Monarch review May 14-18; caution food porn included.

[dacsmom]

Pre-Cruise

This was not my first cruise, but this was my first Royal Caribbean cruise. I wanted to try another line and I am glad I did, I had a wonderful cruise. This time I was a solo cruiser. I enjoy cruising alone, I can do what I want, when I want and I meet many people onboard.

 

I drove from Charleston to Port Canaveral because the air fare was more than the cost of the cruise. It was about a seven hour drive. I stayed at the La Quinta on Atlantic Ave. Check in was 3:00 but I got there at 1:30 and they had a room ready. They kept my car for the length of the cruise, breakfast included, and offered a free shuttle to the port, all for $89. If you do not leave your car at the hotel the shuttle is $4 per person. The staff was very friendly and the room was quiet and clean. They have a Thai restaurant and a bar area. I did not visit either but people seemed to be enjoying both. I would imagine if you had a room by the pool or bar it could get pretty noisy, But, I was on the backside and did not hear a thing. I would definitely recommend this hotel, it is one block from the beach and about three miles from the port and the shuttle leaves at 10:45 am.

[dacsmom]

Day 1: Embarkation

 

I got up to greet an overcast day and went to breakfast. The buffet had coffee, tea, and juice. Food included; make your own waffles, eggs, sausage, cereal, pastries, bagels, toast, and fruit. Typical hotel/motel food, but it was tasty and filling. I moved my car to the cruise parking area and went to the shuttle; I believe it was a 20 passenger shuttle. We left promptly at 10:45 and were at the port by 11:00. Check in was a breeze and I was done by 11:15. Employees were very friendly and I never thought I would say this, but it was a pleasant experience. We were directed to chairs and the ship started boarding at 11:30.

 

I explored a little since I had never been on the Monarch before and at first, I thought the half deck design would confuse me, but it was actually easy to navigate. Some people were a little confused about why the elevators in the Centrum only went to odd numbered decks but once I saw a map, it really did make sense. I then went up to the Windjammer for lunch, it was starting to get a little crowded but it was pretty easy to find a seat. I saw the honey-stung chicken and remembered people on CC talking about it. I got one piece and was so incredibly good, I had 2 more pieces. Rooms were open by 1:00, luggage followed about 1:30. I went to my stateroom and was surprised at how small it actually was. I had an inside stateroom on Deck 6 and it was fine for me alone, but the room across from me and next to me had three adults in it. I do not know how they managed. The only complaint I had was the lack of a nightstand, I like a snack before bed and I had to put it on the bed. I later found that some of the rooms had them and some did not. By the end of the cruise the room seemed a bit larger than on the first day. My stateroom attendant, Henry, came by and introduced himself. He was so nice. I later found out that his wife also was a stateroom attendant. She had the group of rooms near his and they were both so nice. I unpacked and stashed the mini bar items in the desk to make more room and then went up to Deck 11. I got a mango pina colada in a beautiful glass. It started to rain so I did some more exploring I bought a snorkel set from the excursion desk. It was a pretty good deal; I know I could have gotten it cheaper if I would have bought it before the cruise. It stopped after an hour and I went back up on deck and relaxed in a lounge chair until muster drill at 3:45. The rain stopped after an hour and I went back up to Deck 11 and relaxed in a lounge chair until muster drill at 3:45. We had to stand on deck 7; at least we did not have to wear the lifejackets. It did go pretty quick, and the Disney Magic was having their drill at the same time. I went back up to deck 11 for the sail away and talked to my husband who was watching the Port Canaveral webcam. He saw me wave and we were on our way. The Caribbean band, Umoja 4, was very good and got everyone dancing and having a good time.

 

I had main seating for dinner at 5:45, which was perfect for me. I was in Vincent’s Dining Room on Deck 3 at a table for six. There were only three of us but I had the most wonderful tablemates, a couple from Florida. I had the strawberry bisque, garlic tiger shrimp and tiramisu. Everything was delicious. The after dinner drink was a B-52, Amaretto, Kahlua, and Grand Marnier. The welcome aboard show was at 7:45 for both dinner seatings in the Sound of Music Theater and the comedian was very funny and clean. The Cruise director was Marc Walker, who had been off the Monarch since November. I liked him; he had a lot of energy. After the show I went to the 70’s music trivia show and just watched. The winners cheated and were upset when their prize was only a keychain, it was amusing. I was getting tired so I went to Sorrento’s for a slice of pizza, two oatmeal raisin cookies and coffee to take back to my stateroom. This became a nightly ritual. I watched the Muppet Movie on TV while I uploaded my pictures to the computer. I did this every night because I take so many pictures.

[ryano]

Pre-Cruise

This was not my first cruise, but this was my first Royal Caribbean cruise. I wanted to try another line and I am glad I did, I had a wonderful cruise. This time I was a solo cruiser. I enjoy cruising alone, I can do what I want, when I want and I meet many people onboard.

 

I drove from Charleston to Port Canaveral because the air fare was more than the cost of the cruise. It was about a seven hour drive. I stayed at the La Quinta on Atlantic Ave. Check in was 3:00 but I got there at 1:30 and they had a room ready. They kept my car for the length of the cruise, breakfast included, and offered a free shuttle to the port, all for $89. If you do not leave your car at the hotel the shuttle is $4 per person. The staff was very friendly and the room was quiet and clean. They have a Thai restaurant and a bar area. I did not visit either but people seemed to be enjoying both. I would imagine if you had a room by the pool or bar it could get pretty noisy, But, I was on the backside and did not hear a thing. I would definitely recommend this hotel, it is one block from the beach and about three miles from the port and the shuttle leaves at 10:45 am.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review! I have stayed there at Laquinta, twice now. Great place for a great price! And the Thai place there is EXCELLENT!

[Poorplaya]

Great start, cant wait to read the rest of this review.

[just4kixx]

Great so far! Keep it coming! Just booked a 4 night on The Monarch in July!!!

 

A~

[dacsmom]

Day 2: Coco Cay

 

I got up to watch the sunrise but it was so overcast I never saw the sun. Then I ate breakfast in the dining room, eggs benedict and hash browns, yummy. I got on the 1st tender to the island at 8:30 and staked out a beach chair by the snorkel beach. I got my vest and rented a locker. The give a wristband instead of a locker key and you scan the wristband to open and lock it, brilliant idea. It was overcast until about 10:00 and then the sun came out and it turned into a beautiful day, about 80 degrees. I walked around a bit, took some pictures and snorkeled. There is a plane and a shipwreck, I never did find either one but I did find some beautiful areas with lots of fish. It never felt crowded, there was only one time all day that I saw another flipper near me. I was worried that there would be too many people in the water but there is so much room and plenty of chairs and hammocks. Lunch was about 12:00, burgers, hot dogs, ribs, chicken, salads, and fruit. It was good but seating was scarce.

 

I got the 3:30 tender back to the ship. Got intimate with a shower curtain and took a nap. Tonight was formal night, at dinner I had the scallops au gratin (this has replaced the escargot), filet of beef, and double strawberry cheesecake. The scallops were very good but a small portion. The filet was so good I wanted to lick the plate. You had two choices with the beef, medium rare or medium well done. I ordered mine medium well and it was perfect. The after dinner drink was the naughty Irishman. After dinner I went to the Captain’s welcome in the Sound of Music Theater. Captain Trond was very funny it was an enjoyable show. He said the Enchantment of the Seas will be replacing the Monarch next year with a gap of a few weeks. He did not know what ship will replace the Enchantment. I went to the 9:00 production show. Kind of cheesy but it was entertaining, they are talented. Too full for pizza and cookies tonight. Went back to stateroom to find a towel stingray, too cute. We only got towel animals on two of the nights, I really look forward to them.

[suzyed]

Could you please tell me what time the show was(the comedian) and what time was trivia?

We have the late seating...we like trivia and the shows and don't want to miss them.

[loeytalldog]

Great review! Thanks for doing it! Keep going :)!

 

Lois

[howielovescruisin]

Thank you for your review I'm loving it.

 

The Monarch was my first cruise and will be special in my heart. I loved Marc Walker, he's still one of my favorite CD's.

 

Looking forward to reading the rest of your review.

[dacsmom]

Day 3: Nassau

 

Another overcast morning, had breakfast in the Windjammer and watched the ship pull into Nassau. I left the ship at 8:30 and it was interesting trying to get away from the port. Very pushy tour guides and taxi drivers, they follow you and try to talk you into a tour. Once I got away from the port it was better. I was planning to walk to Ardastra Zoo and Gardens, Fort Charlotte, and Fort Fincastle. It was about 2 miles to the zoo and the ship was in port from 8:00am until 11:30pm so I had all day and could take my time. Well, Nassau is not like anywhere I have been before. There are uniformed police everywhere. There are few stop lights, stop signs seem to be optional, and you take your life in your hands trying to cross the street. I watched locals crossing the streets to figure out how to do it without getting killed and most people wait for a little break in the massive traffic and dart across the street. That won’t work, I am not that fast. I figured I would walk a little while and see if the traffic thinned out a little. Also horns are constant; the people really seem to be impatient. Sidewalks are odd, they start out and then there will be a wall or a building in the way and you will have to walk in the street. Sometimes the sidewalks are only on one side of the street. Once I got out of the downtown area, traffic was better. It started to rain a bit and the temperature was about 80 degrees. The walk was not bad; I would not recommend it with children or on a really hot day. I was alone and felt safe walking. There are very few signs so you need to know where you are going.

I got to the zoo and it was a nice, little, well-kept zoo. Admission was $16 and well worth it. The marching flamingos really to follow commands, it is not just some trainer chasing them around in a circle. There are some animals in cages; they have 42 animal exhibits and so many more birds wandering around the grounds; Flamingos, peacocks, and ducks everywhere. The gardens are beautiful, with benches to rest tucked into little areas. The Zoo and Gardens are on five acres so do not expect a big zoo that many people may be used to. I would definitely go again.

 

I asked for directions to Fort Charlotte and it was about a five minute walk. Admission was $5 and worth it. The fort is not restored and is in its natural condition. You can choose to take a guided tour or do it on your own. I did it on my own and there were many signs that told the history. I left and worked my way toward Fort Fincastle and the Queen’s Staircase which were next to each other in downtown Nassau. The map was not as accurate as it could have been and I stopped and asked one of the many policemen for directions. I was only off by two blocks. Admission was $1, it was a small fort and not as interesting as Fort Charlotte. The Queen’s Staircase is pretty impressive though. Vendors everywhere, which takes away from the beauty though.

 

I was tired so I made my way back to the ship and had a turkey sandwich in the Windjammer. After a much needed nap I went to dinner and had the Vidalia onion tart, prime rib and strawberry meringue. The Vidalia onion tart was one of the best foods of the week. I rarely order prime rib because I like it well done and it is never cooked enough for me. Our waiter, Jhun, suggested it and I told him it wouldn’t be cooked well enough for me and he said he promised it would be. He brought me the end-cut and it was perfect and huge. I couldn’t finish it but it was fabulous. The picture will probably look too well-done for most people but I loved it. Jhun brought out a variety of deserts since we could not decide, he asked if we would let him choose our deserts and we readily agreed since he had not given us bad advice all week. After dinner I went to the comedy/magic show featuring Levent. He was pretty good; cheesy, funny, but talented. At 10:00 the love and marriage show. They chose four couples instead of three and I laughed so hard I was crying. The couple who had been married for five days won. At 11:00 Quest stared, I stayed about 30 minutes and then went up to Deck 11 for the midnight buffet and sail away party; lots of people, food and music. I Took my nightly pizza and cookies back to my stateroom and found a cute towel monkey waiting for me.

[gw2fll]

Thank you for the great review. We are really enjoying each installment. (Keep checking back for the next entry.)

 

Reading your dinner menu made my mouth water. You had our favorite appetizer and dessert - the onion tart and strawberry marangue (sp). Last time we sailed I ordered two. Having learned my lesson in that they don't repeat during the cruise, I have already planned that night to order at least three - hopefully they offer it on our next cruise. The are so light and wonderful, it is hard (for me at least) to eat just one.

[suzyed]

Day 3: Nassau

 

Another overcast morning, had breakfast in the Windjammer and watched the ship pull into Nassau. I left the ship at 8:30 and it was interesting trying to get away from the port. Very pushy tour guides and taxi drivers, they follow you and try to talk you into a tour. Once I got away from the port it was better. I was planning to walk to Ardastra Zoo and Gardens, Fort Charlotte, and Fort Fincastle. It was about 2 miles to the zoo and the ship was in port from 8:00am until 11:30pm so I had all day and could take my time. Well, Nassau is not like anywhere I have been before. There are uniformed police everywhere. There are few stop lights, stop signs seem to be optional, and you take your life in your hands trying to cross the street. I watched locals crossing the streets to figure out how to do it without getting killed and most people wait for a little break in the massive traffic and dart across the street. That won’t work, I am not that fast. I figured I would walk a little while and see if the traffic thinned out a little. Also horns are constant; the people really seem to be impatient. Sidewalks are odd, they start out and then there will be a wall or a building in the way and you will have to walk in the street. Sometimes the sidewalks are only on one side of the street. Once I got out of the downtown area, traffic was better. It started to rain a bit and the temperature was about 80 degrees. The walk was not bad; I would not recommend it with children or on a really hot day. I was alone and felt safe walking. There are very few signs so you need to know where you are going.

I got to the zoo and it was a nice, little, well-kept zoo. Admission was $16 and well worth it. The marching flamingos really to follow commands, it is not just some trainer chasing them around in a circle. There are some animals in cages; they have 42 animal exhibits and so many more birds wandering around the grounds; Flamingos, peacocks, and ducks everywhere. The gardens are beautiful, with benches to rest tucked into little areas. The Zoo and Gardens are on five acres so do not expect a big zoo that many people may be used to. I would definitely go again.

 

I asked for directions to Fort Charlotte and it was about a five minute walk. Admission was $5 and worth it. The fort is not restored and is in its natural condition. You can choose to take a guided tour or do it on your own. I did it on my own and there were many signs that told the history. I left and worked my way toward Fort Fincastle and the Queen’s Staircase which were next to each other in downtown Nassau. The map was not as accurate as it could have been and I stopped and asked one of the many policemen for directions. I was only off by two blocks. Admission was $1, it was a small fort and not as interesting as Fort Charlotte. The Queen’s Staircase is pretty impressive though. Vendors everywhere, which takes away from the beauty though.

 

I was tired so I made my way back to the ship and had a turkey sandwich in the Windjammer. After a much needed nap I went to dinner and had the Vidalia onion tart, prime rib and strawberry meringue. The Vidalia onion tart was one of the best foods of the week. I rarely order prime rib because I like it well done and it is never cooked enough for me. Our waiter, Jhun, suggested it and I told him it wouldn’t be cooked well enough for me and he said he promised it would be. He brought me the end-cut and it was perfect and huge. I couldn’t finish it but it was fabulous. The picture will probably look too well-done for most people but I loved it. Jhun brought out a variety of deserts since we could not decide, he asked if we would let him choose our deserts and we readily agreed since he had not given us bad advice all week. After dinner I went to the comedy/magic show featuring Levent. He was pretty good; cheesy, funny, but talented. At 10:00 the love and marriage show. They chose four couples instead of three and I laughed so hard I was crying. The couple who had been married for five days won. At 11:00 Quest stared, I stayed about 30 minutes and then went up to Deck 11 for the midnight buffet and sail away party; lots of people, food and music. I Took my nightly pizza and cookies back to my stateroom and found a cute towel monkey waiting for me.

 

Your prime rib looks good to me! I like the end cut! Thanks so much for the info.

 

I am sailing tomorrow...so if there is anything else you can add tonight, I would love to hear it! ;)

[Hackpba]

Hey Suzied, I agree, awesome review I can't wait to board the Monarch in the morning too!!

[vivavegas]

Nice review! Thanks for sharing your travels with us!:)

[suzyed]

Hey Suzied, I agree, awesome review I can't wait to board the Monarch in the morning too!!

 

Excited for our little get-a-way! I'm going with my daughter and her friend. How about you?

 

What time are you boarding? We are thinking maybe 12:00...we will see how it goes in the morning. ;)

[Hackpba]

We are taking the 10am shuttle. I'm staying at the Country Inn and suites. Highly recommend them!!

 

Now Decsmom how about some more of your great review!!!

[mommaof 3]

Thanks for the review - our first cruise was on the Monarch, so it brings back good memories. We loved Coco Key, and you made be reconsider ordering a beef dish - usually not my thing! Thanks!

[yogimax]

After the show I went to the 70’s music trivia show and just watched. The winners cheated and were upset when their prize was only a keychain, it was amusing.

 

We enjoy trivia and I was saddened to learn that some actually cheated to win a keychain.

 

How did they cheat?

[Hackpba]

I think some are paying for the wifi and using their smart phones to look up the answers. Yes, sad and takes all the fun out of it.

[hilasmos]

Thanks for reviewing your cruise! We're looking forward to our Monarch cruise in August.

[parrotfeathers]

Thanks for the review and photos--I'll be on Majesty in October and the stops will be similar. Not sure why it was necessary to use the word "porn" in your review title....

[LBumb]

good job

[CruiseMomCrystal]

great photos!

[dacsmom]

Day 4: Sea Day

 

I got up and turned on the TV to see what the weather looked like since I had not seen a sunrise all week. Watching the sun come up onboard a ship is one of the most beautiful sights but the weather would not cooperate. This morning it was raining pretty hard. I went up to the dining room and had eggs benedict which was very good. The theme of breakfast was chocolate; they had chocolate chip pancakes, chocolate pastries, and hot chocolate among other things. Many of the outdoor activities were canceled because of the weather and the activities crew did a wonderful job of moving some activities indoors and adding others to keep the passengers entertained. I cannot say enough about the crew of the Monarch, everyone said hello and went out of their way to ensure all the passengers had a great time. They added an extra movie and karaoke and moved the sexiest man competition to the Centrum.

 

At 10:00 there was a chef’s demonstration in the Centrum, it is amazing what they can create. The pastry chef brought someone out of the audience and she put together a black forest cake. Another chef made animals out of bread dough. A third chef carved animals out of fruit; that was my favorite. Finally, one of the bartenders demonstrated how to make a few of the shots they have and then gave away samples. A melon ball at 10am really gets the day going. At 11:00 there was the Captain’s question and answer in Bolero’s. The Captain, the engineer, and the Hotel Manager answered questions from the audience. There were some great questions. I did learn some facts about what is going to happen to the crew after the Monarch is sold next year. I was talking to the head waiter at dinner and he elaborated. Everyone who wants a job will have one. The crew will go home and will have to wait until they are called back. Most will have a longer time off period than usual. That is hard for people who depend on this income. There is so much uncertainty about where and when the crew will be working but they still gave all the passengers 100%. I stayed for the towel folding demonstration next; they make it look so easy. One of the stateroom attendants who did the demonstration has been on the Monarch for the entire 21 years and with RCL for 30 years. He made such cute animals with what looked like little effort. By then it was time for lunch so I went up to the Windjammer. With all that food there was nothing that interested me until I found the pasta bar tucked in the corner, apparently it had been there all along I just never saw it. Linguini carbonara, very tasty.

 

After lunch it was time for the world’s sexiest man competition in the Centrum. The first man was in his 70’s. He came out, picked out his wife in the audience and danced with her. Then he shook all the judges’ hands. The others did the usual. The first man won, he was very classy and knew that was sexy. By then it had stopped raining and the sun was trying to come out so they had the belly flop competition. I went to TV tune trivia in Bolero’s at 2pm. I did not participate but I enjoyed listening to the questions. I knew a lot of the answers which shows I spend way too much time in front of the TV. I wandered out to the pool deck, found a deck chair and listened to Caribbean music for an hour. The band was excellent. I went back to my stateroom and packed a little bit before dinner. I saw there was geography trivia in the Schooner Bar at 5:00 so I thought I would stop in and see how much I did not know. I learned I remember nothing about geography but I can remember all the theme songs from the 70’s TV shows. What does that mean? I discovered a pear melon martini; this was by far, my most favorite drink of the cruise. I like to try things I would not normally have and this was a winner. By then it was time for dinner. Spinach dip, NY strip, and key lime pie. Excellent, as usual, Jhun brought out banana crunch cake and ice cream for us to share. After dinner drink was a French kiss. Dinner was very high energy, the waiters danced and the chefs were introduced. It was kind of sad, knowing this was the last night. I still wonder how the waiters and assistant waiters remember every detail about what each person likes and brings it out each night. I had prepaid my gratuities but the vouchers had not been delivered before dinner. My tablemates said they were leaving their stateroom when their vouchers came. When I got back to my room they were there. It was ok though, I feel really uncomfortable handing out those envelopes.

 

After dinner I went to finish that lyric show in the Centrum. There were people stuffed everywhere to watch, it was one of the most well attended shows and so much fun. The audience would finish the songs before the contestants so if they were listening they would get it right. The 9:00 production show in the Sound of Music Theater was similar to the previous show but not quite as good. I liked it though. Before the show the kids from Adventure Ocean put on a skit. It was cute and they looked like they were having a good time. Members of the crew came in and said thank you to all the passengers for a great cruise. I went up to Sorrento’s for pizza and cookies to take back to my stateroom. I finished packing and had my bags in the hall by 11pm.

[dacsmom]

Could you please tell me what time the show was(the comedian) and what time was trivia?

We have the late seating...we like trivia and the shows and don't want to miss them.

 

They did a great job of scheduling. The headliner show was at 7:45 for all guests, so both seatings could see the show at the same time. It was a 45 minute show.

The trivia was scheduled throughout the day, I am a trivia addict and the only one I missed was when I was in Nassau.

After I finish the review I will post a link to the compasses. I saved them and will scan them for anyone who wants them.