We took this cruise with our best friends. The whole reason we booked this cruise was to go to Havana, and the week before we were scheduled to leave, the government shut it down. RC offered us a full refund or a 50% refund if we chose to cruise. We were all so desperate for a vacation that we went for it. We opted for The Key program, which I can't recommend enough. Because of this, we got on the ship early and had a complimentary lunch at Chops. It was ok, and service there was soooo slow. We were in there two hours. Food was only ok, but our service team in the main dining room was great, Rommel and Stanmore. We really enjoyed the games and dance lessons, and the entertainment staff was great. They were all engaging and so much fun. Our cruise was not crowded at all, and I felt like I got to know some of them. We did a Fury snorkeling excursion in Key West and spent the day at Mr. Sanchos in Cozumel, which we did by ourselves. Other reviewers aren't kidding about the smell. It was really bad in certain places. We had a great time because we got away and spent time with each other. I wouldn't go on this ship again because I feel like there are better options out there. Read Less

The service was impeccable. When my husband stopped by Guest Services to pick up the Assistive Listening device they got overzealous and installed blinking lights and bed vibrator in the room. That was very kind but I didn't need all that ( and it changed the set up of the room) so they took it right back out. We loved having the assigned seating at 6pm. We loved having the same wait staff each night. I emailed special requests ahead of time---They were able to give us a private table away from the piano so I was able to enjoy without trying to explain my deafness to people They handled my food allergies easily. The main dining room was my something I looked forward to everyday. We loved every single thing about the size of this ship. We never felt crowded, never waited in line, never felt rushed. We asked Guest Services and they said it was fully booked and had 1600 people on board when we sailed.There are rumors about Royal taking it out of commission with Cuba off the table. I hope not-- I would sail this ship again in a heartbeat. The biggest surprise--- the teen club. As you know, they have little to nothing on the website about having a teen club. I was very, very worried that my 13 year old would be bored. We made him go to the teen meet and greet the first night promising to pick him up in 2 hours. We were thrilled to find out that instead of a dedicated room---they have a "roaming" teen club. Fabian had the kids all over the ship from morning until midnight. They played hide and seek, uno, scrabble, a scavenger hunt, went to the shows as a group and played a days long spy game called paranoia. My son was gone from sunup to curfew and had the best time. Added bonus--- no electronics were involved so it really was a throw back to the childhood of disconnect. I think Royal is missing a huge marketing opportunity and parents would sign up for this ship just to get their kids off the devices. Read Less

I got this cruise playing MyVegas so only had to pay port fees. We found out 6 days before we sailed that we would not be going to Cuba. We were disappointed but we were also going on vacation so just adjusted our plans. We did have to fly to Fort Lauderdale which took 30 hours due to storms in Atlanta. Spent Sunday at a hotel. Left the hotel and in less than 1 hour we were on the ship. It is a smaller ship, it did seem like some people cancelled as it was not very busy. Our cabin was fine. Always clean and cute towel animals. Crew were always friendly and helpful. Saw crew members cleaning the halls and other areas also. Food was good, as were the drinks. Drinks were very strong which surprised me. Used to all inclusive at which are not strong at all. Stayed on board in Nassau, really enjoyed CocoCay. We did have a really good time on this ship. Read Less

This was our 46th cruise and we are Diamond members. Allow me to begin this revie with The pros: The service was the best of any cruise ship we have ever been on. The staff was eager to please. The production shows were terrific. Very professionally done and entertaining. The ship was in good shape considering the fact that it is almost 30 years old. The cons: There was a sewerage smell the entire five days on the ship. The food in the buffet was just plain BAD. Same food every day, very limited selection and it was not tasty. Food in the main dining room was just OK. Our outside cabin was more like a closet. When getting off the bed, we had to walk sideways. No ref ridge in cabin. Very little drawer space. We found the drinks in the Schooner bar to be watered down. Much better drinks when ordered in main dining room. Our waiter Milton and Head waiter Nick were excellent. the embarkation and debarkation was very fast and orderly. The embargo on Cuba began while we were docked in Havana. We left the following day and learned that we were the last ship to leave Cuba. The country itself was run down as the communist government owned everything. We learned that they pay Medical Doctors $53 per week so most of them have to hold additional part time jobs. Our tour guide was an engineer with a Doctorate degree but claimed she made more money as a tour guide because of the tips. I would normally rate this ship as 3 stars, but because of the smell, I cannot rate it better than 2 stars Read Less

This was my 63rd cruise, itinerary is usually my main focus and wanting to visit Cuba there was only a few ship offerings. I have always had very good experiences sailing RCL and despite the numerous negative reviews and the size of the “Empress” I decide to give it a try, lucky my sailing was the last Cuba sailing before the new travel restrictions were put into place. Having recently sailed the mega ships the boarding process could not have been any easier. Navigating the ship is fairly easy and the hub of activity is on decks 5 and 6. Even-tough this is a small ship I found lots to do as there are numerous activities throughout the day. In the evening there was two venues with music and the usual fill of activities to participate. There were a number of bars, but “Balleros” was my main hangout plus the music was very good. I ate in main dining room , windjammer and the only specialty restaurant Chops, all were very good to excellent. Staff and service throughout were amazing. Even tough this was a small ship I never felt any rocking throughout the voyage. I did encounter that sewage smell on mid deck 8, but it was occasional. My only complaint was the cabin(the worst in 63 cruises.. but more below). Overall, the Empress is an underrated ship, it has much to offer, food, activities, staff and yes character. Read Less

Service was great. Entertainment was okay. The ship was small but the largest that Royal can go to Cuba with. Wanted to experience Cuba and meet the people. Was not disappointed. Education is free through University but availability of jobs for a decent wage are slim. The teacher I talked to mentioned they earn about 20 CUCs a month. (Abut $20 in US money). He also mentioned he was not allowed to cruise or leave the island. I asked him about healthcare and he said it was free but they didn’t have medical supplies so it was usually not that helpful. The entertainment on the ship was okay but nothing fantastic. Five night cruise and only 1 really good show. The Royal website described the room as having a bed and couch but that was not the case. Ship was very old, I think 1992. Was dissainted because I bought gift certificates from AARP only to find ou they could only be used on new bookings. Carnival gift cards can be used for OBC. Read Less

EVERYONE with Royal Caribbean made us feel like we were so important to them and they would do anything within their power to accommodate our every need. The service, entertainment, and food was all excellent! We had a few meals in Chops Grill and they were good, but the food and service in the main dining room was so good, we probably will not spend the extra money next time. A larger pool would be nice, but that was not the goal of our trip or we would have booked a larger ship. We had three adults in an ocean-view cabin and had plenty of room. We purchased The Key and felt like the benefits were great compared to the cost. After a lot of research, I also found that most excursions were actually less expensive booking directly through Royal Caribbean, contrary to many review warnings. We loved the ports of Key West, Cuba, and Cozumel! Definitely agree with "small ship, HUGE heart". We did walk by a few small areas with a less-than-pleasant odor a few times, but I have never been in a venue accommodating over 2,000 total people where you couldn't find a few spots that were not exactly pleasant. If given the chance, I would do this exact trip again next week, no questions asked!!! Read Less

We chose this cruise because it was a good deal for the itinerary. Key West is one of our favorite ports and we had never been to Cuba. We knew the ship was older and we did see signs of wear. The cabin was small but we did not spend much time in it. We food was good. We ate in the dining room whenever we could. It was quieter than the Windjammer. We had the early seating in the dining room. Our waiter and assistant waitress were attentive. We arrived in Fort Lauderdale the day before the cruise so we were able to arrive at the port close to 11 a.m. Embarking was fast. We were in the Windjammer before noon. The first day was at sea. We took part in trivia and other daytime activities. There were enough activities to keep us busy all day. We did go to the shows every evening. They included a comedian, juggler, and the on board troupe. The crew members and staff we interacted with where all helpful and friendly. We explored Key West on our own. It is a very walk-able port. In Havanna, we booked a private six hour excursion. Because we were the only two people in the car, we were able to personalize the tour to include what we wanted to see. The second day we did a free walking food tour. Both excursions were very interesting and allowed us a good insight into the lives of the Cuban people. Disembarking was very easy and went fairly quickly. Read Less

Ship is a older ship but public areas were well kept. Some of the best service I have had in the past 3 or 4 cruises. Entertainment was excellent and really enjoyed Key West and Cuba. Dining options were great with great late night snacks. Excellent Diamond Club and Dining staff. The older ships has more personality and the staff are more personable. Cuba was one of the best ports that I have visited. It was very clean and I felt really safe even at night. I loved the overnight option but plan to rest up before hand. We really enjoyed our day tour and also our night tour. Embarkation day was the only bad experience we had. Took us longer to check in than normal with very long lines. It does seem that Royal is using more contract workers at the pier than Royal Staff. All in All we had a excellent trip and would definitely visit Cuba again. Read Less

We chose this cruise to go with a group of friends. The Ship: was nice for the most part. It was comfortable to be on. It generally handled the sea state pretty well. It was nice to not have to walk forever to get from one end to the other. The age of the ship did show though in some public areas. We went on the All Access tour and saw many of the behind the scenes areas. In general, the ship looked well cared for. Controls looked somewhat dated but that's fine since they seemed to work well. The Cabin: Here the disadvantage of an older ship shows. The cabin was small and had only a window. The general condition of the cabin was fine. The bathroom was tiny with a little shower tucked into a corner. You almost had to leave the door open to sit on the toilet. But the shower worked well and seemed to be in very good condition. Dining: Hmmm... Hit and miss. Some of the food was awful. Prime rib was the right color but missed badly on texture and taste. Beef medallions were the same. They did not taste roasted. Lobster bisque was horrific. Chicken was good. Most desserts were quite good. Pork was good and fish was fine. Civiche seemed to be just a kind of shrimp cocktail. The food in the buffet was generally OK if but over cooked. All that said, it wouldn't stop me from taking the ship again. Didn't pay any attention to the entertainment or activities. Service: Excellent all around Ports and Shore Excursions: Ports were good even if to almost seems 70% of the cruises I go in have stopped in Cozumel. Key West was good but the highlight of the cruise was the stop in Havana. The shore excursion of Old Havana was great. We got to see how Cubans actually live. Our tour guide was very open about conditions in Cuba and did not stray into politics or propaganda. I'd love to go back but, as Americans, we can't. WiFi: Hit and miss. Some areas of the ship had great wifi but in the cabin it worked ok for 1 device and poorly for the other. Read Less

Just got back from 4-night MOS sailing from FLL to Key West to Havana and back to FLL. Had read a lot of negative reviews about the MOS before going but because the Cuba stop was the reason for the cruise in the first place, they did not dissuade us. Candidly the ship is older and doesn't have all of the bells and whistles of the new-mega ships, but truth be told the-mega ships probably couldn't make it into either Key West or Havana. We (three couples) were in separate "oceanview" cabins on Deck 5. The cabins were small, but were more than functional for our purposes. Our cabin attendant, Elizabeth, could not have been better, nicer or more pleasant. She accommodated every request with a smile and responded with a "hi" or a "are you having a good day?" every time we saw her. We chose "my time" dining for 800 p.m. in order to better accommodate our schedules. We linked up the others in our group and had a table for 6 set aside for each night in the Starlight Dining Room The food was pretty good and was presented nicely, We ate there 3 of the 4 nights and even with just that our waiter, Paolo, knew our names and preferences. All other meals we eaten in either the Windjammer or the Windjammer Marketplace, both of which are connected to each other on Deck 11 and serve the same food. The food was served buffet style, but was not lacking for choices and the service was good. We had read complaints about the bar service. We had no problems at all. We all signed up for the beverage package and at one time or another hit every bar on the ship. Some were definitely busy than others, but all moved quickly. Kudos to Angelito in the Schooner Bar which became our go-to bar throughout. By the first night he knew our names and drinks of choice and never seemed too busy to wait on or talk to us. We really weren't on the ship much, so can't say a lot about the entertainment. However, we did check out the comedian/ventriloquist who was very good. Embarkation and disembarkation in FLL was pretty flawless. Since we drive to FLL, we didn't have tight connections to make on either end, and so we arrived at around 200 on embarkation day and were on the ship within about 20 minutes. On disembarkation day, we left the ship around 845 (by which time all groups had been called) and were out of the terminal and headed toward our car by 900. No worries with security or customs on either end. Speaking of customs, there was a slight bottleneck in Havana which is but one reason why I can't imagine a mega-ship going there. But, the process went pretty quickly. In Cuba we did a private tour (which I would highly recommend) that took us to New Havana by classic car and then into Old Havana on foot, before returning us to the ship to clean up and to eat before taking us to the Tropicana show. Our tour guide took us straight to the front of the line after which were promptly escorted inside. Just so you know, the show started at 930 p.m. and ran until about 1130 p.m., though some of the dancers and performed stayed around to dance with the crowd until around midnight. That's about when we left and met up with the same 2 drivers (we had 2 cars) and our tour guide who returned us to the front door of the terminal. It was seamless and I would recommend the tour company, Cuba With Us, to anyone. The only negative that I can think of was the shopping. Key West, of course, had all of the shops that you could want, and some you wouldn't want to go in. Havana was definitely different than many of the ports we've stopped at before. Not much shopping near the ship and not even that much as we were walking and driving around. Perhaps that's just a result of the politics there as even the citizens have limited shopping options. Shipboard shopping was another matter altogether. There were the usual things, t-shirts, souvenirs and jewelry. I made the mistake of falling for the 75% off sale on Invicta watches and bought one on the sea day. The ticket price was $595 which I knew was inflated, but through some internet research after I got home appreciate was more than 5 times what it was selling for on the Invicta website and almost 6 times what it was selling for on Amazon. So, even with 75% off, I still ended up paying more than I could have paid for the same watch had I waited until I got home. Buyer beware! Read Less

My wife and I went with our good buddies to Key West and then to Havana on a four day cruise out of FLL. The ship is old(er) yes, but lots of great character...it's clean...it never felt crowded and the service was outstanding. The pool was a little crowded most of the time and so was the main dining room...otherwise I felt like it was a pretty empty ship...even though it was sold out. The Viking Lounge on top was empty about the whole time...great area to read a book and relax after getting back from the journey. Trivia was super fun. The casino was hopping most times and the dealers were pretty nice. Main dining room food was better than expected...we've gone on three Oceania Cruises so we lowered our expectations. The only suggestion is to get dressing on the side. The appetizers and soups were terrific. Fish of the day was always a good choice as well as the warm cookie and ice cream. The wait-staff was very hard working and remembered our names when we ran into them around the ship. Definitely recommend this cruise, especially for the price and itinerary! Entertainment was okay...comedian very funny. Spa - beware...they will upsell you...wife spent $500 on about $200 worth of treatments because she got sold...has trouble saying no...but she said they were very well done. Read Less

This is my 4th RC cruise. I chose this one because I would get two days in Havana. I really enjoyed this cruise, despite the ship's flaws. The itinerary was excellent (Key West, Labadee, and two days in Havana). The customer service was outstanding, including my awesome stateroom attendant. The food was generally bad, limited, and repetitive. This probably prevented me from gaining weight, though. There was a foul septic tank odor that permeated decks 5 and 6 for half of the cruise. I had to change staterooms (from third deck to 7160), because of a loud banging noise coming from an engine pump. I was very happy with 7160. This was the smallest ship I've been on, and I actually preferred the small size. However, I wish they offered Friday night Jewish services (I don't know if they even offered Sunday morning church), and I wish the entertainment was better (I enjoyed the comedians and the Marriage Game, but I walked out on the impressionist and the finale show). I also wished they showed more adult movies on the pool deck. I wish the solo traveler's get together was held at the sail-away party, so we could meet up earlier in the trip. Read Less

Empress of the Seas is an older and smaller ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet. The ship was very well maintained. Rooms are very small by todays standards but they are functional. The food and service was up to Royal Caribbean standards. Very nice to have a ship that played Caribbean music by the pool when in the Caribbean. Making guests check out towels for pool and returning them worked real well. If some one left the pool they picked up the towels rather than leave them. That way you always knew if a lounge bed was available. Even on sea days this made lounges available by the pool all day. Life guards were great at keeping glass bottles from being taken into pool. No problem getting tables for 2 at anytime dining. Casino was small but adequate. Use of shuffling machines, 6 to 5 black jack payouts and no even money on black jack at black jack tables below $25 minimum is the main complaint. Missed diamond club area, which is not available on the ship. Biggest complaint was the lack of dress code enforcement at the main dining. People were admitted in shorts, tee shirts and tank tops, even on casual sheik night. Don't have a dress code if you're going to allow anything. A lot to see in Havana. Like stepping back in time 70 years. People were friendly. Felt very safe. Very clean. Easy to come and go through customs. Visa was easy with Royal Caribbean @ $75. Cigars were a great bargain. Make sure you buy in a national store or factory or you probably will get counterfeits. Price is the same in all stores. Know how to get to a store. They don't have easily noticed signs. You must use CUC Cuban money. Exchange rate for American money will cost you 13%. It will cost you 4% to change the money back to American. If you have Euro's or Canadian it is even. Exchange is fast and easy right at the cruise pier. Old Havana Heritage Walking Excursion booked with RC was good. It covered pretty much all of old Havana. We weren't happy that they added a bus portion to the tour. We were only told about this when our tickets arrived on board. We didn't want the bus tour but had to take it. It took up an hour of the tour. Cost $62 per person. Cafe Taberna Excursion booked with RC was good. Cost was $98 per person. 10 minute walk from cruise terminal. Nice show from 9:00 to 11:00 with band and dance couple that gets audience involved. 2 drinks and snack were included. Food is available at additional cost. Can get a little boring after 1 hour or so, especially if you don't know the language. You can leave and walk back to ship at any time if you want. Cuba's Classic Cars excursion booked through Vacations To Go, who we booked cruise through, cost $178 for 2 people and lasted about 3 hours. Very nice tour. Viewed most of the Havana Cuba highlights with stops at Revolution Square and Hotel Nacional. Half the cost of similar tour through cruise ship. All convertible cars were provided. Guide spoke English well. He was quite informative. Hotel Nacional was a great stop. Improvements to tour could be a little more time at hotel. Felt a little rushed at that stop. Tour included alcoholic drink at hotel. Meeting location was perfect. Easy to find and guides were there on time. A little disappointed with the fact that tour requires 4 per car. We were a couple and would have liked a car for 2. Maybe an option could be provided for this. If you just want to ride in the classic cars, there are plenty available outside of pier. You can rent them at $40 - $50 per hour for up to 4 people. Read Less

Chance to visit Cuba and feel safe about it. We just took the 5 night cruise to Cuba on the Royal Caribbean Empress of the Seas. I had read many of the reviews from past passengers and had a view of an old run down ship. This was our 20th cruise but the 1st with Royal Caribbean and based on the reviews was not expecting much. This ship is old and small but really a nice ship. It is well maintained and good looking inside and out. The staff was wonderful and some of the friendliest of any ship we have been on. Our room steward Ike was the best we have ever had. The food and selection in the dining room was very good and some of the best compared to other shops we have sailed. Our waiter Leonard was fantastic. The buffet for breakfast was typical and good. But, the buffet for lunch was the disappointment when it came to food. Selection was small and mediocre to bad. On other ships we have been on, they have a grill for burgers and hot dogs that are quite good. This ship just served them from pans on the buffet and were not good. Other reviews made it sound like the seating in the buffet was tight and hard to find a seat. We did not encounter this. Activities were the usual trivia and games that were handled well. Shows were good. Especially the Lionel Richie cover singer Derik Floyd. Casino was small but not crowded. Several tables and a good variety of slots. Cocktails and drinks on the ship seemed more expensive than other shops we have been on. $8 for a beer plus tax and gratuity made it almost $10. Frozen drinks were typically $15. Maybe all cruise lines are like this now but 9 months earlier we paid about 6 for a beer and $10 for a frozen drink. We visited Cienfuegos and took a tour with Royal that was a typical excursion. Visited a fort, had lunch in a beautiful newer hotel, visited the city center square with several historic buildings. Not sure what we expected but reminded of somewhere in Mexico like Mazatlan. In Havana we did another Royal excursion. Again, not sure what I expected but the tour was fine but Havana reminded us of a post war war zone. The buildings are in total disrepair and look abandoned but yet people live in these buildings. Lines of people at bus stops. Lines to get into the grocery stores. Very sad and sorrowful. All in all, we really enjoyed our cruise and learned about Cuba. Encourage others to go. Read Less

This was my first cruise. It was truly a wonderful experience and one that I would definitely do again! We chose this cruise for the two Cuban ports but also for the two sea days for relaxation. Cuba was quite the experience- a very interesting, very HOT place. We learned a ton and are so grateful for the experience! I guess the Empress is a small ship but it felt plenty big to me as a new cruiser. I will first mention the best parts of the ship. The pool, I thought, was incredible. We never had a problem finding a place in the pool. It was clean and deep and quite lovely. We also never had a problem finding a place in the hot tubs in the evenings. Because the Empress is a small ship we were able to feel rocking when the wind and waves picked up but that was a very pleasant feeling for us- maybe not for others! The food in the MDR was SO GOOD. The service was ok- we had to ask for things (more than once on several occassions) but it was clear they were trying very hard. Our cabin steward, Kevin, on the other hand- was truly wonderful. He made sure there was ice in the cabin every evening for my mom to ice her injured knee. He was so friendly and really did a great job making us feel special. Ok, so now for the "not so great, but certainly didn't ruin our experience" parts. The stench of sewage in the middle of the ship on decks 5 and 6 was bad. Really bad. Like, made me want to lose my lunch bad. So we did our best to stay away from the middle of the ship on those decks. Also, my white swimsuit was stained yellow from the water in the pool and hot tubs. I haven't had a chance to really work on getting it white again but that's kind of disappointing. Evening activities were another somewhat disappointing fact on this cruise. We found that between the hours of 8pm and 10:30pm there was really nothing to do, or eat. We are not old folks by any sense of the imagination (mid 30's) but we don't like to stay up REAL late. There was never any dancing or fun stuff going on after dinner and the show. We wanted to go to some of the dance parties but most didn't start until 10:30pm that was just too late for us. Also, between the hours of 9 and 10:30 the Windjammer is closed. So, right at 9:30-10pm ish when you want a bedtime snack there is nothing except room service with a $7.95 charge. Another issue we had was finding places to lounge outside in the shade. The top decks are out because there is zero shade. Deck 6 is the only other place that has outdoor lounge chairs and they were mostly full all the time. Aside from that it truly was a great cruise!! If you want to go to Cuba it's a great deal I think. If you want to go for the sake of the ship, maybe not your best bet! Read Less

A group of us wanted to experience Cuba and found a good value on the Majesty of the Seas. We had no trouble getting on the ship. We arrived around 1pm, after parking at the very convenient Park and Go and taking the shuttle over. It only took about 30 minutes to get on board once we were dropped off. All meals, from the dining to the Windjammer buffets were varied and enjoyable. Servers were friendly and helpful. We asked for a larger table to accommodate 2 additional friends and the manager was very helpful and made it happen. The entertainment was enjoyable. While not a huge variety, the shopping was okay. Our cabin attendant on Deck 2 was fantastic, always smiling and friendly - very personable. While the ship is older and smaller, it fit our needs fine and was easy to navigate. We just enjoyed the getaway with good friends and good service! We took the bus tour in Cuba and it was very informative. It didn't last the full 6 hours, but we had the chance to walk the market and shop on the way back to the ship. The market was repetitive with items sold and the booth owners really push their items, but you get used to it as you walk through. We stopped at a bar/restaurant on the way back to the ship and enjoyed a cold Cuban beer. In Cozumel, we took a taxi into town for $16 for the group and walked back. It was quite a walk, but we had a lovely view along the water, and it gave us a chance to walk off some the food we had eaten on the ship! There is a good variety of shopping there if you are into that, and cheap deals on beer and free shots of tequila. All in all, a great cruise! Read Less

Visiting Cuba on a cruise is the perfect way to meet the Cuban travel requirements. I was a little disappointed the cruise showed two days in Havana, but in reality left the port at 5am on the second day, so really, it was just one day. I did like stopping in Cozumel, too. I always enjoy the food on RCL and this cruise did not disappoint. I eat at the buffet every day and no matter the time of day, there was always something available, it looked and tasted fresh with a nice variety. Taking a shore excursion in Cuba is mandatory and I enjoyed a general overview, but it was like 5-6 hours long with some interesting and some very boring information, droning on and on and on. But still seeing the sites and the old 1950s cars on all streets was great. The shore excursion options in Cozumel were excellent with options for land or sea excursions and snorkeling in Cozumel is always a treat. For this trip, I walked from the ship three miles down to the next pier where I found really great shopping and walking along. There was even a small free beach about a mile away from the ship. And, within 10 minute walk from the ship was a great beach area with lounge chairs and restaurant. I'm sure there was a daily charge; next time, I will definitely hang out here. Read Less

Embarkation and disembarkation went smoothly, but that was it. This trip was advertised 2 days in Cuba, and it was only 1 day. The 2nd day we departed at 5AM. The bar staff overall looked bored and/or angry, the hallways smelled like poop, my stateroom bathroom was moldy and gross, smelled like a public restroom that has never been cleaned. There was glass on the hallway in front of our stateroom and my friend cut her foot with it. Very unsatisfied. Food made me and 3 of my friends sick and overall was below average. Margaritas and cranberry juice tasted like pure chemicals. After that I didn't even feel like trying any of the other mixed drinks. On top of it, the water was yellow one night. The toilet water was yellow and the sink was too, not sure why... don't even wanna know. I called and complained and got 20% off my next cruise, valid for a year... I would not recommend this ship. Many other guests were complaining because they did not have hot water in their stateroom. There were a couple of good things: the shore excursions both in Key West (Parasailing) and in Cuba (Old Car tour) were very good for the price and the staff was amazing. The rock wall climbing staff was very nice and helpful and the shoes were clean and new. Finally, a shout-out to Mario and Maha from Phillippines, our servers, who were very happy and provided great service. Read Less

We chose this particular cruise because it was one of the few seven-day cruises to Cuba...most were shorter. The good news was the itinerary and the Cuban ports as well as the Cuban tours. The shop’s casino was excellent and the public areas were very good. The bad news was that the food, specifically in the buffet was cheap, bland, and generally inedible. This was one of the few cruises we’ve lost weight. (The Chef’s Table was excellent, but exorbitantly priced at $85 a person.) The dining room was good, but not very good. The rooms are tiny in an effort to squeeze every foot of space into a profit producing area. We had a Junior Suite that was also tiny. The junior crew is willing to provide service, but are generally undertrained by the senior staff. The ship’s most senior officers were rarely seen and, when the made an appearance, made little eye contact with customers. The Crown and Anchor Society is also something of a joke...they offer little. The theater entertainment was very good four evenings; however, terrible on two nights. Because of the general reduction of amenities...no welcome drink...rancid toilet articles...few bar snacks...unappetizing food...and so forth...we do not plan to sail on Royal Caribbean in the future. Read Less

We wanted to go to Cuba and I had always loved RC. However, this was the a terrible ship. The smell of sewage was overwhelming. During the disembark the crew blamed the smell on Keywest. If I weren't a local Floridan I might have believed them. Also, it didnt explain the gut wrenching smell on the 4th floor at sea. The room was a interior nightmare. The ceiling was multi-colored stained old smoke room. The Anniversary package we purchased was late and left a lot to be desired. The AC was broken , except for 1 night out of 5. The bathroom , had old scum on the walls and the previous guest hair hanging from the shower head - upon arrival. The carpet was definitely in need of replacement. The door handle to the bathroom had several screws sticking out - that took the crew 3 days to repair. Into say the room was a let down was completely and understatement. The whole room needs a scrub down and new paint The ports were excellent . Keywest, cozumel and Cuba. The excursions we had to cancel because of running late / lack of information were quickly resolved and the staff were very helpful. The pool bars and staff were overwhelmed and it showed. The crew is usually upbeat and get the party started. Unfortunately, this crew looked over worked and stressed. They weren't going out of their way to show a smile or make you feel important. The wind jammer had standard cruise buffet food. The only happy person was the washy-washy young lady. They guarded the ice cream machine with the smallest cones, I'd ever seen. My poor boyfriend resorted to getting two at a time. The main dining room was just blah... the crew again looked stressed and asked me to give a positive review. Just kinda hoped for more since I'm a seasoned cruiser and this was my boyfriend's 1st cruise. Read Less

We booked this cruise because one of the ports was Havana. We knew it was a smaller, older ship, so we knew what to expect. Some of the reviews we had read before we sailed complained about cleanliness and the food. Our experience was the opposite ! The ship was very clean, and the food was wonderful. There was one evening in the main dining room that I didn't like my appetizer ( nothing wrong with it....it was something I tried for the first time) Our server, Emile was only too happy to suggest something else I might like. ( which I did) He and all the ship staff were super friendly and helpful. We had a cabin with a window. We knew it would be small, but it was clean and very comfortable. We don't overpack when we travel, so we had plenty of room for our clothes and toiletries. The only " negative" things I can say is that the Wifi was very slow, and although the shower curtain was clean, it had seen better days. Our room attendant ( can't recall his name) was very friendly and efficient. ( he gave us his card so we could call him anytime we needed anything ) The cruise company can't control the weather or ocean conditions, so we knew there was a chance we wouldn't get to all our 3 ports, but we were blessed with beautiful weather and smooth sailing. Key West and Cozumel were nice , but Havana was the icing on the cake. We had done some research , so we had an idea of what to expect. Never pleasant to see poor living conditions and stray dogs and cats ( in Old Havana). A tour of the city in one of the many classic cars ( make sure it has a Taxi sticker) is a must. There are many drivers looking for fares, so you can bargain with them. It was very hot, and we didn't want a full hour, so we made a deal..... $40 for 45 minutes. The entertainment on the ship was wonderful ... very talented musicians, singers and dancers. There were lots of choices of things to do/participate in on the ship. ( take a hi lighter to make it easier), as the list for each day is lengthy in the daily newsletter, the Cruise Compass. We really enjoyed our experience on Empress of the Seas. Read Less

We chose this cruise as a replacement for the trip that we were to take last year when I ended up in the ER. Trip did not start out well when they cancelled our flight at the last minute (Southwest). When we finally arrived at the ship we were hungry and exhausted. We waited over 2 hours to be able to get to our room. We were very surprised when we saw how small the ship was and the fact that there was only 1 pool that could maybe hold 18 people at best. We never got to use the pool. My husband had always wanted to see Cuba which is why we took this trip. It would have been nice if the Cruise Line had told us that they had booked us a day in Cuba when everything was closed due to Holiday. Why would a cruise line book a day in a port where everything was closed? Unbelievable!!! This was supposed to be the high light of our trip. Our room was the smallest room that we have ever seen or been in, you could not even turn in the shower but the water was hot. Thank God. The Schoonover bar smelt like raw sewage for at least 2 days. I almost got sick from the smells. The food in dining room was about a 3. One night my ice cream was delivered to me soupy. I do not like to drink my ice cream. :(We were shorted our time in Key West. it started with 11 hours and ended up getting only 5 1/2 hours. felt very rushed. Thank God we had been there previously. The scheduled port times, the ship, the room and the food was the worst that we have ever had on any cruise that we been on. This girl may be done cruising. This was my 6th cruise and 4th with Royal. No longer Royal. Read Less

The Majesty of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean's oldest ships, built in 1992. It not only shows its age, but its staff regard it as an old lady as well. Everything from its exterior to its interior to the very basic programs for passengers begs for some attention. I have high school children ages 15-18. They were all bored stiff. There's almost nothing for them to do but sit inside their room and play games on their phones. My wife and I also struggled to find activities. The cruise directors' half-hearted energy given to the creation of events even extends to those that are currently on the schedule. For example, I attended a salute to vets and emergency personnel. As one of the two cruise directors named the foreign wars that the attending vets were likely to have participated in, she forgot the Vietnam War. When this was mentioned to her, she had the audacity to argue about it. It's not like all of the assembled didn't hear the flub. The Majesty's food is average at best, while the service is abominable. We often had to wait for extended periods for our meals or drinks. To add insult to injury, only two in my family managed to avoid getting stomach issues that lasted for days after the cruise. Speaking of old age, the interior reminds me of a retirement home that hasn't been updated in decades. Rust is everywhere, frayed upholstery is common, and the stench... yup, that too was reminiscent of an elder care facility. As the many other reviewers here have stated, there is a serious sewage smell, i.e.: methane gas issue, on this ship. Almost as bad is the fact that staff will pretend as though your complaint is the first they've ever heard about this problem... but more on this aspect in a moment. The gas seems to primarily reside on deck two in the forward section of the ship. However, the first deck gets its fair share of it as well, and on particularly bad days (as it was on 4/26/2019) the smell makes its way all the way up to deck four to the customer service counter. And so you have to wonder -- given the numerous reviews here and the many fellow passengers who told me that they had also complained during my cruise -- how customer service can state with a straight face that they didn't know what I was talking about. To add insult to injury, I spoke to several maintenance workers who all stated that it's an ongoing problem aboard the ship. At one point the gas had become so thick within a cross corridor that, when I walked through it, I had to run out because I couldn't breathe... literally. Methane gas can displace oxygen in a confined space (such as a short hallway). That's why people often die when they fall into an open cesspool and can't climb out. In addition, methane is flammable. Immediately after this incident, I went up to customer service for the fourth time to complain. Yet this time, there was some urgency as the problem was now a public safety issue. I spoke with a young desk officer named Cristobal. Yet instead of writing down my complaint or even contacting maintenance immediately, Cristobal stood in front of me with a pugnacious grin and refused to even answer me. I repeated myself again, yet he would not address the issue at all. With no other choice, I warned him that I would file complaints against the cruise line unless he did something. He chose not to attempt resolution. The situation is one that can't be ignored, and so the next morning when the ship docked in Key West, FL, I immediately made calls to two government agencies and filed reports. SInce that time, I filed two additional complaints. If you've been a customer aboard this sorry excuse for a cruise ship and have also come in contact with the sewage / methane gas issue, you too should complain. Out of all of the agencies I filed reports with, the two best are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Coast Guard. In fact the Coast Guard is directly responsible for such issues aboard any cruise ship that docks in a U.S. port. Read Less

We are Diamond members on RCCL and have been on the Majesty four times. Time has taken it's toll as the ship "celebrated" it's 27th birthday during our cruise. Our inside cabin was tiny but it's been a long time since we had an inside cabin. I just know insides on the larger ships are noticeably larger. We loved the food for dinner and our wait staff..the real highlight of the ship. Food in the Windjammer was up and down. The burgers, hot dogs, scrambled eggs and sausages were luke warm at best. The seats on the sides in the theater were worn and not comfortable and the drink holders did not accommodate the glasses..so you had to hold your drink the entire time. The hallways and public areas need some serious renovation. The captain even said the Majesty (and the Empress) might have been sold if it wasn't for their ability to fit into the Cuban ports. This was our last cruise on the Majesty. Read Less