Empress

[Mary&Jim]

Hi everyone,

 

I  booked this cruise for December today. I know it does not have a Diamond Lounge, but what about a Suite lounge? I looked at the layout and didn't see one. Just wondering.

Thanks,

 

Mary&Jim

 

[Ourusualbeach]

No SL 

[Mary&Jim]

Thanks, I couldn't remember.

[LXA350]

Very likely that Empress will never return to service for RCL and also if she does I doubt we will see Empress sailing by then. Your best bet will be to Book, Oasis, Quantum, Freedom or Voyager Class. Since it's easier to break even with lower loads on the larger class of ships, chances if cruises will happen by then are much higher on the largest and maybe even on the newest class of ships (Oasis, Quantum and Amplified older ships).

[cruisegus]

On 6/13/2020 at 1:58 PM, LXA350 said:

Very likely that Empress will never return to service for RCL

 

I think that might be correct, especially considering she was brought back to Royal for one specific reason, that was Havana Cuba cruises.  She lacks many of the amenities that attract most cruisers these days.

[TMLAalum]

On 6/13/2020 at 2:58 PM, LXA350 said:

Very likely that Empress will never return to service for RCL and also if she does I doubt we will see Empress sailing by then. Your best bet will be to Book, Oasis, Quantum, Freedom or Voyager Class. Since it's easier to break even with lower loads on the larger class of ships, chances if cruises will happen by then are much higher on the largest and maybe even on the newest class of ships (Oasis, Quantum and Amplified older ships).

 

3 hours ago, cruisegus said:

 

I think that might be correct, especially considering she was brought back to Royal for one specific reason, that was Havana Cuba cruises.  She lacks many of the amenities that attract most cruisers these days.

 

Well, the Empress has attracted me due to her Canadian Adventure itinerary that includes 2 ports in Newfoundland! 

So which Oasis, Quantum, Freedom or Voyager class ship will be able to sail from Montreal? 

[twangster]

8 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

Well, the Empress has attracted me due to her Canadian Adventure itinerary that includes 2 ports in Newfoundland! 

So which Oasis, Quantum, Freedom or Voyager class ship will be able to sail from Montreal? 

 

That's exactly why they put Empress on unique itineraries that bigger ships can't do. 

 

When the U.S. blocked cruises to Cuba they didn't just stick on her on routes that would compete with the rest of the fleet.   There may be a few such cruises available on her but they really spent some time trying to find her destinations that other Royal ships can't do.  Downtown in Bermuda for example, St. Georges.  Saint Pierre and Miquelon, the BVI, etc.  Some of these are the destinations normally only visited by small luxury lines.  Now you can get there on Royal.   

 

Empress is in great shape, she benefited from the move out and subsequently back into the fleet in 2016.  Boleros is the best in the fleet IMO.  However she does not have a loyalty or suite lounge.  There is no nightly Diamond event, the three free drink coupons for Diamond and above are it.  In my experience though by making a relationship with the right bartender and taking care of that individual resulted in them taking care of me sometimes even after happy hour ended.

 

I did a number of cruises on her last year.  I'm an Empress fan.  You can read about some of my experiences here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2681739-empress-b2b-14-nights-on-the-biggest-little-ship/

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2686747-empress-8-night-eastern-caribbean-🎵-oops-i-booked-it-again-🎵/

 

[NancyIL]

2 hours ago, TMLAalum said:

 

 

Well, the Empress has attracted me due to her Canadian Adventure itinerary that includes 2 ports in Newfoundland! 

So which Oasis, Quantum, Freedom or Voyager class ship will be able to sail from Montreal? 

 

I also booked Empress for her 11-night Canadian Adventure cruise this September. When Lift & Shift was offered in early May, I moved that Empress cruise to the same one in September 2021. If Empress is removed from RCI's fleet - there are no other Canadian itineraries of interest to me.

[mek]

4 hours ago, TMLAalum said:

 

 

Well, the Empress has attracted me due to her Canadian Adventure itinerary that includes 2 ports in Newfoundland! 

So which Oasis, Quantum, Freedom or Voyager class ship will be able to sail from Montreal? 

I was supposed to be on Empress this week on a Canadian/NE cruise.

[TMLAalum]

@twangster

I have read your threads on the Empress, thanks!

Your comments have made me even more excited about our next fall's cruise aboard her. Initially it was the unique itinerary of her Canadian Adventure cruise that led me to consider booking. Then I checked out the deck plan and noticed oddly shaped OV cabins on Decks 7, 8, & 9. Further research showed these cabins to be relatively huge with 2 windows and there was one of these available! So we made the transfer from the now cancelled Jewel cruise to the Empress of the Seas!

[LXA350]

RCL will need to get rid of some ships to reduce excess capacity which they will ave for years to come. Together with balancing out new deliveries, even if delayed this is now th best chance toet rid of older ships to reduce costs. Carnival group is doing it and I doubt that RCL will not do so either.

 

In a longer term strategy RCL will do better in considering building 1 ship to be used for itinararies that would allow sailings to Montreal or other ports where the rest of the fleet can't go to. Same will be once Radiance and Vision Class have disapeared it might make sense to have up to 5 ships (still a reduction from today) to be used for itinarary driven destinations with no port restrctions but still in the maket segment RCL operates in and not the Luxury sector.