Empress of the Seas to Bermuda...NOT

[RichNY]

Next summer the Empress of the Seas will be doing 4 & 5 night cruises from Ft Lauderdale to the Western Caribbean .Check the RCCI site.

For those of us that really enjoyed the EOS cruises this year and were ready to book again for 2005...THANKS FOR NOTHING

[CruisFran]

BUMMA!! We yelled, screamed, emailed, etc., to no avail!! EOS's, 8-nighter in particular, was the perfect Bermuda cruise!! The news is a major disappointment for those of us that enjoy Bermuda as a cruise destination.

 

Thanks RCI!!!...NOT

[BaumD]

Granduer and Voyager are doing Bermuda next year. Empress is filling in for Enchantment which is being cut in half and lengthened.

[cathykb]

Very disappointing.............guess we'll be doing Celebrity again!

[RichNY]

The Granduer and Voyager cruises are way too short for us...

 

If we want a balcony again it looks like NCL Crown or Radisson.

[bermudashorts]

That is terible news.

5 nights isnt long enough for Bermuda, id rather not go if those are my options.

 

Guess it will be NCL or something else.

 

Booooooooo:mad:

[LindaO]

Royal Caribbean International Announces Lengthening, Refurbishing of Enchantment of the Seas

 

MIAMI, Jul 28, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Royal Caribbean International today announced plans to lengthen and extensively refurbish its Vision-class ship Enchantment of the Seas.

 

A 73-foot midsection built by Kvaerner Masa-Yards will be inserted into the ship at the Keppel Verolme Shipyard in Rotterdam, increasing the vessel's overall length to 990 feet and its tonnage from 74,140 to 80,700 tons. The new midsection will add 151 staterooms, as well as a number of indoor and outdoor public areas.

 

Enchantment of the Seas' transformation comes in the wake of extensive enhancements to other ships in the Royal Caribbean International fleet. Nordic Empress was revitalized this spring and made her debut as Empress of the Seas at the cruise line's new Cape Liberty Cruise Point in Bayonne, N.J., in May. Monarch of the Seas underwent a similar refurbishment in early 2003. The line also has announced plans to revitalize Sovereign of the Seas this fall.

 

"The refurbishment of Enchantment makes tremendous sense from both an economic and a strategic standpoint. We add substantial revenue without adding commensurate costs, while significantly improving the overall guest experience," said Chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain. "We have taken what we have learned during the new-build process and applied best practices to upgrade our existing ships."

 

The additional space and extensive renovations will accommodate new public areas onboard Enchantment of the Seas, including a new specialty restaurant, Royal Caribbean's hallmark Boleros Latin lounge and Latte'tudes coffee shop, where guests can enjoy Seattle's Best Coffee® and Ben & Jerry's® ice cream. In addition, existing spaces will be extensively reconditioned. The ship's pool deck, main dining room, shopping area, casino, jogging track, fitness facility, day spa and art gallery are among several areas to be expanded and revitalized.

 

Royal Caribbean has long been a trendsetter in the evolution of the cruise ship. The line was the first in the industry to lengthen a cruise ship in 1978, when an 85-foot section was inserted into the Song of Norway. The company also extended the Nordic Prince in 1980.

 

Enchantment of the Seas will be out of service from early May until early July 2005. Launched in 1997, the ship currently sails a rotating schedule of four- and five-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to ports in the Western Caribbean. Following the lengthening, Enchantment of the Seas will sail a special series of cruises from three ports in the Northeast throughout the summer and fall before returning to Fort Lauderdale. She will offer itineraries of varying lengths to New England and Canada from Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne.

 

The recently refurbished Empress of the Seas will be homeported in Fort Lauderdale from May 5 to Oct. 6 during special sailings for Enchantment of the Seas. Empress of the Seas will offer four- and five-night cruises to ports of call including Key West; Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; and George Town, Grand Cayman.

[FinelyCruising]

I really liked Enchantment and then they took her to the 5 nighters. I can't wait to see this change and I hope they put her back out for the longer western routes!

[mirock99]

I'm more disappointed in the Empress of the Seas no longer going to Bermuda. Hopefully, the following year, she will be back again. The 8-day cruise to Bermuda is great and I also agree; 5 days to Bermuda is not enough.

[Denise in NJ]

So then, what are the 7 day options from the NY area (NY OR NJ/BAYONNE) to Bermuda for 2005? I hear the NCL Crown is a definite, any definitive news on Celebrity ships yet?

 

thanks,

Denise

[ChickenParm]

I've been told by Celebrity on more than one occasion that the Zenith is definitely going to Bayonne. However, they have not released the rates. It is interesting to note that only three Celebrity ships have not yet been scheduled for May 2005: Zenith, Horizon, and Century. Maybe the Century will have some factor in the Bermuda market???

 

http://www.celebrity.com/res/quick_reserve.asp?f=ship&s=DB0C02A7FA

[Tatka]

I've been told by Celebrity on more than one occasion that the Zenith is definitely going to Bayonne. However, they have not released the rates. It is interesting to note that only three Celebrity ships have not yet been scheduled for May 2005: Zenith, Horizon, and Century. Maybe the Century will have some factor in the Bermuda market???

 

http://www.celebrity.com/res/quick_reserve.asp?f=ship&s=DB0C02A7FA

Definitely not Century (it will be my dream!) as after drydock in April it will be doing 9- 10- nighters in Caribbeans. Non of the ships bigger than Empress,Majesty,Zenith or Horizon can dock in K.Warf or Hamilton. Voyager and Grandeur will be docking on Naval Base.:(

[madelinerose]

I booked the 5-day Bermuda cruise from Baltimore on the Grandeur for November 2005. The Grandeur will dock in Kings Wharf.

 

We've flown to Bermuda previously. I understand that the time spent in Bermuda will only be about 34 hours, but, since we're new to the cruise world, it seemed like a great, albeit short, vacation.

 

I also booked a Grand Suite, which should add to the fun.

 

If any of you think this cruise will be a waste of time, please let me know. I have tons of time to cancel.

 

Thanks!

[CruisFran]

Denise, Celebrity's Zenith is doing 7 night Bermuda from Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ....Horizon will do a 7 night Bermuda from Philadelphia PA most of the summer season, then for Sept. will do sailings from Norfolk VA. Rates are posted!..check their website. I did not check every sail date, so hopefully this info is correct for 2005.

 

Fran

[FinelyCruising]

Tatka the Voyager will be docking at Kings's Wharf, aka the Naval Dockyard.

[madelinerose]

CruisFran...thanks for the info on the Celebrity cruises to Bermuda. I'd much rather have a longer cruise. Driving to Bayonne or Norfolk would be no problem, however, the Horizon and Zenith have no balconies.

 

IMHO, I can't imagine cruising without my own balcony. DH and I like to ease into our day and breakfast room service on our balcony seems like the way to go for us. We may not indulge every day, but having the option to do so makes a huge difference to me.

 

Have a good weekend, everyone.

[RichNY]

Madelinerose

We agree, a balcony is the only way to go. We have been flying to Bermuda for years but when we found the 8 Night Empress cruise we went for it. The ports, the length of time and the balcony really made the trip a joy for us.

Now it looks like its back to the silver bird to Bermuda for us. :mad:

[CruisFran]

Madelinerose, we also agree!! There is nothing like a balcony!!...to be able to enjoy the sea air, the sights right from your own balcony, a quiet time, or just checking on the weather for the day...it's terrific. We have cruised many times without one, but usually when there have been none available...if there are any, we're always in one! ;)

 

Spoiled rotten..and lovin' it!!...LOL

[RichNY]

I thought there was a 2000 passenger per ship limit for Bermuda ????.. Guesss not..:confused:

[madelinerose]

I haven't even been on a cruise ship, but I know that a balcony is for me. We visit the Outer Banks every October and rent an oceanfront house. IMHO, if you can't be right there with the waves, what's the point?

 

RichNY and CruisFran, thanks for the thumbs up for the balconies since I'm a first-timer and have no clue.

 

DH has no idea I've booked the Grandeur cruise. When we flew to Bermuda about 6 years ago, he drove the moped with me on the back for 4 days and I believe we saw every nook and cranny of Bermuda and he has wanted to go back ever since. He has a fairly tight schedule, so I think just his getting a taste of Bermuda will be great for him. AND, this cruise, even with a grand suite, was MUCH less expensive than the airfare, hotel and meals were 6 years ago - amazing!