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   Cruise Travel - Reader Reviews

Welcome to Your Favorites, where you have the opportunity to share your travel experiences with fellow Internet Travelers around the world.


Imperial Majesty Cruise Line

MS Regal Empress

Your Rating:Four Stars
Reviewed by: Joe Sturges
# previous cruises: 7
Date of Trip: May 8, 2005
Itinerary: Bahamas

Overview
Regal Empress has been given something of an unfair rating in the past. Sure, the ship is 52 years old but is very well maintained, very clean and offers even the novice traveller an opportunity to sample cruise travel on a short run.

For two days we enjoyed her classic originality and her simplicity. Taking a ship means you want to be at sea...and this ship has a great Lido area, plenty of sunning room and a generally friendly crew that wants to please. Don't compare this ship to a 3,000 passenger mega-liner...she truly is in a class by herself.

Public Areas
The Grand Lounges is comfortable, very simple without a lot of special effects for the shows. Entry and exit from the seating is easy and it provides a nice place to dance and enjoy some very fine entertainment. The Dining Room is the most beautiful I've ever been in shipboard...elegant and very classy with lots of original real wood panelling...a gem! Swimming pool area on the Lido deck was spacious and serviced by a bar and small stage for live entertainment...great area. There is a great walk around promenade on Sun Deck that gives one the feel of what being at sea is all about.

Food and Service
Breakfast in the Dining Room was excellent with limited but adequate choices. Breakfast at La Trattoria on the enclosed promenade deck was also decent with quite a few choices. Coffee was the best I've ever had aboard ship. Only sampled lunch at La Trattoria and that was quite good. Dinner in the Dining Room was excellent with a first class steak and a simple menu to choose from...all the food was simple American fare with a beef, chicken, fish and pasta entree. They don't try for super gourmet here...just good basic American food well cooked with good service. Great soups and salads, and a choice of three desserts you don't have to have the waiter explain to you.

Cabins
Our cabin on Sun Deck, an original from when the ship was first built in 1953, had a moderate amount of room...not to be compared to modern day ships. There was an old wardrobe for hanging garments...some shelves....a built in desk and chair and enough room to get around. But the itinerary is only two days....you can certainly get by in reasonable comfort.

Entertainment
Attended the two shows...both were excellent without a lot of fanfare...they focus on the skills of the singers and dancers all who did an excellent job especially for people not having English as a first language. The troupe were all from Hungary or Yugoslavia, including the band,and their performances were excellent...simple and very well choreographed. What a pleasant relief from the overdone Mega-ship shows!!!!!

Activities
They play old fashioned horse racing on the Lido deck, they play old fashioned bingo and the casino is ready and willing. Just soak up the sun and the sea on the elegant lady of yore. Nassau for one day gives you either shopping or swimming with the Dolphins, or snorkeling trips to take. There's also a stretch limousine island tour you can take. Pool was somewhat small and there were two hot tubs on the Lido deck. The kids sure enjoyed them!

Who Goes
Broad spectrum of early 20 somethings to retired folks. Quite a few in wheelchairs who had a good time. Enjoyed conversations with quite a number of other couples and some fellow ocean liner aficionados. Most lived too far from home to consider inviting, but would if I could. Overall the most fun I have had on a ship...simple, unpretentious and just a plain good time.

VACATION & CRUISE SPECIALS
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Royal Caribbean - Bahamas Getaway from $129 per person
Description: Experience the beautiful ports of Nassau and Royal Caribbean's private island - CocoCay on a 3-night Weekend Getaway to the Bahamas. Absorb everything island life has to offer as you snorkel with the stingrays, parasail above the serene blue waters and walk the endless white sand beaches. From Miami.
Carnival - 4-Day Bahamas  from $229 per person
Description: Enjoy a wonderful 3 Day cruise to the fun-loving playground of Nassau, Bahamas. Discover Nassau, the capital city as well as the cultural, commercial and financial heart of the Bahamas. Meet the Atlantic Southern Stingrays, the guardians of Blackbeard's treasure.
NCL - Bermuda - 7 Day from $499 per person
Description: What a charming little chain of islands. Walk on pink sand beaches. Swim and snorkel in turquoise seas. Take in the historical sights. They're stoically British and very quaint. Or explore the coral reefs. You can get to them by boat or propelled by fins. You pick. Freestyle Cruising doesn't tell you where to go or what to do. Sure, you can plan ahead, or decide once onboard. After all, it's your vacation. There are no deadlines or must do's.
Holland America - Eastern Caribbean from From $599 per person
Description: White sand, black sand, talcum soft or shell strewn, the beaches of the Eastern Caribbean invite you to swim, snorkel or simply relax. For shoppers, there's duty-free St. Thomas, the Straw Market in Nassau, French perfume and Dutch chocolates on St. Maarten. For history buffs, the fascinating fusion of Caribbean, Latin and European cultures. For everyone, a day spent on HAL's award winning private island Half Moon Cay.
Celebrity - 7-Night Western Mediterranean  from $549 per person
Description: For centuries people have traveled to Europe to see magnificent ruins, art treasures and natural wonders. And the best way to do so is by cruise ship. Think of it - you pack and unpack only once. No wasted time searching for hotels and negotiating train stations. Instead, you arrive at romantic ports of call relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on the world.
Holland America - Alaska from From $499 per person
Description: Sail between Vancouver and Seward, departing Sundays on the ms Statendam or ms Volendam and enjoy towering mountains, actively calving glaciers and pristine wildlife habitat. Glacier Bay and College Fjord offer two completely different glacier-viewing experiences.