Live From the Mariner of the Seas: Pre-Cruise, Embarkation & Day 1 Report

This is a report of the first few days of our Christmas vacation, including
cruise on 6th voyage of RCI’s Mariner of the Seas (5th and last ship in the
Voyager class). We are a family of five making this trip: parents (mid-40s),
two kids ages almost 13 (daughter) and 10 (son), and MIL. This is our immediate
family’s 9th cruise.

PRE-CRUISE

Friday, the 19th, we flew Houston-Orlando and checked into the brand new
Pop Century (value) Resort at WDW. We’ve done Disney. A lot. But not for
several years now, and only once before in one of their value resorts, All
Star Movies. Either our memories are short or we are getting old and fussy,
or both!, but we weren’t keen on Pop Century and wouldn’t repeat the experience
notwithstanding the relative value ($77/night before taxes to be on WDW property
with all of the associated benefits). The rooms were small and fairly Spartan,
which we expected. We didn’t anticipate having to call for a hair dryer—some
rooms are equipped, some are not. It took forever to get through to housekeeping
to make the request and a long time for the delivery. The big negative about
this property was the noise, both inside the room from heavy doors that were
gravity-pulled into slams!, and outside the room. We needed a good night’s
sleep, but didn’t get it.

Saturday was our planned day in EPCOT to get in the Christmas spirit with
decorations and the famed Candlelight Processional program. The decorations
were fairly sparse—maybe there are more in the Magic Kingdom. I loved the
Christmas story tellers in each country of the World Showcase. We did Test
Track (a repeat for all of us, go Single Rider line!) and the new Mission:
Space (Single Rider line was shortest on this attraction, too—this ride is
absolutely awesome, a simulated blast-off into space, and they have apparently
responded to too many complaints of motion sickness and adjusted it ‘til
it is “user friendly” for most). We attended the 5 p.m. Candlelight Processional—not
dark enough for the candles to glow prettily until the end; however, we were
so glad we reserved the early show because it was unseasonably cold in Florida
(as in near-freezing!). The choral performance was tremendous—this is what
I had come to see, and I was not disappointed—but we didn’t think much of
Sandi Patty as the celebrity reader. We selected the processional-dinner
package that included a fixed price meal at Le Chefs de France, which was
delicious. We think Disney food is generally over-priced and not that good,
but the French restaurant rarely disappoints.

Just before trip departure, we received a Cruise Critic tip that there would
be a rocket launch in the wee hours Sunday morning. A little research showed
that the Cape Canaveral Air Force Base was the home of military-contractor
GPS satellite deployment, and a Boeing Delta rocket with a Lockheed Martin
GPS satellite was set to launch within a 15-minute window at 2:50 a.m. on
Sunday. So, none too happy with our Disney lodgings anyway, we got on the
‘net, called the Radisson at the Port to check availability and price, and
then reserved two rooms on Expedia for half the price the Radisson was asking.
When we arrived, rooms were so tight, we got two suites. Such a deal! The
Radisson at the Port (in Cocoa Beach) is a nice enough property. I can definitely
recommend it to anyone cruising out of Port Canaveral. They feature free
shuttle service to the port, which is 5 minutes away.

So…at 2:15 a.m. on Sunday, our wake-up calls and back-up alarms got us going,
and we drove over a few blocks to the beach as recommended by the hotel staff
for primo launch viewing. The blast-off time of 2:50 a.m. came and went,
and at a little after 3:00 a.m., we were about to pack it in, when we heard
a voice float across the miles of water and sand between the clearly visible
launch platform and our beach spot. It sounded like a female making an announcement.
We watched intently for a few more minutes—and then, whoosh!, we saw the
familiar burst of combustion and a rocket moving upward. I’ll bet it was
a good 5 seconds before we heard the sound. It reminded us how slowly sound
travels! Seeing a rocket launch was an amazing experience for all of us.
I have no doubt that regardless of when post-holiday break “show and tell”
is held, our son will have already told everybody at school about seeing
the rocket launch!

------- Long story short, if you ever cruise out of Canaveral, surf
the ‘net for rocket launches out of Cape Canaveral AFB. They occur with relative
frequency—much more often than shuttle launches out of Kennedy just a short
distance to the north.

EMBARKATION

Sunday was cruise day! We needed to sleep late and did. We drove over to
the port about 12:55 p.m. for a stated 1 p.m. boarding time. We unloaded
the luggage and parked the car in a remote grassy spot with the intent that
some of us would return to make a last-minute shopping run and return the
car to Hertz. The port luggage handler told us unequivocally we wouldn’t
be able to leave. A security guard on the way up said he didn’t think we’d
be able to leave. At this point, we were starting to sweat. Fortunately,
once we were in the check-in line, an RCI agent assured us that, of course,
time permitting, we could leave. Lines were very long when we arrived, but
RCI had agents working the lines to make sure all documentation was filled
out properly and ready to go. We had pre-registered online, so our check-in
(three cabins) took five minutes. We were mugging for the embarkation photo
by a surprising 1:35 p.m. RCI’s port staff get big kudos from us for how
they handled the holiday crowds!

We got my MIL settled first in 8608, an amidships balcony on the port side
near the centrum elevators to accommodate her need to walk only short distances.
It has already proved to be a great location for her, with easy accessibility
to all of the usual places, e.g., dining room and casino!, just off the central
elevator bank. Craig is convinced her cabin is larger than ours. I think
they are the same size? RCI cabins are not known for their spaciousness,
but they are always well-appointed, with plenty of storage spaces tucked
here and there. I like the circular showers with sliding curved doors: no
stick-to-your-flabby-thighs curtains! We are finally enjoying one of those
coveted aft-facing cabins, 9392, with extra-large balcony, but Craig is underwhelemed
by (1) the lack of privacy with decks above looking down on us, (2) the smell
from kitchen exhaust (I don’t smell it, but I don’t have that keen of a sense
of smell), and (3) what he thinks is greater engine vibration than in other
locations of the ship. I have enjoyed the wake view and partial sun because
of an interesting criss-crossing of metal structure above the balcony. The
kids are in an inside across the hall. We thought the walk from the centrum
elevators back to the aft would be longer than it is—the walk was longer
on the Dawn Princess and maybe the Star Princess. We don’t mind the exercise,
but those who can’t walk distances should always check aft-situated cabins
for proximity to elevator service, as many ships have eliminated aft elevators.

So…back to embarkation day. The kids and their grandmother went to lunch
at the Windjammer and to explore the ship while Craig and I went out to do
the shopping. I’ve mentioned it before, but when we drive to port for our
annual holiday cruise (this is our 5th!), we look like the Jed Clampitt family
with boxes of decorations and Christmas-y “stuff” strapped onto the car roof
rack in addition to the usual suitcases. When we fly to port, we have to
pick up what we can in port. So, off to the ubiquitous Wal-Mart we went,
and would you believe, they didn’t have any more pre-decorated wreaths? Craig
bought three plain wreaths plus garland, bows and bulbs, and several strings
of lights, while I picked up the forgotten toiletries, bottled water, a magazine,
etc.

The Hertz rental facility is located just south of the Radisson at the Port
and almost across the street from ABC Liquor, which had a very nice, large
selection. I ran over to get Craig a bottle of hard-to-find-on-board Pernod
while he checked in the car. Craig and the shuttle showed up at the liquor
store to get me, and we arrived back at port at 3:45 p.m. (suggested time
4:00 p.m. for 5:00 p.m. push-away). Struggling with all of our sacks, we
made it through security without incident (no questions about the alcohol)
and arrived just in time for the muster drill. All of our luggage was already
in our rooms.

I spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking the kids while Craig strung lights
on our balcony railings and made a wreath for his mom. After dinner, I unpacked
my clothes, fixed the other two wreaths and hung a string of lights in the
kids’ cabin. We have seen relatively few cabin decorations this year compared
to years past.

The sailaway dinner menu was uninspired, but my fish and the others’ pork
chops were prepared very well. I always find a bottle of wine I like and
then order it repeatedly over the course of the cruise. This time, the wine
menu seems more limited and pricier than I recall from past RCI cruises.
There are few bottles priced in the $20s—most decent selections begin in
the mid-$30s. Oh well, I’m not really an oenophile and happily settle for
a decent California merlot. At the end of the night, they store the half-bottle
for retrieval the next night.

I can’t believe I stayed awake long enough, but 10:45 p.m. found me sitting
front and center at the Promenade Café (eating a cookie I didn’t need!) for
the first of two parades that would be performed on the promenade during
the cruise week. It was a creative, high-energy show…a “must see!”

DAY 1: NASSAU 7a-1:30p

We are not Nassau fans, and we were still running a little ragged, so we
decided to sleep in and play the port stop by ear. It was almost 10a when
we woke up, and by the time we ordered room service coffee, “White Christmas”
had begun airing on TV, so we settled in for a morning in bed watching a
great old movie. NOTE to self: Remember to remark on the comment card the
incredible lack of real sugar in the room service kitchen—our waiter said
he’d have to run up to the Windjammer to grab us some packets if we didn’t
care for the artificial stuff!

Lunch in the dining room was nice—and before we knew it, we’d missed Nassau.
This afternoon, I sat out on our balcony watching the wake and learning how
to operate my new CD/MP3 player (something called an iRiver SlimX iMP-550,
which I think is a wonderful gadget, but is probably way more machine than
I require? it was a birthday gift). Craig had downloaded the entirety of
The DaVinci Code onto CDs for me from http://www.audible.com, so I finally
got started listening to the book everyone else has been raving about.

We picked up our ice show tix after lunch today (go early to get your pick
of show times to occur at various times throughout the cruise week—tickets
are free, but space per show is limited) and went to the first performance
at 5:00 p.m. It was a European-themed “Ice Under the Big Top” show. The skaters
were talented, and the choreography, theming, costuming, lights and sets
were fabulous!

We have main seating. Last night, we sat at our assigned table for 8 in the
Rhapsody in Blue dining room (on deck 3, the lowest of the beautiful, soaring
3-deck dining room). The party of three assigned with us was composed of
a couple and their youngest child, a 7-year-old. Shortly after being seated,
the couple announced that they had no clue what to do with all of the silver
and gathered it up into a pile near their daughter. The child proceeded to
clang forks together, then knives, then spoons, all the while chattering
happily and loudly in a nonsensical way that amused her parents. It took
Craig only a few minutes to decide we’d share just the one meal with this
family, so tonight, we tried out our new dinner digs at a table for our family
only in the Lyrics “private” dining room off the main dining room. This room
(and others like it) is designed to accommodate groups (like GGCs?, corporate
gatherings and wedding parties). I’d guesstimate it accommodates 50-75 diners.
It is very quiet, and the service is attentive. We will miss the chance to
get acquainted with tablemates this cruise, but there are trade-offs.

We love the big production shows. Tonight’s show was “Front Row,” featuring
a selection of songs from Hollywood, Harlem, Las Vegas and Broadway. Unfortunately,
even Mr. Trivia a/k/a Craig was familiar with only a scant few of the songs—they
weren’t recognizable numbers that would please a crowd. This is one of the
few times we’ve been disappointed in the entertainment, and we think RCI
offers the best entertainment on the seas.

The kids tried out the kids’ program today. They are old hands at this stuff,
and in their opinion, RCI has the best youth programs (compared to Princess
and NCL, the only other lines we’ve tried to date).

Well, that’s all for now. This is an Eastern Caribbean itinerary, with future
stops in St. Thomas and St. Maarten/St. Martin. Tomorrow’s an At Sea day.
And, of course, we are all looking forward to celebrating Christmas aboard
(and Hanukkah is already underway).

If you’re looking for detailed Mariner information, I’m sorry to disappoint.
So much is written about these ships, I don’t plan to duplicate it here.
And I realize, I might sound a little tired (I should be caught up tomorrow)
and perhaps a bit blasé when it comes to the cruise experience (oh, to capture
the feeling of that first cruise, like the first kiss or car!). But, don’t
misinterpret my post: This ship and the RCI cruise product deserve enthusiasm
and excitement! There is nothing on the seas like the Voyager-class, and
the brand new Mariner is a really good-looking ship, with so many interesting
and attractive features and ingenious bells and whistles at every turn! The
staff is capable, and we’re in the Caribbean for the holidays! Life doesn’t
get better than this….

If anyone has questions about the Mariner that I might be able to answer
while I’m on board, fire away.

To all of my friends on RTC, I wish you a safe, healthy and happy holiday
season and smooth sailing in 2004!

Diana Ball
Near Houston, Texas

Merry Christmas, Diana. And please wish the same to Craig and the kids.


So…at 2:15 a.m. on Sunday, our wake-up calls and back-up alarms got us going,
and we drove over a few blocks to the beach as recommended by the hotel staff
for primo launch viewing.

familiar burst of combustion and a rocket moving upward. I’ll bet it was
a good 5 seconds before we heard the sound. It reminded us how slowly sound
travels! Seeing a rocket launch was an amazing experience for all of us.
I have no doubt that regardless of when post-holiday break “show and tell”
is held, our son will have already told everybody at school about seeing
the rocket launch!

What a cool thing to do!


EMBARKATION

some of us would return to make a last-minute shopping run and return the
car to Hertz. The port luggage handler told us unequivocally we wouldn’t
be able to leave. A security guard on the way up said he didn’t think we’d
be able to leave. At this point, we were starting to sweat.

I'm starting to sweat just reading this. I would have been totally
freaked out!

stick-to-your-flabby-thighs curtains! We are finally enjoying one of those
coveted aft-facing cabins, 9392, with extra-large balcony, but Craig is underwhelemed
by (2) the smell
from kitchen exhaust (I don’t smell it, but I don’t have that keen of a sense
of smell), and (3)

Must be a guy thing. I too have been bothered by the smell of kitchen
exhaust on ships. Usually happens when I'm walking the decks above.

while Craig and I went out to do
the shopping. I’ve mentioned it before, but when we drive to port for our
annual holiday cruise (this is our 5th!), we look like the Jed Clampitt family
with boxes of decorations and Christmas-y “stuff” strapped onto the car roof
rack in addition to the usual suitcases. When we fly to port, we have to
pick up what we can in port. So, off to the ubiquitous Wal-Mart we went,
and would you believe, they didn’t have any more pre-decorated wreaths? Craig
bought three plain wreaths plus garland, bows and bulbs, and several strings
of lights, while I picked up the forgotten toiletries, bottled water, a magazine,
etc.

I spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking the kids while Craig strung lights
on our balcony railings and made a wreath for his mom. After dinner, I unpacked
my clothes, fixed the other two wreaths and hung a string of lights in the
kids’ cabin. We have seen relatively few cabin decorations this year compared
to years past.

Sounds like lots of work for a first day on board.

I can’t believe I stayed awake long enough, but 10:45 p.m. found me
sitting
front and center at the Promenade Café (eating a cookie I didn’t need!) for
the first of two parades that would be performed on the promenade during
the cruise week. It was a creative, high-energy show…a “must see!”

Love those parades, Diana!

We are not Nassau fans, and we were still running a little ragged, so we
decided to sleep in and play the port stop by ear. It was almost 10a when
we woke up, and by the time we ordered room service coffee,

Lunch in the dining room was nice—and before we knew it, we’d missed Nassau.

Smart move.

This afternoon, I sat out on our balcony watching the wake and learning how
to operate my new CD/MP3 player (something called an iRiver SlimX iMP-550,
which I think is a wonderful gadget, but is probably way more machine than
I require? it was a birthday gift). Craig had downloaded the entirety of
The DaVinci Code onto CDs for me from http://www.audible.com, so I finally
got started listening to the book everyone else has been raving about.

You and Craig have the neatest gadgets. I'm still in the market for a
tiny digital camera like the one your had on the Serenade crossing.

We picked up our ice show tix after lunch today (go early to get your pick
of show times to occur at various times throughout the cruise week—tickets
are free, but space per show is limited) and went to the first performance
at 5:00 p.m. It was a European-themed “Ice Under the Big Top” show. The skaters
were talented, and the choreography, theming, costuming, lights and sets
were fabulous!

Missed the one on the Explorer; but it is definitely on my agenda when I
get to sail on this class of ship again.

the couple announced that they had no clue what to do with all of the silver
and gathered it up into a pile near their daughter. The child proceeded to
clang forks together, then knives, then spoons, all the while chattering
happily and loudly in a nonsensical way that amused her parents.

Oy Vey!

Craig only a few minutes to decide we’d share just the one meal with this
family, so tonight, we tried out our new dinner digs at a table for our family
only in the Lyrics “private” dining room off the main dining room. This room
(and others like it) is designed to accommodate groups (like GGCs?, corporate
gatherings and wedding parties). I’d guesstimate it accommodates 50-75 diners.
It is very quiet, and the service is attentive. We will miss the chance to
get acquainted with tablemates this cruise, but there are trade-offs.

Good move!

Eileen and I are off to Atlantic City for a few days. Then it's off to
FLL to spend our January at Sea. I know you'll have a great time on the
remainder of this vacation. Be sure to order a Jamaican Style (dirty
bottom) banana daquiri for me from a real Jamaican bartender.

Regards!

Howie

"D Ball" wrote in message ...
This is a report of the first few days of our Christmas vacation, including
cruise on 6th voyage of RCI?s Mariner of the Seas (5th and last ship in the
Voyager class).

Thanks for the post, Diana - I enjoyed it thoroughly! Sorry about the
tablemates. That's a drag. We really enjoy meeting and really getting
to know our dining companions. Too bad it didn't work out well this
time.

Keep the reports coming! Love 'em.

Lee

Howard Garland wrote:
Merry Christmas, Diana. And please wish the same to Craig and the kids.



Hey, Howie and Eileen! Good to hear from you, and Happy Hanukkah! The latest
version of the Casio Exilim (3.something mega pixels) is what you want....
I feel great this a.m. (yes, getting a holiday cruise together takes a lot
of work, esp. pre-cruise, and I'm not as young as I used to be, so the recovery
time is longer!!) and am projecting a foray into the "Dragon's Lair" disco
tonight! The theming is terrific--lots of gargoyles and medieval touches.

Hope to hear from you during your lengthy adventure. Enjoy.

Diana

Thanks, Lee. By posting a few chunks at a time, I'm trying yet another method
for creating some sort of trip report for our family's remembrance purposes...I've
done it many ways and usually run out of steam before I finish the report.
Maybe this will prove a better tack.

Diana

Keep the reports coming! Love 'em.

Lee

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 05:05:35 -0000, "D Ball"
wrote:

We are finally enjoying one of those
coveted aft-facing cabins, 9392, with extra-large balcony, but Craig is underwhelemed
by (1) the lack of privacy with decks above looking down on us,

Chrissy Cruiser Tip: Don't go naked at the rail; stay under the
overhang.

(2) the smell
from kitchen exhaust (I don’t smell it, but I don’t have that keen of a sense
of smell),

Island Grill two decks above, smell will go away under sail.

and (3) what he thinks is greater engine vibration than in other
locations of the ship.

Sure is. May have something to do with the engine room below you. Will
feel it especially at low speed and acceleration from a stop.

Diana,

Thanks for taking the time to write about your experiences while on
board... It's fun reading in "real time".

Though, if you keep writing such long reports, which HAVE to be taking
you away from other cruise fun... we might have to yell at you when you
get back. VBG

Just kidding... keep having a wonderful time.

Did you try any of the desserts in the Promenade Cafe yet? They're
supposed to be a lot better than the desserts in the dining room.

--Tom

D Ball wrote:

This is a report of the first few days of our Christmas vacation, including
cruise on 6th voyage of RCI’s Mariner of the Seas (5th and last ship in the
Voyager class). We are a family of five making this trip: parents (mid-40s),
two kids ages almost 13 (daughter) and 10 (son), and MIL. This is our immediate
family’s 9th cruise.

PRE-CRUISE

I never felt any significant engine vibration on Navigator OTS, and I
had one of the aft cabins.

What I did feel though was the ship rolling back and forth in very light
seas. She had terrible stability.

--Tom

Cruising Chrissy wrote:

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 05:05:35 -0000, "D Ball"
wrote:

We are finally enjoying one of those
coveted aft-facing cabins, 9392, with extra-large balcony, but Craig is underwhelemed
by (1) the lack of privacy with decks above looking down on us,

Chrissy Cruiser Tip: Don't go naked at the rail; stay under the
overhang.

(2) the smell
from kitchen exhaust (I don’t smell it, but I don’t have that keen of a sense
of smell),

Island Grill two decks above, smell will go away under sail.

and (3) what he thinks is greater engine vibration than in other
locations of the ship.

Sure is. May have something to do with the engine room below you. Will
feel it especially at low speed and acceleration from a stop.

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 21:49:04 GMT, Tom & Linda
wrote:

I never felt any significant engine vibration on Navigator OTS, and I
had one of the aft cabins.

What I did feel though was the ship rolling back and forth in very light
seas. She had terrible stability.

Like a cork.


The Not So Fine Art Of Google
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E29A321E6

Instant gratification gone mad. Writing a cruise review/travelogue while
on board the first day.

Diana. Thanks but enjoy your cruise.

Yikes, how much was spent on posting this?

Ben

D Ball wrote:
This is a report of the first few days of our Christmas vacation, including
cruise on 6th voyage of RCI’s Mariner of the Seas (5th and last ship in the
Voyager class). We are a family of five making this trip: parents (mid-40s),
two kids ages almost 13 (daughter) and 10 (son), and MIL. This is our immediate
family’s 9th cruise.

PRE-CRUISE

Friday, the 19th, we flew Houston-Orlando and checked into the brand new
Pop Century (value) Resort at WDW. We’ve done Disney. A lot. But not for
several years now, and only once before in one of their value resorts, All
Star Movies. Either our memories are short or we are getting old and fussy,
or both!, but we weren’t keen on Pop Century and wouldn’t repeat the experience
notwithstanding the relative value ($77/night before taxes to be on WDW property
with all of the associated benefits). The rooms were small and fairly Spartan,
which we expected. We didn’t anticipate having to call for a hair dryer—some
rooms are equipped, some are not. It took forever to get through to housekeeping
to make the request and a long time for the delivery. The big negative about
this property was the noise, both inside the room from heavy doors that were
gravity-pulled into slams!, and outside the room. We needed a good night’s
sleep, but didn’t get it.

Saturday was our planned day in EPCOT to get in the Christmas spirit with
decorations and the famed Candlelight Processional program. The decorations
were fairly sparse—maybe there are more in the Magic Kingdom. I loved the
Christmas story tellers in each country of the World Showcase. We did Test
Track (a repeat for all of us, go Single Rider line!) and the new Mission:
Space (Single Rider line was shortest on this attraction, too—this ride is
absolutely awesome, a simulated blast-off into space, and they have apparently
responded to too many complaints of motion sickness and adjusted it ‘til
it is “user friendly” for most). We attended the 5 p.m. Candlelight Processional—not
dark enough for the candles to glow prettily until the end; however, we were
so glad we reserved the early show because it was unseasonably cold in Florida
(as in near-freezing!). The choral performance was tremendous—this is what
I had come to see, and I was not disappointed—but we didn’t think much of
Sandi Patty as the celebrity reader. We selected the processional-dinner
package that included a fixed price meal at Le Chefs de France, which was
delicious. We think Disney food is generally over-priced and not that good,
but the French restaurant rarely disappoints.

Just before trip departure, we received a Cruise Critic tip that there would
be a rocket launch in the wee hours Sunday morning. A little research showed
that the Cape Canaveral Air Force Base was the home of military-contractor
GPS satellite deployment, and a Boeing Delta rocket with a Lockheed Martin
GPS satellite was set to launch within a 15-minute window at 2:50 a.m. on
Sunday. So, none too happy with our Disney lodgings anyway, we got on the
‘net, called the Radisson at the Port to check availability and price, and
then reserved two rooms on Expedia for half the price the Radisson was asking.
When we arrived, rooms were so tight, we got two suites. Such a deal! The
Radisson at the Port (in Cocoa Beach) is a nice enough property. I can definitely
recommend it to anyone cruising out of Port Canaveral. They feature free
shuttle service to the port, which is 5 minutes away.

So…at 2:15 a.m. on Sunday, our wake-up calls and back-up alarms got us going,
and we drove over a few blocks to the beach as recommended by the hotel staff
for primo launch viewing. The blast-off time of 2:50 a.m. came and went,
and at a little after 3:00 a.m., we were about to pack it in, when we heard
a voice float across the miles of water and sand between the clearly visible
launch platform and our beach spot. It sounded like a female making an announcement.
We watched intently for a few more minutes—and then, whoosh!, we saw the
familiar burst of combustion and a rocket moving upward. I’ll bet it was
a good 5 seconds before we heard the sound. It reminded us how slowly sound
travels! Seeing a rocket launch was an amazing experience for all of us.
I have no doubt that regardless of when post-holiday break “show and tell”
is held, our son will have already told everybody at school about seeing
the rocket launch!

------- Long story short, if you ever cruise out of Canaveral, surf
the ‘net for rocket launches out of Cape Canaveral AFB. They occur with relative
frequency—much more often than shuttle launches out of Kennedy just a short
distance to the north.

EMBARKATION

Sunday was cruise day! We needed to sleep late and did. We drove over to
the port about 12:55 p.m. for a stated 1 p.m. boarding time. We unloaded
the luggage and parked the car in a remote grassy spot with the intent that
some of us would return to make a last-minute shopping run and return the
car to Hertz. The port luggage handler told us unequivocally we wouldn’t
be able to leave. A security guard on the way up said he didn’t think we’d
be able to leave. At this point, we were starting to sweat. Fortunately,
once we were in the check-in line, an RCI agent assured us that, of course,
time permitting, we could leave. Lines were very long when we arrived, but
RCI had agents working the lines to make sure all documentation was filled
out properly and ready to go. We had pre-registered online, so our check-in
(three cabins) took five minutes. We were mugging for the embarkation photo
by a surprising 1:35 p.m. RCI’s port staff get big kudos from us for how
they handled the holiday crowds!

We got my MIL settled first in 8608, an amidships balcony on the port side
near the centrum elevators to accommodate her need to walk only short distances.
It has already proved to be a great location for her, with easy accessibility
to all of the usual places, e.g., dining room and casino!, just off the central
elevator bank. Craig is convinced her cabin is larger than ours. I think
they are the same size? RCI cabins are not known for their spaciousness,
but they are always well-appointed, with plenty of storage spaces tucked
here and there. I like the circular showers with sliding curved doors: no
stick-to-your-flabby-thighs curtains! We are finally enjoying one of those
coveted aft-facing cabins, 9392, with extra-large balcony, but Craig is underwhelemed
by (1) the lack of privacy with decks above looking down on us, (2) the smell
from kitchen exhaust (I don’t smell it, but I don’t have that keen of a sense
of smell), and (3) what he thinks is greater engine vibration than in other
locations of the ship. I have enjoyed the wake view and partial sun because
of an interesting criss-crossing of metal structure above the balcony. The
kids are in an inside across the hall. We thought the walk from the centrum
elevators back to the aft would be longer than it is—the walk was longer
on the Dawn Princess and maybe the Star Princess. We don’t mind the exercise,
but those who can’t walk distances should always check aft-situated cabins
for proximity to elevator service, as many ships have eliminated aft elevators.

So…back to embarkation day. The kids and their grandmother went to lunch
at the Windjammer and to explore the ship while Craig and I went out to do
the shopping. I’ve mentioned it before, but when we drive to port for our
annual holiday cruise (this is our 5th!), we look like the Jed Clampitt family
with boxes of decorations and Christmas-y “stuff” strapped onto the car roof
rack in addition to the usual suitcases. When we fly to port, we have to
pick up what we can in port. So, off to the ubiquitous Wal-Mart we went,
and would you believe, they didn’t have any more pre-decorated wreaths? Craig
bought three plain wreaths plus garland, bows and bulbs, and several strings
of lights, while I picked up the forgotten toiletries, bottled water, a magazine,
etc.

The Hertz rental facility is located just south of the Radisson at the Port
and almost across the street from ABC Liquor, which had a very nice, large
selection. I ran over to get Craig a bottle of hard-to-find-on-board Pernod
while he checked in the car. Craig and the shuttle showed up at the liquor
store to get me, and we arrived back at port at 3:45 p.m. (suggested time
4:00 p.m. for 5:00 p.m. push-away). Struggling with all of our sacks, we
made it through security without incident (no questions about the alcohol)
and arrived just in time for the muster drill. All of our luggage was already
in our rooms.

I spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking the kids while Craig strung lights
on our balcony railings and made a wreath for his mom. After dinner, I unpacked
my clothes, fixed the other two wreaths and hung a string of lights in the
kids’ cabin. We have seen relatively few cabin decorations this year compared
to years past.

The sailaway dinner menu was uninspired, but my fish and the others’ pork
chops were prepared very well. I always find a bottle of wine I like and
then order it repeatedly over the course of the cruise. This time, the wine
menu seems more limited and pricier than I recall from past RCI cruises.
There are few bottles priced in the $20s—most decent selections begin in
the mid-$30s. Oh well, I’m not really an oenophile and happily settle for
a decent California merlot. At the end of the night, they store the half-bottle
for retrieval the next night.

I can’t believe I stayed awake long enough, but 10:45 p.m. found me sitting
front and center at the Promenade Café (eating a cookie I didn’t need!) for
the first of two parades that would be performed on the promenade during
the cruise week. It was a creative, high-energy show…a “must see!”

DAY 1: NASSAU 7a-1:30p

We are not Nassau fans, and we were still running a little ragged, so we
decided to sleep in and play the port stop by ear. It was almost 10a when
we woke up, and by the time we ordered room service coffee, “White Christmas”
had begun airing on TV, so we settled in for a morning in bed watching a
great old movie. NOTE to self: Remember to remark on the comment card the
incredible lack of real sugar in the room service kitchen—our waiter said
he’d have to run up to the Windjammer to grab us some packets if we didn’t
care for the artificial stuff!

Lunch in the dining room was nice—and before we knew it, we’d missed Nassau.
This afternoon, I sat out on our balcony watching the wake and learning how
to operate my new CD/MP3 player (something called an iRiver SlimX iMP-550,
which I think is a wonderful gadget, but is probably way more machine than
I require? it was a birthday gift). Craig had downloaded the entirety of
The DaVinci Code onto CDs for me from http://www.audible.com, so I finally
got started listening to the book everyone else has been raving about.

We picked up our ice show tix after lunch today (go early to get your pick
of show times to occur at various times throughout the cruise week—tickets
are free, but space per show is limited) and went to the first performance
at 5:00 p.m. It was a European-themed “Ice Under the Big Top” show. The skaters
were talented, and the choreography, theming, costuming, lights and sets
were fabulous!

We have main seating. Last night, we sat at our assigned table for 8 in the
Rhapsody in Blue dining room (on deck 3, the lowest of the beautiful, soaring
3-deck dining room). The party of three assigned with us was composed of
a couple and their youngest child, a 7-year-old. Shortly after being seated,
the couple announced that they had no clue what to do with all of the silver
and gathered it up into a pile near their daughter. The child proceeded to
clang forks together, then knives, then spoons, all the while chattering
happily and loudly in a nonsensical way that amused her parents. It took
Craig only a few minutes to decide we’d share just the one meal with this
family, so tonight, we tried out our new dinner digs at a table for our family
only in the Lyrics “private” dining room off the main dining room. This room
(and others like it) is designed to accommodate groups (like GGCs?, corporate
gatherings and wedding parties). I’d guesstimate it accommodates 50-75 diners.
It is very quiet, and the service is attentive. We will miss the chance to
get acquainted with tablemates this cruise, but there are trade-offs.

We love the big production shows. Tonight’s show was “Front Row,” featuring
a selection of songs from Hollywood, Harlem, Las Vegas and Broadway. Unfortunately,
even Mr. Trivia a/k/a Craig was familiar with only a scant few of the songs—they
weren’t recognizable numbers that would please a crowd. This is one of the
few times we’ve been disappointed in the entertainment, and we think RCI
offers the best entertainment on the seas.

The kids tried out the kids’ program today. They are old hands at this stuff,
and in their opinion, RCI has the best youth programs (compared to Princess
and NCL, the only other lines we’ve tried to date).

Well, that’s all for now. This is an Eastern Caribbean itinerary, with future
stops in St. Thomas and St. Maarten/St. Martin. Tomorrow’s an At Sea day.
And, of course, we are all looking forward to celebrating Christmas aboard
(and Hanukkah is already underway).

If you’re looking for detailed Mariner information, I’m sorry to disappoint.
So much is written about these ships, I don’t plan to duplicate it here.
And I realize, I might sound a little tired (I should be caught up tomorrow)
and perhaps a bit blasé when it comes to the cruise experience (oh, to capture
the feeling of that first cruise, like the first kiss or car!). But, don’t
misinterpret my post: This ship and the RCI cruise product deserve enthusiasm
and excitement! There is nothing on the seas like the Voyager-class, and
the brand new Mariner is a really good-looking ship, with so many interesting
and attractive features and ingenious bells and whistles at every turn! The
staff is capable, and we’re in the Caribbean for the holidays! Life doesn’t
get better than this….

If anyone has questions about the Mariner that I might be able to answer
while I’m on board, fire away.

To all of my friends on RTC, I wish you a safe, healthy and happy holiday
season and smooth sailing in 2004!

Diana Ball
Near Houston, Texas