Rev - Just off Majesty 4 day 5/12 - 5/16

[Motleu]

Hi everyone - I am a newbie posting but have been reading the boards for about a month to get info on our just completed 4 day Majesty Cruise to the Bahamas. I wanted to post a review with some info on what we thought about service, food, etc.

 

Embarkation - Flew from Cincinnati into Fort Lauderdale (much easier airport to deal with) and took the shuttle to the Port of Miami. RCI offers this shuttle at a cost of $56 round trip p/p. There is usually a wait at the airport to gather other people to fill the bus. That took 30 minutes and then the ride to Miami was about 45 minutes. It is hassle free and the best part about it is once your luggage is on the bus you dont have to deal with it again. It will arrive at your stateroom within a couple of hours. Embarkation took a little over an hour and there is much more security as opposed to my last cruise in 2003. Lines were ok, not terrible, and it took a little over an hour to get the sea pass card and board the ship. We were in Windjammer by 330 pm. (Our flight arrived in FLL at 12 noon). Windjammer has been remade into the Windjammer Marketplace with food stations as opposed to the buffet lines. On day of embarkation it was crazy because everyone was dining there and the stations were very crowded causing some frustration for some but it really wasnt that bad. The food was decent (I heard many complaints about the food on other threads and I will address that shortly) and we headed out onto the pool deck. I have sailed Monarch before but not Majesty so I cant say exactly what the Majesty was like before the retrofit but she is in gorgeous condition.

 

We sailed away at 5pm with the Carnival Fascination close behind. The pool party was great because the staff got everyone in the partying mood but this was relatively the only time orgainzed activities were conducted at the pool by the staff other than the Midnight Buffet.

 

Food - The food has been hammered on these boards and I am not sure why. This is a floating city that serves in excess of 10,000 meals per day in very confined spaces and the food was pretty good. There were the occasional tasteless items but overall I would give the food service high marks. We (wife and I) were originally assigned to the Main (6pm) seating when we booked the cruise but we like to stay at the pool until at least 7 0r 715 pm every night. So I joined the Crown and Anchor (more details about that later) and begged for the later seating but was told it was already booked. So I insisted on being put on a waiting list but was told one does not exist so i said create one! When we checked in at the Pier our SeaPass cards indicated second seating!!! So your requests do pay off! You should note that there is someone available at the dining room from 12 to 330 on day of sail to address seating issues.

 

Dinner was pretty good each night - Plenty of selections including healthy choices but who goes on a cruise to eat healthy! I has sirloin steak the first night, filet mignon the second night (Captain's Gala formal meal), chicken marsala on Italian (third) night and strip steak on the Feast of nations night (fourth). The wife had the same but had lamb shank on Italian night. In each case the food was as good as a land based chain restaurant.

 

More to come....

[Cruise-A-Hoy]

Food - The food has been hammered on these boards and I am not sure why. More to come....

 

I think the reason food is getting hammered is that it use to be better with better and bigger selections.

I would add that this is true with all the cruise lines not just Royal caribbean.

 

I

[pmfan]

Motleu thanks for writing a review. I enjoy reading of others experiences on a cruise. :)

[Motleu]

We had late breakfast in the Windjammer each day and it was standard (and a little not standard - Fried Rice!!!???) breakfast fare. Turkey Sausage was lousy and biscuits were not great but most everything else was pretty good. Even the pancakes were pretty good. And there was an unbelievable amount of variety with the longest lines at the omelette station. The fruit was hit and miss depending (watermelon great, cantaloupe not great) We ate late lunches, one day in the Compass deli, one day at Sorrento's Pizza and one day at the star of the boat - Johnny Rockets! Compass Deli was a little disappointing. The smoked chicken wrap was ok but the Chihuahua Quesadilla (chorizo) was not good. The salad bar was really a nice touch and very fresh. They had 3 soups available as well and the space is nice and quiet on Deck 12 forward. Sorrentos was average pizza (sorry Chicago and New Yorkers used to great pizza) but for some reason I ate it constantly, maybe because it was available until 3am! Johnny Rockets was the star of the ship, of course! We had the $3.95 fee waived using C&A coupons (more on that later) and ate to out hearts content including the best desserts on the ship - the Oreo Brownie sundae and Apple Pie ala Mode. Cokes cost extra and Shakes and Malts are a whopping $5.50! One note about desserts - posts indicating the quality lacking are generally on the mark. Chocolate desserts in the dining room were pretty good and a few other concoctions were decent but JR's was the best!

 

more to come!

[Motleu]

The service was great in all aspects. Our room attendant had ice present at all times and was always available for whatever we needed. Service at dinner (Table 442 - waiter Dennis and asst waiter Alice) were fabulous. Alice just joined RCI from China 2 weeks earlier and there were slight communication problems but nothing that we couldnt overcome. They were able to satisfy every request and were very attentive. High marks to Dennis and Alice. Bar service was great - mixed drinks were strong and beer was ice cold! Cant ask for anything more! Prices are comparable to midwestern prices at most establishments. Take advantage of the meet and greets esp if you are C&A members. Usually they have free drinks at these events. And they are meticulous about cleanliness (as they should be) . Purell Anti-Bac hand wipes were handed out as you enter and exit the ship and when you enter Windjammer, JR's, Sorrentos and Compass as well as when you enter the pool deck. Liquid sanitizer would have been nicer but that is a minor issue.

 

As for the issue that pops up about Formal night - I was surprised to see just how formal everyone was. I wore a sportjacket w/ no tie but many men had full suits and there were some tuxes and the women wore cocktail dresses and everyone generally dressed up quite nicely. Some military unis as well.

 

more to come....

[seesee]

Keep it coming. Great review. We leave on the 27th of June. Thanks for sharing.

[vplsh]

Keep it coming. Great review. We leave on the 27th of June. Thanks for sharing.

 

My mother and daughter are sailing on the 27th of June as well and can't wait!

 

Thanks for the review! Looking forward to the rest!

[leepcohen]

Do you happen to remember who played at the Piano Bar? We were on the Enchantment in January and Patrice was great. We heard that he was moving over to the Majesty in May...so he may have been on your cruise. I hope he didn't leave the Enchantment because I am going again in a couple of weeks! Thanks!

[Motleu]

Sorry for the delay in getting this complete. Things are hectic coming back to reality.

 

To leepcohen - Yes Patrice played at the Schooner Bar Piano from 1030 - late. But we didnt love him because a guy named Charlie Jourdan played from 730-1030 and he was awesome. Played 60s, 70s and 80s tunes all across the board as people shouted requests from the audience!

As for the resto of the entertainment on board it was pretty good. The RECI singers and dancers put on a show called "Signed, Sealed and Delivered" which was a walk through motown performers. It was pretty decent. As I mentioned Charlie Jourdan in the Schooner was great. Pool deck music was pretty lame. The band hardly played and did so for only short periods (As an aside, we were parked next to Disney Wonder in Nassau and they had music playing in 2 different areas the entire time! Not so w/ Majesty). The female lead singer was out of breath and out of tune so I ignored them. And rarely did you hear reggae or island music but top 40 stuff.

But the best was the game shows! Love and Marriage and Quest! I had a blast during Love and Marriage because the couples chosen were hysterical and activities director Jimmie kept it funny. And Quest - I was not prepared for the chaos that ensued! You have to see this event for yourself! It is an absolutely do not miss while on board! That is all I'll say for Quest.

 

As for excursions we took the water taxi to Atlantis and paid for the self guided acquarium tour something like $35 or so each and gave us access to most of the grounds. Although it says that you couldnt access the pools or the beach, we walked everywhere and could have sat poolside if we wanted. They have 15 pools or so! We spent approx 3 hrs there and then took the water taxi back to the straw market! Skip it! It is cramped like you wouldnt believe and a clausterphobes nightmare and they hassle you for everything including wanting to tie my shoe for me! Give me a break! I headed for the nearest beer and was much happier!

 

More to come!

[Motleu]

Coco Cay was a fun place but it was 80 degress and somewhat windy. As people have mentioned stay away from the main beach and there are plenty of chairs all over the place. The water is very shallow even 30 or 40 feet out and that nice. We grabbed a hammock (there are 10 or so) and snoozed for an hour! Quite relaxing. We had a late breakfast in the Windjammer so we skipped the previously mediocre reviewed BBQ on island but people seemed to like it. There was plenty of food and lines weren't too bad. There were plenty of bars with no wait for a beverage. The tender over from the ship was easy and we weren't hampered by the rough seas like other cruises recently. The only complaint is that the ship sailed at 330pm so the line back to the tenders was quite lengthy by 3. But they moved quickly and had 2 rather large tender ships based at CoCo Cay operating. Key West is Key West. Did the ubiquitous bar crawl and convinced the non drinking wife to quaff a few at Fat Tuesdays and Sloppy Joes. Weather was great for the whole trip!

 

Some final comments to come!

[sapphy4]

This review has been great. I'm going on my first cruise with my 8y/o DD and we're very excited. We'll be doing this exact same trip. I'm looking forward to it and your review has been very helpful. Coco Cay's water will be perfect for her. Thanks a bunch :D .

[kingsgirl]

This review has been great. I'm going on my first cruise with my 8y/o DD and we're very excited. We'll be doing this exact same trip. I'm looking forward to it and your review has been very helpful. Coco Cay's water will be perfect for her. Thanks a bunch :D .

 

The beach/shallow water of CocoCay can be hard on the feet. Consider bringing some water shoes!

[sapphy4]

water shoes have been added to the the packing list! lol these will come in handy the entire trip

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Sorry for the delay in getting this complete. Things are hectic coming back to reality.

 

To leepcohen - Yes Patrice played at the Schooner Bar Piano from 1030 - late. But we didnt love him because a guy named Charlie Jourdan played from 730-1030 and he was awesome. Played 60s, 70s and 80s tunes all across the board as people shouted requests from the audience!

As for the resto of the entertainment on board it was pretty good. The RECI singers and dancers put on a show called "Signed, Sealed and Delivered" which was a walk through motown performers. It was pretty decent. As I mentioned Charlie Jourdan in the Schooner was great. Pool deck music was pretty lame. The band hardly played and did so for only short periods (As an aside, we were parked next to Disney Wonder in Nassau and they had music playing in 2 different areas the entire time! Not so w/ Majesty). The female lead singer was out of breath and out of tune so I ignored them. And rarely did you hear reggae or island music but top 40 stuff.

But the best was the game shows! Love and Marriage and Quest! I had a blast during Love and Marriage because the couples chosen were hysterical and activities director Jimmie kept it funny. And Quest - I was not prepared for the chaos that ensued! You have to see this event for yourself! It is an absolutely do not miss while on board! That is all I'll say for Quest.

 

As for excursions we took the water taxi to Atlantis and paid for the self guided acquarium tour something like $35 or so each and gave us access to most of the grounds. Although it says that you couldnt access the pools or the beach, we walked everywhere and could have sat poolside if we wanted. They have 15 pools or so! We spent approx 3 hrs there and then took the water taxi back to the straw market! Skip it! It is cramped like you wouldnt believe and a clausterphobes nightmare and they hassle you for everything including wanting to tie my shoe for me! Give me a break! I headed for the nearest beer and was much happier!

 

More to come!

 

 

Hi, question for you--was there not an actual Reggae band that played the pool?

[Motleu]

To Sapphy4 - water shoes are a great idea. The sand in the shallow area is kinda weird sort of like sand on top of mud. That is the best way I can describe it. And the 8 y/o will love the water park setp up with giant inflatable climbers (pyramid shaped, round shape, etc) set in the ocean just beyond the shallow area.

 

To Staci - the band that played was not a reggae band. I do not recall if they played even one reggae song which is one of my few complaints about this cruise. They played some top 40 stuff but as I mentioned were not very good. The Top 40 stuff played in the Disco (called Spectrum) at night so a little island music/reggae would have been nice

 

Another complaint (maybe silly to some) is that other than the Viking Crown lounge there is no bar service on the upper decks of the ship after the pool bars closer (cant remember when). If you like to smoke (starboard side only) and have a drink you are out of luck when the pool bars close. And the Viking Crown loung was like a sauna this trip. Not sure whether the AC was out so didnt really want to hang there for any period of time. And surprisingly, Bolero's the new Latin influenced lounge (with a very nice square bar set up) was always empty and seemed never to be used. I think I saw a band in there once.

 

And as for disembarkation - unbelievable how fast we got off the ship. I think it was a total of 10 minutes and I am not kidding from the time our color was called to the time I was standing on the pier! RCI did an amazing job getting people off the ship and luggage in hand just as quick. The last cruise I took (Celebrity Century 2003) all the luggage was placed in rows in the checkin/checkout area and we had to sort through countless bags to find ours. RCI's airport style carrousel's worked great and made the process that much easier.

[gosaints2006]

What room type did you have. I am debating a Porthole on lower level or a regular window on the 4th.

 

How big is the normal window? They don't have any pictures.

 

Thanks.....great review.

[kingsgirl]

Hi, question for you--was there not an actual Reggae band that played the pool?

 

 

I am interested to know this too. There should have been one. There was one on our cruise (May 5-9). They were located (if you are facing the front of the ship and looking at the pools on the pool deck) one deck above where the pools are located, on the left hand side.

[kingsgirl]

What room type did you have. I am debating a Porthole on lower level or a regular window on the 4th.

 

How big is the normal window? They don't have any pictures.

 

Thanks.....great review.

 

Honeslty, it will probably be of very little issue in regards to porthole vs. window. If you like to get out and explore the ports anyway...you will not be in your room much unless it's to unwind and then you don't care what cabin your in as long as you can just sit for a few minutes ;) ;)

 

If you're not into port/ship exploring then yes the room will be of more importance. I know that I was so stressed out about this myself and then when I actually experienced the lack of time in the room, I understood why everyone said it wasn't a big deal!

[Motleu]

Kingsgirl - The band did set up in that area (port side) above the pool deck. 4 members and unfortunately rather dull. The equipment was left there and covered by tarps more often than not! IMO, if there are people on the pool deck, let the music play (preferably reggae)!!

 

Gosaints2006 - We kicked that around as well ocean view vs. balcony (few on the Maj.) vs. interior and we decided that we were going to spend so little time in the room that we wanted to go the route of the interior stateroom - 6545 to be exact. Great location middle of ship, small, no drawer space, enough closet space and comfortable beds. BTW, you could sit on the toilet and take a shower at the same time :) if that gives you an idea of the bathroom size! Still, it was just fine for us.

[mitchtim]

Great report.

[AMommyof2]

Thanks for a great review. I'll be sailing on Majesty in January 2009, on the 3 night.

[dmndlil]

Thanks for the great review. We will be sailing on her Sept 1- Sept 5 :D