Set sail for awesomeness with a week of the best board games, tabletop RPGs, and epic adventures aboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas!

Escape the drudge of daily life to embrace your inner adventurer. Play some games, eat great food, level up your gaming skills, and make new connections that will last your lifetime.

Relaxation, adventure, and gaming. . . an epic combination!

We’ll embark from Galveston, TX and visit Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico and Cozumel, Mexico.

All-Day Gaming Conference Room

Our private conference room will have non-stop access to a quality library of board games, card games, and TTRPGs. Bring your party or make new friends! Sign up early to claim a coveted seat with one of our professional game masters! Each day will feature games with the daily theme, but you are welcome to play whatever you would like and bring your own!

Day 1 - Faraway Fantasy: Boarding Day

• Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition
• Queen by Midnight
• Munchkin
• Call to Adventure 
• ...and more!

Day 2 - Murder on the Mariner: Day at Sea

• Blades in the Dark 
• Mysterium
  
• Coup
• Honey Heist
• ...and more!

Day 3 - Pirates of the Royal Caribbean: Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico

• Catan
• Liar's Dice
• Forbidden Island
• Uk'otoa
• ...and more!

Day 4 - Horror on the High Seas: Cozumel, Mexico

• Call of Cthulhu
• Dread
• Ten Candles
• Betrayal at House on the Hill
• ...and more!

Day 5 - See You Space Cowboy: Day at Sea

• Dune Imperium Uprising
• Scum & Villainy
• Cowboy Bebop - The Roleplaying Game
• Firefly the Board Game
• ...and more!

Feel free to bring your own games, master your own table, and chart your own adventure!

*Themes subject to change

Meet Your Hosts

Join Dax Levine and the Dungeon Master Direct crew of professional game masters aboard the Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas! 

Dan Wells is a bestselling author and the architect of 10 years of Writing Excuses Retreats conventions and cruises! 

Mari Murdock is a freelance TTRPG Writer and Writing Professor at Westminster University. 

Mic Matarrese is a professional stage actor and professor at the University of Delaware.

Retreat Itinerary

Your gaming voyage sets sail out of Galveston, TX and will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel. Here is the broad schedule for the event

• March 2nd: Meet & Greet at hotel (around Houston, Texas)
  • "A Long Expected Party"
• March 3rd: Boarding day and departure at 4:00 PM (Galveston, Texas)
  • "Faraway Fantasy"
• March 4th: Cruising at Sea
  • "Murder on the Mariner"
  • Ship activities
  • Dungeon Master University Courses
  • Murder Mystery Party
• March 5th: Costa Maya, Mexico (12:00 PM - 7:00 PM)
  • "Pirates of the Royal Caribbean"
  • Pirate Scavenger Hunt
  • Optional Excursions
• March 6th: Cozumel, Mexico (7:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
  • "Horror on the High Seas"
  • Optional Land Excursions
  • Scary Storytelling
• March 7th: Cruising at Sea
  • "See You Space Cowboy"
  • Ship activities
  • Dungeon Master University Courses
  • Cocktail Party / Award Ceremony
• March 8th: Galveston, Texas (Arrives 7:00 AM)

Dungeon Master University

Enjoy face-to-face instruction with the extremely educated Dungeon Master Direct team. Impress your gaming group with your new skills!

Breakout sessions may include:

• Improv Instruction 
• Worldbuilding Workshops
• Voice and Speech Training
• Hallmarks of Horror in RPGs
  

Mariner of the Seas Amenities

As much as you would love to play board games all week, there are plenty of delightful distractions onboard the ship to re-energize you and give you the vacation you deserve. 

• All You Can Eat Dining
• Pools, Hot Tubs
• Laser Tag: Battle for Planet Z
• Escape Room: The Observatorium (extra charge)
• Rock Climbing Wall
  
• Water Slides
• Flowrider
• Ice Skating
• Spa (extra charge)
• Drink Passes (extra charge)
• Specialty Dining (extra charge)

Ticket Options

Please read through the following ticket options carefully so you can make sure you are selecting the option in checkout that will give you the best experience on the cruise!

If you have any questions about what is included on what ticket type would be best for you please don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We are happy to help guide you through the process.

Special accommodations can be made for VIP suites. 

Cruise Staterooms

There are three room types we have available for you to purchase, Interior Stateroom, Oceanview Stateroom, and Superior Balcony. The exact cabin location on the ship will not be determined until later and we cannot know ahead of time what deck level you will be placed on.

By default, lodging is double occupancy, the price is per person in the room and you will have a roommate. Single occupancy rooms are available for an additional cost. 

All staterooms and suites come complete with a private bathroom, vanity area, hair-dryer, closed-circuit TV, radio and phone. Bedroom area with two twin beds that convert to Royal King, sitting area with sofa, and full bathroom. Cabin sizes range between 160 - 198 sq ft.

Note: If a family member or friend is attending then you should choose a double occupancy ticket as you will be sharing a room with your family member or friend.

Game Night Getaway Perks

Your ticket to adventure includes everything you need to enjoy the ship, worry free!

• 1 night at a Hotel near Houston prior to boarding the ship.
• 5 days aboard Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas,
  • includes lodging, ship programming, and food.
• Round-trip bus transfer
  • Hotel → ship on boarding day
  • Ship → airport on disembarkation day
    
• Wi-Fi package for 1 device at a time.
• All required ship gratuities paid in advance!
• All port charges and taxes included!

Don't miss our special Game Night Getaway events!

• Meet & Greet at the Hotel
• All-day access to our reserved Gaming Conference Room
• A massive library of board games and RPGs
• Murder Mystery Night
• Pirate Scavenger Hunt
• Dungeon Master University classes
  
• Cocktail Party / Award Ceremony
• Other parties, planned and impromptu!

Land Excursions (Optional Add-ons)

Every great adventurer must test their mettle by exploring distant lands. When we dock in Puerto Costa Maya and Cozumel, you will step into the world of the unknown. These land excursions will invite you to experience new cultures, try new foods, bathe in the sun, seek and adrenaline rush, and even touch grass!

Here is a sample of possible excursions. We will have recommended group excursions available for purchase later this year. 

• Ghosts Tours
• Planetarium
• Snorkeling with Pirates
• Ancient Ruins
• Swimming with Dolphins
• Cenote Cave Exploring
• Scuba Diving
• ATV Tours
• And more!

Travel & Accommodations

Air Travel

We recommend flying into George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (IAH). If you choose to drive or take another route in, please note that you may need to make separate arrangements for parking your vehicle.

Once you arrive at the airport, you will need to make your way to the hotel. A free shuttle service will be made available to the hotel.

Bus Transfer

All tickets include roundtrip transfer from the hotel to the ship dock on March 3rd, and from the ship dock to the airport (IAH) at the end of the cruise.

Not included is transportation from the airport to your hotel, however, there is a free hotel shuttle provided by the hotel but you will be responsible for finding and using it.

Hotel

Included in your base ticket is one night at a hotel near Houston, TX for the night before the Cruise (March 2nd). This night is included regardless of whether you are staying at the hotel or not.

The hotel is available for double occupancy or single occupancy. If you choose double occupancy, the price is per person in the room and you will have a roommate of your choice or one assigned to you.

Note: We will host an orientation and Meet & Greet on the evening of the 2nd, so please plan to be in attendance.

Policies

Attendance 

This retreat is an escape from daily life and an exploration into the realms of the unknown!

• Game Night Getaway attendees must be 21 years of age or older.
• Children/teens from the ages of 16 to 21 may attend if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
• All attendees, attendee guests, and accompanied minors must have a valid passport.
  
• All attendees, attendee guests, and accompanied minors must be willing to take a COVID test within 48 hours of departure, per our COVID Policy.

So long as you meet the above requirements, you’re good to go!

Accessibility

Royal Caribbean ships are designed to accommodate all of our guests, including people with mobility, hearing, and visual disabilities. When you fill out the registration form, please let the Game Night Getaway staff know about any accommodations you require as there is limited availability on board ship.

Harassment Policy

Game Night Getaway is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. Conference participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference without a refund at the discretion of the conference organizers.

Harassment includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.

Instructors, staff, volunteers, and family members are also subject to the anti-harassment policy.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the conference organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the conference with no refund. If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact any member of conference staff immediately.

Conference staff will be happy to help participants contact ship security, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the conference. We value your attendance.

We expect participants to follow these rules at all conference venues and conference-related social events.

Alcohol Policy

The minimum age to consume alcohol on Royal Caribbean International ships on sailings originating from North America or the Caribbean is twenty-one (21).

Please drink responsibly and be considerate and respectful of other guests. 

Please refer to the Harassment Policy. 

COVID Policy

• Though not required, up-to-date Covid Vaccinations are STRONGLY recommended. 
• We also ask each guest to provide proof of a negative Covid test taken within 48 hours of departure. 
• Masking is optional.
• PLEASE wash your hands and use sanitizer whenever possible. 
• Travel Insurance is recommended in case you need to cancel your trip due to illness. 

Refund Policy

The following fees are non-refundable: a $200 deposit to reserve the cabin, the $5 booking fee, and the 3% credit card processing fee that is not reflected in the listed ticket price but will be added to your order prior to purchase.

The remainder of the balance is refundable according to the following dates (Royal Caribbean policy).

• 100% refund if canceled before Dec 4th*
• 75% refund if canceled before Dec 19th*
• 50% refund if canceled before Jan 2nd*
• 25% refund if canceled before Feb 1st*
• No refund after Feb 1st

Have more questions? You can also message us at hello @ dungeonmasterdirect .com