I don't think a full review of this cruise is necessary since there have been so many ongoing reports, but I thought I'd comment on just a few things I noticed for those who have not been aboard the Mariner.

First, of course, we really enjoyed meeting our newly-MINTED friends. What a congenial, fun-loving group! Thanks to everyone for a wonderful vacation. We were delighted to learn that Jean and Clyde will be aboard the Navigator next year when we are.

This ship is really shipshape. I thought that there was a lot more obvious wear than when I was aboard two years ago (the upholstery was really showing its age in our cabin, for example) but the place is immaculate and everything sparkles. I find this entirely acceptable. With all the hard wear a ship endures, I think they do a great job keeping up with it all. Our cabin attendants, Isabel and Arturio, took flawless care of our room. The foam pillows we requested on our guest information form were actually on the bed when we arrived.

It did seem to me that the waiters were a bit pressured in Compass Rose and I wondered if they might be a little short-handed. The service was pleasant and showed the usual deft Radisson touch, but I sensed that the servers were having to move at warp speed to make it so. In La Verandah, we generally took our own plates to our tables. In the past, one was not allowed to carry so much as half a muffin, but that is not the case now. This is not something that bothers me, but it was a difference I noticed. Again, the service was cheerful and prompt and I enjoyed the luxury of having a decaf cappuccino with breakfast. I thought the food was excellent and those free-flowing wines at dinner were good as ever.

I had a facial in the spa and it was very enjoyable. The esthetician, Caroline, made it a very pleasant experience and she seemed to like her job.

The internet connection was slow as molasses and more expensive than it used to be. The cost is still quite reasonable but it ran a dollar or two per session for me to check my email rather than 25 cents or less.

We really enjoyed Kenny Smiles, the comedian. We had not seen him before and I thought he was one of the funniest people I'd ever seen. His humor is definitely over the top.

It is fun to travel with Ngaire and Ken! This was our first time to meet them and we enjoyed it ever so much. Not only are they lovely people but Radisson really rolls out the red carpet for them and we rode their coattails to some fun events.

The pre-cruise arrangements in LA were excellent!! We were met before we collected our luggage by a Radisson representative, who saw us to the hotel shuttle. Once there, there was yet another rep who gave us all the information we would need to make our transfer the next morning. It's never been this well-organized before, and this time they took care of every detail AND communicated this information to us. Though we followed instructions, our luggage was not brought down the the shuttle to the ship. When it was clear we were without our luggage, the rep went into high gear and tracked it down. I think it was because of her that we did not sail without our baggage. Embarkation was a breeze. Debarkation was similarly seamless. Once the ship was cleared after we arrived in LA, we were off and on our way to the airport in no time flat.

We booked a couple of cruises for next year and I'm already eager to go.

MarnaLou