Mariner - June 5th-12th (Part 2 - long)

[bayview97]

Day 4 – Jamaica

 

 

Ah, yes, Jamaica. I now understand why there is such a wide range of opinions about this country.

 

 

First, about the Canopy Tour and the issue of age restrictions. Chukka Cove Adventures is the company that runs this tour. Their website says the minimum age is 10. Royal Caribbean’s website says the minimum age is 18. Once we received our Booking ID in March, I went ahead and booked it through the Excursions portion of RC’s website. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it took the reservations for all five in our party and labeled my daughter and youngest son as adults. We were still unsure about it when we boarded the Mariner, so we went to the Excursions desk. The employee told us the min age was actually 12 (the Chukka Cove brochure at the desk listed min age 10 same as their website) and said both sessions were sold out and there was a long waiting list. We asked why RC’s website stated 18 as the min age and mentioned this was causing confusion amongst cruisers interested in purchasing the tour. She acknowledged this and explained that minors would need a waiver signed by an adult and this could not be accomplished for legal reasons through their website. At this point, I was glad we had booked the tour earlier through RC’s website but felt sorry for those who had assumed, based on incomplete or misleading information that their teenage children could not go.

 

 

We assembled just off the pier about 9:30AM and were quickly on our way to the mountains with about 25 people. Our driver and hostess were warm, engaging people. They told us about Jamaican history and culture. I enjoyed this part of the excursion because it was educational for me and I could see they are a proud to be from Jamaica and want our respect. The trip to the mountains was an adventure in itself, because when driving in Jamaica “left is right and right is wrong”. Drivers try and do a lot of crazy things (same as everywhere else) especially on those winding, one lane mountain roads.

 

We arrived at a pavilion where several canopy tour guides immediately began putting our gear on which consisted of harnesses, helmets, and gloves. Once your harness gear is on, you don’t touch it, and if adjustments are necessary are made only by the trained guides. A safety orientation and zip line demonstration followed, and then it was down a path to the first platform. It had begun raining, hard at times, but the guide said rain was “No Problem, Mon!” and we would stop only if there was lightning.

 

Once on the platform, you are connected to the zip line cables with your harness and pulley systems. There are additional safety or backup connectors which always keep you connected to platform or the zip line and are only connected or disconnected by the guides. Even with all the safety involved, I was starting to get butterflies while waiting to go. The end of the first run was visible, about a 100 ft away, and after connecting my pulley system it was time to go. I lifted my feet from platform and descended to the next platform in a matter of seconds. Now, that was a rush of adrenaline. I had a disposable camera and would take pictures of my wife and kids as they approached the platform. No pictures during the traverses because one hand grips the harness and the other is used for braking. Nine traverses in all with the last one being over 600 feet. I wanted more when it was over. Even our daughter, who was scared to do this at first, thought it was fun.

 

The Canopy Tour is not for the feint of heart or those deathly afraid of heights. But if you have a sense of adventure, are not risk averse, and looking for fun and excitement, this is the one for you.

 

 

Back at the terminal, we decided to go to the Island Village for some shopping and lunch. It was still pouring rain, but the area was only a few blocks so we decided to walk. While walking, a young man with a big smile and large umbrella approached. At first, my wife thought the young man was going to share his umbrella as a nice gesture. He bypassed us, went directly to my oldest son, held the umbrella over his head as we walked and tried to sell him some “weed”. My wife was a bemused by this encounter but I thought the whole thing was comical and we all laughed about it later.

 

 

Went to Margaritaville and the place was rocking. Had a jerk chicken lunch with my Red Stripe, bought some T-shirts, and then headed to other shops. Picked up some Blue Mountain coffee, more souvenirs and headed back to the ship. We passed one of the SeaPass checkpoints and noticed two small boys outside the fence asking for a dollar. I figured someone around the corner had put them up to it, and would just take the money as soon as I walked away, so I continued on. Then I thought maybe the boys were orphaned and would buy something they needed, so I gave them one if nothing else as an act of good will.

 

 

We had dinner at Chops that night. We thought dress was formal, but they said casual was fine, same as the main dining room. This was a nice, more personalized dining experience. We ordered the filets and strip steaks and all were cooked exactly as we ordered and delicious. The vegetables were served family style. And for dessert, if you are a chocolate lover, the Mud Pie is what you want.

 

 

After dinner, we went to the “Ice under the Big Top” show. My wife and daughter wanted to go, and I’m not big on ice skating, but I reluctantly agreed to go with them.

 

I was surprised and really enjoyed the show. It was non-stop entertainment for about an hour. If nothing else, you can appreciate the skill and athletic ability of the skaters as they perform in such a small area.

 

 

Day 5 – Grand Cayman (or not)

 

 

Tropical storm Arlene ruled the day. The seas were rough and it was raining hard. We had booked the sting ray and snorkel tour through Captain Marvin but it was not going to happen. The Cayman Port Authority closed the port and it was off to Cozumel. I was disappointed but understand the decision was necessary for safety reasons.

 

 

We received a revised Compass because of the storm. The casino opened early and I spent several hours playing single deck blackjack. Min bet $10, Max bet $300. Blackjack pays 6:5. You cannot double down on blackjack (I did not try this, but another player asked and the answer was “No”) No insurance allowed. No surrender. You can double on any first two cards, but no DAS. No RSA. You can split other pairs up to four times. If you play the dealer heads up, you will be dealt 5-7 hands depending on the dealer. If all seven positions at the table are occupied, you will be dealt two hands. Deck penetration was usually in the 60-65% range. There were $5 min bet, 8-deck shoe games but I did not play them. The atmosphere and dealers are more laid back than the typical casino. Even if you haven’t played much, give it a try. If you do, it will help to understand basic strategy and have a money management plan.

 

 

As far as slots, I played Quartermania with a progressive jackpot of about $11K at the beginning of the week and over $13K by the end. My $20 would buy me about 20-30 minutes of entertainment playing max coins. I also played the $1 Wheel of Fortune machine with a $20K jackpot.

 

 

For the week, I ended up about $750 ahead in blackjack and about $200 ahead in slots thanks to the Wheel of Fortune machine.

 

 

Day 6 – Cozumel

 

 

The ship docked two hours earlier than scheduled which gave us some extra time here. We originally planned to go to Chankanaab Park and then shop in the afternoon. A Playancar reef snorkel trip was added at the last minute because we had missed Cayman. We knew this would be a full day so we got started early.

 

 

The taxis will only hold four people so we took a taxi van to Chankanaab for $25. Entry fee for all five was $60. We entered the Archaeological Zone first where there were replicas of Mayan architecture with descriptions alongside. We also walked through the Botanical Gardens and saw several plant species along with a lot of iguanas. We then headed to the beach area. As we passed one of the dive/snorkel shops, a certified dive instructor asked if we wanted to Scuba. I told him I had never done this and he said that for $55 per person he would provide a “rookie” dive which included ½ hour instruction and a one hour guided dive to about 25 feet deep along the reef. Scuba has always been something so my sons and I decided to go for it. We began our lesson immediately. He emphasized safety and was very conscientious and patient with us. We headed to the water where there are steps but no beach and the entry into the water here is a little tricky. Once in the water, we practiced using the breathing apparatus, inflating/deflating the flotation devices, and releasing ear pressure caused by the descent. Unfortunately, my oldest son could never quite orient himself to scuba in the short time we had and had to abort his dive and head to the beach. We headed out and saw a couple of submerged statues (one was the Virgin Mary, I think) and then along the reef and into a small cave. Entering the cave was like being in another world. There was literally hundreds of round, silver colored fish lining the walls of the cave. As we exited there were massive tarpon waiting for us. This was definitely an awesome experience. We have enjoyed snorkeling in the past but will now be looking more seriously at scuba.

 

 

It was now afternoon and we headed to the forum shops for some purchases. The taxi van ride from Chankanaab was $15. We purchased some of the usual T-shirts…etc. but also bought some silver and turquoise jewelry. As we made our way toward the ship, we noticed that silver jewelry was plentiful in a lot of the shops and I wasn’t sure but the prices seemed very reasonable for 95% pure. We finished shopping and hailed a taxi van back to the dock for $10. I always asked the cost of the ride first before entering the vehicle.

 

 

Back at the dock, it was now 2:30 and time to begin our snorkel excursion to Playancar reef. Water and soft drinks were provided for the ride out. The snorkeling was very good. I had a little trouble with my mask because it was small and leaked some. Rather than get out of the water and exchange it, I just drained it as needed. Everyone else’s equipment was fine. We saw lots of colorful fish, a turtle, rays, and some saw a shark. As soon as everyone was onboard, we headed back and the party began. Out came the kegs of beer, tequila, and rum punch. It was funny to watch the little ritual the crew performed whenever someone would do the tequila shots. The trip back was one big party and even the more reserved people got into it. It was a good way to end a long, fun day.

 

 

The crowd was alive as we walked back to the ship. It seemed most people wanted to carry Cozumel with them on board. The Rhapsody was docked across from us and passengers were yelling at each other, making gestures, and boasting about there ship. It was loud and entertaining, but under control. Unfortunately for me, we arrived on board too late to get ready for lobster night because we had the early dinner time and the dining room was the only place that served it. I could not get it through room service and the Windjammer does not offer it.

 

 

Day 7 – At Sea

 

 

We spent the day packing and doing mostly what we had done on other sea days. Wife and daughter at the pool or reading on the balcony, Sons on the sports deck and me spending time between both or in the casino.

 

 

We were pleased with the dining service and tried to take advantage of all the options offered during the week. We only ate in the formal dining room on the first, second (formal), and last nights. The other days we ate at Chops, the Windjammer, Promenade Café or had room service. The food was very good in Chops and good everywhere else.

 

 

We used our Seapass card to tip using vouchers at the end of the week and even included a little extra because we felt it was well deserved.

 

 

Disembarkation

 

 

No problem with the entire process or customs. Just make sure your customs declaration forms are completed and your identification readily available and you speed through the process

 

 

 

We had a fun cruise and a good time was had by all.

 

 

I have gotten so much from these boards; I tried to give something back. I will be happy to answer any questions or provide further detail to anyone who asks.

 

 

Happy Cruising to All!

[jillybabes]

Sounds like you had a wonderful time in spite of Arlene....Thanks for the wonderful review:cool: Jill

[ccrn]

We are going next week, and I was just wondering what the price per pound is now?

[Cruiser_Guy]

Great reviews! Was everyone on the ship dissapointed that you had to by-pass Gand Cayman?

[bayview97]

ccrn - $20 per lb.

 

Cruiser Guy - Yes, all of us were disappointed to miss Cayman. You could also tell that Capt. Johnny was disappointed as well when he made the announcement.