Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Majesty Cruise Review
Bermuda

Michelle Sheldon
Age: 54
Occupation: Director
Number of Cruises: 1
Sailing Date: June 11th, 2006

My husband, myself, and 10 year old daughter just returned from a fabulous trip to Bermuda on the Majesty. This cruise should appeal to people who like to cruise but want to spend time exploring an island. Bermuda is the island I believe, everyone should explore.

We drove only 1-l/2 hours to Boston and boarded the ship with no problems. Everyone on ship was friendly. I had read so many bad reviews, I didn't know what to expect. I now know for every bad review, there's probably 100 good ones that didn't get written.

The Majesty was more than I had hoped for. Everything was so clean. Dishes were picked up immediately. The staff was amazing. Take time to talk to them. They are really nice. In the dining room, there were more waiters and waitresses than I've ever seen in one place. Our room porters were great. We gave them a tip each day. They supplied us with robes and made up towel animals each night for my daughter.

I thought the food was great. I didn't expect gourmet food and sterling silver dishes. What we got was good food and plenty of it. We were happy. Even the buffet food was good. I almost didn't try it because of all the bad reviews, however, I got up my courage and found it to be really good - especially all the different kinds of salads.

Coming into Bermuda by sea was awesome. The little Majesty docks in the quaint town of St. George. It's great. You can simply walk out a door and be right on the dock. No hassles. The square and park in front of the ship is pretty and make sure you stand on the top deck right before sunset. The sun shines on all the houses in Bermuda casting different colors over the trees. They also have a fun festival right in front of the ship on Tuesday night. The music was great.

Our first day we headed to Horseshoe Bay. It was truly magnificent, especially the aqua water. The water is so clear and blue it looks like you're in a giant pool. We stayed all day and took in the sun and waves. Plenty of nooks and crannies to find along the beach.

Day two we took the express ferry from St. George to the Dockyard. My daughter did the Dolphin Dip and had the best time of her life. It was even fun for the parents to watch. It's right in the middle of a fort which makes it even more fun. After this we went swimming at snorkel park. I would advise you to bring water shoes to this beach even though you can swim without them. They have slides there for the kids, boats to rent, etc. Very pretty little spot.

Day 3 we did the Aquarium/Zoo and Crystal Caves. The Aquarium/Zoo was okay. I guess once we were there I realized we could do a zoo and aquarium anywhere so we were kind of wasting our time in Bermuda. I wanted to see more of Bermuda not waste my time looking at animals I've seen a thousand times. The Caves were interesting. However, they didn't tell you beforehand that the stairs are extremely steep and approximately 82 stairs in each cave. Not good for people out of shape or overweight. We did have a good time.

We went back to the ship and decided to go to Tobacco Bay which is near the ship. They tell you it's a 20 minute walk, but I wouldn't do it if you have small kids or you're not in shape.

Tobacco Bay was the best time we had. The snorkeling there is perfect for kids. No waves and plenty of safe spots for using just a mask. We saw tons of exotic fish. It was so much fun. I really recommend this because it's so close to the ship. We took a taxi over and a shuttle bus on the way back.

Our last day my husband and daughter went on the helmet dive. Unfortunately, it was raining and rough weather. My daughter couldn't complete the dive because the air pressure was hurting her ears. My husband liked it and most of the other people absolutely loved it.

I want to warn families of small children about the bus transportation. You never have to wait long for a bus and it's easy to find your way. However, the bus trips are long and sometimes very crowded. Don't pack heavy..... We had to stand for a couple of trips and believe me - don't stand unless you absolutely have to. They drive very, very fast in Bermuda and the streets are narrow. It's a ride you won't forget. It takes 50 minutes just to reach Horseshoe Beach. Always take a ferry whenever you can. The bus ride is a nice way to see the island and people, however, it does get old fast especially if you have tired children. Just plan accordingly and you should be okay. It's actually quite fun because everyone is so friendly and Bermuda has so many coves and things to see.

We loved Bermuda. It is built up but done in such a unique way it's quite lovely. The Majesty cruise opens up this island to us and it really is fun.

It was very hot and the water was great. Not hot but not cold. Very easy to get into and swim for hours. I think June is such a great time because I'm not sure I could take the heat in July and August. Be very careful. You burn very easily and once you are burned, you really can't beach it anymore. Make sure you take extra precautions for the children.

We loved the Majesty and especially the crew. They are from all over the world and they work so hard to please everyone. I couldn't sleep one night so I went up to the top deck at 2:30 in the morning. they were still cleaning!!! When we left the ship on Sunday, they were hosing down all the windows on the outside of the ship. I guess if you look real close you can see that the Majesty is not new. I guess I didn't look close enough because I thought she was wonderful.

Some people complained about the furniture being dented, etc. in their room. On the last day, I looked and sure enough - there was some wear and tear. I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't read about it - it just wasn't that important to the wonder of the cruise itself. Eat all day - explore an island for three days - and have fun!!!! Get waited on!!! All mothers are going to love this..... I did.

I hope they never stop this run because it's just so unique to be able to have the freedom to explore and come back at night to wine and dine. Loved it.

Hope to see you there soon.
 

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