Monarch of the Seas from Los Angeles

[Saymyname]

First question Yes! ( I don't know the charge~ did not use)

2nd question no ( I have a travel clock/alarm)

Bon Voyage

Your going to have fun!

[Cruise_More_Often]

Thank you so much for your review, Saymyname. We're not cruising until January, but it gives us a lot to look forward to.

 

We are driving, too, from Sonoma County, but we decided to spend the night before the cruise in San Pedro. I'm one of those "what's the earliest time can we board the ship" people and plan to be waiting in line around 11:00 or even earlier if the hotel's van will take us earlier!

 

Glad you had so much fun. What a nice way to celebrate the 4th.

[joyceyw]

Good Review saymyname,

I getting excited about our Sept. Monarch cruise. Yep, I live less than a mile from the 405 and I avoid it all costs. We're just 15 minutes down the 110 from San Pedro, so I will probably go to work that morning for a bit, then head down to their pier.

[reggierail]

If anyone has one on deck 9 could you tell me if they do indeed have tubs?

 

 

All of the cabins on deck nine are SO category. I had one on my sailing November of last year. They were called Cat. D cabins then. They are 156 sq. ft. and appeared larger than they were due to the layout of the cabin. The bed was against the wall so you could get to the window without climbing over the bed. They don't have a tub, but do have a frig and a safe. The view from the window is partially obstructed by the top of the life boats, but the view straight out is clear. We were upgraded from a standard outside cabin after boarding

the ship and the cabin was much nicer and about 1/3 larger.

 

Reggie

[JillyDog]

Reggie - Thank you for the information! I had seen some pics of the SO category but I didn't know if it was before or after the refurb. Now, with your description I think I know what it looks like. Too bad about the tubs...wishful thinking!

 

Thanks again,

 

Trish

[Teeara]

I have a group that is thinking about cruising the Monarch in January. For those of you who have sailed her in the past, would you say definitely no more than two people to a room? These rooms sound absolutely tiny. Also, I have heard mixed reviews on the food. What are your opinions? And third, if anyone has done Monarch in January, what was the weather like for you? Thanks all!

 

Theresa

[wblynch]

Okay a little trivia:

you can tell the difference between a No. Cal and a So. Cal by asking about freeways.

So. Cal always put "the" in front of the freeway number.

 

Until about 10 years ago all Los Angeles freeways were referred to by name. They all have official names and it is still common practice to use them.

 

That's where the "The" came from.

 

You can tell the real natives when they start talking about the Harbor Freeway, the Hollywood, the Golden State and the San Diego.

 

It's fun to confuse newbies! :cool:

[Saymyname]

Until about 10 years ago all Los Angeles freeways were referred to by name. They all have official names and it is still common practice to use them.

 

That's where the "The" came from.

 

You can tell the real natives when they start talking about the Harbor Freeway, the Hollywood, the Golden State and the San Diego.

 

It's fun to confuse newbies! :cool:

 

Thank you, I appreciate the history lesson!

[wblynch]

Thank you, I appreciate the history lesson!

 

Oops. I was just havin' some fun, not trying to lecture.

 

Sorry if I annoyed you.

[dougp26364]

I have a group that is thinking about cruising the Monarch in January. For those of you who have sailed her in the past, would you say definitely no more than two people to a room? These rooms sound absolutely tiny. Also, I have heard mixed reviews on the food. What are your opinions? And third, if anyone has done Monarch in January, what was the weather like for you? Thanks all!

 

Theresa

 

I haven't been on the Monarch yet but....we had an outside cabin on deck 3 of Legend that was about the same square footage (157 sq ft?). It was fine for us two but I don't think I'd try putting 3 in one of those rooms.

 

We're heading out in January ourselves but it's a 3 night weekend getaway for us. We'll be on the Monarch sailing Jan. 14th.

[reggierail]

I have a group that is thinking about cruising the Monarch in January. For those of you who have sailed her in the past, would you say definitely no more than two people to a room? These rooms sound absolutely tiny. Also, I have heard mixed reviews on the food. What are your opinions? And third, if anyone has done Monarch in January, what was the weather like for you? Thanks all!

 

Theresa

 

The standard rooms are 122 sq ft and I would say more than 2 would be a squeeze. Then again we're only talking 3-4 days. Dressing for dinner and getting ready in the morning would be the worst part.

Although I enjoyed the food in the dining room, I feel it has slipped in the last few years. I found the food in the Windjammer to have improved some though.

The weather last January was rather chilly at night and in the 60's during the day.

 

Reggie

[Coralc]

I think the standard outside cabins on Song of America were as wide as the length of a single twin bed mattress. DH slept on the couch/bed that was lengthwise under the window. I slept on the fold down from the wall across the room and perpendicular. We waved goodnight to each other from across the cabin! They can't be any smaller than those staterooms! Monarch is newer than Song of America, surely, they have corrected the sleeping arrangements by now.

 

This is why we booked a Junior Suite for our Oct. 18 Monarch sailing. We kept hearing about those small rooms.

[Saymyname]

Oops. I was just havin' some fun, not trying to lecture.

 

Sorry if I annoyed you.

 

I really did appreciate the lesson, sorry if my message sounded as if I didn't.

IM glad~ I know how the whole "the" thing got started. Thanks 4 real!

[baycruiser]

We stayed in 8550 and it was an awesomely located partial-obstructed oceanview on the Monarch of The Seas (4 nights).

 

We did hear some people on the jogging track and whenever they were washing down the lifeboats. View was partially obstructed by the bottom of the lifeboats, but pretty good. Deck 9 people looked like they had lifeboats in their windows.

 

Also, it was located in the middle of the deck so we didn't hear music from the bar below or get any of the noise from The Circuit nightclub. Those with cabins near The Circuit on Deck 8... beware! You will hear thumping rap music until 2am!

 

What was great about being on Deck 8 was the quick jaunt down the steps to the DR and quick up to the higher decks.

 

Please avoid the lowest decks if you can... I don't think this ship has stabilizers and we were rocking/shaking significantly. Also, the weather was gloomy most mornings. Maybe I'm used the Caribbean, because I wasn't particularly impressed with the ports. It's a great trip if you want to hang on the ship most of the time!

 

Food was okay but there were some confusion about what was open when. Room service was prompt and even called you before they came up in the morning.

 

Entertainment... we only saw the Dueling Pianos (GREAT! Loved it so much we kept going back for more!) and the last night's comedy show with Steve Bruener (okay).

 

WATCH OUT for the teens... I do love kids, but the teens were hogging the hot tubs the entire cruise and you couldn't get in there. Brand new bathing suit seemed to go to waste between the gloomy weather and the hot tub hogging. And the DJ in the Circuit would primarily play rap to appease the teens.

 

Otherwise, service was great and friendly. Food was average. The exception was the sugar free chocolate cake, which I wanted to take home at least 20 pieces of -- it was that good!

 

Get there early for the late night buffet; people line up early and the deck is swamped. Bring jackets/sweaters for nights on the deck... I was freezing most of the time. I think that also contributed to my thinking this cruise wasn't all that tropical.

 

Catalina was kind of neat, but we only walked around Avalon for an hour. The beaches there didn't look too appealing. Ensenada was Ensenada... very poor area with just some shopping to do.

 

If you want to relax, just stay on the ship! That's when we had the most fun! 4 nights seemed too short to me, but it was fiance's first cruise and I wanted to make sure he wouldn't get seasick and enjoy it before booking a longer one with a different itinerary. He loved it, so I think I have him addicted!

[Coralc]

Thanks for the review, baycruiser. Where are you from? West Coast Summer cruises are often foggy/cool much of the time, and not at all like the Caribbean. Glad you had a good time, though. We are looking forward to the Fall, when it's sometimes a little warmer.