Last Updated on 04/12/25 by Rose Palmer
I’ve sailed on the Majestic Princes on two long repositioning cruises and have loved my experiences each time. The first time was a transpacific from Los Angeles to Auckland, and the second, most recent cruise, was a transatlantic from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona.
The Majestic Princess has become one of my favorite Princess ships, and now, after its recent drydock renovations, it’s even better.
My Majestic Princess review
I love cruising in all its forms. From river cruises on the Mekong or the Ganges 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 four 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!
What I loved about this Princess cruise
The Majestic Princess was my fourth Royal Class ship, so I knew what to expect on my long cruises.
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
Princess offered a great solo deal for both of my repositioning cruises, so I “splurged” on a deluxe balcony cabin, even though I was cruising solo. On a 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 stowed them 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. There were also two USB ports above the nightstand next to the couch. The desk space also held the small mini fridge which was large enough for the six pack of sodas 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 2025
- Maximum number of passengers – 3560
- Maximum number of crew – 1346
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:
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 on deck 16 was always good. And the new candy shop
Deck 4 – Gala
Medical Center – If I need medical help, this was the spot to go to. Note that charges for any medical services provided on board needed to be paid before disembarking the ship. A detailed statement of services and the associated charges can then be submitted to insurance.
Water Shuttle embarkation – in ports where the ship could not dock, ship’s water shuttles transported passengers to and from the ship (this is referred to as tendering). This location was also often used for disembarkation and embarkation when docked.
Deck 5 – Plaza
The Piazza– like its namesake in a Tuscan village, the Piazza was the main communal gathering spot on the ship. This was the beautiful three story beating heart of the Majestic and featured 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 late night 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 package). It also offered the premium desserts (additional fee without a package)
Good Spirits at Sea -this classic Princess bar offered a nice selections of unique cocktails and craft cocktail demos. It was also a good location to watch the activity in the Piazza while relaxing with a drink.
O’Malley’s– Princess’ Irish themed pub that is a trifecta of food, drinks, and musical performances. This is also one of the casual restaurants options on board.
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.
The Symphony dining room offered traditional seating with two fixed seating options per night at 5 PM and 7:30 PM. This was ideal for guests who like to eat at the same time each evening, at the same table, and with the same wait staff.
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.
Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria – Princess’ classic Italian restaurant never disappoints me. I make sure to eat at this specialty restaurant at least once per cruise. I love their pasta dishes, though with five courses, a meal here is always way too much food.
Lotus Spa and Salon -the spa and salon had all the services I expected. It was such a treat to get pampered with a pedicure on the first day after I boarded.
I also spent time at the Enclave area of the spa, which was 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 – part of this space had slot machines set up for those that want to gamble in a non smoking environment.
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.
Bellini’s – another spot for a variety of cocktails and 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 that filled up quickly. (Extra charge without a package).
Internet café – a helpfulspace 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 dinner every day as well as afternoon tea on sea days. (the Princess Patter had all the dining room details). A section of this dining room was also set aside for Reserve Class dining. This was also the “walk in any time” dining room where dinner reservations were not necessary.
Allegro Dining Room – another of the three dining rooms that was open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on sea days and breakfast and dinner on port days. 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 was also where I had the special Chef’s Table Lumiere dinner.
The Allegro dining room offered reservable anytime dining. Dinner reservations could be made in 20 minute increments beginning at 5 PM.
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 Sushi – another casual eatery with views overlooking the Piazza that served made to order sushi and sashimi .
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. (Extra charge without a package).
Shops of Princess – more options for window shopping and buying.
Princess Live! and Princess Live Cafe – a large venue for fun daily activities and evening entertainment that also had a bar.
Oceanfront – selling a variety of accessories for the medallion.
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 on a sea day and it was delicious (extra fees applied which were not covered by any of the packages).
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.
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 access was 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.
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:
Alfredo’s Slice – Princess’ “Best Pizza at Sea” available by the slice. This was always a favorite for lunch or a quick snack after an excursion.
Fountain Pool Bar – poolside bar for drinks of all types served by very friendly bartenders.
Salty Dog Cafe – eatery where I could get burgers, fries, hot dogs, and tacos, all of which were complimentary.
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.
On some 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 and 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.
Deck 17 – Sun
Public spaces forward to aft:
Hollywood Conservatory – surrounded by lots of floor to ceiling windows and a glass roof, this quiet 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.
Hollywood Pool Club – attached to the Hollywood Conservatory, this indoor pool was great for swimming laps and also had 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. Walkers used the circuit around the deck for daily exercise. The aft deck space was also a great spot for watching the sunset.
Deck 19 – Sky
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 wrote 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 especially 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 on my transpacific 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
Princess cruise packages
Princess offers Standard, Plus, and Premier cruise fare packages. Before each cruise, I evaluate which package makes sense for me for that particular itinerary. Princess Cruise Drinks Packages and Fare Packages – Which One Is Best?
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
Pin this!
