A newly released video reveals that Majesty of the Seas, once a beloved icon of Royal Caribbean’s fleet, is slowly corroding in Elefsis Bay, Greece.
The new video was shared on YouTube by a channel called Maritime Memories. Using a drone to capture footage, the channel filmed Majesty of the Seas in her present-day state, and the images are haunting.
It’s hard to believe one of the world’s first mega cruise ships is now sitting silent and covered in rust. When she first joined Royal Caribbean’s fleet, Majesty of the Seas was a groundbreaking, revolutionary cruise ship. The ship was renowned for her size and design compared to other ships in the industry.
While she doesn’t compare to Royal Caribbean’s newest Oasis and Icon class ships, Majesty of the Seas set the stage for continued innovation and cruise ship design in the 1990s.
When she first launched, Majesty of the Seas was one of the biggest ships in the world. She featured many luxurious amenities throughout her lifetime, including two swimming pools, four whirlpools, a casino, bars, theaters, a basketball court, and a rock-climbing wall.
Majesty of the Seas once towered over the ocean with 12 decks. In 1992, she joined Royal Caribbean's fleet as the third Sovereign class vessel. She followed the successful launches of her sister ships, Monarch of the Seas and Sovereign of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean announced in 2020 that Majesty of the Seas would depart the fleet, along with Empress of the Seas. At the time, Majesty of the Seas was the last Sovereign class vessel still operating for Royal Caribbean. Eventually, Majesty of the Seas was sold to SeaJets, which is a Greek ferry operator. At the same time, Empress of the Seas was sold to an Indian cruise line, Cordelia Cruises.
And while Majesty of the Seas was renamed to Majesty of the Oceans by her new owner, she has yet to re-enter service. Here’s what the Sovereign class vessel looks like today, including Majesty of the Seas’ important role in Royal Caribbean’s history.
Drone footage reveals Majesty of the Seas quietly deteriorating in Greece
In the four-minute YouTube video, Maritime Memories catches various angles of the deteriorating ship. Currently, Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas is docked alongside industrial tankers in the Elefsis Bay, which is close to the port city of Piraeus in Greece.
The caption of the video, which was translated from Greek, reads: “For the past five years, the cruise ship Majesty of the Oceans, formerly Majesty of the Seas, has remained anchored in Elefsis Bay, a vessel with a distinctive legacy in international cruising.”
“In 2020, the Greek ferry company Seajets, owned by Marios Iliopoulos, acquired the ship and renamed it Majesty of the Oceans. Since then, it has remained inactive, anchored in Elefsis Bay — carrying with it the weight of its long voyages and the uncertainty of its future,” continues the post.
“Despite early expectations of reactivation, the ship has remained immobilized in Elefsis, alongside other Seajets-owned vessels acquired around the same time — such as the Aegean Majesty (formerly Veendam) and Aegean Goddess (formerly Costa Magica).
The fate of Majesty of the Oceans remains uncertain. Although the vessel represents an important piece of maritime history, its prolonged inactivity in Elefsis raises questions about its future — and the prospects for its revival now appear increasingly remote,” states the YouTube video caption.
The corroding Majesty of the Oceans has remained unused for years.
Everything from the pool deck to the ship’s bow and stern can be seen in the drone footage, including many of the ship’s beloved amenities and features. As someone who personally cruised on Majesty of the Seas in 2008, it’s disheartening to see the ship’s current state.
Throughout the video, Majesty of the Seas almost appears as though she is frozen in time. Unfortunately, the vessel looks abandoned and neglected. It's clear that the ship’s new owners have left her to weather the elements with little sign of attention or care.
For instance, the once-pristine hull of the ship is now streaked with rust from bow to stern. The rust can be seen in nearly every angle of the drone video. In addition, the classic Royal Caribbean anchor can still be seen on the ship’s top deck, an ode to the vessel’s previous life.
One of the saddest moments comes when the video pans to the ship’s name on the bow. The camera focuses on the ship’s new name, Majesty of the Oceans. The words “Majesty of the” appear to remain in the original Royal Caribbean font and placement, but “Seas” has been carefully painted over with “Oceans”.
The “Oceans” font appears mismatched compared to the rest of the ship’s name. Rust can be seen prominently running down from the anchor. Additionally, paint discoloration along the ship reveals years of exposure without upkeep, and streaks of corrosion can be seen across the entire vessel.
Majesty of the Seas’ bustling pool deck now sits dull, faded, and completely empty.
Like all pool decks, Majesty of the Seas’ lido deck was once the heartbeat of the ship. You could always find cruisers competing in pool games, lounging under the sun, and listening to live music.
Now, the main pool deck lies empty aboard Majesty of the Oceans. The pool is drained while the deck is fading and sun loungers are stacked haphazardly.
More rust can be seen across the pool deck, while the once-vibrant blue and yellow pool tiles are discolored from years of exposure. We can also see the kids' waterslide and splash pad area, now faded from the harsh sun.
In addition, the slide was once a bright feature on Majesty of the Seas’ pool deck, added during a 2007 refurbishment. Now, the slide color has almost completely faded and looks to be cracked.
A secondary pool is roped off, along with two unused hot tubs near the kids' pool area. The small fountains and play structures for kids are peeling, likely from the harsh Aegean sun.
(Majesty of the Seas' original pool deck while sailing for Royal Caribbean)
You can also see Royal Caribbean’s classic pool deck signs in one of the clips, which once adorned the ship’s name and was proudly displayed above the pool deck.
Signature features can still be seen, such as the rock-climbing wall and Viking Crown Lounge.
Many of Majesty of the Seas’ signature features can still be spotted throughout the video. As the video pans over Majesty of the Seas’ aft, we can see her rock-climbing wall. Once an icon of Royal Caribbean’s innovation, the rock wall still towers over the aft deck, even as she sits unused.
Majesty of the Seas was not originally built with a rock climbing wall, as the innovation didn’t debut until Voyager of the Seas was built in 1999. Following the success of the rock climbing wall, Royal Caribbean eventually incorporated the rock climbing wall aboard Majesty of the Seas. Nearby, the sports court remains mostly intact, though its painted boundary lines have faded.
Another classic Royal Caribbean element is the glass-walled Viking Crown Lounge. It can still be easily recognized on the ship’s top deck, which once offered unparalleled views of the ocean. Although time and neglect have certainly dated Majesty of the Seas’ appearance, these signature features represent an important era in Royal Caribbean’s history.
How Majesty of the Seas ended up anchored in Greece.
In December 2020, Royal Caribbean announced the sale of Majesty of the Seas, alongside Empress of the Seas.
In a press release from the cruise line, Royal Caribbean said, “Empress and Majesty of the Seas made indelible marks on the cruise industry with their revolutionary design and size. Touted as the cruise industry’s most groundbreaking ships when they were introduced, they continued to make history throughout their more than three decades of service,” said Michael Bayley, former president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.
“Saying goodbye to these two beloved ships is a major moment in Royal Caribbean’s history – one that is difficult but necessary. With plans for new, innovative ships to join our fleet in the upcoming years, we look forward to our guests and crew continuing to make new memories with us.”
Additionally, Royal Caribbean praised Majesty of the Seas for playing a crucial role in the cruise line’s commitment to continuously redefine the industry. As the third ship in the impressive Sovereign class, Majesty of the Seas was nearly twice the size of the average cruise ship when she was built in 1992.
At the time of her debut, Royal Caribbean says Majesty of the Seas was the largest in the vacation company’s fleet and sailed 7-night Western Caribbean cruises from Miami, Florida. Many Royal Caribbean cruisers loved sailing aboard Majesty of the Seas, even in her final years.
In the press release, Royal Caribbean stated the ships were sold to an undisclosed Asia-Pacific entity. However, it was eventually unveiled that SeaJets purchased Majesty of the Seas.
Back in 2020, SeaJets was purchasing many different cruise ships from the British cruise line, Cruise & Maritime (CMV). The company planned to sail the purchased vessels on inter-Greek trips or selling them to a third party. Presumably, the company anticipated a similar fate for Majesty of the Seas, which has yet to come to fruition.
The Sovereign class was an important era in Royal Caribbean’s history.
Royal Caribbean’s Sovereign class marked the cruise line’s first true venture into the era of mega ships. At 74,000 gross tons, Majesty of the Seas was built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France. She was quite the marvel in the 1990s, especially with her thoughtful design and massive size.
As one of the first mega cruise ships, Majesty of the Seas had a capacity of 2,350 passengers at double occupancy and up to 2,767 at maximum capacity. The Sovereign class vessel sailed with 833 crew members.
When she first debuted, Majesty of the Seas brought features that now define modern cruising, including the multi-deck atrium named the Centrum. This included glass elevators, sweeping staircases, and ambient lighting, along with surrounding shops and cafes.
In addition, theaters and entertainment spaces were larger than typical for this era, which allowed for more innovative production shows. Majesty of the Seas was also the first in Royal Caribbean’s fleet to introduce full-ship charters to large groups. Now, this has become a staple for cruise line’s business model.
In 2007, Majesty of the Seas underwent a four-week dry dock overhaul, which refreshed public rooms, cabins, pools, and shopping spaces. Later in 2016, Majesty of the Seas received her final refurbishment and upgrades, including the pool deck’s kid-friendly play area, a poolside movie screen, and casino modifications.
As the cruise industry evolved with even more massive cruise ships, Majesty of the Seas always retained her charm and offered an intimate onboard experience to loyal fans. In her final years, many cruisers appreciated the classic and traditional cruise experience she offered.
While the fate of Majesty of the Seas continues to be unclear, there’s no denying the integral impact she had not only on Royal Caribbean, but the entire cruise industry.
