Empress of The Seas

[sushitex]

I was also on the Majesty’s last cruise when they announced all cruises would stop. It made our first B2B a no-go, but thankfully, no one on the ship tested positive for the virus, as far as I know. 

[ONECRUISER]

50 minutes ago, packercruising said:

Radiance class is leaving? 

Not yet, but day will sadly come as they're going to larger ships. Not that long ago lucky if ship stayed with Royal for 20yrs max. Post CV we'll see happens next...

[Beachammo]

1 hour ago, ONECRUISER said:

Not yet, but day will sadly come as they're going to larger ships. Not that long ago lucky if ship stayed with Royal for 20yrs max. Post CV we'll see happens next...

 

Radiance and Vision class are the perfect size for us. We do like cruising on Voyager and Freedom class. Oasis Class is something we would not go back on.

 

Trying Odyssey in October (Hopefully). 

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, Beachammo said:

 

Radiance and Vision class are the perfect size for us. We do like cruising on Voyager and Freedom class. Oasis Class is something we would not go back on.

 

Trying Odyssey in October (Hopefully). 

Thanks, did several on Grandeur and Enchantment's 1996's-2002, Got me to Diamond after few on Sovereign 1988-1995. Voyager and Explorer in 1999-2000 when were brand new, sailing #004 and #008 back when they listed those things. But since Brilliance, Serenade and Jewel exclusive with 250+ nites on those 3. Love my AFT/Corner Balcony's with 75% time in cabin 9256. Do have a TA on Vision in  Corner/Aft part of B3B for April/May 2022, long as shes still around...

[twangster]

4 hours ago, packercruising said:

Radiance has a 7 day Anchorage to Vancouver, which we could B2B from Vancouver to LA

 

You might want to explore the PVSA before booking Anchorage to LA.

[WeMissSeaView]

Two ships that will no longer sail for Royal at a port that Royal may not sail to again.  How sad.

[hannibal54]

33 minutes ago, WeMissSeaView said:

Two ships that will no longer sail for Royal at a port that Royal may not sail to again.  How sad.

 

So sad!

[Agavegirl1]

Guess we saw the writing on the wall.  I've already received my refunds for April of 2021.  I was so looking forward to a smaller ship with unique ports.  I will need to be a little flexible.

[packercruising]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

 

You might want to explore the PVSA before booking Anchorage to LA.

It would be two separate cruises, one from Anchorage -Vancouver and one from Vancouver to LA. Our TA checked and we can book them, but might have to cancel one of them. We would only do it if we can keep the same cabin so this one looks like it is dead in the water from the get go.

[twangster]

8 minutes ago, packercruising said:

It would be two separate cruises, one from Anchorage -Vancouver and one from Vancouver to LA. Our TA checked and we can book them, but might have to cancel one of them. We would only do it if we can keep the same cabin so this one looks like it is dead in the water from the get go.

 

I understand.  Let us know how you make out booking it.  

[Ourusualbeach]

31 minutes ago, packercruising said:

It would be two separate cruises, one from Anchorage -Vancouver and one from Vancouver to LA. Our TA checked and we can book them, but might have to cancel one of them. We would only do it if we can keep the same cabin so this one looks like it is dead in the water from the get go.

Even though it is two separate cruises it is still illegal under the PVSA as that only looks at your starting point and final destination.  Whether the cruise ends and restarts in the middle is irrelevant.

 

while it can be booked you will eventually get a call from Royal telling you you must cancel one of the legs.  Hopefully you get that call before you have booked airfare. 

 

. 

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

 Hopefully you get that call before you board. 

Fixed.

[ShmuelCharlie]

On 8/2/2020 at 11:09 PM, Biker19 said:

Tui (with Mein Schiff 1 & 2) and Genting Dream Explorer have 7 day sailings planned for August - they seem to have already gotten over the short sailing experiment. When MSC Grandiosa starts in two weeks, she plans to sail one week itineraries.

I believe I saw one of the Mein Schiff ships in Amsterdam four years ago in October '16 a day before I boarded Celebrity Silhouette for a Western Med cruise from AMS to Rome. That Mein Schiff vessel closely resembled one of the Oasis class ships because it was so huge and had the big slides on the aft end of the ship. 

[Biker19]

12 minutes ago, ShmuelCharlie said:

That Mein Schiff vessel closely resembled one of the Oasis class ships because it was so huge and had the big slides on the aft end of the ship. 

Their biggest ships are nowhere the size of Oasis, what you would have seen in 2016 is more like Radiance class size.

[travelinmoma]

I'm a little sad about giving up cabin 9664, but I'm relieved.  Now I'm no longer wondering everyday what my plans are for the summer.  I can move forward with a new plan.  

 

I never got to sail on Empress.  I'm hoping they will offer a NE/Canada option on another ship in the future.  

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, travelinmoma said:

I'm hoping they will offer a NE/Canada option on another ship in the future.  

Those are pretty standard on both Anthem and other ships from Cape Liberty. The only thing no longer possible are the real small Canadian ports and Montreal.

[WeMissSeaView]

2 hours ago, travelinmoma said:

I'm a little sad about giving up cabin 9664, but I'm relieved.  Now I'm no longer wondering everyday what my plans are for the summer.  I can move forward with a new plan.  

 

I never got to sail on Empress.  I'm hoping they will offer a NE/Canada option on another ship in the future.  

Now that I know for sure that my 10 night Empress cruise in September 2021 is canceled, I can make new plans.  I only sailed on Empress in 1993 and 2019, but was looking forward to a third cruise.  I was also looking forward to seeing Montreal for the first time.

I also did Adventure of the Seas in 2019 from Quebec City to FLL and I would do that again if offered.  Unfortunately, Royal will not have a ship that can dock at Montreal and some of the Canadian ports the Empress was going to visit.

[twangster]

I was fortunate to visit Cuba on Empress in 2018 which is a trip I'll always remember.  I was booked on Majesty with an overnight in Cuba that was scuttled by the travel restrictions.  

 

Truth be told when I booked numerous cruises on Empress in 2019 I knew her days were numbered back then. 

 

I booked Empress partly because there was no single supplement in the wake of the Cuba restrictions but also because absent of Cuba she no longer fit the direction of RCI and the writing was on the wall back then.  I had enjoyed my Cuba trip on Empress so I had no hesitation booking her again.

 

It was with the same logic I booked Majesty in 2019 knowing one day too soon she would leave the fleet as well.  I wanted to take in and capture the ships that changed the industry.

 

It didn't hurt that both ships were absent of single supplements in the months of July and August when the normal reduced single supplement for over 340 points doesn't apply.  Both of these ships propelled me up the C&A ladder ahead of schedule and I'm grateful to them for that.

 

Despite no Diamond Lounge I met some great new friends and frequent cruisers on Empress who I remain in contact with.

 

The week they announced the boutique itineraries I was on Empress and our HD eluded to something special coming for Empress.  Indeed the Montreal and downtown Bermuda routes were unique for the modern RCI as were calls in the BVI.  

 

I'll always consider Chops Grille on Empress to be the best Chops in the fleet.  She was the one ship I would book Chops every sailing including B2B.

 

Compass Deli was a favorite on Majesty.  I'd love to see these come back to the fleet.

 

All good things must come to an end including the presence of these iconic ships in the cruise line they helped to build into what we all enjoy today.

 

May they continue to enjoy fair winds and following seas wherever they may sail.

[packercruising]

12 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Even though it is two separate cruises it is still illegal under the PVSA as that only looks at your starting point and final destination.  Whether the cruise ends and restarts in the middle is irrelevant.

 

while it can be booked you will eventually get a call from Royal telling you you must cancel one of the legs.  Hopefully you get that call before you have booked airfare. 

 

. 

That's what we think too. We were planning on using our air fare from Our Visions cruise in March, which is almost certain to be cancelled, for the Empress. DW does all of that planning. She's good at it. 

[packercruising]

3 hours ago, travelinmoma said:

I'm a little sad about giving up cabin 9664, but I'm relieved.  Now I'm no longer wondering everyday what my plans are for the summer.  I can move forward with a new plan.  

 

I never got to sail on Empress.  I'm hoping they will offer a NE/Canada option on another ship in the future.  

Last Oct (2019) We did Adventure Of The Seas Quebec to Ft. Lauderdale. It was awesome! 13 days for the same price as the 10 day ones they had during the season.

[NancyIL]

1 hour ago, WeMissSeaView said:

Now that I know for sure that my 10 night Empress cruise in September 2021 is canceled, I can make new plans.  I only sailed on Empress in 1993 and 2019, but was looking forward to a third cruise.  I was also looking forward to seeing Montreal for the first time.

I also did Adventure of the Seas in 2019 from Quebec City to FLL and I would do that again if offered.  Unfortunately, Royal will not have a ship that can dock at Montreal and some of the Canadian ports the Empress was going to visit.

Although RCI will no longer sail from Montreal -  it isn’t difficult to visit it before or after a cruise that begins or ends in Quebec City.  We first flew to Montreal and spent several nights, then took the train to Quebec City for our Serenade cruise in 2015.

[twangster]

11 minutes ago, NancyIL said:

Although RCI will no longer sail from Montreal -  it isn’t difficult to visit it before or after a cruise that begins or ends in Quebec City.  We first flew to Montreal and spent several nights, then took the train to Quebec City for our Serenade cruise in 2015.

 

Montreal is a cool city but it's a large city so the tourism options are those found in many large cities. 

 

Quebec City is beautiful, historic and more interesting for tourism in my opinion.

[NancyIL]

20 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Montreal is a cool city but it's a large city so the tourism options are those found in many large cities. 

 

Quebec City is beautiful, historic and more interesting for tourism in my opinion.

 

I agree with you about Quebec City vs. Montreal. However, for those who are disappointed about not being able to cruise to Montreal, I was pointing out the ease of getting there from QC. Flights are also more plentiful to/from Montreal than Quebec City.

[packercruising]

On 12/16/2020 at 12:57 PM, Ourusualbeach said:

That looks exactly what Sparky would look like anytime it snowed.  She loved the winter and would lie outside for hours.  

 

Unfortunately you can't do the ANC to YVR and YVR to LAX as that would be a violation of the PVSA as you do not stop at a distant foreign port

Our TA came to the same conclusion. We are settling on the 7 day from Vancouver to LA. At least we got the cabin we wanted.

[Hoopster95]

18 hours ago, packercruising said:

Our TA came to the same conclusion. We are settling on the 7 day from Vancouver to LA. At least we got the cabin we wanted.

 

How confident are you that Radiance will actually be docked in Vancouver waiting for you?

 

On 12/17/2020 at 7:24 AM, packercruising said:

Last Oct (2019) We did Adventure Of The Seas Quebec to Ft. Lauderdale. It was awesome! 13 days for the same price as the 10 day ones they had during the season.

 

I paid about $1000 less for my balcony on the 11 day Sept 16, 2019 sailing than the going rate at the time for the 13 day sailing.