Royal Caribbean International
Majesty of the Seas Cruise Review
Bahamas

Kim
Age: 30
Occupation: Government
Number of Cruises: 3
Sailing Date: May 8th, 2006

This cruise was a private charter for an insurance company. Having only previously sailed on Carnival (Inspiration and Conquest), I was interested in trying another cruise line. Overall, it was a pleasant trip, but I can say now that I do prefer Carnival over Royal Caribbean. The best part of this cruise was that you are in a port every day and do not spend a lot of time on the ship. The ship is not BAD; it is clean and well-maintained, but it is not as beautiful as the newer ships and has fewer amenities.

The primary reason I would not recommend Royal Caribbean is the size of the staterooms. They are literally ½ the size of Carnival staterooms (yes, even the Inspiration, which is not a new ship). We booked 2 staterooms for 6 people and after boarding, we saw that there was no way 3 adults and their luggage would fit into one room. Once the luggage had been delivered, 3 people literally could not get in the door in order to unpack. Fortunately, the ship was only 2/3 full and we were able to get an extra room, which made the trip much more comfortable. No matter what Royal Caribbean advertises, this particular ship does not have safes inside the rooms. The beds are also very narrow and although there is a roomy closet, drawer space is minimal.

The food on the cruise was okay to good. The breakfast is so-so. They obviously use powdered eggs and the French toast was soggy. The lunches and dinners were much better and there were a few items that were very good. The crew on this ship were extremely friendly and service-oriented. They were always smiling a had a “good morning” for everyone.

Ports of Call: All I can say about Nassau is that the water is beautiful and if you go here, do some type of excursion, and you will have a much better time. The shopping is not great unless you are going to buy diamonds or watches. The straw market is a joke. I’d say 90 % of the items I picked up had “made in China” stamped on them somewhere. After realizing the shopping was not panning out, we decided to check out Atlantis instead. Although $29 per person to enter is pricy, this was a much better option. The aquarium (called The Dig) and the grounds are truly spectacular.

Coco Cay is a good beach day. There is a little straw market there as well, which had much better items at better prices than in Nassau. The snorkeling is fine and very safe, as the lagoon is roped off and there are plenty of lifeguards. Not being a barbeque eater, I can’t comment much on the beach food. There did seem to be a lot of variety and there was plenty of fresh fruit, salads, and desserts available in addition to the barbeque fare.

Key West was incredible and I wish RCI would change the itinerary to spend more time here and less in Nassau. There is so much to do and see…plenty of beaches, museums, art galleries, bars, restaurants…something to suit everyone’s taste. The residents are all very friendly. If you want a great place to have lunch, check out the Old Mexico Café on Duval Street. The food is delicious and very authentic! I also recommend Hemingway House. We had a great tour guide and I loved petting all the six–toed cats.

Overall, a good trip, but I think I will stick with Carnival or try another cruise line like Princess or Celebrity next time.

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