We were too exhausted after leaving Minneapolis at three in the morning to go to dinner, so instead, we took a nap and ordered dinner from room service. We were a little disappointed in the limited selection of foods, but the service was fast and the quality of the food, from nachos to salad to dessert, was excellent.

We did get dressed to go out early enough to go to the show for the evening--an Uruguayan musician using the name of El Gaucho, who was very entertaining. After the show, we wandered the ship for a while, stopped for a drink in the Viking Crown lounge, and closed the night at the outdoor Windjammer Cafe, where we ate some of the light late night snack buffet. By this point, the stress of the flight was gone, and we were settling into cruise life.

DAY TWO, Nassau, The Bahamas

We ate breakfast in the Windjammer Cafe again, this time eating indoors (a bit more comfy, since it was pretty humid in Nassau and we're both Minnesotans). Afterwards, we headed off the ship and into Nassau. Security was very calm and easy to navigate, and before we knew it, we were into the town. We spent about four hours in Nassau, shopping near the wharf--we were a little disappointed that the Straw Market had been forced into cramped quarters due to a fire, but not too disappointed, as the temporary digs were inside and it rained fairly hard in the morning. We returned to the ship for lunch, and finally ate in the very pleasant Mikado dining room. The food was outstanding and service phenomenal (this phrase will be repeated throughout the review). I was also happy to see a reasonable selection of vegetarian fare, as my wife is a vegetarian. She found plenty that she could eat, which always makes me happy. After lunch, we decided to stay on the ship and go swimming--very pleasant, as most people were clear of the ship, and the weather had cleared up by the afternoon. That evening we made it to our table for the formal night--I was surprised by how many people didn't take formal night seriously. Seriously, is it too hard to put on a coat and tie guys? Nevertheless, dinner was outstanding--our waiter, Merrill, was gregarious and punctual, and the food was outstanding.

After dinner, we went to the Not-so-Newlywed Game at the A Chorus Line Lounge (absolutely hilarious--a "must do" for anyone sailing on the Majesty). We stayed on for the "Wild Wild West" revue by the RCCL singers and dancers. A decent show, though not as good as the show the following evening. After that, we went to the Casino, where I won $62 at Craps, and then off to the Windjammer Cafe for the not-so-gala midnight buffet (food quality was superlative, but no fancy decorations). Finally, back to our cabin for some sleep.

DAY THREE, Coco Cay

We arrived at Coco Cay on an absolutely stunning 93 degree day. The weather was perfect (especially since that very day, it was snowing in Minneapolis). We went in via tender, and we went off to go snorkeling. The waters were beautiful and warm, and the marine life was gorgeous. The coral reef was not too exciting, but the sunken airplane attracted a large school of fish, and the water was certainly perfect.

I highly recommend the drink of the island, the Coco Loco. Don't worry about trying to find one. You couldn't avoid one if you possibly wanted to. There is are approximately two Coco Loco vendors for every person sailing on the ship, but the drink is delicious, and you can get them "leaded or unleaded," as you like.

The lunch buffet on the island was very pleasant, and here's a tip--you can get veggie burgers at the main grill area if you don't eat meat.

We returned to the ship at about four, and took a brief nap before dinner. Dinner was Italian, with the waiters singing "O Sole Mio"--our waiter, Merrill, a man after my own heart, hammed it up. We went to the show for the evening, And the Beat Goes On by the RCCL singers and dancers. This show was great, with a better music selection than the previous night's show. The evening closed with the gala buffet at midnight. The food was good, though light on vegetarian fare. I will recommend the white petit fours--they're red velvet cake, somewhere beyond phenomenal.

DAY FOUR, Key West

We didn't spend long in Key West. Were impressed with the ease of entering the country in spite of everything that's happened since September 11. Key West is a very pleasant town, and we took the Conch Train Tour (a great tour, but a little bit hot). After having the obligatory slice of Key Lime Pie, we returned to the ship and headed to dinner. Outstanding as every meal was. We went to the show--a comedian and a pair of gymnasts, closed with a little vaudevillian sketch led by Parker, our cruise director.

DAY FIVE, Miami

Barely counts as a day, since we were off the ship by 8:30. I will recommend the Huevos Rancheros in the dining room, though--they are outstanding. Also, be aware that if you are taking a transfer to the airport, you will arrive at Miami International Airport by 10 in the morning. This is not good if your flight leaves at 2:30--Miami ranks just below Kansas City International Airport for having absolutely nothing to do.

All in all, it was an outstanding vacation. Very relaxing, very fun, far and away the best vacation we've ever been on. Oh, sure, a quibble here or there--they could add more food to the room service menu, for one. And they could add a greater variety of Scotches, in my opinion. But these are minor quibbles. The vacation was outstanding, and we couldn't have been happier.