Day 6/7 Mariner Oct 31, 2004

[callajl]

Ok- this is the 3rd time I have written this and it seems to disappear everytime! Day 6 I was given a notice to turn in the internet connection by 6 pm or else! So I went down and turned it in after breakfast. We pretty much just took it easy on Saturday, I was glad that we had packed Friday evening. I finished my 2nd book out of my verandah before noon and it worked out great since the sun had moved away from me! You really have maybe a couple of good hours of sun on the aft verandah, so you should make your plans around that if you just wanted to relax privately in a bathing suit. Really I didn't feel I needed to parade myself out and about since I had gained a few since I had last worn this particular bathing suit:D Anyway, got dressed and went to play putt putt with DD. She decided she didn't want to rock climb since there was quite a wait. We went up to the Windjammer and had a lunch. Now, here is where I have to compare to Disney. The food served in the Windjammer just isn't as good as the food in Topsiders. They used a lot of some spice which I can't name but I don't like it! I am sure others did, but it just didn't suit my palate. I did some last minute shopping and so did everyone else. There were lines like I hadn't seen all week! The evening meal was casual so we went to the room, cleaned up, and then went for the last dinner of our cruise. The meal was wonderful. Appetizers: shrimp cocktail, spring rolls, fruit plate, lental & onion soup- all were very good. I had the spring rolls and loved it. Entrees: NY strip- lip lickin' good!, Mahi Mahi, turkey and I can't remember the rest- but there were no complaints on these 3 items! Desserts: apple pie ala mode, biscuit w/ strawberries and creme, chocolate of some sort- once again- excellent. The dining room staff sang a song for us and it just was a perfect end to a great cruise. We tipped everyone in the dining room extra since it was the best service I have ever had! We then went down to the photo shop to pick up the last of our pictures. It wasn't too crowded and we got what we had came for and left. Up to the room to see Isbeth and give her tip +. She was wonderful. Couldn't ask for any better. We packed the stuff we had on and went to sleep since we had to get up early. We slept so soundly and before you know it, it was time to get up. My DH had brought us some cereal and fruit down and we ate it out on the verandah. There was no one stirring on the Disney ship yet but I didn't feel any regret when I saw her, but she was beautiful. We had lavender 1 tags which was in the first group to depart. We got our things ready and went down to deck 4 and had a seat. We were called about 8ish and had no problems disembarking. This system was much better than Disney. Once we got down to the luggage area it was a bit different story though. Since people had been getting off for about 30 minutes there was quite a crowd and it was hard to find a spot around the conveyor belt where the luggage was. On Disney, they have all your luggage together in a colored area usually with a porter nearby to help. I had to literally leave the luggage once I got it together (it isn't together on the conveyor- you have to look and wait!) to go and find a porter. They were in high demand and there weren't many around. He loaded our luggage up and hightailed it out to my car. He packed the trunk like a pro but I had extra that needed to go in the back seat. He opened my car door and hit the car next to me:eek: Now, first of all, I am very conscious of this and I was upset. He didn't say a word and loaded the few items in the back seat, DH tipped him and off he went. I have a new car and I don't want people hitting me- I sure don't want to hit their car. They need to build a larger parking garage with wider spaces so this kind of thing doesn't happen. Anyway- we will definately cruise again on RCI. We are glad to be home though:p

[Sea Island Lady]

Glad you are home and had a great time!. Not all RCCL ports have the conveyor belt system. Port Canaveral was the only one I have seen like that.

 

So...did you leave a note on the other car?

[sherry7]

callajl, I've really enjoyed reading your reviews. Hurry up and go on another cruise so you can write some more of them for us to read. ;)

 

How did you manage to get the early tags since you were driving and not taking an early flight? Just pure luck, or were you able to request them? We are driving home as well when we cruise in January, but our drive is about 17 hours, and we'd like to get on the road asap in the morning if we can.

[callajl]

We did and told them what had happened and to go and talk with whoever was in charge of the porters. It wasn't an accident and in fact, he didn't even stop what and he was doing or apologize for scratching my car door or dinting the other car door. He did not acknowledge that it even happened!

I am actually cruising on the Carnival Miracle leaving March 27. We are just playing around with different cruiselines now that we have made the break from DCL. Not that I wouldn't cruise DCL again, but not until they do something different, such as shows, reworking the older kids activities, menus, themes ect. We have just overloaded and want something different. I guess we are just trying to find our niche'. Anyway, we must have just lucked out on the tag color. I did go down on Saturday am (when I turned in the internet) and ask what color tags I had. They told me lavender 1 and I was very happy! We really like to leave as early as possible but could never do the bring your own bag thing because I am a serious packer. I take everything I might need just in case. This doesn't bother me or my DH and if anyone ever needs anything, they come to see me:D I think it just makes me more at home to have plenty of choices. After the Carnival Mircale cruise is March, I really am thinking of maybe an Alaskan cruise but I want to leave from Seattle since I will be using 1 maybe 2 FF tickets. Until then....