Monarch of the Seas

[kellywhitehills]

My husband and I have been invited to take part in a cruise on the Monarch of the Seas. I was on the ship last October and found it to be in rough shape. So much so it almost ruined my cruise. Has the ship been spiffied up since then??a scheduled dry dock??

[FitzLA]

I was on her in January and it seemed fine.

[JJ2sail]

I was on her last November and this April, and was not disappointed? The only thing I noticed, was some of the seats in the main show lounge were a bit worn out.

 

Maybe you could elaborate?

[critterchick]

Yes, please elaborate. We've been on Monarch quite a few times in the last 12 months and they are constantly cleaning & polishing her up. One big improvement was the replacement of the Astroturf by the pool bar. I think that particular spot has the most, let's call it spillage:eek: , of any place on the ship.

 

Let's face it - Monarch gets punished on every 3- night cruise and on some of the 4-night ones as well, so not everything will look sparkling new. For what she is, however, she's a splendid old gal.

[kellywhitehills]

Our room smelled like sewer...Carpet was comming up in places causing me to trip...Trash was shoved everywhere...Overall the ship looked and felt tattered..The food was good as was the service..I realize shes older and her ports are well..Party ports...

 

I was just wondering if she had been dry docked and cleaned up since I was on her..Maybe my expectations were just to high for a first cruise..:o

[jimd909]

Our room smelled like sewer...Carpet was comming up in places causing me to trip...Trash was shoved everywhere...Overall the ship looked and felt tattered..The food was good as was the service..I realize shes older and her ports are well..Party ports...

 

I was just wondering if she had been dry docked and cleaned up since I was on her..Maybe my expectations were just to high for a first cruise..:o

 

The last dry dock was the beginning of 2003. I believe they spent about $23 million renovating her. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[J1mShorts]

Just got off last Friday. I was not impressed by the ship. Our room had areas of rust by the bathroom door and there was a bad wall patch job in our room. The room was also extremely small (110ish square feet) with little drawer space and decent closet space. I was also not impressed with the food, especially in the Windjammer. I found the food to be bland with the french toast every morning to be grossly undercooked and soggy. The "shopping expert" also was not very well versed on each port so do your homework. However, I did find the overall service to be quite good and attentive. This was our fourth cruise and we received our luggage quite fast. I also got my baked Alaska on the final night, but was disappointed that there was no lobster (RC going on the cheap). Sorry to all you folks that love and drool over RC, but I was not overly impressed.

[FitzLA]

The last dry dock was the beginning of 2003. I believe they spent about $23 million renovating her. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

 

She was drydocked in 2006 as well for some cleaning up.

[PhoenixCruiser]

I also got my baked Alaska on the final night, but was disappointed that there was no lobster (RC going on the cheap). Sorry to all you folks that love and drool over RC, but I was not overly impressed.

 

Royal doesn't offer lobster on any of their 3 and 4 night cruises.

 

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[DrivesLikeMario]

We've been on the Monarch many times and there are a few things I've learned that will make the cruise a better experience:

 

1. If you go for the 3 nighters, absolutely get at least a Cat. JS if you are the slightest bit particular about cabins and noise.

 

2. Realize this ship does get "punished" (as someone put it) on the 3-4 night cruises. Don't expect too much. It's still MUCH nicer than Carnival's Paradise!

 

3. Realize that the drinking/bar venues are going to be pretty wild.

 

4. Go with an open mind and realize it for what it is - a cheap, easy way to rack up C&A points.

 

It's a decent ship for the short runs, but I sure wish they'd put a newer one out here for these cruises.

[critterchick]

Our room smelled like sewer...Carpet was comming up in places causing me to trip...Trash was shoved everywhere...Overall the ship looked and felt tattered..The food was good as was the service..I realize shes older and her ports are well..Party ports...

 

I was just wondering if she had been dry docked and cleaned up since I was on her..Maybe my expectations were just to high for a first cruise..:o

 

I've heard that some cabins do have a sewer smell, but I can assure it's not the entire ship, so if you pick a cabin in a different location, you should be able to avoid it - we've never noticed anything on Decks 9 or 10, for example.

 

The only "party" port is Ensenada - if you're going on the 4-night cruise then you'll find a far more sedate crowd onboard (since our CC group won't be there:o ) and have a nice time in San Diego and Avalon.

 

For awhile the food was good to excellent. This year I've been on her 5 times (it's hell living 10 minutes from the port) and the food quality has varied quite a bit. Plus I'm sick to death of the menu, since it's the same fleetwide and we've done a lot of cruising in the past 2 years. There was a new executive chef last time we were onboard and, even though the food was the same as always, it seemed a little more interesting to me.

 

I think anybody who sails Monarch expecting the top RCI experience is bound to be disappointed. She's one of the older ships in the fleet, and she does take a beating on the weekend cruises, but she has the best crew in the fleet and I think if you can overlook some of her bumps & blemishes, you can relax and enjoy a nice getaway. If you can't, well, Mariner will be here soon!:D

[TahoeBob]

The room was also extremely small (110ish square feet) with little drawer space and decent closet space.

I fine it very funny when someone books a inside cabin on the Monarch and then finds it on the small side. You are correct 110 square feet is small, but its not like they promiced you a very large cabin. the size of the cabin is on there webpage for all to see. If you booked your own trip with RCI you would have know the size, if you booked with a TA you should have asked.

[skandls]

On any cruise - talk to your cabin steward and if needed to maintenance if there is a 'sewer smell'. They seem to be able to take care of the problem but you need to be persistant and follow through. The 3 and 4 day cruises are not 'top of the line' but they are fun.

 

The Monarch is an old ship with smaller cabins. But the price is right - the entertainment is good and the food better than many of the other RCCL ships. We look at what we are getting vs what we are paying. The Monarch is a great deal for us - we can drive and park - no airfare.

 

We SoCal people have had some really great deals on Royal cruises. With both the Monarch and Vision being 2 of the older model ships. I am looking forward to the Mariner making its way out to do the Mexican Riviera - and as expected the prices are much higher that they would have been for the Vision.

[PhoenixCruiser]

On any cruise - talk to your cabin steward and if needed to maintenance if there is a 'sewer smell'. They seem to be able to take care of the problem but you need to be persistant and follow through. The 3 and 4 day cruises are not 'top of the line' but they are fun.

 

 

Not necessarily:( When on the Monarch in August of 2005, we had the sewer smell the entire 4 days! Our cabin (JS - Starboard side) was a total mess, pubic hairs in the bathroom and food and chalk in the living space. We did complain and the cabin was cleaned, however the smell stayed with us.

 

We (for the credits, lol) booked a 2-night cruise on the Monarch last December. This time we reserved a JS on the port side and everything was great.

 

Luck of the draw, I guess :cool: :D

 

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[J1mShorts]

Did you see a complaint? This was a factual observation in response to someone asking a review of the ship. My wife have been cruising before and have been in inside rooms and we were fully aware this was small. This is the smallest we have been on. I was informing the original posters so they knew what they were getting into. They will be crawling and falling over each other. Also forgot to mention, no refridgerators either.

 

I fine it very funny when someone books a inside cabin on the Monarch and then finds it on the small side. You are correct 110 square feet is small, but its not like they promiced you a very large cabin. the size of the cabin is on there webpage for all to see. If you booked your own trip with RCI you would have know the size, if you booked with a TA you should have asked.

[critterchick]

There are safes and refrigerators in the cabins on Decks 9 and 10.

[J1mShorts]

Ahh...I was just a peon on Deck 6 :D

 

There are safes and refrigerators in the cabins on Decks 9 and 10.

[Linda the Book Lover]

My husband and I have been invited to take part in a cruise on the Monarch of the Seas. I was on the ship last October and found it to be in rough shape. So much so it almost ruined my cruise. Has the ship been spiffied up since then??a scheduled dry dock??

 

If you decide to go I hope you have an enjoyable time. We took a 3 day on the Paradise and true she is not one of the sleek younger ships but she gave us an enjoyable 3 day vacation away from every day life. Our expection - a great time with DD and DSIL. This time on the Monarch my expection 4 days away from every day life - a great time with DH for our anniversary. I could not tell you the condtion of any ship I have been on except if there was an issue it was taken care of immediately. I am always interested in hearing thoughts on ships I am about to sail on.

[TahoeBob]

Did you see a complaint?

well yes I did see a complaint. one before your info on the room size and everything after was a complaint. How was I to know where your complaints stoped and factual information started.

[J1mShorts]

You are correct there and I stand corrected. However, there was no complaint about the size of the room. It was an observation.

And if you actually read further, not "everything after was a complaint." Props were given when warranted.

 

well yes I did see a complaint. one before your info on the room size and everything after was a complaint. How was I to know where your complaints stoped and factual information started.

[tinkerme1]

I agree with Critterchick! :D

 

The Monarch is what it is, an older ship doing a very limited itinerary. With that said, it does afford the West Coasters with a quick mini getaway on a cruise. It is booked solid whenever she leaves Port, and to be quite honest, many cruisers return time after time.

 

The ship is not new, with all the latest bells and whistles, but what she doesn't have, she makes up with her fantastic crew! The Dining Room food is usually good to excellent, the wait staff extremely attentive, and the Sr. Staff is better than on most of the RCI ships!

 

Yes, the cabins are small, especially the inside and lower deck cabins. This has been talked about often here on CC. If this really matters to you, then I would highly suggest booking an SO or a JS cabin.

 

The sewer smell has been a constant off and on again complaint. In most instances, it is because "new cruisers" come onboard and flush things in the commode that shouldn't be put in "any commode", especially baby diapers!:eek: This stops up the system and creates floods and back flow gasses.

 

For three or four days, how much time do you really spend in your cabin anyway? Get out there! Have fun! The Monarch is our "home away from home" and we love her!

[ElvisandTracey]

Monarch is what she is...an older, smaller ship that does quickies for folks in LA who, at times (past summers when Vision was in Alaska) have no other choice if they want to sail without flying.

 

As you can see by my signature, I've sailed her a few times. She isn't my favorite, she's not a Voyager or Radience, but she's better than staying home!! I am always up for a weekend on Monarch, why not, it's better than staying home and cooking and cleaning!!:D ;)

 

AND SOON WE"LL HAVE MARINER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[J1mShorts]

The dining room crew was quite good. Our waiter (Jeet) was very attentive and when I was trying to decide between one dessert or the other, he said he would bring two and I could sample both. He and his AW (forgot his name) also had our drinks ready each night we were there. He even remembered how I liked my meat cooked. Oh yea...bring your cameras to the dining room for any entertainment the wait staff may provide.

 

As for the small cabins, (once again, not a complaint, but an observation)it promoted a new level of "togetherness" between my wife and I as we were getting dressed for dinner each night. Like the poster said, and I agree, physical plant not so great, but the service was overall quite good.

 

I agree with Critterchick! :D

 

The ship is not new, with all the latest bells and whistles, but what she doesn't have, she makes up with her fantastic crew! The Dining Room food is usually good to excellent, the wait staff extremely attentive, and the Sr. Staff is better than on most of the RCI ships!

 

Yes, the cabins are small, especially the inside and lower deck cabins. This has been talked about often here on CC. If this really matters to you, then I would highly suggest booking an SO or a JS cabin.

 

The sewer smell has been a constant off and on again complaint. In most instances, it is because "new cruisers" come onboard and flush things in the commode that shouldn't be put in "any commode", especially baby diapers!:eek: This stops up the system and creates floods and back flow gasses.

 

For three or four days, how much time do you really spend in your cabin anyway? Get out there! Have fun! The Monarch is our "home away from home" and we love her!

[gdisney]

Well I was on the Monarch at the end of May and really enjoyed it. Had the smallest cabin possible, I think, inside stateroom on deck three. But I really had no complaints. Sure, the ship is older, and if you want to nitpick little details, you're going to find something wrong. There's so many people going through there every few days that I was amazed it was as clean and in good of shape as it was, frankly. And yeah, I smelled that sort of sewer smell once in the main hallway on my deck, but I just moved on and didn't let it get me down. Didn't notice it again. You can't beat the value for the price of this little vacation, IMO.

[TahoeBob]

You are correct there and I stand corrected. However, there was no complaint about the size of the room. It was an observation.

And if you actually read further, not "everything after was a complaint." Props were given when warranted.

Thanks I did see the good things you posted. My first cruise was on the Vision in a inside, then the monarch and it was smaller. so I am going back on the Vision this Nov and in a inside. I just need a cruise and I don't think I can hold out till Nov.