We booked this cruise a year prior, after watching friends from Cruise Critic sail away without us. We met them for dinner the night before their cruise and swore next year that would be us!

We'd already been on Mariner the week of Christmas, so coming back we were already familiar with the ship. We had an aft cabin on deck 9 and loved the location. Being lazy on sea days is wonderful in aft cabins, no one is back there and it's quite quiet.

We were seated with a wonderful friend we've known through CC, her brother, his girlfriend and a lovely woman who cruises regularly on Mariner. Dinner every night was absolutely fine, great service and the food was better in April than it was in December. Read more