Usually, when considering a last minute deal, there is
little choice. That’s not the case on February 10, 2014 if you’re looking for a
four night Bahamas cruise out of Miami. Norwegian Sky and Royal Caribbean’s
Majesty of the Sea both leave Miami at pretty much the same time on the 10th
and return at the same time on the 14th. Each has three port calls
and each can be had for nearly the same identical low, low price.
Here’s the details for both. It’s up to you and your
personal preferences to decide.
Norwegian Sky
The Cruise
Norwegian Sky embarks from Miami, Florida at 5pm on Monday,
February 10, 2014 for a four night Bahamas cruise. Sky returns to Miami at 7am
on Friday, February 14. She makes three port calls meaning there are no full
days at sea.
On Tuesday, Norwegian Sky stops at Great Stirrup Cay, a
private island in the Bahamas owned by Norwegian Cruise Line. The ship will be
at this location from 8am until 5pm. The following day, it’s off to Nassau, the
only shared port between the two cruises we’re looking at today. Sky is docked
at Nassau from 8am until 6pm. On Thursday, Norwegian Sky docks at the other
major city in the Bahamas, Freeport on Grand Bahama Island. She is in port from
8am until 5pm.
The Price
An inside stateroom for this cruise can be had for as low as
$129 per person, based on double occupancy. With $101.07 per person in
additional government fees and taxes tacked on, the total price for this cabin
for two goes for as low as $460.14. Ocean View rooms start from $159 per person
while a balcony cabin starts at $329 per person and a suite can be had for as
low as $1,099 per person.
The Ship
Norwegian Sky has had a bit of a broken life. She was originally ordered in 1993 and was to be the Costa Olympia for Costa Cruises. Construction on the ship was started by Bremer Vulkan in Germany. However, the company went out of business in 1997. Bremer Vulkan had been around since 1893 in the ship building biz, mostly cargo ships with just a few passenger cruise ships on the resume.
The ship that would become Norwegian Sky was then towed to Lloyd Werft in Germany where it was completed in 1999. The ship never sailed for Costa and was the Norwegian Sky from 1999 to 2004. She then became the Pride of Hawaii, still under Norwegian Cruise Line. In 2008, she returned to the Norwegian Sky name.
Back in September, 1999, on her inaugural cruise, Sky was at the mouth of the Saguenay River at the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada when she ran aground. The ship was evacuated as a precaution and there were no injuries.
One of two Sky Class Norwegian Cruise Line ships, Norwegian Sky is a smaller ship with a gross tonnage of 77,104. She is 260 metres or 853 feet in length and has nine decks accessible to passengers. Capacity on the vessel is for 2,004 guests with 934 crew members.
The other Sky Class ship is the Norwegian Sun. Sun is younger and slightly larger. She was put in service for NCL in 2001.
Majesty of the Seas
The Cruise
Majesty of the Seas embarks for her four night Bahamas
Cruise out of Miami a half hour before Norwegian Sky. She arrives back at the
same time on Friday, 7am. Majesty also makes three port calls but with a
slightly more southwest feel.
On Tuesday, Majesty of the Seas is docked at Nassau from 8am
until midnight. This is an amazingly long time in port. The following day,
passengers can get rested up, lying in the sun at Coco Cay in the Bahamas. Coco
Cay is a private island owned by Royal Caribbean and guests have from 8am until
5pm to enjoy it before heading off to the final destination. That final stop is
Key West, Florida. Majesty is in Key West on Thursday from 10am until 6pm.
The Price
An inside stateroom on Majesty of the Seas has a slightly
higher base price that the equivalent on Norwegian Sky, starting from $133 per
person, based on double occupancy. Government fees and taxes are slightly lower
at $98 per person. This means an interior cabin for two can be had for as low
as $462, including taxes. The difference in price between the two ships is less
than two dollars. An Ocean View room on Majesty of the Seas starts at $169 per
person and a suite can be had for as low as $929 per person.
The Ship
Majesty of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s oldest active ships, making her maiden voyage in April, 1992. She was built by Chantiers de L’Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France, which is now owned by STX Europe. Back in 1992, Majesty was christened by Queen Sonja of Norway. She was last refurbed in 2007.
At a length of 880 feet or 268 metres and 13 decks accessible to passengers, Majesty of the Seas may not be the largest boat on the ocean but she’s of pretty decent size. The ship carries around 2,750 passengers and 833 crew members.
The last remaining ship of Royal Caribbean’s Sovereign Class, Majesty’s two sister ships are still around but sailing for RC’s Spanish subsidiary, Pullmantur Cruises. Sovereign of the Seas is the oldest, put in service in 1988. She switched to Pullmantur after 2008. Monarch of the Seas came into service in 1991 and just switched over in 2013.
The Small Print
·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.
·Prices are in Canadian dollars.
·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!
·Also not included are gratuities.
·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.
