hard…and so he was glad that DH had a back up. The donuts weren’t good. Heavy and bit too crunchy on the outside. 

 

 

The Creme Brûlée was a total disappointment. The brûlée was JUST hardened…and the creme was JUST set. It was extremely thin and when the bowl was empty (I did eat it…it wasn’t awful) there was a bit of a retained liquid still in the bowl. Not awful…just really disappointing.

 

 

DH and I were discussing that so far…the desserts were the biggest disappointment of the trip.

 

We headed out...the MDR entertainment was still in full swing. Back to the room to fetch our wine.

[Anita Latte]

We took our wine bottle and headed out to find a quiet spot. We ended up in the lounge chairs on Deck 12 aft behind Johnny Rockets.

 

There were only two others there. A young couple with laptops that appeared to be working.

 

People would randomly walk by on their way to the Sports Deck...but by and large...this was a place that was separated from the action of the ship. Relatively isolated from the music playing on the Sports Deck...sheltered from any wind...it was quite pleasant.

 

When we finished our wine, we disposed of the bottle in one of the many recycling containers that can be found all over the ship.

 

We spent the evening going wherever we felt like...which included...

 

Checking out the dessert offerings in the Cafe Promenade...sad...nothing was appealing to me.

 

Eating some pizza in the Promenade while people watching and seeing what all was happening with college football. The pizza was pretty tasty. I had the Hawaiian one...BBQ sauce, ham, pineapple. It was ok. The pepperoni was better.

 

Warning...If there is a popular college team playing...then Playmakers is likely to spill out into the Promenade area. Tables and chairs being moved over to that side from the Cafe. Some people were even sitting around the pool table like it was a normal table. From my vantage point...couldn't tell if they had their drinks on it though...

 

A bit of perusing of all the shopping...

 

Finding a quieter spot in the sparsely populated Solarium...lounging on one of the canopy beds.

 

Lying there...thinking how comfortable it was...we asked ourselves...why are we still awake? Our goal on this weekend vacation was to relax...sleeping can be very relaxing. LOL.

 

So we headed over to the buffet to see if we could find some decent dessert before heading down to the stateroom. The late night snack offerings in the Windjammer are SAD. Very, very SAD. Especially the desserts...the only desserts on offer were mousse of all sorts of flavors and colors. In our search for something yummy, we tried blueberry, strawberry, mango, mocha mint, and something else...every single one was disappointing. Like stiff weakly flavored fluff. Just not enjoyable at all.

 

It was definitely time for bed.

[abrow098]

Following along. I'll be on the Mariner in March so I'm thankful for a more recent review. 

[lisa6191]

4 hours ago, Anita Latte said:

 

So we headed over to the buffet to see if we could find some decent dessert before heading down to the stateroom. The late night snack offerings in the Windjammer are SAD. Very, very SAD. Especially the desserts...the only desserts on offer were mousse of all sorts of flavors and colors. In our search for something yummy, we tried blueberry, strawberry, mango, mocha mint, and something else...every single one was disappointing. Like stiff weakly flavored fluff. Just not enjoyable at all.

 

How late was the WIndjammer open with "late night" snacks? On our recent cruise on Explorer it closed every night at 9 pm, which is pretty early in my opinion. After that the only option was Cafe Promenade/Ben and Jerry's.

[Anita Latte]

44 minutes ago, abrow098 said:

Following along. I'll be on the Mariner in March so I'm thankful for a more recent review. 

 

I hope my review is helpful! I have all the compasses but I haven't had the time to do all the scanning. I'm going to scan them as well as other pertinent paperwork and make a post at the end with all of them.

 

34 minutes ago, lisa6191 said:

How late was the WIndjammer open with "late night" snacks? On our recent cruise on Explorer it closed every night at 9 pm, which is pretty early in my opinion. After that the only option was Cafe Promenade/Ben and Jerry's.

 

Dinner shut down at 9:00 PM...and the WJ completely closed doors at that time. If you were in before that, you could stay...on that first night, we had to open the doors to leave. Then it opens again for Snacks from 10:30 - midnight. The snacks are things like burgers, fries, etc. Soup? Maybe a couple salads like potato, etc. And very limited desserts. They only opened the first station on each side. Doors kept the rest of the buffet area inaccessible. Each side was exactly the same.

 

Edited to add...Playmakers is also an option on Mariner but that is an additional charge.

Edited December 5, 2019 by Anita Latte

[lisa6191]

3 minutes ago, Anita Latte said:

 

Dinner shut down at 9:00 PM...and the WJ completely closed doors at that time. If you were in before that, you could stay...on that first night, we had to open the doors to leave. Then it opens again for Snacks from 10:30 - midnight. The snacks are things like burgers, fries, etc. Soup? Maybe a couple salads like potato, etc. And very limited desserts. They only opened the first station on each side. Doors kept the rest of the buffet area inaccessible. Each side was exactly the same.

Was the 10:30-12 option listed in the cruise compass? It didn't say that in ours so I never went up there to check after 9 because I assumed it was closed.

[Anita Latte]

3 minutes ago, lisa6191 said:

Was the 10:30-12 option listed in the cruise compass? It didn't say that in ours so I never went up there to check after 9 because I assumed it was closed.

 

Yes. The WJ gets listed under "Complementary Restaurants" with listed meal times for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Then it also gets listed under "Snacks" for the 10:30-midnight hours.

[lisa6191]

3 hours ago, Anita Latte said:

 

Yes. The WJ gets listed under "Complementary Restaurants" with listed meal times for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Then it also gets listed under "Snacks" for the 10:30-midnight hours.

So then they definitely didn't have that on Explorer, I read those cruise compasses very carefully! I wonder if it depends on the size of the ship, although I would think Mariner and Explorer are comparable? Anyway, doesn't sound like we missed much anyway. 🙂

[cuppettmd]

I'm really enjoying your review! I have my first RCI cruise booked on the Mariner in Oct. A question; did the "sad" deserts seem to be limited to this ship or is this a fleet wide thing? I like my Goodies! Thanks!

[sun_lovin!1]

Love your screen name!  Very much enjoying your review.  My GF and I will be doing this cruise in April so I'm following along to get the compasses when you post them.  Thanks!

[sun_lovin!1]

One quick question...did you happen to try any of the offerings from Café Promenade?  Sandwiches or sweets?  If so, how were they?

[Anita Latte]

11 hours ago, cuppettmd said:

I'm really enjoying your review! I have my first RCI cruise booked on the Mariner in Oct. A question; did the "sad" deserts seem to be limited to this ship or is this a fleet wide thing? I like my Goodies! Thanks!

 

I don’t recall this dessert issue on any other Royal sailing, but I haven’t sailed Royal in 4+ years. 

 

21 minutes ago, sun_lovin!1 said:

One quick question...did you happen to try any of the offerings from Café Promenade?  Sandwiches or sweets?  If so, how were they?

 

The sweets I saw in the Cafe were a couple of the same mousse offerings, the same mocha cake from the buffet, and some cookies. I didn’t partake. The sandwiches looked good but when we went for a snack, I was more inclined toward the hot pizza than the cold sandwiches. The sandwiches looked good though...I recall thinking there were nice combinations but I didn’t partake.