Jump to content

The Magic of Majesty. August 2019 and then again in October


twangster

Recommended Posts

Fresh of the Empress with a night in a hotel in between I'm ready and pumped for my next cruise.

Did I mention...  IT'S CRUISE DAY!

I thought about starting this thread before my Empress cruise even left the dock (like some others around here do) but that just wouldn't be right.

This five night Majesty of Seas cruise was necessary.  I needed something to justify the airfare to Empress so this side-to-side was the perfect solution.

Itinerary

  • Ft. Lauderdale
  • Nassau
  • Perfect Day at CocoCay
  • Sea Day
  • Key West
  • Ft. Lauderdale

I love Empress but this way I'm upgrading to a much larger ship!  Plus, I gotta get back to CocoCay.  :) 

I originally booked a number of Empress and Majesty sailings when the Cuba cancellations were forced upon the industry.  I feared Royal might move these ships out of the fleet.  My plan was to take lots of pictures and document this legacy class of ship that were the foundation of so much that became even much more on later ships.  It was because of the success of ships like this that Royal has become what it is today.   Success breeds success.  As it turns out they aren't moving these ships out to pasture just yet plus I get to sail on some of the best (small) ships in the fleet!  That's a win-win.

To be fair I split my time between Empress (3 bookings) and Majesty (3 bookings).  I already had some fall bookings that were bucket list type cruises so I had push some my Majesty cruises into October but that's okay, she'll be here waiting for me.

When you stay in a hotel and pay for things like meals and drinks you quickly appreciate the value that cruising represents.  Spoiler alert - the view out my hotel window never changed and I woke up right where I was the day before.  #boring

Cabin this time is an Ocean View on deck 4.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My day starts returning my rental car.  

I had chosen to drop off at the Hertz location closest to the port.  This is inside a hotel which took me a drive by and u-turn to figure out.  Apple Maps got me there I just didn't see the Hertz signs while driving and making a left turn while trying not to play bumper cars with other vehicles.

xvBPtf5.jpg

This location is very close to the port, basically on the other side of a stop light.  Hertz has a free shuttle that runs back and forth.  The people in the first photo were Majesty passengers who had debarked today.

cCiV5pY.jpg

All the major rental car companies were represented today.

S3Dnaw8.jpg

Too early to go inside here at 9:26am but it was either sit in my hotel room or be an early bird.

ztUXPW4.jpg

Ilp7R86.jpg

Doors opened at 9:35am but we had a short wait at security while the check in counters got ready.

At 9:45am security done and first in the D+ line.  Picture taken, old style SeaPass cards with large C&A print provided at check in and upstairs in the D+ section by 9:50am.  I took advantage of the free terminal WiFi to squeeze in a last minute check on work before we boarded.

Around 10:45am the consecutive cruisers marched through followed by a call for Pinnacles and Suites then Diamond Plus and the succession of C&A levels. 

MLWOPnF.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At 1pm they announced our cabins were ready.

Ocean View 4564

j2XOw6C.jpg

y18YwtJ.jpg

nI6lC4D.jpg

fv7aarz.jpg

kgctX86.jpg

ASIs1TY.jpg

Once we were at sea I opened the curtains to get a picture of the ocean view.  It's actually been quite some time since I've been in an ocean view cabin.  Plenty of interiors and balconies with a sprinkling of suites thrown in for good measure but it's been around 18 years since I've sailed in an ocean view cabin.

k34BkLQ.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Muster drill at 3:30pm.  

The bridge announced that anyone who had ever sailed before didn't need to attend muster.  Just kidding, they never say that.  It's required by international convention so what can you do but go with a smile on your face and participate as a means to let the cruise begin.

Sail away at 4pm.

MxWrEbn.jpg

wYUv8OR.jpg

Guests lined the popular spots but it wasn't too hard to find some railing space.

2FYpuyX.jpg

6gJRY1g.jpg

With that it was full on cruise mode.

vmZJtKW.jpg

cAbJfKj.jpg

A Diamond happy hour event is hosted in the forward half of the Viking Crown Lounge with great views forward.

zVh6OUx.jpg

An hour or so later I saw some ominous looking clouds heading our way and with that the salt was washed off the ship.  Such is a Florida afternoon in the summer.

mKvrbhN.jpg

This led soon after to a rainbow and sunnier skies.

4Fqscqg.jpg

GjA3nlA.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After a quick bite in the WJ for dinner I noticed a hint of sunset in the stormy clouds.

TH3A0wk.jpg

ZBkavkJ.jpg

The aft of Majesty has a series of public decks at various levels.

Jd51MRX.jpg

You can see why this was a very popular class of ship in her day.

zovy2kD.jpg

KYcHD9F.jpg

gbQoiFQ.jpg

thly6X9.jpg

SVQUerp.jpg

Maybe not a full sunset but quite dramatic tonight with the clouds.

9DSwyWg.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, twangster said:

Returning to my cabin I see that Fernando my cabin attendant had separated the beds per my earlier request.

It's amazing how much bigger and functional this makes the cabin feel.  It's also much easier to see out the window.

With the beds separated, it looks like that piece of furniture behind the left bed becomes more functional, but what is it? A desk or bookshelf? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, twangster said:

Yes, it is.  With that I've sailed every (current) class in the Royal fleet. 

Once we sail Empress next summer, we will have done the same.  Majesty was our first ship - sailed her in 1992, when she was brandy-new! 

Edited to add, now that I think about it, once we sail on Empress, we will have sailed every class of ship RCCL has ever had!  We also sailed Song of America back in 1997.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 2 - Nassau

Been there, done that and it's raining so I'm staying on the ship today.  Besides I'll be back twice in as many weeks.

VZAgogQ.jpg

Navigator joined us shortly after our arrival.

09BrHQI.jpg

Galley Tour at 11:30am.  Despite it being in the middle of a port day there were a dozen or so participants. 

Here they are getting cheese plates and appetizers ready for dinner.  Formal night tonight.

KinN4uD.jpg

Bacon.  Yum.

FDMiXpA.jpg

Beef Tenderloin and Duck getting readied for dinner.

78Vvc3C.jpg

Making whipped butter for dinner.

P8HQapk.jpg

The bakery.  Always the best smelling spot in the galley.

EvLKUqe.jpg

E3Kc4vy.jpg

Pastry chefs hard at work.

IjtD8am.jpg

Chocolate covered strawberries anyone?

AC3KpY4.jpg

First noted on Empress so I inquired some more here on Majesty.  Powdered or "bulk" scrambled eggs are a thing of the past.  They were having trouble with the product turning black upon cooking so the fleet has standardized on fresh eggs being used for scrambled eggs, in fact for all egg purposes, only fresh eggs are used.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, twangster said:

First noted on Empress so I inquired some more here on Majesty.  Powdered or "bulk" scrambled eggs are a thing of the past.  They were having trouble with the product turning black upon cooking so the fleet has standardized on fresh eggs being used for scrambled eggs, in fact for all egg purposes, only fresh eggs are used.

Great news!  Especially for @WAAAYTOOO!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, twangster said:

First noted on Empress so I inquired some more here on Majesty.  Powdered or "bulk" scrambled eggs are a thing of the past.  They were having trouble with the product turning black upon cooking so the fleet has standardized on fresh eggs being used for scrambled eggs, in fact for all egg purposes, only fresh eggs are used.

This is the best cruise news I've heard in years !!  YIPPEE !!  Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, twangster said:

First noted on Empress so I inquired some more here on Majesty.  Powdered or "bulk" scrambled eggs are a thing of the past.  They were having trouble with the product turning black upon cooking so the fleet has standardized on fresh eggs being used for scrambled eggs, in fact for all egg purposes, only fresh eggs are used.

This is a very interesting note.  Any idea how long this has been the case?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the new info on Fresh Eggs.  Also enjoying all the Pics, due to our normal cruise out of San Juan in Jan and Feb time frame interrupted by the Freedom Amplification this coming winter, we booked a Majesty cruise from NOLA.  This is a chance to show the DW what a good idea I had.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The nightly Diamond event is hosted in the front half of the Viking Crown Lounge where Vernon our Loyalty Ambassador is there to take great care of us from 4:30pm to 8pm.  Other bars also accept the three Diamond happy hour drinks loaded on SeaPass cards.  In the VCL cards are not swiped and the servers are quick to find you when you arrive.  They even remembered my drink from the night before.  Great service.

TILxWHW.jpg

This became a great place for our sail away from Nassau on this formal night.  Can't visit Nassau without a lighthouse picture.

8bFHWK0.jpg

Flag of Nations today in the Centrum.

qJOQt9d.jpg

vd8r9iN.jpg

JG3FRGX.jpg

With confetti falling it was time for the U.S.A. to be represented.  

oqysEg4.jpg

Captain Per addressed the crowd.

cG2L3Nm.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 3 - Perfect Day at CocoCay

Not much of a sunrise here early on the morning of day 3.

Q3brh8b.jpg

We join Navigator again today after leaving her last night in Nassau.

6jBzRqj.jpg

vZqHwRL.jpg

I spot a new addition to CocoCay.  Can you see them?

bWCiKNp.jpg

Definitely something new since my visit last week.

7aP8ZMw.jpg

This view never gets old.

rQTPaS2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Big sister, little sister, younger sister, older sister.  Family ships at the pier in CocoCay.

PPnVuUf.jpg

In case you haven't figured it out yet, these lights are new since my last visit.

Y4WKpE1.jpg

4LseVpE.jpg

LED lighting on the pier paves the way for late night stays on CocoCay.

68EaU8b.jpg

They must be testing them.  Down the pier there are cones where a few more will go so they are a work in progress.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought I'd start the day with a morning snorkel.  

I asked about the submerged plane at the Snorkel Shack.  It's "Permanently cordoned off, for now." 

The water was a little rough and the currents had stirred up more stuff to reduce visibility so it wasn't the best conditions today. 

ZFq6u25.jpg

YnDfaqr.jpg

OWtLldG.jpg

taQIpfC.jpg

More jellies on this visit.

TPkqWj3.jpg

GKnFYsu.jpg

gcxdf2R.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back to the ship to change and get my good camera.

kOiHrfq.jpg

RiQkcAX.jpg

pblaALu.jpg

Ne31D46.jpg

I tested Voom on CocoCay and once again the speeds were very good for satellite internet.

NXmE6UL.jpg

Always good to avoid scaring the mermaids away.

h95Vp8I.jpg

Back to the Snack Shack for a Shack Crispy Chicken Sandwich, a Greek salad and fries.  The mango fruit drink is surprisingly additive.

1evWGxi.jpg

Yum.

iJO1rXm.jpg

The floating bar remains popular.

u1jkGFs.jpg

OL3pmC2.jpg

The pool was hopping again.  Having been several times to the new CocoCay I couldn't imagine it now without the pool.

jUVicsv.jpg

One last trip back to the ship.

Someone's not going to have a Perfect Day when they get charged for leaving a pool towel behind...

yg9Zz1Q.jpg

wdEBKkm.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, KathyC said:

So dinner apps are prepared at 11:30am...wow they sit out a long time before serving.

They go into a cooler to keep them at nominal temperatures.  On the tour they explain there are two controlling factors, time and temperature.  Everything is monitored for both.  The reality is they can't make 3,000 of everything on the menu a few minutes before dinner starts.  Once prepared they don't just sit out waiting for dinner, they go back into refrigerators at the appropriate temperature to keep them safe and fresh.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...