rccl-nordic10

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Simon Lack
Email: simonlack@home.com
Age: 37
Occupation: banker
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: 8/6/00
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 4122
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 85
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess: 85
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 75
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 14 Aug 2000
Time: 21:17:23
Remote Name: cc197664-a.union1.nj.home.com
Remote User:

Comments

We had taken a Royal Caribbean cruise to Bermuda five years ago, on the Song of America. On
this trip we were eight (my pregnant wife and our two children, along with my mother and nephew
from the UK and two friends). We chose Bermuda again because we had such a good time there
before, and because we could just drive to the ship (my wife didn’t want to fly).

Check in was fairly quick, although because our party consisted of three surnames, two cabins and
one credit card it presented a challenge to the woman registering us on their computer. However, it
was eventually done and we boarded around 2 p.m.

The Nordic Empress was probably a big ship when she was built ten years ago, but by today’s
standards feels more modest (smaller than the Enchantment of the Seas for instance, on which we
sailed last year). She’s a lovely vessel though, and had pretty much everything we needed. She is
well looked after, and the familiar centrum was a shiny focal point. My son and I also enjoyed the
giant chessboard up on the pool deck. Having said that, we did feel the ship needs more or faster
(or both) elevators, and found the single swimming pool resembled a sardine can during days at
sea. Overall though, we were happy with the ship.

I had read some reviews that observed the Nordic Empress didn’t give such a smooth ride through
choppy seas as the largest ships. We did experience 6-10 foot seas both going and coming back,
including one night at sea on the return leg when the seas were very rough. A couple of us
suffered seasickness which was soon corrected with Dramamine. Personally I found the motion
quite soothing during the night. We were on Deck 4, and had two outside cabins sleeping three of
us in each (our friends had a cabin on Deck 3). No surprise to us – the cabin was small. We just
about managed to fit everything in the available space, and our cabin steward Pemba stored the
two suitcases that wouldn’t fit under the bed. The bathroom was very cramped and old – the sink
had many unsightly and no doubt unhygienic cracks in it, and the shower was very cramped. I read
a previous reviewer found that the shower curtain stuck to her in the shower, and I can report that
this is true, which becomes somewhat irritating after a few days. I can only imagine how some of the
more amply proportioned passengers fared. On the bright side, we all felt the beds were very
comfortable, and even though we were near the back of the ship we all slept soundly (no engine
noise).

Dining is always one of the high points of a cruise. We always choose second seating (8:30)
because it makes the afternoon less rushed (6 p.m. dinner, especially when it’s preceded by
photos on formal night, seems to require getting ready around 4:30). We all felt the food was
consistently very good, and the service was excellent (our waiter coached us in our use of
superlatives, noting that Royal Caribbean would not accept merely good service from its staff!).
Dinner was always very good, and included dishes such as lobster, lamb, various fish dishes, prime
rib and so on. There was also a varied wine selection. The service really was terrific (no,
excellent!). Our waiter Ibrahim and his assistant quickly met our every need, and found time to
make a fuss of the children, cut their meat and so on. We always enjoyed eating there. The
Windjammer was also fine if you wanted to eat quickly. We occasionally ate breakfast or lunch
there.

The evening entertainment ranged from not bad to very good. There was a juggler who was
spectacular, managing to perch atop an unsupported ladder while tossing knives in the air. It was
pretty impressive. We also enjoyed Dave Morgan and Chucky (his puppet duck). We saw them last
year too, and they were great. Other acts were OK, nothing that memorable. We unfortunately
missed the Newlywed Show because it was at 10 p.m. and we hadn’t finished dinner. Last year this
show was hilarious and we were disappointed to miss it. The cruise director was less visible
somehow than we expected; we felt that communication about onboard events could have been
more effective. There was much reliance on the daily Compass and TV (for example, we missed
the show on our first night because it was pre-dinner and we hadn’t realized). He probably needs to
be out and about a bit more, perhaps on the PA system every day.

On Bermuda the excursions we chose were deep water snorkeling, the Calypso Cruise (which
included snorkeling) and snorkeling from the beach. A lot of snorkeling, invariably followed by rum
swizzles and calypso music on our way back to the ship. A thoroughly agreeable way to spend the
day. Bermuda is a beautiful island: clean, safe and friendly. We took the bus one day to Horseshoe
Bay (remember they won’t accept U.S. currency) and returned in a cab, all of which was fine. You
can rent umbrellas and chairs at Horseshoe Bay; they were sold out when we arrived, but we
quickly negotiated with returning beachgoers to give them their foregone deposit in exchange for
their chairs as they walked up the beach. This allowed us to avoid lining up and even saved us
some money. And the good excursions do sell out quickly, so get your choices in on the first day.
The Excursion Desk was very helpful.

We were disappointed that we docked first at the Naval Dockyards. There isn’t much to do there,
so you have to take a bus or can to get anywhere (there is also a ferry across the bay to Hamilton
which was apparently very pleasant). We assumed this must be due to the number of cruiseships
visiting Bermuda, but more time at Hamilton would have been preferable since we only wound up
with 24 hours there.

Overall a great trip. This family loves cruises, and we certainly enjoyed this one.

Name: A Rossi
Email: loandha@worldnet.att.net
Age: 42
Occupation: accountant
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: August 20th, 2000
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 8603/F
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 99
CabinAmenities: 93
FoodLidoDeck: 88
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 99
ShoreExcValue: 88
GoodForHoneymoon: 99
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 99
LoungeService: 98
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 89
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess: 99
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 88
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 99
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 97
Stabilization:
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Aug 2000
Time: 10:55:49
Remote Name: 62.morristown-01-02rs.nj.dial-access.att.net
Remote User:

Comments

This was our first cruise as a family. I have cruised before alone, but we somehow never thought
that a cruise would suit our family needs, well we were WRONG....My first concern was that I have
two children with a big age gap, one 4 years old and the other 16.Well let me be the first to say that
the program was outstanding for both ages. The Staff at the Kid Connection was caring and
concerned for the little one, and they also supplied us with a Beeper to all passenger who had
children 3-6, so our comfort level increased the first day.

The First day as you sail out of New York, the Kids Connection is open to look around and meet
the staff, plus they gave us a time to come to orientation that night witch was at 8PM for the little
one and 10 PM for the big one. Everday is planned with a theme and story time for the Young
ones, You can drop them off after dinner and they can stay up till 10PM. After 10PM there is a
charge of $4.00 a hour up until 1AM in the morning, from 10PM to 1AM they watch a movie or they
can color and play very low key activities for the late hours. This was great, it gave my husband
and I time alone, which at first we didn't know what to do alone but RCI took care of that with the
activities for us, night club, bingo, shows, so we enjoyed ourself as much as the Kids.

I have to tell you that the first night we were very concern for our older child, we could see that
there was a mixed crowed of kids that age and some looked older then 18. So at 10 PM that first
night, there was meeting for the his age group at the Disco, Parents are not really invited to attend
this meeting. This concerned me, so about 5 minute after he went to the disco, of course MOm
followed, as I came closer to the room I saw a large crowd gathering, The Staff was checking ID to
make sure there was no one over the Age of 18 allowed into this area..... So I asked a few
question, I also took note that there was no other parents of these children in the room, so I
retreated and waited for our son on the DEck 10 to return to fill us in on the program for his age
group....His return was welcomed and he explain the rules and gave us a schedule of events that
would happen the next day. Beleive me everyday was filled with things for them to do, so we
estabished check in times with us and let him get on his way with his new group of friends.

Every Day there are schedules given to you by your steward,for what ever age group you and and
your children were in, so at breakfast you could plan the day...'WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO
REINVENT YOUR FAMILY'. I must say I think our children had the trip of a life time...It gave our
young child time to explore with her peers and our oldest child the freedon that he so long for on
vacation with us and the security to let him go knowing that he was always within a deck or two
away from us....My advise to Parents with children age 14 to 17 is this, we estabished check in
times with our child and made sure he followed them, we got smarter after the second night and
those check in's were between event, not during the events..... he had a wonderful time....

The Kid's Connection Staff was 'OUTSTANDING' with all the children. KUDOS to the entire kid's
staff. You made my husband and I feel free to really enjoy ourself, something we have not done for
16 years. My only complainet was that no one told us it would be so GREAT to have the time to
spend with eachother alone, but I guess this was amoung many pleasant surprises you had in
store for us that week. To all Parents who think cruising is not for the family, I tell you this waist no
time and Book this cruise you will rediscover eachother and your kids will LOVE YOU for it....the
only Regret we have is that we waited so long to book a cruise as a family....

Now as for BERMUDA, This island is truly one of the most beatiful islands in the world, it will take
your breath away.....there is much to do, but you might want to just marvel at the sights. The
Beaches are great and the water is like running silk over your skin. You will not regret going here
at all, but I warn you Plan you days. Take the excursions, this way you will not feel like you missed
out of anything. This was my Seventh time there but the first for everyone else in the party, my
daughter and I just seat at the beach and shop but my husband and son got time to explore, and
do some male bounding things together. Golf was outstanding and they rented scooters, which
made my husband crazy, so they returned them the next day and use the Taxi and the ferry
service. It's not cheap, but well worth the price.

As for the NORDIC EMPRESS, what a ship, we found it to be what we needed and I can not
imagine sailing on anything bigger. Some say she is old, but like fine wine, it was GRACEFUL And
charming and sailed the Atlantic like a true trooper...I have sailed before and I can tell you the
crossing was smooth to my surprise, having sailed other that were not so smooth.... If you think you
might have problems call your doctor for the Patch, You put it on the day you leave and take it off
the day you arrive in Bermuda, then when you return put another one on and you'll have no
problems.Both my husband and I used them but the Kids did not.......and they had no problems.
Just remember you must get them from your Doctor before you leave, they do not have them on
the ship.

Our Cabin was 8602, DECK 8, outside with a window, yes they are small but you only sleep there
and get dress so this was no big deal to us. I must admit the first formal night was fun getting
everyone dress, so we worked it out the boys dressed first and waited for us outside. Get the Coke
Card for the Kids and you'll be happy that you did, everyone will be happy....

I warn you that when you return your children will go though withdrawels they truely accomadate
the family travelers.... I don't think we will ever TOP this vacation with the Kids, Our small one keeps
asking to go back to the big ship and our son is saving to go next year...Rgrets are that it went by
to fast..... Should you have any question please email to me and I will try my best to answer them.

Name: Paul W. Kellerman
Email: Gizpk@aol.com
Age: 52
Occupation: Architect
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: October 17, 1999
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 8506/ Owners' Suite
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 50
FoodMidnightBuffets: 0
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 80
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall:
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace:
Stabilization:
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Sep 2000
Time: 10:34:24
Remote Name: spider-wd072.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

We decided to take a cruise to Bermuda for our 25th wedding anniversary, and the closest we could
get to our actual anniversary date was the cruise from New York to Bermuda of October 17, 1999.

We decided that since it was a special anniversary we wanted to make it not only our first cruise, but a
very memorable one at that. We spared no expense in selection of our accomodations made months
in advance, and even went so far as to hire a limosine from our house in Southern New Jersey to the
pier in New York City.

Now, I have been told by many a seasoned cruiser since then that they would never do the Bermuda
Cruise during Hurricane Season, but it just never seemed like a reason to me to not plan the cruise.
We did so with excitement and anticipation of a great time.

As luck would have it, that week the East Coast and Western Atlantic area was to be visited by a
hurricane named Irene. I need to explain that I spent years on the sea in the Navy as a Navigator. On
Friday, two full days before the cruise, I knew we were going to be in trouble with this cruise. When,
however, you have thousands of dollars now invested you can't afford to not go ahead with your plans.

As it turns out, Hurricane Irene was one of the best forecast hurricanes relative to expected course
once it got above Florida. Well, I had plotted the ships' course on my chart, and the expected storms'
course, and I saw we were probably going to have a fun time.

After we boarded the ship in New York, and just prior to departure, we had the obligatory lifeboat drill,
after which the Captain came over the P.A. system announcing they expected smooth sailing in 3 to 6
foot seas! We then left the safe haven of the New York Harbor on our way to Bermuda.

By the time we got out to the Ambrose Light Ship, we were in seas well in excess of the 3 to 6 feet they
announced. I have been there before and I know.

Sunday night was rough, with the seas building and the Nordic Empress making her way to Bermuda.
Monday morning began what we refer to on our photo album as the "Cruise through Hell". The seas
continued to build, and the winds picked up significantly to a real gale then storm condition. The crew
was making preperations for the storm as the seas kept building. At several points the Captain came
over the P.A. system to advise people that the elevators were being shut down and that people should
just lay or sit wherever they were because they had to make course changes that would cause the
ship to roll even more than it had been.

Needless to say, the ENTIRE day Monday was spent being thrown around our cabin which was made
even worse due to the fact we were up on the 8th level and all the way forward! We were at times in 25
to 30 foot seas, and in winds of over 60 knots! I have great photos from our deck of the bow UNDER
water! At one time we were within 95 nautical miles of the center of Irene when she was a full category
2 hurricane after she came off Hatteras. For a time we were heading north or northwest to avoid
getting any closer.

We lost a full day at sea to Irene, so we did not get to Bermuda until Wednesday instead of Tuesday.
The Captain went straight to Hamilton bypassing Saint George all together because of the delay. We
of course had to leave beautiful Bermuda Friday afternoon (just ahead of Hurricane Jose!) so we did
not get to spend the time we wanted to there.

Now, I know Hurricanes are an act of God. But what I will never understand is why they left New York
Sunday night and put 1800 souls at risk. They could have announced a delay in the departure of a
day that would have resulted in the same schedule without exposing that many people to that kind of a
situation. A night of liberty in New York would have been preferable to the ride we took on Monday.

No compensation other than a 2 hour open bar on Tuesday was ever offered. In fact, they charged us
$165 for the medical care that my wife needed as a result of her being SO sick! I was told over 1600 of
the 1800 passengers were seasick! They must have made a fortune in the sick bay. Upon our return, I
wrote a letter to the President of the company who responded with a form letter probably written by
their public relations department that just dismissed the entire episode.

I will never cruise Royal Caribbean Lines again, and have urged all our friends and the travel agent we
used to consider their obvious money over safety policies.

Name: Gloria Prince
Email: gprince@email.com
Age: 43
Occupation: Accounts Payable
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: September 17, 2000
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 8513 Cat. K
FoodDiningRoom: 94
CruiseDirector: 89
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 94
CabinQuietness: 89
FoodMidnightBuffets: 92
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 89
LoungeService: 92
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 89
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 89
CruiseActivities: 82
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 92
EmbarkDisembark: 92
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 89
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Sep 2000
Time: 22:19:37
Remote Name: dialin-27-41.simcoe.primus.ca
Remote User:

Comments

September 17/00 - We booked our own air from Laguardia. Uneventful. Boarding the Nordic Empress was
very quick, the line moved fast. When we boarded I was pleasantly surprised of my surroundings. Given
the age of the ship I did not see any wear and tear. The ship has been done in pastels and the beige
tone carpets were not stained as one would expect. Although our room was small (the smallest yet of all 7
cruises), it was sufficient to our needs. Our cabin steward left much to be desired. I think he only changed
our towels and made our bed. After doubting that he vacuumed, we left a string on the floor - it remained
for 2 days before we picked it up. He never touched the vanity. The shampoo dispenser was never filled
(good thing we brought our own shampoo), the only time we got soap was when I removed a well used
bar from the shower and exchanged it with one from the sink. And of course - no towel animals!

Our
waiter, Edgar Guerriero, was fantastic. I have never met such a sincere, personable young man who
catered to your every whim without hesitation. AT the end of the cruise we received a hug from him! The
only negative I have regarding this cruise is that because of the sailing days to and from Bermuda I feel
that they should have some sort of activity, such as a evening party where everyone can participate
(perhaps a throw together party such as toga??)

Bermuda was small but beautiful. It is a place where you
go to relax and enjoy. If you are into power shopping this is not the place to go. I enjoyed that I could get
off the ship and not be annoyed by the locals wanting you to purchase their wares. Bermuda does not
rely on the tourist trade to survive. We got a 3 day bus pass so we were able to observe some of the
everyday life (such as the children riding home from school on the bus). We utilize the passes to the
fullest and was able to see quite a bit of scenery this way. The houses are so interesting to look at.
Pastels as well as bright colours topped off with their white roofs, we saw very few not kept in good repair.
In fact, when we win our millions we have ours all picked out! The beaches are beautiful and clean. I
forgot my water shoes but found that I didn't need them anyways. The sand was not hot on the feet
(actually quite cool) and there were no stones or weeds. Unless you are a golfer there really isn't much to
do once you have done the sightseeing such as the crystal caves - great, perfumery - okay, the dockyard
- okay. But it was perfect for us as we wanted to have a relaxed vacation. We would do this cruise again,
although I prefer the ships that are a bit bigger - but you can't have everything!

Name: diane ruhoy
Email: druhoy@ptd.net
Age: 52
Occupation: Consultant
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: 10/15/00
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 9040
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall:
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 70
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Oct 2000
Time: 12:17:18
Remote Name: 24.229.67.89
Remote User:

Comments

Overall: Excellent Based On: Previous (4/00 NCL Cruise)

Embarkation: Wonderful - Right to check-in desk. On board in ten minutes Room: Good. Rented a
suite knowing the small size of most rooms. Food: Great. As compared to our last cruise (NCL), which
was awful Waiter: Wonderful. Competent, Professional, even took us to meet his girlfried, who
managed the cigar lounge. Ass't Waiter: Wonderful. New to the job (3 weeks) Room Steward: Good,
but could not find him on two occasions Pursers Desk: Good. However, at the end of the cruise a
woman ahead of me was asking about a ring that she had lost on board. It had not been found. She
asked if there was a telephone number to call at headquarters in case it was found after the cruise.
She was told 'no, it will be given to charity'. The woman was incredulous -- a lost pair of socks,
perhaps, but a $2,000 ring. She was still waiting for a supervisor when I left. Excursions: Great.
However pricey. The Hawkins Island dinner/show was excellent and a recommendation to anyone.
General Seating Meals. Food: Great Service: Obvious the waiters/assitant waiters were not 'playing'
for the audience and their tips. Rushed, rude, most times not even a smile. Although, that's probably
the case on other cruise lines, as well. Shows: Excellent. Really enjosed the children's talent contest,
even though we had no kids on board. Casino: Okay. Little variety on slot machines. Only two 'game
makers'. No keno. Overall: Excellent. Would highly recommend and will definitely sail with them again.
Comment: Check to see what organized 'groups' will be on the cruise also. A large 'organized' group
of 600 were on board and it definitely changed the 'mood of the ship'

Name: Tom Dillon
Email: divetex@yahoo.com
Age: 58
Occupation: Courseware Designer
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: November 24, 2000
Itinerary: San Juan - St Thomas - St Maarten - San Juan
Cabin: 8142/F
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 99
CruiseStaff:
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 99
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess: 80
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 98
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Dec 2000
Time: 14:43:03
Remote Name: ws124-144.nest-sprint.globalknowledge.com
Remote User:

Comments

First, let me emphasize that the following comments are my opinions, and mine alone. My wife has been
on twelve cruises, six on Royal Caribbean. I have been on ten, four on Royal Caribbean. We have
sailed on two previous 3-day RCI cruises, one out of Miami on the Sovereign of the Seas and one out of
Seattle on the Vision of the Seas. We have also sailed an 11-day 'Circle the Caribbean' on the
Splendour of the Seas. In addition, my wife has sailed an 11-day Panama Canal cruise on the Legend of
the Seas and a 7-day eastern Caribbean itinerary on the Grandeur of the Seas. We have also sailed
twice on Princess (Sun and Sea) and four times on NCL (Dreamward, twice on the Norway, and once on
the Norwegian Sea). My opinions and comments are influenced by these previous cruises.

ENROUTE

We flew to San Juan on Thanksgiving Day, and our experience emphasizes the importance of flying in a
day early, if possible. We were supposed to depart DFW at 8:30 a.m, non-stop to San Juan. Due to
mechanical problems and delayed decision-making by American Airlines, we changed aircraft and did
not take off until 12:00 noon, only 30 minutes prior to our original ETA in San Juan. We had a good
flight, but did not land until 6:00 p.m. By the time we got to our hotel, it was almost 7:00 p.m. Since the
ship sails at 8:00 p.m, we were glad to have flown in a day early.

We stayed overnight at the Wyndham Old San Juan, which is almost across the street from the cruise
terminal. Unfortunately, since it was Thanksgiving, there was no other place to have dinner, and we
were forced to eat at the hotel. We spend way too much on a very mediocre meal. The hotel was OK,
but I think we’ll try El Convento next time. We like Old San Juan, but were not at all impressed by the
Wyndham. We got up on Friday morning and walked to El Moro. We just enjoyed Old San Juan until
time to check out of the hotel (noon).

BOARDING

Those RCI people in San Juan know how to run an embarkation! Although the brochure and hotel staffs
tell you that boarding is impossible prior to 2:00 p.m, RCI actually began general boarding at 11:30 a.m.
We went through the 5-minute process at 12:30, carrying all 3 pieces of luggage aboard ourselves. We
ate lunch in the Windjammer Café (food was mediocre at best) and were unpacked by 2:00. We had
decided to dine alone, if possible, so we spoke to the maitre d’ and changed to a table for two. FYI, the
maitre d’ had a table set up in the cruise terminal for this purpose, not onboard. We then went back to
San Juan for the afternoon, returning to the ship in time to change for dinner.

THE SHIP

I’m not going to say very much about the ship itself, for it has been described in other reviews. Suffice it
to say that for a 10-year-old ship, it is in very good shape. The carpeting has been replaced fairly
recently, and everything was clean and shiny. The atrium is the best I’ve ever seen: it climbs from Level
4 all the way to Deck 10, where it has a skylight. The tropical flower arrangements draping down the
atrium were absolutely gorgeous. Very nicely done.

OUR STATEROOM

As I mentioned on the board in a previous post, we were fortunate enough to be upgraded from our Cat
P Guarantee to a Cat F outside cabin on Deck 8, right below the balcony suites and right above the
lifeboats. It was a typical outside cabin with an L-shaped bed arrangement with two uppers. We had the
cabin steward rearrange the beds parallel to each other with a nightstand in between, which maximized
use of the space available. The room had only 6 small drawers, but more shelf space than we needed. It
also had three large closets and a safe. The bathroom was typical, but larger than some we’ve seen.

CABIN ATTENDANT

This was the real benefit of our upgrade. Our room steward had 15 years of experience, and was the
best we’ve ever encountered. We tipped him $10 up front, and asked him to bring us some wine glasses
and rearrange the beds. From that point on, we were treated like Royalty. That well-spent $10 resulted
in everything from body lotion in our room (only offered in suites now) to seven chocolate-dipped
strawberries and a fruit bowl placed in our room that evening. All normally-expected service was
performed superbly, and we got a lot of extra touches (like the strawberries) as well. He was a pro at
making little animals (elephant, anteater) out of towels, and creatively arranged night clothes into
anchors, etc. He was never in the way, but anticipated our every need and most 'wants.' Absolutely a
pro. He’s from the Dominican Republic, but calls Costa Rica home now. We tipped him at a rate of $5.00
per day per person, in addition to the up-front $$$, and he earned every dime of it.

DINING ROOM STAFF

Our assigned waiter (Nitin, from India) and assistant waiter (Melvin, from the Philippines) were both
superb. They worked together as a team, and their service was all anyone could expect. The head
waiter came around once to introduce himself, and then again on the final night, to collect his tip
envelope. He stood at our table for about 5 minutes, making small talk, while he reached into his inside
jacket pocket and pulled out tip envelopes so I could see them. I ignored that and simply answered when
spoken to. He had done nothing for us, and I was not about to tip him. He finally got the idea and left to
bug other passengers in his assigned area. We did tip the waiter and assistant very well for their
service.

On the Splendour of the Seas in Dec 98, we met a young wine steward named Derek Bishop, from
South Africa. He was extremely good, and we were both surprised and delighted to see him appear as
our assigned sommelier on this cruise. He is now the Head Wine Steward on the Nordic Empress, and is
even better than he was two years ago. Outstanding service in that area, too, and certainly earned the
tip we gave him.

BAR AND DECK STAFFS

We did not encounter one bad bartender of deck staff person on the ship. A highlight was Presley, the
bartender in the Viking Crown Lounge. Hailing from Mo’ Bay, he mixes a mean Piña Colada. Nice young
man, too. The deck staff was always available if we wanted them, but we never felt pressured into
buying a drink….except on the first day, when the sail-away drinks were everywhere: lots of waiters
pushing them, but a simple 'No' was all it took. No problems there. As an aside here, the photographers
were never 'in your face,' either.

ENTERTAINMENT

With an almost 100% Puerto Rican clientele, all of the entertainment was Hispanic: salsa music, etc. We
didn’t attend any organized entertainment on the ship, but didn’t miss it, either. It was rather interesting
to hear a belly flop contest being narrated in Spanish.

THE FOOD

We felt that the dining room food was very good, but not outstanding. The food’s presentation WAS
outstanding, and it tasted very good, but we felt the variety was lacking. Desserts were very good,
except for the Crème Brule, which was just fair. In the Windjammer Café, the quality and taste of the
food was disappointing to us. We only used room service for coffee, which was excellent.

INTERNET CAFÉ

RCI obviously intends to make this a part of all their ships, for they even took away part of the casino to
make room for it. They have quite a few good PCs, fast connections, and one printer. Cost is 50¢ per
minute. We used it three times, and had no problem. In fact, we had a coupon book from Lori that gave
us 15 minutes free. Thanks, Lori!

ASHORE

On St. Thomas, we took a roller coaster taxi ride (a pickup truck with two bench seats) to Red Hook. He
got up to 80 mph and scared us silly. The carbon monoxide was pretty bad, too. From there, we took the
$3.00 ferry to Cruz Bay, St. John, where we got a cab to Cinnamon Bay, where we spent the morning.
We then went back to Cruz Bay, where we ate lunch at Mongoose Junction and shopped. We then took
the ferry and taxi (a van, this time) back to Havensite, where we bought some liquor and perfume.

At St. Maarten, we spent the morning on Front Street in Philipsburg, making our usual stops at the
Guavaberry Shop and Last Mango in Paradise. We went back to the ship for lunch and spent the
afternoon topside by the pool.

DISEMBARKATION

This went as smoothly as embarkation did. Passengers are allowed to leave the ship according to their
outbound flight numbers. We were not due to fly out until 2:40 p.m, and we were still off the ship by 9:00
a.m. Well done, RCI!

GENERAL COMMENTS:

We found out very quickly that on 3-day cruises out of San Juan, the 'passenger mix' is at least 95%
Puerto Rican. This is OK with us, but after three days, we did begin to get a little tired of hearing
Spanish spoken virtually all the time.

RCI is trying to minimize smoking on the Nordic Empress, and requests that smoking be limited to
designated locations. Unfortunately, there were many passengers who disregarded the request and
insisted on smoking anywhere they wanted to. Having smoked for 31 years before quitting, I understand
the smokers’ desire to smoke…..but I do feel that many of the smokers on our cruise were extremely
rude and inconsiderate.

At St. Maarten, we tendered ashore, even though the new pier is finished. The terminal building hasn’t
been completed, and tendering will continue until it is finished. At any rate, the way we had to wait for a
tender was ridiculous, in my opinion. There was no order at all, and we were packed into a mass of hot,
sweaty humanity until 'the lid was taken off the funnel,' at which time we were all 'poured' downstairs and
onto the tender. I think I’d rather put up with 'tender tickets' like Princess uses, and I don't like that
method, either.

We walked to the Crown and Anchor Lounge with our luggage, which we left there (and in a free locker)
while we shopped a little more in Old San Juan. The attendant got us a cab to the airport, too. If you’ve
never used that facility while on an RCI or Celebrity cruise, you’ve missed out on a wonderful, quiet, cool
place to relax in San Juan. They also have a bar, sandwich café and library, and it’s free.

We did buy too much to pack and carry home, so we bought a wheeled RCI expandable bag in the gift
shop. Into that, we packed all of our dirty clothes and some shoes. We locked it and put an extra
luggage tag and strap around it. We checked it and another carry-on, and it all arrived back home with
no problem. It was an easy way to get more stuff home than we left with!

Overall, we had a wonderful time, and were sad to see the short cruise come to an end. Would we
repeat it? Absolutely, YES! We’d do a few things differently, but we’d certainly do it again!

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