Good cruise for families
Written: Aug 29 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Affordable, clean staterooms and common areas, friendly staff, plenty of activities
Cons: Touristy ports of call, over-priced shore excursions, aloof bartenders, so-so food
The Bottom Line: Luxury this ain't. Quick,affordable get-away. Good for families, couples, groups. Not good for quiet time, serious adventurers, or gourmands. If cruises were beef, this would be chopped steak.
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| ronpass's Full Review: Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas |
This was my first cruise. I began with low expectations because I had read quite a bit about cruises and how the quality can vary dramatically depending on the cruise line, the ship, and the destinations (all of which determine the clientele on board). Still, I took the cruise because I needed a last-minute get-away, and Royal Caribbean offered an affordable escape.
Check-in was a breeze. While there was some waiting initially, there were plenty of staff on duty, so the line moved steadily. The stateroom was small, of course, but very clean. I paid an extra $40 for a room on a higher deck with a window, and it was well worth the money. First, the window offered a nice view, and also helped us to know at a glance when we were at sea or when we were docked. The higher deck (deck 8, the Mariner Deck) allowed us quicker access to the other decks because of its central location. We barely used the elevators. Higher decks seemed quieter, as the higher you go the farther you are from the engines.
Food was average. However, I will say that I'm an above-average cook and I love to dine out (New York City), so I'm used to good cuisine. Still, I realize that the ship needs to feed 2,000 people, and quality sometimes slips. Sometimes the food took on a "hotel banquet" quality, but it was always hot and served with a smile. You are given a choice of an early seating for dinner (6:15) or later (8:30). If you book late, you will be stuck with the early time. Don't worry about missing the shows, as they schedule the entertainment in a way that you can catch the show regardless of what dinner time you've chosen. (Tip: if you are not used to eating early and you are simply not hungry at 6:15, there is a buffet available from 7:30-9:30 on a different deck.) Don't hesitate to ask for something... they try to accommodate most reasonable requests. Dinners are casual dress, but there is one night that is "formal." The cruiseline says black-tie optional, but I didn't see one person wearing black tie. Most gentlemen wore suits or jackets and ties. Ladies wore cocktail dresses or sun dresses. You always have a handful of slobs who arrive inappropriately dressed, and they stood out.
Another handy tip concerns alcoholic beverages. You can buy a cocktail plan from any of the bars. For $39+15% tip ($44.85), you get a card good for 12 cocktails. You can use it to purchase house wine, daily cocktail specials, rail, and some call brands (e.g., Absolut, Tangeray). If you do the math, this comes to $3.74 per drink. Not a bad price, especially considering the drinks are $5 or more if you buy top shelf liquor or other specialties.
Staff were generally helpful and courteous, but the bartenders seemed aloof. They seemed not to hustle at all, taking their time serving. I think this may be in part because their tip is automatically included when you buy drinks, so there is no incentive for them to work harder for gratuities. The beverage servers at the pool were a bit over-zealous... coming around a bit too often to ask if you want something from the bar. I suppose that's better than if they didn't come around often enough.
Nassau is terribly touristy, but you may want to check it out for curiosity sake. If you have children, they may enjoy the shore excursions (snorkeling, dolphins, etc), but be warned the excursions are pricey. If you're not into the touristy thing, stay on the ship and go to the pool or the casino. They're practically empty, and you feel as if you have the place to yourself.
CocoCay was a hair shy of Disney. Since Royal Caribbean owns the island, the only people on the island were fellow cruise passengers. They fire up some grills and serve burgers, dogs, and ribs. A Calypso band plays. There are lounge chairs all over the beach. Go in the morning if you want to get beach time... the chairs get taken quickly. The only things to shop for are tacky t-shirts, wooden and plastic nick-nacks, hats, and mugs.
If you like to go to the gym, this is not the ship for you. The gym was laughable. There were several tread mills and step machines, but they were old and of poor quality. There were only a handful of machines, and not all muscle groups were represented. Free-weights were a joke... a large group of hand weights with missing pieces. No bar bells whatsoever. Only 1 bench. One would think Royal Caribbean would spend a little money to spruce up the gym, especially when the ship is 10 years old. On the other side of the coin, the spa offers a good selection of services if you want to pamper yourself. For $65 (a "port special" they offered when we reached Nassau) I had a full body massage and a facial. Wonderful!
The entertainment was better than I imagined, especially the song and dance production. I'm a musician, so I was particularly skeptical. But the talent was genuine; the dancing well choreographed, the voices accomplished and obviously trained. The other evenings offered a comedian and a comedy juggler and magician. The lounges were quiet. The disco was fun, but seemed a bit like someone's wedding reception. The cruise staff seems to have this need to orchestrate everything. There were times I wished they'd leave us all alone to dance, instead of having to teach us the electric slide, conduct a contest, etc.
Kids are offered quite a bit of activities, but there were times I thought there should have been adults-only activities (e.g., the midnight buffet at poolside). Parents should not hesitate to take your kids along. The cruise is very family-friendly. But if you're looking for a quiet cruise without kids running around the pool or getting under your feet in the hallway, this is not the cruise for you. I traveled in late August, so the number of kids aboard might have been greater because families take summer vacations before school starts in September.
If you are gay or lesbian: run, do not walk, to a different cruise. There were only a handful on us on board. The only exception I could see is if you come with a group, where you can have a good time together as friends.
One last tip: Ignore the VERY early and LENGTHY departure proceedings. Stay in your room and watch TV or go drink coffee by the pool. Let the others stand in the endless lines, then leave the ship when they announce last call. you'll cruise through customs as if you had used a private exit.
Recommended:
No
Best Suited For: Families
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Epinions.com ID:
ronpass
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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