GETTING AWAY

Ship’s Log
Mariner of the Seas
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
Passenger Capacity: 3144
Itineraries: 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises, round trip from Los Angeles.

Let me say that I’m very much an outdoor person, so I was excited when I found out about all of the onboard activities that involved sunshine and fresh air. The sports deck was great  — which included a miniature golf course, a rock-climbing wall, in-line skating and a basketball court. There’s something very unique about being able to enjoy the surrounding ocean while playing a little miniature golf or scaling the climbing wall. Just a few steps away is the walking track around the perimeter of the deck, also overlooking the ocean, as well as the pools on the deck below. Yes, I actually walked the track in an effort to work off some of the treats I had indulged in earlier.

In the afternoon, it was great to find a spot in the sun or shade by one of the pools. One day we spent our time at the main pool and listened to a reggae band. The following day, we spent our afternoon at the Solarium pool which had a more quiet, serene atmosphere for sunning or reading.

Early evenings were great for walking the Royal promenade, a four-story open area filled with specialty shops, pubs and the Cafe Promenade. The atmosphere was open and light and even when it was at its busiest, it never seemed crowded. People were always sitting at the sidewalk pubs and cafes enjoying coffee or a cocktail.

All of it was stunning, but I think my favorite was the decor in the cafe. The walls are covered in the most gorgeous scenes from Moulin Rouge that looked like art of Toulouse Lautrec with the trademark metallic touches so frequently seen in the work of Gustav Klimt. It made me happy to just sit there and have a cup of coffee — okay, and a dessert.

— Sherri Rowland

Photo by Sherri Rowland