Mariner of the Seas Meets Disney Magic

Mariner of the Seas Meets Disney Magic

6^th March 2012

Last night, during formal night, the cruise director made an announcement. We wouldn’t be stopping at Grand Cayman tomorrow, due to the rough seas, as it would be impossible to tender from the ship to the dock. Instead we were switching the ports around. First Cozumel and Grand Cayman the following day.

Half way through the second session of shooting Moon, Diva came over to me and gave me some great news. Disney Magic would be meeting Mariner of the Seas in Cozumel tomorrow. I was so excited. Like a kid  at Christmas!! For the rest of the night, I was bouncing around, telling everyone.

Having a bit of a lie in, I gave Ani a call. We had about four and a half hours off. As soon as we got outside, I could see Mariner of the Seas in the distance. Rama said it’d only take 15 to 20 minutes to walk there. After ten minutes of walking we realized that it wasn’t going to take fifteen to twenty minutes but longer, much longer.

Once outside of the tourist area, Cozumel looked tatty and run down. The more you look at it, the more you can see how much of a tourism bubble we dock in. Ani commented on the lack of people around. I think it was David who told me that guests will always stay close to the cruise ship unless on tour. Very few will actually venture out on their own and he was right.

Half way to the Mariner of the Seas, we saw a relatively small building that looked like a hotel. There were crowds milling around, some wearing lifejackets. Ani and I walked over to investigate what was going on.

Looking over the balcony area there were people in a small pool wearing life jackets. It looked like they were on life raft training! Then we saw the dolphins. We’d finally found the place where you could “swim” with the dolphins. Judging by the size of the swimming pool there wasn’t much swimming to be done, and that’s on human standards! It was tiny.  Poor dolphins! It put Ani off and I wasn’t too keen either on the idea.

Later on we found out that it costs $65 to swim with the dolphins for approximately 45 minutes, that doesn’t include the professional photographs. Unfortunately we didn’t find out how much the photos were. It would have been interesting to see how much they charge. On the far end of the building was a large banner “Job Vacancies: Photographer Wanted!” If only I could… photographing dolphins would be something to have on the CV!

Closer towards the Mariner and things started to appear more tourist like again. We were walking into another bubble. “Taxi! Taxi!” “Shopping tours” “Hola señorita”. We reached a duty free shopping area which we had to pass through in order to get to the ship. It reminded me of Kusadasi.

Speaking to the security, he let us through. Passing through the shopping area there was another No Name Crew Bar and Señor Frog. We had one of each located close to where Disney Magic docks. The whole thing was becoming more and more unoriginal.

Mariner of the Seas wasn’t alone and ocked besides Liberty of the Seas and Carnival Freedom. It could be worse. We were docked next to a Costa ship which was causing a rather unnatural amount of excitement for some guests, especially an American family. “Oh my Godness, would you look at it, it’s a COsta”. How she managed to get cOsta out of Costa, I’ll never know, but the idea of being next to floating Costa ship seemed too much excitement for her. I wonder what she’d have done if she’d docked next to Costa Concordia?

Anyway, back to the Mariner, getting over to the next set of security, again Mexican security, I flashed my Disney Magic crew ID, and explained that I wanted to go over to the ship to see friends as I used to work on the ship. No chance. Apparently, to pass through I needed written permission from Mariner of the Seas which takes 72 hours to receive.

I asked if I could just go over to the ship’s security without getting on Mariner. That way, I could at least call a friend and knowing Mariner of the Seas security, they’d let me on the ship for a bit. I really wanted to show Ani around the cruise ship, and let her poke her head into the famous somewhat, infamous photographer’s corridor. The answer once again was no.

Head hanging low, we walked away, grabbed a cab and headed back towards Disney Magic. I was so put out. It was like someone dangling a XXL chocolate bar in front of a fat kid and snatching it away, just as he was going to take a bite! Seeing the Mariner also made me miss my previous team, Sandra, Zoran, Lee, Luci etc. It reminded me of the great times we’d had.

Stopping at No Name Crew Bar, the place I swore I wouldn’t go in again, I got my laptop out and connected to the internet. Ani’s finding it hard going on Disney Magic, more so than I am. She commented that no one does anything and that her boyfriend had told her so many grand stories about ship life. Disney Magic is just a really unfriendly ship.

Getting up a few photos on Facebook of the Mariner of the Seas days, I showed them to Ani. It brought back more memories like when we went to the Dead Sea in Israel and covered ourselves in mud. Sandra leap frogging over my back on the Centrum on Deck 5 during a quiet stint on formal night. Playing basketball at midnight after work. Running around Barcelona like headless chickens, getting to as many of the sights as possible. Now that is ship life! This, well, it’s just shit life.

Prashant from Mariner logged onto Facebook and asked if I was coming up to see them. I felt abit down about it, as I couldn’t see any of them. I was so close yet so far away. On the wrong side of the fence. Prashant’s security so it’s not like he can get off the ship and wander for an hour down to us at Disney Magic. Plus he would have let me get on board to show Ani around and see some of the other crew members.

Getting online after what seemed like forever, even though it was only in Key West, I spoke to my Mom. She seemed in good spirits and moaning at my Dad - she’s obviously getting better!

Unfortunately we didn’t rent a car either today. By the time we got back from Mariner we really didn’t have 

time. Plus, the changing of ports threw us. Next week, for sure, I’m renting a car and like I said to Ani, I’ll go even if I’m on my own. People want to come, but there’s a lot of talking and no action.

Speaking to Dave later on, I told him I was going to rent a car next time we’re in Cozumel. Jelise, one of the entertainers said she and Wes (another entertainer) wouldn’t mind tagging along and chipping in for the car to see the Mayan ruins. I’m wondering if I/we should split the days.

Go snorkelling one day and next time we’re in Cozumel, sightseeing. There seems to be quite a lot to see here and the island is small. Maybe we’ll be able to get around everywhere by the time we leave for New York? We might as well make the most of visiting these countries! Plus, we got here free and will be coming back on numerous occasions.

The other bonus, fingers crossed, is next time we are here, I’ll actually have money. That’s if I do get paid in St. Thomas in a week’s time! I’m still thanking my lucky stars for getting a $40 tip last cruise for the private photography session!