Day 1– Sunday, May 22

The Reunion – Orlando International Airport

We met at the baggage claim area. It was like a family reunion, all of us showing up with our Bon Voyage Cruise and Skate T-Shirts provided by the Detroit Rhythmic Rollers. We met and greeted one another with hugs as we waited on everyone to arrive to catch to bus to Port Canaveral. There were a lot of familiar faces but placing names with the faces was a challenge for everyone, a problem that would be eliminated by the time the cruise was over.

We boarded the bus with bags and bags and more bags, filling the storage area to capacity. Our gracious bus driver kindly loaded all of the bags for us. We didn’t think they would all fit but he made it work. There were fifty-three skaters on the bus and when we got to the port we would meet about forty-five more that made other transportation arrangements.

After about 40 minutes of driving, our home for the next seven days came into view. It was a magnificent site. Out of all the ships at the port, ours, Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, was the largest and most breathtaking ship. We had no idea what exactly was ahead for us in the next seven days.

Passenger Processing – Port Canaveral

With passports, birth certificates and driver’s licenses in hand, we departed the bus and our luggage was taken to the ship for us by the ship’s porters. We went through the processing terminal where we had to verify our US citizenship and have our possessions scanned for weapons and illegal substances. Of course we all made it through – No Problem.

First Item on the Agenda – Food!

We went to our assigned rooms to get a view of our sleeping quarters and drop off our personal items. The rooms were somewhat tight but that was to be expected on a vessel with over 3000 passengers! It did not matter, we did not spend much time in our rooms anyway. Too much to do, too many places to go. All we needed our rooms for was to store our luggage, change clothes and sleep. The cabins were beautiful and each one offered a different view of either the ship or the ocean. If you did not get a seaside cabin overlooking the Caribbean, you probably had a view overlooking the Promenade deck where you could see the guests shopping at the mall, going down into the casino, taking photos or dining at the restaurants and pubs.

It was time to leave the room and get to the first item on the agenda – Food! We were directed to one of the ship’s dining facilities, the Windjammer, while waiting for our luggage to be brought to our rooms and the ship to get the clearance to sail. The dining room cooks presented us with a buffet style lunch that was out-of-this world. There was plenty to choose from, even for some of the most finicky diners. There was both Asian and American Cuisine which was sided by fruits, vegetables, desserts and beverages.

The Self-Guided Walk It Off Tour

We left the dining room about ten pounds heavier than we were at arrival. We walked it off by touring the ship, deck-by-deck, to get a glimpse of all it had to offer. There was a Casino with slot machines, black jack tables, and roulette wheels. A couple of pubs, jewelry stores, liquor stores, clothing stores, perfume stores, souvenir shops, restaurants, night clubs, theatres, an ice rink. (soon to be converted into a roller rink), a video arcade, hot tubs, swimming pools, a basketball court, a rock climbing wall, a running track, a putt-putt golf course, play rooms for children of all ages, dance clubs, a spa, a library, a computer room and. . . . .and . . . “Did I name everything”? Probably not. There were so many things to do and see on the ship, there’s no way you could say you did not have a good time.