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21 Comments

  1. About to do the exact same cruise late next week , really enjoyed the information you have provided , many thanks !

    1. Hey Matt!

      No worries at all! Remember to stick to some our tips within! Enjoy the cruise!

      1. Great review. I am doing similar trip April 2016 on Golden Princess, and have also been this way, with some of the same ports back in 2010.

        Great reviw. Best I have seen!

        1. Thanks Alec, hope you’ll enjoy your next cruise as well!

          Tom,
          2bearbear.com

  2. Just got back it was GREAT again thanks for your tips we had a grand suite , you have to do that next time , you get concierge club and all sorts of extras , very nice , I have pics of that if you want them for your excellent article, thanks again , your review made it so much easier.

    1. Hey Matt,

      No worries at all, do send us your pics to our email : contact@2bearbear.com

      Thanks for sharing!

      Tom,
      2bearbear.com

  3. First time cruiser and off in January on the same cruise, so I was very pleased to read your post about Mariner of the Seas. Many thanks for taking the time (10 hours!!!) to put this together, it is the most comprehensive and insightful post on cruising I have read.

    1. Thanks for the compliments Emma! Remember to try the various entrees and desserts during fine dining (Rhapsody in Blue). Yes, you can have more than 1 option! Have a fantastic cruise ahead!

  4. What a cruise! Everything sounds and looks amazing! I’ve never been on a cruise before. Well yes in Halong bay Vietnam. But those are never as huge and luxurious as this!

    Thanks for sharing!

    1. You should try it some time Pham! Enjoy!

  5. Hi Tom

    Great helpful review of the trip, will be going with family in Jan 17. BTW, any chance of doing laundry when ship docks at Thailand or Vietnam? Any tips? Hope not to pack so much clothing for a family of 3.

    Cheers

    1. Hi Francis,

      Laundry can be done aboard the ship. So no worries there. Have an amazing trip and enjoy the entire experience!

      Tom,
      2bearbear.com

  6. Thank you Tom and Kate for putting together this excellent review. I’m so glad I stumbled upon this as I’m off with my brother on a 5 night cruise encompassing the new year on the Mariner of the Seas very soon. We were both excited before and have never been on a cruise either so your excellent work in putting this together has answered so many more questions I had. I’m even more excited now and I just know I wouldn’t normally be attending an art auction. But hey, I’m sold!!! 🙂 Thank you so much guys and I had to google the word “shiok” I like it.
    Cheers

    Mark

    1. Hey Mark,

      So glad that we’re able to assist in planning for the upcoming cruise. We’re sure it’ll be a blast! If you’re attending the auction, remember to read our post on our experience there and learn all the “insider tips” 😉

      https://2bearbear.com/art-on-royal-art-scam-on-royal-caribbean-c/

      Lastly, we’re so glad that you’ve learn a new Singlish word as well! If you’re having a meal with a Singaporean and the meal tastes good, remember to say “shiok!” and we’re sure they’ll be an instant connection!

      Happy Cruising Mark!

      Tom & Kate,
      2bearbear.com

      P.S. We didn’t get our painting in the end but did eventually get a refund. Tread with caution… 😉

  7. Hi, we are doing this same cruise in January 2017. You mention picking up private transportation at Laem Chabang, is this readily available at the port? Do you need to walk somewhere to get it, or are they on the wharf area waiting to get customers?

    1. Hey Ian,

      During our visit, the private transportation were available at the wharf area waiting to pick up tourists from the ship. We took transportation with the ship as we did not know about the private transportation then. The pros of transportation with the ship is that you’ll usually leave earlier than passengers who did not take the ship’s transportation. Also, you do not need to haggle the prices with the locals. However, from discussions with fellow passengers who took the private transportation, they mentioned that the return leg (especially shared among a group of 4) was cheaper than that of the ship.

      Hope this helps! Enjoy the upcoming cruise!

      Tom,
      2bearbear.com

      1. Hi Tom, thanks for the info. I suppose when negotiating the private transport you’d make sure the return cost was covered/sorted. We are also looking at a tour through Travel Hub Bangkok, who have a pickup/dropoff at Laem Chabang for a Pattaya or Bangkok day tour, but we need others on the cruise to be involved…wish me luck.

  8. Hi when the ship docks at laem Chabang, did they provide over night accommodation or did you book it yourself!

    Are we allowed to go back to sleep on the ship?

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Lim,

      You have to make your own arrangements for overnight accommodation. Depending on the length of time at the port. It may be more worth it to book your own accommodation (~20 hours) or to stay onboard (~12 hours).

      Have fun at Laem Chabang for your cruise!

      Tom,
      2bearbear.com

  9. Do we need visa in thaland when we get off ship if we are getting private transfer to pattaya. If so how do we sort it out thanks . We are going on the 13 June .

    1. Hi Patricia,

      If you are a Singaporean, you will not need a visa when you call at Pattaya. Information from MFA website says

      No (for stay not exceeding 30 days for each entry and a cumulative duration of stay not exceeding 90 days within any six months).
      Note: With effect from 31 December 2016, travellers entering Thailand through land border checkpoints are eligible to do so without visa only twice in a calendar year (for each stay not exceeding 15 days).

      Hope this helps!

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