Monarch Review 11/10/06

[lephysteria]

Hi Everyone!

 

My DH and I just sailed the Monarch for his birthday. We had a great cruise. I've written a review of the trip. It can be found here .

 

Please let me know if you have any questions :)

 

Hope you sail the Monarch soon. We had a great trip!

[wrp96]

Thanks for the great review. I really appreciated all the details you put into it (including the great pictures). I hope Naren's feeling better!

[cruisePRN]

Fabulous review Jen but you are going to be LATE seating again!! We'll make sure the waiter serves a little quicker so we don't miss the shows. We sailed on celebrity last month and for late seating guests the show was at 7pm while the first seating people were at dinner. I think it was better then going to a show after late dinner.

When you went to the captains party did they award a bottle of champagne to the person with the most sailings on RCL?

[lephysteria]

Thanks for the great review. I really appreciated all the details you put into it (including the great pictures). I hope Naren's feeling better!

 

 

Thanks for checking it out! :)

 

Yes, thank you, Naren is feeling much better. He gave the sore throat to me!! :mad:

[lephysteria]

Fabulous review Jen but you are going to be LATE seating again!! We'll make sure the waiter serves a little quicker so we don't miss the shows. We sailed on celebrity last month and for late seating guests the show was at 7pm while the first seating people were at dinner. I think it was better then going to a show after late dinner.

When you went to the captains party did they award a bottle of champagne to the person with the most sailings on RCL?

 

LOL, I know we're late seating again, but I really think it had something to do with the wait staff. See other tables around us (even large ones) had their food and they were served their dessert while we were on our entrees. I don't think we'll have any problems :)

 

There was no bottle of champagne awarded at the reception.

At the C&A party, the tall blonde gal who resembles Julianne Moore was looking for the person who had 23 RCCL cruises under them, but they weren't at the party.

Perhaps they were going to get champagne? :confused:

 

:)

[CruisingCaraCat]

Hi Jen

 

Glad you enjoyed the cruise but I am sorry Naren wasn't feeling well.

 

You definitely give the most complete review I have seen on CC. I couldn't even get through the Maniac review (but I tried).

 

Your review takes me back as I am actually an alum of San Diego State (class of '69). Ensenada was one of our day trips for underage drinking. needless to say we didn't do wine tours.

[Nancy_Hawks]

Thanks for posting such a detailed review.

[Nancy_Hawks]

Thanks for posting such a detailed review. I was a little confused about the wine tasting part though. Did you sign up a little late for the wine tasting? Is that why you were not sure if you were going to get to go or not? How much was the tour? Was it worth the money? Thanks!

[wrp96]

Yes, thank you, Naren is feeling much better. He gave the sore throat to me!! :mad:

 

How dare he do that to you? Sounds like he needs to take YOU on a cruise to make it up to you.;) Hope you are feeling better soon.

[lephysteria]

Thanks for posting such a detailed review. I was a little confused about the wine tasting part though. Did you sign up a little late for the wine tasting? Is that why you were not sure if you were going to get to go or not? How much was the tour? Was it worth the money? Thanks!

 

 

Hi there,

 

We signed up very late. We dropped off the filled-out form into the explorers desk drop box at 10pm on Friday night. ...... we pulled into Ensenada 9 hours later ..... so yeah we cut it very close. I am glad that everything worked out.

 

The tour was $28 per person. I think it was well worth it. The wineries gave us great tours and explained the process they use for making wine and how industrialized it is now versus when they first started making wine back in the day.

I had a great time and would absolutely do this again. The views, the relaxing drive, the fact that you can take your time for the tastings and really get another taste if you aren't sure ..... lol ... or if you really ARE sure and just want more!!

All of the wines are very light, nice bouquets, and have fruity complex flavors. One of the Blanc de Blanc wines would have been PERFECT with strawberries or apricots. Yum!!!

We really enjoyed our trip. Our guide was excellent, and the weather and day made for beautiful views :)

[lephysteria]

How dare he do that to you? Sounds like he needs to take YOU on a cruise to make it up to you.;) Hope you are feeling better soon.

 

 

As his punnishment, I am making him take me on the Monarch on Dec 8th!!! :D

 

Thanks for the well wishes. I'd be feeling much better if my colleague was not on vacation this week and then I could be the one to leave early :)

[lephysteria]

Hi Jen

 

Glad you enjoyed the cruise but I am sorry Naren wasn't feeling well.

 

You definitely give the most complete review I have seen on CC. I couldn't even get through the Maniac review (but I tried).

 

Your review takes me back as I am actually an alum of San Diego State (class of '69). Ensenada was one of our day trips for underage drinking. needless to say we didn't do wine tours.

 

LOL, yes, but I believe that everyone should go to Papas and Beer at least once in their lifetime .... just to say "I've been there, and made it out alive!" LOL

 

Yes, that is a popular place among the youngsters :)

 

Awwww, save the PDF file of the Mariner review. It was the best cruise ever! You can always pick up later where you left off :)

[wrp96]

I have to agree that the winery tour was worth the money when I did it as well. Very enjoyable. When I got back to the ship I had a carrier with olive oil and wine in it, and I told them it was olive oil and wine. All they heard was olive oil and let me take it with me.

[cruisePRN]

Wrona, the Dec 10 cruise is the girls only cruise I mentioned to you. I haven't met Jen (lephysteria ) yet but we connected on the Monarch board since we're both on the same sailing. We will be doing late dinner together.

Jen, Should i book Bonnie and i for the winery? It sounds like you really liked it. I could book it now and assure us of getting tickets.

[RonneyKay]

Hey there!

Thanks for that throrough review!!! We are crusing on the Monarch in 2 weeks! yeeehaw! can't wait for that. We also have late seating, but I am not really too concerned with the shows, as though reading through some of the posts, it seems that alot of them are not a spontanious as they appear to be. I just want to have my dinner and eat it too hehe and hit the clubs and casino:) And just have a relaxing fabulous time! :)

Again, thank you so much!!!

[mohavemommy]

Oh... this makes me yearn for my beloved Monarch. Alas, I must wait until April for my turn. :(

 

Jen... you missed the regular Loyalty Ambassador, Danney League. He will be back onboard when you sail in December. Please stop by and see him. He is such a sweetheart. He is a real asset to the crew of the Monarch.

[lephysteria]

Wrona, the Dec 10 cruise is the girls only cruise I mentioned to you. I haven't met Jen (lephysteria ) yet but we connected on the Monarch board since we're both on the same sailing. We will be doing late dinner together.

Jen, Should i book Bonnie and i for the winery? It sounds like you really liked it. I could book it now and assure us of getting tickets.

 

 

If you enjoy wine tasting, then yes, I'd say you need to do this. I loved the wines and would probably go back! So if you don't mind, Naren and I may join you ... again! :)

[lephysteria]

Oh... this makes me yearn for my beloved Monarch. Alas, I must wait until April for my turn. :(

 

Jen... you missed the regular Loyalty Ambassador, Danney League. He will be back onboard when you sail in December. Please stop by and see him. He is such a sweetheart. He is a real asset to the crew of the Monarch.

 

Hi there fellow CLFer :)

 

Is Danney the guy from the Phillippeans? He is a great guy, very nice and professional. He never remembered my name or anything, just gave great service and had a great attitude about him!

[lephysteria]

Hey there!

Thanks for that throrough review!!! We are crusing on the Monarch in 2 weeks! yeeehaw! can't wait for that. We also have late seating, but I am not really too concerned with the shows, as though reading through some of the posts, it seems that alot of them are not a spontanious as they appear to be. I just want to have my dinner and eat it too hehe and hit the clubs and casino:) And just have a relaxing fabulous time! :)

Again, thank you so much!!!

 

 

You're welcome and happy birthday. We always have a great time on the MOnarch. I'm sure you will too!!! :)

[lephysteria]

I have to agree that the winery tour was worth the money when I did it as well. Very enjoyable. When I got back to the ship I had a carrier with olive oil and wine in it, and I told them it was olive oil and wine. All they heard was olive oil and let me take it with me.

 

 

How funny. Our cruisemate just had olive oil and they made her stand in line to check it.

 

It is good olive oil. I might have to get me some of that! :)

[cruisePRN]

I usually go to the grocery store in Ensenada and buy Vanille. The street vendors sell it for $6 and at the supermarket it's $1.10 and they take american money.

When Bonnie and I talk I'll ask her about the wine tour. I'm not a big wino but I like those tours anyway.

[lephysteria]

One of the ladies at our dining table said that if you consume the mexican vanilla that it is bad for you. She said she heard it on some news story or something. LOL great, something else thats bad for me! :D

[lephysteria]

But I was looking on Yahoo for stories to support her theory, and can't find anything. Sigh. Great :)

Now I'll have to buy it when I go in December :)

[RonneyKay]

OK,

Am I blind?? I dont see photos of this cruise anywhere... By the way, lovely wedding!

:) I love pictures!

12 days!

[lephysteria]

LOL, no you are not blind :)

The Monarch cruise photos aren't on my webshots page yet. They are, however, pasted throughtout the review. That's all the pics I've done for this cruise. I'll get them online shortly :)

 

Thanks for looking at my albums though :)