Mariner of the Seas Review
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I actually booked this NYE trip while on Quantum (out of Shanghai) last NYE. Mariner is a very nice ship. I had cabin 9608, junior suite-port side. Very roomy cabin, largest closet I've seen on a ship yet (literally large enough for three adults to go into even after their clothes are hanging. Ship was clean, bar staff and guest services were amazing, as were the casino staff. Made stops in Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Penang, and Patong Beach at Phuket Thailand. Friendly SE Asian locales, good local food, and for my experiences not too pushy. I stayed busy enough with activities on the ship that I never made it to any of the shows. Largest single group on the ship were Malaysian, then probably Australian and Indian. Great mix of travelers. Embarkation went very smoothly. Chairs around the pool were not "saved" as I've typically seen throughout my cruise journeys.
Cabin Review
Junior Suite
Very roomy cabin, largest closet I've seen on a ship yet (literally large enough for three adults to go into even after their clothes are hanging. Joko took great care of my cabin and saw to the only problem I had (TV remote didn't work well).
Port Reviews
Kelang (Kuala Lumpur)
Grabbed a taxi at the cruise terminal, fares are fixed and posted depending on what you want. I actually only wanted the ride to and from town (about 30 minutes), and we agreed on a small discount from a tour package. KL is like many SE Asian cities, warm and inviting people, nice place to visit but not nearly as nice as Singapore.
Penang
Cleaner and nicer than KL...grabbed a taxi at the cruise terminal and he drove me to the Hard Rock at the north end of the island. Driver did his best to have me stop at some shops (felt like he received a commission or something) but I stayed firm and just did the HRC run. Back in town, very colonial looking, terrific food, priced right...can definitely go back to Penang.
Phuket
We tendered from just off shore of Patong beach, on the west/south west part of the island. Everything I've come to expect, both good and bad, from Thailand. I never felt unsafe or cheated, sales is about a 6-7 on the aggressiveness scale. Bang La street is like Pattaya's Walking street but on a much smaller scale.
Singapore
Singapore is a true gem. I came in a day early and stayed a day late just to see this beautiful example of what humanity can be. I'll definitely go back for a longer holiday.