Live from the Majestic Princess preview cruise

[DebbieMacG]

Hi,putting all their eggs in one basket as large as it is,will be a gamble.Lets hope their homework is correct,cheers,Brian.

 

ps how big is the casino,because that is one major chinese custom.

They have the casino, a gaming lounge, VIP gaming and private gaming I believe.

[dides]

Last night was formal night with the Champagne Waterfall in the piazza. An American cruise staff member introduced all senior staff first in English and then in Chinese. There were all kinds of dignitaries overlooking the waterfall from a roped off area on deck 6 including Carnival CEO Arnold Donald. Five famous Chinese “masters” were then introduced who were advisors in different key design areas for the ship.

 

We had dinner in the Concerto dining room on a shared table. Love meeting new people that way and there was a lot of laughter. It was a Gala Dinner menu – I had Roasted Eggplant appetiser (wasn't that flavoursome) and Chris had Air-cured Proscuitto. He went for Pave of Beef Tenderloin for his main dish and I had the Grilled Atlantic Salmon. These were excellent. And both of us had the Chocolate Hazelnut Bar Chocolate Journey. Mmmmm.

 

We spent the evening going from Crown Bar to a 15 minutes of the Tenors of Rock at the Princess Theatre and ending with drinks at the Hollywood Pool Night Club. This doesn't really work as a night club venue for us as there are no comfy seats just pool loungers. We ended up sitting on the wicker furniture just inside the Conservatory – this area is currently open to everyone on the preview cruise but not sure what the long term plans are.

 

Today we arrived in Kotor. This is a tender port. Not a fan of queuing for ages to get a tender so left later and had a short wander to a local café for a drink and wi-fi and then looked around the old town.

 

Majestic Princess in the Bay of Kotor:

 

 

 

Browsed in a local arts shop and bought some gifts for my mum and dad. Very busy with cruisers but pretty architecture. Might do the ho-ho bus next week on our B2B cruise. This stops outside the port entrance:

 

 

Back on the ship we went up to the Wake View bar for some awesome views of the bay.

 

 

Earlier that morning Dirk Brand came and said hi when we there after breakfast and I said the area could do with the same armchairs and sofas as the Regal. He said they should get some but had an issue with where the smoking area should be as all the exercise equipment is one deck up on this ship unlike the other Royal class ships.

 

One thing I forgot to mention is that the fragrances shop is huge but has gone all upscale for the Chinese market. Chris likes Hugo Boss for example and this is the first Princess ship we have been on that doesn't carry it.

 

Next it's afternoon tea, we are British after all....

[gr82cu2]

Can confirm it's on the ship, we ate there last night and they are aware they got missed out in the first patter!

 

Thanks for your live report! We'll be on the 28 night Rome - Singapore cruise. I'm so glad Alfredo's still exists. We ate there several times on the Royal. They have veal stuffed pasta that was to die for. I hope they still do. Yum! Yum!!

[rumbalizw]

Sandra (dides ) would you mind telling Dirk about the M&G please as I've made an invite for Captain Dino and his officers and CD Dan but might be nice to invite Dirk seeing as everyone seems to know and like him . I'm in Rome now so cannot make an invite for him . Thanks x

 

 

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[ktcishot]

Where are the smoking areas on this ship?

Thanks for the sneak preview!!

[chamima]

Hollywood Pool

 

 

Cabana in Pool area

 

 

 

Hollywood Conservatory

 

 

 

 

 

 

The xylophone looks like it could actually be played!

 

If people are constantly stopping by and playing it (and the other instruments you mentioned) it would seem to be really annoying and distracting to others just trying to have a relaxing day or trying to read. :eek:

I hope it's just for show.

Otherwise the area looks beautiful!!!

 

I hope it's not "for fee" and that it will be on all future builds!

[dides]

:):) Pool look nice. Is it heated?

 

Feels warm to the touch so guessing it is

[dides]

 

1) Is there gelato served in the International Café or in its own venue (like on Regal & Royal)?

 

2) Can you use the coffee card punches for anything other than tea & coffee drinks in the International Café? I love bubble tea and am hoping we can use punches for that, too.

 

 

1) No gelato in IC or own section - guessing it's a cultural thing.

 

2) I asked at the Leaves Bar and no, coffee cards are not valid and there is no equivalent offering for bubble tea

[dides]

The xylophone looks like it could actually be played!

 

If people are constantly stopping by and playing it (and the other instruments you mentioned) it would seem to be really annoying and distracting to others just trying to have a relaxing day or trying to read. :eek:

I hope it's just for show.!

 

They are real - Chris was playing along to dance music on the glockenspiel last night (beer played a large part)

[dides]

Sandra (dides ) would you mind telling Dirk about the M&G please as I've made an invite for Captain Dino and his officers and CD Dan but might be nice to invite Dirk seeing as everyone seems to know and like him . I'm in Rome now so cannot make an invite for him . Thanks

 

Liz, will mention it if I see Dirk again

 

Sandra

[dides]

Where are the smoking areas on this ship

 

Just found one on deck 17 forward - will check for more

[dides]

Afternoon tea was very tasty:

 

 

 

We went up to Hollywood Conservatory to relax afterwards. Staff were setting up a couple of tables of food and just before 5pm starting asking people to leave if they weren't Platinum, Elite etc.

 

This was our nibbles selection:

 

Cheeses, bread and a biscuit, crudites

 

 

 

Smoked salmon, cream cheese

 

[chamima]

Afternoon tea was very tasty:

 

 

 

We went up to Hollywood Conservatory to relax afterwards. Staff were setting up a couple of tables of food and just before 5pm starting asking people to leave if they weren't Platinum, Elite etc.

 

This was our nibbles selection:

 

Cheeses, bread and a biscuit, crudites

 

 

 

Smoked salmon, cream cheese

 

 

 

WOW!!!

Does that look good! :D

[Astro Flyer]

La Mer continues the disappointing trend started by SHARE where your options were limited to the choice of one item and additional items were extra charge. Other than the two uninspiring "Welcome" items you only have a choice one hors d'oeuvre, one main, and one dessert. If you added a second main your $35 cover charge would by $50. Hope they don't start doing that at the Crown Grill where we combine the lobster and filet for a good meal.

There's the same 1 item per course limit at Harmony. :(

 

Sadly this bad trend is part of their new restaurants & with the rumored Sabatini's menu changes it wouldn't be a surprise to see the same limit there & at Crown Grill. That would be a very disappointing downgrade because not everyone wants 1 item per course because some people skip course & double up on other courses. My wife has the mussels pot for her first courses & then steak & lobster at CG.

 

If limited to 1 item per course that would definitely be a major factor we'll consider before deciding whether to pay for a specialty restaurant or not. :confused:

Edited April 2, 2017 by Astro Flyer

[IECalCruiser]

There's the same 1 item per course limit at Harmony. :(

 

Sadly this bad trend is part of their new restaurants & with the rumored Sabatini's menu changes it wouldn't be a surprise to see the same limit there & at Crown Grill. That would be a very disappointing downgrade because not everyone wants 1 item per course because some people skip course & double up on other courses. My wife has the mussels pot for her first courses & then steak & lobster at CG.

 

If limited to 1 item per course that would definitely be a major factor we'll consider before deciding whether to pay for a specialty restaurant or not. :confused:

I had noticed the limits on both the Harmony and La Mer menus. Limits are also present at SHARE and the Salty Dog. I hope the trend doesn't spread to the Crown Grill and Sabatini's.

 

 

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[Selion]

The more I read about the Majestic, the less I want to sail on it. While certain features (bubble tea, anyone) appeal to my Chinese lineage, the lack of Gelato is the final straw. Princess certainly tailored the Majestic to the traditional Chinese population, based on things I could see on the deck plans:

- larger casino. Club 6 is now VIP Gaming and removed the stairs between Promenade & Fiesta in the casino.

- larger shopping area. No Future Cruise Center nor Captain's Circle office that I could see on deck plans. Those spaces are shown as shopping area. Again the removed stairs provide more floor space for shopping. Is there a Piazza Bar on Majestic? That space is also been rearranged for more shopping.

- fewer bars. Crooner's and Piazza bars are no where to be found. Given how much alcohol my family consumes, I find this a very curious decision to remove bars in favor of shopping area. Probably the profit margin is higher from the shops than from the bars.

 

Just some obscure observation based your report and studying the deck plans. BTW, the reduction in size of the Art Gallery is well past due. :)

[jpihota]

1) No gelato in IC or own section - guessing it's a cultural thing.

 

2) I asked at the Leaves Bar and no, coffee cards are not valid and there is no equivalent offering for bubble tea

 

 

Darn! That's too bad. I was really hoping as we have TONS of old coffee cards with lots of punches left from old cruises and scavenger hunt prize drawings. We always trade our bar setup for two coffee cards on each sailing so we can get unlimited specialty teas (hubby loves the "White Orchard" hot tea and I drink lots of their brewed coffee in the IC). I normally use the punches for gelato sundaes on Regal & Royal.

 

Thanks so much for asking about it, though. You have been truly amazing at answering all our questions and it is appreciated :)

[jpihota]

Afternoon tea was very tasty:

 

 

 

We went up to Hollywood Conservatory to relax afterwards. Staff were setting up a couple of tables of food and just before 5pm starting asking people to leave if they weren't Platinum, Elite etc.

 

This was our nibbles selection:

 

Cheeses, bread and a biscuit, crudites

 

 

 

Smoked salmon, cream cheese

 

 

That's some spread - wowzers!

 

From what you have posted on here, that Hollywood Conservatory seems to be utilized for the same things as Club 6 on Regal & Royal. The evening Platinum/Elite drinks/food thing is held there, some trivia games and it is the disco at night. I'm glad to know that. Club 6 is such a nice place to chill during the day (and knit, which I do). Maybe I'll be hanging out in the Conservatory on sea days on the Majestic ... weeping quietly over the lack of gelato :(

[esstheman]

What is the price for Harmony? Is it the same for lunch and dinner?

[cruisehound1943]

We have a couple questions

1.Is there a Captains Circle Host on board?

2.Have you had most travelled passenger parties.

3.This is for my other half.Do they have the special 2 for 1 happy hour.

4.Have they had top 40 party.They usually have it in club 6 but it looks like there is no club 6.

 

Thanks for your blog.It is much appreciated

[Lozjaz]

Looking forward to cruising on April 9th. Thanks for infor

 

 

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[dides]

Just found one on deck 17 forward - will check for more

And the other smoking area is deck 7 aft - asked at the PSD.

[dides]

Do you happen to know what times the pools and hot tubs are open/closed please? :)

 

Passenger Services desk says no set times as yet but expect them to be open dawn to dusk. They all need time for servicing.

[dides]

What is the price for Harmony? Is it the same for lunch and dinner?

It's $29. We went to Harmony tonight and they have been doing a fixed menu for the whole preview cruise because they haven't got all the ingredients. And we still got charged $29.

[azbirdmom]

There's the same 1 item per course limit at Harmony. :(

 

Sadly this bad trend is part of their new restaurants & with the rumored Sabatini's menu changes it wouldn't be a surprise to see the same limit there & at Crown Grill. That would be a very disappointing downgrade because not everyone wants 1 item per course because some people skip course & double up on other courses. My wife has the mussels pot for her first courses & then steak & lobster at CG.

 

If limited to 1 item per course that would definitely be a major factor we'll consider before deciding whether to pay for a specialty restaurant or not. :confused:

 

I completely agree. I often just get a soup or salad and then have a filet with a lobster tail. I wish they would just add a surf and turf option to the menu with a smaller filet and lobster to satisfy the many folks who like to have a little of both. For me that would eliminate any angst about an extra charge for a taste of lobster.