Hi Everyone,<br />   Thanks for all the wonderful bon voyage wishes prior to my Mariner cruise...it was just great.  I<br />did not mind the chilly temperatures at all ... I never even left the ship.  I was all toasty inside from <br />the warmth of my crew frieds.  Even though the Mariner is not my beloved Monarch, there were at<br />least fifty dining and bar staff from the Monarch on board, including the Food and Beverage Director<br />( who notified everyone in advance that I was coming ) and, the whole trip, crew members were<br />coming up to say hello to me.  Joey and I were really given VIP treatment throughout the seven<br />days, except for a little incident at the start of the trip - but that was dealt with by management in<br />a satisfactory manner.<br />   My favorite place on the Mariner is Vintages Wine Bar....and I especially like the wine flights - though, even there, you can see that RCI is cutting corners.  When I sailed on the Navigator TA in April 2008, the flights included four pours of wine, now there are only three.  Still, they are a good deal, and a nice<br />way to sample some excellent wines.  What I don&#39;t like is that most of the bars do not look out on the <br />ocean....for that reason, Ellington&#39;s and the Viking Crown were my favorites...great views from there.<br />   All in all, I much prefer the Radiance class ships of Royal Caribbean with their smaller size and glass<br />everywhere.  It&#39;s easier to get around to meet people ...  I don&#39;t need multiple neighborhoods.<br />   The bartenders were pleased with the poem I wrote....I even gave it to Captain Johnny.  I think I posted it here but, if I didn&#39;t, here it is:  <br /><br />BARS AT SEA<br /><br />Belly up to the bar, here we all are,<br />Hoisting a glass or two,<br />Vacationing cruisers, fun on our mind,<br />Friends made when the sea days are through.<br /><br />Sail away parties, steel band is playing,<br />Umbrella drinks served all around,<br />The scene is the same, all over the world,<br />Wherever cruise ships abound.<br /><br />Mornings start off with spiced bloody marys,<br />Or mimosa bubbles that tickle our nose,<br />And, next thing you know, the menu we&#39;ve sampled,<br />Grows and it grows and it grows.<br /><br />The captain is driving, so we are imbibing,<br />And tasting concoctions at sea,<br />You are never too far from a fabulous bar,<br />With bartenders superb as can be&#33;<br /><br />Sip incredible potions, on the world&#39;s oceans,<br />And escape from all of your woes,<br />From the best dry martini to a tasty bellini,<br />The crew love their work and it shows.<br /><br />To the final nightcap, as &quot;last call&quot; resounds,<br />Bars at sea hold a special appeal,<br />The combination of much that&#39;s hard to describe,<br />Gives this experience such a wonderful feel&#33;<br /><br />Carmen Henesy<br />rnsane@prodigy.net<br /><br />Copyright  2009 Carmen Henesy. All Rights Reserved. <br /><br />This poem is dedicated with much affection to all<br /> the wonderful bar staff, at all levels, ( bar cleaners,<br /> bar severs, bartenders, bar managers and their assistants ) at <br />Royal Caribbean. I have spent many happy hours sampling cocktails on <br />great ships and hope that I continue to do so for years to come. <br /><br />