melski94

I will suggest you make a reservation for MTD for every night of your cruise.  It is much easier to cancel it that day if you decide to go to Windjammer than waiting in line to be seated.  You can make a reservation once you board the ship.  Just an FYI, the first night tends to be the longest dinner time.  I suggest you bring coloring sheets and crayons or something to keep her occupied. The other nights move much quicker

I would suggest My Time Dining (MTD).  Everyone would need to be on the same dining and that would have been arranged through your TA or Royal when you booked.  It can be changed.  Once everyone is on MTD, then get everyone's reservation number and book for whatever day/time you decide and request it.  You typically can only request up to 12 people but someone over the phone may be able to help if bigger party.  Just verify it with the MTD desk on the first day.  The other nights, each family is free to make individual reservations.  If families don't want to switch to  MTD, then I suggest a big Windjammer gathering.  If you are in Traditional dining, this would be impossible as each family would already be assigned a table.  

I would suggest My Time Dining (MTD).  Everyone would need to be on the same dining and that would have been arranged through your TA or Royal when you booked.  It can be changed.  Once everyone is on MTD, then get everyone's reservation number and book for whatever day/time you decide and request it.  You typically can only request up to 12 people but someone over the phone may be able to help if bigger party.  Just verify it with the MTD desk on the first day.  The other nights, each family is free to make individual reservations.  If families don't want to switch to  MTD, then I suggest a big Windjammer gathering.  If you are in Traditional dining, this would be impossible as each family would already be assigned a table.  

I take my passports off the ship as that is when I could potentially need them.  Minors do not need photo id in any port.  However, I disagree about getting a new passport if your DD's isn't expired.  Minor passports are only good for 5 years and the children never look like their passport photo.  Customs agents are used to it and it isn't a big deal if they don't look like their photo. We used my DD 1 yo passport until she was 6. It is such a pain to get a new passport as it is plus expensive and really not needed.

Typically for specialty restaurants, you can only order 1 main entree but several appetizers and sides.  Personally, I couldn't even finish my Captain's platter as it was so much food!

I take my passports off the ship as that is when I could potentially need them.  Minors do not need photo id in any port.  However, I disagree about getting a new passport if your DD's isn't expired.  Minor passports are only good for 5 years and the children never look like their passport photo.  Customs agents are used to it and it isn't a big deal if they don't look like their photo. We used my DD 1 yo passport until she was 6. It is such a pain to get a new passport as it is plus expensive and really not needed.

Ok...you all have convinced me and I will leave bright and early for anticipated arrival to port between 9:30am and 10:00am.  Told my family it's all I want for Father's day is for them to be in the car at 6:30am...asleep, awake...I don't care.  So I guilted them!!
I trust and believe you all!!!  
So much great info here from such helpful folks.  I'd be lost if I hadn't found this site!

Arrive at 10.  Seriously, just trust us and do it. The crowds are much worse at the times you are talking about.  It literally takes 15-20 minutes from when they start boarding suites to get to the lowly gold members and people without status.  We aren't talking hours but minutes.  If you arrive at 10, you will be on the ship at 11.  If you do that, you would be done with your reservations, kid checked into kids club, lunch, round of mini golf, explore the ship all before 1 pm when you can get to your room.  At 1, you can change into a bathing suit and really let the vacation begin!

I agree with this.  Go early!  Get there at 10.  You need to make sure you get the times you want especially if you have entertainment plans to work around.  If you have a large party and want to eat around 6-7, then go early.  If you don't mind eating at 8 then don't worry about rushing there. 
When I was on Symphony, there was a specialty reservation desk on deck 5 in the Promenade with a long line.  I left my husband in that line while I went to the MDR to see if they would also take reservations.  Sure enough no line and I had the week planned before he even moved.  
I can confirm that 12 and up do not need wristbands.  The teen may or may not need to register.  We've had to register as it depends on the ship but the teen club has a different registration time than the kids club.  The kids club will be at 1 registration in Adventure ocean.  You can register all of the kids except the teens at once.  You don't need the kids set sail passes to register but she should know who is in each room.  You need the child's stateroom number and anyone who signs them out stateroom number.
For our family of 6, we typically arrive at 10.  Board when our group is called, make any specialty reservations, then head to the Windjammer right at 11.  If you go right at 11, you can get ahead of the craziness.  We take our time with a leisurely lunch and go through that day's cruise compass.  We register for the kids club and wander the pool deck or play mini golf until our rooms are ready.  I always pack a beach bag with everyone's bathing suit and carry it onboard.  We can change in our rooms and then the kids can take advantage of the pools the first day.  

Arrive at 10.  Seriously, just trust us and do it. The crowds are much worse at the times you are talking about.  It literally takes 15-20 minutes from when they start boarding suites to get to the lowly gold members and people without status.  We aren't talking hours but minutes.  If you arrive at 10, you will be on the ship at 11.  If you do that, you would be done with your reservations, kid checked into kids club, lunch, round of mini golf, explore the ship all before 1 pm when you can get to your room.  At 1, you can change into a bathing suit and really let the vacation begin!

Arrive at 10.  Seriously, just trust us and do it. The crowds are much worse at the times you are talking about.  It literally takes 15-20 minutes from when they start boarding suites to get to the lowly gold members and people without status.  We aren't talking hours but minutes.  If you arrive at 10, you will be on the ship at 11.  If you do that, you would be done with your reservations, kid checked into kids club, lunch, round of mini golf, explore the ship all before 1 pm when you can get to your room.  At 1, you can change into a bathing suit and really let the vacation begin!

No.  The kids club do not have times on any of the kids compasses.  The teen compass does have times but they are not listed in the regular cruise compass so not in the app.  I like the app as a guide but I still use the paper compass mostly as that will be the most accurate.

+1.  The World from Wonderland was the best thing I've ever eaten.  Chocolate, peanut butter and caramel.  I just dream and sigh about it.  I'm thinking of getting the UDP just to have that every night.  

No.  The kids club do not have times on any of the kids compasses.  The teen compass does have times but they are not listed in the regular cruise compass so not in the app.  I like the app as a guide but I still use the paper compass mostly as that will be the most accurate.

Another trip... My first one as Platinum.  No I will never make diamond and I don't really get anything for Platinum other than requesting the cool robe which I will do on the next cruise lol.....
The Basics:  First time on Majesty of the seas.  The Crew:  Myself, my 22 year old daughter Morgan and my 16 year old Madison.  Dad stays home to work and pay for the girls trip!  The Itinerary:  Fly into fort Lauderdale 2 days early, relax, eat and drink, get in ship and go to key West (first time), sea day (relax and drink), nassau and then fort Lauderdale for 3 days (relax, eat and drink.. sense a pattern lol?)
We booked this cruise as a total yolo.  I was home in April feeling very guilty about not going to my daughter's last mom's weekend at University of Illinois.  I started thinking, ok, we'd have spent a bit, let's travel instead after she graduates for a little 3 day weekend.  Which turned into, hey let's travel 4 or 5 days.  Which turned into hey, we can take a cruise!!!  The 16 year old was all over the itinerary (let's go to Europe etc) but the 22 year old was exhausted finishing her final design project in material science engineering and said she would go anywhere if she could get the drink pkg and sleep!   I was looking at 5-7 day cruises and an amazingly long cheap celebrity cruise (which now I wished I'd booked but I will get there!!!) and then happened on Cuba!  We could go to Cuba!!!!!!   My husband was such a good sport (history teacher who would be teaching summer school and not going) and said go!  So we booked it in April.  I've never YOLO booked a cruise like that.  Within 2 days we had airfare and a hotel and airbnbs and were ready to go as long as Morgan passed all her classes lol.
   2 days later the announcement came about the change in Cuban policy.  Worried but cautiously optimistic we continued to get excited.  The May escalation day came and went.  Our biggest worry was if they would ever assign us our guarantee cabin!  
   And then June came.  First of all, I sprain my ankle.  Badly.  It's not broken but can I walk in Havana?  Doesn't matter...we have an all day fun classic car tour!  But it didn't matter.  We were devastated when it was announced that travel would be banned to Cuba.  We were cautiously hopefully that we would be grandfathered in but that was not to be.   So now what?  We had booked majesty only because of Cuba.  I obviously like smaller and older ships ok...our first cruise was on vision in 2015 and we will be sailing it again after trips on other classes... But I'd have done a 7 day on a bigger ship.  So I looked at our options.  None.  We would pay double to cruise another ship at the same time.  We do have cancel at any cost insurance but my last dealings with Allianz and insurance were heartbreaking at best and we lost 10000.  I just couldn't face that again even if we could find other dates in the future that could work (which we couldn't... The college grad has to get a real job sometime lol).  
   So we were optimistic again... Maybe we would finally get to see cococay (since we couldn't tender on our trip in 2016).  Nope....Nassau.  The lemons keep flying.  But we are making lemonade!  Girls were just happy to be going on a trip, I'm happy that I will finally finish school next week, maybe it won't rain in Florida, this trip is gonna rock!!!! Any cruise is an amazing cruise!  So we booked a specialty make your own sushi class, get an excursion in Nassau and think about packing!!
  So we leave in 6 days!  I will update as we go.  Unlike @TheHobbys if I lay out my suitcases, my Schnauzer will eat everything in the suitcase so I will have to pack and close.  That will be today and tomorrow's project since I work all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday!  We will get hair cuts and pedicures and look forward to our first kraken lava flow on the ship!!!   I'm looking forward to an amazing 8 days with my girls, wondering if we can all go 4 days without voom...we are gonna try!... and for the first time getting on a cruise less than 6 months after the last one!  Jane
   

My kids have done cruises both in the teen club and not.  My oldest loved the teen club but she has now aged out of it, my 2nd can take or leave the teen club, my 3rd doesn't like it.  Each cruise is different and you won't know if you like it unless you try it. I agree the key is to go the first night.

We were fine in a balcony on Adventure.   There was no worry about seats for any shows as most were half full.  I like Jr Suites for the size but for that price what else could you get to make your cruise....drink package, unlimited dining, chef table, cabana or another nice excursion?

I would suggest you try again but a 7 night cruise. I think if you keep an open mind, you will really enjoy it and it will be closer to what you expect.  If your family has a wide range of ages, I strongly suggest an Oasis class ship.  

I am not sure where our August cruise will be re-routed to but I am traveling with a friend and we decided that we would rather be a ship with more to do since we can't go to Cuba.  Knowing that my travel agent would be busy and that our vacation dates are locked in, I started looking for options.  I could not believe that I found a grand suite on Harmony for our dates that was actually less than an inside cabin on that cruise and was only a few hundred more per person than our Majesty sailing.  So for around $300 each, we are now cruising in a grand suite on a seven day cruise instead of a 5 day cruise in a junior suite.  I'd still rather be heading to Cuba, but being a southern girl, I squeezed the lemons and added some simple syrup.  I am sure we will have a great time.  The itinerary is not perfect, but it does stop at Coco Cay.
By the way, Sharla from MEI is our agent and she has been fabulous to work with.  I was afraid the deal I found was a glitch in the system and asked her to book it fast, and she grabbed it for us!

In addition to what has already been said, I also think that a 3 or 4 night Navigator cruise is very different than a 7 night cruise experience. 

I would suggest you try again but a 7 night cruise. I think if you keep an open mind, you will really enjoy it and it will be closer to what you expect.  If your family has a wide range of ages, I strongly suggest an Oasis class ship.  

In addition to what has already been said, I also think that a 3 or 4 night Navigator cruise is very different than a 7 night cruise experience. 

In addition to what has already been said, I also think that a 3 or 4 night Navigator cruise is very different than a 7 night cruise experience. 

I will reveal my extreme ignorance at this point.... but how do you re-compress a compression cube when you must re-pack for coming home ?  I assume compression is some kind of vacuum system ?

I wouldn't recommend chichen Itza ruins as that is a ferry ride to the mainland plus a long bus ride.  Travel time is several hours each way.   At the very least make sure it is a RC excursion.  Personally, I'd wait for a trip to the mainland to do the ruins.
For an excursion for all ages including kids, I'd look at Paradise Beach or Mr. Sanchos.  You can do those on your own and save money over an RC excursion as both are an easy taxi ride from the pier.