Couldn't wait!

[kasar]

To tide me over until next Dec. just booked a quick cruise on Royal Caribbean (couldn't beat the price) for a group of 8 women, yay!!!

So, since this is the most informative cruising group, I'd love to hear your experiences on the Majesty of the Seas. It follows the same itinerary as DCL (nassau, private island). I know it won't be as nice as Castaway Cay, but it's still better than nothing.

So, let's hear it.....how's the food/service/embarkation/disembarkation, etc. compared to DCL. I'm trying not to say, "on Disney, they do this or that" too much.

 

[cathyrob]

My husband and I love RC. The food is definitly better. You have much more to choose from and the quality is TOP NOTCH. Dinner in itself is entertaining. They have short shows in the dining room during your dinner. Usually before dessert is served. And the dessert, well you will probably be ordering at least 2 a night because you won't be able to choose. Also, after the first night, once your server gets to know you, they will really personalize your dining experience. Each night when we arrived for dinner, my husband's beer and my soda and bottled water along with a different cheese platter was waiting for us. The dining rooms are beautiful and very inviting.

Service on the ship is well above the standard!! They take such good care of you, you barely have to lift a finger. The boat is extremely clean and well kept. Your cabin upkeep is nothing but the best and they will do anything to make sure you are happy.

Entertainment on the boat is great. They have great clubs, bars, and eateries. The shows are more Las Vega style, some are better than others, but usually all are enjoyable.

Embarking is fairly easy, similar to Disney. Disembarking is a pain. You have to wait for your color to be called inorder to leave. The boat will seem the most crowded on this day because people tend to gather in all the seating areas to wait for their ok to leave the ship. I don't think anyone can Disembark a ship like Disney does

You should have fun. We have been on 3 RC cruises and loved each one.

 

[inkkognito]

We did Sovereign of the Seas a while back, and the ship itself couldn't hold a candle to Disney. Also, we missed not having adults only areas to escape to, and the less restrictive smoking policies played havoc with my sinuses and allergies. Cabins are also typically a lot smaller.
But the food and service were both excellent (I LOVE RCCL's soups), and we enjoyed Cocoa Cay much more than we thought we would. Although it is not themed, it was very pretty in a more rustic sort of way. You could do a lot of wandering and explored...I walked way down the beach where no one else bothered to go, and I met up with a family who had docked their sailboat on the far end of the island for a little rest (they were on a long trip). I spent some very pleasant time chatting with the mom and daughter and beach combing for interesting rocks and starfish (which I left...nice to enjoy looking at, but take only memories and leave only footprints). I wouldn't do Sov. again because I am spoiled by Disney, but as long as you know what to expect, I think you will have a very fun time.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[cathyrob]

I posted earlier but wanted to clear something up. We have done Monarch of the Seas(7 days), Sovereign of the seas(4 days), and Voyager of the seas(7days) (one of their biggest boats)Each one had a section of the deck with a pool for adults only. One has to remember that RC does not get the kid population that Disney gets, so there is not a major concern about limiting kids in certain areas. Each RC cruise we went on had very few kids, and two of the cruises took place at the end of June when schools were out.

I believe Disney and RC are almost two totally different cruise experieces, that one can not and really should not compare them to eachother.

 

[inkkognito]

When we sailed on RCCL's Radiance of the Seas to Alaska, we were told that we would probably be among the youngest on board, but the kids were EVERYWHERE! Supposedly the one indoor pool was for adults, except during certain hours. However, being an Alaskan cruise, it was much too cold for the young uns to swim outside, so of course they were always in the "adult" pool (I can't say I blamed them...very poor planning on RCCL's part, especially with a brand new ship).
We've also done Voyager, Sovereign, and the now-retired Viking Serenade, and there were no adults-only pool or deck areas on any of them. On Voyager, the spa/workout area was supposed to be adults only, but there were as many kids on that ship as Disney (not surprising...with a rock wall, skating rink, etc., you can see they want to tap the family market). They would jump in the thelassal whirlpool in the spa and then jump on the treadmills and other electric equipment soaking wet. I was waiting for someone to get electrocuted! I think once upon a time RCCL was not as big with families, but that is definitely changing. They are marketing aggressively to the family market, and from what we've seen, their efforts appear to be a success. I enjoyed our RCCL cruises, but I think that Disney does a much better job of catering to the needs of each of the specific age groups.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[cathyrob]

Voyager has the solarium pool which was adult only I believe it was more towards the aft. Then there as a pool midship for everyone. I was 5 months pregnant on the cruise, and greatly enjoyed the adult only pool because I was able to swim and not worry about getting bumped into. We traveled with two other couples and we all lived by the solarium adult only pool.

We cruised this ship about 2 years ago, and friends of ours just recently cruised it, and they too commented on how nice and quiet the solarium adult pool was. Not sure what happened to the adult pool on the Voyager when you went.

 

[Euphscott]

Barb,
We sailed the Radiance on a west coast repositioning cruise. And unlie your experience, we WERE the young ones on board. We were in our late 20's at the time and we got confused for grandchildren of other sailing guests on occasion!

That said, RCI did a great job and we loved the cruise. The food and service was top notch and the ship was gorgeous.

We'd reccommend RCI - but take note, as others have mentioned - it's a different cruise experience. Go in realizing this and you will enjoy your time. If you go looking to compare, you'll make yourself miserable for no good reason.

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

Kasar-

My best friend and I are doing the 3day RCCL SOS in August for a quick "mommy's get away". I know it won't be like DCL but I hear the food is good and their private island is nice. It will be nice to relax and read.

Have fun!