Wife and I are going on the Marininer from FLL to Manaus Jan 10th. Any "secret" things I should know about the Mariner to make what I think will be a great cruise that much better. Been on many cruises but never Radisson. TY

Welcome to LCT Circleboy! We will be on this cruise also! Please share your names and cabin # so I can add you to our rollcall. The nickname for this South America trip is "Sambuca", we seem to have a tradition here of giving group cruises a nickname (acronyms). Here is the roll call thread: South America on Mariner

We've only been on the Mariner once before ourselves and had a wonderful time. I think you'll like Radisson a lot like so many of us here do!

Also, we'd love to hear more about you. Please visit the INTRODUCTION thread so we can learn about you and you can learn about us.

Circleboy - I hope you have a wonderful trip. Secrets ... hmm ... here's what I've enjoyed on Mariner (my favorite ship in the fleet):

- Head up to Signatures & Latitudes to make reservations on the first day. You can either book a table for 2 or for a shared table with others (we've had good luck both ways). Day 3 is usually a good day to book in the specialty restaurants.

- Tea time trivia is always fun. It's usually form your own team & go for it. Horizon lounge is generally the location

- You'll be crossing the equator on this trip. If you haven't already done so by ship, you're considered a pollywog. There's a King Neptune ceremony for those who are crossing for the first time. It's fun.

- One of the "house drinks" is called a BBC - Baileys, Bananas & Cream. Very delicious; ask them to make it with fresh bananas. If Sergio is a bartender onboard, he is great. Mario is also wonderful.

- If lectures related to the history of the ports you are visiting are available, go. They are generally excellent.

- La Verandah is often a nice change of pace for dinner. Best menu up there is usually on formal night (same is true for Compass Rose). Menus are posted near the restaurants during the day; check them out before you decide where to go for dinner. Last time we were aboard La Verandah was casual on formal nights (nice option if you've had an active day onshore)

- If Momo is the maitre d' in Latitudes, you are in for a very good time. If they have the "under the sea" menu, I'd highly recommend Latitudes for one of those evenings.

- They offer a house white & red wine with dinner each evening. You can also ask for well drinks at your table as well as an after-dinner drink. If you don't like that evening's house selection, you can generally get a wine you prefer. Just ask the waiter or wine steward.

- Take the time to talk with the staff & officers on board. They are a wealth of information & are happy to share it with you. Makes for a more interesting trip for them & a better time for you.

Cheers, Anne

We were on the Mariner in Alaska last June and will be on the Navigator out of San Juan in March. While the reservations only restaurants take only one set of reservations,they will sometimes accomodate walk-ins later in the evening. They stagger the reservations so as not to get too frantic and are prepared to reset the earliest tables for latecomers if possible. Check with the maitre d' later in the meal but early enough to go to Compass Rose if you can't get in.

I am sure that you will have a wondeful trip.
If you are like me and have a lot of electronic gadgets to keep charged take a light weight electric strip to multiply the two outlets on the desk area. As you will be travelling in a very humid area keep your camera and video in a plastic bag when in the air conditioned room.
The food and entertainment wull be first class and the staff wonderfully kind, cheerful and helpful.
Read some of the cruise reviews on this site, they will give you lots of information.
Have a great experience.

Secrets:

I just got off a 34 day cruise on the Mariner and can offer some additional insight to the Rardisson experience.

The first secret is that over the past several years the line has gotten money hungry from is past days. Drinks used to be $3 to 5 are now $8 to 11 extra cabin liquor used to be 7 to 9 it is now $25 to 35 and more expensive than on land

Shore excursions used to be marked up 35%, now they are at 300 to 400% and not very good...Arrange your own and don't rely on the ships tarvel desk they will not give you the assistance you want if you are not on the ships tour. I was told at several ports there were no rental cars and there were scads of them. At another port they arranges a avis rental car for $320 a day.....even avis laughed at this and gave me a rate of $53

Food is outstanding in all, but Latitudes and Signatures have both slid in quality to a point that the Compass Rose is the best place to dine with the best meals and presentation.....I dined 4 times in Signatures and each time it faled to be as good as Compass Rose.. which has risen in quality under exec chef Quinn Mc Mahonn.....

La Veranda is Italian but every week goes to an Italian Steak house..... which is excellent.


The email runs 25 cents a min and it takes as much a 4 min to connect......plan accordingly

The ship is great the food is great the staff is great.... but the company is messing with success i feel