Empress OTSeas couple w/ 18 yr old daughter

[SSBrickNJ]

We booked at 7 night cruise on Empress of the Seas.

"We" are a couple with a daughter who will be 18 at the time of sailing (July 2020)

I was attracted last night (8/31/19) on the RC website by a "flash sale". Additional $50 off AND the usual BOGO

So I booked a 7 night cruise to Bermuda....inner stateroom.....I prepaid the gratuities....and my Out the Door price was $2,499

That's really good I think!

So that was really spontaneous of me.

I didn't know anything about the ship (Empress of the Seas)....I just knew it was Royal C...which is always good...and it was departing from our local port in Cape Liberty NJ. Just an hour and 15 minute drive from our home.

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Finally my question....

MY REGRET IS THAT ONLY AFTER BOOKING DID I DISCOVER THIS SHIP HAS NO TEEN CLUB. 😞

Does anyone know if there is ANY method by which the teens can meet each other besides awkwardly saying: "Hi my name is (fill in)...what's yours?"

 

Edited September 1, 2019 by SSBrickNJ
improve post

[SSBrickNJ]

I have 5 sailings under my belt but I never made use of the Roll Call option.

Maybe as we approach the sail date I could "join" / participate in the Roll Call for our ship and seek out cruisers who have a 17 to 19 year old cruising with them? Then hypothetically we "parents" could arrange for our teens to meet each other?

 

[lazydayz]

Hurry and read some reviews. Empress is not your typical RC ship. It is tiny, as are the cabins.  As to the 18 year old, any of her peers would be in the same boat so I meeting others should be easy.  

 

I would worry more about three people in an interior cabin on that ship. 

[brookmill18]

You have to be under 18 to participate in any teen clubs on RCCL so switching ships won't help with that.  Many sailings have a meet up almost every day for the 18-21 crowd--some sailings I have seen it more often in the compass than others.  We will be in the same situation next summer as well.  Sometimes depending on how busy the "kid" is though, spending a week reading, relaxing, eating whatever they want, etc is enough.  One tip I heard though is that at that age it is a good idea to get them at least the soda package.  This way, they can go into the clubs at night and order something from the bar while they listen to bands, karaoke, etc.  

[SSBrickNJ]

@laydayz....thank you for your post.

We saw a youtube video on this ship AND we looked at the Cruise Critic overview on it as well. The interior cabin has the two twin beds that will be pushed together and a "Pullman Bed" that pops down from the wall. This is standard for us....same old same old

We are fine with less people and more personal attention in the MDR or what have you.

Our things that we like are the Theater Shows...the Main Dining Room.....getting soft serve ice cream whenever we want....karaoke (I sing....my wife cheers me on)😉

It'll be fine...thanks though.

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@brookmill18 I did not know that the teen club is only for 17 and under. That makes me feel better that my teen can have a meet up following your guidelines and suggestions.

Actually, I mentioned to my wife about the 18 - 21 gatherings. My wife (not surprisingly to me) is NOT interested in having our daughter mix in with 20 and 21 year olds. She is a "sweet" girl 😍

Edited September 1, 2019 by SSBrickNJ

[SSBrickNJ]

So, what do any of you think re. my idea to use ROLL CALL to try and connect with parents of 17 to 19 year olds that will be on the same cruise? Is that weird or from one parent to another it would be something comfortable to discuss?

[Clarea]

11 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

So, what do any of you think re. my idea to use ROLL CALL to try and connect with parents of 17 to 19 year olds that will be on the same cruise? Is that weird or from one parent to another it would be something comfortable to discuss?

 

Not weird at all, I see those kinds of posts all the time.

[rafinmd]

Is it too late to book a second cabin.  I loved the Empress but 3 in a cabin would be a real "adventure".

 

Roy

[SSBrickNJ]

@Host Clarea

Help! All readers of this thread are also invited to help please

I never dreamed that Empress of the Seas would have Interior Rooms that are so much smaller than the Radiance of the Seas we were on in 2018.

I thought that although the Empress was less decks and less guests....yet an inner stateroom is an inner stateroom....gonna be the same. Wrong!

.............but no.....oh no.....

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A google search of the Radiance of the Seas Inner Stateroom dimensions shows we had 165 sq feet

A google search of Empress of the Seas shows we will have 117 square feet.

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I just booked it on 8/31.....just 22 hours ago.

Yet it seems they offered me an option to add over $100...was it $140? for the chance to cancel and receive a full refund.

I didn't choose that, now I have to upgrade or lose "some" money if I cancel?

Advice please...

Edited September 2, 2019 by SSBrickNJ

[Clarea]

21 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

 

...

Yet it seems they offered me an option to add over $100...was it $140? for the chance to cancel and receive a full refund.

I didn't choose that, now I have to upgrade or lose "some" money if I cancel?

Advice please...

 

If you cancel, change ship, or change sailing date, you lose $100 per person.  In the case of cancelling, you will get the remainder of your deposit back as a Future Cruise Credit that expires in a year.

[SSBrickNJ]

@Host Clarea  What if I call to upgrade to a bigger room? Then no $100 per person penalty....correct?

The Radiance of the Seas inner Stateroom had 165 sq feet.............to get that amount of square feet on Empress of the Seas what do i need to upgrade to ? An Oceanview? A balcony room?

[Clarea]

14 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

@Host Clarea  What if I call to upgrade to a bigger room? Then no $100 per person penalty....correct?

The Radiance of the Seas inner Stateroom had 165 sq feet.............to get that amount of square feet on Empress of the Seas what do i need to upgrade to ? An Oceanview? A balcony room?

 

Correct, if you are staying on the same ship and sailing date, there is no penalty.

 

Here are the deck plans with square feet listed in the descriptions:

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/empress-of-the-seas/deck-plans/1922/BD

[Merion_Mom]

1 hour ago, SSBrickNJ said:

@Host Clarea  What if I call to upgrade to a bigger room? Then no $100 per person penalty....correct?

The Radiance of the Seas inner Stateroom had 165 sq feet.............to get that amount of square feet on Empress of the Seas what do i need to upgrade to ? An Oceanview? A balcony room?

 

Most of the oceanview cabins on the Empress are the same size as the interiors.  They just have a window.

 

If you look at the deck plans, there are two cabins on decks 7 & 8 that are larger than other OV cabins.  There are youtube videos.  (7164 & 7664 & 8164 & 8664)  It's not a big difference in floor space but they are a little bigger.

 

There are no "balcony" cabins on the Empress.  You have to go up to a Junior Suite to get a balcony, and a somewhat larger cabin.

[Merion_Mom]

11 hours ago, SSBrickNJ said:

We booked at 7 night cruise on Empress of the Seas.

"We" are a couple with a daughter who will be 18 at the time of sailing (July 2020)

I was attracted last night (8/31/19) on the RC website by a "flash sale". Additional $50 off AND the usual BOGO

So I booked a 7 night cruise to Bermuda....inner stateroom.....I prepaid the gratuities....and my Out the Door price was $2,499

That's really good I think!

So that was really spontaneous of me.

I didn't know anything about the ship (Empress of the Seas)....I just knew it was Royal C...which is always good...and it was departing from our local port in Cape Liberty NJ. Just an hour and 15 minute drive from our home.

*
*
Finally my question....

MY REGRET IS THAT ONLY AFTER BOOKING DID I DISCOVER THIS SHIP HAS NO TEEN CLUB. 😞

Does anyone know if there is ANY method by which the teens can meet each other besides awkwardly saying: "Hi my name is (fill in)...what's yours?"

 

 

A quick look at the website says that you are going to have to pony up about $2000 more to move up to a Junior Suite.