Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Recent photos of empress of the seas in dry dock

Cutesy Pie Lover
 Share

Recommended Posts

mabkcruisers

mabkcruisers

Posted
Posted
I downloaded the Shipmate app for Royal Caribbean and found that there looks to be at least a few pics of the Empress post-renovation. Pretty exciting find for me, since I've been dying to show the family pictures of the boat we'll be on in a couple of months. Here's what to do if you want to check out the pictures yourself:

 

 

 

For Iphone users, go to the App store and search Ship Mate. Cruise Ship Mate for Carnival Cruising will be the first choice. (It's a little confusing that it says Carnival, but download it anyway and you can choose Royal Caribbean)

 

 

 

After you download the app, and choose RC, you can enter your upcoming cruise dates and ship. Then if you click on My Cruises-->Empress of the Seas--->you get to a screen that shows the number of days to your cruise at the top. But if you scroll down to Deck Maps and click, you can go to each deck. Clicking on Deck 3 for example just shows the deck map that is on the main RC website, no big news here. But if you continue to click on each Deck, there are rooms such as Main Dining Room on Deck 4, Chops Grill, Focus Photo gallery, Schooner Bar, Royal Theater etc. on Deck 5, and so on. If you click on these individual spaces on the app, it takes you to a photo with a little blurb about what the room activity is.

 

 

 

Now some of the photos seem dated, but as you click on and check out each deck, quite a few pictures seem to be with very new furniture, carpet, etc. and match the glimpses I've seen when crew members have posted incidental photos of their work on the ship.

 

 

 

Photos for Chops Grill, Schooner Bar, Boleros, Guest Services, Picture This studio, Card Room, Library, the Pool Bar, Adventure Ocean, The Spa all seem to be pictures of the new interior design scheme. Other images seem to NOT show updated or redecorated spaces, including: MDR, Viking Crown Lounge, Windjammer Cafe, Royal Theater don't seem to have the same brighter blue/white color scheme that I believe the ship has been updated to.

 

 

 

Also, the pictures of the Pool area and decks might not be updated-I can't see the movie screen which I know has been installed for example-BUT the pool does have the Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor logo in the bottom of the pool, so maybe the angle for the photo just doesn't have the movie screen visible in the shot.

 

 

 

So take a look and let me know if you think that it is truly updated photos of the empress. I had a thought that maybe these are just stock photos of certain lounges in other ships that they use the same exact decorating scheme for every ship, but then could tell that they appeared to be actually on the Empress because you can see the views/windows of the ship. It's at least worth a look! I think the updated spaces look amazing and can't wait to see them in person!

 

 

Thanks for sharing the app info. We are sailing (hopefully!) in July as well, so we are waiting for positive Empress news and reviews! The app didn't work for our iPad, but it did work on an iPhone. I have to say, though, these really do look like stock photos. The Viking Crown looks like it is elevated like other Royal ships, but other Empress photos show it as being much closer to the pool deck. Also, from other research, the Empress MDR doesn't seem to match these photos. From what we have seen, the Empress has aft windows that span two decks. Again, we have never been on the ship and are looking forward to seeing it firsthand, but this is just what has been found on other sites online.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Citymom92

Citymom92

Posted
Posted

Ugh, yes, after I uploaded them to another thread a couple of other experienced cruisers thought the same that they are stock photos and not of the Empress. *sadness*. Thanks for checking and the specifics you were able to provide are really interesting! I am going completely crazy wanting to see photos. I would never have picked the Empress if I had known she was basically a total unknown. It's putting a damper on our anticipation of our first cruise. I should have picked the Enchantment, which was the other I was considering. Ended up on Empress because of it's ports. Oh well. We shall see soon enough I guess. We're on the July 18th cruise-

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mabkcruisers

mabkcruisers

Posted
Posted
Ugh, yes, after I uploaded them to another thread a couple of other experienced cruisers thought the same that they are stock photos and not of the Empress. *sadness*. Thanks for checking and the specifics you were able to provide are really interesting! I am going completely crazy wanting to see photos. I would never have picked the Empress if I had known she was basically a total unknown. It's putting a damper on our anticipation of our first cruise. I should have picked the Enchantment, which was the other I was considering. Ended up on Empress because of it's ports. Oh well. We shall see soon enough I guess. We're on the July 18th cruise-

 

 

I am anxious for photos too. I thought we could see pictures and hear reviews before our final payment was due. No such luck! We are on the July 9th cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Thelongos

Thelongos

Posted
Posted
I am anxious for photos too. I thought we could see pictures and hear reviews before our final payment was due. No such luck! We are on the July 9th cruise.

We are on the cruise right before you, July 4th. When we booked a few months ago we had no clue it was a new "older" ship. We just wanted to go on a smaller ship to have a different experience than the larger ones.

 

After reading the history on the Empress, we are embracing the hope that it will be newly refurbed and held to the same wonderful class like the other rccl cruises!

 

Sent from my Note using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mbarnes29

Mbarnes29

Posted
Posted

Been hoping for some new photos and updates as to the progress of our ship, has been quite here lately. We are sailing June 11th which is just around the corner. I spoke to RCCL last week and they said only 2 suites left then a full booking. Hope that's a good sign. Ready to see her in Miami.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

Posted
Posted (edited)

Thank you for the pictures.

 

To me, it's downright depressing to see THAT much sitting on and going on a ship that was supposed to have sailed more than a month ago. :eek:

Edited by Merion_Mom
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Citymom92

Citymom92

Posted
Posted

Thank you for the pics-I agree, it seems like a lot needs to be done. I thought most of the work of replacing the galleys would be restricted to the interiors, but it looks like a lot needs to be done on the decks as well. They've got 20 days to make it right.

 

I am this [] close to paying for Voom for someone on the May 28th sailing to post pics as soon as they board! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
poz222

poz222

Posted
Posted

Keep in mind that the containers might be misleading.. If they need to "stage or store" stuff, they will put the containers onboard to not use yard space... But overall it does look like a lot of work ongoing...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
Thank you for the pics-I agree, it seems like a lot needs to be done. I thought most of the work of replacing the galleys would be restricted to the interiors, but it looks like a lot needs to be done on the decks as well. They've got 20 days to make it right.

 

I am this [] close to paying for Voom for someone on the May 28th sailing to post pics as soon as they board! :)

 

Crane service in a shipyard is limited, and priority is given to the drydock over wet dock. So, the best way to do things is to lift materials in containers onto the open decks of the ship, and then the crew and subs can carry stuff down to where it is needed.

 

I believe that the scaffolding where the aft lifeboat would be, from deck 11 down to the promenade is to allow equipment to be carried down to the galley without having to go through finished areas of the ship.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
theredwoodguy

theredwoodguy

Posted
Posted
Thank you for the pics-I agree, it seems like a lot needs to be done. I thought most of the work of replacing the galleys would be restricted to the interiors, but it looks like a lot needs to be done on the decks as well. They've got 20 days to make it right.

 

I am this [] close to paying for Voom for someone on the May 28th sailing to post pics as soon as they board! :)

 

I'm sailing 5/28. Please let me know what info you need from me to get my Zoom paid for!!! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ctsharpie05

ctsharpie05

Posted
Posted
I'm sailing 5/28. Please let me know what info you need from me to get my Zoom paid for!!! :)

 

 

I just want to know if there is a Freestyle Coke machine. My kids love them.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites
theredwoodguy

theredwoodguy

Posted
Posted
These were taken Friday (5/6) afternoon from the Valor (parked next door in DD)...

 

empIMG_3755_zpscpaxookv.jpg

 

empIMG_3753_zps0nxzgdrc.jpg

 

Correct me if I am wrong but the ship that we clearly see is not Empress. Empress is behind it and you can't really tell much about the work being done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

Posted
Posted
Correct me if I am wrong but the ship that we clearly see is not Empress. Empress is behind it and you can't really tell much about the work being done.

 

The Empress is in the foreground. See the Crown & Anchor on the stack?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
poz222

poz222

Posted
Posted

Yes, there is! There is one with the umbrellas (multi colored circles) and a glass enclosed area above the bridge? I will have to ask the DH when he gets home (he took the photo)...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...