Royal Caribbean
This older but nicely revitalized ship is adequate for short cruises
The Ship. When first introduced, together with sisters Monarch of the Seas and Sovereign of the Seas – both now operated by Pullmantur Cruises, Majesty of the Seas was an innovative ship. In May 2018, Majesty of the Seas will also be moved from the RCI fleet to the Pullmantur Cruises fleet.
The company’s trademark Viking Crown lounge and bar surrounds the funnel and provides a great view, but it is lacking in soul and tired. The open deck space is very cramped when full, although there appears to be plenty of it.
The ship underwent an extensive revitalization in 2016, when cabins were refreshed and more eateries were introduced. But perhaps the biggest change was the addition of three waterslides (named Cyclone, Supercell, and Typhoon) to the AquaPark outdoors on the lido deck, together with water cannons and ‘drench’ bucket.
The interior layout is a little awkward to get used to at first, because it was designed (cleverly, actually) in a vertical stack, with most public rooms located aft, and accommodation forward. There’s an impressive array of spacious and elegant public rooms, although the decor is from the Ikea school of interior design.
A pleasant five-deck-high Centrum lobby has cascading stairways and two glass-walled elevators. There is a two-level showlounge and a selection of shops, albeit with lots of tacky merchandise. Casino gamers will find gaming tables and an array of slot machines in the expansive Casino Royale.
Other public rooms include a library (good for quiet relaxation, with a decent selection of books), Boleros (Latin) Lounge, Schooner Bar (a nautical-themed hangout). An Internet center has 10 workstations, and the high-speed Internet access (called Voom) is free.
There’s a decent range of children’s and teens’ programs (teens have their own chill-out room – adults not allowed) and youth counselors.
Because the public rooms are mostly located aft, with accommodation in the forward section, there is often a long wait for elevators, particularly at peak times after dinner, shows, and talks (at least the restrooms are quite welcoming).
This ship provides well-orchestrated short cruises (three- and four-day Bahamas cruises) year-round from Port Canaveral. The dress code is very casual. You will probably be overwhelmed by the public spaces, and underwhelmed by the size of the cabins. Note that there is constant background music in all corridors and elevators, as well as outdoors on the lido (pool) deck.
Accommodation. There are numerous accommodation price grades. From the smallest interior (no-view) cabin to the largest suite, the price you pay depends on the size, location, and grade you choose.
Standard outside-view and interior cabins are extremely small, although an arched window treatment and colorful soft furnishings give an illusion of more space. Almost all cabins have twin beds convertible to a queen-size or double-bed configuration, together with moveable bedside tables, and flat-screen TV sets. The cabins have very little closet and drawer space – you will need some luggage engineering to stow your cases. So, pack only minimal clothing – all you really need for a short cruise. All cabins have a bathroom with shower enclosure, toilet, and washbasin. All are provided with good mattresses, and duvets.
Suite-grade occupants get much more space, a queen-sized bed, larger bathroom, and priority reservations and attention.
Dining. There are two main dining rooms: Moonlight, with 675 seats, located on the lowest level of the atrium (Centrum) lobby, and Starlight, one deck higher, with 697 seats. When you book, choose early or late seating, or ‘My Time Dining’ (eat when you want, during dining room hours), at tables for two to eight. The dining operation is well orchestrated, with emphasis on highly programmed, extremely hurried service that many find insensitive.
For casual breakfasts and lunches, Windjammer Marketplace is split into various areas including American, Asian, Latin, and Mediterranean fare. Compass Deli is a bar where you can ‘build’ your own sandwich.
Themed specialty (extra-cost) dining spots include: Giovanni’s Table (for Italian trattoria-style favorites); Izumi (for Japanese-style cuisine); and Sabor (for modern tastes of Mexico).
Johnny Rockets is a 1950s retro diner for fast foods such as burgers, hot dogs, sodas, and shakes, located on an upper deck section of the Windjammer Marketplace (a cover charge applies). At no extra cost, there is Sorrento’s for American-Italian pizzas.
The lobby level Café Latte-tudes features Starbucks brand coffees (extra cost) in paper cups, plus free desserts and pastries. And for ice cream lovers, there’s Freeze Ice Cream.
Entertainment. A Chorus Line is the ship’s showlounge, with 1,027 seats. It has both main and balcony levels, with banquette seating, but many pillars prevent good sight lines from many side seats on the lower level.
The production shows are extremely colorful spectaculars with high-energy hype, presentation, and glitz. They are fast-moving, razzle-dazzle shows that rely on lighting and special effects, with choreography that’s more stepping in place than dancing. Strong cabaret acts are also presented here.
Spa/Fitness. The Vitality at Sea Spa has a workout room with aft views and muscle-pumping equipment, an aerobics studio (classes are offered), a beauty salon, a sauna, and body-pampering treatment rooms. The facilities are quite adequate for the short cruises that this ship presently operates.
For sporty types, there is a rock-climbing wall with several separate climbing tracks. It is located outdoors aft of the funnel, as is a basketball court – and a shuffleboard.