Pullmantur Monarch Transatlantic-English Speakers

[wanderwoman424]

I received a quote of $110.00 USD for 2 in a private car, but I am still shopping around for a better rate......I am willing to share a car service if anyone is interested

 

I have a quote for 110 for three and 10 per person if more(depending on where their hotels are. If you are interested, confirm and send me your hotel details. I am traveling as a single, two others indicated an interest. No confirmations as yet from other passengers.

[Plato123]

Regarding our last cruise on the Monarch earlier this spring.

The ship was in great shape and our junior suite was in excellent condition. The Waves Yacht Club, which is available free if in a bigger suite, is a small additional charge for those in junior suites, and is not available to others. If you are eligible it is a must have for the comfort and space as well as the private bar and mini buffet.

We started our cruise in Curacao which was a great experience in itself,and visited Aruba where we just wandered around Orangestad. We also visited Caracas, Venezuela and took and excursion by 4X4 and cable car one mile up to the El Avila National Park which overlooked Caracas. As Canadians we did not need Visas, and we felt quite safe as we traveled through the streets of Caracas in a convoy of 4X4s to and from the ship. I would not think of doing Caracas on our own or without a ship sponsored excursion. I gave up counting machine guns at street corners after a very short time.

Cartagena Columbia is a beautiful city and we got together for a Juan Valdez coffee with old friends we bumped into while wandering around the old town. We also did the hop on hop off bus which was a good way to see the city. Colon was nothing special but our visit to the old and new locks at Gatun was very interesting.

Food on the ship was very good and the service was friendly and we had absolutely no problem communicating in English.

As I have posted elsewhere our only hassle with the cruise was Pullmantur's inept administrative organization, but we eventually overcame that problem and had a great cruise.

As this was our fourth cruise on Pullmantur we will be happy to answer questions about our experiences with them.

[joanvb]

If people have not booked the May transatlantic they could book the return to Panama.

 

We are booked on the September 17th departure out of Bilboa, Spain to Colon.

We have a large exterior for a total of $1,140 including port charges for two including the drinks package. I will start a roll call soon to see if there is anyone else going.

We like to spend some time in Europe and become haggard travelers then chill out on the ship back to the west.

 

Also, for those of you going to Colon to take the ship spend some time in Panama. It is a beautiful place if you get of Panama City.

We live about an hour west of Panama City. It is very tropical and like Hawaii in weather and vegetation.

 

Copa is THE BEST airline to Panama however Spirit also has non-stop filights out of FLL that can be cheap even after all the add on fees.

 

If you are not familiar with Panama I would advise getting a transfer to Colon directly to the port. Yes you can go to Albrook and take a bus but Albrook station is usually bustling with alot of buses going everywhere. If you stayed at the Wyndhum Albrook Mall then it would be convenient to take a bus from Albrook. It use to be the Tryp. It is a nice hotel and Albrook Mall is HUGE.

 

We have used My friend Mario for transfer and tours in Panama. http://www.bscpma.com/mfm/index.htm . There a lot of Tripadvisor reviews of Mario.

Linda

 

Hi I have just booked the Monarch from Lisbon to Colon on 19 Sept. as a solo traveller and English speaker but I can get by in Spanish, just about!! I was looking for a roll call for my cruise when I came across your post. I am doing this cruise to go on to the Galapagos islands. Please let me know where the roll call is located. Thanks Joan from N Wales UK.

[lee9]

I have not been able to find the roll call - does anyone know if there is one for this sailing? It seems that there is quite a few English only speakers joining the crossing, where else can you get such a deal! Today I found out that the publish rates actually include all drinks!!! :)

[dccruisin]

Hi I have just booked the Monarch from Lisbon to Colon on 19 Sept. as a solo traveller and English speaker but I can get by in Spanish, just about!! I was looking for a roll call for my cruise when I came across your post. I am doing this cruise to go on to the Galapagos islands. Please let me know where the roll call is located. Thanks Joan from N Wales UK.

 

Hi Joan,

The roll call for the September cruise is listed under "other" with the title "Pullmantur Monarch Transatlantic 9/17/2016 Spain to Panama" come on over and join us. Linda

[dccruisin]

Regarding our last cruise on the Monarch earlier this spring.

The ship was in great shape and our junior suite was in excellent condition. The Waves Yacht Club, which is available free if in a bigger suite, is a small additional charge for those in junior suites, and is not available to others. If you are eligible it is a must have for the comfort and space as well as the private bar and mini buffet.

We started our cruise in Curacao which was a great experience in itself,and visited Aruba where we just wandered around Orangestad. We also visited Caracas, Venezuela and took and excursion by 4X4 and cable car one mile up to the El Avila National Park which overlooked Caracas. As Canadians we did not need Visas, and we felt quite safe as we traveled through the streets of Caracas in a convoy of 4X4s to and from the ship. I would not think of doing Caracas on our own or without a ship sponsored excursion. I gave up counting machine guns at street corners after a very short time.

Cartagena Columbia is a beautiful city and we got together for a Juan Valdez coffee with old friends we bumped into while wandering around the old town. We also did the hop on hop off bus which was a good way to see the city. Colon was nothing special but our visit to the old and new locks at Gatun was very interesting.

Food on the ship was very good and the service was friendly and we had absolutely no problem communicating in English.

As I have posted elsewhere our only hassle with the cruise was Pullmantur's inept administrative organization, but we eventually overcame that problem and had a great cruise.

As this was our fourth cruise on Pullmantur we will be happy to answer questions about our experiences with them.

 

Thanks for the review. Glad to hear the ship is in good shape. Looking forward to the September transatlantic. Linda

[dccruisin]

For those of you considering doing a transatlantic the one-way airfare on your own can get rather expensive. We did find that Icelandic Air has good one-way airfares to Europe. I know they fly from Orlando and Boston to places in Europe. They also allow you to stay up to 7 days in Reykjavik for no extra charge.

Linda

[dccruisin]

The roll call for the September cruise is listed under "other" with the title "Pullmantur Monarch Transatlantic 9/17/2016 Spain to Panama" come on over and join us. Linda

[allig565]

Linda--about how many pages do we go out to find this roll call :confused:

Searching "Other Roll Call" under the Roll Call Tool. Oy vey. Still on it and will continue until successful!

[dccruisin]

Linda--about how many pages do we go out to find this roll call :confused:

Searching "Other Roll Call" under the Roll Call Tool. Oy vey. Still on it and will continue until successful!

 

You will not find us under the roll call tool. You have to go to the "community" then to "forums" then you will see most of the cruise lines listed. There is an "other" section and we are there.

 

I think you found us though, right?

 

I sent and email to cruise critic requesting that Pullmantur be listed on the roll call tool and that Pullmantur have its own entry in the roll call section. I have not received a reply yet.

Linda

[allig565]

Let's just say I have found where I need to be under "other", but I haven't found Pullmantur Monarch Spain to Colon page yet. I am still searching...

:D

 

Just sent this to you in an email but figured I would add it here--

 

In answer to question if I found Roll Call, I found the page Pullmantur is listed on (p 33) and then…

 

I see April, May, June, July and Sept all listed, but Sept 3 is Baltic Cruise…

 

then it goes on to Sovereign of the Seas. So nope, I see nothing lol

Edited April 10, 2016 by allig565
Adding more comment to my post

[lee9]

Two seating one late (7 pm) and the other later at (10 pm)

[123gogirl]

First time poster here so Hi from Australia:) I have put a deposit on the September 17 sailing from Bilbao, Spain to Colon, Panama but am a little unsure. It is a long way from Oz to Spain but the cruise is so cheap I can't resist as I can continue on to Boston to visit family after Panama. I am a single lady, well travelled, but never cruised. Do many English speaking people use these cruises departing Spain and also in general, what age group would do this type of cruise. It is a repositioning cruise and just too good a price to not go, but for 15 nights, is it an OK cruise for a single? Is this ship nice?

• 
  

Thanks guys.

[allig565]

I can't answer question if cruise would be satisfying or enjoyable for a single woman, but I can tell you my husband and I are fifty years old, living in Panama and speak some Spanish. I have read many retirees take repositioning cruises, so the ages can be widespread). With the language barrier, Panamanian Spanish is very difficult to understand (very fast, slang, etc), so while I can understand Spanish much better in other Spanish speaking countries, I am still trying to figure it out here (take weekly lessons!). I can speak it enough to get my message across, also. I hope to practice a bit while on the cruise. I have read if you let the crew know you are English speaking, they will provide you with English menus and that they do speak English. And that the messages are given first in Spanish, and then in English. As far as the ship being nice, it was recently refurbished, and the reviews I have read have been satisfactory to good in that department. We are touring Europe before coming back to Panama which is our reason for taking this particular cruise, and I wish you luck in your decision making!

[lee9]

The cruise is the adventure and Lisbon is the destination! The Monarch was part of RCCL cruises and nice ship, no issues here. The crew is used to dealing with folks from many nationalities, no worries. Since the ship has been sailing in Latin America, I venture to guess that the majority of the guest will be savvy Europeans, frugal Latinos, bon vivant Americans and a smart Australian lady that saw a great opportunity and took it......welcome on-board!

[123gogirl]

First time poster here so Hi from Australia:) I have put a deposit on the September 17 sailing from Bilbao, Spain to Colon, Panama but am a little unsure. It is a long way from Oz to Spain but the cruise is so cheap I can't resist as I can continue on to Boston to visit family after Panama. I am a single lady, well travelled, but never cruised. Do many English speaking people use these cruises departing Spain and also in general, what age group would do this type of cruise. It is a repositioning cruise and just too good a price to not go, but for 15 nights, is it an OK cruise for a single? Is this ship nice?

• 
  

Thanks guys.

 

Why thank you lee9, well said :D For the princely sum of $445 including drinks, it was just too good to pass up, and also gave me a good excuse to visit my rellies in Boston once again.

[allig565]

Exactly right, Lee! We will have a blast no matter what with music, food, dancing, casino, alcohol (lol), spa, etc...should be no reason not to be on board!:)

[wanderwoman424]

Hi gogirl!

 

I've booked for the TA going FROM Panama to Lisbon May 27, as a single. I am SO looking forward to NOT having to take anybody else into consideration if I want to do something. I have traveled on two freighter trips solo - memorable adventures on both. Have traveled extensively solo through Australia, India, China in recent years, but have been pretty much a solo traveler most of my life. You'll have no trouble meeting people. Only drawback, usually, is that renting a car or a room is cheaper when sharing, but sharing sometimes can be a royal pain, depending on the person. You'll have a great time!

(Oh, by the way, I'm 73 this year - so even age doesn't stop the adventures!)

[lee9]

Just finalized my plans. I am flying into Panama City on Wednesday, 5/25, staying one night at the Holiday Inn and then transferring to Colon on Thursday, 5/26, and staying one night at the Radisson, before the ships departs on 5/27. It seems like the hotels in Colon are a fraction of the cost of the ones in Panama City, and there are things there to explore. I am looking to book my transfer to Colon for Thursday....Anyone planning something similar that want to share the cost?

[lee9]

Quote for twoto Colon is $82 with:

 

Donald Peralta |Operations Department

http://www.retransferpanama.com

US & Canada: (512) 807-9928

Local Phone: (+507) 6253-8109

Panama City, San Cristobal Gallery

Office Hours: Monday - Saturday 9:00 am - 5:30 pm EST

**please leave me a voice mail or email so I can get back to you**

“Your safe and reliable private transportation company in Panama City at exceptionally affordable rates”

[BoughtMyPoints]

I have just returned from the t/a aboard the Zenith which operated as a Pullmantur vessel until reaching Barcelona. I am now considering flying back for the Monarch's and continuing to Copenhagen.

 

There is no language issue for English speakers. I would say there are more issues on NCL with their Filipina waitresses.

 

As there were only 100 or so paying passengers, we were spoiled rotten on the Zenith.

Single sitting dinner always at 7, some nights dining alfresco at the stern. With warmer weather, both lunch and breakfast only available in the buffet.

 

Free coffee concoctions all day long, besides the "open" bar. Gratuities are auto charged at circa. $13 per day.

 

Internet had a embarkation special of 250 + 250 minutes for $64, never to be repeated.

 

The entertainers were mostly Brazilian and very highly trained. Theatrical entertainment tends towards non verbal, avoiding language issues but demands a modest level of sophistication from the audience.

 

Lobster and steak are up sells in the dining room though one night should feature "tournedos", beef filet. So go ahead and eat steak before boarding!

 

If you're looking for the big ship experience, this is NOT it.

 

As for the person considering Colon as an overnight stop, it is a dump. Barely Ok during daytime. I've got a well priced stay at the Tryp in P.C. booked.

 

As a guideline, our t/a only had 2 formal nights, 1 tropical night and 1 "white" night. That's it. Smart casual would have sufficed.

Edited April 18, 2016 by BoughtMyPoints

[123gogirl]

Hi gogirl!

 

I've booked for the TA going FROM Panama to Lisbon May 27, as a single. I am SO looking forward to NOT having to take anybody else into consideration if I want to do something. I have traveled on two freighter trips solo - memorable adventures on both. Have traveled extensively solo through Australia, India, China in recent years, but have been pretty much a solo traveler most of my life. You'll have no trouble meeting people. Only drawback, usually, is that renting a car or a room is cheaper when sharing, but sharing sometimes can be a royal pain, depending on the person. You'll have a great time!

(Oh, by the way, I'm 73 this year - so even age doesn't stop the adventures!)

 

Thanks wanderwoman! I always travel solo, don't know why I would think this will be any different lol Never cruised before I guess could be my reasoning. And you are right, companions can be a pain sometimes, but solo hotel rooms etc is a bigger pain...but worth it :) Anyway I am really looking forward to it, just deciding now whether to upgrade to oceanview from interior :)

[wanderwoman424]

If you want to see the ocean, go outside on one of the top decks! Unless, of course, you're Miss GotBucks and can't wait to spend it all! You get to mingle with people (or not) when you're out of your room. And you sound like a mingler.

[Jakubowv]

We are a family of 6 English speakers who will be leaving from Colon. We are renting a car from Panama City to Colon.

[dejanewkath]

We just returned from a Caribbean cruise on the Monarch and I recall one crew member, at least, was from Bali working in one of the bars.

There is no need to speak Spanish on the ship as all announcements are made in Spanish and English, and occasionally, on our cruise, in Dutch and Portuguese too as we were travelling to Aruba and Curacao as well as Caracas where people from Brazil got on.

This was our fourth Pullamantur cruise and English has been spoken by staff on the ships, at least well enough to deal with anything you need.

 

Hi, we can't get an answer from our Travel agent, are tips included in our cruise price?