Empress of the Seas

[dolfinmusic]

Has anyone sailed on her?? I know she is a much smaller and older ship! Any info would be great!!!

[hstrybuf]

Chris, CruisingIsLife, sailed on her back in September and has a review posted in the review section. I've been a bit curious about this ship myself.

[Homosassa]

I have sailed on the RCL "yacht" twice and love the ship ( I like small ships - if you like the big ships, you will probably not like the Empress.) Service is first rate. Food in the dining rooms is much better than on the Voyager class ships. If you have any specific questions, I will try to answer them.

[dolfinmusic]

Thanks Deb! I did read his review!!!

Thanks Homosassa! I do like the big ships but I have only sailed on 2 so it will be a little different sailing on a small ship but I do hope it will still be fun! Why not though - it is still a ship - right??!!!!

[Abridalmaven]

I was on her in 2001, and she was nice then. I was my first cruise so to me it was a big ship. Now that I have been on the AOS and soon the FOS, i am not sure I would like it as much. however it was a fun ship, yery great crew. Anyplace that is not at home and I am not doing the cooking:36_17_7: is fine with me!

[Alexis]

We sailed her for the 11 night Caribbean cruise a year ago. We LOVED that ship and her crew. It may be smaller than the others but if you plan on doing the 11 night cruise, you will be too busy to miss the extras of the larger ones. Everyone on that ship is so friendly and they all give you great service. She is kept up and very clean and beautiful. We had a JS on deck 9 and it was really just a basic E category to me. They are really the only balcony cabins other than suites. There was no refrigerator at that time. I have no idea if they have them now.
We were going to sail her again in 2006 for the same cruise but could not get another balcony. They go very fast. Others who were in our Meet and Mingle are sailing her again for the same itinerary. That is how much we all liked her.
I would cruise her again anytime.
Now, that is just my opinion. :)

[webecruisin']

We were on her when she was still the Nordic Empress in 2002. The ship was very comfortable, and the service was great. Our only complaint was that we were in a cabin which was only 119 square feet, and when I would get up in the night to go to the bathroom, I would bang my head on the wall-mounted tv. I've heard that the suites and other larger cabins are comfortable, but I think just about all of the inside and outside cabins are 119 square feet. Compare that to about 172 square feet for an inside or outside cabin on Celebrity M-class or the larger Royal Caribbean ships.

[Abridalmaven]

Oh yeah, I remember the head bang. :36_11_1: Ours must have been a quad because they had the bunk beds in the ceiling, I did conk myself a few times on that. If I did sail her again, I would go for the balcony

[carlakruz]

We are sailing on the Empress at the end of March. Can anyone tell me about the entertainment? What about the night life music? tHANKS

[dolfinmusic]

We are sailing on the Empress at the end of March. Can anyone tell me about the entertainment? What about the night life music? tHANKS


Hope you do a review when you come back!!! :36_2_53:

[Pandamonium]

Hope you do a review when you come back!!! :36_2_53:

I can quite easily say that our three day cruise on Empress was the BEST cruise we have ever had in terms of the food; the stateroom and waitstaff, and the beauty of the ship. We truly felt, for the first time, that we were being PAMPERED on this RCI cruise. Our inside stateroom had more than enough room for me and my 6' 4" husband.

The ship and its crew were awesome, and we will sail her again.

[Homosassa]

We are sailing on the Empress at the end of March. Can anyone tell me about the entertainment? What about the night life music? tHANKS

I can't tell you much about the night life - we get up early and go to sleep early. Show on the Empress have been a combination of Empress production shows, old headline groups (The Platters, The Coasters) good magicians and jugglers.

[wallie]

We were on Her 30th sailing way back when :) she was 'THE' mega Ship. Only great memories, tho faded.

[cruisingator2]

We were on her when she was still the Nordic Empress in 2002. The ship was very comfortable, and the service was great. Our only complaint was that we were in a cabin which was only 119 square feet, and when I would get up in the night to go to the bathroom, I would bang my head on the wall-mounted tv. I've heard that the suites and other larger cabins are comfortable, but I think just about all of the inside and outside cabins are 119 square feet. Compare that to about 172 square feet for an inside or outside cabin on Celebrity M-class or the larger Royal Caribbean ships.

I love the 11 night itinerary that the Empress does out of San Juan but I'm not sure that I would like this ship. We were docked behind her last year in San Juan and she is small. I have been on Carnival's older ships(Celebration) which are about the same size but she is missing all the bells and whistles that the newer ships have. Also I have read about the small cabins. I can handle that on a three or four night cruise but not a 11 nighter.