The Biggest Little Ship Around: An Empress of the Seas Pictorial!

[DarthGrady]

A few more random interiors

 

 

 

 

Cabin area hallway

 

 

In the aft stairwell and elevator lobby. The glass tube behind the "Voom" sign used to house an elevator apparently. It was a cool design with the stairs wrapping around it, I'm assuming it was probably prone to malfunctions.

 

 

[DarthGrady]

Great review!

What's the "hectic 5/5/4 schedule" for the staff?

And the pics of the WJ show the new sinks, first I've seem of them...

Tim

 

That's their 5 day-5 day-4 day cruise schedule out of Tampa.

[DarthGrady]

Welcome aboard documents

 

 

 

 

Chops breakfast menu

 

Edited May 17, 2017 by DarthGrady

[DarthGrady]

Some shots from Cozumel and the Sunset Bar and Grill

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DarthGrady]

That's it folks! If you have any questions please feel free to ask!

[DonnaK]

The ship’s Schooner Bar is very large relative to the size of the ship. It was packed every night since she has one of the best sing-along piano players I’ve heard on Royal.

 

Do you happen to remember the name of of the piano bar player/singer?

[DarthGrady]

Do you happen to remember the name of of the piano bar player/singer?

 

It was Billy Pando, and I think I'm going to plan my Royal cruises around his schedule from now on. Very high energy, played all of the right songs. The lively crowd helped too. Its all too often on Royal that the Schooner seems more like a recital than a party.

[pspercy]

That's it folks! If you have any questions please feel free to ask!

 

She looks lovely:)

[ARCruisinNana]

Dang. I just don't undertand why the company has turned against nightstands with drawers.

 

 

My JS had working drawers[emoji1]

 

 

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[Scotty G]

Great review of one of our favorite ships my friend! She was our second RCI ship going from Manhattan to Bermuda on seven nights. We enjoyed the revamped version and wish RCI and the crew all the best!!

[Ocean Dancer]

We have booked this little ship again for our Thanksgiving cruise. It's been awhile, 21 years we sailed the "then" Nordic Empress, also in a similar cabin on deck 4.

 

I really enjoyed your review, and your wonderful photos. The little Empress has grown up but not out.

 

Thank you Darth!:D

[Clarea]

My JS had working drawers[emoji1]

On Empress?

[CapeCoralCruiser]

Empress of the Seas: May 11, 2017

 

Like the Vision and Radiance class fleet mates she inspired,the ocean is visible from nearly every public area of the ship. Ocean views are becoming scarce in an industry bent on keeping your eyes down and your wallet open at all times. There are no ice skating rinks, bumper cars, observation cranes, water slides, skydiving tubes or surf machines. The Empress is better for it. She exemplifies what we’ve lost in the cruise industry by gaining so much gimmickry. She was built to actually be a cruise ship, and I hope she’s around for many years to come.

 

This feature cannot be overstated enough - the Empress of the Seas was designed with ocean views available from literally every single public space on the ship. Nearly all of those views remain today, with only the windows in the main shop onboard being covered over by merchandise displays, leaving no exterior views from the shop. Otherwise, the sea is visible from everywhere: the dining rooms, lounges, bars, arcade, casino, gym, spa, all aft elevator lobbies on Deck 4 and up, and the entire Centrum area from Deck 5 and up. It is quite a departure from the increasingly inward-looking ships being designed today, a fact not lost on the ship's Captain Carl Graucob who makes note of it consistently in his Crown & Anchor Society reception remarks.

 

Throw in the ship's beautifully wide, teak wood wrap-around promenade deck, and it's truly a fantastic ship for those who love to actually be connected to the sea while cruising.

 

I couldn't agree more with these observations, as I have come to appreciate the feel I get when aboard the smaller class ships and their outward views. Great review and pics. We also noted that the Schooner Bar was much larger than we had anticipated - a great gathering place for groups. Our second cruise on Empress is in Oct, and for sure not the last.

[DarthGrady]

My JS had working drawers[emoji1]

 

 

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Anything to help the upsells I guess....:D

[DarthGrady]

Great review of one of our favorite ships my friend! She was our second RCI ship going from Manhattan to Bermuda on seven nights. We enjoyed the revamped version and wish RCI and the crew all the best!!

Thanks very much!

 

We have booked this little ship again for our Thanksgiving cruise. It's been awhile, 21 years we sailed the "then" Nordic Empress, also in a similar cabin on deck 4.

 

I really enjoyed your review, and your wonderful photos. The little Empress has grown up but not out.

 

Thank you Darth!:D

 

No problem!

 

I don't guess you might still have old deck plans from that cruise? I've tried to find her original plans online but no websites seem to have them. I'm mostly curious about the oddball VCL/gym layout and if it was always like that. I can't imagine any sane designer would put a gym above an open lounge without a solid deck in between.

[Ocean Dancer]

Thanks very much!

 

 

 

No problem!

 

I don't guess you might still have old deck plans from that cruise? I've tried to find her original plans online but no websites seem to have them. I'm mostly curious about the oddball VCL/gym layout and if it was always like that. I can't imagine any sane designer would put a gym above an open lounge without a solid deck in between.

The Viking Crown Lounge was 2 levels, The dance floor, bar and seating were on the main level.

 

Second level also had seating and a balcony like see through so you could see the dancers and part of the first floor. I remember it being very crowded every night. It was the party place back then. We even had a Titanic party. We were to dress in the clothes as if we were going DOWN. It was so funny. Some of the crew showed up wrapped in a towel, one leg had shaving cream on. Most people wore PJ'S.

 

Second floor was awesome for day time viewing or relaxing.

 

No, I did not save the Compass from back then. We did a repo from San Juan to Baltimore.

[DarthGrady]

The Viking Crown Lounge was 2 levels, The dance floor, bar and seating were on the main level.

 

Second level also had seating and a balcony like see through so you could see the dancers and part of the first floor. I remember it being very crowded every night. It was the party place back then. We even had a Titanic party. We were to dress in the clothes as if we were going DOWN. It was so funny. Some of the crew showed up wrapped in a towel, one leg had shaving cream on. Most people wore PJ'S.

 

Second floor was awesome for day time viewing or relaxing.

 

No, I did not save the Compass from back then. We did a repo from San Juan to Baltimore.

Ok, thanks for the info! That makes much more sense. It was packed on this cruise too, so the upstairs seating would have been nice to have.

 

I know she's small, but I'm surprised they couldn't find any other space on the ship for gym equipment.

[Yorkvillain]

Loved this review Grady. Thank you.

[hapster85]

Very nice review. Loved the pics. Thanks for taking the time.

[NaeMarie]

Great review and photos! My smallest ship so far has been Adventure, definitely looking to explore more smaller ships in the future

 

 

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[bri1035]

 

I don't guess you might still have old deck plans from that cruise? I've tried to find her original plans online but no websites seem to have them. I'm mostly curious about the oddball VCL/gym layout and if it was always like that. I can't imagine any sane designer would put a gym above an open lounge without a solid deck in between.

 

As built, the gym (originally called the Shipshape Fitness Center) was located on Deck 10 in the space now fully occupied by the Spa area. Originally the gym and spa facilities shared that space on Deck 10, but the 2004 refit that saw the Nordic Empress turn into the Empress of the Seas also saw the revenue-producing spa facilities enlarged on Deck 10, and the gym oddly relocated to the upper level of the Viking Crown Lounge.

[hannibal54]

Another great review Grady, nice pics also. I enjoyed being on her last October. The Schooner bar was the place to go, even during the World Series. The Indian fans would set & watch the game on one side of the ship & us Cubs fans sat on the other side. During commercials, I listened to the piano player.

[John&LaLa]

Nice review.

 

We sailed Nordic Empress in 2002. Our first Royal ship. Unfortunately, we weren't impressed and it was almost our last. Luckily Mariner changed our mind 6 years later.

 

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[Clarea]

Nice review.

 

We sailed Nordic Empress in 2002. Our first Royal ship. Unfortunately, we weren't impressed and it was almost our last. Luckily Mariner changed our mind 6 years later.

2008 was also our first cruise on Mariner. Life changing cruise.

[BillOh]

That's it folks! If you have any questions please feel free to ask!

 

 

Thanks for taking the time. The cabin pictures were helpful, we once did a road trip cruise out of Tampa, we may do it again.