Monarch of the Seas Cabins

When Monarch of the Seas was built, the company followed a philosophy of building smaller cabins and leaving plenty of room in the public spaces for passengers. Accordingly, cabins are all fairly standard in size, and they are all pretty small.

Standard inside cabins measure a cozy 119 square feet each (small, compared to newer fleetmate Oasis of the Seas, whose minimum grade cabin is 149 square feet, with most inside cabins a substantially larger 172 square feet), and the chrome furniture and flimsy desk and mirror have more of a Motel 6 feeling than that of a reasonably upscale cruise ship. Closet space is limited, but all cabins have safes, hair dryers and small TV's.

Standard outside cabins are only slightly larger at 122 square feet, and the layout is pretty much identical. Be aware, though, that oceanview cabins on Decks 2 and 3 have portholes instead of windows. Note that cabins on Deck 8 all have views obstructed by the lifeboats, and those on Deck Seven look out onto the promenade deck, rather than onto a private view of the sea. (You are better off booking a cabin on Deck 5 or 6 for the same price.)

Choosing a superior oceanview stateroom gives you an extra 35 square feet -- which takes the form of a small sitting area -- but all cabins in this category look out onto the lifeboats and have obstructed views (which seems like a strange drawback for a cabin dubbed "superior"). You'll have to choose what you want -- a better view in a standard outside cabin or more space in a superior oceanview cabin -- unless you move up to a junior suite with a balcony. In all standard cabins, bathrooms are decidedly cozy and are shower-only, featuring basic amenities -- expect thin bars of generic soap, rather than name-brand luxury toiletries.

Junior suites each have a bathroom with a tub, a larger couch and separate sitting area. These junior suites are comparable to standard balcony cabins on newer ships, and they represent the one significant upgrade on this ship (with the exception of the top suites). The cabins themselves are 173 square feet each, all with 74-square-foot balconies. (Again, compare this to Oasis of the Seas: Junior suites on Oasis are 287 square feet with balconies that are 80 square feet.) For romantic couples just looking to have some quiet time to themselves or parents wanting an escape from the kids, the balconies, while lacking teak decking and featuring only minimal furniture, offer a nice reprieve from the rest of the ship.

Next: Monarch of the Seas Dining

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