Monarch of the Seas Review
How the mighty have fallen! When it launched in 1991, Monarch of the Seas and her sister ships were the largest cruise ships in the world, generating significant media attention and a new buzz in cruising. The second of a three-ship class that started with Sovereign of the Seas (which is no longer in Royal Caribbean's fleet), Monarch's multi-story atrium, two large swimming pools and sheer number of passengers made it innovative and daring. Ultimately, this class spawned the growth of the mega-ships that followed over the next two decades.
Today, though, this once-trendy ship has definitely slipped off the hip cruiser's map. It now doesn't even break the top 100 on the list of the largest ships in the world; the ship's newest fleetmate, Oasis of the Seas, is three times as large. You have to look at Monarch of the Seas now with almost a fond sense of nostalgia.
So why sail on Monarch of the Seas? In many ways, it offers a pleasant compromise, mixing some of Royal Caribbean's perpetual fun with more toned-down, quieter escapes. Well-maintained, the ship provides a good introduction to cruising for first-timers on its three- and four-night Bahamas itineraries out of Port Canaveral, Florida. For more experienced cruisers, Monarch provides an inexpensive, dependable and satisfying vacation.
While considered midsize today, Monarch of the Seas has many big-ship amenities (including a few alternative restaurants, a decent spa and a rock-climbing wall), as well as some classic touches, including a real wrap-around promenade deck. (And, to show how standards have changed, her profile -- once derided by some as "boxy" and "ugly” when the ship was first introduced -- is now considered classic and attractive.)
But make no mistake -- Monarch of the Seas is a fun-in-the-sun ship. No more than 10 feet from the gangway, you'll be greeted by waiters pushing tropical drinks (and see plenty of people buying them well before they even reach their cabins). The pool deck is full of sunbathers with foo foo drinks during the day; by night, the nightclub pulses well into the wee hours of the morning. A quiet, staid cruise this isn't (although the four-night cruises are somewhat calmer and have an older clientele than the three-night weekend cruises).
Still, the ship is big enough to offer a variety of programs and settings, so you can seek out the experience you want. There are an ample number of sedate activities that range from cooking demonstrations to lounging on sunny beaches in the Bahamas. And, with discounted prices sometimes showing up for around $60 a night, why wouldn't you go?
 Read Complete Monarch of the Seas Review
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