Empress of the Seas - Review Please Help

[kimbo444]

Can anyone help me with the space of the cabins and the overall experience that they have had on the Empress of the Seas? We are scheduled next June and the reveiws seem 50/50. I have booked an oceanview room but everyone says the rooms are so tiny. This is our first family cruise and since I have a fear of flying I need to go out of Phila. I don't mind the ship being small but I would like it to be nice. Any response would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks!:) :)

[Michuck]

We love the Empress. Yes, the rooms are small, but you are really only in your room to sleep, shower and dress. The ship is small too, but the ambiance and friendliness of the staff is awesome! I can't imagine you wouldn't enjoy a cruise on her!

 

Michele

[kimbo444]

Michele -

 

Thanks for your help. Its so hard when you haven't actually seen the ship.

 

K

[Jeepers385]

Kimbo, we've sailed her 2 times in the past and booked her for 5/6 sailing out of Philly and can't wait. Love the ship and the crew. We've been on mega and small ships and the Empress is still one of my favorites.

 

Debbie

[kimbo444]

Debbie

 

Thank you so much. Was there enough to do?

 

Kim

[SantanaTto]

Kim,

 

The Empress was our first cruise... We went in May 2004 and I loved it! We had an inside room and, looking back now, it was smaller than most other rooms. We didn't know any better, so we thought it was just great for 2 people. I don't recall it lacking for anything. Like they say, you only sleep, shower and dress in there!

 

I also loved to finish the evening every night in Bolero's.. They had the Deuling Pianos (great!) karoake (hysterical!) Quest, and many other things going on in there. It was our favorite evening hangout..

 

I remember the food in the dining room being very good..and the food at the Windjammer just OK for breakfast and lunch. I do recall the breakfast hot foods not being very hot! We had a great time and I would definately go on her again... Have Fun!!

[zinman]

We were on Empress about a month ago after being on mega ships previously. We didn't mind the size - it's still a very large cruise ship! Getting on and off is so easy - that's a big plus. There was plenty to do, although the pool area is very small. The cabins are miniscule but we managed to find a place for everything and we had a lot! The room steward took our large suitcases and stored them somewhere - big help.

 

One negative was the nosie in the cabin. We had an inside and could hear everything in the cabins around us even even the pop-top of cans. The other somewhat negative depending on how you look at it was the lack of food at night. The other ships had a 24 hour food area with a good variety. Empress has "snacks" on the pool deck until late at night, but it was only one thing like nachos. There are two midnight buffets, but the Gala is more for presentation and not variety. The Latin buffet though was really good and had a ton of choices.

 

We also noticed more wild kids on this ship than the others - not sure if that was just the luck of the draw but it was annoying at times. Overall the Empress is a nice ship, and you'll have a great time.

[Jeepers385]

There's as much to do as you like or as little as you want to do. Cruise ships have it down to a knack that there's always something going on.

 

Debbie

[debshomespun]

Just got back today from the Empress 6 day/5 night western sailing. We had cabin 9182, oceanview, and the size is just fine. It is about 139 sq. ft., with room for everything. The ship is in fantastic shape. We have been on mega ships (Explorer and Navigator) and new ships (the Jewel), and the Empress was just as nice as the others.

 

If food is a problem at late night, you can always order room service (24 hrs.). The staff is very friendly. The dining room food is very good. Menus are the same as the mega ships for the main dining room.

 

As for activities, the same type of things as on the mega ships, minus the skating, golf and that sort of thing. Lots of bingo, art auction, food demonstrations, belly flop, hairy legs, quest . . . and on and on.

 

If you have any specific questions, let me know, and I will try to answer them.

[Giventofly]

http://www.realtyone.com/daniel.smith/empress.asp

[kimbo444]

Debbie:

 

I will have 4 in the room because of our boys. They are young. We have the pullman beds. Do you see any problem with all 4 of us in the room? Sounds like you had a wonderful time. I've some of the reviews and I wend on one other cruise with the Norweign and I didn't like it very much. Not much too do, older crowd. All pools are small so that doesn't bother me. I'm just nervous and want to make sure hubby and kids have a great time. We are going with another family and I sort of picked out this cruise ship, etc.. and don't want anyone to be upset.

 

Kim

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

I haven't been on Empress yet but will next week. I have been on Majesty and the rooms are of similar size. When we did Majesty we did it with our boys who were 10 and 14 at the time. It was fine. It was a little challenge finding space for all the suitcases (we don't unpack our stuff from the bags) but we managed it and it was comfortable. Not spacious but comfortable. You will be fine. :)

[debshomespun]

Kim:

 

Try to keep things tidy along the way, and this will help to keep more space in the cabin. There are 2 small sets of drawers, 3 each. They only hold small things, maybe the kids clothes. The closet has 2 doors, one side for long clothes (and has a pull down rack so you can double hang if you want). There is a shelf on the other side, with the safe tucked up above, about eye level. There were plenty of hangers in our closet. We did pack light, and only took clothes for each evening for dinner, and an outfit for play each day.

 

Not sure what the kids program was like, but they did seem to do a good job. They had the little ones in as pirates one night before the show. It was really cute. Not many kids on our voyage.

 

Any other questions, let me know. You should have a wonderful time.

[kimbo444]

Debbie:

 

Thanks again. Nice thing about summer travel is that you have smaller clothes then say the winter. I really do appreciate your help. If I think of anything else I will ask. Oh, did you book alot of your excursions on board or through the islands themselves?

 

Kim

[kimbo444]

Debbie

 

One other thing. Dressing for dinner in the formal dinner room, should the guys wear pants, like dockers, and what about the ladies, pants o.k. - sundresses, suggestions please.

 

Thanks

Kim

[Jeepers385]

Kimbo, the room might be a little tight but as everyone has said your really not in it that much. During the day ask the steward to raise the pullman's so it feels roomier that helps too.

 

One thing about Bermuda you don't need to book the excursions through the cruise line. It's very easy to get around the island. You can get a 3 day bus/ferry pass that takes you everywhere. We've taken the buses to the beaches and they're very clean and run regularly. Went to the perfume factory and caves by bus and took the ferry from Kings Wharf to St. George's which was awesome. This time we'll be docked in St. George's and Hamilton so that will be fun. I did the Hartley Dive and instead of doing it through the cruise line I made my arrangements beforehand and just took the bus and asked the driver where I had to get off for the Platt's Bridge area.

My DH for dinner wears dockers or khakis for dinner unless it's formal night. I've worn sundresses, pants and capris to dinner for regular nights.

Debbie

[kimbo444]

Debbie

 

When you booked your own excursions, who did you go thru?

 

Thanks

Kim

[Jeepers385]

Kim, if you want to do the Hartley Helmet dive go to their website and they have pricing and a toll free #. Their email address is www.hartleybermuda.com as for the other things we did we got a map of the island where we bought our bus passes and just got off the bus at the stops and walked up and paid the entrance fees and went from there. The beaches are free but if you want umbrellas and chairs there's a charge but I don't remember the cost. Also go to the Port of Call Boards and look under Bermuda there should be a lot of info there. As for the scooters, I think there too dangerous but hey to each their own.

Debbie

[kimbo444]

Debbie:

 

I am packing now. This Helmet diving looks so awesome. Did you snorkel at all or swim with the dolphins? If you did, with whom? Thanks for all of your help.

 

Kim

[debshomespun]

Kim

 

Our cruise on the Empress was to Key West and Grand Cayman. We have not been to Bermuda, so sorry I can't help you w/the shore excursions. I always go to the boards here, and read up on the destinations we will be visiting, and get advice from people that have been there.

 

Dining was a little more on the casual side. People wore everything from a tux on formal night to jeans on the other nites.

[zinman]

You definitely can get room service 24 hours a day as we heard our cabin neighbors getting and eating theirs around 2:30 in the morning! It's just nice to have somewhere public to go on the ship at night when you're not ready to go back to your cabin. We managed to get all of the clothes for two adults in the drawers and closet. There is more storage space than you would think when you first see the size. I highly recommend having the steward store your suitcases - huge help.

[Rede2parte]

HI, like Debshomespun I just got off the Empress yesterday, our ports were KeyWest and Grand Cayman. My opinions follow:

 

Plus points for the Empress: this ship is smaller and thus easier to find your way around and easier to get somewhere quick - such as to a show lounge after dinner; there really were never any lines in the Windjammer except for about 12-1 on the first day and breakfast on the last day - and even then the lines went a lot faster than on other ships; dining room nights were all casual except for one formal night thus making dressing to dine less of a chore (but if you are one that likes to dress up, some people dressed formal every night so do what pleases you);

 

Minus points for the Empress: lots of noise between rooms that I have never noticed on any other ship I've been on (I woke up one morning to a TV blaring next to my head and it was in the next cabin, and another morning I thought I had people in bed with me as I could hear them talking in the next cabin clear as if they were sitting there with me - now that was spooky - I thought I had passed on to the other side for a minute there, what a way to wake up! :p ) ; noise in the Carmen dining room (engine noise I think it was) was deafening in the mornings and during lunch (I was on second level for dinner, it wasn't bad up there for dinner); public bathrooms were clean on the first day but after that when I attempted to use them they were always messy and dirty and out of paper - I found myself going back to my room no matter where I was at.

 

Overall: it's a good little ship and great for relaxing, but I don't think I'd want it to be my first cruise experience - I guess I just like the bigger ships and the activity and energy levels that go with the bigger ships. Either way, it's what you make it so make it great and you'll enjoy it! Have fun!