Update, as of 2020 the Pullmantur Monarch was decommissioned due to the global shutdowns around the world. Sadly, as of 2021 Pullmantur was completely liquidated and the Monarch has been sold for scrap. We’ve decided to leave this article up to provide an account of what it was like to take an inexpensive repositioning cruise with the now-defunct Pullmantur brand.
Taking a cruise across the Atlantic on the Pullmantur Monarch was an interesting proposition to take.
For those who’ve been following our round-the-world adventures for a while, you know that we love utilizing repositioning cruises as an affordable yet luxurious way to get around the globe. We believe they are among the best travel deals for those who have the time to spare.
We’ve taken over twelve repositioning cruises and have even strung together a series of them to form a cruise completely around the world. (You can read our detailed budget and strategies on how we pulled that off in this separate post: How To Achieve the Impossible: A Cheap World Cruise.) Yet this Pullmantur Monarch cruise remains the absolute cheapest repositioning cruise we’ve ever come across.
This Pullmantur Monarch transatlantic cruise had the lowest price we’ve ever seen: $159 per person! Can you believe it? Cheers to that!
We’re now spilling all about this deal of the century in this Pullmantur Monarch review!
Pullmantur Monarch Review of a Two-Week Cruise for $159
During the many other transatlantic cruises we’ve taken during our global journeys, we usually pay about $400-$600 per person, plus taxes and gratuities. When you consider all that is included (two weeks of first-class accommodation, transport from one continent to another, stops at exotic islands, constant entertainment, and five-star meals), it’s easy to realize what an incredible deal these repositioning cruises can be. It’s cheaper than flying!
So when we saw a 13-day Pullmantur Monarch cruise listed at the rock bottom price of $159 for the entire two-week voyage, with the bonus of a full drink package included, this was a no-brainer. We simply could not refuse. With this Pullmantur Monarch cruise coming out to a meager $12.23 per night, this may be one of the least expensive cruises ever in cruise history! We had to do it.
But at such an unfathomable low price, we wondered what conditions would be like aboard the Pullmantur Monarch. We couldn’t find any Pullmantur Monarch reviews online. And Pullmantur was a relatively unknown cruise brand to us.
We soon discovered that’s because it is a cruise line based in Spain and catering mostly to people from Spain. So it made sense that we hadn’t heard of Pullmantur. As Americans, we’re clearly not Pullmantur’s target audience.
But that didn’t dissuade us from taking this hugely discounted cruise across the Atlantic. We love Spanish culture and practicing the language. We further learned that Pullmantur is owned by the familiar cruise company, Royal Caribbean. This gave us more confidence to book the Pullmantur Monarch transatlantic voyage for a lowly $159 per person. What a steal!
So how was this ultra-low-priced cruise?
Now we’re here to give you all the details in this Pullmantur Monarch repositioning cruise review.
First Impressions: Embarking on the Pullmantur Monarch
We hopped on the Pullmantur Monarch in the gritty port town of Colon, Panama. Getting to the port of Colon brings its own challenges, as this is not a common port to disembark from. Yet it gave us a good excuse to re-explore the metropolis of Panama City for a few days before taking a 90-minute Uber ride to Colon.
Upon arrival, the embarkation process was the slowest and most unorganized we had ever experienced in the dozen cruises we’d been on. It was a small window to check-in, between Noon to 2:00. So we arrived right in the middle at 1:00 pm, ready to get on board and eat a late lunch. The longest we’ve ever spent checking into a cruise was about 30 minutes. So we never anticipated the check-in process here would take over three hours of waiting in line.
We were famished by the time we finally boarded the Pullmantur Monarch at 4:00, but lunchtime was long over. Instead, the muster drill had already begun, which was completely chaotic and took 45 minutes. So no lunch for us.
Things were not off to a good start and we feared the worst for the next two weeks ahead. We began second-guessing our decision of taking such a cheap cruise. Then it was time to check out our cabin.
The Cabin on the Pullmantur Monarch
We booked an interior cabin on the Pullmantur Monarch based on its low cost. An extra $80 per person would have gotten us a small porthole, but we really wanted to save our cash and experience what a $159 cruise is like. Hence we booked this least expensive cabin available. In hindsight, we think having the window may have been worth the upcharge. On one hand, $160 for a window for two weeks seems like an unnecessary expense. But when you break it down, that’s only an extra $6 per person, per night.

This pic of an outside cabin comes courtesy of our friends at ToTravelToo, who also cruised on the Monarch.
Our inside cabin was on the small side compared to other cruises we’ve sailed on. The Pullmantur Monarch cabin was only big enough for a queen-size bed, a small closet, and a chair with a desk.
The room set-up was awkward, with the TV on a stand directly above the headboard. (Our TV in our inside cabin was where the porthole is located in the above picture.) This made it impossible to watch the TV unless you reversed the bed configuration, which we did. We later realized this wasn’t necessary, as there was only a single English-speaking channel, which played a constant loop of blockbuster bombs such as Paul Blart Mall Cop 2. Really.
The bathroom complimented the cabin in size, as it was similarly tiny. Toiletries consisted of a bar of hand soap and some shampoo that doubled as a body wash. This was adequate, but nothing fancy.
The space itself was certainly cozy. Yet we never felt cramped. Perhaps most importantly, the bed was very comfortable, the air-conditioning worked well, and we slept like babies as the ship rocked back & forth. Also, our cabin steward was great, always keeping things tidy and even providing nightly turndown services. While the cabin was on the small side, overall it met our needs.
We inquired about upgrading to a balcony stateroom, as we’re usually really good (and lucky) with getting free balcony upgrades. (Read 10 Secrets To Getting A Free Balcony Upgrade on a Cruise Ship.) But on the Pullmantur Monarch, they wanted to charge us an additional $1,200 for the upgrade. That’s 7 times more than the price of the cruise itself. Nope!
Pullmantur Monarch Ship Review
We mostly enjoyed the Pullmantur Monarch ship itself, the common areas, and the layout of the cruise. For a relatively older ship (1991), we expected to find more wear & tear, but the Monarch was actually in decent shape.
The Monarch had all the signature areas of any cruise ship: a casino, plenty of lounges & bars, two adjacent pools, hot tubs, a restaurant, the buffet, a theatre, a library, an atrium, an Internet café, a jogging track, shuffleboard, etc.
While the Monarch did have all these traditional areas, there was nothing novel about the ship that you find today in more contemporary counterparts. A rock-climbing wall was perhaps the most exciting feature.
Also, the ship had one of the poorest excuses of a library we’ve ever seen on a cruise, with only a handful of books and game boards. Given all the sea days during this transatlantic itinerary, the library conditions were a big disappointment.
What little books and games that were onboard were completely destroyed by unruly children who literally tore them all apart. We were baffled by the lack of parenting as we saw hundreds of pages of books littering the library floor and game boards ripped in half.
But unlike the library, other common areas were up to par. The atrium was nice and elegant. We enjoyed much time sipping on drinks and passing time in the many lounges, often while enjoying live music.
Another aspect of the Pullmantur Monarch that seemed different than other cruises we’ve been on was the motion. We felt the ship rocking much more so than other cruises that have good stabilizers. During this voyage, we sailed through moderate swells of one to two meters. But despite the seas not being too rough, we could really feel the ship moving back and forth.
On more modern ships, we’ve cruised through seas four times as turbulent, even sailing through the remnants of a hurricane. The rocking on the Monarch felt similar to that, even though the seas during this cruise weren’t nearly as rough.
The All-Inclusive Drink Package on the Pullmantur Monarch
The drinks aboard the Pullmantur Monarch were a big high point for us. For such an inexpensive cruise to include alcoholic beverages, we feared we would be stuck with cheap well liquors, almost certain to induce horrible hangovers.
Thankfully, that was not the case.
We were absolutely delighted to find drink menus that included brands such as Bacardi rum, Beefeater gin, and Stoli vodka.
When ordering drinks on the Pullmantur Monarch, it was important to specify these brands. Otherwise, bartenders defaulted to cheaper well bottles of liquor. Never order a “rum & Coke.” Rather, order a “Bacardi & Coke.” The wine onboard the Monarch was also decent and we particularly enjoyed the Spanish cava, sparkling wine.
A big miss in the drink department was the beers. The only included beer was Miller Genuine Draft. Or for a $1-per-beer upgrade charge, you could indulge in a Miller Lite. A $2 upcharge would get you a prized Mexican cerveza such as a Corona or Dos Equis. And that was the extent of their entire beer selection. We found it laughable that we could get some delicious Spanish cava or a Beefeater Gin & Tonic for free, yet had to pay a $2 upcharge for such an unremarkable beer as Corona.
But while the beer was a miss, the coffee was yet another hit. A nice variety of expertly crafted and caffeine-rich espresso-based drinks helped greatly to counteract the time changes of constantly losing an hour of sleep. Morning cappuccinos and double espressos were a treat to help thwart any effects from overindulging at the bar the night prior.
The Cuisine on the Pullmantur Monarch
Overall, we were pretty happy with the food onboard the Pullmantur Monarch. Given the $159 price point of the 13-night voyage, our expectations we low. So we were pleasantly surprised to find some decadent 3-course meals each night that was made complete with constantly flowing wine pours.
Main courses usually consisted of a choice of about 4-5 options that were typically composed of chicken, fish, pork, vegetarian, and occasionally beef offerings like steak.
There was no filet mignon or lobster, as we’ve been spoiled with on other cruises. The most memorable and tasty dish was a particularly tender and saucy oxtail.
We thought most dishes were average or above. A few dazzled and others bombed. The final dessert courses left us with full bellies and smiles on our faces. Although sometimes we opted for cheese plates instead of a sweet treat, which nicely complemented the included wine pours we enjoyed with each dinner.
The buffet was adequate for breakfasts and lunches. There usually wasn’t anything to rave about. Yet we were never left disappointed either.
The lunch buffet typically consisted of a good variety of salads, sandwiches, pasta, pizza, and even Asian cuisine. It was all anchored by a carving station which rotated daily to offer something like turkey, roast beef, fish, etc.
Activities on the Pullmantur Monarch
With so many sea days, we hoped there would be plenty of activities to help occupy our time and help us to mingle with other cruisers. While there were some activities, it usually wasn’t a packed agenda aboard the Pullmantur Monarch.
Each afternoon there was a game or two by the pool, which was followed by trivia at one of the inside lounges. At night there was occasionally a game show event to participate in, or watch.
Games ranged from cruise classics like the Love & Marriage game at night to a poolside beer-chugging contest during the day. The activities were hit or miss overall. But the activities staff worked their butts off and always tried to keep things fun & lively.
Nightly Entertainment on the Pullmantur Monarch
The nightly entertainment was decent. It was primarily song (in English) & dance shows, in addition to two comedy nights that were entirely in Spanish.
Unlike other ships we’ve traveled on, it was the same entertainment team that did a different performance every night. Given they were able to deliver a near-flawless performance for just about every night during the two-week cruise, it was quite an impressive feat and a testament to their talent and versatility.
Still, most of the shows were not up to par with the Vegas-caliber performances that passengers have come to expect on other major cruise lines. It was a few notches down. And while it did give us something to do in the evenings, other than drink, the shows often failed to capture our attention.
Instead, we grew to prefer the piano player in the coffee lounge who would instigate nightly singalongs, with a range from classic Billy Joel to modern hits.
Finally, dance parties would last late into the night, and usually past our bedtime.
Fellow Passengers on the Pullmantur Monarch
Typical repositioning cruises we’ve taken have been composed largely of American retirees, with little variety in terms of age and nationality. So we were delighted that this cruise was much more of a mixed bag, both with respect to age ranges and where people were coming from.
While Pullmantur cruises primarily attract a Spanish or Portuguese-speaking crowd, the language of passengers for this transatlantic sailing was approximately half English. The cruise also had a good representation of passengers from Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico in addition to a smattering of other Latin American countries. There was a sizable group of Americans who, like us, all seemed to be sailing on Pullmantur for the first time. Also, like us, they were attracted to the voyage by the rock-bottom pricing.
Unlike other repositioning cruises we’ve taken, the ages on this cruise ran the gambit from young millennials to senior citizens. There was a special group of (mostly young) digital nomads that boarded the ship in Cartagena as part of something called the Nomad Cruise, which helped to bring down the average age. We were thrilled to find a bunch of like-minded people on the ship.
Yet we were later completely appalled when we noticed the downright rude behavior that a subset of the Nomad Cruisers displayed throughout the voyage. We’ve never seen such awful behavior before on a cruise:
- strolling into the main dining room barefoot,
- rollerblading around the jogging track while knocking into seniors who were attempting to walk laps,
- girls mouthing off to security after breaking the ship’s law by sunbathing nude,
- guys walking around the ship’s indoor common areas in nothing but their underwear, and
- just blatantly drunken antics that included loudly yelling at and heckling the performers during nightly shows.
It was all so disrespectful and it had the rest of the ship talking about their bad-mannered conduct throughout the voyage. Their complete lack of decency made us personally ashamed to call ourselves digital nomads. It gave a bad name to the other respectful Nomad Cruisers who were there to learn, network, and have fun. We’ve since noticed that the Nomad Cruise program does an application process, which we can only hope helps to weed out the assholes who cast a dark shadow on the otherwise seemingly worthwhile program.
Life on a Spanish Ship
Despite the ship catering primarily to Spanish speakers, there was definitely a big effort made to the English speakers onboard. All announcements were repeated in English, all staff spoke English, and even the nightly shows included English translations. Language never presented any issues and it was great for practicing Spanish.
Typical of Spanish culture, dinner times were late. Very late. The early dinner seating began at 7:30, while the late service started at 9:45 and usually ran past 11:00.
Fun fact: although the Pullmantur is a Spain-based cruise line, the Monarch sails under the Malta flag.
Pullmantur Monarch Transatlantic Itinerary, Ports, and Excursions
During our transatlantic sailing on the Pullmantur Monarch, we stopped for a day each in Cartagena and St Maarten before making a beeline across the Atlantic to Lisbon.
Cartagena was a familiar port for us to spend the day in and we enjoyed revisiting the historic Old Town. St Maarten was an interesting new port for us to explore on both the French and Dutch side of the island. We found old forts, beautiful beaches, and of course the world-famous Maho Beach where commercial airlines buzz right past you before landing and take-off.
Both ports were easy and inexpensive to explore on your own. We used Uber in Cartagena and public transportation vans to get around St Maarten. The Monarch offered a few shore excursions in each port that were actually reasonably priced. Yet we still preferred to explore on our own.
The upcoming April 2020 Pullmantur Monarch transatlantic cruise includes the additional ports of Antigua and Ponta Delgada (Azores). More on that in the “Recommendation” section of this Pullmantur Monarch review.
What the Pullmantur Monarch Cruise Really Cost
Sure, the cruise itself was only $159. But you must also consider other obligatory expenses which add to the total price. There are the inevitable taxes and port charges. These fees aboard the Pullmantur Monarch were $172 per person, which seemed unusually high for the few ports we visited, and brought the cost of this voyage up to $331. Then you must also factor in the seemingly mandatory gratuities of $13 per day, which adds another $168 to the final bill.
So the true total cost of this cruise was $499, not $159. We find this to still be a hell of a bargain for a two-week cruise, particularly including the open bar for 13 days!
Pullmantur Monarch Gratuities
Most cruise lines have suggested gratuities (usually around $10-$15 per person, per day) that are automatically charged to your onboard account unless you have specifically requested them to be altered higher or lower based on your satisfaction with the level of service. This service charge goes to the deserving stateroom attendant and to the wait staff. On our Monarch sailing, gratuities were a fixed amount and could not be adjusted.
Another interesting difference relating to gratuities on the Pullmantur Monarch was in relation to bar service. Most cruise lines charge additional gratuities for the bar staff. If purchasing an all-inclusive beverage package, cruise lines will usually hit you up with an added $10-$15 per day charge for bar-staff gratuities.
On these other cruises, you’ll still need to pay that bar gratuity even if you received the drink package as a complimentary bonus. For example, during a Norwegian cruise, we once received a “free” drink package (valued at $1,400) but the extra gratuities we were required to pay for it added nearly $400 to our bill.
Yet on our Pullmantur Monarch cruise, there were no additional gratuities for their included beverage package. This is already covered within the daily gratuity amount of $13 per day. Their included drinks package really is totally free drinks. That’s quite a nice perk!
Other Costs & Expenses Aboard the Pullmantur Monarch
Unlike other cruise lines that tenaciously pitch add-ons to passengers, there was little else to spend money on once aboard the Pullmantur Monarch. The few things you could spend money on were actually pretty reasonable.
- If you wanted a 1.5-liter bottle of water, those were only $1. Alternatively, you could order cups of that same bottled water from the bar for free.
- You could certainly donate some money to the casino if you choose.
- There were shore excursions for sale at fairly reasonable prices.
- Using the rock-climbing wall came with a $7 charge. (Worth it!)
- There were no specialty restaurants onboard the ship, but there were premium dishes available in the main dining room for a $10-$20 upcharge. We never thought it seemed worth it to splurge on them.
- Similarly, premium spirits were available for a $1-$3 upcharge, depending on the liquor.
- There was also a spa onboard offering services at an added cost.
- The Monarch’s slow-speed wifi, of course, also incurs an additional expense. It’s not cheap either, with 100-minute packages starting at $35. Unlimited wifi was available for $20 per day, but you were required to purchase it for every day. Hence you would need to budget $260 to have unlimited spotty wifi for the entire voyage. Note: the wifi often didn’t work and you’d have to wait in a long line to get your minutes refunded.
Overall Pullmantur Monarch Review – Was It Worth It?
Sure this cruise had some quirks to it and it wasn’t quite as luxurious as other 4 and 5-star cruises we’ve been spoiled on. But overall this Pullmantur Monarch transatlantic cruise was an excellent value for the money, even after all the other mandatory charges that brought the price up to $499 per person. For that price, we wouldn’t hesitate to take another repositioning cruise on the Pullmantur Monarch! It was an incredible value!
At $499, the total price of the entire cruise came out to $38 per person, per day. I’m fairly certain we indulged in at least $38 of drinks per day. So I definitely felt we got way more than our money’s worth all while effortlessly being transported across the Atlantic to Portugal.
Still, we would prefer to spend an extra hundred bucks or so to have a better experience on a much nicer ship than to sail on the Pullmantur Monarch again. Having cruised on transatlantics with Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian, for what was only slightly more; we felt the extra $5-$10 per night we’ve paid for those cruises have offered an enormous level of difference in the overall quality.
Our Recommendation
Should you take the Pullmantur Monarch repositioning cruise across the Atlantic? Ultimately that’s a personal decision. Everyone has different tastes, standards, and opinions. For us, despite some of the cruise’s shortcomings, we were happy with the Pullmantur Monarch overall, and particularly so for the price paid. We would certainly take the Pullmantur Monarch again if it were at a similar price point.
Even More Cruise Tips
Lastly, if you’re new to cruising or just want a refresher on what we think are some of the best cruise tips out there, be sure to check out our big cruise post revealing our massive list of cruise tips!
Are you interested in repositioning cruises? We’ve written a comprehensive article detailing everything you’ve ever wanted to know about these special one-way cruises!
- Read more: All About Repositioning Cruises!
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Oh my gosh, I was on that cruise! My first cruise ever. I did enjoy it, though the more experienced cruisers at my dinner table assured me that there were better cruise ships and this “was a good starter cruise.” I definitely didn’t appreciate the digital nomad group completely destroying the WiFi. It was bad enough before they came on board. And I heard they were also bragging about buying up all the condoms on board. Really guys? How mature. Way to make the trip less pleasant for some other folks who might be trying to avoid getting pregnant on their getaway. However whoever it was that was brave enough to go topless, I applaud her. You could see other women glancing around and hoping they could also take their tops off (myself included). After all, it’s a European ship, certainly they wouldn’t be as prudish as Americans? But no. We were dismayed when the evil guard told the girls to cover up their horribly offensive nipples. I would love to find a ship that was more tolerant. I found your blog because I’m on a quest right now for another (better) cruise.
Found your blog and this review. The price for this cruise is now $199 for April. 2020. I was thinking about going solo since they only upcharge 50% for single. Since I am self employed missing work is a consideration.
I have a couple of questions. How did you find a good rate on airfare? I only speak English, would that be a hinderance? I am used to Royal Carribean staff, are they as good ?
Thank you
For airfare, we usually typically check Google Flights and Skyscanner. You have to fly to Panama City and then get transport (taxi, Uber, bus) to Colon.
Most crew speak English, as did many of the passengers during our trip. It shouldn’t be much of a hindrance while aboard. But while in Panama and in port in Cartegena, not many people speak English. Learning just a few basics in Spanish can go a long way.
We found the crew onboard the Pullmantur Monarch to be just fine and were not dissatisfied in any way with our cabin steward, server, bartenders, animation team, etc. All were great! However, you may find the level of service to be a slight step down from Royal Carribean.
Found your blog and am impressed,have only been on a cruise once and found a deal on a single berth(I like travelling alone and won’t pay extra because it should only be couples). The design of the ship left room for 2 single cabins where the ship curved inward toward the bow(1/2 to 3/4 size),if these are availabe they were the only ones without the single penalty.
If you really want to sail(literally)around the world,check out the Picton Castle,a old school Tall ship that does around the world voyages. It isn’t cheap (the same as a year at a Top US university)but a year before the mast will take you around the world and with a modicum of effort you will be ready for Mate position on any Tall ship or Master(Captain) licence from US Coast Guard. I have done two shorter trips and learned and enjoyed a lot.
That sounds amazing! When we were in Halifax last year, we were there during their tall ship festival (the Picton Castle may have even been there, not sure). The ships were getting ready to head from Canada back to Europe and some were still accepting applications to join for the crossing. It’s was intriguing and tempting proposition that has sparked our interest ever since.
Thanks for the review. I’d been wondering what Pullmantur was like as their prices were so cheap. You’ve covered a lot of information, which is very helpful.
Cheers 🙂
Yes, Pullmantur’s repositioning cruises can be insanely cheap, but still such great value.
Thanks for sharing this great experience, i was always wondering about pulmantur’s cheaper rates and why… now you gave me enough info!
Oh good – glad it’s helped to give the info you’re looking for. Ultimately these cruises can be a heck of a deal if you have the right expectations.
I came back to re-read this review. I just learned via a cruise critic forum that this group of digital nomads “from the 2016 cruise” will be joining us again on our April repositioning cruise. 😯 Yikes! We have all the luck, haha.
Hola everyone! I was fortunate to do a solo on the Pullmantur Monarch this past May 2017 from Puerto Limon Lisbon. Everything mentioned is spot on. I had a great time and have already signed up with my spouse on the Zenith from Santo Domingo to Lisbon in April 2018. I truly enjoyed me fellow passengers, and agree with the comments on the Nomad crowd. However, they seem to be in check and I did not encounter rude behavior but they certainly were indifferent and made little attempt t socialize out of their sphere. The drinks and food were just fine. My only criticism is the inaudible PA system and the clocks were not synchronized, forcing me to wear a watch. These 2 matters are of concerned in case of emergency and catching up to Europe time as we sailed on. I look forward to my next Pullmantur repositioning.
Glad to hear the nomad crowd was in check on your voyage! 🙂 Interesting to hear about the clocks not being synced up – how strange! I can imagine the confusion that would cause, particularly with the many time changes along the way. From what I can recall, the clocks were always changed during our trip. Glad to hear you otherwise seemed to have a good trip. And thank you for giving an update during your more recent Atlantic crossing on the Monarch!
My wife and I cruised on the Monarch when it was under the Crown Cruise Company back in 1991. It was a brand new ship, sailing it’s SECOND ever cruise the Monarch had ever sailed on and we sailed out of West Palm Beach , FL. We feel good knowing it is still cruising the seas still and that is in such good shape!
Hello John,
We will be in Costa Rica during 2018 and are considering a transatlantic trip (our dream for a long time), but we will be traveling with our 4 years old twins. This would be our first cruise experience.
According to your so wide experience and everything you have seen of people traveling with children in cruises, would you recommend such a journey with Pullman Monach (departing Puerto Limon with our so young children ?
Thanks in advance for your comments.
Jorge
The short answer – yes, 4-years olds would likely be just fine.
Long answer – it depends. We did see a number of kids of all ages during our Atlantic crossing on the Monarch. There weren’t loads of kids but there were definitely dozens of them. There is a dedicated Guppy Club on the ship with activities specifically for 3-6 olds, so that should prove helpful. I would just suggest bringing additional toys and tablets loaded with cartoons/movies, because other than the Guppy Club and the pool, the other spaces on the ship are more adult-oriented. Of course, this all depends on the kids temperaments too. And also, although we like to consider ourselves travel experts, we certainly have zero experience as parents so take these recommendations with a grain of salt. But ultimately I would think it is totally do-able, but just bring some additional material to help keep bordome away during the long sea days.
Thanks John
You are right, others do seem to be coming down, but by the time we’ve flown to the US, paid for an ESTA and paid for on board drinks, I assume this will still be the cheapest option!
Getting my husband to agree to go home in May was a big enough problem, trying to get him to bring it forward may well result in divorce!
Also the 3.5 star rating suits us, we left the UK in September with one bag each with clothes to see us through the beach, hiking, traveling, hot, cold (and Patagonia was) but not cruising as the thought had not even crossed our minds. So not wanting to afford or carry a whole new wardrobe, less formality is probably a plus!
Hope the Galapagos are living up to expectations
Jackie
Hi John
Do you think this years cruise will go down? This years price is still great, but as you say nothing like you paid. 70, or 60 days depending on where I read, seems to be their final confirmation date, so is still quite a long way off, but with no inside cabins from Cartagena or Puerto Limon, and no availability at all from Colon, it looks like people have discovered this cruise.
You also make reference to having to speak to vacationstogo, who are the only people I have found, apart from Pullmantur, selling this cruise (Priceline don’t list them, is this what you found?) while we can contact them toll free in Mexico that will become a bit harder when we move on into Belize, is it not possible to complete booking online?
Thanks again for bringing these to our attention, and for your previous replies, do appreciate it. Have a great time in the Galapagos
Jackie
Hi Jackie, It’s difficult to say with certainty whether or not the prices will go down but if I were to guess, I don’t think they will drop. Last year Pullmantur offered that low rate even before the cancellation period, which is unusual but they seem to operate a bit differently than most other cruises. I don’t think the price changed at all last year even in the final month or two. Other Spring repositioning cruise though will definitely drop dramatically. Most will be Florida-based and Cancun usually has cheap flight connections to FL if you are able to make any of those work out. Yes, I think people have discovered the Pullmantur cruise. 🙁 Also I think the Nomad Cruise people have reserved many (all?) of the inside cabins, which doesn’t help matters. Yes, unfortunately the only way to book at that rate seems to be through Vacationstogo which is by phone only. Takes about 15-20 minutes total from my experience. I usually Skype their US toll free number. None of the other main cruise sites seem to offer Pullmantur. Hope that helps clear some things up and you ultimately get back across the Atlantic. Until then, have a great time in Belize!
Awesome review, thank you so much.
It’s now down to $238 for past cruisers/55+
http://www.vacationstogo.com/fastdeal.cfm?deal=15914&disp=102
I actually read this because I was considering joining the Nomad cruise — guess maybe I’ll do a little more thinking first! Taking a repositioning cruise has been on my bucket list for awhile, but A) I’m not sure I could get away with 2 weeks without internet B) I’d definitely want a ship with more to do unless there were other compelling activities (i.e. Nomad cruise workshops)
Just do it! 🙂 We have loved repositioning cruises. The lack of Internet can be a pain but the digital detox can also be nice. We usually get about a 100 minutes or so and use them very sparingly only for essential. But also use free WiFi in ports too which helps. And regarding things to do… most of the other repositioning cruises we’ve been on, I go with the intention of doing nothing and trying to get non-online work done. But usually we end up with such a packed agenda on the cruise each day that I get nothing done! So no worries about getting bored! 🙂
I’ve never heard of a repositioning cruise before! What a bargain, but I suppose like everything you get what you pay for! You mentioned that you could feel the boat rocking – I’ve always considered a cruise but get slightly sea sick so have always worried about feeling bad the entire time!
Yup, you get what you pay for! Ultimately we were happy with it given the crazy low price but it just didn’t live up to other cruise standards. My wife tends to get sea sick easily but manages fine on cruise ships oddly enough. They are so big! Even on the Rockies the days in the Monarch she did alright.
Try dramamine,scalopamine,or pressure bands,get out on deck and watch the horizon. Seasickness is your body reacting to your inner ear sensing motion amd your eyes not seeing it. I sleep very well getting rocked to sleep.
Thanks for the honest review of your experience – sounds like the Pullmantur Monarch was hit or miss, but as you said, you can’t really complain for that kind of a price tag … all inclusive drinks would’ve made me feel much better too! How disappointing that the Nomad Cruisers were a disgrace 🙁
I’ve never actually heard of repositioning cruises, but I LOVE the concept – what a brilliant way to travel cheaply and enjoy a cruise!!
Yeah, we definitely have found it to be a great way to travel between continents cheaply and in style! We love them! Yeah, this one was definitely hit or miss but we still thought it was great value for the price!
I like the concept of repositioning cruises as I have not thought of that. I think with most cruises things tend to add up with gratuities and extras so it’s good the base price was so low.
The base price was low but there really wasn’t much other expenses they capitaliced on this ship. We tend to overspend on alcohol when cruising but since it was included that wasn’t an expense here. We toured the ports on our own, so the base price was really all we paid. 🙂
I think that a comfortable bed can make or break an experience. So although the room might have been a bit small, if the bed was comfy that would be a huge bonus to me! I’ve definitely not booked places because of bad reviews on the beds.
I can definitely understand that. Thankfully we found the beds here to be quite comfy!
What an amazing deal! I’ve been reading about repositioning cruise but I don’t think it’s that common around Asia/ South East Asia. I’d have jumped at this kind of offer without giving it much thought! And as if the price is not enough to make me green with envy, the fact that you guys got to visit St Maarten’s Maho beach drives the semi-aviation geek in me insanely jealous, haha!
Thanks! We feel very fortunate to have scored such a deal. There are a few repositioning cruise deals around Asia, but most of them are between the Caribbean and Mediterranean.
Maho beach was really cool. It was such unique experience to watch massive plans land and take off so close to the beach. You could actually feel the jet blasts from the planes as they were preparing for take off.
what a great tip. I was on a repositioning cruise once but it was very high end. I didn’t have to pay because I was working on a photo shoot. This is an amazing deal.
Hi Penny. Sounds like you scored the ultimate deal 🙂
How did you like your experience on your repositioning cruise?
Hi Heather & John. Very interesting and fun to read about your experience as well as the pros and cons of the Pullmantur Monarch. That’s a SMALL room but what a price! We took the “epic” Norwegian Epic cruise for our first repositioning cruise from Miami to Barcelona in 2015 and, even though it wasn’t quite the deal that you guys scored, it left us feeling like it was an excellent value, especially with an upgraded room. I enjoyed meeting you last summer in Lagos and, if you ever make it back to Portugal again, make sure to let us know. Enjoy your travels!
Hi Anita!
Yep, our cabin was on the small side, but we can’t complain considering the price we paid.
We love cruising Norwegian and can say enough great things about that cruise line. How awesome that you got to do your transatlantic sailing in an upgraded room!
We really enjoyed meeting you both last summer! And we’ll certainly let you know if we make it back to Portugal (we loved it there)!
How had I never heard of a re-positioning cruise before?! This sounds like an awesome experience (even with the few shortcomings you listed) – and I’m off to try and find one of these amazing deals right now! Even if I can’t find one for $159 (what a bargain) any discount on a cruise from the right place at the right time would be amazing! If I find one i’ll be back to read all your cruising tips 🙂
Hey Vicki, thanks for the comment!
It’s an awesome experience and we’re completely hooked on transatlantic sailings. Please let us know if you find a cruise that fits your schedule, we’d love to hear about it!
What?! This is so cool, I’ve never even thought about repositioning cruises! I’ve heard of people taking advantage of a similar concept but with campers and RVs and always have wanted to do that, now I feel like we NEED to do this! What a deal! You also got to stop at some incredible places! We are going to have to seriously look into this, thanks for sharing an awesome alternative to flying!
Hey Megan, thanks so much for the comment! We do hope you take advantage of a cruise deal, it’s the best way to add some adventure to the journey 🙂
Great post. We took the repositioning cruise on 17th September with Pullmantur Monarch from Bilbao Spain to Colon Panama. We are considering using them again in 2018 to travel from Europe and return in 2019. You certainly got a better deal than us!
Thanks! Yeah, we’re still pretty blown away by the $159 deal from last year. I doubt we’ll ever see that low price again, but hopefully their prices may go lower than this year for your potential 2018 and 2019 cruises. We would consider using them again too, for the right price. Also thanks again for contributing that cabin photo! 🙂