Adventure of the Seas may not have as many bells and whistles as other Voyager Class ships, but she offers some great values in cruising right now.

My mom and I recently disembarked Adventure of the Seas after a seven-night Western Caribbean sailing that visited Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Mexico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. We had a wonderful time!

Here’s what you can expect when sailing on Adventure of the Seas.

Ship revitalization

Adventure of the Seas is a Voyager Class ship that first set sail in 2001.

She was the first ship to come back to service after September 11. To commemorate this, the godparents of Adventure are four individuals who “devoted their lives in service of others.” This plaque is located near Boleros.

Read more: All about Voyager Class cruise ships

In both 2016 and 2018, Adventure of the Seas went through a $61 million refurbishment. Royal Caribbean added new cabins, new thrills like the FlowRider and waterslides, as well as new venues such as Izumi, Chops Grille, and more.

Embarkation process

For this cruise, we decided to purchase The Key. 

When we were able to select our check-in time for embarkation day, noon was the earliest we could select. After we purchased The Key, we received an email about a week prior to our departure that we could arrive at 11 a.m. We were happy to see that we could get to the cruise an hour earlier than expected!

My mom and I took a Lyft to the Port Everglades terminal and arrived at 10:40 a.m. We wondered if they would make us wait since we were almost 30 minutes early. 

Read more: Guide to cruises from Fort Lauderdale

The Key check-in spot was easily identified, and we were able to walk right up and check-in. Security only took a few minutes.

We were then directed upstairs, where another employee separated suite guests and The Key guests. We weren’t there for more than five minutes when we were told we could board the ship.

The whole process was very easy, smooth, and fast. By our original planned arrival time, we were already onboard and exploring the ship. In reflection, it seemed as though we got the same priority treatment as a suite guest for a whole lot less money!

Was it worth buying The Key? If you are new to cruising and/or below Diamond in Crown and Anchor Society, I would say yes. Some of The Key benefits overlapped with my Diamond Plus status, such as the priority seating at shows and the wifi being included in lieu of my two free days.

I would definitely recommend The Key for your next cruise if you are planning to buy internet for your voyage. 

Interior cabin

My mom and I stayed in the cheapest available cabin, which was an inside guarantee cabin. 

Read more: I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Adventure of the Seas. It was small and windowless, but for $300 a night, it was a great deal.

We were not able to select the location of our cabin, but we ended up having an ideal location on deck nine. We only had to go up two flights of steps to reach The Windjammer and pool deck.

 Our cabin was situated in the very aft of the ship. Since we were at the end of the hallway, we didn't hear much noise, which was great for sleeping. The sailing was so smooth I couldn't feel the ship move at all in our cabin!

My first impression of the cabin was that it was well-kept and clean. There was more than enough storage for all of our belongings with a large closet and vanity with multiple drawers.

The bathroom was small but offered everything we needed.

This was my first time cruising with the new housekeeping change. My mom and I agreed that the once-a-day cleaning was just fine. It worked out great to have our stateroom attendant clean while we ate dinner. I actually liked not having a morning cleaning because I didn’t feel I had to get out of the room quickly so they could clean.

Dining onboard

Adventure of the Seas offers many places to dine onboard. We never went hungry!

Most mornings, we dined in the Windjammer for breakfast. I loved getting a custom omelet and some waffles, along with my favorite cranberry bread.

On our first sea day, we enjoyed breakfast in the Main Dining Room. We got to the Sapphire Dining Room at 9 a.m., and there was a line to be seated. We only had to wait about 15 minutes. It was a busy morning so our food didn’t come super quick, but I was glad to have breakfast in a different venue.

The Windjammer was busy a lot of the time since the ship was over capacity. When we went to the Windjammer during off times (like the end of breakfast or lunch, especially on port days), it was less crowded and we were able to find a clean table easier. 

Every evening, we dined in the Main Dining Room. We had early seating at 5:30 p.m. Here are the themed menus we had each night:

• Welcome Aboard
• French Night
• Taste of USA
• Italian Night
• Mexican Night
• The Royal Night
• Bon Voyage

Our waiter and assistant waiter were both so nice! The service was excellent and fast. Our dinners usually only lasted about 75 to 90 minutes. 

My only complaint about the Main Dining Room was how some of our meals were not very hot. Either my food was super hot (which I like) or lukewarm. The cold food was always cold so I didn't have to worry about that.

Whenever we left dinner, there was a long line to get seated. This was usually around 7 p.m. We really liked having a scheduled seating so we could just walk to our assigned table every night and not wait in line.

I loved that I could use my Diamond Plus drink vouchers on drinks such as Johnny Rockets milkshakes and Starbucks frappuccinos. I of course also had some yummy cocktails most nights.

My mom tried room service once during our sailing. She ordered from the complimentary menu and got some coffee and donuts for an estimated delivery between 9 and 9:30 a.m.

The morning of, a crew member knocked on our door at 9:10 a.m. She was expecting two cups of coffee, but instead, she got two carafes, each filled with two cups of hot coffee. She was pleasantly surprised because she needs lots of caffeine in the mornings.

Activities and entertainment

My mom and I went to every Production and Headliner Showtime performance in The Lyric Theatre. We always love going to these shows because of the wide variety of acts, from singing, dancing, comedy, and dare I say, adventure.

Can’t Stop the Rock and Invitation to Dance with the Royal Caribbean singers and dancers, as well as IMPACT, were my favorite performances.

IMPACT was described as, “having passion and charisma, along with extraordinary lighting effects and staging.” What was really cool was that we were able to see their last performance on Adventure. They had been performing onboard for two and a half months. Their high-energy show was filled with dancing, singing, intricate choreography, stomping, drums, and more! My mom and I thoroughly enjoyed IMPACT, so much so that we saw them twice on the same night.

The ice skating show Cool Art Hot Ice “explored the multifaceted world of art by embarking on an odyssey through time and geography.” I didn't quite pick up on the theme of the show, but nonetheless, I enjoyed watching the beautiful ice skating.

We also saw Jimmy Hopper sing some rock tunes. After seeing his show, we felt like we had seen him before. Sure enough, when we returned home, we found an old Cruise Compass and saw he was on Harmony of the Seas in 2022 when we sailed!

Lastly, the comedian Heath Harmison performed on the first and last night. He hosted a late-night comedy show on the last night that was hilarious. I wish he offered more shows during our seven-day voyage!

I like going to the game shows on Royal Caribbean ships. Some of my favorites from Adventure of the Seas included Finish That Lyric, Majority Rules, Battle of the Sexes, and The Quest. Every game show was very well attended by all ages. It was usually hard to find a seat in the Imperial Lounge!

Other activities that were a highlight for us included:

• The sail away party
• Outdoor movie on the pool deck
• Rock climbing (during The Key priority time)
• The Perfect Storm waterslides

Ports of Call

My mom and I did not purchase any shore excursions during our trip. At each port of call, we explored on our own.

Roatan, Honduras

The Roatan port is convenient to a touristy area with restaurants and shops. We decided to go shopping a little bit and ended up purchasing a few souvenirs.

The water here was beautiful and crystal clear. We could see colorful fish right off the shore. There is no doubt that snorkeling and scuba diving would be great here!

I thought it was fun how the town did a special send-off for us when we sailed away. A whole bunch of locals, drummers, and dancers did a little show while they waved goodbye.

Belize City, Belize

Belize was a unique port because it was the only one that required us to tender to the city. 

Read more: What does tender mean on a cruise ship?

Because we had The Key, we did not have to worry about getting a tender ticket. We were able to get on a tender between 7:30 and 9 a.m. Everyone else had to get a tender ticket the morning of between 7 and 9:15 a.m. We got off the ship around 11 a.m., so we didn't really take advantage of this benefit.

I was slightly worried that the 20-minute ride to the city would be rough (I get motion-sick pretty easily), but it wasn't at all! It was smooth sailing the entire time.

My mom was afraid we’d have to wait a long time to return to the ship and have to stand in the heat. This was not the case. They kept enough tenders running that we walked right on one after we explored the port area and did some shopping. Plus there was a partially shaded waiting area, so my mom was happy. 

Cozumel

It was extremely hot in Cozumel the day we were docked, so we didn’t do much of anything! We got off the ship around noon, took a few photos with the ship, and then went back onboard for a cold drink at the bar. 

Perfect Day at CocoCay

Our final stop was at Perfect Day at CocoCay. I was most excited about this port! It has become one of my favorite places to visit. There’s so much to do, so every time I am there, it’s a different experience. 

Read more: 40 Perfect Day at CocoCay tips, tricks and secrets

It was so hot out that the first thing I wanted to do was get in the water at Oasis Lagoon and enjoy a cocktail at the swim-up bar. The water wasn't as cold as I wanted it to be, but it was refreshing, almost like bath water. 

After several hours at the Oasis Lagoon, my mom and I got chicken sandwiches and a funnel cake to share at Snack Shack. It was so delicious!

We wanted to find a nice relaxing spot in the shade, so we headed over to the hammock area at Chill Island. I took advantage of my Wi-Fi and watched a show while in the shade. It was a lovely day!

Disembarkation day

As The Key guests, we enjoyed an exclusive breakfast in the Main Dining Room. This was available from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m.

There was a special breakfast menu that featured entrees like steak and eggs, crab benedict, and french toast. There were also other continental breakfast items available. After most mornings in the Windjammer, this was a nice way to spend our last breakfast on the Adventure.

We chose to leave the ship during the main departure time and pick up our luggage inside the terminal. We had a late flight out of Fort Lauderdale, so we were not eager to leave. Before disembarking, I got one last Starbucks coffee!

In the terminal, there was a dedicated area for The Key guests' luggage. Our two suitcases were the very last ones in The Key area when we exited the terminal at 9:20 a.m. As soon as we walked outside, I ordered an Uber. It didn't take long to get one, and the drive to the airport was a quick 10 minutes.

A few final thoughts

We sailed the second week of August. Because school hadn't started quite yet, there were lots of families onboard. In fact, of the 3,947 people onboard, nearly 1,000 of them were children (under the age of 18). The ship’s capacity is 3,807, so there were lots of families using bunk beds.

This cruise seemed to be the end-of-summer vacation for many families. There were lots of family reunion groups onboard. My mom commented that she felt on the older side at 62 years old.

The diamond lounge was very quiet throughout the voyage. There was plenty of seating whenever we went. We found out there were less than 110 diamond, diamond plus, and pinnacle members sailing!

The Wi-Fi was fast onboard. However, it was sometimes spotty in our cabin. I didn't have problems when I watched YouTube videos or had to send work emails. Overall, I would say the Wi-Fi was reliable and quick.

For my recent cruise onboard Adventure of the Seas, my mom and I stayed in the cheapest cabin available.

I selected an inside guarantee cabin around two months before the sailing departure. A significant factor as to why I selected this cabin type was because of the cost. I definitely don't mind cruising in inside cabins, so I thought the $2,160 price was reasonable for a seven-night Western Caribbean sailing.

Read more: How much does a cruise cost?

Because this was an guarantee cabin, I was not able to select its location on the ship. Of course, I always prefer to get a cabin midship for the smoothest possible sailing. I tend to get motion sick, so being in the middle of the ship is ideal for less movement.

However, from my experience with inside guaranteed cabins, it usually ends up being in the very front or back of the ship. For this sailing, we were in the very back of the ship.

About two weeks before our sailing, I checked the Royal Caribbean app and noticed our assigned cabin was 9379. This cabin was situated on the starboard side, in the aft of the ship. 

This cruise was the first time I purchased The Key, so upon opening the door to our stateroom, I saw my purple carry-on on the couch. It was so convenient not to lug it around for the first several hours onboard the ship! 

My first impression of the cabin was that it was tidy and clean. 

We noticed right away that the cabin was quite spacious at 160 square feet. The decor wasn’t dated, but the drawers had a pink tint to them that reminded me the ship is in fact 22 years old.

As soon as you walk into the cabin, you are met with a large closet. The closet had 18 hangers and six wide, wire shelves for all the clothes we packed.

The beds were separated per our request prior to embarkation. Next to both of our beds was a side table with a drawer and an open compartment. One side table had a phone on top that took up the majority of the space.

Each bed had a wall light above our heads. This was perfect for reading and getting all settled in before turning off the lights and the cabin becoming pitch black. The darkness made for good sleeping; this is one of the advantages of an inside cabin.

Our cabin included a full-sized couch. This was nice for another place to sit instead of our beds. Sure there were a few stains on the cushions, but it was nothing terrible. We even lined up our shoes (yes, my mom brought seven pairs of shoes) under the couch for easy viewing and access.

The vanity is a great feature of the cabin because of all the storage. It had nine drawers: six deeper ones and three shallow ones. I found the shallow drawers hard to use, especially since one had a hair dryer in it, rendering it unusable for other things. On both sides of the vanity were glass shelves for additional items. 

On the right side of the vanity was a TV that could swivel in different directions so wherever we were in the cabin, we could see the screen. My mom loved this because she slept on the same side as the vanity and was able to position the TV to be at the foot of her bed so she could watch TV while falling asleep.

Above the TV was a safe and two deep shelves for more storage.

Below the TV was a mini refrigerator. The refrigerator was useful primarily for keeping water and sodas cool. It didn’t get super cold. We tried to put a plate of complementary fruit we received in there, but it didn't fit. We wished it had a deeper shelf so we could have stored more in there. 

The biggest disappointment in our cabin was the lack of outlets. By day two, we were really wishing we had packed an approved power strip so we would have more outlets to charge our cell phones, iPads, watches, camera, and laptop. We were constantly shuffling devices based on need and usage.  

Before the sailing, I thought I had read online that there was another outlet behind the beds. I looked under and behind both beds and unfortunately didn’t find one.

Read more: The clever reason to bring a European power adapter on your cruise ship

The bathroom was certainly not glamorous, but it got the job done (literally!). 

The major thing that caught my eye was four Salt + Breeze bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion on the bathroom counter on embarkation day. This was the first time I’ve had that in a cabin. 

We later asked our room attendant and she said that was a perk for Diamond and above guests. I was very happy to have these toiletries because I am not a fan of the all-in-one soap in the shower.

Behind the right mirror were three shelves for various toiletries. I didn't need this extra storage, so my mom utilized it. We had two sets of towels hanging up when we arrived, but after asking our stateroom attendant, we had three sets each day which was helpful. 

The shower (I call it a space pod!) was compact, but it always had plenty of hot water and good pressure. If you are curious, the approximate diameter of the shower was 29 inches.

Overall thoughts about our cabin

We really appreciated the location of our cabin. There was only one room next to us before you turned the corner to the suites that are across the back of the ship. This meant there was very little foot traffic throughout the day and night, making the location pretty quiet.

Read more: The 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship

Another aspect of the cabin location we enjoyed was the proximity to the Windjammer and pool deck. We only had to walk up two flights of stairs to be near all the excitement!

Something random we noticed was how extremely heavy our cabin door was when trying to open or close it. On the plus side, I think the weight of the door may have helped cut down noise from the hallway.

Our luggage was delivered to our door by 1:30 p.m. on embarkation day, so as soon as we got them, we started to unpack everything. After unpacking, we hid our suitcases under the beds so they could be out of the way to leave as much open space as possible.

Read more: Best inside cruise ship cabin hacks

Not long after receiving our luggage, we met our stateroom attendant. This was my first cruise since the new housekeeping change (one cleaning per day instead of two), so she explained to us that she was available every day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then again from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and asked what time we preferred. Since we had early dining room seating at 5:30 p.m., we selected 6 p.m. each day. 

We had no issues with the once-a-day cleaning. It was nice not having to worry about knocking on the door in the early mornings and waking me up. I also liked not feeling rushed to leave our cabin in the morning so the attendants can clean before their afternoon breaks.

Our stateroom attendant was wonderful and bought extra pillows for us and gave us a paper Cruise Compass every night on our beds (per our request).

Overall, I would say I was pleased with our tiny stateroom. Considering the ship's age, she is in respectable condition. I believe because of the quietness, ideal location on the ninth deck, and convenience to the Windjammer and pool deck, I'd recommend this cabin to future cruisers.

Unexpected things can always happen on a cruise, and although you can dream about the perfect vacation, you shouldn't always expect a cruise to go as smoothly as you hope.

Realistically, you might experience a few unpredictable mishaps during your cruise. Here at Royal Caribbean Blog, our staff has collectively cruised more than 200 times. Needless to say, we have experienced a few crazy things ourselves during our cruises.

From being kicked out of the Diamond Lounge for wearing shorts to watching pier runners sprint their way to the ship before all-aboard time, we’ve seen it all!

Below are some of our craziest stories from our very own Royal Caribbean Blog staff members.

A ship struck Mariner of the Seas

During a quick sailing on Mariner of the Seas last spring, Allie Hubers was onboard when it was struck by a cargo ship.

“On embarkation day," Allie mentioned, "we were notified that Mariner of the Seas needed to dock in Freeport for some routine maintenance, which would replace our sea day.

"After wandering around for a bit in Freeport, we went back to our inside cabin, which was located at the aft of the ship. Suddenly, we felt a big jolt and the ship swayed. My sister and I joked, ‘we must have hit an iceberg!’ to one another.

"The captain came on the speakers almost immediately to announce that a cargo ship docked next to us had 'bounced' into the ship. We ran to the back of the ship to see the cargo ship's bridge nearly crumpled. Crew members blocked off the area where Mariner sustained minor damage. The captain assured us that Mariner was seaworthy and that this would not impact our sailing.

"Essentially, it was so windy that when the cargo ship tried to dock, the wind pushed the ship into us. Their bridge bounced off Mariner's aft on deck 5, creating a pretty noticeable hole in the ship. We were lucky it wasn't worse. I would have been more terrified if we weren't docked at a port when it happened.

"Only a few people were interested in what happened, as the belly flop contest was happening at the time of the incident and the spring breakers were having too much fun to know what was going on!”

A new stateroom for the night

Sailing onboard the now-retired Monarch of the Seas, Marcy Miyar and her husband were desperate to get some sleep, so they tried to find somewhere to go in the middle of the night instead of their extremely noisy cabin.

“It was our first time in a Junior Suite on Monarch of the Seas," said Marcy. "Back then, the three-night cruises didn't depart Nassau until midnight. Because of this, the ship would have a sail away party on the pool deck, but it would last until 3 or 4 AM!

"The junior suites are directly below the pool deck, so we could hear everything like they were in the room with us. The DJ on the microphone, the music, people singing and laughing, deck chairs scraping along our ceiling... we could hear it all.

"We went down to Guest Services and asked if we could be moved to a lower-category room, but of course, the ship was full. We were like zombies walking around the ship with our pillows, looking for somewhere to get some sleep. Luckily, we stumbled upon an unlocked conference room on deck 2. That's where we spent the night. 

"Now, we always make sure to check what is on the deck above us when picking out a stateroom!”

Oscar, Oscar, Oscar

While cruising on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, Haley Harnish experienced a scary announcement: Code Oscar.

“Shortly after noon, we heard an Oscar Oscar Oscar call over the PA system," said Haley. "The Oscar code is for man overboard, so it is the absolute last one you want to hear. We had just been seated in Izumi for a sushi and sake pairing, and everybody around us was distressed. The staff did a wonderful job keeping the lunch flowing, even though I'm sure they were just as worried.

"We could feel the ship slow and stop, and about ten minutes later, she turned around and headed back south. The captain announced about midway through lunch that there was an overboard situation and the Coast Guard was involved. The running track on deck 5 was closed to guests so that rescue operations could be activated from that portion of the ship.

"The captain made another announcement around 1 PM, this time telling us that a guest had claimed a person was in the water. To account for everyone on the ship, all guests had to go to the dining room to scan their SeaPass cards. Crew members were to do the same.

"Luckily, my guest and I were first in line to be scanned. It was a fairly easy process, like getting off the ship for an excursion. Then we were directed through the dining room to an emergency door and out onto the running track, up a set of stairs, and onto the Boardwalk.

"The captain let us know just after 3 PM that all crew and guests were accounted for. We had to wait about 30 minutes more to be cleared by the Coast Guard, as they had sent a helicopter to scan the area. At 3:40 PM, we were cleared. 

"This situation made us delayed going to Perfect Day at CocoCay, as we did not arrive until about 12:30 PM. However, we were all very relieved that this was the only negative outcome of the day!”

A surprise guest in our cabin

When boarding Liberty of the Seas, Nicole Feist and her husband were notified of someone else listed on their cabin.

“As we were scanning our SeaPass card to go up the ramp to the ship, we were asked where ‘Lisa’ was," Nicole explained. "We told them that we didn't know a Lisa, and we were the only two assigned to our room. The person scanning had us move to the side and get a supervisor over to check out what the issue was. 

"On their system, it was showing that all three of us were assigned to the same cabin. They told us that they would look into the issue and we were fine to board, so we went ahead and got on the ship. 

"My husband headed to Guest Services to see if they knew what the issue was. It turned out that Lisa was from the previous sailing and hadn't yet closed out her onboard account. That was why she was still showing as assigned to our room! We kept an eye on our account, and luckily we didn't get any of her charges placed on it.”

Late-night false alarm

During the mandatory muster drill, you never expect to actually hear the ship’s alarm during your cruise vacation. 

Onboard Adventure of the Seas, Matt Hochberg was enjoying himself in the pub when all of a sudden, the alarms sounded.

“Once the alarm went off, crew members instructed us to go to our muster stations," Matt explained. "It was 11:20 PM, and my kids were in Adventure Ocean. Being on the Promenade, we were close to our station so we were among the first out to the station. In fact, we beat a lot of the crew members out there. 

"All this time, the alarm was repeating. A few minutes later the alarm stopped and the captain came on the intercom to let us know it was a false alarm. The crew later told us something was up because when the alarm goes off in drills, they expect to hear an announcement after the first time the alarm is sounded.”

Unexpected scenarios can always occur on a cruise, and these are moments we'll never forget! Have you ever seen anything out of the ordinary on a cruise? Let us know in the comments below!

It appears Royal Caribbean is offering a new way for guests to make cruise ship cabin requests before they board.

Historically, Royal Caribbean has relegated cabin requests to either onboard the ship or via a special needs form.

Guests sailing on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas this weekend were sent a text message with an option to provide stateroom preferences prior to sailing.

It's not clear if all ships have this option.

The message was sent three days prior to the start of the sailing.

The text message includes a link that takes you to an online form.

Upon clicking the link, you will see a brief description that provides options for customizing your cabin before boarding.

Most notably, you must complete the form the same day you receive the text. If you do not submit the form on time, you will need to speak with your stateroom attendant once onboard if you have any accommodations.

It is unclear what would happen if the guest does not have a cellphone to receive this text. There is a possibility that they would receive an email instead to fill out the form.

What questions are on the Guest Request Form?

The form includes five questions that allow you to have your cabin ready in the configuration you want prior to your arrival.

The first three are about your particular sailing. You need to specify the ship you are sailing on, the sail date, and your booking ID. If any of this information is wrong, the form will not be processed.

Questions four and five are related to the particular needs of the guest.

For stateroom requests, you can indicate if you want:

• The bed to be separated
• A baby crib
• An extra blanket
• A joining stateroom door to be opened

For medical requests, you can indicate if you need:

• Distilled water (for CPAP machine use)
• An extension cord (for medical devices only)
• A medical fridge
• A sharps container (to dispose injectable medications)

How this is different

Prior to this option, guests that wanted a change to their beds or have adjacent stateroom doors unlocked would need to wait until they boarded to inform their stateroom attendant.

With this new form, passengers can submit their preferences ahead of time.

The form doesn't encompass every possible request, as there is no comment section to make additional special requests, such as extra pillows or soap for example.

If you have special needs, you would have to fill out the Guest Special Needs Form.

The special needs form needs to happen no later than 30 days prior to your sailing, “except for sign language interpreting requests which must be submitted 60 days prior to sailing” according to the Royal Caribbean website.

How other cruise lines do it

When sailing on cruise lines such as Carnival and Norwegian, guests are able to specify if they want the beds separated before stepping foot on the ship.

For both cruise lines, during the online check-in process, there is a prompt to indicate your cabin preferences.

After adding your passport and credit card information, as well as selecting your arrival time, you complete the online check-in for your Royal Caribbean cruise. They do not ask for cabin preferences.

Typical cruise cabin setup

All cruise cabins have at least two twin beds that can be joined together to make one large bed.

Most one-bedroom cabins have four beds: two on the floor and two beds that can be pulled down from the ceiling.

Depending on the cabin, some rooms may even have a pull-out couch that can be used as another bed. This is typically found in larger suite cabins.

Connecting staterooms on a cruise ship

If a family or large group cruising together does not want to share one stateroom, two staterooms (or more) next to one another is a great option.

To ensure your family or group stays in a connected stateroom, you can look at the ship map to see which rooms are connected. To make your life easier, you can have your travel agent do that for you.

Booking as early as possible ensures you will get staterooms next to each other, or at least, nearby.

Though I consider myself to be a seasoned cruiser on Royal Caribbean ships, I still learned some new things to remember for upcoming sailings. 

Take a look at the top 10 things I learned while I was on the Mariner of the Seas this July. Knowing a few of these simple tricks can help you during your next cruise!

Importance of the Royal Caribbean app

Before 2020, I had never needed to use the Royal Caribbean app on my smartphone while I was on a cruise. We always had our compass given to us in our stateroom, a physical menu in the main dining room, and an in-person muster drill. Now, Royal Caribbean highly encourages you to download the app before your sailing so you can access all this information online.

I like most aspects of the app, but I missed being able to receive a compass every night in our stateroom. Same in the dining room - I like to look at a physical menu rather than scrolling on my phone.

Luckily, both of these can be easily resolved by asking your stateroom attendant for a physical compass and your waiter for a physical menu. 

I have no complaints about the muster drill, though. It was so much easier and faster to do it on your own following the steps on the app.

Food options

While I was aware that Royal Caribbean ships have plenty of food options, I learned a few interesting facts for those that are vegan or gluten-free.

To accommodate a gluten-free diet, the main dining room takes your order the day before so they can prepare your meal for the next evening. The dining staff tries their hardest to accommodate these requests, and it seems as though they can make almost any meal work. 

As I was scrolling through the app one evening, I noticed there was a vegan menu in addition to the regular main dining room menu. If you only have a normal menu, you can ask to see the vegan menu.

Read more: Vegetarian and Vegan Guide to Royal Caribbean

I had previously been on the Mariner of the Seas earlier in 2022, and it had a build-your-own omelet station at the Windjammer. This time around, it was not there, which I was sad about. On the bright side, they still made various pre-made omelets to choose from, such as ham and cheese, vegetable, and cheese.

Diamond Drinks

For those that love sweet treats like I do, this next tip will be important to remember.

I wanted to learn the differences between Ben & Jerry’s milkshakes and Johnny Rockets’ milkshakes. While you have to pay for anything from Ben & Jerry’s, I did not have to at Johnny Rockets.

In the past, the milkshakes were not included as one of my Diamond drink vouchers, but it was this time! The worker explained to me since the milkshake is under the $13 drink limit, it qualifies like any other cocktail or mixed drink.

Another discovery I made was the coffee drinks at Cafe Promenade. I did not think these drinks were included either, so I waited until the end of the cruise to ask if they were included. Low and behold, they were as well! 

Check-in time matters

Since I booked this cruise pretty last minute, I had only a few options to pick from when it came to the arrival time. I had the option of either 1:30 or 2 p.m. I went with the 2 p.m. slot because I did not want to be rushed to leave my hotel. In the end, it didn't matter what time I picked, because the line was so long!

While I was waiting in line, I could hear people saying they had an arrival time of 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, etc. I was shocked to hear this, but I later learned that this sailing was at full capacity and wasn’t located at its normal launching terminal. Those two things combined made for a 1.5-hour wait just to check-in. 

After finally getting on the ship, I found out that those that had an early arrival time did not have a long wait like I did. If your travel allows, sign up for an early check-in time so you can avoid the crowds and start your vacation sooner!

Rideshare apps to and from port

This was my first time using a rideshare app to get to and from the cruise. I was worried the price was going to be extremely expensive to drive 45 minutes (I was at the Orlando airport going to Port Canaveral), but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw my options. 

Each way, Lyft was cheaper, so I used this app. (Uber was at least another $50-$100 more.) It was easy to find a ride to the ship, but it was more difficult to get one after the cruise. 

After getting off the ship, I immediately put in a request for a Lyft, and it notified me that it was busy and may take a long time to have a driver pick me up. I did not mind waiting, but I had to request a driver two times before someone picked me up. It did take about 45 minutes in total to order the ride and have them find me at the port.

In the future, it may be worthwhile to schedule a Lyft or Uber to pick you up. Or, you can take the airport shuttle instead.

Dinner theme nights

I remember on past cruises how there would only be formal nights and casual nights. Now, there seems to be a new theme every once in a while! From Caribbean to Tropical, cruisers are encouraged to fit the theme when dining in the main dining room.

A big change I saw was formal night now being called “Dress Your Best.” There was certainly a range of different attires - some people brought their gowns and tuxedos, while others wore dresses or a nice top with dress pants. I usually went with the latter and wore business casual, as did most cruisers.

Ask your stateroom attendant

In addition to requesting a physical compass, I learned of two other things you can request from your stateroom attendant.

After three nights of sleeping with a lumpy pillow and waking up with a sore neck, I asked my attendant for a new pillow. That night, he gave me a feather pillow, and it was so much better than the pillows we were originally given.

Also, since the showers only have a 2-1 body wash and shampoo, I asked my attendant for some conditioner. He certainly delivered because he gave me plenty to use for the rest of the cruise.

Helicopter pad access

When the sun would set in the evening, I wanted to find a great spot on the ship to admire the views. I tried deck four, but some nights I just could not see the sunset. 

I then saw some stairs that led up to the helicopter pad. It was a little difficult to find the access point, but just head towards the front of the ship on deck four, and you should see the stairs.

Once I was there, I saw other people had the same idea. It was truly an excellent place to view everything that was happening. This place would also be great to go when the ship sails in and out of port!

Walking path substitute

The Mariner of the Seas does have a walking path on deck 12, but it is hard to use because it is surrounded by chairs and people. 

Deck four is a good place to get your steps in because there is a path that goes almost the entire way around the ship. To go all the way around, you would need to cut through the sliding doors near the front of the ship and walk to the other side. More than half of this loop around the ship is shaded, so it is the perfect place to walk with little to no interruptions.

Solarium tip

I always love to relax in the Solarium, and many others do too. That makes it hard to find a spot during the day because it is a busy spot among cruisers. I found that a great time to enjoy the Solarium is around 8 p.m. or later. There was no one in the daybeds, so I was finally able to snag one! It was so quiet that I could hear the waves as I relaxed. 

Another important tip I learned: while there are hot tubs in the Solarium, they may be closed when you first arrive. However, there is always at least one hot tub open 24 hours a day, either in the Solarium or outside on the pool deck.

Today is our last day on the Mariner, but what better way to end the cruise than in CocoCay?

Patty and I woke up at 10 a.m. this morning and headed to the Windjammer for breakfast. We were able to get a great table that overlooked the colorful entrance of CocoCay.

Also visiting CocoCay today was Allure of the Seas. We had a feeling the island was going to be busy, so we got off the ship as soon as we were done eating.

Our first stop during our (perfect) day at CocoCay was Chill Island, which you can get to quickly by taking a left once you get on the island. Here you can find tons of seats and umbrellas for sunbathing and relaxing by the sea. There are also daybeds here you can rent for a fee if that is more your style.

It was a very hot day (85 degrees but felt like 95), so I wanted to stop and get a drink at The Wacky Seagull. Someone ahead of me ordered a Miami Vice (also known as a Lava Flow); it looked so good that I had to get one too. Patty and I sat down and enjoyed the views while I savored my drink.

We started going towards the Oasis Lagoon so we could cool off in the water. There were multiple shops along the way for those that enjoy shopping. The Chill Grill is also near Chill Island. We decided to check out the food they offered, and boy were we surprised to see how much food they had!

The Chill Grill had burgers, tacos, hotdogs, sandwiches, fruit and various desserts. It was a much larger selection than Royal Caribbean’s other private island, Labadee. Patty and I decided to split a cuban sandwich and ribeye cheesesteak sandwich.

I could hear the music bopping from the Oasis Lagoon, so I knew we were close! The lagoon was busy when we first got there, and it stayed that way most of the afternoon.

All the beach chairs were claimed by towels so it was hard to find an empty one to put our stuff down. Luckily, Patty didn’t have to wait too long, as a couple decided to leave when she was near them. The seats were right by the lagoon and had the perfect view of the swim-up bar.

Celebrating the fact that we found chairs, I visited the swim-up bar and got myself a Bahama Mama. It helped me stay cool in the heat for sure. A lot of the group cruisers were hanging out here so it was fun to see them and chat. This was my first Royal Caribbean Blog group cruise, and I met lots of friendly people that have made my first experience memorable.

I love jamming to the music at the lagoon, so that makes this place my favorite spot on the island. The DJ does an excellent job of playing current and older pop songs to get people hyped and excited.

As I mentioned, we were worried the island was going to be busy since there were two cruise ships. This was not the case because the island is larger than it looks. There are many places to go and spend your day, almost like a resort. This was my third time at CocoCay, and every time I visit, I find new spots or things to do!

The heat was catching up to us, so we chose to head back to the ship and give ourselves plenty of time to shower and get ready for dinner.

I had heard from an employee that I can get a Johnny Rockets shake as part of my Diamond Plus status, so I wanted to go see if this was true. Johnny Rockets is only open from noon to 5 p.m., so I had to go before dinner. Turns out the employee was right, and I got an Oreo shake for free! I wish I would’ve known about this sooner.

We didn’t want to forget to look at all of our professional pictures and buy some, so we did that since we were close to the dining room. We decided on our welcome aboard picture and another from a photoshoot.

Matt was sitting with his daughters at a table of eight, so he invited my mom and me to join them. It was a lovely dinner with great company!

Patty ordered the crispy coconut shrimp as an appetizer. We both got the cheese tortelloni as the main dish. I thought this was super good and different than how it has looked in the past. As I was eating it, it occurred to me that it tasted like mac n cheese, in a good way!

Dinner had two of my favorite desserts - the summer fruit pavlova and dark chocolate brownie. Both were a-ma-zing and I so wish I could bring home some leftovers (but there were none to be had).

The Farewell Variety Showtime featured both Adam Kario, the juggler and comedian from last night, and Jeffrey Allen, who had performed towards the beginning of this sailing.

Adam put on a great show and brought someone up to help him with an act, and that was fun to watch. The crowd even gave him a standing ovation. Jeffrey is an Elton John impersonator. While I did not know any of the songs he played, I could still appreciate his musical talent.

After the show, it was approaching 8 p.m., and it was time for the sunset. We made our way to the helicopter pad at the front of the ship. There were about 20 other people up there taking pictures of the sunset as well. It was beautiful for our last night at sea.

Since this is the last night of the cruise, we had to pack to leave. Patty and I are not light packers, so we had to dedicate a chunk of time to getting ready for tomorrow's long day back home.

There was still one more event I wanted to attend at 9:45 p.m. - The Battle of the Sexes game show. The host asked for five women and five men to come up on stage to represent each team. They then had to compete in certain challenges, like making a paper airplane and seeing who could throw theirs the farthest and choreographing a synchronized dance with a handkerchief. It was a fun show, but I had to leave early to finish up my packing.

That’s a wrap on our Mariner of the Seas group cruise. Thank you for following along with us! Our next group cruise is in December on Wonder of the Seas. In the meantime, happy cruising!

Although it was a day at sea, my mom and I had a busy day!

We both have slept in every day of this sailing, and today was no different. Patty has been wanting to try breakfast in the main dining room, so she hurried down to deck three before it closed at 9:30 a.m. I on the other hand went to the Windjammer because I needed to eat quickly.

Patty told me she was very impressed with how fast the service was in the main dining room because she arrived, ordered, and ate in only 25 minutes. She started off with a bran muffin and a fruit plate. For the main course, she got Eggs Your Way with sides of bacon and cheese grits. She was shocked by how big of a bowl the cheese grits were. The food was all very good, she said. Patty enjoyed being waited on and would do it again even if she had limited time to eat breakfast.

At 10 a.m., the group cruisers gathered in the conference room to hear Matt record a podcast for his channel. He described what he did at each port and his overall experience on the group cruise thus far. After that, he answered a few cruise questions people emailed him. It was fun to be a part of his episode.

I had been eyeing the frappuccino drinks at the Cafe Promenade, so I ordered a caramel one to try. I didn’t know if there would be coffee in it so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It did have coffee in it, but it wasn’t too strong of a taste so I was happy about that.

While I was getting my drink, the Veteran's Gathering was taking place. It was a special event, and I could tell many felt the same way. 

Next up on my agenda was the Ladies Pamper Party in the salon. I have been to this event multiple times on past cruises because I like to feel a little pampered every now and then! The event was busy, as all the seats were taken when my mom and I arrived.

The employees sampled various cleansers, toners, moisturizers, etc., and described to us how to apply them to our face and neck. I have the same old skincare routine, so I enjoyed switching it up and experimenting with new products.

One of the products they used was the sunglow bronzer, which I have been using for at least 10 years when I purchased it on a previous cruise. The employees applied it to those that wanted to try it, so Patty and I had that done.

At 1 p.m., the group cruise had a private ice skating event in Studio B. After signing a waiver and getting geared up, we were able to hit the ice. I was very rusty at first and had to get used to the skates before I was comfortable to slowly maneuver myself around the rink.

Even Matt came on the ice for a short while!

Love & Marriage was at 2 p.m., which I thought was an odd time because it’s usually at night during production showtime. Nonetheless, we attended the event with a strawberry daiquiri and lava flow in hand.

This show is one of my favorites, so I was excited. I have seen the show so many times that I can predict almost every question they ask the couples! The newlyweds won this time around.

We had some time to spare before afternoon trivia, so Patty and I relaxed on deck four and watched the waves. Deck four has become one of our favorite quiet spots on the Mariner.

Patty likes to walk laps, and she said she prefers walking on deck four rather than deck 12. Deck 12 is busy with sunbathers and group gatherings that prohibit her from a constant walk.

Deck four is far less busy; even without a walking path, she gets a good workout in. Another plus is that for at least half of the time, she is in the shade versus in the sun on deck 12.

Patty and I had not been to general knowledge trivia yet on this cruise, so we were intrigued to see how we would do. We actually did not do too bad (I thought) and scored 9/20. We knew we did not win, so we left before they announced the winners (who got a perfect score).

Since we were right by the casino, I wanted to test my luck. My family says I am the lucky one of the group, but that was not the case today. I did not bet much, but I lost it all and was left with a measly 0.24 cents. I left the casino with nothing to brag about, but I still had fun.

By this time, we needed to get ready for dinner. Tonight was “dress your best” night which is the equivalent of the old formal night. I find it interesting how they changed the terminology, but I can see why since people may not want to get dressed to the nines for dinner. I would estimate that only 25% of guests dressed in formal attire while most of us were business casual.

Upon seating at the table, you are expected to scan a QR code and use your phone to look at the dinner menu. My phone wasn’t easily accessible, so I asked for a physical menu which I appreciated. On this cruise, I realized I miss getting the physical menu every night, but I understand their reasoning to limit germs.

I started with the roasted tomato soup while Patty got the Asian-style pork tacos. The main course was chicken cordon bleu for me and tagliatelle pasta for Patty.

She told me she missed having meat during her dinner, so she also later ordered the grilled lamb chops. I helped her finish her pasta.

Dessert consisted of tres leches, crème brûlée and the apple blossom à la mode. They have the apple blossom every night, but I just had to order it because I know how good it is. It was a great choice!

By the time we finished dinner, it was already time for the 7 p.m. headliner show “Center Stage.” I thought it was just the singers and dancers, but there was also a juggling & comedian act in the middle - The singers and dancers opened and closed the show. It was nice that we got to see a variety of entertainment that everyone could enjoy.

Right after the show, there was an 80’s party happening in the Royal Promenade. Similar to the 70’s disco inferno, there was music and dancing to all things 80’s. Patty and I watched the show for a little while, then we went to the Bamboo Room to share a mojito. The mojito in the Bamboo Room is excellent in my opinion.

I had some time before the 10 p.m. game show, so Patty and I went up to the Solarium to relax in one of the daybeds. These are always occupied during the day, so we were happy to finally enjoy one tonight. We couldn’t even feel that we were moving and it was peaceful to hear the rhythm of the waves.

The game show was Adult Majority Rules. They had a regular Majority Rules earlier this cruise that I attended. The one tonight was a completely different version. It was so funny; I think I laughed the most I ever have during a game show.

Immediately after, there was adult karaoke. I listened to a few singers - some were great and others not so much. I can’t judge though because I cannot sing myself!

Tomorrow we will be visiting one of Royal Caribbean’s private islands, CocoCay.

Today's port of call was St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The ship arrived at 7 a.m. and had a scheduled departure of 12:30 p.m.

Knowing we did not have much time in port today, Patty and I decided to wake up earlier than usual and head up to the Windjammer for a quick breakfast. I had my usual while Patty switched it up with some yogurt and biscuits with gravy.

Once we lathered up with sunscreen, we wanted to get off and walk around the port, which seemed to be the common theme among other cruisers. While at the Windjammer, we could see a beach nearby, so we first wanted to stop there.

As we were walking off the ship and into the port, I could hear music in the distance. This is nothing too unusual, but as we walked closer, I noticed it was just a man blaring music from speakers and not actual musicians. I thought this was interesting, but hey, it was a hot day to be outside doing live entertainment.

The last time I was here was in January 2015. The port looked exactly as I remembered. We had not gone to the beach, so I was unsure how to get there. However, it was quite easy to find, as it was just around the corner from the main square.

Frederiksted Beach was conveniently located less than a 10-minute walk from the port. There were lounge chairs and umbrellas all around. It was busy today, and many families were enjoying the ocean and sunbathing. We also stumbled upon a perfect picture opportunity with Mariner in the background, so we had to take some photos!

We wanted to see some of the shopping, so we made our way back toward the main square. Another person had his computer plugged in and playing music for all to hear. There were the typical pop-up shops here, such as t-shirts, jewelry, local art and other knickknacks.

As we walked a little farther, I noticed a small group of people gathered around a pen. Upon further inspection, I noticed four small puppies. They were so cute and loved by everyone that saw them (including me).

They were from the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center: “providing and promoting the humane treatment of animals in our community.” The last time I was in St. Croix, the same organization was there with puppies. One of the workers told me their breed is unknown, but they were a couple months old.

After taking a few more photos and enjoying the scenery, Patty and I were ready to head to the ship and cool off. It was 90 degrees and humid. We were in the sun a lot yesterday, so we were burnt and not wanting to get even more burnt.

We had been wanting to try the main dining room lunch on board, so we did that as soon as we got back. We were seated right away, and next to the window which I liked. Since my mom’s phone wasn’t working, they were able to give her a physical lunch menu while I looked on my phone.

I ordered the mozzarella sticks for an appetizer while Patty got the Manhattan clam chowder and insalata caprese. For the main meal, I got the chicken sandwich and Patty got salmon. Lastly, I got the Floating Island, which was meringue in a vanilla creme sauce with caramelized sugar on top. Overall, we enjoyed the lunch and service. We also had nice conversation with a couple seated next to us.

As soon as we finished lunch, the ship was leaving St. Croix, so we watched the sail away from deck 4.

Patty was sleepy from the night before and took a nap. She told me how she woke up last night to some rough waters, so she did not sleep as well as she would’ve liked. Luckily I slept right through it!

As Patty was napping, I wanted to do some work, so I tried to find a place to sit with my computer. I wasn’t sure where to go, but as soon as I saw the Starbucks, I knew that would be a good place to go. There was seating all around, even behind the counter, so it was easy to find a quiet spot.

The Wi-Fi onboard has been pretty good this sailing. There are moments when it’s slow, but it works for the most part. I had a few small issues with the Surf & Stream but I was able to get my work done.

We had not gone to the Diamond Lounge yet, so we wanted to stop by before our 5:30 dinner. The lounge was pretty full (but that isn’t saying much because it’s small to begin with) but we had no problems getting little appetizers and our drink order in. I got the chocolate martini and Patty tried a mango mojito - both were very tasty choices. I actually liked my mom’s more than mine!

In the main dining room, I started off with the baked potato soup while Patty had the seafood puff pastry and escargot (she orders this every night). For the main course, I had the lasagna al forno and she had the beef stroganoff. Our waitress, Carol, did warn us that it had pickles in it and therefore wasn’t as popular, but Patty wanted to try it anyway. We appreciate her honesty when we are trying to decide what we want!

For dessert, I got the English trifle and Patty got the coconut layer cake. We were very pleased with our meal and the friendly service.

We had just enough time to make it to the 7 p.m. show: The Magic of Puck. We got there 20 minutes early so we got good seats in the aisle on the main floor. The show was packed, so I was glad we got there when we did. Puck was on season seven of America’s Got Talent, so I knew he would not disappoint. He did an excellent job with his tricks and audience engagement.

The night was still young, and there were two game shows I wanted to attend: The Perfect Couple and The Liars Club. They were both in the Star Lounge back-to-back.

I wasn’t sure what to expect at The Perfect Couple - I thought maybe this was replacing Love & Marriage. I would be disappointed if they got rid of Love & Marriage because that is my favorite show on Royal Caribbean cruises! Once I was at the gameshow, I quickly remembered that this is different.

Three couples participated in three challenges to see which couple was most compatible. I was rooting for the older couple, and they ended up winning!

I had to wait about 20 minutes before the next game show, so I stayed in my spot since it was still busy. I am wondering if they should have these gameshows in the Royal Theatre since they seem to be popular and we are sailing at full capacity.

The Liars Club is where three employees attempt to convince the audience they know the definition of odd words. For example, the first word was “slangwhanger.” The three employees gave various descriptions (trigger happy, a shy and quiet child, or a loud and obnoxious speaker), then the audience voted who they thought was telling the truth. It was a fun time and many laughs were had.

Tomorrow we will be at sea before arriving in CocoCay!

Hi everyone! My name is Angie. I am one of the Social Media Managers for Royal Caribbean Blog. I am going to be taking over the rest of the live blog for this sailing!

Today we arrived in St. Kitts. Joining me on this cruise is my mom, Patty, who loves cruising as much as I do.

We pulled into the port around 10:30 a.m., so we had plenty of time to enjoy breakfast in the Windjammer. We even got to see the mountainous and lush St. Kitts scenery while eating.

I always go for a sticky bun (they have different flavors every day), an omelet and cranberry bread (one of my all-time favorites). The last time I was on the Mariner in April, I was able to create my own omelet, but I could not this cruise. The standard ham and cheese combo is a good alternative.

We had an excursion today - “Catamaran Fan-ta-sea to Nevis with Snorkel and Beach” - with those of us on the group cruise.

We were instructed to meet the group outside at the white tents at 11 a.m. Since everyone was getting off the ship at the same time, it was quite busy and we weren’t sure if we would make it on time.

By 11:30 a.m., everyone had gotten off the ship and we were ready to board the 65-foot catamaran. It was a short walk to the catamaran, and I was glad we didn’t have to go on a bus ride to get there.

Since I am prone to motion sickness, I took some Dramamine and I was ready to go!

Once on board, we made our way about seven miles to Shitten Bay (I swear that is the real name). Here, we were able to snorkel or stay on the catamaran and enjoy the views. I opted for the snorkeling while Patty stayed on board and took photos.

I had a fun time swimming around and seeing all the different kinds of fish, rocks, coral, etc. I saw tons of Sergeant Major fish as well as Trumpetfish. One of the workers even dove down to show us an octopus hiding under a rock, a rainbow fish, and some pretty shells.

We snorkeled for about 45 minutes, then we had lunch on the catamaran. The menu included jerk chicken, mac n cheese pie, sweet potato pudding, rice and beans, and a lettuce salad. Drinks were also included. I had some fruit punch while many had soft drinks, rum punch, or beer.

After lunch, they took us to Nevis, a nearby island, which was about another four miles away. They dropped us off on the beach where we could do our own thing for an hour. There were plenty of lounging chairs with umbrellas, but I assumed they would cost extra. To my surprise, we sat down and no one asked us to pay. After being in the sun for quite a while, I wanted to get under some shade, especially since I burn easily.

Not long after sitting down did we get bombarded by locals trying to sell us stuff - jewelry, hats, dresses, t-shirts. I was not looking to buy anything but Patty was suckered into buying two hats for $15. It ends up she did alright negotiating because someone else on our excursion paid more from the same salesman.

A dip in the cool, clear water and some lounging beach time went by fast, as the catamaran was soon back to pick us up and head back to the ship.

We had a leisurely, hour-long trip back to the starting point. It was choppy waters at first, but then the last half was smooth sailing. I laid down in the front of the catamaran and relaxed while enjoying the beautiful landscapes.

This excursion was a fun experience! All four workers were friendly, helpful, and personable. One took extra care of the passengers that needed additional assistance. Another was great with the kids and gave them snacks and seashells. Captain Phil and his crew were always smiling, offering drinks, and asking if we needed anything.

As we were leaving, one of them gave me a magnet of a frog that said “Nevis” on it - it was very cute.

We arrived back at about 5 p.m. The ship was leaving at 5:30, so we did not have time to shop around. My mom always likes to get a t-shirt or two, but there was no time, so we headed back to the Mariner.

We have 5:30 dinner in the main dining room, and we were able to get there just a little late since we had to drop off things in our cabin and rinse off. Our waiters, Carol and Frederick, are always so accommodating and never make us feel bad if we arrive late.

Dinner was good as usual! My mom loves seafood, so she ordered the escargot, shrimp cocktail, and seafood cake. For the main course, I chose the chicken parmesan while mom decided to get the New York strip steak.

Dessert was tasty, as I got the Mississippi Mud Pie. Mom got the no-sugar-added dark chocolate custard. We also decided to share the lemon curd tartlet. All were great choices, but mom did say she wished the custard had some whipped cream on top.

After dinner, we tried to attend the 7 p.m. ice skating show, but it was too late as the person at the front said the venue was full. However, I did notice others going in since they had people saving them seats. We had to wait and try the 9:15 show instead.

To pass some time, we checked out the casino. As Diamond Plus members, we have $6 free play on any machine in the casino. Patty chose to play some Jacks or Better poker. It entertained her for over an hour; she doubled her money at one point, but then lost it all. Isn’t that how it usually goes?

Once it was almost time for the ice show, we got there early to snag seats. The venue was packed; there were even people standing behind the seats to watch the show. The show was “Ice Under the Big Top” and included lots of elaborate and colorful costumes and sets. It was an upbeat way to end a great day!

Tomorrow we will be in St. Croix.