Its Going to Be Majestic - Live Review Princess Majestic Cruisetour - June 10-22

[Stealthdog]

Wet departure from Vancouver yesterday.   Everyone was packed outside for the departure.  We skipped the spa raffle to watch the departure and it was worth it.  One of the nicest views for the departure with great views of the city, Stanley Park, north Vancouver, and other sites.  Our favorite is still Venice, but leaving Vancouver was awesome.  Only disappointment was the ship didn’t play the love boat on its horns.

 

We went inside to watch the sailing under the bridge.

 

[Stealthdog]

Dinner in Allegro last night was a disaster.  Eric got the cod, which he enjoyed.  I got the French onion soup, which started the dinner of well.  It wasn’t too salty like some other versions on other ships and was easy to eat.

 

I got the short ribs and when it arrived and I cut into it, it had weird grayish-green hue in it.  No big deal, I sent it back and decided to just go with the NY strip.  First one came out well done, second one arrived with the restaurant manager and came out well done, with the manager apologizing after I cut into it.  Third one came out well done, with the manager again apologizing after I cut it into it.  I would have spent all night until they finally brought out a steak medium-rare or medium, but we didn’t want to waste any more time.  Ended up getting the fettuccine Alfredo, which was pretty good.  We skipped desert because the the table next to us wasn’t very happy with it.  
 

It was probably the most disappointing dinner experience we have had on a cruise ship. 

[Stealthdog]

10 hours ago, martincath said:

Anna's Hummingbird I think - our official city bird! Good, or lucky, photo given how rapidly they zip around! Prospect Point is actually in Stanley Park - it's biiiiiiiiiiiig! And those other cities aren't over a river - that's the Pacific (Burrard Inlet to be specific).

 

North Van is roughly on the east (right) side of the bridge, West Van to the west (left) of it. Same folks who built the bridge - the Guinness Family - bought a huge chunk of what is now West Van for pennies first, then built the bridge which increased the value of their land massively compared to when just the small ferry was operating, then charged a toll to pay back the cost of the bridge (so all the folks buying land from them to build homes also paid them back for the reason they paid so dang much for their lots in the first place), then sold the bridge to the province 'for only the cost of construction' once they had already been paid back by the tolls and thus neatly avoided the starting-to-seriously-increase cost of maintaining an aging bridge! The Guinnesses were always a**holes - but smart ones 😉

Our tour guide with LandSea gave us some of the history of Guinness, the bridge, and north/west vancouver.  Not as detailed as you, but makes me appreciate the tour even more.

 

I looove Stanley Park, even more after sailing past it last night and getting to appreciate how big it is.  It’s probably in my Top10 things to do/visit list, and it’s a huge draw to get us to come back to Vancouver for a longer land vacation. 

[Stealthdog]

18 hours ago, ldtr said:

Usually it is adults only. though theydid allow children to use it during its time in Australia.

Every time we walked through there yesterday, there were children in there.  They weren’t loud or misbehaving, so I didn’t care.  The Observatory looks like a great place to spend some time, particularly yesterday when it was colder and wet on deck.  

[Stealthdog]

On 6/8/2023 at 9:17 PM, ldtr said:

2 questions

 

1. Is the Catch by Rdui, the new specialty dining venue open?  It shows on my DMW but indicates no availability.

 

2. Is the Hollywood pool area adults only or are they allowing children in on Alaska cruises (I hope not)?

I think both of these questions have already been answered.  
 

Catch is open - we made our booking on board.  Ive heard from people on board that they called Princess to make reservations.  I recommend calling Princess to make the reservations now, and then try to adjust the times when you are on board and not happy with the reservation time.  We are going Thursday night so we will report back.

 

There were children in both the pool area and the observatory areas every time we walked through yesterday.  So, not adults only.

[Stealthdog]

14 hours ago, Purple Gallinule said:

UGLY: From bus to boat as TWO HOURS AND 4 MINUTES!!!!!!!!!!!!! There was NO accommodation made of those of Elite status. Princess touts priority boarding for elites. In this case we were told "We don't do that anymore!" We were also put through the lines with the folks boarding the HAL Konigsdam. We had back and forth lines for Princess check-in, security, and customs with literally thousands of passengers from both ships. We got off the bus at 12:05pm and got on the ship at 2:09pm. We have been on over 20 cruises (18 with Princess) and NEVER had anything that would remotely compare.

 

BAD: Watched the safety video twice and it still does not have us checked off. The muster station was crowded with folks who do not know how to use a Medallion.

Based on Susan’s and my experience, the trick with Vancouver appears to be get to the port as early as you can.  No one ever asked for our arrival time slot, so I’d recommend everyone get there as early as you can.  From your description, the later you get there the more of a hot mess boarding is, especially with two ships sharing the space.   2 hours….yikes 😞

 

The safety video was ridiculous.  We tried 4-5 times while eating lunch, and the video either crashed or sent us back to the beginning.  We even tried it on our stateroom TV, and it never put a check next to our names annotating they we watched it.  As long as people sign in to their muster station, that is probably good enough.

 

We had issues with the app most of the day, and were able to access it periodically throughout the day.  Weirdly it was just the app, because the internet speed has been pretty good and had no issues accessing anything else on Wi-Fi.  We will give some thoughts on the Wi-Fi and app at the end of the cruise. 

[CsStingray]

We are also on this sailing, so I will be following along!  
 

We had the same issue with the safety video—we all watched it, but my daughter never got credit for it. We even got a letter that she didn’t complete the steps!  😬

The hardest part of embarkation for us was finding where to start.  We walked from our hotel and had a time trying to figure out where to drop off luggage.  Once we got to that point, it was meandering but easy.  We also got to the port early, thanks to the advice I’ve seen here, and got on in about 30-40 minutes.  
 

Stealthdog, that stinks you had so much trouble with your steak.  My daughter ordered the strip and it came a perfect medium rare.  So someone on the ship knows how to cook a steak! 
 

Looking forward to the rest of the cruise!

[gottagoacruzn]

Hi will be followin along, will be readin you're posts an seein photos. I'm jealous, cuz I wanna go now, but still have work for the next 3 months for vacation.

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey Stealthdog, when you took a picture of the patter, what was underneath it? Inquiring minds would like to know.

[JinxyB]

We are on this sailing, too. Embarkation was very interesting. Glad to clear customs in Vancouver, but it was cumbersome checking in. We spent two days in Vancouver//Victoria and loved the beauty of the area. Had sone initial problems with our stateroom A/C not working, but hopefully fixed by now. Bar service overall has been very poor, but that’s my only complaint if I have one (getting passed over for men or groups). 

[Stealthdog]

Went to the comedian Hank Denson show on Day 1.  We try to go to the 2nd showing or comedian acts because the later show is sometimes more adult focused jokes.  We often find comedians on ships a little dated, but Denson was really funny and worth the hour.

 

The theater on Majestic is different from every other ship we have been on - there is no upper deck level seating - the rows continue from front all the way to back.  There are still 2 entrances though - top of stairs from Deck 7 and bottom of stairs from Deck 6.  After being in the theater for a couple of events now, the exit on Deck 7 gets really congested after shows end.  You may want to look to leave the theater on Deck 6.

[Stealthdog]

Day 2 activities.

[CruzeQueen2]

Some pics of the food at The Catch - mussels and the calamari, both appetizers.

 

Pardon my lack of technical skills ...I get by; not an expert with technology, sorry.

calamari.heic

 

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by CruzeQueen2
Missing words

[CruzeQueen2]

Not meaning to sabotage your thread. Just wanted to share these with you, prior to your dinner on Thursday. Enjoy! @Stealthdog

[Stealthdog]

We tried the World Market for breakfast day 2 because we didn’t have enough time to sit down and order.  It was a mad house and took about 20 minutes just to find 2 seats.  The quality of breakfast was a little disappointing, though the setup at World Market for lunch on Day 1 looked amazing.

 

After breakfast we went out to the Wake View Bar area outside the World Market to get some fresh juices at the juice bar.  There was plenty of seating out there - so if you want to go to the buffet for breakfast, you may want to wear some warmer clothes and sit outside there.  It’s much quieter and you have great views.  
 

if you have the Plus or Premium packages, use the Juice Bar - it’s included and the drinks they make are really good and fresh. I’ll take a picture and post what they have next time I go there.

[Stealthdog]

3 minutes ago, CruzeQueen2 said:

Not meaning to sabotage your thread. Just wanted to share these with you, prior to your dinner on Thursday. Enjoy! @Stealthdog

No problem!   We are getting ready for formal night and going to Crown Grill (at another modified reservation time).  I’ll post reviews of Crown Grill tomorrow.

[CruzeQueen2]

Enjoy Everything!

If you drink specialty coffees, be sure to go to the Princess Live bar on deck 7. Best kept secret. Never had a line-up in the mornings when I went there. After getting my fresh juices at the Wakeview Bar first! I'm glad that you found these back there. 

Also a nice quiet area. If you know, you know! Well done!

 

dessert.heic

[Stealthdog]

One thing we are really enjoying on Princess are the talks and presentations.  We went to 2 today - a presentation on whales and an overview of the ship.  Both were fantastic and informative.  These kinds of events often are not seen on other lines, so this is definitely something that distinguishes Princess.  Specifically, a Marine Biologist gave the talk on whales, including some we will see on this trip.  He will also be narrating for the ship as we go through the passes.  One of the officers gave the talk on the Majestic ship.

 

if you have free time and don’t see anything else you would rather do, make an effort to attend these.

[Guest ldtr]

12 hours ago, Stealthdog said:

I think both of these questions have already been answered.  
 

Catch is open - we made our booking on board.  Ive heard from people on board that they called Princess to make reservations.  I recommend calling Princess to make the reservations now, and then try to adjust the times when you are on board and not happy with the reservation time.  We are going Thursday night so we will report back.

 

There were children in both the pool area and the observatory areas every time we walked through yesterday.  So, not adults only.

Normally there is a sign at the entrance. Is the adults only sign also missing. Trying to figure out if the policy has changes on Majestic or if they are simply not enforcing it.

[chasescott66]

13 hours ago, Stealthdog said:

Dinner in Allegro last night was a disaster.  Eric got the cod, which he enjoyed.  I got the French onion soup, which started the dinner of well.  It wasn’t too salty like some other versions on other ships and was easy to eat.

 

I got the short ribs and when it arrived and I cut into it, it had weird grayish-green hue in it.  No big deal, I sent it back and decided to just go with the NY strip.  First one came out well done, second one arrived with the restaurant manager and came out well done, with the manager apologizing after I cut into it.  Third one came out well done, with the manager again apologizing after I cut it into it.  I would have spent all night until they finally brought out a steak medium-rare or medium, but we didn’t want to waste any more time.  Ended up getting the fettuccine Alfredo, which was pretty good.  We skipped desert because the the table next to us wasn’t very happy with it.  
 

It was probably the most disappointing dinner experience we have had on a cruise ship. 

Don’t want to hijack your thread, but we were on Majestic last week and had similar experiences in the Concerto dining room. Our first night, I got the short rib, which was decent(got lucky, I guess). My wife, brother in-law, and mother in-law all had similar experiences with their steaks. MIL would not send her’s back, but wife and BIL did. After sending it back yet again, they got a cut that was “passable” as medium(first two were charred and very well done). I was the only one that didn’t dislike my food out of our party of 6. 
 

Second night was formal night and the as surprisingly less busy than other formal nights I had been to. It was only my wife and I, and my BIL and his girlfriend. Unfortunately we got a different server and the service was awful as was his attitude. We also waited over an hour after appetizers for our food to come out, to the point where we were about to get up be leave. Finally got our food and we were all very disappointed. We decided to skip the dessert we had ordered. This was our last trip to the main dining room for the week, as we went to the buffet or elsewhere.
 

The next night we went to Alfredo’s, there were five of us. Two order pizza, two ordered calzones, and I ordered the ravioli. This time it took almost 90 minutes for our food to arrive(causing us to be late to a show). The two that orders the pizza said it was hardly cooked and not warm. The two that ordered the calzones likes them alright. My ravioli, which took 10 minutes longer than the rest was hotter than the surface of the sun when it came out(better than cold for sure), but it was very bland and the veal inside it was hard as a rock. 
 

The food wasn’t much better anywhere else on the boat until we went to the Crown Grill our last night and it was very good. Note, we did not try Harmony or The Catch by Rudi, so I cannot comment on those. 
 

Overall, we were disappointed with the food and the MDR. 

Edited June 12, 2023 by chasescott66
Punctuation

[CruzeQueen2]

@StealthdogI hope the Crown Grill was a positive experience for you. I think that what you ordered for your dinner will make all the difference! I did not eat at Crown last month, but have eaten there many times on other ships.

If you had the sea bass and the Black and Blue onion soup, I'm sure you would be happy. If you ordered steak or lamb chops, it will be more unpredictable,  but maybe enjoyable. I hope that your meals met with your expectations, or exceeded them!

 

When you have time, if you could take a picture of the senior staff board, that would be great, and appreciated. I believe it can be found on deck 7, forward from the photo gallery...

Specifically, I am wondering if you still have the same DORO (Director of Restaurant Operations)  that was onboard in May. I won't name him, the photo will tell me what I need to know. 

 

TIA - I am looking forward to your next instalments. Thank you for taking the time.  I am also interested in hearing about your experiences as I am already booked to sail again on Majestic again soon...

Thanks so much!

[CruizinSusan70]

2 hours ago, Stealthdog said:

if you have the Plus or Premium packages, use the Juice Bar - it’s included and the drinks they make are really good and fresh. 

Just a small correction.  The Plus package only includes the juice bar if you paid 60.00 per day for the Plus package.  If you paid the original 40, like we did or the short lived increase to 50, the juice bar is NOT included.

[CruizinSusan70]

1 hour ago, chasescott66 said:

Don’t want to hijack your thread, but we were on Majestic last week and had similar experiences in the Concerto dining room. Our first night, I got the short rib, which was decent(got lucky, I guess). My wife, brother in-law, and mother in-law all had similar experiences with their steaks. MIL would not send her’s back, but wife and BIL did. After sending it back yet again, they got a cut that was “passable” as medium(first two were charred and very well done). I was the only one that didn’t dislike my food out of our party of 6. 
 

Second night was formal night and the as surprisingly less busy than other formal nights I had been to. It was only my wife and I, and my BIL and his girlfriend. Unfortunately we got a different server and the service was awful as was his attitude. We also waited over an hour after appetizers for our food to come out, to the point where we were about to get up be leave. Finally got our food and we were all very disappointed. We decided to skip the dessert we had ordered. This was our last trip to the main dining room for the week, as we went to the buffet or elsewhere.
 

The next night we went to Alfredo’s, there were five of us. Two order pizza, two ordered calzones, and I ordered the ravioli. This time it took almost 90 minutes for our food to arrive(causing us to be late to a show). The two that orders the pizza said it was hardly cooked and not warm. The two that ordered the calzones likes them alright. My ravioli, which took 10 minutes longer than the rest was hotter than the surface of the sun when it came out(better than cold for sure), but it was very bland and the veal inside it was hard as a rock. 
 

The food wasn’t much better anywhere else on the boat until we went to the Crown Grill our last night and it was very good. Note, we did not try Harmony or The Catch by Rudi, so I cannot comment on those. 
 

Overall, we were disappointed with the food and the MDR. 

Seems like a YMMV situation.  We were on the B2B from May 27 to June 10.  Had 540 reservations for the first 13 nights in the Symphony dining room with the same waiter and table each night.  Service wise, he was the best we have had in 50+ cruises.  Food wise, only had one thing sent back over 13 nights and the onion soup we ordered on two occasions could have been hotter.  Each week when the lamb chops were offered, my DH loved them.  The first week he was told by our server that only two chops were on the plate and they came out a perfect juicy rare.  He also had a slice of rare beef Wellington.  He enjoyed the chops so much he had four of them sans Wellington during week two.  We had zero complaints about the MDR, Alfredo's, International Cafe and the noodle bar.  The burger bar was disappointing and we really thought the buffet was a major disappointment. 

But as usual, food is subjective and can vary.

Edited June 12, 2023 by CruizinSusan70

[chasescott66]

2 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Seems like a YMMV situation.  We were on the B2B from May 27 to June 10.  Had 540 reservations for the first 13 nights in the Symphony dining room with the same waiter and table each night.  Service wise, he was the best we have had in 50+ cruises.  Food wise, only had one thing sent back over 13 nights and the onion soup we ordered on two occasions could have been hotter.  Each week when the lamb chops were offered, my DH loved them.  The first week he was told by our server that only two chops were on the plate and they came out a perfect juicy rare.  He also had a slice of rare beef Wellington.  He enjoyed the chops so much he had four of them sans Wellington during week two.  We had zero complaints about the MDR, Alfredo's, International Cafe and the noodle bar.  The burger bar was disappointing and we really thought the buffet was a major disappointment. 

But as usual, food is subjective and can vary.

Certainly a YMMV situation. Our server the first night in the MDR, Mario, was wonderful. 

[Stealthdog]

4 hours ago, CruzeQueen2 said:

@StealthdogI hope the Crown Grill was a positive experience for you. I think that what you ordered for your dinner will make all the difference! I did not eat at Crown last month, but have eaten there many times on other ships.

If you had the sea bass and the Black and Blue onion soup, I'm sure you would be happy. If you ordered steak or lamb chops, it will be more unpredictable,  but maybe enjoyable. I hope that your meals met with your expectations, or exceeded them!

 

When you have time, if you could take a picture of the senior staff board, that would be great, and appreciated. I believe it can be found on deck 7, forward from the photo gallery...

Specifically, I am wondering if you still have the same DORO (Director of Restaurant Operations)  that was onboard in May. I won't name him, the photo will tell me what I need to know. 

 

TIA - I am looking forward to your next instalments. Thank you for taking the time.  I am also interested in hearing about your experiences as I am already booked to sail again on Majestic again soon...

Thanks so much!

Spoiler - I’ll give a more in-depth review tomorrow.  Black and blue onion soup probably the best onion soup I’ve ever had.  Same temperature issue with steaks - sent first one back because it was well done.  Second was sent back because it was blood rare.  Third finally reached the medium rare - medium range. It’s so weird because the server every time has been awesome and they immediately see the issue when the steak is open.  It’s not their fault - it’s the kitchen.  I don’t know why they are having such a hard time getting steaks cooked right.

 

I’ll look to take the picture of staff board tomorrow when we get back on board.