rccl-majesty13

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Lane & Marie Cheramie
Email: lcheramie@cajunnet.com
Age: 40
Occupation: Hospital CEO
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: December 18-28, 1999
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: Lower outside
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 88
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 97
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 97
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 88
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 88
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Jan 2000
Time: 17:32:37
Remote Name: cajun02-port155.cajunnet.com
Remote User:

Comments

My wife and I took a 10-day Christmas cruise aboard the Majesty of the Seas. The cruise left out of
San Juan on December 18th at 11pm. As this was our seventh cruise, we were able to have some
comparison to other cruises and cruise ships we have traveled on before this cruise.

Embarkation:

This went quite smoothly. For the first time ever, we used a cruise lines air/sea program. We flew
into San Juan on the morning of the departure of the Majesty from San Juan. We arrived from New
Orleans about 4pm and were met by a representative of RCCL at the gate. Since we checked in
our luggage using the tags given to us by RCCL in our cruise packet, we did not have to worry
about picking up the bags at the airport. We waited about 5 minutes to board a bus to the dock.
Upon arriving at the dock we waited in line approximately 20 minutes with others to get aboard the
ship. The most important thing is to have all your documents filled out by the time you arrive at the
dock. Also, have an ink pen handy to fill out additional documents that were given to us when we
got to the dock. Within 45 minutes of landing into San Juan we were aboard the Majesty of the
Seas.

Ship:

The Majesty of the Seas is a somewhat older ship but very well maintained. Before going on the
cruise we had heard a number of complaints regarding the small cabin sizes. We had an outside
cabin on the lowest level of the ship. While the cabin was small as compared to some of the newer
ships, it was manageable and not really a problem. There was enough room to place our luggage
under the bed, so that saved a great deal of room. Our cabin was located in the middle of the ship
so rocking or noise was not a problem. The only real noise we heard throughout the cruise was
when the people in the cabin next to us slammed their door going into or out of their cabin. The
layout of the Majesty was easily navigated. We didn't spend much time in the lounges or disco
areas of the ship, but the majority of the areas we needed to visit were nearby one another.
Possibly one complaint of the ship was the lack of a safe in the room. We got a safety deposit box,
but having a safe in the room is a time saver. But, I must admit never having to stand in a long line
to get the safety deposit box at the purser office.

Ports:

ARUBA One of the main reasons we took this cruise was to see Aruba. We arrived early in the
morning and didn't depart until 1am the next morning. It gave us plenty of time to take an excursion
and then visit the rest of the island on our own. The excursion we took was the Aruba Sailaway
Beach Cruise. On this excursion you were given the chance to snorkel at 2 locations, one of them
being at the site of a WWII ship called the Antilla. It was neat to be able to look down and see a
piece of history just a few feet below the level of the water. After snorkeling there and another
location, we were taken to a beach for lunch and to lounge around until the catamaran took us
back to the cruise ship. The chairs on the beach were for the hotel guest, but you could rent a
chair from the attendants on the beach.

The other thing we did in Aruba was visiting some of the hotel/casinos on the island. A taxi driver
brought us to a number of different ones and waited for us outside. We drove around for a couple
of hours with the driver pointing out numerous sites along the drive. Then, at night we visited one
of the hotels near the cruise ship dock and gambled in the casino. We were both quite happy with
Aruba and are looking forward to getting back there one day.

CURACAO

Another island we were interested in visiting. On this island, we didn't take a ship excursion, but
rented a taxi and had the driver bring us to a number of sites we had wanted to see. It was great to
be away from the crowds for a day. The island is just absolutely awesome. We loved the pastel
colored buildings in the city. Also, we did some shopping here and I came away with a good pair of
binoculars that I had wanted for about a year. I was able to purchase the binoculars for a little over
$100 cheaper than in the states. The other thing we purchased was our liquor to bring back home.
Bottles of Absolut that costs $13 in the states can be gotten for $5 here. Also, Grand Marnier that
costs $30 in the states, we were able to purchase here for $17.

ST. MAARTEN

This started as a bummer of a port. We had visited the island before but were looking forward to
visiting the French side as we had stayed on the Dutch side the time before. We booked an
excursion aboard the Majesty called the Explorer Cruise and Island Drive. We arrived in the ship's
cinema with the other passengers taking this excursion. Then, we all got on a tender to go to the
shore. We were required to sit on the top deck of the tender due to the number of people taking
this one to go into the port. When we docked on St. Maarten, we were the last ones off the tender.
By the time we got to a RCCL excursion representative, the tour had already left. This happened
in a matter of 5 minutes maximum. We then decided to take a taxi to Marigot on the French side.
Once there we tried to use the phones to call back home without much success. The American
calling cards were not accepted so we finally asked and were told that we needed to purchase a
telephone card at one of the small stores. We did so and were able to make our calls. We walked
around Marigot and ate at a nice café near the harbor. The food was simply awesome.

ST. THOMAS

We have been to St. Thomas numerous times and also to St. John so we decided that we would
take it easy in this port. With that in mind, we booked an excursion called Kayak Marine Sanctuary
Tour. So much for taking it easy I guess. It was not a difficult paddling trip and was really quite
enjoyable. In the middle of the kayaking we were allowed to snorkel in a small area which was
great. After returning to the cruise ship, we took a quick shower and headed into town to do some
shopping. Bought a few things and headed back to the cruise ship. The only problem in St.
Thomas was that it was Christmas Eve and it was impossible to find a telephone anywhere to call
home. So, we decided to use the phone in the room to make some quick calls. I think the calls run
you $8 per minute, so they need to be quick.

TORTOLA

We had visited this island once before and said that we would never return. Unfortunately,
because of Hurricane Lenny damaging St. Kitts, we had no choice but to return back to the island
as it served as a replacement for St. Kitts. In the 10 years since we had been there, nothing has
changed to impress us with the island. To try and get away we took another snorkeling excursion.
We were suppose to go to Cooper Island, which we wanted very much to do since we had spent 2
weeks there 10 years earlier. Also, this is the location of the RSS Rhone, which was used to film
The Deep a number of years back. We were brought to Peter Island instead and allowed to
snorkel and sit on the beach for 2 hours. We didn't speak to a single person who went snorkeling
that saw a fish. Still cannot believe that we went on a snorkeling excursion and did not see a fish or
coral. Also, there were not enough masks and snorkeling equipment for all the cruise passengers
who took the excursion. It was truly a waste of time and money. Upon returning to the dock, we
walked around Road Town for a few minutes and remembered why we hated the place the first
time so we went back to the ship.

ST. CROIX

By this time we were tired of shopping. We went into Frederiksted for a couple of hours to look
around but then headed back to the cruise ship to rest up for the last night.

Food:

The quality of the food was good. It didn't compare to Holland America, but was much better than
Carnival. The biggest disappointment was variety served for the 10-day cruise. Seven of the ten
dinners had a New York Strip as the meat. We ate one evening in the cabin and had the same
choice as the menu in the dining room. Also, we joined an older couple in the café in the evening
for alternative dining.

Food in the buffets was disappointing. It just sort of sat there and didn't have much punch to the
look or the choices. It is bad when you have to say that the hamburgers and hotdogs were the
highlights of the lunch and afternoon buffets. It was impossible to determine when the café on the
top deck was open. The midnight buffet was much like all other midnight buffets. I am willing to bet
that these will be cut out entirely in the near future.

Service

The staff did an excellent job. We had heard that it might be bad because they would be
depressed with the Christmas holidays. We did not see this. Everyone from the cabin steward to
the two gentlemen who served our meals were quite pleasant and went out of their way to make
you happy and honor your request. The same way with the bartenders and others we came across
during the cruise.

I don't believe that there is much more to say about the cruise. It was our first cruise aboard with
RCCL. We would cruise with RCCL again. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Name: Karen & David Henelde
Email: khenelde@home.com
Age: 49/52
Occupation: Nurse/Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: December 11, 1999
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: 4580
FoodDiningRoom: 94
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 92
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 92
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 92
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService:
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 88
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 88
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 92
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Jan 2000
Time: 20:07:02
Remote Name: proxy1-external.owml1.md.home.com
Remote User:

Comments

My husband David and I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas, Southern Caribbean itinery, December
11-18, 1999. It was our second RCI cruise, the first one being five years ago on Sovereign of the Seas on it's Eastern
Caribbean itinery. These two ships are nearly identical which made it really easy for us to get around. The air/sea
program was extremely convenient. We flew directly from Baltimore to San Juan and had only a very short wait for the
bus transfer to the cruise terminal. The embarkation procedure went pretty smooth and before we knew it we were on
board. Tip: pack a change of clothes in your carry-on baggage so you can change out of your traveling clothes right
away. Since the ship wasn't leaving until 10 p.m., we went out to walk around Old San Juan, which is just a short walk
from the cruise terminal. Since we'd been in San Juan before, we just walked around and took in the scenery for a few
hours before returning to the ship. By the time we returned to the ship our luggage was delivered to our cabin. Perfect
timing! A great start to a great week.

CABIN: We had an outside cabin on the Main Deck--very convenient location. Even though the cabins on this deck are
not overly large, we had plenty of room for everything. The space was very well designed. We were able to stow two
small suitcases under the bed and we asked our cabin steward to store our two large suitcases in a storage area. It
was nice not to have to trip over them all week. Our cabin steward, Ray, was extremely pleasant, and I looked forward
to returning to our cabin every evening to see what surprise awaited us. We soon learned that any of our personal
items that were left out in the open were fair game. The sculptures that he made out of towels, nightshirts, robes, were
hysterical. Chocolates on our pillows every night were nice, too!

PORTS: One of the reasons we chose this particular cruise was the Ports of Call. Our first stop was at Aruba. Since
David and I are not big fans of organized shore excursions, we did a lot of research so we'd know exactly where we
wanted to go. In the morning, we walked around town and did some window shopping. Aruba is pretty expensive, so
don't plan to do your serious shopping here. We returned to the ship for a nice lunch. It was 'open seating' and we met
a great couple and shared a great meal and a lot of laughs. Since David and I were planning to hire a taxi for the
afternoon to do some sightseeing, we invited our new friends to join us. We all headed out to explore Aruba. There
were no taxis in sight, so we we decided to get brave and we rented a car for three hours. At $12 a hour, it was the
best bargain on the island. We saw the Atlantic Lighthouse, a charming old chapel overlooking the Caribbean, and the
Natural Bridge. It was a great afternoon and we had a very fun time. The next port was Curacao. Without exception,
Curacao was one of the most picturesque islands we've ever seen. Again, we opted to explore on our own, and it was
a very easy walk from the cruise terminal into town. The swinging/floating bridge is a sight to see. And the pastel Dutch
architecture is amazing. We loved just walking around and browsing in the shops. We toured the Mikveh-Israel
Synagogue, which is the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere. We enjoyed refreshments
at a sidewalk cafe. Curacao is very charming. The third port was St. Maarten. This is the island I was most interested
in seeing. St. Maarten suffered a lot of damage during Hurricane Lenny, and the week we were there was the first
week that they allowed cruise ships to return to the island. We thought they did a great job cleaning up after the storm
because we did not see too much residual damage. The island is great! We shopped till we dropped on the Dutch side
in the morning. In the afternoon we took a taxi to Orient Beach on the French side. Part of Orient Beach is 'clothing
optional' and I'm not saying which part of the beach we went to. The beach was gorgeous and clean. Our last port of
call was St. Thomas. Since we'd been there before, we decided to rent a car and do just a little sight-seeing, and then
we headed out to Magen's Bay for an afternoon of beach-bumming. Magen's Bay is, without exception, one of the
most beautiful beaches we'd ever seen. We loved it. We really enjoyed all of the ports that we visited.

FOOD/DINING ROOM SERVICE: We thought the food was very good and the selection quite varied. I liked the idea
that every evening, even though the menu changed daily, you could order chicken or salmon filet, which I frequently
did. Our waiter, Izzy, was wonderful. Whenever I couldn't decide what to choose, he would make a suggestion, and
every time I took his advice he was proven right. His suggestions were always perfect! Our Assistant Waiter was
Corina, and she was absolutely delightful. Both of these wonderful people couldn't do enough for everyone at our
table. We had a very fun and lively group at dinner, and I think that Izzy and Corina enjoyed all of us as much as we
enjoyed them! An interesting note: we had late seating which I always recommend on a cruise. Two reasons: 1) it
extends your day whether you're in port or just enjoying the activities on the ship, and 2) since no one was waiting
behind us to use the dining room, we had the luxury of a very leisurely and relaxed dinner. The people on 'first
seating' literally have to 'eat and run.'

STAFF: Every single person we came in contact with was wonderful. All services were provided with a wonderful
attitude and in a most professional manner. Special kudos to Jeff Arpin, Cruise Director, who is absolutely fabulous. It
is obvious to everyone that he absolutely loves his job. He is one of the funniest people I've ever seen. When we
watched his disembarkation talk on the closed circuit TV in our room we were laughing hysterically we were nearly in
tears! Jeff could do stand-up comedy--he's that good!

DISEMBARKATION: While this process is never great, it was vastly improved since our last cruise. Since we were
leaving the ship around 10 a.m. and our flight back to Baltimore wasn't until 6 p.m., we decided the best way to spend
the day was to sign up for an 'all day excursion.' We took the El Yunque Rain Forest Tour, and it was very good. The
tour guide was very knowedgeable about the rain forest and it turned out to be a nice way to pass the time before
going to the airport.

THIS AND THAT: Cruising is, without exception, my favorite kind of vacation. We truly took advantage of many of the
activities that were available. We loved the shows, the games, such as the Nearly Newlywed Game, the Battle of the
Sexes, and Majesty Quest. I even enjoyed Bingo! Being on a cruise ship gives you the opportunity to meet so many
different people and we really met some great folks from all over the country! I can't imagine anyone being on this
beautiful ship and not having a blast! I've already picked out our next cruise--RCI's Enchantment of the Seas! If
anyone wants more information about this cruise, please feel welcome to e-mail me.

Name: Anne Bullard
Email: anne@wilmington.net
Age: 48
Occupation: Retail Business Owner
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: 1/29/2000
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: 8016/F
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 98
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 88
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 89
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Feb 2000
Time: 01:20:16
Remote Name: wise1-110.wisedial.wilmington.net
Remote User:

Comments

We selected the Majesty of the Seas because of the ports of call. Those ports were Aruba,
Curacao, St. Maarten and St. Thomas. We wanted to see Aruba. We were most pleased. We also
gambled on a run of ship category and received an outside cabin in a good location. I was told
being a repeat passenger with RCI helped us when cabins were assigned. We are happy just
cruising and would rather save on the cruise price to do more while in port. We spend very little time
in our cabin.

Last year we cruised on the Dawn Princess and I was concerned that the Majesty would disappoint
us after the Dawn. I was wrong. The Majesty was 5 years older than the Dawn Princess but in very
good shape. The entertainment was far superior to that of Princess. We found the entire staff of the
Majesty to provide excellent service. The food could have been better but with a sold out ship
overall we felt the food was good. We used the alternate dining for 3 out of the 7 nights. I generally
felt the food in the dining room was better but all was ok. Steaks were the best choice. We only
ordered room service once and it was cold; not good. Yet, our traveling companions were happy
with their room service selections.

We missed not having a refrigerator or safe in the cabin. The cabin was small but we managed. Our
cabin attendant was excellent. I took a soft sided cooler to keep sodas cold and she provided plenty
of ice. One could buy liquor, sodas, bottled water at the pier or in port. We were never checked for
liquor and it could be purchased on board for cocktails in your cabin.

Our days at sea were nice but I wish there had been a bridge and galley tour. It was not hard to find
a chair poolside. Plenty of towels were available. The pools are salt water. The exercise room was
open from 8am to 8pm. On Princess it was open 24hrs. which I liked better. However, the equipment
on the Majesty was fine. We used it on sea days but were too busy while in port. I did force myself to
take the stairs to help work off the calories.

Aruba...we had made a reservation with Avis. They are located at the pier. The roads were good
and driving is on the right as in the states so this worked out well. We went to the high rise hotel
area and arranged a snorkel trip. The boat took 4 of us. This was nice...we snorkeled Arashi Reef
and the shipwreck Antilla. It is windy. The water was choppy but clear. They feed the fish so there
was a good variety. We drove to the light house. We then checked out the golf course. We parked
at the pier and shopped near the ship. We had dinner onboard and then drove to the Hyatt. The
hotel is beautiful. We had lots of time since we did not sail until 1 am. We liked Aruba and would
consider an extended trip. Curacao...we signed up for a snorkel trip offered by RCI. This was a 9am
trip. It was to a sunken tug. Really clear water and a good trip. After lunch we hired a cab for a tour
of the island. We then shopped and walked back to the ship. Curacao was nicer than I had pictured.
It was an enjoyable stop. St. Maarten...this is a tender port. We waited in line for tickets to the first
tender. We rented a car and toured the island. This was not our first trip. We drove to Marigot and
spent some time along the water front and in the shops. We drove through Grand Case. The next
stop was Orient Beach. We had lunch. Next was shopping along Front Street. I enjoy this better than
shopping in St. Thomas. Liquor prices are good so I bought a few bottles. Be prepared for a long
wait around 5pm in line for the tender. St. Thomas...we were the first people off the ship. We caught
the 8 am ferry at Red Hook for St. John(our favorite we stay here a week each year) We rented a
nice SUV. Here we snorkeled 3 spots. We had lunch at Trunk Bay. We caught the 3:45 ferry for
Charlotte Amalie. This is a scenic trip. We shopped briefly before heading back to the ship.

Phone service is at the pier and easy in San Juan, Aruba, Curacao, and St. Thomas...St. Maarten
the phones were not working very well. We did get out but it was testy.

Everyday was picture perfect. The weather was great. The week flew by. Embark/Disembark was a
breeze. Majesty had just gotten their internet connection. I used this serveral times. It was .50 a
minute so I sent a few emails rather than postcards. If you are not on AOL set up a Yahoo account
so it will be easy to send and receive email.

This was a wonderful vacation. Any questions please email me. I wrote this because the reviews on
cruise opinion really helped me.

Name: Gina Batista
Email: emanon900@hotmail.com
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: 8/22/99
Itinerary: Western carb.
Cabin: 2643
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Feb 2000
Time: 11:56:29
Remote Name: spider-te052.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

My boyfriend and I are both 22.This was our first cruise. This cruise was my birthday gift from him. I
am writing this review because reviews from other travelers really helped me prepare for the cruise.

We flew from New York city to Miami on 7:00 AM flight. We did not use RCCL air/sea package
because our travel agent told us it was cheaper to book our flight separately. We arrived at Miami at
around 10:00 Am. Which was a little early since the ship doesn't start boarding until noon but, I'm
glad we did because a few minutes after we took our cab it started to rain really hard. The ship
couldn't leave until 8:00 because the Airport had been closed and they were still waiting for
passengers to arrive.

Embarkation was very easy. We were one of the first people there and it only took about 15
minutes. The ship was beautiful. I had read here that it was starting to show its age and look warn
but I didn't see any of that. Our cabin was an inside cabin. It was just the right size for two people.
Our luggage fit perfectly under the bed and we only used the closet to hang up our formal wear. I
have to say that I over packed for this trip. Half of the clothes that I took with never came out of the
luggage. The first night we went to dinner with the clothes we had on when we got there because
our luggage did not arrive before dinnertime. My suggestion is to pack a change of clothes on your
carry-on bag.

We had late seating for dinner. We were seated at a table for 10 but four people never showed up
to dinner. Our table mates were very nice people. There was a woman form Pennsylvania and her
14 yr. old son and a couple from NYC in their early forties. At first we thought it might be weird not
being with people closer to our age but it turn out great. The food was really good and the service
was excellent. We ate breakfast at the windjammer because it was quicker. All the other meals we
had in the dining room. There was a gap in the after noon that you could not find anything to eat
except room service. That was fine for us. Room service was always quick never more than 15
minutes. We were very surprised at the prices of the drinks. They were very cheap compared to
what we are used to here in New York City. A mixed drink was about $4.50 and a soda was $1.50.
Very cheap!!!!!

Monday was an at sea day. We just lounged by the pool all day. There we met two young couples
that were on their honeymoon. And we hung out with them the entire cruise.

Tuesday we went to Labadee. This island is own by RCCL. We had to take a tender to the island.
Labadee was OK. The water was but beautiful but it was filled with jellyfishes I was stung twice in
about two minutes, so I was out of the water very quick. There wasn't much to do here so we just
relaxed all day.

Tuesday night was our first formal dinner. My boyfriend wore a suit and I wore a short navy blue
dress. We did see some women in long gowns and men in tuxedos but not too many. We took the
formal portrait and the lines for that are long so make sure you give yourself enough time.

I have to say that we never went on any excursions through the ship. We decided it was cheaper to
do everything on our own.

Weds. we went to the Cayman Islands. We had to take a tender to shore. Once there we took a cab
to seven-mile beach. The cab is $2 per person. He took us through an entrance were we did not
have to pay to get in but, I did hear of some people having to pay $2 to enter the beach. Seven mile
beach is one the nicest beaches I have ever seen. The water was clam and clear. At the beach we
rented chairs and floating mats for $5 each. After a couple of hours at the beach we took a cab
back in to town and did a little shopping. Everything there is very expensive.

Thursday we went to Ocho Rios Jamaica. This was one of our favorite ports. We had heard that the
people were pushy and rude. But we didn't find them too be worse than the regular people we
encounter everyday in New York. We took a cab we another couple from to cruise to DUNNS RIVER
FALLS. On the way there the cab said that for $30 each he would drive us around all day. We
agreed. The entrance to the falls was $8 per person. We climbed the falls all the way to the top. The
guide tells everyone to hold hands while climbing. I think it is better not to. After the falls our driver
took us to this beautiful garden . I can't remember the name but this place was very nice. The view
was spectacular. You could see the entire city. After the garden the couple with us wanted to eat
authentic Jamaican cuisine. The driver took us to this restaurant were they having a beauty
pageant. It was very entertaining. Then we headed over to do some shopping. After that the cab
drove us back to the ship.

On Friday we went to Conzumel. We took a cab to Playa del Sol. This was a beautiful beach. We
stayed there for about two hours then took a cab back into town. We went to Carlos & Charlie for a
few drinks and then headed out to do some shopping. They have really good bargains in Mexico.
Make sure you do some shopping there. We also went to this really good restaurant. But
unfortunately I don't recall the name. After that we took a cab back to the ship.

Saturday was our last day. We were sad that our cruise was coming to an end. We just lounged by
the pool and went to our cabin early. We packed all our stuff. The luggage has to be outside your
cabin by 10:00.

Sunday morning we woke up early. Had breakfast and then sat around waiting for our color to be
called. Since our flight was back to New York was around 3:00 we were one of the last people of the
ship. We took a cab to the airport. And sadly waited for our flight back home.

This was a great cruise. I enjoyed everything. RCCL did a really good job and we have already
booked our next cruise on RCCL Monarch of the Sea to the southern Car.

Name: Lauren & Steve Panaro
Email: lpanaro@ci.buffalo.ny.us
Age: 28 & 30
Occupation: Accountant
NumberOfCruises: 0
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: 2-19-00
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: Inside
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 92
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Feb 2000
Time: 09:10:14
Remote Name: iserver02.ci.buffalo.ny.us
Remote User:

Comments

This was our first cruise & it was truly much more fun than I had ever anticipated. If you want to be treated
like royalty for a week or so, then I would highly recommend sailing with this line. We were happy with just
about everything, although there were a couple negatives but they really were not that huge a deal.

EMBARKATION - I had read many nightmare stories about long lines and waits but it seems R.C. has this
down now, we were through the terminal and on the ship within 10 minutes. There was a big line in front of
us but they had about 20 people working to get everyone through. Also, I definitely would recommend the
air/sea program, everything is taken care of for you, it makes it so easy!

SHIP - We were very impressed overall with the Majesty. We really don't have anything to compare it to
(being our first cruise) but I thought it was beautiful. It was also very clean, except for carpet stains in the
corridors which I read about from others' opinions. That wasn't enough to bother me though, overall
everything else was clean. As far as ship movement- definitely felt us moving & rocking. I had heard we
wouldn't feel it with such a big ship, as well as the area we were sailing in, but we did. Neither of us got sick
though and they hand out some medicine at the pursers desk if you need it.

ROOM - We had an inside cabin (i.e. very small!) but we got used to it quickly. We were only there to
sleep & shower so it was ok. The only complaints I have are there was no dresser to put clothes in, just a
desk with 4 small drawers & a closet so our luggage/clothes were kept under the bed. Also the shower was
tiny, I had a very hard time shaving my legs. Sounds stupid, but it was a challenge. Our room was
extremely quiet too, we didn't hear any of our 'neighbors' til the last day. One morning we awoke to the
ship dropping the anchors (in St. Maarten). That was loud & annoying but friends in other parts of the ship
didn't hear it at all. Plus it didn't last too long, just about 15 minutes. Our cabin steward Arless was great,
very friendly & did a great job. The first night, I asked him for an extra bath towel & from that point on,
there was an extra towel every day. He also made those little towel animals, a cute touch that we enjoyed
coming in to every night.

DINING ROOM - The only way I can describe this is fantastic!! The service and food quality/presentation
were unbelievable. Our waiters Ercan & Pedro were so friendly & quick & always remembered everyone's
drink orders & preferences. Once you ordered your food, it came within 5 minutes, and the variety was
outstanding. For those picky eaters like myself there were always strip steak and baked chicken choices.
My only (small) complaint was that the mashed potatoes were instant. Or at least they tasted that way, I felt
with all the gourmet dinners, these could have been better. That's not a huge deal, it's just that I love
mashed potatoes & didn't have them a second time. Our dinner companions were great too, one couple
from CT & one from NJ. We all got along great & had nice conversation.

BUFFETS - We were really happy with the buffets, wide variety & always good food. The french fries were
my favorite! We regularly went to the breakfat & lunch buffets & hit the midnight one a couple times.
Unfortunately we fell asleep early the night that is the highlight of the latenight buffets, with all the fruit
carvings etc. I would have loved to see that. Another place with outstanding service though. One night we
were with another couple & went to grab a bite at about 2 and there were no french fries in the buffet that
night. I just happened to say to my husband how I wish there were fries and the guy behind the line said
'You want fries? Just a minute' and came back with a huge plate of fries. That's totally typical of the
outstanding service that we recieved on our trip.

ROOM SERVICE - We ordered this the first night at about 1, my husband got a steak sandwich & I got
fries. It came within 10 minutes & the sandwich was good but the fries were cold, I didn't care though
because I was starved.

POOLSIDE - Consider yourself warned - you have to get out very early to get chairs. We thought we were
early at 9 and we did manage to get chairs on the upper deck but they fill up fast. About 75% of the chairs
are 'saved' by someone that throws a towel down & then they disappear for awhile so it's kind of unfair.
We ended up being happy on the upper deck though because we had a great view of the poolside
activites & games, which were very entertaining. We met a great couple there too the first day at sea &
ended up hanging out with them the rest of the trip. We also witnessed a near fistfight over someone
'stealing' someone else's chairs, it almost got very ugly with security coming & bystanders yelling at the
women who were fighting because of their vulgar language & disruption. It was pretty funny & just shows
you how big of a deal it is with saving chairs etc. The drink service by the pool is great too, I didn't think
they were pushy, they just walked by a lot saying 'bar service' and if you didn't want anything, they didn't
bother you. Always great music playing too. The contests were fun to watch.

SHOWS - We only went to 3 of the shows in the main theater. The first one we saw was 2 comedians and
they were hysterical. Another night we saw singer Al Martino, he is 'before our time' but was still
entertaining. The third show was the ship's dancers/singers in a 50's theme show, it was ok. The theater is
nice & all the seats were good.

CASINO - We were in the casino on a daily basis & we came out ahead, which is always nice. My husband
played blackjack & I tried roulette, craps & slots. He won while I lost but he made up for both of us. Overall
the staff was very friendly except one girl on the last night. We had a very good time here.

ACTIVITES/GAMES/LOUNGES - I have to say the best times we had were at the late night parties by the
pool. There is a great band playing & everyone dances, it was the highlight of our trip. They only had this
3 times though, and one was the last night so it was pretty quiet. Also there were great games such as
Newlywed/not so newlywed and Majesty quest, an adult scavenger hunt game, which were so fun but they
only last about 1/2 hour & they're over. These were also some of the best times we had but there just
wasn't enough of them & they were so short. I recommended in my R.C. evaluation to do more of these, as
they were very popular/crowded & always a good time. On some nights they had a disco party or
country/western party where you would learn dances etc but these also ended very quickly. (like no longer
than an hour & a half) So by the time you got warmed up, it was over. These should be longer too. The
disco was always empty, I don't know if it had to do with the ages of the passengers. I would guess most
people were in their 40s/early 50s but there were enough our age & some families too. We went to the
other lounges for a drink here & there but the 'party' was definitely the best by the pool.

BINGO - I played bingo 4 times, the last time being for the jackpot of $3600. I didn't come close all week &
then needed one number for the jackpot. I didn't win but planned on booking another cruise if I had!
Anyway, I was not thrilled at all with their Bingo for a couple reasons- 1) Total rip-off. For your money, you
don't get nearly as much as I do when I play at home & the prizes aren't great til the last day. 2) There
were so many kids playing & they were so obnoxious & yelling stuff out the whole time. People were getting
very annoyed with them. They should definitely limit some of the sessions to adults only. 3) I know the
cruise staff has to attempt to make bingo entertaining, but they take it way too far by calling every number
with some cute explanation. For example - For G50 they do - 'It's Snow White's number, let me hear you all
(singing) 5-0, 5-0, We love to play bingo, now whistle everyone!!' I know this sounds petty but it got so bad
that I wanted to yell out 'just call the da** number!!' It really dragged it out & was way too cutesy.

PORTS OF CALL/SHORE EXCURSIONS

We submitted our Aruba shore excursion the first night we were on the ship & it had already sold out. I
guess you have to book the first minute you get on, at least for the popular ones. We had wanted the
DePalm Island snorkel tour. We also tried to get the St. John's island/snorkel for Friday (we tried on
Tuesday) and that was sold out so we did everything on our own.

Aruba - Everyone we know honeymoons here & we had high expectations. Well we were not too impressed
& wondered what we would do if we were there for a week. We hailed a taxi at about 10 a.m. & told him to
take us to a nice beach to snorkel. The guy drove like a maniac & took us about 20 minutes away to a
very secluded beach. There were no bathrooms or food stands & I didn't really want to stay but my
husband talked me into it. We asked him to come back for us at 3. Just lied on the beach for the day, my
husband said the snorkeling was great & took a lot of underwater pictures. We ended up talking to a
50'ish couple from NJ who had a timeshare there & told us a lot about the island. Well by 2:00 they were
on their way back downtown and asked if we wanted a ride. We said no but they came back 15 minutes
later & we took them up on their offer, which turned out to be a great choice because they gave us the
grand tour of the island, showing us all the sites & recommending the good restaurants & nightspots, it
was so nice of them to do that & we were really grateful. That night we ate on the ship & met up with our
new friends from the pool Susan & Scott & went to a casino in Aruba & then to two nightspots. We tried to
go to the famous Carlos & Charlies but it was so loud we walked right out. We ended up having drinks at
an outdoor cafe & it was a gorgeous night. Went back to the ship & watched us depart at 1 a.m., a great
party by the pool.

Curacao - Before we left for our cruise, one of my friends told me if he had the chance to go here again,
he wouldn't get off the ship. He said it was dirty & not much to do. With that in mind, plus being tired from
the night before we stayed on the ship & enjoyed a quiet day by the pool. The people we talked to that did
get off said it wasn't too nice. Can't remember what we did that night, it's hard to remember what night was
what but I think maybe a show & the casino.

St. Maarten - This was our day dedicated to souvenir shopping. My poor husband tagged along while I
tried to find just the right things for our families at home. I had read about all the great deals on tshirts
(such as 3 for $10) but found that you really sacrificed quality with bargain prices so I was a little
disappointed & spent more than I had planned on. Lots & lots of shops & tons of women asking if I wanted
my hair braided (which I didn't). We never saw the French side of the island, which I had heard was
beautiful but our dinner companions took a land tour of both sides & said it was pretty boring so I didn't
feel like we missed much. We went to a great outdoor bar/restaurant called Everyting Cool. This was
recommended by our cruise director & was a very nice place for drinks & eating.

St. Thomas - This was by far the nicest island. There was too much to see in one day & had the best
shopping I think also. We wanted to see Meagan's Bay as well as St. John's Island but didn't have time to
do both so we opted to take the ferry ride to St. John's. The ship has this excursion but you can do it
yourself cheaper & be on your own schedule. The ferry ride was about 45 minutes but worth it the second
we arrived at this beautiful place! We took a taxi to Trunk Bay & relaxed on the beach with our friends
Susan & Scott. Steve snorkeled but the water was rough & murky so he didn't see much. The water was
gorgeous & there were just breathtaking views. Highly recommended!

DISEMBARKATION - This too, went very smoothly. Our flight was an early one so we were one of the first
off the ship. Took about 5 minutes & was well organized. The bus dropped us off at the airport & we were
back to our wintry hometown. Paradise was over, back to reality!!

Overall, I would say it was the best vacation I have ever taken and hope to do it again soon. The food &
service alone were amazing & we are raving to everyone at home about it. We also met some great people
& hope to keep in contact with them. Feel free to ask me anything else!!

Back to RCCL Majesty