One More Time: Live From Mariner Of The Seas 10/22

[jam19872016]

Hello again everybody. I am setting sail on the Mariner again tomorrow and intend to bring you along with me.

 

This will be my fourth trip on her in just over a months time but I am looking forward to one more trip on her before she switches to the 4/5 cruises next month and Independence becomes the weekend cruise option from Port Canaveral.

 

I will have the UDP again, it finally came down in price from the outrageous rate of $178 for a three day trip to the more normal $81 I believe is what I paid.

 

I will also be diamond this trip so will peak in the diamond lounge but I doubt it will become a spot I hang out at. I am excited about the four free drinks a day though.

 

The app has finally settled and it looks like the activities are going to be different. I am not sure if it is finalized but there are no shows available except a comedy show on night two. No ice shows or production shows, not even the welcome aboard show. Wonder if there are "technical difficulties" or they are just slow to finalize the app.

 

And finally I want to see where capacity is. On my last trip it was about 50-52% and I could feel some of the ships services being strained. Only things that are reduced to 50% for distancing of course but it still makes me wonder what they plan to do when they start hitting 60% and beyond. Maybe I won't find out and I will have a nice 40% and below ship 🙂

 

No plans to get off the ship in Nassau but I think I am going to get off in Coco Cay this time. Thinking about hitting the pool for an hour or so and if the balloon thing is running I want to check that out as well.

 

If there is anything you would like to know feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer. If you missed it you can check out my last review on Mariner below.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2801453-live-from-mariner-of-the-seas-b2b-913-920/

 

 

 

 

[Tee & Chilli]

Thank you for your reviews.

Were you able to use the UDP for lunch on port days?

[CruisinMama2003]

Our Indy cruise on 10/6 only had the comedy shows uploaded in the app until the morning of our cruise, then the other shows were added. Hope thats the case for your sailing as well. 

 

Have fun! 🍹

[jam19872016]

52 minutes ago, Tee & Chilli said:

Thank you for your reviews.

Were you able to use the UDP for lunch on port days?

Yes. Any time they were open I was able to dine there with my package. Day one Jamie's was open, day two Chops was open. Playmaker's and Johnny Rockets were open everyday. On the four day Izumi was also open for lunch on day 2 and day 3. Have not caught it open on the 3 day sailing yet, that would be my go to if it were 🙂

 

[jam19872016]

22 minutes ago, CruisinMama2003 said:

Our Indy cruise on 10/6 only had the comedy shows uploaded in the app until the morning of our cruise, then the other shows were added. Hope thats the case for your sailing as well. 

 

Have fun! 🍹

I think that is the case, they have been busy making changes as my other cruises all had identical activities. Guess they are still finalizing showtimes for this new schedule.

[jam19872016]

Oh yea, just remembered, no testing drama this time. Got my results back in about 26 hours. Last time it took 52 hours - 1pm on embarkation day and I was 10 minutes away from an urgent care center after my home test was defective. I love that Plan A worked out for me! Now just looking forward to the day I don't need a test to board. In the meantime I will continue to jump through whatever hoops I need to in order to cruise 🙂

 

[mike45orlando]

Jam,

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

We have two Mariner cruises coming up.

 

Our old 3 Diamond drink vouchers were valid for 5 to 8 PM so was wonder if that has changed.

 

We would be interested in knowing if the Windjammer is being opened at night yet.

 

Thanks and have fun....

 

 

 

 

[mrpayroll]

1 hour ago, mike45orlando said:

Jam,

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

We have two Mariner cruises coming up.

 

Our old 3 Diamond drink vouchers were valid for 5 to 8 PM so was wonder if that has changed.

 

We would be interested in knowing if the Windjammer is being opened at night yet.

 

Thanks and have fun....

 

 

 

 

Drink vouchers are good anytime. They do not carry over to next day if not used.

[palmettostatecruiser]

 

5 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

Hello again everybody. I am setting sail on the Mariner again tomorrow and intend to bring you along with me.

 

This will be my fourth trip on her in just over a months time but I am looking forward to one more trip on her before she switches to the 4/5 cruises next month and Independence becomes the weekend cruise option from Port Canaveral.

 

I will have the UDP again, it finally came down in price from the outrageous rate of $178 for a three day trip to the more normal $81 I believe is what I paid.

 

I will also be diamond this trip so will peak in the diamond lounge but I doubt it will become a spot I hang out at. I am excited about the four free drinks a day though.

 

The app has finally settled and it looks like the activities are going to be different. I am not sure if it is finalized but there are no shows available except a comedy show on night two. No ice shows or production shows, not even the welcome aboard show. Wonder if there are "technical difficulties" or they are just slow to finalize the app.

 

 

Hi Jam, we tested negative yesterday (yay!) and are on our way down to join you on this one...can't wait.  I  was wondering about the shows not being in the planner either.  I noticed they never showed up in last week's sailing on my app. Hope it's not "technical difficulties".

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Edited October 22, 2021 by palmettostatecruiser
Spelling

[discru]

How exciting!!  I hope you have a wonderful time!  If you happen to notice how much they are selling the drink package for on embarkation day, that would be great knowing. 

[perfect match]

@jam19872016,  could you pick up a copy of the show schedule once you’re on board and post it here please?  We’re on Indy for a three day weekend cruise December 3 and I haven’t been able to find one for any of the three day cruises I’ve looked at in the app. I’m sure our schedule will be somewhat different. I just want to get a general idea of what it might look like.

 

Glad your COVID test went well this time around. Hope the casino treats you well, too! Definitely planning to “sail” along with you again. 😎

[PhillyFan33579]

I am sure you will have fun on your cruise, but not sure I understand the appeal of sailing on Mariner four times in a month. I would have at least split that into 2 cruises on Mariner and 2 cruises on Freedom, but that is just personal preference. To me one of the benefits of living in Florida is we can easily drive to 5 ports, with multiple cruise lines and ships to choose from, so we don’t have to worry about doing the same ship over and over again. 

[JCDCA]

4 hours ago, discru said:

How exciting!!  I hope you have a wonderful time!  If you happen to notice how much they are selling the drink package for on embarkation day, that would be great knowing. 

It will always, always, be cheaper to purchase in advance.  Irrelevant what it costs onboard.  

[jam19872016]

Its cruise day!!!

 

I'm only about two hours away from the port and pretty much all packed and ready to go. Could have slept in a bit longer but you know how hard it is to sleep in on cruise day 🙂

 

I have a noon check in but want to shoot for 1130. If they don't let me in early at least it is only a short wait.

 

I don't remember the name of the parking place but I'll post it later, I used them last time and they were pretty good.

[jam19872016]

12 hours ago, mike45orlando said:

Jam,

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

We have two Mariner cruises coming up.

 

Our old 3 Diamond drink vouchers were valid for 5 to 8 PM so was wonder if that has changed.

 

We would be interested in knowing if the Windjammer is being opened at night yet.

 

Thanks and have fun....

 

 

 

 

Ad mentioned, it's 4 now and good anywhere 🙂. As a mid level drinker too cheap to buy drinks a la cart that is a perfect period for me because I don't really drink enough to make a package worth it.

 

Windjammer not listed as open on the app for dinnner but I will verify on board. We hit 50% last time and they did not open.

[jam19872016]

9 hours ago, palmettostatecruiser said:

 

Hi Jam, we tested negative yesterday (yay!) and are on our way down to join you on this one...can't wait.  I  was wondering about the shows not being in the planner either.  I noticed they never showed up in last week's sailing on my app. Hope it's not "technical difficulties".

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Still nothing listed. I'm good either way but I'm sure many will be disappointed if they are in fact canceled.

 

6 hours ago, perfect match said:

@jam19872016,  could you pick up a copy of the show schedule once you’re on board and post it here please?  We’re on Indy for a three day weekend cruise December 3 and I haven’t been able to find one for any of the three day cruises I’ve looked at in the app. I’m sure our schedule will be somewhat different. I just want to get a general idea of what it might look like.

 

Glad your COVID test went well this time around. Hope the casino treats you well, too! Definitely planning to “sail” along with you again. 😎

Will do. I'm also on indy in two weeks so I'll post that one.

 

Probably going to keep my casino time low this weekend but hope it treats me well too 😃

[jam19872016]

7 hours ago, discru said:

How exciting!!  I hope you have a wonderful time!  If you happen to notice how much they are selling the drink package for on embarkation day, that would be great knowing. 

 

 

3 hours ago, JCDCA said:

It will always, always, be cheaper to purchase in advance.  Irrelevant what it costs onboard.  

I will find out for you. I paid an insane $72 per day on Freedom in July pre cruise. On board it was $89 but was bogo half off. Worked out to $66.75 per day. From what I was told on here as a solo I would not have got the combined price but of buying for two people  would have been cheaper in the ship.

 

They were running specials for $63 precruise but I held out because I thought that was a fake sale price. Seems very high to me but turns out it was a good deal.

[jam19872016]

5 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

I am sure you will have fun on your cruise, but not sure I understand the appeal of sailing on Mariner four times in a month. I would have at least split that into 2 cruises on Mariner and 2 cruises on Freedom, but that is just personal preference. To me one of the benefits of living in Florida is we can easily drive to 5 ports, with multiple cruise lines and ships to choose from, so we don’t have to worry about doing the same ship over and over again. 

Two of them were B2B but yea I get your point. I live in north Florida and find it less appealing to drive all the way to Miami for three days thn take the same cruise again and again. Even 7 days I am trying to stick to pt.canaveral. Plus if I need to work I can work Friday am and Monday afternoon. I can't do that out of Miami.

 

Jacksonville is closest but it has no date for reopening yet, and I am not a fan of the Fantasy class - too small for my taste. 

 

A bit repetitive but I truly love just being at sea, and I've gotten to know a lot of the crew better than you normally would in a weekend.

[Kathscof]

8 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

Two of them were B2B but yea I get your point. I live in north Florida and find it less appealing to drive all the way to Miami for three days thn take the same cruise again and again. Even 7 days I am trying to stick to pt.canaveral. Plus if I need to work I can work Friday am and Monday afternoon. I can't do that out of Miami.

 

Jacksonville is closest but it has no date for reopening yet, and I am not a fan of the Fantasy class - too small for my taste. 

 

A bit repetitive but I truly love just being at sea, and I've gotten to know a lot of the crew better than you normally would in a weekend.

 Yay north Florida! I’m from Fernandina 🙂 

 

jacksonville having a port is neat, but it’s so far from where the ships wanna go haha

 

and I would stick with the closest port too 🙂 Miami is too daggum far....I have been there......6 times in my life of growing up and going to college in Florida, 2 were international flights, 2 concerts, and 2 baseball games 🙂 

[PhillyFan33579]

53 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

Two of them were B2B but yea I get your point. I live in north Florida and find it less appealing to drive all the way to Miami for three days thn take the same cruise again and again. Even 7 days I am trying to stick to pt.canaveral. Plus if I need to work I can work Friday am and Monday afternoon. I can't do that out of Miami.

 

Jacksonville is closest but it has no date for reopening yet, and I am not a fan of the Fantasy class - too small for my taste. 

 

A bit repetitive but I truly love just being at sea, and I've gotten to know a lot of the crew better than you normally would in a weekend.

That makes more sense considering your location. We live south of Tampa about 2.5 hours to Port Canaveral and 3 hours to Port Miami, so that gives us a little more flexibility considering the drive times are not too different. Port Tampa is the closest port but like you we prefer bigger ships which can’t cruise out of Tampa due to the Skyway Bridge. I do agree any day on a cruise ship is a good day. 

[SummerBeee]

Jam, glad to see you back on board. I’m new to living in FL and went crazy booking cruises since everything is drivable. Port Canaveral is a short 1.5 hour trip south. Bonus is getting to stop at Sams on the way back.

 

I board Mariner on 10/29 on a B4B departing 11/15. Like I said crazy. 
 

Looking forward to your restaurant reviews. I have the D+ BOGO but wish it included hibachi. I wonder if they would ever include Playmakers in this promo. Buy X food credit and receive X. 

[Adian80]

If you go to Jonny Rockets will you ask on pricing for milkshakes with the UDP? We board in 11 days and I'd love to know the cost so I can let my teens know their limit.

 

Looking forward to reading about you adventure!

[jam19872016]

Google tells me 1h 53m to my parking lot. I'm using park port canaveral. With all taxes and fees it comes to $47.02 for the weekend. It claims to be the closest offsite parking lot but I have used country inn and suites for parking before and they are a couple blocks closer.

 

Gonna load up the car and make my way to port. See yall once I'm onboard. 

[jam19872016]

Check in was easy. They had lines set up for early people but they were not in use. Perhaps if there were more people times would he enforced. Today was easy breezy.

 

They are using the annoying saying straps instead of the silicone bands.

 

Sitting in the star lounge for a few until Jamie's opens for lunch. This is a muster station so I may be asked to leave soon but they are still getting setup.

[jam19872016]

4 hours ago, Kathscof said:

 Yay north Florida! I’m from Fernandina 🙂 

 

jacksonville having a port is neat, but it’s so far from where the ships wanna go haha

 

and I would stick with the closest port too 🙂 Miami is too daggum far....I have been there......6 times in my life of growing up and going to college in Florida, 2 were international flights, 2 concerts, and 2 baseball games 🙂 

Miami is the best for sailaway of the Florida ports. Other than that I loathe everything about Miami.

 

I'm not quite as north as you. Near st.augustine but more inland.

 

 

3 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

That makes more sense considering your location. We live south of Tampa about 2.5 hours to Port Canaveral and 3 hours to Port Miami, so that gives us a little more flexibility considering the drive times are not too different. Port Tampa is the closest port but like you we prefer bigger ships which can’t cruise out of Tampa due to the Skyway Bridge. I do agree any day on a cruise ship is a good day. 

Almost nobody can relate when I complain Miami is too far away lol.