If you are an experienced cruiser, be prepared for a giant letdown. The Empress was re-purposed by RCL to be able to access the port in Havana. Allegedly renovated for the western Caribbean, this ship is old and tired.

Our cabin was nice enough. Certainly the carpets were new. But I noticed a number of areas with peeling wallpaper, poorly caulked windows, leaks, the sun canopies were torn in many locations and were dirty with black algae. There was an accessibility ramp on the pool deck that had enough rotten wood beneath the surface that it created a tripping hazard. The main common areas looked like Miami Vice era - bronze tinted mirror and brass rails, sea foam green accent paints on the window frames. The pool furnishings were PVC strap type chairs and lounges.

Probably due to the limitations of size, the buffet layout was inefficient. The main dining room carried the bronze mirror and brass and chrome theme. There was only a single specialty restaurant experience. And the food - well let's say that the chef and his staff would do really well if they were preparing food at a Golden Corral. Typical banquet fare. Uninspiring. The desserts were tasteless. Read more