DESTINATION REPORTS
MONARCH OF THE SEAS, Costa Maya was my favorite port on my recent cruise on Royal Caribbean International's Monarch of the Seas. This area of Mexico, south of the Cancún-Mayan Riviera corridor, is currently in the development stage. Shops and other infrastructure are under construction. I did a bit of shopping onshore while my husband went on a snorkeling trip for advanced snorklers. He said the snorkeling was fabulous; Costa Maya's reef system is second in size only to the Great Barrier Reed in Australia. Those who enjoy snorkeling and diving should go now before the area becomes too developed. Many of the shore excursions in Costa Maya involve water sports or the nearby Mayan ruins. There were several snorkeling opportunities to choose from, beach and shopping tours, and 4- to 7-hour tours to the ruins. A dinner tablemate told me the drive through lush, tropical vegetation to see the Chacchoben ruins was breathtaking. She was quite comfortable on the new, air-conditioned tour bus and enjoyed seeing and learning about the ruins. Our cruise began in Fort Lauderdale; boarding the ship there (Port Everglades) is much easier than at Miami. The cruise terminals were not nearly as crowded, and the staff was very attentive to the arriving passengers.
Other ports of call were Key West and Cozumel. At Key West I was signed up for the Catamaran Regatta, but it was cancelled due to high winds. As an alternative, I went sailing (the more wind the better for sailing) on the Liberty Schooner. This boat was not automated in any fashion. The passengers on board were divided into two groups - one group on each side of the boat. We all worked together as a team to hoist the sails manually. It was quite a workout and a tremendous amount of fun at the same time. After all the sails were up, there was nothing to do but enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful day. The money spent on the tour was worth every penny. Other tours available to passengers were walking tours, bike tours, and more - lots of variety to suit all travelers. In Cozumel, I stayed on board the ship most of the day, except for visiting a few shops. Being on board is my favorite activity. This was a day for snorkeling for my husband. The snorkeling was good but not like Costa Maya.
We had one Day at Sea; now this is what I like the most about cruising! Sleep late, have brunch, sit around the pool listening to the Caribbean Steel Band, reading a good book and watching the world float by. This is my idea of total relaxation. While I was relaxing or taking in a movie at the cinema, there were tons of shipboard activities: a fitness program, port & shopping talks, spa, Internet class, ping pong tournament, golf putting, crafts class, bingo and other gambling, line dance class, movies and much more. One can do as much or as little as desired. The evening entertainment is another of my favorite things about cruising. Entertainment on the Monarch of the Seas was different every night, and for the most part, suitable for all ages. The acts included the comedy of Dan Wilson, productions of "Fast Forward" and "Star Struck" with the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers, the musical comedy of Billy Fellows, Los Pampas Gauchos and a skit performed by the cruise director and his entire staff. The food is something else that just about every cruiser likes. The Windjammer Café, on the same deck as the pool, was excellent. There are three seating sections available: an open-air section closest to the pool, a covered section with airflow from outside but protected from the elements, and a section that is closed off from outside and air-conditioned. The Windjammer is used for an early continental breakfast, breakfast buffet, lunch buffet and casual dinner. Dinner selections there are limited. The Flower Drum Song Dining Room and Brigadoon Dining Room are used for the sit-down breakfast, lunch and dinner. If anyone is hungry between meals, snacks are available in the Pizzeria and the Windjammer Café, and all the lounges have midnight snacks. One will not go hungry on this ship. One of the first things I saw in our cabin after boarding the ship was a notice addressing the gastrointestinal illnesses that have received so much news coverage lately. It was evident that much sanitizing was being done on the ship. The cabin's restroom was sanitized twice daily; the public restrooms about once an hour. A notice on the inside of every public restroom door reminded everyone that simply washing your hands before eating would help eliminate any potential problems. Royal Caribbean took this issue very seriously, and indeed it was not a problem on our cruise. Royal Caribbean is a good solid mid-range cruise line with moderate pricing. The Monarch is nice, but not the most deluxe (or expensive) ship available. The cruise line did a good job handling large groups of people; embarkation and disembarkation went very smoothly. Cruising is my favorite way to vacation. I would recommend a shorter five-night voyage as the perfect cruise to try if you have not cruised before. It gives you the opportunity to experience a couple of ports and enjoy a day at sea. Then you'll be hooked on cruising and insist on a longer cruise to different and exciting new destinations. Go cruising-you deserve it!
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