I just finished a three day cruise on Monarch of the Seas. The cruise was quite smooth and I disagree with most negative comments posted. Having sailed on Carnival Inspiration and Sensation before, I found Monarch and RCI a decent money value for a three day trip. Don't hesitate if this is your first cruise and you are getting a good deal. The age of the ship is not noticeable as some readers point. The corridors are clean, no smells. The crew is very friendly and hospitable.
Food on the ship is good. Windjammer is a good all-round cafe. The Asian and Mexican fare was a good extra variety. The courses in the main dining are generally good. The three things that I liked in Monarch vs. Carnival were its jogging/walking track -- A full deck allocated to it. The gym is nice. Monarch has a lot of seating areas and there is always some place to find a cozy spot without being jammed by a crowd. There was a lot of diversity on the ship.
Nassau is an average port for a day excursion. Bargain with a private taxi operator to show you around the island - $15 per person kind of rates for a couple of hours to see the main sights. The public access beaches Junkanoo and Saunders were average, especially if you come from Florida. Coco Cay was a fun excursion. The waters look quite beautiful. The beaches at Coco Cay are average -- the sands a bit clayey and other spots are either kelpy or rocky but the ambience is nice overall. Nice place to Sun around or enjoy water sports. Barbecue lunch added to the picnic flavor. On board ship entertainment is decent.
