The Nordic Empress

[jerraeb]

Nordic Empress was our first cruise as a couple. She is still my favorite ship, we have cruised the big ones and the midisized ones but, Nordic Empress was the best.:cool:

[pack2much]

http://m.royalcaribbean.com/our-ships/empress-of-the-seas/

 

She's back!

[patrice1]

My husband and I sailed her on our first cruise in September1990, when she was only 3 months old. The aft suites weren't even finished and were not used, as our table mates were on their honeymoon & had booked one and were given a regular balcony instead. We were in awe! I'll never forget the huge portrait of Gloria Estoban in the Centrum. When we got on, there was a white baby grand piano on the Centrum stage and a gentleman in white tails was playing. We thought we had hit the jackpot! When on her again 5 years later for a Christmas present after finishing grad school and splurged on our first balcony. It was a big splurge, too, for us.

[loubetti]

RCCL brought her back from their Spanish, Pullmantur cruise line in Europe, and refurbished her for the express purpose of sailing her to Cuba. Since that has been delayed (Cuba is not easy to deal with) she is doing other Caribbean cruises for now.

 

They had hoped to start Cuba with her in July '16, but now they are talking maybe December or thereabouts.

[gkbiiii]

I see the Empress of the Seas out my window (I live ocean-side in Miami Beach), every couple of days!

[ArtsMaven]

Hello everyone! How happy I was to see this thread - which I rejuvenate!!!

 

We sailed on the Nordic Empress in 2002 and 2003.

 

Does anyone have any photos of the inside of the ship, in particular the Carousel Pub? We have many great memories and there aren't a lot of pictures out there on the internet.

 

ArtsMaven (Vera)

[ArtsMaven]

Oh... and we're going on the Empress of the Seas on the January 21 cruise out of Miami. I hope that there are some real memories of our previous cruises, like the cocktail tables and comfy chairs in the theater.... :)

[mycy1000]

I had no idea this ship was still around. I was a 12 year old on the Christmas cruise Miami-Freeport-Nassau-CocoCay-Miami back in 1991. Wow. The only vacation we ever took growing up. The waiters were fabulous they made us kids feel like we were movie stars. I remember my little brother ordering "bast@rd" eggs instead of basted eggs. No kids clubs back then for teens. We were left on our own to roam the ship and cause trouble. On Christmas Day there was a table with egg nog for passengers to enjoy. On one side of the table was non-alcoholic with no straw and the other side was alcoholic with a straw. They didn't pay attention to what us kids were grabbing. Glad things are very different now with how they police alcohol. Plus the seas on the last day were very rough. I remember small bags were placed every 30 feet for people to use if they needed. 

Wow. The things that stick out in ones memory. 

Edited October 21, 2019 by mycy1000

[Philly Steve]

Loved Nordic Empress and sailed her a handful of times as Empress of the Seas.  We cruised the Caribbean and Bermuda, many times from Philadelphia. 

 

Sadly, an Empress "death watch" continues as the ship could be headed to the breakers. 

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, Philly Steve said:

Sadly, an Empress "death watch" continues as the ship could be headed to the breakers. 

 

Nordic Empress aka Empress of the Seas is rather like Majesty of the Seas as they remind me of a "cat with 9 lives".  Or, the Energizer Bunny.  They just keep "going and going and going".  I sadly agree with you.  I think their "battery" is soon to run out of "juice".  

[Scandinavian World]

Sold together with MAJESTY OF THE SEAS to unknown Chinese shipping company.

 Here is the deck plan from 2016, as EMPRESS OF THE SEAS:

 

Empress Of The Seas DP.pdf

 

She was used again on short cruises for Royal Caribbean and also for the new Cuba business.

She is the last (planed member) afloat from the Admiral Cruises Fleet  (Eastern Cruise Lines / Western Cruise Lines / Sundance Cruise Lines) owned by Norwegian  Gotaas-Larsen Shipping Corp.

Gotaas-Larsen was also one of the three founders of Royal Caribbean, together with I.M. Skaugen and Anders Wilhelmsen.

 

Before delivery to Admiral Cruises as FUTURE SEAS, Royal Caribbean buyout the hole package (Admiral Cruises and the proportions of Gotaas-Larsen part of Royal Caribbean )

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiral_Cruises

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2021 by Scandinavian World

[lakedad]

Just ran across this.   We were on the Nordic Empress on our honeymoon in March of 1992,  We will on on the NCL Joy on March 19th for our 30th anniversary.