Majesty April 2015 - First Cruise

[Speedy@59]

Just Back yesterday from our first cruise - Colourful Coast on board the Majesty.

 

Just dropped in to say how much we enjoyed it and thank the forum regulars

for all the hints and advice I picked up from you dropping in here over the last few months.

 

I thought it would be good to give a brief view of what we found..

 

Having been warned about Cabin size on the Majesty, we opted for an outside plus on Deck 3, and were pleasantly surprised at the space and had ample storage space for two people - we had twin beds either side of the cabin which gave a better feel of floor space than a double would have.

The bathroom was adequate, although Mrs speedy@59 would have liked more space for the hair products etc. she had packed.

Perhaps only let down by the time it took for the hot water to arrive.

 

The Cabin staff were tremendous, you would nip out for breakfast and come back and find the beds made up, kept spotlessly clean (depends on your standards I suppose), turned down and chocolate's every night plus a menagerie of towel animals - strange sight when you've been in the bar all evening.

You could tell how many times they have dropped in by the fold on the end of your toilet roll.

 

The food was excellent, although often it could have been hotter - ate in the San Marco self service initially until we found the Seven Seas on Captains night and went there generally other than on the San Marco curry night.

It was great (although originally sceptical) to meet and talking to different people at mealtimes at the mixed tables. And the waiters were brilliant with there singing and guitar playing antics.

Although I must say I thought the Coffee was generally pretty poor.

 

The whole operation was slick and efficient, the staff friendly and attentive, nothing seemed to much trouble. The ship was constantly being hovered and polished but they always had time to speak to you and ask if you needed anything.

 

Entertainment was first class the shows in the Jubilee Lounge, were like nothing we had encountered on holidays before. Bands on the sundeck and throughout ship, quizzes and Bingo if you wanted - something for everyone.

 

The safe was a bit of a rip off at £15.00 and we felt that a number of the excursions were overpriced, you should check before you book lots of deals in port that you can do yourself with Taxi or Hop on/Hop off buses.

The premium Thomson had on the Madeira motorcycle/sidecar tour was ridiculous.

 

That's us Hooked I think - there will be more cruising.

 

So once again thanks to this forum -

BUT why had I not heard about this queasy, dizziness and sea sickness you get once your back on Land - WOW it WEIRD

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Welcome to the forum Speedy. Glad you enjoyed your first cruise. Now you can join the rest of us Cruisaholics :)

[Witsend1]

I have been back from a cruise on the Spirit since 8th April and have also suffered with dizziness, feeling light headed and having the sensation that I'm still at sea. Lasted less than a week though and am back to 'normal' now. Great cruise so was worth it.

[happy v]

I also suffer from dizziness when I return home but BH doesn't. I thought it was because I get sea sick and he never does. I still keep going back though and I'm sure you will too.:)

[kruzseeka]

Glad you had such a good time - and yes, like most of us, you'll find it quite addictive! The big question is...... how long does it take you after getting home to start looking for the next one! :D

 

The dizziness you describe is called Mal de Debarquement (sickness when you get off the ship!) My DH suffers quite a bit - it went on for so long once the Dr referred him to the hospital for tests! It gives him a light-headed feel. Fortunately it has subsided and he still cruises. Odd thing is he never gets sea-sick! As a teenager he went across the N. Sea to Denmark with a school exchange and was the only one not sick!

 

It was explained to us that on board your brain compensates for the regular background movement of the ship - and when you get off your brain carries on compensating for a movement no longer there!

 

I do get sea sick but have never suffered from this.

 

Hope it soon wears off.

Edited April 22, 2015 by kruzseeka

[happy v]

Glad you had such a good time - and yes, like most of us, you'll find it quite addictive! The big question is...... how long does it take you after getting home to start looking for the next one! :D

 

The dizziness you describe is called Mal de Debarquement (sickness when you get off the ship!) My DH suffers quite a bit - it went on for so long once the Dr referred him to the hospital for tests! It gives him a light-headed feel. Fortunately it has subsided and he still cruises. Odd thing is he never gets sea-sick! As a teenager he went across the N. Sea to Denmark with a school exchange and was the only one not sick!

 

It was explained to us that on board your brain compensates for the regular background movement of the ship - and when you get off your brain carries on compensating for a movement no longer there!

 

I do get sea sick but have never suffered from this.

 

Hope it soon wears off.

 

Well that's odd, isn't it. Trust me to suffer both on AND off the ship.:(:D

 

I was really to pot for about 7 days after the last cruise, but the sea was quite rough.

Edited April 22, 2015 by happy v

[kruzseeka]

Well that's odd, isn't it. Trust me to suffer both on AND off the ship.:(:D

 

I was really to pot for about 7 days after the last cruise, but the sea was quite rough.

 

Glad you're OK now happy v. It makes you wonder how the crew cope after 10 months at sea! :eek:

[Witsend1]

I also think it is worse when the sea has been rough. First time it happened to me was a Canary Island cruise that had some rocky moments.

 

Earlier this month we were in an outside deck 1 cabin. About 15 minutes before we were due to leave Rhodes Town (where it had been really windy all day) there was a knock on the cabin door. There was a man in a white boiler suit with an implement in his hand, he'd come to close and fasten shut the portholes on our side of the deck before we set sail. When we asked why he told us 'rough sea'. Similar to battening down the hatches I guess :o. He came back next day to open them up again.

Slept well that night

[kruzseeka]

I also think it is worse when the sea has been rough. First time it happened to me was a Canary Island cruise that had some rocky moments.

 

Earlier this month we were in an outside deck 1 cabin. About 15 minutes before we were due to leave Rhodes Town (where it had been really windy all day) there was a knock on the cabin door. There was a man in a white boiler suit with an implement in his hand, he'd come to close and fasten shut the portholes on our side of the deck before we set sail. When we asked why he told us 'rough sea'. Similar to battening down the hatches I guess :o. He came back next day to open them up again.

Slept well that night

 

Happened to us too in the English Channel on Celebration. It was midnight and I was so relieved when we got a knock on the door ..........it was like being in a washing machine! We were rolling in the rough seas and the porthole was in turn disappearing below the water line, surfacing then being submerged again! I don't think I'd have slept at all if they hadn't come to secure the porthole. Quite unnerving!

[Speedy@59]

Thanks everyone for the insight into the dizziness, it easing off now but does seem to come back in waves! (see what I did there) now and then. Mrs Speedy has it worse.

 

It was odd as we had never heard of this before and neither of us suffered on board.

 

And yes I think the eyes are on a route for 2016, as the rest of 2015 will have to be land based.

 

Cheers All

[Cloudyrain]

Glad you had fun! We loved the Majesty :)

 

Cruising is addictive - we had our first one in May 2013 and due to go on our 5th in a few weeks :D

 

Sorry about the land sickness - it happened to me the first time but went quickly. If it persists your GP can give you some tablets (the same ones they use for labyrinthitis - but I forgot the name at this time of night!)

[Sheila49]

The tablets you are thinking of may be Stugeron which are available over the counter and are also used for sea sickness.

[kruzseeka]

Glad you had fun! We loved the Majesty :)

 

Cruising is addictive - we had our first one in May 2013 and due to go on our 5th in a few weeks :D

 

Sorry about the land sickness - it happened to me the first time but went quickly. If it persists your GP can give you some tablets (the same ones they use for labyrinthitis - but I forgot the name at this time of night!)

 

 

Sadly I don't think that is the case although I suppose some may try taking Stugeron or the like and their symptoms improve - because they may have done anyway. But as far as we were led to believe by our GP and the hospital there is no specific treatment - they just hope it will gradually disappear. Mostly in a relatively short time.

 

This site has some info and the 'Treatments' link indicates such medication is not considered to be effective.

 

http://www.mdds.org.uk/

[Witsend1]

Happened to us too in the English Channel on Celebration. It was midnight and I was so relieved when we got a knock on the door ..........it was like being in a washing machine! We were rolling in the rough seas and the porthole was in turn disappearing below the water line, surfacing then being submerged again! I don't think I'd have slept at all if they hadn't come to secure the porthole. Quite unnerving!

 

Yes, we had one of the cabins with the beds in the 'L' shape. Fortunately, for me, it was my mam who had the bed next to the window so she had the full washing machine effect. Managed with the waves just splashing the porthole but covering it totally was a different matter.

[FIFE1]

If anyone is on Majesty soon can you ask JD for his shirt size, due him a football top and want to get correct size.

[Lucie14]

FIFE1 - I think JD might be medium however my husband and I are cruising the Majesty next Friday (can't wait) and have got him a football top in size large (just in case it shrinks in the wash). Hope this helps. x

[Bodster]

Thanks for the review speedy. A good honest review and a very good read. We are away on the Majesty next Friday. :)

 

Like you we had our first cruise last year on the Dream and that had us hooked. We have another cruise with p&o in August and already looking at next year!

[Lucie14]

Bodster - a fellow Majesty Cruiser on Friday 15th May. This will be my husband and I's 2nd cruise on the Majesty. 3rd Thomson Cruise for me having been on the Celebration back in 2009.

[Satnav22]

Thanks for your insight. we are on Majesty 29th May but for 7 days only then an AI hotel week this time so the wobbling may not be caused by post ship time but alcohol. I see Linda is on the ship the week after us so may have to leave a little something somewhere and a few clues for her as a treasure hunt!!!! LOL.

[Bodster]

Bodster - a fellow Majesty Cruiser on Friday 15th May. This will be my husband and I's 2nd cruise on the Majesty. 3rd Thomson Cruise for me having been on the Celebration back in 2009.

 

Only 4 days to go!!

[laura Bra]

Just Back yesterday from our first cruise - Colourful Coast on board the Majesty.

 

Just dropped in to say how much we enjoyed it and thank the forum regulars

for all the hints and advice I picked up from you dropping in here over the last few months.

 

I thought it would be good to give a brief view of what we found..

 

Having been warned about Cabin size on the Majesty, we opted for an outside plus on Deck 3, and were pleasantly surprised at the space and had ample storage space for two people - we had twin beds either side of the cabin which gave a better feel of floor space than a double would have.

The bathroom was adequate, although Mrs speedy@59 would have liked more space for the hair products etc. she had packed.

Perhaps only let down by the time it took for the hot water to arrive.

 

The Cabin staff were tremendous, you would nip out for breakfast and come back and find the beds made up, kept spotlessly clean (depends on your standards I suppose), turned down and chocolate's every night plus a menagerie of towel animals - strange sight when you've been in the bar all evening.

You could tell how many times they have dropped in by the fold on the end of your toilet roll.

 

The food was excellent, although often it could have been hotter - ate in the San Marco self service initially until we found the Seven Seas on Captains night and went there generally other than on the San Marco curry night.

It was great (although originally sceptical) to meet and talking to different people at mealtimes at the mixed tables. And the waiters were brilliant with there singing and guitar playing antics.

Although I must say I thought the Coffee was generally pretty poor.

 

The whole operation was slick and efficient, the staff friendly and attentive, nothing seemed to much trouble. The ship was constantly being hovered and polished but they always had time to speak to you and ask if you needed anything.

 

Entertainment was first class the shows in the Jubilee Lounge, were like nothing we had encountered on holidays before. Bands on the sundeck and throughout ship, quizzes and Bingo if you wanted - something for everyone.

 

The safe was a bit of a rip off at £15.00 and we felt that a number of the excursions were overpriced, you should check before you book lots of deals in port that you can do yourself with Taxi or Hop on/Hop off buses.

The premium Thomson had on the Madeira motorcycle/sidecar tour was ridiculous.

 

That's us Hooked I think - there will be more cruising.

 

So once again thanks to this forum -

BUT why had I not heard about this queasy, dizziness and sea sickness you get once your back on Land - WOW it WEIRD

 

 

nice one bud

 

your bestie

[olyocl]

Glad to hear JD is still on the Majesty, I saw him on the Crew show and he was amazing, going on Majesty again on 12th June.:)