Just back from Majesty of the Seas (3 day)

[Gustavas]

11/23/07 SAILING FROM MIAMI

 

In a word, wonderful. I've been cruising all my life and am considered, by many, to be a real snob when it comes to cruise ships. I usually prefer the higher end lines and I am pretty discerning on service and food. The only reason I sailed a three day was because it was three days and a nice addition to a week in Boca Raton over the Thanksgiving week which was also our wedding aniversary. I sailed Sovereign many years ago and enjoyed it. However, the recent $38 million refurbishment of Majesty of the Seas really shows.

 

She makes a great impression in her atrium. The public rooms were all fresh and beautiful with great new carpets, beautiful drapes and woods. The lighting, fixtures and accents on Majesty were first class and the ship looks new from the inside. The public bathrooms were flawless and very similar to a Celebrity vessel. Lounges are well decorated and attractive.

 

Embarkation was orderly, swift and down to a science. Disembarkation was a little more chaotic but to a seasoned veteran cruiser, it was a typical disembarkation.

 

The cabin (deck 5 oceanview) was among the smallest I've ever sailed but that was expected and understood. A suite is not really good value or worth it on this short voyage. Room was comfortable, funtional and clean. Cabin steward perfect and friendly. Bed extremely comfortable and great sheets and pillows. Bathroom decent but small, also expected.

No mini bar, but soda and a filled ice bucket there. The new flat screen TV is a tad small and positioned in a less than perfect way, but still good.

Window view was better than Sovereign cabins with same view.

 

Service was very good indeed and in some cases excellent. Earlier this year I sailed Holland America and hated it (if you havn't read that review from this past June) but Majesty faithfully restored my soul as a cruise should. The crew is warm and genuinely friendly and smile sincerely. There were no hand cleanser storm troopers blocking the dining room doors as on Holland America. I believe in clean hands but not clean hand storm troopers.

 

As far as service and food goes, RCCL is a scaled down version to its more expensive and upscale sister product Celebrity Cruises, (my favorite).

RCCL is more of a family fun ship, but not a

Carnival drinking party animal madhouse. Although RCCL is similar to Celebrity, it is not as luxurious, gourmet or pristine as a Celebrity ship... but it is an excellent alternative to be sure.

 

The food was great. Not gourmet, haute or extraordinary, but very good. No flames on Baked Alaska but still enjoyable. Buffets delicious and varied. Desserts not that impressive or special, just basic. Full and delicious Breakfasts, great lunches, dinner and all in between. Soups were served a little less than hot but waiter made a quick fix. No attitudes from the egg station or anyone else the entire voyage. My waiter and his assistant were great; warm and friendly; I had the Lamb, Duck and Steak (in that order 3 nights) They were all great dinners. No lobster but that was expected on a 3 day. Not as many gourmet starters, imaginative soups or salads as some lines, but also not as expensive as some lines either. Bar drink and wine prices were very fair but wine list slightly ordinary.

 

Alternative restaurant's ? Not like we've come to expect but none the less great. They were trendy cute, as my wife puts it. The dancing crew of Johnny Rockets, or Sorrento's Pizza and a Sandwich shop. I don't usually eat burgers on cruises, I could do that on land but Johnny Rockets was great and entertaining.

 

Shows were typical cruise entertainment (dance, sing dance dance and sing) but commedian was excellent.

 

The population onboard were primarily multi-cultural Miami families; old and young. Some classy, some not so classy. Many young children and teens but none of them "took over" the ship.

 

Coco Cay is a nice fantasy island and clean. They do their best to make this short cruise fantastic and they do. Tendering is always enjoyable for me. Nassau Bahamas is...well....a truck stop for cruise ships. I've seen Nassau, straw markets and Atlanti$$ a zillion times.

 

We are Anglicans and since it was our Wedding aniversary, and a Sunday in Nassau, we visited the Anglican Cathedral on George St. for the 11:15 AM service which was simply beautiful and very special. Great organ and brass. It was a very special day.

 

For a 3 day cruise, Majesty of the Seas is a very nice ship and I had a wonderful cruise. Some areas got chaotic at different periods but all in all, the cruise was very enjoyable and rewarding.

 

Oceania Insignia in July 08, unless another cruise slips in between which it most likely will. Sail Majesty for a weekend treat. Not run of the mill.

 

Gustavas

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

What a delightful review! We enjoy the Majesty of the Seas also for quick little cruises when we want a get away but a longer cruise would be out of the question. We have cruised on Majesty both before and after her refurbishment and I was surprised at what an improvement she underwent. Not everything improved but enough did improve to make a remarkable ship considering her age and size.

 

Second, allow me to congratulate you on your wedding anniversary. Hubby and I had our fortieth anniversary that very same day!

[Pumbaamd]

We were on the 4 day Majesty, just before she went to drydock in Freeport. Actually, our trip to Coco Cay was cancelled because of high seas, and we went to Freeport instead. Some suits and ties came aboard in Freeport and went up and down Majesty. Guessing, they were from the drydock contractor and doing some prelim.

The usual conspiracy theory was soon spread about the ship, "No, the seas around Coco Cay were not high. They just wanna get a head start on the drydock."

RCCL stood to make a lot more $$$ by going to Coco Cay and getting ALL the profits, "OR" letting everyone off to go to Freeport and spend their money. Duh?

Anyway, our 4 day Majesty was a great cruise, pre-drydock. Maybe we can sneak in a shorty Majesty post-drydock some day soon.

Rick and Deirdra

[Gustavas]

Thanks for the congrats, same to you.

[shellie100]

Thanks for the review. I will be on the Majesty in 6 days, yippee!!

[mitaxi]

Thanks for your review....I have often considered booking a short cruise on the Majesty....this has convinced me that I should

[Missus Makkem]

We did a 4 day cruise on Majesty in the spring prior to our TA and would concur with everything the OP said.

A lovely friendly ship, ideal for the short breaks it offers.

[montlee]

I am going on the Majesty - leaving 12/24. I've read all the reviews of the Majesty over the past several months and have not read one negative thing about her. Makes me all the more anxious.

[KRD]

Excellent review. Thank you for all your comments and observations.

I am looking forward to my trip even more now!

[prc]

My wife & I have been on her 3 times. Twice in 2006 before the refit, and once this year . The transformation was amazing!

 

We are going on her again next month for the Christmas sailing. Good to hear she is still in great shape!

[Dreamz2cruise]

Nice review, thank you! One quick question - what time did you board? We are going in 2 weeks and wondering if we get there by 11:00 if that's too early? I know we were able to board NOS early - just wondering about this one with such quick turn around?

 

Thanks - and Happy Anniversary to you also! (We just celebrated our 19th!):)

[quiltsnh]

Nice review, thank you! One quick question - what time did you board? We are going in 2 weeks and wondering if we get there by 11:00 if that's too early? I know we were able to board NOS early - just wondering about this one with such quick turn around?

 

Thanks - and Happy Anniversary to you also! (We just celebrated our 19th!):)

 

 

We were on Majesty on the Nov 12th sailing..... We had only cruised 7 days and big ships. We were so pleased with Majesty that we booked it again for next Thanksgiving. We loved it... did not get into Coco Cay so we are 1 and 1. We got to the ship at 11:15 and they started boarding at 11:30 no lines no waiting..... We had priority boarding but it didn't make a big dif.

[TexCruise371]

Thanks for the review. We will be sailing on her in January. Your review made me wish it was sooner. :D

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Nice review, thank you! One quick question - what time did you board? We are going in 2 weeks and wondering if we get there by 11:00 if that's too early? I know we were able to board NOS early - just wondering about this one with such quick turn around?

 

Thanks - and Happy Anniversary to you also! (We just celebrated our 19th!):)

 

Everytime we have sailed on Majesty, we have been in the Windjammer no later than twelve. We usually try to arrive at the dock by eleven or eleven thirty.

[Host Kewlguy]

Thanks for the great review. We're looking forward to experiencing Majesty of the Seas after her refurbishment. We're doing a back to back to back next week. :D

[Gustavas]

Our car arrived around 12:20 and we were onboard in less than thirty minutes. I forgot to mention that formal night is really not as formal as other lines I frequent, which is somewhat of a nice change. Hardly any tuxedos. Plenty of ship photo ops though. Also, the Latte Coffee shop is nothing like the Cova Cafes of Celebrity, so don't expect too much. Paper cups. They give free pastry with it, but it's just cake or cookies. It's actually a few notches lower than a Starbucks. Other than that....Enjoy your cruise !!!!