This is a post that I wrote on another blog for friends. It was written between the cruise I made with my family and the one I was going to take with friends on the same ship. I'm copying and pasting it here to share with my grandkids since much of it is about them and our wonderful time together.
--------------------------------------
November 12, 2019
Hello Cruise Buddies!!
ICYMI -- I went on the same exact cruise on the Mariner of the Seas with my family in October that we are going on in December! Here are the TOP TEN things I loved about Mariner of the Seas!!
NUMBER ONE: I'll start off with one of my absolute favorite things - THE STOWAWAY PIANO MAN! I seriously hope there's one in December because I was THAT girl who rode in the elevator WAY longer than necessary and checked elevators to find the guy so I could sing along to songs that I know by heart!
NUMBER TWO: TOWEL ANIMALS. I'm a sucker for these. It was a short cruise but we still met a few cute critters in our cabin!
NUMBER THREE: FLOWRIDER! I've avoided this on a few cruises and now I'm wondering why! It was really so much fun! I did it twice and I'm game for doing it again! Don't let the warning card that says ominous things scare you!! If I can do it, anyone can!
NUMBER FOUR: Reading by the pool and on the beach. I always have the goal of reading a book on a cruise and I managed to get that done even though this was a four-day cruise AND I was with my grandchildren. I even finished a book on my honeymoon cruise so don't take offense or take it personally if I'm reading instead of talking! It was easy to find chairs on the ship and on Coco Cay so that is why this makes the Top Ten List!
NUMBER FIVE: DESSERT -- The food never disappointed and dessert was divine! The chocolate chip cookies in the Windjammer were as good as the Toll House cookies that Luke and I baked in my kitchen last night! And, Crème brûlée is on the menu every night!!
NUMBER SIX: Along the same lines as dessert but worthy of its own mention -- The SOFT SERVE frozen yogurt machine by the pool. It's open most of the day. There's nothing more I can say about it that this photo doesn't already cover! Oh, that reminds me of the pizza at the Cafe Promenade. It's open all the time and is the go-to spot for coffee, breakfast pastries, sandwiches, and YUMMY PIZZA! There's a freestyle Coca-Cola machine there too if you have a drink package that includes soda. It works with the cup they give you with the package.
NUMBER SEVEN: PERFECT DAY AT COCO CAY - It really was a ton of fun! Chairs were easy to come by, the food was good (and there was a frozen yogurt machine) and there were no lines, the frozen drinks were fruity and cold, the pool is amazing and it was just an overall fun time!!
Pro-tip - you need to bring towels from the ship. You can exchange them for dry towels on the island but it's not super convenient so it's easier to bring a couple extra with you from the ship.
NUMBER EIGHT: TROPICAL SOUNDS, KARAOKE, and DANCING - For me, reggae and tropical sounds go together with cruising to tropical destinations. Royal Caribbean does a great job of making sure there's great music throughout the cruise. The SAIL AWAY PARTY was a ton of fun and be sure to prepare your best song and be ready for KARAOKE in the pub!
NUMBER NINE: DINNER IN THE DINING ROOM - The place to go where they know your name and what you like to drink! The food was great in the main dining room and the attention was grand. I don't think there's a better way to explain what a great job the wait staff did than to tell you that my ten-year-old grandson Patrick wrote thank you notes on the gratuity envelopes for our waiter and assistant waiter. I sure hope they have the beef short ribs on the menu when we go because they were the very best thing I ate during the entire cruise!
NUMBER TEN: HAPPINESS - I love the relaxed, laid-back, happiness that comes from eating too much, day drinking, baking in the warm sun with my toes dug down in the sand, napping on the beach or by the pool, dancing and singing at the top of my lungs, staying up too late and laughing until I cry kind of feelings that cruising always delivers!! Can't wait to cruise with you!!
~Betty
