I'll have to agree with the OP, I'm also local to Port Canaveral and have avoided taking the Majesty for a weekend cruise due to several issues. For reference, I have been on two other Sovereign-class cruise ships many years ago and at this point, they are all "long in the tooth". I'm not afraid of the smaller ships, in fact the Enchantment is one of my favorites (and I'll be driving down down south next week to take it out of Miami).
What do I gain for the hours of time spent driving down to Miami for the Enchantment instead of a ten minute drive and taking the Majesty out of Port Canaveral? I get to dine in Chops and Giovanni's Table, I get to enjoy both a Diamond and Concierge lounge, and much better on board shops. My wife and I are Diamond members who always book Grand Suites or above and these perks are important to us. In spite of it being older, the Enchantment is well maintained and we love the ship, with the exception of the Windjammer layout which tends to get too crowded.
I've had two friends who have sailed this year on the Majesty, one a single girl and the other a family, and both came back saying "NEVER AGAIN". They both had the same story, raw sewage smells in the halls, unfriendly employees, horrible bar service, plumbing issues in the cabins, and mediocre dining experiences. Why would I want to risk a horrible experience?
As for my wife and I, we have started taking the Disney Dream out of Port Canaveral for weekend cruises, we have been on one earlier this year (it was fantastic) with another one booked for December. We will also be driving down to Ft. Lauderdale next March to take the Serenade for a weekend cruise, we wanted to try the ship before we take it again later in the year on a week long voyage out of Boston on a Fall Foliage cruise with family.
In short, I know some people may find the Majesty "acceptable", but we shouldn't have to settle for scraps. When given a choice, I seriously doubt many people would choose it over ANY other ship in the RC fleet. ALL of the other ships in the fleet have more amenities, specialty restaurants, and other features the Majesty just can't compete with. We truly long for the day that the Majesty takes it last sailing out of Port Canaveral and is replaced with something, anything......
@DannieM72 Look at the bright side. At least you have an option for a 3/4/7 day cruise. Royal has abandoned those of us in California after the relocated Monarch.
