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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Donna Jennings
Email: jenningsdj@aol.com
Age: 44
Occupation: Assistant School Treasurer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: June 24, 1997
Itinerary: Western Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 99
CabinComfort: 99
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 99
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 99
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 99
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 99
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 99
OverallPortsofCall: 97
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Sep 1998
Time: 20:24:34
Remote Name: 205.188.193.181
Remote User:
Comments
This cruise was for our 25th anniversary. It was fantastic! We traveled with a group of 52
people. There were ten couples celebrating their 25th
anniversary. We were all treated like royality! Because there were so many in our group,
we were entitled to a private cocktail party.
The food was delicious! Our head waiter's recommendations were right on! If she saw one of
us tasting what another person had, she immediately
brought out a plate of our own. There was no limit to what we could order. After the first
night, she knew what everyone liked to drink and had it at
our table each night thereafter. The midnight buffets were awesome!
The shore excursions were great....though Ocho Rios is a little aggressive. The poverty
there is devasting. But we had an excellent driver who did
his very best to show the highlights of his country. I do not recommend going out on your
own there!
The entertainment in the evenings was great. We picked up the Platters in Grand Caymens
and really enjoyed their performance. Though each
night was just as great.
Could go on forever about RCCL. It was the best vacation my husband and I have ever had.
It was really top of the line. Our group has booked for
June 27, 1999 on the Enchantment of the Seas for the Eastern Carribean. To date we have 44
cabins booked. We all can't wait until then. RCCL
really handles large groups well. We could not have had our last cruise run any smoother.
Everything was coorrdated perfectly. We would
recommend RCCL to everyone!
Name: Vicci Cook
Email: cook@etany.com
Age: 33
Occupation: Account Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: September 27 - October 4, 1998
Itinerary: Coco Cay, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel,
FoodDiningRoom: 92
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 89
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 88
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 94
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 94
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 89
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 92
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 89
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 99
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 96
Casino: 88
AirSeaProgram: 92
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 94
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 96
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Oct 1998
Time: 17:08:43
Remote Name: 38.26.88.224
Remote User:
Comments
What can I say, the trip was outstanding!!! This was the first time my husband and I had
ever been on a cruise and we had the time of our lives.
Royal Caribbean and the crew of the Majesty know how to show you a great time.
There are only two minor negatives I have to say about the whole trip. When we arrived at
the airport in Miami, it was a little confusing for all of the
sailing passengers on which line we should be in to board the buses to the pier. The staff
at the airport seemed somewhat confused as well. Once
we got to the pier, everything was just fine. Embarkation went very smoothly. The other
negative was when we arrived to our cabin, which was on
the Main Deck, it had a terrible odor of smoke. I immediately reported that to the
pursar's desk and within a half-hour or so our cabin steward,
Ricardo was there and told us he would do his best to get the smell out of our room. By
the 2nd day of the cruise the smell had disappeard.
Speaking of the cabin, we had an inside cabin that was small, but very comfortable and
neatly kept. Our steward, Ricardo, was from the Island of
St. Vincent and did a terrific job all week of keeping the room stocked and tidy.
The ship itself is huge and quite beautiful. It has a total of twelve decks which include
two pools, a whirlpool, basketball court, ping pong tables and
a slew of lounges are bars.
The Ports of Call were our absolute favorite part of the trip. Because of Hurricane
Georges, we went to Coco Cay in the Bahamas instead of
Labadee, Haiti. Coco Cay was breath taking. Lots of green, trees and crystal blue water.
We enjoyed a very relaxing day of basking in the sun and
walking the island. The cruise staff had several games organized on the island and my
husband and I took part in most of them. We left Coco Cay
for our next port which was Ocho Rios, Jamaica. The taxi drivers in Jamaica are very
aggressive. We were informed by the cruise staff on how the
taxi drivers would be if we decided to go into town on our own, but we decided to do it
anyway. The people of Jamiaca are very friendly, you kindly
say no thank you and go about your business. For those of you who love to shop, lots of
great prices here for gold. One thing you must do when
in Ocho Rios it visit Dunn River Falls. It is a beautiful waterfall that you can climb. My
husband and I had a private guide that helped us climb the
falls. It was really fun and a must do.
Our next port of call was Grand Cayman. It reminded me of being in the US. Very populated
and cars everywhere. I found the shopping here to be
quite expensive. When you visit Grand Cayman, don't leave without trying or buying their
Rum Cake. Delicious!! Also, a lot of people went to
Stingray City to snorkel. Because hubby and myself love to shop we never made it there.
Everyone I talked to about said it was great.
Our last stop was Cozumel, Mexico. This was our favorite because the shopping was out of
this world. A taxi to the shops was only $4. Not per
person, but per taxi. We shared a ride down with another couple from the ship. Loose
gemstones, diamonds, gold, you name it, it is there in
Mexico. I had a pair of amethyst and diamond earings made at a very reasonable cost. My
husband bought a hand-made, gold link bracelet for far
less what we would have paid back home. Also, in Mexico make sure you visit the restaurant
Carlos and Charlies. If you are not the party type,
don't eat there, just stop in a take a look. We had a great time there!
All in all the trip was fantastic. In the dining room we sat at a table of 10 and shared
our table with folks from California, Pennsylvania,
Massachusettes and Oregon. Hello to our table Mates :) Our servers were excellent (thanks
Joseph, Jericho and Jose) and the food was top
notch!!
Thank you Royal Caribbean for making our first cruising experience a great one. Thanks to
your staff for doing a fine job with games and
entertainment and thanks to the Chefs and cooks for preparing such exquisite food. We will
be back again and will recommend your cruise line to
everyone. Thanks again.
Name: Ralph Johnson
Email: arthurs@utah.uswest.net
Age: 45
Occupation: Sales
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: 10/4/98
Itinerary: Labadee, Jamaica, Cayman, Cozumel
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 40
CabinComfort: 96
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 96
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 96
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService:
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 60
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Nov 1998
Time: 00:14:51
Remote Name: 207.224.204.141
Remote User:
Comments
We found the cruiseopinion site invaluable in preparation for our cruise. We hit just
about every
entry and read all reviews carefully. We even compared it to reports on other lines, like
Carnival.
Of course, you never really know what you're getting until you go through it, and now that
we
are experienced, we thought we'd take a different tack and address things that we haven't
read
elsewhere. For the most part, we agree with most of the positive reviews and some of the
negatives, of other cruisers reported at this website.
First of all, you don't need to bother with passports. Getting on the ship they asked to
see them,
but once on board your SuperCards are waiting, which are your tickets and credit cards for
the
rest of the cruise. Getting off you don't need to show it, but you flash the card (don't
leave the
ship without it) when getting back on. There are no customs officials from the different
countries,
but try to buy something and you have to claim it and show it to the ship's
representatives when
you get back on. (For IRS purposes, of course). By the way, it seemed like half of the
passengers
were foreigners (mostly European). We heard lots of different languages!
The room keys (one per person) are also plastic with the little holes in them. Perfect for
tying
around your neck so you don't lose it.
Don't worry about bringing towels from home for your shore tours. You check out towels in
the
morning on Deck 11, then return them when you reboard the ship.
Haiti and the Caymans have tenders, the process is somewhat long... the boat docked at
Jamaica
and Cozumel, which made it easy to get on and off.
Even the first week of October was oppressively hot for a bunch of people from the west.
The
first thing you do while still in port is go to your muster station, dressed in your life
jacket. There
you bake in the hot sun while you wait for the other 2000 passengers to assemble. Had it
been
an actual emergency, there would have been total chaos - everyone going for the nearest
boat,
but it must keep the maritime officials satisfied that everyone knows the fire drill. The
good news
is that they do have trained medical people nearby to help those who faint from the heat.
We had four in our cabin, and Dad was always up early and out the door. The teen was late
coming in. A small LED clock (readable by all bunks) would have been nice to have. My wife
found
some disposable penlight flashlights and issued them to each of us, and they came in very
handy
so as not to disturb one another.
If you have bunks (more than 2 to a room), hang the ladder off the closet for drying
clothes.
There is a clothes line in the shower, but the ladder worked better. The agile kids could
still get
into the bunks without the ladder.
Our 11 year old loved the Kid's Programs each day. It seemed pretty lame to me, but he
enjoyed
accumulating ship bucks, which the kids can redeem for CD cases, real RCCL boxer shorts,
and
other prizes at the end of the cruise. After our early seating, he was gone like a flash
so that he
wouldn't miss any of the kid events.
The boat has photographers at several meals and every port of call. You feel like tossing
them
overboard, or off the pier when they get in your face - they were very obnoxious at times.
Yet,
they offer some very nice photos... which don't come cheap. There were some in our group
who
waited til the last night and bartered with the photographers, reasoning that they were
just going
to throw them out, so why not sell for a discount. And it worked!
Though we didn't do it, cruise veterans that we met said they always take things to barter
with
the natives. Especially such things as baseball caps ... even hats with corporate logos
that don't
mean a thing to the natives. The vets said they traded worthless company hats straight
across
for some pretty good booty. Along with your tip for the waiters, it might be nice to take
something special to remind them of you (t-shirt from home, baseball cap, athletic bag,
etc).
They are all marvelous.
There is a movie theater on board that shows an airline type movie of the day, several
times
each day, from a video projector. Not the best quality, and no popcorn available, never
well
attended. Stay past the 11'o clock showing for teenage movies, like Happy Gilmore. Though
his
parents hit the beds early (often missing the midnight buffets) our 18 year old found
plenty going
on after hours - and met lots of great kids at the late showing.
Going south toward Haiti, the boat was running into the wind, with some pretty serious
white
caps and decent swells. The cabins are all forward, and the handrails in the hall way give
away
the fact that it rolls more up there than at midships. My wife usually looks at a boat and
gets
seasick, but she had some acupressure wrist bands that have made her a believer. We also
had
ginger pills, Scopolomine (which is a patch that half the people on the boat had behind
their ears)
and some seasick pills from Canada. Just knowing she had all that backup, she never got
sick.
(For the record, the best place for the least amount of motion is in the center of the
boat, just
forward of the dance floor in the Blue Skies Lounge). The rest of the trip was relatively
smooth.
While we felt the side trips were somewhat expensive, we agree that in Jamaica it might be
more
comfortable, unless you're real adventurous. My sister walked with her teenage daughters
into
the market area, and she was very nervous the whole way. She couldn't wait to get back to
the
ship. Both girls received marriage proposals in the short time they were gone. Even if you
do
Dunn's River Falls, you still have time to parasail or rent wave runners off the pier at
Jamaica (and
the pier is safe from the aggressive vendors). It's a lot cheaper in Jamaica, than at
Labadee -
and probably cheaper still in Cozumel. At Jamaica, they run the parasailers right next to
the boat
- so close you can talk to your buddies from the 12th floor of the ship as they fly by.
Great photo
op too!
Finally, RCCL offers an Everglades trip on the day you get back. Take ear plugs for the
airboat
(they pass out TP, but it doesn't work well and looks pretty stupid trailing out of your
ears).
Make sure the trip you go on has alligator wrestling - which is really a naturalist's look
at the
alligator with a crazy guy in the ring with it. We found it fascinating.
The cruise is great if you can stand the pace. On travel days you can't wait to get off,
and on
tour days there's hardly time to see anything before you have to report back. We would
have
liked to have spent more time at Cozumel, and Grand Cayman. But there isn't a better value
for a
super good time, and a great way to share quality time with the kids. Our kids can't stop
talking
about it, and the oldest wants to take his friends on a Graduation Cruise next summer.
He's heard
about a non-smoking ship - which RCCL is supposedly putting into service about then.
Feel free to e-mail if you have questions. We'd love to talk more about it! It is the trip
of a
lifetime.
Name: Dan & Linda Turner
Email: lturner@ci.cambridge.ma.us
Age: 47/41
Occupation: Fire Liet./Payroll Mgr/
NumberOfCruises: 7/8
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: 09/27/98
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 94
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 94
CruiseStaff: 96
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 93
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 96
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 96
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 98
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 100
PrivateIsland: 96
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 96
TenderService: 97
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 96
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 96
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino: 98
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 98
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Nov 1998
Time: 14:35:47
Remote Name: 204.167.92.26
Remote User:
Comments
We arrived at the Miami Airport and were met by an RCI representative who informed us that
we
would be processed at the airport to avoid long lines at the cruise ship terminal. He
escorted us
to the Royal Caribbean counter and after a short wait, we were pleasantly surprised to
find out
that we had been upgraded to a suite, 1536, on the Bridge Deck. After a bus ride to the
pier, we
boarded the Majesty. We found our cabin and were introduced to our cabin steward, Mr. C.
The
size of the cabin was unbelievable and the balcony was huge. It had two lounge chairs with
end
tables and a dining table with 3 chairs. Far more space than we would use. The one
reservation
we had about being aboard such a large ship was the crowds. The only time we ever
experienced
a wait was lunch on embarkation day. After that, you never knew how large a ship you were
on.
We had second seating in the Maytime Dining Room. Our waiter Dave, from India and the
busboy
were fabulous and very professional. Because of them, our tablemates and we thoroughly
enjoyed
our meals there. A string quartet, who played in the atrium, even serenaded our table one
evening.
We were fortunate in that we had picture perfect weather all week. On Monday we arrived at
Coco Cay in the Bahamas. It was the substitute port for Labadee, which had been destroyed
in
Hurricane Georges the week before. The food at the barbecue was just ok, but we weren't
there
for the food! We snorkeled and rented wave runners for an hour-long tour of the waters
surrounding CoCo Cay. A trip not to be missed. The second day we were at sea and we
participated in pool games and won prizes. Wednesday we arrived in Ocho Rios. We wanted to
do
the San San Yacht cruise to Dunns' River Falls, but because it was unavailable that week,
we
settled for the bike tour to Dunn's River Falls. We were taken by bus to the highest point
in
Jamaica and were met by guides who fit us to bikes and helmets. The ride was mostly
downhill
over limestone roads that were very uneven and curvy. We made a few stops before we
arrived
at the falls, where we were assigned a guide who escorted us to the top. Something not to
be
missed! Thursday we arrived at Grand Cayman where Dan did the scuba tour and Linda went to
Stingray City. Snorkeling with the rays was incredible. We had the opportunity to feed
them as
well. Friday we arrived in Cozumel. Here we did another dive and snorkel tour. The dive
tour
arrived back late and we were disappointed that we were not able to make it to San Miguel
to
shop. Everyone said this was the place for souvenirs. Throw size mexican blankets could be
bought for $3.00. Carlos and Charlies was THE place for a good time. We enjoyed this
itinerary so
much we are planning to come back. Saturday, our last day, was at sea. It gave us time to
unwind. We did have some excitement later that evening. A few people who were on their
balconies about 11:00 p.m. heard voices and saw a small craft pass us on the starboard
side. We
made reports to the Chief Purser. After contacting other ships in the area, the Majesty
reversed
its coarse and dispatched a zodiac with crew. 6 people were rescued and taken to the
hospital
where they were examined, given food and spend the night. Early the next morning they were
escorted off the ship. It was reported they were Cuban refugees.
We were disappointed to see this cruise end. If we had one critique, it was the fact that
some
areas of the ship were being refurbished and needed a little TLC, our cabin included. We
would
highly recommend this cruise to anyone considering the Western Caribbean.
Name: Diana
Email: hawkeye@inxpress.net
Age: 46
Occupation: Sales Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: 11/8/98
Itinerary: Labadee, OchoRios,Grand Cayman, Cozumel
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 92
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 89
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 94
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Nov 1998
Time: 22:40:22
Remote Name: 208.16.10.65
Remote User:
Comments
Read all the other reviews for this ship they were very helpful with this being my first
cruise. Went on cruise with my mother and aunt who were
attending their high school reunion. Mother 69, Aunt 59.
Cabin for three on outside of deck 2 was bigger than I expected. I took along extra
hangers thinking three in a room there wouldn't be enough--no
need, plenty of hangers and storage space for SIX suitcases. Only problem with three in
the room came at NAP TIME -- had to pull down the top bunk.
Used room service EVERY MORNING to get coffee and juice delivered to room while we
showered and dressed. Filled out request the night before and
hang on door. Very prompt -- as good as an alarm clock. Make sure you tip as you go as you
will get a different waiter each day.
Never used the pool but had a great time shopping. Julie the ship's shopping consultant
was great. Make certain you go to her classes LIVE and you
can win free souvenirs from the islands. Only thing she left out was to take quarters with
you in Puerto Rico as they will take american $$ and quarters
and give you your change back in American if at all possible. They won't take dimes or
nickels
Didn't use the safety deposit boxes provided but didn't leave cash or expensive jewelry in
the room.
Like most cruisers we LOVED our dining room staff--wanted to take them home with us. They
would get you anything you wanted once they
understood: peanut butter for your pancakes,powder sugar for your french toast, whip cream
for your hot chocolate, double desserts, etc.
Pleasantly surprised that Wine list contained FOUR non-alchol selections priced
reasonably.
Did SEAWEED WRAP & MASSAGE on Monday (at sea) and facial on Saturday (at sea) -- would
recommend you induldge yourself -- however,be aware
that if you want real bargain there are specials each day while in port and spa use is
low.
Breakfasts could have had more variety -- extensive menu but after a few days it was kind
of boring. Would recommend they have specials such as
beignets one day, quevos rancheros another, etc.
Name: REYNALDO C. FRANCO
Email: ReynaldoF@aol.com
Age: 58
Occupation: civil service
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: Nov. 29, 1998
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 89
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 88
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 88
FoodVariety: 99
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 93
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 93
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess: 87
ExerciseFacilities: 88
EntertShowLounge: 93
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 96
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 89
Stabilization: 89
ShopsOnBoard: 93
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Dec 1998
Time: 19:46:38
Remote Name: 152.163.195.211
Remote User:
Comments
My wife and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary and as a gift to us my three
daughters and son-in-law booked all six of us
to this cruise. It was a wonderful gift and what an incredible experience for all of us.
This was the first cruise for both my wife and
me, however my married daughter had few cruises before and for my other two daughters, it
was the second cruises for them.
Bus ride to the ship: We took the Cruise Connection bus from Orlando to Miami. The bus
left on time and arrived at Miami shortly
after 10:00am. Our bus driver, Joe was very entertaining which made our 4- hour bus ride
enjoyable. I’m glad we did not drive our
cars because of the horrendous traffic jam at the port area. It seemed like all vehicles
were just inches of hitting each other.
Embarkation: This was probably the negative part of the trip. We stood in line for at
least two hours and the line moved very
slowly. They could use some improvements in this area. As soon as we came aboard, things
began running smoothly. The crew
staff met us along the way and showed us our staterooms. We had the outside staterooms
with portholes or windows on deck 6,
which were very impressive. The room was adequate and clean. The shower was a bit small
but you get used to it in a hurry.
Having spent 24 years in the Navy, this cabin was a big improvement from what I was
accustomed to. After eating lunch at the
windjammers Cafe, I experienced my first pleasant encounter with a cruise staff when I
asked him where could I watch a football
game being aired at that time. He immediately went out of his way to show me where the big
screen TV and even selected the
right channel so I would have not missed my home team, the Jaguars playing at that time.
Dining: We had the 2nd sitting and we
were assigned a table just for the six of us. Our waiter, Mike from Croatia, and Arthur
from the Philippines were the best! They
anticipated our every need and Mike was very helpful in our menu selections. The food
selections were outstanding. I think one of
the highlights of this cruise was eating at the Maytime dining room and be confronted with
tremendous choices of food from their
five-course menu. It seemed like every meal, you could order steak or roast beef, in
addition to other menu selections. On
Caribbean night, the main entrée was lobster, and I also ordered steak with my lobster.
My daughter Virna, who is more health
conscious, opted to order from the ‘Shipshape menu’ the equivalent of low
calorie menu. Mike, our waiter, and Arthur, the
assistant waiter, were always gracious, attentive, and accommodating to our needs. I was
very impressed not only with the
cleanliness, variety, and food quality but also the professionalism of all the food
service personnel. To make dining even more
memorable, almost every after dinner, the waiters and waitresses performed their own
versions of entertainment for our dining
pleasure. Midnight Buffets: Although we did not utilize the midnight buffets due to our
late dinners, I always made it a point to
check it out. The presentations and food selections were outstanding. The chefs and their
assistants spent a great deal of time
doing the intricate ice carvings and food sculptures. Entertainment: Every night, the ship
offered Las Vegas-style show consisting
of various celebrities from the entertainment world. I particularly like Paul Boland, a
comedy impressionist, who drew standing
ovations several times from the crowd. The other celebrities performed equally well,
although I was hoping to see a magic act,
which did not happen. The ‘Newly Wed and Not so Newly Wed’ game show hosted by
Paul Rutter, the cruise director was a big
hit. The last show of the cruise was a performance by the members of the cruise staff. It
was hilarious and very entertaining.
Shore Excursions: We took the Brimmer Hall Plantation and Dunn’s River Falls tour in
Jamaica. I didn’t see any significant value
on the Plantation tour. It was almost like going into a State park. However, I did like
the last portion of the tour- stopping at
Dunn’s River Falls for about 45 minutes. I would rather spent more time at
Dunn’s River Falls and less time at the Plantation. The
second excursion we took was the Grand Cayman Highlights including Turtle Farm. This tour
was both educational and
informative. Overall, I think the shore excursions are a little bit overpriced. Onboard
Shopping: We found a lot of good values
shopping on board the ship. I like the idea of ‘no haggling’ unlike shopping at
local economy. We used the prices displayed on
the ship for comparison when shopping ashore. Debarkation: I was amazed how smoothly the
customs inspections and
debarkation went. We were divided into color-coded groups depending on our final
destinations. Again as we were departing the
ship, the cruise staff team was on hand and bidding as farewell. Overall comment: This has
been one of the most wonderful
experiences of our life. I just wished that we had taken this type of cruise years ago.
Royal Caribbean ‘Majesty of the Sea’ has
excelled in every way.
Name: Donagene D. Ramsey
Email: weekender@caribsurf.com
Age: 39
Occupation: Admin Assistant
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: December 6, 1998
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 100
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward:
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 80
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 98
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Dec 1998
Time: 11:11:14
Remote Name: 205.214.194.105
Remote User:
Comments
This cruise was a birthday gift to my boyfriend. we arrived at port early and so had no
problems embarking. The ship was
beautiful, all we expected and more. Our first meal was lunch at the Windjammer and that
was certainly good.
Our cabin as we expected was small however it was extremely neat and tidy so we were never
bothered by the size. We had
adequate storage space and the times we spent in the room we were comfortable. Our cabin
attendant Derrick Charles kept our
room tidy at all times and pleased us with the different shaped animals he left on our
bed.
We were a bit disappointed with our first stop which was Labadee Haiti as we did not get
to mingle with the locals. However if
you are a watersports enthusiast then this stop is for you. There was a wide variety of
craft items on sale and the salesmen were
only too willing to barter with you. We picked up a few craft pieces at excellent prices.
Ocho Rios Jamaica was an exciting stop. We took a cab and did an Island tour. The rain
forest and the Dunns River Falls area a
must to see.
Grand Cayman we found to be rather expensive. Cozumel, Mexico was a pleasant stop. We
walked and walked and shopped
and shopped. Great gifts can be purchased here. On the whole we were pleased with all
aspects of our cruise. The cruise staff
were all helpfull, pleasant and courteous. As you probably realize we were on our own most
of the time, however this was a
vacation of a lifetime and we would definitely do it again. I will be more than happy to
answer any questions just email me at
weekender@caribsurf.com.
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