Which nights are usually formal on Empress?

[PRetc]

We're sailing Empress of the Seas out of Norfolk to Bermuda on July 21. I'm trying to find out which nights are the formal nights. Two in our party want to skip out on one of the formal nights, so if it typically falls when we are in port, we may reserve an evening outing as a compromise.

Also, I have a teen who just turned 18. Will she be excluded from the teen activities for 15-17 year olds? Or can she just join in without mentioning her age. There are no special activites or social events listed for kids 18-19, but I'm sure they won't want to hang with us the whole time!

[NancyN]

Your formal nights will not be scheduled when the ship is in port for the evening. Unless there is an unforeseen change of itinerary, formal nights on the Empress 7-night Bermuda cruise are scheduled for the second and sixth night (Sunday while at sea and Thursday while at sea for your return home).

As for your teenage daughter, the Empress youth staff will have a manifest with the names and ages of the children onboard. Whether or not she will be able to participate in the teen events will be dependent on the number of children onboard the sailing in that age bracket and how strictly the staff impose the age restrictions. While recently sailing on the Freedom with an 18 year old and his friend (who was still 17) - they were carded at the adult disco (so the 17 yr. old could not get in) AND they were carded at the teen center - so the 18 yr. old could not participate in the evening activites.

Nancy

[PRetc]

Thanks Nancy for the info! I have an 18 year old and a 16 year old, both a little shy, so they usually do things together. I'm not sure they are going to be thrilled about going to separate activites. I appreciate the heads up!