Empress of the Seas Review
Rating by category
Additional details
I love Miami (Wynwood arts, Perez Museum, beaches, architecture tours!) and I have really been wanting to visit Cuba, and this cruise was very affordable, so I pulled the trigger only a few weeks before. I was very happy with the experience overall.
Pros:
- SMALL SHIP, super convenient, short lines, easy embark/disemb, easy to get around quickly! Fewer people on top of you on ship and in port.
Cabin Review
Interior Stateroom
Our cabin 4233 was just what I hoped (for a basic, interior cabin I was pleasantly surprised)!
Most important to me it did NOT have those pullman beds (for bed 3 and 4) above the main bed on either side. Since only two occupants, we did not need those and I did not want them taking up overhead space and one of us was tall so I was going for a room where that person would not hit their head. Happy this worked out, I looked at previous reviews!
Also, I was concerned about location on the ship in terms of feeling movement and also hearing engine or other mechanical noise - both were great. Zero mechanical noise, and felt very little if any movement. Did hear loud neighbors in the hall a few times but that's hardly the cabin's fault, although I guess every cabin could use better sound insulation. Could not hear the immediate neighbors to left and right, only parties passing in the hall.
There was enough room for me to get in and out on the left and at the end of the bed even with it in double/queen configuration.
The bathroom was of course efficiently-sized, largely original to the 80s but clean working well and in good repair - cute even that it was original baby blue 80s tiles.
Port Reviews
Miami
I love Miami and love any excuse to visit. I love Wynwood art, Perez art Museum (sit outside on their porch swing chairs in the shade with a drink too!), LoveLife yoga and cafe (try their Best Veg Burger!), Hanover nude beach, and architexture tours of art deco hotels.
I'm not a partier and avoid south beach in the evenings where it's a strip of hard-partying bro clubs and pushy crappy tourist trap restaurants that try to grab you passing by :(... but everything else I enjoy!
Havana
Great chance for a short trip to get a taste of Cuba. Took a private walking tour, really enjoyed it. Learned a lot about how communism is put into practice in Cuba. Locals are genuinely really friendly and seem to love to talk to internationals (and not people try to sell you anything, just friendly around town), learned a lot from people this way in only a day. Really interesting. Plan to siesta from the heat mid day with a drink and cool rest in some shady courtyard or fancy hotel.
Nassau
My first stop in the Bahamas ever. Some pros and cons, overall would not try to go back :(.
Happily we were there for a local holiday, which is not manufactured for tourists (Labor Day, floats and parades from unions, etc.). That was cool to see! Brass bands fun to listen to.
Loved the ravine shady jungle park and waterfall at the Queen's Staircase, rested here mid-day during our walking around! Highly recommend, very charming down in the ravine on stone benches. Plus super clean nice public bathrooms there, loved that.
Enjoyed walking up to the fort for the view, nothing special but nice.
This port overall seemed so built up for tourism, it was disappointing. All shops and shopping and stalls and tourist junk made in China.
Thought about getting day passes to beach at BCH but checked it out and did NOT like it - the hotel lobby air con was a nice reprieve for a moment, but the "beach" is sand trucked in on the harbor/port facing the cruise ships. Not at all relaxing or charming IMHO. Would be worth it to go to a private island for a similar $100 ish per person. NO shade, very few umbrella options (all taken even in early AM). I don't know who would want to hang out there, maybe people who had never heard of a natural beach with like nature and trees and charm and stuff!?