Faerwell, Monarch of the Seas! Favorite memories...

[emmacruises00]

We all know that the beloved Monarch of the Seas is retiring in the spring. I've only been on the Monarch once, but we met people on that ship that have cruised her since they were kids. They have such great memories. I'll be honest, I'm much more of a mega-ship kind of girl, but since I've been so many big ships, I was also able to appreciate her in a way that was very special to me. For example: 1. She was very easy to get around. 2. You don't get lost on the second night trying to get to dinner (I personally enjoy the adventure, but other people really appreciate this). 3. You see the same staff around the ship a lot more often than the mega-ships (that I don't like about the bigger ships). 4.You are a lot closer to the friends you make because you see them all around the ship every day. 5. Instead of being outdated, she felt more like a tribute to the past of cruise ships (does it make sense the way I'm explaining it?) and had some really beautiful features from the past that many of the newer ships don't.

So, in honor of the beautiful Monarch of the Seas, let's all share our memories of her and her beauty before she retires.....

P.S. I'm going to make a farewell video for MOTS with the memories of yours (and mine) in the video, so if anyone has pictures of her when she first came out or even in like 2004, that would be great! Thanks! Let's make this tribute great! I'll post the video when it's done :)

[poncho1973]

My favorite part was the staff. Great staff. We had some excellent service and Drew Devine was really good. That's coming from someone who doesn't really pay much attention to CD.

 

My favorite part of the ship itself was getting off. The Dump of the Seas.

[emmacruises00]

Yes, the staff was my favorite part as well. I know some people really love this ship (not me so much, like I said, I'm much more a Liberty of the Seas kind of girl :) ) so this tribute is for what she USED to be, not necessarily what she is today :) LOL and lucky you that you've been on 2,847 cruises :)

[emmacruises00]

We had some excellent service and Drew Devine was really good. That's coming from someone who doesn't really pay much attention to CD.

 

Yeah, I don't pay much attention to the CD either. I look at the ship itself, and activites, not other people to make my cruise great :) , but from what I could tell Drew was great (we had him too).

[poncho1973]

:) LOL and lucky you that you've been on 2,847 cruises :)

 

I found out from some very helpful people on this board that the more cruises you say you have been on, the smarter people think you are and the more valid your posts are.

 

I almost put 5,000 but figured that might be pushing it. 2,847 seems more reasonable.

[wwcruisers]

Great thread, Emmacruises00! :cool:

 

We were fortunate to cruise Monarch, when she was on the West Coast. We had friends who had never cruised, and wanted to try it -- so, we took them on a Monarch 4-niter to Cabo, Ensenada, and Catalina. We all had a fabulous time, and they kept commenting on the great service, and how spoiled they were getting! So sad that we haven't had a chance to sail on the Grand Old Lady again, but it's a long flight from the Pacific Northwest, for a short cruise. :(

[emmacruises00]

I found out from some very helpful people on this board that the more cruises you say you have been on, the smarter people think you are and the more valid your posts are.

 

I almost put 5,000 but figured that might be pushing it. 2,847 seems more reasonable.

 

That's a good theory. I bet it works, too! Yeah, the 5,000 might have been pushing it just a bit :) I bet some people actually believe that you've been on that many. LOL you literally made my laugh out loud -- I needed that!

[emmacruises00]

Great thread, Emmacruises00! :cool:

 

We were fortunate to cruise Monarch, when she was on the West Coast. We had friends who had never cruised, and wanted to try it -- so, we took them on a Monarch 4-niter to Cabo, Ensenada, and Catalina. We all had a fabulous time, and they kept commenting on the great service, and how spoiled they were getting! So sad that we haven't had a chance to sail on the Grand Old Lady again, but it's a long flight from the Pacific Northwest, for a short cruise. :(

 

Thanks for your memory! This video will turn out great! That sounds like so much fun -- what great memories! Yeah, the service was great! She is perfect for first-time cruisers. I like to tell people to work your way up the classes (at least on RCCL) because 1. you are more impressed with the older ships, and 2. the prices on the newer ships SHOULD come down (they don't always, though!) by the time you get higher. Thanks again!

Emma

[ksuds]

Although she is not retiring, just going over to Pullmater (sp).......she will be missed.

 

It really is the crew that makes the ship. From the top down, they are all great. I hope to see a lot of them on the Enchantment.

[emmacruises00]

Although she is not retiring, just going over to Pullmater (sp).......she will be missed.

 

It really is the crew that makes the ship. From the top down, they are all great. I hope to see a lot of them on the Enchantment.

 

I know, but MOTS won't be so easily accessed. I agree. The ship wouldn't be RCCL quality without the crew!

[critterchick]

Yes, the staff was my favorite part as well. I know some people really love this ship (not me so much, like I said, I'm much more a Liberty of the Seas kind of girl :) ) so this tribute is for what she USED to be, not necessarily what she is today :) LOL and lucky you that you've been on 2,847 cruises :)

 

What made Monarch so great in the past is what makes her special to people today - her crew. We first sailed her in 2004, and she was already quite "mature. "We didn't care. I last cruised her in 2011 and she really hadn't changed, other than some new tile in the ladies' room near Guest Services. The crew was still amazing, the food was good and I was sad to disembark from her for what likely will prove to be the last time.:(

 

But the wonderful memories will endure!:)

[smoosh21]

Although she is not retiring, just going over to Pullmater (sp).......she will be missed.

 

It really is the crew that makes the ship. From the top down, they are all great. I hope to see a lot of them on the Enchantment.

 

I agree. I was very impressed with the quality of service on the Monarch.

[mpoole3]

THE CREW was OUTSTANDING!

 

I also enjoyed sailing on a smaller ship! Will be missed.

[rednancy1]

The crew was the best ever on the Monarch. We haven't cruised her since she left the west coast but she will be sorely missed. :)

[reney313]

Monarch was the first cruise I took my boyfriend on -- he was hesitant to go so I booked a 4 nighter just to give him a "taste" of the cruise life. It has worked (so far)! She was just as royal as my first RCI cruise--onboard Sovereign of the Seas. I have also been on Majesty 2X prior. It was nice to go back to this class of ship. It felt like home. The crew is fantastic and the ship was one of the nicest built. For me, I was able to complete the "trilogy" and sail on all the ships in the class :)

 

I am sure you'll get some responses for those that sailed her when she was brand new. I know I have seen some old reviews from those days when she was the largest ship...amazing!

[Councillady]

I thought she will be sailing out of Baltimore now?

[Clarea]

I thought she will be sailing out of Baltimore now?

Monarch is going to another cruiseline and will be sailing from Curacao.

 

Enchantment is leaving Baltimore and taking Monarch's place in Port Canaveral.

 

Grandeur is taking Enchantment's place in Baltimore.

[Royal_Cruiser]

We all know that the beloved Monarch of the Seas is retiring in the spring. I've only been on the Monarch once, but we met people on that ship that have cruised her since they were kids. They have such great memories. I'll be honest, I'm much more of a mega-ship kind of girl, but since I've been so many big ships, I was also able to appreciate her in a way that was very special to me. For example: 1. She was very easy to get around. 2. You don't get lost on the second night trying to get to dinner (I personally enjoy the adventure, but other people really appreciate this). 3. You see the same staff around the ship a lot more often than the mega-ships (that I don't like about the bigger ships). 4.You are a lot closer to the friends you make because you see them all around the ship every day. 5. Instead of being outdated, she felt more like a tribute to the past of cruise ships (does it make sense the way I'm explaining it?) and had some really beautiful features from the past that many of the newer ships don't.

So, in honor of the beautiful Monarch of the Seas, let's all share our memories of her and her beauty before she retires.....

P.S. I'm going to make a farewell video for MOTS with the memories of yours (and mine) in the video, so if anyone has pictures of her when she first came out or even in like 2004, that would be great! Thanks! Let's make this tribute great! I'll post the video when it's done :)

 

I've cruised on Monarch of the Seas five times. Some of my favorite memories, not necessarily in order:

 

* Coming on board the second time and realizing I knew my way around. It felt like home!

 

* Saturday night deck party leaving Nassau around midnight. Dancing like a fool because nobody else on the ship knows me. ;)

 

* Winning a free massage at the spa in the drawing on the first day.

 

* My first time experiencing The Quest. I laughed so hard I was hoarse the next day.

 

* Making it to the top of the rock wall. (Not a big deal to most people, but it was for me.)

 

* Staying on the ship while at Coco Cay, sitting inside one of the huge windows outside the Schooner Bar and the casino, seeing one of the pretty Norwegian cruise ships anchored near by at their private island, and reading a book in the very warm sunlight.

 

* Taking my parents on their first (and as it turns out, last) cruise. Mom enjoyed it. She died a year and a half later, and I'm so glad she got to experience a cruise before she died.

 

* Deck 7 forward, between 2:00 am - 3:00 am. The people up late partying have gone to bed. The early risers aren't up yet. The lights all the way forward are out, so it's pitch black unless the moon is out. I've been able to stand out there for a long time without any other passengers or crew going by. It's my favorite place to look at the stars and to talk with God.

 

* Embarking last year with my boyfriend on his first cruise. Disembarking with my fiancé who is now very excited about future cruises together, including our honeymoon this year. :)

 

She's a great ship, with a great crew. I miss her already.

[north29]

Why the service on the ship was so much better than other ships I have been on. I know several of the employees have been on the ship for ever, but many many others have come and gone, but the service on the Monarch was always great, especially in the MDR.

[Royal_Cruiser]

Monarch is going to another cruiseline and will be sailing from Curacao.

 

Enchantment is leaving Baltimore and taking Monarch's place in Port Canaveral.

 

Grandeur is taking Enchantment's place in Baltimore.

 

Where is Grandeur coming from? Will something replace it where it was?

[Beachin2]

Sailed her in '97 & '00 and agree - that ship ALWAYS had a very homey feel. Had to be the attitude of the crew.

[wolfcathorse]

Where is Grandeur coming from? Will something replace it where it was?

 

Grandeur sails out of Panama (Colon?) in the winter and does Europe in the summer.

 

RCI is discontinuing sailings out of Panama winter 2014.

[cherylroslyn]

I've cruised on Monarch of the Seas five times. Some of my favorite memories, not necessarily in order:

 

* Coming on board the second time and realizing I knew my way around. It felt like home!

 

* Saturday night deck party leaving Nassau around midnight. Dancing like a fool because nobody else on the ship knows me. ;)

 

* Winning a free massage at the spa in the drawing on the first day.

 

* My first time experiencing The Quest. I laughed so hard I was hoarse the next day.

 

* Making it to the top of the rock wall. (Not a big deal to most people, but it was for me.)

 

* Staying on the ship while at Coco Cay, sitting inside one of the huge windows outside the Schooner Bar and the casino, seeing one of the pretty Norwegian cruise ships anchored near by at their private island, and reading a book in the very warm sunlight.

 

* Taking my parents on their first (and as it turns out, last) cruise. Mom enjoyed it. She died a year and a half later, and I'm so glad she got to experience a cruise before she died.

 

* Deck 7 forward, between 2:00 am - 3:00 am. The people up late partying have gone to bed. The early risers aren't up yet. The lights all the way forward are out, so it's pitch black unless the moon is out. I've been able to stand out there for a long time without any other passengers or crew going by. It's my favorite place to look at the stars and to talk with God.

 

* Embarking last year with my boyfriend on his first cruise. Disembarking with my fiancé who is now very excited about future cruises together, including our honeymoon this year. :)

 

She's a great ship, with a great crew. I miss her already.

This ship sounds like she played an imortant role in some big moments in your life......

 

 

You took your laast trip with your mom and got engaged on her........ That is very touching. I wish you luck on your upcoming nuptials....

 

 

I just decided to take my Mom on her first cruise later this year.....sadly I think she is not in such good health and I want her to experience a cruise as well. Reading your post made me happy I decided to book a girls trip for my mom, daughter and myself.......

[Royal_Cruiser]

This ship sounds like she played an imortant role in some big moments in your life......

 

 

You took your laast trip with your mom and got engaged on her........ That is very touching. I wish you luck on your upcoming nuptials....

 

 

I just decided to take my Mom on her first cruise later this year.....sadly I think she is not in such good health and I want her to experience a cruise as well. Reading your post made me happy I decided to book a girls trip for my mom, daughter and myself.......

 

Yes, Monarch is quite special to me. Thank you for your good wishes.

 

A girls' trip sounds like a great idea, and I definitely think you should do it. Take pictures. Make memories.

[emmacruises00]

I've cruised on Monarch of the Seas five times. Some of my favorite memories, not necessarily in order:

 

* Coming on board the second time and realizing I knew my way around. It felt like home!

 

* Saturday night deck party leaving Nassau around midnight. Dancing like a fool because nobody else on the ship knows me. ;)

 

* Winning a free massage at the spa in the drawing on the first day.

 

* My first time experiencing The Quest. I laughed so hard I was hoarse the next day.

 

* Making it to the top of the rock wall. (Not a big deal to most people, but it was for me.)

 

* Staying on the ship while at Coco Cay, sitting inside one of the huge windows outside the Schooner Bar and the casino, seeing one of the pretty Norwegian cruise ships anchored near by at their private island, and reading a book in the very warm sunlight.

 

* Taking my parents on their first (and as it turns out, last) cruise. Mom enjoyed it. She died a year and a half later, and I'm so glad she got to experience a cruise before she died.

 

* Deck 7 forward, between 2:00 am - 3:00 am. The people up late partying have gone to bed. The early risers aren't up yet. The lights all the way forward are out, so it's pitch black unless the moon is out. I've been able to stand out there for a long time without any other passengers or crew going by. It's my favorite place to look at the stars and to talk with God.

 

* Embarking last year with my boyfriend on his first cruise. Disembarking with my fiancé who is now very excited about future cruises together, including our honeymoon this year. :)

 

She's a great ship, with a great crew. I miss her already.

 

Awww! Great memories! Thank you! Those are such sweet memories, and that's just what I want for Monarch's farewell video! So sorry about your mom! I'm glad she got to enjoy a cruise, though.

Thanks for helping!

Emma