January 3, 2005 11-night Empress OTS Review

[Snackdaddy]

JANUARY 3, 2005 EMPRESS OF THE SEAS

 

Here is my very brief review of our wonderful trip on-board the Empress of the Seas. Overall, I would rate our trip a 4.8/5.0.

 

Pre-cruise stay at the Marriott Stellaris Resort & Casino: 5 If you like loud Latin music the lobby area is the place for you. Nice beach and pool area.

 

Dinner at Ajili-mojili: 5+ NYC prices$$$ and great Puerto Rican food, well worth the experience. 10-15 minute walk from the Marriott or a 5 minute cab ride. The walk was very safe as the streets were very busy.

 

Embarkation: 5 Although the terminal is in the middle of nowhere, the process was very smooth and efficient, we were impressed.

 

Ports: 5++ The best itinerary ever!!!! No problems or negatives from any port. Grenada is coming back very slowly, and the people are dealing with it in their own unique way. Shopping for trinkets and souvenirs was fantastic on Margarita. Great yachts on St. Barts...better than the boat show.

 

Tours: 5 The "Marigot Yachting and Shopping with Lunch” tour in St. Maarten was cancelled due to lack of participation. The St. Bart’s Highlights tour was very good. Frank in St. Lucia was the very best—unlimited beer, wine and water was really different too. Mandoo in Grenada was the consummate professional; great Spice Plantation Route tour.

 

Portofino: 4.5 Not as good as Chops, but still much, much better than dining room food.

 

Windjammer: 4 They did their best to vary the menu for 11 days. We generally stick with salads and pick over everything else. Avoid “rush hour” during breakfast and lunch.

 

Ship: 4 No Voyager-class “WOW” factor or Radiance-class “class”, but adequate. No long walks to your cabin. Public areas refurbished very nicely. Boleros looked great. There were signs of age in other areas like the bathroom and our cabin balcony door. If one does their research in advance, however, you’ll find no real surprises here.

 

Cabin: 4 We had a Deck 9 junior suite that had major shower stall tile problems. Guest relations took care of the problem to our satisfaction.

 

Cabin Steward Team: 5+ Very efficient and personable.

 

Food: 4 Good, but not great…seems to be a trend these days. However, the C&A Diamomd member breakfast with some of the crew and members of the cruise activites staff was very good 5++...eggs benedict with smoked salmon or filet mignon and eggs, fresh fruits, etc. very yummy.

 

Desserts: 4 Good, but not spectacular.

 

Drinks: 3.5-4 Make friends with one bartender and he/she will take care of you. JR in Boleros was the best. Try a Long Island Iced tea with a splash of tequila…nice  

 

Cruise Director: 5++ Jimmy Rhodes was the best…warm, friendly and genuine.

 

Cruise Staff: 5+ Nice group of young professionals who remembered our names--nice touch.

 

Guest Relations: 3 Somewhat distant, but what can you expect from the business side of the house?

 

Shows: 4 New professional acts just about everyday, although not very inspiring. However, after long days in ports it would take a lot to keep anyone’s attention.

 

Weather: 3 Not very good the first part of the trip, however we made the best of it. When islands still sparkle under the clouds, in the rain and mist, it’s just a testament to their natural beauty. Some nights we had 8-10 foot swells...we rocked and rolled.

 

Adventure Ocean: Did not use, however one parent did mention that most activities and movies were geared to the Spanish-speaking children who were in the majority.

 

Debarkation: 5 Fast and smooth.

 

San Juan Airport: 5 No problems or long lines going through security.

 

If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to answer them for you.