The Royal Majesty

[FCOWHER]

In the late eighties my family was on a three day cruise on a ship that was owned by Dolphin but was not a "Dolphin" ship. She was a beautiful ship that I believe was called the Royal Majesty. Does anyone know what happened to this beautiful ship and/or if I have her name correct? Joe V.

[dougnewmanatsea]

You do have her name correct. Majesty Cruise Lines, the Dolphin subsidiary that owned her, was bought by NCL in 1997, and she is now their NORWEGIAN MAJESTY.

 

This is a ship with a very interesting history. She was ordered from the Wartsila yard at Turku, Finland by the Swedish-Finnish company Birka Line as BIRKA QUEEN with the intent of using her for one-night cruises from Stockholm. In 1991, with the ship incomplete, the shipbuilding arm of Wartsila went bankrupt and was reorganised as Masa-Yards (later Kvaerner Masa-Yards and now Aker Finnyards). Birka refused to accept the new contract offered by Masa-Yards for the ship, and the incomplete hull was sold to Dolphin, who had Masa-Yards complete her. Dolphin felt that this brand-new ship would be "too good" for their own brand, so they created Majesty Cruise Lines as a new, more upscale subsidiary to operate their new acquisition. This was sufficiently successful that a second, smaller ship, the former CUNARD DYNASTY, built in 1993 as CROWN DYNASTY, was added in 1997.

 

A few months later, NCL, emerging from the financial crisis of the early- and mid-1990s and in dire need of new tonnage, bought Majesty Cruise Line. In late 1997, CROWN MAJESTY became NORWEGIAN DYNASTY while ROYAL MAJESTY became NORWEGIAN MAJESTY. NORWEGIAN DYNASTY was sold in 1999, first to Commodore who renamed her CROWN DYNASTY once again and marketed her under the revived Crown Cruise Line brand, and then after Commodore's bankruptcy in late 2000, to Fred. Olsen Cruise Line, for whom she now operates as BRAEMAR. The larger ROYAL MAJESTY, however, was kept, and in 1999 she was sent to Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany, for a chop-and-stretch operation which involved installing a new 100-foot midsection and increased her size from 32,396 GT to 40,876 GT. She is now the second-smallest and third-oldest ship in the NCL fleet, and like all of NCL's smaller, older ships, is eventually destined to go to their parent company, Star Cruises, in the Asian market, but for now she continues as an NCL ship.

[FCOWHER]

Thank you very much. Joe V.

[Lisa63]

Hi Joe,

 

We were on Royal Majesty in 1994, Boston to Bermuda. It was our son's first cruise -- he was 11 months old -- and we all had a great time. We've since returned to the ship (DH and I alone this time) and fell in love with her again. Planning a third trip for this summer, again to Bermuda. She has many loyal fans in the Boston area, and we await her return in a few months.

 

The stretch created a lovely seating area on Deck 5, running between the purser's desk area and the aft dining room. There are wonderful window seats and couches by huge windows. It's my favorite spot on the ship. The casino's been moved, and NCL added a second pool, second dining room, and extended the top deck, but otherwise the ship is pretty much the same pre- and post-stretch.

 

By the way, several of the crew members we spoke with on our last N. Majesty cruise (2002) told us they had worked on the ship when she was Royal Majesty.

[Elua]

Hi All,

I worked and lived on the Royal Majesty for the better part of three years. This was before the sale to NCL, and before the stretching. As a matter of fact, I was on when we ran aground outside of thr Cape in 1995. (A few days that I will never forget as long as I live)

 

She was a nice ship, with some seriously bad design...mostly having to do with bad vibration from the screws and also some serious motion, due to the shallow draft.

 

All in all though, I loved that ship very much. Had a great time, could tell many stories, (if I wanted to implicate some others who would want to remain nameless) and miss it...as it was my home for a long time.

 

Aloha,

Dave

[PortsideBalcony]

Royal Majesty was my first cruise ever, an inside room, and many first-cruise memories and magic. Glad to know she's out there and recently improved.

[Parrot Mom]

Hi All,

I worked and lived on the Royal Majesty for the better part of three years. This was before the sale to NCL, and before the stretching. As a matter of fact, I was on when we ran aground outside of thr Cape in 1995. (A few days that I will never forget as long as I live)

 

She was a nice ship, with some seriously bad design...mostly having to do with bad vibration from the screws and also some serious motion, due to the shallow draft.

 

All in all though, I loved that ship very much. Had a great time, could tell many stories, (if I wanted to implicate some others who would want to remain nameless) and miss it...as it was my home for a long time.

 

Aloha,

Dave

 

DAVE.. everytime the Royal Majesty comes up you and I both do..I loved that ship.. We sailed on it every year at least once. especially when y our friends Mandy and Robert were on it.. Even after it was NCL one of the waiters said they didn't think they would love the ship, but they did.. it was so easy to work the dining room..We were always on the 6th deck.. near the casino..We just sailed the Pacific Princess and dear Dave...I'll take the Appolo dining room staff and the ship itself..not that there was anything wrong with the PP, but the staff just couldn't be beat on the Majesty.. I remember too when NCL had their engineers on the ship talking about cutting it in half, adding another pool, etc. Hopefully we are going on the Spirit to Bermuda next year.. Where are you and are you on a ship?

[John&LaLa]

we sailed teh Majesty three times before NCL and the wobbly screw really shook the dining room. it was a 3 and 4 day back then and some of our best memories. we even were invited to the staff cabins table one night. i believe it was because we were B2B and i commented to the CD that i knew all the answers now to the deck games. my wife cruised solo on the NCL Majesty and she felt she was old and tired and that was quite some time ago. she cruises half the year out of charleston and she does not want ot go on it again

[Parrot Mom]

we sailed teh Majesty three times before NCL and the wobbly screw really shook the dining room. it was a 3 and 4 day back then and some of our best memories. we even were invited to the staff cabins table one night. i believe it was because we were B2B and i commented to the CD that i knew all the answers now to the deck games. my wife cruised solo on the NCL Majesty and she felt she was old and tired and that was quite some time ago. she cruises half the year out of charleston and she does not want ot go on it again

 

 

Well, I won't tell you how old I am..but I'm "old and tired" too..lol

[Elua]

Aloha Parrot Mom,

Well, first of all, how recently were you on the Pacific Princess? A former Majesty CD is onboard right now, you may remember her, Sammi Baker. She was my boss back in the day when I was an ACD.

Anyway, these days, I'm working for Princess, along with my wife, Leialoha. We perform together, and are called Elua. Seven months out of the year, we do whatever Princess ship is doing the Hawaii run, performing Hawaiian music, presenting lectures on Hawaiian culture, teaching hula and ukulele and trying to bring some aloha to the passengers. We're actually on vacation for another week, and will go to the Dawn Princess on June 19th in Australia to perform in the Wheelhouse Bar for two months to fill in some time until Hawaii starts again.

I have caught up with a lot of the old Majesty and Dolphin folks on Facebook...great to see some old pictures and bring back some nice memories.

 

Aloha Nui,

Dave

[Parrot Mom]

Aloha Parrot Mom,

Well, first of all, how recently were you on the Pacific Princess? A former Majesty CD is onboard right now, you may remember her, Sammi Baker. She was my boss back in the day when I was an ACD.

Anyway, these days, I'm working for Princess, along with my wife, Leialoha. We perform together, and are called Elua. Seven months out of the year, we do whatever Princess ship is doing the Hawaii run, performing Hawaiian music, presenting lectures on Hawaiian culture, teaching hula and ukulele and trying to bring some aloha to the passengers. We're actually on vacation for another week, and will go to the Dawn Princess on June 19th in Australia to perform in the Wheelhouse Bar for two months to fill in some time until Hawaii starts again.

I have caught up with a lot of the old Majesty and Dolphin folks on Facebook...great to see some old pictures and bring back some nice memories.

 

Aloha Nui,

Dave

 

YES, WE were on April 10th from Manaus to Ft. Lauderdale where there was a huge change of staff. CD Susan was on and I think i've been reading about Sammi on the boards.. Did you by chance know Wendy Davidson of NCL who was doing the Hawaii run.. and was involved with the Hawaiian Cultural Society? She was living there until she decided or NCL decided to pull o ut and now she is on the NCL Jade doing the entertainment (no, not a CD) but putting together shows, costuming, etc. For a while she was working through Jean Ryan and traveling all over the world iterally for other lines. One of the things in the past few years I've discovered is that the CD can make the cruise..and on Celebrity we found an Alan King..very funny guy...The shows on the PP that were put on by the outfit from New Zealand for smaller ships were really done well, enthuastic dancers and singers, plus we loved the folkloric show from Manaus.. I said there was going to be a huge turnover when we got to Ft. Lauderdale.. As you probably know Boston to Bermuda is being done by the NCL SPIRIT. and I've been following a live broadcast.. wow.. what a cute and adorable ship.. maybe next year.. Sorry to say our experience on the PP was not positive..too many btb cruisers who thought that any negative comment about Princess was blasphamy..Parrot Pop who usually doesn't say much.. thought we were being nickled and dimed to death.. plus it is the extras that Celebrity does that will draw us back hopefully next fall. maybe the Equinox..We have done their Century, Galaxy and Constellation..so far.. We have friends that were with us wrote a review on Cruise Mates that is pretty devastating..even ripping apart the Captain..

Hoping we run into Jane L. Powell again..great lady and entertainer..

[Atomica]

The Norwegian Majesty is also slated to be transfered over to Louis Cruise Lines in the fall of this year, to begin cruises for them around Greece/Italy/Turkey.

[Travel R]

My first cruise ever was on the Royal Majesty back in 1996. Although I loved the sea and fishing, at the time, I really hated the idea of going on a cruise ship. However, it was because of that ship, the amount of things to do on and off the ship, and the amazing service (some of the best I have ever had compared to any subsequent cruise), that I fell in love with cruising.

[Philly Steve]

As I write this, passengers are boarding Majesty for her final NCL cruise as they head for Bermuda.

 

During our last two sailings, I was impressed with the continuing maintenance on this ship, despite the finalization of the sale/transfer. We will miss Majesty, but it's good to know that others will enjoy this ship.

 

http://www.louiscruises.com/vesselsspecs.html?SHP=LM