Laura

46 to 55
2000

The Nordic Empress is a beautiful, smaller sized ship that is clean and well maintained.  We had a balcony cabin on the Bridge deck and loved it.  Had our morning coffee and late afternoon cocktail on our balcony each day.  I would highly recommend a balcony cabin. 

We did a 3-night cruise to St. Thomas and St. Martin.  Went on our own to Magen's Bay beach on St. Thomas, a very pretty beach with all of the necessary facilities.  We did a shore excursion in St. Martin (the Pinel Island Snorkeling Trip) which was disappointing because the snorkeling was cancelled due to rough seas.  

The cruise ship dining room food was tasty and decently prepared.  Windjammer Cafe food was mediocre but edible.  The ship's activities seemed somewhat limited to bingo, casino, pool games and the nightly show.  Dining room and cabin service were excellent.  

Embarkation and disembarkation went very quickly and smoothly.  In summary, this is a good cruise for those with limited vacationing time and/or those who want to sample a cruise experience before committing to a longer cruise.