All things Monarch of the Seas

[ladylawyer]

Interesting comparison of the same cruise. No surprise. Everyone will have a different experience.

 

I do have to say that the slow DR service was something we noticed in Feb. Nice servers, but we didn't get coffee w/ dessert (despite ordering it) the first 2 nights. Finally, we talked to the Waiter, and mentioned it. He was so shocked, that he actually looked over the table to see if we were kidding him. We had coffee the next night, without asking.

 

That's the wonderful thing about the Monarch staff. They really want to please. They don't always get there, but you can tell that they really WANT to.

 

I'd missed the earlier review, so thanks for re-posting it, Carol. :D

[critterchick]

Monarch often has a lot of new hires onboard, so it's not surprising to see uneven service in the dining room. I've just gotten tired in general of two hour meals, which is why we're more likely to be found in the Windjammer these days.

[tinkerme1]

Jean, I'm with you on the WJ in the evenings, especially formal night! :)

 

Lorna, we have a new, favorite place for lunch in Ensenada! We love El Pueblo! Nice place and good food. :) Very close to Hussong's too!

[moakes]

Monarch often has a lot of new hires onboard, so it's not surprising to see uneven service in the dining room. I've just gotten tired in general of two hour meals, which is why we're more likely to be found in the Windjammer these days.

 

It was hard to pinpoint a specific reason as to why everything was a step slower...

 

On the other review that Merion Mom linked too I do agree on the Express Departure Comment. The line to get off wound around the centrum up the forward stairs and coiled around the elevator lobby. Also there was only one staff member trying to keep the line in order. It took a little while, but we still made it off and to our car by 8am.

[Merion_Mom]

It's like the Express line at the supermarket.

 

If EVERYONE has "15 items or less" and gets in the Express lane, it's NOT gonna move faster than the "regular" lane!

 

Most of the pax on the Monarch are locals who drive. They all wanna get off and go home. Cat fight! ;)

[ladylawyer]

It's like the Express line at the supermarket.

 

If EVERYONE has "15 items or less" and gets in the Express lane, it's NOT gonna move faster than the "regular" lane!

 

Most of the pax on the Monarch are locals who drive. They all wanna get off and go home. Cat fight! ;)

 

Or catch the only morning Jet Blue flight, out of LGB to SMF, that leaves at 8:50AM!!! :eek:

[critterchick]

It's like the Express line at the supermarket.

 

If EVERYONE has "15 items or less" and gets in the Express lane, it's NOT gonna move faster than the "regular" lane!

 

Most of the pax on the Monarch are locals who drive. They all wanna get off and go home. Cat fight! ;)

 

The only flaw in that analogy is that the "regular" lanes are behind the express lane, so the longer it takes express to clear, the worse it is for the regular ones.

 

I used to let Don do express (he has an 8am meeting every Monday:eek: ) and then just leave when I woke up and had had breakfast, but it always took forever to disembark. So now I do the express with him and go home to bed for a couple of hours.:)

[Mach1]

Or catch the only morning Jet Blue flight, out of LGB to SMF, that leaves at 8:50AM!!! :eek:

 

another silly question:

Is the Port closer to LAX or Long Beach air port? Which would be better to fly into?

[mohavemommy]

Isn't it amazing that we want to be the first on the ship... and then the first off the ship? If it wasn't for the lines I think I would appreciate having a nice slow breakfast that morning. I would like to see passes for Diamond(+) members that would let you go to the head of the line whenever you wanted to disembark.

[critterchick]

Isn't it amazing that we want to be the first on the ship... and then the first off the ship? If it wasn't for the lines I think I would appreciate having a nice slow breakfast that morning. I would like to see passes for Diamond(+) members that would let you go to the head of the line whenever you wanted to disembark.

 

When Rebecca was the fill-in LA she would escort her P/D group to the VIP line to exit. I thought that was a nice touch. Unfortunately, she tended to get into fights with everybody, so she's gone now.

 

Is the Port closer to LAX or Long Beach air port? Which would be better to fly into?

The port is 14 miles from LGB and 19 miles from LAX. The traffic pattern is usually worse from LAX, plus the airport itself is often a mess. LGB is a step back in time - only about 45 flights/day, so getting in and out is usually a breeze. If the fares are comparable and the schedule works, I'll go out of LGB every time.

[Atty]

Isn't it amazing that we want to be the first on the ship... and then the first off the ship? If it wasn't for the lines I think I would appreciate having a nice slow breakfast that morning. I would like to see passes for Diamond(+) members that would let you go to the head of the line whenever you wanted to disembark.

 

If you wait long enough to get off, there are no lines :)

[Mach1]

I have cruised a few times but not with my DD, this will be her first cruise she is 8 y.o. and very excited! :)

Can anyone tell me about the adventure ocean they offer for kids specific to this ship, I am not even sure what all to ask. Hours? Activities? Any thing you can think of.

Thank you!

[Atty]

I have cruised a few times but not with my DD, this will be her first cruise she is 8 y.o. and very excited! :)

Can anyone tell me about the adventure ocean they offer for kids specific to this ship, I am not even sure what all to ask. Hours? Activities? Any thing you can think of.

Thank you!

 

My wife and I took our oldest DD on her first cruise on Monarch last year (she was 7) and she loved Adventure Ocean. It was open basically all the time except around lunch. After like 10 I think it was like $5 per hour until like 1am. DD wanted to spend basically all her time there and loved the staff. I think they had activities during the port day (we took the 3 night cruise) but DD came with us. I'm not sure what the dinner situation was like (I know they had at least one dinner in AO) but DD usually ate with us in the dining room. In short, she loved it. If your DD has a talent, make sure to plan on having her participate in the talent show. AO also had a few "family" events like trivia and scavenger hunts which DD really liked.

[mohavemommy]

Why NOT to book a deck 7 oceanview cabin... this is a snapshot from when we were walking on the promenade.

[critterchick]

I have yet to see anybody IN a Deck 7 cabin. Usually they draw the curtains when they are.

[Merion_Mom]

I have. :D

[mohavemommy]

I have. :D

 

[mohavemommy]

I have yet to see anybody IN a Deck 7 cabin. Usually they draw the curtains when they are.

 

I have never seen someone actually in the cabin either. What use is an oceanview cabin that looks onto the promenade that requires you to keep your curtains closed in order to have privacy? I think they need a new category of cabin. To me, these are not F1 cabins... they need to be the bottom level oceanview and classified as obstructed view.

[cruissett]

What time so you figure those with dis-embark would be through customs and on their way? We're on the 4 night and have a noon flight out of LAX. We're supposed to dock at 6am on a Friday

 

Thanks

[mohavemommy]

It really does not matter when you dock... it is when the ship clears customs. It is also dependant on if crew needs to do their clearance renewal. We were behind one of those lines once and it delayed us over an hour.

[retiredawacs]

My TA just called and told me that the price had dropped and was curious to know if we wanted to move our room from the port side to the starboard. We are on the 4 day out of LA going to San Diego, Catalina Island and Esenada. For those of you that have been on this cruise before what is your preference. Would like to hear pro's and con's either way. We have a balcony room on deck 10 and plan on spending alot of time sitting and reading and just watching the sights.

 

Thanks

Eric

[ladylawyer]

My TA just called and told me that the price had dropped and was curious to know if we wanted to move our room from the port side to the starboard. We are on the 4 day out of LA going to San Diego, Catalina Island and Esenada. For those of you that have been on this cruise before what is your preference. Would like to hear pro's and con's either way. We have a balcony room on deck 10 and plan on spending alot of time sitting and reading and just watching the sights.

 

Thanks

Eric

 

Eric, here's my 2 cents. The first time I did the 4-night, we were on the starboard side and, in San Diego, I looked out our balcony and saw a large Number 41. I, immediately, called DH (who stayed home for this cruise) and asked him which ship was No. 41. He immediately replied, "the USS Midway!" Then he told me that I needed to book another 4-night cruise, so he could wake up to the Midway, too.

 

However, when we arrived in Catalina, the next day, and I looked out my balcony, all I saw was ocean (and the Southern CA coast waaaaay out there). It turns out that Catalina is off the port side.

 

Ensenada has a sport called "watching the drunks stumble back to the ship from Pappas & Beer." Most of the time, the Captain docks the ship port-side, although I've seen the ship docked starboard-side, as well. I once asked Captain Teo why he "parks" (yes, I used the work "park" :o ) the ship on different sides for different cruises. He told me that, when he parks starboard-side to the pier, he has to turn the ship around to leave (as Ensenada harbor is so small). To do this takes time. Because Carnival's Paradise is also in Ensenada on Saturdays, on the weekend, he docks the ship Port-side, so he can pull straight out and not delay the Paradise's departure, waiting for us to turn around. However, on the 4-day, he docks starboard-side. However, it's been my experience, since Captain Karin took over, that the ship is generally docked port-side in Ensenada.

 

My personal recommendation: You wake up to a pretty nice view of the Star of India (the Tall Ship that was used in filming "Master & Commander") in San Diego, as well as Catalina Harbor, if your cabin is on the port side. Plus, you get to watch the drunks from your balcony in Ensenada. That's how I do it. As they say, YMMV (and others may disagree ... ;) ).

 

Have a wonderful cruise!!! ~ Lorna :D

[ronandannette]

What use is an oceanview cabin that looks onto the promenade that requires you to keep your curtains closed in order to have privacy? I think they need a new category of cabin. To me, these are not F1 cabins... they need to be the bottom level oceanview and classified as obstructed view.

 

Can you even SEE the water from one of these? We've just booked an OV GTY and thus it's possible that this is what we'll have assigned. Geesh, :mad: I'd hate it worse than an inside. We actually only ever book balconies or insides because the window just seems like a tease...getting one of these "promenade view" dumb ones will totally solidify my suspicions that OV is a waste of money...

 

Happy Sails,

 

Annette

[Merion_Mom]

Eric, here's my 2 cents. The first time I did the 4-night, we were on the starboard side and, in San Diego, I looked out our balcony and saw a large Number 41. I, immediately, called DH (who stayed home for this cruise) and asked him which ship was No. 41. He immediately replied, "the USS Midway!" Then he told me that I needed to book another 4-night cruise, so he could wake up to the Midway, too.

 

However, when we arrived in Catalina, the next day, and I looked out my balcony, all I saw was ocean (and the Southern CA coast waaaaay out there). It turns out that Catalina is off the port side.

 

Ensenada has a sport called "watching the drunks stumble back to the ship from Pappas & Beer." Most of the time, the Captain docks the ship port-side, although I've seen the ship docked starboard-side, as well. I once asked Captain Teo why he "parks" (yes, I used the work "park" :o ) the ship on different sides for different cruises. He told me that, when he parks starboard-side to the pier, he has to turn the ship around to leave (as Ensenada harbor is so small). To do this takes time. Because Carnival's Paradise is also in Ensenada on Saturdays, on the weekend, he docks the ship Port-side, so he can pull straight out and not delay the Paradise's departure, waiting for us to turn around. However, on the 4-day, he docks starboard-side. However, it's been my experience, since Captain Karin took over, that the ship is generally docked port-side in Ensenada.

 

My personal recommendation: You wake up to a pretty nice view of the Star of India (the Tall Ship that was used in filming "Master & Commander") in San Diego, as well as Catalina Harbor, if your cabin is on the port side. Plus, you get to watch the drunks from your balcony in Ensenada. That's how I do it. As they say, YMMV (and others may disagree ... ;) ).

 

Have a wonderful cruise!!! ~ Lorna :D

 

A truly impressive dissertation! ;) :D

[ladylawyer]

A truly impressive dissertation! ;) :D

 

Thank you, Carol ... except for the typo I just noticed ... :o ... should have been word "park," not "work." :o

 

So, it wasn't TMI?