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Cruise Ship Reviews : Royal Caribbean International Reviews

Mariner of the Seas reviews


Mariner of the Seas reviews

Average customer rating:
4.21 / 5

Average Rating based on 10 Reviews:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 4.40
Cabin Design = 4.40
Entertainment = 3.60
Fitness Center = 4.50
Food Quality = 3.80
Ship Maintenance = 4.30
Spa = 4.25
Specialty Restaurant = 3.67
Staff and Service = 4.60
4.40
4.40
3.60
4.50
3.80
4.30
4.25
3.67
4.60







Badger63 saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 5
Cabin Design = 4
Entertainment = 3
Fitness Center = 5
Food Quality = 4
Ship Maintenance = 5
Staff and Service = 5
5
4
3
5
4
5
5

A relaxing cruise, February 24, 2012
Reviewer: Badger63

Pros: Value for the money

Cons: Dining room food

Departure port: Galveston

Region visited: Caribbean - Western

Cabin category: Inside

Cabin number: 9341

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

RCL provides a wonderful cruise experience. However, ther dining room food left much to be desired when compared to other ships. Alternative menues were average at best. The steak was similar to a mid-priced chain such as Bonanza. I felt that the entertainment offered was a bit weak with no show being available at all on one night. Fitness center was great but needed fans to circulate the air. The staff was great!


DJHVet saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 4
Cabin Design = 5
Entertainment = 2
Fitness Center = 4
Food Quality = 3
Ship Maintenance = 2
Specialty Restaurant = 2
Staff and Service = 3
4
5
2
4
3
2
2
3

Food and service average, ship a little frayed around the edges., January 2, 2012
Reviewer: DJHVet

Pros: Vintages, the Solarium and the Ice Show were good.

Cons: Drawer fronts and closet doors falling off in stateroom.

Date of cruise: December 18, 2011

Departure port: Galveston

Region visited: Caribbean - Western

Cabin category: Balcony

Cabin number: 7530

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

We cruised Christmas 2011. Embarking was a nightmare (almost 7 hours) due to viral illness on the previous cruise. Boarding was delayed due to cleaning and check-in was moved out of the cruise terminal to the convention center. RCL did not organize or implement these procedures well at all. There were plenty of activities, especially for all the kids on board. Santa delivering presents was a nice touch. The holiday decorations were very pretty. The food was average to good. Dining room service was excellent, but we found the service in Chops Grille to be very slow. Service at Ellingtons was average, service at Vintages was superior. Our stateroom (steward) service was average to poor. Unfortunately, the ship's age was very apparent in our stateroom with 2 drawers that did not close properly, 1 drawer with the front falling off and a closet door hinge that kept coming undone. The public areas seemed much better maintained and we particularly enjoyed with Solarium. The ice rink and climbing wall were unique, but the ice rink hours were so restricted we never did find time to go. Pre-dinner drinks at Ellington's or Vintages were very enjoyable and we did stay up way too late one night at Dragon's Lair.


tytero saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 4
Cabin Design = 3
Entertainment = 3
Fitness Center = 5
Food Quality = 1
Ship Maintenance = 4
Spa = 5
Staff and Service = 4
4
3
3
5
1
4
5
4

Ship was beautiful but like Carnival better, December 2, 2011
Reviewer: tytero

Pros: Room attendant, the ice show,

Cons: Food, few on-board activities, no self-service for drinks

Departure port: galveston

Region visited: Caribbean - Southern

Cabin category: Inside

Cabin number: 1553

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

The ship was beautiful. We were really taken away by the 5th deck. The staff was courteous. We prefer Carnival because they let you get your own drinks. You can get them at any time, not just during the serving times. The activities were limited. One night they didn't even have a show. Spent hours just walking around because they didn't really have anything scheduled. Not used to that. No robes or ice in rooms. No toiletries in bathrooms. Four out of six hot tubs were closed one night. Didn't like most of the food. Carnival has 24-hour pizzeria and ice cream. This ship has frozen pizza in two flavors and the yogurt is only open during the day. Teenage son liked the teen club but I think he felt the same way, not enough activities. Bottom line, we will cruise with Carnival next time.


Betty saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 3
Cabin Design = 5
Entertainment = 4
Fitness Center = 4
Food Quality = 5
Ship Maintenance = 4
Staff and Service = 5
3
5
4
4
5
4
5

Great staff and nice ship, July 20, 2011
Reviewer: Betty

Pros: Good service and nice people

Cons: None

Date of cruise: June 16, 2011

Departure port: Civitavecchia

Region visited: Mediterranean

Cabin category: Balcony

Cabin number: 9656

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

The ship provides things to do for all types of people.


nzkm saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 5
Cabin Design = 4
Entertainment = 4
Fitness Center = 5
Food Quality = 5
Ship Maintenance = 5
Spa = 4
Specialty Restaurant = 5
Staff and Service = 5
5
4
4
5
5
5
4
5
5

Great food, great people, wonderfully maintained, June 21, 2011
Reviewer: nzkm

Pros: Never-ending food selection

Cons: Everything onboard was expensive, compared to other ships

Date of cruise: June 4, 2011

Departure port: Civitavecchia

Region visited: Mediterranean

Cabin category: Outside

Cabin number: 2356

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

Overall we loved this ship. We were surprised at the range of ages, a lot of people in their 20's and beyond. The pool area was always busy but you usually got a seat - surprised that none of the pools were heated, though. The food and dining was excellent. Portofino was a definite highlight for us seafood lovers and the dining room was always bustling but obviously well organized. Johnny Rockets was a bit of fun but I probably wouldn't bother again, since its just burgers and hotdogs. Cafe Promenade always had good food but the espresso coffee was hit and miss - very annoying considering how much you're charged. My partner is a poker player and found the poker table was never really utilized and the house cut was particularly high considering its all electronic. Overall the staff in there was great. The shows were very good, but you can't please everyone. I found the pool party, street party and parade great fun and loved the crew's involvement. My own complaint would be the TV showings in the cabin, about four movies repeated over and over for 12 days and one channel of repeats. I'd feel sorry for anyone under the weather. My partner was also really surprised how poor the sound quality and screen was in the theater. I would agree with another review made here about the music in some of the bars - with some singers virtually every song sounded the same and was the same night after night. The price of drinks was also off-putting. We would have had many more cocktails if they weren't so highly priced -- even the special of the day was only about 50 cents off. We found the wine package really valuable after spending $40 a bottle on the first night (including service charge). Shore excursions were really well organized, but the embarking was a mess - over two hours in the Mediterranean heat was torturous. I think that in itself almost puts me off booking again. Hoping this isn't the norm! Coming into our cabin was joy after that - the bed and linen are second to none and I haven't slept so well since. Truly a relaxing experience, if only a few niggles - and don't miss the ice show!


jpforgas saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 5
Cabin Design = 4
Entertainment = 1
Fitness Center = 4
Food Quality = 3
Ship Maintenance = 4
Spa = 4
Staff and Service = 5
5
4
1
4
3
4
4
5

Excellent ship and amenities, poor entertainment, April 30, 2011
Reviewer: jpforgas

Pros: Excellent design, outstanding staff and service

Cons: Poor entertainment and activities

Departure port: civitavecchia

Region visited: Europe

Cabin category: Inside

This is a huge ship, beautifully designed with wonderful public areas and no sense of crowding anywhere. We went on a 13-days Eastern Mediterranean itinerary in April 2011 and the stops were all fabulous - Messina, Athens, Haifa, Ashdod/Jerusalem, Rhodes, Ephesus, Chania and Naples. The cabin was spacious and well furnished. Food in the main dining room was only average - better than Costa, but not up to the quality on Norwegian, Holland America, Princess or Celebrity. Service quality by the hard working staff was excellent - polite and very efficient. A unique feature was the ice skating which we tried and enjoyed greatly. The one great disappointment was the quality (or rather, the absence) of entertainment. The ship had several wonderful large bars (Ellington's, Lotus lounge, etc.) but the music in all of them was dreadful during our cruise and the bars were always empty. We would have liked to dance, but there was almost no opportunity. Who ever hired these terrible bands? In the Lotus Lounge there was a (presumably expensive) four-member band playing some weird 1930s style music, with the same two octogenerian couples dancing there every night. This was the main evening bar, yet it was deserted almost all the time due to the hopeless music. We came to call this bar the 'mortuary' by the second day. Ellington's, a fabulous nightclub on level 14 was also plagued by one of the most boring and depressing combos you will find anywhere on the high seas. In this glorious club there were never more than half a dozen people - who hired such a moribund band for this venue? There was also a latin band in one of the smaller bars that attracted some dancers, but if you do not like latin music, there was nowhere else to go in such a huge ship. The only enjoyable and highly popular music was paradoxically in the small piano bar that was full every night - but this space was far too small for dancing. I think RCL needs to take a hard look at the kind of bands it hires for this ship! There were also almost no organized on-board activities to speak of, the animators were practically invisible and, as far as we could tell, the cruise director did nothing but introduce the shows. The evening shows were mediocre to bad. In the 13 days, only the Frankie Valli and the Beatles tribute bands created any excitement. There was only one (1!) production show by the ship's dancers, and that was a tedious New York style musical pastiche. In summary, the Mariner is a magnificient ship and in most respects our cruise experience was as good as, or better, than on other cruise lines. The exception is entertainment - neither the bars, nor the music, nor the shows were up to the standard one expects.


ChapinAyres saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 5
Cabin Design = 5
Entertainment = 5
Fitness Center = 5
Food Quality = 4
Ship Maintenance = 5
Staff and Service = 4
5
5
5
5
4
5
4

Great ship with fabulous food and entertainment; would definitely sail her again, November 21, 2010
Reviewer: ChapinAyres

Pros: Cabin was great with lots of storage - even bathroom tiles. Food/shows great

Cons: Shopping on board limited and bingo too expensive at $22 per game; ship big

Date of cruise: November 7, 2011

Departure port: Los Angeles

Region visited: Mexico

Cabin category: Balcony

Cabin number: 6572

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

I am not a fan of large ships but this ship is lovely. Good cabin design with lots of storage. Food was great and lots of variety. Entertainment was good - comedians, piano bar, pub entertainer, ice skating show etc. Staff were attentive. Cruise Director and entertainment team were fabulous. The lead male singer was the weak link in the show but everyone else was great. Bingo is too expensive and drinks on board are not cheap and the shopping on board was very limited but adequate (just trying to buy some body lotion - there was only one choice and very small package). Would happily cruise this ship again.


uruguay99 saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 4
Cabin Design = 5
Entertainment = 5
Fitness Center = 5
Food Quality = 5
Ship Maintenance = 5
Specialty Restaurant = 4
Staff and Service = 5
4
5
5
5
5
5
4
5

Great, November 19, 2010
Reviewer: uruguay99

Pros: Buffet was great, great selection of ethnic food

Cons: Buffet was not open 7/24 , just the Promenade was open with small selection

Date of cruise: November 7, 2010

Departure port: san pedro, CA

Region visited: Mexico

Cabin category: Inside

Cabin number: 6671

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

Great experience


locmaster saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 5
Cabin Design = 5
Entertainment = 5
Fitness Center = 4
Food Quality = 4
Ship Maintenance = 5
Staff and Service = 5
5
5
5
4
4
5
5

Exciting, fun-filled and relaxing cruise experience, September 28, 2010
Reviewer: locmaster

Pros: The structure and variety of activities; so much to do that I never got bored

Cons: The food could have been tastier and kept at appropriate temperatures

Date of cruise: September 12, 2010

Departure port: Los Angeles

Region visited: Mexico

Cabin category: Inside

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

This was one of the most enjoyable cruises I've ever been on. The cruise ship was spotless and very well maintained. Every crew member that I came across always smiled, greeted me and asked if they could of help. The activites were fun-filled and never boring. There was always something to do that was fun or interesting. For an inside cabin I was pleasantly surprise at how big and comfortable it was. I would sail this ship again without hesitation.


mcarter60523 saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 4
Cabin Design = 4
Entertainment = 4
Fitness Center = 4
Food Quality = 4
Ship Maintenance = 4
Spa = 4
Staff and Service = 5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5

Very nice ship with plenty of space for 3,100+ people., August 15, 2010
Reviewer: mcarter60523

Pros: Promenade and overall service

Cons: Ship is showing signs of wear and tear. Very poor movie "theater"

Date of cruise: January 10, 2008

Departure port: Los Angeles

Region visited: Mexico

Cabin category: Balcony

Cabin number: 9232

Good for children: Yes

The Mariner of the Seas is a very large ship with very good service (cabin attendant, dining room staff and guest relations). Even though our cruise was completely booked, the ship never felt crowded (3,100+ people) and there was always plenty of activities for children throughout the day. The food was very consistent and good in the main dining room and cafe promenade. However, the ship is now seven years old and is showing signs of wear and tear (e.g., the seats in the movie "theater" were VERY uncomfortable and the screen was terrible). The Mexican Riviera itinerary was very nice and the three days at sea were very relaxing and enjoyable.

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