I only expected Empress to be transportation to Cuba. She's much more. I'd cruise her again. I missed having a balcony, but the cabin layout works well. Don't hesitate to give this one a try
Embarkation
4 out of 5
On the ship, diamond plus status earned same privilege as suites and pinnacle, but in the terminal, we weren't allowed into the waiting area with them
Our
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Our head waiter provided off-menu Indian dishes every night that were the best I've had. Didn't expect a lobster night, but they do it.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Enjoyed the welcome abroad event after muster drill
Entertainment
We didn't go to any of the shows
Children's Programs
No kids with us
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
This crew rocks it. Every one was pleasant
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This refurbished ship is a small gem. Had more of a Celebrity ship look and feel. Loved the deck area behind Boleros
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
Size was actually better than I expected. Very clean and great room steward. Storage was great. The issue was our ocean view window was not the square window you see in the photos. We had what I called a peephole for a porthole. It was tiny, very deep and recessed. We were too low on deck four and too far forward. We also must have been right over a forward bow thruster. AVOID at all costs!
Amazing to finally see the forbidden isle. We took the eight hour excursion. A HUGE disappointment is that the Hemingway House was removed from our tour and that's why we choice this one. Did enjoy overall. The hour at the hot and crowded souvenir warehouse is the stuff of nightmares, but the people and their wares were not the problem. It's way too crowded and hot. Thirty minutes is enough time. Lunch was fun with entertainment and I liked the chance to walk a bit in old town. The cemetery was actually more interesting than expected. The mosaic place is something you need to see to believe. Guide was wonderful.
Horrible and one of the worst ever in almost fifty cruises. Blame falls equally on customs staffing in Tampa and the ship personnel. We were more than two hours later than the expected disembark time and more than an hour of that was standing in a line. And don't think early walk off will help you avoid the issues. They were all backed up with all their luggage too. Ship should hold calling your number until you can actually leave the ship. We were fine sitting in the Schooner bar, but they callled us and we stood in the theater for almost forty minutes. The. We stood outside in 50 degree weather with a strong wind. Then port personnel sent some of us who didn't want or need to ride the elevator to wait fifteen more minutes. It was wrong in sooooooooo many ways.
The Empress was just too small, it was the first and only time I couldn’t wait for a cruise to end. I won’t sail on a ship without a promenade again, lesson learned.
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