I usually try and avoid cruising the Caribbean during the hot summer months but a friend called and before I knew it I booked the newly renovated “Navigator of the Seas”, a voyager class ship with many of the features of the Freedom class ships + much, much more – let the fun begin! Embarkation: Painless, simple and quick but some confusion regarding the bringing of alcohol (two bottles of wine) on board. Arrived around mid day and was on board in twenty minutes. Cabins: I personally think that the promenade inside cabins are the best cabins on these ships. I could not get a promenade deck cabin but was happy with my inside cabin on deck 6. There were a number of minor issues – i.e.; the safe did not work correctly, TV remote and the hairdryer were broken but these inconveniences were not show stoppers. I would gladly book an inside cabin but long for the promenade deck cabins. Dining/Food: I selected “My Time Dinning”. Overall food in the main dining room at dinner was nothing short of very good; sure some nights better than others but still very good. I made one special request and the staff came through with flying colors. The nightly hostesses were very accommodating and tried to seat you at your requested table. I am not a breakfast person and was always in the Diamond lounge so no comment on the buffet/Windjammer Café breakfast fare. For lunch I went to the main dining room and was pleased…loved the salad and service what I can say. My only disappointment was the Mexican specialty restaurant Sabo which was a new feature on this ship – definitely not worth the $25 cover charge + you get charged a hefty sum for drinks..If at least one of the drinks was free, I would reconsider. The food was good; some of it very good, but overall, nothing great enough to spend extra $ on. Public Rooms: Simply beautiful! The ship was nicely decorated and I loved the promenade. Deck 5 serves as the main hub of activity, as well as decks 4 and 3. One of the newest onboard attractions is a HUGE TV screen on deck #10 overlooking the pool. This screen displayed various scenes of aquatic life/comedy skits during the day, but evening showings included movies. I was hoping for a football game but no such luck. Entertainment: In the evening, you will find music playing at several locations throughout the ship. There is a piano bar, also variety music in different lounges, and karaoke at the Star Lounge was usually crowded each night I went but needs a better song selection. The Promenade occasionally had a band, and there was a guitar player at the bar. Did not go to the disco, but I will say the volume for music at any venue was GREAT – not so loud you needed ear plugs nor too low to feel ‘in the mood’ – perfect volume level! The parade on night one was off the charts and the 70’s celebration was just as good. I attended three shows and all were good; the Beach Boys reenactment was very nicely done. The Ice Show was most excellent! Ports of call: We stopped at three terrific ports: Roatan, Belize and Cozumel. I never take the ship excursions because I think they are too expensive. In Roatan I went deep sea fishing; Belize – just walked around (not much to see in town, so stay on the ship unless you have something specific to do); and in Cozumel I got a massage and had a drink/did wifi at my hangout bar. Activities: We can separate the on board activities into two types: usual ship activities (trivia, bingo, bean bag toss, not so newlywed games, etc.), and the sports type (rock climbing, flow rider, volleyball etc.) All were GREAT (are you not getting tired of hearing this). Disembarkation: You can take your own bags off although after you leave the ship and are going downstairs into the terminal, they might not let you take your bags on the escalator (some bags had already tumbled down causing some issues) and if the elevator stops working, you might experience some delay/frustration which happened to my wife. Otherwise, no real issues except with customs, but they were overworked. No hassle getting a cab as I pre-arranged. Overall: A wonderful cruise experience. I would not hesitate to recommend this ship to anybody – wonderful staff, great food, plenty to do – what more can you ask for?! PACK YOUR bags NOW.

Black Sea cruising is usually offered in a limited time period. Since cruise itinerary is my most important criteria for cruise selection and the Celebrity Constellation filled the bill, I booked myself and several good friends (a total of 6 brave souls). In this writing, I will briefly review the ship, list the ports and include a few details of our pre and post cruise adventures. I have sailed the Infinity which is a sister ship to the Constellation, so I pretty much knew what to expect. We arrived in Istanbul two days prior to cruising to see the town, which is not enough time for a newcomer to Istanbul. We booked our stay at the Erboy Hotel; following the cruise we flew to Bucharest. On cruise departure day, due to the amount of luggage, our party of six flagged two taxis from our hotel (Erboy – more on that superb hotel later) and following a short drive to the port, we were at the dock. Embarkation in Istanbul was a painless process. Cabins: We stayed in a variety of cabins, and there were no complaints. For me personally, my room steward was one of the best I have ever had – attention to detail was his motto. Loved the interactive TV, but the dinner menus need to be listed. Dining: All but two of our dinners were eaten at the MDR. No complaints; in general the food was good and tasty. I did order one special Indian dish one evening, and it was delivered following a very long wait due to a little miscommunication. The two nights we chose not to eat in the MDR, we were at the Ocean View buffet which was a nice break, as the buffet offered a nice variety of choices and more flexibility in dinner time and dress. When not in port, I grabbed lunch at the buffet – many choices for lunch but lacking the quality I was looking for. Entertainment: the Broadway type show productions by a new British troupe were excellent and I loved the magic show; the other shows I walked out on. The featured house band “Emily and the Nightcaps” was very good but the “lifetime” activities were not often enough and many nights I walked around aimlessly looking for some fun activities but not finding much if anything. Ports of Call: Istanbul, Burgas (Bulgaria), Varna (Bulgaria), Constanta (Romania), Trabzon (Turkey), Sinop (Turkey), Mykonos (Greece), Athens, and Kusadasi (Turkey) – with ports like this, I could not pass this up. (In my blog; I detail what we did in each port and include all contact information). Disembarkation: A total nightmare. Turkish customs seems to want to check everyone even though you have been through customs before boarding, and you will go through customs once again before departing the country. The lines were endless and the taxis outside the terminal were a rip-off, so we opted for the tram to drop off bags at the Erboy Hotel while we spent more time in Istanbul before our flight. Additional comments: If you are an ‘Elite’ Captain’s Club member (which I was), you are offered the opportunity to have breakfast at the Ocean Liner restaurant, and free evening cocktails during a limited time are also available at Reflections lounge deck 11. The amenities were fine but not as good as RCL. Overall: Great itinerary made the cruise a go, but overall I am disappointed in the Celebrity product; seems to be a lot of hoopla over nothing. The one thing that Celebrity does well is put together great itineraries, which does mean I will keep coming back.

A terrific port but expensive. Two visits, on my first visit I booked myself along with my youngest daughter on a “Royal Swim with the Dolphins” tour. I booked it independently online through http://www.dolphindiscovery.com/tortola/dolphin-royal-swim.asp and got a small discount for booking it online (at the time of this review the discount no longer seems to be offered). They sent me a confirmation and details on how to get to the location right after I paid via credit card. Getting to the location was a piece of cake – it took about 5 minutes by taxi and was a $2 ride per person. Note: you do not want to walk the short distance to the location as there are no sidewalks and heavy traffic. During the swim they only allowed 8 people in the water at the same time with the dolphins (there are 2 in the water with you). The other swim offerings were much less personal and had a line of people in the water and only minimal contact with the dolphins. Once in the water, two dolphins welcome you with an affectionate handshake, splashes, a kiss on the cheek, and let you give them one as well. Later, they take you for a dual fin ride where you hold on to the tops of their fins (2 at once). The most thrilling moment of this program was the foot-push, where they pushed you across the water from the bottom of your feet. It was truly “the experience of a lifetime!” Bring a towel and swimsuit, no sunscreen! Following the Dolphin discovery, my wife and I made a mad dash back to the port area and rode the 30+ minute ferry to “The Baths”. Cost of the ferry ride to Virgin Gorda/The Baths was $25 per person, round-trip. Note: make sure you also buy the cab/shuttle ticket to the Baths themselves as it is a VERY long walk. You will also have to pay $3 per person to enter the Baths. To explain in words how wonderful and beautiful it was to see the Baths is near impossible. They are a maze of huge boulders and the water around them is crystal clear. It was like something out of my childhood since I grew up overseas near the beach. There was also a restaurant and pool on top of the Baths to quench your thirst and hunger after exploring. My only regret was that I barely had enough time to walk part of the way around the Baths before I had to take the ferry back. My second visit to Tortola, I focused on going to the Baths. This time our ship docked, once you get off the ship start walking and bear left towards the small dock, it was a brisk 10 minute walk. Once at the dock I bought my tickets (make sure you get the taxi ticket to the baths as well) from “Speedys”. However, I learned something new this time; I was offered a chance to get on a private boat that would take us to the “Baths” for almost the same price as Speedys. We needed 10 folks to make this happen, there where over 10 folks in our party but we declined (mistake). That was not a good move as the private boat will take you directly to the beach area and you will not hassle the taxi ride to the baths, I would highly recommend folks in groups of ten to take the private charter. In addition, you also avoid the $3.00 entrance fee into the baths park as you are arriving via private boat onto the beach. The water at the Baths is lovely and the snorkeling superb. If you arrive via private boat make sure you backtrack through the massive rocks it is a fun 20 minute walk/climb. You can also walk to the open ocean area and do some rock climbing(see the above picture of the area, my good friend JJ and his wife, many of the cruise critic folks are behind us taking pictures). Bring a few snacks as it is a long walk to the snack shack. Tortola is a wonderful (although expensive) Caribbean island.

A busy port but a lovely island with a lot of ship and local traffic. I visited St. Lucia twice; it is one of my favorite Caribbean stops with a lot of sights to see. On both visits I booked with “St. Lucia Frank/http://www.stluciafrank.com/”. He is an honest person and does his very best to please you and loves to joke around, and if you ask him, he will lead you to the best shopping places even though I am not a shopper. He is always waiting at the designated spot when I get off the ship. On my first visit I did the standard tourist thing; a Van tour. My party and I saw the volcano, some scenic spots, a waterfall and a beach between the Pitons (Jaulise… this is a MUST and you will need to spend at least two hrs there as they had the best snorkeling I have ever experienced in my life). On my second visit I opted for the Volcanic Mud baths (there is no cost, you are in natural volcanic water and you can cover yourself in mud, people pay hundreds of dollars for the fake stuff) it was a total hoot and I loved it. We then went direct to the beach between the Pitons as I mentioned and it was GREAT! Overall a great island, but be warned the roads are small and there is a lot of turning and winding. The only things I bought where the tasty hot and spicy sauces. My wife covered in mud, lots of fun

Cairo; A large congested and dirty city with many sights to see around the Giza area which is on the outskirts of Cairo. Due to the location of the historical sights, I recommend that you stay at a hotel in the Giza area or you will be in traffic often as you travel to the sights. Cairo airport is about a 45-one hr ride from the airport. If you are meeting anyone at the Cairo airport be aware that are two arrival terminals (they are about to finish building a third terminal that will be connected to terminal #2). I arrived in terminal #2 and my wife in terminal #1(we where on different flights due to my work). The terminals are NOT connected and are about 2 miles apart. There is a shuttle bus that run’s every 15-30 minutes connecting the terminals, there are also numerous characters inside and outside of the terminal offering assistance (be aware that they will ask you for a tip) and transportation, AVIOD these characters if you want a transportation to Cairo I recommend that you arrange with a private vendor, I arranged with Ahmed(magictour2008@yahoo.com) and he was waiting for me with a sign at the designated place. If you want a cab, walk out of the terminal, SEE which cab you will ride in, agree on a PRICE before entering and insure that the price is TOTAL for ALL the passengers. Mind you I speak “Arabic” but this is the advice I give all travelers, start the trip in hassle free fashion. Magictours was about $2.00 more and I arranged everything on the internet and the car was air conditioned. Be aware that most taxis in Cairo are NOT air conditioned. In Cairo I stayed at the “Husa Pyramids Hotel” in Giza, it is a basic 3 star and I would NOT stay there again, even though the service was excellent, the hotel is very noisy and the rooms and hallways’ are run down. Rather then go via cab to every site on my own (listed below in no particular order) I made a deal with Ahmed( magictour2008@yahoo.com) to use their transportation and guides which was included in the price. Ahmed was very flexible and did everything they could to please me, I would not hesitate to recommend them(magictour2008) to anyone traveling to Cairo, they are very honest and wanted me to be happy(email Ahmed at the above email). In addition, the car provided was always air conditioned and comfortable, a late model Hyundai and the guide spoke excellent English, as I mentioned I speak Arabic and did not need a guide, but it was great for my wife and the guide provided valuable insight. I pulled up to many of the sights in our car and smiled when I saw the masses of people with the cattle car affect all of them waiting for the other to climb into the large buses. Private transportation was the way to go. Below is a listing of what we visited and my overall comments; 1. Egyptian antiquities museum + (make sure you visit the mummy tomb which is optional and cost extra). Superb museum that you can spend an entire day at, there are very few signs so having a guide was great. 2. Mosque of Sultan Hassan and the Madrasa (school), visit only if you have spare time. 3. Citadel (Al-Qalaa) + Grand Mosque, well worth it. 4. Hanging church over the Roman ruins. A must visit, early Christian history, plan to spend at least an hour or more. 5. Light and Sound show (Pyramids), kind of old and needs updating, if you go DRESS warm as the winds blow nightly and it gets cold. You can also grab a bite to eat at the place. Only attend is you have free time 6. Ride the Felucca on the Nile, it will cost you 120 Egyptian pounds for an hr, but it is like going back in time. 7. The Giza Pyramids and sphinx. Wow what more can I say, plan to spend an entire morning at the place, the “solar boat” is a must. 8. Saqqara pyramids- oldest pyramids in Egypt, I was not impressed 9. Dashur Pyramids- the Red Pyramid, simple great and do go inside 10. Memphis, the old capitol, a waste of time awful. 11. Al-Azhar Park- a lovely park, sights and sound in the evening worth it. 12. Tower of Cairo- very cool, you can do this and the Fellucca ride as they are very close. 13. Khan el Khalil Bazaar- do not waste your time. 14. City of the dead- just drive by, another poor section.

Been to Mazatlan four times, did Randy’s happy excursion with family, second visit I went to the other end of town on a local bus and booked with Ginger’s horses(no longer in operation), liked both but with Randy she picks you up, with Ginger you need to do get there, but that is part of the fun. Riding the local bus was 95% cheaper than a cab and worth it. If you plan to do either bring your bathing suit, towel and a lot of change. Note; Ginger is no longer in business so I would not recommend finding your way to the other beach. But if u like adventure go for it. STONE ISLAND(SI): This is where Randy does her horses, but I would recommend to anyone to just spend the day at SI, there are so many activities u can do, getting to SI is a piece of cake. This is how you get to SI, once u exit the main dock area make an immediate left and keep walking about 3/4 mile, u will come to a dirt road, there will be a military guard shack on your left, keep walking down the dirt road and u will find a small hut where u buy your tickets to ride across to SI, BUY A round trip ticket, cost is about $3 RT. The small boat will take u across to SI, once u get off the small boat/ferry, u walk up and keep walking straight and u are at the start of SI beach. There are many places to just sit, choose a restaurant, promise to eat lunch there and they will let you use their chairs and umbrellas. I choose “VICTORS”, The manager (Chris) who is a Canadian is very friendly. U can basically rent what u want on the island. Be aware that they only sell beer as far as alcohol on the island, it u bring your own liquor u can have them do the mix. SI is a MUST. On another trip , I booked my wife and I massage at the “ Aquarama Spa”. Website is www.aromaspa.ws . The place is run by an expat “knute berry”, we have been there twice, once it was great and once not so good, but very safe and easy to get to. The group on Randi’s Happy Horses:

On my first visit to Antigua, I had to break one of my cardinal rules “NEVER take a ship excursion” in this port.I initially booked a yacht racing excursion online but shortly thereafter I was told that the cruise ship had the monopoly on this tour and I would have to book it through NCL.I happen to LOVE Yacht racing, so at this port I had to do it. I booked it online via NCL’s shore excursion website.No problems with booking it online and receiving the necessary documents once on board – NCL handled it all professionally.The excursion was very private and interactive (only a party of 6 was allowed on a boat) and our crew was a delight.You learn to race and perform a multitude of sailing duties under the watchful eye of a professional crew. From hoisting the main, grinding, and even taking a turn at the helm – it is all about yacht racing. Note: This excursion IS physically demanding and be warned if you are prone to motion sickness this might not be your cup of tea.Read more about this excursion in my “NCL Jewel review”. The cost was about $115 per person (one person books the entire excursion and we split the cost amongst the 6 of us; expensive but worth it. My second Antigua visit I joined a group that I met through Cruise Critic (www.cruisecritic.com) and booked an excursion with South Horizons http://www.southcoasthorizons.com/. I had very little information about this company and my research did not reveal much, however, they where very response to emails and you can contact them via telephone with easy. They met us at the dock and then took us on an hour and half island tour, our first stop was at an area where the two oceans meet, it was simply breathtaking, but after that we rode around and it was a WASTE OF TIME. The entire group voiced there displeasure to our booking lady once we got to the resort, we where under the impression that our tour island tour would be very short and on the way to the resort. However, all was not lost when we got to the resort we where surprised and there where smiles on our face, a lovely private beach where we had to Kayak to from the cove, everything was lovely, this more than made up for the earlier disappointment. We spent a few hours at a private beach with none in sight, we where even taken out to a ocean snorkel area which was fair at best. It was just a great day had it not been for all the driving. I would highly recommend this outfit to anyone, just avoid all the touring be very clear where and what you want to do, the beach is isolated and a lunch was include right on the beach. The excursion outfit is not heavy advertised and I was told by their marketing person who was at the beach getting out feedback informed us that the resort owner wants to keep this place low key, mark it as a much stop.

Blog note; this was blogged in 2008 and everything has changed in Costa Maya. I have been to Costa Maya in 2018 & 2019 and much has changed. While my group decided to split up and do two different excursions in this port, all of us had a great time. One group decided to go to a small hotel and sit on the beach drinking margaritas and the other group decided to go to the ruins. Our beach from the small hotel: Hotel Maya Luna Now for the second excursion, the Mayan Ruins. For this excursion we had read up on cruisecritic about DAVID & IVAN’s CHACCHOBEN MAYAN RUINS TOUR – http://chacchobenruins.com/ , which seemed to be a great choice from our research. Price: $43.00 per person, duration: 3.5 to 4 hours. The ride from Mahahual, to Chacchoben, took around 50 minutes. Tour started one hour after ship docked. Prior to the tour departure we had to get to Mahahual, the village. The easiest way to get from the Costa Maya port to Mahahual is to use the tourist transportation service available at the terminal. There’s only one company offering the service and they have only one location there. Just ask anyone and you’ll be directed to their only booth at the place. They charge $3 per person and the ride takes around five minutes. Walking isn’t recommended as it is 2.5 miles in the heat. Once in the village we met them at the “Cat’s Meow Restaurant” on the main street. Main street was only a few blocks long and in front of the beach. The restaurant is on the first block as you enter the village. Once we found David & Ivan we got on the bus shortly thereafter. The ride to the ruins was the only downside to the tour as it was almost an hour each way and kind of boring. David & Ivan entertained us the entire ride with great stories and history of the area, but it still was a bit much for me. Once we got to the ruins, they were all we imagined – cool rocks in the middle of a desert! After walking around for about an hour we had a few beverages and then boarded the bus back to Mahahual. At the end of the tour they dropped us off at the village for some last minute shopping (which was a waste as there is really nothing there and it is all WAY overpriced). It was a once in a lifetime experience that I would recommend to anyone.

Panama, Panama – one of my most favorite ports to date. In Panama we discovered “Panama Pete Adventures” – and arranged for a canyoning adventure with the Embera Indians. What a day that was! First we were picked up at the port by Panama Pete and his crew – he was right on time (at 7:30am nonetheless), waiting for our crew of 11 in a nice, large air conditioned van. He whisked us off to pristine rain forest of Chagres National Park (about 1 hour from Colon, our docking point). We then boarded motorized wooden canoes in one of the most beautiful lakes I have seen – peaceful and only inhabited by the Embera Indians – a native tribe untouched by modern-day life. Bottom line this is a WOW for an High adventure person. Mind you my excursion has a certain amount of risk. After about a 15 minute ride, we reached the trail head and began our hour-long trek to the river/creek head. Once we reached the creek head, our adventure truly began. We started by rappelling down a 20 meter waterfall, then we trekked through the river to rappel after rappel, each one more exciting than the last. After the final descent, our crew picked us up in a canoe and took us back to the Indian camp where we were cooked a hot meal – yum! Pete had us back to the ship just in time for a few knickknacks before boarding.

Very busy port – there are always as many as 4 or more ships docked!If you like to shop, get away from the pier (which is a madhouse of people and confusing walkways) and ride the $2, five minute shuttle into the town, you can even walk and it will take about 25 easy minutes.Try and avoid the cabs in the pier area, just walk out of the gate area and you will find the shuttle or a cab. At this port I booked myself online a “Swim with Sea Turtles and Snorkel” tour with “Thriller Ocean Tours” http://www.caribzones.com/thrilleradventure.html. This was my second time with “Thriller” as they are as professional and customer service oriented as you can be. Payment was taken at the time of the tour with credit card or cash payment option and was $50 per person.We did the afternoon excursion which leaves as early as noon and as late as 1:00pm, tour total time was about 3.5 hours. Stephen the owner is very accommodating and knows the waters. He communicated with me via email prior to the tour and his service did not fail throughout the tour.The tour makes three stops, the first is in an area with sea turtles, and if you are lucky they will swim by and you can touch them or even try to ride them.I saw baby and adult sea turtles.However, this area was full of other boats doing the same thing we were and the water was not that clear so you have to really look for the turtles. The second time I did this excursion “stephen” said the waters where cloudy due to storms and he took us to another turtle area which was fantastic. I loved it and had a wonderful interactive experience. What was also funny when I got back on board the Jewel, I listen to so many guests complaining about the turtle excursion they went on and how they did not see any turtkes and how cloudy the water was. I just smiled, another advantage of going with a small operator. The second stop was a reef, where they allow you to get in the water with literally hundreds of fish while they feed around you.This experience was a delight – watching the fish swim in circles around your head while eating an inch away from you in truly a sight to see.Then they guide you to the reef to snorkel, my wife just loved this reef, since I am very experienced in snorkeling I thought is was good but for the novice it is excellent.The third stop you anchor in the water and snorkel over/under two shipwrecks. This was my favorite area; if you are an accomplished swimmer with good snorkeling skills you can dive into the wrecks. They anchor close enough to shore that you can swim or wade to the beautiful beach and relax for about 45 minutes.At this time they pull out the snacks and rum punch, which were perfect after all that snorkeling.To finish up they give you a high speed ride back to the meeting area, just in time to make your way back to the ship. Overall a great excursion and WELL WORTH the money. Stephen will also drop you off closer to the Ship pier if you want.

This was posted by my wife; I am a nationally licensed massage therapist and am therefore VERY picky and selective about getting bodywork done. However, my husband and I found a place just outside of the port/terminal area in Puerto Vallarta that was clean, safe, and VERY therapeutic! The Essence Massage Clinic is one of 3 or 4 right outside of the terminal area (they also have an internet café in the area, a pharmacy, a knickknack place, a restaurant in the center). The address is simply Plaza Marso L.F, frente a la terminal Maritima (in front of the terminal Maritima). The phone number is 322-293-08-33, but my husband and I just walked in. They used a great blend of aromatherapy essential oils and an amazing combination of deep tissue and Swedish to basically ‘put me back together’ when I was all messed up both from stress and after pulling a shoulder muscle zip lining that day! I actually bought a small bottle of the essential oil blend that my therapist used while working on me. They did have a little trouble understanding that I wanted to buy a small bottle, but one of them went out and came back with their manager (I presume) who spoke English, and I was very happy with my bottle of ‘heaven’ that I brought back with me! I think they are the same place I have been to before when we were in Puerto Vallarta, and they did a great reflexology treatment at that time in addition to a great deep tissue massage. We used cash and I didn’t notice if they take any credit cards. So, lose your fears and reservations about getting body work in Mexico and pay less than you would on board! Relax and enjoy your visit in Puerto Vallarta! For those who love a little fun, this is the port to give Zipline a try. Cabo; Cabo San Lucas has some wonderful massage location choices, and my husband and I found a place that was not only great but was very reasonable as far as prices. It also offered a shower before or after your session, which was great. Very clean and professional. I asked for deep tissue, and I got exactly what I asked for! Soco (my therapist) was wonderful! My husband was also impressed with his therapist (we missed getting her name). We would highly recommend the Bel Air Salon Service & Euro Massages to anyone who needs some relaxation and/or therapeutic massage while on their cruise or vacation in Cabo! They are located at Hidalgo Street and Cardenas Avenue near the museum and town square area. Hours are 10am – 8pm Monday – Saturday. I just walked in, but you can make an appointment if you like: belairnnl@yahoo.com.mx ; phone: 143-1125; cell: 624-165-4074. They also offer a variety of salon treatments (body treatments, facials, waxing, manicure/pedicures etc) and take Mastercard or Visa if you need to use a credit card. My husband and I used cash.

RCL- Mariner of the Seas 12 Night Holy Lands My 23rd cruise with a three day pre-cruise jaunt in Rome, more information is written separately on my blog at cruisinbob.com Embarkation: Port of Civitavecchia is located about 3-4 miles from the train station. Took the train from Rome then walked about ½ mile on a paved path to the port entrance, you then board a shuttle to the ship/check-in. You drop off your luggage at the check-in entrance (NOT where you get on the shuttle e bus), have the ONE page pre cruise documents printed and you are good to go. Cabins: I had an Inside promenade view cabin on deck #6, actually the curtains were not often drawn as it affected privacy.Overall I was happy: a small fridge; a separate his/her’s closet and an easy to use room safe and TV. TV had limited programming – you are able to view your on board account, make excursion reservations and view the daily dinning menu. I have one complaint: too many ship announcements at odd times. Dining/Food: I pre-paid gratuities, “My Time Dinning/MTD” which is the ONLY way to go. MTD went very smooth (you can choose your own dining time) and the maître desk was extremely accommodating to changes. I never waited for a table and was seated immediately I even was seated at the requested table. I ate all my evening meals in the main dining room, overall food quality, taste and presentation “I THINK” was average, however, the service was SUPERB! When not in port, I ate all my breakfast and lunch meals in the main dining room and generally had a very good experience; the lunch salad bar in the dining room is terrific. I went to the Windjammer twice and in my opinion the Windjammer café food was awful! The wine package deal is much overpriced for the quality for the quality of wines but you are a captive audience. Public Rooms: The Mariner is very well maintained and appears new. As a non smoker I encountered very little smoke/smoking issues except when walking through the casino on deck 4. The ship is designed with the 3rd, 4th and 5th decks as the main hubs of activity, i.e. shops (located in the middle aft area), photo gallery, meeting rooms, etc. My favorite hangout area for a drink was the “Schooner bar” located on deck 4, this particular bar has a lovely viewing window and trivia was played there almost nightly @ 5:30. The quality of drinks was good but drinks prices are ridiculously high. There were very few daily drink specials and the specials tended to be more of the sweet fruity type. Entertainment: In the evening, you can walk the promenade and just people watch. I was very disappointed in the music that was offered, except for a piano player in the schooner bar where it was so crowed nightly with no place to sit.There was also a good guitar player found at the Pub but that was a smoking area and even though I was tempted there was just too much smoke. Sorry but the rest of the music was not to my taste and I was very disappointed. “Karaoke” was offered only on three nights and two of these nights it was standing room only, so I hope that Mgt gets a clue. The ice show was excellent and a few of the shows were quite good and others I walked out, so it depends on your tastes, I am not into the Broadway revue musicals. I was looking forward to the juggler, but he let me down as he talked and joked more then he juggled. No seating or space issues. Activities: A variety of activities are offered throughout the cruise. From the very popular progressive trivia which eventually became a quest to win for many teams (the lounge was full) to Bingo, the not-so-new marriage game. There were numerous errors in the daily schedules but the standard; volleyball, 3 on 3 hoops, table tennis, soccer, climbing walland ice skating was available. In addition, Nintendo Wii was offered on a daily basis, Texas hold’em was offered but it had a steep entry fee and low turnout. Excursions: I go into great lengths so look at my blog (cruisinbob.com) for the in depth port excursion review. Disembarkation: Overall disembarkation was smooth and quick – Breakfast buffet is open till 8:30am and the main dining room till 08:00.Prior to disembarking – a day before – specific luggage tags color based on your transportation connections are left in your room. You wait in designated areas and can only pickup your luggage at the terminal only after your color is called to disembark. I was arranging transportation for a large group and we all disembarked together and had our transportation waiting, very easy. Less than 10 minutes. Overall Thoughts: A very nice cruise, nice ship with some great ports. This is a very port intensive cruise and I would suggest you have it well planned. I enjoyed the “Mariner” but would not sail her again as it was a little too big for my taste and too many other ships I want to sail, however, start packing now! www.cruisinbob.com