Detailed Review of Majesty 4-Night Cruise

[EmpressofPurple]

Hi Cruise Critic Friends! I’m going to share the details of my recent 4-night cruise on the lovely Majesty of the Seas (probably even more lovely now; I was onboard for the last sailing before her recent drydock refreshening).

 

 

Cruise Bargain

This was a last-minute booking, which I made because someone on CC kindly started a thread about low prices available on this sailing. I checked them out, and indeed saw a SOLO price of $88 for this 4-night cruise!! (Plus $100 for port fees and taxes, total was $188.) I went back and forth about it, checking out airfares (ranging $2-300 to FLL or Miami), didn’t want to spend more on air than the cruise, so I put it off. Then I checked again, and the fare was gone.

 

I e-mailed my TA, who could see the fare, but not book it. I checked again, fare was back, so I started looking at airfares again… and I saw an airfare via Frontier from Trenton (rather than the closer NYC airports of Newark, LaGuardia or JFK) for $145 ROUNDTRIP!! Well, by then the cruise fare was gone again, of course… I checked again the next day, and the fare was back (although my TA still couldn’t book it) so I put a complimentary 24-hour hold on it and went to book the airfare… which by then was $155, but I still grabbed it (plus $15 checked baggage fee each way – cheaper than the $20 carryon fee! – and $8/day parking at Trenton airport) – called RCI direct to book the cruise… and between air ($155), cruise ($188), parking ($40), baggage fees ($30), transfers ($40) and gratuities ($48) I had ALL of my expenses covered for this 4-day getaway for $501!!!

[EmpressofPurple]

Packing and Background

I packed a small rollaboard and shoulder bag for this short trip, even though I had to check the bag… still managed to have daily workout gear, two swimsuits, a formal night outfit… and six pairs of footwear!! (Sneakers, water shoes, flip flops, walking sandals – Tevas – and two pairs of Tom’s-type sparkly flats. You may note I don’t wear heels for any occasion, they’re simply too unhealthy for my feet.) Unfortunately, I later discovered I had omitted many personal items I use every day… oh well, for four days I could survive!

 

A little background about me: I live in NYC, I’m 55, single, active (regular endurance running and Yoga practice), small business owner, D+ with Royal (this was my first cruise as D+), mother of two adult children. I’m usually very active on cruises, attending all of the free gym classes (and often many of the paid offerings as well), enjoying active excursions such as snorkeling, kayaking, horseback riding, etc…. as you will see, this cruise was a departure from this pattern, much more relaxed and unstructured than usual for me. This was also the first truly “solo” cruise for me: not only sailing solo in my cabin, but knowing no one onboard in advance of the sailing… (Well, not quite no one: it turned out that a friend of my daughter’s, who had sailed with us on a Majesty cruise several years ago, was sailing with a group of her friends who were visiting from Spain! We met up a couple of times onboard, as you will see.)

 

Travel Day & Making Friends in the Airport

On departure day I woke up at 1, 3, 4, 4:15 a.m., nervous about predicted snow and ice on theroads… finally got dressed, made coffee, loaded car and started driving, trying to stay ahead of the incoming inclement weather. A little bit of icy rain on the bridge, but by the time I passed the tolls onto the parkway it was clear… a few bursts of rain here and there, but nothing slippery or scary. What a relief!

 

Passed Newark airport at exactly 30 minutes, arrived at Trenton-Mercer at exactly 90 minutes. Parked directly across from terminal entrance, walked over in light rain with my bags, checked one (cheaper on Frontier than a carryon), and entered tiny, charming waiting area: two gates, entire space barely twice the size of my living room, snack bar the size of my dining area. Cute! I chatted with a nice older couple (brother and sister) traveling to visit friends on Fisher Island, Esther kindly offered me an orange-cranberry muffin… after initially declining I accepted, and thank goodness: everything on Frontier is for-pay, including drinks, pretzels, etc. I had brought an apple and a cashew-fruit bar, so between that and the muffin, and my water bottle (which I had refilled at the water fountain in the waiting area) I was fine.

 

I also met a gentleman from Philadelphia who turned out to be my daily breakfast companion onboard, hi Donald! : ) Another D+ cruiser, we shared a lot of cruise stories, cruise research ideas, and more, at our daily Diamond Breakfast in the main dining room, and have stayed in touch since our return home. (Lucky him, he’s already done another short trip on the Majesty, post-drydock.)

 

Read Cloud Atlas and dozed on the three-hour flight…TINY aisles, clearly this was an A319 that was retrofitted to seat 156 vs. the 124 passengers it was designed to hold… that’s five extra rows of seats!! You literally cannot stand up in the space between your seat and the next seat back. I was seated next to a young couple with a lovely (and amazingly silent) 2-month-old infant.

 

 

We had boarded the plane from the tarmac, loading from front and back simultaneously… but in FLL we exited only via the front. Even so, deplaning was relatively easy (perhaps because of no free carryons? ...indeed, on Frontier it’s more expensive to carry on a bag than to check it) and by the time I arrived at the baggage carousel, my bag was coming out. I missed a call from a Florida number, turned out to be the SAS van driver, who was in the airport already! I went outside and found him quickly. We picked up a few more passengers, then headed to port of Miami, about a 30-minute drive, very easy.

[EmpressofPurple]

Boarding Time & My Tiny Interior Stateroom

I carried on my two small bags with no issues (despite a porter warning me that they wouldn’t let me in with them and that I would have to come back), waited on a few different lines to enter the check-in area, went to D-D+-Emerald-Platinum checkin, got my seapass card (fortunately had assigned my RC Visa card at online checkin, so even though I had forgotten it at home, I could still use it for incidental charges) (Ummm, no, more on that later…but briefly, be sure to bring the physical card you want to use for onboard charges), and headed up to board. One nice feature of boarding later: the rooms are ready! And since I’m carrying on my bags I can unpack right away.

 

I bypassed the boarding photo, walked on to deck four… how lovely! It’s been a while since I’ve been on the Majesty, it’s a fun ship. I miss the Monarch, I’m sorry I never got to sail the Sovereign… and I will miss Majesty when it’s gone. (Its final sailing departs on my birthday, I’d love to be on it, but prices have surged due to all the “last time” fans of the ship driving up demand.) I lugged my bags up one flight of stairs (elevators were all slow and packed… indeed, I’ve only caught one empty one since I’ve been onboard, otherwise walking is better). I went ALL the way forward to find my “inside inside” …i.e., not on the hallway facing the outside cabins, but on an interior hallway…

 

… and opened the door to the smallest cabin I’ve ever seen! I’ve shared interiors on these ships before, but this one is unique. Bed touches walls at headboard and footboard… and overhead are two pull-down berths! My god, how could you possibly put four people in here? There is no sofa, no armchair, just a tiny desk and chair, four desk drawers… no shelves in the closet… It barely holds the clothes I brought in my two little carryons!! (However, the bathroom has a large, luxurious square shower… seems much larger than the usual “tube” showers.) I unpacked everything, and discovered I had forgotten quite a number of items, most especially my energy drink mixes, hair ties and hair combs, a hairbrush… eek! Ah well, it’s only five days, I’ll live… Thank goodness I packed my vitamins last minute! (I thought I had packed things earlier, but apparently I did not.)

 

 

 

 

Nice welcome fruit plate and nuts/cookies

 

 

 

My six pairs of shoes:

 

[EmpressofPurple]

Embarkation Day Activities

By now it was after 2pm. I changed into capris and a tank top, with a batik coverup, and walked to the aft of the ship, where I caught an elevator to deck 11, walked back across the pool deck to the Windjammer and had a late lunch: a slice of roast beef from the carving station (recently abandoned) with some horseradish; a serving of paella with a piece of roast chicken, a scallop, a shrimp, and a mussel; and some spring mix with a topping of greek salad, plus some strawberry-kiwi flavored water.

 

 

Filled my travel coffee mug and headed to the Salon. No tour on offer (it was 3pm and muster was at 3:30) but I did submit a raffle card and chatted with fellow passenger Kay (who seemed very familiar, I think we’ve met on other cruises) who told me of the ship-run spa on MSC, with privately-hired Balinese staff (no franchise like Steiner or Canyon Ranch), cheaper and less hard-sell (no Steiner gym contract, no proprietary spa products, “health lectures” to promote private-brand supplements, etc.)

 

Walked down aft of ship to deck 7 for muster drill… very strange… was told I couldn’t use phone (sending last texts before we pulled out) so I went inside to wait until 3:30 (it was only 3:15)… when I walked back on deck, I was never checked in by the deck staff… virtually no announcements during the muster drill, entire procedure was very delayed… finally dismissed after announcements…

 

Back to cabin briefly, then to spa raffle at sailaway (no luck alas)… enjoyed ship turning around and sailing out of Miami cruise ship row, stayed at aft all the way to Fisher Island (looked for Esther and Jack on their friend’s balcony, but no luck there either). Then down to deck five, until I realized I forgot to go to the pool bar for the CC sailaway meetup, so I headed up… and there was my daughter’s friend and all her friends from Spain! No CC folks, but it was great to see her again.

 

From there, headed down to Trivia, by Isaac (five names) from Mexico… a fun trivia, 15 questions, 5 general knowledge, 5 true or false, and 5 REAL riddles! (I am very proud to have gotten 4 out of the 5… and winning overall with a team of 1! Isaac gave prizes to the runners up, too… and an extra pen for me, which I planned to give to Ariel, but ended up giving to my Nassau People to People hosts instead… plus a keychain for calling my team “Isaac’s cheerleader”!!

 

Shots from around the ship and sailaway:

 

 

 

Just two other ships on Cruise Ship row

 

 

 

[EmpressofPurple]

More Sailaway Photos

 

I'm not very good at selfies yet...

 

 

Container port

 

 

The Fisher Island car ferry

 

 

Fancy Fisher Island condos and beach

 

 

Enjoying the pool at sailaway

 

 

One of my only Diamond Drinks (plus trail mix)... enjoyed in the Schooner Bar while playing Trivia...

 

[EmpressofPurple]

Traditional Dining & An Early Night (after a long day of travel)

Back to room to change clothes, and to early dinner at 6:30pm. A nice bunch: Barbara and Nancy, two retired police station workers (guarded the jail cells!) traveling together, Barbara a former model, Nancy recently lost her husband… Mary and Norm, a retired couple from just outside of Atlanta, Georgia… Ted, traveling solo while his wife was on business in New York… and Maria and Dave, musicians from Detroit, now living in Florida (formerly “Sax Appeal,” now “Sax on the Beach”).

 

Waiter Anthony and Assistant Waiter Ciprian provided delightful service, Mojo menu was pleasing… started with the Asian coconut seafood soup (got shrimp, scallop, mussel)… tried the salmon main course but it was too dry (though I enjoyed the celeriac mash) and so got the prime rib, rare, which was delicious. Dessert was my favorite swirly mango pudding with raspberry coulis. No coffee; I was too tired from my EARLY morning rising, planning to sleep early…

 

Missed the show, though I’ve seen it several times (Boogie Wonderland)… and as I was heading up to get some rest, I had to stay in the Centrum to enjoy the terrific ZigZag Band which did covers of everything from Motown to the Beatles to the Beach Boys to Jerry Lee Lewis, all with great verve, energy, and talent, truly conjuring up the original performances. I stayed to the end of their set, went to the cabin, tried to write up my day and fell asleep before 10pm!!!

 

Treats in the cafe

 

Mojo Dinner Menu

 

Mango pudding with raspberry coulis

 

The terrific Zig Zag band (notice keyboard player with leg up on the piano)

 

Ooh! and when I got back to my stateroom, I received my first D+ toiletries!

[Susie51]

I'm enjoying your review and pictures. What a wonderful total price!

 

Your cabin looks to be about the size of our inside cabin we had 0n RCCL Song of America. We had three ladies and a teen age girl in our cabin.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[EmpressofPurple]

I'm enjoying your review and pictures. What a wonderful total price!

 

Your cabin looks to be about the size of our inside cabin we had 0n RCCL Song of America. We had three ladies and a teen age girl in our cabin.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Just amazing you were able to squeeze four people in there! These are the cabins that give cruising the reputation for having tiny living space!! Most of my cabins have been notably larger than this.

 

Yeah, it was a great deal! :-)

 

Sent from my SM-G900P using Forums mobile app

[Yorkvillain]

Loving this review Denise. What a deal you go on this. It's impossible to say no to that price!

[celly]

Loving your review and pictures and looking forward to more! What a great deal.

Enjoy your cruise!

[WinksCruises]

Great insights and an entertaining read. Looking forward to hearing more. Thanks for taking the time and effort to share your experiences and photos.

[canuckgirl7777]

She's a lovely ship! Can't wait to read more. Wonderful so far :)

[Colorado Babe]

I am contemplating booking the Majesty before my Legend cruise next month. My only concern is traveling alone with no one I know. The prices are really low for a suite and we need the points to take us to Diamond Plus after my Panama Canal cruise. Were you able to meet other solos on the ship or did you stay by yourself?

[EmpressofPurple]

I'll be posting more later today, and you will see I made friends easily throughout the cruise... and also enjoyed my time alone as well. It was a great getaway...

 

The most interesting surprise was that for a short cruise to places I've been dozens of times, this cruise turned out to be all about the ports rather than the ship!

 

Sent from my SM-G900P using Forums mobile app

[Hoopster95]

I'll be posting more later today, and you will see I made friends easily throughout the cruise... and also enjoyed my time alone as well. It was a great getaway...

 

The most interesting surprise was that for a short cruise to places I've been dozens of times, this cruise turned out to be all about the ports rather than the ship!

 

Sent from my SM-G900P using Forums mobile app

 

Hey Empress, great review so far! I'm interested in following as I'm looking hard at maybe a Majesty b2b next Dec or Jan before she's retired. Great photos :) I followed that thread you posted on regarding the last minute price deal at the time... sigh... wished I lived closer to FL. Congrats :)

 

Questions for you...

• no gym or spa, but at the sports court, other than table tennis and basketball, are there a any other types fitness equip available (ie. stretch fitness bands, matts, etc?).
  
• What cabin class/deck were you in?
  
• Would you consider a beverage package for this ship since no real DL or CL, or were you fine with the Viking Crown get-together and your 3 drinks loaded on your card?
  

 

Coloradobabe... DO NOT hesitate to go solo. You'll love it... maybe you'll never want to bring your husband back wth you on a cruise ever again!!! :p

[EmpressofPurple]

Hey Empress, great review so far! I'm interested in following as I'm looking hard at maybe a Majesty b2b next Dec or Jan before she's retired. Great photos :) I followed that thread you posted on regarding the last minute price deal at the time... sigh... wished I lived closer to FL. Congrats :)

 

Questions for you...

• no gym or spa, but at the sports court, other than table tennis and basketball, are there a any other types fitness equip available (ie. stretch fitness bands, matts, etc?).
  
• What cabin class/deck were you in?
  
• Would you consider a beverage package for this ship since no real DL or CL, or were you fine with the Viking Crown get-together and your 3 drinks loaded on your card?
  

 

Coloradobabe... DO NOT hesitate to go solo. You'll love it... maybe you'll never want to bring your husband back wth you on a cruise ever again!!! :p

 

Hi Hoop, I had a great B2B on Majesty with MerionMom a couple years ago... great way to maximize travel time on minimal airfare. Glad you're enjoying the photos and detailed review! Lots more to come.

 

To answer your questions:

 

1) I didn't notice fitness bands or mats on the sports court, just ping pong tables, basketball hoop of course... Maybe you could bring your own bands and attach them to the railings for outdoor workouts, what a great idea!

 

2) Stateroom K-5009 Interior interior (i.e., not on the side hallway facing the exterior cabins, but on an inner hallway, very far forward).

 

3) As a non-drinker, I have often CONSIDERED both a soda package and the new Replenish package, but not yet pulled the trigger. I simply don't need the extra calories/sugar/chemicals I would have to consume to make them worthwhile... in general I'm happy with the lemonade and iced tea (and Arnold Palmers!)... the "flavored water" (when available)... the desalinated water... the coffee (which I put on ice to make my own iced coffee)...

 

Sometimes I bring my own flavored syrup for the coffee (salted caramel is my latest fave)... teabags (the new ones on board are pretty weak)... Stevia packets... (they have saccharin, aspartame and sucralose, but not stevia)... I have even been known to squeeze my own grapefruit juice onboard, since you can get half-grapefruits but not grapefruit juice anywhere!!

 

While I would enjoy a frozen (non-alcoholic) drink by the pool, I'm happy to wait until happy hour to have one on my D+ card (and tip cash to the server)... I have never actually had the three free drinks myself, I simply couldn't drink that much in the time before dinner... everything without alcohol is just too sweet (soda, juices, etc.)... I guess I could enjoy the for-pay coffees from the coffee shop... but how many cappuccinos could I drink in one day? (Hmm... quite a few, actually, I discovered when I was on the Oasis and my cabin was nearby the then-Diamond Club which had a cappuccino machine!) ...

 

Still, with no need for bottled water (I carry my own, which I fill from glasses of ice and water in the Windjammer -- don't fill directly from the dispensers, that's unhygienic even if you have a separate drink top, never re-use any glasses or cups under the dispensers), being happy with most of the free drinks on offer, and unable to use even the three free drinks I can get as a D+, I haven't yet felt that a package would make sense for me. YMMV of course.

[EmpressofPurple]

Tuesday, Jan. 13 – Nassau

 

Awoke at 7, back to sleep until 8… felt ship shifting as it reversed into dock… turned on TV to enjoy the deck camera, my favorite!! (Especially when in an inside cabin.) Sunrise and Nassau on the screen. Decided NOT to go to the gym, a FIRST on a cruise for me!!! No morning stretch, weights, run, workout. I took a shower, dressed for walking and packed a bag with a swimsuit, coverup, book, water bottle… no idea what my host has planned.

 

Sunrise on the flat screen TV (FYI it was mounted on the wall OVER the head of the bed, so only way to watch it is in the mirror on the back of the door)

 

Headed down to the Diamond breakfast at 8am, where I met up with Donald, whom I had met in the Trenton airport! We had a lovely breakfast together, talking D+ and cruising planning… joined later by Kay at the next table (whom I had met yesterday after the spa raffle) and the three of us shared cruise stories, both on RCI and other lines.

 

I had to leave to check with Vitor, the new loyalty ambassador, about any recognition at that night’s Loyalty party (probably not)… and he gave me my D+ pin!! Then checked my email (nothing from Lynnette), and stopped in the Schooner Bar for C&A trivia. Proud to be part of a team that got 12 out of 15 right (mostly thanks to a guy who’s about to be Pinnacle in the next couple of months)… but we were beaten by two latecomers who had 15 out of 15. Mr. Almost-Pinnacle knew these two “ringers”… but the Cruise staff gave all of us prize pens for attending.

 

Walked down to disembark leisurely at 10:30, surprised to see Festival Bay now in small sale shacks OUTSIDE the main building, which is undergoing extensive repairs. Walked through to pink Ministry of Tourism, checked in with Bridgette Rahming of the People to People program, and waited outside by the (nonworking) fountain to meet my guide at 11:00. By 11:15 I checked back in to see if she was coming… apparently she was stuck in traffic (not surprising with several ships in port). At 11:30 I went inside (mostly cool and overcast, but still a bit humid, so I enjoyed the AC for a few minutes)… then back outside, still nothing… fortunately I had brought my book with me, so I was happy to relax and read with a lovely view of the Festival Bay shacks and the ships in the background.

 

Majesty docked next to Disney

 

Festival Bay Entertainment

 

The view outside the Ministry of Tourism

 

Seagulls enjoying the nonworking fountain

 

Bridgette and local guide looking out for my "ambassador"

[EmpressofPurple]

People to People

 

For those who don’t know: People to People is a program sponsored by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism… http://www.bahamas.com/people-to-people... Where you can get matched with a host guide who will take you around to see the Bahamas you might not get to see on a commercial tour. My experience was very positive, and I really enjoyed going around with my “ambassadors”. I HIGHLY recommend this as a way to get to know the real Bahamas, and to see where and how people live, beyond the Atlantis--bus/taxi tours--cable beach--port shopping--etc. etc.

 

Mind you, I think there are DOZENS of things to do in Nassau, and I'm always stunned by people who decide to miss this port stop to stay onboard! I'll re-post my list of favorite things to do there over the years... and I'd be perfectly happy to repeat any or all of them several times, they're all great things to do. You're on a cruise, get out there and enjoy this wonderful port!! Make some friends, try some local food, enjoy the beautiful water.

 

---------------------------

 

Lynette shows up on foot -- she thought I was coming with a group (!!) and so had asked her friend Kendra to come with her larger car and drive “all of us”… Apparently the confusion had come about because I had sent Lynnette a recent photo of me with my NYC marathon training group, so she would be able to recognize me (um, that's me up front)... she thought we were all going on the cruise together!! (Which would have been great, but I had said I was cruising solo...)

 

Here's the photo of me with my NYC running group:

 

We waited for Kendra to get through the heavy traffic by the port, and laughed at the misunderstanding. The three of us enjoyed each other’s company, sharing stories and answering questions… I felt very privileged to have two guides as a solo visitor! We drove around the island together, going “over the hill” and to the left, to the part of the island I had never visited before, neither on my land trips nor cruise tours around Nassau.

 

Lynnette would soon be traveling herself, to visit her sister in London where she worked for the Bahamas ministry of tourism overseas; Lynnette and Kendra both worked for the Ministry of Education, and enjoy traveling. Lynnette had been to NYC, where I'm from, although Kendra hasn't been there yet -- I encourage her to contact me when she plans a trip! We talked about some of our shared vacation destinations, including Orlando and Las Vegas, where she had been in 2014.

 

We passed through a number of different neighborhoods, saw many schools, including the police training academy (where recruits live on campus)… a large hospital and social service complex serving the elderly, orphans, mentally ill, drug addicts, and troubled youth… the department of corrections prison area, dozens of buildings behind high cement walls topped with razor wire that is the jail for all of the islands… court buildings… stores and malls… both downscale and upscale residential areas… some lovely upscale waterfront properties…

 

Fuzzy Selfie with beautiful Bridgette in the office (told you I'm not very good at these yet)

 

A picture from our "behind the scenes" driving tour for my friends in law enforcement and criminal justice

 

My amazing conch salad (notice the scotch bonnet peppers in there) and ginger ale served in a jar with a coaster made from a leaf!

 

With my wonderful guides and new friends, Kendra and Lynnette!

 

Our lovely lunch server (who turned out to be the daughter of a colleague of Lynnette's!)

[EmpressofPurple]

Here's a re-post of my list of favorite activities in Nassau... plus the text from the Bahamas website about the people-to-people program FYI:

 

NASSAU, BAHAMAS

The Graycliff Hotel chocolate tour was fabulous... but I have to say, I have NEVER felt there's "nothing to do" in Nassau! There's SO MUCH to do! I have done all of the "touristy" things over the years, on land and sea trips... but they're all good, and I'd happily do any of them again:

 

1) Ardastra gardens and zoo (beautiful, with the amazing dancing flamingos)

 

2) Aquarium -- basically a building built in the water, so YOU'RE in the aquarium and the fish look in at you! (Wow, it's been so long since I was there, I just googled it and discovered it was closed in 1999 due to hurricane damage! People don't even know what the building is anymore... such a shame... http://www.abandonedplaygrounds.com/underwater-abandoned-aquarium-of-silver-cay/)

 

3) Semi-submarine - just what it sounds like, you're in a partially submerged boat and get to see great undersea life. (Do they still have this? I haven't seen it advertised for a while... oh well, the glass-bottom boat is fun, too.)

 

4) Pedal and Paddle (was this on Nassau or Freeport?) -- A great tour where we rode bikes part of the way, then kayaked part of the way... I think we went snorkeling too... I remember seeing a barracuda! eek!! (Freeport has a nifty perfume factory, too...)

 

5) The Pirate Museum is fun, with live-action characters (sort of like the Haunted Mansion at Disneyworld) as well as displays and dioramas, and a cool gift shop.

 

6) The Pompey Museum of Slavery -- I saw that one when it first opened and try to stop in on every trip, always happy to support historical museums.

 

7) Atlantis (of course) -- casino, restaurants, high-end shopping, the Dig... and yeah, you can get overpriced entry tickets... or share a room at the next-door Comfort Suites for up to 6 people (make a deal with folks on your Roll Call!) and get wristbands and full access to the Atlantis pools, beaches and waterslides!!

 

8) Wander the side streets around downtown Nassau... shop for discount perfumes and cosmetics (and, I guess, alcohol and tobacco, not for me)... plus the famous straw market, of course... have a bite to eat in a local restaurant, don't just go to the chain locations...

 

9) Wander a block or two farther afield and look at the local architecture, churches, gardens, etc.

 

10) Get a day pass at the Colonial Hilton, which includes drinks, lunch, and a beach lounger.

 

11) Or walk half a block further on and lay your towel out on free Junkanoo Beach. This used to be just for locals, but is now MUCH more tourist-facing, with food and drink vendors, places to get a massage on the beach, hair braiding, jewelry and pareos, etc. You can also find some places for cheap wifi, even a computer cafe if you don't have your laptop, tablet, or smartphone with you (what are you, in the 1990s??)

 

12) Walk a bit further (or take the #10 bus to its first stop) to the "Fish Fry," a collection of brightly colored huts and get some local food. This, too, is mostly for locals but has been "discovered" by tourists... frozen drinks, conch fritters, and my favorite, FRESH FRESH FRESH conch salad made right in front of you! (If you're there on a land trip, go at night for music and entertainment as well as great food.)

 

13) Stay on the #10 and head out to beautiful Cable beach for a great beach day.

 

14) Other planned tourist outings: Blue Lagoon Island, where you can swim with Dolphins (which you can also do at Atlantis for a few more $$), or with Stingrays, or just enjoy a great beach day and a relaxing hammock under some palm trees.

 

15) How about a catamaran snorkel trip? Enjoy a boat ride and the undersea beauties of the Bahamas that you can't see from snorkeling onshore. This was my go-to trip for years (or a kayak-snorkel trip).

 

16) Or just walk off the ship and negotiate a local tour with a cab driver. You might even get to see some parts of the island that you wouldn't with a "prepackaged" tour -- ask them to show you how the local people live. You'll see livestock, houses, churches, and more.

 

17) Stop at a local grocery and buy packaged goods you can't find in the states, at prices cheaper than the tourist outlets: hot sauce, jerk seasoning, caribbean coffee and tea, Ting grapefruit soda, Goombay fruit punch soda, and more.

 

I had planned to walk and see Graycliff Hotel just because I had read about it as a historic location, one of the oldest buildings on the island, built as a private residence for a pirate over 300 years ago! I didn't even know about the chocolate factory and tour until I started researching Graycliff (it's relatively new, too, less than 2 years old in that location). Their restaurant has won dozens of food and wine awards if you want to spend some money on a fancy meal. There's a cigar factory there, too, for those who might want to do that tour... and there's a rum distillery a bit farther up the hill and over a couple more blocks that offers a tour, too.

 

There's ALWAYS something to do in Nassau!!!!

 

I've done all of the above, on either land trips or port stops in Nassau, and I would happily do any of them again (indeed, I've done several of them more than once, including Atlantis, Blue Lagoon Island, the museums, gardens, Junkanoo Beach, Cable Beach, the Fish Fry, and of course downtown shopping).

 

I was disturbed to read someone's post in this thread that if there are too many ships in port then Atlantis' waterpark gets overrun, and you have to wait to use the slides, get a tube, etc. -- that's a lot of money to spend to sit around waiting!! I'm not a slide person, but I had a great day touring the site and enjoying the not-lazy river through our access from Comfort Suites

 

We did the dolphin experience at Blue Lagoon island many, many years ago (and elsewhere, too, I think in Hawaii...) -- it's a great event, and yes the kids will remember it for a long time... as will your pocketbook, especially if you buy the photos, video, etc., etc....

 

Something I haven't done yet but have long planned to try: the "People to People" program, where you actually get matched with a local family and get to see how people live on the island! Here's the website for that:

 

http://www.bahamas.com/people-to-people

 

People-to-People Frequently Asked Questions

What is the People-to-People Program About?

In The Bahamas, we understand that many of our visitors are looking for a rich cultural experience off the beaten path. Our People-to-People hosting is designed to do just that; it gives you insight into the lives of Bahamians and a personal encounter with our culture.

 

Is there a cost to participate?

No, the program is free, thanks in part to the generosity of our ambassadors and The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

 

How much advance notice is required?

Our goal is to find the best host for you, so we suggest that you register online at least two weeks prior to your trip. However, we can accommodate last-minute requests.

 

Who are the ambassadors and are they screened?

Our People-to-People ambassadors are knowledgeable and friendly volunteers who are screened and certified by the Ministry of Tourism to offer you the best hosting experience. There are more than 800 Bahamians who represent a cross –section of our communities. They are not employed by the Ministry of Tourism

 

How are hosts matched with visitors?

We match visitors with host ambassadors according to their age, occupation, hobbies, interests or religion.

 

Do visitors stay with their host ambassador?

No. The primary purpose of our program is to have a one-one cultural exchange between visitors and host ambassadors.

 

Can I contact my host ambassador before arriving in The Bahamas?

Of Course. You can communicate with each other via the web, phone or mail before your arrival. Your host contact information will be forwarded to your upon confirmation of your People-to-People experience.

 

Is the experience available on The Out Islands?

Absolutely. We can connect you with ambassadors on nine (9) of our beautiful islands; Abaco, Andros, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, Harbour Island, Long Island and Nassau.

 

How do I register?

Register online at http://www.bahamas.com/people-to-people. You will be contacted by a People-to-People representative who will correspond with you via email on prospective hosts. If you have any questions, contact the People-to-People Office at (242) 356-0435/6/7 or speak to the concierge at your hotel upon arrival.

 

Tea Parties

If you are unable to take advantage of our People-to-People hosting, you may enjoy a delightful afternoon of tea at historic Government House-the state home of the Governor General of The Bahamas.

 

This complimentary tea party is hosted by the wife of the Governor General and features entertainment by local artists, which include story-telling, fashion show and a live band performance. You will also be treated to tasty Bahamian pastries, finger sandwiches and native “bush” teas.

 

Tea parties are held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the last Friday of the month: January-May and October – November. Arrange for an invitation to the People-to-People Tea Party with your hotel concierge or contact the People-to-People Unit at (242) 356-0435/6/7

[LizSS]

Loving your review so far, I was on Majesty in 09, she always looks to be in great shape

[EmpressofPurple]

Lunch, Shopping and Back Onboard

Then we headed back towards the tourist area that I know, downtown, stopped at the fish fry for a terrific lunch (I had conch salad and we shared an order of conch balls; they each had fried snapper and salad; lunch was my treat, at my invitation)… then a quick drive to see their workplace, the new ministry of education (which used to be housed in a beautiful hospital on the other side of the island we visited earlier)…

 

Then back downtown, where I got out at Dunkin Donuts (should’ve used their free wifi!!)… walked back to the ship, stopping at the market to buy a couple of tings (Yes, that is “tings” not “things” – Ting is my favorite grapefruit soda, and they had it in regular and pink, which I had never seen before) – plus conchy joe’s scotch bonnet hot sauce, and some goat pepper, which Lynnette had recommended for me since I like spicy food… and some tang drink mixes, in lime, peach and Jamaican flower!!

 

 

Then onto the marketplace, where I tried to bargain for some earrings, but failed (really, not a bargain: $12 each, two for $20, but she wouldn’t do one for $10. Sigh)… also some more spices (salt, jerk, and neem tea)… and a nice Bahamas straw bag.

 

I returned to the ship around 3:45, planning to change into my swimsuit and enjoy the hot tub for an hour before dressing for the high tier loyalty party and formal dinner.. but there was a tower of D_+ gift dishes: a huge fruit bowl, with Boursin… a plate with brie, walnuts and crackers… and a plate with chocolate covered strawberries.

 

 

 

 

Still stuffed from my huge conch salad, I don’t know how I managed to eat nearly all of this… and then fell into a food coma with the TV blaring and all the lights on… awoke disoriented, I thought it was 6:25 in the morning, and tried to re-set my clock from 24-hour setting to 12-hour setting… turned off TV and lights to go back to bed… and realized that formal dinner was in five minutes!!!! EEEEEKKKK!!!!!

[EmpressofPurple]

Formal Dinner & Captain’s Reception

Well, clearly I had missed the loyalty party, but I pulled on my formal gear, threw my hair up into a bun and stuck on a teeny tiara, slapped on some makeup, and made it down to dinner by 6:35!!! Everyone looked lovely in their finery, laughed at my sleeping mishap.

 

 

We all shared tales of our day on the island; Barbara and Nancy found a cab driver to give them a custom tour, visited “the ghetto,” the bat caves, many places off the beaten track… also enjoyed at $10 conch salad… Maria and Dave took a cab to the free beach next to Atlantis (though they paid $15 for chairs) loved the beautiful water… Ted walked (!!) to Atlantis and back (!!)…

 

I rushed out of dinner at 8:10 to catch the Captain’s reception, thrilled to get a photo with Captain Karin!! Interesting to hear about her family background in the industry. We also were introduced to representatives of each of the major ship departments.

 

 

 

Saw my daughter’s friend and her friends at the reception and we sat together… alas, I did not see Donald who I had hoped to meet at the loyalty event (if I hadn’t slept through it!!)… then back to the cabin to enjoy my first towel animal (kind of a cool anteater!!) and catch up on these notes. My plans later are to enjoy the pools and hot tubs at the midnight pool party and sailaway.

 

Henry, ready to go to work in the morning

 

Towel Animal #1

 

(HA. Once again, fell asleep by 11:30pm, no midnight pool party, no sailaway. Sigh. These interior interior cabins are very conducive to rest and relaxation, but I’m tellin’ ya, if you don’t get out and about and keep moving, you will miss half the cruise!!)

[EmpressofPurple]

Thanks Liz, and all the earlier folks who posted that they were enjoying this detailed review... Susie, Yorkvillain, Celly, Winks, canuckgirl, coloradobabe... kind of you all to give positive feedback.

 

I know some people prefer brief, to-the-point reviews ("food-7, shows-10")... those can be helpful, but as you can tell I love the long, rambling reviews with illustrative photos... they allow me to cruise vicariously, and see aspects of cruising I might never have on my own (and possibly introduce me to new ideas, ways to plan, things to pack,etc.)

 

I'll move on to day 3 shortly... as you will see, the pattern continues: Diamond breakfast, a busy day in port, early MDR dinner... and early collapse!!! (So different from my other cruises, which start with stretch class and a gym workout, a relaxed port day, late MDR dinner, and never missing the trivia games and all the shows/music/entertainment on offer!!)

[abrow098]

I've been debating whether or not I would get off the ship while in Nassau, but after reading your post about the People to People program I think I'll give Nassau a shot. I hope to get paired up with an ambassador that is just as friendly and knowledgeable as yours.

[Yorkvillain]

Great Nassau list. Which beach do you like better, Junkaoo or Cable? And do they both have beach chairs available?