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Having always wanted to do a Trans-Atlantic repositioning cruise we finally did it. The fourteen day cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona on the Majestic Princess was an amazing experience that comes highly recommended!

I was initially a bit sceptical about being at sea for fourteen days. I usually get bored with the routine of ship life after seven days, but I must admit that the first week at sea flew by so fast that the second week seemed busy with shore days in Madeira, Cadiz and Malaga.
What is a repositioning cruise you might ask? This is when a cruise line relocates to another region based on the seasons. So the Majestic Princess would in other words change its itinerary from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean. The benefit of this to passengers is the amazing low price!
Here is an account of our time onboard the amazing five star “Love Boat”, the Majestic Princess.

Drinks/Internet Packages

I’m going to start the review here, with the internet, drinks and gratuity package, because other than the cost of the cruise itself, your next major expense will be the latter.
Majestic Princess offers two packages.
The Plus ($60pppd) and the Premium ($90pppd). This was quiet a huge pill for us to swallow seeing that the cruise itself only cost around $40pppd, BUT when you do the math it’s a no brainer. Here’s why…
Both packages include your $19pd mandatory gratuities. Both packages include Wi-Fi, which without a package would cost you $25pd and there was NO WAY that either of us could be without Wi-Fi for fourteen days.
The cost of a drink is between $8-$15 (on average), so if you’re having three drinks a day it makes sense to take the Plus package as it includes tips, Wi-Fi, unlimited water, soft drinks, juices and fifteen alcoholic beverages per day (up to the value of $15 per drink).
It also includes two premium desserts per day and two casual dining visits (you will need this for the Vines Bar and the Italian restaurant), two fitness classes and free room service on MedallionNet orders (we LOVED this service. I will explain more below under the Medallion App heading).
In addition to the above, the Premium Plus package gets you unlimited alcoholic beverages per day (up to the value of $20 per drink), Wi-Fi for up to four devices, unlimited speciality dining, reserved theatre seating and a photo package.

As you can see the costs add up and opting in for a package makes more sense. For those not concerned about connectivity or drinks, water, iced tea and lemonade are free with all meals, one could always fill up a water bottle to see you through to the next meal and an open ocean eSim would be a more cost effective solution for checking emails. You will however be paying the mandatory daily service charge + 18% gratuity on anything you order from the bar.

It should be noted that it’s not possible for only one person in a stateroom to take a package.

MedalionNet

This is the ships wifi. It was supper easy to connect to and the signal was strong no matter where you went.

Princess Cruises Medalion App

The App coupled with the Medallion is a complete GAME CHANGER in the cruise industry. Whoever designed this system is a genius and I’m sure it won’t be long before the competition copies it.
Let me start at the beginning…after booking our cruise we downloaded the Princess App. Here we compiled our profiles, uploaded travel docs and learnt a little about the Majestic Princess.

Here are some of the impressive features that the App has to offer…

Expedited Check-in (OceanReady®) – Having uploaded travel documents and completing the check-in before arriving at the port we experienced a smooth boarding process. Within twenty minutes we had moved through the queues, collected our Medallions and were sitting at the pool bar enjoying our first cocktail.

Keyless Stateroom Entry – Your stateroom door unlocks automatically as you approach. Being connected to the ship through your Medallion means Big Brother knows where you are all the time…I just loved this feature and finding Mike (who was usually playing BINGO) or new friends on board was a synch!

Muster Drill Check-in – Complete the safety briefing quickly via the app.

On-Demand Food & Drinks (OceanNow®) – Order food, drinks, and other items to be delivered anywhere on the ship. It was hilarious to see the waiters trying to find you at the pool with sunglasses and a hat on, but hey… Well done guys! Top Service! Ordering the morning coffee was a pleasure…just click “repeat order” and within five minutes there was a knock at your stateroom door.

Wayfinding (ShipMap) – Interactive maps that help you navigate the ship are always welcome. A tip that I learnt a while ago…the passages to your staterooms have color coded carpets. Just head to your floor and turn left or right according to the carpet color on your side of the ship. You’ll thank me later!

Chat & Messaging – Message new friends on board without needing an internet package. You can also locate them if you/they have allowed the tracker. This was very helpful finding friends at breakfast or getting together for a drink before dinner.

Virtual Concierge – You can also request services like housekeeping, wake-up calls, and assistance directly from the app.

MedallionPay – Make purchases onboard and at select ports without using cash or cards. You can also keep tabs on your account to see what has been spent. There were a few “glitch” items on our account, but Guest Services assisted straight away without hassle.

Daily Schedule & Event Reservations – Browse and book activities, shows, and dining reservations.

Casino & Gaming (PlayOcean®) – Access onboard casino games and tournaments via the app.

OceanView® Streaming – Watch Princess Cruises’ travel content from your device.

The Medallion Token

This looks very similar to the Apple Airtag. It’s what connect’s you to the Medallion App and tracks your on board location.

Stateroom TV

Also a great interactive system. Everything you can do on the App you can also do on your stateroom TV.

Majestic Princess Staterooms

The ship features a variety of staterooms, including inside cabins, balcony rooms, mini-suites, and the opulent suites. The rooms are tastefully decorated with a modern and elegant touch, providing comfort with plush bedding, ample storage space, and well-appointed bathrooms.
We opted for a balcony room. Having a private outdoor space to watch the sunset and enjoy a cocktail is one of the best things about cruising, plus the price difference from a inside cabin to a balcony cabin was minuscule. When we first started cruising we said “well, you never spend much time in your room, you are only there to sleep and shower”. My motto is now…” It’s balcony or nothing baby”.
If you don’t want to pay the minimal fee for the balcony, you could always take your chances on bidding for one. Book an inside cabin and wait for the upgrade bidding to start.

Dining on the Majestic Princess

Dining aboard the Majestic Princess is a gastronomic adventure. The ship boasts a diverse range of dining options, from casual eateries to fine dining experiences.

Main Dining Rooms: The ship’s traditional dining venues offer a rotating menu with gourmet dishes and attentive service. There are three main dining venues, one was freestyle (walk in), the other two with reserved seating, but we found that you could also just queue to get in. The menu for all three were always the same so it did not really matter where you ate.
Specialty Restaurants: Harmony (Chinese fine dining), Crown Grill (steakhouse), and The Catch by Rudi (Seafood) stand out for their exceptional culinary offerings. We were treated to a dinner at the steakhouse. It was exceptional and a real treat to have a prime cut of meat that was cooked to perfection.
Alfredo’s (Italian) offers great wood fired pizza’s, you will however need to pay the supplement fee or use one of your casual dining allocations to dine here.
Casual Dining: World Fresh Marketplace (buffet). The offerings on all meals of the day were astounding. I found myself checking the buffet first before deciding where to enjoy a meal. I found the buffet breakfast and lunch options better than the main dining restaurants.
The International Cafe: Located on deck five in the center court, this is where you will order your specialty coffees, grab a slice of cake, a bagel or one of the delicious savory pies. It’s open 24/7 and was always the last stop before retiring for the night.
Vines Wine Bar: This is not really a place to eat. They do offer a lovely charcutier board and crudités to compliment your wine. We also found that the quality and choice of wine per glass at this venue was much better than the wine served in the restaurant for example.
Pool side: If you are too relaxed by the pool to bother getting dressed to go have lunch, the pool deck has a great Noodle Bar and a Burger/Hot dog stand.
Room Service: 24-hour room service is also available, ensuring guests can enjoy a meal in the privacy of their staterooms, the menu is also very good offering a variety of hot, cold and kids meals.

Majestic Entertainment

The Majestic Princess offers top-tier entertainment, ensuring there is never a dull moment aboard.

Princess Theatre: Hosts Broadway-style performances and live shows that are both engaging and professional.
Movies Under the Stars: A unique outdoor movie experience on the pool deck, complete with blankets and complimentary popcorn.
Live Music & Lounges: Multiple venues feature live music, from piano bars to jazz clubs, creating a lively and enjoyable ambiance throughout the ship. There was never a dull moment, with entertainment always happening somewhere on the ship.
Casino: The Vegas-style casino offers a range of games, from slot machines to poker and blackjack tables. I was however a bit disappointed that the entire casino is a smoking zone. The smell hits you as you enter. I have suggested to management that they consider partitioning off the smoking area.

Activities & Amenities

Beyond entertainment, Majestic Princess offers various activities and facilities to enhance the cruising experience.

Pools & Hot Tubs: Multiple pools and whirlpools allow guests to relax and enjoy the sunshine.
The Lotus Spa: Offers the usual array of spa treatments, we did find prices a bit on the expensive side, but if you wait a few days the specials will start. We were treated to a full day in “The Enclave”, this is where you will open pores and rejuvenate with stream rooms, sauna, jacuzzi pool complete with massage water spouts, rain showers and heated stone beds.
Fitness Centre: A well-equipped fitness centre catering to health-conscious travellers. They also had a great selection of fitness classes, I made use of my two allocated classes to do some spinning.
The Seawalk: A unique glass-bottomed walkway that extends over the ocean, offering breathtaking views and not for the faint of heart.
Shopping & Boutiques: A selection of duty-free shops selling luxury brands, souvenirs, fragrances and travel essentials. If you wait till the last sea day there will be some great discounts.

Service & Hospitality

The service aboard Majestic Princess was impeccable. The crew is friendly, professional, and eager to assist with any requests. Housekeeping is efficient, keeping staterooms spotless, while dining and bar staff ensure guests have a seamless and enjoyable dining experience. I really cannot fault any of the staff, they made our cruise experience memorable. Let’s just say tears were shed saying goodbye.

Majestic Princess Destinations & Itineraries

Majestic Princess sails on various itineraries, including Asian, Australian, and Alaskan cruises. Each itinerary is thoughtfully planned. A repositioning cruise however is not about the itinerary as you have so many days at sea. The reason for doing a cruise like this is to relax.

Did You Know?

The Love Boat, a beloved romantic comedy-drama tv series that aired from 1977 to 1986 was set aboard the cruise ship Pacific Princess. The fleet still play the tune to this popular show as they enter and leave ports over the loudspeakers.

Our Overall Experience of the Majestic Princess

Stateroom: Lovely, spacious room with a desk, mini bar fridge, ample storage and bathroom with essentials provided. The linen, feather pillows and mattress were some of the best that we have experienced and really helped us get a good night’s sleep.

Food: Top class. We thoroughly enjoyed all dining experiences (wish we had more speciality dining though), and naturally we came home a few pounds heavier.

Entertainment: The entertainment got off to a slow start, we found some of the solo singers/juggling/magic acts a little ho-hum, but the four theater productions featuring the ship’s band, singers and dancers were outstanding.

Service: 10/10, well done to all the staff. Our room steward (Savio) was always the first face we saw when leaving our stateroom in the morning and the dining staff really made going to dinner a treat. Nikketta, Katarina, Emil and Alicia…you guys ROCK! Keep up the good work.

Wifi/Drinks Package: The Wifi never let us down and the selection of drinks and daily allowance thereof was adequate.

Laundry: I was pleasantly surprised to find out that there was a laundromat on each level of the ship. The wash and dry came in very handy and it’s a fraction of the cost had we sent the laundry to be done.

The Majestic Princess truly lives up to its name, providing a sophisticated and enjoyable cruise experience. With luxurious accommodations, outstanding dining, great entertainment, and exceptional service, this ship is an excellent choice for both first-time cruisers and seasoned travelers.
Having traveled with other cruise lines, we can confirm that Princess is in our top three when deciding on future cruises.
Majestic Princess you delivered a remarkable and unforgettable journey.
Thank you!