Looking for tips for a 3 nights cruise on Mariner of the Seas

mevelandry

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Hi!

*EDITED*

DH and I will do a 3 nights on Columbus day week-end 2019 with a pre-cruise stay in Universal Orlando.

We are "up at 5:00 AM, in bed by 10:00 PM type of people". Since I like some peace and quiet, I have booked an aft interior cabin and plan on bringing earplugs.

Since we are mostly interested in the ship (which is the Mariner of the Seas) and CocoCay.

ALSO...

I have booked the following:

-NASSAU: Nassau Highlights (a visit to Queen's Staircase, Fort Montagu, Rum Cake Factory, etc.)
-COCOCAY: Full Waterpark Day

I have booked the Drink Package.

We have THE KEY and I have booked Jamie's Italian for dinner one night since we already have an included lunch from Chop's Grille coming with THE KEY.


Do you have any advices or tips for us?

Thanks in advance!
 
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Not sure advice, but we also booked Mariner...interior room too...on a 4 day. Some will say that these are 2 short, but we are looking for a quick vacation between camp and school for our kids and a cruise is so fun with tons to do. So we figure it'll be 4 (or 3.5) full packed days. The Mariner is getting a great overhaul...looks amazing. Similar to you, we'll be up early and in bed by 10pm. Just go...enjoy the food, shows and activities. You won't get everything done, but just do what you want.
 
Not sure advice, but we also booked Mariner...interior room too...on a 4 day. Some will say that these are 2 short, but we are looking for a quick vacation between camp and school for our kids and a cruise is so fun with tons to do. So we figure it'll be 4 (or 3.5) full packed days. The Mariner is getting a great overhaul...looks amazing. Similar to you, we'll be up early and in bed by 10pm. Just go...enjoy the food, shows and activities. You won't get everything done, but just do what you want.

Yeah, I hear that all the time and I would probably agree if we were just cruising... but I don't when it comes to a Land & Sea trip. :) We plan a short pre-stay to Universal before the cruise.
 
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Yeah, I hear that all the time and I would probably agree if we were just cruising... but I don't when it comes to a Land & Sea trip. :)

I think that the fact that we are staying on the ship in Nassau will give us more time to enjoy it.

Agree...we may do the same.. It's more about the ship anyways than the stops (although Coco Cay looks nice)
 
I have done many 3 & 4 day cruises on RCCL. They are just as fun and relaxing as the longer ones if you want them to be. But, since you do not get a "sea day" staying on board at one of the ports is a good idea. And Nassau is absolutely the one to skip. CocoCay is a beautiful beach day and it will be getting a huge overhaul as well to add more activities. Enjoying the ship while in port in Nassau is also a nice relaxing day, but while the ship will be emptier it will not be totally empty because a good number of people think like you and skip Nassau.

I have 2 upcoming cruises booked on the Mariner, August 2018 and January 2019 and I can't wait to see all the new activities! Hopefully some new shows as well as new restaurants. I am sure I will write a full trip report since she is going to look totally different!
 


I have done many 3 & 4 day cruises on RCCL. They are just as fun and relaxing as the longer ones if you want them to be. But, since you do not get a "sea day" staying on board at one of the ports is a good idea. And Nassau is absolutely the one to skip. CocoCay is a beautiful beach day and it will be getting a huge overhaul as well to add more activities. Enjoying the ship while in port in Nassau is also a nice relaxing day, but while the ship will be emptier it will not be totally empty because a good number of people think like you and skip Nassau.

I have 2 upcoming cruises booked on the Mariner, August 2018 and January 2019 and I can't wait to see all the new activities! Hopefully some new shows as well as new restaurants. I am sure I will write a full trip report since she is going to look totally different!

DH and I already saw Nassau twice (one was a forced overnight due to Hurricane Matthew) ... Liked Blue Lagoon but didn't like Nassau very much.

Our next cruise stops there again and we will most likely not get off the ship because we can't find an excursion that really interest us. I don't think we will change our mind when we get to Nassau again in 2019 unless they add something fantastic.

EDIT: We did. We are now booked for an excursion to Pearl Island. :)

We did not want to go to the Bahamas ever again, then we saw the plans for Coco Cay and we 100 % changed our mind and the fact that we've wanted to try RCCL for the last 2 years was a huge part in our decision.

I'll be very interested in your report regarding the Mariner. :)
 
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crabbymom, when do you go in August? We are going last week...the Mon to Fri. Not sure the pier will be done for that trip unfortunatley. Would love to hear your trip report.

mevelandry, we loved Blue Lagoon too but probably won't bother next time.

For us, our first stop is Nassau and our second Coco Cay. With the pier not completed, I wish it was the other way around since I heard that the ship sometimes skips Coco Cay if it's can't tender due to rough weather. If we knew that we weren't going to make Coco Cay then we would just go to some beach in Nassau as our kids love beaches but otherwise, skip Nassau.

PS - Also cool changes coming to Coco Cay, but that is further down as big modifications.
 
crabbymom, when do you go in August? We are going last week...the Mon to Fri. Not sure the pier will be done for that trip unfortunatley. Would love to hear your trip report.

mevelandry, we loved Blue Lagoon too but probably won't bother next time.

For us, our first stop is Nassau and our second Coco Cay. With the pier not completed, I wish it was the other way around since I heard that the ship sometimes skips Coco Cay if it's can't tender due to rough weather. If we knew that we weren't going to make Coco Cay then we would just go to some beach in Nassau as our kids love beaches but otherwise, skip Nassau.

PS - Also cool changes coming to Coco Cay, but that is further down as big modifications.

Frozen - We are going Aug 10-13. My son goes to college in Ft. Lauderdale so I am driving down with him a few days early, jumping on this cruise, then flying home. We did the same trip on Enchantment last August so I am pleased that it is a new ship!

I have actually only missed CocoCay once in six tries so your odds should be pretty good. The latest completion date for the pier is September so probably not quite ready when you go, but hopefully you won't have any tender issues! I will certainly try and get my report up before you leave!
 
Great excuse to sneak in a cruise. :-) That's very good to hear that you've had good luck with Coco Cay. Will look for your trip report!
 
Update: There are also strong chances I end up doing a second 3 nights cruise on Mariner of the Seas with my friends at the end of 2020. We are planning a Land & Sea with a short pre-cruise stay in WDW to attend a Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

But until my first time on the Mariner, any advice would be very much appreciated.
 
Thread title -----

Looking for tips for a 3 nights cruise on Mariner of the Seas


Bumping this!!! Any review and/or recommandations would be greatly appreciated! :D

I have no tips but my recommendation is -----

Make it a 4 night cruise cause it's more better-ahhhhh. :duck::teeth:
 
We did a three night Mariner of the Seas cruise in June. The ice show had a 7:30 performance and there was a later one, but the next two nights there was only one show and it began after 10. These were in the theater, never went.

Coco Cay is great, we watched movies in our room because for us, on board ship activities were lacking or too late for us. However, we did enjoy the movies.

We are doing another one of these in July 2020, so we were not put off, but now we know, and we are still going.
 
Thread title -----

Looking for tips for a 3 nights cruise on Mariner of the Seas




I have no tips but my recommendation is -----

Make it a 4 night cruise cause it's more better-ahhhhh. :duck::teeth:

OMG, I wish but my plane tickets are bought and I'm already paid in full. ;)

I have a feeling that I won't want to disembark... :headache: On the bright side, I have another (longer) cruise booked 3 months after that. :Pinkbounc
 
FANTASTIC !!!! What cruise ???? if you don't mind. :listen:

A 6 nights Western Caribbean cruise (Cayman Island - Costa Maya - Cozumel*) on the Adventure of the Seas! :D

*We've been to Cayman Islands (We are obsessed and can't wait to go back!) and Cozumel (loved it) but my in-laws have never been to Cayman Islands and we are very excited to bring them over there with us! Costa Maya will be a first for all of us so we do not know what to expect.
 
A 6 nights Western Caribbean cruise (Cayman Island - Costa Maya - Cozumel*) on the Adventure of the Seas! :D

*We've been to Cayman Islands (We are obsessed and can't wait to go back!) and Cozumel (loved it) but my in-laws have never been to Cayman Islands and we are very excited to bring them over there with us! Costa Maya will be a first for all of us so we do not know what to expect.

ENJOY :jumping1:
 

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