TRAVEL: Cruising the Caribbean
Fun and sun aboard Mariner of Seas
Cruising is for the elderly! Well, that's the stereotype I had in mind when a cruise holiday was suggested to me.
Although there may have been a few blue rinses onboard the Royal Caribbean's 'Mariner of Seas' there was an equal number of all other ages too, so our party of six ranging from eight years old to 71 felt more than comfortable.
The ship, docked at Cape Canaveral in Florida, was an awesome sight. With a total length of 1,020ft and weighing in at 138,000 tonnes it has a capacity to hold 3.114 passengers and the Mariner of the Seas has something for everyone.
This Voyager Class cruise ship has state-of-the-art recreational facilities such as a rock-climbing wall (on deck 14), an ice-skating rink and a five story theatre - from orchestra pit to domed ceiling – with productions to rival any in the West End of London.
We had taken the advice of the brochure and checked-in online prior to our departure which saved time when boarding.
On embarkation (which was a very fast and easy service) we were issued with our 'SeaPass'" cards. These cards allow you to purchase items onboard which then link to your credit card, therefore creating a cashless system.
Obviously this has many plus points but could cause problems when your 'little darlings' have their own card and a penchant for Ben & Jerry's!
Luckily you are able to access your SeaPass account via the television in your room so you can keep tabs on spending.
The cruise itself is all-inclusive although there are several bars and restaurants onboard that require additional costs – make sure you get your bearings before you pay out for any F&B – it is usually free just around the corner!
Talking of food – you've never seen so much. Breakfast is a beautiful American-style buffet of the highest standard and there really is something for everyone - including diabetics! You can actually have sugar-free maple syrup on your pancakes. Heaven!
Dinner is an altogether more formal affair and is taken in the beautiful, Titanic-esque, 3 storey dining room.
On booking your cruise you have the option of two sittings for dinner – 6.30 and 8.30pm. We opted for the latter so as not to miss any time on the islands.
On boarding the ship you are given a table number that your party will be seated at for the duration of the cruise, thus getting to know your waiting staff in time for gratuities on departure.
Whilst cruising for seven days, be prepared for 2 formal Captain's dinners - one smart casual and three casual – bearing in mind that shorts and beachwear are frowned upon in the dining room.
The food is prepared by 110 chefs, caters for all tastes and is absolutely amazing. My diabetic mother-in-law was overjoyed at sugar free puddings every night!
We purchased a wine package for around 70 ($140) so that we could enjoy a different bottle with our dinner each evening. It is worth mentioning that under 21s are not permitted to drink alcohol on board (as per US law) which was such a shame for my nephew (being 18) as the frozen rum cocktails served on the pool deck by very attentive service waiters - were quite delicious.
Stateroom facilities are very good though shower-rooms are fairly small. Your stateroom attendants look after you extremely well, changing towels and sheets (twice a day) – whether they need it or not. Taking care of a cabin with my son and nephew (eight and & 18) would have been a challenge for anyone!
We decided on interior staterooms (due to cost) which meant we didn't have any natural daylight. We were expecting only to use the room for sleeping, but in hindsight – to see the outside world go by would have been rather nice – if only to see what the weather was doing!
Adjoining staterooms are available for families and for a price you can choose from an ocean-view, balcony or suite/deluxe stateroom.
Excitement mounted each evening after dinner when we all rushed back to our staterooms to discover what towel animal we had been left with that night. They even held a workshop to learn how to fold towels into spectacular shapes to delight your household once at home!
One thing we didn't consider was washing (clothes - that is)! For a fee, your washing and ironing will be done for you but to try washing and drying underwear in your tiny shower room (with no natural daylight or air) is a bit of a problem.
One tip worth remembering whilst packing for your trip is to take fewer clothes with you than you think you need but more underwear than you think you need – a rule to live by!
It is quite awe-inspiring to be told that the ship has, not only rock climbing and ice-skating, but also a large Casino (where most of the blue-rinses spent their time on slot machines), themed bars and lounges, a champagne bar, golf simulator, nine-hole miniature golf course, a huge day spa and fitness centre and a Royal Promenade full of duty free shopping opportunities.
The entertainment programme and on-board activities could also prove to be exhausting. A schedule was left each evening in your stateroom with the following day's events giving very useful information about what was going on both onboard and on-shore.
It detailed which port we would be docking at, weather forecast and what great shopping deals could be had on the islands along with dress code for the evening meal.
The variety shows in the Savoy Theatre are second to none and often there are two showings per evening to ensure that everyone gets a chance to see them.
An ice dance show was one of the not-to-be-missed events of the cruise and was superb! There is also late-night comedy and entertainment if that takes your fancy but to be honest, we were too shattered to go!
Adventure Ocean youth facilities were split into age ranges with activities to suit. Pirate Day proved rather popular with the six- to eight-year-olds who hi-jacked the formal dining room to capture Captain Johnny during dinner!
For the teens – things are little more laid back with lounging areas just for them (no parents allowed). Apparently there is even a disco – but I don't think we even found that!
The pool decks were obviously quite busy though we didn't have too much trouble finding a lounger. There were two salt water pools and several hot-tubs to relax in whilst drinking those lovely cocktails.
On days at sea, the activity staff take over the lower pool deck for some fun and excitement. Not being our cup-of-tea and probably something to do with being British – we endured excited Americans taking part in some very 'Butlins-type' entertainment. Luckily enough, this only occurred once as usually a steel band or a Bob Marley tribute would play whilst you soaked up the sun drinking those (have I mentioned before) lovely cocktails!
Booking excursions couldn't be easier as you use your stateroom TV to browse, select and pay for your trips (being a larger party we booked our excursions via the excursions desk).
Royal Caribbean suggests looking on their website months before departure to browse the very large selection of excursions - which is always a good idea so as not to miss out on the 'must dos'.
The Mariner of the Seas has many Ports of Call but our destinations included Haiti, Ochio Rios, George Town and Cozumel; making up the Western Caribbean cruise.
Labadee, Haiti
Sitting on the north coast of the island of Hispaniola is Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private paradise. This beautiful island (which is actually home to two countries, Haite and the Dominican Republic), offers pristine beaches and breathtaking scenery and numerous activities to choose from.
Whether you're interested in kayaking, snorkelling, parasailing or you just want to lie on the beach and relax, Labadee has everything covered including a beach BBQ prepared by the ship's catering team.
If the destination appears a little manufactured then it's because it probably is - but the activities are well organised and fairly easy to find, all within a fairly small area.
We decided to snorkel over the coral reef in the morning and hired our equipment on the beach – this saved us some cash as the alternative was to be taken to a snorkel site. The reef is home to numerous tropical fish and marine life and we were able to practice out techniques for later in the week.
The afternoon took us on a Seatrek Kayak adventure! The brief told us that it would be a 'leisurely paddle around the Bay of Labadee' - I don't think our party agreed with the leisurely part but we did learn about the colourful heritage of Haitian culture, enjoyed the beautiful scenery and landscapes. The minimum age for this tour was eight, much to my eight-year-olds delight!
There are plenty of other excursions to enjoy such as the historic walking tours, Dragons Breath flight line (the longest zip wire over water in the world), parasailing, powerboat tours and jet-skis to hire. Well, maybe next time!
Ochio Rios, Jamaica
On Jamaica's north coast is the town of Ochio Rios. The Spanish translation means waterfalls – of which there are many including the spectacular Dunns River Falls.
We had trouble deciding what to do in Jamaica as with over 50 excursions, the choice was vast. We settled on "Ochio Rios Highlights" which included a trip to Shaw's Park Gardens and Dunns River Falls.
Shaw's Park hosted an enjoyable morning's tour around the tropical gardens. The tour guide was both knowledgeable and interesting, introducing us to the plentiful banana spiders and the banyan trees which were introduced the Jamaica over 100 years ago.
As you would expect in Jamaica everything is "No Problem Mon" and no one rushes about. The trip didn't really go to plan and we ended up missing the Dunns River Falls climb experience (a 600ft climb up the icy waterfall). The Falls themselves are beautiful and well worth a visit.
We found Jamaica to be colourful and interesting but unfortunately the hassle we had to endure most of the day became very tiresome and embarrassing. You need to be assertive and firm to cope with the constant pestering.
It is important to mention that whilst in the Caribbean you must always stick to ships time rather than island time or the ship will leave you behind as a few former ship-mates discovered.
George Town, Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is one of a group of three magnificent tropical islands Christopher Columbus found on his journeys. Among other attractions, visitors to the island can enjoy learning about the turtles, visiting the town of Hell, exploring Seven-Mile Beach and enjoying the amazing undersea world.
We opted for a relaxing day on Seven-Mile Beach with a little snorkelling to boot. The reefs are alive with tropical fish and the island really does cater for all water sports. Jet skis, inflatable boats and paragliding are all readily available on the beach.
Stingray City is a once in a lifetime adventure that we decided not to embark upon - we still remember the late Steve Irwin with affection! - but snorkelling and touching these velvety soft creatures and rubbing their bellies is a pastime boasted by the park.
Grand Cayman is also known as Brand Cayman, being the tax free haven that it is, all jewellery, watches and designer merchandise can be bought duty-free.
Again, there are so many excursions to choose from and not enough time in the day to try them out. Grand Cayman is one island that we would love to return to!
Cozumel, Mexico
Mexican at heart but with a Caribbean soul, Cozumel is a paradise with perfect white beaches and crystal clear sea. Famed for its coral reefs and water sports, everyone can find something to try out.
We decided to take the family to the Dolphinarium as a treat on our final island. Dolphinaris is nestled on the shore and guests can interact with the dolphins in a more natural habitat. Guests can choose from a variety of programs like: swim with dolphins, snorkel with stingrays; learn how to train a dolphin, participate on the kids program or enjoy a private session with family or friends.
The experience wasn't cheap at around $75 but a kiss from a dolphin even made my 18 year old nephew grin!
For me this was the highlight of the cruise – to see my family playing with these beautiful creatures bought a tear to my eye.
www.royalcaribbean.com
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Weather for Biggleswade
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: West
