Ship Builds Up for Caribbean Duty

The world’s three largest cruise ships have been built in the vast shipyard of Cantiers d’Atlantique on the foggy coast of Brittany, France. Two of them are 74,000-ton vessels capable of carrying as many as 2,766 passengers each--Monarch of the Seas, which enters service in the Caribbean next Sunday, and sister ship Majesty of the Seas, which is expected to arrive in Miami April 26. Each of these Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ships is more than 170 feet high, the same height as the Statue of Liberty.

The third giant, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norway, was also launched here as the French Line’s France in 1960. The Norway was expanded last year to 75,000 gross registered tons, with a passenger capacity of 2,555.

When we visited the shipyard in mid-October, finishing touches were being made on Monarch of the Seas. Most of the carpeting was already in place, furniture was uncrated and light fixtures had been installed. The ship will enter service in the Caribbean from its home port of San Juan, Puerto Rico, calling at Fort-de-France, Martinique; Bridgetown, Barbados; St. John’s, Antigua; Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, an appealing assortment of eastern Caribbean ports.

The Monarch was originally to have gone into service last May, but was damaged by fire in the shipyard during construction. Extensive rebuilding delayed its departure for San Juan.

From the look of it, the Monarch should appeal particularly to young, upwardly mobile couples and singles, as well as families with school-age children and teen-agers.

A flourish of extra-bright colors, a big casino that could have been imported intact from Las Vegas and generous dollops of neon show a new eagerness on Royal Caribbean’s part to attract more of the fun-and-games-minded young passengers, who are flocking in record numbers to Carnival’s flamboyant new ships.

The Las Vegas influence is also apparent not only in the disco--with its carpet twinkling with fiber-optic lights--but in the two-level show lounge in which the line has announced a series of big-name entertainers familiar on the neon marquees along the Strip--Red Buttons, Jerry Lewis, Ben Vereen, The Captain and Tenille, Jack Jones, Norm Crosby, Petula Clark and Bobby Rydell.

The heart of the ship is a dramatic five-deck atrium in marble and brass, with glass elevators and curved staircases big enough to stage a Busby Berkeley musical production.

Despite its size, the vessel should be easy to get around because of three-dimensional Plexiglas directories on each deck and and frequent arrows that point forward and aft in the cabin corridors so passengers don’t waste a lot of time walking in the wrong direction.

Teen-agers will get their own private club and disco, Flashes, high atop the ship, with a disc-jockey booth and special effects that the teen-agers can operate themselves, plus a soft drink bar and a row of padded rails just the right height to slouch against and look cool.

Children will get Kids’ Konnection, a playroom with a carpeted, cavelike area for watching TV, plus a video games center and a two-level sports deck just outside.

A collection of 10 shops, with a central seating area for non-shopping spouses, will offer the nearest seagoing equivalent to hanging out at the mall.

But for cruise veterans, there are also some beautifully designed spaces, particularly the huge, two-level, glass-walled Windjammer Cafe that sits forward and above the captain’s bridge, with fantastic views as the ship sails into port. Indoor and outdoor self-service buffet meals will be available here and in the adjacent outdoor cafe area, with chairs and tables arranged around a free-standing vertical glass waterfall.

Seven separate lounge areas should fit any passenger’s mood, from an intimate champagne bar seating 50 to the 675-seat April in Paris lounge, with its Toulouse-Lautrec-type of murals and paintings. One, called Dancin’, emphasizes its large dance floor and bandstand, while a sophisticated nightclub, named Ain’t Misbehavin’, features a life-sized sculpture of Fats Waller at the piano.

There are two dining rooms on board, the overly bright Flower Drum Song and the purple-and-plaid Brigadoon. The pool deck contains two large pools plus whirlpool spas, fountains and an outdoor bar.

As on other Royal Caribbean ships, the cabins are what could be described as somewhere between compact and cozy, with the inside cabins measuring 114 square feet, the outside ones 127 square feet. They are prettily decorated in pastel pinks or blues, with built-in dressers, chair and color TV sets with remote control. All have twin beds that can be moved together to make one large bed. Closets are spacious enough for seven-day cruises.

Fares will start at $1,195 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles and 99 other U.S. cities, for an inside cabin with two lower beds during economy season, Dec. 1, 8 and 15. The lowest-priced outside standard cabins, with identical furnishings, begin at $1,670 per person, double occupancy. All standard cabins have bathrooms with shower.

Larger outside staterooms measure 164 square feet and have a sitting area as well as beds and dresser. Prices for these begin at $2,035 per person, double occupancy.

Deluxe outside staterooms are 222 square feet, with 56-square-foot private balconies, from $2,170 per person, double occupancy. Bigger deluxe outside suites, which begin at $2,345 per person, double occupancy, measure 326 square feet and have a 118-square-foot balcony.

In addition, there are three lavish owner’s suites with 118-square-foot private verandas and 444 square feet of space, and a royal suite that measures 740 square feet plus its 150-foot veranda. Prices are $2,595 to $3,380 per person, double occupancy, depending on season.

For more information about Monarch of the Seas, contact a travel agent or Royal Caribbean Cruise Line at (800) 327-6700.