My husband and I are 62 years old and this was our 5th cruise (1 on NCL, 2 on Carnival, 1 on Princess). This was our first inside cabin (at an incredibly low price) and the 7th deck location worked out very well. The bed was comfortable, the cabin had adequate room and storage, and I liked being at the front end of the ship with nearby elevator access up to the Solarium and down to the Savoy Theater, and our corridor ended with a view down to the Royal Promenade. Dining options were on the other end of the ship, which was just as well to take a walk outside on Deck 4 before eating or a stroll on the Promenade. The Cafe was close by for late night snacks and morning coffee. We usually had room service breakfast, timely and cheerfully delivered, arranged by ticking off your menu choices, including eggs and bacon or sausage (unlike Carnival), and leaving it outside on your door before 3 a.m. The buffet and dining room breakfasts were also good. We left the TV on all night to a station displaying the time, but wished we had watches with illuminated dials. A TV channel with the current weather and temperature would be helpful when preparing for the day in a windowless room. There were no complimentary toiletries in the bathroom, so bring your own shampoo, etc. Our room steward was friendly and helpful, always smiling; we heard they receive no salary, only the tips, so be generous. Speaking of tips, we learned a 15% gratuity is automatically added to bills, and any "additional tip" you add goes to the particular server or bartender you are dealing with, so you can acknowledge good service. Friendly, cheerful and efficient service was ubiquitous on this ship.

We live in Los Angeles, so a quick drive brought us to San Pedro by 12:30 p.m., where a porter watched our bags while I got baggage tags and my husband parked the car ($12/night). We boarded easily and were in our room by 1:30 p.m., with time to eat and explore before departure, although our bags didn't arrive until later. The Mariner is big but easily maneuverable. There was sometimes a wait for an elevator, and some crowding at popular venues. Deck 3 with the ice rink doesn't go all the way through, and the upper decks with the arcade, miniature golf, Johnny Rockets, and the beautiful Ellington's lounge can get a little confusing. My husband felt the Royal Promenade was just one bar after another, and not enough variety of shops. I liked it, especially the Cafe for some pizza, coffee, sandwiches and cookies day and night. We didn't hang out in the lounges (Lotus, Bolero, Dragon's Lair disco) so I can't attest to the music quality, nor did we listen to the karaoke. There was a piano bar, but I never heard passengers participating and didn't much care for the pianist/singer. The casino was fine. The 3-level dining room is really gorgeous, as are all of the public spaces, with lots of interesting and whimsical art. I think the Mariner is one classy ship with a sense of humor. The crowd was basically older, but there were lots of activities for kids and families. I really regret not playing miniature golf or using the arcade, although I will leave the rock climbing and ice skating to the kids.

My favorite thing was lounging in the Solarium. The hot tubs there are large and sometimes attracted a boisterous crowd, but usually it was a pleasant place to read and catch rays in beautiful surroundings. It is close to the gym and the sauna/steam rooms, which has its own towels, so you can turn in your pool towels. Our "at sea" days weren't all that warm, but it helped to stay out of the wind. The boat was really rocking the last two days back, so shuffleboard was a little tricky and golf impossible, not to mention sleeping and walking being difficult. Read more