Mariner guidance

[ridojar]

We have just booked a b2b on Mariner leaving Venice on 19 Aug doing the Adriatic and Black Sea, arriving in Istanbul on 5 Sept. We've been on Song of Flower and the Navigator numerous times, but this will be our first experience on the Mariner. We're in a G suite, and know little about the ship. We have also been to Venice and Istanbul during my military and other government service. All other ports are a mystery and I am trusting some CC's can provide insight and suggestions. We like the Regent product and I realize only butlered suites have a bar set-up. Can one still order a bottle for the suite or will I run the room service ragged with individual drink orders? Any recommendations, concerning port tours, life on the Mariner, dining venues, etc will be very much appreciated.
Anyone else on this cruise please answer up and we hope to see you onboard.

[kvisf]

We were last on Mariner in April 2007, and since then the former Latitudes Asian fusion alternative restaurant has been replaced by Prime 7 -- otherwise I understand the ship is configured the same, and most comments on Prime 7 have been positive. We like the ship very much and wouldn't hesitate to book her again when time and itinerary are right. The suites are very well laid out and quite comfortable. All the dining venues were very good to excellent. Compass Rose was consistent and the food ranged from very good to excellent depending on the choices we made, Signatures was consistently excellent over several visits, La Veranda was very good, and the pool grill was just fine. The coffee corner (I can't recall exactly what it is called) offers freshly brewed espresso drinks made to order on a real espresso machine, pastries and/or fruit throughout the day, and a very comfortable place to read a newspaper or a book from the adjacent library, or meet up with new acquaintances. So, no complaints whatsoever about dining or service. I understand it is still the case that you can request one or two bottles of your favorite spirits, not just in butler suites. The attendant may not volunteer, but if you ask they will be provided (the reception desk may also have a request form -- I believe the selection may be more limited than what you can order in the bars, but still includes several premium, if not ultra-premium, choices per category).

Sorry I can't offer any insights on your ports of call, but if you plan to spend any time in Turkey after the cruise, I'd suggest Goreme in central plateau (the "fairy chimneys" have to be seen to be believed), or for something on the ocean, consider Bodrum on the southern coast.

Enjoy your cruise.

[Rally]

I believe the selection may be more limited than what you can order in the bars, but still includes several premium, if not ultra-premium, choices per category). Enjoy your cruise.

If it's free in any bar (and almost everything is!) it is free in your suite. Sometimes what is a "premium" and what is not varies with where the ship most recently provisioned. On Voyager in the Baltic last month the only vodka listed as a "Premium" was Blue Ice for $11.00/shot. Crazy --- while Chopin, Belvedere, Stoli, Grey Goose and several Russion brands were free. In fact the "house vodka" was a Russion brand I cannot begin to pronounce that was amazing --- Melissa (head bartender at the Pool Bar that week) told me it was only available in Russia, an amazing vodka, and would be prohibitively expensive if they were able to buy it elsewhere.

[lkakers]

We have just booked a b2b on Mariner leaving Venice on 19 Aug doing the Adriatic and Black Sea, arriving in Istanbul on 5 Sept. We've been on Song of Flower and the Navigator numerous times, but this will be our first experience on the Mariner. We're in a G suite, and know little about the ship. We have also been to Venice and Istanbul during my military and other government service. All other ports are a mystery and I am trusting some CC's can provide insight and suggestions. We like the Regent product and I realize only butlered suites have a bar set-up. Can one still order a bottle for the suite or will I run the room service ragged with individual drink orders? Any recommendations, concerning port tours, life on the Mariner, dining venues, etc will be very much appreciated.
Anyone else on this cruise please answer up and we hope to see you onboard.

I was on Mariner in May and it was lovely. I concur that Compass Rose ranged from very good to excellent, Prime 7 was top notch (but portions are way too huge) and Signatures was superlative (dined in Prime 7 & Signatures twice each). La Verandah was just OK... Breakfasts and lunches were passable, and only had dinner there once, and it was truly bad, though I think that may have been an aberration, as family members, other cruisers and other CC members generally report adoring La Verandah for dinner.

As for booze in the room, the fridge, of course is stocked with soft drinks and beer to your preferences. On day one or two, our stewardess brought us a form to order 2 bottles of complimentary (standard quality) booze. Though I've heard that strictly speaking, policy is that you would only get ONE if you wanted a premium brand... but I've heard of people happily being brought 2 bottles of even a premium brand, probably based on how nice you are when you ask! :) Also keeping in mind that brands such as Grey Goose are considered standard and not premium, so you can pretty much get 2 of what you want.

[dlalpw]

We have just booked a b2b on Mariner leaving Venice on 19 Aug doing the Adriatic and Black Sea, arriving in Istanbul on 5 Sept. We've been on Song of Flower and the Navigator numerous times, but this will be our first experience on the Mariner. We're in a G suite, and know little about the ship. We have also been to Venice and Istanbul during my military and other government service. All other ports are a mystery and I am trusting some CC's can provide insight and suggestions. We like the Regent product and I realize only butlered suites have a bar set-up. Can one still order a bottle for the suite or will I run the room service ragged with individual drink orders? Any recommendations, concerning port tours, life on the Mariner, dining venues, etc will be very much appreciated.
Anyone else on this cruise please answer up and we hope to see you onboard.
Just ask nicely for whatever you want-within some semblance of reason( Cristal is probaly not an option-but other premiums may be)!-and you will recieve!

[ridojar]

Thank you all for the input. I'm still ignorant of ports but I'll be viewing them through a bourbon haze. Assuming they have a decent bourbon onboard-all previous experiences with Regent are they have a nice selection of single malt scotch, but when it comes to bourbon, what's available is bar bourbon. I made bartender Ricky on the Navigator cringe when I informed him that Jack Daniels is not bourbon, and the only reason I'd have Jim Beam in my house is to make Thanksgiving turkey gravy. Thanks again.
.

[Rally]

Thank you all for the input. I'm still ignorant of ports but I'll be viewing them through a bourbon haze. Assuming they have a decent bourbon onboard-all previous experiences with Regent are they have a nice selection of single malt scotch, but when it comes to bourbon, what's available is bar bourbon. I made bartender Ricky on the Navigator cringe when I informed him that Jack Daniels is not bourbon, and the only reason I'd have Jim Beam in my house is to make Thanksgiving turkey gravy. Thanks again.
.

I am not a bourbon drinker so don't really know what they had. While growing up my mother (born and raised in Kentucky) always made it a point to order Jack Daniels Black Label (I think their standard then was Green label.) It was considered a premium then . . . .isn't it funny how brands change? I remember when Grants was a premium scotch but now is a Trader Joe's staple :D What are top bourbons these days? If you mention some brands I may be able to remember whether I saw them on the list or not.

[JPR]

A basic, relatively inexpensive bourbon would be Maker's Mark. Then you get to the single-batch bourbons like Baker's, Booker's, Blanton's, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden's, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Van Winkle, Four Roses, Michter's as well as the single barrel bottlings from Wild Turkey and Jack Daniels.

Me? Woodford Reserve, Blanton's, and (despite the name) Buffalo Trace.

[Rally]

A basic, relatively inexpensive bourbon would be Maker's Mark. Then you get to the single-batch bourbons like Baker's, Booker's, Blanton's, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden's, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Van Winkle, Four Roses, Michter's as well as the single barrel bottlings from Wild Turkey and Jack Daniels.

Me? Woodford Reserve, Blanton's, and (despite the name) Buffalo Trace.

Too many bourbons! I trhink I recognize the names Booker's, Knob Creek, Evan Williams, but geez Louise! This sounds like "which county you from?" !!!!! :D

[ridojar]

JPR,
Well done- Your my kind of person- you too most be a former Marine. Now if the Mariner has one or two of those I will be elated.

[RachelG]

Don't know anything about bourbon or whiskey or scotch, or whatever you call it, but had to say hi to a Marine. (There are no "former" Marines, only Marine veterans.)
My son is currently a Marine in Al Asad province Iraq. Semper Fi. (The Mariner and Voyager do have a lot of Marine parents.)

[dlalpw]

JPR,
Well done- Your my kind of person- you too most be a former Marine. Now if the Mariner has one or two of those I will be elated.
It does-we're on the 11/18 syd-akl cruise and one of the 1st things i did was check out the Bourbon list-a number of the aforementiioned are avaiable-personally I like Makers for Manhattans b/c it's a wheated one so a little sweeter-the best neat though is Hirsch 20 but that's pretty scarce now a days-Pappy 20 or 30-and Eagle Rare 30(which still appears only available outside of the US-strange)--as i said,ask nicely and the good stuff will magically appear!

[ridojar]

RachelG
My best wishes for your son. May the Divine Spirit keep him safe. Between my father, myself and my son, we total 60 years of service in the Corps. G.Grandpa doesn't count, he was on the losing side in the war between the states.

[RachelG]

Thanks, Ridojar. My great-grandfather was on the same side.

[JPR]

No, Ridojar, I'm not a former Marine (however, my dad was U.S. Navy, 1919, and he was and I still am a member of the Navy League of the United States--btw, I'm not that old; he had me at 57 and my brother at 61 and lived to 87) but some of my best friends are. Do you happen to know David Komatz, who was stationed in Japan during the 1990s?

Semper Fi!

[lkakers]

Thank you all for the input. I'm still ignorant of ports but I'll be viewing them through a bourbon haze. Assuming they have a decent bourbon onboard-all previous experiences with Regent are they have a nice selection of single malt scotch, but when it comes to bourbon, what's available is bar bourbon. I made bartender Ricky on the Navigator cringe when I informed him that Jack Daniels is not bourbon, and the only reason I'd have Jim Beam in my house is to make Thanksgiving turkey gravy. Thanks again.



Being bourbon people ourselves, my husband and I were terribly interested in this information, too! (And yes, we did inform the bartenders and waitstaff -- not that they really cared -- that Jack Daniels is not a bourbon!) :o

The below link (from another thread) will take you to a fairly representative complimentary drink list from the Mariner; there may be slight changes, as this was from nearly a year ago, but this is basically what was available on our cruise in May. They for sure had Makers Mark on the complimentary list -- as all the wait staff got very used to automatically bringing DH a Makers Manhattan (up) at every turn.

I do know that the premium list (have to pay for these, unfortunately) included Booker's, Basil Hayden and Knob Creek. I don't recall exactly what was on that list and/or if there were other bourbons, as I made do :rolleyes: with the complimentary stuff, but DH bought himself and my father a glass of some premiums, so I know he studied the list. If I can remember, I will ask him what he recalls being on that list.

Take a look at: http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2666046940101716102idRIEB?vhost=good-times. This is the Complimentary Bar List from my Mariner cruise last November. You'll be able to see what's included at no extra charge at the bars. Dave

The actual page with the bourbons: http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2912597720101716102NXjiEt
And I see that Dave did post the premium list, and the bourbons listed are just the three I mentioned: http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2652757720101716102ZusGLS.

Cheers!