Questions about Majesty sailing/Port Canaveral

[PrincessCarolyn]

Second time on RC (last cruise was Equinox out of Ft Lauderdale)

I am aware Majesty is older and smaller but understand it was refurbished.

1. Do we have to wear formal attire on formal night? Can we go to dinner normally?

2. I see everyone mentions drink packages. Can someone tell me what the liquor and soda packages are?

3. Any suggestions on best place (least expensive) to park?

4. Ship leaves at 4pm, how early can I arrive and is there food and beverage available before departure?

5. Has anyone used or have any tips for Verizon in the Bahamas?

6. Best restaurants? Are any additional? Lobster available? Seafood?

7. Anyone have pics of state rooms? I understand there aren't many balconies on this ship. I had the choice of a room on deck 5 or 7. Chose 5 because deck 7 has a promenade surrounding the rooms and thought the view wouldn't be as good.

8. Many people have said to go to the front desk on day 2 and ask for the gratuities to be removed and they prefer tipping the room attendant and staff on their own. Feelings on this?

 

It's been about 5 years since my last cruise so thank you in advance for your responses :)

[Clarea]

Can help with some questions:

 

Beverage packages described here:

 

http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/shared_assets/pdf/menus/beverage_packages.pdf

 

The ship usually starts boarding between 11am and 11:30am.

 

Johnny Rockets is an extra cost restaurant. Compass Deli is complimentary during the day, but turns into an extra cost Mexican restaurant in the evening.

[Ourusualbeach]

Best / least expensive place to park are 2 separate places.

 

IMO the best place is the port. Super close, covered not worth saving $25-$50 and having to take shuttles. Lots of the hotels have paid parking with shuttles.

 

Gratuities...get ready for lots of opinions but mine is to just leave them alone. One less thing to worry about. If you feel that someone goes way above and beyond give them an additional gratuity.

[Merion_Mom]

Second time on RC (last cruise was Equinox out of Ft Lauderdale)

It's your first time on Royal Caribbean. Equinox is a Celebrity ship. :)

 

I am aware Majesty is older and smaller but understand it was refurbished.

1. Do we have to wear formal attire on formal night? Can we go to dinner normally?

 

I don't know what "go to dinner normally" means to you. You do not have to wear tux & gown. Dress up, even a little, and you will fit right in.

 

2. I see everyone mentions drink packages. Can someone tell me what the liquor and soda packages are?

 

They are similar to Celebrity's packages, but Bob has given you the direct link to RC's information sheet.

 

4. Ship leaves at 4pm, how early can I arrive and is there food and beverage available before departure?

 

Get to the pier around 10:45. You should be on board not long thereafter. The Windjammer Buffet on Deck 11 is open for your dining pleasure.

 

5. Has anyone used or have any tips for Verizon in the Bahamas?

 

My tip: Don't.

 

6. Best restaurants? Are any additional? Lobster available? Seafood?

 

The main dining room. No specialty dining on the Majesty. No lobster. There will be some fish dishes on the menus. Probably scallops and shrimp on some of the nights.

 

7. Anyone have pics of state rooms? I understand there aren't many balconies on this ship. I had the choice of a room on deck 5 or 7. Chose 5 because deck 7 has a promenade surrounding the rooms and thought the view wouldn't be as good.

 

Use images.google.com

 

 

8. Many people have said to go to the front desk on day 2 and ask for the gratuities to be removed and they prefer tipping the room attendant and staff on their own. Feelings on this?

 

Do not do this. Those "many people" are not your friends. They are mean, cheap people. The staff work hard for you, to make your vacation wonderful. I don't know if you are doing a 3 or a 4 nighter, but $40.50 or $54 per person isn't much to ask. If you want to give more to specific people, please do.

 

It's been about 5 years since my last cruise so thank you in advance for your responses :)

 

You are welcome. Enjoy your first Royal Caribbean cruise. ;)

Edited August 16, 2016 by Merion_Mom

[FLcruisergrl]

We arrived to port at 10:45 and were eating in the Windjammer before noon. We parked at the port, not the cheapest, but definitely convenient! As for tips, I would leave them alone. Some will deny it, but for many it's a way of cheaping out. I leave them in place and give extra for exceptional service.

[sjb317]

The easiest, most convenient place to park is at the cruise terminal but you pay for that convenience. We usually park at the Radisson lot on A1A, just a few miles away from the port. We paid $7.00 a day the last time we used them which was in 2014, parking at the port is about $20.00 per day. The Radisson shuttles run frequently and have always been quick and easy for us.

 

I agree with those who have said leave the tips in place. I was sure I wouldn't like the automatic gratuities but, after our first experience with them, realized I loved it. It makes it so easy, and I think the staff really deserve them.:)

 

Sherri:)

[PrincessCarolyn]

It's your first time on Royal Caribbean. Equinox is a Celebrity ship. :)

 

 

 

I don't know what "go to dinner normally" means to you. You do not have to wear tux & gown. Dress up, even a little, and you will fit right in.

 

 

 

They are similar to Celebrity's packages, but Bob has given you the direct link to RC's information sheet.

 

 

 

Get to the pier around 10:45. You should be on board not long thereafter. The Windjammer Buffet on Deck 11 is open for your dining pleasure.

 

 

 

My tip: Don't.

 

 

 

The main dining room. No specialty dining on the Majesty. No lobster. There will be some fish dishes on the menus. Probably scallops and shrimp on some of the nights.

 

 

 

Use images.google.com

 

 

 

 

Do not do this. Those "many people" are not your friends. They are mean, cheap people. The staff work hard for you, to make your vacation wonderful. I don't know if you are doing a 3 or a 4 nighter, but $40.50 or $54 per person isn't much to ask. If you want to give more to specific people, please do.

 

 

 

You are welcome. Enjoy your first Royal Caribbean cruise. ;)

 

Thank you for the detailed information. I don't mind them taking tips out daily. It was actually the cruise agent who said she tips separately and has them take the tips off because she doesn't feel her tips should be divvied up with things like child care and other things they don't use. But I'm fine w/ leaving it as is and maybe tipping extra for great service.

 

Thanks!

[mooseman52b]

Thank you for the detailed information. I don't mind them taking tips out daily. It was actually the cruise agent who said she tips separately and has them take the tips off because she doesn't feel her tips should be divvied up with things like child care and other things they don't use. But I'm fine w/ leaving it as is and maybe tipping extra for great service.

 

Thanks!

 

I could be wrong (and somebody will correct me if I am :) ) but the automatic gratuities only go to the dining room staff & room attendants.

[John&LaLa]

I could be wrong (and somebody will correct me if I am :) ) but the automatic gratuities only go to the dining room staff & room attendants.

 

Pretty much, I think they lumped the laundry team in there as well now

[silentbob007]

I could be wrong (and somebody will correct me if I am :) ) but the automatic gratuities only go to the dining room staff & room attendants.

 

Yes ... and staff may know if auto tips have been removed. That's not to say that cash is not appreciated, of course.

[fliprcruzr]

We just did Majesty couple weeks ago. We used the Radisson "Park Port Canaveral" service, shuttles run very often, they brag they are only off-port choice actually on the peninsula.

 

As for formal, we saw some suits/ties for late dinner, but no tuxes. On the 3 day the 'formal' night was Saturday while docked in Nassau. They didn't enforce dining room wear, we saw several shorts. But we were in sport shirts/pants, ladies in nice sun dresses or smilar, and fit right in.

 

As for tips, I left ours on, and tipped extra to those doing above and beyond for us. had a great wait staff in dining room, great server in Schooner bar.

[troykahack]

Thank you for the detailed information. I don't mind them taking tips out daily. It was actually the cruise agent who said she tips separately and has them take the tips off because she doesn't feel her tips should be divvied up with things like child care and other things they don't use. But I'm fine w/ leaving it as is and maybe tipping extra for great service.

 

Thanks!

 

Find another TA... this is not something they should recommend.

[PrincessCarolyn]

Find another TA... this is not something they should recommend.

 

Well, if you read my post I didn't say she recommended it. I said it's what she does. And she made a point in saying how tips are distributed to childcare and things they don't even use. I've decided to leave the autogratuitiy on like I have in the past and tip a bit more for exceptional service.

Thanks for the responses.

[troykahack]

Well, if you read my post I didn't say she recommended it. I said it's what she does. And she made a point in saying how tips are distributed to childcare and things they don't even use. I've decided to leave the autogratuitiy on like I have in the past and tip a bit more for exceptional service.

Thanks for the responses.

 

Ok, it is something the TA shared with you, that is what they did, but didn't recommend. Still, drop them... poor business practice not to auto tip, they are the TA and anything they say may and can be taken as a recommendation. Unless of course this is something you asked them as you did here... and you asked for our feelings on this practice of removing auto tips, and I gave you my feelings... it is a bad practice and for a TA to even mention this practice to you is very unprofessional on their part.... and a bad business practice.... if they personally short change the crew, why wouldn't they also short change you?

Edited August 24, 2016 by troykahack