Last Updated on 05/30/24 by Rose Palmer
As I was planning my holiday in New Zealand, I discovered a Princess repositioning cruise from Los Angeles to Sydney on the Majestic Princess, with the option to disembark in Auckland.
I could take a long, grueling, and difficult flight from the US and deal with jet leg for a week once I reached NZed. Or, I could take a leisurely 3 week cruise that slowly changed time zones which meant that I arrived pampered, relaxed, and rested. On top of that, Princess was offering fares with no single supplements which was very appealing since I was cruising solo.
SOLD!
My Majestic Princess review
I love cruising in all its forms. From river cruises on the Mekong or the Gange in India, luxury barge cruises in France, or an expedition ship cruise around Iceland, I love it all.
When it comes to ocean cruising, Princess has become a favorite. I think that the company offers a nice balance between good value, interesting itineraries, and enjoyable ship designs. I’ve sailed on three classes of Princess ships and have loved my experiences on all of them. Now when I board a Princess ship, it feels like home, but without the chores!
The Majestic Princess was my fourth Royal Class ship, so I knew what to expect on my three week cruise. Yet, this beautiful ship also had some surprising, unique features that I really liked, and which set it apart from the other Princess ships in the fleet. As a result, it has become one of my favorites.
What I loved about this Princess cruise
I was told that originally, this ship was designed and built for the Chinese market, though now it no longer focuses on cruises in that region. So, I was not surprised that the signage on board was in both English and Chinese.
The ship also had some uniquely designed spaces that don’t exist on other ships in the fleet. The Hollywood Conservatory and pool were at the front of the ship where the Sanctuary would normally be and was my favorite space to sit, swim, and relax. This was an adults only space (on my cruise anyway) that was quiet and soothing and didn’t come with an extra charge.
The Majestic also had some unique restaurants that I had not encountered on other Princess ships. In place of the usual pizza spot on the pool deck, there was a noodle soup bar that I liked as a delicious, healthier option at lunch. I could also still satisfy my pizza cravings at the buffet or at the Alfredo’s sit down casual restaurant.
Instead of the typical Sabatini’s Italian specialty restaurant, the Majestic Princess offered Harmony, a great option for upscale Chinese and other Asian style dishes that I tried twice during my cruise.
Another unique element to this cruise was the daily, early morning tai chi session on the pool deck with an instructor showing the moves on the Movies Under the Stars screen. This was such a pleasant way to loosen up the joints and the muscles – I wish it was offered all the time. I don’t know if this is always an activity on the Majestic Princess, but many certainly took advantage of it on this sailing.
One of the reasons I cruise is to get pampered, and in this regard, I was not disappointed. As with all other Princess cruises I have taken, the staff were friendly, attentive, and hard working. From my room steward to the restaurant waiters to the pool attendants, I was always well taken care of with a gracious smile (I wish a few could come home with me).
And then there was the Princess bed! Between the gentle motion of the ship and the cloud-like bedding, I never sleep as well as I do on a Princess cruise!
Majestic Princess deluxe balcony room review
Since Princess offered a great solo deal when I booked this cruise, I “splurged” on a deluxe balcony room, even though I was cruising solo. On a three week repositioning cruise with a lot of sea days, it was lovely to have the larger balcony and the slightly larger room with a small sofa. I spent quite a bit of time in my cabin catching up on writing, and this design gave me plenty of living space and a nice sized desk to work at.
My cabin bathroom was the standard size that I normally experience on a Princess ship. It wasn’t large but it was roomy enough for 1 person. Between the three glass shelves and the long shelf under the sink, I had plenty of space for my routine toiletries.
Princess provided a refillable bottle of soap and lotion at the sink, and a bottle of shampoo in the shower. I prefer bar soap when I shower, so I always bring a small one along with me. The clothes line in the shower is also quite useful. And my room steward was very good about replacing my towels every day.
I definitely had more than enough storage space. All my packing cubes easily fit onto the closet shelves and I never ended up using all the available hangers (there were at least 30). During rough seas, the unused hangers kept hitting each other or the back wall and were quite noisy, so I had to take them off and stowe tham on the long upper shelf of the closet.
Each of the two nightstands had two drawers and the desk had an additional three drawers, with the top drawer holding a built in hair dryer. The desk space also held the small mini fridge which was large enough for the six pack of soda I pre ordered and for my traveling water mug and cup.
I like to bring a collapsible silicone cup that comes with a silicone straw and a lid. I fill it up with water or iced tea at the buffet when I am on board the ship.
The desk also had a choice of three different types of outlets: two for American plugs, two for European style plugs and one for Australian/New Zealand type plugs. I always carry a multiplug adapter with me so that I have more options.
Just to be prepared, I have learned to also pack a multi outlet power strip when I cruise since there are never enough USB ports for all my electronics.
Travel Tip: Note that any power strip brought on board a Princess ship cannot have a surge protection function.
The Majestic Princess ship details
The stats:
- Royal class
- Year inaugurated – March 2017
- Last dry dock – March 2020
- Maximum number of passengers – 3560
- Maximum number of crew – 1346
- Chinese name: 盛世公主号 (Shèng Shì Gōng Zhǔ Haò)
Spread out across decks 5,6,7 and 16 to 19, the Majestic Princess had plenty of public spaces that provided all manner of activities and distractions if I wanted them.
I am sharing this list of all the public spaces on the Majestic Princess with lots of photos to provide a good sense of the space and all the lovely design details.
A few things to note:
Unlike some of the newer Royal Class ships, this ship had a small library with a selection of books, games, and puzzles to borrow.
Like the other Royal Class ships, there was no fully open promenade deck. Deck 7 had some outdoor areas, but I could not walk it around the whole ship. Also, the lifeboats hung here so the views were impeded by them. As an alternative, there was space on deck 17 that offered a walking area and unhindered ocean views.
I also missed having a gelateria and my favorite flavors of gelato, though the free soft serve ice cream was always good.
Deck 5 – Plaza
The Piazza– like its namesake in a Tuscan village, the Piazza is the main communal gathering spot on the ship. This is the beautiful three story beating heart of the Majestic and features glittery gold, curving staircases, and lots of marble accented with blue and white glass installations. Throughout the day, there was always some form of entertainment or activity going on here.
Surrounding the Piazza were:
The International Café – whether it was an almond croissant for breakfast, a light lunch, or a few cookies, the International Cafe was one of my favorite food venues. This was the only food spot that was open 24 hours and was the place to go for a snack after a late night show. It was also the spot for warm cinnamon rolls each morning which disappeared quickly if I was not an early bird.
The International Cafe was also where I got a cappuccino or other delicious specialty coffee (for a fee without a drinks package).
Bar Piazza -this bar was a nice location to watch the activity in the Piazza while trying a mixed cocktail.
Vines Wine Bar – for wine lovers, this inviting space was the place to go and try a new wine or an old favorite from around the world. I also enjoyed the charcuterie for dinner here one evening as one of my casual dining options.
Shops of Princess – here I found duty free alcohol, Princess merchandise, snacks, and a very minimal selection of (pricey) necessities if I forgot something.
Future Cruise Planning and Captain’s Circle – On each cruise I always purchase a future cruise deposit which will give me free onboard credit on my next sailing. The deposit is good for a year, I can apply it to any future cruise I choose, and is refundable, so it’s a win-win.
Aft of the Piazza:
Symphony Dining Room – this was one of the three main dining rooms on the ship which was open for dinner.
Forward of the Piazza:
Guest Services –I always found the staff here to be very professional and helpful. My questions were answered promptly and any folio discrepancies were efficiently addressed.
Shore Excursions Desk -I went here to get information about the shore excursions offered by Princess. I have found that additional excursions are sometimes added throughout a cruise, especially if it is a long one. I booked my excursions via the app, but could also reserve them in person at the desk.
Harmony – this Asian inspired specialty restaurant with a menu by the well known chef Richard Chen was another favorite. I really liked the food and ate here twice throughout my cruise.
Lotus Spa and Salon -the spa and salon had all the services I expected. I also spent time at the Enclave area of the spa, which is an indoor heated space with a small pool, heated loungers, and steam rooms. I accessed the enclave by buying a package for the whole length of the cruise.
Deck 6 – Fiesta
Public spaces forward to aft:
Princess Theater lower level – the large venue for evening shows, performances, and lectures.
Video Arcade – a variety of fun arcade games were available.
Double Down Bar – during the day this was a quiet spot that was usually not very busy. There were a number of TV screens here that showed various sports games throughout the day. In the evening there were often musical performances.
Note that this space was labelled as the VIP Casino but it was no longer used in that way.
Grand Casino – for those that like to gamble there were a lot of slot machines and table games to choose from. Note that smoking was allowed here.
Good Spirits at Sea – my favorite spot for craft cocktails. The staff often presented entertaining demonstrations on how to make one of their favorited mixed drinks.
Alfredo’s Pizzeria– this is where I had fresh, made to order pizzas. I could order one of the pizzas from the menu, but usually I asked for one made with just the ingredients I like. This casual restaurant option was a very popular dinner spot for that filled up quickly.
Photo gallery – no more racks of printed photos here. Instead, there were plenty of monitors where I could look at the photos taken by the Princess photographers and then order the ones I liked using my medallion.
Internet café – an open space connected to the photo gallery with computer monitors and an IT resource for help.
Fine Arts Gallery – displaying selections of art for the art auctions at sea.
Concerto Dining Room-this dining room was open for breakfast and dinner every day and for lunch on sea days as well as afternoon tea on sea days. A section of this dining room was also set aside for Reserve Class dining.
Allegro Dining Room – another of the three dining rooms which was only open for dinner. Note that I could only access this dining room from the aft lift area – I could not walk to it from the other areas of deck 6. This is also where I had the special Chef’s Table Lumiere dinner.
Deck 7 – Promenade
Public spaces moving forward to aft:
Princess Theater upper level– the upper level access to the theater was at the very front of the ship.
The Shops of Princess – exiting the theater on the upper level lead to this very pretty space with lots of options for shopping or just browsing.
Ocean Terrace – another bar to wet my whistle with views overlooking the Piazza.
The Catch by Rudi – this specialty restaurant offered a large selection of beautifully presented and delicious seafood dishes, along with choices for meat lovers and vegetarians.
At lunch, this was also the spot to get sushi which was one of the casual dining options. I ate here twice for dinner and a few times for lunch because I liked the food so much.
Shops of Princess – more options for window shopping and buying.
Ocean Front – this was where I could purchase a variety of pretty accessories for my medallion.
Princess Live! and Princess Live Cafe – a large venue for fun daily activities and evening entertainment that also had a bar.
Crown Grill and Bar – dedicated primarily to meat lovers, this popular steak restaurant also had seafood and veggie option. The bar area in front of the restaurant was a nice spot to sit, sip a drink, and listen to the piano music.
During my cruise, the Crab Shack pop up was offered for lunch in the Crown Grill and it was delicious (extra fees applied).
The Library – a quiet spot with a little seating and a selection of books and games that I could borrow.
Vista Lounge – located all the way at the back of the ship, this lounge was another large venue for activities and evening entertainment.
Outside on deck 7 was the Promenade Deck. This outdoor space did not wrap all around the ship. The lifeboats hung here along the side of the ship, so the views were limited. There was a small area aft and also midship with some deck chairs that was usually not busy. I could get some unobstructed views of the sunsets by going all the way aft or from the midship area.
Deck 14 – Riviera
Meeting Suite – a dedicated meeting room for special group events.
Concierge lounge – this space was designated for suite guests only. Snacks and drinks were available throughout the day and a concierge staff member was present to help with questions and address issues.
Deck 16 – Lido
Public spaces forward to aft:
Chopsticks Noodle Bar –this eatery was unique to the Majestic Princess. Each day the menu had a special noodle bowl, along with two standard choices that were always available: vegetable miso ramen and won ton noodle soup.
Fountain Pool Ba – poolside bar for drinks of all types served by very friendly bartenders.
Burger and Lobster Grill – eatery where I could get burgers, fries, hot dogs, and tacos, all of which were complimentary. I also had the choice of a lobster roll for an additional fee.
Fountain Pool – the main pool area with a large pool and a smaller soaking pool, hot tubs, and lots of lounge chairs for sunning and relaxing. I could also watch Movies-Under-The-Stars here.
In the evenings, the middle deck in between the pools presented a colored fountain display set to music. The Princess Patter listed when the fountain shows were on.
Sea walk – this glass walkway is a characteristic of the Royal class ships. It was located on both sides of the deck and gave views down to water level. Even though I know this is solid and safe to walk on, I always struggle stepping directly on the glass.
Sea Views Bar – another option for getting drinks while lounging by the pool or hot tubs.
Swirls Ice Cream – free soft serve chocolate and vanilla ice cream any time of day. The specialty dessert ice cream concoctions were also served here.
The World Fresh Marketplace – this buffet restaurant was a good spot for a quick bite or a full meal at breakfast, lunch or dinner. The buffet area was huge with many, many choices at every meal. I especially loved the freshly pressed juices and the daily international theme menus. The Mongolian Grill nights were one of my favorites.
The Bakery – tucked inside the World Fresh Marketplace, this was the spot to satisfy my sweet tooth. At the Bakery I found freshly baked danish, muffins, and croissants for breakfast, pastries and desserts for lunch and dinner, cookies for snacks, and afternoon tea delights.
Wakeview Bar – located outside behind the buffet restaurant, the outdoor space had a decent amount of outdoor seating along with a bar that offered a variety of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. This bar was also where I could get freshly squeezed juices each day (extra charges applied without a package).
Deck 17 – Sun
Public spaces forward to aft:
Hollywood Conservatory – surrounded by lots of floor to ceiling windows and a glass roof, this quiet, adults only venue was one of my favorite spots on the ship, especially early in the morning before it got busy. There were loungers, cabanas, and plenty of tables and chairs for those wanting to play games. And, unlike the Sanctuary on other Princess ships, there was no fee to use this space.
Hollywood Pool Club – attached to the Hollywood Conservatory, this adults only area (on my cruise anyway) had a nice pool for swimming and two hot tubs for relaxing. The space was covered by a glass dome which kept it bright and warm.
There were also plenty of lounge chairs, couches, and cabanas with ocean views. I really liked coming here in the evening for a swim because I usually had the whole space to myself.
Midship:
Movies Under the Stars Sitting Area and Hot tubs – there were two more hot tubs on the deck here. I enjoyed them in the evening as I watched a film on Movies-Under-The-Stars.
Table Tennis – another unique feature about this ship were the many table-tennis tables set up on the deck.
Aft:
Fitness area – a workout space with ocean views that had a large variety of exercise equipment as well as fitness classes.
Camp Discovery and the Beach House Teen Lounge – dedicated club areas for children of all ages.
Deck 18 – Sports
Midship to aft – note that I could only access this area via stairs from desk 17.
Movies Under the Stars screen – location of the large screen above that showed movies and concerts throughout the voyage.
Center court – very large, netted, basketball court that was also used for pickleball. On the deck outside the court there was also outdoor exercise equipment.
Deck 19 – Sun
The Greens Mini Golf – small putting green that was only accessible by stairs from the aft area of deck 18.
Laundromats
One of my favorite things about a Princess ship is that I can do a quick load or two of laundry midway through a cruise. This was especially useful on this three week repositioning cruise.
On decks 8 through 15 Princess provided self serve laundry rooms that had washers, dryers, ironing boards and irons. There was also a vending machine that dispensed detergent (though I usually bring my own).
I used my medallion to purchase tokens for the washing machines and dryers from the vending machines located on the wall of the laundry room. The machines were often fully occupied. I found the best time to do laundry was very early in the morning, late in the evening, or during formal nights.
My Majestic Princess dining Experiences
As with all the Royal class ships, the Majestic Princess offered a wide variety of dining options. I can honestly say I enjoyed all the food that I tried while sailing on the Majestic Princess and I took advantage of all the dining experiences that were available to me, including the special Chef’s Table, the Caymus Winemaker dinner, and the Ultimate Balcony Breakfast.
I thought all the food I tried was good (especially since I didn’t have to cook it), and quite a bit of it was great (especially The Catch by Rudi). At each location, the service was always fantastic and delivered with courtesy and efficiency and always with a smile. I found all the wait staff to be extremely personable and eager to please.
In order to keep this post from getting even longer than it already is, I will write a separate post with more detail about all my dining experiences on the Majestic Princess.
Majestic Princess entertainment review
Everyone has different wants and likes when it comes to cruise ship entertainment and the Majestic Princess had something for all tastes. There were certainly plenty of opportunities to play bingo, take part in trivia games, or take craft classes, just to name a few. There was also lots of variety when it came to musical performances.
I am not going to go into a lot of detail about the entertainment on board because it will change from cruise to cruise and will vary depending on the destination. Suffice it to say that there were many options, and I enjoyed the musical presentations I attended.
The Broadway style shows during the cruise were impressive in their presentations and effectively displayed the skills of Princess’ very talented performers.
I have always been highly impressed by the house band on all the Princess ships I have sailed on and this cruise was no exception. The visiting musical performers were also very good. There always seemed to be someone singing or performing in the Piazza, which I could easily hear from any of the bars or restaurants located on all the floors around this three story open space.
One of the most interesting and unique events oh this cruise was the equator crossing ceremony. The cruise director and staff dressed up as King Neptune and his court. Guests volunteered to take part and willingly allowed themselves to be covered in colored, slimy, goop. Kissing a dead fish was also part of the ceremony for those that dared. Apparently, such a celebration is a time honored event when a ship crosses from one hemisphere into another.
Additional Majestic Princess cruise tips and information
The Medallion
The Medallion is a waterproof, round electronic button that held all my personal Princess cruise information and was also my room key. I chose to pick up my medallion at check in at the port and wore it throughout the cruise on a lanyard.
If I want something more fashionable, Princess sold fancier Medallion accessories on board like chains and wristbands (though I bought a pretty lanyard on Amazon).
The Medallion automatically unlocked my room once I was within about 3-4 feet of my cabin door. I also used it for any on board charges for drinks, excursions, etc. It was also my key to get back on the ship after getting off in port.
After boarding, I also had to check in to my muster station with my medallion.
The Medallion App
I used the Medallion App to check in before my cruise. I was able to fill out all the necessary information easily to get into the “blue” check in lane (the one dedicated for picking up the medallion in port).
Once on board, I could use the app to schedule dinner reservations, order room service, order drinks to be delivered to my seat, track and find members in my cruising party and look at my bill. I had no trouble using these options. In fact, I easily booked a last minute excursion the night before we docked at a port and the ticket was quickly delivered to my cabin.
Interactive On Board Screens
Near each elevator, a large interactive screen displayed a map of the ship or the current activities going on throughout the ship. These touch screens were very easy and intuitive to use and were very helpful.
MedallionNet Wi-Fi
I had the 4-device package for the full length of the trip so that I could use both my phone and my computer at the same time while on board. Signing up and logging into the Wi-Fi network was easy.
The WiFi and internet worked great throughout my trip, even when we were “in the middle of nowhere” cruising the Pacific. I had no trouble accessing my emails or working on this blog.
Travel Tip – I switched my phone to Airplane Mode before I left port so that I would not incur roaming charges. I made any calls back home via WiFi while I was out at sea.
Princess Patter
On my cruise, my cabin steward dropped off the Princess Patter each night and it listed the following day’s activities. Even though all the day’s activities were listed on the app, it was nice to also have the paper version for a quick reference.
In room TV
Besides watching movies and TV programs, and listening to music, I was also able to watch all the shows and the enrichment lectures that had been presented at the theater in the comfort of my cabin.
Bridge Cam
I can see where the Majestic Princess currently is through its bridge cam at https://www.princess.com/bridgecams/.
To book a Princess cruise, find all the upcoming Majestic Princess cruises, and to see the most recent cruise line deals go to https://www.princess.com/.
Please note that I received some perks from Princess for this cruise. All opinions and content are my own.
Links to all my cruising content, including all my other Princess cruises, can be found on my Experience – Cruising page.
Other Princess cruising stories:
A Discovery Princess review: Discovering New Horizons With Princess – A Complete Discovery Princess Review With Photos
Regal Princess review: Cruising Like A Princess – A Complete Regal Princess Review With Photos
Sky Princess review: Cruising Sky HIgh With Princess – A Complete Sky Princess Review With Photos
Thanks for visiting,
Rose
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