Well, I had quite an experience that will only enhance my MUSH on Mariner experience. I'd truly forgotten what it was like to be on a weekend cruise with 2700 other passengers. I was on the Monarch of the Seas for an all girls weekend with my ex-'s daughter and graddaughters. We realy did have a great time, but it was not a RSSC Experience!

I made a list of the things you won't find on board a Regent Ship:

Gold by the inch - on special today only!

Airbrush Tatoos by the Pool from 10-2

Drink of the Day in a Souvenier Cup

Frozen-not fresh - Have it OUR way

You will never do the Macarena or the Tarentella in the dining room with your waitstaff

Formal Night Dress means a clean T-shirt and you leave your baseball cap in the room

No visible Officers in the dining room but plenty of announcements from them in your stateroom

A Sexy Legs Contest preceeded by a belly flop contest at the pool

15 minutes of your hour massage will be a sales pitch for overpriced products

You will not be encouraged to shout out in the show room in your loudest voices "Yo, Ensenada is where I want to go!)

Your cruise director will not be named "Johnny O - Your Fluff Daddy" and he will not be calling you "His Fluffy People".

And Last but not least, you will not need a soda card to get a fountain coke during the day on the ship and you will not be brought your bottle of liquor on the last day of the cruise after buying it onboard ship!

Oh - and it will not take you a full hour to board the ship and three to disembark!

That's hilarious! It is good to sail on a big mass market ship every now and again to help you truly appreciate the small luxury ship experience!!!

Well, you just sold me on Regent if I had never sailed it before and was always a mass market big ship kinda person! :banana:

I am sure you enjoyed the time with your ex-family...it was so nice of you to do that with them! :)

Thanks, Kathy, for reminding me of all the reasons I do not miss cruising on that kind of cruise ships!!! :) I'm sure you enjoyed being there with the girls though!

Oh Kathy...such wonderful memories (cough). Mostly, I'll never forget the shock I had walking into our cabin on the Monarch after we'd sailed on a newer RCCL ship. Oy. Never again!

Very funny Kathy! At least you had a good time "bonding" with the girls.

Thanks Kathy! Oh yes, now I have SO much to look forward to! 19 days and counting till we embark on our RCI Navigator of the Seas Caribbean Cruise!

We did the Monarch with our kids as our very first cruise several years ago. At the time we had no idea what to expect (or not expect) so we thought it was a gas.

I'm hoping RCI's Navigator will be a somewhat different experience -- it's definitely one of the newer ships (as opposed to the rather shabby ol' Monarch). From what I can tell by looking at what's on there, here are a few things you also won't find on RSSC ships in comparison:

1. No opportunity to ice skate in heavy seas on deck 3 with 1500 other people.

2. No chance to watch teenagers behaving completely out of control in two (count 'em, TWO!) teen discos.

3. No chance to pay extra to eat greasy burgers and fries (and watch even more teenagers behaving badly) at Johnny Rockets

4. You will not have 300 people looking up at your ample backside gruesomely displayed in a harness as you attempt to hoist yourself up a rock climbing wall.

5. No seven-story mall featuring 27 different-themed bars and lounges (Nautical, Latin-Bolero, English Pub, Champagne, Caribbean, French Cafe, French-Canadian, Swahili, Swing-Dance, Bird-Watching, Double-Wide-Trailer-Trash-From-Arkansas...) or 132 way over-priced boutiques.

Ah well, the kids are gonna LOVE it!!! :D :D :D

Yes, the kids did love it. This was their first time outside the US - even to Mexico. They got a kick out of me speaking Spanish with a few of the street vendors since they don't speak any foreign language at all and my Spanish is peppered with an awful lot of English.

There were about 9-10 nightclub venues - two for teens; Sushi (we didn't have any). They did rock climb - did a great job, they're very athletic and into sports; Katie now sports Bo Derek Braids courtesy of the street side hair salon (on a bus bench) in Ensenada. The food was fair but acceptable and the Monarch was in decent shape not shabby at all. Fixed seating wasn't so fixed that when we were 1/2 an hour late because I thought our seating was at 6:30, we did not have to eat at the Windjammer Buffet. The Pool BBQ sported some really good hamburgers. We got to see some Dolphins and whales off the ship. Weather was nice.

We did RCCL on a longer cruise 12 day in 1997 on the Splendour of the Seas - before Radisson. It was fun, but I am totally spoiled now.

The weekend was what I expected - some time to be with the kids. They're on the cusp on teenage-hood and they won't want to spend a weekend with their ex-step-grandmother in a few years although when we discussed boys, they're still "yucky".

Y'know I think I remember reading that Monarch was completely refurbished at some point after we were on her. I'm glad she didn't look shabby! And glad, of course, that you had a good time.

Oh yeah...one more RCI thing -- I keep reading about some game they have called "Quest" which is spoken about in really hush-hush vague terms on CC. Something about some aspect of the game that, if it's revealed to the newbies, it won't be as much fun. I think it's some kind of audience-involved scavenger hunt. But I have read that it is definitely an adult-only game that can get quite raunchy at times. I may just have to go check it out so I can learn the "secret"... :p

Sounds like you had a great time, Kathy. Welcome home. Now you can look forward to MUSH.

BTW, how many airbrush tattoos did you get and where did you have them airbrushed? Maybe while on MUSH you can suggest that Regent do this as one of their activities on seadays.

Denise,

I saved them for my onboard paramour. I will have to post his photo later, when I am not at work but hardly working.

We did a 4 day on Monarch in 2004, and managed to have fun.

In talking to the crew and other passengers, there is a very different experience between the 3 and 4 day cruises.

The 3 day cruise is full of "younger" people who get on, start drinking, and when they get off on Mon morning, are still drunk.

The 4 day is "older" people, fewer kids, not so much drinking.

Although it isn't R, I would do it again. LA is close to home, whereas a lot of the short cruises on R are out of Florida or San Juan, and it just isn't worth flying all that way for a 4 day cruise.

Wish R would give us a ship on this coast. They could do S.F. to Vancouver, via Astoria, or Eureka. That would be a nice change from the 4 day Mexico cruises, especially in the summer. Or put it in YVR, do Seattle and Victoria, or Nanaimo and Prince Rupert.

Sigh. We can only hope they build a new ship soon.

f

I really like your ideas, Frances. Wish it would come to be for us Westcoasters.

Actually, I've done both the 3 (three times now) and 4 days. It was the 4 day that made me want to do a longer cruise many years ago. No questipn that the 3 day is a party ship, but, there were a lot of families on board celebrating 50th anniversary's (three of them) and an 80th birthday and a 65th birthday. There were a number of families and couples not a part of the party crowd.

I am going to do a price per diem comparison because my on board account seemed really high.

Frank and I are doing a 3 day LA to Vancouver Cruise on HAL in May next year. We're visiting our friends just outside Seattle and then flying home. We were plotting our drive up and back when I found the cruise helping a client plan one.
We got a 500 sq ft suite for some special price. You can bring your own wine onboard, which we will do since it's three sea days.

When we did the Monarch it was actually a 5-dayer. I don't know if they even do those anymore. But from what I heard, it really was quite different from the 3-dayers, which I understand can be like being in Ft. Lauderdale on Spring Break! On our cruise there were lots of families, and very few of the twenty-thirty-something boozing-partying crowd that I've heard make up the majority of the 3-dayers.

My only other cruise was on a mass market ship...on the Oceanic, and I can say it was nothing like that.

Glad you had a good time with the girls Kathy. As you know, once they hit teenagerhood, it's all over.

Have friends who enjoy the big lines - one coming on Mush after being on ????? line in the Med - we'll see what they have to say?? I feel like a snob when I say OH those big cruises? I have not been on one - whatever makes you happy -

Been there, done that, I hope never again!!!

Nancy

Actually it does sound horrid Nancy

Yes, it sounds more horrid in my "List" than it really was. Food and service were okay - not great but like going to a chain everyday restaurant. Not luxury, but, acceptable. Most people were middle class, working people - some more upscale than others.

I wrote that with a bent toward having a little humor. We all like the Ritz, but, sometimes the Best Western will do!

Monarch was our first RCCL cruise, back when it really *was* a "monster ship" instead one of the smallest ships in the fleet. We did 7 nights Southern Caribbean, out of San Juan. It was a great cruise, but I wasn't regular about taking antibiotics for the bronchitis I had, so it relapsed on the last day.

That list of yours, Kathy, really cracked me up. "Fluff Daddy, airbrush tatoos"! I bet the girls had a blast. :) Michele

Not luxury, but, acceptable. Most people were middle class, working people - some more upscale than others.

- Ouch Kathy acceptable??? .....aren't we all middle class people who work?? Do we have many trust fund babies??? Joanna

Kathy, I am glad that you had a good time with family!

KATHY,
I loved your list. Now my apprehension grows more than when I booked my next cruise. Next Sept. (07) I will be on the Emerald Princess. I have NEVER been on a ship larger than the old Norway, but RSSC didn't have a cruise with the Ports I wanted for the length of time I wanted. So, I will grit my teeth and hope.
I admit that I have been totally spoiled by RSSC.
Lynn

Kirky, you will have a great time - just will be a different experience.

Joanna, sorry you mis-read my post- by acceptable, it was just that - an acceptable cruise - not the Regent luxury we have all come to take for granted. As for people, certainly, I would not be cruising if I were not all day long working on a computer and on the telephone. Many Regent clients I would take are Professional or higher income bracket than would be considered "Middle Class Working Americans" as would be their target market - those with more disposable income. The average RCCL cruiser might take a cruise vacation every couple years where the shorter cruises attract people who may never have an experience like we have been fortunate to regularly experience. After all, how many people do you know that can spend $5000 - $7000 or more for a week's vacation for two?

It's all a matter of attitude and also what is affordable!

We took or family (18 of us) for a 1 week Carnival cruise from Long Beach. Our family are a pretty sophisticated group with a well known fashion designer and a partner in one of the Big 4 (or is it 5!) accounting firms amongst them.

It was our 55th anniversary and we all had a blast!!! Celebrating our kid's 25th and 22nd anniversaries and grandkid's 18th and 10th birthdays.

The food and service was superior and the fun of being together as a family was worth everything to us. We all had balcony cabins and enjoyed the comfortable bedding, very ample space and the excellent service we received from our cabin attendants.

It sure was not an "R" cruise by any means but the price of 9 staterooms was not "R" either!!!

The quality of any vacation is all to do with attitude and expectations. I hope we are spared to repeat the experience for our 60th!!!!!

As we are non drinkers we have decided to forgo further "R" cruises, as much as we have enjoyed them and give the "O" line our future business. We especially like their smoking policies and the fact that we are not subsidizing those who enjoy the beverages.

Gosh we will miss you on R cruises ....so happy you loved your cruise with family

After all, how many people do you know that can spend $5000 - $7000 or more for a week's vacation for two

Many ....but they don't talk about it ....

LOL...reminds me of the phone call we got in the middle of dinner tonight. Chase credit card guy trying to sell us disability insurance so we can pay our cc bill if we're disabled. I told him our our income is exactly the same whether we're disabled or not...we're retired. Our goal is to die 5 minutes after our $$ runs out, he was speechless. CLICK.

Kathy I loved the humor of your list -- mine was, of course, an attempt at humor as well. :D But the truth is that I'm really excited about my upcoming RCI cruise! I've never been on such a huge ship -- I can't even imagine a ship that carries 3,835 pax, and has an ICE SKATING rink onboard, a seven-story mall, no fewer than seven restaurants, 12 bars/lounges (ok, I exaggerated before!), three pools, six hot tubs, a basketball court, a tennis court, a GOLF course for Pete's sake, a three-level main dining room. Sheesh, I'm going to be working off all the calories I consume just by walking from place to place!

I'm sure that by going into this with realistic expectations, I'll have a great vacation. Hey, I just got back from a camping trip where I had to do all the cooking/cleaning myself, in the outdoors, with bugs all over the place...not to mention bathing in a river! I'm sure that I'll have a great time.

I know plenty too, but the great majority of Americans would not be able to afford even half of that.

There's an old saying my mom was always fond of reminding me when I'd complain, "There but for the grace of God, go I."

Glad you had a good time, Kathy, despite the non R experience. Like you said, it gives you a better appreciation of Regent.

"Fluffy people"?? Hey, I resemble that remark! :D

Masaki

In my opinion, any trip is what you make of it, regardless of cost, regardless of upscale vs. moderate mass market. If your cruise has accomplished the fact that you had a great time, isn't that what it's all about?

One person's Ritz is another's Best Western. I think you can find the good, the bad and the ugly at both. Again, just my "low maintenance" opinion.

Glad you enjoyed your time with the girls Kathy. I loved your list of things you won't see on Regent and got a laugh out of them.

Love your low maintenance opinion Denise - I agree with you - right attitude most people can have fun anywhere anytime -

Kathy, I am glad you had a nice time with the kids. For certain these vacations are lifelong memories for them.

That's EXACTLY what it's all about - and we had a great time without the debate about the cost, the people, or anything else.

Christy has a very active case of Lupus, she's lived with now for 20 years. We almost lost her last year. She goes though each day content and happy and really sets an example because she only sees rose petals on the roses. She is a Registered Nurse trained for NICU and was top in her class. She can't work any more and really her husband just started a business so money is more than tight. I wanted to give her and her girls something fun to look forward to. We had a great time. They had the time of their lives and we will all have some great memories.

ARen't we all lucky that we have so many cruising options!

Nancy

Your Christy sounds like a very special person Kathy, and what a wonderful attitude she has.

I think too, that you can make whatever you want out of any situation and we've been cruising for 40 some years now, our kids grew up taking summer vacations on cruise ships, and we've never had a bad cruise. Each one has been different and a new adventure, we have liked some more than others. The last one with family and a lot of friends was several years back on Carnival's Destiny, and our group had a fabulous time and even though I wouldn't rush to go on CCL again, if the situation was right we'd be there. I think being a TA, that I've found over the years that every client is different and there is a cruise out there for everyone and if you match the client to the right cruise, they will love it. So as Nancy says, its good to have so many options.