Photo Review: Empress of the Seas 6-06-16 to Cozumel w/Compasses etc. *WinksCruises*

Yes! Pretty sure they did.

 

Thank you.....that makes for a GREAT start to the cruise. Tell me more about the activities on board and the entertainment. When we sail, Carlos Torres will not be the CD....it will be Elvis Pinto, who we had as an Activity Manager when we sailed on Jewel. I am sure Elvis will build upon what Carlos has started on Empress to keep the fun going.

The next morning, The Empress of the Seas docked at the International pier in Cozumel, which would serve as her home port for the next day and a half. Truth be told, aside from the opportunity to sail on Empress again, we had also selected this itinerary based on the unique Cozumel overnight stay, although anyone who has sampled the strength of the tequila on this little Mexican island will certainly warn you: one day is more than enough!

 

Since Mrs. Winks and I are not ones to easily back down from a challenge, we figured if someone at the Royal Caribbean home office thought cruise ship passengers could handle a two-day stay in Cozumel, we were available to prove to them that, yes, it could be done!

 

The Empress docked in Cozumel

 

Unfortunately, the morning weather was heavily overcast, so we had some initial misgivings about our plan to spend Day One at the popular private beach resort, Nachi Cocom. One of the appeals of Nachi Cocom is that it restricts entry to just 100 visitors. That coupled with a marketing claiming that they don’t cater to a “Spring Break mentality”, and it all sounds like an attractive adult safe-haven on an otherwise liquor soaked island.

 

But would the trip be a bust if the weather didn’t cooperate? We had only laid down an $11 each deposit, so canceling the excursion wouldn’t break the bank, but at the same time, a day hanging out downtown or at Senor Frogs didn’t hold much appeal to this cruising couple who have “done” Cozumel almost a dozen times by now – even the dreaded Salsa, Salsa and Margaritas. So we decided to roll the dice, move forward with our plan and catch a taxi to Nachi Cocom.

 

Welcome to Nachi Cocom

 

A 10-minute, $18 cab ride later we strolled into the grounds of the modest resort. First up, we were greeted by a photographer who asked us to pose with sombreros while she took a shot. Later, on the beach, she would parade by with an 8x10 print out of it, claiming she hasn’t raised her prices ($12) since Nachi Cocom opened - out of respect for all her may repeat customers. Her what? There weren’t even a dozen people at the place!

 

After our photo, we approached a kiosk where we paid the rest of our reservation and received our Tyvek wrist straps. The day-pass covered food and drinks, a lounge chair at the beach, and use of the large swimming pool, but towels and motorsports were extra.

 

We took relief in the fact the skies were beginning to lighten so grabbed some Sol beers and staked out a space on the narrow beach front.

 

No Rules, Just Right

 

The resort is beautiful, if on the small side. Aside from its beautiful, large pool, complete with swim-up bar, its most attractive feature is the huge chandelier that hangs from the center of the humongous grass-top tiki-hut that serves as the dining hall. ‘80s music is piped in over speakers throughout the resort via the Stingray music service and the staff is friendly and attentive.

 

We chalked it up to the iffy weather and the fact it was a Wednesday - with only a few smaller cruise ships in port but the resort was pretty empty, with only a handful of other guests sharing in the services. This made for a relaxing time, although one small party that was firmly planted at the pool bar wasn’t strictly adhering to the club’s no loud and obnoxious behavior requirement! They were from a Carnival ship… so ‘nuff said.

 

Shot of the beachfront from a pier that extends far out into the water

 

We ordered lunch off a menu made up of typical beach bar food. It featured items such as fish tacos, burgers, buffalo wings, nachos and fried this and that. Food wasn’t much better than at the Windjammer, unfortunately. The photo lady came by hawking her 8x10 which we bought. And there was a small shop selling the same souvenirs (will braided name bracelets ever go away?) you could find anywhere else.

 

While it was a beautiful and uncrowded oasis, there wasn’t all that much to do activity wise, so I’m not sure it was really worth the price of admission. Of course, we were there on a quiet day, so maybe things get more rip-roaring when there’s a larger pool of guests.

 

About 3 or 4 in the afternoon we packed our things and headed back to the ship, where we hung out at the shops of the International Pier where we embarrassed ourselves taking stupid selfies...

 

Shopping Mall at the International Pier

 

Okay so you can find my Periscope footage and commentary here:

https://www.periscope.tv/WinksCruises/1mrxmlyLXanJy

 

And below is a Snapchat compilation from both Mrs. Winks and my accounts.

 

[YOUTUBE]oC2GErd10NE[/YOUTUBE]

 

Coming Up Next: Cozumel Overnight and a trip to Mr. Sanchos beach resort

Okay, so we'll get back to our 2016 Empress of the Seas review in just a jiffy...

 

But strictly for ha ha's, indulge us, please - for some retro-moments from our Empress of the Seas voyage way back in 1999 - when Mrs. Winks and I first cruised her. It was a 7-night trip to Bermuda out of NYC and back.

 

Some folks here have asked it there is an Empress of the Seas replica ship model available for sale in the tchotchke store. Sadly, the answer so far is no.

 

There are some magnets and other Empress branded commemorative mementos for sale, that will appear later on in an upcoming Snapchat video where Mrs. Winks visits the store, but there's nothing along the lines of this little beauty - which we proudly display on our fireplace mantel at home...

 

The really neat feature? The Viking Crown Lounge that faces the aft! All others face forward. Check it out!

 

 

Still others have asked about the cost and quality of the Empress drink packages that are offered on board. Well, welcome to the drink package of circa 1999. When a beer cost under $4 and a wine under $5.

 

Back then, this little punch card came in real handy! And if you'll notice, the prices were so good, we didn't care if we left a drink unpunched... thank you drink #11!

 

 

So let's talk about midnight buffet. Can you say, cray-cray? Did you ever wonder what happened to the decadent extravagance known as midnight buffet? Well it's pretty clear the RCI beancounters shut this baby down as soon as the company went public, public! Double, double! (Hi Michael B!). It's all about the corporate shareholders now...

 

But back on the Empress in 1999, your cabin steward would pull you out of bed to attend this little sugar fest! The whole lower floor space of the main dining room was lined with extravagant (and edible) dessert displays like these:

 

 

 

Yeah, so after that whole midnight buffet thing, it was back to bed to sink into a coma. (This whole cruising thing back then was really quite exhausting!)

 

Here's our stateroom from that late '90s Empress cruise.

 

Today, this stateroom is categorized as a Jr. Suite. But back then, we called it a standard balcony cabin - and it was on the small size.

 

Of course, we didn't do much complaining. We were newbs on our first cruise - who had also been upgraded from our Oceanview Guarantee to this little balcony gem. We soon became the envy of our table mates (Back then, there was no wussy My Time dining or self-indulgent tables-for-two; you were forced to interact with other people).

 

So on our last night at sea, we hosted a balcony party for our table mates. (We had fallen in love with them and were so eager to show off our cabin... Cruise dorks! We were so young and naive back then! We even sprung for champagne).

 

 

And here's a pic of our balcony, which, judging from recent cruise pictures, hasn't grown any bigger in size or quality of furnishings. But hey, when you're cruising Empress, this is as good as things get unless you splurge for a full suite.

 

 

As stupid kids in love, recently married, and able to cruise out of our home port of New York, this was the ultimate adventure. 17 years later, we are still enjoying cruising and enjoyed the opportunity of sailing the girl who started it all for us: The Nordic Empress (of the Seas).

 

Coming Up: Back to our main trip report. Something to do with getting drunk in Cozumel (part deux) and a lousy jugglng magician.

 

Sorry. No Snapchats from 1999.

 

I signed up JUST to tell you how wonderful and grateful I am for your reviews.

 

Hilarious.

Thorough.

Honest.

Interesting!

Just all around FABULOUS. Thank you.

 

I'm seriously considering booking this for me and my kids and your review has been extremely helpful. I'm still on the fence cause it will be our first ever cruise but at the price point it currently is at and my budget needs it is still a super strong contender. I know you and Mrs. Winks are a hot happening young couple but what were your thought about the experiences of the kids and families on board? Did they look like they were going to survive? ;)

 

It will just be me and my 3 and would love for them to hopefully enjoy the kids club time aka "Mommy, needs a break and a drink" time :p

 

Again, awesome, awesome review, photos, and snaps! Thanks so much for sharing.

Thank you for the 1999 flashback...very cool.

 

Megan

Okay, so we'll get back to our 2016 Empress of the Seas review in just a jiffy...

 

But strictly for ha ha's, indulge us, please - for some retro-moments from our Empress of the Seas voyage way back in 1999 - when Mrs. Winks and I first cruised her. It was a 7-night trip to Bermuda out of NYC and back.

 

Some folks here have asked it there is an Empress of the Seas replica ship model available for sale in the tchotchke store. Sadly, the answer so far is no.

 

There are some magnets and other Empress branded commemorative mementos for sale, that will appear later on in an upcoming Snapchat video where Mrs. Winks visits the store, but there's nothing along the lines of this little beauty - which we proudly display on our fireplace mantel at home...

 

The really neat feature? The Viking Crown Lounge that faces the aft! All others face forward. Check it out!

 

 

Still others have asked about the cost and quality of the Empress drink packages that are offered on board. Well, welcome to the drink package of circa 1999. When a beer cost under $4 and a wine under $5.

 

Back then, this little punch card came in real handy! And if you'll notice, the prices were so good, we didn't care if we left a drink unpunched... thank you drink #11!

 

 

So let's talk about midnight buffet. Can you say, cray-cray? Did you ever wonder what happened to the decadent extravagance known as midnight buffet? Well it's pretty clear the RCI beancounters shut this baby down as soon as the company went public, public! Double, double! (Hi Michael B!). It's all about the corporate shareholders now...

 

But back on the Empress in 1999, your cabin steward would pull you out of bed to attend this little sugar fest! The whole lower floor space of the main dining room was lined with extravagant (and edible) dessert displays like these:

 

 

 

Yeah, so after that whole midnight buffet thing, it was back to bed to sink into a coma. (This whole cruising thing back then was really quite exhausting!)

 

Here's our stateroom from that late '90s Empress cruise.

 

Today, this stateroom is categorized as a Jr. Suite. But back then, we called it a standard balcony cabin - and it was on the small size.

 

Of course, we didn't do much complaining. We were newbs on our first cruise - who had also been upgraded from our Oceanview Guarantee to this little balcony gem. We soon became the envy of our table mates (Back then, there was no wussy My Time dining or self-indulgent tables-for-two; you were forced to interact with other people).

 

So on our last night at sea, we hosted a balcony party for our table mates. (We had fallen in love with them and were so eager to show off our cabin... Cruise dorks! We were so young and naive back then! We even sprung for champagne).

 

 

And here's a pic of our balcony, which, judging from recent cruise pictures, hasn't grown any bigger in size or quality of furnishings. But hey, when you're cruising Empress, this is as good as things get unless you splurge for a full suite.

 

 

As stupid kids in love, recently married, and able to cruise out of our home port of New York, this was the ultimate adventure. 17 years later, we are still enjoying cruising and enjoyed the opportunity of sailing the girl who started it all for us: The Nordic Empress (of the Seas).

 

Coming Up: Back to our main trip report. Something to do with getting drunk in Cozumel (part deux) and a lousy jugglng magician.

 

Sorry. No Snapchats from 1999.

 

 

Oh my goodness.....I had a sectional sofa with fabric just like the one in your cabin back then as well. Yes, those crazy midnight buffets were unreal....our first experience was in 2004 on our very first cruise when we sailed on Navigator, but to hear of the cabin stewards pulling people out of bed to attend....how funny.

 

It is always good to walk down memory lane....thanks for sharing it.

^ And for those of us whom have never sailed the western caribbean it's been great to follow along make note of probable new experiences. Thanks for yoyr humourous fun review! :)

Where do the diamond, D+, Pinnacle go for drinks??????

Thanks for the flashback to 1999. Great review!

Nice review, photos and chats:), Thanks for sharing

I always enjoy a Winks review. Love the humor!

After a hot and humid day in Cozumel, we trudged down the long International pier to the ship’s gangway only to find the refreshment tent typically located there to welcome weary passengers back was out of the iced towels and potable water. Three crew members were hanging around chatting and tapping at their personal cell phones, but didn’t seem to care the amenities they were in charge of distributing were gone. Ouch.

 

Once we cooled down in our stateroom, we got dressed in time to catch a drink at the Schooner Bar before attending Dan Bennet, the juggling comedian in the main theater. Our Cruise Director Carlos described him as the next wave of edgy comedian, but, in reality, he was a fumbling, would-be juggler whose jokes all seemed to center around his repeated confession that he “wasn’t really any good at this” and “didn’t know what he was doing”.

 

In between his juggling set-ups, he would utter long rants made up of jargon from both mathematical and scientific worlds in a mixed cocktail of heady humor and technocratic puns. Most of which shot over the tequila soaked audience’s comprehension level. We were here for some cheap laughs, not a math teacher doing mensa level funny... In the right hands, this might have been unique and worked as a stage act; if it had been performed by the cast of The Big Bang Theory, for instance. But, for us, his nerdy comedy was a clear miss. (You can see footage of his act in the Snapchat video embedded below).

 

One interesting note, the assistant cruise director, who did the show’s wrap-up announcement, asked if anyone was getting off the ship that night (since Empress was docked for an overnight stay). After a few people hollered back in the affirmative, she commended them for being “brave souls” and hoped” to see them back on the ship “again.” What kind of endorsement was that??

 

In the end, Mrs. Winks and I went against the cruise staff’s better judgment and ventured off the ship. Too bad the bar scene at the end of the dock at the mini Senor Frogs was pretty lame. Apparently, other passengers were heeding the assistant cruise director’s warning and staying on the ship, or they were splurging the 20$ cab fare to go downtown. We took some night shots of the ship, walked along the port and then scurried back to the sanctuary of the Empress.

 

Empress of the Seas docked overnight in Cozumel

 

We woke up late the next morning wondering why the rising sun hadn’t woken us. Then we found a tenement apartment building had miraculously sprung up next to us on the pier overnight! Wait, did I say tenement apartment building? Whoops, sorry. That’s just looked what it looked like at first glance. In reality, it was only the Oasis of the Seas that was blocking out the sun. It had slipped into the mooring next to us sometime earlier.

 

And while waiting for their ship to clear customs, hundreds of Oasis guests took the opportunity to lean over their narrow balconies and glare down at Empress’s diminutive size with disdain (some even spit). But Royal’s shipping behemoth’s appearance on the scene only reinforced Mrs. Winks and my love of the older, smaller ship experience. “Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of ticky-tacky, Little boxes on the hillside and they all look just the same.”

 

Little Calcutta of the Seas

 

 

After breakfast at Chops, we headed off the ship and once we emerged from the endless shadow cast by the Oasis, we grabbed a cab to the other popular Cozumel beach club, Mr. Sanchos. Mr. Sanchos has a lot going for it. It’s a little closer to the ship, a couple dollars less in cab fare, it’s got a cheaper day-pass fee and there seems to be a lot more to do. It was also more crowded than Nachi Cocom, but that could probably be attributed to the fact that Oasis was in town, adding 5,400 more party seeking alcoholics to the mix. One economic note; liquor shots are not included in the day pass. That’s extra.

 

Aside from the physical beachfront, which is almost identical to Nachi Como’s, Mr. Sanchos offers an AquaPark consisting of inflated icebergs, platforms, and assorted water toys. They charge a separate admission for this. There are also several swim-up pool bars, a large buffet area, shopping kiosks and massage services. Most bar seats are swings, suspended from the beam above.

 

One additional note: Mr. Sanchos is closed on Sundays. Nachi Cocom is opened every day.

 

Mr. Sanchos Beach Resort...

 

Those of you who have read our previous cruise reviews know I am steadfast proponent of staying on the ship when we’re in port. The time, money and stress we spend getting from point A to Point B just aren't worth it to me, considering the same lounge chair, kettle drum music, beer and sun above can be found at the ship’s poolside… and often in a more sane and quiet atmosphere. Plus they don't charge 5$ extra for towels. Truth is, the only other thing a beach resort offers is the beach and motorized sports, and I’ve done enough of those to know, sitting top deck on a quiet ship is the relaxation chill mode that does the trick for me. And for this, I highly envy Super Mario. He rarely gets off at port.

 

Of the two, I think Mr. Sanchos may be the better choice. There just seemed to be more to do and more general busy-ness and activity. If you’re in the mood for a siesta and chill time, than Nachi Como may be more your speed.

 

Swing bars and pool bars

 

Below are our Snapchats from our overnight stay and then the trip to Mr. Sanchos.

 

Cozumel at Overnight:

[YOUTUBE]JjrAzfvkevw[/YOUTUBE]

 

Snaps from Mr. Sanchos

[YOUTUBE]zp9gHpg7jBI[/YOUTUBE]

 

 

Coming Up Next: Cozumel pier runners, Snapchat Q&A, and heading back to Fla.

Edited June 19, 2016 by WinksCruises

...what were your thought about the experiences of the kids and families on board? Did they look like they were going to survive?

We had a young fellow on our cabin crawl (10-12) who seemed to be having an overall good time, but his mother was quick to point out that there wasn't much to do on the ship for kids.

 

There's the rock climbing wall, of course, the pools and a video game room (which was busy), but compared to the kid-friendly amenities on new members of the Royal fleet, Empress definitely lags behind. That said, I was surprised by the number of kids I saw playing games like Jenga, checkers, Uno and even Chess. Plus reading physical books!

 

And I never saw any kids looking bored. They were always running off on some adventure or another. Hijinx of their own making.... not the force-fed stuff ala Disney rides.

 

One note: Cabins are notoriously small on Empress, so prepare yourself for cramped quarters when traveling as a crew. Good luck!

Edited June 19, 2016 by WinksCruises

Where do the diamond, D+, Pinnacle go for drinks??????

There was no lounge for these folks. Nor concierge lounge for suite guests. Instead, three free drinks were added nightly to our Sea Pass cards which would be honored at any bar.

 

We really thought the Viking Crown Lounge or a section of Boleros would have made a perfectly fine Diamond lounge. Our Suite Host just shook her head and apologized that there was no such space for this on Empress.

Edited June 19, 2016 by WinksCruises

As an addendum, here are few additional shots from, and comments about, visiting Mr. Sanchos.

 

First off, I conducted a Periscope session from the buffet tiki-hut. Sadly, it was the only location in the entire resort that supported a wi-fi signal strong enough to handle a live video feed... and it had the weakest view of the campus.

 

That said, check out the informative comments from the live viewers as we discussed how the two beach resorts (Nachi Cocom and Mr. Sanchos) differ.

 

https://www.periscope.tv/WinksCruises/1PlKQdbBvNdxE

 

I also previously neglected to mention that the waiters at Mr. Sanchos make no bones about the fact they are working on tips. This causes some territorial skirmishes as waiters and bartenders mark you as their own and expect you to come to them for your drink/food orders…. Which isn’t always convenient when you notice your Pina Colada glass has gone dry, buy “you guy” is nowhere to be seen. It’s frowned upon to ask a nearby waiter to help fulfill your order; in fact, most will just ignore you.

 

Tip jars and signs about tips being appreciated abound.

 

 

Just like at Nachi Cocom, there are plainly posted signs listing rules re: expected guest conduct at Mr. Sanchos, too. But while at Nachi Cocom the goal is to stop you from getting too drunk and stupid, the signage goal at Mr. Sanchos is clearly about not trying to work the wrist band system for personal gain.

 

But hey, you gotta love their imaginative spelling of bracelet!

 

 

As we initially noted, the cost of admission is less at Mr. Sanchos. But like the airlines in the US and to a greater extent, the cruise line industry, they make it all back on the upsells and add-ons. While everyone seems to want to charge you for a towel, Mr. Sanchos wants to charge you for body shots, use of their Aqua Park (spelled below as Acuatic Park) and really push you about the tipping the wait staff.

 

In addition, they have massage, face paint, handcrafts and braiding that all get a separate fee.

 

We found the food at both locations comparable, with maybe Mr. Sanchos getting the slight edge. But neither place offered cuisines better than you’d get at the Windjammer. And both had friendly staff, although the waiters at Mr. Sanchos wanted you to stick to one person.

 

 

The crowd at Mr. Sanchos was louder, drunker and more active. It’s definitely the place to go if you want stimulation and a party atmosphere. And the Aqua Park will keep kids entertained for most of the day. Go to Nachi Cocom if you are looking for something a little more laid back and upscale.

 

 

Love the Weeds/Little Boxes reference. Nicely done!

More please...

More please...

 

Thanks. More soon. And congrats on 2,000+ posts! Now there's a real accomplishment!

Love the Weeds/Little Boxes reference. Nicely done!

 

:D

 

Wish there was a like button!

Thank you so much for sharing your trip. I have been patiently waiting for detailed pictures and a normal review! :D

Based on what you saw on the cabin crawl, would you upgrade from a 7th floor outside stateroom to a "guaranteed" junior suite? They don't seem to be hugely different in size?

We were on the same cruise and you did an excellent job documenting it. It brings back memories.

 

My wife and I work out a lot and the gym was indeed lacking and with us being Diamond members, we wouldn't have any problems with the lacking gym become a Diamond Lounge, heck, the bar is already up there. The gym is, like I said, lacking. I wished they would have crammed a multi-purpose cable machine in there somewhere and my wife likes to run but she did not like how the treadmills were set-up. Overall, it got us by for a week but we would rather have the Diamond Lounge.

 

Eric

In cruising annals worldwide, Cozumel is notorious for its never ending stream of pier runners; those passengers who, for some reason or another, fail to make it back on the ship at the appointed all-aboard time. They typically blame it on the hour time difference, the clock on their cell phone that didn’t update, or rush hour traffic getting back to the pier. But we all know who the real culprit here is. Tequila.

 

And figuring a two-day stint here in the heart of Tequila Central was a sure bet to spawn a couple of pier runners, at all aboard time I moseyed down to the promenade deck overlooking the gangway, propped up my phone, microwaved some popcorn, and waited for the show to begin. Cozumel, as per usual, did not disappoint.

 

Here’s a Snapchat of the late arrivals - and some shots of the Oasis pulling out of port. We were scheduled to leave port first, but because we had to wait for our tardy passengers, Oasis ended up getting the go ahead before us.

 

[YOUTUBE]1_e7qfw69E4[/YOUTUBE]

 

Speaking of piers, below is a shot of Mrs. Winks and I with our dolphin friend. I should mention that we signed up for the My Cruise Photos picture package before boarding. The plan lets you walk off the ship at the end of your trip with EVERY one of your pictures the photo studio printed out - for one flat rate price. That cost varies by the number of days for your itinerary, so you have to do the calculation for each cruise, but generally, after about 10 pictures, you start dropping the price-per-photo cost significantly.

 

Of course, this unwittingly puts a lot of pressure on you to A) take as many pictures as possible (so you get your money’s worth) and B) budget the considerable time it takes to find your pictures on the display racks, a process that will eventually you drive you mad, leave you blind, with a migraine or simply sea sick.

 

And of course, we were usually busy at the bars or at a show or going to dinner during the backdrop formal pictures window of time, so we didn’t end up taking as many backdrops as we should have, so we can’t actually recommend going for the package unless you’re willing to make getting photos taken a big part of your evening.

 

Photo fun on the International Pier

 

Taken with a wide angle lens, Empress almost holds her own against the Oasis of the Seas in the picture below, but the difference in size is staggering when you see them berthed side by side.

 

Still, as we mentioned earlier, there was no size envy at play here. Looking at the cookie cutter array of balcony cabins that define the Oasis façade, and seeing the thousands of passengers boarding her as our mutual stints in Cozumel came to a close, we were really happy with our quirky forward facing balcony suite, rear facing combo Viking Crown Lounge / fitness center, Centrum space and beautiful aft dining-room windows.

 

Empress side-to-side with Oasis

 

The Oasis pulled out of the Cozumel port about 20 minutes before we did. The Empress would end up trailing just behind her into the evening (as seen in the Snapchat above). But sometime overnight, she kicked her engines into a higher gear and we didn’t see her again for the rest of the voyage.

 

Oasis leaving Cozumel

 

We settled in for our last day at sea before Empress once again returned to Miami. We were both kicking ourselves for not booking a back-to-back - or just a longer cruise itinerary in general. Five days simply isn’t long enough, especially when we account for the always-stressful flight segments that bookend the vacation. If you’re going to put yourself through the cattle call that American air travel has become, you’re better off having a 7 to 10-day respite in between!

 

During our last several cruises, we have had bad weather on the final sea day, so we were pleasantly surprised when the sun became our constant companion back to Miami. It gave us an opportunity to explore and appreciate some of the outdoor spaces, like the lounge area with rattan chairs and couches at the aft of the ship on the promenade deck, and the hammocks and clamshell chairs off the pool area.

 

The aft facing lounge on the Promenade Deck

 

It was funny, we failed to put our own clocks forward an hour as we went from Cozumel’s time zone back to Eastern time, so we were late making Chops breakfast the final sea day. As we were finishing our coffees, a manager and some other crew came in to slide some tables together. The hotel team was going to have a staff meeting, complete with a Powerpoint presentation. In the end, I had to extract Mrs. Winks from her hiding spot under the table clothed table; she desperately wanted to be a fly on the wall for that meeting!

 

But right after that meeting, the mood on the Empress got a lot more beneficent. Starting at lunchtime, when they wheeled out a giant sheet cake and began serving people free cake. And at lunch in the Windjammer, waiters came up to your table and offered you freshly baked mini-cupcakes. The spirit of giving would last into the evening, when the Windjammer dinner buffet offered FREE glasses of wine with dinner, and waiters table served fresh cookies and ice cream scoops! Such small tokens of appreciation, but for many passengers it came as a pleasant shock!

 

A sunny final sea day

 

Coming up, next: Final thoughts and Disembarking hassles.

Edited June 21, 2016 by WinksCruises

Yeah -- more pics and updates. Can't believe I've not seen a review before! Amazing and great pics. Thank You!

 

On the way back from Cozumel, the Oasis and Empress were basically leapfrogging each other as I kept a lookout for the Oasis. At 2:30am on the last night, we were side by side with the Oasis, just going around in circles, waiting to go into port.

 

Wife and I were partying in the Viking Lounge when I looked out the window and saw the Oasis so close to us, you would have thought we were in port (well maybe not that close). I asked a crew member why they were so close and what we're doing and at that time, I was informed both ships are just doing circles out in the middle of nowhere waiting to go into port.

 

Eric