Monarch Of The Seas JULY 2003 REVIEW
Written: Jul 16 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful And Elegant Ship. Twenty-Eight Million Dollar Refurbishment In 2003.
Cons: I Didn't Want To Get Off!
The Bottom Line: Excellent, Upscale, Stunning And Beautiful! For students, singles, families, seniors and groups. A wonderful but too quick experience by a quality cruise line.
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| benicia's Full Review: Royal Caribbean Monarch of the Seas |
I am an avid 'cruiser' with nearly 50-plus cruises to date and sailing since my twenties (I'm 53 right now). Ships as old as near 60 years (Britanis) to 'Grand Class' ships just recently built. From Europe to Panama Canal's to Caribbean cruises to Mexican Rivera cruises and because I'm so young, no 'Alaska's' yet...
Monarch Of The Seas was originally launched in 1991 and until recently served what was called the 3 and 4 day market out of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She has just arrived on the West Coast (June 2003) after a Twenty Eight Million Dollar refurbishment program to ready her for the West Coast Market.
Sailings consist of the typical 'weekend' cruise (friday departure, monday return) from Los Angeles/San Pedro to Ensenada, Mexico or the midweek, 4 night cruise (monday departure, friday return) which calls at Catalina Island, San Diego and Ensenada, Mexico.
My sailing was just completed with the July 11th, 2003 departure and thus this review covers the much anticipated and very beautiful 'Monarch Of The Seas' after her refurbishment.
I'll try and list what most passengers are interested in for any cruise as follows:
***EMBARKATION: Simple, easy, fast and efficient! From the minute we arrived at the pier/terminal until opening the door to our cabin aboard the ship, the total time was some 15 minutes to embark. Check-in is accomplished via the deck you are assigned to with a single line feeding into the various check-in counters and this every passenger was treated equally in the check-in process. Better yet, to expedite your check-in process, Royal Caribbean allows you to complete all required paperwork that you would need to sail to another country via their online website (WWW.RoyalCaribbean.Com). Other than an imprint of your credit card and some keys to your cabin along with a 'cruise card', you're quickly on your way.
***CABINS: Yikes!!! The smallest cabins ever on any cruise ship I have ever sailed on. A mere 122 to 127 square feet... Beds are configured either as two twins (L-Shaped) or as a queen. Sleeping is comfortable but when two adults are standing, it is a challenge for available square footage. Bathroom/shower space is part of that 127 square foot configuration and a 5-year old child would struggle for elbow room (don't drop the soap). Closet and drawer space was fine for a 3 or 4 day cruise though and a 13" TV made by Sharp was part of the room showing really bad Jennifer Lopez films (Maid In Manhattan and The Wedding Planner) the entire cruise. Still, no complaints really for the short duration of this cruise and the cabin will suit most just fine. Do note that outside cabins on decks 1, 2,3 and 4 all have small portholes while cabins on decks 7, 8 and 9 all have larger picture windows. Deck ten cabins all have sliding glass doors/balconies at a premium rate. Soundproofing was excellent for our cabin (deck 4) and we knew so because there were parties and kids all over the floor as this was in fact a weekend party cruise yet we never were uncomfortable with noise levels too excessive.
***DINING: I read another review indicating that the food aboard 'Monarch Of The Seas' was almost 'Denny's Like' and while that seemed a bit harsh it was sort of not true and then sort of true. The main dining venues consist of two formal dining rooms located mid-ship and on decks 3 and 4 (good ride quality location). A first seating (6:00PM) and a late seating (8:30PM) accommodates all 2000 passengers with ease. While not a major dress-up event, the main dining room is still 'formal' in a sense that you just don't show up there in shorts or t-shirts. The food was good but never special. 'Denny's' like, maybe but you were indeed in a beautiful dining room aboard an elegant ship and only the entrees themselves were weak. Soups and deserts were really good. Salads were ho-hum and service was ho-hum. Not bad mind you but nothing special but then again in fairness to the crew, they only have 3 days to get to know you and then another group or sailing occurs...But (BUT, BUT, BUT) there is 'alternative' dining also aboard this ship... Read on!
Located forward and on deck 11, you'll find 'Windjammer Cafe' which is a buffet style self-serve venue. Kudos to Royal Caribbean for this well organized and fresh alternative choice. This venue was so popular and food moved so fast that it was always fresh and inviting. Kiosks or islands of various food types make the area never crowded or long lines forming and thus it was very comfortable to shop around the various food selections with ease! Seating consists of two floors encircled by floor to ceiling glass windows looking out onto the Pacific Ocean.
But wait! There's more... Now let's add 'Windjammer Jade' which is also on deck 11 as far forward as possible and offering Pan-Asian buffet lunches and dinners (no breakfast). Terriyaki chicken, tempura, noodles, soups and Asian sweets made this area one of the best aboard the ship and there was no fees what-so-ever.
Still more! Add what is called 'Sushi Jade' to the lineup and you get the first Pay-Venue aboard 'Monarch Of The Seas'. Plates of Sushi are $5.00 to $10.00 (fixed) and Sake and beer from Japan are served as well. Well worth the price and rest assured all Sushi was 'fresh-frozen' (aren't you glad).
Still more and more!!! Finally, we'll add a Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Store and a Seattle's Best Coffee venue (both minimal charges) and that is all the possible dining/food venues for a 3 or 4 day cruise. Mind you that as well as all those great choices, there is 24 hour complimentary room service. Simply call from your stateroom or order each morning via your cabin door hanger(s) by placing the request outside your cabin door the night before (don't forget to tip).
***SHOPPING: In the ships atrium areas (all glass with multi-level staircases and glass elevators) you'll find shopping aboard the 'Monarch Of The Seas'. Expect to find a photo shop, a jewelry store, a perfume store, a liquor store, a clothing store (Island Wear) and a general store with lots of Royal Caribbean t-shirts and the likes. One very unique and new concept to this ship was its liquor store. It is a duty-free store and as is so very typical with all cruise lines, you'll find that if you purchase something in the form of liquor, it is usually 'held' for you until the end of the cruise (you're cutting into their revenue if you BYO). However, what is called a 'Cabin Consumption Fee' can be added to the price of your purchase and that permits you to take it to your cabin at the time of purchase.
***ACTIVITIES: Bars, bars and more bars. Rock climbing (a rock climbing wall was just added to the ship and oddly enough, there is no charge), ports of call, Broadway style shows (multiple showrooms), onboard comedians (after midnight because there are a lot of kids onboard), 2 pools, 2 jacuzzis, a full service spa and a very large gym. Jogging (full promenade wrap-around-deck), sunning and the very upscale and elegant 'Viking Crown Lounge' sitting aft and fully enclosed by 360 degrees of all-glass vision out to sea. While this also is a bar, it is a ships version of Seattles 'Space Needle' and passengers simply sit and view or read and it remains one of my all-time favorite spots aboard any ship. Worth a visit!
***WHO'S ABOARD: Expect a very mixed but active and often very young group. This ship is L.A. based and in case you are not from California, there is a Northern California (the more upscale and refined part of the state) and then there is Southern California (no comment required). This group is almost all Southern California and therefore a fun, upbeat and very party crowd. That's not a bad thing mind you and from families with kids to single woman looking for single men (I think females out numbered men by a 2 to 1 margin) to reunions to honeymooners, this ship had it all. For a minute at age 53 years, I was afraid I was going to be the oldest passenger aboard but thankfully, a wheelchair passed me in one of the ships hallways and I was SAFE! This was a very party group but never anything like a Carnival Cruise Lines group and I really like and enjoyed the energy from the profile or mix.
This is a stunning ship! So much money went into her and it is reflective in her elegance and beauty and you will also fall in love at first sight and within minutes be as comfortable and at-home as one could hope for. She is indeed upscale in every way possible.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Singles
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Epinions.com ID:
benicia
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: San Francisco, CA
Reviews written: 65
Trusted by: 3 members
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