 |
 |
|
Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Keith Essenburg
Email: keburg@concentric.net
Age: 37
Occupation: writer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: 3/28/99
Itinerary: western carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 70
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 Apr 1999
Time: 23:08:23
Remote Name: ts001d27.gps-mi.concentric.net
Remote User:
Comments
I greatly enjoyed many of the cruise reviews I read at this site prior to my own cruise
experience and used much of the
information to plan my own itinerary. This was my first time aboard a cruise ship, but it
certainly won't be the last. My friend
Brian and I booked the cruise in August of last year, so it was a vacation we had waited
seven months to experience. Our
first impression of the Majesty was one of awe when we stepped into the Centrum and saw
the interior of the magnificent
ship we would call home for the next seven days. Others who have posted at this site have
remarked that the Majesty is
showing its age. Maybe so. But we both found it spacious, elegant, clean, and well
maintained. We were both so excited to
finally be aboard the Majesty that we stayed up until about 3 a.m. that first night,
reluctant to call it quits and retire to our
cabin. We had booked an inside cabin and found ourselves on the second floor. We reasoned
that, because we planned to
spend very little time in our room, it made little sense to spend extra on a window cabin,
and we had no regrets about the
decision. The room was located at the end of the hall, so we had no noise from passersby.
While the room was small,
storage space in the closet and under the bed was adequate. I also found the shower to be
more spacious that some
postings had prepared me for. The water pressure was great, and the hot water never ran
out. Brian complained that the
noise from the engines -- we were located toward the rear of the ship -- kept him awake at
night, but I found the noise
soothing, and I think it also helped drown out noise from other nearby cabins. We left
Miami on Sunday, March 28, at 5 p.m.
and spent Monday at sea. Brian and I used that day to explore the ship and lie out in the
sun for a while. On Tuesday
morning we arrived at Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private beach on Haiti. We were tendered
ashore and quickly made our
way to the furthest of three beaches, where we unpacked the snorkeling gear we had
purchased for the cruise and entered
the water. Labadee was a great place for a couple snorkeling novices to familiarize
themselves with the sport, but I have to
say I was disappointed in the lack of aquatic life. We saw some coral and underwater
plants and found a plane wreck under
the water, but fish were almost nonexistent there. After about an hour of snorkeling we
lay out in the sun for about 30
minutes and then headed inland for the barbecue the ship staff had set up. We also checked
out the first of what would
prove to be numerous pushy locals hawking their wares. We returned to the ship about an
hour-and-a-half before the ship
left Labadee, showered and dressed for dinner. We took full advantage of the opportunities
to go ashore at the various
ports. Unlike many of our fellow cruisers, Brian and I arranged each of our excursions
independently of the ship and saved
anywhere from 50 to 25 percent of what the ship charged for similar or inferior
excursions. We arrived in Jamaica on
Wednesday and were greeted by a downpour. Using the Internet, I had arranged ahead of time
with a Jamaican horse riding
company to send a taxi driver to the port to pick us up and bring us out to the company's
headquarters. After the rain
subsided, we found the driver and went directly to the stables where we mounted horses and
rode first through wooded
areas, then down to the beach. The guides then gave us a chance to shed our backpacks or
clothing we wanted to keep
dry, then led us on horseback into the water, where we rode the horses in the surf. We
then had the same taxi driver take us
to Dunn's River Falls and then back to the ship port. On Grand Cayman, where we arrived
Thursday, we had only had
enough time to go out to Stingray City, pet the stingrays, then quickly get back to port
to catch the ship. The island looked
pretty, and I would have appreciated more time to explore it. For those adventurous enough
to arrange their own excursions,
just go ashore and look for the guy with the small sign with picture of stingrays and the
words 'Stingray City.' The trip to the
boat, the boat ride, and the trip back to the port will cost you $25. And the
once-in-a-lifetime chance to pet and hold a
stingray should not be missed. Cozumel was by far my favorite port. It wasn't as pretty as
Grand Cayman, but it's more
down-to-earth and more charming in its own way. We found all the locals to be friendly and
accommodating. The shopping
opportunities are endless, and I bought a Citizen watch and a necklace for my girlfriend
at one of the jewelry stores.
Elsewhere I bought some trinkets, a blanket for a friend, and a few T-shirts. (Bye-Bye
Shirts is the best place to get T-shirts.)
After a couple hours shopping, Brian and I returned to the ship, unloaded our booty,
grabbed our snorkeling gear, and
headed back to the island for snorkeling. We took a taxi to Chukkakaab park, a national
park that features snorkeling,
beaches, and a botanical garden. Admission is $7 per person. I think the taxi fare
round-trip was about $10. The snorkeling
here was less than I had hoped but a whole lot more than Labadee. We saw lots of fish, but
it wasn't quite like the schools of
brightly colorful fish you see in brochures. Still, it was worth the trip and the money,
and there may be better areas in
Cozumel to snorkel. I'd love to go back to the island for a week and find out. The meals
on the ship ranged from superb to
passable. The best meal each day was dinner in the dining room. We chose the late seating
(8:30 p.m.) because we thought
earlier seating would interfere with our port excursions, but if I could do it over again,
I'd probably opt for the early seating
(6:30 p.m.) Brian and I could easily have made the early dinner seating each day, despite
our shore excursions. As it was,
we found ourselves looking for things to do, i.e.., checking out the casino or wandering
the ship, waiting for dinner time to
come. Our waiter for the week was Peter from Hungary; our assistant waiter, Gregory from
France. Both were topnotch in
their attention to detail and efforts to please. The food each evening was absolutely
wonderful, and our dinner companions
proved to be a fun mix of folks from places ranging from Canada and Massachusetts to Ohio.
For breakfast and lunch, we
almost always went to the Windjammer Cafe. The breakfasts there were adequate, but the
lunches consisted of little more
than small sandwiches with unidentifiable meat products, stale cookies, and tasteless
concoctions prepared by someone
who apparently had once seen blurred photos of something resembling goulash. We went to
only two midnight buffets -- in
part because we had late seating at dinner and were usually too full to even think about
more food when midnight rolled
around. On-board entertainment was mediocre. The staff in charge of the shows seemed to
have a fixation with 50's-60's
music and sets. There were THREE nights of 50's-60's style shows -- a bit much for an
itinerary of six shows. Perhaps the
one unpleasant memory I have of the week-long cruise was the number of people aboard.
Because of mechanical troubles
with a couple other ships, Royal Caribbean bumped as many passengers as possible to the
Majesty, so it was at full
capacity. One man who we struck up a conversation with toward the end of the cruise said
this was the fullest he had ever
seen a ship. He said that accounted for the lines at meal time and congestion at times in
some parts of the ship. Since Brian
and I were novices, we didn't realize until we spoke to him that the crowds were heavier
than usual, but I would have enjoyed
it a bit more if we could have avoided some of the lines and crowds. Overall, I found the
cruise relaxing and a unique
adventure. Considering the unlimited food, the accommodations, and the visits to four
ports, I found the price of our vacation
to be a great deal. It's not a question of 'if' I'll cruise again; it's just a question of
'how soon.' Those seeking additional details
about aspects of my cruise can e-mail me at keburg@concentric.net.
Name: Gerard A. Kaasjager
Email: GAKMSK@LCC.NET
Age: 49
Occupation: Security Consultant
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: June 2, 1997
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 93
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 91
CruiseStaff: 97
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 96
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 97
FoodVariety: 93
DeckService: 96
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 94
GoodForFamilies: 98
LoungeService: 93
TenderService: 93
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 91
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 93
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 89
CruiseActivities: 91
Casino: 91
AirSeaProgram: 97
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 92
DeckSpace: 93
Stabilization: 97
ShopsOnBoard: 89
SpaceRatio: 97
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Apr 1999
Time: 23:07:21
Remote Name: conr-ddas9-a58.lcc.net
Remote User:
Comments
My wife and two children ages 13 & 14 were totally pleased with The Majesty of the
Seas.
Our check in went well and did not mine waiting in line as we ran into some old friends
that we haven't seen since High
School! When we did arive at the check in counter the person behind the counter
appoligized for us having to stand in line.
We didn't know it but we were to be checked in at the suite check in! We were escorted to
the ship and shown our suite.
Our Suite, 1010, was wonderful and had more than enough room for all of us. It was
decorated with balloons, streamers, and
fresh flowers, along with fruit baskets. We had a living area, a walk-in wet bar,full
entertainment center with TV,VCR,CD
Player,Radio. Next to the entertainment canter was a Murphy Bed which was pulled down at
night and made up. A large
balcony with tables and lounge chairs, along with regular chairs and 2 sliding doors for
access, a huge master bedroom with
dressing area and make up area. The bathroom was wonderful...all marble and a whirlpool
tub,seperate shower area and a
seperate toilet area. We had 3 phones in the cabin..one in the toilet area! We also had
more than enough space to store all
of our clothes. A large dresser with drawers and cabinet above, a large closet, with a
safe, for hanging clothes, and a
seperate closet for the storage of all the luggage and presents we purchased. The bar was
fully stocked and our cabin
porter was wonderful. He kept our room spotless..which with 2 teenagers..can be a chore!
We were able to entertain some
of our friends in the suite and had plenty of room. We had a small problem with the food
from room service but it was quickly
corrected and every one had a great time.
We all enjoyed the food in the dining room and we met another wonderful family from
Georgia and still keep in touch with
them today. The food was excellent and the waiter could not do enough for us. Our every
need was met and with a smile!
Our only regret is that we did not select the first seating for dinner. As it was rather
late when we finished eating and most of
the shows were over. I think with a family you need to have the first seating if possible.
The ports of call were great. The shore excursions were wonderful also with the exception
of Jamica. We went on the
excursion to the Brimmer Hall banana plantation,shoping,and Dunns River Falls. We were
extremely disappointed in the
plantation trip, as it was dirty,dusty,and not a lot to see or do. Shoping was ok and
Dunns River Falls was beautiful,but
everyone had their hand out expecting money, my daughter was aproached to buy drugs, and
one of the venders there
demanded money from me for taking a video of the area and hapened to catch his donkey in
the picture. Also, upon
returning to the dock, we were searched and had drug dogs go through everything we had. We
will avoid Jamica when we
take our next cruise. Cayman Island was Great! We especially enjoyed going to sting ray
city and snorkeling with the sting
rays. Also good prices on black coral diamond rings etc. Cozumel another greatr place. We
snorkled, I took scuba lessons,
we all went para sailing, and rented jet skis, hadc lunch on the beach and went shopping.
Everyone had a good time and
can't wait to return.
All in all the cruise aboard The Majesty of the Seas was wonderful and we all agree the
the next cruise we take, hopefully
next year, will be on the same ship. We would recommed Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines to
anyone who asks.
Name: Suzanne Gaffney
Email: sgaffn01@baker.edu
Age: 32
Occupation: Admin. Asst.
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: April 4, 1999
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 May 1999
Time: 14:13:22
Remote Name: 199.176.179.94
Remote User:
Comments
This was my first cruise. My sister got married on board the ship in Miami and we had a
group of 20 sailing for the
honeymoon. Overall this was a wonderful week and I will be sailing again. A couple of
complaints is all. First of all we sailed
during spring break which meant there were a lot of kids and teens on the ship. More than
we expected. The younger kids
were not a problem since the majority of them were being entertained by the kids program.
With the exception of the pools,
they were fine. The teen-age kids were another story. There did not seem to be anything
for them to do at night so they took
over the ship. The disco at night was impossible. A major problem was that they were
drinking. There did not seem to be any
order or control.
The ship itself was beautiful and very clean. The lounges and the service in the lounges
was outstanding. They were all very
friendly and it did not take them long to learn your name and make you feel very special.
On days at sea, get to the poolside early, or you won't get a chair. We got there at 9:30
and were only able to find 3 lounge
chairs. The rest of the time you would never know that there are so many people on the
ship.
The ports of call are fun. Labadee is a great place to swim, sun and relax. Not much else
to do. The bbq is okay. Nothing
special. Be aware that the little market that is there is full of vendors that will not
leave you alone. Ocho Rios is great. We
hired a taxi on our own and paid $20 per person for a tour of the island. Felt very safe
and secure. As everyone says, do
not miss Dunns River falls. Grand Caymen was my least favorite stop. I was not able to get
a ticket to the stingrays so I just
got off and walked around Georgetown. There were 3 cruise ships in port at the time and it
was very crowded. It is also
expensive. I did not stay there long, went back to the ship and enjoyed the pool instead.
Cozumel was fun. Walked around
and did some shopping, went to lunch at Panchos and then went to the infamous Carlos and
Charlies....have to see it to
believe it! Great shopping for silver there.
If you are planning on a ship board wedding, email me for some advice. I handled all of
the details for my sister and would
give you some tips. I highly recommend going with a group. A lot of fun that way.
Name: Jonathan Schwartz
Email: jschwartz@ropers.com
Age: 33
Occupation: Attorney
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: April 18, 1999
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 83
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 100
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 May 1999
Time: 14:59:48
Remote Name: ccmgate.ropers.com
Remote User:
Comments
Given the fact that I received so much useful information regarding cruising from this
database, I felt obliged to return the
favor and provide my thoughts regarding our Aprill 1999 cruise on the Majesty of the Seas.
I will avoid a day-by-day
discussion of our cruise as, in reading some earlier reviews, it was apparent to me that a
lot of people have too much free
time on their hands.
THE SHIP: The Majesty is a somewhat older ship, but that should not detract anyone from
cruising on her. While a few of her
furnishings are a bit outdated, she is clean, in good repair and has a very good layout.
THE CABINS: We were originally booked on the 'Tween Deck', level six, in an outside
stateroom. The rooms are very, very
small. This was true of the inside staterooms that I saw as well. We were, thankfully,
subsequently upgraded to a category D
cabin on deck 9. There was much more room to maneuver in this room and, if you don't like
small, confining spaces, I would
recommend that you book your cabin on this deck or higher. While it is true that you
hardly spend any time in your room, we
really appreciated the extra space to move around when we were in the cabin. The bed was
comfortable, it was very quiet
and there was more than enough room for all of our clothes.
THE FOOD: There are two main dining rooms, the Maytime and the Mikado. The lunches and
dinners served here were
always good and usually excellent. The service is impeccable and the waiters all seemed to
work EXTREMELY hard to
provide you with good service. We had some fun, and funny, people at our table which made
the whole experience that
much more enjoyable. Overall, the main dining room experience was very positive. The
amount of food that you can eat
(and that I DID eat!), however, is obscene.
The same can not be said of the Windjammer Cafe food. This informal dining area was fine
if we were in a hurry, but not
particularly good. I am not a picky eater, but the food was sometimes OK but usually
lousy. Since you can eat almost all of
your meals in the main dining room, I suggest that you do that. You will not be
disappointed.
THE ITINERARY: My wife and I are first time cruisers and, having been to St. John, St.
Thomas and Puerto Rico in the past,
we thought the Western Caribbean would be a good change of pace. We were right. This is a
very good itinerary.
LABADEE is a great place to relax and do nothing. There is not much to do here, but it is
beautiful, quiet and, since RCCL
owns the area, it is not crowded. Rent some floating mats, grab some Margaritas at the
beach bar and enjoy the fact that
you are not at work! Don't waste your time on any excursions here... some people we met
went on them and were
disappointed.
OCHO RIOS: Couldn't go there. Citizens were protesting new gasoline tax increases and our
safety couldn't be assured, so
we had an extra day at sea.
GRAND CAYMAN: This is a modern, expensive island and, unfortunately, RCCL does not give
you a lot of time here. Do go
to Stingray City - it was a lot of fun. DO NOT GO THROUGH RCCL TO BOOK STINGRAY CITY
TOURS. There are plenty of
charter groups available when you walk off the ship that will have availability for
$25/pp. This will save you $12.50 per
person from RCCL for the exact same trip. We used Native Way Watersports and thought they
were terrific.
COZUMEL: A great island.. We went to Chakanaab park (an $8 cab trip) and for $37.50 each,
took a discover scuba class
and tour that was incredible. You don't have to be certified. At the huts on the beach are
places that rent snorkling and
scuba equipment. The middle hut (there are three) took us on our tour after about 20
minutes of lessons. My wife and I had
done this on our honeymoon (At almost $150/pp more!) and this trip was incredible. Great
coral and marine life, plus they
took you through a nearby cavern where there were baracuda, tarpan and thousands of other
fish. There is also plenty of
snorkling and sunbathing here, as well as plenty of shopping in town.
OTHER THINGS NOT TO MISS: Majesty Quest ( very funny... trust me) and the Newlywed/Not So
Newlywed Game were fun
and funny. My wife and I were actually picked on our cruise to be a part of the show. She
still has not forgiven me :). The
Majesty has a very good cruise staff and do there best to make the trip enjoyable for
everyone. If you have kids 4-7, this
would also be a good cruise as the kids program on board seemed to be VERY well run.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail me.
Name: Debbi Ballard
Email: o2bcpa@aol.com
Age: 37
Occupation: Accountant
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Majesty
SailingDate: 5/16/99
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 99
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 100
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess: 100
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 98
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 98
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 May 1999
Time: 15:33:25
Remote Name: spider-pa042.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
Wow! This cruise experience exceeded all of our expectations. We were a family of 4, 2
adults 2 children in a quad
cabin. I will try to keep this review organized and not run off on tangents.
First of all, we were so excited to be on the ship, that were almost afraid we would be
disappointed because we set
our expectations too high. The checkin process was highly organized, and the line ran very
smoothly. Even the
checkin rep was kind, patient, and courteous. We were immediately let on board, and walked
into the Centrum area,
and it was absolutely beautiful. Immediately the staff came running up to meet us, and the
kids staff was right there
to tell the kids about the programs for the week, and that night. The next few hours were
hectic, getting sign & sail
cards activated, obtaining a safe deposit box, selecting excursions, etc. We ate lunch in
the Windjammer (it's a good
idea to get on the ship early, so youre not rushed for dinner.) We got to our cabin, met
Robert, our steward, and
went to the pool deck while waiting for our luggage. The luggage arrived mostly before
dinner and we were off on
our first night.
A few items of importance in a cruise - FOOD! This was outstanding. The selections were
abundant, with nightly
standard menus, and ship-shape menus for the weight conscious (why bother). The childrens
menu was also
extensive. My son is a very picky eater, and we were worried he would be disappointed in
the cuisine. They really
catered to the kids in this department. The quality, quantity, and presentation of the
food was beyond our
expectations.
Service - RCL succeeded in their quest to make us feel like kings and queens for the week.
Our waiters, Savio and
Sri were perfect. They had the kids sodas waiting for them at the table every night. If
something was not just right,
they fixed it immediately. Sebastiano, the head waiter in the Maytime dining room was
wonderful. The cruise staff
was exciting, energetic, had a great sense of humor, and were always there to please. The
pursers desk was very
accomodating and pleasant to deal with.
FUN - Tons of it! You can't possibly do everything on this ship, but you can certainly
try. The entertainment was
outstanding!!! Jeff Martin, cruise director was very humorous and eye pleasing. The shows
in the Chorus Line
Lounge were top notch...great dancers and singers. Sumo Wrestling/Karaoke was the absolute
funniest thing on the
ship. Pool activities, contests, BINGO, horse races, on and on. We felt like we were
always laughing. With 11
different lounges, plus the pool bar, you couldn't help but have fun!
PORTS - This was the only area I would be able to say anything negative about, but please
don't take this as a
negative. We loved the ports, but trying to get to 4 ports in 7 days was hectic. Also, the
time alloted in each port
made it a rush to get everything done. We were fortunate that the excursions we chose
really made the ports a
success, but were it not for the excursions, we could have done without some of them.
Jamaica - If you don't go on
an excursion, don't go to Jamaica. It's very dirty, and the natives are very aggressive.
We climbed Dunns River Falls
and loved it! We did about 30 minutes of shopping at Taj Mahal, great prices on jewelry
and great quality. Grand
Cayman - Swimming with the Stingrays is unbelievable. Bring an underwater camera for the
best pictures on earth!
We snorkeled in Cozumel. We didnt buy the excursion from the ship, we went with the
operator right at the pier, and
it was great. His guides were knowledgable and helpful. We went to 3 different places on
their boat. Price is 30-35
pp and includes all the beer and soda you want. Also includes equipment. Cozumel was the
best port other than
Labadee. Labadee is their private island, and very peaceful and lovely. Rent a beachmat,
but DON't take the
snorkeling there. NOTHING to see, and not worth the money. Save the $$ for some of those
drinks they serve.
(SOOOOO NICE!)
Kids program...lots of stuff for them to do. There were only about 45 kids on our ship, so
the 9-12 year old group
was very small. Our daughter found 2 friends she stayed with throughout the cruise. Our
son didnt really find one
person in particular, but enjoyed the events just the same. He played baseball and chess
when he wasnt in the kids
program. The kids program ends at 10pm, but you can pay $4/hr if you want them to stay in
extended activities.
That would be mostly for the younger groups. The staff in the kids program is very
qualified, energetic, and
awesome with the kids. We loved them!
Overall....I would HIGHLY recommend this cruise to singles, honeymooners, families, and
seniors. The mix was
great. The value of this cruise was outstanding. RCL really cares about how you feel when
you leave, and it shows.
We made some everlasting friends, and took home wonderful everlasting memories. If anyone
has any questions,
please do not hesitate to email!
Want to book your cruise at a great rate?
Click here.
Questions or comments? Mail to webmaster@cruiseopinion.com.
Copyright ©1996-2001 CruiseOpinion.com. Last modified: January 17, 2000.