48,563 tons
l,602 passengers double
2,020 all berths
crew of 685
692 feet long
100 feet at beam
Norwegian officers and international crew
Entered service as Nordic Empress: 1990
Major refit and name change: 2004
9 passenger decks
Bahamas registry
Quality Rating:
Value Rating:
Best For People Who Want:
A bargain cabin on a classic older, but very well maintained ship
Should Be Avoided By People Who Prefer: mega-ship sports facilities, balcony cabins, ice-skating, flowriding or huge casinos
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Onboard Experience:
Launched in 1990, the 2,020-passenger Empress of the Seas is a one-of-a-kind ship, which in Royal Caribbean is quite a feat. She is the oldest ship in the fleet, a teeny 48,000 tons which is less than 20% the size of the line's most recent build. However, she is lovingly maintained, just receiving a major refurbishment in the last two years.
The atmosphere in the spacious two floor Carmen Dining Room is classy with a white baby grand piano and palm trees where her 1600 passengers must select either first or second seating. Though she is old, and does not have many of the Royal Caribbean hottest new features like ice skating or a Johnny Rockets, she does have an centrum and a Viking Crown Lounge.
On this ship, making runs out of East Coast ports like Bayonne, New Jersey, one of the most popular rooms is the casino, with slots and tables snaking around corners and going up and down the stairs. And there is also nothing lacking in the Las Vegas-style floor shows in the Strike up the Band showroom. Overall Royal Caribbean does a great job and this is good choice for a short cruise or a Bermuda itinerary.
Decor:
Modern light pink and orange pastel fabrics accented by gleaming brass and glass with plenty of potted palms and plants.
Cuisine:
The food here is as good as any Royal Caribbean ship, unless you just have to have Johnny Rockets (not available).
Restaurants:
The Carmen Dining Room has two dinner seatings at 6:00 and 8:30 p.m. It is also open with open seating for breakfast and lunch. A casual breakfast and lunch service is also
available in the Windjammer Lido Cafe, which also offers a casual open sitting dinner
service with light meals.
Alternative restaurant, Portofino, with the same menu as on the larger ships, was added during the 2004 rebuild. Reservations are required, there is a $20 service charge. Also newly included is the combined ice cream and coffee bar Latte'tudes, featuring Seattle's Best Coffee and Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
Service:
The staff is friendly and attentive in both dining and cabin areas, but as a smaller ship service tends to be much more casual.
Tipping:
Royal Caribbean suggests a per person per day gratuity of: $3.50 for the stateroom attendant ($5.75 if sailing in a suite); $3.50 for the waiter; $2.50 for the Assistant Waiter; .75 Head Waiter. These gratuities may be paid in cash or charged to your onboard account. For children sailing as third or fourth passenger in the stateroom, tipping is at the parents' discretion.
A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to all beverage tabs. Gratuities for room service, spa, casino and other staff are at your discretion.
Entertainment:
Don't miss the dueling pianos in Boleros for some of the funniest singalongs you have ever heard in your life. Unexpected and slightly risqueacute; double entendre is the rule of the night here. Slight;y shocking, funny as can be.
In the "Strike up the Band showroom," seating 722 "Fiesta Caliente" and "Jump Jivin' Swing" are two numbers that may or may not hit the spot. For the children there's an Arcade of video games and the Adventure Ocean playroom with space-age theme decor and a program of supervised activities.
Cabins:
Standard cabins on Empress of the Seas are tiny (standard inside 117 sq.ft. and lower grade
outside 108 sq. feet). Jump up to Category SO - Superior Ocean View (157 sq.ft.) for something a little bigger. Some balcony cabins are available, but you need to book a suite, either a Junior Suite (194 sq.ft. plus a 25 sq.ft. balcony), Owner's Suite (303 sq.ft. balcony 222 sq.ft.) or the palatial Royal Suite complete with whirlpool bathtub and separate living room with refrigerator and bar (596 sq. ft. balcony 222 sq. ft.).
Each standard cabin has a bed that can be configured as either two twins or a single queen. color TV, radio, safe and hair dryer are standard amenities in all cabins. In 2004, all staterooms received new and upgraded bathrooms and additional storage. The Royal Suite and Superior Ocean View staterooms were redecorated and Owner's Suites were completely redesigned and refurbished.
Fitness/Spa:
Empress of the Seas offers a surprising number of fitness classes and amenities. The fitness center has plenty of modern equipment, a separate jogging track, and aerobics classes. The ship also features a rock climbing wall and two large swimming pools and five Jacuzzi whirlpools on Sun Deck. Steiners of London runs the spa one deck below.
Attire:
Casual daytime attire and at least one semi-formal evening per short cruises, two formal nights on one-week Bermuda sailings, though most men wear dark suits instead of tuxes.
