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Empress Returning to RCCL?

Piepkorn

By Piepkorn,
in Royal Caribbean International

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pspercy

pspercy

Posted
Posted (edited)
Empress is a beautiful ship. I was playing around on Youtube and saw that her atrium actually opens up, unlike Majesty's. The more I explore, she begins to equate more with a Vision-class ship like the Vision or Splendour rather than Majesty and Sovereign.

 

 

Not a very good pic, but here's atrium in its original splendour:)

 

rciempresspg175a.jpg

Edited by pspercy
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Scotty G

Scotty G

Posted
Posted
I can't wait for her to come back, small ship or not. We did our first cruise on the Nordic Empress and a fe on the Empress of the seas. We will even try to be on her for a milestone cruise where we get the block.

 

Like!!!

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Clarea

Clarea

Posted
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Not a very good pic, but here's atrium in its original splendour:)

 

Beautiful atrium, thanks for the photo. I always thought that Sovereign was the first Royal ship to have the multi-deck centrum with glass elevators.

Edited by clarea
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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

Posted
Posted
Empress is a beautiful ship. I was playing around on Youtube and saw that her atrium actually opens up, unlike Majesty's. The more I explore, she begins to equate more with a Vision-class ship like the Vision or Splendour rather than Majesty and Sovereign.

 

It does seem impressive for sure.

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txcowboy10

txcowboy10

Posted
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Hope they did not mess with it on Pullmantur.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

It'll be interesting to see what refurbishment turns out like...hopefully bringing back her grace and beauty while opening up public spaces where folks say adtl cabins had been added. We shall see!

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MADflyer

MADflyer

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Royal had done an extensive dry dock in 2004 prior to the ship taking the Bermuda runs.

 

The 2008 and 2012 Pullmantur dry docks were supervised by RCL, the owner of the ship and left the ship refreshed without any design or structural changes.

 

Portofino's was changed to a venue called WU Fusion, an Asian Fusion concept, that was wonderful.

 

You can see all of the public areas on the Pullmantur website.

 

https://www.pullmantur.es/en/barco/EMPRESS/bares-y-restaurantes.html

 

If you click on more info for the Miramar Restaurant you will find that they have the same furnishings that have just been reupholstered as needed.

 

Even the Schooner Bar was left intact as the Pier Salon and Piano Bar.

 

Those that will miss the 2 level discos from Voyager and Freedom Class might enjoy the lounge/disco on Empress.

 

Spain is one of the leaders in the modern culinary world and the food and service on this particular ship was known to be outstanding.

 

I would be more 'concerned' about what public areas RCI might try to convert to cabins than how the shape was maintained during her years with Pullmantur.

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MADflyer

MADflyer

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Does anyone know what her plans are until "Spring 2016"? I think I read that she was going to still cruise to South America and do some of her scheduled cruises. !

 

It will be interesting to see what happens on the 28th. The ship sailed from Malaga today for a short trip to Gibraltar and will arrive at Gran Canaria on Wednesday

 

After this is scheduled for 8 days at sea and then a 4 day Brasil segment. After Wednesday it should become evident what is happening when they start cancelling some sailings.

 

One website has cancelled all sailings from Wednesday and another travel agent has just put the crossing in both directions on Sold Out along with the first sailing on arrival in Brazil.

 

Royal just signed a Framework agreement for dry docks through 2017 with Spanish state owned Navantia shipyard at Cadiz Spain. It is unlear if this will include Empress.

 

http://www.navantia.es/noticia.php?id_noti=355

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Pumbaamd

Pumbaamd

Posted
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Apparently at a recent top tier party not attended by me, but by someone whom I am very close to ;), the staff in attendance said Cuba is the plan. I am paraphrasing slightly.

As much as we loved Empress after three wonderful cruises on her, if Cuba is the plan, count us out. Have no interest in touring a water maintenance facility (sewer plant) and donating our labor. Or to buy the Cuban insurance plan that was a mandatory deal the last time we looked. No thanks.

R&D

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Charles4515

Charles4515

Posted
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As much as we loved Empress after three wonderful cruises on her, if Cuba is the plan, count us out. Have no interest in touring a water maintenance facility (sewer plant) and donating our labor. Or to buy the Cuban insurance plan that was a mandatory deal the last time we looked. No thanks.

R&D

 

You don't have to donate any labor. You would have to do some tours like a tobacco rolling plant for example to satisfy the US governemnt that your trip is educational or cultural. Since US companies can't legally sell you medical insurance coverage for care in Cuba you have to buy a local policy so that you have medical insurance. It is $2 to $3 day.

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w&k

w&k

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WE LOVE EMPRESS!!!! We love the smaller ships and longer trips!!!!

 

We did her first as Nordic Empress 7-days out of Tampa, when it first got there. That's how I first learned to check cabin sizes. 2 sets of dive gear in 117 sq ft. was a feat.

 

We did 11-days out of San Juan in an outside on deck 2, and had enough room for us and the dive gear. As soon as we got home, we looked for the next spring, saw the same cabin open, and did it again. :D

 

We tried for a 3-fer, but sadly, she was leaving a tiny bit too early, so we had to just look at her in the next slip as we departed on the X Galaxy.

 

Something that I haven't seen mentioned by anyone is Jacksonville - from what I recall, she should fit under the bridge.

 

We did a knockout 14-day on X Zenith out of Jacksonville, and we would LOVE LOVE LOVE to repeat that on Empress.

 

If she goes back to San Juan on the longer trips, I'll have to get on a plane. :D

 

Wendy

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Biker19

Biker19

Posted
Posted
Maybe Royal was right in bringing this old Lady back, considering all the attention she is getting in this thread (just one example).

 

Any change in the fleet would garner just as much attention - I don't think this particular ship has anything special going for it.

 

If the Splendour sale gets canceled you'll have just as much attention.

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MADflyer

MADflyer

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It is interesting to note that when Admiral Cruises ordered Empress she was going to be joining the 45 year old Emerald Seas and the 36 year old Azure Seas in the Admiral fleet at Port Everglades.

 

The ship was already on the order book when, then RCCL 'purchased' the Admiral brand in 1988. This was the year that Chandris started Celebrity Cruises.

 

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-12-04/business/9102200115_1_admiral-cruises-emerald-seas-royal-caribbean-cruises

 

This 25 year old ship entered service just a little over a year prior to Majesty and with modern refit technology probably has a good 15 years of potential life, if not more.

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

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Posted
It is interesting to note that when Admiral Cruises ordered Empress she was going to be joining the 45 year old Emerald Seas and the 36 year old Azure Seas in the Admiral fleet at Port Everglades.

 

The ship was already on the order book when, then RCCL 'purchased' the Admiral brand in 1988. This was the year that Chandris started Celebrity Cruises.

 

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-12-04/business/9102200115_1_admiral-cruises-emerald-seas-royal-caribbean-cruises

 

This 25 year old ship entered service just a little over a year prior to Majesty and with modern refit technology probably has a good 15 years of potential life, if not more.

 

Not so sure about that, 25 years ago the standards were much lower. It was a lot easier to keep a 30+ year old ship operationall. I see 4-5 years left in the RCL fleet. Just long enough until they can replace her

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