NCL Majesty

[KBCL]

Hello All-

 

First time posting and I was wondering if anyone can give me feedback on NCL Majesty?

 

Thanks and happy cruising!!!;)

[Tomct]

Hello All-

 

First time posting and I was wondering if anyone can give me feedback on NCL Majesty?

 

Thanks and happy cruising!!!;)

 

 

To get this thread going, you may want to briefly mention what kind of comments you are looking for, for instance, have you cruised before, are you familiar with the larger NCL ships, are you sailing to Bermuda, etc.

 

We've been on six cruises, all with larger and newer NCL ships, but we took a family cruise with 15 people on the Majesty to Bermuda in the summer of 2005 and loved it. It was hard for any of us who had cruised before to compare her to the mega ships, noting it was just different! Though we have uncharacteristically gone a year without cruising, we are now considering three cruises for February, and one of them is the Majesty out of Charleston. Since we are from Connecticut, that should tell you something.

 

We had read a lot on this board how great the staff was, and they certainly did not disappoint. I don't know if they were any better than others we've been on, but since the ship is smaller, you do see the same staff more often, so you do get to know more of them.

 

Though we did not have any real problems on the Majesty, it is an older ship, and considering we had 7 cabins, we did require couple of maintenance calls to fix a safe, A/C, and a ceiling tile. The ship is still well kept, painting and cleaning 24/7, but you may find a few "modern conveniences" missing, such as a state of the art phone system. Last I knew all rooms did not have a fridge, though do have TV's.

 

All major features of the big ships are present on the Majesty, like Pools (2), kiddie area, multiple restaurants and lounges, quality entertainment, dance room, health club, casino, etc. Regular NCL activities led by the Cruise Director and staff are available, including your Daily newsletter, bingo, shows, games, and of course the elaborate Chocolate Buffet once per cruise.

 

By reading this board, and even using the Search Function, upper right on the main page, you can find just about anything you are looking for. If you can't, ask, and you shall receive.

 

Good Luck and I know you will enjoy yourself. I came across Cruise Critic just prior to our first cruise on the Star, and learned so much from it. Of course not everything you will hear will be great, and some may be extreme, but just have that grain of salt at your keyboard at all times, and you will find that most everyone here is very positive about NCL, the ships, and of course, the Majesty. We've met some great friends here on the board, some of whom we communicate with off the board. There's also a NCL Roll Call board you can log into to communicate directly with others going on the same cruise, prior to going. The Majesty cruise was the only inactive one for us, I think due to the small ship, and it was a summer cruise with lots of folks with young families, not so interested in chatting.

[LGC]

Hi Tom--we're on the Feb 10 sailing of Majesty out of Charleston--yall join us! We've got a small number for a meet and greet.

[Welove2cruise2]

We've been on the Majesty seven times -- be happy to help you if you have specific questions!:D Obviously we love this ship -- and yes, we've been on the bigger ships too -- twice on the Dawn, once on the Spirit.

[LGC]

Wow--you must love her..that makes me feel good! I am so looking forward to this trip. Any tips you can share will be much appreciated. You didn't happen to stay on Deck 6 on any of your trips did you?

[Holg]

I sailed on the Majesty for Christmas 04 and had a good time.

 

It was good for our group considering three of our seven people were over the age of 75... a larger ship would have been overwelming to them.

 

Great service in the Four Seasons, great service in the casino, great service period.

 

If you want climbing walls, surf pool, bowling alley, ice skating, then the Majesty is not for you. If you want to chill-out and have a good time, the Majesty is a good option.

[tammymacb]

I just got off the Majesty 30 minutes ago. It was our first time on the ship but we've been on 6 cruises between Celebrity and Carnival.

 

I have one major warning. If you are planning on doing excursions and taking advantage of visiting the ports you visit on Majesty you will be disappointed at this time. We arrived in Grand Cayman at 9:30 ( we were supposed to be in a 7) and I was on the first tender. We arrived over an hour late in Cozumel and almost 2 hours late in Key West. I asked various crew members if the ship was always late to port and they said they were "often" late. Another crew member said that they really need to "fix the engine problems" because they are running slow so as to not overtax them. The ship broke down 2 weeks ago and obviously has not been fixed so that it can be run at a normal rate of speed.

 

Other observations ( both good and bad )- The ship was in decent shape and I had no mechanical problems in my room. There was a funky smell that lingered around the 4th floor and I noticed it the entire lenght of the cruise. Also, most of the time only half of the elevators were functional. We usually used the stairs from deck 3 to deck 10 because it was faster. The staff ran the gamut..with a few notible exceptions I did not find them to be terribly friendly. However, they were pretty efficient.

 

The food ( and I am not a gourmet ) was so-so and the buffet was a bore. It was almost identical food every night.

 

We got a great deal on the cruise and all and all we enjoyed it. However, since port time is important to me, I will not sail on the Majesty again until the engines are properly repaired.

[ksstizme]

Sounds like the engine problems have not be corrected. We are going on March 24th and I hope they will finally be fixed or NCL can cancel and give us a refund! I don't even care if we get there and they say they are cancelling. I don't want to be in the middle of the ocean and break down.:( Please give us a complete review on the review board. Thanks

[Welove2cruise2]

Wow--you must love her..that makes me feel good! I am so looking forward to this trip. Any tips you can share will be much appreciated. You didn't happen to stay on Deck 6 on any of your trips did you?

 

We've had staterooms on decks 3, 4, 8 and 9. We prefer 9, since it's only one deck down from the pool deck; we tend to use the stairs more when we're on 9. We always get a bar setup, so that makes it easier going up and down to get drinks!:D

 

We love La Trattoria (Royal Observatory, deck 9 forward), more for the atmosphere than the food! Make reservation here early. LeBistro is great as well.

 

The staff seems to stay on this ship for a LONG time -- we've seen staff year after year for the last six or seven years! Be sure to say hello to Jun from Peggy & Joe (he's the bar manager).

 

We've only done the Bermuda run, so not sure if they do the nightly deck parties on the W. Carib run, but those are always a lot of fun.

 

We're actually watching prices on the Majesty for a March getaway, using ff miles to get to Charleston -- still waiting for the price to come down a little more...;)

 

Enjoy the Majesty! She's a great little ship, with a wonderful crew!

[ksstizme]

We've had staterooms on decks 3, 4, 8 and 9.

 

We will be staying in 362. Have you had this cabin on one of your trips? Wondering what to expect. Is there a picture window as advertised or just an oversize porthole? I know it is 108', is this a comfortable size for 2 people? I usually spend time in the room while my DH is scuba diving.

[Tomct]

Hi Tom--we're on the Feb 10 sailing of Majesty out of Charleston--yall join us! We've got a small number for a meet and greet.

 

My notes are not in front of me but I think we are looking at the following week's cruise. We're coordinating a couple of options with my brother in Jacksonville, and our "local" backup is the Spirit out of NYC if he can't join us.

 

Other notes in response:

 

I was going to note Royal Observatory as my best tip, but just saw it was posted. We had checked the menu one night early in the cruise, and was not impressed, only a few entrees, and not overly attractive. What we found was the menu changed each night, and they could always make you a simple pasta dish if you preferred that over the main dishes offered. We went there the last night on board, and had a great evening. Several at our table could not make up our minds as to which of two pasta dishes we wanted, so our waiter brought an extra dish of each for us to share. The best part of the RO as mentioned, is the atmosphere!! It's up front with a great view ahead, and the bar itself is elevated above some of the dining room, so it's a great place to have a cocktail or two. We were sorry we missed it until the last night.

 

Though accustomed to dining most of the time in Specialty restaurants on the larger ships, we really enjoyed the food and friendly service in Seven Seas. LeBistro is our favorite restaurant on land or sea, but is the only "pay extra" one on board. We found the buffet area too small for us, food choice and seating, so our time was limited there. Piazza San Marco was a great place for a quick meal, especially late night. Our young guys on board were there every night for pizza, burgers, and hot dogs.

 

If dining at the Royal Observatory or Le Bistro, make your reservations early. You can always cancel them if other things come up, but if it's anything like the NCL ships these days, the reservations fill up fast.

 

Another reiteration on prior posts is I would certainly agree the Majesty is a great place to "chill out". Though the standard NCL themed activities are still offered, there just aren't as many at any given time, so you do find it less hectic and more relaxing.

 

Make sure you read your FreeStyle Daily, delivered to your cabin each evening. We always have a general game plan for each day in advance, but are prepared to make changes when we see the details of the day's activities.

 

If you have kids, our grandkids loved the Kid's Crew staff and activities. They had been on the Dawn with more facilities, but enjoyed the young ladies on the Majesty, very much.

 

For lots more information on the Majesty and all other cruise ships for that matter, head to CruiseClues.com to see ship details and features, photos, reviews etc. My full review is also located there.

 

 

http://cruiseclues.com/shipstips/norwegianmajesty.htm

 

Though I'm somewhat concerned by the recent engine problems, this thread has got me anxious to sail on the Majesty. Our goal has been to cruise the Majesty one more time before she is replaced, but also hope to return to Bermuda in the near future.

[RichNY]

Hey Tom ..Dont forget the 4/23 Dawn....the Ironics say Hi..

 

Hi Peggy & Joe........we're doing a land trip to Bermuda in March.

[bosshotdog]

Is parking at the pier the best place to park at Charleston S.C. And if so does anyone know how much they charge per day? Do you get a 110volt outlet in your room?

[Welove2cruise2]

Hey Tom ..Dont forget the 4/23 Dawn....the Ironics say Hi..

 

Hi Peggy & Joe........we're doing a land trip to Bermuda in March.

 

Hi guys! Bermuda in March sounds great, but a cruise is cheaper...:rolleyes: We are watching for a good price and hope to book last minute -- haven't decided which ship yet.

 

We're planning to go to Bermuda on the Majesty in July for our 30th. Haven't booked it yet because we're waiting to see what our son and his wife to be decide for their honeymoon -- hoping it's not the Majesty! If it is, I guess we'll have to trek to NYC and hop on the Crown...

[samdham]

Is parking at the pier the best place to park at Charleston S.C. And if so does anyone know how much they charge per day? Do you get a 110volt outlet in your room?

 

There was only one 110 outlet in our cabin. It was fine for us, but if you need more than that, you may want to pack a power strip.

 

Also, our cabin was equipped with an ironing board. It had a big sticker on it that said it was dangerous to iron in the cabin. Later in the cruise, I saw a cabin with an iron sitting outside the door. That led me to believe that you could borrow an iron. Not positive about that, but why else would there be an iron on the floor outside the door? Also, I know that a woman borrowed a hairdryer from reception. I found the one in the bathroom to be adequate, but slooooowwwww.

[rkmayphd]

I just got off of the majesty yesterday. Contrary to an earlier post, I do beleive that they got the enginge problems fixed. The lateness in port was not due to enginge problems. We arrived late in Cayman due to strong currents/winds and we were late in Key West due to a combination of strong currents and an excursion party being over an hour late in returning to the ship.

 

The ship does not have the capability of going as fast as the newer ships, the enginges cannot draw that much horsepower wheter they are running at full capacity or not. We were pulling 20-23 knots a large majority of the time- which is quite fast for the Majesty. I spoke directly with the captain, and he told me that he prefers the Boston to Bermuda run to the Western Caribean as the schedule is always so tight on the latter. Yes, the majesty is frequently not on time but this is not always due to malfunctioning engines- it is due to "smaller" engines- something that will likely continue until the majesty is replaced.

 

We did however, have a fantastic time. Food was great (except on the buffet) and the staff were excpetional.

[bosshotdog]

Thanks for the info. Where do you park in Charleston right at the pier? How much do they charge per day? Or has someone found a different place?

[bosshotdog]

Thanks for the info. Where do you park in Charleston right at the pier? How much do they charge per day? Or has someone found a different place?

[Travlinmam]

Just returned yesterday from our week. My review is posted for Jan 13-20.

Our group enjoyed the week. No mishaps or mechanical trouble. Slightly late to all 3 ports for different reasons. All agreed they would sail again on this ship. Hope it helps, Travlinmam (Linda F.)

[Travlinmam]

Cost per week is $105. It is adjacent to pier in an old warehouse. Some of area hotels will allow you to leave your vehicle and take their shuttle to pier if you stay with them. We did and it worked out well.

[Travlinmam]

Cost per week is $105. It is adjacent to pier in an old warehouse. Some of area hotels will allow you to leave your vehicle and take their shuttle to pier if you stay with them. We did and it worked out well.

[CuplACruzrs]

We sail on the Majesty on the 3rd of Feb. Which hotel did you choose that allowed you to park there? That would be a great benefit!

[have fun now]

Thanks for the info. Where do you park in Charleston right at the pier? How much do they charge per day? Or has someone found a different place?

 

Some stay Friday night at the Holiday Inn, Riverview, The Radisson-airport, or Wingate Inn-airport. Other hotels may also.provide free parking...you have to check around.They usually allow you to leave your car for the week and provide a free shuttle to/from port. Free breakfast is included. Cost is usually around 100. Pier parking is 135.

 

Also, BE SAFE when on excursions! I found the following information on another web page:

 

FROM CRUISEJUNKIE:

 

1/9/7

A 60-year-old woman NCL-Majesty passenger died after getting into trouble while swimming at Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. These case are not normally reported, but this is the second reported swimming death in Cayman in a couple of weeks (see Carnival Valor, 28 December). It should remind people to be careful when going for a swim, especially if it has been a while since the last time you were in the ocean.

12/28/07

A 55-year-old woman Carnival Valor passenger died after getting "in difficulty" while snorkeling on an shore excursion at Grand Cayman. According to the tour operator (as reported by Cay Compass News Online), "Somebody swum away from the boat and got a little too far, and they got tired before they got back to the boat."

[Leafpeeper]

Many people I've spoken with who sailed NCL Majesty from Boston to Bermuda said they loved this ship for a Bermuda cruise because it could fit into St. George. Newer ships are too large. Now the ship docks for 3.5 days in Bermuda. That won't happen with a newer ship. It is much more affordable to use this ship as your hotel than to fly, stay and eat in Bermuda. Besides, cruising is always more fun than flying.

 

This ship is not expected to be around much longer, so I figure you should enjoy the cruises they offer now if it is what you are looking for.

[Tomct]

Hey Tom ..Dont forget the 4/23 Dawn....the Ironics say Hi..

 

Hi Peggy & Joe........we're doing a land trip to Bermuda in March.

 

Hey Rich:

 

It's still a possibility, though a bit problematic on the home front. We take care of our 15 mo. old granddaughter during the day, and the timing of that cruise would require two full weeks of "alternate" day care. Our other daughter (her aunt) is a day care Director, and will be opening a new facility in the next few weeks. Since it is more than a year late in opening, they have yet to hire other staff, and so far limited kids enrolled with most coming transferring from their other center. Unfortunately any special attention she could provide to help "Sydney" during the transition is unpredictable at this time.

 

Thanks for saying hello to the Ironics; I hope you said good things about me, and didn't ruin my good reputation!! I haven't checked to see where their next contract places them.

 

For KBCL, RichNY happens to be one great friend we've met on the board, as well as on one cruise. We'd love to sail with him and his wife, as well as friends Fran and Eddy, but it's a long shot at this point. We also looked into the Pearl's "GroundHog" cruise with Snorklin'Barb, but the logistics surrounding the Super Bowl in Miami that weekend, and now some family conflicts, forced us to select an alternate Pearl cruise as one of our options.