Mariner memories...So long beauty!

[skyking]

As I sit here and watch the webcam from PC, looking at the Mariner gleam in the sunlight just brings back so many memories. In 2003 when I sailed on the Mariner maiden voyage, I had no idea that one ship would become so close to my heart. I have sailed her many times, fell in love on her, sailed on my honeymoon on her, met good friends on her ( The Pirates) and was just proud to call the best ship, with the best crew, and best two Captains in the industry, and I was also proud to call her our hometown ship. Now today I will drop my folks off at the pier as they venture out for 46 days of fun, I will shed a tear, take some pictures, and just wait until May for Freedom to arrive, and hope we can be so lucky with her. I will go to Grills only on occasion now on Sundays, and look down the alley way and wonder where she is at that moment...SO LONG MARINER, we will miss you so badly, and as Jimmy Buffett said in a great song " IT'S BEEN A LOVELY CRUISE" and of course SAIL ON MARINER, SAIL ON:(

 

Tim

[alwayshappytocruise]

We will miss her also....such a beautiful ship. Sailed on her four times and would love to be doing the 46 night "Hornblower" cruise except that our jobs keep getting in the way of our travels!! We'll raise a glass to her and all those happy cruisers as they sail by our balcony around 6:15pm. Calm seas, fair skys and smooth sailing Mariner and a big shout out to all of our Vintages wine bar friends!!

[Yvonne]

DH and I went on the Mariner in January '06 with his sisters and their husbands and we had the best cruise ever. Beautiful ship. Never thought I'd have the opportunity to go on that ship again. But, this past October I was able to go on the ship again, this time with my Mom. I felt fortunate to be able to enjoy the Mariner once more. I really hate to see her leave Port Canaveral. Count me in among the many who will miss her.

[alwayshappytocruise]

Was just reminded that Mariner isn't scheduled to leave PC until 8pm....

[cantwait2cruize]

Don't be so sad:(. Your baby is all grown up now, she's leaving home. You can still go visit her:p.

[martinchem]

It was one of our favorites too. I remember the captin on the prominade bridge taking a golf swing saying "Here's Johnny" like it was a month ago. I can only say what a great excuse to take a mexican riviera cruise!

[texascruzer]

I know exactly how you feel. That is the way I felt when Rhapsody left Galveston. :(

[kidless]

Oh.........we will miss her, but know she will be replace with something wonderful to explore and love. She was our first RCCI cruise so will always hold a special place in our hearts!!!!

[cruiserbryce]

we already have our second Mex Riviera cruise coming up this month and while we typically try to rotate itineraries finally getting on Mariner (which everyone seems to love) may be enough reason to go on another trip down Mexico way

[Bellalago Breeze]

We too were on the Mariner inaugural cruise (deck 10 corner aft cabin complete with the famous pole!) and had the opportunity to sail on her a number of other times, all with very fond memories. Who could ever forget Captain Johnny's famous "Good morning! Good morning! Good morning!"

 

As she sails away tonight, we will watch the port cam, shed a tear, and raise a glass to toast her on her way. We will so miss having her here in Florida and can only hope the people on the west coast appreciate what a gem they are getting.

 

Bon voyage, Mariner!:(

[caribbeanboy]

Don't worry guys one day she will come back home.

[caribbeanboy]

Btw Vision of the Seas is also leaving LA for the last time today, so guess that @ the West coast someone will also drop some tears.

[Cruising89143]

We too were on the Mariner inaugural cruise (deck 10 corner aft cabin complete with the famous pole!) and had the opportunity to sail on her a number of other times, all with very fond memories. Who could ever forget Captain Johnny's famous "Good morning! Good morning! Good morning!"

 

As she sails away tonight, we will watch the port cam, shed a tear, and raise a glass to toast her on her way. We will so miss having her here in Florida and can only hope the people on the west coast appreciate what a gem they are getting.

 

Bon voyage, Mariner!:(

 

I guess it's kind of like losing the Sovereign. Even though she was replaced with the Monarch, that was a great ship. I cruised on the Freedom a few months ago and really liked the ship. Now that she will be a little closer, it will be another option.:)

[B-52]

First time I saw the Mariner, my family and I were on the Disney Magic. I thought the Magic was big untill I went up on deck and saw the Mariner. I could not get over the size, and how tiny the passengers looked going to their muster stations, wearing those international orange life vests.

We sailed on her for our next cruise, and then again last september.

[Lionesss]

We did the Mariner on whim instead of doing the Freedom. Then that week, Aug. 10, 2008 the Freedom became the Nickelodean cruise. We would not have been able to afford that cruise.

Was it fate? No we were supposed to sail the Mariner, and enjoy her before she leaves.

At the time we bought a lot of souveniers, and we are glad we did.

Safe journeys to one fine lady.

[Cruising89143]

If anyone wants to see her in port, here is the link to the port cam.

http://www.portcanaveral.org/webcam.htm

[weechloe]

We too have many pleasant memories on this wonderful ship that we will never forget

[Fitnessmaniac]

We will miss her as well. We will miss Captain Johnny. However, I'm sure we'll go see her on the West Coast. :)

[emmy]

If anyone wants to see her in port, here is the link to the port cam.

http://www.portcanaveral.org/webcam.htm

 

Thanks for the link Gordon..I went looking for it this morning but could not find it.

 

I recall my first site of Mariner was on a webcam very similar as this in fact it might have been the same one. She was arriving from Europe and it was early in the morning as I watched everyone welcome her to Florida. It was Nov. 11 2003 I am almost certain cause it is a holiday here in Ontario and I was off work so I got to watch the whole thing. I stand corrected if someone knows for sure. We sailed her in May 2004 and will sail her on the west coast in April

[SherriZ366]

As I sit here and watch the webcam from PC, looking at the Mariner gleam in the sunlight just brings back so many memories. In 2003 when I sailed on the Mariner maiden voyage, I had no idea that one ship would become so close to my heart. I have sailed her many times, fell in love on her, sailed on my honeymoon on her, met good friends on her ( The Pirates) and was just proud to call the best ship, with the best crew, and best two Captains in the industry, and I was also proud to call her our hometown ship. Now today I will drop my folks off at the pier as they venture out for 46 days of fun, I will shed a tear, take some pictures, and just wait until May for Freedom to arrive, and hope we can be so lucky with her. I will go to Grills only on occasion now on Sundays, and look down the alley way and wonder where she is at that moment...SO LONG MARINER, we will miss you so badly, and as Jimmy Buffett said in a great song " IT'S BEEN A LOVELY CRUISE" and of course SAIL ON MARINER, SAIL ON:(

 

Tim

Tim -- we will miss her too. Great ship. All 4 cruises on her were special for us. I'm just glad RCI is moving Freedom up in May. She is a great ship too and you can see her in May (loved your camera pictures of Mariner last summer from Grills). Will try to catch her sailing out of port on the webcams tonight.

[SherriZ366]

We will miss her as well. We will miss Captain Johnny. However, I'm sure we'll go see her on the West Coast. :)

Captain Johnny will be captaining the Allure when it comes out in 2010. So he will be back on the east coast -- though that ship will sail out of Ft. Lauderdale instead of Port Canaveral.

[Buccaneergirl]

We had wonderful times on Mariner and I will miss her so much!

We are sailing Freedom in May and I hope that it will be just as great.

I definitely will be sailing Mariner again over on the West coast, but it might be a few years.:(

[tinybabynurse]

We loved the Mariner and sailed her a few times. Looking forward to a B2B trip in October 09 on Freedom but will definitely miss Capt Johnny and his motor scooter and other funny stuff. We even bought his book on one of the cruises.

 

Great ship and great memories!

[skyking]

Seeing Mariner today was so special...Brought a tear to my eye, hopefully we make it to Grills for the 8pm sail away.

[KatieGator]

Aww, she leaves us today? My two special RCI ships have both moved on now. Sovereign was my first cruise and what made me fall in love with cruising. Then the next year I "moved up" to Mariner.

 

I'm excited we have Monarch and (soon) Freedom. We'll be trying out Liberty this fall and hopefully Freedom in the coming years. Had I known this was Mariner's last sailaway, we might have gone over to the port for dinner tonight to wave (how whacked/cruise obsessed are we? lol)