The first port of call on our Mariner of the Seas cruise is at Royal Caribbean's private destination in Haiti, known as Labadee.
This was a full day visit, so we got the kids up and going with breakfast in the Windjammer so we could get off the ship and enjoy our day.
I booked cabana at Barefoot Beach prior to the cruise, which is the area of Labadee reserved for suite guests. About a week or two before the cruise, the cabanas here appeared on the Cruise Planner site.
When we got onboard the ship on the first day, I stopped at the Shore Excursion desk to ask if this was going to be a problem since I was not in a cabana. The staff informed me they had decided to open up the Barefoot Beach cabanas to all guests to book, so we were good to go.
The ship was cleared at 8:30am and we walked off around 9am.
The sun was shining and we headed to Barefoot Beach.
There are three types of Barefoot Beach cabanas: Beach, Hilltop and Over the Water. We booked an over the water cabana.
Cabana number 4 is to to the right of the beach, and has steps adjacent to the cabana leading into the water.
The water temperature was perfect, and as the morning went on, the temperature started to rise and being in the water became a necessity.
At 11am, the group met up at one of the bars to enjoy the signature cocktail of Labadee, the Labadoozie.
Unlike the cabanas at nearby Nellie's Beach, lunch was served in Barefoot Beach at a buffet towards the back of the area.
You'll find your typical beach lunch here, with chicken, burgers, and hot dogs. I recall the Barefoot Beach lunch had different options, like lobster or steak, but not today.
We ate lunch, and then took my oldest daughter to try something new to us: Sip and Paint.
Available to book through Royal Caribbean, there is about a 90 minute painting experience where you can paint a object while enjoying beach cocktails.
It's located on a hill near the entrance area, which has a fantastic breeze that made it incredibly comfortable despite the afternoon heat. I wouldn't have minded a hammock up there for a nap.
Each person has a choice to paint a clay pot or a wooden boat. Paint and a smock are provided, along with stencils.
Adults are served rum punch, while kids get fruit punch.
This was a nice change of pace from the usual beach day fun, and my daughter really enjoyed getting a creative break inbetween beach time.
After the painting, it was back to the beach to enjoy the rest of our afternoon.
Unfortunately, my oldest daughter got stung by something while in the water. It wasn't clear if it was a jellyfish or beach lice, but it hurt her quite a bit.
The lifeguard showed up immediately with vinegar spray, but it didn't help. So we took her to the nearby first aid station.
To my surprise, there was a doctor on duty who triaged the situation and cleaned the area on her leg, and used hydrocortisone cream on it before giving her benadryl and motrin to help with the pain. No cost for the care.
It a little while, but the pain started to subside a bit, but going back on the ship so she could properly shower and use more of the hydrocortisone cream was the best idea.
They took her on ATV back to the ship and the hot water of the shower helped a lot.
We went to the main dining room for dinner. Since it's a group cruise, there are a series of tables together for everyone in the group to dine together.
Whenever I eat in the main dining room for dinner, I ask for Indian curry and they had two wonderful vegetarian options. One was chana masala (chickpeas) and the other was something else that I did not know the name, but it was wonderful.
I also sampled one of my favorite things on the main dining room menu, spaghetti bolognese.
I also couldn't resist a bowl of French onion soup.
After dinner, the kids went to the room to watch some movies and the adults were back in the pub on the Royal Promenade to see the pub singer, Darla. A good time was had by all.
Tomorrow we will be in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Stray Observations
I really love Mariner's elevators show which floor is next.
The wifi speeds on Mariner are nothing special, but it's been very serviceable. Certainly good enough to get the basic internet stuff done.
