4-Night Monarch of the Seas - Suite Life - Picture Review

[Hunwolf]

Great review BTW.

 

Our daughter's first ever cruise was essentially this same itinerary...Disney for a few days followed by the Monarch.

 

She is really bummed out that the Monarch is leaving the fleet since that hooked her on cruising.

[LittleMissMagic]

So after dinner, I left the room just to wander and ran into Emily and Ellen (Meredith's 16-year-old sister and her friend). So we walked around the ship for a little bit. We went by Boleros, which looked to be hoppin, but after walking in, we realized that we were way below the average age in there and decided to keep going. Then we decided to go find the girls and went to their room. I knocked on the door, and the girls were super excited to see me (I wonder why...). I was talking to them from the hallway, and Blair told us to come inside. Which is when Meredith told her little sister that she wasn't welcome. :rolleyes: So Emily and Ellen left. I felt bad because I told them to come there, but they told me to stay. Oops...

 

They wanted me to help sneak Blair into the club. Blair was the only 17-year-old with a late birthday. So, we did it just like how I snuck Rachel into the student section of Clemson football games. I entered the club first with a few girls, sent Rachel back out with my card, then Blair came in using my card. The problem was, Rachel and I have the same last name, which is rather unique. So when Blair came in soon after Rachel, the crew member at the door asked her, "Didn't you just come in?" Blair, freaking out, didn't think to tell him that she had a sister or some other logical response. Instead, she yells, "NO!" Well, he just looked at her weird and let her in. But then she freaked out when she got to us.

 

I stayed in the club for a little while, but it was kind of lame and I was getting tired, so I left the group and went to bed.

[iamsunnysarah]

DSCN0057 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Ok, so most everyone I talk to thinks I am plum crazy, but the dessert in the bottom right corner- Savarin- was one of my favorites on our last cruise! I never hear anyone else talk about it, haha, but I thought it was fantastic!

[beckeck1]

Great review, LMM! I cracked up after reading that the chef came out to see who was eating so much!

[Cupcrazy]

Victoria, I loved your Adventure OTS review a few months ago. This one is great so far. It looks like you girls had a great time on this cruise. I can't wait to read more.

[LittleMissMagic]

The next morning, we woke up at Coco Cay!

 

Rachel and Meredith had gotten up early to watch our 7:15 arrival at Coco Cay. They woke up to realize that we were already there.

 

DSCN0066 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0067 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0065 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Cruise Day 2: Lonely Morning

 

They then came to visit us -

 

Cruise Day 2: Visit the Virgo Suite

 

Now, I'm just going to go ahead and start throwing names in here because I really doubt these people will stumble across my review, and if they do, at this point, I don't care what they think. The diva mom of the bunch is Paula. According to her, the entire cruise was "her idea." She is also the one that changed it from a 7-night to a 4-night with the entire family because her 13-year-old son said, "You're not going on a cruise without me!" (<<Oh, really? Watch me!) Well, she wanted so much to be in charge of the vacation. But she didn't know anything because she did no research herself and relied on a travel agent from Texas - but she didn't tell anyone this. I just figured it out on my cruises when I entered the girls' reservation number (she booked 3 of the girls in an inside stateroom, and I booked the four in the adjoining outside).

 

Anyway, the night before she decided to tell everyone (except for us, the misfits) that they were to leave the ship with her at 9:45 because she was responsible for 17-year-old Blair. I was actually in the room with Meredith when she called her dad - "Hey, Dad, Paula said we're going to get off the ship at 9:45." "Okay, I think you can figure out how to do that yourself."

 

Kim, Chip, and their son, Will got off the ship before everyone else. So they were already on Coco Cay when their 16-year-old daughter and her friend tried to get off the ship, but couldn't. This is another case of not knowing how to play it cool. Had they not freaked out, they could've easily passed off any of the adults around them (who they actually knew) as their guardians. However, they did not play it cool, and security was on them.

 

So Rachel and Meredith got on the tender boat and headed to find Emily's parents so that she and Ellen could leave the ship.

 

Cruise Day 2: Tender to Get the Parents

 

DSCN0072 by vshingl, on Flickr

[KristinTravels]

You are correct about my inccorect statement, except I was thinking of another sport haha. Basketball, we just won (just meaning few months ago) the ACC title. Yes please don't confuse us with those gators again haha. I can't believe I forgot that we played the Champs bowl this year, very close game against Notre Dame, which you think I would remember because most my family went to Notre Dame haha.

 

Anyway, still loving all the dresses. I almost always ordered multipul deserts in the past cruises. No one said anything to me haha.

Edited June 17, 2012 by FSOWife
miss spelling

[LittleMissMagic]

The tender boats to and from Coco Cay are very large, and with a small ship like the Monarch, they work very efficiently (and I don't think there will be much of a difference with the Enchantment).

 

DSCN0073 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0074 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

By the time the tender boat was filled, the leave-at-9:45 people had arrived (it was definitely around 10:00 by then).

 

DSCN0075 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0076 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0078 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0079 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

DSCN0080 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0081 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Hmmm... did this tender boat come from Grand Cayman?

 

DSCN0082 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0083 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0085 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0086 by vshingl, on Flickr

[Cruzin-K]

I just love Coco Cay. I can't wait to be there again next March.

 

I'm anxiously awaiting the conclusion of the "abandoned children saga" :p

[LittleMissMagic]

Now, during this entire get-Emily-and-Ellen-off-the-ship adventure, my parents and I were still on the ship. And we probably could've gotten them off the ship because of our weird "sister wife" connection with their family. But we didn't know.

 

We were taking our sweet time getting off the ship.... or Mom was, at least. I was sitting around waiting for them.... and then it occured to me that I didn't really have to wait on them and could get off the ship at any time by myself (unlike Emily and Ellen!).

 

DSC_5881 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

^That was lens fog. But as you can tell from the photos, it wasn't very sunny.

 

DSC_5883 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_5884 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_5885 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

We used our priority tender. It was really awkward. We walked up to a crew member and asked her about priority, and she acted like she didn't know anything about it. But then she told us to wait right there. There was a long line forming up the stairs because they weren't loading a tender boat, yet. The line started to move, but she was tending to a wheelchair at the moment, so we just started to go to the back of the line. Whatever. And then she saw us and called us back, and told us to get in line right there (essentially 'breaking' line). It was really awkward. They need a better system.

 

DSC_5886 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_5888 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

Taken from my Coco Cay arrival...

 

DSC_5889 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_5891 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_5895 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_5896 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_5899 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

We didn't really know where we were going. So we just walked. And Mom suggested we stop, but I wanted to go further... and eventually we walked right into Rachel and gang.

 

 

Who were signing up to do this...

 

DSC_5898 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

And this.

 

DSC_5900 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

They made me sign up, too.

 

In the meantime, Chip was on the tender boat back to the ship to get the girls. They're really lucky in this situation that they ran into Meredith and Rachel who were headed to Coco Cay, because if they had been by themselves, how would their parents have ever known that they were stuck onboard? It's just really funny that everyone was so consumed with getting the 18-year-olds off the ship at 9:45 that they completely forgot about the 16-year-olds!!!

[LBumb]

coco is awesome

[just4kixx]

We didn't really know where we were going. So we just walked. And Mom suggested we stop, but I wanted to go further... and eventually we walked right into Rachel and gang.

 

 

Who were signing up to do this...

 

DSC_5898 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

And this.

 

DSC_5900 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

They made me sign up, too.

 

In the meantime, Chip was on the tender boat back to the ship to get the girls. They're really lucky in this situation that they ran into Meredith and Rachel who were headed to Coco Cay, because if they had been by themselves, how would their parents have ever known that they were stuck onboard? It's just really funny that everyone was so consumed with getting the 18-year-olds off the ship at 9:45 that they completely forgot about the 16-year-olds!!!

 

Loving your review!

 

We will be doing the Monarch 4 night in a few weeks... is this slide thingie new? How does sign up/ cost work? Just curious... DH has a bum leg, so I may be the only adventurious one in the group! :p

 

A~

[LittleMissMagic]

Loving your review!

 

We will be doing the Monarch 4 night in a few weeks... is this slide thingie new? How does sign up/ cost work? Just curious... DH has a bum leg, so I may be the only adventurious one in the group! :p

 

A~

 

It was $15 for just the waterpark, and $30 for both (I think it was $15 for just the slide, too - don't think you got a deal by buying both, even though it was labeled "combo"). The waterpark is just for one hour, and they let you go off in a group after a safety talk. With the waterslide, you can go as many times as you'd like all day. They're also more lenient with the waterslide as to what you can do (the lifeguard for the aqua park never stopped blowing his whistle at people). I think we got our money's worth out of both.

[Canadian Tyler]

Enjoying your pics and review, as usual. Thanks for posting!

[CamaCama]

Loving this review, keep going!!!

[SuchAVirgo]

Loving your review and we love the Monarch :)

[LittleMissMagic]

There's an adorable little area for tots to drive cars...

 

DSC_5901 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

I didn't venture much past the sign, though (I always feel odd photographing other people's children).

 

What's cool about this picture I took of Meredith....

 

DSC_5903 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Is that I found the photo she was taking - and I LOVE it!

 

Edited June 18, 2012 by LittleMissMagic

[LittleMissMagic]

The girls ran into their photographer that took their picture last night before dinner. It was Meredith, Danielle, Liz, and Rachel on the white background - he took so many photos of them! Apparently the people behind them in line were getting a little frustrated...

 

They bought this photo, too, because it was actually the only photo of all 7 girls taken by Royal Caribbean.

 

DSC_5907 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Of course, they had to attempt the High School Musical jump (these girls grew up with HSM)...

 

DSC_5908 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

We decided to go try out the slide...

 

DSC_5910 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0092 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0093 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0094 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

Blair's turn!

 

DSCN0095 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0097 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Logan!

 

DSCN0098 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0100 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Bridgette...

 

DSCN0101 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0103 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

Danielle!

 

DSCN0106 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0107 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0108 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Liz

 

DSCN0110 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0111 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

And your girl -

 

DSCN0112 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Check out the background - the grey-haired guy with sunglasses is Chip, and the blonde is Emily. That's right - EMILY AND ELLEN MADE IT OFF THE SHIP!!! And in time to sign up for the Aquapark!!!

 

DSCN0115 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

LET'S DO IT, AGAIN!!!

 

DSCN0118 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

And Rachel's turn -

 

DSCN0119 by vshingl, on Flickr

Edited June 18, 2012 by LittleMissMagic

[LittleMissMagic]

It was time for the Aquapark!

 

DSCN0124 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

They didn't have a good variety of sizes with lifejackets. It jumped from little kid vest to huge adult vest. They could really use a size in between...

 

DSCN0125 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0126 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Danielle made it work, though...

 

DSCN0129 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0130 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSCN0132 by vshingl, on Flickr