Monarch Of The Seas Experience

[jrsmith1279]

You are inncorrect, Jack. There were no tender boats sent from 12:30 to 4:40pm. I know, I was there as were hundreds of others. You are correct that my wait could have been shorter if I could have taken the cold wind waiting in line, but my husband and I tried and couldn't take it. We had to find shelter from the wind to wait for the boat. Because we didn't stand in line (I know this was our choice), the line got longer and longer. No boats came. We were all shocked it took so long to send it. We were stupid to wait, but we kept thinking they had to send a boat soon. Plus we were so cold we could bare to walk anywhere. We waited in a little alleyway in between the deli and the office. We waited with another couple (Bob & Diane) that showed up at about 4:15 and waited with us for over an hour. We didn't get back on the ship until a little after 6pm. I had never been on a tender in my life, so I guess the common sense you speak about wouldn't work without some knowledge. We were smashed in that boat and people were pushing and angry. I was not the only one scared - fear was very visable on many faces. I had never had a panic attack before in my life and had one during (and after) this incident. I am still having nightmares about it and have trouble getting into crowded areas. If that makes me dramatic, so be it. I didn't ask for anything or expect anything other than to warn people of the risks. I would not have wanted to have my 5 year old son or elderly grandfather to experience that. My mother couldn't have made it, so I don't know what they would have done. I know that one disabled large woman that was on the tender before mine was slightly injured and shocked how they treated her. She was surprized she made it. I know things happen, but I should have been allowed to make an informed decision. If they decided to call the tender a "lifeboat" to justify overcrowding it, I should have had the option to pass. I hade no idea it was going to be overcrowded and slam up against the ship (like being rear-ended in a car accident) when I got on that boat. They need to communicate to passengers, period.

 

You may not have seen a tender between those times but the tender that I came to the island on was at around 2:30 and when I went down to get on the tender one had just left and that was at about 1:45. All of my pictures are between 2:30 and 4:00 and they are from the island. I was on the VERY LAST TENDER and I was back to my room at 5:30 and even watched the tender from my stateroom leave, blowing it's horn while our ship blew it's horn as a way of saying "goodbye". I'm was on the top section of the tender and it was not packed at all, the bottom may have been packed but the boat was in no way overloaded on the last ride. The top of the ship, by the way, has plety of places to hold on but I do agree that the bottom does make it hard to hold on (I found the TV to be a good holding spot). I have never been on a tender before in my life either, this was my first cruise but after the first jerk I paid attention to what caused it and watched for it so I would know when to brace myself. I understand that you may have had a panic attack but I think that during the panic your vision of the situation may have been clouded by thoughts of what could have happened. I'll admit that it wasn't the most appealing situation but I would compare the danger to the same danger as flying in an airplane or driving a car, sure something bad could happen but that's a risk you take. When I was waiting in line to get on the tender (going to the island) many people coming in were telling us we were crazy, we went anyways because we were not going to sit on the ship all day. I'm sure you're probably thinking "yeah but maybe you're more of an adrenaline junky", I can tell you that I am not. I don't even ride roller coasters because I can't take the force that it places on your body and I am generally very nervoous when riding in cars due to a wreck when I was a kid. The point is, you can't blame RCCL for the weather or the violent jerking of the tender. If you noticed they were hurrily pulling people off of the tender and they were keeping close and helping guide people off of the tender. They were looking out for peoples safety as much as possible and they too were concerned about the situation. The main concern I have is that I am 6'4" and when the tender would rise up the side of the boat the opening to get off of the tender would close up to much shorter than that so i was a little worried about hitting my head but I found ducking low was the best solution. I understand that you were concerned about the situation but I just have to set the record straight about the times as well as the level of danger that I experienced.

-Jack

[sashanicole]

well said! :D

[rubrrick]

Unless RCCL has made changes since I was aboard last year, the ship charters two large passenger ferries, rather than using their own lifeboats to tender passengers ashore at Catalina Island. These tenders are about 5 times the size of a lifeboat tender. If the ride and docking at the ship was that rough, imagine what it would have been like with a ships tender. I would bet that is why the captain elected not to put any of the ships tenders in the water, when one of the shore tenders broke down.

 

 

Rick

[louanne93]

Unless RCCL has made changes since I was aboard last year, the ship charters two large passenger ferries, rather than using their own lifeboats to tender passengers ashore at Catalina Island. These tenders are about 5 times the size of a lifeboat tender. If the ride and docking at the ship was that rough, imagine what it would have been like with a ships tender. I would bet that is why the captain elected not to put any of the ships tenders in the water, when one of the shore tenders broke down.

 

 

Rick

 

There were no changes. They still charter two ferry's. It's just that day one of them broke in the morning. We were the first ones out and were told that they had only one ferry and to adjust your time accordingly.

This was well handled by RCCL.

[louanne93]

well said! :D

 

Very well said! The record should now be straight! Too many people know that the 4 hour wait did not happen. I even have a picture of the 2:15 ferry. My husband and I joke about how we should have been on it.

[NancyIL]

I will be on the Monarch March 13-17, and was wondering if the $5 all-day pass on the Avalon Trolley was a good way to get around town. I'm also thinking about doing an island tour through RCI.

[louanne93]

I will be on the Monarch March 13-17, and was wondering if the $5 all-day pass on the Avalon Trolley was a good way to get around town. I'm also thinking about doing an island tour through RCI.

 

We did the golf carts and had a blast. We went all around the island. The view from the top was amazing.

 

I do remember seeing trolley's too.

[ladylawyer]

I will be on the Monarch March 13-17, and was wondering if the $5 all-day pass on the Avalon Trolley was a good way to get around town. I'm also thinking about doing an island tour through RCI.

 

Can't answer about the Trolley, but my friend and I took the Botanical Garden and City tour last December. I'd been to Avalon before, but many years ago. She'd never been. We could have taken the golf carts, but it was nice to have a guided tour by a local. It takes you up the the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Gardens (can you say "cactus"), as well as around town. Plus, the tour was only an hour and half, or so, so there was plenty of time to explore on our own and to shop! :D We booked the tour through the ship. I think it was about $29, each. Not bad, really ...

 

Have fun!