My next cruise is too short to call it a vacation. Let’s call it a getaway. It’s a four-night getaway with almost 200 women from our new 55-plus community.
I was meeting other current and future residents virtually on Facebook over a year before we closed on our home and moved in. There’s a group for just about every interest and demographic. The one for Women decided to have a “girls” cruise and it was at a pretty good price. My future next door neighbor and I decided to be roomies and booked it nine months before sailing.
The travel agent who organized it (and is a resident) has some fun things planned on top of the regular ship activities. There’s also going to be chartered buses to take us to the port and back for those that go that route. We could buy swag with the group cruise logo and nearly all got t-shirts plus I also got a water bottle and a nametag.
About a week before the cruise we had a get-together to go over all the information, meet each other, and of course eat and drink. 
Ship
The ship for this getaway is Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas.
After being on many of the Oasis class ships I’m ready to try this size of ship. Big enough to have an ice show but small enough to not have to reserve entertainment. The ship leaves from Port Canaveral which is just over an hour from our community. It makes it a short trip on the morning of the cruise for us all.
The ship was amplified in 2018 where new bars and specialty venues were added. There were several new activity venues such as flowrider, laser tag, sky pad, and more.
Itinerary
This four-night sailing has just one port day with sea days on each side of it. This gives us plenty of party and bonding time with each other with a beach day thrown in.
Our one port is Labadee where Royal Caribbean has a private beach. I’ve been here a couple of times and enjoy it although it’s not quite as nice as CocoCay. My plan there is just to find chairs and hang out with friends.
Unknown
This is the first time I’ve roomed with someone other than family ever. She’s a night owl and I’m an early bird so I’m hoping we mesh well. It will mean we will each have time alone in the cabin.
I’ve also never sailed with a large group previously so that will be new to me. This time I’m one of people using the meeting rooms! No matter what with the community groove, I know it should be fun!
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