Incredible Vacation!
Written: May 15 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Heavenly food, excellent service, fun for everyone
Cons: Smoking in the halls, the extra money you have to pay
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| KiwiNZ's Full Review: Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas |
My parents, realizing that they had a few precious months left with all three of their daughters still at home, decided to take us on a family vacation unlike any other-- a cruise. They figured that on a cruise we could still be a family, but do our own things. In addition, we teenagers could be independent, yet only go as far as the ships railing. How true.
My sisters and I had a blast-- there was so much to do! I admit, it might have been better if we were allowed into the *night club* type places so we could dance, but we had fun in our own ways. We played sports (basketball, ping pong and shuffle board), swam on the pool deck, watched movies in the small theater, and drank virgin margaritas. Occasionally we bumped into my mother on the shopping level. Without insinuating anything, I can assure you that my parents had fun.
At night, all five of us would meet up for a DELICIOUS meal in the formal dining room, which we took advantage of every night. My sisters enjoyed seconds and thirds of such delicacies as lobster, escargot, and other things my mother and I will not allow in the freezer (my mother is also a vegetarian, though not as hardcore as myself). My father enjoyed the wines. My mother and I enjoyed the superb vegetarian choices. All of us loved the desserts.... yum... The food was, in short, incredible. We all agreed on that. The service was even better, if that is at all possible. Our waiter became an instant friend and made our dining experience extremely personal and fun.
My sisters and I shared a small stateroom, which was perfect, since we rarely spent time in our room, and my parents shared the adjacent room. This is, by the way, THE only way to go! It gave both groups (teenagers/parents) a feeling of privacy, and with two bathrooms between us, we were set. The rooms were kept clean and tidy by the delightful staff, who entertained us by folding our towels into interesting sea creatures, and kept us happy by sneaking us extra chocolate mints.
It was truly a vacation for all of us! (Mom especially...)
The stops in Haiti, Grand Cayman and Mexico were unforgettable, though our stop in Jamaica was cancelled due to some political upheaval of some sort. We ended up circling the island all day, which made for a wonderful view, and plenty of time to relax and make endless food runs to the 24 hour buffet.
My family has NEVER had this much fun before... and together, too!
We were all sooooo sad when the cruise ended and could not wait to take another one (but we are still trying to find ways to pay off the last one.)
For those of you that do not know the way the cruise works:
You pay what seems like a great terrific price for a week of food and lodging, but they get all the money from you on tips and overpriced drinks (even sodas cost upward of $2-- more expensive than a school cafeteria!) Water and iced tea was free, but if you want anything else, prepare to shell it out. In addition, they offer you wonderful opportunities, like snorkelling in Sting Ray City (highly recommended-- you can pet the rays... they are friendly, by the way), but charge you extra for it. I also recommend that you try different things each time-- i.e. you do not need to snorkel in Haiti AND Jamaica. Try something new and exciting. If you go to Mexico do not, by all means, settle for the first price offered. Bargain!!!!! I bargained down an onyx chessboard from $120 to two for $35. I felt really bad for doing so, but I was assured that if they could not afford to settle for so low, they would not do so.
Royal Caribbean is a WONDERFUL company, with EXCELLENT service and HEAVENLY food.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
KiwiNZ
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Member: Kelly Z
Location: Sunnyvale, CA AND Cambridge, MA
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 6 members
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