First timer on Majesty of the Seas....help!

[ColoradoTiger]

Hi everyone! I am new to these boards and fairly clueless as to any cruise line except Disney. I have convinced my husband to give another cruise line a try, so we added a 3 night cruise on the Majesty to one of our trips to Florida. My question is, will this cruise give us a fair idea of what we can expect from RCCL? Depending on how this short cruise goes, we will decide whether we want to continue to seek out other cruises outside of Disney. We would be interested in your thoughts and any help regarding what we can expect from our cruise. I really hope this will be a good experience, as there are some great itineraries that we would be interested in trying!

Thank you in advance!

[leaveitallbehind]

While Majesty is a wonderful ship and has been refurbished, she is currently one of the smaller and the oldest ship in the RCI fleet and is lacking some of the activities and venues of the rest of the fleet.

 

The staterooms are also noticeably smaller than the other ships and there are limited balcony staterooms. Three day cruises also tend to be party cruises and may not present the true experience that a longer seven night cruise would.

 

IMO it would not necessarily be the best ship by which to judge the rest of the fleet or RCI experience.

[ColoradoTiger]

While Majesty is a wonderful ship and has been refurbished, she is currently one of the smaller and the oldest ship in the RCI fleet and is lacking some of the activities and venues of the rest of the fleet.

 

The staterooms are also noticeably smaller than the other ships and there are limited balcony staterooms. Three day cruises also tend to be party cruises and may not present the true experience that a longer seven night cruise would.

 

IMO it would not necessarily be the best ship by which to judge the rest of the fleet or RCI experience.

 

This is kind of what I am curious about. Unfortunately this is the only RC ship at port Canaveral when we will be in Florida. I'm just hoping we will get an idea of food and how the cruise line itself "works". We aren't as concerned of the size, we tend to prefer the smaller Disney ships as well.

[leaveitallbehind]

This is kind of what I am curious about. Unfortunately this is the only RC ship at port Canaveral when we will be in Florida. I'm just hoping we will get an idea of food and how the cruise line itself "works". We aren't as concerned of the size, we tend to prefer the smaller Disney ships as well.

 

As long as your expectations are as you say and you recognize the differences with short versus longer itineraries, then I think both of your objectives will be met. We have been loyal RCI cruisers for 25 years and while every mass market cruise line has their flaws, we've found the product overall to be one of consistent value and good experience for us. Hopefully you will enjoy your experience as well.

Edited April 18, 2016 by leaveitallbehind

[Snit13]

Definitely would not recommend this cruise. We sailed on Majesty's sister ship Monarch when she was in Port Canaveral. Not a very pleasant experience. There are lovely RCCL ships which provide great cruise experiences. Save your money until you have the time to sail one of Royal's awesome ships. We considered the Monarch "a bucket of bolts." Not much to do, cabins were the pits...small, dark and dingy, lacks the awesome entertainment of the larger ships. Have not sailed Disney as prices are to high for us. We are sailing on the Oasis when she moves to Port Canaveral and have sailed on her sister the Alure, now those are ships. Don't waste your money. My OPINION.

[tinkr2]

t will still be a fun cruise but I would not say it will give you a feel for RCCL. That is a party gamble ship. All the other ships are much bigger and nicer and have better entertainment. You will be sad and want to rush back to overpriced Disney. Come a few days earlier and go on one of the big ships or take a short drive down to Ft. lauderdale and try Independence for a short cruise.

[tinkr2]

t will still be a fun cruise but I would not say it will give you a feel for RCCL. That is a party gamble ship. All the other ships are much bigger and nicer and have better entertainment. You will be sad and want to rush back to overpriced Disney. Come a few days earlier and go on one of the big ships or take a short drive down to Ft. lauderdale and try Independence for a short cruise.

[MattInFLL]

Majesty is definitely not Monarch and has had a much more thorough refurbishment than her sisters did. I hope to never sail monarch again. I would sail Majesty over and over.

 

That said she is still not like the much newer ships in the fleet. It's a small ship experience with smaller cabins for sure.

[Pedal/Paddle]

I would look at the Brilliance out of Tampa. We LOVE the Radiance class. Perfect size and very beautiful ships. Also Cozumel is a much better stop than Nassau. Are you going to be at the theme parks? If so Tampa is not really any further than Port Canaveral.

[Clarea]

I would look at the Brilliance out of Tampa. We LOVE the Radiance class. Perfect size and very beautiful ships. Also Cozumel is a much better stop than Nassau. Are you going to be at the theme parks? If so Tampa is not really any further than Port Canaveral.

Excellent idea. We were on Brilliance this past December, and this would be a much preferable cruise to the Bahamas.

[vickiw0318]

I really like the Majesty and I am not a partyer. That being said, although I have done so, I try not to sail in one of the tiny 122 sq. foot cabins. I do spring for a Junior Suite. If that is not possible, I would recommend getting one of the superior ocean view cabins on Deck 9. The extra 30 square feet makes a difference. Most of these have views obstructed by life boats, but if you do a search here, you can find the list of unobstructed cabins.

 

The ship does not have the bells and whistles of the newer ones and the itineraries are not the most exciting ones. It is not indicative of the Royal experience on the other ships. However, the crew loves her and that shows. The Taste of Tuscany experience that is held in the Deli some nights was one of the best meals I have had on a cruise ship. (It was also fun to have the Chef explain how the food was prepared.)

 

If you are looking for a getaway, you will have a nice one. If you are (as some posters put it) easily bored, this may not be the ship for you.

[ColoradoTiger]

Thank you all for your insight. The idea of going out of Tampa was great, unfortunately there are no sailings around when we have plans to be at WDW. And the thought of upgrading cabin size is noted as well. We are a really easy going couple. We enjoy both being busy with activities and just reading in a lounge chair. We are taking all this information in, it is greatly appreciated! Thanks again!

[crazycatlady82]

The majesty was my only RCCL cruise, and it was our least favorite out of our Carnival and Celebrity cruises. The buffet was gross (luke warm and gave us upset stomachs), rooms were tiny, and the staff (except the room steward and 1 bartender) were not engaging at all. This was about 5 weeks ago, and I think if you're used to Disney, you'll be disappointed.

 

 

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[wanderlust4life]

I agree with PP who say that this is definitely not the newest or best as far as what RCCL has to offer, but it is enjoyable. This was my partner's first cruise and he thoroughly enjoyed it. We are both very easy going folks. We are heading out on Navigator soon and I can't wait for him to see how great another class of RCCL is, he is already hooked on the line.

 

Things to keep in mind:

- The ship is older. You may see a bit of rust on the window fixtures in the MDR.

-The MDR is much smaller than other ships, only one level.

-If you choose to visit the night club, it is rather small and a little humid. We still had a good time.

-The rooms are smaller, we spent little time in the cabin so it was fine. We are average size people (both under 200lbs, with no mobility issues) so we had no problem moving around or using the small bathroom.

- There aren't as many dining options as other classes of RCCL ships.

-This itinerary is essentially a beach and relaxation getaway weekend and great way to kick back after spending days wandering around WDW.

-The juices in the Windjammer are very concentrated (at least they were on our cruise) so we would cut them with water. The food was similar to Golden Corral, it works as long as you are not overly picky and expected filet mignon and escargot at a buffet for the price. =]

 

We had a great time, no complaints about the service and ship as we are pretty easy going.

 

Enjoy the vacay and consider another class when you find a date that works.

[ColoradoTiger]

I agree with PP who say that this is definitely not the newest or best as far as what RCCL has to offer, but it is enjoyable. This was my partner's first cruise and he thoroughly enjoyed it. We are both very easy going folks. We are heading out on Navigator soon and I can't wait for him to see how great another class of RCCL is, he is already hooked on the line.

 

Things to keep in mind:

- The ship is older. You may see a bit of rust on the window fixtures in the MDR.

-The MDR is much smaller than other ships, only one level.

-If you choose to visit the night club, it is rather small and a little humid. We still had a good time.

-The rooms are smaller, we spent little time in the cabin so it was fine. We are average size people (both under 200lbs, with no mobility issues) so we had no problem moving around or using the small bathroom.

- There aren't as many dining options as other classes of RCCL ships.

-This itinerary is essentially a beach and relaxation getaway weekend and great way to kick back after spending days wandering around WDW.

-The juices in the Windjammer are very concentrated (at least they were on our cruise) so we would cut them with water. The food was similar to Golden Corral, it works as long as you are not overly picky and expected filet mignon and escargot at a buffet for the price. =]

 

We had a great time, no complaints about the service and ship as we are pretty easy going.

 

Enjoy the vacay and consider another class when you find a date that works.

 

Thank you!! This sounds like what we were thinking. We are not picky and very easy going. We enjoy the Disney experience, but we are not stuck on them or expecting the same experience. We have Never paid more than $100pppn for a Disney cruise. Now we are looking for different itineraries at similar prices, and we have heard good things about RCCL. We realize that this ship isn't the big fancy ones, and we tend to prefer that. I may change my mind if/when we try one of the bigger/newer RCCL ships, but I want a cruise ship to be more relaxing and intimate rather than like a big city. Assuming all goes well, we will definitely try one of the other classes for a new experience!

 

Thanks again!

[mooseman52b]

We just got off Majesty out of Miami last Friday and had a very enjoyable 4 night cruise out of Miami. Yes she's older, smaller, and needs a tune up; but the the ship was clean, entertainment was good, food was tasty (Chef's table was great), and the staff we encountered was quite friendly and courteous. :)

 

She's due for dry dock in a couple of weeks and then she heads to PC where you are sailing from. :cool:

[wanderlust4life]

No prob! Look forward to hearing your thoughts after your trip.

 

Thank you!! This sounds like what we were thinking. We are not picky and very easy going. We enjoy the Disney experience, but we are not stuck on them or expecting the same experience. We have Never paid more than $100pppn for a Disney cruise. Now we are looking for different itineraries at similar prices, and we have heard good things about RCCL. We realize that this ship isn't the big fancy ones, and we tend to prefer that. I may change my mind if/when we try one of the bigger/newer RCCL ships, but I want a cruise ship to be more relaxing and intimate rather than like a big city. Assuming all goes well, we will definitely try one of the other classes for a new experience!

 

Thanks again!

[jagsfan]

I've noticed how many movies I've enjoyed in spite of reviews. Everything other posters have said are undoubtably true, but a cruise experience is personal. You know what to expect so you're going with your eyes open. Some of my favorite cruises were on tiny elderly ships...ever hear of Stella Solaris? Rust bucket and we loved her.

Have s great cruise and next time hopefully you can try a newer RCCL ship and be wowed!

 

 

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[Justmekaren918]

Seriously study the deck plans. That 1/2 deck thing is a real kicker. Unbelievably confusing ship. I think by day 3 I had it mostly. Best bar schooner! Guys were amazing.

 

Have fun!

 

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[MattInFLL]

I've been on a lot of cruises. The crew on MJ kicks a** :) we will miss her in South Florida.