Empress Cruise Highlights

[mabkcruisers]

We were very hesitant about our Empress cruise before boarding. With the cancelled cruises and first round of negative reviews, we even tried to have our reservation moved to the Enchantment. So thankful we were "stuck" on the Empress. It turned out to be one of our favorite cruises! Not only was the ship beautiful, but the crew made the trip for us. They have to be the hardest working staff in the RC fleet! We can't say enough great things about them.

 

I will share a few photos and highlights of our 5-day to Grand Cayman and Key West. I was with DH and DS (15 and 18). This was the first RC cruise for the boys, and they want to go back on the Empress again.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Thanks for the feedback! :)

[mabkcruisers]

Because of family events in OH and TN (reunion and a wedding), we decided to drive to the cruise port between activities. This was a first for us, as we typically fly and use the airport transfers. It was nice not having to worry about packing for airline requirements. Also, since we were traveling for more than 2 weeks, it was great to not worry about dragging along clothes for a formal night.

 

We arrived in Miami the day before our cruise and opted to stay at the Homewood Suites in Mary Brickell. Great hotel with easy walking access to Publix and lots of area restaurants. Valet parking was only $25 in the adjacent garage, and they served a hot breakfast in the morning. No evening extras (snacks, drinks, etc.) because it was the weekend.

 

We walked to Havana 1957 for dinner. Would highly recommend this as well. Food was amazing, and, since it was a Friday evening, they had live Cuban music. Definitely preparing us for the Cuban feel aboard the Empress. DH loved the Cuban coffee too!

[mabkcruisers]

A few photos of Homewood Suites...

[mabkcruisers]

Embarkation Day:

 

We arrived at POM around 10:30 and used the parking garage there. $20 per day. We saw an ATM in the garage and worried they were cash only, but they do take Visa.

 

We walked right across the street, gave our luggage to the porter, and headed inside. We were Gold status C & A (turned Platinum on this cruise!), so we entered the priority line. There was no wait at all, and we were on the ship in about 20 minutes after arriving at the port.

 

It was still too early for the Windjammer to open for lunch (opened at 11:30), so we found a shady spot on the pool deck by the drink station. Water and lemonade were easily accessible, and the pool bar was open. DS and I purchased the Royal Refreshment, so we walked over to get a soft drink while we waited.

[mabkcruisers]

Windjammer- As expected, the buffet was crowded and busy on embarkation day. We liked having the hand washing stations on each side, in addition to the usual hand sanitizer. I never really felt like that did much!

 

Like others have shared before, it is set up cafeteria style. However, the secret is to not stay in the line. Get your plate and silverware and walk around to see what all is offered. By day 3 most people had figured out how to do this, so it was easy to jump in and get what you wanted. They do offer things in multiple locations, so you may find that what you want is somewhere else with no one around. We always found the food hot, plentiful, and with enough variety.

 

They did put a small bar in the Windjammer. We hadn't seen this before on a ship, but it was a nice to have access to soft drink refills or wine in the evening.

 

This was the busiest we ever saw the Windjammer, but we didn't have any problems getting a seat. We did notice that it is tight quarters in there though. They have put in more tables than fit comfortably in the space. Having some of our bags with us on Day 1 didn't help either!

[mabkcruisers]

Staterooms were ready by 1:30, and our luggage was waiting for us then too! That was a first. We found a comfortable spot in the Schooner to sit and watch some highlights on TV. We also did some last minute texting/emailing before we set sail later. We enjoy disconnecting when we cruise, so we don't use the internet while onboard.

 

As advertised, the staterooms are tiny. We have been on the Majesty before, so we are used to smaller spaces. However, these were noticeably smaller. That being said, we found ample storage space and didn't mind the size. I am glad that we opted for two staterooms instead of all four of us in one. That would not have worked at all! There wasn't that much difference in price for two staterooms instead of one, but it was worth every penny!

 

We had 7112 and 7114-both outside rooms with an obstructed view of the lifeboats. Housekeeping was great. The rooms were clean and Corazon was always asking if there was anything we needed. She greeted us right away and knew us all by name.

[mabkcruisers]

Other Windjammer Dining-

 

We had breakfast here each morning, with the exception of the last sea day where we opted for the brunch in the dining room. Lots of options each day, and they did have the omelette station open. People either didn't know what it was (it wasn't marked well) or they chose something else, so it typically wasn't busy. Staff was very friendly. Same waiters greeted us each day at our table and talked with us about our cruise. Many times they offered to get us refills on drinks. They worked diligently to clear tables quickly for other guests. I always saw someone cleaning up the food and drink serving areas too.

 

We ate lunch here each day as well, with the exception of our day in Grand Cayman. By the last day we were seeing a lot of repetition, but it was always hot and there were plenty of things to choose from. We did see pizza as an option a couple of times, but it wasn't always available like the hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries. My favorite cold salad is the cucumber-tomato, but it was only offered a couple of times as well.

 

Snacks were just so-so. Typically some lunch/dinner leftovers. I would love to see more of the nacho items (especially the guacamole!) for snacks. They had this one day for lunch but that was it.

 

We would have our dinner #1/pre-dinner in the Windjammer too. We had the 8:45 seating in the dining room, so we would head up to have a little snack to tide us over. I often enjoyed the various meats, cheese, and olives with a glass of red wine. DH and DS would try a small sample of some of the entree options that would be available in the dining room later to see what they wanted to order. We would do the same with the desserts too.

[mabkcruisers]

Oh, and before I forget, the TV channel that showed the ship's position appeared on Day 3! It wasn't there when the cruise began, but DS found it when they were channel surfing one afternoon. I know there was some talk from previous cruises that it wasn't available.

[mabkcruisers]

Dinner in the Dining Room-

 

I can't say enough about our dining room experience. Ivana and Waldo were the best waiters we have had on an RC cruise! The past few cruises the food has seemed a little lackluster in the dining room too, but we consistently sent back empty plates and raved about what we had eaten. We had initially thought we might skip the dining room some nights for a more casual evening, but after the first night we didn't want to miss the dinner experience!

 

There was a new menu each night from Italian to Caribbean to the Gala Chef's menu. Lobster tail was available Day 4. The menu was full-size (unlike some of the early cruises on the Empress). The coffee options that you find on the dessert menu on other ships weren't offered, but we found the dining room coffee to be the best on the ship (with the exception of the quadruple shots of espresso DH had from Cafe Royal inside Boleros).

 

Juanito would come in each evening and play the piano during dinner. We looked forward to his arrival. The head waiters would come to our table each evening to make sure everything met our satisfaction and that we were pleased with the dining room. They passed around comment cards one night for quick feedback too. The last night they offered complimentary glasses of wine.

[CRUISEBOY305]

Wow.... Great review. Sailing on Empress in 8 days. Super excited. Thank you [emoji3]

 

 

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[mabkcruisers]

Evening Activities/Entertainment-

 

There were 2 production shows while we were onboard. Day 1 was "Bailamos" and Day 5 was "Three". I believe the latter is the new name for the Sequins and Feathers show. It was about the past, present, and future of the Showgirl. Both shows were very good, but the Royal Theater is very small. The audience is really close to the stage, and the stage itself is very small. We were close enough to see the sweat coming off the dancers!

 

Other entertainment included Steve Shaffer (comedian), El Gaucho, and BeatleMania. I am not a big fan of the Beatles, but the BeatleMania show was one of the best shows I have seen onboard a cruise ship. They knew how to get audience participation. People were up dancing, waving cell phone lights, etc. We gave a standing ovation at the end of their show.

 

Because the ship is smaller, we saw many of the performers throughout the week. It was funny to walk past "George Harrison" on the staircase. I am pretty sure El Gaucho was staying a few doors down from us too!

 

They had a 70's, 80's, and 90's dance party, as well as the DUTS one evening. No room for food on the pool deck though like they do on other ships.

 

Billy Pando in the piano bar was excellent too. We all enjoyed him each evening. Another plus to the smaller Empress, we could sit in the Schooner and listen to Billy while watching the 70's dance party in the Centrum They are that close.

 

We went to karaoke one evening and also watched a couple of the movies on the pool deck (yes, the sound is now working), DS found the later movie time the best time to use the pool- no sunscreen needed and the crowds were small. There was a new movie each day, and most days it was shown twice.

 

Conjunto Bravo (latin music) would perform in Boleros, and Carlos (CD) and Juanito did a "chill out" night with piano and vocals one evening there as well. Overall, the live music was excellent.

 

We skipped The Quest (not our thing), and the Love and Marriage was held during the afternoon on a sea day. We have seen it a few times and felt we would be fine to miss it.

[mabkcruisers]

Wow.... Great review. Sailing on Empress in 8 days. Super excited. Thank you [emoji3]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Enjoy your cruise! It was a very relaxing laid back week for us. Wish we could have stayed onboard!

[mabkcruisers]

Daytime Activities-

 

We found plenty to do during the day on our sea days. We found the best time to use the pool deck was first thing in the morning. Between 8 and 9 you could have your choice of chairs (and you could watch the chair hogs come up to claim theirs and then disappear). We would stay for a couple of hours and then go and grab some breakfast in the Windjammer. The afternoons had the traditional sexiest man competition, belly flop contest, etc. We were surprised they did the belly flop contest because we thought the pool would be too small. There were shaded tables around the pool deck and by the bar if you wanted to be in the shade to watch.

 

One complaint about the pool deck was the DJ music. We usually prefer Caribbean Roots anyway, but we will listen to the DJ music. However, when the music this time contained some pretty foul four-letter obscenities, we were done. I was surprised in the choice of music with so many little ones around too.

 

Deck 6 was probably our favorite spot. There are chairs lining the promenade where you can sit by the railing. Of course chair hogs were prevalent here too. One side is a smoking area, so you will want to look for the ash trays if that is an area you want to avoid. At times you could hear the pool deck music there as well. DH and DS were able to run there each morning (around 7).

 

The activities staff did a great job filling the day with things to do and were a lot of fun. We played trivia multiple times (geography, 80's music, 90's music, sports, etc.) but never won. We were close a couple of times! It was usually in the Schooner, but the last day they tried Boleros for a change of pace. There were the usual spa seminars and dance lessons throughout the day too.

 

DS 15 thought the teen activities looked fun, but never chose to participate.

 

We used our free C&A spins in the casino (yes, it was hot in there) but didn't win anything. We didn't make any other donations. :)

[PIR8LUVR]

Mabkcruisers, what is the average price of a frozen drink on Empress?

 

Thanks!

[mabkcruisers]

Mabkcruisers, what is the average price of a frozen drink on Empress?

 

Thanks!

 

 

At the pool bar they had drinks grouped by price on the menu. Your basic daiquiris, margartias, etc. were $10. There was another tier that were $14 (I think) and non-alcoholic frozens were $4.

[mabkcruisers]

Grand Cayman- The tender process was typical- no surprises and the usual wait to get off the ship. We wondered if it might be faster with fewer people onboard but not really. You also had the usual folks who took the elevator to Deck 2 and thought they could join the line right there. The Empress staff was good to let them know the line was beginning up on Deck 4 at that point. A few were able to sneak in thinking no one noticed. Carnival Sensation was the only other ship visiting Cayman that day.

 

After some research on CC on the port of call board for Cayman, we opted to spend the day at the Royal Palms Beach Club. Taxi ride was $4 USD per person each way. Taxis were easy to get both ways. Royal Palms is the first beach club you come to on 7 Mile Beach.

 

We had reserved a cabana online for $100 USD before we left. The cabana came with 4 lounge chairs, a table for eating and 4 dining chairs to go with it. We also had cabana service. We ordered a bucket of bottled waters (5) when we arrived and later had a frozen beverage, bottle of beer, 2 cokes, conch fritters, a pizza, and a chicken sandwich. Total bill (including the cabana and service fee/tip) was $193 USD.

 

DS 15 rented snorkel equipment from a water sports venue adjacent to the property. Not much to see where we were, but he enjoyed the novelty of using the gear.

 

Beach was very pretty, and we had access to restrooms and food all day. We would probably do again. Without the cabana, admission would have been $2 per person, chairs were $10 each, and umbrellas were $15 each.

 

There was no wait for the tender to return to the ship. RC had set up a table with water and lemon water for those wanting a drink for the trip over.

[mabkcruisers]

Key West- After our second day at sea, we were ready to do some walking. DS had never been to the port, so we did the typical sightseeing (buoy, 0 Mile marker, Duval St., etc.). We also went back to Peppers of Key West and had frozen key lime pie dipped in chocolate on a stick. As excpected, since it was July, it was a really hot day. We walked around for about 4 hours and decided to board the ship for lunch. The pool deck wasn't busy then either, since most were still in port, so we took advantage of that time as well.

 

As others have mentioned, we did have to go through a quick inspection with US immigration before disembarking. This process was for ALL (US and non-US citizens) regardless of whether or not you were going ashore in Key West. They were set up in the Royal Theater starting around 8:30 am and checked Sea Passes and passports. The RC folks punched your Sea Pass card to show you participated. It sounded like there was a hefty fine if you missed it.

[amptravel]

Evening Activities/Entertainment-

 

Other entertainment included Steve Shaffer (comedian), El Gaucho, and BeatleMania. I am not a big fan of the Beatles, but the BeatleMania show was one of the best shows I have seen onboard a cruise ship. They knew how to get audience participation. People were up dancing, waving cell phone lights, etc. We gave a standing ovation at the end of their show.

 

Because the ship is smaller, we saw many of the performers throughout the week. It was funny to walk past "George Harrison" on the staircase. I am pretty sure El Gaucho was staying a few doors down from us too!

 

 

Hi mabkruisers!

 

So glad to read your review of Empress. My first cruise with Royal (first ever cruise) was on Nordic Empress back in 1990 during her inaugural season; so she holds a special place in my heart!

 

There seems to be some confusion as to the Beatles tribute band on board. Britain's Finest has been playing on the Empress since the 7/14 sailing, they are currently playing this week's sailing 7/18 (with standing ovation last night), and will continue on 7/23 sailing. Yes, is you saw "George Harrison" walk past on the staircase, you could be right. That is all his own hair, he does not have to wear a wig for the early 'Ed Sullivan' black suit years (they all have to wear wigs during their normal 2-hour/3-costume change show).

 

Glad you enjoyed the entertainment on the show. I remember seeing El Gaucho also, and love his show as well!

 

Best regards,

 

Anita Pederson, Press Agent

Britain's Finest - Ultimate Beatles Experience

http://www.britainsfinestband.com

 

 

 

 

 

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=38277

Edited July 21, 2016 by amptravel

[ShawninFL]

I'm glad to hear the ship is finally coming together. We were on the 2nd voyage that actually sailed and our experience was essentially at the bottom of our many many Royal

Caribbean cruise. The ship wasn't ready to sail with paying guests. Did we still have a fun vacation, yes, because we chose to make the best of it. So glad they are now up to speed.

[mabkcruisers]

Hi mabkruisers!

 

So glad to read your review of Empress. My first cruise with Royal (first ever cruise) was on Nordic Empress back in 1990 during her inaugural season; so she holds a special place in my heart!

 

There seems to be some confusion as to the Beatles tribute band on board. Britain's Finest has been playing on the Empress since the 7/14 sailing, they are currently playing this week's sailing 7/18 (with standing ovation last night), and will continue on 7/23 sailing. Yes, is you saw "George Harrison" walk past on the staircase, you could be right. That is all his own hair, he does not have to wear a wig for the early 'Ed Sullivan' black suit years (they all have to wear wigs during their normal 2-hour/3-costume change show).

 

Glad you enjoyed the entertainment on the show. I remember seeing El Gaucho also, and love his show as well!

 

Best regards,

 

Anita Pederson, Press Agent

Britain's Finest - Ultimate Beatles Experience

http://www.britainsfinestband.com

 

 

 

 

 

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=38277

 

 

Thank you so much for your comment. We were on the July 9th sailing of the Empress and disembarked on the 14th. I was quoting the band name as advertised in our Cruise Compass and as introduced by the Empress staff.

[mabkcruisers]

I'm glad to hear the ship is finally coming together. We were on the 2nd voyage that actually sailed and our experience was essentially at the bottom of our many many Royal

 

Caribbean cruise. The ship wasn't ready to sail with paying guests. Did we still have a fun vacation, yes, because we chose to make the best of it. So glad they are now up to speed.

 

 

I am so sorry that your cruise vacation was disappointing and not up to RC standards. Had I not read anything on CC before sailing, I wouldn't have known there were any issues at all. I feel bad that those initial passengers (who didn't realize they would be some of the first to sail after the dry dock) didn't have the same cruise experience we did. I feel that we reaped some extra benefits (complimentary wine, "thank you" cake on the pool deck from the kitchen staff, etc.) because the first sailings did not go as expected.

[Scotty G]

Thank you so much for your comment. We were on the July 9th sailing of the Empress and disembarked on the 14th. I was quoting the band name as advertised in our Cruise Compass and as introduced by the Empress staff.

 

We were on the 9th as well. Beatle Mania was the group we saw.

 

I had a long discussion with them in the Viking Crown bar one night. They had a long history going back 30 years and do have one of the most in demand Beatle groups in the business. Obviously it is very competitive as we have seen several other Beatle groups on cruise ships and none have been this great!!!

[Philly Steve]

Having cruised Nordic Empress an EOS a number of times, I often called her a "pocket megaship." :D

 

Thanks for the review and glad you had a great time.

 

Looking forward to another cruise on Empress. :D

[Paulette3028]

Key West- We also went back to Peppers of Key West and had frozen key lime pie dipped in chocolate on a stick.

 

Ah yes -- to me, the only way to eat key lime pie is for a piece to be dipped in chocolate....otherwise, no key lime pie for me. We will visit there in a few weeks for an enjoyable treat. We look forward to sailing on Empress in late August.....I look forward to trying the hammocks!

Edited July 22, 2016 by Paulette3028