Our Mariner of the Seas Bahamas Cruise with Royal Caribbean

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Last month, we embarked on a Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas for a Bahamas cruise as a family of four, and with it being our first time cruising since before the pandemic, let me tell you that it was worth the wait! 

I had forgotten how l much I enjoyed cruising and now that the kids are even older, I love it even more.  It was the perfect spring break trip where everyone came home happy and refreshed.  We were able to celebrate Jake’s 11th birthday with a trip to Coco Cay, making it truly the Perfect (birth)Day at Coco Cay! 

READ: 7 Reasons Why Traveling With Teens and Tweens Is A Great Idea

So, today, I am excited to share all of the details about our 2022 Mariner of the Seas Bahamas Cruise with Royal Caribbean and what cruising is like with older kids.   Since it had been a while for us, I had a handful of questions beforehand, and now that I know the answers, I will share them below to help you prepare for your next cruise with Royal Caribbean, along with some helpful tips!

Cruising with Royal Caribbean

A lot had changed since our last cruise, some of the course relating to the pandemic, but mostly, it was simply the passing of time.  Cruising with older kids is quite different, and I’ll be honest, a whole lot easier than cruising with younger kids. 

We were also excited to be back aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship!  Our family has taken several cruises over the years, with the most recent being on other cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line. 

This cruise with Royal Caribbean was originally planned for March 2020 and coincided with Jake’s 9th birthday, but it ended up being March 2021 when he turned 11.  So, we were so excited when we were finally able to board this ship!

2022 Mariner of the Seas Bahamas Cruise

We set sail on the March 26th, 2022, Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas 4-night Bahamas cruise sailing out of Cape Canaveral. 

It was a shorter cruise, only 4 nights, with stops in Nassau, Bahamas, and Perfect Day at Coco Cay.   It was wonderful!  While this isn’t their most fancy ship, it had been renovated or “amped” as they call it, and had everything we needed, including waterslides, Flowrider, Sky Pad, a rock wall, a casino, an arcade, an ice rink, and so much more. 

It was actually a great size for four days because we got to do it all. It only carries 3100 passengers, as opposed to almost 7000 on the new Wonder of the Seas, so didn’t feel as crowded.  I wouldn’t hesitate to book again on Mariner of the Seas or any of the other older  “amped” cruise ships — more about those soon!

Cruise TIP: Arrive At Your Cruise Port A Day Early

Air travel has been pretty wild post-pandemic, and it would be such a bummer to miss your cruise due to a delayed flight.  I highly recommend arriving at your departure port a day early, especially if you are flying.   

For example, where we set sail in Cape Canaveral, there are so many hotels nearby that are perfect for a one-night stay. Just look at the selection below!

Booking.com

Royal Caribbean: Mariner of the Seas

To be honest, we didn’t do much research when it came to the ship.  We were limited to Spring Break dates, and with cruising back on post-pandemic, things were booking up fast.   

The main thing I checked was whether it had waterslides or not.  And the Mariner of the Seas does!  In fact, the ship was part of a recent “Amping Up” by Royal Caribbean.

What is an “Amped Ship”?

An “amped cruise ship” such as Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, and Independence of the Seas is a ship that has gotten a refresh complete with new activities, restaurants and more! 

Think of it as amplified.  In the Mariner of the Seas case, they added waterslides, laser tag, an escape room, Sky Pad, new restaurants such as Playmakers, and the Bamboo Room, plus general refurbishment.   As the Mariner of the Seas is already close to 20 years old, this amplification brings new energy to the ship, provides more activities, and, of course, cosmetic updates are appreciated by all. 

So, look for these amped ships because oftentimes you can get some great deals on these sailings, as they are older, but they offer a lot of the same fun that some of the newer and larger ships do!

Royal Caribbean Classes of Ships

And if you aren’t familiar with the different classes of ships, this graphic from the Royal Caribbean website does a great job breaking it down.  Because we were celebrating  Jake’s birthday, and this being our first time back on a ship in quite a while, all of the ‘fun stuff” made it more exciting for the kids.  I find it very helpful to look at a cruise ship’s deck plan before booking. 

You can click here to view the Mariner of the Seas deck plan.

Our rooms on the Mariner of the Seas Bahamas Cruise

For this cruise, we opted for adjoining rooms, and I am not sure that I can go back now.   We did oceanview rooms and while Matt and I had a king bed, the kids each had a  twin bed, and having two bathrooms was an absolute game-changer.   

If you are a family of 4 and debating which room type to get, I would actually recommend interior or oceanview adjoining rooms versus a balcony room of a similar size.   And while it was beneficial cruising with older kids, I think it would be for younger kids as well, making naptimes and early bedtimes more manageable.

Food on our Mariner of the Seas Bahamas Cruise

I should really have had Jake write this section because that kid had the best time going to all of the restaurants and eating as much as he wanted.    And I have to be honest here: not having to cook or worry about what people were ordering made this vacation so much more relaxing for me. 

Since it was only four nights, we actually only ended up in the main dining room once.  The rest of the time, we ate at The Windjammer (the buffet), and Café Promenade was our favorite!   Having Cafe Promenade (open 24 hours) just a quick flight of stairs above our room, it was the easiest place for us to grab a sandwich, pizza, coffee, or a sweet treat whenever we wanted.

When you cruise on Mariner of the Seas, the three dining options that I mentioned are included, as well as a hot dog stand near the pool deck and, of course, the infamous ice cream.  There are a variety of specialty restaurants where you can buy dining packages, but I don’t see us ever doing that. We were more than happy with the complimentary options. 

And besides, we wanted to save our money for drinks!   You see, coffee, tea, lemonade, and basics are included with your cruise, but if you would like soda, specialty coffees, and/or alcohol, you need to purchase a beverage package or buy your alcoholic drinks a’la cart.   

In just a bit, I will share my opinion on the Royal Caribbean Deluxe Drink Package because I really gave this a lot of thought before our cruise!

Mariner of the Seas Bahamas Cruise Itinerary

But first, let’s talk about our 4-night Bahamas cruise itinerary.   Cruise ships and their itineraries can change often.  For example, the Mariner of the Seas currently runs 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 & 8-day itineraries out of Port Canaveral. 

You will find Bahamas cruises that stop in places like Nassau, Bimini, Freeport, and more.    They offer Western Caribbean cruises with other ports of call, such as their private resort in Haiti, Jamacia, and the Dominican Republic.  Mariner of the Seas Eastern Caribbean cruises usually stop in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, and others.

The Southern Caribbean Cruises make port at some of the “A B C Islands” of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.   You can even take a Bermuda Cruise aboard Mariner of the Seas.  And if you are looking to visit Perfect Day at Coco Cay, there is a pretty good chance that your 2022 Mariner of the Seas itinerary will be stopping there, too!

And this is all just on one ship!  So, as you can see, there are so many options!  Our Bahamas cruise was 4 nights with stops in Nassau, Bahamas, and Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.

Do Cruise Ship Itineraries Change After Your Book Them?

Yes, especially these days!  In fact, I am pretty certain that when I booked this cruise, the planned ports were Nassau and Grand Bahama Island, but when I checked a month out, it said Nassau and Perfect Day at Coco Cay.  This was an amazing surprise because it landed us at Coco Cay on Jake’s actual birthday.  And I don’t think he even realizes what a lucky kid he is!

The fine print of your cruising does say that the ports of call may change.  Typically, this is for your own safety and is often weather-related.  But, as we navigated a pandemic, changes are even more frequent as entry requirements are more fluid.

The good news is that all of the stops have something great to offer, and a day on a cruise ship (whether it be docked or at sea) is better than a day at home!

Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau is home to the grand Atlantis resort, and I am sure your kids have seen the commercials for it!  We were originally going to buy day passes for the resort; however, since we were now visiting Coco Cay the next day, we decided not to.  Sunrise heading into Nassau was incredible!  I took a time-lapse video and turned it into an Instagram Reel if you want to check it out here.

However, we have never really had good luck with Nassau, and that’s probably because we never book excursions.  Both times we have stopped there we end up at Senor Frogs and then head back to this ship. 

Quite frankly, on a short cruise, we would rather have that extra time onboard, especially while others are off the ship.  This means shorter lines for the slides and fewer people at the pool.  I will say that next time we go to Nassau, I would like to book the Blue Lagoon Island excursion or a similar excursion that gets you out on a boat and in the water.

Perfect Day at Coco Cay

Let me tell you, it was in fact, PERFECT! 

We had such a great day on Coco Cay.  If you aren’t familiar with Perfect Day at Coco Cay, this is Royal Caribbean’s private island, and in the past couple of years, they have spent a lot of money making it into a must-visit cruise destination.   

While there are a variety of excursions and upgrades available, you can enjoy your Perfect Day at Coco Cay for FREE!  While there are pools, a beach, the lagoon, restaurants, and more on the island, the most popular upgrade is Thrill Waterpark.

Thrill Water Park at Coco Cay

Thrill Waterpark is home to Daredevil’s Peak – the tallest waterslide in North America, and yes, I went down it!  Both Matt and I said that it was so long and fast that our bums got hotter and hotter as we went down due to the friction.   It was so fast! 

We also were able to hit all of the other water slides, including Dueling Demons, Manta Racers, Green Mamba, and Screeching Serpent.  We also enjoyed time at the Wave Pool with Abby and Jake.  The kids spent the majority of the day at Thrill Waterpark.

COST:  It is best to buy admission in advance through your cruise booking.  There are often sales leading up to your sailing and when we purchased, our tickets were $89 each.  I think we could have gotten them cheaper if we booked earlier so if you plan to go, get tickets early.  If the price goes down, you can always cancel and rebook that admission ticket.

I also want to mention that kids 13 and under need to be walked into the waterpark with a ticketed guest age 14 years or older.  So, if Abby and Jake wanted to do it, either Matt or I would have had to buy a ticket anyway.  So, we decided to just buy tickets for everyone and make a fun day of it.   However, once Abby turns 14 next year, she can take Jake in herself.

FREE Activities at Perfect Day at Coco Cay

Other fun activities include hanging out in the Oasis Lagoon (the big pool), and there was one heck of a DJ dance party when we walked over there.  There is also a quieter area for the kids. 

You can also hang out in the lagoon at Harbor Beach or along the perimeter of the island at South Beach or Chill Island.  Splashaway Bay, the children’s waterpark, is free, as is Captain Jill’s Galleon.

What Do You Have to Pay For Coco Cay?

In addition to Thrill Waterpark, you can also buy tickets for the zip line and the Up, Up, and Away balloon ride.   You also have the option to rent daybeds and cabanas (including overwater) throughout the island and book shore excursions. If you want to hang out at the Coco Beach Club, including the private beach and infinity pool,  that will cost you extra too.

With the exception of the waterpark, I had no desire to book the cabanas or exclusive club.  We had no issue finding chairs and had plenty of food options, with the funnel cake at the snack stand in Thill Waterpark being our favorite!

My Perfect Day at Coco Cay Tip

If you plan to do Thrill Waterpark get off of the boat quick.  You want to be there right when it opens to avoid long lines for the slides.  We were some of the first into the park and went down each slide without waiting more than a few minutes.  By mid-day, the lines were much longer.   

Another thing to take note of is what other ships are at Coco Cay on that particular day.  On March 24th, we arrived first and were able to get off right away.  Royal Caribbean’s new mega-ship, Wonder of the Seas, pulled up right next to us, and their passengers got off about an hour late, quickly increasing congestion on the island. 

So, if you are docked next to a smaller capacity ship, it will be less crowded.  But regardless, get off the boat as soon as you can and wear sunscreen.  Trust me!

Also, just look at the size difference when Wonder of the Seas docked up next to Mariner of the Seas!

Sailing Days Aboard our Mariner of the Seas Bahamas Cruise

We had most of the first day and then the entire last full day aboard the ship and could have easily stayed on Mariner of the Seas for another week! 

I personally liked the size of this ship because the kids quickly learned the lay of the land, and we could let them do things on their own.  This usually involved eating or playing upstairs on the pool and sports decks.  They also took plenty of opportunities to relax back in the room and even came with me to play Bingo one day.   Matt and I spent a lot of time catching rays out by the pool and kicking back in the hot tubs.   

One of the reasons we enjoyed Cafe Promenade (mentioned above) so much is that it was very easy to grab snacks throughout the day, allowing us to keep a flexible schedule and just enjoy ourselves.

The one thing that we did NOT do, is catch a show.  We almost did on a few occasions, but we aren’t really “show” people and prefer the other activities in the evenings, such as trivia, live music, and spending time in the casino. 

Ok, when I say we, I really mean that I enjoy spending time at the casino. And it pays off!  When you play in the casino, you earn points for rewards, but more importantly, you get targeted offers for FREE CRUISES.  I have already gotten several since arriving home.  Scroll down for more about this!

We also did not utilize any of the kid’s club facilities as the kids were more interested in doing things themselves which worked out great for us.  This cruise was just what our family needed, and as a mom, knowing that we were all “on this ship together” literally, I had more peace of mind giving the kids freedom than I may have had at a resort on dry land.

Things We Learned on our 2022 Royal Caribbean Cruise + FAQ

Like I said before, all four of us got off that ship feeling refreshed and ready to book another cruise!  Before I wrap this up, I wanted to take some time to share some things we learned on this trip, the answers to some questions that I had prior to cruising in 2022, and some advice (including my exact thought process) for booking a cruise for your family in 2022.

Cruising With Tweens and Teens Is Awesome

This is where it’s at!  If you have older kids and haven’t cruised in a while (or at all), book one now!  It really is such a great way for all members of the family to find things that they enjoy.   The food being complimentary really is value-added. I have learned that when traveling with teens, dining out as a family of four “adults”  on vacation adds up quickly. 

I do really recommend getting two rooms even if you have to downgrade to interior rooms vs. balconies because the downside for older kids is that it gets cramped pretty quickly in those tiny rooms. 

There are plenty of things to keep the kids busy, and so many of the activities are more appropriate for teens than toddlers, such as trivia, a name that tune, etc.  We really had a great time doing activities like that as a family on this cruise!

Ship Matters

You don’t need the newest and biggest ship to have a good time, but make sure to do a little research and make sure that the ship you choose is a good fit for your family.   If it is your first cruise, the amped ships on the freedom and voyager classes are a great option to get your feet wet on.   

In my opinion, you want to make sure the ships have water and sports activities that the kids will enjoy, such as the water slides, Flowrider, mini-golf, rock wall, laser tag, and Sky Pad, which the amped ships offer.

Wifi and Cell Phones on a Cruise Ship

As an Airbnb host who needs to be accessible at all times, I spent quite a while figuring out how to best stay online during our cruise, and it was, in fact, quite easy! For the record, I have AT&T and an iPhone.

1.   Buy the Internet Package. I purchased the VROOM Surf + Stream for one device.  Everyone else (including Matt) needed to unplug on this trip, so we didn’t purchase one for them.
2.   Keep your phone on until you depart from the port in the afternoon.  At that point, put it on airplane mode and use the ship’s WIFI.  Also, go into Settings on your iPhone –> Cellular –> Cellular Data Off.   This will avoid any extra data charges.  Keep this off until your cruise ends and you are back at your home port.
3.  AT&T offers an international day pass for $15, and it is activated as soon as you make or answer a call or send a text; however, if you receive them and don’t respond, it won’t activate.  So, when I am at a port, I take my phone off of airplane mode (still leave cellular data turned off) and let my texts roll in to make sure that I didn’t miss anything important.   If I need to get back to someone, I can either text and activate the day pass or simply reach out to them via a Wi-Fi-based messenger platform once back on the ship.

You can also activate your wi-fi calling and use iMessage to avoid using cellular while cruising.  And while theoretically, if you have cellular data off you don’t necessarily have to put your iPhone into airplane mode, doing so will help to conserve your battery quite a bit!

Don’t Forget to Bring These Items on Your Cruise

• I’ll start with what was deemed most serious by Abby — long shorts.  Longer shorts are required for the rock wall and the Sky Pad as they both use hardnesses.  Abby’s athletic shorts were not long enough, so she was pretty bummed that she couldn’t do those activities.
• Closed-toe shoes are required on the sports court and for some activities.
• We bought lanyards in advance for our Sea Pass Card.  You can click here for the exact ones we used, and at $10 for a 6-pack. It’s much cheaper than buying the ones onboard.
• Trash bags are key when we travel.  I always pack an extra small roll of kitchen bags and we use them for laundry and also just for excess trash while in hotels or smaller accommodations.
• Magnetic Hooks. We didn’t bring these, although so many people say to, and I wish I would have.  Much of the room is steel, and these can get put right onto some walls, which help keep everything off of the floor.

Can You Bring Alcohol Aboard A Royal Caribbean Cruise?

Ok, so when I said I would be answering frequently asked questions, I really mean things I had to google before we went.  And for some of these, I didn’t really learn the answer until I was about our 2022 Mariner of the Seas cruise.   

First of all, can you bring alcohol onto your Royal Caribbean cruise?  YES, you can bring two 750ml bottles of wine or champagne per stateroom.  So, if our family were to have one stateroom, then I can bring 2 bottles, however, since we had two staterooms, I was able to bring four bottles of wine onboard with me.  Bada Bing!  You do have to carry it on, so make sure not to check it with your luggage!

If you buy any alcohol at a port or in the retail shops on the cruise, you can not bring it to your room.  It will get held and then delivered to you on the night before you disembark.

Should I Buy The Drink Package on a Cruise?

I am pretty sure Matt and all of my friends were sick of hearing me talk about the dang drink package but it was such a hard decision!  We enjoy drinks when we travel, but when adding the drink package to the tune of $850 (total after gratuity) for 4 days, we kept hesitating. 

I almost pulled the trigger when a sale just a few days before departure brought it down to $650 total.   With the mixed drinks being approx $13 each, it does balance out if you have 5+ per day but we ended up not buying it and were very happy with that decision!

My two main concerns were that if the drinks were “free” or prepaid, we would feel the need to drink more to get our money’s worth.  I really did not to overdo it and feel bad every morning.  And the other thing was the price.  I understand that it can be a good value, but I just could not pull the trigger on it. 

Being able to take on 4 bottles of red wine, which is what I enjoy drinking, made the decision pretty easy.   We also made sure to ask what the Drink of the Day is each day because those are only $10 and were usually right up Matt’s alley.

In the end, we didn’t come close to spending what the drink package cost, enjoyed plenty of drinks during the day, and were never hungover.

Can You Earn a Free Cruise by Playing in the Casino?

Yes!  On our last cruise, I only put a few hundred dollars total into the slot machines but played on it all week.  The number of casino points I accrued from that play was enough for them to email me free or almost free cruise offers daily.  Many may be $50 or $100, but some with a $50/$100 onboard credit.  You will be responsible for taxes, port fees, gratuities, etc. 

I haven’t cruised with Carnival in about 6 years and also get emails from them daily as well.  I do want to add a disclaimer that you need to gamble responsibly.  If you have a gambling problem, stay out of the casino.

When Cruising, is the Ship or the Ports Most Important?

When I am searching for cruises I almost always look at the ports because I love visiting new places.  But in the future, now that the kids are older, I plan to put more consideration into the ship because that can make or break a cruise. 

Your ports can change, or you could encounter bad weather, so you want to make sure that there will be enough to do on the ship.  I find the search function on Royal Caribbean’s website to be very user-friendly allowing me to choose a departure port, month(s), and also destination if desired.  Once you have your results, you can click to see the sail dates and find the one that best fits your schedule.   

It’s not hard to find a wonderful itinerary on a fun ship if you do your research! It also clearly shows the price of an interior room, oceanview room, balcony room, or suite so that you can decide if you would like to get one room or two.

Where Do You Park at Cape Canaveral?

You can pull right up to the port, pull into the parking garage, valet your luggage, and quickly get parked the morning of your cruise.   I believe parking is around $17 per day, and you just pay a flat rate for the length of your cruise when you arrive. This was so easy, and if you are traveling with kids, the extra hassle of parking offsite and taking a shuttle is just not worth it.

Planning Our Next Cruise with Royal Caribbean

I am in the process of planning another cruise for our family! 

As I mentioned above, I am getting all of the targeted casino offers and it’s tempting to jump on one of these last-minute sails by myself!  It will likely be a last-minute booking, though, because our schedule is a bit at the mercy of our pool builder.    We are lucky enough to have two cruise terminals within 4 hours of our home in Dothan, Alabama, and another 3 around 5-6 hours away. Therefore, we have a variety of ships and itineraries to choose from, with everything from a 2-day cruise to a 14-day cruise.

Cruise Ports Near Southeast Alabama

We are based out of Dothan, Alabama, just north of the Florida panhandle and Panama City Beach. 

Our closest port to the cruise terminal is in Mobile, Alabama,  just under 3 hours away.  As of now only Carnival and Disney are cruising out of there. 

Jacksonville, Florida also has a cruise terminal and is 4 hours away. 

After that, New Orleans, Cape Canaveral, and Tampa are all under 6 hours away, and between those, you have a LOT of different options.  And it’s really easy to cruise the Bahamas from Florida as we did.

I prefer to cruise out of terminals that are within driving distance because airline cancellations can really through a wrench in your travel plans. 

If you are planning to fly to your cruise terminal, I highly recommend arriving 1-2 days prior to departure.  Plus, it gives you a chance to enjoy that town, and it’s almost like two vacations at once! 

This is a great opportunity to fly into Orlando and do a day at Disney or Universal before driving to your terminal at Port Canaveral or the Port of Tampa the next day.

All in all, we loved our Mariner of the Seas Bahamas Cruise!

So, if you made it this far, I hope that I have you excited about cruising again and cruising with older kids!   

If you have any questions about Royal Caribbean cruises that I did not answer in this Mariner of the Seas review blog post or even if you’d just like to share your cruise itinerary with me, leave me a comment.  I would love to hear about it!

PIN: Our Mariner of the Seas Blog Post