Empress - A Royal farewell

Almost to Port of Miami. Boy's Cruise 2017

Will report more soon [emoji41]

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Farewell??? I am sailing on Empress this Sunday.

M

Farewell??? I am sailing on Empress this Sunday.

 

M

From Miami or Tampa?

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Very interested in hearing about Cuba, as I am sailing on the Empress the 29th next month.

Embarkation was smooth Used Jiffy Jeff Transportation from FLL to Port of Miami. Great service. Bar service is very good at the pool bar. Muster was much faster than the past few cruises.

Aggressive sales for everything.

Didn't have the prepaid beverage sticker. Quickly resolved at CS.

So far very good [emoji41]

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No shortage of bartenders at the pool bar. Good service.

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Dinner night one in MDR. Food was good as was the service.

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Day two was a day at sea. Brunch was good. Free Mimosa's and Bloody Mary's.

Have the beverage pkg. so it didn't mean anything [emoji41]

Plenty of space at the pool. Bar service was very good.

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They do push sale of everything. Bought dinner at Chops for 25% off.

Service in Chop's was S L O W.

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Day two was a day at sea. Brunch was good. Free Mimosa's and Bloody Mary's.

Have the beverage pkg. so it didn't mean anything [emoji41]

Plenty of space at the pool. Bar service was very good.

 

 

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Can you elaborate on the Brunch. I don't recall many (if any) special brunches with alcohol on RCCL. I know there is a nice brunch on Celebrity. Is that an Empress thing or something because the ship is moving?

Thanks M

It is an Empress thing. :)

Freddy - did you happen to get off and on the ship more than once?

Someone posted on our June roll call that the Visa is good only once.

Makes no sense to me - that defeats the purpose of an overnight.

If not, perhaps someone going on a future overnight or someone else who was on your sailing will comment.

First off, thanks for posting your review! DH and I, along with 4 other couples, are anxiously awaiting the fall, 2018 itineraries for Cuba on the Empress! We have never been on that class of RCI ship, so my question is are the only balconies in the Jr Suite and above categories? All others are either insides or windows, correct? Which side of ship to see the ports (land)? Just trying to scope out the "perfect" location for our group!:cool: Thanks again for your insight!!;) CHEERS!:*

Freddy - did you happen to get off and on the ship more than once?

Someone posted on our June roll call that the Visa is good only once.

Makes no sense to me - that defeats the purpose of an overnight.

 

If not, perhaps someone going on a future overnight or someone else who was on your sailing will comment.

Are you sure the visa was not possibly for a single entry into the country by ship or plane? You are in the country when the ship is cleared. I don't think it matters which side of the gangway you are on or how many times you cross it.

Can you elaborate on the Brunch. I don't recall many (if any) special brunches with alcohol on RCCL. I know there is a nice brunch on Celebrity. Is that an Empress thing or something because the ship is moving?

 

 

 

Thanks M

On days at sea they do a brunch in place of lunch in the MDR. Very well done. Brunchy stuff.

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First off, thanks for posting your review! DH and I, along with 4 other couples, are anxiously awaiting the fall, 2018 itineraries for Cuba on the Empress! We have never been on that class of RCI ship, so my question is are the only balconies in the Jr Suite and above categories? All others are either insides or windows, correct? Which side of ship to see the ports (land)? Just trying to scope out the "perfect" location for our group!:cool: Thanks again for your insight!!;) CHEERS!:*

Our cruise is the last one to not visit Cuba although we did pass close enough to get great views. Met a gentleman who is on a b2b and visited Cuba last week. He loved it. We get off Friday in Miami and the Empress sails empty to Tampa to do the Cuba run.

We have a Jr. suite on the starboard side. There are only 60 Junior Suites, all on deck 9. We are in 9646 near the aft elevators. Easy transit to the pool and MDR.

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Are you sure the visa was not possibly for a single entry into the country by ship or plane? You are in the country when the ship is cleared. I don't think it matters which side of the gangway you are on or how many times you cross it.

It was mentioned from someone who went on the Cuba Inaugural - sorry, I thought Freddy was on that one too.

It has since been clarified by another guest. Upon arrival, you go through customs, they take the Visa and photograph it. Then you are in the data base, you can come and go from the ship. They evidently do check each time, but if you are in the system, you are OK.

I guess it is considered a "single entry", yes, probably as long as the ship is there.

They probably close us all out as we sail away into the sunset, so they can collect another $75 should we ever return.

Many posts have stated that Empress is understaffed. No evidence of that on this cruise. Staff is VERY polite and outgoing. Had breakfast in the MDR this morning. Food was very good and service was EXCELLENT.

Yes you can wear shorts and a polo to dinner even in Chop's.

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Thanks for your review. Is there still a sit down breakfast served in the main dining room or only brunch? Do they serve sit down lunch in the main dining room or only the brunch? Do they serve the tutu salad bar in the dining room during brunches? Thx

Brunch only on sea days. Breakfast in MDR on port days. Windjammer lunch on port days.

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Thanks for your answers FF! Also, is there a D lounge on Empress, a nightly D event, or a "drinks" allotment added to the sea pass? This will help us to decide whether or not to pre-purchase a package or not!:rolleyes: Thanks again for taking time out from your cruise to help us all out!!;)

Please define "aggressive" sales. Would that be in your face aggressive or what?

One short D event by Bolero's. Another last nigh. Packed. No D lounge. 10 drink cards for $69 including the grat.

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Please define "aggressive" sales. Would that be in your face aggressive or what?

Not in your face... just non stop. It has slowed a little.

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