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Name: Hugh Heater
Email: hughh@us.ibm.com
Age: 55
Occupation: Product Marketing
NumberOfCruises: 9
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Monarch
SailingDate: June 28, 1998
Itinerary: Southern Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 70
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 60
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 14 Jul 1998
Time: 10:39:47
Remote Name: 204.146.167.231
Remote User:
Comments
This was our sixth cruise on RCCL. Previously we sailed on the Sovereign, Majesty and
Grandeur of the Seas. Embarkation in San Juan was a nightmare. We
arrived at the Airport about 1:30 p.m.. It took about 1 hour to get to the local
transportation and then to the ship. The greeting staff at the airport were well
informed and did a nice job. No problems here. Then we arrived at the Port! Line running
out of the door, probably back 200 feet. Little did we know this
would be the good, well not good, maybe, most tolerable, portion of our wait. Well, at
least it will be cool when we get into the terminal. The line seemed to be
moving slowly so I walked inside the terminal to see what was taking so long. Much to my
dismay, the line was winding all around the terminal, there must have
been 500 - 700 people in line in front of us, AND the air conditioning was not working.
Needless to say, this was 3 hours of pure hell. There were only 10 lanes
checking passengers onto the ship. 2400 passengers through 10 lanes. The employees manning
the check in lanes were not in the greatest of mood either.
All of our previous cruises have left from the Port of Miami and they have two piers with
10 lanes each to check you on board. Never again from San Juan!
One last comment and I get off of embarkation, as we approached the ship, the photographer
was there to take our Welcome Aboard picture. We declined.
We proceeded to board and check our cabin. We had been assigned a handicap cabin, even
though neither of us require it, and it was large, obviously to
accommodate a wheel chair. We enjoyed the additional room, though we did flood the
bathroom a couple of times as the lip around the shower is very low to
allow wheel chair access. Our cabin steward we quite gracious as he gave us additional
towels to dry the floor.
St. Thomas was our first stop, great jewelry
shopping and my wife got a nice 20th Anniversary gift there. We have been going to the
same jewelry store for six years so they know us and we trust them.
We decided to remain on board in Martinique, enjoyed the day relaxing around the pool. I
had spoken to one of the Casino Managers about Barbados and
she had recommended a private tour. We joined two other couples, our traveling companions
of 5 years and their Daughter and new Son in Law and hired a
Van. Our driver was a native and was very familiar with the history of the Island. We were
with him for 3 hours and paid $25.00 per couple.
Antigua was
another pool day. My wife and I had been to St. Marten several times before but had never
ventured to the French side. Another conversation with the Casino
Manager, yes I did spend some time there, and we had directions to local, reasonably
priced transportation from Phillipsburg on the Dutch side to Marigot on
the French side. It cost $1.50 each, each way. Now this was our kind of place. Not nearly
as crowded as Phillipsburg, same name stores, lovely sidewalk cafes
and the usual 'native crafts' at a market by the harbor. We ate lunch as La Vie en Rose,
which they said means roughly 'Life is Rosy'. It certainly was for us
this day. Picked up a watercolor of Marigot harbor. All of the locals were watching the
World Cup Soccer and when France won, what a bunch of 'happy
campers'. It would have been fun to have been at that same cafe for the Finals. Overall,
this was one of our better cruises.
The Monarch of the Seas does
leave a few things to be desired. This ship has been is service since 1991 and I believe
the furnishings are still the originals. The chairs in the dining room are
heavily stained with the sides exposing the foam padding. Part of this is probably because
the wait staff choose to stand in the chairs each evening to take
down the bunting around the dining room. The carpeting is well worn. The sofa in our cabin
was dirty and heavily worn. The shower curtain bottom was black
with mildew. The produce in the dining room was not typical Royal Caribbean quality. I
attributed this to the fact that the ship was not provisioned in the U.S.,
but that is just speculation. And lastly, again, we will never leave from San Juan again!
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