My LONG Majesty review 3/25-4/1

[embradley]

We just returned from our cruise on the Majesty 3/25-4/1. Here is my opinion on everything about our cruise!! (BTW we had a wonderful time!)

Pre-Cruise: This was our very first cruise so we did lots of research on the Majesty and spent many hours on cruise critic. We knew what to expect on the Majesty since it is a smaller & older ship. We were not disappointed!

We stayed at the Radisson hotel near the airport the night before our departure. It was a nice hotel and had a free shuttle bus that took you to and from the ship. Therefore, you did not have to pay the $15 a day in parking at the pier.

Embarkation: We took a shuttle bus from the hotel (11 of us + luggage) to the pier at 11:00am. We arrived at the pier around 11:20am and had to wait approx. 10-15 mins for them to open the gate. Once inside the gate, we had to get luggage tags and put them on and then we were dropped off. They took our luggage and we had to walk a short distance to another shuttle bus that took us to the actual building. After all the checking of bags and getting your ship card we were on our way up the gangway. We were in our rooms by 12:30pm. This was a very effective and quick process!

Our Room: We stayed in room 726 which is an outside stateroom category CC. It was just my boyfriend and me in this room so we had PLENTY of room. Our beds were already pushed together (didn’t have to ask!) and we also had a fridge. My parents stayed in 6044 inside cabin and it was extremely small (but they were both 145sq ft). They did have 3 ppl in there room though and no fridge. I also did not have a hair dryer in my room but I was prepared with my own. Our window was bigger than expected and had no obstructions.

Ports: Grand Cayman: We had booked the Stingray City & Island tour with the boat prior to sailing. Therefore, we were the first tender boat off the ship and to the island. This was very convenient. The whole group was broken up into different busses (maybe 20 or so people on each bus) and had our own tour guide. We loved our tour guide..he was so funny and was from Jamaica (loved the accent). We went to Hell, tortuga rum cake factory (yes there were free samples!), and the turtle farm. I enjoyed the turtle farm the best because we got to hold the turtles! They also have the biggest turtles I have ever seen there!! We were then informed that we would be missing the Stingray City part of our excursion because of rough seas. We were kind of upset about this because it was something we all had wanted to do but we understood the circumstances (cant control mother nature!). So the tour guide dropped us off in the middle of downtown and we continued shopping & walking around. Overall, I liked Grand Cayman but it was the least favorite port of mine.

[embradley]

Cozumel: Cozumel was my favorite port of call because of the atmosphere. Everyone there was so nice and helpful and just laid back. We did not have an excursion booked here so we had to wait in line for tender tickets. That being said, we were first in line for the tickets (arrived about 20 mins early) and were on the tender boat right after the excursion people. We rented a jeep prior to the cruise through Executive Car Rental and it was everything we had expected. It was $64 and the jeep was in wonderful condition (I was worried b/c of the horror stories ive heard). The five of us fit in perfect and visited Paradise Beach. You have to visit this beach!! It is free to park & get in and there was plenty amount of chairs available. You can pay $8 more for the water toys (iceberg, trampoline). My boyf & I rented a jet ski for $55 for 30 minutes and it was the highlight of the port! After leaving the beach we continued to drive the long road of Cozumel and saw the beautiful landscapes (they have really recuperated from the hurricane!) Of course we hit up Carlos & Charlies and had our fair share of drinks & free tequila!! Absolutely loved Cozumel!

Key West: We were about 2 hours late arriving to Key West because of an anchor problem in Cozumel. We didn’t have an excursion to go to so it wasn’t such a big deal to us..just shortened our drinking time! We took a trolley to Mallory Square (free) and got there just in time to see the sunset celebration. We then started walking down Duval Street and got a drink at Sloppy Joes. Our fav. Bar was Fat Tuesdays b/c it had a great atmosphere and awesome drinks!! We did a little bit of shopping and had to head back to the trolley to take us to the boat. Key West is definitely a port I would like to spend more time at but loved it while we were there!!

Food: The food was pretty good in my opinion. I am a VERY picky eater and found something each night to eat. The main dining rooms were pretty good and Le Bistro was EXCELLENT!! Definitely get the chocolate fondue b/c it was out of this world! Piazza san marco was a hit spot for the late night muchies (esp. after drinking!!). Many nights I ate pizza and fries (everything there was really good!). Room service had good food..try the chocolate mousse! The buffet was good most times. Some of my favs were the roasted chicken and fried rice..and esp. the cinnamon rolls! I did not like the scrambled eggs because they were REALLY runny! YUCK! Besides that I cannot complain!

Service: Excellent. Our room stewardess always met our needs and even gave us the towel animals! Service in the dining rooms were ALWAYS perfect..couldnt ask for more! Bartenders were always around on the upper decks to get you a drink.

Entertainment: We attended many of the game shows and late night shows. We did not go to any production show so I cannot comment on those. My boyfriend was on the Dr. Trance 2nd show and got hypnotized. The Not so newlywed game is hilarious as well as the Liar’s club! There probably could have been more but I was never bored.

Disembarkation: This ran really smooth. Once they call your luggage tag (by what floor you are one) you are home free. I was on the 7th floor so my color got called around 9am. We had enough time to eat breakfast and finish packing. It was also extremely easy to find luggage and to get a porter to load it up for you and take it to the parking lot. Our Radisson van was ready to pick us up so we didn’t have to wait!

All in all this cruise was awesome! This is my first cruise so I have nothing to compare it to, but I do know this will not be our last. We are already planning the next one for June 2007. Not many negatives for me…the eggs at the buffet were really runny and the elevators were pretty slow but that is nothing to ruin my vacation! Hope I didn’t bore you with this LONG review but I hope it is helpful to those taking the Majesty soon! If you have any questions just ask and I will be posting pictures soon!

[SHINEMAN]

Fine review. Not long at all. Pithy.

I take it you were able to leave your car at the hotel free of charge.

Did the hotel price include breakfast?

[embradley]

thanks...felt long to type it all!:p Yes we were able to leave the car at the hotel for free. The breakfast was included in the room price but only for 2 people. We had 5 in one room so we only got the 2 free tickets for breakfast. We gave the 2 to other ppl in our family and went out and picked up something small.;)

[tstruth]

Embradly,

Great review, I love hearing what to expect. I will be leaving in less than two weeks. Can't wait.

Was there anything you had wished you had brought or not brought?

Thanks

[embradley]

Definitely bring the over the door hanger. It came in handy with all the odds & ends. I brought clothes pins to hang my wet bathing suits with in the shower..didnt use them b/c the only time I got wet was in Cozumel. Also didnt use the duct tape. Definitely bring your own hair dryer b/c my room didnt have one in it already nor did my parents. I brought way too many shoes (only wore 3 different pair the whole cruise). I thought I was going to bring too many clothes but I actually ended up wearing most of them (that is changing 2-3 times daily). If I think of more, I will post them;)

 

I have some pictures up on webshots (only some of the ship & Charleston) I will post the rest tomorrow

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/myplumaccordxoxo

[Stacy&family]

Great review and pictures. I really enjoyed it. You're mother looks more like your sister.

We are going on the Majesty 5/28 from Boston to Bermuda. Couple of questions.

How warm was the pool water?

Did you win anything at the casino?

How were the showers? Warm?

How difficult was it finding tables on the sun deck or for the buffet?

What time did you get your luggage back on the first day?

Were there any kids in your group of 11? Did they enjoy the kids club?

 

Thanks!

[Ralphinsc]

Great pics and review. I was there just a few weeks ago and felt like I was right back there again with all the good pictures. Glad to see you guys had such a great time :D

[embradley]

Thanks! Alot of people say that about my mom (she was only 16 when she had me;))..but I will let her know you said that!

How warm was the pool water? I honestly never got into the pool so I couldnt really tell you. Not many people were ever in the pool except for the kids.

 

Did you win anything at the casino? I only won a couple of dollars at the casino but then again I only played the nickel slots & video poker. My boyfriend won $28.

 

How were the showers? Warm? The showers were great to me. They could get really hot if you like that or could be just warm. The water pressure was great and you could adjust what height for the shower head.

 

How difficult was it finding tables on the sun deck or for the buffet? It usually wasnt too bad finding tables on the sun deck if you wanted to eat outside. Most of the time it was too windy for me to eat outside so we either sat in the cafe royale or went down a deck to the royal observatory.

 

What time did you get your luggage back on the first day? We got all of our luggage by 5pm that afternoon. They leave them at your door randomly so you have to keep checking on them.

 

Were there any kids in your group of 11? Did they enjoy the kids club? We did have a 15 & 16 year old that would not go to the teen events..they just made their own friends. We also had a 2 year old but his parents did not try the kids club (not sure why).

 

Hope this helps...I would be happy to answer any more you have;)

[embradley]

Ralphinsc: Thanks! I remember reading your review & looking at all your pics right before going on my trip..they helped alot! :D

[LoveH20]

It's so funny. We were on the same cruise and I didn't even recognize you from the pictures. It seems I kept seeing the same 50 people over and over again. My daughter is in one of the pool pictures though! We had a great time too. We went in 2005 and I would say we had an even better time this year!

[embradley]

oh really? Thats really neat. Yea I think I kept seeing the exact same people everyday too. Glad you had a great vacay :)

[tsage]

I don't remember seeing you either Embradley. I actually met someone from Wilmington and asked if she was you - but alas she was not.

 

I agree with you, cruise was fantastic. I actually posted a long review on a thread started by TSoccermom. I would like to post a few points here though.

 

We were in 453. Was a great cabin, mid ship - very quiet and very smooth. We did not have a refrigerator. I had brought along my own pepsis and our steward kept us in ice. Worked fine for me. I also had my own hair dryer and I brought a travel iron. They did not confiscate it, just let me a note asking to make sure it was unplugged when not in use - of course I did that.

 

Resort casual still means that men must wear pants in all restaurants (not dining rooms) - not jeans but pants.

 

Sunscreen is a must, saw lots of burned passengers. Did not use duct tape, bug spray, lanyard, 1/2 of the shoes I brought. Weather was fantastic, sun was hot - pool was cold. Hot tub was always full of people and they drain it around 9 pm each night.

 

I would go on this same cruise again in a minute - and dh loved it too!

[tsage]

Pool water was cold! Tables for meals was not a problem, chairs on deck more of a problem, need to get there early. Didn't have any kids at the kids club but heard from other passengers that it was great. Talked to a kid counselor from my hometown - she was a college grad from ECU, had degree in education - said she loved her job! Think that is a good sign. Hubby won total of $150 on slots, I won $60 on slots. Shower was great, good pressure and plenty of hot water.

[embradley]

tsage: There were ALOT of people from Wilmington there. On the 2nd hypnotist show my boyfriend & 2 other people that got hypnotized was from Wilmington. I was really suprised! There were ALOT of people that got sunburned. I didn't get too bad..just my shoulders. But I did tan alot before going. The weather was definitely great the whole week..it was chilly when departing Charleston but after that it was great. Also agree with the beach chairs. You have to get there really early to find a seat. Glad to hear you won so much in slots (I wish I had)! :D

[tsage]

Embradley - which was your boyfriend? And are you talking about the "naughty" hypnotist show or just the later show on the first night. I went to both and they were hilarious. And by the way, extending my lucky streak - I won our office basketball pool - am so far ahead no one can catch up.

[embradley]

tsage: My boyfriend was on the later show on the first night. We wanted to go to the naughty one but missed it:( I think he was wearing a green shirt..3rd or 4th from the left if you are facing the stage. He was beside the older lady and a blonde girl. He stayed on the whole time but wasn't one of the "superstars". He is the one that put his money in his shoe lol. He says he honestly doesnt remember anything (you know I had to tell him about all the crazy stuff they did):D He is also in like half of my pictures so you might recognize him! :p

 

Congrats on the office basketball pool!! Im never lucky enough to win anything:rolleyes:

[retiredAF]

embradley, Great pics! Looks like you guys had a great time! Glad you enjoyed the martini clinic! We thought Gusti (the bartender) did a great job with that!

Thanks for sharing the pics..

[TSoccer5]

My kids love to swim so we did swim every day

the pool was VERY cold and it was way too windy, they did close/cover the pools occassionally because of the high winds and movement (we had to make up time to Key West because the anchor got stuck in Cozumel... so they had to go 20 knots the whole way, did not make the deck/pools an enjoyable place)... we wished we could have swam/played up on deck more especially traveling with a 3 and 4 yr old.

 

there is a kiddy pool at the very back behind the kids club and it is only open 10am-4pm but it is a splash pool, great for the 3-4 yr old set!

 

I know I said it my previous post that it was just ok...honesly the only things that were great were our steward's service and the kids crew service. Yes being on any cruise is still fun and better than being at home or work... but again we have been on a smaller/older Carnival Ship and honestly liked it more.

 

Kid's crew - staff again was great, but the programs were just ok, Carnival's programs just seemed more organized and a bit niced (same age/size ship)

that being said Kid's Crew was full for the one night they take the kids to dinner so we did not get that night out extra time (just went to eat late)

 

there were hour long waits for dinner some nights

the food was just ok... even Le Bistro over cooked DHs filet and the potatos it came with were raw and not edible... we did expect that food to be better and everything else was just bland

Room service took an hour once and they forgot 1/3 of our order... had to go back twice and we did tip well the 2 times we ordered it...

ALL portion sizes (aside from the burger place at rear of ship) are tiny, order two of each!

 

we had to ask for things in the dining room every day that had been provided automatically on previous cruises - drinks for the kids, straws for their drinks.... even the last 3 days they did not automatically come around with coffee, juice or pastries... may just have been the wait staff we got though. They were not always patient or overly happy to meet needs... if you have a 3/4 yr old that needs straws or anything specific might want to pick them up from the bar before eatting

 

had some great staff and some who talked about how they did not get to get off in ports the day before and were obviously upset about having to work and showed that they did not want to be there...

 

anyways, it was actually fun week, but more because we got a lot of family time we do not always get at home... we have had better vacations and will do a bigger ship next time...

 

I am still planning on writing a full review... but maybe just pieces here and there instead ...

 

back to work

[SPF 350Z]

 

Were there any kids in your group of 11? Did they enjoy the kids club? We did have a 15 & 16 year old that would not go to the teen events..they just made their own friends. We also had a 2 year old but his parents did not try the kids club (not sure why).

 

Question: What were the names of the kids in your group? My daughter (Anna) and son (Justin) where on this cruise and had the best time. Made lots of friends. Would be interesting if some of them were from your family!:)

[vtdukes]

So glad you all had a wonderful time. I have some questions for you. If you could take a few minutes to answer, I would really appreciate it. I hope you haven't covered these in your previous posts... I read many, but not all. Afterall, I am at work. ;)

 

1. Tipping - I went a on cruise a few years back and our travel agent gave us envelopes with the suggested tipping amount written on them and who they were to go to. For my budgeting on this trip, I want to go ahead and make some for this trip. Can you help with who you tipped and about how much we are "expected" to leave?

 

2. We want to try getting off the boat and then getting a last minute jeep tour or something in GC... good idea... awful idea? (We haven't booked any excursions through NCL.)

 

3. Did you need any cooler weather clothes?

4. How were the seas?

 

Thanks so much for your help and welcome back!

Andrea

[homeofthedogs]

embradley - thanks for the great pictures! Was wondering if you got sea-sick? Did you take any medication for it? Have heard that the ship really rocks alot, did you find this to be true? Thanks in advance!

[Catbiri2]

1. Tipping - I went a on cruise a few years back and our travel agent gave us envelopes with the suggested tipping amount written on them and who they were to go to. For my budgeting on this trip, I want to go ahead and make some for this trip. Can you help with who you tipped and about how much we are "expected" to leave?

 

I am sure this will be answered quickly, but:

 

from: http://www.ncl.com/more/fp_mi_w2n.htm#18

 

 

What about Tipping? SERVICE CHARGE

A fixed service charge of $10 per person, per day will be added to your onboard account. For children ages 3-12, a $5 per person per day charge will be added to your onboard account; there is no charge for children under the age of three. Our crew is encouraged to work together as a service team and is compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programs that the service charge supports. It is our earnest wish that you enjoy your Freestyle Cruise experience and that our entire crew in all areas of the ship will provide you with the standard of service for which NCL is known. Therefore, if you have any concerns about the service you receive during your cruise, please bring them to the immediate attention of our reception desk staff on board so that we can address any issues in a timely manner before the cruise is over.

Both NCL and NCL America have a structured guest satisfaction program on board designed to handle any concerns raised by our guests relating to the service or on board product quickly and efficiently. In almost all cases we are able to come up with a satisfactory solution to any issues which are raised and make sure our guests can focus on enjoying their cruise vacation. In the unlikely event we cannot satisfactorily resolve the issue through our guest satisfaction program, guests will be able to adjust the service charge according to the level of inconvenience they feel they have experienced. Our clear priority is to have the opportunity of resolving the issue, when it happens, to everyone’s complete satisfaction.

GRATUITIES

Unlike most other ships in the cruise industry, there is no required or recommended tipping on NCL America or Norwegian Cruise Line ships. Guests should not feel obliged to offer a gratuity for service that is generally rendered to all guests.

However, all of our staff are encouraged to "go the extra mile", and so they are permitted to accept cash gratuities entirely at the discretion of our guests who wish to acknowledge particular staff members for exceptional or outstanding service. In other words, there is genuinely no need to tip but you should feel free to do so if you have a desire to acknowledge particular individuals.

Also, certain staff positions provide service on an individual basis to only some guests. We encourage those guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities. For example, for guests purchasing bar drinks the recommended gratuity is 15 percent. Similarly, for guests using concierge and butler services, we recommend they consider offering a gratuity commensurate with services rendered.

[embradley]

TSoccer5: I do agree that the restaurants provided small servings of food but I still got full..probably because I had an appetizer and a dessert too. My Dad had a similar experience with Le Bistro but his filet was undercooked. Hard for this to happen since my dad basically still likes the cow “mooing” but he said the meat was very tough. He was extremely disappointed! However, my boyfriend, mom & I all got the filet and it was wonderful so I guess it just depends.:rolleyes:

familycruise2006: My brother is Michael, 15, and my cousin is Kayla, 16. My brother spent most of his time with my boyfriend & me but Kayla is very outgoing and was hanging out with 10+ teens each time I saw her.:p

vtdukes: I would love to answer your questions!

1. Tipping - I went a on cruise a few years back and our travel agent gave us envelopes with the suggested tipping amount written on them and who they were to go to. For my budgeting on this trip, I want to go ahead and make some for this trip. Can you help with who you tipped and about how much we are "expected" to leave? As someone already pointed out, Ncl automatically charges you a service charge of $10 a day per person for tipping. It makes it easier because you don’t have to individually pay each person that helps you. You can still tip beyond the $10per day if you wanted to. I gave a little extra money to our room stewardess and occasionally to our waiters if they did an exceptional job. You should tip extra for room service..usually a couple of dollars.

 

2. We want to try getting off the boat and then getting a last minute jeep tour or something in GC... good idea... awful idea? (We haven't booked any excursions through NCL.) I don’t remember seeing many jeep tour companies waiting on the dock when getting into GC. I could be wrong though…I had booked the Stingray City & Island tour with NCL so we just briskly walked through. I do remember seeing TONS in Cozumel, so I know you wouldn’t have a problem there. You also might find some available if you book through NCL when you get onboard..im not sure?

 

3. Did you need any cooler weather clothes? We had beautiful weather the whole week and it was definitely hot. I mainly wore shorts or a dress over my bikini. The only day it was cool was on the day of departure. I think it was in the 50’s and it was FREEZING on the top deck with all the wind. That day I wore jeans & a fleece jacket. I would just keep checking the weather as it gets closer.

4. How were the seas? For the most part, the seas were fine. This was my first cruise and I wasn’t sure if I would get seasick so I brought Dramamine with me. The only time it was bad for me was the morning of GC. The seas were rough and I could feel it all throughout my deck (promenade). I took a pill that morning and was fine after that (our stingray city excursion was canceled b/c of the rough seas). Besides that, the only deck that I felt movement on was deck 5.

homeofthedogs: basically just answered your question in #4 above. I didn’t feel much movement at all just deck 5. Going into the shops & having dinner were the times I felt it the most and that wasn’t even bad for me. Thank god I didn’t get sea-sick but the boyf was feeling bad the night of leaving GC (he refused the Dramamine that day) and I had to buy him some medicine at one of the shops. I would take the Dramamine with you just in case!!

Hope this helps!! Any more questions..i would be glad to answer them!!!! :D

[SPF 350Z]

embradley- My son Justin tells me that he was in the group of kids hanging out with Kayla! Too funny. I know that they exchanged email and im information and are planning to keep in touch.

 

For my short review:

I LOVED this cruise. I have been on 10+ cruises on various cruise lines and while Majesty is an older ship and much smaller, it is staffed by the best crew in the world. The service was wonderful.

 

I do agree that the food was not stellar, but it was good. I ate in Le Bistro two nights and enjoyed it very much.

 

The entertainment was good. Really enjoyed Dr. Trance, even though I was one of three who did not get to remain on the stage during the adult show.

 

For those of you who are getting ready to cruise on Majesty - here are a few pointers to make it a great cruise:

 

1. Your cruise is what you make it! Go into it with a positive attitude and you'll have a great time.

 

2. Eat at Le Bistro at least once. Well worth the $15pp upcharge.

 

3. Be sure to see the Ms. NCL Majesty contest at the deck party. It's a hoot!

 

4. In Grand Cayman, go to Sting Ray City. It was amazing. I booked off-ship with Capt.Bryan ww.grandcaymancruiseexcursions.com/StingrayCityCaptBryans.htm. My whole family had a wonderful time. Cost about $10 pp less than the cruise line and from what I've read, the tour through the cruise line was cancelled.

 

5. Be sure to check out a sunrise or a sunset. Simply amazing.

 

6. Finally, have a great time! Relax. The real world will intrude much too soon! :)