Majesty Review 12/16-12/23

[heelfan94]

I finished up my review and tried to change the title of my other thread, which was info for people cruising the week after us. I wanted anyone who was searching for Majesty Reviews to find it, so here it is again:

 

This is a long and detailed account of our Majesty Cruise. I’m sure it’s too much for some people. I know when I’m researching a ship I want as many details as possible, which is why I tried to get everything in this review. As some background, this is our fourth cruise, and our third with NCL. The other cruise was with Disney.

 

We spent the night before our cruise in Charleston. Lucky for us since we ran into several unforeseen problems getting here. One road was completely closed and we had to find an alternate route, heavy traffic in Charlotte plus a wreck that had I-85 backed up…all added up to a very long travel day. That’s why I like to go the day before and stay over. If we had been trying to get to the cruise ship and all those things happened, I would have been nervous. As it was we only got here later than anticipated and everything worked out fine. We stayed in the North Charleston Sheraton which is just about 10 or 15 minutes from the port. My kids have never seen historical Charleston so we’re going to tour the area while we’re waiting for our 1:00 boarding time.

 

 

EMBARKATION

 

We got to the pier around noon and people were already on board the ship. All of the terminal computers were down so check in was slow. Very slow. They were taking tickets, turning them over and writing down passport numbers to enter later into the computer. They couldn’t take pictures or take credit card info, and told us to go to Reception later and check in with them. Even in the Latitudes line which was very short we had to wait around 25 minutes. Because of the computer failure they couldn’t swipe our cards as we boarded. They only asked for our cabin number and checked us off with a pen. It felt strange getting on the ship that way.

 

One quick note about the luggage tags in Charleston…We had e-docs and were supposed to print our luggage tags to use on our own. I didn’t have anything heavier than regular paper to print on, and it seemed a little flimsy. I had read numerous times on this board that we could pick them up at the pier with no problems so that’s what we did. This isn’t a great idea for this particular port. We drove ourselves and when the officers directing traffic found out we didn’t have our luggage tagged, we had to pull out of the line of cars, wait for a parking spot, wait for someone to come over and assist, fill out all the tags, tag the luggage, close everything back up, wait to get back in the line of cars, then proceed to drop off the luggage. It was an unnecessary fifteen minutes of hassle that I didn’t need on cruise day. I would advise anyone sailing out of Charleston to go ahead and tag everything before you arrive.

 

 

THE SHIP

 

The ship was just like we remembered her. This is the fullest sailing we’ve ever had. 400 kids on board. Yikes. I knew from checking online in the weeks leading up to the cruise that it was close to capacity. As a side note, our cabin is across from a maintenance portal of some kind and there has been steady traffic in and out of there since we arrived. One day there were heaters set out in the hall to dry out the carpet. I have no idea what the problem is but wanted to mention that. Also, the first night we did have brown water in our cabin. I let it run and it didn’t clear up. I was ready to call maintenance when it finally cleared up on its own. I remember reading in a review about the same problem.

 

There aren’t enough deck chairs to go around on a sea day so if that’s something you want to do, I would say go early. After about 9:30 am there were no chairs available. The Majesty doesn’t have any sunning on deck 10, only on 11. I guess that’s part of the shortage problem.

 

As a follow up, I think I was on the right track about maintenance/water problems on board. We received a letter stating that the water supply would be completely cut off 2:00 am until 6:00 am Wednesday morning. I don’t believe it’s normal to completely cut it off. I don’t think I’ll get the whole story, though. And that time we’ll be sound asleep so hopefully it’ll be back on by morning.

 

THE STATEROOM

 

I and my husband had been on the Majesty almost two years earlier. The first time we had an ocean view cabin. It was fine for two people. This time we booked an AB suite (912) since the kids were coming along. While it’s definitely more spacious and has a larger bathroom, it’s still on the small side. When the couch bed is pulled out there isn’t much room left. This is not a complaint, it’s just a comment. The cabin suited our needs just fine. I will say that the fixtures and furniture show some wear. Again, not a complaint, just details for anyone who might be interested in one of these suites. We did have a bottle of champagne chilled and waiting for us when we arrived, but so far no other VIP perks. There was nothing special at the terminal either. In Miami there was a special area for VIP’s where we met Anca, our Concierge. We got hors d’oeuvres our first evening, with a note that they were compliments of the Captain. I’m not sure if this was VIP or Latitudes related. There were robes hanging in the walk in closet when we got here. There were also upgraded bath amenities that I really enjoyed, including eye cream. That was a first for me.

 

Our room stewards kept the room clean and tidy. They were usually in when we were out. Only a couple of times did they knock on the door to clean the cabin and we were there. We would leave for ten or fifteen minutes while they did their thing. We ran out of shampoo on the next to last day and asked for another bottle which he brought right away. Nothing else (bar soap, bottles of shower gel, conditioner and lotion) was replaced during our week. I’m sure if I’d run out of something else it wouldn’t have been a problem.

 

 

CONCIERGE

 

Flavia is wonderful. We ordered movies after lunch on our first day and she brought them immediately. She brought VIP tender tickets the evening before our Grand Cayman stop. On the day our excursion ran really late, she called Le Bistro and had them hold our reservation so we could dress for dinner, and then she left word at the restaurant that we could pick any bottle of wine with her compliments. On our last sea day (Friday) my daughter and I wanted to go to the Spa and she fixed everything. My daughter had a manicure and I had a massage. On the morning we left we had a chance to chat a little with Flavia. Her fiance was coming on board that very day for a visit. They’re supposed to get married next year so I wish them both the best. She really was wonderful. To me she was the epitome of a perfect concierge.

 

 

THE CREW

 

The crew was wonderful. Aside from a couple of problems with dining room service I can’t really say anything was lacking. I had the soda sticker on my room card and the bartenders were great about always stopping to get my Coke for me.

 

 

FOOD

 

I don’t know where to put the soda information. It was the same as the other NCL ships we’ve been on. I got the soda sticker for my key card and the kids got the wrist bands.. The kids’ soda is a great deal for the week ($16, I think) but at $42 for an adult I’m not so sure. At 7 days it comes out to $6 a day. So if you figure a can of Coke would cost probably $2 then it’s 3 a day if you paid as you went. I kind of like getting a glass at a time because I don’t normally drink a whole can at one time. I guess a sticker probably works out best for me.

 

Our first day we had the buffet lunch so we could sit outside. Standard buffet fare, and it was quite enjoyable. The first night we ate in Seven Seas. My daughter and I both had the Jamaican Jerk Chicken, My son had a pasta dish with short ribs and my husband had the skirt steak. All were very good but the highlight of the meal for me was the Crostata appetizer. It had mushrooms, mozzarella and onions and was delicious. Running a close second was the Onion Soup. Grand Marnier souffle for dessert, and the kids had ice cream. The kids ended up ordering room service before bed time four hours later - pizza and fruit. It was delivered hot and took about twenty minutes to arrive.

 

I’ll say here that we saw blue jeans in the dining room every night on adults. I have no problem with that, but if it’s now acceptable then NCL needs to revisit the dress code. My kids would have certainly been more comfortable in blue jeans but I won’t let them because the dress code plainly says no jeans or shorts in the dining room after 5:30. Another thing about the dress code is that I saw a person turned away with shorts on Friday evening in the dining room. I understand it’s not in the dress code, but neither are jeans. I don’t think jeans should be allowed, and not shorts. Consistency in enforcement was truly lacking. None of this affected me or my family but I want them to be fair about it.

 

Breakfast first day in Seven Seas. Prompt service and everything was very good. French Toast, Eggs Benedict and Biscuits & Gravy were the things my family ordered. Lunch the first day in Seven Seas. Very slow service. It’s the first time I’ve gotten up and left unsatisfied with any NCL restaurant. We simply couldn’t get our waiter to clear the table and take our dessert order. My daughter had her heart set on Apple Fritters but we gave up after sitting for twenty minutes with dirty dishes on the table, and no sign of our waiter. It was busy in there. But I don’t think that’s an excuse for such poor service. I thought about finding the captain of our section and talking to him, but didn’t want to waste any more time in the restaurant. We ended up ordering dessert from room service. It wasn’t quite the Apple Fritters my daughter wanted, but the chocolate mousse was very good. Sunday evening was lobster night in the dining room. Both my son and my husband ordered the Seafood Cocktail and Lobster. My daughter and I had Beef Wellington, and it was maybe the best I’ve ever had. Mango Flambe, Crème Brulee and Chocolate Mousse Cake for dessert. A very nice dinner. Lunch the next day was also very slow. The dining room wasn’t even half full so I’m not sure what the problem was.

 

After Le Bistro on Monday night we chose the buffet upstairs the next night. It was very good and had plenty of variety. No one wanted a huge meal so it suited us just fine. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to eat. It was just easier to take smaller portions of what we wanted and have a lighter dinner.

 

Slow, painfully slow, service in the main dining room was a prevailing problem on our cruise. Breakfast and lunch were by far the worst. I couldn’t ever pinpoint the problem. Sometimes the service was slow when the restaurant was near capacity, and sometimes it was slow when there were only a handful of tables. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the delays. We would sit for a half hour with one course waiting to be cleared and no wait person in sight. That happened a lot at breakfast. And once the main courses were delivered that was the last we would see of the waiter or waitress. I was disappointed with this aspect because we had never experienced what I would call poor service with NCL. I wondered if there was some underlying problem that I didn’t know about. It’s certainly possible.

 

On the evening we were in Key West and the dining room was relatively empty, I remembered what service on an NCL ship should be like. Our waiter was friendly and chatted with us at length. Our meal was served in a timely manner and all was good. I commented to the maitre d’ on the way out that it was our best dinner of the cruise. He only nodded as we left the restaurant.

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

The first night was the Bon Voyage show with a Broadway style song and dance, followed by a comedian. I can’t remember the guy’s name but he was funny. The second night was the same dance company, and I regret I can’t remember the name. The Captain was available as we were walking in to the show Sunday evening. We got to meet him and have a picture made with him. We were supposed to meet him for the VIP cocktail party Monday night anyway, but this was nice for everyone on board. The show Sunday evening was visiting the great cities of the world with song and dance. It was very good. Monday night was the comedian, followed by the Not So Newlywed Game. That one is always funny.

 

My family and I enjoyed the music by the pool and also the various contests that were held on top, like the music trivia. We never had to look far for something to participate in, or something fun to watch. This is one area where I believe NCL shines.

 

KIDS ACTIVITIES

 

My kids declined to join the Kid’s Club on the Majesty. Every time I saw the group they seemed to be having fun and they seemed to be well supervised. They all showed up at a show together one evening. My kids (10 and 11) enjoyed their freedom. They spent hours in the arcade on deck 5 and would come and go as they pleased, within reason. They loved the pools on top and enjoyed our ports of call. My husband and I went out to eat at Le Bistro two evenings and they ordered room service themselves. It was a good experience for all of us.

 

LE BISTRO

 

We had a reservation in Le Bistro for Monday night, and early so we could take advantage of the half price deal. We thought about the chef’s menu for two, which was an additional charge, and included Chateaubriand. My husband decided he wanted the duck as his entrée so we ordered a la carte. I had the beef short rib and tenderloin dish. Both were excellent. The only thing wrong with the meal was dessert. I got chocolate mousse and it was like a really stiff pudding. Really stiff. I had my husband (a certified executive chef) taste it for me and we were both baffled. We had room service chocolate mousse the day before and it was very pleasant. I’m not sure where this one went wrong. Anyway, we dined for $15 since we had an early reservation. My husband played so long in the casino one night that he was comped another Le Bistro dinner so we went again. The second night was much like the first. I tried the Apple Tart a la mode for dessert and it was much better than the chocolate mousse.

 

 

EXCURSIONS/PORTS

 

Our first port was Grand Cayman which is a tender only port. We arrived an hour late (8:00) but it worked out fine. My husband and kids went to Seven Mile Beach for a couple of hours while I stayed on board to check out the spa and enjoy some quiet time. The ship was pretty much empty and oh so nice.

 

We were an hour late getting into Cozumel because strong currents caused the Captain to abort our first approach. In Cozumel the four of us did the Jeep/Snorkel excursion. It was advertised as leaving at noon, and ending at 4:30. We did leave at noon, but got back at 5:45. The ship was scheduled to leave at 6:00 so we were running back to the Majesty. One other tour lasted an hour longer than ours so we still didn’t leave on time. We had Le Bistro reservations at 6:00 so we had to really move fast and have Flavia call ahead for us that we were running a little late. There were no mishaps or trouble on the excursion, that’s just how long it took. We had planned to shop in Cozumel after the tour so I didn’t like that the ending time was so far off base.

 

We were supposed to arrive in Key West at 3:00 pm, but our late departure from Cozumel coupled with the strong wind we were sailing into made us late again. 6:00 was our revised arrival time and all excursions except a couple were canceled. The captain announced that we would stay an hour later than advertised. This pretty much turned into another full day at sea.

 

 

DISEMBARKATION

 

We had a meeting time of 8:00 am with Flavia in the House of Lords to disembark. Express took forever so we were about an hour behind. We were off the ship quickly once all of the Express passengers went through. We took the shuttle over to where we parked the car and got out quickly and painlessly.

 

 

OUR RATING

 

We had a great time on our cruise. The ship was well maintained and except for the water troubles and service in the restaurants, we didn’t have many negative things to say. Would I book it again? I’m not sure. We paid $2992 for my family of four, with an AB Suite (the largest that would hold four people). My kids seemed to enjoy the Sun a little more, which wasn’t surprising since it’s a bigger and newer ship. We were next to the Pearl in Cozumel and the Majesty looked tiny.

 

We give it 4 out of 5.

 

Link to the Freestyle Dailies: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/556589162peMrLX

 

Link to pictures of Cabin 912: http://travel.webshots.com/album/556580752anukNV

[jimswims]

heelfan94,

 

Glad to hear that you had a good time on the Majesty.

 

We have been on the Majesty 2 times (summer 2004, 2005) with our 2 kids, now age 12 and 8. We all had a great time.

 

I am curious. How was the suite on the Majesty set up for 4, was it one bed and a double couch? We have stayed in DD's both times on deck 4 (2 uppers and 2 lowers). The DD was ok for us but when we were on the Spirit, it was 3 lower beds and one upper. This was not so good. We have an AB on the Dawn which is 2 bedrooms and 2 baths.

 

I appreciate any feedback you have about the suites on the Majesty. My parents have been on this ship over 15 times and we all may go one more time before the ship is no longer with NCL.

[heelfan94]

One double bed, and one double couch in the AB Suite. I think it was 230 square feet, or close to that. When the couch bed is pulled out you can't walk through the cabin. There's a curtain separating the sleeping areas which helped at night when I would want to read and the kids were asleep. Really, it was fine for us but there wasn't a lot of extra space. If we did it again I might try two oceanview cabins for the four of us so we could have two bathrooms. Still, we might end up spending as much and not having VIP perks so I'd have to price it out. We do love the Majesty. :)

[jimswims]

One double bed, and one double couch in the AB Suite. I think it was 230 square feet, or close to that. When the couch bed is pulled out you can't walk through the cabin. There's a curtain separating the sleeping areas which helped at night when I would want to read and the kids were asleep. Really, it was fine for us but there wasn't a lot of extra space. If we did it again I might try two oceanview cabins for the four of us so we could have two bathrooms. Still, we might end up spending as much and not having VIP perks so I'd have to price it out. We do love the Majesty. :)

 

Thank you for the info on this. I can deal with 230 sq.feet, it is the 149 square feet that was really tough. Even though the DD on the Majesty was 145 square feet, there seemed to be so much more floor space (the 2 uppers helped I am sure) than on the Spirit (three lowers).

 

We will have to see what happens when the Majesty will leave NCL. We are booked on the Dawn twice in 2007 (same AB). Maybe the Dawn will sail out of Boston and South Carolina after the Majesty leaves. I will have to stay tuned to see what we will do in 2008.

[heelfan94]

Thank you for the info on this. I can deal with 230 sq.feet, it is the 149 square feet that was really tough. Even though the DD on the Majesty was 145 square feet, there seemed to be so much more floor space (the 2 uppers helped I am sure) than on the Spirit (three lowers).

 

We will have to see what happens when the Majesty will leave NCL. We are booked on the Dawn twice in 2007 (same AB). Maybe the Dawn will sail out of Boston and South Carolina after the Majesty leaves. I will have to stay tuned to see what we will do in 2008.

I've been looking at the Dawn out of Miami next winter. How are the AB's on that ship? And have you been in any other cabins?

[jimswims]

I've been looking at the Dawn out of Miami next winter. How are the AB's on that ship? And have you been in any other cabins?

 

Hi heelfan94,

 

For NCL, besides the Majesty, we were in an inside on the Spirit. Great cruise, room not so great for 4.

 

We have not been on the Dawn yet. We have to wait until 8-18 and then again on 10-26 (same cabin for both).

 

I started a thread back in September and got a lot of info and lots of links to pictures on the AB's on the Dawn. Shoreguy and quite a few others (susean-jean, and a few more) who have been in AB's were really helpful and provided great stuff. It looks fantastic:

2 bedrooms (one is called a children's bedroom), 2 bathrooms, one with a jacuzzi tub looking out to the ocean, seperate shower in master bath, living room, dining area, balcony, butler and concierge, about 530 sq.feet.

 

I was told that the AB's on the Dawn, Star, Jewel, Pearl, and the Gem are all have the same layout.

 

Have fun researching and deciding.

[Lisa63]

Thank you, heelfan94, for a wonderful and balanced review. We've been aboard N. Majesty four times -- the last time in AB suite 902. You gave such a perfect description of the Majesty Deck 9 AB suites that I felt that I was right back on board.

 

Was anything said about the future of the ship out of Charleston and Boston? We'd love to go again, but are schedule is very full for '07.

 

Welcome home, and happy planning for the next one!

[cjcjohio]

Thank you for the review & all the good info.

Could you tell me the name of the pre - cruise hotel (& did you like it)?

And, did you park at the port or did you leave it at the hotel?

Did the ship tender into Cozumel and/or Grand Cayman?

Thank you

Colleen

[rain_bowbrite]

Thank you for the review & all the good info.

Could you tell me the name of the pre - cruise hotel (& did you like it)?

And, did you park at the port or did you leave it at the hotel?

Did the ship tender into Cozumel and/or Grand Cayman?

Thank you

Colleen

 

Colleen,

 

We were on the Majesty a couple of weeks ago and we stayed at the Holiday Inn Riverview pre-cruise and really enjoyed it. It was around $80 for the night, you can see the Majesty at the port from the rooftop dining, and they have a free shuttle to and from the port. We left our car there with no problems. The hotel staff were really nice and helpful.

 

We tendered in Grand Cayman, docked in Cozumel at Punta Langusto (sp?) and we docked in Key West, though not at the cruise pier. We docked at a Navy Pier, right beside the cruise pier, and were shuttled into downtown Key West.

 

Jodie:)

[heelfan94]

Thank you for the review & all the good info.

Could you tell me the name of the pre - cruise hotel (& did you like it)?

And, did you park at the port or did you leave it at the hotel?

Did the ship tender into Cozumel and/or Grand Cayman?

Thank you

Colleen

We stayed at the North Charleston Sheraton the night before and it was very nice. They didn't offer a shuttle over to the pier so we drove and parked there for the week. The only tender should be in Grand Cayman, and everyone tenders there. The other two you can just walk right off the ship. :)

[ginnyeck]

We are going on the Majesty 1-27-07, staying in AB suite- 902. There are 3 women going. Do the beds separate to make twin beds?, then the 3rd person on the sofa bed?? How big is the bathroom? We've been on the Majesty before but in a Superior Ocean Front cabin (145 sq.ft)

TIA

[heelfan94]

We are going on the Majesty 1-27-07, staying in AB suite- 902. There are 3 women going. Do the beds separate to make twin beds?, then the 3rd person on the sofa bed?? How big is the bathroom? We've been on the Majesty before but in a Superior Ocean Front cabin (145 sq.ft)

TIA

902 is a great location. You're very close to the pool deck and the Royal Observatory. Also, there are public restrooms very close which might come in handy with three people. I'm assuming the beds can be separated. Ours were together. The sofa bed was where my two kids slept. It should be fine, but once the bed is pulled out there isn't much space left. The bathroom is bigger than the other one you stayed in. It has a tub which is nice. It still isn't huge but it's a big step up from the other one. You'll love the bath amenities. The scent was very nice and the eye cream was a nice bonus. Enjoy your cruise! :)

[GrannyMouse]

Thanks for the great review!! We're on the Majesty on 1-27-07. One question about the specialty restaurant - It is $15 pp but if you order the lobster dinner is it an additional $20 PP?

 

Glad you have such a good time.

[heelfan94]

Thanks for the great review!! We're on the Majesty on 1-27-07. One question about the specialty restaurant - It is $15 pp but if you order the lobster dinner is it an additional $20 PP?

 

Glad you have such a good time.

I'm not sure about the lobster dinner. It isn't on the menu in Le Bistro but maybe you can get it on lobster night? The only thing that was extra was the chef's menu for two that included Chateaubriand. I think it was priced at $20 per person but I'm not sure.

[electricron]

On the Dream two weeks ago, lobster on Lobster Night was a free second entree. I don't believe it was available on the other nights during the cruise at the Le Bristo.

[GrannyMouse]

I'm not sure about the lobster dinner. It isn't on the menu in Le Bistro but maybe you can get it on lobster night? The only thing that was extra was the chef's menu for two that included Chateaubriand. I think it was priced at $20 per person but I'm not sure.

 

 

Was that $20 per person plus the $15 per person? I thought I read that Le Bistro had twin lobster tails and a filet for $20.

[jimswims]

Was that $20 per person plus the $15 per person? I thought I read that Le Bistro had twin lobster tails and a filet for $20.

 

I had this on the Majesty and on the Spirit. It was 5.00 over the 15.00 cover charge to = 20.00. I hope this is clear/helps.

[Lisa63]

We are going on the Majesty 1-27-07, staying in AB suite- 902. There are 3 women going. Do the beds separate to make twin beds?, then the 3rd person on the sofa bed?? How big is the bathroom? We've been on the Majesty before but in a Superior Ocean Front cabin (145 sq.ft)

TIA

Hi ginnyeck. We were in cabin 902 this past August. I'm fairly certain that the beds separate, although they were configured together when we boarded. The third person will have plenty of room on the sofa bed. There's also a huge walk-in closet (my husband referred to it as "the other room"), but bring extra hangers with you.

 

You will definitely notice the extra space in the bathroom -- the tub is nice (no tiny shower!) and do take advantage of the amenities as heelfan94 noted.

 

Before sailing, I was a bit concerned about hearing noise from the Royal Observatory or the adjacent lavatories -- but there was absolutely none. The cabin is located within a hallway area that is partially enclosed from the high traffic areas, so that no one can walk by the cabin. We'd definitely choose this cabin again.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[heelfan94]

Okay, I added the fourth page of the Freestyle Dailies so everyone could get the dining and snack schedules, and I also included the Suite Breakfast order form:

 

[Arwenmark]

Thank you, heelfan94, for a wonderful and balanced review. We've been aboard N. Majesty four times -- the last time in AB suite 902. You gave such a perfect description of the Majesty Deck 9 AB suites that I felt that I was right back on board.

 

Was anything said about the future of the ship out of Charleston and Boston? We'd love to go again, but are schedule is very full for '07.

 

Welcome home, and happy planning for the next one!

 

Hi there I have Suite 902 booked for Feb 3, can you tell me about it? how blocked is the view, is it noisy near the elevator and lounge area?

 

How was your eperience with the concierge? I don't suppose you have any pictures that would be fantastic. thanks

[Lthouselady]

My parents were in 902 this past August when we sailed together and the view is UNobstructed. Lovely little sitting area with floor to ceiling windows, my Mom's favorite spot.

 

Also, they did not complain about any noise from the elevators. 902 is the first cabin in the row and the entrance is sort of sheltered from the main elevator area. No one walking or running by your cabin which is great! Be sure to ask for a mattress pad for the fold out couch if you find it too firm. My nephews slept on that and the pad helped a lot.