RELAX
A Floating
Metropolis
Landlubbers ahoy! Put
on your sea legs and plan
your sail-cation with
the impressive Mariner
of the Seas from Royal
Caribbean International, a
world-class cruise line.
I was awoken by the first
tendrils of the morning sun
creeping in through the slightly
drawn curtains. The fresh ocean
breeze wafted through the
opened door; I had left it ajar
the previous night specially for
this moment – being woken up
by a refreshingly different sight
and smell to what I’m used to in
the city.
Watching a sunrise from the
privacy of your own balcony in
the middle of the ocean beats
anything the city can offer hands
down. And as I look
out into vast, deep
blue as far as the eye can see, I
knew there was nowhere else I
wanted to be.
Where am I?
I’m on board the Mariner of the
Seas, one of the
ships in the Royal Caribbean
International fleet, cruising
somewhere in the middle of the
Malacca Straits. It’s a small
city cruising in the middle of
the ocean, just without the
maddening traffic jams and
towering skyscrapers.
Clamber up the signature rock wall
and admire the view overlooking the
ocean some 40 feet above deck.
Head down to the ice skating rink and
swish (or in my case, waddle) around
the rink. In fact, Royal Caribbean is the
only cruise line to offer ice skating rinks
with complimentary shows featuring
professional skaters.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
Get your kids to make new friends at
Adventure Ocean led by the certified
youth staff with programmes such as
scavenger hunts, face painting,
talent shows and more.
Length
1,020 feet (310 m) or
about three football fields
Guest capacity
Comfortably takes in 3,807 guests
with 1,185 crew members tending
to your every need
Before I knew it, the sun had
begun its descent and I headed
to the open-air deck to partake
in the glorious view of the
ocean, coloured golden by the
hue of the sun’s rays. Once the
sun had disappeared into the
horizon, it was time to head for
dinner.
SPEED
22 knots (about 40 km/h)
Number of decks
14 decks (or floors)
The DreamWorks Experience!
Your kids will love the DreamWorks experience on board the Mariner of the Seas,
exclusive to Royal Caribbean! Beloved characters such as Shrek and Princess
Fiona and Po from Kung Fu Panda will delight and entertain young and
old alike during their parades and even your meals!
The iconic animated characters
will drop by as you’re tucking
in to mingle with guests and
maybe, even steal a
French fry or two.
Family & Life • Nov 2013
Dismiss the notions you have of cruises
only being for retirees and punters
looking for their gambling fixes. The
Mariner of the Seas offers a plethora of
exhilarating activities and attractions
for the entire family. The best part:
almost all of it is included in your
cruise fare, removing the hassle of
bringing money on board for your daily
needs. Everything else is charged to
your card.
Channel your inner Tiger Woods and
putt your way through the mini golf course.
Mariner of the Seas
Fun Facts
26
I enjoyed a leisurely complimentary
breakfast on my balcony, brought to me
by the affable room service staff, while
savouring the incredible ocean view.
The dining options on
board the Mariner of the
Seas are nothing short of
spectacular, with the Main Dining
Room complemented by three
speciality dining restaurants – Johnny
Rockets, Chops Grille and Giovanni’s
Table. Following a satisfying multicourse dinner, I was once again spoilt
of the
ariner
iple
M
for choice with 17 bars and lounges
mult
ils to
. Opt
offering a post-drink tipple to
eas sa the region
S
to the
d
toast to a satisfying day past.
aroun night jaunt or an
cities
elt f
rt thre tries or vau es you
ho
t se
for a s ing coun
I went back to my room,
ge tha hi Minh
our
packa
ighb
ht
ne
Ho C
sufficiently buzzed and satiated,
ht-nig
ng to
eig
isi
ai.
exotic r family cru nd Shangh
and left the door ajar to
u
ga
and yo Hong Kon
welcome the following day’s
City,
on at
vacati
sunrise and refreshing salty
amily
.
next f
om.sg
ocean breeze.
k your lcaribbean.c
Boo
oya
www.r
CMY
K