Majesty of the Seas

[1Peanut]

Junior Suite.

 

Thanks Clarea!

[Paulette3028]

I'm sorry, my comment was tongue in cheek. I should have put some wink on there!

 

Paulette3028, was your cruise before or after her refurb? I am thinking her 1st 'new' cruise will be 27MAY and that will also be her maiden sailing out of PC.

 

How was your JS

 

To: 1Peanut -- It is impossible to read either sarcasm/'tongue in cheek' in printed words, so the 'wink' or even an (LOL) would have helped the reader understand better what you wanted your statement to mean.

 

As far as the JS, it was very nice. Most of our prior sailings were in the same Superior Ocean cabin 9070. It had a good location, close to gym and the evening activities like nightclub. We wanted a JS this time as a treat, since we won't be sailing on Her Majesty again -- and she has always given us a fabulous vacation -- regardless of what the weather was like. The extra room in the bathroom was very nice...the larger sink, the larger counter top and the extra counter also very nice. It did lack place to hang towels (we managed). The room itself had an extra small dresser right outside the bathroom door -- which was great for my needs and hubby used the other drawers. Had a small sofabed, and another chair. It was nice to have extra seating space. The balcony seemed larger than the balconies we have had on other ships -- it felt 'deeper' and it was very comfortable, with nice comfortable chairs. I don't take baths at home, but what I loved about having the bathtub was that I did not have to worry about water running out of the shower and landing on the bathroom floor, which was always a problem in other cabins on Her Majesty, since the shower used a shower curtain and did not have the plastic tubular shower enclosure.

 

Our room had a coffee pot and a tea kettle as well.

Funny story: One afternoon I wanted to make coffee with the coffee maker. The individual coffee packets were too big for this model of machine. It made a mess on the desk….which I cleaned up. Upon commenting to the cabin attendant and apologizing for the unusually messy washcloths that I used to clean the mess….she advised me that she had a spare coffee maker and she would switch it, hopeful that it would work better. It did – this one was the proper size for the coffee packets provided. But it made a very strong cup of coffee.

 

Simply said -- we enjoyed it.

[Paulette3028]

 

I hope it continues to do well when it moves to Canaveral after the drydock. I think RCCL might be moving a larger ship to Miami so they can bring the water slides to the market that might otherwise be burned out on the Majesty.

 

 

Royal is not abandoning the 3/4 day cruise market in Miami. They are moving Enchantment to Miami to do the itineraries that Her Majesty did and Her Majesty is going to PC to take over Enchantments place. Originally, when Her Majesty was being sold to Pullmantr, Enchantment was going to be relocated to Miami and the 3/4 day market that was going to be abandoned for a few months was going to be the one in PC, until a ship could be repositioned from another more distant local. The 3/4 day itineraries in Miami have been 'cash cows' for the company and those were not going to be

dropped, even for a short time.

[Virtopia]

Majesty was my first solo cruise and I had a great time. It was the right size for the destination and I enjoyed it. I wouldn't hesitate to go on it again, but 4 day sailings are just too short for me now :)

[Paulette3028]

Here is a review of our just completed mid week cruise on Her Majesty (2/15/16 - 2/19/16):

 

 

I have just returned from the 4 day mid week cruise on Her Majesty. This was our 19th cruise overall and 12th on Her Majesty. We have only cruised on Royal. For those reading this what you will read is the experience we had on Her Majesty and you can compare it with other review posts.

 

Having sailed on Her Majesty many times, we did not need to do a tour of the ship after we boarded, which went easily; we were on board by 11:30am. Many more people than usual were already on board and WJ was busy. My typical lunch menu item on departure day of paella was available. They had Strawberry Kiwi Melon drink (another fav), but today I wasn't in the mood for it, so I hoped they would have it later in the week. Paella was as good as usual.

 

It was overcast and a little rainy, so no pool sitting to watch the cruisers arriving from cold weather. We did stroll through the Centrum to see what if any changes have happened since we last cruised on her back in 11/14. Then we relaxed under the overhang until cabins were ready at 1:30pm, meeting fellow cruisers.

 

This was our first experience with a JS. Nice layout….roomier than the normal Superior Oceanview we’ve had in the past on this ship. Wonderful cabin attendant who was really helpful. The cabin had a small coffee maker & a kettle. One afternoon I wanted to make coffee with the coffee maker. The individual coffee packets were too big for this model of machine. It made a mess on the desk….which I cleaned up. Upon commenting to the cabin attendant and apologizing for the unusually messy washcloths that I used to clean the spill….she advised me that she had a spare coffee maker and she would switch it, hopeful that it would work better. It did – this one was the proper size for the coffee packets provided. But it made a very strong cup of coffee. We have very simple needs, but she made sure that the few things that were important to us, we had ALL THE TIME. The tub has a very high side that you need to step over to get in….but it is not SO high as to be a huge problem. I just held onto the countertop as I stepped in. The mattresses in our cabin were very firm…..for me, wonderful – DH adjusted to it by the 2nd night. Now he is at home in our ‘sleep comfort number bed’ – he can adjust it to his perfect sleep.

 

Our wait staff did a fine job. We even saw our head waiter more than once. He was very friendly and talkative. We saw our assistant waiter as the hostess in the WJ several times and she made sure to acknowledge us. The food in the MDR was fine, not a gourmet restaurant, but fine. All was served to my personal tastes, which is all I can ask. Sometimes service was rushed to accommodate the show times, since we did have Early seating and that wasn’t fun. On the first night, I had no desire for dessert, so it wasn’t a problem; but on the last night it was, and I did not want to miss the Boogie Wonderland Show (only one show time offered, between the two dinner seatings)….which I have seen a lot and always enjoy….and this time we enjoyed it just as much as in the past.

 

Breakfast is breakfast -- whether in the WJ or MDR it was very good. There is a section in the MDR set up for Diamond and above Crown and Anchor members. We had a very small contingent of Diamond and above members on this cruise.

 

We are easy lunch eaters…..we looked forward to Compass Deli. Its hours of operation were 12-6 regardless of the port we were in. It was good and not to be missed. Strange collection of offerings some could say. I had Hot and Sour soup (very good), then a Cuban sandwich (very good). Wraps of various types both hot and cold…..salad bar as well is there. They no longer have the custom made crepes, but are making them during the afternoon in the WJ; but my hubby wasn’t disappointed much, when he found that they are making THE roast beef sandwiches which are served in the Park Café (on the bigger ships) right here in the Compass Deli. Hubby enjoyed it a great deal. All in all, a great lunch followed by chocolate chip cookies for dessert with strawberry/kiwi drink.

 

We did WJ for dinner one night, to have the sushi that they make….the sushi was good, but not as good as we have had on other ships. It was fresh, but had too much rice in each piece. We saw that they had a selection of Indian offerings and were making churrasco steaks at a separate station….all looked good. Plenty of choices.

 

Plenty to do around the ship. The entertainment staff lead by cruise director Simona and her Activity Manager Mauricio lead activities day and night. One disappointment for us was the cancelation of the first nights’ Karoake. They had a special Bingo being held in the timeslot that the Karaoke would be in, since the winner would be upgraded to the Royal Family Suite, as no one had booked it on this cruise. We however are Karoake enthusiasts and instead of having both activities, Karoake was cancelled….space for both was the reasoning. All the rest of the Karoake events were lots of fun. Trivia was a plenty. Line dance lessons a plenty – but no matter how many I take, I am still learning how. The 70’s Party is a hoot, the White Party is something they promote quite a bit and it was great; they had a flag parade with was cute and entertaining in the Centrum one evening highlighting the various countries that the staff hails from.

 

The headliner comedian Rick Corso was better for the Adult only comedy show he did on the last night than his show on the first night. Signed, Sealed, Delivered was the first Production Show and it was very enjoyable. It is NOT a broadway show, but it was entertaining. The on the next night was a juggler – but we don’t go to juggling acts anymore. People who went, said it was good. The last night was Boogie Wonderland. It was as entertaining as ever.

 

The snacks that I enjoy – chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake lollipops, small mudpies were available easily…..either at Latte tudes or Compass Deli. What was missing was more plentiful cut up fresh fruit. I did find chocolate substitutes that worked just fine! I would have liked to have more accessible water stations located around the ship, and DID make my disappointment known that there was not a water dispenser that could be ‘self service’ at the Latte-tudes location. The Food and Beverage Manager did tell me himself that it was a good suggestion, that he would have to look into having that done.

 

As usual we had a very enjoyable cruise.

[John&LaLa]

Nice write up. Short and sweet. BTW, was the roast beef rare on the park cafe style sandwich.

[Paulette3028]

Nice write up. Short and sweet. BTW, was the roast beef rare on the park cafe style sandwich.

 

Yes, it was.....the 'rolls' and the horseradish or au jus or both. And she asked how many slices of roast beef he wanted on his roll.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Paulette3028

[Clarea]

Thanks for the report Paulette. We've seem Rick Corso several times, and he still makes us laugh. Nice to hear about the roast beef sandwiches.

[Paulette3028]

Thanks for the report Paulette. We've seem Rick Corso several times, and he still makes us laugh. Nice to hear about the roast beef sandwiches.

 

I will say that the ship itself looked very well. She did not have a 'tired' look or feel. I can't say that I came across any worn out carpeting or chairs in lounges that needed replacing. The jaccuzzi's were all working as well as the pools. I even noticed in the steam room (which on many past cruises was "not working") that it appeared to have a fresh look and smelled very clean.

 

I wish I could say that the cruisers were kind to the ship and its staff. I went into the ladies room by the pool bar, and cruisers left some of the stalls in disgusting condition. No reason, nor excuse for that.

[Clarea]

I will say that the ship itself looked very well. She did not have a 'tired' look or feel. I can't say that I came across any worn out carpeting or chairs in lounges that needed replacing. The jaccuzzi's were all working as well as the pools. I even noticed in the steam room (which on many past cruises was "not working") that it appeared to have a fresh look and smelled very clean.....

This is encouraging, and even before the dry dock, which should make her even better.:)

[kutchyone]

So sad that they cut back drastically on what they planned to do on the refurbishment. Leads me to wonder how long she will be a part of the RCCLfleet? That and the fact that the Majesty's deck plans are not included in the 2016/2017 brochure. Or maybe that's just because they weren't exactly sure what they were doing to her. Pretty disappointed about what is no longer going to be done.

Edited February 21, 2016 by kutchyone

[Paulette3028]

So sad that they cut back drastically on what they planned to do on the refurbishment. Leads me to wonder how long she will be a part of the RCCLfleet? That and the fact that the Majesty's deck plans are not included in the 2016/2017 brochure. Or maybe that's just because they weren't exactly sure what they were doing to her. Pretty disappointed about what is no longer going to be done.

 

I believe you are not alone in being disappointed in what is not going to be done in the refurb prior to her sailing out of PC. Clearly corp had a change in plans based on a different future agenda....time will tell.

 

What I will say is this....there were plenty of kids on our recent mid week sailing and they seemed to all be occupied. So Her Majesty's lack of WOW factor items did not prevent these families from having a good time.

[kutchyone]

Mine are a bit jaded having sailed on all of DCL's ships, some multiple times. I have been trying to prepare the little one so his expectations are not so high. I wish I had not based my cruise selection decision on future ship changes,in the refurbushment. But the price could not be beat, dropping steadily, and it's only 4 nights. Any day on a cruise is better than...........

[Paulette3028]

Mine are a bit jaded having sailed on all of DCL's ships, some multiple times. I have been trying to prepare the little one so his expectations are not so high. I wish I had not based my cruise selection decision on future ship changes,in the refurbushment. But the price could not be beat, dropping steadily, and it's only 4 nights. Any day on a cruise is better than...........

 

You can't compare a DCL cruise to a cruise on Her Majesty, even if they would have added the waterslide. The experience has to be much much different on a DCL ship. Will your kids have a good time....yes.....it surely seemed the kids on the cruise last week had fun.

 

As an adult our perspective might be "Any day on a cruise is better than......." but for kids it might be different. I can't speak to that.....we are empty nesters, but love having kids on board when we sail, even if others.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Paulette3028

[kutchyone]

I know you can't compare the two but try telling that to an 8 year old, especially when DCL is all he knows. We are trying to prepare him for the differences and the slide was something he really was looking forward to. Hope the two boys will enjoy the kids clubs. We plan on taking advantage of that. Anyone know if they will allow the 8 and 11 year old to be in the same group? Do I understand correctly that the kids club is only open until 10:00 free of charge?

[Clarea]

... Do I understand correctly that the kids club is only open until 10:00 free of charge?

Correct, after 10pm there is an hourly charge ($7?) per child.

[Paulette3028]

I know you can't compare the two but try telling that to an 8 year old, especially when DCL is all he knows. We are trying to prepare him for the differences and the slide was something he really was looking forward to. Hope the two boys will enjoy the kids clubs. We plan on taking advantage of that. Anyone know if they will allow the 8 and 11 year old to be in the same group? Do I understand correctly that the kids club is only open until 10:00 free of charge?

 

 

I am sure long before the time your children reached the ages of 8 and 11 you had experiences, with setting appropriate expectations. I know I did when raising my children. The cruise will be as enjoyable as you make it for them. See if there is a water park located on one of the port stops to visit -- just a suggestion.

[whitsmom]

I know you can't compare the two but try telling that to an 8 year old, especially when DCL is all he knows. We are trying to prepare him for the differences and the slide was something he really was looking forward to. Hope the two boys will enjoy the kids clubs. We plan on taking advantage of that. Anyone know if they will allow the 8 and 11 year old to be in the same group? Do I understand correctly that the kids club is only open until 10:00 free of charge?

 

We have the same thing. My Granddaughters (8 & 10) are coming with us on MOS on July 18th sailing and they were looking forward to the slides. That said, they are still looking forward to their first cruise so they have nothing to compare to. I am also interested to know if they could stay together in the kids club. Not sure if we will use it, but if they do I am sure the 8 yr old would want to be with her bigger sister.

 

I have no doubt that they will have a blast no matter what. I know I will!

[kutchyone]

Clarea thanks. $7 each isn't so bad.

 

And yes Paulette 3028 we did our jobs as a parent and worked with them on their expectations but we also made the big mistake and discussed the new and very cool changes to the Majesty as listed under the refurbishments. I'm going to accept your comments as only trying to be helpful, see I'm trying to be the better person my Mother raised, and not jump to the conclusion that you are being snide and little with your parenting comments. It really would be silly to lower oneself to that level over this topic.

 

Whitsmom, someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I think your Granddaughters would be assigned to the same group based on their ages. Pretty sure 11 year olds move up a group.

[pinkmagnolia]

Count us as another family that is disappointed with the changes to the refub plan.

 

We booked as well with the added kid-friendly features in mind. I find it annoying that RCL backpedaled like that.

 

I'm sure we'll have a great time - I just feel like a fool for getting them excited about the Majesty - then having to explain that the new things planned have been cancelled.

[Paulette3028]

Clarea thanks. $7 each isn't so bad.

 

And yes Paulette 3028 we did our jobs as a parent and worked with them on their expectations but we also made the big mistake and discussed the new and very cool changes to the Majesty as listed under the refurbishments. I'm going to accept your comments as only trying to be helpful, see I'm trying to be the better person my Mother raised, and not jump to the conclusion that you are being snide and little with your parenting comments. It really would be silly to lower oneself to that level over this topic.

 

Whitsmom, someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I think your Granddaughters would be assigned to the same group based on their ages. Pretty sure 11 year olds move up a group.

 

You admit you made the mistake and discussed the very cool changes to Her Majesty that were listed under the refurbishments. I know it wasn't nice of Royal to change their plans. You expected what you expected. I can't change that....and I am quite sure you are a wonderful parent. We all learn from every action we take with our children --- even when they become adults.

[John&LaLa]

Clarea thanks. $7 each isn't so bad.

 

And yes Paulette 3028 we did our jobs as a parent and worked with them on their expectations but we also made the big mistake and discussed the new and very cool changes to the Majesty as listed under the refurbishments. I'm going to accept your comments as only trying to be helpful, see I'm trying to be the better person my Mother raised, and not jump to the conclusion that you are being snide and little with your parenting comments. It really would be silly to lower oneself to that level over this topic.

 

Whitsmom, someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I think your Granddaughters would be assigned to the same group based on their ages. Pretty sure 11 year olds move up a group.

 

Count us as another family that is disappointed with the changes to the refub plan.

 

We booked as well with the added kid-friendly features in mind. I find it annoying that RCL backpedaled like that.

 

I'm sure we'll have a great time - I just feel like a fool for getting them excited about the Majesty - then having to explain that the new things planned have been cancelled.

 

I feel for you both, as well as everyone else deceived by Royal, but their ship, their rules. I doubt she'll be around long anyway, and what's on the horizon seems to be a party boat.

[Paulette3028]

I feel for you both, as well as everyone else deceived by Royal, but their ship, their rules. I doubt she'll be around long anyway, and what's on the horizon seems to be a party boat.

 

I have been in and out of corporate America for 40 years and over that time I have become very familiar with 'changing corporate plans' -- the lesson learned in my life is simple: until it is 'available and a reality' it may not happen; if it is still 'on the drawing board' or 'the architects hands' it isn't reality.

 

Well, Her Majesty has been labelled a party boat/ship for years, nothing new there.

Edited February 24, 2016 by Paulette3028

[John&LaLa]

I have been in and out of corporate America for 40 years and over that time I have become very familiar with 'changing corporate plans' -- the lesson learned in my life is simple: until it is 'available and a reality' it may not happen; if it is still 'on the drawing board' or 'the architects hands' it isn't reality.

 

Well, Her Majesty has been labelled a party boat/ship for years, nothing new there.

 

Well that's all fine and dandy, but cruises are booked in advance, and there is nothing out of the ordinary to have expectations based on promises made.

 

Yes I know her reputation, but the changes promised were more children friendly. Abandoning those and investing as little as possible for her future is consistent with an asset ready to be dumped.

 

She will probably do well in the Cuba market if it happens because there will be demand for the destination, the ship and her features will be secondary.

[Paulette3028]

Well that's all fine and dandy, but cruises are booked in advance, and there is nothing out of the ordinary to have expectations based on promises made.

 

Yes I know her reputation, but the changes promised were more children friendly. Abandoning those and investing as little as possible for her future is consistent with an asset ready to be dumped.

 

She will probably do well in the Cuba market if it happens because there will be demand for the destination, the ship and her features will be secondary.

 

My speculation, like your own, is that Her Majesty may not have a long life in the fleet and perhaps that is why they changed the plans for the refurb. It is afterall the right of the corporation heads to change their plans.

 

The surprise I find most astounding is how astonished people are that a 'corporation changes their direction for some project'. It happens all the time. As I said until something is visible it isn't written in stone, but rather sand.