Royal Caribbean International
Monarch of the Seas Cruise Review
Baja, Mexico

El Aliga
Age: 50's
Occupation: Retired/Consultant
Number of Cruises: 1
Sailing Date: November 5th, 2005

Combine Holiday Shopping with a Fun Cruise Getaway.

Can that holiday getaway be experiencing the vibrancy of Venice, Cali to Bali, a Paris pampering, a Waikiki wiki wiki, lost wages in LV? Certainly, the off-season cruise rates to many travel spots are hard to turn down. For many, buying that unique gift makes it more exciting while at an exotic vacation locale. What's this?... a 4 night Baja Mexico holiday cruise off So Cal at a base rate of $249 per person?

One such great local vacation value is cruising between the holidays at Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas. It can best be described as a floating sin city of Las Vegas, complete with shows, gambling, drinking and loads of fun activities for all ages. It's a quick fly-drive on I-5 to the LA cruise port in San Pedro.

Monarch of the Seas is more than a decade old, but a newly refurbished ship. Size-wise, it's a 72k-ton floating mega resort that's three football-fields long and as high as the Statue of Liberty. It definitely beats many land packages especially if factoring the all-inclusives such as gourmet world-class meals, Vegas style shows, lounge acts, on-board parties, soothing spa, activities, port visits, etc.

Many cruise companies are making these getaways affordably priced for all. The 3 night weekend cruise includes a call in Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico and the 4 night weekday cruise adds a San Diego day visit. The weekend cruise targets a young party crowd while the weekday cruise attracts slightly older passengers.

Feel like climbing a rock high above the ocean?

Yes, there's that wall to test such bravado skill. Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and Seattle's Best Coffee, a Latin Boleros Bar, dance-your-buns-off disco, Asian-fusion restaurant and business center are a few of the amenities. Both the fitness center and spa and children's area have been enlarged.

Visualize party, spring break, wildlife and happy hours both on off the ship. Yes, Ensenada's Papas n'Beer caters to the youthful exuberance with an occasional Girls-Gone-Wild re-enactments.

The ship's cocktails have names like Bahama mama, Sex on the Beach, Love Connection, etc. Many will imbibe on the mahvelous' martinis. There's this certain fun lady who's an appletini freak. While the majority of passengers are the livin'-it-to-d'max', there are mild activities for the more sedate types. There's bingo and trivia challenges, wine seminars, art auctions, galley tours, cooking demonstration and varied shops on board. The lively casino will take the usual donations as well.

Eat, eat, eat. Oh yea, the undiscliplined cruisers do not gain pounds, they gain inches.

The secret is enjoyably eating in sample portions. Folks, they will not run out of food even though the sparkling-clean galley turns out a staggering 10,000 meals daily. With quantity like this, the dining experience, renowned service and food quality are consistently great. The two main dining rooms, Vincent's and Claude's are named after artists Van Gogh and Monet. Imagine 11 silver utensils in front of you and the singing/dancing waiters. The casual and alternative dining is at the popular Windjammer. Sorrento's pizza and the sushi bar are a hit for many as well. The Ship Shape menu attracts the health nuts. A brisk deck-walk or maybe disco dancercisin' will sweat off the cruise cals as well.

Got the hunger pang at 2am? Room service will deliver the soup, sandwich and dessert delights.

What to do while on shore? There are a plethora of optional excursion tours from golf to hiking, shopping to adventure flings. The self-guided and self-negotiated tours are preferred by many even in Ensenada. Many cruisers combine shopping and can't seem to get away from the huge Ensenada Wal Mart across the port. Why not? don't like it? Return it at the local store.

What's to do at top deck poolside?

There are many fun things happening around two shallow pools and Jacuzzis. With an island band and taped music playing throughout the day, as well as two pool bars and cocktail waiters toting specialty drinks and a beer cart, the atmosphere is fun & festive. By late afternoon at sail away, the pool turns into a dance floor. The big dancercise classes are held poolside. There's that Mr. Sexy Legs Competition, where contestants strut their stuff before a panel of discerning women judges.

It's how one gyrates, grinds and presents the average-looking hips, body and legs that wins all the time.

As always, fun or no-fun at cruises is in one's mindset. Like anything or any event in life, think negative and somehow the whole experience will be awful, depressing and simply blah. But for the positive types, a short yet tiresome waiting to go on board is one great way to meet people who you'll party with. They factor in little mishaps as part of the great package. Constant cruiser complainers? Yes, they'll be there as they can't figure out why people are living life happily. They'll over pack their clothes but forgot to pack an ounce of that positive mental attitude.

After all, the Lord mandates us... don't take life too seriously because NO ONE gets out alive.

 

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