JTBCruiser Posted March 12, 2015 #1 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Looking at the 4 Day Bahamas on MOS in mid October out of Miami. DW is concerned about weather and it is in Hurricane season. Any advice on booking during this time and what is the condition of the ship? We've only been on Jewel and Serenade. It looks like they don't have MTD either, something we both like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted March 12, 2015 #2 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Looking at the 4 Day Bahamas on MOS in mid October out of Miami. DW is concerned about weather and it is in Hurricane season. Any advice on booking during this time and what is the condition of the ship? We've only been on Jewel and Serenade. It looks like they don't have MTD either, something we both like. Majesty has My Time Dining. Do it. Don't miss the Compass Deli. If you have never sailed on the Majesty, DO IT before she is gone. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted March 12, 2015 #3 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Majesty does have My Time Dining. Perhaps it is filled up now? If so, I'd try to get on the wait list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTBCruiser Posted March 12, 2015 Author #4 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Majesty has My Time Dining. Do it. Don't miss the Compass Deli. If you have never sailed on the Majesty, DO IT before she is gone. :) Thanks! Weren't you on the Serenade with us 28 Feb? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BillOh Posted March 12, 2015 #5 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Looking at the 4 Day Bahamas on MOS in mid October out of Miami. DW is concerned about weather and it is in Hurricane season. Any advice on booking during this time and what is the condition of the ship? We've only been on Jewel and Serenade. It looks like they don't have MTD either, something we both like. Its the end of hurricane season and while not 100% accurate by late August early September you might get a feeling for how this year's season will go. I went once on Majesty over Halloween and it was the smoothest seas I have ever had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted March 12, 2015 #6 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Thanks! Weren't you on the Serenade with us 28 Feb? :) Yup. Still here. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTBCruiser Posted March 12, 2015 Author #7 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Its the end of hurricane season and while not 100% accurate by late August early September you might get a feeling for how this year's season will go. I went once on Majesty over Halloween and it was the smoothest seas I have ever had. If I book now, I can get a JS for $1600 or an outside view for $800. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulette3028 Posted March 12, 2015 #8 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Its the end of hurricane season and while not 100% accurate by late August early September you might get a feeling for how this year's season will go. I went once on Majesty over Halloween and it was the smoothest seas I have ever had. The worst of hurricane season has generally past by October. Her Majesty does give you a great cruise and her crew and staff make up for the features her bigger sisters have that she does not. Don't miss the Compass Deli....and she does have MTD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mermaidgal Posted March 12, 2015 #9 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I've sailed on her Majesty 14 times and she's a special ship, great crew, and I have cruised many times during hurricane season, if a storm was brewing you'd know enough ahead of time. Definitely go! Yes the Compass deli is a great spot for your first lunch as soon as you get on, it's not so well know so it's never crowded. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulette3028 Posted March 13, 2015 #10 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I've sailed on her Majesty 14 times and she's a special ship, great crew, and I have cruised many times during hurricane season, if a storm was brewing you'd know enough ahead of time. Definitely go! Yes the Compass deli is a great spot for your first lunch as soon as you get on, it's not so well know so it's never crowded. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk How true about Compass Deli, being not well known.....we have sailed on Her Majesty 11 times and it took until our 8the cruise to find this 'hidden GEM' of a place....absolutely wonderful wraps and crepes --- not to be missed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehfl Posted March 13, 2015 #11 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Half the year is hurricane season. For any given sailing, there is a very small chance of getting impacted. I would not worry about that...that's what insurance is for if your cruise gets canceled or you have to cancel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted March 13, 2015 #12 Share Posted March 13, 2015 For mid-october I wanted to book Majesty (have been on, great time, nice ship!) but NCL Sky 4 day was LESS money and included 2 alcohol drink packages. As a kicker my T/A offered OBC that they couldn't on Royal. So while I like Majesty, and like the 4 day itinerary better than NCL's, for a quickie vacation that is wallet friendly I had to jump ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruzerci Posted March 13, 2015 #13 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I'd check out other options. Majesty is being retired next year. Unless it is an absolute steal, I probably wouldn't do the Majesty again. At this point she is one of the oldest ships in the industry, the rooms are the smallest industry (and I mean SMALL), and the ship is virtually obsolete compared to today's ships. I'd consider driving a couple hours north and trying the Enchantment or trying another ship out of Miami. If you do decide to book the Majesty, she is alright for a few days of relaxing in the sun, but keep your expectations low. The ship does have some loyalists on these boards, but I think a lot of it is nostalgia. She doesn't hold a candle to Serenade and Jewel. It is a very different experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racker'sCruz-Set2Sail Posted March 13, 2015 #14 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Looking at the 4 Day Bahamas on MOS in mid October out of Miami. DW is concerned about weather and it is in Hurricane season. Any advice on booking during this time and what is the condition of the ship? We've only been on Jewel and Serenade. It looks like they don't have MTD either, something we both like. Don't miss out on an opportunity to sail on a once great ship! We have sailed on her several times and enjoyed her. She will be leaving the fleet soon! Ralph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulette3028 Posted March 13, 2015 #15 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I'd check out other options. Majesty is being retired next year. Unless it is an absolute steal, I probably wouldn't do the Majesty again. At this point she is one of the oldest ships in the industry, the rooms are the smallest industry (and I mean SMALL), and the ship is virtually obsolete compared to today's ships. I'd consider driving a couple hours north and trying the Enchantment or trying another ship out of Miami. If you do decide to book the Majesty, she is alright for a few days of relaxing in the sun, but keep your expectations low. The ship does have some loyalists on these boards, but I think a lot of it is nostalgia. She doesn't hold a candle to Serenade and Jewel. It is a very different experience! What Her Majesty lacks that her big sisters have: Promenade, Flowrider, Ice Show, Broadway show entertainment, carousel, Aqua Theater etc -- and many of the other ships don't have including Enchantment or Jewel. What she does give cruisers is a wonderful cruise, because the crew/entertainment staff work to give everyone a wonderful experience -- a little 'throw-back' to the way cruising was before all the 'extra added attractions' came along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryano Posted March 13, 2015 #16 Share Posted March 13, 2015 (edited) What Her Majesty lacks that her big sisters have: Promenade, Flowrider, Ice Show, Broadway show entertainment, carousel, Aqua Theater etc -- and many of the other ships don't have including Enchantment or Jewel. What she does give cruisers is a wonderful cruise, because the crew/entertainment staff work to give everyone a wonderful experience -- a little 'throw-back' to the way cruising was before all the 'extra added attractions' came along. My first RCI cruise was on Monarch and I had a great time :) The crew was also magnificent. It was a great ship and being disabled, I found the Deck 9 accessible SOV cabin to be the biggest cabin Ive had yet on any ship. It had two full windows. Plenty of room! I cant use a lot of the "bells and whistles" the newer ships have so those dont really matter to me. I think I would miss the Royal Promenade now but not enough that i wouldnt cruise on Majesty. Miami is just WAY too far to drive though unfortunately, especially for a 3 or 4 night cruise. I would love to cruise a B2B on her before she leaves the fleet. It likely wont happen though. Edited March 13, 2015 by ryano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulette3028 Posted March 13, 2015 #17 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Half the year is hurricane season. For any given sailing, there is a very small chance of getting impacted. I would not worry about that...that's what insurance is for if your cruise gets canceled or you have to cancel. You make it sound as if some of the cruises get cancelled due to a hurricane....and that is simply not the case. I live in FL year round, and true hurricane season is half the year, but it hardly impacts any cruise to the point of cancellation. Let's paint an accurate picture. If seas are rough, a cruise may miss a port stop, but if the captain can avoid rough seas they will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC_Floaters Posted March 13, 2015 #18 Share Posted March 13, 2015 We have done the 3/4 Day Cruises to CoCo Cay & Nassau out of Port Canaveral (Does not visit Key West) on Monarch & Enchantment 22 times... The only month we have not been on that itinerary is JULY... August through November at 7 sailings. We never diverted due to storms at sea. We have missed going ashore at CoCo Cay due to weather conditions a few times. The weather in October should be really nice. Dennis & Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted March 13, 2015 #19 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Unless there IS a storm nearby, the weather/seas will be just like any other time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruzerci Posted March 13, 2015 #20 Share Posted March 13, 2015 What Her Majesty lacks that her big sisters have: Promenade, Flowrider, Ice Show, Broadway show entertainment, carousel, Aqua Theater etc -- and many of the other ships don't have including Enchantment or Jewel. What she does give cruisers is a wonderful cruise, because the crew/entertainment staff work to give everyone a wonderful experience -- a little 'throw-back' to the way cruising was before all the 'extra added attractions' came along. Paulette, I'm no stranger to the Sovereign class ships I've been on all of them at least a time or two. Unsurprisingly, none of those that you listed were what I was referring to :rolleyes: I was referring to the tiny cabins, obscenely outdated decor, split dining rooms, no solarium, no specialty restaurants, the low ceilings, the small gym, and not to mention, the mushy AstroTurf top deck is a real treat. Jewel and Enchantment are far superior in all of those aspects. Like I said, Majesty can be fine for a weekend if the price is extremely low (which $400 pp is NOT), otherwise I'd go with another option instead of the old bucket of bolts. I was trying to give the OP a little disclaimer. If I had been on newer ships and was expecting something similar from Majesty, I would be grossly disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulette3028 Posted March 13, 2015 #21 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Paulette, I'm no stranger to the Sovereign class ships I've been on all of them at least a time or two. Unsurprisingly, none of those that you listed were what I was referring to :rolleyes: I was referring to the tiny cabins, obscenely outdated decor, split dining rooms, no solarium, no specialty restaurants, the low ceilings, the small gym, and not to mention, the mushy AstroTurf top deck is a real treat. Jewel and Enchantment are far superior in all of those aspects. Like I said, Majesty can be fine for a weekend if the price is extremely low (which $400 pp is NOT), otherwise I'd go with another option instead of the old bucket of bolts. I was trying to give the OP a little disclaimer. If I had been on newer ships and was expecting something similar from Majesty, I would be grossly disappointed. For sure you can't expect from Her Majesty the same experience as going on a newer ship....but she does give a cruiser a fun time. I have cruised on her plenty, for a nice short runaway cruise. There are lots of things that you describe accurately: the cabins are smaller, the décor is older, there is no solarium, the gym is small. Bigger ships ALSO have split dining rooms....I was just on Indy, and the dining room was on 3 decks -- to me that is split up as well. Her Majesty has: a specialty restaurant now that takes over the Compass Deli in the evening to become a Mexican Restaurant and the astro turf around the pool area was replaced a few years ago with wood look planking. I was on Her Majesty this past November, for a short get away....and know exactly what she is missing and I never expect her to deliver what her sisters can (yet we had a fun cruise)....but it was fun to 'overhear' other cruisers talking about how wonderful their cruise had been and marveling at the ship docked next to us and its enormous size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryano Posted March 13, 2015 #22 Share Posted March 13, 2015 the mushy AstroTurf top deck is a real treat. . I believe that has now been replaced with a faux wood type material that gets so hot that if you walk on it barefooted, it takes 3 layers of skin off the bottom of your feet :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTBCruiser Posted March 13, 2015 Author #23 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Paulette, I'm no stranger to the Sovereign class ships I've been on all of them at least a time or two. Unsurprisingly, none of those that you listed were what I was referring to :rolleyes: I was referring to the tiny cabins, obscenely outdated decor, split dining rooms, no solarium, no specialty restaurants, the low ceilings, the small gym, and not to mention, the mushy AstroTurf top deck is a real treat. Jewel and Enchantment are far superior in all of those aspects. Like I said, Majesty can be fine for a weekend if the price is extremely low (which $400 pp is NOT), otherwise I'd go with another option instead of the old bucket of bolts. I was trying to give the OP a little disclaimer. If I had been on newer ships and was expecting something similar from Majesty, I would be grossly disappointed. Great info from you and the other posters. We realize this ship will be nothing like the Jewel or Serenade, we are more interested in the ports and eating good food. If the MDR and buffet are similar in quality we are good to go. We don't do many of the activities on the ship other than take in the pool or a show. We don't intend to be in the rooms other than to shower and sleep so I do know they are smaller. RCI has a superior ocean view (obstructed) on Deck 10 for $400 each. do you think that is too much for a 4 day Bahama cruise? appreciate your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTBCruiser Posted March 13, 2015 Author #24 Share Posted March 13, 2015 For mid-october I wanted to book Majesty (have been on, great time, nice ship!) but NCL Sky 4 day was LESS money and included 2 alcohol drink packages. As a kicker my T/A offered OBC that they couldn't on Royal. So while I like Majesty, and like the 4 day itinerary better than NCL's, for a quickie vacation that is wallet friendly I had to jump ship. I looked at the booking you suggested, good prices but I'm not a big fan of Norwegian. I'm still on the fence on the Majesty but you did say your experience aboard her was favorable so I do appreciate your opinions. Thx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted March 13, 2015 #25 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Great info from you and the other posters. We realize this ship will be nothing like the Jewel or Serenade, we are more interested in the ports and eating good food. If the MDR and buffet are similar in quality we are good to go. We don't do many of the activities on the ship other than take in the pool or a show. We don't intend to be in the rooms other than to shower and sleep so I do know they are smaller. RCI has a superior ocean view (obstructed) on Deck 10 for $400 each. do you think that is too much for a 4 day Bahama cruise? appreciate your input. SOV cabins are all on Deck 9.......... This is the Monday-Friday cruise? That's a GOOD price. :) I looked at the booking you suggested, good prices but I'm not a big fan of Norwegian. I'm still on the fence on the Majesty but you did say your experience aboard her was favorable so I do appreciate your opinions. Thx! I have a friend who did what LMaxwell is talking about. Tried the Sky for a quickie. HATED IT. HATED IT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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