The Majestic Majesty of the Seas
Written: Mar 24 '07 (Updated Mar 24 '07)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Fun-filled vacation for an affordable price!
Cons: Not enough cruises leaving from our local port.
The Bottom Line: Highly recommend! Excellent price! Excellent service! Endless choices from activities to meals to excursions.
|
|
|
| deke13's Full Review: Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas |
What will you get for your money?
The chance to experience life at sea? Waking up in a different port every day? Fantastic food, service, and entertainment? Awesome excursions? A great vacation at an affordable price? A fun and safe environment where your kids can do their own thing without Mom and Dad hanging around constantly?
The answer to all of these questions is…YES!!!
My husband and I boarded this ship for a 4-day cruise to the Bahamas during our Honeymoon. We had more fun than we could have ever imagined. Since this was our first cruise, we chose the Majesty because we didn’t want to be overwhelmed by a larger ship. Don’t let this ships size fool you, though. With so many activities going on and things to do and see, the likelihood of checking out all eleven decks is near impossible. The Majesty has even added a rock-climbing wall since our cruise.
What to expect upon arrival on the ship
• You’ll need to provide proof of all necessary documentation before boarding the ship. Once confirmed, you’ll receive a ship ID card that you will need to carry with you at all times along with photo ID.
• You’ll ascend the gang-plank to the ship where you’ll have the opportunity to pose for a cruise picture prior to boarding and scan your ship ID.
• When you arrive to your cabin, you’ll find a packet of information called, “The Compass” which provides all the activities and information for the day. Your life-jackets will be on top of your bed along with directions to your emergency evacuation area of the ship.
• A short time later you will be required to put on your life-jacket and report to your assigned evacuation area for a head-count. This is cruise protocol and is done prior to leaving port the first day on all cruises to ensure emergency preparedness.
• Once released, you return to your cabin to find your luggage has arrived.
• From this point on, the choices are yours…have fun!
What can I expect a typical day on the ship to be like?
Upon rising, you have several breakfast options. You may order room-service, eat in the main dining room, or grab a quick breakfast (lunch-line style) at the Windjammer Cafe'. You’ll arrive back in your cabin to find your bed made with fresh linens (usually made up into cute little animals) placed upon it. So what now? You can disembark the ship and check out the port or go on an excursion. Maybe you want to get in a quick workout in the shipshape fitness center or do a few laps in the pool. The more laid-back could check their email, chill out in the library, or take a class (there’s even one that teaches how to make the cute towel animals made from your linen). Lunch time options are the same as breakfast with the additional choices of eating in port or at one of the on-ship restaurants. After lunch, it’s back to all the activities. Dinner time rolls around and you can’t believe that the day is almost over. Guess what? It’s not! Evenings on cruises provide even more entertainment and activities. Along with all the previously listed activities, there are tournaments, contests, game shows, theatre, movies, several different bar lounges, and the casino. If you prefer to kick back and relax, there is a beautiful view from the observation tower at the top of the ship. While you are out enjoying your evening, your bed is drawn back and the next days activities and excursions packet is left for you to peruse. When you finally arrive back to your cabin, you are almost too tired to move the packet before falling into bed for a few hours rest before doing it all over again tomorrow!
Important things to remember
• You’ll need your Cruise ID card and Photo ID EVERY time you leave or enter the ship.
• If you lose either, during your cruise, notify ship staff IMMEDIATELY!
• All on-ship purchases are processed using your Cruise ID card. Cash is only accepted at the end of your cruise for staff gratuities.
• Don’t buy sea-sickness relief pills in case of emergency. If you feel sick on the ship, the pursers desk will provide them for free.
• The pool water is sea water! You may be thinking, “DUH!” but, apparently, I watched too many ‘Love Boat’ reruns prior to cruising. I assumed the water was fresh and dove right in. Needless to say, my eyes got the burn of their lives!
First time cruising tips
• Prior to your cruise, complete all the necessary documents and make several copies. Give copies to two people you trust. Bring one copy along with the originals with you on your cruise.
• If you can stay in Miami at least one day prior to your cruise, it will save you a lot of stress between the airport and ship and you’ll have your luggage in hand.
• Buy every good picture the cruise staff takes of you. It’s your first cruise and you’ll want to remember all the good times.
• Take advantage of the duty-free prices and buy something for yourself. However, make sure that you don’t go over legal limits when purchasing duty-free. For example, you can bring 250 cigarettes (1 carton) through customs. If you bring more, you are required to pay duty and tax on the whole lot.
• You are required to report all duty-free purchases to customs when disembarking the ship at cruise end. They randomly check luggage and the risk isn’t worth it.
• Royal Caribbean offers a video of your cruise prior to disembarking. It highlights your cruise and even shows footage behind the scenes and during excursions. It is a definite and worthwhile purchase that you will be happy with for years to come.
• A cabin really doesn’t need a view and the cheapest cabins are in the middle of the ship. Since you’ll be spending little time here (mostly to sleep), the money you save by booking this cabin can be spent elsewhere on your cruise.
• Make sure you tip the staff at the end of the cruise. They work very hard to serve you and always with a smile on their face. You will find a list of gratuity guidelines in your cruise packet or you can also find a list in Royal Caribbean’s website.
• While you can book your cruise excursions directly from Royal Caribbean, we found that you receive substantial discounts by booking direct. For example, the Dolphin Encounter in Nassau costs $118 through Royal Caribbean. If you book directly through Dolphin Encounter the cost is only $85. That’s a savings of $33 per person. Not all excursions can be booked directly but the savings are worth the research.
• Participate, participate, participate in cruise activities! Step out of your comfort zone and enjoy trying something new. We got involved in a cruise-adapted Newlywed Show but there are other activities like belly-flop contests and scavenger hunts. You’ll meet new people and have tons of fun.
Our favorite ship & shore experiences
• Participating in the Newlywed Show.
• Getting to know our table mates.
• Getting the strolling Mariachi band (during dinner) to sing, “Great Balls of Fire.”
• Learning how to make towel mice.
• Being provided free Dramamine by the ships Purser when I got sea-sick.
• Swimming with the dolphins in Nassau.
• Snorkeling at Cococay.
• Key West shopping.
• The daily themed drinks in collectible glasses. For example, on Cococay we drank Coco-Loco’s!
• Being provided free dress shoes for formal night by the ships Purser since I had forgotten mine.
• Watching Spiderman in seven different languages!
• Midnight room service for Caesar Salad and Chocolate Chip cookies!
• Moonlight walks on deck.
• Watching the cruise staff practice lifeboat drills.
• Seeing the bottom of the ship from the dock because the water is so clear.
• We had the misfortune of cruising on the first anniversary of 9/11 but Royal Caribbean did a wonderful job honoring those who were lost. They had a moment of silence at the designated time and held special religious services.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
deke13
|
|
Location: Delaware
Reviews written: 48
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Adoring wife and mommy to one beautiful daughter and one neurotic dog.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.