This was a long anticipated experience and we loved the laid back pace of the Empress and the day and a half in Cuba. Wish we could have stayed longer and seen more of the island. I highly recommend this cruise.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Tampa is an extremely easy port to manage. We arrived early and dropped bags curbside where there were plenty of porters. Up the escalator and checked in with immediate boarding. Rooms were ready by 1:15.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Very good and service was wonderful. At dinner we loved the lamb, lobster ( on the night it was free) and the beef tenderloin). Shrimp cocktail was good every night
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Pools and hot tub were only activities we enjoyed on this one. Plenty of chairs available and life guard on duty. Hot tubs are covered so great in rain.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Comedian and magician were exceptional. Rookie, the cover band was great. Musicians and shows were good as well
Children's Programs
No children with us but I asked a few and they said they loved it. Teens were having a great time when we saw them
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our wait staff was fantastic, front desk was very responsive, everyone was very friendly!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Very pleased with the updates on this ship. It didn't feel like an old ship except for cabin size. Every area was clean and maintained well
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
Cabin looked nice, but was too narrow. Bunk beds which were folded up stuck out from wall on both sides making it impossible to walk beside the bed. Had to bend over to walk. Bathroom very small ( of course it is an older ship) and there were only 2 electric outlets available - one on desk and one under tv so not convenient to bedside. Glad we had a power strip with us. No in room fridge. AC was really cold. I had read people couldn't get their cabin cool enough so we took a fan but never needed it. Maintainence came bc fixed it but it remained pretty cold.
Ship tip
We loved being near the aft elevator. We never had to wait long and the ship is so small there's not a long walk to either end. For Cuba starboard side is actually better for viewing as port is not very attractive.
Did a Reef n Ritas snorkel Sail with Fury. Almost 100 on boat but good trip.
Then took the 90 minute ride on the Conch Train which is a great way to see and hear about Key West
Loved this port. It was the reason for this cruise. We did a private old car tour of Havana and a private Hemingway tour booked through excursion company outside cruiseline. Both were wonderful. We also took a taxi to the Tropicana show. Bought tickets at a hotel near port in advance. It was an iconic experience but expensive.
Extremely smooth. We waited until late because we had a late flight. Our bags were easy to find that way and the lines were still a little long for customs but the staff were all so friendly and pleasant. Everything was easy.
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