Royal Caribbean - Monarch of the Seas Review

I recently embarked on a 3-night cruise (Fri. - Mon.) on Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas out of Port Canaveral, FL. I had cruised Royal Caribbean before, so I was anticipating a wonderful time full of incredible service, delicious food and relaxation. The ship was to spend a full day in Naussau, Bahamas and a partial day on Cococay, Royal Caribbean's private island, also in the Bahamas.  As many cruise lines are offering right now, this cruise was very inexpensive, only $150 (+ taxes and port fees) for an "ocean view" cabin. The grand total was $298.00 per person, and I did choose to purchase an excursion which added another $30. Although I would consider the overall experience pleasant, it wasn't the "5-star" treatment that I was accustomed to from Royal Caribbean. My friend and I made it to dinner in the main dining room 2 of the 3 nights, and the food was, well, not very good. The menu was standard, but I had expected a bit more creativity, and better quality. The Windjammer Café, however, was a great alternative to the dining room, and the food was both plentiful and enjoyable. Saturday was the designated night for the infamous "Midnight Buffet", which was playfully laid out on the pool deck with a luau theme. The food was fantastic, and came complete with roasted pigs and various "build your own" stations. The drinks were flowing and we had a great time.

Our cabin was nice, and our "ocean view" was a porthole, as expected. We did encounter plumbing problems right from the start. The shower flooded the entire bathroom because of a blocked drain. Maintenance came and corrected the problem. Then the toilet problems started. It began with constant running and evolved into an overflow that occured at 3 am and threatened to fill our entire cabin with toilet water. Maintenance once again came and "fixed" the problem. We flooded again the next day.

Overall the entire staff was cheerful, pleasant and helpful. I did have an issue when I wanted to purchase a dress that was the last of its kind and did not have a price tag.  I was actually told by 2 different staff members that they "couldn't sell the item without a tag". Once I excalated it to a Manager, I was able to make the purchase without a problem.

The last item to mention is that the casino was a great deal smaller than on Royal Caribbean's other ships, and rather dirty and unkempt.

Overall, the experience was fine, and we did have a great time. Just understand that if you are taking a short cruise on a smaller ship, you get what you pay for...