My first DIAMOND cruise! 7/1/11 Monarch pictorial with Coco Cay Cabana Club report!

[Clarea]

When we were in a Suite on the Monarch we did receive an email before sailing from the LA...so I'm guessing that is how the Suite Guests are able to book the cabana's ahead of time...

Makes sense, thanks for the info.

 

Bob

[cruisegirl1]

Grady – were the mats included in the cabanette price?

 

To others - I called RCCL ( D+ desk) this morning as I am interested in one of the smaller ones and they tell me you have to book once on board.

 

Perhpas the OP meant some were booked by the time he got to guest services

M

[Relaxinginthesun]

Grady - Great review...I have been thinking what cruise I want to take for my 1st Diamond cruise. While I enjoy the amenities on the larger ships. I really enjoy the smaller ships - cause I feel like I am actually on a ship. Thanks for helping me make my decision. Going to book a 4-day on her for October 3, 2011. Who else wants to come?

[Sharon Sails]

Boy, those are some good photos - the ship looks a LOT nicer in your photos than it did last summer when we last sailed on it. I see they still have those awful shower curtains, though. I was going to take my daughter and grandsons on the Monarch, but I remember the ship being dingy and, actually, rather nasty. We sailed the Jewel to England in May and the Monarch really paled by comparison. However, your photos sure do make the Monarch look NICE!

Was your cruise pretty cheap? We're Floridians and the Monarch usually has some pretty inexpensive cruises this time of year. Thanks for sharing! :D

[PH8]

When we were in a Suite on the Monarch we did receive an email before sailing from the LA...so I'm guessing that is how the Suite Guests are able to book the cabana's ahead of time...

I have been in the suites and never been contacted from the LA........at least not here in FL.

 

Was your cruise pretty cheap? We're Floridians and the Monarch usually has some pretty inexpensive cruises this time of year. Thanks for sharing! :D

Not so much anymore.............no good deals,really.Summer is actually the highest.

[DarthGrady]

so apparentally,some were reserved pre cruise??

I could see paying $35 for one of those.......but not a dime for those larger ones..

 

We got on the ship fairly late (about 2 PM), so they could have been pre-bookings or just folks that were on board before us.

[DarthGrady]

Grady – were the mats included in the cabanette price?

 

To others - I called RCCL ( D+ desk) this morning as I am interested in one of the smaller ones and they tell me you have to book once on board.

 

Perhpas the OP meant some were booked by the time he got to guest services

M

 

Yes, the mat was included.

[molly361]

Great review and pics. We have the Monarch booked for a 4 day in December. We have been on the Majesty several times but never the Monarch. Can't wait!!!!:D

[DarthGrady]

Boy, those are some good photos - the ship looks a LOT nicer in your photos than it did last summer when we last sailed on it. I see they still have those awful shower curtains, though. I was going to take my daughter and grandsons on the Monarch, but I remember the ship being dingy and, actually, rather nasty. We sailed the Jewel to England in May and the Monarch really paled by comparison. However, your photos sure do make the Monarch look NICE!

Was your cruise pretty cheap? We're Floridians and the Monarch usually has some pretty inexpensive cruises this time of year. Thanks for sharing! :D

 

Thanks!

 

I hate the shower curtains as well, I think all ships should have the sliding doors like Freedom of the Seas has. After being on the Radiance, I agree to a certain extent that Monarch pales in comparison. It does appear that they are taking small steps to spruce her up. For example, on my previous cruises the tiles on the bathroom floor looked kind of nasty. They have since installed new flooring and it looked much nicer.

 

The cruise was not cheap compared to the fares we find in the off season (September-May). But we needed to get away, badly, so we braved the swarms of kids and paid the higher fare. ;):D

[cruisegirl1]

Thanks Grady - for all the info!

M

[SherriZ366]

Did Diamonds, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle get priority on booking Cabanas? Wonder how booking works on Freedom with a CL Concierge and a DL Concierge?

[PH8]

Did Diamonds, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle get priority on booking Cabanas? Wonder how booking works on Freedom with a CL Concierge and a DL Concierge?

I think(and someone will correct me if Im wrong) that suites get first choice..(Im referring to the cabanas on Labadee)

[Ander026]

Great review. I am ready for another trip on the Monarch. Hopefully when I go (Platinum) I will be able to get one of those mini cabanas. I remember on my first Monarch cruise Dec 2009 that area was a free area. I took a very nice nap in that area and was able to get a nice photo of me and the ship as well. I would definatly pay the $35 for a small cabana and I am a single person.

[Cruising89143]

I think(and someone will correct me if Im wrong) that suites get first choice..(Im referring to the cabanas on Labadee)

 

That's how it works for Labadee. The Concierge emails suite guests the week prior and at that time they send information with pricing and a map of the cabanas.

[DarthGrady]

Did Diamonds, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle get priority on booking Cabanas? Wonder how booking works on Freedom with a CL Concierge and a DL Concierge?

 

I had hear that it would be done like that on the original thread about the cabanas. But when we went to the desk, the guy booked us right away. He didn't even ask what level we were, or what room we were in.

[jjb415]

Thanks for the information on the Cabana Club !! Seems nice. :)

[Scotty G]

Oh nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! :( :( :(

Us Too!!! We loved him.

[Scotty G]

You mean you pay $100 and share one of these:eek::eek:

 

No thanks!

 

They are really nothing like the cabanas on Labadee,are they?

Agree! They should have had the Island Manager go to Labadee and copy what they did there :confused::rolleyes:

[Leesbrug Land]

When Dh and I rented cabana #4 (the one in OPs pictures) it was $100 and we got the whole cabana. We got 4 large bottles of water, champange, fresh fruit, mats and snorkle equipment. We thought it was well worth the price. The walk down to the beach isn't that long and we loved the privacy. The buffet had steaks and shrimp that they cooked when you ordered it. They also had flan on the buffet for dessert:D. The cost of a cabana for a family was $150.

 

There is a bathroom and shower right by the entrance. The bar is only steps away but people kept coming by to get our drink orders and bring more ice.

 

We had no idea that this existed and found out about it when we went to rent snorkle equipment and they had a tiny sign advertising it. We were there on June 25th and we were told that they had just opened it a couple of weeks before. I think Coco Cay was the best stop on our cruise.

[CruisinDawn]

is there a charge for the kids power wheels track do you know of? and where exactly is it on the island?

I don't know the price and not sure if this is addressed yet but we spent some time over on this side of the island and I gotta say we were VERY disappointed as adults. We just wanted to take pictures but there are EXTREMELY spiky things that fall off the trees so NO BARE FEET! We all felt that was the least desirable place they could have placed a kid area. Just so those wondering also want to know it is on the opposite side of the island as the cabanas :confused: Poor planning are my thoughts. Water is shallow for a LONG time where the kids stuff is but those tree droppings are not friendly. :(

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[CruisinDawn]

Thanks for the information on the Cabana Club !! Seems nice. :)

Want just a view it's for you but if you even want to dip your toes in the water you will have to walk over to another beach, just sayin.

 

My question, we always just walk over there to take pictures of the ship. Thinkin you might not be able to enter the Cabana area like on Labadee now?

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[DarthGrady]

I don't know the price and not sure if this is addressed yet but we spent some time over on this side of the island and I gotta say we were VERY disappointed as adults. We just wanted to take pictures but there are EXTREMELY spiky things that fall off the trees so NO BARE FEET! We all felt that was the least desirable place they could have placed a kid area. Just so those wondering also want to know it is on the opposite side of the island as the cabanas :confused: Poor planning are my thoughts. Water is shallow for a LONG time where the kids stuff is but those tree droppings are not friendly. :(

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

 

I didn't notice any of those spiky things and I walked around the whole cabana area barefoot. The grounds appeared to have been well prepared prior to our arrival.

[Scotty G]

Did Diamonds, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle get priority on booking Cabanas? Wonder how booking works on Freedom with a CL Concierge and a DL Concierge?

Relative to Freedom, on our recent cruise to Labadee the CL Concierge was the one that was in charge of booking cabanas. If someone without CL privileges needed to book a cabana they had to go to the CL when he was there the night before Labadee. Reason being that after all suite guests have had a chance to book a cabana then it opens up to Diamond through Pinnacle. I don't believe there is any rank order at that point. It has been stated by previous Diamond posters that their cards for the Diamond Lounge would open the CL door.

The Diamond Lounge Concierge was not involved in the process.

I assume that they are handling Coco Cay in a similar manner on Freedom.

[SherriZ366]

That's how it works for Labadee. The Concierge emails suite guests the week prior and at that time they send information with pricing and a map of the cabanas.

If we get upgraded to a GS, maybe we will get an email. I may email the D FOS Concierge ahead of time.

[SherriZ366]

I had hear that it would be done like that on the original thread about the cabanas. But when we went to the desk, the guy booked us right away. He didn't even ask what level we were, or what room we were in.

As you didn't have concierges on Monarch, it will be interesting to see if they have any control on advance bookings.