MAJESTIC PRINCESS
Majestic Princess Review: What Saved It and What We'd Skip
By Rod and Melody | Always Be Vacationing
We just got off the Majestic Princess after a British Isles cruise, and we're going to be honest with you right up front — the ship was not our favorite. But the ports? The ports saved this trip. And there were two spots on board that made the whole thing worthwhile, one of which you will not find on any other Princess ship.
We almost missed it. So before you sail, here's everything we'd tell a friend — where to go, what to skip, and what we'd absolutely do again.
We are Rod and Melody from Always Be Vacationing, and the Majestic Princess was our home base for this leg of our British Isles journey through our bucket list of 105 places.
Getting There: London to Southampton
We started in London and took the train from London Waterloo to Southampton Central. About 90 minutes, and about as easy as travel days get. From the station it was a quick Uber straight to the port, and we were on board before we knew it.
✈ PRO TIP: Load the Princess app on your phone while you're commuting to the port. Get it done before you arrive and embarkation goes so much faster.
Embarkation Day: Our Routine
We've done enough of these to have a system, and it makes the first day so much smoother.
Check as many bags as you can at the port before you go through security. The fewer things you're carrying, the better your first few hours are. Once you're on board, the ship feels wide open and uncrowded — it's the best time to explore before everyone settles in.
Grab a drink, book your specialty dining and your entertainment, and then just wander. Muster is quick now — you handle most of it through the Princess app and check in at your station in about two minutes. Once cabins are ready, find your bags, unpack, and change for the evening.
✈ PRO TIP: Don't forget your passport — and carry it on. Do not put it in a checked bag. You will need it in your hand at the port.
✈ PRO TIP: Book your specialty dining about 90 days ahead. The best times and the best restaurants fill up fast, especially on a longer itinerary.
We like to reserve dinner about an hour after sailaway. That gives you time to watch the ship pull away and still make your reservation without rushing.
The Hollywood Conservatory (Don't Almost Miss It Like We Did)
This is the spot we almost missed — and it might be the best place on the entire ship.
The Hollywood Conservatory is on Deck 17. It's a glass dome, climate controlled, adults-only, and it's complimentary. You will not find this on any other Princess ship.
Here's our confession: we didn't find it until Day 7, our first sea day. We almost didn't get on that elevator. And when we walked in, we couldn't believe we'd gone a full week without it. You get 180-degree ocean views, comfortable loungers, giant chess, topiary sculptures, and xylophones scattered throughout. There's a back section with private cabanas — couches, TVs — some of which you can reserve. And because it's connected to the Hollywood Pool Club right next door, when it's too cold or too windy to be outside, this is exactly where you want to be.
✈ PRO TIP: Go find the Conservatory on day one. Don't wait until your first sea day. Walk the whole ship early so you know what you've got.
This was one of the two things that made this ship worth it for us.
O'Malley's (The One Place With Soul)
The other thing that made this ship worth it? O'Malley's.
It became our favorite spot on board. Food, drinks, and live music — it had energy, it had atmosphere, and it felt like the one place where people were actually having a good time together. The best entertainment we found on the whole ship was a band called Kind Ears, and we made as many of their shows as we could.
You'll find fish and chips, burgers, a full bar, and depending on when you walk in, live music that makes it hard to leave. It's on Deck 5, right in the Piazza.
We kept coming back because O'Malley's had something the rest of the ship didn't. Life.
✈ PRO TIP: Don't just pass through O'Malley's. Make it your regular spot. Sit down, get a drink, and stay for the music.
The Enclave: Worth Every Penny on a Cold-Weather Cruise
The Enclave is on Deck 5, and it's a full thermal suite — not just a spa.
Inside you've got a large hydrotherapy pool with massage jets, a cascading rain shower, and pressurized back and shoulder jets. There are heated stone loungers that radiate warmth and melt the tension right out of you. Then there are the heat chambers: the Laconium, a Roman heated room with infused aromas for detoxification; the Caldarium, a warm steam chamber with heated walls and floors; and the Hammam, a Turkish-style steam bath. Sensory showers let you cool down between sessions.
We bought the Thermal Suite pass and used it every single day. Even on port days — it was the perfect way to warm up after being out in the cold. On a British Isles itinerary in cooler months, it's almost a necessity, and we looked forward to it every day.
✈ PRO TIP: Don't wait to buy your pass. Prices go up on embarkation day — get it before you board. And if you don't want the full pass, you can buy day passes once on board. Just check at the spa desk.
One small thing that made life easier: rather than fuss with the lockers, we'd throw on a swimsuit and coverup in the cabin, walk straight into the thermal suite, and walk right back to change. Simple.
And if you want to keep up your routine, the gym is on Deck 17. Sea days are the busiest, so plan around them.
Dining: We'll Be Honest
We're going to level with you — we were underwhelmed by the food. It was fine, but the flavors just weren't there. If you're a foodie like we are, our biggest recommendation is to eat in the ports. That's where the real flavor of the British Isles lives. Here's how the dining on board broke down for us.
Crown Grill (Deck 7). Easily the best specialty restaurant on the ship, and a lot of frequent cruisers agree, which makes it a tough reservation to land. The menu covers steaks, chops, and seafood, and they bring three gourmet salts to the table — Hawaiian Black, Smoked Applewood, and Himalayan Mountain Pink. Steak lovers can also order the Nolan Ryan Beef, dry-aged cuts at an upcharge. Book this one early and often.
Sabatini's Italian Trattoria (Deck 5, Piazza). Usually easy to get into. Just manage your expectations before you walk through the door — if you're after authentic Italian, this isn't it. Think of it more like a high-quality Olive Garden. Five courses, so come hungry. Once per cruise they do a Grand Tuscan Dinner paired with Frescobaldi wines. It might be worth looking into, but we saved our money for food in the ports.
Alfredo's Slice (Piazza). When those British Isles port days run long, this is a solid call. Casual, complimentary, and easy after a full day ashore. Neapolitan pizza by the slice, open lunch and dinner.
✈ PRO TIP: Alfredo's is open on embarkation day. Head there for a quieter lunch while everyone else is crammed into the buffet.
Main Dining Rooms (Decks 5 and 6). Allegro, Concerto, and Symphony. Full table service, complimentary, menu rotates every night. A good option if specialty dining isn't on the schedule.
World Fresh Marketplace (Deck 16). Exactly what you'd expect from a buffet. Open from early morning through late night, global options, rotating daily. Quick and easy.
✈ PRO TIP: There's a little secret in the back of the dessert section — the best ice cream sundae on the ship. If you've got the Princess Premier package, it's completely included.
What we skipped: The Catch by Rudi and the Ocean Terrace Sushi Bar. We learned our lesson on the Sun Princess — Melody isn't a fan of raw fish, and Rudi's just isn't for us.
✈ PRO TIP: Sit-down breakfast on sea days ends at 9am sharp. Sleep in and you're stuck with the buffet.
The Ship Itself
The Piazza is the hub of the ship — three stories of bars, cafes, and live music right in the center. It's where you'll find the International Café, which makes a good meeting spot before excursions on port days.
For sailaway, we headed up to the Lido Deck. We're in Southampton, not the Caribbean — it was cold. We lasted about five minutes and ended up back in the Piazza, which turned out to be the better call anyway.
Good Spirits at Sea is worth a stop for a fun cocktail experience with live mixology demonstrations.
As for entertainment, the ship has the Princess Theatre on Decks 6 and 7 for full production shows, Princess Live on Deck 7 for cooking demos and comedy, and the Vista Lounge at the aft of Deck 7 for musicians and late-night sets. They're all there — we just didn't find ourselves rushing to any of them.
The Cabin
We booked a balcony. On the Majestic Princess, a standard balcony cabin gives you 222 square feet total, including a 41 square foot balcony. To put that in perspective, the balcony fits a table and two chairs. That's it.
The cabin has a surprisingly comfortable bed for a cruise ship, blackout curtains, a flat screen TV, a mini cooler they generously call a fridge, and an in-room safe — though the battery on ours was dead the entire time.
Storage was tighter than you'd expect for a longer cruise. There are drawers, a closet, and some shelving, but you will feel every square foot of that 181 square feet of interior space.
✈ PRO TIP: Pack layers and dress warmer than you think you need to. A British Isles cruise is a cool-weather trip, and you'll be glad you brought the extra sweatshirt.
The Honest Verdict
Here's what didn't work for us: the entertainment just wasn't there. We'd check the app, look at the schedule, and nothing made us want to go. We wished we'd brought games for the sea days. The signage is poor — we almost missed the Conservatory because it's really hard to find, and on a ship this size that shouldn't happen. The tendering process for getting off the ship needs work. And outside of a few spots, the energy was just quiet.
But here's what saved it: The Conservatory, unique and free and almost missed. O'Malley's, the one place with soul. The Enclave, worth every penny on a cold-weather cruise. And above all, the ports — every single stop delivered. The British Isles from a ship is a fantastic way to see this part of the world.
Would we do this itinerary again? In a heartbeat. We might just pick a different ship.
Have You Sailed the Majestic Princess?
Thanks so much for joining us! If you've sailed her or you're planning to, drop your questions and your own experience in the comments — we read every one.
And stick around, because we're taking you to every single port on this British Isles itinerary next. First up: Falmouth.
Always Be Vacationing.
Quick recap — Majestic Princess essentials:
• Train: London Waterloo to Southampton Central, about 90 minutes
• Don't miss the Hollywood Conservatory — Deck 17, free, adults-only, day one
• O'Malley's — Deck 5 Piazza, best atmosphere on the ship
• The Enclave thermal suite — buy your pass before embarkation, prices go up
• Crown Grill — best specialty restaurant, book early
• Eat in the ports — that's where the real flavor is
• Sea day breakfast ends at 9am sharp
• Pack layers — it's a cool-weather cruise
