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Mariner of the Seas overview: All of the enjoyable on a just-big-enough Royal Caribbean cruise ship


At a look

  • A big (however not gigantic) ship with lots for households to do on board
  • Onboard eating consists of Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver, sushi and steak
  • Unbelievable leisure lineup: stage exhibits, ice skating and music pop-ups

If Royal Caribbean‘s gigantic cruise ships really feel like an excessive amount of for your loved ones, then the cruise line’s Mariner of the Seas may be a greater match. The 139,863-ton, 3,344-passenger ship remains to be a big ship with loads of actions, eating places and bars, but it surely’s on the smaller finish of Royal Caribbean’s present fleet and due to this fact much less intimidating than the road’s newer megaships.

Mariner is over 20 years previous, but it surely was upgraded in 2018, including an escape room, laser tag and a tiki bar. The ship is right for vacationers in search of mixture of rest and enjoyable.

Some further highlights discovered on Mariner and its sister ships within the Voyager Class (Voyager, Explorer, Journey and Navigator of the Seas) are the FlowRider surf simulator, a mountaineering wall and an ice skating rink (open for daytime skating periods and night ice exhibits).

The vessel, primarily based in Galveston, Texas, by January 2026, is nice for households in search of a Caribbean getaway. Cruises vary in size from 4 to seven nights. After I sailed from Port Canaveral, Florida, on the ship, I noticed loads of households with youthful children, multigenerational teams and buddies touring collectively. I sailed with my mother on a women getaway, and Mariner of the Seas is nice for that sort of trip, too.

Mariner of the Seas. MICHEL VERDURE/ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Despite the fact that the ship is on the smaller aspect for Royal Caribbean, the one locations that always felt crowded have been the swimming pools, which is typical of many of the line’s ships. If you wish to bask within the solar on heat Caribbean days, I counsel getting a chair by the pool early.

On board, you’ll be able to select from a number of actions for those who do not need to spend all the day on the pool deck. You could find dwell music and trivia video games within the inside lounges or deal with your self to a spa day. Because the solar units over the horizon, the ship’s indoor areas come to life. Do not miss the astounding exhibits within the theater and ice skating rink. You can even dance the evening away within the ship’s golf equipment and bars, or just people-watch with a drink in hand.

The meals on Mariner of the Seas is among the greatest I’ve had on a Royal Caribbean ship. My mother and I made a degree to dine in a mixture of free eating places, just like the buffet and predominant eating room, and specialty choices like Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver. The movie star chef accomplice restaurant is my favourite Italian specialty possibility at the moment out there within the Royal Caribbean fleet.

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Should you’re interested by reserving a cruise on one in all Royal Caribbean’s smaller vessels, here is what you want to find out about Mariner of the Seas.

Mariner of the Seas cabins and suites

Mariner of the Seas balcony cabin. MEGAN DUBOIS/FOR THE POINTS GUY

Mariner of the Seas gives 4 predominant lodging types on board: inside cabins with out home windows, ocean-view cabins with home windows, balcony cabins with personal outside sitting areas and suites with extra facilities and a luxe really feel.

Choose rooms can sleep three, 4 or 5 folks, ultimate for households with younger children. Bigger teams or households with older children ought to contemplate reserving connecting cabins for more room and extra bogs. Should you’re in search of a less expensive room with a view, contemplate the Promenade View Inside, which has a window dealing with the Royal Promenade (an indoor thoroughfare full of outlets, bars and eating places) for excellent people-watching (however not a lot privateness).

Solo vacationers on a finances can keep away from paying the solo complement by reserving a Studio Inside, which is sized for singles with a double mattress.

Within the ocean-view class, the Extremely Spacious Ocean View is nice for bigger teams for the reason that rooms can accommodate as much as six folks on two king beds and two fold-down beds. (You will need to value out whether or not this feature will save bigger teams cash over reserving connecting rooms.) Panoramic Ocean View rooms provide floor-to-ceiling home windows for much more unimaginable views.

Associated: 35 Royal Caribbean cruise ideas and methods that can make your voyage higher

On my Mariner of the Seas crusing, I stayed in an Ocean View Balcony cabin, which gives 198 sq. ft of house within the cabin, plus an extra 46 sq. ft of balcony house. The three-person cabin includes a king mattress and one fold-down or couch mattress. A few of these room types can sleep 4 folks with a double couch mattress.

Despite the fact that the room was a bit cramped and had one of many smallest cruise ship bogs I’ve seen shortly, I wasn’t in my room that a lot. I did like having the ability to have a morning cup of espresso or a glass of wine within the night on the balcony. The personal veranda was additionally an amazing spot for catching a sundown if the pool deck was nonetheless busy.

Cruisers in search of an opulent cabin with more room can select from a number of suites, the smallest of which is a junior suite at 277 sq. ft inside and has a 46-square-foot balcony for 4 folks. The most important suite is the Royal Suite, a one-bedroom, 1,260-square-foot cabin for as much as 4 folks, with a 224-square-foot balcony. For giant households, the Grand Suite, a two-bedroom cabin for as much as eight folks, is 547 sq. ft inside and has a 192-square-foot balcony.

Mariner of the Seas has 26 accessible rooms throughout classes. These rooms function doorways with wider openings, ramped toilet thresholds, roll-in showers, seize bars, accessible balconies and extra.

Cabins are properly maintained and have impartial colours, pops of blue and light-colored wooden accents. King beds can break up into two twins upon request, and shelving and nightstands provide a spot to retailer or cost electronics. Every cabin has a small toilet with an enclosed bathe (warning: this will really feel very claustrophobic if in case you have towels hanging on the bathe door), a small self-importance with a sink, and a bathroom. Suites even have a bath within the toilet.

Suites provide more room and facilities, together with entry to the Concierge Lounge, which is accessible to suite company aside from these in junior suites. Right here, you might be aware about a nightly cocktail hour, plus hosts who can organize particular requests like specialty eating reservations or spa appointments.

Associated: Royal Caribbean packing checklist: What to pack for a cruise, Royal Caribbean model

Mariner of the Seas eating places

Izumi Hibachi on Mariner of the Seas. TIM AYLEN/ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Mariner of the Seas has an amazing mixture of included free eating and extra-cost specialty eating. I attempted most of what the ship needed to provide. Funds-conscious households might simply get away with consuming on the included eating places and be pleasantly stunned by every meal.

I kicked off my cruise with lunch on the additional-cost Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver. I am going to admit that I am a sucker for movie star chef eating places and can at all times strive one if it is out there on a ship. I cherished the charming aesthetic of Jamie’s, and the meals was equally as delish with dishes like prawn linguine and lasagna. Even higher, I watched the chef make the pasta in-house, a welcome change from the usually not-so-great pasta dishes that grace a buffet. I cherished Jamie’s Italian a lot that I dined right here once more for dinner one evening and tried the chianti-braised quick ribs.

Different extra-fee specialty eating places on board Mariner of the Seas embody a chef’s desk venue (intimate, upscale eating), Chops Grille (steakhouse), Izumi Hibachi and Sushi, and Johnny Rockets. I dined in any respect however the chef’s desk. Chops Grille is a skip for me since it has been disappointing on a number of ships, and whereas Johnny Rockets is a enjoyable spot for higher burgers than you may get on the Windjammer buffet, it is not a must-do. I did like my meal at Izumi, the place I paired a couple of sushi rolls with a basic hibachi meal.

The onboard Starbucks and room service (besides continental breakfast, which is included) are an extra value.

Associated: Royal Caribbean meals: The last word cruise information to eating places and eating on board

Mariner of the Seas has all kinds of included eating places past the buffet and predominant eating room (the place you’ll be able to take pleasure in desk service three meals a day). The Canine Home options basic scorching canine and sausages, plus a build-your-own possibility due to an enormous self-serve toppings bar. Cafe Promenade is the onboard deli serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The buffet, known as the Windjammer Cafe, is full of quite a lot of choices from breakfast till late at evening. You will discover all of the American breakfast classics there. Since I usually get up with the solar, even on trip, mornings within the Windjammer have been often peaceable, as folks filed in sporadically. The buffet can get busy later within the morning as soon as households and the late-night social gathering crowd begin displaying up.

Lunch and dinner on the Windjammer rotate in delicacies, with American classics for lunch and dinner and dishes from all over the world provided on themed nights. I at all times grabbed one in all Royal Caribbean’s coconut ranger cookies to take to my cabin or the exhibits each time they have been out there on the buffet.

Mariner of the Seas bars and lounges

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Every of Mariner of the Seas’ bars and lounges has a definite vibe, and a few may be extra full of life than others relying on the time of day or exercise going down.

Throughout the day, the pool bar is hopping with umbrella-clad cocktails lining the bar. One other nice possibility close to a pool is the bar within the adults-only Solarium space.

One other bar price in search of out is the Viking Crown Lounge, which serves cocktails and gives unimaginable panoramic views throughout the day and turns right into a dance membership at evening.

The Schooner Bar is a staple throughout the Royal Caribbean fleet. The nautically themed bar is thought for its Previous-Fashioneds and Champagne-based cocktails. I really like the Toasted Marshmallow Previous Customary, which jogs my memory a little bit of a s’extra. You will discover trivia video games and nightly music there.

Boleros is Mariner’s scorching spot for dancing to dwell Latin music. Head to the English Pub for a pint of beer or a cocktail made with beer. For extra beers on faucet, take a look at Playmakers Bar & Arcade, the place you’ll be able to sip your brew whereas watching the massive sport.

The Bamboo Room is a Royal Caribbean tackle a basic tiki bar, full with frozen and on-the-rocks cocktails. I really like its pina colada, which is hand-shaken, and its Darkish and Stormy.

Essentially the most unique spot on board is the Suite Lounge, which is reserved for many who have booked a Grand Suite-level cabin or larger.

Royal Caribbean sells drinks a la carte, or you’ll be able to buy a beverage package deal. The packages are available in a spread of choices, together with water packages, delicate drink packages and packages that embody every little thing from specialty espresso and bottled water to mocktails and cocktails.

Mariner of the Seas actions

Excellent Storm, FlowRider and Sky Pad on Mariner of the Seas. TIM AYLEN/ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Mariner of the Seas won’t be as huge as Royal Caribbean’s newer ships, but it surely nonetheless gives a ton to see and do. Thrill seekers will love the FlowRider, laser tag, mountaineering, ice skating and the twin racing waterslides. Plus, you will not miss out in your every day dose of pickleball since there is a court docket proper on board.

Join the ship’s escape room to flex your mind muscle mass after a day within the solar. These in search of downtime or quieter enjoyable can play playing cards within the library or take pleasure in dwell music of every kind across the ship.

On the Royal Theater, catch full-scale productions with singing, dancing and dwell music. At Studio B, you’ll be able to watch an ice skating present themed to the circus, full with jaw-dropping results, lovely costumes and loads of methods.

All through the cruise, you will additionally see loads of sport exhibits, bingo periods, trivia, dance courses, sports activities competitions and spa seminars. Simply know that on sea days, actions are inclined to refill shortly. I at all times attempt to arrive 10 to fifteen minutes early for exhibits and actions. This additionally offers you sufficient time to order a drink from the bar earlier than actions get began.

On my cruise, not all occasions began on time. I attended a number of trivia video games and bigger sport exhibits that both began early or ended late. As a result of I attempt to arrive early for occasions, beginning early wasn’t a difficulty for me (although it was for different company who confirmed up on time), however the late endings typically induced a domino impact of being late for different issues like comedy exhibits or exhibits within the Royal Theater.

The ship has three swimming pools and 6 scorching tubs. The outside Solarium space, reserved for company 21 and older, options one in all these swimming pools, in addition to two shaded scorching tubs. It additionally gives a mixture of loungers both within the solar or below a masking within the shade. (It is not totally indoors like Solarium areas on different Royal Caribbean ships.)

Mariner of the Seas additionally has a on line casino, a health heart, a full-service spa and a miniature golf course.

Mariner of the Seas itineraries and pricing

From January 2025 by January 2026, Mariner of the Seas will sail from Galveston to the Western Caribbean on four-, five- and seven-night cruises. The ship will go to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Belize Metropolis, Belize; and Roatan, Honduras. Ports range by sail date and size.

On the time of publication, costs for an inside cabin began at $460 per particular person on a four-night crusing on the finish of January 2026. Longer seven-night sailings begin at $1,473 per particular person for a cruise in December 2025.

Associated: The 5 greatest locations you’ll be able to go to on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Word that the climate in Galveston may be chilly within the winter and early spring, and fog can roll in unexpectedly on the port. Should you’re in search of an excellent time to sail, you will need to cruise between spring break and the beginning of summer season; you will discover fewer crowds and nice temperatures. Within the fall, strive reserving a cruise for September or October earlier than it will get too chilly.

Mariner of the Seas for households

Laser tag on Mariner of the Seas. TIM AYLEN/ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Royal Caribbean is thought for family-friendly cruises, and Mariner of the Seas isn’t any exception. Moreover the enjoyable waterslides, adrenaline-pumping actions and kid-friendly eating, the ship additionally gives children golf equipment for these ages 6 months to 17 years previous. Tiny cruisers from 6 months to three years previous may be booked into the ship’s Infants and Tots program, which gives a nursery drop-off with actions and toys for an added price.

Journey Ocean is the children membership on board for youngsters ages 3 to 11. Right here, children will play video games and do actions in smaller teams primarily based on their ages. Actions may embody science experiments, arts and crafts, sports activities tournaments, expertise exhibits and dance events with loads of ice cream.

The Teen Lounge is the best hangout for these 13 to 17, although the actions are typically divided by age into smaller teams. Right here, teenagers can play video games, take pleasure in dance events and take part in preplanned actions. Some teen occasions happen across the ship, together with unique time on the FlowRider.

The teenager membership operates on a come-and-go foundation, and youths can examine themselves out and in.

Mariner of the Seas accessibility

Mariner of the Seas can accommodate company in wheelchairs. All decks, besides Deck 15, may be accessed through an elevator, and all eating and bar venues have wheelchair seating. Most deck areas have automated doorways, and gangways are huge sufficient for many wheelchairs and electrical conveyance automobiles. The principle pool and scorching tub have lifts. The ship has 26 accessible cabins in numerous classes.

Backside line

For these in search of a implausible household cruise trip the place the leisure, meals and repair are all top-notch, Mariner of the Seas ought to be close to the highest of your checklist. The family-friendly ship is an effective way to expertise what Royal Caribbean has to supply with out the huge crowds of the most important cruise ships within the fleet.

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