Empress of the Seas - 11 Night

[msts]

Would like to hear from everyone who has been aboard the Empress of the Seas especially the 11 night sailings. Booked this sailing on our last cruise due to the ports of call, but know very little about or anyone who has been on the ship.

 

Thanks

msts

[danielle860]

Hello - Just returned from the 1/3 sailing and posted a fairly long review. Here's the link:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=122079&highlight=danielle860

 

Hope it helps!

[msts]

Thanks heading there right now.

 

msts

[msts]

Anyone else

[maxs mom]

There were some very positive reviews from the Dec. and early January sailings. Sorry I don't have the links right now but I'm sure you could find them if you do a search. We are on the march 14th sailing and looking forward to it.

[msts]

Thanks max'smom I did find more reviews and I would say 80% run positive.

[maxs mom]

Good! We've been on the Empress 3 times before and we like it. We've been on the bigger ships, too, and the smallness of the ship didn't bother us at all. There are lots of advantages. I can't wait to get on the Empress again.

[MI-DI]

MSTS...We were on the Jan 3rd sailing and other than the great itinerary we cant find much to recommend on this ship unless you like very small cabins,so-so food,kids using the elevators for play toys ect.

[Spanky My]

If because the Empress of the sea is not as flashy and big with all the new bells and whistles if that is some how tainting some posters view! I have not been on the empress yet but will be however in april.

 

The older smaller ships to me make it easier to get off and on in ports. You get to meet lots of folks and get to know them over the course of 11 days.Easier to navigate the decks and the itinerary and price on the empress is hard to beat.

 

So despite a few negative posts, I am looking forward to our trip and will give a full report in late april upon our return.

[radiofreebc]

I built a little virtual tour of the Empress when I was on it. Have a look!

 

http://www.radiofreebc.com/empress

 

Enjoy!

-Jeff

[msts]

Looks like we will stay with the Empress of the Seas and look forward to having a great cruise. Our cruise vacation is taken for one reason, relax, relax and relax. We don't get to excited if we miss a show, the objective for us is to meet new people and enjoy the ports.

 

We spend alot of time in the sun and we enjoy the balconies. Believe that most websites show the JS as 194 Sq Ft, I would say that is large enough for two people, we have had smaller rooms and it didn't really hinder the fun for us.

 

I would like to thank everyone for their input, whether positive or negative,

how else would we be able to decide.

 

msts

[maxs mom]

Good for you! I think you will have a wonderful and relaxing time.

[Snackdaddy]

Here's a copy of my review of the Empress. I hope it helps.

 

JANUARY 3, 2005 EMPRESS OF THE SEAS

 

Here is my very brief review of our wonderful trip on-board the Empress of the Seas. Overall, I would rate our trip a 4.8/5.0.

 

Pre-cruise stay at the Marriott Stellaris Resort & Casino: 5 If you like loud Latin music the lobby area is the place for you. Nice beach and pool area.

 

Dinner at Ajili-mojili: 5+ NYC prices$$$ and great Puerto Rican food, well worth the experience. 10-15 minute walk from the Marriott or a 5 minute cab ride. The walk was very safe as the streets were very busy.

 

Embarkation: 5 Although the terminal is in the middle of nowhere, the process was very smooth and efficient, we were impressed.

 

Ports: 5++ The best itinerary ever!!!! No problems or negatives from any port. Grenada is coming back very slowly, and the people are dealing with it in their own unique way. Shopping for trinkets and souvenirs was fantastic on Margarita. Great yachts on St. Barts...better than the boat show.

 

Tours: 5 The "Marigot Yachting and Shopping with Lunch” tour in St. Maarten was cancelled due to lack of participation. The St. Bart’s Highlights tour was very good. Frank in St. Lucia was the very best—unlimited beer, wine and water was really different too. Mandoo in Grenada was the consummate professional; great Spice Plantation Route tour.

 

Portofino: 4.5 Not as good as Chops, but still much, much better than dining room food.

 

Windjammer: 4 They did their best to vary the menu for 11 days. We generally stick with salads and pick over everything else. Avoid “rush hour” during breakfast and lunch.

 

Ship: 4 No Voyager-class “WOW” factor or Radiance-class “class”, but adequate. No long walks to your cabin. Public areas refurbished very nicely. Boleros looked great. There were signs of age in other areas like the bathroom and our cabin balcony door. If one does their research in advance, however, you’ll find no real surprises here.

 

Cabin: 4 We had a Deck 9 junior suite that had major shower stall tile problems. Guest relations took care of the problem to our satisfaction.

 

Cabin Steward Team: 5+ Very efficient and personable.

 

Food: 4 Good, but not great…seems to be a trend these days. However, the C&A Diamomd member breakfast with some of the crew and members of the cruise activites staff was very good 5++...eggs benedict with smoked salmon or filet mignon and eggs, fresh fruits, etc. very yummy.

 

Desserts: 4 Good, but not spectacular.

 

Drinks: 3.5-4 Make friends with one bartender and he/she will take care of you. JR in Boleros was the best. Try a Long Island Iced tea with a splash of tequila…nice  

 

Cruise Director: 5++ Jimmy Rhodes was the best…warm, friendly and genuine.

 

Cruise Staff: 5+ Nice group of young professionals who remembered our names--nice touch.

 

Guest Relations: 3 Somewhat distant, but what can you expect from the business side of the house?

 

Shows: 4 New professional acts just about everyday, although not very inspiring. However, after long days in ports it would take a lot to keep anyone’s attention.

 

Weather: 3 Not very good the first part of the trip, however we made the best of it. When islands still sparkle under the clouds, in the rain and mist, it’s just a testament to their natural beauty. Some nights we had 8-10 foot swells...we rocked and rolled.

 

Adventure Ocean: Did not use, however one parent did mention that most activities and movies were geared to the Spanish-speaking children who were in the majority.

 

Debarkation: 5 Fast and smooth.

 

San Juan Airport: 5 No problems or long lines going through security.

 

If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to answer them for you.

[lovethesun58]

If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to answer them for you.

 

Hi, I have a question about Aruba. We would like to take a taxi to Eagle Beach--how close are the taxi's after getting off the ship, and would you happen to know if there are taxi's at the Eagle Beach area to take you back to the ship? Also, how far from the pier is the shopping/restaurant/bar area?

Thanks, Cherie

[Snackdaddy]

Hi Cherie,

 

We didn't go to Eagle beach, we took the local bus to the Butteryfly Farm and then walked across the street to Palm Beach.

 

The cabs waiting for you as soon as you get through the security checkpoint. The downtown shopping/retaurant/bar area is less than 5 minutes from the ship. The terminal is very centrally located. Carlos and Charlies is right around the corner and Iguana Joes and few other restaurtant/bars are right across the street.

 

I hope this helps.

[maxs mom]

Snackdaddy,

 

Great review! I love your attitude! We're looking forward to this trip in March.

 

Tell me more about Frank in St. Lucia. Was that a private tour you arranged or something? Details, please. We love to go to the prettiest beaches that have chairs, umbrellas, and snacks. Can you recommend any on any of the islands.

 

Thanks again for the great review.

[mwsrccl]

Snackdaddy, Thanks for the great review of the Empress. It is reviews like yours that keep me going to our cruise on Empress in April!!

[Spanky My]

It appears we get really mixed reviews on the empress of the sea. I enjoy reading all opinions good or bad.You wrote a nice review as have others. Is boleros a Non smoking lounge? What was available for folks to do in grenada given all the damage from the hurricane? What did you do in Curacao and what was your opinion of the island? Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[Snackdaddy]

Max’smom:

 

Our $50.00 pp tour with Frank was a privately arranged tour. We learned about him on the St. Lucia Cruise Critic board. As per Frank’s instructions, we walked through the La Place Carenage duty free shop and found Frank with a few signs. One of the signs had our names on it. Frank was very professional and friendly and seemed to know everyone on the island. I guess we would liken him to a BMOC on St. Lucia.

 

 

Our tour started at 10:00 a.m. and we were dropped off at around 2:45 p.m. We were supposed to go snorkeling at Anse Chastenet but the weather did not permit it so Frank filled the time with many other sights and photo opportunities. Frank’s tour was much more than expected. Not only did we get to see the Pitons, fishing villages, visit a local cassava bread bakery (and sample the bread), the Toraille Water Fall and sulfur springs, we were treated to Frank’s knowledge of St. Lucia’s history, politics, educational system, and just about everything else one could talk about. Finally, Frank’s rum punch packed a punch and the unlimited Piton’s beer and water was great too. We also received a special “thank you” gift from him as well. You may email Frank at franktax@hotmail.com. His web site is: http://www.*****/

 

 

We are not really beach people, but as far as the prettiest beaches that have chairs, umbrellas, and snacks, we had planned to go to Anse Chastenet in St. Lucia but it rained most of the day. When we briefly visited Palm Beach in Aruba it was rained as well. However, sunny Margarita Island’s beach, which was within walking distance from the ship, was really great. You could walk out at least 200 yards and the water remained at only 2-2.5 feet deep. The bar and shopping area on the dock was nice as well. It rained in Barbados, but what we saw of Bath Sheba Beach one could only imagine the beach when the sun was shining. The beaches we saw in St. Kitts were very small but seemed to be untouched by tourists.

 

 

mwsrccl:

 

Keep the faith and your positive attitude. Enjoy your cruise in April.

 

 

Spanky My:

 

If we remember correctly, one section of Boleros was non-smoking and some smoked at the bar. Smoking (second-hand smoke) didn’t seem to be an issue on our trip at all. After finding out about Mandoo on the "Caribbean-other" board, we booked a $40.00 pp private tour with Mandoo and had a fantastic time. We met Mandoo at 9:00 a.m. and were droped off at a co-worker's house for a "party" at 1:30 p.m. Mandoo was not only informative about Grenada's history and politics, but as an environmentalist, Mandoo was very passionate about Grenada’s spice plantations, the monkeys, the future of island farming and agriculture as well as the rain forest's post-hurricane regeneration. As a former Naval officer, Mandoo is widely known by all on the island as “the man-in-white.” Contact Mandoo at, Mandoo@grenadatours.com.

 

 

In Curacao we thought about spending the day at Breezes Curacao, but we explored the floating market and ventured into the “native” shopping area away from the recommended tourist shopping area. It reminded us very much of the local West Indian scene found on Church and Flatbush Avenues in Brooklyn, New York.

 

I hope this helps.

[Spanky My]

For the information. We sail in april on the 11 nt cruise and may have some further questions. Also anyone else who travels on the empress of the sea between mid jan and early april please take the time to write a review. The more opinions and ideas the better choices and preperations for many folks with an up coming cruises...... Thanks

[maxs mom]

Thanks for the info, Snackdaddy!

[msts]

Snackdaddy,

 

Thanks for taking the time to post your review on the thread. I did find your review yesterday by conducting a search.

 

Looks like you enjoyed the cruise and I am sure the wife and I will also.

 

Thanks,

Mike

[Snackdaddy]

You are all very welcome. It was my pleasure.

[mckieclan]

Thanks for your review.

How long does it take to get off the ship at the ports?

[maxs mom]

Anyone sailing the Empress on March 14th? Check in on our roll call. Would love to hear from you. We need 13 more for the party. Here's the link:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=88635&page=1&pp=25