Monday, July 13, 2026

The Suite Life of Chris and Kellie- Day 4

Pins and Needles
Cozumel, Mexico 
June 16, 2026 

Morning
Chris had a really tough night with his neuropathy and was in a lot of pain. We were awake as we pulled into to Cozumel and got dressed for the day quickly. We have been to Cozumel over 20 times and opted to stay on the ship for a empty ship experience. 

Hello Tuesday! 

We went to the MDR for breakfast just as soon as they opened at 8AM. The service was better than the first sea day but not by much. Royal Caribbean likes to completely fill up a section of tables and then start taking orders. Some people order "fruit and granola" appetizers that then come before all the main entree's even if tables like ours did not order anything. This whole process makes the service feel less personable and take much longer. Chris says the Breakfast Burrito was "worth the wait" but I am not really sure. Our breakfast experience on this day took over 45 minutes, which was longer than any night in the MDR thus far! 


The Breakfast Burrito- 4.5+
(Not quite as good as a Whataburger Taquito but still really good)

After breakfast we went to the Mariner Dunes Mini-Golf on the 13th deck. We have a tradition of playing mini-golf on nearly all of our cruises and once again, Chris WON! And it was not even close this time as he won by 3 holes. (I have decided I need a warm-up round as I am always better on the back half.) This truly is one of my favorite traditions! 


It is a tradition... 


After 30 cruises, we have had 29 games I have only won a handful! 
(MSC did not have a mini-golf course) 


This course was a lot of fun to play with lots of obstacles! 


It was a HOT day!

We then went to the Solarium to enjoy a completely empty pool and hot tub. We had the MASSIVE hot tub to ourselves for nearly 30 minutes until a lovely couple from Whitehouse, TX joined us. Oddly enough the husband was a New Caney HS graduate and we talked New Caney for nearly an hour. 


Port days in the Solarium are MY FAVORITE! 

Afternoon
Chris and I enjoyed the Solarium hot tub, pool and general ambiance for over 3 hours before showering and getting ready for an afternoon aboard the Mariner of the Seas. We went to Sorrento's and grabbed a few slices of pizza before going to Playmakers to watch more of the World Cup. I think Playmakers on a College Football weekend would be INCREIDBLE! We decided to order the Jalapeno Poppers and they turned out to be very good and worth the $8 in my opinion. Slowly, more and more passengers started getting back on the ship and it was time for us to enjoy a nap. 


The Jalapeno Poppers- 4.5
These were $7.99 and well worth it in our opinion! 

After our brief nap we went to the Vitality Spa for Chris's acupuncture appointment. Dr. Ling started right away putting needles all over Chris's feet. She eventually placed over 40 needles into his feet, legs, hands and even his scalp. She also informed Chris that he has neuropathy as well as tendonitis in both of his feet as well as his left hand. This would actually explain why sometimes it is more of cramping feelings in addition to the nerve pain. She placed a few wires around the needles in his feet and set up an electric session for around 30 minutes. Chris said he could feel the pulses the whole time. Dr. Ling came back and took out all of the needles, except the two in his scalp that we noticed about 30 minutes later. 


These needles and electric wires were CRAZY to watch! 

Dr. Ling advised an additional session, but of course, but offered a discount (eye roll). The whole acupuncture process of 2 60 minute sessions were $497 with gratuity. This seemed outrageous but just 2 weeks prior we met with a chiropractic offering "full healing" with new soft-wave technology for only $10K. TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS... So to be honest, this $500 seemed like chump change. And even after this first session, Chris was walking better than I had seen him walk in 5-8 months. I had real hopes! 

After the acupuncture session we went to the Schooner Bar for afternoon trivia but we did not win. We opted to watch sail-away from our balcony but it did not last long as we were fully in the sun and it was HOT! 

Evening
We got dressed for the evening and then went to Playmakers to watch more of the World Cup and hopefully The College World Series as Texas was playing and I love watching saxeT lose! We decided to try another appetizer from Playmakers, the nachos, and they were incredible! We will definitely be ordering these on our upcoming Symphony cruise with the kids!

The Playmakers Nachos- 5.0
We opted to add chili and it was $12.99 and we enjoyed these very much! 

We spent the entire evening in Playmakers before it was time for our 8:30PM dinner in the Main Dining Room. Yet again, we were the only table in our waiter's section and the service was phenomenal! The Taste of Mexico menu... not so much! This was awful and the ONLY redeeming grace was the tres leche cake as a dessert. We will be booking a specialty restaurant during this menu in the future. 


The Taste of Mexico Menu 


Tortilla Soup 
Kellie- 4.5
This reminded me of the Chili's enchilada soup and was very flavorful!


Escargot 
Kellie- 5.0
This is a MUST ORDER at least once on every Royal cruise. 


Pulled Pork Enchilada
Kellie- 2.5
I wanted to like this but it was not the Tex-Mex style I enjoy! 


Tres Leches Cake 
Chris-4.5 and Kellie-5.0
This is the redeeming factor for the entire menu! 

After dinner we went to take a brief nap and to finish watching Texas lose from our stateroom. Then we went to Boleros before going to Studio B for The Quest. This adults-only scavenger hunt is one of our favorite activities on Royal Caribbean and Lauren, the cruise director, did a fantastic job with this event. I suggest every adult attend this event once... It can get a little risqué but it is hilarious! 


One time a cruise... Espresso Martini! 

After The Quest we went to the Pub for live music and loved singing along with the guitarist. We called it a night near 12:30AM as we were tired! 

Let's Talk Ship... Day 4 Recap 


Up Next... Our last day aboard Mariner of the Seas! 

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
MSC Seascape- April 2026









 


Carnival Conquest- 2006

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Friday, July 3, 2026

The Suite Life of Chris and Kellie- Day 3

 Port Day Special
June 15, 2026
Costa Maya, Mexico 


The cruise is halfway over but we are loving every minute of it! 

Morning
We woke up and tried to catch the sunrise but it was once again, it was cloud covered. The Mariner of the Seas was set to arrive in Costa Maya around 11:30AM so this felt more like a sea day morning than a port day. We decided to try out the Windjammer Buffet for breakfast around 8:15AM and to be honest it was not at all crowded, which was surprising. The Windjammer offered made to order omelets as well as delicious biscuits & gravy and so much more! Overall, I would give the WJ breakfast food a 4.0 rating. 


A Monday on a cruise ship ain't bad! 

Welcome to COSTA MAYA


Hello Costa Maya! 


Do you get off the ship and explore Costa Maya? 
Or do you enjoy a rather empty ship? 
Let us know! 

After breakfast we went to the Pool Bar on Deck 11 to get another bar checked off our "Bar Crawl". The service was exceptional and the Bloody Mary was on point! 


The Pool Bar was empty around 9AM which seemed a little odd but again, it is a later port arrival. 

Check out the Mariner MAIN POOL Deck! 

We then went to the Solarium to get some freshly squeezed orange juice and then laid out in the shade for over 2 hours. During those 2 hours the Solarium was not full at all- again, due to a later morning arrival. While we were in the Solarium we noticed a Spa Special for the port day. This special offered a 50 minute full body deep tissue massage as well as additional freebies for only $139 which was very cheap for an onboard spa package. TIP- Always check the Royal Promenade or the Solarium for these "day of" packages and especially on port days. The specials they send to the staterooms are GOOD prices but we have found the BEST and overall best VALUE packages are on the port day mornings and in these two locations. 


The port day special set up in the Solarium! 

THE SECRET... Book your SPA PACKAGE in the SOLARIUM! 
CHECK IT OUT.. .
Our $139 Special was worth EVERY PENNY!

We went to Schooner Bar for 80s Trivia and we came close to winning but came in 2nd place. We grabbed a slice of pizza before making our way to the Vitality Spa for our massages. 

Afternoon
Our massages were at 1:15PM and we arrived early to get checked in. While filling out details the acupuncture doctor noticed Chris walking slowly and not as steady so she gave him a consultation. (Chris has neuropathy really bad and suffers with foot pain daily.) Shortly afterwards, he booked an acupuncture session for the following day. 

The massage was incredible and my massage therapist did a fantastic job working on this tired teacher's muscles. The total cost of each massage (with gratuity and additional tip) was $170. This is a GREAT deal and worth every penny! 

After our massages it was 2:30PM and the ship was practically empty so we ventured to the Windjammer for a later lunch. The WJ only had one side open but it was the least busy I have seen a buffet in many, many cruises. Overall the Windjammer lunch food was fairly decent and I would rate it 3.0. I especially enjoyed the salad bar but I do feel the overall options were lacking. We grabbed a shake at Johnny Rocket's and it was delicious and FREE thanks to our Ultimate Beverage Package! 


Cookies and Cream is where it's at! 
This turned out to be our ONLY shake of the cruise! 


The Icon of the Seas docked in Costa Maya! 
The Icon will arrive in Galveston in August 2027!

Chris went and took a nap and I laid out in the Solarium for a very peaceful afternoon with very little traffic. I met Chris at Playmakers to watch the World Cup before making our way back to the room for sail away from Costa Maya around 6:30PM. However, we ended up waiting a very long time (over 45 minutes) due to a Royal Caribbean excursion being delayed getting back to the ship. REMINDER- The ship WILL NOT wait for you- unless it is for a CRUISE LINE excursion. Booking with a Third Party company means they will completely leave you if you are late. The Mariner of the Seas left for Cozumel at 7:47PM. 


This was the Solarium around 5:30PM. It was getting a little more crowded but still not near as busy as a sea day! 


A perfect sail away from Costa Maya! 

Evening
We got dressed for the evening and then made our way to Boleros where we met the funniest fellow cruiser who we talked to for a while before the live music started. We enjoyed the Latin music group and then went to our 8:30PM dinner time in the Main Dining Room. 

Another great pre-dinner drink evening in Boleros! 

Once again, we were the only people in our waiter's section and the service was phenomenal. The Taste of Caribbean menu, however, was just average. The appetizers were better than the main entrees. We often go to a specialty restaurant on the Taste of the Caribbean and the Taste of Mexico menu evenings. 


The Taste of the Caribbean MDR menu. 


French Onion Soup 
Kellie- 5.0


Coconut Shrimp 
Chris- 4.0 & Kellie- 4.5
This is a GREAT option to order DOUBLE! 

The Tiger Shrimp was ordered but I failed to take a picture! 
Chris & Kellie- 3.0
It was lacking quite a bit! 


Pineapple Cake 
Kellie- 4.0
This was light, fluffy and delicious! 


The Royal Cheese Plate 
Chris & Kellie- 4.0
This is always a must do for us and this was the perfect menu to do so! 
This was a view of our waiter's section with literally NO ONE! 

After dinner we spent some more time in the Casino (didn't win) and then enjoyed more live music in The Schooner Bar. The service in the Schooner Bar is always TOP NOTCH but these bartenders were some of the best we have had in recent cruises. We called it a night right before midnight. 

It was a great day spent on board a very empty ship and we loved every minute of it! 

Up next... Cozumel! 

Did you miss day 2?- Check it out HERE!

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
MSC Seascape- April 2026









 


Carnival Conquest- 2006

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Thursday, July 2, 2026

The Suite Life of Chris and Kellie- Day 2

The Easy Life
Sea Day #1
June 14, 2026


Formal Night on a cruise ship is one of our favorite things! 

Morning


Happy SUNDAY Y'all! 

I woke up early and tried to enjoy the sunrise on the balcony but there was lots of cloud coverage, so I opted to try to go back to sleep. The beds were "upgraded" according to Royal Caribbean standards (due to having a suite) but they were still very hard. TIP- Always bring a mattress topper if you can as they do not always have them available. We buy one at Walmart for $12.50 and then leave it on the cruise. That $25 investment is worth it every time. 

We got ready and went to the Main Dining Room for breakfast. This is one of our favorite things on any cruise ship as the food is more "fresh" than at the buffet and it is not near as crowded. However, in recent cruises Royal Caribbean service has been very slow in the MDR for breakfast and this morning proved to be the same as it took longer to have breakfast in the MDR than it did to have dinner, which is crazy. The food was great and even with a longer service time, we enjoyed the breakfast experience. 


The MDR Breakfast Menu 


The Mariner of the Seas Main Dining Room... It is absolutely breathtaking! 

After breakfast we went to the Solarium Bar and met yet another bartender who knew us from the Anthem of the Seas 2025 to Alaska. TIP- This bar offers multiple types of protein shakes, smoothies and fresh fruit juice (the carrot juice seemed odd). Even around 9AM on a Sea Day, this Solarium Adults Only area was not that crowded. We opted to lounge around in this area for over an hour before heading to the Top Tier Event in the Royal Theater. 

The Top Tier Event is for Emerald and above Crown and Anchor members (those who have sailed 55 nights or more on Royal Caribbean) and is a recognition and celebration of Royal's most loyal cruise passengers. We love attending this event to meet new cruise friends and even meet the Cruise Director and Captain. We actually talked with the CD for over 20 minutes about cruises and the ships she had been on. This Top Tier Event did not off the Q&A session with the Captain like previous cruises but we enjoyed it nonetheless. 


I love the PRIVATE concert the Orchestra gave the Top Tier guests! 


This sailing stats for the Crown and Anchor Society!
NEXT TIME... We will be DIAMOND! 


The Captain of the Mariner of the Seas... Oddly enough, he collects CARS! 

Us with the Cruise Director- Lauren! She was so friendly! 


And our traditional picture with the Captain!

After this event we went to the Casino Bar and enjoyed getting to know that bartender and hear about his life back in the Philippians but before we knew it, it was already after 1PM so we hurried to the MDR for lunch. 


This bar was centrally located and easy to grab a drink and go (or not). 

Afternoon
The service in the MDR for lunch was MUCH faster but we have learned that the service often depends on when you arrive. Since the lunch service stopped in the MDR at 1:30PM, we were towards the tail end of the dining time and the waiters seemed to be in a bit more of a rush. This allowed our lunch to be in and out of the MDR within 30 minutes but we did have to take our desserts to go as we were just too full. 


The MDR Lunch menu (Sea Days only) 


Mozzarella Sticks 
Chris & Kellie- 4.5
These are really simple but we LOVE them and order them every time! 


The Potato Soup
Chris- 4.0
It needed more actual potatoes! 


The Royal Caesar Salad
Kellie- 4.5 
Exceptionally done this time! 


The Butternut Squash Risotto 
Kellie- 4.0
This is SO RICH but so very flavorful and delicious! 


The Lamb Pita 
Chris- 4.0
This was not as good as he remembered it being but he enjoyed it! 

We went back to the room to put the Key Lime Pie in the fridge and take a brief nap and then we went to the Royal Theater for the Love and Marriage Show. This show is always comical and this one did not disappoint but it was certainly our OLDEST set of 3 married couples- all over 50 years old (even the newly weds). 

We made our way up to the Viking Crown Lounge to get the most perfect view of the Lido Deck on the Mariner of the Seas. We really enjoy this area of Freedom Class ships and smaller as it allows crystal view of upper decks of the ship and it is in the AC. The bar oftentimes has various hours so be sure to check the Cruise Compass (or app) for more details! 


A view of the Main Pool Deck from deck 14 inside the Viking Crown Lounge. 

We went back to the balcony as it was in the shade and enjoyed the incredibly calm seas for nearly 2 hours before getting dressed for the evening and heading to Boleros. TIP- Boleros is not usually our favorite as it is usually live music central and oftentimes very loud and overstimulating but this venue was much smaller and way more "chill" than any other Boleros we have seen. We ended up spending a lot of time here throughout the cruise. 


The seas were PERFECT! 


This is the LIFE... Absolutely perfect seas and a balcony! 
It doesn't get much better than this! 


I love the 2x a day service provided for Suite guests and an additional towel animal each day! 

Let's Talk Ship- Day #2 



I am ready for Formal Night... let's do this! 


 I love getting dressed up on a cruise ship! 


Boleros is a HUGE hit with so many cruisers and this cruise was a hit with us as well! 

Evening
We went to the Royal Theater to watch the Gallery of Dreams production show and the singers and dancers were phenomenal and such a change of pace and upgrade from our most recent cruise on the MSC Seascape 2026 where the production was high school level- at best! These performers were literally SHOW STOPPING! Be sure to catch this show if you are sailing on the Mariner of the Seas in the near future.


This is a great show- Do not miss it! 

After this show we went to Playmakers to enjoy more of the World Cup before dinner. TIP- The service in Playmakers was some of the best we experienced on the ship. The bartenders not just knew up but knew our order and we're very social and friendly. We were also able to meet a few fellow cruisers and talk ship with them which is always nice. 

Dinner in the MDR was formal night and we expected more people on the 5th floor of the MDR but it was very scarce once again. And we were for the 2nd night the ONLY table in our waiter's section. This made service more personal and very fast. The menu for the MDR this formal night was Taste of France and the menu options were plentiful and delicious! We were in and out of the dining room on formal night in about 50 minutes. 


The MDR Taste of France Menu 


French Onion Soup 
Kellie- 5.0 & Chris- 5.0
Once again, it is famous for a reason! 


The Calamari
Kellie- 4.0
This was very chewy! 


Steak au Poivre
Kellie & Chris- 4.5
This was cooked perfectly (medium rare) and the flavors were spot on! 


Seafood Linguine (Shared) 
Chris & Kellie- 4.5
This was SO GOOD... It's hard to pass up steak but this could be the main entree instead, it is THAT good! 


Creme Brulee' 
Chris- 4.5 & Kellie- 4.0
This is SUPER rich! 


Carrot Cake 
Chris- 4.5
He thinks this was better than the Creme Brulee! 

Let's Talk Ship- Sea Day #1 and Formal Night


After dinner we decided to go to the Pub to listen to the guitarist perform. He was performing all kind of music but we loved the Classic Rock style! We called it a night around 12:30AM. 


CHEERS! 


We loved John- the Pub Bartender! 


Cheers to Sea Day #1! 

This was a classic easy day spent aboard the Mariner of the Seas and we wouldn't have it any other way! 

Up next... Costa Maya, Mexico! 

Did you miss our 1st day? - Catch up HERE!

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
MSC Seascape- April 2026









 


Carnival Conquest- 2006


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