Empress of the Seas Review

3.0 / 5.0
0 reviews

First Royal Caribbean experience

Review for the Bahamas Cruise on Empress of the Seas
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seitzfrancis
6-10 Cruises • Age 60s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
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Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Jan 2018

We had never cruised with RC previously and picked this short 4 day cruise as a way to visit Key West & the Bahamas. The price was a big factor until we got on board and found out that it was really a base price and basics such as internet access were add on's. The beverage package offerings were very misleading. When booking you are offered a Deluxe (alcohol included), Standard (soda, coffee, water) & Soda only packages. You are not told that you can get soda, coffee & water at the buffet at no additional cost. Upon arrival the ship was delayed due to weather. We were herded into a waiting area for over 2 hours. When it was time to board, there was no clear direction & people just gridlocked trying to get on. The Room staff was great. The bathroom was older & worn. Basics such as tissues & shampoo/conditioner were not provided. I'm not even sure if a blow dryer was provided. The buffet had a decent selection. Items such as eggs were always cold. The buffet has an entrance on each end and does not have the same items on both sides. This caused chaos when people would meet at the middle and not know how to proceed as the lines coming from both directions would then overlap. People are often not polite when not provided logical direction. The food at the main dining room was hit or miss. The lamb was outstanding, the steak so-so and the fish hit or miss. Hollandaise sauce served at multiple meals was disgusting. The Waiter & Asst Waiter would only handle requests specific to their individual role. For example when the Waiter was asked to bring another beverage we were told we had to ask the Asst Waiter. When the Asst Waiter was asked questions regarding the meal, we were told we needed to ask the main waiter. The entertainment was excellent though timing of the shows did not work with either dining option. The casino attendant seemed inconvenienced when asked to assist with activating the $5 ship credit. There are two tiny pools and three 6 person hot tubs that were all always overcrowded. Shore excursions were obscenely overpriced. A beach excursion to their island was $69 PP with no food or beverages included. The itinerary was changed multiple times with little to no communication. People who had pre-booked excursions with other vendors had issues with the multiple changes.

The departure process sealed our experience. We chose self check out and again were herded into a long line. It took over 45 mins to get to the gangplank. At the checkpoint my husband was told he had a message at Guest Services. We were then put into another line, waiting another 30+ mins. When we were finally assisted, the issue was they wanted to know if the credit card we put on file should apply to both people in the room. We had entered this information during the on line check in process and confirmed during the initial boarding check in. Nothing was noted on our bill that indicated there was an issue. The staff person processed the payment, slid a piece of paper towards my husband with no words. When we asked if we were all set, he responded "yup". The entire departure process took over 3 hours. With the age & condition of this ship, the service & amenities need to be outstanding to entice people to return. At this time, I would not recommend new or seasoned cruisers to utilize the Empress of the Seas for a cruising experience.

Cabin Review

Cabin Interior

The cabin was fine. The bathroom was outdated and did not provide basics but all in all the cabin met expectations. The cabin staff was excellent and the room was decorated nicely for my husband's birthday though I'm not certain if that was only because my sister-in-law purchased a package having champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, cupcakes and a picture frame sent to the room.

Port Reviews

Key West

Key West is a beautiful area. Historians will enjoy the options. Beyond that, it is not a beach destination. The main activities are eating & drinking of which there are plenty of options.

Miami

Miami is a very crowded area.

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