Really, it was a good cruise. I relaxed on my balcony, I enjoyed my excursions, I bought watches during the ships sales (Lololol), I enjoyed the Windjammer, the entertainment was great, the wifi was very good, even their computer area was great as I had homework to complete and email back home. My favorite part was the sinks to wash your hands before entering the Windjammer. Awesome!! If you want a small ship experience, the Empress of the Seas is your baby!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
I actually only ate in the Windjammer and it was great! I have no complaints. They would have a different type/theme for food each night but they would always have the regular food for us plain eaters. I only went as far as soft drinks from the bar outside of the main theater to have during the nightly show and water when in the Windjammer and it was great.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
I didn't take part in the onboard activities. But I certainly checked them all out. Every where I went people were having a great time. The pool was always full with people relaxing and swimming, there was always a dancing class or some contest for say the best looking man, latin dance classes inside. I had a walk through the gym (Lololol), it was really nice, small but nice.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
The waiters did a good job in the Windjammer. They weren't constantly at your table offering to get you a drink or taking your used plate as often as they could have been, but that was just fine. I know my way to the buffet. My room steward was invisible to me. Some sailings they know my name and speak and ask what we're doing that day or how our day went onshore. But not this one, but that is fine for me, I'm okay to just quietly go about my day. I just enjoy my time with my hubby. We are both very separately busy in real life so I'm okay without a 24/7 visible room steward. The person(s) at the entrance to the Windjammer are fabulous!! Washy washy. I love it! They have sinks at the entrance!! Awesome!! Hand sanitizer is nasty!! Those personnel are very bubbly, nice folk.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship's layout was nice and easy. As I am mostly on the big ships I was nervous going on this small and older ship but I was pleasantly surprised. I felt that the center atrium where they would congregate for some dance classes and the flag show showing where the staff were from, was small, but not bad. It was cool in that you could look up and see each floor full of people looking down and enjoying what was happening. So small, but they make it work. I am a very scornful person, so I'm happy to say that the common areas were clean and well-maintained. I was on a younger ship that wasn't as well-maintained as this one.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Ship tip
Just enjoy it for what it is. Especially if like me you have been on all the huge ships like the Anthem and the Oasis and the Allure, then go expecting a major downsize, relax, find something in that Compass that you can take part in or enjoy watching others participating in, and decide to make it one of your best vacations. The shore excursions can help to make your vacation on a small ship fabulous too.
Miami is the start of my vacation. Shopping is great!! We stayed downtown just 5 minutes from the Ship, the ship was actually the view outside my hotel window across from the Bayside area. Fabulous city.
My excursion made this port great. We did stand-up paddleboarding for the first time. Awesome fun. Then they drop you in town where you can shop and buy key lime pie from Kermit's Key West Lime Shoppe. Yum!! Then there was a bus that took you back to the ship, free of charge. Pretty cool port.
Here we did the Segway tour. It was great actually. My feet weren't completely happy with me or the segway but it was okay, completely enjoyed it. The guides then drop you in a shopping and swimming area. The people weren't aggressive like at some ports but I could have done without that stop off. We had to then catch a taxi or share bus back to the ship. It was easy and not so far away at all, so not expensive.
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