Final answer:
The references in the query mix up 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' with 'The Open Boat' by Stephen Crane. The Mariner's survival in Coleridge's poem is due to his realization and penance for killing the albatross.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question "Why is the Mariner the only crew member to survive the voyage in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner?" is based on misunderstanding. The references provided do not pertain to 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' but to a different work, 'The Open Boat' by Stephen Crane, which is a story about shipwreck survivors grappling with their fate at sea. The survival of the Mariner in Coleridge's poem is mainly attributed to his personal journey of realization and penance, wherein he comes to understand the sanctity of all living creatures after senselessly killing the albatross, which brings a curse upon the ship and its crew. His survival serves as a narrative device to impart the poem's moral and themes.