T.

Age: 27
Occupation: Self-employed
Number of Cruises: 3
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
Ship: Monarch of the Seas
Sailing Date: May 9th, 2005
Itinerary: 4 night Baja

For just under 300 dollars, this 4 night cruise was an excellent bargain. First of all, check-in was easy and the staff and port agents were very helpful. We arrived at the port at around 1:30. We went from our car to stateroom in under an hour. We had all of our bags in our room by 5:00.
 
FOOD:
Then we toured the ship and sat down for buffet dinner at Windjammer. They had variety of pasta, salads, breads, American, and Chinese food on every night and omelets, meats and a ton of pastries for the morning meal. The food was surprisingly good and the wait staff was always there to refill your drink or remove used dishes. It was never very crowded for Breakfast or Dinner and the views from the 11th deck were great with the floor to ceiling windows.

On the 2nd night, we ventured to Claude’s dining room for the formal, sit-down dinner. It seemed that only about half the guest dressed for the occasion and several even had hats and t-shirts, so they did not enforce the “formal” attire that was recommended. After being seated, we waited about 15 minutes before being acknowledged by our waiter. The large room was very crowded, though. The appetizers and main dish were average and not worth the wait. That was our last time in the dining room(s).
 
On Wed. night we went to Sorrento’s for pizza and sandwiches, which were both very good, but they closed up shop at about 7, so get there early.

STATEROOMS:
We had and interior stateroom on level 2. The room was clean, but much worn. The carpet and bathroom walls had tears and stains, but the towels and bedding were always clean and plentiful. The small beds were really comfortable. The storage spaces were less functional that other ships, but we made do and it was only 4 nights. We only slept in our rooms and spent the rest of our ship-board time in the numerous public spaces.

PUBLIC SPACES:
It was clear that a ton of money and detail went into the common areas. The Schooner Bar was a quiet piano bar on one end and had a huge TV on the other end with the NBA Playoffs showing to a sparse audience. (Since we were sailing from L.A., nobody had too much to cheer about.) Boleros was a Latin themed bar with a classy bar and sitting area and either had dueling pianos or Salsa dancing and lessons. It was never packed and the bartenders were quick and friendly. The place to be for 20 to 30-somethings was The Circuit Lounge. The DJ was spinning tracks until well after 2 a.m. The drinks were strong, the dance floor packed with good-lookers, and the occasional “Stayin’ Alive” or “YMCA” were thrown in for grins. Or, you can sit back and watch from the comfortable couches. The pool bars were also packed with swimsuits bumping to the reggae band and various cheesy/risqué contests. The casino was a tad smoky and worn, but it still emptied my wallet like any 5-star Vegas resort. No free drinks. The ship had good liquor, sundry, perfume, jewelry, coffee, and ice cream shops on deck 5.

PORTS:
San Diego – Eat some fresh seafood and shop a little at Horton Plaza. A+ Food
Catalina – Go parasailing, kayaking, and rent a golf cart and drive. A+ Fun

Ensenada – I heard somewhere that Mexico had beer and tequila…They do. A+ Tequila

OVERALL:
Best: Amazing value and a lot of fun compressed into 4+ days, but don’t expect luxury.

Worst: Disembarkation – Started at 8:00, finished at 12:00

 

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