LIVE LIVE LIVE from the MARINER with MERION MOM for 53 DAYS!!!

[megr1125]

Just remember we are sailing together in May. I expect full details then!:D (That is unless work doesn't improve tomorrow in which case you might see me at the pier on Sunday after chucking it all).

 

hey wrona, that sounds fun...Hmmm....our boss is annoying tha carp out of us...maybe me & mom....

 

carol...hope you aren't being TOO good of a good girl...and he!! will thaw out...cause once the iggles have to play da "jints" (giants" they may as well pack THEIR bags and join you for the last couple legs!

 

well....enjoy....keep us posted!

[Texas Teen]

Wow Merion Mom, Have you been on here all day? Now you have one less day to explore the entire ship!

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Ok, something else for you guys to look up for me:

 

The champagne in the CL is "Jean Dorsene". Find out what you can!

 

Here's what I coul find in ratings for both Korbel and Jean Dorsene. It looks like they rate about the same and are in the same price range.

 

I'm raising my glass in a virtual toast with you!!! clink, clink :)

 

 

Jean Dorsene

NV Brut

Rated: 88/100

Best Drinking: Now

Again a French sparkling

with all the charactericts

you would expect from

their sparkling at tripple

the price. Clean, crisp and

unrestrained with a dry finish.

 

 

 

 

 

Korbel Brut

 

 

(search item no. 1607)

Wine Enthusiast rating: 87 points

PRICE ON 12/29/2008: $10.99

[CruisinDawn]

Bon Voyage!!

Have a great time Carol!! We have to wait until March to board her and then only get the pleasure of 7 days. :( Sure that reading your post is the closest I will ever get to more then 14 days on a ship. You are living my fantasy!! :D So hang out by the pool bar a bit for me and post back all the luscious details, hehe.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[cityt]

Carol(e) you made it! I've been wondering and hoping you would do a live post since we talked about this trip on the Jewel last January. I am so glad you will take the time to share your experience with us! I'll shall be a loyal reader. Carol(e)

[CruiseKeeper]

Here's what I coul find in ratings for both Korbel and Jean Dorsene. It looks like they rate about the same and are in the same price range.

 

I'm raising my glass in a virtual toast with you!!! clink, clink :)

 

 

Jean Dorsene

NV Brut

Rated: 88/100

Best Drinking: Now

Again a French sparkling

with all the charactericts

you would expect from

their sparkling at tripple

the price. Clean, crisp and

unrestrained with a dry finish.

 

 

 

 

 

Korbel Brut

 

 

(search item no. 1607)

Wine Enthusiast rating: 87 points

PRICE ON 12/29/2008: $10.99

 

Say it ain't so! I can't imagine any being as bad as Korbel Brut! Ew, Ich, Blech!

[GeckoGirl]

I am a huge logistics cruise planner so I have gotta ask...

 

 

3) Is the ship sold out ?

 

 

Thanks

David:D

 

I just looked on RCCL for all 3 segments of the cruise and they are still advertising that rooms are available!!

 

Carol, have a wonderful time....53 days WOW, that would cost me almost $900 just for the cat sitter, not to mention everything else, LOL.

 

ENJOY!!

[rednancy1]

Carol,

I look forward to reading your posts every day.:)

 

Take good care of the Mariner as we'll be on her Feb 22 for the Inaugural sailing out of LA. :)

 

Have a great cruise!!:)

[glgolfer]

champdds - Dave - As best I can determine looking at various sites showing open cabins, it's about 90% full with 150 or so cabins available on each leg. RCI just did a second round of D+ upgrades for both the 2nd and 3rd legs. When you factor in the airfare, I doubt if they sell anymore to North Americans. Plus the need for a Brazil visa the first two legs that takes at least 5 to 10 business days.

[dwdwnurse]

Hey Carol,

I have enjoyed catching up on the past 10 pages! I am SO GREEN with envy!!! We have sailed on the Mariner twice and just love that ship! Captain Johnny is the best!!!

Have a great cruise - thanks for bringing us along :)

Debbie

[wolfcathorse]

Carol, I really liked Abe Hughes as a CD, you're going to have so much fun! He's very personable one on one also. He's a good midwestern farm boy and cute too! How are the pomegranate martinis!

[rubrrick]

Unfortunately............Paul is correct about the first leg.........and it would probably include the second leg........as it starts from Brazil

 

But the third leg........plenty of cabins.......no visas.....just get a Yellow Fever injection........and have it recorded on any form........preferrably the International Certificate of Vaccination......form.

 

Check with Copa........and Air Linguis........0h wait......that out of England......Lan Air.........is the correct airline.

 

I got a seat for $713.00 from LA to Santiago........one way.

 

Imagine...........sailing into Los Angeles harbor.........as the first on a new ship.......you will have been there before the pre inaugural.........and the inaguaral.

 

Rick

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Unfortunately............Paul is correct about the first leg.........and it would probably include the second leg........as it starts from Brazil

 

But the third leg........plenty of cabins.......no visas.....just get a Yellow Fever injection........and have it recorded on any form........preferrably the International Certificate of Vaccination......form.

 

Check with Copa........and Air Linguis........0h wait......that out of England......Lan Air.........is the correct airline.

 

I got a seat for $713.00 from LA to Santiago........one way.

 

Imagine...........sailing into Los Angeles harbor.........as the first on a new ship.......you will have been there before the pre inaugural.........and the inaguaral.

 

Rick

 

Rick - we're on the Radiance Santiago to LA in April and have been told we don't need the Yellow Fever shot. If so we'll get it but if not I'd rather not. Please enlighten me as to what you know.

 

Also wondering about the Mariner pre-inaugural festivities???? The board is pretty quiet about anything that's happening. We're really looking forward to Mariner's arrival in LA and will definitely be sailing on her soon.

[TheMiz]

Do they really have an ice skating rink on the Mariner ?

[rednancy1]

Do they really have an ice skating rink on the Mariner ?

 

Ice skating is available on all Voyager class ships. :)

 

HOw cool is that? :cool:

[TheMiz]

Ice skating is available on all Voyager class ships. :)

 

HOw cool is that? :cool:

 

And people really skate ?

 

 

Sue wants to bring her own skates.

[rubrrick]

Ice skating is available on all Voyager class ships. :)

 

HOw cool is that? :cool:

 

 

Nancy............that is the funniest line you have written in many moons!!

 

 

God love you girl!!

 

Rick

[lori450]

They have these big plastic molded skates to borrow. You can bring your own and they even have an 8am session for only those who brought their own skates (advanced skaters). Don't forget to bring long pants. They won't let you on the ice without them. My son loves to go skating. Since we live in FL, it's somewhat of a novelty for him.

[kerrydee]

they are sort of like ski boots with toggle closures.:)

if you're going to try a triple axel (or even double) these skates are not for you. but to skate in a circle they are fine.

[laprofesora]

Here I am, finally on board the beautiful Mariner of the Seas, my home for the next 53 days, until February 19, 2009.

 

Our E cabin on the hump is lovely. This is my first trip on the Mariner, although I've sailed Voyager class and Freedom class before.

 

Luggage hasn't arrived yet, but I hardly expected it by 3!

 

We have already made appointments for pedicures. Alas, they have only ONE "nail person" on board, so Lizzy and I cannot have "mother-daughter pedicures", which is what we prefer. She negotiated (;)) a lower price for "just a trim" instead of a full-blown haircut.

 

Big crowd on board; lots of kids, of course. Not that it feels crowded - not even up in the Windjammer. The Honey Stung chicken was the best that I've had so far. Fries were light and crispy. :)

 

Check-in and boarding were so fast, I swear that I was out of breath from never stopping for a moment, from the instant we went through security until we were walking out onto Deck 5. It was SO nice bypassing all of the people waiting in line for the next check-in agent!

 

Everything was ready in our cabin: robes, booklets, D+ amenity (wine), welcome aboard/back letter, concierge lounge key, wine from my TA. The closet is nice and big for a basic balcony cabin - the lifejackets even slip into a little compartment in the closet so that they aren't taking up valuable closet real estate.

 

I'll try and read what you all say and ask as often as possible. The connection speed right now is the sloooooooowest I have ever experienced onboard.

 

According to the Cruise Compass, they are running a "special". :D Dom Perignon is 30% off! Would someone please look the price up for me, and tell me what "amazing" price that brings it down to? ;)

 

Welcome aboard, Cruise Critics!

 

Carol

 

Hi Carol. Getting ready for our amazing trip around the horn. How many suitcases did you take? I can not wait to get out of here early Friday morning. A big storm expected to hit Connecticut on New Years Eve day and then again sometime again on Friday. Right now they are saying in the PM. I hope they are right as we are due to fly out at eight in the morning on Friday. The flight is direct and comes in to orlando at eleven. I hope to meet you at the Radisson on the third. If not see you on the ship. Have fun. Dom Perignon. I love it. I am going to look it up for you. A couple of years ago our kids sent us a bottle to the ship as a gift. Being a snoop I found out it cost then over a hundred dollars a bottle. I will research on line.

[laprofesora]

Here I am, finally on board the beautiful Mariner of the Seas, my home for the next 53 days, until February 19, 2009.

 

Our E cabin on the hump is lovely. This is my first trip on the Mariner, although I've sailed Voyager class and Freedom class before.

 

Luggage hasn't arrived yet, but I hardly expected it by 3!

 

We have already made appointments for pedicures. Alas, they have only ONE "nail person" on board, so Lizzy and I cannot have "mother-daughter pedicures", which is what we prefer. She negotiated (;)) a lower price for "just a trim" instead of a full-blown haircut.

 

Big crowd on board; lots of kids, of course. Not that it feels crowded - not even up in the Windjammer. The Honey Stung chicken was the best that I've had so far. Fries were light and crispy. :)

 

Check-in and boarding were so fast, I swear that I was out of breath from never stopping for a moment, from the instant we went through security until we were walking out onto Deck 5. It was SO nice bypassing all of the people waiting in line for the next check-in agent!

 

Everything was ready in our cabin: robes, booklets, D+ amenity (wine), welcome aboard/back letter, concierge lounge key, wine from my TA. The closet is nice and big for a basic balcony cabin - the lifejackets even slip into a little compartment in the closet so that they aren't taking up valuable closet real estate.

 

I'll try and read what you all say and ask as often as possible. The connection speed right now is the sloooooooowest I have ever experienced onboard.

 

According to the Cruise Compass, they are running a "special". :D Dom Perignon is 30% off! Would someone please look the price up for me, and tell me what "amazing" price that brings it down to? ;)

 

Welcome aboard, Cruise Critics!

 

Carol

OK. I am now back from my research. Of course the price depends on the year. The year 2000 is about one hundred and sixty dollars through an internet web site. I do not know what RCCL will charge but anything from one hundred to one hundred and twenty five dollars would be good. Save some for me. Ha Ha

[Hamburg Avon Lady]

I thought that raisins were purple.

 

Should I get purple?

 

I suppose that I could, if I drank enough red wine. ;)

 

Actually raisins are brown and all wrinkled - they get that way when they are dried

out in the sun - of course, they start out as juicy, plump grapes so I am sure

the wine will keep you hydrated !! :rolleyes: See you Sunday. :cool:

[takeavacation]

Also wondering about the Mariner pre-inaugural festivities???? The board is pretty quiet about anything that's happening. We're really looking forward to Mariner's arrival in LA and will definitely be sailing on her soon.

 

We are on the pre-inaugural on the Feb. 20th -- it is a 2 night cruise to nowhere --- can't wait. I love the Mariner and it will be so nice not to have to fly all the way to FL to enjoy the big ships!

 

There is also a 1 night pre-inaugural on the 19th.

[Ginny Ray]

And people really skate ?

 

 

Sue wants to bring her own skates.

I'd advise it...when we were on the AOS, sister ship, people told us the rental (no charge) skates were a heavy plastic and very bad....

[suzyluvs2cruise]

We are on the pre-inaugural on the Feb. 20th -- it is a 2 night cruise to nowhere --- can't wait. I love the Mariner and it will be so nice not to have to fly all the way to FL to enjoy the big ships!

 

There is also a 1 night pre-inaugural on the 19th.

 

Congratulations!! I'm sure you'll have a great time. Are you a TA? Do you know if either cruise is open for booking..............or by special invitation only? I haven't seen any postings on CC so was wondering who the lucky cruisers are.