by Sue Hargis Spigel

Created on: September 05, 2008   Last Updated: September 15, 2008

I was a first-time cruiser who never expected to go on a cruise. But when friends of my good friend planned a big celebration for her birthday, she invited two of us from high-school days to come along. It was the least we could do to help her celebrate. The price of the Royal Caribbean three-day Bahamas cruise was discounted, probably because June is the mother of the rainy season. All nine in our group shared cute little twin-bed cabins, I mean staterooms, in the same hallway (if that is the correct nautical term) on Deck 3 of the behemoth Majesty of the Seas ship. We had heard about the dollhouse-sized rooms, so we were prepared and not disappointed. Most of us had portholes to watch to sea go by.

We had no problems with seasickness (or any other sickness), possibly due to being on a low deck, or good steering by the pilot. I feared there would be a rigid schedule to follow, but there was plenty of flexibility. All age groups were represented: young, old, in the middle, families. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Some people even temporarily joined our celebration on Friday night.

While boarding the ship, someone snaps your picture. A short walk down the runway you pick up your SeaPass card, which allows you to efficiently, painlessly buy drinks, day trips, anything you want, and have it billed to a credit card. An invoice discreetly appears under your door during the last night while you are out charging drinks or tipping the piano player. The card is also your embarking and disembarking pass and tells you when you eat dinner and at which table. It makes a good souvenir, along with any fancy drink glasses that survive.

Our birthday friend gave us a ship tour that ended in a casual dining room where the food is excellent and included in the cruise price. I lost count of the many restaurants, bars, lounges, and showrooms. The cruise ship is a labyrinth and a good way to challenge your memory through endless identical hallways and decks. Those who rely on GPS technology might bring it along. Eventually one memorizes the journey to the most important areas: the Starlight dining room, the dance bar, the karaoke bar, the piano barwhich is in fact a piano attached to a narrow bar with bar stools inside a nightclub.

The food was fantastic, service staff was stellar and friendly, the piano player was talented, the stage show was done well but schmaltzy (remember Up with People or old Super Bowl halftime shows?), the ship was spotlessly clean, the private island

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