Empress or Seranade?

[danyelle]

Hi,

 

We sail in 2 weeks and plan on booking onboard for Jan 07.

We plan on a southern caribbean route and I cannot decide between Empress' 9 night and Seranade's 7 night. The ship is what concerns me most.

 

If they were both the same length and price which ship would you choose?

What condition are they in?

How would u compare the hump or aft balconies on each?

 

Thanks a bunch for the input!

 

D

[derekandkimberly]

We chose the Serenade and we go next month!!! Seems the Serenade has nothing but great reviews!!!

[Retired not Expired]

The Empress doesn't have regular balcony cabins. Well, they do have a couple but call them suites which you have to book VERY early to get.

 

I'll be on her in six weeks and looking forward to it.

[Ocean Boy]

Empress and Serenade are hardly comparible ships. I would like to do Empress's itinerary but have no interest in sailing on her. Serenade is an absolutely beautiful ship. If she did the 9 night itinerary I'd jump on it.

[heartofamerica]

Empress and Serenade are hardly comparible ships. I would like to do Empress's itinerary but have no interest in sailing on her. Serenade is an absolutely beautiful ship. If she did the 9 night itinerary I'd jump on it.

Never been on Empress, but our Serenade cruise was the best I've been on. The ports are great, the ship is simply beautiful. I wish I were still on her.

[Ocean Boy]

Nor have I been on Empress. But I have read enough about her, and she was tied up in Bermuda with us when we were there, to know that i don't want to sail on her. And this is not to say that there are not plenty of people who like her and have written positive things about her. Empress just is not for me.

[Retired not Expired]

I believe the reasons some don't like the Empress is the same reason many do. She's a small ship in todays terms and you don't have to look outside to see if you are at sea. You can feel the engines rumble and can feel the sea beneath you so you get the sailing experience unlike the megas.

 

It also doesn't have all the whistles and bells like the newer ships. Couple this with the longer itineraries and this time of year and you have a more adult crowd. And before someone jumps on me as being a child hater, I'm not. I love kids, just don't like being confined on a ship with hundreds of them.

 

If this appeals to you, book the Empress. If not, go with a larger ship. It must appeal to many as it is sold out much of the time. If you want one of the few suites with a balcony, you must book it almost as soon as they open the bookings.

[Ocean Boy]

She also has some of the smallest cabins (sq. footage) in the RCI fleet.

[Retired not Expired]

She also has some of the smallest cabins (sq. footage) in the RCI fleet.

 

That she does. I have one of the larger oceanview at 139 sq. ft.

[danyelle]

Thanks for the info guys...I was leaning toward Seranade due to the reviews but that 9nite itinerary seems so fantastic. I dont think i'd like to feel all the rockin and hear the engine rumbles but i'm still considering the empress.

[johndeere]

I have been the Empress and the Serenade. They are both nice ships by my standards.

 

The Serenade is everything you would expect of a late model radiance class ship. Glass everywhere, many balconies, pool tables etc.

 

The empress while being a little smaller and a little older, is pretty darn nice! It has been four years and four cruises ago since I was on her, but I recall it as being one of my favorite ships. The crew on the empress was probably the best I have had, very helpful and fun.

 

In short the Serenade is the "nicer" more expensive ship, but the empress is no "rust bucket" by any means. If you are like me and always stay in an inside cabin. I would choose based on price and itenerary. Just my $.02

 

Good Luck,

Josh

[bplazo]

We were just on the Serenade last week and our cruise was the best one we have been on. The ship was great and so were all the ports. Couldnt of had a better time.

[many cruises]

With all the glass on the Serenade...does it get hot in the public areas? When we were on the Enchantment, I remember how hot it was in the public areas.

[Ocean Boy]

With all the glass on the Serenade...does it get hot in the public areas? When we were on the Enchantment, I remember how hot it was in the public areas.

Not at all. The air conditioning works very well even in the solarium which is pretty much all glass.

[Soak up the Sun]

I'm with the rest of you...I have no interest in the Empress. I'm organizing a girl trip for early 2007 and we all love the itinerary for the Empress but I'm not willing to take a chance on this ship. I subscribe to Cruise Travel magazine and after reading the article about Empress of the Seas there is nothing about the Empress that excites me. Most of the ladies going are first time cruisers and I want them to love the ship we select. I'm looking at selecting Dawn Princess which has a similar itinerary, bigger ship and has more dining options available. If RCI would sail a nicer ship for this itinerary I wouldn't hesitate to book RCI. My vote is definately the Seranade!

[negc]

I have sailed on the Empress (back when it was the Nordic Empress) and on three of the four Radiance class ships - though not the Serenade. If everything were equal -length of cruise, itinerary and price- I would definitely choose the Serenade since Radiance class ships are my favorite- the staterooms are larger and the ship has a number of wonderful features that aren't available on Empress. The longer cruise and the itinerary however, might convince me to favor the Empress however, especially if the price was right. I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer to your question, and I'm afraid you will have to decide which things are most important to you. Whichever ship you decide upon, you should have a fantastic cruise. Once you have made your choice don't second guess it. Enjoy.:)