This was our first cruise on Royal Caribbean. Previously we have sailed on Norwegian and Celebrity. The level of service on the Mariner of the Seas did not seem to be as high as on the other two lines, but because we have 3 children the variety of activities onboard more than made up for that.

We thoroughly enjoyed the rock wall, putt-putt, inline skating and the ice rink. Our cruise was fully booked, yet we didn't encounter any terrible lines at any of the activities. It was particularly fun to go ice skating on the ship. The rink is tiny, but we still managed to have fun.

We did notice large crowds as we moved around the ship, however. Especially during meal times at the Windjammer buffet. Seating in that restaurant is a problem Royal Caribbean should attempt to address. We found it impossible at times to find a table. Read more