Royal Caribbean ups ante for short cruises from Miami with revamped Mariner of the Seas

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Get ready for a new era of short cruises out of Miami. 

Royal Caribbean’s 3,114-passenger Mariner of the Seas on Monday will begin three- and four-night voyages to the Bahamas out of the city, becoming the newest and biggest vessel in the market for such trips. 

The new sailings come in the wake of a massive, $120 million makeover of the ship that included the addition of new deck-top water slides, a FlowRider surfing pool, a virtual reality bungee trampoline experience and other fun-focused attractions. 

Also added to Mariner: A new Italian restaurant by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and a retro-chic tiki bar. 

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Formerly based in Asia, Mariner spent a month in a shipyard in Cadiz, Spain to undergo the overhaul. The vessel originally was built in 2003. 

The new virtual reality attraction on Mariner is called Sky Pad. Passengers wear virtual reality headsets while on a bungee trampoline to experience what it’s like to bounce over moon craters. They also can compete in “intergalactic games.”

Two new water slides Mariner, called Cyclone and Typhoon, spiral around the back of the ship near the new FlowRider surfing pool and Mariner’s existing rock-climbing wall. 

The new, glow-in-the-dark laser tag experience takes place in Studio B, Mariner’s ice skating rink. Mariner also has a new escape room experience called The Observatorium. 

The new Jamie Oliver restaurant, Jamie’s Italian, is a concept that already exists on several other Royal Caribbean ships. Other food and beverage options added to Mariner include Japanese eatery Izumi Hibachi Sushi, which also appears on a number of other Royal Caribbean vessels.

The new tiki bar, dubbed The Bamboo Room, is a new concept for Royal Caribbean that only will be found on Mariner for now. It boasts a Polynesia theme and serves hand-crafted cocktails. Mariner also received a new sports bar and arcade.

Mariner’s new schedule of three- and four-night voyages to the Bahamas will feature stops in Nassau and CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island destination. 

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