Empress of the Seas Cuba and Key West 7-15-17

In preparing for our cruise there was limited information on the ship and with so few Cuba cruises under its belt when we sailed there were even fewer reviews of this itinerary. I figured that I would go ahead and share my thoughts on the cruise.

Background: DW and I are in our mid-thirties with two boys 2 &4. We live in central FL. We left our boys with her parents who live close to the port. Visiting Cuba is something I had wanted to do ever since they opened up the limited land based opportunities, but the cost and time commitment meant it was out of our reach. Fast forward to early this year when I caught wind that RC was offering limited Cuba cruises. We quickly arranged a date and booked the cruise. Admittedly this cruise was much more for me than DW, she was hesitant since it was such a small ship and not really her idea of an ideal cruise vacation. However, she agreed, with the understanding that at some point we will go on one of the big ships. I was very interested in seeing Cuba before they either shut down travel again or things begin to change even more.

Unfortunately I won’t be posting any pictures. I will break down the review into things related to the ship and then the ports.

The Ship:

The Room: I’ll start with the room. Due to the cost of the cruise (most expensive we’ve ever taken when you consider excursions, etc.) we opted for an inside room. We’ve never had an inside room before and unfortunately we had a suite on our last cruise so we are/were a bit spoiled. Let me tell you, the rooms are SMALL. I knew this going in, of course, but even then I was a little surprised. The room was essentially the size of the bed. I couldn’t’ open the bathroom door if DW was standing at the desk/vanity, and although I am not in fighting condition, I am not a big guy. The room itself definitely showed its age, probably more than any other place on the ship. Everything worked as it should but there was a lot of wear and tear. There was more than enough storage space which meant it was easy to keep things put away. The bathroom in particular has great storage.

The location of our room was also great. I paid a little extra for an upgrade to a higher level. We ended up with 8523 which is deck 8, forward, starboard side. I chose this room for several reasons. 1. The location meant we had easy access to the forward open deck which became our balcony and was nice to be able to quickly get outside. Deck 8 was also nice because it was halfway in-between all of the public venues on the ship. We didn’t use an elevator at all.

The ship in general: The overall condition of the ship was very good. The ship has aged very well, much better in fact, than the Carnival Fantasy class ships which are several years newer. It is apparent that they have spent a good bit of money keeping it in top condition. Outside there was evidence of corrosion that was being kept at bay by paint, but no major issues to speak of.

Ship amenities: This is one area that the ships lacks significantly over the newer ships. Due to the size there are not many new ship features, it is much more of a “classic cruising” experience (more on that later). This did not bother me at all, so this isn’t meant to be negative, just a fact.

Food: Overall the food was very good. I had heard before going that this ship receives a higher food budget, per-person, than other ships. I would say that this could very well be true. Compared to some other ships I’ve been on the windjammer/casual dining options were rather limited. They only have so much space so the variety in the windjammer was a little lacking. However, most everything I had was very good. They had a shredded beef dish one day that was amazing The only thing that I saw that looked downright bad was the burgers, I never had one, but they looked like they tastes like dry dirt.

The food in the main dining room was very good as well. DW and I had anytime dining and we signed up for 7:15 each night (you can sign up for all nights on the first day). We sat in the same area each night and had the same wait staff. I was impressed as it did not seem as they were overwhelmed as I’ve seen on other cruises. They were very attentive. The speed of dinner service was perfect. We were typically in the dining room for an hour start to finish. We sat near the same people several nights and had good conversation. We enjoyed most of the dishes, I particularly enjoyed the lamb dishes. Normally I might have ordered multiple items, but due to a medication I was taking my appetite was a little light.

Bars: I was a little worried about bar service. I had read reviews where people had to wait 20 minutes for drinks and knowing how few bars there were on the ship I thought it might be an issue. I had the ultimate drink package, DW had the refreshment package. The only time I waited for a drink was trying to flag down a server in the main theatre, he was the only rude bar staff I encountered. Otherwise I always went to the bar. We often went just to get a bottle of water. For the most part we ordered drinks in Boleros and we never had a problem getting a drink. I will admit that I tip additional on every drink so I am sure that may have had some affect, however, they were rarely so busy that anyone waited more than a few minutes. Boleros seemed to have the best bar tenders, both in terms of quality of drinks and friendliest. The drinks at the pool bar were very hit or miss.

I want to discuss the refreshment package. Unless you are a big soda or N/A drinker then I do not recommend this package on the Empress. DW isn’t a big drinker and depending on how rough the seas are will depend on how much she drinks. With so few selections there wasn’t enough of the items covered under the refreshment package available on the ship to make it worth it. If we got the value out of it, it was only because of bottles of water. She did end up getting the 10 drink card which is offered the last 2 days, which makes drinks $6/ea.

I got the ultimate package which I bought on sale with the VOOM package. I definitely got my monies worth out of it. It was very easy to use the package and I was never charged extra for anything. I want to also be clear that I did not share my package with my wife other than her tasting some of my drinks. If anything it’s not worth the hassle over saving a few $ or worse getting caught and losing the package.

Internet: As I said above, I got the VOOM surf and stream package. Usability really depended on where you were. Inside the cabin it barely worked. Out on the public decks it usually worked fairly well, but it was typically slow. I mostly used it to keep in contact with the in-laws to check on the boys.

Crowds: Getting through check-in took quite a long time. I was actually quite surprised as we showed up to the pier right around 1pm and the lines were very long. Typically this is when we show up to the cruise terminal and end up basically walking right onto the ship. The atrium of the ship is fairly small so as soon as we got onto the ship there was a log jam of people trying to get on elevators. DW and I found the nearest stair. The windjammer was incredibly crowded, in fact they ran out of plates twice before we were able to get plates. However, after that we never experienced crowds again (unless you consider getting on/off the ship, which is common on all ships). I was constantly surprised how the ship, for as small as it is, never felt crowded. I will say that DW and I are early birds so we ate breakfast early and as a result lunch early so we probably beat the rush. We never had problems finding seats anywhere on the boat.

The Ports:

Key West: Neither DW or I had been to Key West before. Although I’ve wanted to go I’ve never wanted to make the 6+ hr drive to get there. This was the perfect opportunity to get a taste to see if we wanted to go back. We were able to dock in Mallory square which was very nice. There were a couple of things I wanted to see and so we decided to take the HOHO trolley. If my research was correct, it was cheaper to buy the HOHO tickets on board as an excursion than buying them at the ticket window. I am sure if I had tried I may have been able to find a coupon or something, but since this was a last minute decision (8pm the night before) we went with buying tickets onboard. The ship docked a few minutes early and we were able to get off fairly efficiently. We hoped right on the trolley, which was very crowded, there were a few rude people who must have thought that our trolley was the only one running that day and pushed their way to the line, spoiler alert, we all got seats….

We got off at the stop nearest to Hemmingway house as it was also the stop nearest to Fort Zachary Taylor state park. I am a fort nerd so we walked to the fort, it’s approximately ¾ mile from where the Trolley dropped us off. We ended up getting a semi-private tour from the curator. Let me tell you, he is passionate about his fort. We were able to go into a powder room and got a lot of interesting history. While we were there is started to storm. We waited until it let up some and then headed back out. Entrance into the park, I believe, was $2/person for walking into the park.

We attempted to tour the coast guard boat that is docked nearby, but it is not open for tours on Sundays or Mondays. We then walked to the lighthouse. I will tell you that after walking 1.5 miles in the mid-afternoon July Keys heat, climbing the lighthouse was a struggle. It was worth it for the views, but by the time we got to the bottom we were dead. The lighthouse is $10/person, you get a $1 discount if you have AAA.

From there we headed back to the trolley stop. We took the trolley around the remainder of the tour route. By the time we got to the last couple of stops the trolley was full and we had to turn away passengers wanting to board. I heard the driver on the radio and they immediately dispatched more trolleys, so good on them. We were on the green and orange trolley, not the white one.

By the time we got back to Mallory Square we were quickly running out of time, but we still made time to get to Kermit’s for some key lime pie. It was worth the walk. Definitely the best key lime pie I’ve ever had.

We got back on the ship with enough time to grab a drink and then watch the stragglers and drunks get back on the ship. The bachelorette party on board seemed to have very much enjoyed their day in Key West.

Both DW and I agreed that while Key West is nice, other than stopping on another cruise we probably wouldn’t bother with the 6+ hour drive. We have so many nice beaches/beach towns within 2 hours of us.

Now the important stop and why you’ve read this far… CUBA

Prior to the trip I had intentions of doing a lot more research and trying to brush up on my Spanish. Unfortunately life got in the way. We completed a major house remodel 1 week before the cruise and on top of that work had/has been very busy for me, typically 14 hr days M-Th so we barely ended up with enough time to pack. Once we were onboard I took advance of every Cuba talk just to be sure I was ready.

We were supposed to be pulling into the harbor around 6:45, however at 6:30 we were backed into our dock. Shortly after 7am they announced that you could disembark. Our tour was not scheduled until 9am so we waiting until shortly after 8am to disembark. They had staff checking to make sure you had your passport and your visa. Your visa had to be completed prior to getting off the ship. It is a very simple form. They let everyone sit in the Schooner bar until they were ready for the next group. The gangway off the ship is fairly steep and narrow. Next you wait outside the terminal and they have you pass the IR scanner in small groups. You are not allowed in Cuba if you have a fever, or so they said.

Going through immigration and security was a relatively easy, if not cold, process. It was efficient and quickly we were onto currency exchange. Most of you know by now that there is a 13% fee on US currency, so $100USD = 87 CUC. I will take time now to say that Cuba is fairly expensive for tourists so bring plenty of cash. I spent a little better than $400 while we were there, and I only bought a few cigars and some rum. There are 2 very different economies, my goal was to make sure as much as my money as possible went directly to Cubans.

It was easy to get down to street level. If you are on a ship excursion you do a u-turn at the bottom of the stairs to the awaiting buses, otherwise you proceed directly out of the front of the building. Immediately there was many independent tour operators looking for your business. I politely let them know I already had a tour booked and they left us alone. There is a crosswalk to the left to get to Plaza de San Francisco. Be aware that there is no stoplight here, but I observed traffic stopping anytime anyone was in the crosswalk. There were your typical hustlers once into the plaza. Caricature artists, newspapers, tour guides, etc. With the exception of 2 or 3 most were satisfied with “no gracias”.

We had booked a tour through ILoveCubaTours upon the recommendation of others here. Our tour was scheduled to be 6 hours including a walking tour and a tour in a hardtop American classic. The total cost was 150CUC for DW and I. Our tour guide Raniel, showed up at our designated meeting point a few minutes early. He introduced himself and then asked us what we wanted out of the tour. Before we set off Yosel, the owner of the company came by and greeted us.

I won’t bore you with the excruciating details of the tour, but we had a very nice walking tour that took us through old Havana and through the 4 main plazas. Since it was Monday all of the museums were closed, including the forts, which I was disappointed by. We did get to climb the bell tower in the Catholic cathedral in one of the plazas. I will warn you, if you choose to do this, the stairway is very narrow with a rail on only one side. It is worth it through.

We then proceeded to the car portion. A 56’ Bel-air w/A/C (powered by a 4cyl Toyota Diesel) with driver were awaiting us. Raniel continued the narration as we started driving. We got out in 2nd city so that he could show us more of the “real” Havana. In this area there were buildings in various states of collapse. I realize we were with the guide, but I never felt unsafe. We got to tour the area around the capital and then proceeded onto our cigar and rum stop.

Next up we ventured out from Old Havana past the Cemetery and China Town. We stopped at a Paladar (private restaurant) for lunch. Lunch was more expensive than I had thought it would be. I know most of the tour guides have deals in place with the Paladars and since I knew the money was going to the family. It was someone’s house that they were using as a Paladar and a Casa Particular. The food was as I had expected. Good, but very simple. Rice, beans, meat.

The skies opened up after lunch. We headed towards the Havana forest but it was raining too hard to get out. The streets flooded very quickly. We got to see embassy row and then stopped at fusterlandia. Although the art is not to my taste, I appreciated his vision and the community spirit that he generated. Our last stop was at revolution square and then back to the ship.

We had intended on going out to the flea market about ¾ mile from the pier, but by the time we were done with the tour we were completely exhausted. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and our time in Cuba. It was fascinating talking with Cuban people and getting a very small taste of the Cuban culture.

Final thoughts:

It may seem like I nit-picked a few things, but I want to be clear. We absolutely loved this experience. I can say that I didn’t feel like we were on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, rather it felt more like a specialty cruise line. The service was much better than on past cruises. The food, as I’ve said above, seemed to be better. The ship and activities were heavily centered around the Cuba experience. The ship’s entertainment staff were ever-present and very engaging. RC had two choices when bringing back the small Empress, they could have treated her like a training ship and tried to get away with more since it was a short cruise on an old ship, or they could have stepped up and make it a star among the fleet to make these unique

Cuba cruises something special. My opinion is they did the latter.

We enjoyed the experience so much that we are seriously considering doing it again next year. This time we are looking at one of the overnight itineraries so that we can see Havana come alive at night.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the review. I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Thank you for writing the reviews. Glad you have a good time.

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OP, a wonderful informative review. Thanks for sharing your experience with those of us who are booked and anxiously waiting for time to pack and go.

I was surprised you did not love Key West. I always look forward to stops there. Have traveled there by car from Miami quite a few times but in recent years just cruise stope.

I imagine you have read that the Majesty is scheduled to sail from Port Canaveral in the future. She may be a little more to your liking. Having sailed the BIG ships we are looking forward to the smallest ship in the fleet.

Again, thanks for the great review.

Thank you for this terrific review. We just got off the Harmony and I won a free future cruise for two and the empress was one of the choices. I've seen some mixed reviews but yours will help me make the decision.

Thanks for your review.

Very well-written review! Thanks for the efforts.

Someone posted in my review thread, too- I was also on this cruise.

Totally agree. :)

We wound it interesting and very nice to have a crew so excited about the destination like they were.

BTW, IF you want go to Cuba, I'd suggest doing it soon- for many years, I thought that the addition of American tourists would not be a big impact on Havana and Cuba, but after seeing the changes that have happened quickly- seems like our immediate location does have a impact.

Old Havana is being restored, thanks in part to UNESCO- so it will look as it used to (much like San Juan), and there are neighborhoods just outside of Viejo Havana that look the same, and will look closer to what they are now- so there won't be much major impact there.

But some of the bigger resorts. Well, the high end shops in them, more.

AND prices for tourists will continue to rise as the "supply" catches up. The note about the cost of lunch is a good example of that. It was more than we expected, too, but not off putting, yet. Things are changing.

EDIT- OP, can I suggest that you post notes of what you did in Havana in the Cuba board. I don't, normally, but since Havana is such a new destination for many, there are not many reviews or suggestions there. You and I did similar things via different paths. To me, it's a good idea to spread that word.

Great review, thanks. We did Cuba in May of this year and yes the rooms are small. We got a JS but it was the size of a regular balcony room. $$$$$

OP, a wonderful informative review. Thanks for sharing your experience with those of us who are booked and anxiously waiting for time to pack and go.

 

I was surprised you did not love Key West. I always look forward to stops there. Have traveled there by car from Miami quite a few times but in recent years just cruise stope.

 

I imagine you have read that the Majesty is scheduled to sail from Port Canaveral in the future. She may be a little more to your liking. Having sailed the BIG ships we are looking forward to the smallest ship in the fleet.

 

Again, thanks for the great review.

Thanks for reading. It's not that's we didn't like key west, it is a very unique place. There are so many great coastal options in Florida we are just very spoiled. We've been talking about taking a fall Bahamas's cruise on the majesty but we are seriously considering booking the empress again. We may wait until the kids are older and take a family cruise on one of the big ones.

Thank you for this terrific review. We just got off the Harmony and I won a free future cruise for two and the empress was one of the choices. I've seen some mixed reviews but yours will help me make the decision.

I would especially book it if it includes one of the Cuba sailings. Thanks for reading!

This was a great write up/review. Thank you for taking the time to write it. Very helpful. We are sailing on Nov 20th!

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Terrific. I will hope to have a similar experience when I finally get to Cuba.

Great review. I did not know that forts and museums were closed on Mondays in Havana. Our cruise in May of next year will also be there on a Monday, and that is disappointing to know. Guess we will get creative.

Thank you for the great review. We have to wait until 2018 to go, but we're booked. It will be for our 50th Anniversary. My DH can't wait to see the old cars since he still plays with them.

Question, since I'm on the fence about the refreshment package. Do they have the fresh squeezed OJ in the Windjammer, and do they have a café or something like it where you can get specialty coffee and such (Oh those iced mochas) This will probably decide for me

Thanks for the review and any other information you would like to share