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MONARCH OF THE SEAS FACTS
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Description
The Monarch of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s mid-sized ships and is the second ship in the Sovereign class. In size, it is only one-third of the size of the newer Oasis of the Seas. However, Monarch of the Seas cruises are quite popular among budget travelers and first-time cruisers thanks to the cruise ship’s relatively reasonable fares. The cruise ship is also particularly popular among families with young kids as the cruise docks near Disney World, which is a very attractive destination during the summer. It’s the go-to cruise ship for those looking for a basic, laid-back, and inexpensive cruise vacation. Despite this, it does surprises passengers with several newly added amenities, some of which are only found in the fleet’s bigger ships.
Destinations
The Monarch of the Seas offers year-round 3-night and 4-night cruises to the Bahamas. The ship leaves from Port Canaveral in Florida. Once it leaves dock, the ship’s route includes Coco Cay and Nassau.
History
The Monarch of the Seas was built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in a Saint-Nazaire, France shipyard. It was delivered back in 1991, making it one of the oldest in the Royal Caribbean fleet. Despite its small size compared to the newer cruise ships of today, the Monarch was one of the largest ships in the world when it was completed.
The Monarch is perhaps the Royal Caribbean cruise ship with the most news features to its name. In 1998, the ship grazed a reef in St. Maarten, suffering a long gash on the hull of the starboard; it was then grounded intentionally to prevent it from sinking, and all passengers were safely evacuated. It had to be dry-docked in Alabama after the incidents for repairs and cleaning. In May 2003, it underwent a refurbishment, which made some key additions to the ship’s amenities. In 2007, the Monarch made the news again, headlining as the first major cruise ship captained by a woman.
Dining
Offering 24-hour buffets and late-night pool deck snacking options, the Monarch of the Seas tend to spoil the newbie cruisers. Out on the forward top portion of the ship, the Windjammer Café, a fixture in several Royal Caribbean ships, greets customers with its two-deck buffet featuring exotic selections including Indian and Mexican food.
The main dining rooms, however, are called Vincent’s and Claude’s, which offers My Time Dining and the traditional two-seating dining. They also offer Royal Caribbean’s special Vitality program for those looking for healthier food selections. After the 2003 refurbishment, guests were already able to enjoy Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Seattle’s Best Coffee, a new Latin-themed bar, and the Asian-themed Jade.
Entertainment
Although not the most advanced when it comes to entertainment amenities, the Monarch does offer quite a lot for a ship of its size. Those looking for a bit of action and sports can enjoy the basketball court and rock climbing wall onboard, although this selection is quite limited compared to other cruise ships. Activities include a ship-wide Name That Tune trivia, a cooking demo, a towel-folding class, a belly flop content, and so on – these activities surely amuse first-time cruisers, leaving them with plenty of fun memories of their vacation.
Other top recreation facilities include the Sound of Music Theater and the Latin-themed Boleros bar, which is especially popular at night with its sunken dance floor, upper tier seating overlooking the promenade, and a continuously flowing supply of Mojitos.
As an alternative to the usual bar scene, passengers can also get their dose of laughter by enjoying onboard comedy shows, some of which are not appropriate for family entertainment. Thankfully, there are several family-friendly activities too such as scavenger hunts, hide-and-seek, and the Adventure Ocean youth-oriented amenities.
For a relaxing time, guests are free to check in at the ShipShape Fitness Center and Spa, which offers some great stress-busting and rejuvenating treatments such as seaweed massages, hot volcanic stone massage, aromatherapy massage, and so on. The gym equipment make up an impressive collection too. The spa as well as the children’s area was enlarged during the refurbishment. A conference center was also added.
Cabins
Accommodation includes a range of staterooms from inside cabins to outside balcony cabins. All cabins come with TVs, safes, and hair dryers. There are also suites which come with balconies, tubs, and separate sitting areas.
Related Cruise Ships
Adventure of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Allure of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Brilliance of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Enchantment of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Explorer of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Freedom of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Grandeur of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Independence of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Jewel of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Legend of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Liberty of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Majesty of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Mariner of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Navigator of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Oasis of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Radiance of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Rhapsody of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Serenade of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Splendour of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Vision of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Voyager of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International)
Ship Summary
| Operator: | Royal Caribbean International | | Built by: | Chantiers de l’Atlantique, France | | Date Completed: | 1991 | | Gross Tonnage: | 73937 | | Length: | 268.33 m | | Width: | 32.20 m | | Decks: | 12 | | Passengers: | 2766 | | Crew: | 827 | | IMO: | 8819500 |
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