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Imperial Majesty Cruise Line

MS Regal Empress

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!!!!!

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!

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.