Mariner cabin questions

[mtd716]

We are looking at a family cruise on Mariner in March 2006. I have a couple of questions about cabin types and locations.

 

1. We are looking at the large oceanview cabins (cat F). The only ones that accomodate 4 people are in the very front of the ship. Can anyone advise on how convenient/inconvenient that type of location is? We generally tend to prefer something more midship (since dh gets a little queasy the first day or two until he gets his sea legs).

 

2. Cat F cabins for 4 are on decks 6, 8, and 9. Are there any particular advantages/disadvantages to any of these decks that we should be aware of?

 

3. The cat Fs on deck 6 have a window facing the front rather than the side. Pros? Cons?

 

4. We haven't ruled out downgrading to an interior cabin to save money, but with 4 of us we are concerned about space since those cabins are smaller. We've also considered upgrading to balcony but that makes me nervous since my 3-year-old will be with us. Anyone care to comment on pros and cons of interior vs oceanview vs balcony? There is a $400 difference between interior and lg. oceanview, and another $400 between lg. oceanview and lg. balcony.

[dolphincruiser404]

I have a Mariner cabin question as well. I am looking for advice on the best cabin for three adults. My mom, boyfriend, and I are looking to book for next December. I know, I know.....the three of us in one cabin will make for an interesting and far from romantic cruise, but we do not want to have to pay the single rate for the other cabin. Is it a far cry to think that the three of us could manage in an inside cabin???? Does the couch fold out? Please help!!!!!!!

[mkk]

We had a balcony stateroom on the Mariner..If you MUST put three people in the room..that layout..would probably work well..The couch does pull out into what looked like a reasonably comfortable bed..with space to walk past at night for those trips to the bathroom :)

Also a suggestion...don't know if RCCL has family size staterooms..but had one on Celebrity years ago..we actually squeezed 5 ladies into that one..sharing the bath was an issue but we had a lot of laughs and plenty of sleeping space..sort of like a two room suite...sliding partition that separated sitting area..(that slept three at night)..and a queen size bed in other "room"...It was on an M class Celebrity ship..bow on about deck 8 I think...

Oh..for the original poster...If you are fore or aft..you are in for a LONG walk because of the shear size of the ship...we like the extra exercise...

As I mentioned..we had a balcony aft on 10 and we loved the location but another couple we were with found it to be a VERY long walk..he has trouble with his legs and would get very tired. Personally..I would love a window looking out over the bow of the ship but i've heard that drapes must be kept closed at night..something about glare onto the bridge...

[MackMasterson]

RCCL does have a fmaily suite, but you need at least 5 to book it(it sleeps 8).

 

I have a similar configuration for our cruise in May on the Mariner. Me, my Wife, MIL and our 14 month old Daughter. We were going to book the Jr. suite, but due to feedback we received here, we decided on the Grand Suite. The crib would make things tight in a Jr. Suite.

 

For the three of you, however, a balcony may be big enough. And your Boyfriend can always shower up at the Spa showers to save bathroom time. But if possible, I'd look at the Jr. Suite.

 

Have fun!!!

[mtd716]

To add to my original questions above, specifically, the cat F cabins that are listed as available are 9518, 9218, 8214, 8514, 6502, and 6202. Has anyone been in any of these cabins?

[zooma]

I do not have info on the cabins you mentioned, nor do I know what category F is specifically, but I thought that maybe someone might find the below info helpful in making their plans. I have so appreciated all the info I have garnered off these boards over the past few months.

 

We had our family of four in cabin 9306 (a junior suite) last week on the Mariner and were thrilled with the size, configuration and location. It ws mid-ship and very convenient to stairs and elevators. No noise from anywhere. Noticeably less movement than fore or aft of ship. We had the two kids in the twins and my husband and I slept in the fold-out sofabed, which was surprisingly comfortable and large. Our cabin steward said the carpenter came down and "built it out" for us (they added some bolster-type thing to the bottom end), which ended up making it the size of a king-size bed. The only downside was that it was too complicated to fold it back into a sofa each morning, but the room itself was so big that there was plenty of room to freely move around it to the balcony (quite large; we hung out there some everyday -- try to get one of you can) and elsewhere in the cabin. This really was the perfect sized room for us. It was bright and airy (because of all the light from balcony). The walk-in closet was great (could use it as a dressing room), and there were lots of shelves, drawers, etc. Even the bathroom was larger (and so much nicer, with granite and tile!) than I expected, with lots of medicine-cabinet space. Our relatives had D2 rooms on either side of us (with just 2 people in each), and our room seemed huge compared to those. Ours was even comfortable enough for all 8 of us to hang out in, e.g., on Christmas morning when we opened all the presents Santa had brought!

[mcfaddensfarm]

We stayed in a Cat H cabin on the Mariner in October, which was also right at the front of the ship. So I will try to answer your questions a best as possible.

1. We are looking at the large oceanview cabins (cat F). The only ones that accomodate 4 people are in the very front of the ship. Can anyone advise on how convenient/inconvenient that type of location is? We generally tend to prefer something more midship (since dh gets a little queasy the first day or two until he gets his sea legs).

If you don't mind walking it's not bad, but there were times when I wished we were closer to the dining room (especially on formal night when I was wearing high heels that were new & not broken in yet.):) The other thing is that I got in the bad habit of getting off of an elevator and not glancing at the ship diagram or room numbers, then accidentally heading in the wrong direction. Those hallways can all look alike! There were a couple of times that I walked all the way to the aft end of the ship before realizing that I had gone the wrong direction & then had to walk the whole length of the ship back. Also, if you have kids going along, remember that the kids' area is also on the back of the ship.

2. Cat F cabins for 4 are on decks 6, 8, and 9. Are there any particular advantages/disadvantages to any of these decks that we should be aware of?

3. The cat Fs on deck 6 have a window facing the front rather than the side. Pros? Cons?

Being able to look directly out the front of the ship was an interesting viewpoint and my son really enjoyed sitting in the window and watching where we were going on some days. We would wake up early in the mornings and watch us pulling into port. But keep in mind that at night you have to keep your curtains closed so you don't disturb the bridge. Also realize that since your windows face front, the people who stand out on the helipad area can see you (especially on the lower decks like 6.) So make sure those curtains are closed when you're getting dressed!;) Otherwise, I can't think of any specific advantages of one deck over another or windows facing front vs. side.

4. We haven't ruled out downgrading to an interior cabin to save money, but with 4 of us we are concerned about space since those cabins are smaller. We've also considered upgrading to balcony but that makes me nervous since my 3-year-old will be with us. Anyone care to comment on pros and cons of interior vs oceanview vs balcony? There is a $400 difference between interior and lg. oceanview, and another $400 between lg. oceanview and lg. balcony.

We originally booked a Cat. F, but downgraded to an H when my husband decided not to go. It was jut my 12 year old son and I, and I felt we had plenty of room. So I'm sure that there will be enough room for 4 of you in a larger oceanview, especially with younger children. Even if you decide to downgrade to an inside, with smaller children I don't think you'll have much of a space issue.

I hope this helps some. Have a great trip no matter what cabin you choose!

[Nessa1dc]

My husband and I stayed in cabin 8202? Which is in the front. I think it was 211 Sq. Ft. no balcony. We had more than enough room. Another person would have fit comfortably. Bathroom, may have been an issue.

 

 

Have a great time. The Mariner is wonderful.

 

:)

[mtd716]

Thanks everyone. Since the cabins we are looking at are only available in the front of the ship, how long a walk is it REALLY to the other end of the ship, where the dining room and children's activities are? We don't mind the exercise, but I certainly don't want to wear myself out just getting back and forth to our cabin!

 

If we don't take a category F, then we will probably book a standard oceanview. Only problem is that the only ones that accommodate 4 are way down on decks 2 and 3, which also seems far removed from all the action. Plus those rooms are smaller. Is it worth the extra $100-$200 for the larger cabin even if the location is slightly inconvenient?

[mcfaddensfarm]

The only thing I can really say is that it's really a personal choice. The times I found it inconvenient were as I stated above--when my shoes were uncomfortable & when I had gone the wrong direction. One advantage is that every evening when we went to dinner, we always went down to the Promenade & had a nice stroll on the way to the dining room. It was a good opportunity for people watching & running into people we knew. In regards to being on deck 2 or 3, just remember that it's just a quick elevator ride up to another deck to get to the "action". Riding in an elevator wears you out less than walking the length of the ship, if that's important to you.

If the price in not too taxing on you and having more room is important, then I'd say go for the Cat. F. In case there are times when you are all in your cabin for awhile (like before bedtime or something like that) then having more room is a good thing. If you think you or your kids will not tolerate the walk to the back of the ship well, then go with the Cat. H or I. (Keep in mind that once your kids attend the kids' program & have a good time, that walk may not matter because they'll be too excited about going to the programs each day.):) Hope some of this info helps! Let us know what you decide on.

[rprehoda]

Wife ,me and our granddaughter were in and ocean view cabin on deck 2 a couple of cabins removed from the front of the ship.(Mariner), I found it served the three of us quite well. It was a fair walk to the dining areas but convenient to the shows. We also found that the elevators at the front of the ship were less crowded.

[MackMasterson]

Reading all the great things about the Junior Suite has me very excited about the Grand Suite we'll be in in May. Has anyone stayed in a Grand Suite on the Mariner?

[zooma]

Lucky you! We were hoping to upgrade last week from JS to GS but, alas, the ship was full for Christmas. I'm sure it'll be terrific.

 

On the walk from the front . . . I don't think you'll find it to be that much of an issue. Although the ship is huge, there is so much to look at along the way that you don't even notice the distance you've walked.