Mariner of the Seas
Cruise Review
August 28th, 2005
Western Caribbean

	Here is one of our favorite places on the Mairner of the Seas. This is the "Promenade Deck" on Deck 4. This picture was taken in the middle of the afternoon on a sea day. Do you see anything odd? That's right! Privacy and quiet! This is one of the quietest places on the ship, which is great for those times you really want to relax! Read a book, take a nap, or just stare at the ocean passing by! Some ships don't have such a wonderful place to "chill out", and, judging by the number of people we saw here, it must be a well kept secret!
	Here are the wonderful folks we dined with each evening. Part of the fun of a cruise is asking "what did you do today?" and then listening to all the adventures that the others had. Then you get to brag about what you did!   See how much fun people have at dinner! Happy Birthday, Sue!
Labadee One of the best Private Island experiences you could ever wish for! Labadee has four beaches and facilities for lots of people! Labadee is owned and operated by Royal Caribbean for the exclusive use of it's own passengers only. No charge. It's all included in the cost of your cruise!
"Luc's Splash Bash" This is the Children's area of Labadee. Here the kids have a safe place to play and get wet.
The Beaches
Lunch Royal Caribbean maintains a nice lunch area on the Island. Here you can graze at your hearts content. The cuisine was hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, ribs, various salads, fruits and deserts. No charge. It's all included in the cost of your cruise!		Mrs. Cruiseman caught me taking a nap after lunch! Hey! It's vacation, right???
The Windjammer Back on the ship now, we want to talk about the Windjammer Café. Every Royal Caribbean ship has a Windjammer Café. This is your buffet area, and the place where many people have their breakfast and lunch. The variety is good. The serving arrangement is ok. WARNING: If you come at a peak time, you probably won't be able to get a table. Part of the seating problem is that most of the tables are set up for 4, 6, or 8 people. If 2 people sit down at one of these tables, the other seats will go unused, for obvious social reasons. There ought to be a simple solution to this problem, but apparently the cruise line is ok with things the way they are. No charge. It's all included in the cost of your cruise!	This is Mrs. Cruiseman (Phyllis) enjoying the view from the Windjammer cafe. Looks like we were fortunate enough to find a window table this day!
The Groceries One of the most amazing things about a mega cruise ship like the Mariner of the Seas is the weekly grocery list. Below is what is consumed in one week on the Mariner of the Seas. Beef 20,000 lbs Chicken 12,000 lbs Pork 5,000 lbs Lobster 1,400 lbs Seafood 4,000 lbs Salmon 2,500 lbs Fresh Eggs 28,000 Flour 15,000 lbs Sugar 4,300 lbs Coffee 1,500 lbs Fresh Fruits 35,000 lbs Fresh Vegetables 65,000 lbs Potatoes 18,000 lbs Fresh Berries 600 lbs Ice Cream 8,000 gallons Milk 1,500 gallons Individual Yogurts 4,200 Cheese 5,800 lbs Slices of Pizza 18,000 Total Meals (incuding crew) 105,000 Deserts Prepared 300,680 Steaks Prepared 69,000 Appetizers Prepared 234,000 And...if you think you have problems at the pump - look at this: Fuel consumption at full speed:2,871 gallons per hour!
On the Ship Here are some interesting spots and shots aboard the Mairner of the Seas.	These are the ship's "Comics." They turned up at different times to amuse and entertain.	Everybody in the pool! Actually there are three pools on the Mariner.
Pool deck on a sea day! A very popular place to be. No charge. It's all included in the cost of your cruise!	Your editor outside the Johnny Rockets cafe on board the Mariner of the Seas. There is a cover charge of just $3.95pp, which covers whatever you'd like to eat, and your gratuity. Milk Shakes are extra! This is a great experience, especially if you enjoy the "Oldies Music" tunes!	Here is the famous rock climbing wall at the top of the Mariner, and many other Royal Caribbean ships as well. We were surprised by all the children that tried it and made it to the top! No, your editor did not try the rock climbing wall. No charge. It's all included in the cost of your cruise!
This is the Expresso Café on the Royal Promenade. This little cafe serves coffee, sandwiches, pizza, cakes, pastries, etc.... all no charge. We saw many people that made a meal of it here. Why not?? It's all included in the cost of your cruise!		Basketball / Volleyball court
	This is the life! We end this photo essay where we began; on Deck 4, enjoying the quiet and mystery of the sea! And...it's all included in the cost of your cruise!