Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2017 (Berlitz Cruise Guide) (2016)
Thomson Majesty
★★★ +
Berlitz’s Ratings
Ship: 320 out of 500
Accommodation: 130 out of 200
Food: 237 out of 400
Service: 253 out of 400
Entertainment: 62 out of 100
Cruise: 254 out of 400
Overall Score: 1256 out of 2000
Thomson Majesty Statistics
Size: Mid-size Ship
Tonnage: 40,876
Lifestyle: Standard
Cruise Line: Thomson Cruises
Former Names: Louis Majesty, Norwegian Majesty, Royal Majesty, Birka Queen
IMO Number: 8814744
Builder: Kvaerner Masa-Yards STX (Finland)
Original Cost: $229 million
Entered Service: Sep 1992/May 2012
Registry: Malta
Length (ft/m): 90.5/27.6
Beam (ft/m): 91.8/28.0
Draft (ft/m): 20.3/6.2
Propulsion/Propellers: diesel (21,120kW)/2
Passenger Decks: 9
Total Crew: 620
Passengers (lower beds): 1,462
Passenger Space Ratio (lower beds): 27.9
Passenger/Crew Ratio (lower beds): 2.0
Cabins (total): 731
Size Range (sq ft/m): 118.4-374.5/11.0-34.8
Cabins (for one person): 0
Cabins (with private balcony): 0
Cabins (wheelchair accessible): 7
Wheelchair accessibility: Fair
Cabin Current: 110 and 220 volts
Elevators: 6
Casino (gaming tables): Yes
Slot Machines: Yes
Swimming Pools: 2
Hot Tubs (on deck): 3
Self-Service Launderette: No
Dedicated Cinema/Seats: No
Library: Yes
Onboard currency: UK£
A modestly stylish ship for casual, friendly cruising
Overview. This family-friendly ship provides good value for money. It absorbs passengers well and provides a very comfortable cruise experience in warm, crisp surroundings, with good food and decent hospitality from a really friendly crew.
The Ship. Smart and modestly stylish, Thomson Majesty is generally a well-designed vessel, ideally suited to Mediterranean cruising. Inside, it is quite pretty and warm, with lots of wood paneling, chrome/copper accents, reasonably discreet lighting, soothing colors, and no glitz. Wide passageways and high ceilings in some areas help provide a feeling of inner spaciousness, and the ship has a touch of modern elegance.
Accommodation. There are several price grades. Almost all outside-view and interior cabins are on the small side, but quite comfortable. All have flat-screen TVs. The closets are really small, but luggage can be stored under the bed. The bathrooms are a little tight, although there’s a generous amount of room in the shower enclosures.
Two large suites (901, 903) have a separate bedroom with walk-in closet and bathroom with combination tub and shower; there is a step of about nine inches (24cm). The lounge has a dining table, plus a sofa and chairs in the bay window. There are bay windows in both the lounge and bedroom, and separate TV sets/DVD players; a tea/coffee-making set-up and late-afternoon snacks are provided. The Junior Suites (902-923) are smaller, but do have a curtain separating lounge and bedroom. Suite-grade bathrooms have a tub and shower combination. Room service food is available, at extra cost.
Dining. The main dining venues are: Seven Seas Restaurant, with 636 seats, and the Four Seasons Restaurant, with 266 seats, both with an open-seating arrangement. The food, menu, creativity, and service are sound, with generous portions. The wine list is quite decent and reasonably priced.
Other dining options. The intimate 56-seat Le Bistro restaurant serves Italian and Continental cuisine. No reservations are needed, but a cover charge applies.
Café Royale is an indoor self-serve buffet venue, with 112 seats. An outdoor grill, called Piazza San Marco, provides fast food like burgers, hot dogs, pasta and pizzas, while the Coffee Bar offers coffees and teas.
Entertainment. The Royal Fireworks Lounge is the main showlounge; it has banquette and individual tub chairs. A second entertainment lounge, the Jubilee Lounge, is located aft of the Monte Carlo Casino. Several small musical units play in the ship’s various lounges. Late-nighters might like to go to the real meeting place, Frame 52 - the ship’s disco.
Spa/Fitness. The Sana Wellness Center contains a small gymnasium with muscle-toning equipment, an aerobics area, men’s and women’s saunas, a beauty salon, and seven massage/body treatment rooms including one for couples.