 |
 |
|
Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Robert Ott
Email: sversh@earthlink.com
Age: 31
Occupation: Police Officer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 07/19/98
Itinerary: S.Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 100
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 94
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 98
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 92
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 87
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 96
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 Jan 1999
Time: 16:56:35
Remote Name: 153.36.225.183
Remote User:
Comments
I was writing this letter to say how happy I was with the Royal Carribean Cruise line on
my Honeymoon visit on the Monarch of the
Seas.The cruise in itself was rocky at first with the trip from the airport in San Juan to
the pier.The streets were crowded and this
delayed our arrival to the check in area.We were lucky to arrive prior to the 10pm
departure.Once on board,the only inconvenience in the
next hours was the muster required explaining life boat survival procedures.My new wife
and I then ventured out on the top deck and
looked at the stars while our stomachs growled.We soon learned that the Windjammer Cafe
would furnish us with more than enough
food.We soon learned that we each might need to take a motion sickness pill which was
conveniently located at the purser's desk.We
then studied each excursion and thier prices.We strategically planned our trip and the
money needed for each.We were pleased with
most of the excursions except ST.Marteen.We both found this Island to be dirty,ugly in its
appearance and smell and chose to merely
stay on the boat and enjoy its hospitality.The most memorable tour came with our stop to
Barbados.This island in itself was what we
took more pictures of and have the best recolection of.The water was sparkling clear and
our excursion included a catamaran ride to a
snorkeling area which was located above a shipwrecked boat that has been there for
years.The crew aboard the catamaran was more
friendly than any other I had met.The fish numbered in the thousands which made for a
million and one kodak moments.We fed the
fish which would swim up to your mask and all around your body as you swam.I would
actually pay to return to this one island over all
the others combined.We did remember another snorkeling stop on the way which took us to a
French-Dutch Island that had choppy
waters and less than clear visibility.My wife enjoyed the beach and laying out in the
bright sun.Each island had its own shopping
places which kept the same prices as the ones on the boat in its gift shop.we bought
several shirts in Antigua for pennies on the
dollar.These serve as good souveniers and shirts to tell people where you've been.We
remember the calmness of the seas and the
star filled nights.The lull that the boat gives you,makes you feel like falling asleep
after dinner. Our waitstaff which included our head
waiter was by far the best server and servers I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.This
includes fine dining in Europe and
abroad.We heard the night life on the boat was great,but only experienced it first hand on
2 nights.One night was a 50's band that
sounded like the Beatle's and the next night we spent in the lounge was more kid
oriented.We did go to the Honeymoon get together
and enjoyed it.Both my wife and I enjoyed hours and hours of swimming on the boat as well
as in the ocean.We were pleasantly
sunburned and enjoyed every minute of it.Keep in mind that rum-punch is in endless supply
while on most excursions.I wish everyone
could have shared the experiences we had on the Monarch of the Seas.We spoke with a couple
from another state who had been on
other cruise lines and had only their opinions to judge other cruise ships by.They also
told us that they would cruise only with Royal
Carribean for the years to come.We gladly agreed.We intend to sail every year possible
until Royal Carribean stops making
boats.Thanks for letting me voice my opnion and I look forward to sailing with your cruise
line again in the year 2000.
Name: James Houston
Email: mjhouston@worldnet.att.net
Age: 63
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: March 21, 1999
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 98
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Mar 1999
Time: 19:22:54
Remote Name: 91.pittsburgh-10-15rs.pa.dial-access.att.net
Remote User:
Comments
We sailed on the Monarch of the Seas on March 21, 1999. This was apparently its second
cruise since its accident
several months ago. The ship was very clean and well maintained. The service in all areas
was outstanding. There
was little that was not done , and the crew was very freindly. We were alone, and someone
either guessed right or
took some effort to arrange our dinner seating because we were seated with some people who
were very similar in
their interests and with whom we were very compatible. The advantages of this cruise were
that ship was in very
good condition, was spacious and well designed. Plenty of activities were provided so that
there was something for
everyone. We never felt cramped or harrased. The ports of call were generally good with
the exception of
Martinique. The stop there was mercifully short, There are other islands very nearby that
would be better choices.
The other stops were very good. The shops on board were just ok. There were limited
selections of merchandise
that vacationers would buy. There was a nightly rather tacky sidewalk sale of marginal
goods. The ship was
generally quiet, but we a a special problem. We were on the Tween deck (deck 6) which was
very convenient. The
problem was that Deck 7, directly above was open and used for jogging and power walking.
Although these
activities were banned between 10PM and 10AM, they went on any way, as early as 6:30 AM.
Excursions were
satisfactory on the overall. We took several, both through the cruise line and from cab
drivers in the towns. There
was little difference in quality. The ones arranged by the cruise line were more
expensive, but more convenient.
Drivers were good and generally well informed, although taxi maintainance caused a
frightening experience on
Antigua. It isn't clear to me which way to go. Food on the ship was good, in a fairly
simple sort of way. It wasn't up to
date with present trends except for a few dishes that were more interesting. It was well
presented and the service
was outstanding. Overall the food was very enjoyable. The wine list was good and the wine
steward was
knowledgable and helpful. Overall we were very pleased with our experience. The problems
were really
overwhelmed by the positives. We were really able to relax and enjoy ourselves, and it
looked like everybody
aboard seemed to do the same. An interesting extra was a rescue at sea. The crew spotted a
small boat adrift and
carried out a very professional rescue.
Name: D Davison
Email: don2737@aol.com
Age: 43
Occupation: .
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: March 14, 1999
Itinerary: .
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff:
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 99
DeckService: 99
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService:
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 96
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 96
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Apr 1999
Time: 10:53:31
Remote Name: dial-59-tnt-01.pbny.together.net
Remote User:
Comments
You can see the same review, with lots of pictures, at
http://members.aol.com/don2737/monarch/monarch.html
I personally read 20+ reviews from traveler's on 'The Monarch of the Seas', and thought
I'd add mine. I did not
spend much time on frills, format, etc. Just the story and the pictures.
Our trip on the Monarch, 14 March 1999.
My wife and I had taken a cruise once before, for our honeymoon 16 years ago on a much
smaller ship, the
Carnival Line's 'Mardi Gras'. Since then, we had always considered a cruise to be the
ultimate vacation but it took
this long to do it again. Also, now we would be going with our two daughters aged 8 and
13.
We were so excited, we could hardly sleep the night before. We had an uneventful trip
down, (Burlington VT to San
Juan on Continental) and as we approached the airport, we could see several cruise ships
in the harbor. We were
met at the gate by a representative of Royal Caribbean. Soon we were on a bus with fellow
cruisers, for a quick trip
through San Juan. Many buildings had blue tarps for roofs since last fall's hurricane.
We arrived at the dock about 3:00 p.m. and we were warmly welcomed by the Royal Caribbean
folks. Several
mentioned how glad they were to have us, as the Monarch had not sailed for about 3 months.
Back in December it
hit a shoal in St. Maartin, after an emergency stop there to let off an ill passenger in
the middle of the night.
Anyway, you could tell they were glad to be back to work.
We walked across the gangplank, mouths agape at the sight of this monster. It's huge! We
were again greeted and
guided to our room, #4541, on the same level we had just come in. Now, if you've been
reading these cruise
reviews, you know the room is small. It is. But it was fine, and if it makes cruising more
affordable, then small is
even better. BUT, do not bring huge suitcases that will not fit under the bed. I wish I
had measured, but I'd guess
about 12 or 14' is the vertical height under the bed. We brought two hard suitcases that
did fit, and the rest were
soft sided that collapsed. A group of 4 college age women in the cabin next to us brought
those huge rolling hard
side bags and had a problem storing them.
The steward takes care of the room, makes the beds, and puts them up during the day, keeps
you in ice, towels,
etc. Ours did not do anything special, and often forgot the ice, or the beach towels. If
we could not find him,
another steward was usually glad to get us what we needed even though it was not his
responsibility. I had read in
a previous review to bring a night light and did. The first night we just left the
bathroom door ajar, but after we went
out to sea, it would swing back and forth at times, making noise and letting in too much
light. So bring a night light,
especially if you have 4 in a room and have to climb into those upper bunks! I also had a
small electric fan that I
appreciated as I like it cool. The a/c would be just fine for most people however. There
is a tv, that runs movies for
the kids (useful) and you can see all the ship talks on the tv, either live or later on.
They even broadcast some of
the shows from the lounge. We went back out into the terminal and bought some discounted
rum, and some sodas.
The checkin lines were now growing but not bad. Our baggage showed up at our room that
evening.
There are many elevators, and diagrams of the ship everywhere, so you quickly can find
your way around. We
went to our first dinner, and boy was it good! And you have enough to choose from in every
category to satisfy
anyone. Our 8 year old (Katie) ordered off the kids menu most nights, but we often added
an appetizer and desert
for her off the main menu. The meals were truly delightful, and the service excellent. Our
waiter, Kamaal, made
recommendations, gave us tips on the next days port, knew our names, learned our
preferences and our usual
drinks would be on the table before we arrived. We decided the first night we would not
miss any dinners.
Our table mates was another family of 4, with an 8 year old son and 12 year old daughter.
I think Royal Caribbean
does go to the trouble to pair up similar travelers. Our table was right next to a large
window. Most days we would
watch the ship depart and get underway, then go to our table and watch the land disappear
as we dined. The table
did vibrate a good bit whenever the ship was underway.
The lifeboat drill took about 30 minutes, and worried Katie a little (saw 'Titanic' too
many times).
Dad's, you can even feel a little noble as the crew moves all the women and children up to
the front! You wait
around for a good 20 minutes or so, looking up at your lifeboat, joking, etc while the
crew checks all the cabins and
makes sure everyone is participating. Your life boat number is on your lifevest, as is
your cabin number, a strobe
light, and yes, a whistle just like Rose blew. After the drill, the nightlife begins. But
we had been up since about
4:00 a.m., so we went to bed. The ship did not leave then, as a snowstorm in the midwest
caused delayed flights,
and they announced we would leave later in the night, and be in St. Thomas on schedule. I
went to bed wondering
if I'd even know when the ship left.
I woke up later to an obvious deep vibration, and swaying. We were underway! I thought
about going outside to
see this massive object moving, but decided against it.
The next morning, we woke to still and quiet (the room was surprisingly quiet all week,
only when they dropped the
anchor the last day did a ship noise wake me up). We never made breakfast in the dining
room all week but the
menu looked good. Instead we went to the Windjammer for a buffet breakfast because you
could be served later.
The usual fare, can't say that breakfast was anything special but it was quick, and would
last us all day! Even 8
year old Katie would fill up on eggs, yogurt, OJ, etc and make it all day in port until
dinner! St. Thomas: The view of
the harbor in St. Thomas was all you could want! A band played shipside, there were
'Welcome back Monarch'
signs displayed. The Carnival Inspiration was docked right behind us too! And another ship
was visible. We took a
bus/cab to Magen's Bay. A very nice beach, shade was available, the view great. Just the
open air flatbed type bus
that took us there was quite the steep and scenic ride. $4 each. Snorkeling was not good
there, too much stirred
up sand and no reefs. They had outdoor showers to rinse off in, and a beachside bar I did
not visit. On the way
back we got off at the shopping area downtown and got some souvenirs. Then we took a cab
back to the ship. We
always asked the fares, at every port, before taking a cab and were never taken advantage
of. The entertainer
that night was great. He was a singing impressionist, Scott Record, and was very good for
all ages. Even Katie was
laughing. He was the best of the week. Others during the week were a comedian magician
(good), some gymnastic
brothers who flipped in the air a lot, a balancing act of a young lady and a glittery ball
(not too good), the Wave
Revue dancers (I did not like their first show, but they got much better later in the
week), and Friday night a very
energetic singer that made fun of all tastes of music but then of course would perform
them quite well. Most nights
we would go to the show, and then we would put Katie to bed. I would have felt safe
leaving her in the cabin alone,
but we never did. I was usually tired too and stayed with her. The 13 year old soon made
friends and would head
for the basketball court (that's where the teenage boys were too, hmm). Then she and her
crowd would hit the
midnight buffet which I never saw but heard incredible tales. We usually let her stay out
to 12:15 or even 2:00, we
never felt the ship was unsafe.
Martinique: The next stop (Tuesday) was Martinique. Lindsay (the 13 year old daughter) and
I had breakfast in the
very nose of the Windjammer with a wonderful view of the approaching island. I had not
read good things about
Martinique, so I opted for the one and only Royal Caribbean excursion, the snorkel trip,
for me and my daughter.
My wife and the 8 year old stayed on the ship, had a great lunch in the main dining room,
(we missed most
lunches), did the pool, the exercise room, found the theater, there's lots to do. The teen
and I were taken on a flat
bargy looking boat (but it was spotless) across the bay to the snorkel area. You could
swim into a small cave (not
very dark at all as it only went in a little ways) and see (and hear!) lots of large bats!
The water was clear, and the
snorkeling good although not teeming with fish. We fed the fish some cheerios we got at
breakfast. When we got
back, we quickly changed and walked into the port to get some souvenirs for my daughters
French class. Prices
were high, so she just changed some money into francs for souvenirs.
Barbados: Wednesday we arrived in Barbados. A nice port facility with musicians, they gave
you flowers, and there
were lots of samples of local rums being handed out. We took a cab a good 20 minute ride
to Mullen's Bay, my
Frommer's Cruise book recommended it for snorkeling. The beach was VERY nice, the water
clear and blue, and
they had a bar, you could rent chairs, waverunners, etc. I snorkeled a long time, the surf
was a little bigger than I
liked so I did not venture too far out. I swam to the reef (you can walk to it, so its not
a matter of having to swim way
out), and promptly found myself about 3 feet from a barracuda! I swam backwards. Probably
startled him more than
me. But it was a good reef, you could swim around the edge, and most of it was only 2 or 3
feet below the surface.
In fact, I was concerned a large wave would grind me against it. Our cab driver returned
as agreed upon ( a long
drive from the terminal, and he was right on time ). We were impressed by this. There were
cabs available there
had he not shown up. Both times we got in his cab, the 3 girls filled the back seat and I
went to get in the front right
side, and he just chuckled and said I could not drive without a cab driver's license.
(They drive on the left there and
the steering wheel is on the right). Now, this day, there was a problem with the ship. We
had not had much in the
way of hot water so far, it was almost uncomfortably cool to shower. But to work on the
water, they shut off the
toilets. ALL the toilets. By the time we left that morning, there was no where to go! They
even locked the public
restrooms as they were overflowing I heard. So you had to go into the port terminal and
use that restroom, the
ladies had a line. When we got back to the ship, the toilets were on, still no hot water
(in our part of the ship), and
now OUR toilet would not work (the cabins around ours did). We called the purser and went
to dinner, at least the
restrooms by the dining room worked fine. When we got back, our toilet was now very full
and I went to the purser
and they got on the phone right then and sent a man down. He had it fixed in no time.
Whew. We never did have
but intermittent hot water the whole week, but Royal Caribbean gave us a credit on our
account when I complained.
Antigua: The next day was Thursday, and I got up at 6:30 to see Mont Serrat, a smoking
volcano you can see as
you pass on the ship. It was actually just going by, so if you want to see it, try 6:00.
Anyway, with binoculars you
could see steam or smoke coming from rifts in the sides. The summit was in the clouds, and
you could easily see
the past ribbons of lava flow down to the sea. It was beautiful watching the ship head
into Antigua. We were docked
right alongside the Celebrity Galaxy, a monster as big as The Monarch. The noses of the
ships were practically
touching the shoreside buildings. We walked into the town, and up a hill (it was hot) to
the museum. Interesting,
with a lot about slavery, emancipation, and the natives of the island before Europeans
came. We walked further up
the hill to an old church that overlooks the harbor. Then back down, bought Katie a little
yellow dress for about
$10. Back to the ship for ice cream (they set up a softserve machine and also have hard)
every afternoon by the
Windjammer. Sat about having ice tea and sodas. The kids can have unlimited sodas for the
week for $15, they
just show a card. The coffee and tea is available 24 hrs free too but you have to go to
the Windjammer to get it.
There are bars and waiters all over the ship, but its about $3 for a beer, more for
drinks. Buy some in the terminal
before you leave. The last day we bought some fancy banana daiquiris to get the Royal
Caribbean souvenir mugs
they came in. They were about $5 each.
St. Maarten: Friday we awoke to the clanking and shaking of the anchor being dropped. I
got up and made my way
upstairs to watch. It took a fair amount of bow thrustering, winching the chain back in,
etc to anchor the ship. All
day long, large tenders went back and forth to the pier. Probably 2 or 3 hundred people
could fit on each tender.
The wait was not long. ST MAARTEN HAD THE CHEAPEST SOUVENIRS LIKE T-SHIRTS, DRESSES,
CARVINGS,
HATS, THAN ANY OTHER STOP. And all the ports tended to sell the same stuff. I bought a
little hand carved turtle
for $4, a t-shirt for $4, Lindsay bought a skirt/shirt set for about $13. Ok, I'm cheap.
We got in a cab but the man
made us wait for about 15 minutes until he could find more customers. Finally, a different
driver stuck his head in
our hot, parked cab, and said he'd take us to the beach, same price. This guy was great,
talked the whole time, his
name was 'Free Willy'. He pulled over to let us take pictures, pointed out the governor's
house, a house owned by
Sylvester Stallone, Hugh Hefner (so he said). He took us to another beach I had read was
good snorkeling and it
was! This was Dawn Beach. Very nice, uncrowded, a few topless women here and there. Nobody
naked. Not much
shade, you could rent an umbrella if you wanted. This was the best snorkeling I saw on the
trip. There were even
pretty tropical fish in the surf where my wife and daughter fed them cheerios.
Free Willy stopped on the way back to let us take a picture of the bay we had just left.
Day at Sea: Saturday is the day at sea. The boat goes slowly, about 10 knots the captain
said on the PA. It is very
warm. We slept in, went to the main lunch, and took it easy. I took Katie to the pool, and
this day it was a crowded
area. We also played ping pong and miniature golf (not much to report there, its hardly
more than some plywood
lanes with holes for the ball, but it was fine for kids). Leaving: You pack your bags Sat
night, and have them out in
the hall by midnight for pickup. You have colored tags to attach to them, so the next day
in the terminal, you have
to go to, say, the blue tag area and then find your bags. I had tied fluorescent green
ribbons to our bag handles to
make that task easier. It worked. We went to breakfast, and then basically just sat around
the upper decks. They
call out your flight numbers, and then you leave the ship, pass through customs (a wave
through for us anyway)
and you are out by the busses. All the airlines have desks set up, and you check your
bags, board a bus to the
airport, and if like us, you are there about 5 hours too soon! Our trip back was bad. We
left late, about an hour out
of Newark (I hate going through Newark) it got rough, real rough. Lindsay started getting
sick, and I could see
lightning flashes in the clouds around us. We were just about to land, nearly touched
down, and the pilot applied
power and we went back up! I've not been on an airliner that had to go around again! So we
bounced around
some more, Lindsay got sicker, finally we landed and to make a long story short, they had
to keep us overnight
and route us through Chicago to get back to Burlington, VT. So we were a day late getting
home.
All in all, it was a wonderful vacation. We used lots of sunblock and nobody got hurt. We
all gained about 5
pounds. If you have doubts about going on a ship that takes 2500 guests, don't worry about
it. It only seemed
crowded on a few occasions. Most of the time you could have jumped overboard and nobody
would have even
seen you! You did need to go to the shows about 20 minutes or more, early to get a decent
seat. But even the
seats way in the back were ok. Motion sickness was not a problem, I didn't hear of any
complaints about that. Some
guests had trouble getting their luggage, many had no hot water. That was about it for
complaints that I heard
about.
Saturday night they have a meeting for non-US citizens, to prepare them for customs. You
can take excursions in
San Juan on Sunday if your flight back leaves after 1:00 p.m.
Go for it. You only live once. Submitted by 'don2737@aol.com'
Name: Robert Muhl
Email: tkela2@aol.com
Age: 56
Occupation: Communications Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 4/25
Itinerary: southern Cribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService:
CabinQuietness: 1100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 100
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 100
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 May 1999
Time: 11:58:34
Remote Name: edslink1.eds.com
Remote User:
Comments
With all the 100s I gave, it may look I'm some sort of a ringer, trust me I'm not. We were
completely satisfied with my cruise.
The 90 for Ports was because of Martinique, dirty and unfriendly and 90 for show because I
thought that the Wave revue
could have been put together better (just a personal opinion, my wife loved it) the Wave
revue I don't want to repeat what a
lot of others have said but just want to say that it was fantastic. This was our first
time on a BIG cruise (have done 3
Windjammer Barefoot ships) and I admit I was a bit hesitant. My hesitation was completely
unfounded. We really had a great
time. I have spent a great deal of time on ships (Navy types) and was in awe of this one.
We entered the upon boarding we
entered the centrum (sp) and it was like walking into a Hyatt Regency. We had a cat C
stateroom, which was a spoiler
because now we can never go to anything else. It was of course more expensive but very
worth the money. The room is big,
there is a huge amount of storage space, a sofa, glass topped table, little stools and an
(easy) chair. Of course the real
attraction is the veranda. I'm an early riser so I could slide out there and sit and watch
the sea and the sunrise and the
islands all in my 'jams. It also provides a completely private place to withdraw for a
lazy nap or a drink and cigar. The only
problem with the entire set up was the shower/bath tub. You almost need to have some
manner of stepladder to get in/out
(joke folks) it is a soaker tub and must be 2 1/2 feet deep and it kind of hard to step
in/out of if you are a bit vertically
challenged or don't have complete motion freedom. This was not a distraction just a
comment.. I am not able to describe the
ship or total experience in under 2,000,000 words so I won't even attempt and just close
by saying that of all people service
people we came in contact with we never heard a rude remark one or one that did not answer
a question or greet you with a
smile and your first name if they had talked to you more than once. One thing to be aware
of $15.50 for a phone call from
the ship (must be a great little profit center) If you need to call make every effort to
do it from an Island or rent cell phone
that is set up for that region.
Name: Steve Voegtle
Email: svoegtle@jeppesen.com
Age: 40
Occupation: Flight Analyist
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: April 25th-99
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 100
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 92
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 93
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 May 1999
Time: 13:37:39
Remote Name: teton.jeppesen.com
Remote User:
Comments
Before I begin I would like to say that we like to dance, so if you also enjoy this
activity you may also enjoy my
review. We had traveled on the Monarch before and enjoyed the itinerary so much we decided
to try it again. What
a trip! We had perfect weather with a great cruise line. To all those you want to save
money and go during
hurricane season, don't, or you may regret it. I like cruising in the spring, much nicer
and warmer.
We traveled from Denver so you can imagine the travel day we had. Our flight out of Denver
began at 7am and we
arrived at Puerto Rico at 6:20. We managed to board the ship at 7:30, over an hour later,
thanks to the idiots who
failed to tag their luggage with the appropriate ship tags from their departure point. I
really don't know why, but just
about every cruise we have been on, the transfer bus waits for people to tag luggage,
because they can't read their
cruise booklet prior to leaving. If and when you get your cruise and travel booklets,
please take the time to read that
information about your luggage and boarding passes for the ship. If you don't, you will
make a lot of people angry,
including me!!! How in the world do you think your luggage will get to the ship from the
airport, if you don't tag your
bags with the appropriate ship tags? Ok, enough of that.
Normally we like to travel the day before the cruise, but this was booked late and the
Royal Caribbean hotel was
booked full. So, we missed all the 1st day activities on the ship. We were barely able to
unpack and fill out our
Excursion form before dinner. Keep in mind, if you travel the day before and spend the
night at a hotel, you normally
can board the ship just before noon and sometimes even sooner! You can get your bearings
on the ship and learn
your way around long before the majority of the passengers have even boarded! You would be
a wise to complete
and turn-in your Excursion form as quickly as you can, because some of the excursions will
sell out! Since we
arrived late and turned in our form late, we did not get some of our choices.
Our cabin was an outside cabin on deck two near the front of the ship. The room was
adequate, but being so close
to the water; we could hear every wave striking the bow. Some nights were worse than
others. Just keep in mind, by
our experience, the lower on the ship you go, the closer you are to the water, the engines
and the crew quarters,
the louder it will be. If we have a lower deck room again, we will take the inside cabin.
Most people go for the outside
rooms, but truthfully, I don't think a window is worth spending $100-$200 more. You are
only in your room to sleep
and change clothes and the window does not help you do either. I personally would rather
upgrade to a cabin on a
higher deck vs to an outside cabin. Some have been critical as to the small size of the
RCCL cabins. By experience,
the other cruise lines have cabins that are maybe 2 to 3 feet longer and/or wider. So the
differences are very minor.
In my opinion, they are all closet size, unless you are getting a suite. RCCL provides you
with shampoo and
conditioner. No hair dryers and only their newer ships have safes. The Monarch does not
have a safe in the room.
You must go to the pursers desk to store valuables. Because of this, I was trying to be
creative as to where to hide
money. I threw a wad of bills up on top of the vanity and it fell down in between the
light bulb and the cabin wall. I
panicked when my arm would not reach into the small hole. Luckily, I brought along some
duct tape and I was able
to fish it out with a wire hanger. Always bring tape on a cruise or any trip for that
matter! You won't regret it!
The Monarch is really one of RCCL's older ships. It is the first generation of the 70,000
ton ships. Because of that,
this ship does have problems in the way of human traffic jams. There are not enough
elevators, and it takes a little
longer to get from point A to point B. They have since improved traffic flow on their
newer ships. Another draw back
is this ship does not have enough hot tubs. Again, RCCL has improved this on their newer
ships. The main
showroom lounge has very few good seats and way too many partially obstructed views. This
has also been
improved on later vessels. Other than these things, the ship is great! It is beautiful. It
has the greatest pool deck
layout of them all. And I don't care what anyone says, it is clean. RCCL ship's all have
that covered Promenade
deck that wraps completely around the outside of the ship! Many use this area to get there
walking in, however, the
jogging track is on the very top sun deck. What really upsets me is on this cruise, many
used these decks to smoke
their stinking cigars. Cigarettes are bad enough, but cigars permeate a much larger area
and in my opinion should
never be allowed unless it is in a well ventilated closed door room. RCCL needs a
non-smoking ship!
The food was absolutely fantastic. People are so critical of the Windjammer food, but they
often forget this food is
cafeteria style food! I seldom eat there or on any pool deck when I can get 4 or 5 star
service and food in the dining
room each and everyday! And believe me when I tell you, it doesn't take that much longer!
I could get cream cheese
and lox and eggs benedict and omelets anyway I wanted each morning. And the lunches were 6
course lunches
equally great with a wide variety of fish and pasta dishes, my favorite! What really gets
me is people actually don't
go to dinner in the dining room. Unbelievable. This is really what you are paying for when
you go on a cruise! Even
if you don't want to go to a dress up meal, even if you are a little tired, even if you
want to have an evening of peace
and quiet, just remember, this is the week of a lifetime and you will not eat any better
food or get any better service.
I know a lot of people don't come to dinner because they hate dressing up. RCCL only has
two formal nights. OK, so
you put on a tie for dinner and take it off after the meal. What in the world is so hard
about that? My wife and I enjoy
dressing up. We think of this as an opportunity to update the family photo. Remember,
formal night is also picture
night. The pictures are top quality and they are cheap! Try getting a formal family
portrait done of yourself for $20
back home! Guys, remember one thing about eating in the dining room. Whatever you want,
you get. If you want 3
appetizers, and three entrees and the whole menu of desserts, you get it. No questions
asked. As a matter of fact,
your waiter, if he's good, will encourage the men to order more. He will bring you an
extra steak or lobster tail even if
you didn't order it. I admit, I made myself a pig and I gained 6 pounds for the week, but
where you get fast weight
gain, you can also get fast weight loss. I have found this true on all the cruises I've
been on. A strict diet for two
weeks after my trip removes everything that I gained on the cruise and more. Incidentally,
the service on this cruise
as well as the food was excellent!
The Repeaters party had the best horderves. I pigged out on the crab claws, the quiche and
the caviar cups until I
could eat no more. If you like to go to this party and you are not a repeater, go anyway.
They don't check your
invitation at the door or anything. You just walk in and grab a free drink. Just remember,
you have paid for this party
and you deserve to go! I also recommend everyone go to the Captain's party. Great dancing,
food and free drinks!
Some have said they don't appreciate being harassed for drinks everywhere they go. What I
say about this is, I
would rather have someone there when I want a drink, then not. You simply say, no thank
you, they will leave their
napkin at your table to prevent others from asking you and they will not come back unless
you wave at them. Simple
and painless. I would also like to say, all the drinks I ordered were perfectly made, and
they were garnished correctly
and presented wonderfully.
Buffets were all fantastic. My wife and I are somewhat hesitant to go to buffets. People
have a tendency to touch the
food with their fingers while in line and lick them. This has been true with any buffet I
have ever visited. And then you
have the ones who just don't wash. AHHHHHHH! Grab a napkin or towel before you get in line
and don't touch the
serving spoons bare-handed and you will feel a little better about eating. Do I sound like
I'm a little paranoid?
Anyway, the veal I had one midnight buffet was primo. I don't know why, but I always feel
obligated to go to the late
buffets. The only one I refused to go to is the Midnight Gala Buffet, the big gawhooona.
It's later and it's the most
popular one of all. I always have to stand in line for that one. No thanks, I go to bed.
The only major complaint I have is the Pursers Desk. Those guys are evil. I went there
three times during my cruise
and twice I walked away with my tail tucked. When we were in St Thomas I asked them what
time the stores were
open in town. I happened to be up early. They made this weird facial expression and said
As soon as you walk off
the ship. Now what kind of an answer is that? Come to find out, I went straight to town
and found very few stores
open that early. The other bad experience I had was when I went to cash in some traveler's
checks. They told me I
didn't have to put in the dates. I decided to do it anyway and the guy behind the counter
decided to raise his voice
at me not to do it. I will say the Shore Excursion desk was great, but the Purser desk,
well….
The stops on this cruise are fantastic. First off I would like to say, you can go find
your own entertainment and plans
or you can book the ship excursions. Personally, I don't care if I'm spending $5 or $10
more or not, but I feel safer
booking the excursions with the ship. At least then I can blame somebody for a problem I
might encounter. If the ship
is promoting an excursion, then it must be good. By the way, you don't need to pack beach
towels. You are allowed
to take the ship beach towels on all excursions. Let me quickly tell you about the stops.
In St Thomas, do all your
shopping in town, not off the pier. Take a taxi downtown. Also keep in mind, when there
are more than one cruise
ship at the pier, give yourself plenty of time to get back to the ship from downtown. The
main road back to the pier
gets very slow. I have seen people running down the pier late every time we have gone to
St Thomas because they
got caught in a traffic jam. Trunk Bay is a beautiful beach, one of the top 10 beaches in
the world, but the life
guards are jerks. You will hear them blowing their whistles every five minutes. You cannot
have any floatation toys
or mats. You cannot throw bodies into the water. You cannot throw even a foam ball, so you
will not have fun. I like
beaches with fewer people and less rules. The snorkeling there isn't even that good.
Barbados has a great cave called Harrison's Cave. Spectacular rooms and rock formations.
Martinique, we stayed
onboard and didn't get off the ship. Unless you would like a bottle of Cognac or French
wine it's not worth it.
Someone told me RCCL will be no longer going there. They will stop in St Croix. Smart
move. Antigua is my favorite
stop. Great beaches and lots of great snorkeling. We took the Rain Forest hike and
discovered the tour guide was
in great shape. We could not keep up with him so we missed some of his insightful
speeches. We still enjoyed it
though and fortunately we didn't get lost. In St Maarten we go to this quaint little beach
just left of the pier. It's called
EveryTing Cool. For $6 you get a mat and a drink. They have a band playing some great jazz
and blues. The food
there is great, drinks are cheap and the party kicks! What else do you need? All beaches
are nude on St Maarten
except this one. We feel too uncomfortable about nude beaches. Who knows what kind of
people go there. I don't
care to find out. Also I think the yacht racing is a little over-rated. The next time I
want to be yelled at to perform
sailing tasks I will try this out. To top it off, it's dangerous. Our two boats nearly
collided and my wife would of been
seriously hurt if they did. I was a primary grinder, and if I wasn't paying attention I
could of gotten my fingers ripped
off or my wrists would have been shattered by the handles. I wanted to go sailing, but I
was so into my duty on board
I didn't enjoy it. We won, big deal. I would have enjoyed losing more, just to be able to
sit with my wife and drink a
few beers.
Okay now the dancing and entertainment. The shows were fantastic. I have heard people say
some bad things
about the shows, but I especially appreciate the dancing. The lifts, dips and aerials they
perform are magnificent.
You are seeing some first rate dancing there. I don't think you can appreciate the moves
they make unless you try
them yourself. Ok the singers need a little work, but who cares. Costumes and special
effects and comedy are
great. The best dinner seating for dancing on this ship is the 1st seating. We were a
little disappointed they didn't
have more Ballroom dancing. We saw only 1 hour of Ballroom dancing on one particular
night. It was mostly swing,
but the dance floor itself was such that you could foxtrot. Very few dancers. Perfect.
They did not play any slow
Waltzes, nor did they play any Tangos. Bummer. But besides the Ballroom dancing, they made
up for it. The pool
deck band was OK. You could samba up there until you dropped, that's about it. The beat
was your basic Reggae.
The marble floor could get a little slick if a wet person walked across it. That's a
little dangerous. At night they had
this wonderful Latin Band. Those guys were great. Lots and lots of Salsa, Meringue,
Rhumbas and ChaChas! Oh
yeah. We did that every night. And then also every night we had another band called Vicky
and the Holding
Company that played all the show tunes, old rock and roll and blues. More ChaChas, some
Westcoast, jitterbug and
double and triple time swing! Even though the Ballroom dancing was lacking, there was
plenty of dancing! What I
love about cruises are, most cruisers don't dance. You have plenty of room to strut your
stuff. If they ever take away
the dancing on a cruise, we wouldn't go. The disco was ok as well, but the bands were so
good, we spent very little
time there. They even had one night of Country dancing. We two-stepped a little, but this
seemed to be a little more
crowded than the other dances. If you enjoy dancing, cruises are by far the best vacation
you will ever take,
because you can dance until you are tired of it, or until it's time to go take a look at
the midnight buffet.
I better end this. If you have any questions about anything please don't hesitate to email
me.
Want to book your cruise at a great rate?
Click here.
Questions or comments? Mail to webmaster@cruiseopinion.com.
Copyright ©1996-2001 CruiseOpinion.com. Last modified: January 17, 2000.