8 Night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day (Miami Roundtrip)
Sail date: July 27, 2019
Ship:
Empress of the Seas
Cabin number: 7516
Traveled as: Singles/Friends
Reviewed: 5 years ago
Review summary
Disappointed not visiting Cuba, by size of ship, few amenities and lack of dining options. Room was very small and no balconies except with suites. Crew were great as usual.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Fast and efficient
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Main dining room excellent - but there was only one on this ship. Ship was small so dining options were very limited, buffet was very crowded and not as many food choices as on other ships so we did not use it much
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
there was a climbing wall but did not use
Entertainment
4 out of 5
We enjoyed the comedy and musical shows. Ships orchestra and other performers were all excellent. theatre was a nice venue even though it was smaller that other ships
Children's Programs
no children in our party
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
We had Yoga and Sarvesh for our dining room wait staff, they were excellent. All the staff on board ship were great. Tanya in entertainment worked hard and was fun
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
We are used to having a balcony cabin. This is a big loss on this ship. Ship was small and easy to get around the ship but was older and a very simple layout. The main dining room is like a maze getting around - the tables are so close together you can hardly pass by - there are raised areas of the floor with railings - so you can't get from a to b easily. When they serve the breakfast buffet it is complicated to move around the room.
Cabin / Stateroom
1 out of 5
We were expecting a balcony cabin, we were very surprised to find that we just had a small window. Our United agent had not made that clear - although we see now it did say Ocean View on the materials. We Always book a balcony and our agent knows that so we are not sure how this happened. The cabin was also the smallest we have ever had on any cruise line and so we were really disappointed right from the start. The shower was the smallest shower I have ever seen - even the shower in our RV is twice the size! With all the other RC ships that we have been on we don't think this ship fits the RC brand. I can see that a small ship could be very luxurious - but this ship is not that either - it is just small and cramped.
Ship tip
Check that your cabin is what you expect - they are very small, it is a small ship. The itinerary was not very interesting for us without Cuba
We did the hop-on bus it gave a good overview. We had already planned to come down to KW after the cruise so we were disappointed that this was the replacement for Cuba - would have been better to be somewhere more exotic.
I would not describe this location as "perfect" it is a but like universal studios - not much charm - but we spent a day at the beach and relaxed and it was OK - we would not go on a cruise especially to Visit here (or Labadee either). It was well equipped and staff were attentive and there were no extra charges for us so that was good.
Don't listen to a review when people start comparing a smaller older ship to a newer large vessel. The reason to pick a smaller ship is the elegance of the older ship, older doesn't meant disrepair, smaller doesn't mean less fun. One day there may only be larger ships so enjoy these ships where the crowd is smaller and nicer and the service is almost personalized. I cruise all size ships, but I am choosing this one just because of the size and the fact that I have never sailed her, can't wait. Remember each ship has it own personality and spirit so don't ever board a ship with a preconceived notion or expectation, let the ship reveal itself to you as the days pass, just like people. You will learn to appreciate each cruise individually even if it wasn't your finest cruise. Happy cruising to all!
It is definitely an older, smaller ship, but is still in good shape. The prices have been very good recently. For a better experience, try a newer, larger ship, but the price will also be more.
I was able to get an amazing deal because the change of itinerary caused so many to cancel their cruise. It sounds to me like you didn’t research much on the ship, or your agent didn’t educate you on it. Empress is one of the oldest and is the smallest in the fleet but I get so excited about cruising that I know well ahead of time there’s not much choice in dining, amenities, even the fitness center is crammed where they could place it.
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