LIVE LIVE LIVE from the MARINER with MERION MOM for 53 DAYS!!!

[Sooner-b-Crusin]

[quote I tried using the "newpost" modifier, but it didn't seem to work with the print format.

 

LIVE LIVE LIVE from the MARINER with MERION MOM for 53 DAYS!!! (Print)

 

Mariner of the Seas Around the Horn of South America (Print)

 

Theron

Thanks so much, I now have it saved in my favorites. You just saved me a bunch o money on internet charges!!!!!

 

Pat & Roy (46 days starting next Sunday)

[Merion_Mom]

Wow! Am I envious!!! 53 days! We're on her in April and can't wait. What E stateroom do you have? We're booked in 6318. Glad to hear about the big closet! I will enjoy keeping an eye on this thread, enjoy!

 

Directly above you. 8318. :)

[Merion_Mom]

Bob Voyage Carol...see you on Mariner in April :)

 

53 days on the same ship. Enjoy every minute you lucky gal!

 

I haven't met him yet, Emmy. ;) ;) ;) ;)

[Merion_Mom]

how do you get to take that much time. You mentioned a daughter...is she young? do you home school?

 

She is in grad school. :D She's only on for the week. Then I dump her, er, take her to the airport, and cruise for 46 more days with the Divas of the Deep! ;)

[Merion_Mom]

Carol,

I think the least you could do with your 53 days is to talk the Captain into changing the Mariner to be back sailing from Pt Canaveral. I know you have the charm to do it.

 

Anyway, enjoy the cruise. I wish I could be doing it. I am looking forward to your posts.

 

I'm waiting to hear from Captain Johnny. ;) Tonight is first formal night!!!

[Merion_Mom]

WOW! I knew you were doing the 46 days but i didn't realize you were doing the last one from Fla.. Holy cow! guess you will be looking for the 20-buck-a-bag laundry specials eh??? :rolleyes:

 

(or maybe you will hit a laundromat next week in port canav..)

 

wow and i thought 2 5 nighters B2B was cool!

 

have fun!! check in whenever you can!!

You read my mind! After I drop Liz at the airport, I'll stop at a laundromat on the way back to Port Canaveral!

[HB Cruiser]

Carol

 

What about the laundry the other 46 days, gonna find a laundromat? Try the onboard service, not real expensive and they do a pretty good job.

 

Boy I wish I had this problem! ;)

 

Tim

[Texas Teen]

I want to go on a cruise for 53 days!!! :( Oh well, at least I can look here at Cruise Critic. :) And Merion Mom, don't forget to share lots of photos!!!

[wolfshadow]

I'm waiting to hear from Captain Johnny. ;) Tonight is first formal night!!!

So, the infamous Captain Johnny is still heading up the crew on the Mariner? I hope he stays with her for my turn in April. So, no, don't send him back to Canaveral, please! :p

[Merion_Mom]

It's interesting that this time next Sunday, Carol will be joined by 1200 guests that will be doing all three legs of the around the horn, South America cruise!!

 

Can anyone imagine 1200 B2B2B guests getting new sea pass cards, and how security will handle them. I'm trying to think of a B2B of the past that has had that many guests that are staying aboard for the next segment.

 

I know that some cruiselines have that type of thing when they go around the world, and some get on and others get off at different ports, but it's been awhile for Royal Caribbean.

 

There were 6 of us that did the final 3/4 night and then on to thru the Panama Canal trip on the Monarch a couple of months ago. That is a far cry from 1200 pax!!:cool:

 

Of course........Carol is setting the benchmark with the B2B2B2B2B!!:)

 

I thought my DW was lucky that she is getting aboard next Sunday for the 46 night........and then we are staying aboard for the pre inaugural, but I believe that Carol will have the most consecutive nights on the Mariner.........for this year!!:D

 

You go girl!!:D:D

 

Rick

 

PS..........internet money is being sent via Bobbie!!;)

 

Rick, I'm *only* doing B2B2B2B..........but I just chatted with the LA, Melissa Broome, and there IS a couple who were on the last cruise, are on now, and are staying on for the 46 day cruise! So THEY are B2B2B2B2B!!!! I have to go find and meet them!

 

Rick, Denice, Melissa was overjoyed to get your greeting, and she says "hi" back at ya!

[Merion_Mom]

Carol, know you have been planning for a long time. Enjoy and we will enjoy sailing with you!

 

Hey, girlfriend, guess what t-shirt I packed?!?!?!?!?!? ;) :p :D

[tinkerme1]

Bon Voyage Carol! What fun! How was trivia?

[Merion_Mom]

I'll be looking for your posts Carol! Take lots of pictures! The Honey Stung chicken I had on Monarch was the best I've ever tasted, surely Mariner's isn't better than Monarch's!

 

Shockingly enough, K, it IS!

[Merion_Mom]

Carol: you and Pat and crew try to control yourselves on this cruise:D Pat has probably packed an entire suitcase of Quest props:D Have fun and come back brown as a raisin!

I thought that raisins were purple.

 

Should I get purple?

 

I suppose that I could, if I drank enough red wine. ;)

[Merion_Mom]

Carol: See you in a week. Make sure you get the cruise ready for us. Tell them we are on our way!!! Letty

 

Letty, they are positively BRACED for us. Melissa told me that there are boxes and boxes of stuff in HER cabin, and in other staff members' cabins.

[Merion_Mom]

Have a great time! We were on the Mariner on her sixth sailing, all bright and shiny and new. I am so curious about the logistics of such a lengthy cruise. I'm looking forward to hearing about mundane things like, how do you pack for 53 days, how do you handle the laundry without spending a fortune, do you get bored with the same food week and week, is there a point where it becomes too much and you miss home, land, etc? i am so looking forward to you posts. I have been reading them for years and they are always so informative.

 

Lori, I swear that she still looks brand spankin' new!

 

Bored? I don't know about all of you, but I don't cook something different on 53 consecutive days!

 

Laundry, well, ya gotta budget for it. And I'll wash this first week's clothes at a Florida laundromat after taking my daughter to the airport and before re-boarding next Sunday.

 

I also re-packed my suitcases, so that I really only unpacked what I need for this week. It will be very easy to move everything next Sunday.

[Merion_Mom]

Carol,

 

Have a great trip. We wish we were with you. Did you ever get in touch with your friend about the internet?

 

We'll be reading along with you for all 53 days.

 

Sent letter; awaiting reply. ;) :D

[Merion_Mom]

Hey Carol ... see you Sunday! Thanks for *paving the way* for us. We will be looking to you to be our tour guide. Have a great week! :)

 

Gail

 

Watch out, Mariner, Gail and I will be on you together!!!!!! :eek:

 

For those of you who don't know, Gail and I sailed together ONCE before.

 

On the Crown Princess.

 

In July 2006.

 

WHEN SHE LISTED OVER!!!!!!!

 

(karma karma karma karma................................)

[xpcdoojk]

Lori, I swear that she still looks brand spankin' new!

 

Bored? I don't know about all of you, but I don't cook something different on 53 consecutive days!

 

Laundry, well, ya gotta budget for it. And I'll wash this first week's clothes at a Florida laundromat after taking my daughter to the airport and before re-boarding next Sunday.

 

I also re-packed my suitcases, so that I really only unpacked what I need for this week. It will be very easy to move everything next Sunday.

 

Carol, generally on the long cruises, they offer some laundry and dry cleaning specials, at least they did on the TA in November 2008. I like to think I cruise for long periods of time, but compared to this cruise I am a complete piker!

 

Have fun!

 

jc

[Merion_Mom]

Just wanted to post a note to get subscribed to the thread and pass along my best wishes! Of course you understand that means I wish I was going along with you! ;)

 

Here's a real question for you. It seems that repo cruises are often the convenient time when the contracts are turned over for some of the staff, it will be interesting to hear your reports on whether the staff you have is old (at the end of their contracts), new (at the beginning), or a combination, perhaps some even switching during the repo.

 

Theron

 

T, I've been chatting with lots of the crew. (that's me.........always talking, always looking for a good conversation...........)

 

I have gotten ALL of those responses. Most are staying on; some are at the end of their contracts on January 4 and are not sure where they will be sent after their vacation, some are leaving the ship at Rio or Valparaiso, and some are ending their contracts on February 19.

 

So far, as usual, great crew, great service, great feeling!

[Merion_Mom]

Carol: Judy wants to know if the duvets are the same old heavy ones or did they get new ones?

 

Save some liquor for the rest of us.

 

Exactly the same, Paul. Sorry, Judy.

 

I think that booze is one of the main things they will be loading on January 4.........that must be why we don't depart until 8!!!!!! ;) :p :D

[Merion_Mom]

Behave yourself!

Why would we want her to do that?;):p:D

 

THANK YOU, Wrona, for that legal sanction to BE MYSELF!!!!!!

[Merion_Mom]

Carol, here's to a fabulous Bon Voyage! Please say hello to Angelo in the Schooner Bar from me and John. What a fabulous bartender! Oh, and don't forget to dance the night away in the Wig & Gavel with Mark B! He is the BEST!!!

 

See you on the "other Coast"!:D

 

Celia, I'm heading to the Schooner in a few minutes.........I'll look for Angelo!!!!!

 

Mark B is only on for this cruise.........according to the list I asked for, someone new comes onboard on January 4.

[tahoemc]

Carol, wishing you and all of the other folks cruising Mariner this week and the 'round the horn' segments a wonderful time. What a fabulous adventure:D. Looking forward to all of the reports and thanks so much for taking the time to keep us informed. Smooth sailings to all!!!!

[Merion_Mom]

I have only read through page 5; I'll backtrack later.

 

So, on Sunday, we went to the lovely line at the Dining Room, since we were assigned to late seating when I had firmly requested and been confirmed for main seating.

 

Maitre D' was very sorry but main seating was full, and why would we want that seating anyway? It's full of noisy, disruptive kids! (I swear, that's what he said!)

 

We put our names on his waiting list, and Liz at least checked out where out assigned table was. We made spa appointments and made a vow to FINALLY use the spa's thalassotherapy pool. We dashed to our unofficial Meet 'n' Mingle at the Pool Bar, but no one was there. They closed the bar at 3:30, for a 4 o'clock Muster. Oh well. Muster started late, but we survived. No crew member made ANY attempt (that I could see) to take roll. No one told anyone to put on a lifejacket in line who decided not to wear it. No one told anyone to SHUT UP. But we survived. I took off my earrings - I have always lost an earring because of the neck fitting of the lifejacket. Liz sort of made fun of me for doing this.......until she suddenly reached up to her ear and realized that SHE had lost an earring! Fortunately, it was lodged in.........well, her female anatomy. :D

 

Then we put our lifejackets back in the cabin, freshened up a bit, and headed up to the Concierge Lounge.

 

Just about the first people I met were in the following staterooms: 1282 and 9394. Remember those. There will be more later.

 

CL was crowded, but I've seen worse. Allan said that they only open a satellite lounge if there are more than 120 D, D+ and suite passengers, and there are *only* 90, so the Concierge Lounge it will be.

 

Hors d'oeuvres were cold and not worth eating. Champagne was a new label that I have NEVER heard of. I'll try to memorize it tonight, and you internet denizens can look it up on some wine site and tell me just how low it rates. :D

 

We spent some *quality time* with two Greek brothers. VERY interesting cultural diversity. ;)

 

I was able to confirm what a Greek had told me years ago...............

 

What do we Americans say when something is incomprehensible? "It's all Greek to me."

 

What do GREEKS say????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It's all Chinese to me!"

 

:)