Last weekend, for the first time, I boarded Newport Majesty for a dinner cruise that started at 7pm. It was a cool night for early September and I was pleasantly surprised by how warm it was inside the boat.
Inside decor was average. Round tables that sat up to eight people weren't overcrowded. Plain white table cloths, carpets clean, shiny woodwork but smaller compared to other dinner cruise ships I've been on in the area. They also offered dancing, however the dance space is outdoors on the second floor and is very small. 50 people dancing would be elbow to elbow so if that is your plan for the evening, beware. The bathrooms were horrible! Small is OK.. dirty, run down, doors that barely shut, is not good. When the bathrooms look like that, it makes you seriously wonder about the kitchen. Big turn-off!
Food service was offered about 45 minutes into the cruise leaving ample time for pre-dinner drinks. Unfortunately, no appetizers, bread, crackers, or other tidbits were out for people to munch on during the cocktail hour. The bar is not extensive but had enough to offer most people drinks that are most commonly ordered. A little expensive but not outrageously priced.
Dinner consisted of chicken in a white sauce, small pieces of fish, pork with veggie sauce, rice pilaf, summer squash mix, and bread. The chicken was tasty. The fish was previously frozen and had not been thoroughly cooked so it was still partially frozen. The pork was tough. It was not a stellar meal at all and for $51 per person based on our party size, it was not worth the money. Dessert consisted of still half frozen plain cheesecake and carrot cake with coffee and tea. The coffee service was slow and many had to wait for the refills to come out. Again, a disappointment.
The music/dancing was all fast paced songs typically of a DJ at a wedding composed mostly of newer hits with a few tried and true old dance hits. It was disappointing that one or two slow songs weren't thrown in the mix since most of the people on board were couples.
The boat circled around the harbor and since it was night time, not much was to be seen except for the lights of the Newport Bridge.
Overall, I can not recommend this cruise to anyone. It was mediocre at best and for the price, I'd hoped for slightly better than small, cramped, and lack luster food. In fact, a survey revealed that in our party of close to 20 people, not one person would repeat the experience.
