This was the 17th cruise for my wife and I, and elevated us to platinum status in the RCI rewards program. We drove to the cruise terminal the day of sailing so I can’t provide any feedback for area hotels or excursions in Miami. The new RCI terminal in Miami is beautiful though, and getting around inside was a breeze. Much better than before! We sailed with another couple, no kids. Embarkation took less than 10 minutes with the help of RCIs options to sign all documents/waivers prior to embarkation day, provide photographs, and use the app to access SetSail passes. We highly recommend passengers take advantage of this!

As is well known, Mariner recently completed a very expensive refurbishment. The ships public spaces looked absolutely beautiful. Of special note is the main dining room; the new décor and colors made it one of the nicest MDRs we’ve ever been in. The rest of the ship, especially the Royal Promenade, also looked wonderful. My wife put it best when she said that after the refurbishment, the Mariner looks and feels like a smaller version of the Oasis class. And she hit the nail right on the head. Mariner provides a small taste of what her big sisters offer.

We attended several of the onboard activities. The sail away party was well done, though fairly typical. Loud upbeat music with drinks flowing. We made appearances at several trivia events (and ly won one of them). On the final night we attended the silent disco and the 80s party that followed. For those unfamiliar, silent disco is where attendees wear headphones and have the options of listening to different stations featuring different music styles. This was a first for our traveling companions, and they enjoyed it as much as we did. The 80s party in the promenade featured dancing, as well as iconic 80s costumes. A good time was had by all. Read more