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!
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.
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!
CHECK IT OUT.. .
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas- March 2019
The Norwegian Breakaway- November 2018
Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas- 2018
Carnival Legend- ALASKA- 2016
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