Mariner of the Seas Review

First time cruiser

Review for Asia Cruise on Mariner of the Seas
User Avatar
WST
First Time Cruiser • Age 70s

Rating by category

Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service
Cabin

Additional details

Sail Date: Jan 2014

I have been quite apprehensive about cruising due to stories about norovirus, crowds impacting on personal space etc. However, decided that a 4 day cruise would suit as a first experience, and if I hated it, the thought of leaving the ship after 4 days would be comforting. Booked this cruise(Singapore - Port Kelang- Langkawi-Singapore) relatively late in October, and although the price hadn't been discounted significantly, it seemed rather reasonable .

Boarding was a very smooth process on the Mariner Centre in Singapore. We arrived half an hour before boarding start time and there were already hundreds of people there waiting to check in. Queues were orderly and the process took about 45 minutes and we were on the ship. Being my first time on a luxury liner, I was gobsmacked by the size, layout and lavish décor - first words which sprang to mind were a mixture of impressive, vulgar, decadent , spectacular. Understandable as there are many tastes to be catered for (3000 passengers) and taking this into account, I think the ship is well set out and the number of entertainment venues and bars located around didn't make one feel smothered by hoards of people.

Our cabin was on Deck 7 right in the front of the ship, and we felt we couldnt be better located as we could see the ports as we were approaching. The room was spacious enough and the beds very comfortable. A couple of things were offputting- the room had wiffs of stale cigarette smoke and the loo had a faint smell of wee - both of which must have been lingering for some time, Our room attendant tidied and cleaned the cabin each morning and evening, and made delightful towel animals which awaited us each evening. We were so touched to see joey in a pouch hanging from a clothes hanger on the first evening after returning from dinner, as he must have been told by management that we are Australian. There were little gestures like this throughout our cruise which made us feel special - they addressed us by our first names in the formal dining areas, the waitpersons were impeccable in their attentiveness and nothing was ever too much for them. To receive such personalised service in a ship with 3000 passengers was impressive.

Cabin Review

previous reviewnext review

Find a Mariner of the Seas Cruise from $278

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.