At Sea on the Seven Seas Mariner

I love sea days! They allow time for rest, relaxation, and exploration of the ship. The Seven Seas Mariner sailed her maiden voyage in March 2001, so the ship was almost new when we sailed on her during the December holidays. We used our sea days checking out the Mariner, the pool and the balcony on our gorgeous cabin. We also contributed some of our hard-earned money to the casino and the onboard shops, and spent a lot of time (of course) in the Internet cafe called Club.com to avoid getting Web-withdrawal. Ronnie loves movies, so he checked out some of the movies in the library to watch on the VCR in our room while I read on the balcony. We were busy at sea!

Facts and Figures on the Seven Seas Mariner
The Mariner is the first all-suite, all-balcony ship. There's no such thing as one of those claustrophobic inside cabins. There aren't even any traditional outside cabins. Everyone has a balcony, even in the "H" class suites (the cheapest cabins). The 50,000 ton Mariner accommodates her guests in 354 luxurious suites that range in size from 301 square feet to 1,580 square feet (including the balcony). Four restaurants with open seating will make sure that we never go hungry. There is an exclusive Carita Spa on board to pamper passengers, and a Health Club and jogging track to help counteract the effects of the dining venues. For people who love "facts" about cruise ships, here are the vital statisitics on the m/s Seven Seas Mariner.

• Gross Tonnage: 50,000 tons
• Shipyard: Chantiers de l'Atlantique St. Nazaire, France
• Inaugural Sailing: March 2001
• Cruising Speed: 20 knots
• Length: 670 feet
• Width: 90 feet
• Draft: 21 feet
• Capacity: 700 guests, 445 crew
• Space Ratio: 71.4, the highest of any cruise ship
• Passenger decks: 8