Majesty of the Seas Review--12/14-12/18

[bluegirlum]

Just to warn you, we are really boring cruisers--we just go to get away with each other and relax. If you're looking for wild people who stay up all night and party, it's not us!!!

 

SUNDAY

Flew in Sunday and stayed in South Beach. I arrived at MIA two hours before BF. Had thought about just flying in morning of cruise, but after my two hours at MIA, glad we didn't. Saw one group going on Carnival that afternoon--3 sisters and mom--whose other sister missed her connection and was likely going to miss the boat. I felt so bad for them. Other people were landing at 2:30 for their cruises that day. I can't imagine!

 

MONDAY

Arrived at port at noon. Got through security right away with a few beers in BF's carry on (:eek:), then went to check in. Went to line for Priority Check-In for Platinum, but were put in regular line. Didn’t matter b/c we waited about 3 minutes. Quickly got Seapass, then off to ship. Took Welcome Aboard picture.

 

Got onboard, and lovely holiday decorations in Centrum. Wanted to check on dinner table—had requested table for 2 through C&A—and talked to Maitre D’ even though not officially open yet. Got table for two like we’d asked--in back of room by the window. Got my Coke card, then up to WJ, which was not too crowded. Got the Honey Stung Chicken, which was excellent. Had it on Liberty, and it was dry, but this was a great batch. Everything was very good.

 

Went to cabin at 1:15. “Obstructed” view was not bad at all. Couldn’t see down, but very pleased. Suitcases came around 2. Walked around, then went to muster drill. No life jackets, which was very nice. Met cabin attendant Denry later on. He was very nice and accommodating. Went to sail away party and had drink of the day—Blue Monday.

 

Early dinner. Casual night, and it was VERY casual. Many people in shorts. Had Vidalia onion tart for first time—excellent. I had pork medallions and BF had prime rib. Very good. Chocolate cherry cake and sugar free chocolate pot de crème for dessert, which were both very good as well. Ordered a bottle of pinot grigio, and they didn’t have it on board, so had to buy more expensive one. Service was ok, but not great. Assistant waiter was much better than waiter. The photographers at dinner were very annoying and intrusive. We always like to get one photo from the ship's photographers, but they were so annoying that we didn't get one this time.

 

Went to Welcome Aboard Show. CD Ricky Matthews was really funny. Not so impressed with singers and dancers, but we’re not big “show” people anyway. Didn’t stay for comedian. Went back to room and red velvet cupcakes I ordered were there. In plastic container and frozen, so not quite the presentation I was hoping for, but they were very good and BF liked them. Then went to Bingo—it was my first time playing. BF was one number away from winning, I was two. It was fun. Not too many people there. Then went to casino and I won money in slots, so that was fun. Checked out 70’s dance party in Centrum—Ricky Matthews had 3ft afro and tons of people dancing.

 

Tuesday—Nassau

Arrived at 8am. Had planned to go to Atlantis, but BF wasn’t feeling great, so we decided to just be lazy in the morning. We had lunch in the Compass Deli, then went into town for a little bit and walked around for about an hour. Two Carnival ships in as well. Hung by the pool in the afternoon. Had to look a bit for a chair in the shade, but found two. They had pool games and they were funny to watch. One annoying thing was that we were asked every two minutes if we wanted a drink. We felt bad having to say no to each person, but I feel like if we want a drink, we'll flag them down. There has to be a better system. Seemed to have too many barstaff, and it was very annoying.

 

It was formal night, so we got all gussied up. I was kind of surprised by how casual it was. BF wore suit and tie, I had LBD; table next to us had men in matching Hawaiian shirts, and Hawaiian shirts seemed to be very popular. Saw quite a few tuxes—generally older men—and quite a few polo shirts as well. It didn’t bother me at all, but I know people like to know what the folks are wearing, so I thought I’d note it. BF and I had shrimp cocktail and lobster bisque, he had eggplant tower, which was very good, and I had duck, which was ok, not great. We also had the mushroom linguine, which I think is offered every night, and it was really good. The service, however, was terrible. It was slow and inefficient and the quality of the food did not make up for it. I really just felt like I was in a large banquet hall. Again, the photographers were very intrusive. We decided not to eat in the MDR after that.

We then went to the Captain’s reception, which was really fun. They had free champagne and punch, which I appreciated. Captain Per was hysterical, and if you paid attention to the thread about the crew member jumping overboard last week, I can now understand why he got on the intercom and told everyone what happened. He does not seem like a guy to mess with! He also introduced the 400 young women from Colombia onboard, who I think were celebrating their Quinces. Yeah, they were everywhere, but not too badly behaved.

Also, I had tried to get towels for CocoCay that night, but their machine was broken, so they wouldn’t let me trade them in. I asked if they could just write down my name, but they said they had to scan it, but assured me it would be all fixed by the next morning.

We then went and rested up for the midnight buffet, and at midnight we headed up to the pool deck. Lots of dancing and singing, and a nice spread. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, and Ricky was leading everyone on.

 

Wednesday—Coco Cay

Captain Per had worried that winds might be too strong to stop, but it was a beautiful day. For this trip I decided to try Bonine and a SeaBand instead of my usual patch, and I was really pleasantly surprised that I didn't feel seasick at all. We went pretty fast at night and could definitely feel the boat moving, but I felt great.

 

Anyway, Wednesday morning I went up to the pool deck to get new towels, and there was a line. Of course, the machine was still broken, and sure enough, they started writing down people’s names! It was a minor irritation, but I’m glad I was there early. We got on a tender around 8:45 and then headed towards the lighthouse to the cabanas. No one was there, and we didn’t see another person until about 10:15. The cabanas were wonderful. No one bothered you for drinks—there was a bar about 20 feet behind us if we needed anything—and except for the people taking pictures in the lighthouse, it was very quiet. When I wanted to go in the water, I just walked to the snorkeling beach and it was fine. Thanks for letting me know about them! The BBQ lunch was very good, as were the Coco Locos. We stayed until about 2.

 

After our afternoon nap, we decided that we’d go to Johnny Rockets for dinner, as we didn’t feel like dealing with the MDR. We used our C&A coupons for the 2-for-1 milkshake and got food as well. (On the subject of coupons, while I appreciate them, most of them require you to buy something, and they really don’t give you anything of value. The old JR coupon was so much better, but whatever.) After that, we were so full that we just went back to the room and fell asleep. Were invited to C&A party, but didn’t go.

 

Thursday--Key West

Got in at 10, off the ship by 10:30. Walked around, went to a few bars. Highly recommend the Schooner Wharf Bar. Went to Hog’s Breath, our usual stop. It rained a little, but was great otherwise. It is our favorite stop.

When we got back on the ship, we tried to use up coupons. We got wine in Baleros, then a free spin in Casino and I won a keychain. I used 10% off coupon in gift shop for ornament and our Internet coupons to quickly check e-mail since my blackberry was down like everyone else’s on Thursday. We had dinner in the WJ. I had the make-your-own rissoto bar, which was really good. We were very pleased with quality of food in the WJ. It was just as good as MDR, and don’t have to deal with bad service. If we were to do it again, we'd probably eat there and JR every night instead of bothering with the MDR. We then went back to the Casino and won some more on Wheel of Fortune.

After that, we packed and decided to do express checkout and take our own bags. BF got a note that because there were so few D and D+ on board, platinum could use departure lounge in MDR, which we thought was nice.

 

Friday--Miami

Got Seapass bill in morning and found that they had not credited us for internet coupons, so had to deal with that. We always seem to run into some problem with using our coupons on the last day and not being credited for something. We got to MDR at 6:45, and there was no rhyme or reason. There was coffee, juice and pastries, which was very nice, but no thought as to how to organize people in the room. As is usually the case, the people who got there last got to get off the ship first. It took all of about 5 minutes to get off, so it didn’t matter, but it’s the principle. We got off the ship at 7:45 and were at the airport at 8:30.

 

Overall

Overall, we had a wonderful time. It was nice to see the improvements they’ve made since last time we were on the ships. Our stateroom was really nice and the obstructed view really didn't matter. The public bathrooms are so much nicer than before and the amount of attention they paid to cleaning and talking about washing hands was really impressive. Our stateroom attendant was wonderful, and the rest of the staff was very attentive and patient, especially with all the kids on board. Our safe broke the first night, and the repairman came right away and was very nice. The dedicated departure lounge was great, they just need to think about logistics. We really enjoyed the WJ food overall, as well as JR and the Compass Deli. Coco Cay is a wonderful stop and the cabanas are so great. We were very lucky to be able to go on such a great trip.

As I noted on my survey, there were a few things that were missing/could be fixed, but certainly didn’t ruin my trip and are really very minor. We no longer received maps of the ports of call in our compasses each night—we didn’t get them until literally walking off the ship. I like knowing where I’m going. Also, they don’t have the TV channel with the map of where you are anymore—it was fun to see where you are (again, such a minor thing!). The photographers at dinner were annoying and intrusive and were part of the reason we decided not to go back to the MDR, along with the poor waitstaff. It was nice to get Platinum benefits, but the coupons are of little use, and when we tried to use some of them, we didn’t receive credit for them—they were more of a hassle than a benefit.

 

Let me know if you have any questions! I can't wait for my next cruise. I have yet to try the Voyager class, and hope to do that next.

[amybeth4]

Yay, BG, welcome home! Glad you had a nice time.

 

Funny, we had no photographers at our MDR table. I guess i shouldn't say that - we didn't eat there two nights so maybe they came those nights. But we never saw 'em.

 

I guess I shouldn't be surprised about how casual people were dressed in the MDR. It's not something I EVER looked at before coming to Cruise Critic, so now I take note of it. It doesn't bother me at all, but it does look so much nicer when people are dressed. MOST people were dressed on the Liberty, and quite a few men in tuxes. It all goes back to the 4-night cruise vs. the 7+-night cruise, I guess.

 

Pretty sad about your cupcakes, I must say. I would've been quite disappointed, especially considering what you probably paid for them.

 

Too bad the service turned you off the MDR. That's really a sad state of affairs, especially considering how much better service used to be. I wasn't turned off by my Majesty or Liberty wait staff, but they were DEFINITELY not "like the old days."

 

Annoying bartenders don't really bother me. I find them very difficult to flag down and I'd rather be asked every five minutes than have to chase them down. On my last cruise I DEFINITELY remember saying no to someone and literally five minutes later when the next one came over, I was suddenly in the mood for one! :)

 

The towel situation really annoys me. It was SO much better when they were in your rooms. I would not want to have to go up to the pool deck and wait in line. Luckily on the Liberty it wasn't an issue because we didn't go to a private island, and on the Majesty, we had them in our cabins!

 

I also love Hog's Breath! My Maj cruise was actually the first time I'd been to Key West and knew nothing about the place, but found myself in there. It just sucked that i had to go alone. :(

 

Again, welcome home and I'm glad you had such a good time! :)

[bluegirlum]

Thanks amybeth! Yeah, except for our trip home yesterday, everything was really great. Even the things I found to complain about are really not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I was on a plane full of servicemen and women yesterday and then I sat down to write my review and felt bad that I was complaining about anything on a cruise ship, you know?

 

It's funny how I never noticed things like what people wear in the MDR until I came on CC either! :D On our Liberty cruise, people were definitely more dressed up, and even though I don't think the MDR is all that fancy, I feel bad if I don't dress like others would expect, so we just go elsewhere if we're feeling lazy. The man next to us in the Hawaiian shirt on formal night was D+, and he's going on Oasis on March, and I just don't see that flying, you know?

 

As for the bar staff, we've had it in the past where we couldn't find one when we needed one too, so again, just one of those things. We'd also had a bit too much the night before, so maybe the thought of another drink was the last thing on our minds at that point!! ;)

 

I wish we could spend more time in Key West instead of Nassau, as I just love the vibe there. I think you'd like the Schooner Wharf Bar--you know, since I know you so well! :) It's on the water about 5 blocks from the pier and there is this hilarious guy playing music while his dog lays in his guitar case. Great drinks and a fun atmosphere. Hog's is so fun! I called my dad--after a few too many hog punches--and told him to look for me on the webcam. :)

 

I hope you're not getting too snowed in up there. Thanks for reading my review. Oh, the piano guy in the Schooner Bar was horrible! I thought they were doing karaoke in there b/c it was so bad! :eek: I totally understand now why you wanted to jump back on a ship. 4 nights was not long enough!

[moco]

This is a real helpful post. We take a 5-night on the Majesty beginning Monday.

Can you explain what caused the delays at Miami airport? We are scheduled to arrive at noon, and the ship leaves port at 5.

Also, how was the water temperature at Nassau and Cococay?

[yogimax]

Thanks for your excellent review!

[Coolmama_1]

Great review! Thanks for sharing.

[Dlhappy29]

Please let us know how your cruise was we are going in April

[bluegirlum]

This is a real helpful post. We take a 5-night on the Majesty beginning Monday.

Can you explain what caused the delays at Miami airport? We are scheduled to arrive at noon, and the ship leaves port at 5.

Also, how was the water temperature at Nassau and Cococay?

 

I really can't say what the delays were in Miami this time. We were on Delta/NW, so the terminal is not as crazy as the American terminal, but there also aren't as many flights into MIA. The American Airlines terminal is just a mess because it is their hub to South America. I think the problem this time was at OTHER airports, because it seems that people were missing connections--so probably Atlanta, Minneapolis, or Detroit were the issues. A few people didn't get bags.

 

We didn't go in the water in Nassau, but in Cococay it was a bit chilly at first. Being from WI, I got used to it pretty quick, but there were folks from FL who said it was too cold to go in. I thought it was very refreshing b/c it was 86 degrees and very hot.

 

Have a great time on your cruise!

[beachseasand]

Thanks for the infromative review. Very nice to read

[amybeth4]

Thanks amybeth! Yeah, except for our trip home yesterday, everything was really great. Even the things I found to complain about are really not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I was on a plane full of servicemen and women yesterday and then I sat down to write my review and felt bad that I was complaining about anything on a cruise ship, you know?

 

I wish we could spend more time in Key West instead of Nassau, as I just love the vibe there. I think you'd like the Schooner Wharf Bar--you know, since I know you so well! :) It's on the water about 5 blocks from the pier and there is this hilarious guy playing music while his dog lays in his guitar case. Great drinks and a fun atmosphere. Hog's is so fun! I called my dad--after a few too many hog punches--and told him to look for me on the webcam. :)

 

I hope you're not getting too snowed in up there. Thanks for reading my review. Oh, the piano guy in the Schooner Bar was horrible! I thought they were doing karaoke in there b/c it was so bad! :eek: I totally understand now why you wanted to jump back on a ship. 4 nights was not long enough!

 

HEY. I realize they're servicemen and women, but you still have every right to make minor complaints about a cruise you paid for! :)

 

The Schooner Wharf bar sounds fun!! I'd love to get back to KW and go there.

 

The piano guy on my Maj cruise wasn't that great either. You could stand around the piano and sing, but he wasn't even CLOSE to Kory. Totally different kind of performer. Not a comedian and he played some kind of electronic backup machine with him. Eh.

 

I'm sure there'll be one or two men in Caribbean shirts on formal night on the Oasis...they're the same passengers, basically. :) Less than the Maj though, I'm sure!

 

Finally, yes we're getting buried in the snow here. Bur-ied. Yoiks. :(

[SWACK]

Sorry to hear about the piano guy.. that's one of our fav things to do.. and we're on the Majesty next Monday.. oh well, maybe he'll be on vacation!

 

What time did you have to be back on board at Key West? Were there things going on in Mallory Square yet?

[CarpeCerevisi]

Sorry to hear about the piano guy.. that's one of our fav things to do.. and we're on the Majesty next Monday.. oh well, maybe he'll be on vacation!

 

What time did you have to be back on board at Key West? Were there things going on in Mallory Square yet?

 

Check out Sean Burns. He sings and plays guitar and harmonica in the Schooner Bar each night after the piano player. He's really quite good, and he's written a song about the jumper incident (he was there when it happened).

 

I was on the same cruise as the OP. I can add that the Diamond and D+ event was held each night from 5 to 8:30 in the Viking Crown. There was decent turnout before the main seating but was pretty empty after that. The special D/D+ gift was a nice pen and a rather large pin. D+ members were also invited to a bridge tour.

 

All aboard in KW was at 5:30. I didn't see if there was a lot of activity in Mallory Square. Unfortunately, the western sky was fairly cloudy so we didn't get to see a true sunset that night.

 

Someone asked about the water temperature, I don't know the actual number but it was probably in the upper 70's, a little cool when you first get in but after being in for less than a minute it felt wonderful, at least to a New Yorker.

[tiggerman101]

Nice to read your review. I was on this cruise as well. It was actually my first RCL cruise after 7 with Carnival. I could write a lot more, but I don't want to hijack your thread. I had a nice time.

[PrincesScuba]

Nice to read your review. I was on this cruise as well. It was actually my first RCL cruise after 7 with Carnival. I could write a lot more, but I don't want to hijack your thread. I had a nice time.

Add all that you want, tiggerman.

 

It's not considered "hijacking" or anything else negative if you add your own information and impressions to a thread.

 

That's what Cruise Critic is all about!

 

:)

[crookedhalo]

Be glad you saw a server offering drinks...on our last CCL trip in 2008, they were a very scarce commodity:p On GOS in September, they were around everywhere but the MDR (where you really wanted them!) so it was all good;)

[bluegirlum]

Nice to read your review. I was on this cruise as well. It was actually my first RCL cruise after 7 with Carnival. I could write a lot more, but I don't want to hijack your thread. I had a nice time.

 

Yeah, I would love to hear what you thought! As I said, we're really boring, so our view is pretty limited. I'm glad you had fun. We really did too. I'd love to hear how you thought it compared to Carnival--I was intrigued by their ships in Nassau.

[tiggerman101]

Yeah, I would love to hear what you thought! As I said, we're really boring, so our view is pretty limited. I'm glad you had fun. We really did too. I'd love to hear how you thought it compared to Carnival--I was intrigued by their ships in Nassau.

 

 

Alright, here goes.... I am a "boring" cruiser as well. I don't party anymore so the late night bars don't have much of an appeal to me. Overall I had a really good time and liked the RCCL product. I agree with a lot of people that say there are more similarities to Carnival then there are differences. Many times, if I didn't know better, I wouldn't be able to tell which cruise line I was on.

 

Things I really liked were the midnight buffet and deck party, it was well done and fun to watch everyone. I loved the pool area and the pools themselves. I was a bit surprised to see how deep they were. I loved the fact that they were open all night. I liked the coffee and the different buffet stations in the windjammer as opposed to one long line. I also liked the extra pillows on the beds. Oh yea, I loved the "Royal Reality" TV channel. I watched so many shows on there. They were all interesting and kept me in my cabin more then I probably would have been.

 

Before I get into some negatives let me make a "disclaimer". I know Majesty is one of the smallest RCCL ships available. I also know it is laid out different and missing the great Royal Promenade. With that said...Things I didn't care for were the towel system. I much prefer having them in my cabin and having them replaced every night. I am sorry to say, but the food wasn't that good at all. I found the quality of the MDR food lacking. It wasn't horrible, but it sure didn't stand out. I don't cruise for gourmet food so it didn't bother me too much. The layout of the ship was a bit awkward with everything being spread out among many floors. Obviously the rooms were really small, but again I knew that going in and being solo (I had a F1 Oceanview) it was perfectly fine. On a very picky point, I drink a lot of water and hate Evian, but I know this is a very minor point.

 

I am a really laid back cruiser and something major would have to happen to get me irritated or even make me think twice about it. Therefore, my "negatives" above are not really complaints, just observations. I liked the ship as a whole quite a bit. I found the decor nice and understated. Carnival is more whimsical and in your face. They are just different, but neither one will make me cruise one line over the other. My next cruise is actually in two months on Oasis so I am going from the smallest to the biggest. I am sure that I will continue to cruise both lines in the future.

[Reg7]

I have seen within this post a couple of comments on Towel System.

Now I have only cruised on Voyager Class ships (...so far anyway !!!!) but looking forward to MOS on 11th Jan.

What do I need to know about the "Towel System" ?

 

Is this just for when you go ashore ?

 

May seem like a stupid question, but someone will know the stupid answer ;)

 

Thanks

[CarpeCerevisi]

I have seen within this post a couple of comments on Towel System.

Now I have only cruised on Voyager Class ships (...so far anyway !!!!) but looking forward to MOS on 11th Jan.

What do I need to know about the "Towel System" ?

 

Is this just for when you go ashore ?

 

May seem like a stupid question, but someone will know the stupid answer ;)

 

Thanks

 

This was the first time I had experienced the new "Towel System". There was a towel station on the main pool deck where one would go to get pool/beach towels (they no longer placed any pool towels in the cabins). When one requested a towel (more than one could be requested) their SeaPass card was scanned and the number of towels requested was entered in the computer. When the towels are returned the SeaPass card is scanned again and the number of towels returned deducted from the computer. If at the end of the cruise the same number of towels that were checked out were not returned a $20 charge per towel would be added to the SeaPass holder's account. The towels may be taken ashore and do not need to be returned the same day they are checked out, they just need to be returned before the end of the cruise.

 

The towels, by the way, were fairly new, i.e. not the old yellowish ones. The new towels are much nicer than the old ones which might explain the new system - they don't want passengers taking them home with them.

[amybeth4]

I have seen within this post a couple of comments on Towel System.

Now I have only cruised on Voyager Class ships (...so far anyway !!!!) but looking forward to MOS on 11th Jan.

What do I need to know about the "Towel System" ?

 

Is this just for when you go ashore ?

 

May seem like a stupid question, but someone will know the stupid answer ;)

 

Thanks

 

It's for any time you want a beach towel. They're no longer left in your cabins. You have to go to the one stand on the pool deck, wait in line, hand them your sea pass card (which they "ding") and then you can have towels. Then you have to get back in line to return them (at any point during the week, and you can have multiple ones out).

[tiggerman101]

I have seen within this post a couple of comments on Towel System.

Now I have only cruised on Voyager Class ships (...so far anyway !!!!) but looking forward to MOS on 11th Jan.

What do I need to know about the "Towel System" ?

 

Is this just for when you go ashore ?

 

May seem like a stupid question, but someone will know the stupid answer ;)

 

Thanks

 

On Carnival, and from what I gather that RCCL used to do, you get Beach Towels in your stateroom every day. If you use them and require a new one for the next day then the Cabin Steward just replaced them at night. Now on RCCL you have to check them out up at the pool area. They have a stand set up where you give them your card and they will give you a towel (or towels). You can swap them out for new ones, you just have to turn them in by the end of the cruise or it is $20 a towel. This new system just makes it a bit more of pain. The stand will close early some days so if you go swimming at night or use a hot tub you can't switch it out for the next morning, etc. Sure you can check out a bunch of towels, but then you have to keep up with them, etc.

 

It isn't that big of a deal, but it can be a slight inconvenience at times.