Royal Caribbean International’s
Majesty of the Seas, built in 1992 and refurbished in 1997, is one of RCI's Caribbean megaships. Stretching 916 ft and cruising at up to 19 knots, this 74,140-ton Norwegian-registered ship with 1,140 cabins has a number of improvements over her sibling, the
Sovereign of the Seas, most notably in her design and entertainment offerings. The 2,744 passengers (at maximum capacity) are well looked after by the Norwegian officers and 822-member international crew. This 14-deck vessel has a beam of 106 ft and a draft of 25 ft.
Her year-round itinerary comprises 3- and 4-day trips to the Bahamas from Miami, with stops at Nassau and Coco Cay (RCI's private Bahamian island) on the shorter jaunt, adding Key West on the longer.
Attention is clearly on the staggeringly varied public areas, which offer frenetic, nonstop activity. The soft decor pleases, providing some respite from the open decks jammed with bodies. Later in the day and into the night, the five-story atrium linking the main public rooms with the twin dining rooms becomes the center of energy.
A favorite rendezvous for daytime viewing and nighttime socializing is the trademark cantilevered Viking Crown Lounge, 150 ft above the ocean. Wrapped around the funnel and offering breathtaking 360-degree panoramas, it has a few quiet corners but no bar seating. The lounge features a video wall with 50 individual monitors on two moveable banks of 25 screens, and the 2,000-volume library, 225-seat cinema, and game room offer alternative diversion.
Children of various ages enjoy their own facilities aft on Sun Deck, including a nightclub for teens. The 1,050-capacity Vegas-style show room has good sight lines. The nautical-motif Schooner Bar, another RCI trademark, is a favorite casual area by day and a lively piano bar by night. Other large lounges have late-day entertainers and music.
Two levels of sun decks allow ample tanning space. An outside deck encircles the vessel and includes a jogging track, while the sports deck has twin pools, two whirlpools and a basketball court. The popular health program makes full use of modern equipment, a spa, sauna and massage rooms, while the 80-seat conference center provides audiovisual support. A casino is on hand, and an Internet cafe helps e-mail users keep in touch. Activities run the gamut from parlor games to bingo, costume parties to passenger talent shows.
In the two restaurants—the Starlight and Moonlight dining rooms—passengers dine at large tables at two sittings. The fare is routine but abundant. Breakfast and lunch can be taken in the bi-level cafe on the two highest decks forward of the pools. It is wrapped on three sides by windows and spans the ship's width. The ship’s highest deck features a food court-setting with a Johnny Rockets’ 1950s-style diner, a deli and a pizzeria.
The 1,169 compact, standardized cabins have TVs, radios and phones. All are amidships or forward and thus away from engine noise and late-day revelry. The 733 outsides have windows, and the 62 deluxe cabins and 12 suites boast verandahs. The vast majority of cabins have twin beds convertible to queens, and 260 can squeeze in three, sometimes four, persons. There are no singles. Six cabins are wheelchair-accessible.
This megaship offers enough action to satisfy those who go like there is no tomorrow—a suitable time interval on short cruises.
