Review of the Majesty - Boston to Bermuda

[Iamthesea]

Due to its popularity, we’ve found that the wait-time at the Four Seasons can get excessive, so you may end up at the Seven Seas for convenience. You can always find something you like on the menu.

Can you not have traditional seating, where you eat in the same dining room and have the same waiters? This is what we prefer...no changing my mind. :D

 

Anyway, we saw the ship while in Grand Cayman and it really didn't look too bad, so we are thinking about taking it out of Charleston in early October. Does anyone know how the weather would be at that time?

 

Also, what is the difference between the OV, the superior OV and the AB suite? If we go with an AB, I understand that the port side is best. What about staterooms 902, 904 and 906?

[Cubechick]

You cannot have “traditional seating”, although you can certainly request a section if you like a particular waiter or if there are people you specifically want to sit with.

I unfortunately cannot offer advice about Charleston as I’ve only sailed her out of Boston and I’ve never gone in October. But I’m sure someone else could chime in about that! You could check the National Weather Service sites like: http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/maxtemp.html

As far as the rooms:

OV = 108 sq. feet. Very small but serviceable.

Superior OV = 145 sq. feet which gives you more storage, a mini-fridge and more room to move around

AB Suite = 235 sq feet (I haven’t done this yet but am sailing in one in June and this is what my research has yielded), sitting area w/ panoramic window (on deck 9), pull-out sofa, walk-in closet, bath tub, upgraded bathroom amenities, an expanded room service menu, concierge service, and I’ve heard champagne in your room when you set sail and canapés delivered nightly. (I’ll be sure to report back after June!)

As far as which room is preferable, I’d just make sure they’re not obstructed view (most of the suites are). If you go to NCL’s old website:

https://seaweb.it.ncl.com/consumer/index.cfm

and make like you’re booking a cruise, you can click on the room numbers and see exactly what portion obstruction you have.

Assuming your talking about sailing to Bermuda, the port side will offer you a lovely view of St. George, while the starboard side gives you a lovely view of the harbor. Win-win if you ask me!

 

 

Cube

[michaellasdad]

My husband and I are crusing on the Majesty in April and we have never cruised before. We have heard conflicting information about what is really covered in the price of your cruise. What resaurants are included? If there is a "cover charge" to eat at one is that the only additional expense?

[cruiserssandr]

On the Majesty the only restaurant with a cover charge is Le Bistro. The Pasta restaurant needs a reservation but there is no cover charge.

[Cubechick]

The only restaurant on the Majesty with a cover charge is Le Bistro. You’d pay the cover charge (which I believe is $15 per person, $20 per person if you want the steak and lobster) plus tip. There are no additional charges (except for any beverages you might consume of course.

The Pasta Café, like Le Bistro, requires a reservation, but is free.

Le Bistro has been consistently excellent, and the Pasta Café at least very good.

The other 2 main dining rooms are the Seven Seas and the Four Seasons. They serve identical menus. However some people prefer the Four Seasons for its intimacy (and the fact that it’s amidships can make it more stable than the Seven Seas if the seas are rough).

Cube

[BeachBumMama]

I am surprised that Princess doesn't do Bermuda cruises

Might want to start checking that out.:) I just read somewhere else that they purchased a smaller ship and will be doing Bermuda, not sure of itinerary or embarkation port as I haven't gotten that far yet into my research on it.

 

Celebrity will also be doing Bermuda on a smaller ship. Awfully costly though.:(

 

The Majesty sailing to Bermuda is one of my very, very favorite sailings. And I've been on the very new glitzy ships, but there's something about the intimacy of the Majesty and the small ship. Then again, Bermuda is beautiful no matter how you get there!

 

I've got free points for a cruise but not enough vacation time. Then again, there is always sick time.

You're looking a little flushed to me...:p

I am hoping to sail the Majesty once more before she leaves the fleet. She'll certainly be missed by many a Majesty fan.

[Iamthesea]

Thank you for the information. Can we make a reservation and time to eat with the same waiters as we had on the first night?

 

We are also looking at the Explorer of the Seas 5 day cruise that would leave out of Cape Liberty. For the same price as the AB, we can get the Junior suite balcony stateroom. This is for the same date. The only difference, is that we would have to fly to get to the cruise and the ship goes to Kings Wharf. Which is better? KW or SG?

[BeachBumMama]

Can you not have traditional seating, where you eat in the same dining room and have the same waiters? This is what we prefer...no changing my mind. :D

You can have a reservation in the same restaurant every evening at the same time if you wish. Although it defeats the purpose of freestyle, you would still be able to have the 'traditional' seating if you so choose. I think you have to make reservations either early or late for small parties.

 

Anyway, we saw the ship while in Grand Cayman and it really didn't look too bad, so we are thinking about taking it out of Charleston in early October. Does anyone know how the weather would be at that time?

I LOVE this ship and Bermuda was my most relaxing cruise ever on her. Sailing in October, to anywhere, is hurricane season so that is the risk you take. We sailed to Bermuda in a Sept. and the weather was gorgeous and the water still warm. Sept. and Oct. are wonderful times to go and most times the prices are the best.

[BeachBumMama]

Which is better? KW or SG?

 

ST. GEORGE ALL THE WAY! If you do a little research there is really nothing in Kings Wharf and St. George is beautiful. You can get an island bus/ferry pass to get around from there and there are several beaches and historical sights to see all within walking distance. Where the ship docks you are right in the middle of everything.

 

I always like to recommend a book (if you're into very light and easy beach reads) from Alisa Allan titled Winds Of Change. www.AlisaAllan.com

It features a cruise to Bermuda and it was so cool to read about all the places I'd been and visited and it's all in a great story. Perfect anytime but especially for that cruise to Bermuda!:)

[Cubechick]

What BeachBumMama said! :D

 

I agree with everything that she posted!

 

I will also add:

 

You mentioned that the RCL cruise is 5 days. Which means you’ll be docked at KW for what? A day? On the Majesty you’ll be in St. George for 3 ½ days. If it’s your goal to see Bermuda, this is the cruise to go on. It gives you the best of both worlds. An enjoyable cruise, then a resort from which to explore Bermuda. If it is your goal to merely be on a cruise, regardless of locale, then I guess the RCL cruise would suffice.

[Iamthesea]

The Majesty cruise that I am looking at is also 5 days, with 1 1/2 days in Bermuda...two sea days...same as the Explorer.

[BeachBumMama]

The Majesty cruise that I am looking at is also 5 days, with 1 1/2 days in Bermuda...two sea days...same as the Explorer.

Having been on the Majesty, I'm partial towards her, and I haven't been on the Explorer. But I'd still go on the Majesty for St. George.:)

[Iamthesea]

I am trying to convince my DH that we should give the Majesty a try. He doesn't want to because she has no balconies and the price would be the same for the AB suite as we could get a JS on the Explorer (larger, nicer ship.) I look at it as saving the cost and aggravation of our flights because the port of Charleston is only a five hours drive.:)

 

I printed this review and had him read it last night. He was in a bad mood, so he didn't make any comments about it. :rolleyes:

 

Here is the photo I took of the Majesty in Grand Cayman:

Click to enlarge

[Cubechick]

Iamthesea, thanks for the pic!

 

I've heard that having a balcony will spoil you for all other means of sea travel! I guess I'll find out after going on the Spirit next month! :D

 

But I'm hoping since we're in an AB suite on the Majesty, that'll help make up for it! Unfortunately, I won't be able to say for sure until both cruises are done!

 

Although as I said in my review, I really just look at Bermuda as being the whole reason for this trip, so I can't imagine that I'll suddenly spurn the Majesty!

 

Like BeachBumMama said, I too would go for the Majesty in your case. St. George is just so much nicer than King's Wharf. And you're very astute comments about saving on airfare and not having to fly make sense to me! I love being able to drive to the pier, park the car and be on vacation!

 

Good luck with your DH!

[BeachBumMama]

For more ammunition in defense of the Majesty...

1 - She'll be leaving the fleet and it will be your last opportunity to sail her

2 - Look at all the cruisers who have sailed her 5+ times. Same ship,same port. That has to say something.:)

3 - Perks - JS on RCCL is pretty much just a different catagory and isn't really considered a 'suite' by RCCL. Or this used to be the case when we sailed a JS on the Enchantment a few years ago. NCL's special little touches for suites adds to a cruise. On our sailing we had an obstructed view (I think cat. C) on deck 9 and the room was plenty and we still had a view through the lifeboats.

4 - If you fall in love with Bermuda (probably a given), you can sail the Explorer next year for your second trip there.

5 - You could even forego the suite and get a simple oceanview, save on the plane fare, and make the trip as inexpensive as possible and tell the hubby you just want to 'test' Bermuda to see if you like it and then you'll book on the Explorer or another ship later for a longer cruise.:D Make it a cheap 'test run'.

 

The Majesty is old and small, but that's not a bad thing. There's a laid back ambiance about her and I've yet to find another crew to compare. There won't be loud, drunken Caribbean bashes on the pool deck till 2 am (not that there's anything wrong with that:p ) because that isn't the ambiance of the Majesty nor Bermuda. She reminds me of the quaint town of St. George itself.

 

As for topic about having balcony and not being able to go back, we just did the Dream and had a huge floor to ceiling window and it was fantastic. I've had all kinds of rooms with and without balconies and for me I've found I can still pretty much do any cabin as long as I'm on the ship, though hubby's first question all the time now is 'Is it at least a balcony cabin?'

 

I feel like an NCL Majesty cheerleader, maybe they'll let me take every sailing to Bermuda this year just to stand on the bow with pom pom's.:p

[Tomct]

We've been on 6 cruises, all with NCL, and are hoping we can get back on the Majesty before she's gone. We've also experienced inside, oceanview, and balcony, and though we will not likely go back to an inside because we really missed seeing daylight, we feel there's a time and place for the balcony based on the itinerary and price differential. As for the Majesty, we did not miss the balcony as once we landed in Bermuda, we did not spend too much time in the cabin. Also, our cabin faced land so we had a good view of what was going in around the port. We also did not have any problems finding space on the deck for sunning, lounging, etc., even while at sea.

As for the Majesty vs. the mega ships? We could not make a call on preference of one vs. the other, just that they are totally different experiences. Since we had never sailed on a small ship before, we noted many differences, but the overall cruise was as good as we've had based on the ship, the itinerary, and the company (family) we had.

I'd highly recommend it!!

[BeachBumMama]

Tom - this doesn't have anything to do with the Majesty, but I see in your signature you've done both the Dawn and Star. I've been on the Dawn (loved it) and will possibly be booking the Star for next year. I know they are sister ships and since you've been on them both, how do they actually compare? Do you have a preference?

[Tomct]

[quote name='BeachBumMama']Tom - this doesn't have anything to do with the Majesty, but I see in your signature you've done both the Dawn and Star. I've been on the Dawn (loved it) and will possibly be booking the Star for next year. I know they are sister ships and since you've been on them both, how do they actually compare? Do you have a preference?[/QUOTE]

It's been awhile so the minor differences are a blur at this point, but the two biggest I recall are that the Star had a waterslide at the pool, and we missed that on the Dawn when we had the grandkids. On the Dawn, we liked having the laundry room available to us. It allowed for slightly less packing since we knew we had the laundry for a backup. We did use it late in the cruise, and it made for a llittle less "dirty laundry" when we got home, and some extra clothes to choose from the last few days.

One other possible difference was that we enjoyed an occasional fish and chip snack in the Pub that the Dawn may not have any longer. Not sure if it's still available on the Star for that matter.

While I'm at it, my two favorite spot on the Star and Dawn were the hot tubs top deck up front of the ship, not nearly the traffic as those poolside, and a great view while sailing. When it was really hot, the combination of the air ducts and the shade (depending on the positioning of the ship) between the Beir Garden and the Forward Sun Deck made for prime spot for lounging, sunning, or reading a book, as all options are available if you time it right!

Best wishes!!

[BeachBumMama]

Thanks! There will be kids along and they'll appreciate the slide. :)

[Iamthesea]

The funny thing about the balcony is that I am the one that uses it the most. On our last cruise, DH was so glued to the TV, that I had to beg him to go outside and look at things. We did have breakfast on the balcony one morning, though. I am going to try again tonight.

I would love to see personal photos of both the Ocean view and the AB suite if anyone has them to share.

Is it worth the extra $400 or $500 more pp for the suite?

[BeachBumMama]

[quote name='Iamthesea']I would love to see personal photos of both the Ocean view and the AB suite if anyone has them to share.[/quote]

Mine from that cruise are all stored on another pc, but the website of the author I gave earlier (LOVE her cruise books:p ) [URL="http://www.AlisaAllan.com"]www.AlisaAllan.com[/URL] has some gorgeous pictures of Bermuda and I seem to recall the Majesty also, but not sure if there were cabin pictures.:confused: If you go to her site on the left there's a link for Island Pictures (I think that's what it is).

[quote name='Iamthesea']Is it worth the extra $400 or $500 more pp for the suite?[/quote]
That's a personal call. The suite won't have a balcony, but you'll have more room. And it's an older ship so the suites aren't as elaborate as they are on the new one's. Since it doesn't have a balcony you'll find yourself on deck more, so would you really need the extra room?

[BeachBumMama]

Oh... and let us know how it goes.:p

[Iamthesea]

[quote name='BeachBumMama']Mine from that cruise are all stored on another pc, but the website of the author I gave earlier (LOVE her cruise books:p ) [URL="http://www.AlisaAllan.com"]www.AlisaAllan.com[/URL] has some gorgeous pictures of Bermuda and I seem to recall the Majesty also, but not sure if there were cabin pictures.:confused: If you go to her site on the left there's a link for Island Pictures (I think that's what it is).


That's a personal call. The suite won't have a balcony, but you'll have more room. And it's an older ship so the suites aren't as elaborate as they are on the new one's. Since it doesn't have a balcony you'll find yourself on deck more, so would you really need the extra room?[/quote]
Thanks! I will check the pictures out.

You know, we manly book the Junior Suites for the extra room, so yes I think the AB will be the best fit for us. How are the bathrooms in each stateroom? Any differences?

[Cubechick]

[quote name='Iamthesea']Thanks! I will check the pictures out.

You know, we manly book the Junior Suites for the extra room, so yes I think the AB will be the best fit for us. How are the bathrooms in each stateroom? Any differences?[/quote]

This part I can answer. The bathroom in the suite is larger, with a tub and better ammenities (upgraded shampoos, soaps, and extras not found in the regular staterooms). I THINK I saw granite counters in the pictures I saw...somewhere...and I believe bathrobes are provided.

I unfortunately don't have pictures of either stateroom...and I was going to say that for us I don't think the AB is worth the price difference. The space in the superior OV has always been more than sufficient, but we're splurging as it's our 10th anniversary this year. But I really won't know for sure until June, will I?

:D

[Iamthesea]

Thank you for the answer. I have been unable to locate any passenger photo's of the AB. Did see the CC and it is too small for us.

BTW - I have been on the RCCL board about this cruise and they say that Kings Wharf is best. Go figure! :rolleyes: My DH will make the final decision and I think he will choose RCCL because of the balcony, plus the size of stateroom and ship. Also, we don't not like the freestyle cruising. There is also a 7 day on the Explorer that goes to Boston, so that could be a neat stop.

Thank you again for all the help!