Won A Cruise!

[RellaKay]

Ok, I got home last night and had a message on my answeing machine from Imperial Majesty Cruise Line saying that I had won a 4 or 5 day (I can't remember which) cruise. We have to pay to get there but my question is, what is this line like? I actually hadn't heard of it until yesterday. I have only been on Carnival and am going on Royal Caribbean. Any input would be really helpful before I call them back again.

 

Thanks

 

Cindy

[CruiseCentric]

Ok, I got home last night and had a message on my answeing machine from Imperial Majesty Cruise Line saying that I had won a 4 or 5 day (I can't remember which) cruise. We have to pay to get there but my question is, what is this line like? I actually hadn't heard of it until yesterday. I have only been on Carnival and am going on Royal Caribbean. Any input would be really helpful before I call them back again.

 

Thanks

 

Cindy

 

You might want to check out this thread on the Imperial Majesty Cruise Line board

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=473720

[TinaMarie3170]

My parents actually went on this ship last year. They had a good time. But, it is a smaller older ship. They had to attend a sales pitch as they want you to buy into a time share. My dad said they weren't too pushy with them on the ship but they also had a hotel portion to this trip and they were very pushy about buying into this. I'm not sure if this is what they are doing or have in mind for you. Just wanted you to be aware of that. I'm sure others on here will have more info.

[songanddance]

Ok, I got home last night and had a message on my answeing machine from Imperial Majesty Cruise Line saying that I had won a 4 or 5 day (I can't remember which) cruise. We have to pay to get there but my question is, what is this line like? I actually hadn't heard of it until yesterday. I have only been on Carnival and am going on Royal Caribbean. Any input would be really helpful before I call them back again.

 

Thanks

 

Cindy

 

The ship is one of the oldest anywhere in the world and if you love to see what a small liner looked like in the early 50's then this is for you. They are severly hurting as this is their only ship and they fill it by hooking up with timeshare companies etc for free cruises.

 

Not saying that anything is wrong with this but in no way does it compare with either of the two lines you have sailed with other than it goes out in the ocean.

 

I also have won one of these "free" cruises. The little sticking point is that you must pay up front the $100 plus port fees even though you may not go on the cruise for 18 months. Also you have to give them your credit card info over the phone. Not always a great idea. So I refused to play the game and they would not send me the "free" cruise package that I supposedly won. Then about two weeks later I got a call from a supervisor asking why I had not signed up. I explained that I have no idea when I would go and I was not paying a port charge until I booked the actual cruise and he said that was not possible that I had to pay then and there or I would not get the material. So I am not going to sail on this ship.

 

In my opinion this whole "free" thing sounds like a bit of a scam and I sense a lot more $ down the road as one actually tries to book the cruise dates.

 

But good luck. Let us know how it works out for you.

[RellaKay]

Thanks for all of the replies! I think I am going to pass on this. After reading some other posts and these, I really don't think it would be for us! Thanks for all your help!

 

Cindy

[cusyl]

That's the old Regal Empress. We sailed on her five times when she left out of Port Manatee because it was only 30 minutes away. She used to sail to Cozumel and back over the weekend. It was a fun ship and the crew was great. She was built back in the 50s.

 

If you lived in Florida close to the port it would be a good cruise to Nassau, but I sure wouldn't pay to fly to the port. She will soon be sold again, as soon as the ADA rules go into effect.

[ger_77]

We had a similar call about 2 months ago - interestingly enough, we hadn't entered a contest or anything, so my skepticism was pretty high. It turned out we would have to pay for our flights, port taxes and an "administration fee" to take this 3 day cruise, resulting in a "free cruise" costing us about $2000. We politely declined the offer.

 

I figure if I haven't entered a contest, there's no way anybody is going select me at randon to give me something for free.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[Host Kat]

My first cruise was on her in 1988 when she was named Caribe I. Being my first, I have very fond memories of her since I had nothing to compare but the TV show "Love Boat"!! Now today, that would be a different story. Anyway, I thought someone might enjoy a little history about her from the What Ever Happened To........??? Forum at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=56.

 

In response to a thread asking about the fate of the various Commodore vessels, here is ...

 

Caribe I: Built 1953 at A. Stephen & Sons Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland, for Transatlantic Shipping Corp. (Greek Line), Monrovia as OLYMPIA. Transatlantic service and cruising. Laid-up at Piraeus, 1974. Sold 1981 to Sally Shipping GmbH, Bad Schwartau. Originally intended for static use but, following the capsizing and classification as a constructive total loss of proposed future Commodore flagship NAVARINO (see Regency Fleet History, REGENT SEA), renamed CARIBE and extensively rebuilt for cruising at Perama, Greece, and Hamburg, Germany. Name amended to CARIBE I 1984, cruising for Commodore. Sold 1991 to International Shipping Partners, Nassau, renamed REGAL EMPRESS. Cruising for Regal Cruises. Regal Cruises ceased operations 2003, ship sold to Imperial Majesty Cruise Lines. Presently in service...

 

For additional pictures from member voyagerfl, click here: http://www.lifevoyager.net/regalempress.htm.

[flamomo]

If this ship used to be the Regal Empress out of Port Manatee, FL, I went on her with my DH and my parents on a day-long gambling "cruise to nowhere" back in the late 1980s / early 1990s. What a surprise to hear she is still around and has been reincarnated!.

[isujim]

Usually if it sounds too good to be true.........it probably isn't:)

[PhoenixCruiser]

Thanks for all of the replies! I think I am going to pass on this. After reading some other posts and these, I really don't think it would be for us! Thanks for all your help!

 

Cindy

 

I think you made a good call!!

 

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