Majesty 8/19-8/26 (my review) part one & two

denisegold · August 26, 2007

We returned home from Bermuda this morning, and in return for all the help and tips I got from this board, I'd like to post my review...

Embarkation: It's been said over and over on this board, leaving from the Black Falcon Terminal in Boston couldn't be easier. Parking is $14 a day. ($98 for the 7 day cruise.) Baggage is promptly taken and you make your way up, present your documents, and away you go, onto the boat. (We had our 3 daughters with us, who had never sailed prior to this, and upon rounding the corner and first view of the ship, my 12 year old said "holy crap!" And that said it all.)

The sail away is (IMO) quite breathtaking. I loved watching the city from the top deck, people on the docks waving as we sailed by. I wouldn't have been inside under any circumstances at that time. They also served plenty of food at that time, burgers, hot dogs and BBQ on deck 10, and I think buffet food inside, as well.

Finding our way around and to our cabins was easy, deck 3, inside superior cabins. I found them to be quite roomy (more space than I expected, I guess) plenty of drawers and hangers. Tiny bathroom, of course. We were in cabins 3009 and 3007. At night, (being a night shift worker) I really liked the complete darkness an inside room gives. But in the morning, it was deceptive. You really couldn't figure out what time it was. Tip # 1: There are no clocks in the rooms. (at least, not these rooms) Best bet is to bring a watch with a lighted dial. (my watch didn't have a lighted dial, so I had to turn a light on to see what time it was.) Sometimes it was 3am, sometimes it was 10am. But it was the best sleep I ever had. The beds are actually surprisingly comfortable. Many on this board have said "bring your own hair dryer", they are not kidding. I don't blow dry my hair, but if I did, it would have taken 45 minutes with the dryer provided in the stateroom.

The staff on this ship are a really happy bunch. Always smiling and ready to do what you want/need. I like the tipping system on this ship, a fixed rate ($10/pp daily, $5 per child daily). It makes more sense to do it this way.

The food: there have been many mixed reviews about the food on this ship. It is what it is. It's not gourmet five star food. But it's mostly good. I think they try to hard to be something they are not at the Pasta Cafe (too fancy for lasagna). They require a reservation, I guess no exceptions. We didn't eat at the Bistro, (reservation and cover charge) but another couple told us we didn't miss much, that it was just "ok". The other two main dining rooms were pretty good. They served up really different menus every day, including a light selection and a vegetarian selection every day. The food there was varied and tasty. The service was slow at times, but not painfully slow. The buffet dining was, well, buffet dining. I'm not a big fan (I am known to say "there isn't a sneeze guard big enough" among my friends, in general about buffets) but that's just me. Most people seem to be enjoying whatever they were walking away with. Then there was room service. Limited menu, but the right selections. I had chocolate mousse and decaf coffee every night. Sandwiches and a nice little kids menu on the room service menu as well. They always said 30 minutes, but never waited longer than 20 minutes. I'll group the chocoholic buffet under food, and tell you I didn't go. I don't really care about chocolate. But my 3 kids went, and they weren't impressed. I don't know if that's a fair assessments, or they were just being kids. We got the soda wrist band for my 10 and 12 year olds, at $16, it was certainly a worthwhile purchase. My 17 year old got the smoothie coupon book, it was $34 for 20 coupons, which lasted to her to the last night, with no unused coupons (I think she used a few coupons on her new friends.) Alcohol was actually reasonably priced, I think it was $.50 for a beer, which we had maybe 10 altogether the entire cruise. If you're a big drinker, I guess it would add up, but it was fine for us. We also used the "off shore" dining program, the $5 vouchers. We ate at the White Horse Tavern (right on the pier) and I had the best nachos EVER. No kidding. We sat outside, and watched the fish dive in the air for french fries.

Side note and tip #2: if it's baseball season, and there is a Red Sox game on, go to the White Horse. If the game isn't on one of their many screens, just ask. They are happy to put it on. I can't believe how many people on the ship were amazed that we found a place to watch the game. But the White Horse doesn't bother advertising that they can show the game, and there is usually soccer on when you walk in.

I'm very sorry to stop here, but I have to work tonight (gasp!) The only way I could get a whole week off for the cruise was to go back to work tonight. So I will post part 2 (and maybe 3) tomorrow, which will be life on the boat, and four days in Bermuda... (and please, all questions and comments welcome!)

daisydu · August 26, 2007

Thanks for taking time to post. I look forward the rest of your review. We are doing this trip next Sunday!

Thanks again!:)

rebeljohn · August 27, 2007

Thanks for posting your review.............We're looking forward to the rest........

DDD06 · August 27, 2007

Thanks for the review so far...looking forward to the rest.

A couple questions for you if you have a chance...

As we will be sailing with our children (ages 16 and 14) next year, can you tell us anything about the teen "program" aboard the majesty? Can the kids be in Frame 52 or other lounges at night? Up to a certain hour?

JUSRN · August 27, 2007

We're looking forward to going in 2 weeks.

Any martini tasting clinics? Did you notice sushi at any time on the Majesty? I seem to remember lounge chairs on the Promenade deck in the shade....am I correct?

That's the big thing I didn't like about the Crown. No lounge chairs in the shade anywhere. My favorite thing to do on any cruise is lounge on the Promenade deck in the shade with a good book. I avoid the crowds around the pool.

JUSRN · August 27, 2007

U didn't mean 50 cents/ per beer right? That would be too good to be true!

You don't happen to have any menus or freestyle dailies to share with us do you?

Can you book the specialty restaurants for the week when you get on or is it only 2 days at a time?

ZoneHPH · August 27, 2007

the review was well written...right up until you HAD TO MENTION THE SOX...geez louise!

i'm joking!

good job on the review...would like to hear the rest of your trip.

nhquilter · August 27, 2007

Thanks for the review - we sail on 9/23 and are in rm 3011 - glad to hear we'll have more room than I thought!

Looking forward to reading the rest of your review.

cruisebermuda · August 27, 2007

We're looking forward to going in 2 weeks.

Any martini tasting clinics? Did you notice sushi at any time on the Majesty? I seem to remember lounge chairs on the Promenade deck in the shade....am I correct?

That's the big thing I didn't like about the Crown. No lounge chairs in the shade anywhere. My favorite thing to do on any cruise is lounge on the Promenade deck in the shade with a good book. I avoid the crowds around the pool.

Yes, there were martini tasting clinics. There was sushi as a special lunch in Le Bistro, $15 for all you can eat sushi. This was a little disappointing to me, as we have been loving the nightly sushi on Celebrity. I think the Majesty Sushi Lunch ran maybe twice? At least once for sure...

Yes, lounge chairs on Promenade deck in the shade and it was always easy to find some available.

denisegold · August 27, 2007

U didn't mean 50 cents/ per beer right? That would be too good to be true!

You don't happen to have any menus or freestyle dailies to share with us do you?

Can you book the specialty restaurants for the week when you get on or is it only 2 days at a time?

!!!! Typo, sorry! I meant $4.50 per beer. I don't have any menus, but I did take all the Freestyle Dailies, I just don't have a scanner. :(

I am pretty sure you can book your specialty restaurant as soon as you get on the boat, pretty much (well, maybe as soon as things settle down a little).

denisegold · August 27, 2007

Thanks for the review so far...looking forward to the rest.

A couple questions for you if you have a chance...

As we will be sailing with our children (ages 16 and 14) next year, can you tell us anything about the teen "program" aboard the majesty? Can the kids be in Frame 52 or other lounges at night? Up to a certain hour?

My 17 year old didn't go to the teen program once. I guess it depends on the teen. The line up for stuff for 13-17 year olds looked pretty good to me, but I guess I'm a nerd. The teens just kind of made friends on their own.

I honestly don't know if the kids could be in those lounges at night, but the only place that had a sign saying "no one under 18" which I saw was the casino. I honestly believe if they are with you, there would be no problem. (except the Casino, which my kids did walk through with me, just to get to the other side, and no one said anything)

denisegold · August 27, 2007

Where was I? I shouldn't have broken my concentration by breaking this review into pieces...

Ok, the kid programs... I had my 10, 12 and 17 year old with me. The 17 and 12 year old didn't use the kid programs even once. My 10 year old went twice, for about one hour each, and didn't really care for it. Honestly, the 10-12 year old section seemed kind of geared toward a younger age (the activities they offered) so I really didn't blame my kids. Really, it's just a safe place to leave your kids if you want a little time to yourself. (the 13-17 year old can come and go as they please to their age group, all other need to be signed in and out by a parent only). I think the kids program would be great if you have 6-9 year olds with you. From what tiny bit I saw, the counselors seemed great, and I think really were playing with the kids and interacting with them, not just plopping them in front of a board game (unless that's what the kid wanted to do).

The programs offered in the Freestyle Dailies were varied, but really my husband and I really didn't participate in much. We did watch some of the stuff on the TV in the room, as they videotaped a lot of things, like the Newlywed game, and a lot of pool deck stuff. They show it over and over on the TV in your room on channel 20, which the kids love seeing themselves. There are only a few channels, but CNN if you want to catch the news, a sports cannel of some sort, 3 movie channels (one with newer movies) Not much choice, but I bet not many people are there to watch TV. Just enough to have noise in the background, or maybe watch a newer movie you had wanted to see. They repeat the movie schedule pretty much daily.

Arriving by cruise ship in Bermuda is spectacular, and not to be missed. Just be up on the top deck, or somewhere outside. I don't want to give away everything, so just trust me, and let me know what you think after you experience it.

Bermuda is by far, the most beautiful and sincere country I have even visited. (I mean sincere, in the way Linus called Charlie Brown's Christmas tree "sincere") Bermudians are (simply put) good people, who truly welcome tourist, with out the "hey, braid your hair lady!" mentality. When they walk by, they say "good afternoon", and they mean it. As most people know, Bermuda is a very British Island. The guy who owns and runs Crown Tours (glass bottom boats) actually told us they were all given British full citizenship (but Britons are not given Bermudian citizenship).

BTW, your fellow cruisers are also wicked nice people as well. Maybe they are nice to begin with, or the Bermudian flair is contagious, but everyone is very nice. We ran into a couple at a bus stop out front of Grotto Bay, they were looking into Grotto Bay for their wedding next year. Got to talking, because my husband is a wedding videographer, (I can't think of a more beautiful setting to film a wedding) and they were actually on our ship. We were able to share our past experience at Grotto Bay with them, which I highly recommend if your not arriving by boat.

Speaking of excursions, I really didn't want to book anything through NCL. They jack the prices up, and I'd rather hand 100% of the money to a Bermudian company. But things don't always work out the way you plan... I had planned on helmet diving though Hartley, but I didn't hear from them before I left, so it just seemed easier to do that through NCL. It was just me and my 10 year old who did the helmet diving, and NCL uses Peppercorn (Triangle Diving). They pick you up right at the dock, price was $79/adult, $69/kid, a little more than Harltey, but the compromise is you get picked up right outside the boat. The 3 guys who ran the dive were great, and they gave proper kudos to Mr. Hartley for coming up with helmet diving. The dive itself was great, worth every penny. We also swam out side the boat the whole time (because they had to break us into 3 groups of 6 people each diving for about 20 minutes). It was so fun, and so cool to walk on the bottom of the ocean. I was worried about my ears, because I have had major ear surgery in the past, but I equalized in about 20 seconds, and nobody complained about not equalizing the pressure. We got to feed the fish bread, which was beyond cool, my daughter and took photos with a disposable underwater camera (the dive guy takes your camera and takes your photo as well) They don't take digital photos with their own equipment, which Hartley does, so my photos aren't high quality, but they tell the story. I'm so glad we did this excursion.

We also did a glass bottom boat ride, booked through NCL, but the guy (Crown Tours) was awesome. So full of knowledge. He built boat we were on himself. The cancel policy through NCL is something like 48 hours prior, got a refund, but this guy warned us, if you get seasick, you cam leave now and still get a 100% refund, which 2 people did leave, no problem. It was a bit bumpy, but a great ride, and this guy truly is "Mr. Bermuda History". This was $44/adult, $29/kids. You can book this yourself a little cheaper, what they do is the NCL price is for a 90 minute tour, and there is a separate 60 minute "anyone" tour for $30 per person. Same guy, same boat. Quick "sea sick" tip... many many people had scopolamine patches in place (these are by prescription only) including my husband, and these people all seemed happy and healthy. (I don't get sea sick, nor do my kids) But a tip, if you just get a little queasy or nauseaous, get a coke from the bar (or diet coke) and ask for a splash of bitters, They always have bitters at every bar, and it works.

The only other excursion I really wanted to do is a downright rip off when booked through NCL. A horse drawn carriage ride. But I was able to do all my research prior to the cruise, and knew that. Through NCL, it's $44/adult and $34/kid (I may be slightly of on the kid price) but if you are going into Hamilton (which you probably will, if you are docked in St George for 4 days) you can get the same ride for $40 total, for 4 people. Add $10 to ours because we had 5 people, and a $5 tip for a total of $55, compared to $200 through NCL. I don't think you could hire the horse drawn carriages in St George on your own (although honestly, I didn't ask them). What a fun way to see any part of Bermuda.

I did sign up for the "haunted train/lantern" tour of St George, but they must have been 100% booked, because I never heard back from NCL on that one, never got charged. Oh well. Saved about $120 there.

We rented a scooter, just for 24 hours ($85 total, right off the dock) just for a little fun. A 2 person scooter, so my husband went exploring on his own, took me for a couple rides, and our 10 year old. Our 12 and 17 year old really had no interest. I was scared out of my wits (but didn't tell my husband until after) but it was a great experience, and I'm so glad I did it. Next time, I will rent my own scooter. :)

Beaches within walking distance of the dock are Tobacco Bay and St Catherine's, very touristy type areas, but still enough room, beautiful water, and both beaches have a food stand with rest rooms. Bus pass was $80 for 3 adults, a kids for 2 days. Our own fault, we just didn't plan well to make that worth our while. It is a great deal and an awesome way to see the island. Things just get more complicated with 3 kids. (we have been to Bermuda before sans kids, and the bus passes were a huge $$$ saver).

You can go off and on the boat while docked as much as you like, just always have your room key card and photo ID with you. It usually quick, even long lines move right along. There is a street festival on Tuesdays right off the dock, but my youngest wasn't feeling well that night, so I can't review. (I bet it was fun.) Most shops close early (5pm) but restaurants are open late, and the pharmacy right off the dock is open until 7:30pm. And and the doctor on the ship is $78 and $128 for an initial fee (depends on the time of day) so try not to need them. We didn't need them, I just saw the sign.

I think I will post this monster review right now, with the option of posting a part 3, or just answering any questions thrown at me. I think a part 3 will end up here sometime this week, because I know I will remember more I wanted to say. I apologize for the lack of "time line" in my review.

Oh!! TracFones! I had asked about this prior to sailing, and one poster told me they worked well at sea, and not on the Island. So I took a chance and bought two TracFones, got some minutes (which the OP told us how to double, and that worked!) but for me, on the ship, pretty much a waste. They never got service in the rooms, and not often elsewhere. But no big deal, I only spent a total of $40 for both phones and a bunch of minutes, and now my 10 year old is allowed to use them until they run out of minutes. I was glad to give it a try. Our TMobile phones worked great, (albeit we only used a total of maybe 9 minutes, because I'm sure it was pricey!) But it's nice to know, that if needed, they worked fine. Avoid the internet on the boat unless you really need it , very pricey. My husband did use it to check his work email, and here's a tip... if you need to check your work email, but can wait, the prices go down ("specials") as the cruise goes on. By Friday eve, you can have 30 minutes for $12, probably plenty of time to check work email, etc. I saw people surfing facebook and stuff (the computers are all in a public area) sorry, I'm way too cheap!!! Oh, and BTW, all your room keys are linked to your credit card, but you can disable your kids charging ability at the front desk. I forgot to do that, but I told my kids I did, so they never even tried to charge anything. :)

denisegold · August 27, 2007