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Name: Hannelore Kidd
Email: lore@flash.net
Age: 69
Occupation: Retired CPA
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 10/1/95
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 70
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets: 88
CabinSteward: 88
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 80
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 88
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 75
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 88
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization:
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Aug 1996
Time: 11:10:35
Remote Name: 208.194.205.93
Remote User:
After experiencing the Carnival Fascination a year earlier, the Monarch was a disappointment. The cabins are smaller than even on the much smaller Carnival Tropicale. The cabin stewart didn't seem to like his job very much, he was unfriendly and seldom to be seen. The food was of medium quality. The selection was poor, during four different nights we had the exact same variety of appetizers to chose from. Most nights there was no entertainment on deck. The cruise director left a lot to be desired. We did enjoy the comfort of the deck area with much space to find a quiet place to relax. I personally would not chose the Monarch again.
Name: Frank Palmieri
Email: fpalmier@concentric.net
Age: 55
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 7/96
Itinerary: southern caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 89
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 89
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 88
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 93
CruiseActivities: 93
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 96
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 89
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Oct 1996
Time: 22:53:45
Remote Name: 206.173.113.74
Remote User:
Comments
Food was excellent ,was well presented. Room service was very good,but food was limited to
3 types sandwich were ok.Entertainment was excellent,staff was excellent. Was a little
crowded by the pool ,but passengers very friendly. Drinks at pool side excellent.
Bathrooms on decks very clean. Shops left something to be desired.Cabins not to big but
were well planned out.There ship compass had so much activity there was something for
everyone every minute of the day. It was the best cruise I've taken ,my wife and I would
go again.
Name: shannon benil
Email: slb6088@ssu.edu
Age: 19
Occupation: student
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 8/12/96
Itinerary: eastern caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 70
FoodMidnightBuffets: 70
CabinSteward: 70
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Oct 1996
Time: 11:56:45
Remote Name: 131.118.40.80
Remote User:
Comments
The Monarch of the Seas and all of Royal Caribbean's ships are the best fleet in the
service today. Their ships are constantly clean and the service is always friendly. I have
made many memorable cruises on the Sovereign, Majesty and the Monarch and have never once
been disappointed in anything. I've kept in touch with many of the cruise staff and crew
that I met and even a cruise director. I also met my fiance on one of the ships while he
was a performer in the fabulous Wave Revue cast. There is not a single thing I could
complain about except for the fact that they always have to end.
Name: Tom Helt
Email: Tom.Helt@worldnet.att.net
Age: 43
Occupation: Computer systems analyst
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 04/95
Itinerary: Southern
FoodDiningRoom: 82
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 93
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 65
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Dec 1996
Time: 16:03:54
Remote Name: 207.146.192.188
Remote User:
Comments
Despite a rocky start, this cruise proved to be an excellent vacation.
Our only real problem was with our air/sea package. We attempted to get a deviation to fly
in the night before and were unable. Our flight on the day of the cruise was delayed and
we arrived late. This created a rushed boarding and several missed oportunities, the most
significant was my son missing the first youth orientation (he felt a little out of things
since many of the kids got to know each other the first night).
The food was definitely not gourment, but was high quality and well prepared. Our waiter
provided service equal to the best I have ever received. His recommendations were always
excellent, and when we deviated from them he advised us if we should avoid the item (one
time a person at our table went ahead and ordered something he said was not up to quality
and was disappointed with the meal).
I was most impressed with the way the staff handled problems. We had a situation where we
had purchased tickets for the Barbados Atlantis Submarine. On the morning of the port call
there was a note under our door saying that there was a problem with our tickets. When I
went to the desk, they explained how the problem occurred to my satifisfaction (a new
procedure had been put into place and we were sold tickets which had actually be sold).
They immediately offered to refund the purchase price (expected, of course) and provide us
complimentary tickets for the Atlantis at St. Thomas. This seemed to be an excellent way
to handle the problem.
The cabin was small, but functional (and a fact we knew before booking).
Name: Rick Schindler
Email: rick.sch@worldnet.att.net
Age: 55
Occupation: Sales
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 12/8/96
Itinerary: So. Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 50
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 70
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Jan 1997
Time: 01:57:29
Remote Name: 207.146.220.91
Remote User:
Comments
The Monarch is a beautiful ship, inside and out. The lobby is very elegant and dramatic.
My biggest disappointment was in the musty odor of the carpeting in the dining room and
also the indoor buffet. The odor was terrible. The food was much better than we expected
and the sercice was very good. We had a great waiter and head waiter. The busboy wasn't
too swift, but he meant well. I would definitly sail with RCCL again. It's a good line.
Name: Elizabeth Word
Email: __angel__@msn.com
Age: 55
Occupation: retired educator
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: Jan.5,1997
Itinerary: East Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 97
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 97
FoodLidoDeck: 93
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 96
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 88
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 93
CruiseActivities: 94
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 92
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 96
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 97
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 97
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Jan 1997
Time: 23:12:04
Remote Name: 153.35.44.133
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise and we were very pleased. It was for our 35th anniversary. We
had a room with a private balcony and that was wonderful. Our room was also very spacious.
Friends went with us and were in a very small inside cabin with no window. I would not
have liked that as well, even though they said they got used to it because they didn,t
spend much time in their room. My husband was a little upset when he found out how much
more we paid for the cruise than they did until he saw their room. He thanked me over and
over because he would not have been happy in that room. If you can afford an outside cabin
with a balcony, go for it!
The food was wonderful and our servers were so nice and accomodating. They knew I loved
seafood and on lobster night he brought me 4 lobster tails.
We were also very pleased with the shows. Probably because of our age we were thrilled to
have the Platters one night and the Fifth Dimension on another night.
My husband didn't much want to go , but he came home ready to plan the next one. Or should
I say ready for me to plan the next one. I really have nothing but praise for the ship and
all its amenities and staff.
P..S. We were told to take taxis for our shore excursions and this was good advice. We got
to see as much, if not more, than than the ships planned excursions at a better price. You
need to be well prepared and know about the places you are going and want to see before
doing this.
Name: g zimmermann
Email: gzimmer@silk.net
Age: 32
Occupation: medical professional
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 4/27/97
Itinerary: south carib
FoodDiningRoom: 82
CruiseDirector: 84
CabinComfort: 79
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 87
CabinAmenities: 79
FoodLidoDeck: 84
DiningRoomService: 84
CabinQuietness: 86
FoodMidnightBuffets: 82
CabinSteward: 84
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 82
ShoreExcValue: 65
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 86
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 79
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 77
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 84
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 86
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 88
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 May 1997
Time: 17:11:21
Remote Name: 208.146.63.197
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise and were actually quite disappointed with RCCL. We were told
they had such wonderful
customer service yet from the start were treated like a number. We had paid for a certain
cabin level yet when
boarding were given a lower cabin grade. We informed the pursers desk and were informed
they could not change
our cabin because the ship was full and if we wanted a cabin upgrade we would have to pay
for it. No apologies
were ever made. Needless to say the cruise started off on a bad note. On the second day of
our cruise we were
unable to even attend the Captain's Cocktail party because our cabin flooded. We tried for
1 1/2 hours to get
someone to fix the problem but no one responded until the second hour. We asked for a new
cabin since they
couldn't say if the flooding was corrected and they said it was not possible. The next
night our cabin flooded again
and we finally out of nowhere a new cabin appeared. Once again no apologies were made.
In talking with other guests on the ship the quality of the service on this ship was
inferior to other well known ship
lines. The food was pretty good but lacked variety. The dining service we had was very
good but apparently not all
guests we talked with felt this way.
Entertainment was a disappointment after hearing it would be the best part of the cruise.
Last but not least we were
extremely disappointed with the excursions. We attended the excursion talk and took the
tour directors advice about
a certain excursion she said was one of the best available. It was the biggest waste of
time and money--even worse
than the four hour flight to San Juan. This is how uninformative and boring this
was--don't take the advice of the
excursion director. Apparently she hasn't actually gone on any of them or she would know
what a waste "butterfly
excursion' on Martinique is.
I would recommed looking into Carnival or Norweigen for this particular route--apparent ly
they really enjoyed
themselves in talking to others on our flight home.
Name: David Bergeron
Email: jjberger@ix.netcom.com
Age: 23
Occupation: Student
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: May 25 1996
Itinerary: Southern Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 73
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 89
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 89
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 14 May 1997
Time: 15:36:18
Remote Name: 204.31.237.123
Remote User:
Comments
Overall, this was a good (but not great) cruise experience. I had been on previous cruises
with HAL and
Commodore. The overall quality of this cruise was nowhere near the level of quality
afforded by HAL. RCCL,
however, does keep in mind that there are guests on the ship that are not in the 55+ age
catagory. They really do a
good job with entertaining ALL of their passengers. Also, the itinerary is absolutely the
best in the carribbean if ports
of call are the most important aspect of selecting a cruise. One last comment about the
overall feel of this cruise - I
could'nt help feeling as though I was on a huge assembly line. I got the feeling that I
was a number - not a guest on
board. The service is somewhat personal, but uniformly so. I did not get the sence of
spontainuity which was evident
on my HAL trip. Bottom line - do not expect the unexpected. Everyone on board will receive
good service albeit
uniform to all passengers. This is a good ship for a first timer and for families. My
family (six) probably had the best
vacation that we had ever had together.
Name: Keith Cain
Email: KeithC5087@aol.com
Age: 38
Occupation: SelfEmplyoyed
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: May 11, 1997
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 60
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 60
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 35
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 75
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 60
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 75
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 60
OverallCruiseValue: 70
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 May 1997
Time: 09:49:10
Remote Name: 152.163.194.8
Remote User:
Comments
Our experience with this ship was less than satisfactory. The ship rocked continually not
at an uncomfortable level, but
more than it should have in 5-10 foot seas. We had to make sure that our 13 year old was
entertained because the youth
program was virtually non-existent. The itinerary and ports were great, except that the
island tours are so rushed you
barely have time to snap a picture of a beautiful beach before you are whisked away to
another. The food was very good
with a couple of exceptions. The Dining Room service was exceptional. The shows in the
show lounge were great when
a guest performer was aboard. The singers and dancers were passable but not exceptional.
The cabins are extremely
small and every noise imaginable was heard. The space ratio seemed low but then the ship
was full. After arriving aboard
I was told that RCCL is notorious for their small cabins, but my travel agent never
bothered to tell me this. After cruising
Carnival last year and RCCL this year I will probably go back to Carnival.
Name: Marissa Regan
Email: reszelm@musc.edu
Age: 28
Occupation: Research Nutritionist
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 6/29/97
Itinerary: Southern Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Jul 1997
Time: 16:52:15
Remote Name: 128.23.137.137
Remote User:
Comments
This was our honeymoon trip, so truthfully, little was going to 'bring us down' for this
most special trip of ous.
We thoroughly enjoyed the pampering for the entire trip. We tipped our cabin steward right
off the bat, and we had
fabulous service from him the entire cruise. The room was small, but expectantly so.... it
is a ship's cabin after all. But
we were rarely in the room except for sleeping and preparing for meals and so the cabin
was definitely comfortable
enough for the time we were using it. (outside cabin on deck three in the middle of the
ship.)
The excursions were okay but as was mentioned in another critique, seemed to be a little
rushed. The time spent at
each port, was actually pretty short with an arrival time of around 8 or 9 am and a
leaving time of 4 or 5 pm. Most
shopping deals were b.s. except for the Rolex watches at Little Switzerland which were a
great deal! DON'T fall for
the jewelry deals... most of that stuff is JUNK!
The Jolly Roger was a blast! just a huge party boat and the tram on St. Thomas is a must
to get the gorgeous view.
Get the weather report before you go on any snorkeling trip. Make sure the water and winds
aren't too rough. We
didn't know until we got there and ended up snorkeling in some pretty darn rough water
which made the excursion
quite strenuous!
Our waitstaff couldn't have been better and the food was incredible. There were very few
items that weren't totally
delicious, especially all desserts. Portion size is just right, so you can enjoy a taste
of each course of entire meal. The
midnight buffets were great! Drinks are basically cheap but can really add up!
There were 170 honeymoon couples on board with us with a very fun honeymoon party for us
all that was free with
drinks and snacks and live music as well as a special honeymoon cake.
The shows were alright, but the singers and dancers were definitely not awesome. The guest
entertainers were all
VERY good and should be experienced.
Play the bingo. The final jackpot for us was up to over 7000 dollars! and it only costs
anywhere between 10 and 50
bucks to play.
I would highly recommend this cruiseline and even this ship. It definitely made us want to
go on another cruise.
Name: Debra Kelly
Email: usquip@ibm.net
Age: 39
Occupation: International shipping
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: June 29, 1997
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 98
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 88
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 80
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 96
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 98
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization:
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Jul 1997
Time: 11:11:55
Remote Name: 166.72.92.229
Remote User:
Comments
This was my honeymoon and it was spectacular. We had not been on a cruise since 1982 on
the Atlantic, and boy have things changed. You could
probably fit 2 Atlantics on the Monarch! She's a beautiful ship with an outstanding crew.
The cruise director, Jeffrey, has a terrific sense of humor and his
whole staff is great. The service and food in the dining room is outstanding, you have
plenty of selections every night. They have a terrific staff from all
over the world. We never made it to the midnight buffet but heard it was really good. The
room was quite a bit smaller than the one we had 15 years ago
but you really don't spend that much time there anyway. Our cabin steward was great, he
always kept our cooler filled with ice and the room was always
made up by the time we returned from breakfast. The service at the pool bar was great or
you could order right from your deck chair. There was plenty of
entertainment all day long or you could do nothing at all. We didn't go on any of the
shore excursions but had a good time roaming around on our own.
We love St. Maarten! The only thing we didn't like about the cruise, and this isn't RCL's
fault, is the stop in St. Thomas. Nothing against the island itself but if
your cruise takes you to St. Thomas you have to purchase 90% of your duty free items on
that island or you will be taxed on it when you clear customs at
the end. For instance, you are allowed to buy 5 cartons of cigarettes per person but 4 of
them must be purchased on St. Thomas or you'll be taxed at the
end of the cruise and the other islands are cheaper! But that is our only complaint,
otherwise the cruise is 'Paradise....so nice!'
Name: Larry Kulai
Email: lkulai@island.net
Age: 48
Occupation: businessman
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: July 6, l997
Itinerary: 95
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService:
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark:
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Jul 1997
Time: 03:12:44
Remote Name: 204.239.42.46
Remote User:
Comments
We spent one week in San Juan, prior to boarding the ship. It was very relaxing. Stayed at
the San Juan Marriott. Excellent. Highly recommend it before
the cruise. Travelling with wife, two daughters (10 and 12), and mother. Being our first
cruise, everything was new and exciting for the whole family. We
found the cabins small but adequate. Very little storage space for clothing. Two daughters
and mother sharing one cabin. My wife and I enjoy gourmet
dining when on vacation. It is not gourmet dining that you would find in a first class
restaurant, but better than I expected considering they have to serve
that many people at two sittings. The variety is good. The problem is there is too much
food. I found myself sitting down to a meal and not being hungry,
because I consumed too much at the previous meal MY FAULT. We never once went to the
midnight buffet, and only ate lunch twice. What was truly
exceptional was the service we received from our waiter Ricardo Ossandon, and also the
waiter at the next table, Juan Carlos Castano. They were superb
with the children as well, and did everything from magic tricks to napkin folding with
them. The children's menu had a nice variety from grilled chicken,
steak, the usual hamburgers, to spaghetti and meat balls. Our daughters usually found
items on the regular menu to order, however. Overall, the dining
on board was good and tasty, and, fortunately for us, made even more enjoyable by our
wonderful table companions (Thanks to the person who placed a
terrific family of three generations at our table!) The entertainment on board was varied
and we made sure we attended the show (with our table
companions) each evening. Really enjoyed Russ Merlin, Domenick Allen and Marlise and Paul
Boland. The entertainment appealed to all age groups. Our
girls especially liked the Wave Revue dancers and singers. Karaoke/ Sumo Wrestling wasn't
as entertaining as the English girl (Cruise staff) who
introduced the acts. Least enjoyable was Brooks Paxton. The only time we attended a port
lecture was before St. Thomas and we felt it was unnecessary
to listen to any others as all the information was available on the sheets given out every
day on recommended shopping. As to island excursions, we
simply did our own thing. In St. Thomas we shopped around, ate lunch at the Hard Rock
Cafe, got a cab to Magen's Bay (lovely). Stayed there a few
hours, had our cab driver pick us up and toured around the island. He was informative and
entertaining. Our stop in Martinique would have been more
positive if it had not been under a deluge of rain! As we were there only a half day, we
only ventured out for a few hours to look around Fort de France.
Our girls found the stray dogs, the poverty and the crowded rundown conditions somewhat
distressing. Barbados was scenic. We shopped briefly in
Bridgetown, got a cab to tour the island. Our cab driver resembled Eddie Murphy and was
informative. We should have spent less time on the historic sites
and more on the beach. We checked out some resorts and beaches but the surf was up and not
condusive to swimming. It was definitely an island we
would like to return to for a longer period of time. St. John's on Antigua was not
attractive. Uneven sidewalks, open drains and litter on the streets made
us leave for the beach in a hurry. The cab drivers soliciting for fares were very
aggressive and we found the numerous (at least 20!) requests for braiding
our girls hair annoying. We went to Dickinson's Bay and spent three hours relaxing. It was
beautiful and calm. St. Maarten was wonderful. A fifteen minute
cab ride took us to Orient Beach (the Bikini Beach section, not the clothing optional
section). A gorgeous stretch of beach with quite a few topless
sunbathers. The Monarch is a beautiful ship but they really do need to replace carpeting.
They really push the booze, from the minute you get on board.
However, that was minor. We had a wonderful time. It was a real adventure, and we
thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Highly recommend this cruise
line and this ship. One last thing. I get seasick, but I used the wrist bands and it
seemed to do the trick.
Name: Jim McQueen
Email: SEAWARDII@aol.com
Age: 44
Occupation: Production Planner
NumberOfCruises: 15
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 12/01/91
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 97
CabinComfort: 82
FoodRoomService: 87
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 89
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 88
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 86
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue: 89
GoodForHoneymoon: 94
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 94
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 93
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 94
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 92
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 89
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 70
MedicalFacilities: 92
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 97
DeckSpace: 82
Stabilization: 78
ShopsOnBoard: 100
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Nov 1997
Time: 14:42:12
Remote Name: 152.163.194.218
Remote User:
Comments
Having made several cruise sailings on many lines over the last decade, this particular
ship remains one of ouf
favorites in the category of evening entertainment........on our sailing, which was only
the second after the inaugural
cruise, we delighted in Bobby Rydell & Ben Vereen........3 refreshing, dazzling Las
Vegas revues debuted on this vessel,
and never on any night during the week was there a lackluster nights entertainment! ( An
astonishing achievement for
any cruise line ). The itinerary was better than average, but then again, I love Barbados,
St. Maarten, and ST.Thomas,
so there you go........When are the cruise lines going to realize that Martinique is a
BUST!!! Dirty streets, filthy port
facilities, and nasty natives!!! This itinerary is too busy; drop this one lousy port of
call once and for all, and pick up
Grenada, Dominica, or St.Lucia!!! ( Or better yet, another day at sea to enjoy this
beaufiful ship!) A lively, respectable
atmosphere prevails here......unlike the Fascination or the Norwegian Sea, which ply
similar waters all year
round....Shopping arcade along the spectacular Centrum, along with its flavorful, tasteful
lounges, is lovely. Overall, a
good experience, and other passengers who have sailed on her recently still give her high
marks for a good value! (
But remember, this is RCI, so cabins are on the SMALL side; however, their newer vessels
are striving to improve cabin
spaciousness and amenities.) I would like to try their 11 day Grand Caribbean out of Miami
on the Spleandour of the
Seas....THE ULTIMATE RCI vessel in comfort, service and itineraries!!!)
Name: William H. Hundley
Email: valuebook@aol.com
Age: 47
Occupation: Self Employed
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: Nov. 23, 1997
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 92
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 98
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 88
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Dec 1997
Time: 12:28:26
Remote Name: 152.163.205.219
Remote User:
Comments
Overall, this was a good cruise ship with an outstanding crew. All needs were quickly met,
the food in the dining room was
very good and the ship's amenities were more than adequate. However, the food in the
Windjammer was repetitive and
somewhat bland for lunch. They basically served the same thing every day.
Entertainment was okay, but not as good as it has been on other cruises. We felt somewhat
hustled by our waiter to give him
a good onboard review since he would get more time off if his reviews were good. We felt
we shouldn't know this and he
made a point of telling our table repeatedly about this.
One other thing was that in all the publications that RCCL issues, they give tipping
guidelines for the waiter, the assistant
waiter and the cabin steward. However, on the ship, they increased the suggested amounts
and added a fourth person to tip,
the head waiter (who did next to nothing except walk by the table).
The highlight of the whole week was participating in the America's Cup Regatta on St.
Maarten. This was a bit pricey, but well
worth the money and we had a great time. Book it early in the week or you could get shut
out since it is quite popular.
Overall, we give this cruise a 92 rating. Our fellow passengers were well behaved and
courteous and the crew was ready to
meet any needs instantly. Itenerary was terrific with the exception of Martinique (dirty
and rude, so stay on the ship). We had
a great time everywhere else.
Name: Diana Fales
Email: dfales@trammellcrow.com
Age: 27
Occupation: Property Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 12/21/97-12/28/97
Itinerary: Eastern/Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 88
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 50
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 88
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 88
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Dec 1997
Time: 14:15:32
Remote Name: 207.172.101.101
Remote User:
Comments
This was my first cruise, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Royal Caribbean/Monarch of the Seas
is definitely a vacation that I would recommend.
Our cabin steward was excellent, he quickly learned our habits, such that we hardly ever
saw him. He always did interesting pillow 'origami',
and was right there out of nowhere when we did need something.
Our waitstaff was also exceptional and attentive. However,the food was good, but there
were only one or two meals that I would consider
'fabulous' or 'outstanding'. Most meals were just a bit better than average, which was a
little disappointing, since you can usually count on
hear raves about a cruise's meals.
As far as itinerary goes, the islands we visited were beautiful (St. Thomas, Martinique,
Barbados, Antigua, and St. Maarten.) I don't think I'd
visit Martinique again, though, because it was dirty and crowded.
One of the only real disappointment regarding this trip would be the air/sea transfers.
Embarkation, Disembarkation and customs were quite
easy, however, considering that we booked our vacation 8 months in advance, I would have
thought that the five of us would have gotten
seats somewhere in the vicinity of one another, or even together; Instead, we ended up all
over the plane. To top it off, there were about ten
empty seats.
Overall, I would rate my first cruise experience highly. We will deinitely cruise again!
Name: Manfred A. Gerhart
Email: Gerhart@sprintmail.com
Age: 40
Occupation: Import/Export Sales
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: 12/21/97
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 60
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 50
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 60
DeckService: 50
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService:
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 75
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities: 80
ShipCleanliness: 50
EmbarkDisembark: 30
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 75
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Jan 1998
Time: 06:30:33
Remote Name: 206.133.65.26
Remote User:
Comments
This Christmas cruise was booked in Sept/97;we received our tickets 6 days prior to sail
date(the cruise line said we owed $150.00 on a
$15,000.00 which was pre-paid in Sept/97).
Our travel agent ordered 3 gift packs for the children in our group (this was a family
cruise with parents, brother's family and our
family)...RCCL delivered one and insisted the others were not ordered.
Our cabin steward seemed disinterested in providing that level of service that we've seen
on other cruises. He was always around, but
nothing seemed cleaned. The bathroom smelled like urine(I finally cleaned around the
toilet with shampoo and a towel), and he never left
enough shampoo or replaced the tissues.
My father-in-law and I were having a beverage and conversation in the Windward food
service area(open food area near the pools), when
something moved on a knee high wall by the elaborate watefall. Upon closer inspection, I
discovered that the wall was infested with German
Cockroaches. I looked under the beverage bar and saw more cockroaches running. Two days
later, the walls and floor in the Windward
restaurant area were covered with a blue/white powder, which, based on my experience, was
an illegal application of Boric Acid pesticide
(illegal because it was not applied in accordance with label for crack and crevice
application only). This was tracked on the decking. I was
horrified when I saw a child drop a muffin and pick it up and aim it at her mouth!
Fortunately, an adult stopped the child from eating the dirty,
and probably tainted, muffin.
Many of the cruise staff(not the ship's officers) were rude. The constant haranguing of
the pool side bar staff hawking drinks was very
annoying. I found a piece of costume jewelry in the vicinity of the the Windward side bar
on the pool deck. I thought that the owner might go
to the bar looking for it. The iritated bartender took it from me and threw it behind him,
berating me for wasting his time.
Disembarking in San Juan was unbelievable. We flew with Delta, the busiest transfer
station. We waited in a parking lot for an hour to have
airline agents tag and check our luggage. I felt I was in an outdoor market waiting to buy
vegetables and a chicken!
The good things? The Kid's Connection staff and program were wonderful. My son(age 4 1/2),
niece(4 1/2) and nephew(6) thoroughly
enjoyed Kid's Connection. Our waiter in the Brigadoon dining room was awesome...go Arnold!
The ports of call were very nice, but watch the
sidetrips...sometimes it's cheaper to take a cab. The ship's officers were very helpful
and courteous.
Nothing major that led to this very mediocre cruise, just a bunch of little thing. I'm
very grateful for this resource that will allow me to shop
my next cruise vacation very carefully. I hope that you will do the same.
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