Empress or Voyager - Please Help!

[zesta]

We are two couples in our mid-thirties and planning our first cruise in late May. We are torn between two RCI Bermuda itineraries - (1) Empress 7 day and (2) Voyager 5 day. We haven't heard great things about the Empress but we would get two extra days in Bermuda - what to do? (We're also considering a 7 day to Bermuda on the Celebrity Zenith.) Does anyone have a recommendation? We'd love to hear thoughts from the experts!

[zesta]

Sorry - I meant Explorer not Voyager. Thanks in advance.

[gerif]

I haven't sailed on Empress, but have sailed on both Voyager (same type ship as Explorer) and Zenith to Bermuda. Even though it is two days less, I'd definitely go with the Explorer just for the onboard experience. Zenith was nice, but we like a balcony - and I found myself getting a little bored. It's almost impossible to get bored on a Voyager-class ship. JMHO

[cruznsugs]

Yes Empress is a much smaller ship , doesn't have the promenade like the Explorer. But having extra time in Bermuda is well worth it . Bermuda is so beautiful and there's so much to see. Take the extra days and smaller ship.

[IMNiles]

wow, those are two COMPLETELY different ship experiences. Empress is one of the oldest ships in the rccl fleet, and is definitely the smallest, whereas until Freedom sails later this year, Voyager and Explorer are among the largest. The small ship/big ship decision is very personal, and for every person that swears they will never sail anything smaller than a voyager, there is someone who would never dream of sailing anything that large. It really comes down to a matter of temperament and ship atmosphere. If you want to plunk yourself down on a deck chair and read a book while someone brings a new tropical drink by every once in awhile, either ship is fine. If you are always go-go-go, and you are bored easily, then there is a LOT more to do on Voyager-class ships. The tradeoff is intimacy. I always feel that I get to know the staff better on smaller ships, and I feel like I get more personal service. It's easier to feel more like just one of the horde on the megaships. If it were me, I'd take explorer/voyager, but your mileage may vary. The decision would have been much harder if the 'other' ship had been a radiance-class ship, which many regard as the 'perfect' balance of size-vs-intimacy.

[Robby2299]

:cool: Longer cruises are the way to go IMO:cool:

[glndr]

I've been on the Voyager and the Adventure of the Seas and loved them both. I've also taken the Celebrity to Bermuda. It's a matter of preference. I chose the Zenith because of the longer stay on Bermuda. It was a nice experience. Definately different from the Voyager class ships. But we didn't bring our children on that one. There wasn't as much to do, and was a much older crowd. But it was nice. And I think the food was better.

[Jeepers385]

Wow, very hard to compare. I've done AOS 1 time and Empress 2 times, will be doing her a third time this May to Bermuda. I enjoyed both ships and yes they are totally different. On the Empress I love the crew, food and yes there was plenty to do and on the AOS there's always something to do and the crew was nice but I would have to get a slight edge to the Empress.

I would suggest you do a search on the Empress, most comments I've seen on the Empress are very favorable so hope you have a great trip whichever one you decide.

For me Bermuda is one of the draws to our May cruise, we've been 4 times and can't wait to go back.

Debbie

[denred04]

We are on the 7 day to bermuda...picked this over the 5 day/larger ship for a few reasons... 1. extra days

2. we are only 25 minutes from Philly

3. the voyager was $500 more per person for the first 4 (there are six of us)

I would probably prefer the larger ship, but have heard good things about the Empress, and it looks very nice as well.

 

good luck! have fun!

[Merion_Mom]

zesta, where do you live? That would be part of my decision.

[zesta]

zesta, where do you live? That would be part of my decision.

 

Thanks for all of the responses. The Empress leaves out of Philly and the Explorer out of NJ. We're just outside DC so can drive to either port.

[PhoenixCruiser]

I would go with the newer ship, we didn't have a good experience on one of RCI's smaller and older ships.

 

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[danfiveoh]

Go for the longer cruise! After 15 years of cruising, Bermuda is our favorite place to go.

[Merion_Mom]

Personally, I think that RC is overpricing the Empress this summer - we are booked on the Explorer for the NINE day, and in every category, it's cheaper than the 7-day on the Empress. HUH??? Apparently, they think that they can get people to pay higher prices on their oldest ship in return for the convenience of driving to the port. They may be right - I don't know how booking is going.

 

That aside, if I REALLY wanted to go to Bermuda, and I had the days off from work, I would pick the 7 day on Empress over the 5 day on Explorer, just because THE MORE CRUISE, THE BETTER, as far as I am concerned.

[kelly in md]

Yep Carol, I think that's exactly right. We are on Empress 4/29 since Philly is a short drive (my 90 yr. old grandmother doesn't like to fly). I went on the 5-day Grandeur out of Baltimore last year (MIL paid) and the Empress 7 day is cheaper than that.

 

We can fly to any destination in Florida and cruise (with cruiseline airfare) for 9 days for LESS than the Grandeur 9-day out of Baltimore. Go figure! I too think that they are charging premium prices for the convenience of these "local" ports. SOmetimes wished I lived in Florida! Wow, I could possibly afford to cruise each year! :)

 

Kelly

[dolfinmusic]

I am booked on the Empress in Sept. Mostly everything I have read has been very good. It seems that the most negative is that the Empress is a smaller and older ship. But since I live in Philly - I couldn't resist the short drive it will take to get to the pier! I also think the price is high too for a smaller and older ship! The prices for the summer sailings are just nuts!!!! Good luck!

[Jeepers385]

It is nice having a sailing close to home and when I factor in that I don't have to pay, air and post-pre cruise hotel, dinners for those nights, etc. it's saving me money.:D

Debbie

[denred04]

Hi-- I asked someone at RCI why they use the smallest ship, and they said it is because Bermuda trys to control the number of tourists...yet for the 5 night cruise they use the bigger ship....wouldn't it make sense to use the bigger one for the longer cruise? that kind of annoys me! but we still are going with the longer cruise/smaller ship.

[Merion_Mom]

Don't ask RCI CSRs a question like that. They don't know, but they feel that they HAVE TO give you SOME answer. So they make one up, or ask another clueless phone answerer.

 

The reason is that they know that cruise-starved mid-Atlantic types will pay ANY price for the convenience of cruising from a drive-to port. They could send any ship here, and make up ANY itinerary, and it will do well.

 

<sigh>

[glgolfer]

The other thing to consider is that the Explorer and Grandeur only go to Kings Wharf. There is very little to do there and you have to take either the ferry or the bus to Georgetown and Hamilton which wastes time.

 

The Empress stops at both Hamilton and Georgetown for 2 or 3 nights each.

We have been on both the Empress (pre refurb) and the Explorer. I would definitely go on the Empress for the extra days and the better ports in Bermuda. The Empress was fun because you get to know the crew better, the Cruise Director is very accessible and you can see new friends more often than on the big ships. Just a more relaxing atmosphere and overall less crowded than on the bigger ships. All of the above is just MHO.

[Julie of the North]

I book a cruise based on the itinerary AND the length of the cruise. We will be on the Empress in 2 months (11 day). This is my 3rd cruise but my first on RCL. Our first cruise was 7 days, our second 11 and this too is 11.

For me, 5 days is just not enough. I cruise to see the ports and don't give a "rat" about the "bling" a ship has to offer. A clean bed and good food is adequate....the places the ship takes me is the MOST important and the more days on vacation the better!

 

Julie

 

"He who dies with the most travel miles...WINS!"