Pool area first once onboard ?

[tj788]

My wife and 5 yr old daughter and I will be on our first cruise Mariner of the seas out of Galveston in June.  We have the Key purchased which comes with lunch I read, but I’m sure my daughter will want the pool first since I’m sure she will be excited at the time.  I figure I can get hot dogs or something from the stand. 

question - how big is the pool area ?
Does the area around the pool edge to sit and swim fill up fast ? If so we can miss the lunch and go straight to the pool on board. 

I was planning on arriving early and will check in once it’s available so once we get onboard we would go to muster station l read.  
 

thanks for the help.  

[Ampurp85]

The pool should be available when you board, the hotdogs won't be until a certain time. I think the Key lunch is at noon, so if you board around 11 you can spend an hour or so at the pool and then do lunch. 

[smokeybandit]

The pool will take a while to fill up on boarding day.

[loki007]

I would suggest a video tour on youtube of the ship. I like Harr travel but there are many. Pool area is a good size. You can go to the key lunch and then the pool. Plenty of time on embarkation day. I would tell you on Mariner get up there early on sea days. 

[DoomSlayer]

If you are getting the Key, you should get early boarding privileges.  Use them to your advantage and prioritize things you will do when you get on board.  I would do the following:

1. Visit muster station
2. Check into Adventure Ocean with the kiddo to get her signed up there.
3. Go eat the Key Lunch
4. Go wild on the pool deck

I bet you can be in the pool with your daughter by 12:30 with this plan.

[DoomSlayer]

17 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

The pool should be available when you board, the hotdogs won't be until a certain time. I think the Key lunch is at noon, so if you board around 11 you can spend an hour or so at the pool and then do lunch. 

Depends on the ship, but the Key lunch is usually open by 11:30 most of the time.

[tj788]

Thank y'all for the responses. Sounds like it shouldn’t be an issue. Didn't know if everyone bum rushed the pools once they got on board or not.  Happy we should be able to get everything knocked out.  

[Ryan79]

22 minutes ago, tj788 said:

Thank y'all for the responses. Sounds like it shouldn’t be an issue. Didn't know if everyone bum rushed the pools once they got on board or not.  Happy we should be able to get everything knocked out.  

There is a bigger mad rush for the feeding frenzy called the Windjammer

[ScottD]

8 hours ago, tj788 said:

Thank y'all for the responses. Sounds like it shouldn’t be an issue. Didn't know if everyone bum rushed the pools once they got on board or not.  Happy we should be able to get everything knocked out.  

Nah, I don't think the pool gets crazy for the first few hours- once everyone is on and they get to their rooms, THEN it starts to fill up, especially by Sailaway. But you should be fine getting some food with that lunch (The lunch is one of the main things that make the Key worth it- make sure you do that!) then hitting the pool.

[Ditchdoc]

Not many pack carry ons'  for the pool. Towels should be available, just pack pool necessities like suit and sunscreen and you should be good to go.

[Momof4crazytocruise]

In my experience, most people wait until the staterooms are open to go change for swimming, and closer to sail away time because that's when the activity on the pool deck starts to pick up. So it won't be super crowded right out of the gate. I recommend, after completing muster check in, going directly to Adventure Ocean and getting paper work filled out and time to tour - you little one will be excited about that too. Then eat, make all your dinner reservations if you need to. But then your room will be open and you candrop off your stuff and change and head to the pool deck. My kids are always excited to explore the ship before getting in the pool.

[DunkelBierJay]

Your daughter might like the water slides aft as well...one deck up from the pool deck and walk aft through Johnny Rockets. Since the Key lunch is in the MDR, I recommend wearing swimsuits under clothes and not getting in a hurry to do everything.

[CrimsonCruiser]

Hitting the pool as your first stop when boarding is actually a tip @Matt recommends almost all of the time.

I've never done it - something about being wet while waiting for my room to open just doesn't sit right with my brain - but it is a great time to hit the pools because most people either don't pack a swimsuit or think like me and don't want to dive in right away.