April-in-NC

We were on Majesty last month (3-night) and did not find her to be over crowded at all. I'm not sure what the occupancy rate was on that sailing but the only time we experienced large crowds was embarkation, debarkation and a few times in the Windjammer.

For the right price I would sail on her again, although I did miss a few of the activities the larger ships had it wasn't a major issue since we only had two full days on board.

I think the easiest think would be to book a private tour. Your parents would meet them at the dock and they would dictate the time line for the day.

Oh, and for anyone who cares... :) When we came back from vacation all of our cabinets were installed and a good chunk of the tile was installed.

And 2 1/2 weeks after vacation our kitchen still isn't done but we are getting there. lol

Overall Thoughts

This was our first inside cabin and it wasn't bad at all! I did miss the natural light (putting on make-up in florescent lighting is hard, and we slept later than normal) but for the right price I would do it again, especially on a newer ship where the room wasn't so tiny.

The only problem we had in the room was the shower curtain didn't go all the way to the floor so water got everywhere and we SOAKED several towels trying to clean up after ourselves.

Service was great everywhere...

Ship was in great shape! Some tired carpet in places, but otherwise doesn't look her age at all!

After being on the Freedom last summer we did miss some of the extra things, especially the Flo-Rider, but being a quick get away it was still a nice vacation.

This is the first cruise where I did not plan any excursions. This was mainly due to keeping costs down and partly just to unwind and not have a schedule to stick to. It was a nice break, but I did miss some of the adventure. I could not do a 7 night cruise and do nothing but lay on the beach/by the pool.

Entertainment was weak. I really don't like the 70s party and the production show was 70s themed do we didn't go. I think they could have a lot of fun if they made it an 80's night. :)

Food overall was good, I was shocked that they did not have burgers/fries on the LUNCH buffet on Sunday (Nassau) I only got to eat french fries on Friday at lunch and that made me sad. I love their fries.

Desserts were still meh... The mudslide cookies were really good but everything else just didn't have good flavor.

I did the coke package for the first time and I really liked it. Nice to get a break from water. The only inconvenience was the Freestyle machines were both above Windjammer, no locations anywhere else. I only hit the refill limit warning once, and that was after lunchtime on Sunday after being hot and thirsty after walking around Nassau.

We debated getting DH a drink package, but he doesn't drink enough to justify it. We had $100 OBC and after drinks (including my coke package) and a few small souvenirs our out of pocket bill was only $70. Even without the OBC it was cheaper to buy by the drink.

If anyone has any questions I will do my best to answer them.

I met DHADEN and his wife on my solo Serenade cruise a few years ago. Howdy stranger!!!

Monday, August 25th

Debarkation was a bit of a mess for unknown reasons. They were a little behind in calling tags. I think we were group 10 with a 9:45 departure but I don't remember exactly. We were a little late being called and when we hit the baggage claim area there were REALLY, REALLY long lines for customs. We waiting for over an hour before we got through...

We grabbed a taxi to go to the Four Seasons Miami to spend the day at their pool. For $25 per person you can have access to their pool deck and for more money you can have a cabana.

Here is where I wish I had my pictures downloaded... Their pool deck is so beautiful and relaxing. The service was outstanding, pool attendants followed you to the chairs you pick out, they put towels on the chairs for you (the kind that slips over the back so it doesn't blow away) and bring you pool towels and fresh water.

They have one main pool and a second pool that is only a foot or so deep that has hammocks strung between the palm trees (sooo relaxing). They have pergolas covered in vines for shade, lounge chairs and comfortable patio furniture available to suit every need. Our area under the pergola had electrical outlets so we could charge our devices.

They have a pool side bar/restaurant (very pricey). We split a $19.00 chicken club and fries. :eek:

They even have complimentary sunscreen available which was a real blessing because we ran out on the cruise!

As much as I enjoyed the cruise I could have stayed at the Four Seasons forever!

Here is the one pictures I have on Facebook of the pool area.

Coco Cay vs Labadee

Last summer was the first time I had been to Labadee and at the time I preferred Coco Cay. After my return visit I now prefer Labadee. I think it is more exotic looking and more space to spread out plus the added bonus of a dock. Both locations are nice and I would probably not change itineraries to get a different private oasis.

Sunday, August 24th

Our only plan for Nassau was to sleep in, eat breakfast, and then wander around the shops for a little bit before heading back to the ship to lay by the pool.

Mission Accomplished!

We stopped by Senor Frogs, but it was crowded so we headed back to the ship.

We went to the dining room for dinner that night, I had the Ceasar Salad (great), the Lasagna (very good) and the dessert Sampler (meh, it was okay). DH had the shrimp cocktail (good but small) and the NY Strip Steak (VERY good). Not sure what he had for dessert.

After dinner we walked around a bit, I bought my ship Christmas ornament, read for a bit on deck. DH climbed the rock wall all the way to the top!

We went to the late night comedy show which was funny and not too vulgar.

Saturday, August 23rd

We made it to Coco Cay! I'm now 2/2 on Coco Cay stops. :)

We ate breakfast in the Windjammer about 9:00 and then headed down to the tender to head ashore. No lines and we got right on the tender and left as soon as the next tender was approaching the ship.

Coco Cay has changed a lot since I was last there, it was a lot more built up. The island was a lot more arid and dry looking than I remember, but I was there in May the last time so maybe it was a dry summer.

As we got off the tender we browsed through the straw market and found a Christmas ornament (I collect them and they didn't have one the first time I was there). The usual tshirts, shot glasses and wood carvings were what we saw. Nothing too exciting.

We found chairs easily, we set up camp close to the wave hut since there were fewer chairs (and therefore less crowded) than the main beach. The water was warm and calm and I just sat in the water or laid on the chair until it was time for lunch. DH walked around a little bit, got a Coco Loco and kept checking in.

Lunch was good, but crowded. They only opened up one buffet area and while they had ropes trying to guide people through the lines it was a bit crazy. Seating was limited, but we also ate at a peak time.

We hung out a bit more on the beach after lunch before heading back to the ship around 2:00 where we took a 2 hour nap. Laying on a beach is hard work ya'll. :p

Tonight was formal night and we elected to go to the Windjammer since we did not pack anything resembling formal clothes. I was a bit disappointed in the selection, but I don't remember what I had. The food was good, just not the variety I was expecting.

I know we didn't go to the show tonight (it was a juggler we weren't interested in seeing) but I don't remember what we did do. I think I stayed in the cabin to read a book and DH may have spent some time in the casino.

Friday 8/22/14

We both slept pretty good, I woke up a few times but that isn't too unusual for me. The steady hum of the air conditioner masked the sounds of the airport (which wasn't bad at all, I was just aware of some of the plane traffic). The bed was comfortable but the sheets weren't as soft as I like but still decent.

Breakfast ended at 9:00 so we set an alarm for 8:00 so we could get down there right before it closed. I think everyone else in the hotel had the same thought. All the tables were filled, people spilling out into the lobby area and eating on couches, lines for the waffle maker and toasters... It was a mess. People weren't even attempting to clean up after themselves and the staff wasn't to be seen.

On the good side of breakfast they had a waffle station, assorted breakfast breads, hard boiled eggs, and whole fruit. Plenty for a decent sized breakfast and to get us through until we can get to the Windjammer. After all, we are getting ready for a cruise, we can't go more than 2 hours without eating can we?

We got our money's worth out of the room when you consider we had free breakfast, free airport shuttle and free port shuttle, but I probably wouldn't stay here again.

This is the slow season for Miami cruises so they only have one shuttle to the port and it leaves at 10:00. They asked us to be in the lobby at 9:40 so they could start organizing the luggage.

The shuttle left at 10:03 and it took about 15 minutes to get to the port area. The shuttle dropped off the NCL passengers first, then Carnival and we we last. We were in line to check in by 10:35. There weren't a lot of people in line yet, I would say about 50 when we arrived. Just a few chairs and most people were sitting on the carpet floors.

They let us through security about 10:45 and we were checked in by 11:00. We had to wait in a second line for awhile before they actually let us on the escalators to the ship. They opened up the escalators at 11:30 and then we had to wait while they rebooted the camera software on the check in machines. We were on board about 12:45.

We casually explored, grabbed drinks at the Schooner Bar and slowly made our way up to the Windjammer. We went back to the second part of the Windjammer where it was less crowded ( but the main part wasn't that crowded) but it was HOT up there. I'm not sure if it was all of the windows or if the air was broken.

Food selection was decent but they didn't have any salad toppings out, just the lettuce and dressings. I missed having cheese and croutons...

The rooms opened up right at 1:00, so we found our room and changed into our swimsuits and headed to the pool. The pool stayed fairly empty for most of the afternoon. The water was very warm, probably close to 90 degrees. It didn't feel much cooler than the air.

Muster drill was at 3:45 and it was miserable... Hot, humid and a "drill sergeant" type staff member that kept moving people one or two inches one way or the other to make sure we were in perfectly straight lines. I think they had trouble corralling everyone because it seemed like we were there forever before being dismissed.

Our cabin was on deck 7 (same as the drill) but it took forever to get back to our room because the not so nice aspect of people's nature came out. Everyone just stampeded through and we needed to cross the flow of traffic to get into the hallway.

Sail away was delayed almost an hour. There were reports of a passenger being taken off the ship in handcuffs. We heard an announcement for someone to report to guest services and them a little later a woman was seen getting off the ship with multiple suitcases. I'm not sure what happened...

This was the first cruise we did my time dining... We walked in at 6:40 and were seated immediately. We were offered the Pomodoro menu. I had the French Onion Soup (good) the battered cod (pretty good) and the Strawberry Soufflé (meh, it was okay) for dessert. DH has the shrimp cocktail (pretty good), lamb shank (nice and tender) and the creme brûlée (very good).

After dinner we went to the welcome aboard show with comedian Kivi Rogers. We enjoyed his comedy, although there were a few jokes that fell a little flat. After the show we walked around deck 7 outside where we both saw a shooting star. We spent several minutes at the bow watching the stars. Without the light pollution you could see the trails of the Milky Way.

Background:

We booked this cruise in June to do a quick get away after a crazy spring and summer selling our old house, buying a new one, moving and planning a kitchen remodel at our new house. Oh yeah, and we got married in January... Lots of big events this year!

This trip started out as a long weekend at the beach, but since we live in Ohio the expense of a long weekend at the beach was about the same price as this cruise and involved a lot more logistical work that I just didn't have time to deal with.

DH is 36 and this is his second cruise, I am 33 and this is my sixth cruise (4th on RCI).

I haven't even downloaded the pictures from our camera yet, so this review won't have a lot of pictures.

This is what our kitchen looked like the day we left. Yeah, we were ready to get out of town for a few days...

Thursday, August 21

DH worked a half day and I worked until 3:00. I arrived home to our contractor telling me I needed to call an electrician to move some outlets so he could finish installing our cabinets while we are away. Trying to get that all straightened out, making sure our cat was set for the weekend (including blocking off the stairs so she couldn't get in our contractor's way while he does tile) and getting everything in the car started to get a little stressful. We even got out of the driveway before DH realized that the cash we were taking was sitting on the nightstand. Geesh!!!!

We made it to the airport with enough of a cushion to get a sandwich before heading to the gate. Our flight was delayed a little over an hour, and then just as they shut the door of the plane someone yelled out that they needed off the plane because they didn't take their anxiety meds. They opened up the main door, the passenger got off, then there was a further delay as they pulled his bag off the plane (FAA regulations that a passenger can't be voluntarily separated from his baggage) and filed the paperwork.

At least it happened while we were still on the ground and not while we were in the air. There would have been more paperwork and delays involved with a diverted plane and/or having the police meet the plane at Miami.

Pre Cruise Hotel: La Quinta Inn Airport East

I was able to get this hotel for $70 a night with a corporate discount. Reviews on Trip Advisor are decent but I'm a bit disappointed. They have a free shuttle to/from the airport and to Port of Miami. We waited about 15 minutes for the shuttle to arrive at the airport. It runs on 30 minute loops so there is no need to call for a pick up. It was about 5-10 minutes to the hotel at 10:00 on a Friday night.

The shuttle driver was friendly, but the shuttle itself was in rough shape. The vinyl seats were ripped and cracked and really needed to be replaced.

It was dark so it was difficult to determine what the area looked like. There was a lot of building construction at the adjacent buildings and it looks like this hotel is next to a Ramada Inn and some sort of wings restaurant.

The hotel seemed clean but a little dingy, as if it is in need of a remodel. The front desk employee was very nice and was able to get us on the shuttle list for POM. We were given a room on the second floor. We ended up right across from the laundry room and there seemed to be a decent amount of foot traffic but still fairly quiet.

The room was clean but dated. The sink was by the door, it had a coffee maker, microwave and fridge. The bathroom was clean and may have had a recent face lift. The bed was nice and soft like I like it.

On our Majesty cruise a few weeks ago we were assigned a boarding time. We ignored it and showed up when the hotel shuttle dropped us off. We had no problems boarding before our "assigned" time.

You went from a Balcony to the Royal Family Suite for no additional cost?!?

Why would you be complaining and wanting something more?

I think it sounds interesting.

We tried MTD out for the first time on our Majesty cruise last weekend. It was so nice to get ready to eat when WE wanted to, not worry about making table mates wait if we decided to do the Windjammer, etc.

I think this is just a larger version of MTD where you have more options of locations and menus.

Same here. Some items and documents need to stay with you. To the OP, maybe a small, light bag or tote can hold these necessities and the actual carry-on can be checked.

 

Either way, have some fun!

Yes, we will each have a shoulder bag/backpack with the valuables and paperwork. We will probably go ahead and check the rolling carry on bags just so it is easier to explore but I'm not sure we will explore more than the Windjammer and the pool deck. :)

It is a sure sign of stress that I am "worried" about a $4 tip to the porters on a $2,000 vacation.:cool:

The way I'm reading what you wrote, your lack of "preparation" is EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED!! LOL :D

 

You SO need a weekend where you have nothing that you need to do. And doing nothing is SO relaxing sometimes. Nothing on Coco Cay rocks.

 

Revel in nothing. Enjoy nothing. It really looks like you need a weekend full of nothing.

 

Enjoy the rest.

 

As for your carry on- we do exactly the same thing as you do- pack light, carry on for the flight. IF we get to the port early, and have to carry the luggage around, I prefer to let it be delivered to our room. On the other hand, getting on the ship at 1pm is fine for us, so we shoot to be at the port at about 12:30. That way we head to our rooms, unpack, and are done.

Yes, DH is excited to eat meals that weren't prepared in a microwave and I'm excited to get out of the mess.

We did the demo of the kitchen ourselves to save several thousand dollars in labor, we started on August 9th, so Saturday marks two weeks without a functioning kitchen.

When we get home our cabinets should be installed and most (if not all) of the tile down and safe to walk on. I'm not sure what I am more excited about, the vacation or coming home to an almost finished kitchen!!!!

A weekend doing nothing but being lazy by the pool or beach sounds heavenly right now...

We leave tonight for Miami for our 3-night Majesty cruise and I feel SOOOOO unprepared.

We moved into a new house the end of May, we are in the middle of a kitchen reno (our upper cabinets are being installed as we speak) and work is insane.

DH asked me last night if we had our tickets booked and I had to laugh and say "I think so".

This is so unlike me, I don't have a firm budget, I have no spreadsheet, no excursions booked (although that is intentional to save money on a quick trip) and I just now printed off all of our documents and checked in for our flight here at work.

We are both excited to get away for a few days, but I'm so tired I'm afraid I'm going to sleep through the whole vacation.

Question:

We are flying with carry-on bags only. I am debating whether or not to hand them over to the porters when we get to the pier. It would be nice to not drag them around, but I can't justify tipping a porter for a carry on bag. Don't worry, we will tip if we hand them off, I just can't figure out if the convenience is "worth" it on a trip we are doing as cheaply as possible.

I was thinking of getting to the pier around 10:30. Is that too early?

Two of our excursions involve getting in the water: snorkeling in CocoCay and dolphin encounter in Nassau. Would you suggest we wear our swim suits under a pair of shorts and shirt? Or just take the suit with us. Just thinking of what would be the simplest approach.

For both of these I would just wear a cover up or shorts/tshirt over the swim suit.

Coco Cay has some restrooms you could change in if you wanted to, but since it is a private island most people will just have their swim suits on all day and if they want to change take a tender back to the ship.

If your dolphin encounter is a Blue Lagoon they do have locker rooms, I'm not sure about Atlantis.

Two of our excursions involve getting in the water: snorkeling in CocoCay and dolphin encounter in Nassau. Would you suggest we wear our swim suits under a pair of shorts and shirt? Or just take the suit with us. Just thinking of what would be the simplest approach.

For both of these I would just wear a cover up or shorts/tshirt over the swim suit.

Coco Cay has some restrooms you could change in if you wanted to, but since it is a private island most people will just have their swim suits on all day and if they want to change take a tender back to the ship.

If your dolphin encounter is a Blue Lagoon they do have locker rooms, I'm not sure about Atlantis.

We're going on our first 7 day cruise, with RC, in February. Our stops are St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, Martinique & Barbados. I'm curious to hear from veteran cruisers as to which of these island would be better for which activities. Leave St. Kitts off the list. We stayed there for a week last year and did pretty much everything on the island, so we're going to take the catamaran to Nevis and hopefully stop at Sunshine's for some killer bees.

 

I've been looking through the excursions that RC offers and also doing some research about the islands. It would seem that not booking through RC could be beneficial to us. We are divers and are considering diving in one location. So far, I'm leaning toward St. Thomas for the diving. Which island would be best to take an island tour? How about ziplining? I have to assume that any or all stops would have good snorkeling.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

Barbados: Swim with the sea turtles!!! I've done it twice and it is awesome...

St. Martin: Island Tour with Bernard's... I'm not a fan of island tours but I really enjoyed this one. We substituted the beach time for a stop at the Butterfly Farm which was fun.

How much does a travel agent make on a cruise booking ?

 

 

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No idea, but what does it matter?

Thanks! I will follow up and confirm...

Is there a time limit for when we can transfer a Next Cruise to a travel agent? The agent I was speaking with (only the second time I've attempted to book with an agent) said that she can't use the NC certificates we purchased in June 2013. Does that sound right?

I'm considering using an online travel agent on our 3-night cruise to get free tips included in the price (trying to do this trip as cheaply as possible).

Will we still be able to check in online with RCI and get our C&A points? I've always booked directly with Royal. I'm assuming the answer is yes, but I want to make sure I have the correct information before booking. We are within final payment so I don't want to risk it.