Monarch of the Seas 12-12-11 Review (4 Night)

[kruzerci]

Just returned from the 12/12/11 4 night cruise on Monarch of the Seas. I’m not going to do a lengthy review because I’m worn out but I’ll just hit the main points and I would be more than glad to answer any questions.

 

Background- This was our 13th Royal Caribbean cruise, having been on all classes except Oasis. In this class, we have been on the Sovereign twice, Majesty once, and this was our first trip on the Monarch. We usually cruise in the warm weather months, so December was different for us. After our cruise on the Majesty in 2010, we decided that we would stick with 7 nights or longer from then on, but we saw an Alabama resident rate for under $200 p/p in an OV, there was a C&A coupon, and it was double credits for Diamonds in December, so we decided it was a no-brainer to book this cruise.

 

Pre-cruise/Embarkation (Day 1)- We arrived in Florida on Sunday evening and stayed at a newly renovated LaQuinta on Cocoa Beach Sunday night. We parked and got to the terminal at 10:25 Monday morning. We enjoy sailing out of Port Canaveral because it is usually simple and flawless. There were probably 20 people in the security line before us and it moved much slower than usual. After proceeding through security there was a hold up at check in. We noticed many of the people in the priority boarding line were either Gold or first timers, which was odd, as it is usually strictly enforced. Minor hiccups aside, we were onboard by 11:30. We proceeded to the Windjammer. Had lunch, walked around for a few minutes, and before long our room was ready. We had an oceanview stateroom on Deck 2. It was small, but certainly manageable for 4 nights.

 

 

The weather wasn’t great, a mix of sun and clouds and high 70’s, but we lounged on the pool deck until muster drill at 3:30. It was quick and painless and we set sail for Cococay at 4:30.

 

 

The captain mentioned in his announcement that there would be rough seas as we made our way to the Bahamas and to take caution if you were prone to seasickness, but even so, there were a lot of seasick people Monday night. The seas were possibly the roughest we’ve had in 14 cruises. There were bags on the railings at all the stairwells, which I know is not uncommon, but we have never encountered conditions like that before. When we went to the Viking Crown for drinks, every few minutes you could see your glass gently slide from one end of the table to the other!

 

 

We had early dining this time, so we headed inside, showered, and went up to the Nightly Diamond Event on deck 14 for a few drinks before dinner. The Viking Crown was always packed from 5-8. It was beautiful at sunset and the staff at the Diamond Events were always cheerful and fun. There crowd was much older than we are used to since we usually do summer cruises. It sounded like a lot of people were taking advantage of the double points for Diamonds in December.

[kruzerci]

At Sea (Day 2)- As mentioned before, we had rough seas Monday night, so we were expecting the announcement on Tuesday morning that we would be skipping CocoCay and spending the day at sea. The weather was beautiful, the seas were just too rough to tender. No problem, we enjoy our days at sea and they said we would proceed to Nassau as scheduled Wednesday, and try CocoCay again on Thursday. We spent most of the day adrift with the engines shut off since we had such a short distance to Nassau. Again, we relaxed in the sun and enjoyed being out of the cold weather. Tonight was formal night. Upon boarding, we had "Dazzling December Celebration" Pins in our stateroom, tonight we got Crown and Anchor luggage straps as well. I know there was some conflicting information as to who got them and what ships were giving them before I left for this cruise.

 

 

 

Nassau (Day 3)- We go to Atlantis on land-based vacations every few years, so we just took a cab over to Paradise Island for $4 a person. We spent some time in the casino, roamed around Atlantis until about 10AM and then made a stop at Senor Frogs for a drink on the way back to the ship. Back on the pool deck by noon, we ordered some drinks by the pool and treated it like another day at sea. Tonight was casual and there was the Midnight Pool Party as we left Nassau.

 

 

 

 

 

[kruzerci]

CocoCay (Day 4)- We made it! It was still windy, but apparently calm enough to tender. I got off the ship early, spent a few hours onshore at the beach, and went back to the ship around noon. It was warm on Cococay, but cloudy at times and the wind made it feel cool. It was hot if there was no wind, but cold when the sun hit the clouds and the wind blew. Thursday was like the rest, spent in the sun on the top deck. I meant to mention, there was never a shortage of deck chairs, even on the day at sea. This could be attributed to the few families onboard (it seems like they said just 97 children were onboard?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disembarkation- We did the express disembarkation and we were off the ship and in the car by 8:30 AM. We did get fliers for Diamond Priority disembarkation, but I’m just as happy with walking off. No lines whatsoever. Much easier than waiting for your tags to be called, especially having such little luggage for a short cruise.

 

 

Diamonds In December- I believe I said before, this was certainly a more senior friendly cruise that we are used to, since we have usually sailed with our (now almost grown) kids during their summer vacations and spring breaks. There were a few Pinnacles and an abundance of Diamond Plus at the Diamond Events, many were talking about Diamonds in December and the double credits. We were happy with how the “December Celebration” was handled, just small gifts (pins, luggage straps, magnets), but nothing over the top.

 

 

 

 

 

Food- Very subjective so I won’t say much about it. We have found the food to be steadily declining across the fleet in recent years, this was no exception. Some things were great, others were decent. The desserts are where I notice the biggest drop in quality. We missed the specialty restaurants and it felt like the Windjammer was constantly understaffed. That being said, certainly won’t go hungry on Monarch!

 

To be continued....

[KirkNC]

Nice pics. Thanks for taking the time to post a review.

[kruzerci]

Entertainment- We didn’t do most of the shows, but the Welcome Aboard, Farewell, and late night comedy were good.

 

 

Ship in general- We knew exactly what to expect going on the Monarch after being on her sisters several times. We lower our expectations when going on older ships or shorter cruises. If you go into this cruise comparing it to Freedom or Oasis, you will be really disappointed. The Monarch looks tired. The rooms are tiny, the ceilings are low, and the layout is awkward compared to the new ships. Monarch is also the oldest ship we have sailed on, being 20 years old. As many others have said, she is great for what she does, but anything longer than 4 days I feel would be too much.

 

The Monarch does not feel as updated as the Majesty does and the Sovereign did. It feels like they put some money into the Majesty a few years ago, but skimped on the Monarch this year because she isn’t going to be around long. It is especially noticeable around the pool deck, where the Majesty got the faux wood, and in the Windjammer, where there is no Johnny Rockets, Compass Deli, etc. on Monarch.

 

The negatives aside, she has a great crew and a loyal following. If nothing else, it’s always clean and full of activity. The crew is always scrubbing, painting, polishing, you name it. Although I prefer the Majesty, I would sail on Monarch again if the price was right because it sails from Port Canaveral.

 

 

Summary- We had a great trip for the price. It wasn’t the best cruise we have been on, but for around $500, it was great to get out of the cold and enjoy being out on the water for a few days. If we do the Monarch or Majesty again, it will probably be the 3 night, since the 4 night takes up a whole vacation week for four short days. Like I said, the Monarch is a bang for your buck, perfect for short Bahamas cruises with the unbeatable prices.

 

 

It was fun being on a Christmas decorated ship! We had never seen Christmas decorations on a cruise before and they really go all out. We met some fun people, had a relaxing few days in the Bahamas, and we are looking forward to being back on Freedom in a few months.

 

I’m sure I will add more as I think of it, feel free to ask any questions!

 

[PH8]

 

We had early dining this time, so we headed inside, showered, and went up to the Nightly Diamond Event on deck 14 for a few drinks before dinner. The Viking Crown was always packed from 5-8. It was beautiful at sunset and the staff at the Diamond Events were always cheerful and fun. .

Dont ya just love Sylvester and Leonore??? Very sweet and always smiling!:D

[critterchick]

Thanks for the review! We had a great time on the 4-nighter before yours. Just so you know, Jade Sushi & Steakhouse has a terrific menu. If you don't mind cooking your own steak (or other entree) on the hot stone, it's quite a nice "specialty" restaurant. The sushi is pretty good, too.:)

[Sports Dr]

Good cruise especially for the price. The only negative was the snootiness and nitpicking of some diamond cruisers, who wore those stupid pins (I wont ever wear one) as to notifiy the normal people that "we" are better than you. One prissy diamond woman was in line at guest relations just ahead of me and she just bitched about no jelly on her table at breakfast. Another "nose in the air" was complaining about the rough seas. Why do cruisers think that platinum, emerald or diamond status makes them better than any one else. Another old bat complained that the walkoffs with their own luggage should wait for the elite to get off. yet another lady cruiser with her pledge pins complained to guest relations that she was still sick and guest relations needs to do more. I told how to get rid of seasickness..... hang her head over the rail and wretch her guts out.

 

Great food, exceptional service, good entertainment and a nice job by RCCL

[PH8]

Good cruise especially for the price. The only negative was the snootiness and nitpicking of some diamond cruisers, who wore those stupid pins (I wont ever wear one) as to notifiy the normal people that "we" are better than you. One prissy diamond woman was in line at guest relations just ahead of me and she just bitched about no jelly on her table at breakfast. Another "nose in the air" was complaining about the rough seas. Why do cruisers think that platinum, emerald or diamond status makes them better than any one else. Another old bat complained that the walkoffs with their own luggage should wait for the elite to get off. yet another lady cruiser with her pledge pins complained to guest relations that she was still sick and guest relations needs to do more. I told how to get rid of seasickness..... hang her head over the rail and wretch her guts out.

 

Great food, exceptional service, good entertainment and a nice job by RCCL

Im DP and wont wear the pins either.......I swear some wear their pins on their pajamas!:eek::eek:

[kruzerci]

Dont ya just love Sylvester and Leonore??? Very sweet and always smiling!:D

 

We loved Leonore! She was so sweet and happy she always made us smile. She always made time to stop and talk after the crowd died down.

[PH8]

We loved Leonore! She was so sweet and happy she always made us smile. She always made time to stop and talk after the crowd died down.

Agreed!! :D:D

[CruisinDawn]

My parents were on the Majesty this same week and didn't get to stop at CocoCay for the 5th time!!! They swear it does not exist so it's gonna be funny telling them that the Monarch stopped. :D They too said it was the roughest cruise they had ever been on but like me we enjoy the motion and have no problem with sea sickness.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[kruzerci]

My parents were on the Majesty this same week and didn't get to stop at CocoCay for the 5th time!!! They swear it does not exist so it's gonna be funny telling them that the Monarch stopped. :D They too said it was the roughest cruise they had ever been on but like me we enjoy the motion and have no problem with sea sickness.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

 

Ha ha, we have never missed it besides this trip, and eventually got there on the last day so we must be lucky!

[ocolus8109]

Dont ya just love Sylvester and Leonore??? Very sweet and always smiling!:D

 

She was cute, from the Philippines, correct? I was on the 3 day cruise before this.

 

I felt Monarch was lacking this time. As much as I hate to say it, I don't think its a good representation of the Royal Caribbean brand anymore :(. People either seemed to be very happy with her or very disappointed, had they not done their research.

 

I did not get a luggage strap! Is it just the 4 day?

[Clarea]

Dont ya just love Sylvester and Leonore??? Very sweet and always smiling!:D

Glad to hear Sylvester is back. He was on vacation last August. Hopefully he will be onboard a few more weeks when we're on Monarch in late January.

 

Im DP and wont wear the pins either.......I swear some wear their pins on their pajamas!:eek::eek:

This is not a joke, I see pins on swimsuits from time to time. Including a Pinnacle name tag once. Repeat, not a joke.

 

Bob

[ocolus8109]

It seemed like everybody on our cruise was wearing a pin... Does anybody know what the pins looked like last year? We saw some that were the same size as this years December Celebration pins but were all gold.

[Ander026]

Good cruise especially for the price. The only negative was the snootiness and nitpicking of some diamond cruisers, who wore those stupid pins (I wont ever wear one) as to notifiy the normal people that "we" are better than you. One prissy diamond woman was in line at guest relations just ahead of me and she just bitched about no jelly on her table at breakfast. Another "nose in the air" was complaining about the rough seas. Why do cruisers think that platinum, emerald or diamond status makes them better than any one else. Another old bat complained that the walkoffs with their own luggage should wait for the elite to get off. yet another lady cruiser with her pledge pins complained to guest relations that she was still sick and guest relations needs to do more. I told how to get rid of seasickness..... hang her head over the rail and wretch her guts out.

 

Great food, exceptional service, good entertainment and a nice job by RCCL

 

I agree with you. I started cruising with RCCL in December and have started a new annual tradition in cruising in Dec. I also agree with you about some of the people on a cruise. I see those same type at my work place at Disney. You would be amazed with some of the guests that I encounter where they do not want to wait 10 minutes for a bus to get back to their Resort.

[morganboys]

whos is the current cd on the monarch?

thanks

[PH8]

whos is the current cd on the monarch?

thanks

Drew Devine:)

[dream2cruise]

Just so you know, Jade Sushi & Steakhouse has a terrific menu. If you don't mind cooking your own steak (or other entree) on the hot stone, it's quite a nice "specialty" restaurant. The sushi is pretty good, too.:)

 

What do the prices run for Jade? And are reservations required? We tried to do a reservation online but it was not available for our cruise. (1/2)

[Clarea]

What do the prices run for Jade? And are reservations required? We tried to do a reservation online but it was not available for our cruise. (1/2)

It's unlikely that reservations would be required. We've been to Jade about 5 times and it never has been very busy.

 

Prices are per item. If you get sushi, salad, and an entree, the cost would be $15 to $25, depending on your specific choices.

 

Here's a link to a photo I took of the menu about a year ago. Don't know if it's changed since then:

 

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=19537

[critterchick]

It's unlikely that reservations would be required. We've been to Jade about 5 times and it never has been very busy.

 

Prices are per item. If you get sushi, salad, and an entree, the cost would be $15 to $25, depending on your specific choices.

 

Here's a link to a photo I took of the menu about a year ago. Don't know if it's changed since then:

 

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=19537

 

We had a chocolate mousse for dessert, so I guess it's changed. I confess that I wasn't paying close attention.

 

As for wearing the pins, not everybody who wears them also puts on a sense of entitlement. I didn't wear the 2010 pin because it was heavy and kind of ugly IMO, but I really like this year's pin and I did wear it. You never saw me berating anybody or with my nose in the air, I promise. Same with my friends that I was travelling with. So please don't judge me because I choose to wear a pin.

[kruzerci]

We had a chocolate mousse for dessert, so I guess it's changed. I confess that I wasn't paying close attention.

 

As for wearing the pins, not everybody who wears them also puts on a sense of entitlement. I didn't wear the 2010 pin because it was heavy and kind of ugly IMO, but I really like this year's pin and I did wear it. You never saw me berating anybody or with my nose in the air, I promise. Same with my friends that I was travelling with. So please don't judge me because I choose to wear a pin.

 

We didn't wear ours, but in defense for those who do, they do ask you to wear them when you receive them.

[gelo7]

Thanks for sharing your review.

[LBumb]

nice review