Kelly

Age: 21
Occupation: Nursing student
Number of Cruises: 2
Cruise Line: Imperial Majesty
Ship: Regal Empress
Itinerary: Bahamas

My family and I just returned from being on the Regal Empress 2 day cruise to Nassau, Bahamas and we had a wonderful time. This was my second cruise; the first was on a Carnival cruise line. True enough, the Regal Empress is old (built in the 1950’s) and smaller than others, but it was still enjoyable.

Embarkation:
We arrived in Port Everglades in order to board the ship, boarding began at 1:00 p.m. but we arrived around 2:00 p.m. We parked the car and had to take our luggage through the lines with us. First of all you go through a line to fill out embarkation forms unless you had already printed the forms out and completed them. You can get forms off the imperial majesty web site (this is what I did and it saved a lot of time). Go to www.imperialmajesty.com and on the left side click on “embarkation forms.” (This site has a lot of information that will help you.) Once this is done then you go through the line to show your paperwork. Next you have the opportunity to check your luggage or you can carry it on (we carried it on because the last cruise we took we ate early and did not have our luggage in order to change for supper). Then you go through another line to show your birth certificate and get your registration papers. After all was done it took us about 30 min. to get on board. (You will be able to choose early or late supper before you get on the ship.)

Cabin:
Once on board, a crew member helped us to our room. Our cabin was S7A which was on the Sun Deck. The cabin itself was quite small but met our needs for the amount of time we were in it. The bathroom and shower both were extremely small but they worked without any problems. The air conditioning in our room did not seem very cool, it barely blew but it was actually cooler than the room next to ours. When asked how to adjust it, we were told to turn the lights out because they would absorb most of the cool air. The room seemed to get cooler as the day went on (with the lights out as much as possible). As for the clothing space, there were two small closets where you can hang your clothing.

The Ship:
The ship itself did have the older look to it, but it was quite nice. All I can say is follow the signs and ask directions because the lay out is very difficult to follow. As we walked out our room door (sun deck 7a) all we had to do was turn left and walk up a few steps and we were in the Commodore Lounge where they had a piano and bar. Just past this was the Mermaid Lounge where Karaoke was sung every night. (That was fun and hilarious!) Just past the Mermaid Lounge was the back of the boat where the pool and hot tub were. Next to the pool was a stage where there was live music both nights. The deck chairs are very limited so when you obtain one keep it. There was also a disco room where kids are allowed until midnight then it became a dance club for the adults. Internet service is also available for a fee.

Staff:
The staff worked very hard to make sure we had a good time. Once on the ship, the cruise director announced the lifeboat drill which was mandatory (they took role by the number on your life jacket). Next there was an announcement of a mandatory meeting in the Grande Lounge which was actually just to make sure you had planned your day on the island (we did not attend). Our steward, Franco, was great; he made our room look nice every time we left. The dog which he made out of towels had my fiancé’s sunglasses on and we couldn’t help but laugh. Franco always greeted us with a smile and remembered our names each time he saw us. As for supper, our waiter was very friendly and quick. He would always inform us of the upcoming events and when the best time place to eat a quick breakfast was (the buffet rather than the dinning area).

Food:
The food on the buffet was alright, nothing fancy. The midnight buffet was Italian one night and Mexican the next. Each night we enjoyed all we could eat! The only down fall for the buffet was that it was served to you, you could not help yourself. Drinks were not included during the buffet like they are on newer ships, but there was water and tea available in small cups (you had to get 2 or 3 cups in order to make one regular cup). The can drinks were $1.75 and were available during any time of day. Just remember that tax and tip is already added to your on-ship account so tipping is not necessary (about $19 dollars is automatically added).

The food that was served at supper was presented very well and tasted wonderful. Choose one item from every section of the menu and enjoy! The attire for the first night supper varied from jeans and a t-shirt to khakis and a nice shirt. As for the captain’s dinner which was the second night, the attire was more formal. Some wore evening gowns or prom attire while others wore nice black pants and button down shirts.

Debarkation:
You must be out of your room by 8:15 or so they say, and the process begins once everyone pays their bills. If you choose to carry your luggage off you can leave quicker. The Sun Deck and Promenade Deck were the first passengers to leave. Lucky us for being on the Sun Deck! The whole process went rather quickly and we ended up having a great time!! If we could do it again, we probably would. Hope you enjoy!

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