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Posted: 3 years ago | 556 Views

Royal Caribbean to remove Empress of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas from the fleet

Received this morning from RCI CEO, via RCI Crown and Anchor:


Hello Craig,

It’s my hope that you and your family are staying safe and healthy.

As a valued Crown & Anchor Society member, I’m reaching out to make sure you
were the first to know the latest news about our beloved Empress of the Seas and
Majesty of the Seas. After more than 30 years with Royal Caribbean, having launched
in 1990 and 1992 respectively, Empress and Majesty will be leaving our fleet.

We know this news is bittersweet as many of you have sailed on these ships, and they
hold a special place in your hearts thanks to the countless memories you’ve made
with your families and friends while on board. The news hits close to home for me as
well as I was part of the crew on Nordic Empress (as Empress was formerly called) and
Majesty of the Seas when we introduced her to the world.

Both ships made an indelible mark on the cruise industry, helping us to continually raise
the bar on the cruise experience and leaving a lasting mark on our brand.

Empress was the first ship specifically designed for short, 3- and ‌4-night‌ itineraries,
with her first cruises visiting The Bahamas from Miami. This was an important milestone
in our brands history as we were able to attract new and younger cruise guests to the
industry by introducing quick getaways. Empress also made history as the first cruise
ship to sail out of Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, when we opened our terminal
in 2004. Even just three years ago, in 2017, Empress took center stage once again when
she set sail on Royal Caribbean’s inaugural cruise to Cuba. It’s been an incredible
journey and one that’s influenced our brand tremendously.

Majesty also played a crucial role in our commitment to continuously redefine the
cruise industry. As the third ship to round out the impressive Sovereign class ships,
Majesty was more than twice the size of the average cruise ship at the time — and was
the biggest ship in our fleet when she debuted. She started her adventures with ‌7-night‌
western Caribbean cruises from Miami and quickly blossomed into one of our guests’
favorite ships.

Empress and Majesty’s departures are a major moment in Royal Caribbean history.
No doubt, they will be dearly missed — they may be small, but their lasting impact
is mighty.

Decisions like these are difficult, but they are part of our necessary evolution to
continue introducing new ships and bring you, our guests, the most innovative ships in
the industry.

I know many of you may wonder about the crew members you may fondly remember
from your time onboard Empress and Majesty. There is no need to worry. They are still
part of the Royal Caribbean family and will be reassigned to other ships once we are
back to sailing again.

We know this marks a new chapter in our history, and we are excited about what the
future holds, but we cannot forget our past and what made us who we are today. I
encourage all of you to share your memories of sailing on Empress and Majesty on my
Facebook page; I’d love to see the amazing experiences you had while sailing with these
two ships.

As I’ve said before, we miss sailing with every one of you. But calmer seas are ahead,
and we can’t wait for that day. Thank you for being a loyal member of our family.
Please continue to take care of yourself and your loved ones. Until next time!

All my best,

Mr Michael Bayley

I'm glad I had the opportunity to sail Empress and Majesty when I did!

Tags: Royal Caribbean MajestyOfTheSeas

15 Answers

Posted: 3 years ago

NCL Spirit just had a major makeover so she be good for at least another 5 years. Plus she fits into some of the smaller ports in the Med where the big boys are not as adept. I guess it all depends on the amenities and the shape the ship was maintained in and in this case NCL has maintained her very well.
Posted: 3 years ago

Well that’s unfortunate. I do hope they deploy a ship to NOLA again.
Posted: 3 years ago

I received the email saying it was canceled and I could either get a FCC or a refund.. , it's not the end of the world...things happen for a reason., that's all I can say... Wink
Posted: 3 years ago

yes.. I received and email letting me know that my cruise was canceled.
Posted: 3 years ago

FWIW, the history of the past year vis a vis the cruise lines knowing what their future fleet reorganization and scheduling will look like aren't exactly etched in stone, no matter how much junk mail you might get...been there done that....if it was me, I'd be on the phone...never had to wait more than a few minutes with either NCL or CCL...matter of fact, the folks who are in the "first line" know just as much as your PCP...and are easier to reach...ease your mind, and call....might help you come to a decision....lots of folks book far our...especially now....13-14 months is practically tomorrow given the state of cruising...who knows what the future holds?
Posted: 3 years ago

Sorry to hear that. I am gong on the Jewel of the Seas in September next year, never been on this ship before but looking forward to it. Happy
Posted: 3 years ago

Have they sent you a cancelation Notice?

If not they may be redeploying a different ship to take Majesty's place!
Posted: 3 years ago

Well I had a cruise booked on Majesty for Feb 2022, and the only reason I booked it was that it went out of New Orleans.. which is a place I always wanted to visit. So this sucks.. now I have to debate whether or not to take the FCC credit or get a refund.. Sad
Posted: 3 years ago

They may bring in less revenue but they are paid off so they do not have to make as much as a new ship. Until Corona they were all booking and selling out well. If they had been running at a loss I'm sure they would have been sold off before. Corona killed them off.

I will miss the older smaller ships. I am a big fan of the Fantasy Class ships for a quick local get away. The older ships to me are what cruising is all about, being on a ship not an amusement park that floats. I have a tried a couple of the larger ships and thought food and service was better on a smaller ship. I also prefer not having a bunch of kids around that the larger ships attract. I'm sad to see the mid size ships go away.
Posted: 3 years ago

These 2 ships in particular are not properly equipped to be able to bring in maximum revenues. Low passenger capacity, small casinos, almost zero Specialty dining and itineraries that were just OK.

One also has to wonder if losing Key West was also a contributing factor, since both vessels made multiple port calls there monthly.

Losing access to Cuba was one of the final nails in the coffin for Empress, since that was the main reason she was brought back to RCI service from Pullmantur

I personally loved sailing on both, as the people on-board seemed to be much more friendly than those on our Mega Ship cruises, and the food in general was of a better quality, all of which enhances the experience.

I have a feeling you will unfortunately see a few more of the smaller ships sold off or scrapped before a full return to service. From RCI, I think next will be Grandeur and then Rhapsody. For Carnival, I believe it will be Ecstasy, and Sensation
Showing 1 - 10 of 15 Answers

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