4 nt baha mexico cruise

[eswort]

little background info....we will be getting married in vegas on oct 1, 2005 and were originally going to do a hawaii cruise but the price range was just a little steep for our budgets right now....my fiance doesnt really wanna stay in vegas the full two weeks so i was trying to find a cruise that worked around our wedding, the best i could find was the oct 3, 4 night baha mexico cruise from LA to san diago, catalina, ensenada.....does anyone have any feedback on this cruise? the ports do not seem very great, any feedback on them? its on the monarch of the seas which is actually the first ship i was ever on (been on 3 rccl cruises). rccl site is showing ocean view rooms at $329pp, i would really like a balcony but they say there are none available. any suggestions on what a good price range would be? any info would be great. thanks in advance.

[xpcdoojk]

Well San Diego is a very nice city the weather should be nice at that time of the year. Catalina island is nice. Ensenada is not so nice. 2 weeks in Vegas and you will be broke or bored to death. Vegas is a long weekend kind of place unless you have a lot of money. JMHO

 

 

jc

[eswort]

thanks for the reply

 

as for vegas ive been there many times and could spend a month there without getting bored, broke maybe but not bored, as for my fiance she would definitely get bored out of her mind....we were also thinking of maybe renting a car and traveling to some of the nearby areas if we didnt do the cruise....i have a few months to figure it all out

[Celmar]

Being from San Diego I dont think you can go wrong spending a day here during part of your honeymoon. This is a beautiful and romantic city and with the port being right in downtown there are a lot of options as far as what to do and where to go. I would also think of Catalina as being a wonderful place. We are taking the 4 day on the Monarch on June 20, 2005. We are going with 10 people and are celebrating our 20th anniversary and plan on renewing our wedding vows on board. I'd go for the cruise and I think your fiance would enjoy that much more.

[Cruise_More_Often]

Eswort, you're right about there being no "balcony" cabins, but the price for the Junior Suite that does have a balcony isn't all that much. Check it out and have a blast! We're going on that cruise (our first with RCI) in January.

[Celmar]

Eswort, you're right about there being no "balcony" cabins, but the price for the Junior Suite that does have a balcony isn't all that much. Check it out and have a blast! We're going on that cruise (our first with RCI) in January.

Very True!! We have a Junior Suite booked for June and found it to be very reasonable. I'm sure it's even cheeper in October. It sounds like and looks like its the best way to go on the Monarch.

[iluvcruzin]

I may get stones thrown for saying this but...

 

Don't do it!! As someone from OH (your next door state), it will not be the cruise of your dreams. It's mainly made up of people from CA who are on it for a short get-away. I sailed this itenerary once many years ago on the Viking Serenade. I also cruised the same week you are talking about in October. It's not hot weather season that time of year (60's-low 70's). There are no beaches to hang out and bathe in the sun. Although Catalina wasn't too bad, Enscenada has nothing to offer. It was the one cruise out of many that I would say I'd never run back to. You can't compare it to the bahama's or carribean. If you've been to either you may be truely disappointed. As far as the Monarch.. I haven't sail this ship since she was new so I can't say much about it.

 

Check to see if there are other cruises (check other cruiselines) out of maybe San Francisico. The idea of renting a car and driving up & down the pacific coast is a cool thing to do.

 

Sorry my opinon is so negative. It's just one cruise I would never repeat. Not worth the time or money.

[xpcdoojk]

I don't disagree with Maureen that there are some issues with 4 day cruises in general, but if you go into it with a party kind of attitude, you will enjoy it. Just don't expect it to be Silverseas and you will be fine. San Diego is a nice city.

 

jc

[Cruise_More_Often]

Plus, she'll already be in Las Vegas, which is just a stone's throw from LA. The only cruises out of San Francisco in October are expensive ones (Princess and Celebrity 10-11 days to Mexico and Holland America (? where ?).

 

I've read that the ship looks good since its refurbishment in 2003. For example.

[jkrislc]

I truly enjoy the Monarch, having been on her three times this year. However, for your honeymoon and if you really want an affordable balcony, the 7 or 8 day option (if you can swing it) might be a better option and possibly cheaper on a per day basis. With the Norwegian Star and the Diamond Princess, you have two ships with a lot of balconies. Further, you'll get to warmer ports that are a bit more exciting than Ensenada.

 

That being said, the four-day Monarch is less "party" oriented than the three-day weekend cruise. I did a four-day on the Ecstasy for my honeymoon eight years ago, and did enjoy it as we added several days post cruise in the Florida Keys. You can't go wrong either way, but you have to decide what is best for you!

[tinkerme1]

We just got off the Monarch three-day cruise (Christmas Cruise) and had a fabulous time. Of course, the weather was great (70's) and the people onboard were mostly California folks looking for a nice short vacation.

 

I do think that the Monarch is a very different kind of experience than say a seven-day or longer cruise, but even with that said, it is still a very nice cruise. This is our fourth time aboard the Monarch. The 3-4 day cruises in the summer tend to be more the "party" atmosphere type cruises. The time of year you are planning is geared more to relaxing and having some nice time together.

 

As for ports, Catalina is nice, although a little "sleepy" at that time of year. San Diego is wonderful (I live here) so I'm a little prejudiced there :) and Ensenada is actually very entertaining, if nothing more than enjoying the culture and doing a little shopping. We happen to like Ensenada very much.

 

Have a very lovely wedding and the Monarch may be a nice short getaway after Vegas for both of you. :D

[ricko1]

We have been on the 3 night and the 4 night. IMHO the 4 night is much better, not as much of a party crowd.

We loved all ports, San Diego, Catalina and Ensenada. We took the excrusion in Ensenada to the Fox Studio where the Titanic was filmed. We enjoyed it very much. Loved San Diego. So yes for my vote.

The only balconies are in the Junior Suites. I think the price for an outside is fair.

We were in Las Vegas a few days before our last Monarch cruise. It was a very nice drive from Vegas to L. A. Got very easy to follow directions on mapquest.

Hope this helps in your decision.

Denice

[mtchg]

go for it! I did the cruise on CCL. They don't stop at San Diego and add a sea day, but I have been to San Diego on other occasions. San Diego and Catalina are great, Ensenada is, well...Ensenada. Weather won't necessarily be real warm (but then again it COULD be). Not as good as a 4 or 5 day Caribbean jaunt, but considering your logistics..this is much more practical..and you WILL have fun!!! And the price you quote, though not GREAT, is still pretty good (anything under 100 per nite per person for a non-balcony is a fair price for what you get).

 

Mitch

[tinkerme1]

I noticed that you said balcony cabins are not available in Oct? I find this a little hard to believe. Remember that the balcony cabins on the Monarch are "Suite" cabins. The cabin that we prefer is the Superior Ocean View (no balcony) or the Junior Suite (with a balcony). On the Monarch, there are no "standard balcony" cabins, which may be confusing you just a bit.

 

I would definitely not book anything below a Superior Ocean View, because the cabins are VERY SMALL.

[joeyancho]

My suggestion would be to try to get an inside room on the 7 day Mexican Riviera cruise. This may help out with the money issue. The ship is much nicer than the Monarch and the ports are better. The weather will be warm. The beach in Cabo is very romantic, as it is called Lovers Beach. If you can only swing the 4 day on the Monarch, skip the town of Ensenada and take the tour to the Bufadora. It is really fun and the area there is really beautiful. Plus the world's best fish tacos are available there. Hope this helps.....Bon Voyage

[mtchg]

take an inside on a 7 dayer. You'll see more..go farther south with better ports, and it won't cost much more than a 4 day with higher category of cabin.

 

Mitch

[eswort]

thanks for all the replys....we would love to do a 7 day, that would be our first choice but they all leave on sat/sun....we are getting married on sat oct 1st, our only options would be to leave on the 2nd for the cruise but we both wanna stay in vegas a few days after we get married...we talked about it last night and we are leaning towards going on the 4 day cruise and then coming back to vegas for a couple of days after...so a vegas-cruise-vegas sandwich

[mtchg]

Get married..celebrate in Vegas for a week (surely that's enough?) and

do the 7 day the last week. By the way, plenty of gambling on the ships as well.

 

Mitch

[eswort]

unfortunately a 7 day cruise really doesnt work, heres why....my fiance only has two weeks of vacation she can use....we have to go out to vegas a couple of days before the wedding (shooting for sept 28 or 29), therefore we need to be back by the 12th of oct....taking a 7 day cruise starting the week after the wedding wouldnt get us back until the 15th or 16th

[ekistics22]

I've sailed on both itineraries you are considering. Do Hawaii. Skip the 4-night cruise. Don't make your decision, "a penny wise and a pound foolish."

 

You are getting married. That is (hopefully) a once-in-a-lifetime memory/event. Make your cruise the same. You can always go on a 4-night cruise. Hawaii you'll do only once. The shore excursions and scenery in Hawaii FAR FAR FAR exceed anything you'll see in LA, Ensenada, Catalina Island, or San Diego.

 

My Hawaii cruise was in Sept. 2004 on the NCL Pride of Aloha. Write to me off list for the cruise review. My Monarch OTS cruise is on this site. Just go to the Royal Caribbean index and look for the "back-to-back sailings: Monarch OTS, Dec. 6 - 13, 2004" thread.

 

Also: my wife and I eloped in Las Vegas in Sept. 1999. We were there for 5 nights. Saw the whole strip and Hoover Dam. That vacation was great! But not as enjoyable as a Hawaii cruise vacation. I'd pick Vegas over a 4-night cruise 9 times out of 10.

 

George

 

Dec98: CCl Ecstasy

Dec99: CCL Imagination

Dec00: CCL Fascination

May01: CCL Destiny

Dec01: CCL Destiny

Dec02: CCl Victory

Jun03: NCL Majesty

Dec03: CCl Conquest

Sep04: NCL Pride of Aloha

Dec04: RCI Monarch OTS

[Catmomma]

I have done the 3 day on CCL and I am booked on the 4 day on the Monarch in 3 weeks. I also spend a lot of time in Vegas. I think 4 days in Vegas is my top of what I can handle. If you are thinking about renting a car what about going to the Grand Canyon and staying in one of the lodges there? It is a beautiful place and very romantic and quiet. Also Sedona is beautiful in the Fall.

 

I agree with pretty much everyone here about Ensenada. Not much to write home about there. I LOVE Catalina and I live in San Diego so I must love it there too :)

[teemsum]

I was on this cruise in Oct.2003 Even though, it's 'sposed to be a party cruise, there were a lot of seniors onboard. It's cheaper for them than a bus trip. This ship sails full most of the time. Book early if you want a good cabin.

 

I enjoyed the ports: Catalina (like a Mediterranean village), Ensenada (shopping for leather & silver), San Diego (lots of stuff to do here, especially Balboa Park).

 

Some suggestions:

Disneyland is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2005 & Las Vegas is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2005.

Perhaps you could spend 3 nights in Vegas, 4 nights on the cruise & 3 nights in Anaheim.