rccl-nordicarchived1

Name: Don Carpenter
Email: jo@netrax.net
Age: 23
Occupation:
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: 11/18/96
Itinerary: 4 Day Bahamas
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 87
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 89
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 89
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 88
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 96
CasinoStaff: 92
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 75
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 82
CruiseActivities: 88
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 87
DiscoNightclubs: 88
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 87
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 87
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Dec 1996
Time: 14:51:47
Remote Name: 205.231.165.16
Remote User:

Comments

The service was excellent, and the ship in great condition. The dining room service was especially great.

Stay on the ship in Freeport, it really is nothing to see. Nassau is a little better, but the private island is excellent. Great overall cruise value.

Name: Laura Gotsch
Email: gotsch@slic.com
Age: 43
Occupation: School psychologist
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: 2/14/97
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 Feb 1997
Time: 20:38:09
Remote Name: 206.150.81.53
Remote User:

Comments

My companion and I sailed on the Nordic Empress during Valentine's Day weekend and the ship was fully occupied in spite of the American Airlines pilot-threatened strike. The ship was delayed in leaving port (San Juan) and we didn't leave until 1:30AM (scheduled departure was 8:00PM), which cut into our sailing time, given the 3-night only duration of the trip. Both embarkation and debarkation went easily and quickly, which is always the best way to begin and end a cruise.

The Nordic Empress is an impressive-looking, well-maintained ship and we liked all the glass windows in the eating and lounge areas. Despite its smaller size and it being fully booked, the ship never seemed crowded or cramped. Our outside standard cabin was very small but having a large window made the limited space more tolerable. The cabin had enough room/storage for our 3 night's worth of belongings. The bathroom was tiny, and the shower was cramped but had lots of hot water and great water pressure. These may be small details but we appreciated them. Our cabin steward did a great job and took good care of us.

The dining room staff (waiter & asst. waiter) was cordial and provided excellent service and this helped make up for food quality that was generally average. This is not to say we didn't have any good meals because we did have a few, but overall I'd describe the dining room food as middle-of-the-road. The casual dining area (Windjammer Cafe) provided buffet-style breakfasts and lunches and we found the food there to be mediocre and somewhat limited in selection. We ate there a two times due to shore excursion schedules but we were not at all impressed by anything we ate there. My companion and I are avid coffee drinkers by the way, and we discovered that Royal Caribbean ship coffee is much in need of improvement. Coffee drinkers be warned!

We did two shore excursions on our 2 days in port and really enjoyed both of them, in spite of some less-than-cooperative sea conditions. In St. Thomas we did the 'St.John Sail & Snorkel' ($36pp), and our only complaint would be that we would have liked more time on St. John to beachcomb and snorkel. A recommended excursion otherwise. In St. Maarten, we did the 'Golden Eagle Catamaran Sail' ($53pp) and because of rough seas we were detoured from our island landing and rerouted to a crowded beach where the waves were very rough. The best part of that excursion was the 3 hours sailing time, the very friendly & accommodating crew, and the open bar. We had great weather both days in port and were glad to spend our time outside near the sea.

Overall, we enjoyed our cruise aboard the Nordic Empress, enough so that we were sorry to have it end so soon. If all's you have time for is a long-weekend kind of cruise, we would recommend this ship and its itinerary.

Name: Doug Boheman
Email: asbackley@cnsinternet.com
Age: 33
Occupation: Banker
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: February 24, 1996
Itinerary: 4 day caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 93
CruiseDirector: 97
CabinComfort: 97
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 86
DiningRoomService: 97
CabinQuietness: 97
FoodMidnightBuffets: 86
CabinSteward: 93
ShoreExcVariety: 99
FoodVariety: 94
DeckService: 96
ShoreExcValue: 98
GoodForHoneymoon: 99
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 94
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 98
GoodForSeniors: 91
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 93
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 96
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 99
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 98
CruiseActivities: 96
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram: 97
MedicalFacilities: 99
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs: 96
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 78
ShopsOnBoard: 88
SpaceRatio: 93
OverallCruiseValue: 96
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 07 Mar 1997
Time: 20:24:59
Remote Name: 206.162.92.23
Remote User:

Comments

This was our first cruise, so my ratings are probably not very accurate, since I have nothing to compare it to. I wasn't particularly excited about it either. But after going, I would say that it was a wonderful experience.

We went down a day early, which I highly recommend. This allowed us to be one of the first on the boat and gave us what seemed like a full day. Others did not board until later in the day. Overall, my first impression of the ship was good. It was in excellent condition, very clean and modern. We saw about 6 other ships on our cruise and none of them compared to ours, at least from a distance.

Leaving port the first night, I was shocked by the amount of movement. I was told that I would not be able to tell we were even on a boat, but I found that to be not true. In fact, I was concerned that I may have to deal with sea-sickness. I never did get sea-sick and the boat was more stable on the following nights. But I would never believe anyone who says you can't even feel it, because I definitely did. Maybe it is just this ship, or possibly the waters we traveled in.

The excursions were wonderful. The first day was spent snorkeling on the Buck Island snorkeling excursion. This is definitely not for beginners. I would recommend one of the other snorkeling excursions if you are just learning. This one is more for the intermediate to advanced snorkeler.

The next day, we went to the Beach Rendevous on St. Marten. It was a wonderfully relaxing time. Good view, good tour guides, good hosts, etc. I recommend this excursion.

We went on the shopping excursion in St. Thomas. Lots of jewelery shops with very attractive prices. Hard to get over the feeling of not being "took", but the ship guarantee's some of the shops. Lots of shopping opportunity in St. Thomas. Save your shopping for this port. Also, don't miss Paradise Point. An absolutely spectacular view you won't soon forget.

Overall, the days spent on the boat were very good. Poolside entertainment was better that good. Dining room food was better than good, but short of excellent. However, our waiters were outstanding.

The Windjammer cafe was nothing great, but sufficed for hasty meals before or after excursions.

The cruise director was wonderful as was all the staff. I was expecting to be pampered just a little more, but I still was very impressed with the service. Very nice staff.

I would highly recommend this ship to anyone interested in taking a cruise. I thought that it was a somewhat rocky ride, but I got used to it.

Name: Paul Fechhelm
Email: plf@worldnet.att.net
Age: 38
Occupation: attorney
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: February 14, 1997
Itinerary: San Juan-St.Thomas-St.Marteen-San Juan
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Mar 1997
Time: 15:08:16
Remote Name: 192.128.52.106
Remote User:

Comments

While this was my first, but certainly not the last, cruise I've ever taken, I can categorically say that it was a fantastic vacation (only next time I'll spend an entire week.) The Nordic Empress is a beautiful ship and spotlessly maintained with a full spectrum of facilites on par with most 4 (out of five) star hotels. The cabins are not spacious, but certainly not cramped and given the large portal and the reality that we spent very little time in our cabin, it seemed more than sufficient. I would suggest trying to get a cabin in the midsection of the ship, since even with heavy swells (8ft), the motion was quite soothing.

The cruise staff was always helpful and considerate, even when they obviously had a dozen things to do. [With a three day cruise, the embarking and disembarking of all the passengers is time consuming.] And, the dining room is quick, attentive. The food in the main dining room is every good and the wines were reasonably priced, although the lunch and breakfast buffets in the Windjammer was mediocre.

The excursions on the St. Thomas and St. Maarten were wonderful, particularly St. Thomas, since both islands are so beatiful. (Suggestion: shop in St. Thomas - the selection is better and the prices are comparable.)

The only negative point was the ship didn't sail until 1:30, but that was because of the threatened American Airlines strike and the delay in a backup flight getting into San Juan.

SUGGESTION: if you can, fly down the day before and if you can afford it stay at the El San Juan Hotel. A grand old hotel, the way they were before the chains took over, with spectacular public areas -- in particular the separate wine and cigar bars. Great beach and pool too!

Name: Jason G. Cooper
Email: jcooper@csee.wvu.edu
Age: 26
Occupation: Systems Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: 5/10/93
Itinerary: 4-Night Bahamas
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 82
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 92
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 88
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 98
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 92
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 92
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 88
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 92
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Feb 1998
Time: 10:22:06
Remote Name: 129.164.50.131
Remote User:

Comments

The Nordic Empress is a beautiful ship with an excellent crew. She was receiving a minor carpet upgrade when we embarked which filled my mind
with doubts (like, is the ship going to be in constant repair during this cruise?) Once again, RCCL came through by dashing those thoughts to the
wind. I had a wonderful cruise.

The food and dining room service were excellent - our waiter and busboy had excellent personalities and kept us entertained and well-fed. My
motto: always reward excellent service with extra when it comes time for tipping. The nightclubs and casino were also nice. We spent our days in the
ports of call and our evenings having a blast on the ship.

Miami, FL - was our port of embarkation. The crew was helpful in getting us onboard. Only negative here was the minor refurbishing going on.
Freeport, Bahamas - this port was ok, but not really much to do and the locals seemed quite pushy. I'd limit my time here to a shore excursion.
Nassau, Bahamas - much nicer island with nicer people. Take a sailing excursion or explore on of the aquatic museums. Also, it doesn't hurt to shop
a little here. Some nice things for your friends back home (at very reasonable prices). CocoCay - A very beautiful, very private island. I recommend
taking in some incredible underwater sites by going snorkeling on this island. Afterwards, take in some rays and enjoy a Pina Colada on the beach.
As the beach staff say, it's "Island Special Time."

General Information:

Learn as much as possible about your ports of call beforehand. If planning a shore excursion, be sure to attend the port-of-call briefing or visit the
excursion desk. Be sure to know when the Purser is open for business, not all local shops take traveler's cheques.

Name: Phil Horton
Email: Literarynews@webTv.net
Age: 48
Occupation: Invesment Banker
NumberOfCruises: 128
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: 8.28.97
Itinerary: Bahamas
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 60
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 96
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 905
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Sep 1997
Time: 12:39:08
Remote Name: 207.79.35.30
Remote User:

Comments

The Norwegian Empress has no major deficiencies nor any major assets to set it apart from other fairly new ships. RCCL has minium and
maxium standards for each and every operation on board. I rather prefer miniums but no maxium effort limitation !

Cabins are attractive but RCCL sized, so I would not reccomend and couple booking a cabin with upper births if they are going to sleep
together as they will bump heahs on the upper births, even though they are folded up, as they project about 20" from the wall.

Cabin ammenities that could be added are: Hair Dryers, Safes, and Small refrigerators.

Activities are good, but the daily quiz had not participation due to no competition and NO PRIZES! There was no Crown & Anchor reception
for repeaters and no special recognition either, The check-in staff who work for a local company did not know what the Crown & Anchor
club was, no special check=in desk, but the embarcation and disembarcation was excellent in this beautiful new terminal.

Food was good and varied except for the ice cream-only vanella and chocolate. The cruise was marred by lould drunk teenages in the
dining room who had to make themselves noticed.

As usual the private island was a big hit and nassau paled by comparison.

The staff's remindinders to give them excellent ratings on the comment forms and constantly asking whether "everything is o.k. is annoying
but typical RCCL.

Passengers were mainly Americans from the southeast of christian background, followed by large groups of African Americans, and Asian
American Families. The ship did have pax from the middle east, latin america and Europe who had done the Disney world thing,

The captain was greek as this is a Liberian registered ship, and anything goes with nationalities or crew or officers on flag of convenience
ships.

Overall, I would always sail with RCCL when I don't want suprises both good or bad!

Name: Liebe Gregory
Email: liebe.gregory@skycell.com
Age: 44
Occupation: Exec. Asst.
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: 5/2/97
Itinerary: San Juan/St. Thomas/St. Maarten
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 97
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 97
TenderService: 98
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 97
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities:
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 93
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Sep 1997
Time: 15:26:10
Remote Name: 204.242.120.3
Remote User:

Comments

I had a wonderful cruise. This is my second time on the Nordic Empress and I really enjoyed it both times. This trip was with 5 of my childhood
girlfriends and another group of 22 women. There was a nice mix of ages and couples and singles on the ship. The service was excellent and
the staff was very friendly.

Went shopping in St. Thomas (a waste of a good day). Did a beach excursion in St. Maarten to Orient Beach, the water was beautiful. The only
negative I have is we had a late flight leaving San Juan after the cruise so we decided to do RCCL's San Juan City Tour. Don't waste your
money. The bus only stopped twice 1st at San Cristobal (which is wonderful, but we had gone there on our own on Friday before we sailed)
and 2nd to let people walk around and shop. We passed El Morro and a beautiful church, but the bus didn't stop there. So save your money
and take the local transportation to El Morro and San Cristobal.

Name: Maury & Theresa Gruben
Email: MTGruben23@AOL.com
Age: 31,30
Occupation: Financial Analyst/Hairstylist
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: 08/04/96
Itinerary: Bahamas
FoodDiningRoom: 92
CruiseDirector: 82
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 92
DiningRoomService: 92
CabinQuietness: 92
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 89
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 92
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 92
GoodForSeniors: 75
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 92
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 92
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Sep 1997
Time: 00:39:30
Remote Name: 152.163.194.157
Remote User:

Comments

We highly enjoyed our experience on the Nordic. On this cruise my brother traveled with us as a 3rd person. He was comfortable on his pullout
bunk(6'2 and barely hanging off). The private island Coco Cay was wonderful and the snorkeling was alot of fun. In Nassau, be sure to go to
Paradise Island and visit The Atlantis Hotel. This was the most incredible resort hotel we've ever seen. The water was so crystal blue. Also, visit
Coral Island. It was the best aquarium we've seen. Our visit on Freeport was not good. We took a city tour that was very boring.

The food was wonderful and the diningroom was beautiful as was the entire ship. Entertainment was fantastic. The gala midnight buffet was the
most gorgeous we've seen out of our 3 cruise experiences. It was such a sight that we dragged my brother out of the casino just to take a
glimpse. The push for their drink specials when outside got a little annoying. We would definately cruise on the Nordic as well as RCCL.

Name: R. Mathews
Email: randsinva@juno.com
Age: 43
Occupation: government employee
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: Aug 24 97
Itinerary: bahamas 4-nite
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 99
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 99
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 99
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 99
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService:
TenderService: 99
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 99
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 99
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 99
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Sep 1997
Time: 12:34:26
Remote Name: 204.149.70.137
Remote User:

Comments

Our second cruise with RCCL, and first without the kids! Even tho' they weren't with us, we checked out the kids' activities and so on for future
reference. The ship was very classy, well maintained,and the service--an RCCL hallmark-- excellent. We got one of the last sailings out of Port
Canaveral, and it worked out well with the air/sea connection thru Orlando. We had a small, but tastefully appointed cabin on the bridge deck
(category F). Next time we want a balcony! Cabin service and cleanliness was first class, never saw the steward, but never wanted for
anything, either. Liked it that way. The dining room staff, from the headwater to the busboy were all great, good personalities, and the food
was uniformly great--except for the Windjammer breakfasts. If you have th option of using the dining room for breakfast, take it! The
windjammer served up the typical steam table breadfast buffet items, which were ok, but not nearly the quality nor variety of the main dining
room. The stop at Coco Cay made the entire cruise! Take the snorkling, and see amazing sights in just 20' of water. I come from a coastal
environment, and couldn't believe all there was to see at CocoCay. Nassau was okay, but when you've seen one third-world industrial district,
you've seen them all. How many t-shirts for $10 here? Do you really need a Hard Rock Cafe Nassau t-shirt? The at-sea day was relaxing and
fun at the same time. The ship was full to capacity, but never crowded. I highly recommend this cruise, ship, and line to anyone of any age. I
would do it again in a minute. RCCL will definitely get our next cruise business as well!

Name: Sue Decker
Email: SueD@fl.realtorusa.com
Age: 58
Occupation: Admin. Asst.
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: 8/21/97
Itinerary: 3/4 Nassau/Cococay
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 89
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 97
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 69
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Sep 1997
Time: 20:36:59
Remote Name: 12.70.1.231
Remote User:

Comments

This being our first cruise, we don't really have anything to compare it to, but we are definitely 'hooked'! We sailed out of Port Canaveral which
was very convenient to our home. We were absolutely dumb founded as we didn't experience any sensation of movement AT ALL, but seas
were only 2-4 ft., so that may have been a contributing factor! It was awesome! The dining room food was good, the selection adequate and
the service excellent. We took the Tour of Nassau shore excursion and had a bad experience...hot van, rude driver with an attitude, thought
we'd been deserted when out at one point, the driver had a confrontation with another driver in downtown Nassau and all in van urged her to
'give in'. But RCCL refunded 1/2 of tour cost which we considered to be fair. The private island was pure heaven from the color and
temperature of the water and the beach barbeque, to the smooth docking on the tender. I never as much as felt a bump throughout the whole
cruise. We did have a fun night aboard ship during the Scavenger Hunt. You would have thought the prize was $10,000 instead of a RCCL
T-shirt and/or beach bag! The only really negative experience that happended, at the worse possible time, was the debarkation. We arrived in
port at 8:30 a.m. and didn't set foot on land until 12:00 NOON! What a way to end a lovely time.

Name: Tom Kanitra
Email: TKANITRA@worldnet.att.net
Age: 46
Occupation: Assoc. Director, Engineering
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: December 6, 1996
Itinerary: 3 Night Bahamas: Nassau, CocoCay
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 70
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 70
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService:
TenderService: 50
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 75
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Nov 1997
Time: 23:44:25
Remote Name: 12.68.36.38
Remote User:

Comments

Our cruise on the Nordic Empress was our first cruise of the three we have taken to date. We have since
cruised on the Royal Majesty and the Celebrity Century. The ratings I am giving the Nordic Empress are not
necessarily those which one might expect to see on a first cruise, since I now have the experience of three
cruises. Had I not been on the Celebrity Century, I likely would have given the Nordic Empress higher scores.
However, our experience on the Nordic Empress did forever hook us on cruising. Perhaps that is the ultimate
testimonial to a cruise ship.

Our Nordic Empress cruise was their 3-night itinerary from Miami to Nassau and CocoCay. Since our cruise,
the point of departure for this itinerary has changed to Port Canaveral.

The Nordic Empress is a beautiful vessel. It can probably be considered a mid-size ship, not nearly as large
as the new mega ships. It is contemporary in design, with an emphasis on chrome, glass and mirrors. It holds
approximately 1600 passengers. A major fault of the Nordic Empress, at least in my opinion, is the very small
size of the cabins, typical of many Royal Caribbean ships. (Prior to our cruise we even marked off the
anticipated 117 sq. ft. in our kitchen to get an idea of the size of the cabin, knowing that it would be quite
small.)

Embarkation went very smoothly, by far the best of the three cruises we have taken. The lines were very
short, and moved very quickly. We had almost no wait before boarding the ship. In no time we were aboard.
The entrance area of the ship is quite impressive, particularly for first time cruisers. We were immediately
welcomed aboard and taken to our cabin by an attendant.

Upon entering our cabin and seeing the small size of it, our 10-year-old son burst into tears, threw himself
on one of the two beds and sobbed, ‘Can't Royal Caribbean do any better than this?' I then commented, ‘I
didn't know the 117 sq. ft. included the bathroom.' My wife said, ‘The ship feels like it's rocking,' to which our
7-year-old daughter replied, ‘If it feels like it's rocking now, wait till we start moving.' We've retold these
quotes quite a few times since then.

After calming our son down, we went up to the pool deck for the lunch buffet. Seeing everyone up there, with
the band playing, the two pools, the hot tubs, the lunch buffet, amid all the excitement, our spirits picked right
up and we've never looked back. From that moment, we were hooked.

The food on the ship was quite good and the quantity of food was unlimited. Having since sailed on Celebrity,
the quality of the food was not up to Celebrity standards, but for first time cruisers, we were very happy with
it. The variety was excellent. Our 10-year-old, who is a very picky eater, was able to come away with a full tray
of food from the buffets. And dinner menus in the main dining room had excellent variety. In addition, there
was a children's menu with burgers, pizza, macaroni & cheese, etc. This was heaven for him.

A major complaint I had at the time was that smoking was permitted in the main dining room. It seemed that
the table next to us always finished eating before we did and immediately lit up cigarettes. Knowing what I do
now, I would have asked to be moved, but we were novices back then. I understand Royal Caribbean has since
banned smoking in dining rooms. Excellent!

Sleeping arrangements were a bit unique. The four of us were in a normal quad cabin. It was a category G on
the Mariner Deck, with a partially obstructed view. Since our children were ages 10 and 7, we were a bit
uncomfortable having them in upper berths. So we had our cabin steward put the two upper berth mattresses
on the floor for our children. With the mattresses down I think we used up almost every available square inch
within the cabin. But it worked out well.

Our cabin steward was excellent. He was always around, eagerly helpful, and kept the cabin in perfect
condition. He was particularly friendly with our children. Our waiter and bus boy were also quite good. Our
only complaint with the staff, and we were not aware of it as an issue at the time, was their requests for
perfect scores on the cruise survey. That seems inappropriate to us now that we've been on other ships.

Service in the buffet restaurant, the ‘Windjammer Cafe', left something to be desired. After filling their trays,
our children had to carry their trays to an available table. There was no one from the crew who even offered
to help them. This wasn't the case on the Celebrity Century, where there was a crew member there to help
them every time! Royal Caribbean needs to improve this aspect of their service.

Our ports of call for the two full days of our cruise were Nassau and CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private
island. On our first full day we went off on our own in Nassau. We took a small boat to an aquarium which
included a walkway and stairway down to an underwater observatory. We also shopped for T-shirts in Nassau.

Our next day at CocoCay was a bit more eventful. It was windy, but the ship's Captain said that we'll just make
the best of it. He let us go ashore in the island's tenders. We had gotten in the water to go snorkeling for
about one minute when it started to rain. It was just one of those single clouds in a sunny sky and it stopped
raining in about two minutes. But everything got wet. We weren't in the water another two minutes when the
Captain announced that he wanted all of us to come back to the ship immediately. He said the wind was
making it too rough for the tenders. That is when it became interesting. We were the third tender to leave the
island. The first made it to the ship. The second turned around and came back to the island even before we
left, while the ship moved out further from the island. Coming back to the island, the second tender got
tossed around in the waves. Shortly, both tenders, the second plus ours, left to go out to the ship. The waves,
with estimated swells of 8-10 feet, tossed us around pretty good. We were on the top deck of the tender and
the waves reached us up there. Some passengers were seasick. We even put our snorkeling life vests on for
safety. The second tender made it to the ship. But when our turn came, the ship again moved away from the
island, with us following in its wake. Fifty five minutes after leaving the island we were able to board the ship
amid cheers from the onlookers up on the pool deck. So much for our day at CocoCay. But we did have some
great stories to tell over dinner that evening.

Upon our return to Miami, disembarkation went just as smoothly as embarkation. We were very sad leaving
the ship. Even with the few calamities at CocoCay we had just loved our cruise. As soon as we got home, we
started going through all our brochures again, ready to plan our next. We would heartily recommend the
Nordic Empress for a short three or four-day vacation at sea.

Name: John C. Rasp
Email: ras26496@dialup.websteruniv.edu
Age: 55
Occupation: Attorney
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: October 31, 1997
Itinerary: San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Martin
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities:
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 97
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 50
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 87
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Nov 1997
Time: 07:22:10
Remote Name: 205.242.191.45
Remote User:

Comments

We arrived at the pier at 5 p.m. after a long day of traveling. We then had to stand in line for 1 1/2 hour to
check in. Then we had to go to another line to set up our ship charge account. Then we had to go to another
line to get the key to our room. It was awful and poorly handled by the cruise line. You can board the ship
beginning at 11:30 a.m. I would recommend flying down the night before and boarding close to noon. It will
give you more time to explore the ship and enjoy Friday. We were too tired after the traveling and line wait to
enjoy much on Friday. The alternative would be to time your flight to arrive at the pier before 4 p.m.

We had a cabin on C deck near the elevators. The cabin had a balcony and was very nice. We really enjoyed
the balcony. If possible, before you select your room when you book your cruise, check to see from which side
of the ship you will see the island as you enter the port. We had the best side and could watch the island as
we entered the ports. When we went out to explore the ship, the cabin steward made up the two twin beds
into a large queen size bed while we were out. In the early morning (6:30 a.m.) we usually called room
service for a pot of coffee. We received it promply. The room service food is part of your cruise and there is
no additional cost except for a tip.

The Nordic Empress is a beautiful ship. It was very clean with lots of brass and chrome. The outside was
sparkling white and well maintained with white paint. The windows could have used some cleaning on the
outside. They are sprayed regularly but this tends to leave water spots. There seemed to be enough
elevators and we did not have to wait long to take an elevator to another level.

The sea was relatively calm and we did not have any problems with seasickness. The ship is stabilized and,
although you could feel a gentle swaying, it was barely noticeable.

Our first port of call was St. Thomas. We selected the Buck Island Snorkeling tour. We had 8 people from the
boat on the excursion. The sailing catamaran was boarded at the end of the pier where the ship was docked.
The excursion crew of two were quite friendly and helpful. They provided a cooler with water, beer and sodas
all during the cruise. The sail out to and back from Buck Island was delightful. The crew provided whatever
assistance we needed for the snorkeling. The snorkeling was good with a reasonable variety of fish. The crew
gave proper warnings. I saw a jelly fish but only one and knew enough not to touch it. The sail back was fun.
This was a good tour and was delightful.

After our Buck Island excursion, we went back to the ship for lunch. Lunch was always very good on the ship
with good food and good variety. After our morning tour we went back to shower (to get rid of the salt water)
and have lunch. Then we stepped off the ship where lines of taxis were waiting. On St. Thomas, all the taxi
fares are regulated so that some driver won't take advantage of you. We took a taxi ($16) to Magens Bay and
beach. This gave us an opportunity to see some of the island during the drive and some of the magnificent
views of Charlotte Amalie and the bay. We walked Magens Bay beach, a sugar sand beach. There was a flock
of pelicans right by the water's edge and we watched them feeding. Out in the bay you could see pelicans
diving for fish and splashing into the water. After our stroll along the beach, we took a taxi (another $16) to
downtown Charlotte Amalie.

Charlotte Amalie is a tourist town with many shops selling jewelry, liquor, and tourist junk. We shopped in a
linens shop but didn't find anything we really wanted. We weren't interested in shopping very much. The
architecture of the town was interesting, sort of a Caribbean colonial style with pastel painted buildings. Some
of the streets were narrow and fun to walk through. It was worth walking around to see the town. We returned
to the ship by taxi ($2.50) at 4 p.m. We needed to be on board by 6 p.m. We enjoyed a nap and it gave us
renewed energy for the evenings activities.

Our dining room waiter was very attentive during the entire cruise. The food was good and is what you would
expect at a three-star restaurant. It usually had 5 or 6 courses with several choices.

On Saturday and Sunday evening we went to the shows. They lasted about 1 hour and were quite entertaining
with lots of music, good costumes and vigorous dancing.

On Sunday morning we sailed into St. Marteen/St. Martin on the Dutch side of the Island. The ship anchored in
the harbor and we were shuttled into the island by small tenders. We selected the Pinel Island Snorkeling
excursion and it was a great disappointment. We were taken by bus to French cul de sac and taken by a
small motor boat to Pinel Island (about a 2 minute ride to Pinel Island) from the French side of the Island. No
drinks were provided on this excursion. You had to buy drinks if you wanted them. There were lockers for
safekeeping at Pinel Island but you had to pay $2 for a locker. You had to sign releases for the local
excursion company which released them from any liability including their own negligence and gross
negligence. Ridiculous. The snorkeling was awful. You had to wear vests, the snorkeling equipment was only
fair (my mask hurt my forehead). The water was cloudy and you couldn't see very far. The fish were few and
limited. We gave up snorkeling early and decided to lay on the beach. Deck chairs on the beach also cost $2
each. This was an awful excursion and clearly not worth the money.

We spent a little time in St. Philipsburg on the Dutch side of the Island. The architecture of the small town was
interesting, again with narrow steets and Caribbean colonial architecture but with a slight dutch feel. St.
Marteen/St. Martin is an island with a lot of poverty. Tourism is its only industry. In town, you were constantly
hustled with someone wanted to sell you something or to take you somewhere. There was the usual selection
of shops for jewelry, liquor and tourist goods. We walked around but did not find anything to interest us and
went back to the ship early. St. Marteen/St. Martin was a disappointment. The ship left port at 5 p.m. and we
were back in San Juan by 6 a.m. on Monday.

Breakfasts in the dining room were very good. I had eggs benedict evey morning and the eggs were always
poached just right.

We had a late afternoon flight out of San Juan. Some friends were staying over an extra day and we checked
our baggage at their hotel and walked around the old section of San Juan. It was delightful. Although the
temperature was 90 degrees F. we walked all over old San Juan. We saw the San Cristobel fort, Christofo
Colon plaza, some shops, the San Juan Cathedral, the old San Juan gate, the governor's palace and many
other sites. The old section has narrow streets and a wonderful European look with a Caribbean touch. The
streets are paved with a brick that has a blue-fired glaze. We had a nice lunch and left for the airport by 2
p.m. and caught a 3:15 p.m. flight home. I would recommend heading for the airport no later than 3 p.m.
When we came in on Friday evening, the road going out to the airport was jammed with rush hour traffic and
it looked like it would take more than an hour to get to the airport.

Overall we had an interesting and enjoyable time. Save an extra day when you get back home to rest up.

Name: Jolene Doepke
Email: jdoepke@digitalexp.com
Age: 39
Occupation: Supervisor, Credit Union
NumberOfCruises: 0
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: November 3, 1997
Itinerary: St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Croix
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety:
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService:
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Nov 1997
Time: 08:08:50
Remote Name: 204.49.43.33
Remote User:

Comments

My husband and I arrived in San Juan 2 days prior to the start of our cruise. We met my whole family from all over the
U.S. and England (total of 12 people) and stayed at the Radisson Ambassador and Casino. We had entertainment
cards that allowed us to get our rooms/suites for 50% off. Still $125 per night at 50% off. My parents were celebrating
their 40th wedding anniversary and this was the reason for the get together and the cruise.

While in San Juan, we visited El Yunque Rain Forest (highly recommend). We had 2 free car rentals and drove to the
rain forest. That night we drove into Old San Juan (do not recommend driving) it's a zoo, especially on a Sunday night.
Lots of traffic and no place to park.

Monday after at 2:00 we boarded the Nordic Empress. After receiving our cruise card that you have to establish before
boarding the ship, we proceeded to Duty Free shopping. We discovered that we could bring liquor aboard the ship and
drink the liquor while we were aboard. So we stocked up and went onto the ship.

The rooms are small, we were on the Mariner Deck with an outside cabin, obstructed view, the lifeboats were in our
way. We realized that if you unpacked everything from your suitcase and put your clothes into the drawers and closet
provided, then you have adequate room. We let our cabin steward off easily, we told him that he didn't have to break
down our bed every night, and to just leave it as a bed. (Probably a mistake, since we didn't have anyplace to sit in
the room during the daytime, because the bed was made up). My sister travelled with her 2 young children 5 & 7; the
kids slept in the overhead beds that were pulled out every night by the cabin steward. The kids enjoyed it because it
was bunk beds.

Our first port of call was St. Thomas. We had a friend that owns a 52 foot sailboat. He took us snorkeling to St. John's
Island and it was beautiful. Highly recommend going to St. John's. We didn't get to shop in St. Thomas though, but it
was worth going to St. John's!!

Our next stop was St. Maarten, we decided to buy the shore excursion to Orient Beach. It was $39 per person. For this
you got a beach trip to orient beach on a bus and lunch and a drink was provided. Oh, also beach chairs were
provided, but you had to pay $3 if you wanted an umbrella. This was a clothes option beach and also had a nudist
camp about a 15 minutes walk away. We decided to walk down and take a look. Very interesting, but mostly overweight
older adults with lots of wrinkles!!! My sister and her 5 year old daughter stayed behind and her daughter got her hair
braided by a local woman. It turned out darling!!! ($35 for an hour's worth of work -- she tipped her an extra $5) My
brother-in-law also stayed behind and went swimming with his 7 year old son. After about 3 hours of the beach, the
excursion dropped us off in St. Maarten to do some shopping. We were very tired from the beach, so we weren't much
into shopping, although there are good deals to be had in St. Maarten. My brother-in-law bought a watch and my
sister bought a beautiful gold necklace!!!

Our last stop was Frederiksted, St. Croix. Probably my least favorite. Shopping isn't good, and the local people are very
pushy wanting you to get into their cabs. We decided not to do a shore excursion for this port -- although the men did,
they went golfing. We were going to take a taxi cab for $10 round trip per person to Christiansted -- but when we paid
the cab driver he said we were going to have to wait until the taxi filled up before we could go or else pay him $120!!!
RIPOFF!!! He gave us our money back and we left the cab. While we were walking around Frederiksted, I went into one
of the few shops and asked the salesperson if their was a bus service to Christiansted. As it turns out there is, and for
$1 per person each way (you have to have exact change) you can get on an air conditioned, very clean bus. The locals
use this service and this is a secret the taxi drivers don't want you to know about. It takes a little longer, about 7 stops
along the way -- but it was worth it!!) Christiansted is quaint, but no good deals and a lot of the town is still recovering
from the hurricane that hit them last year.

Our last night on the ship was tip night. Our cabin steward provided our envelopes and we were also given a tip
guideline sheet to follow. We tipped our dining staff extra because they did such an excellent job. We were able to
order extra entrees if we wanted to try a variety of food. Needless to say, I gained 3 pounds on this cruise.

One thing worth mentioning was the fact that the kids really enjoyed the Kids Connection. The staff is very good and
really entertained the kids. So much in fact, that they wanted to stay there most of the time!!! We had to bribe them to
come with us!!! It is free from 7 to 10 at night and from 9:30 to 11:30 in the morning. After that you pay $4.00 per
hour.

Overall, the cruise was great, we had the 2nd dining seating, and we didn't get to enjoy the midnight buffet -- although
that was probably a blessing in disguise. If you are a late night person, the second seating is for you. If you're an early
bird -- go for the main seating, then you can still enjoy the nighttime activities after dinner.

Our next cruise will probably be a mediterranean cruise in the year 1999 or 2000. We enjoyed Royal Caribbean and
would probably try and go through them again!!!

Name: Christine Henry
Email: JuneGem615@aol.com
Age: 43
Occupation: Computer Application Developer
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: November 17, 1997
Itinerary: Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 70
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 97
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Nov 1997
Time: 12:23:35
Remote Name: 152.163.204.8
Remote User:

Comments

This was my fourth cruise; the first one with Royal Caribbean. As we arranged our flights separately and were in
Puerto Rico for 3 days prior to the sailing, we did not arrange for transfers, but took a cab to the port arriving
about 11:30am. This turned out to be a great idea. We were well ahead of the crowds (most flights arrive in
Puerto Rico mid-afternoon). We were checked in and on the ship by 12:45pm. We immediately filled out our
excursion sheets and deposited them at the shore excursion desk, went to have the buffet lunch and then went
ashore to further explore Old San Juan (which is easily walkable).

Before we left the ship we met our cabin steward (Samuel) who turned out to be delightful, cheerful and
unhesitatingly helpful throughout the cruise. We had requested a table for 6 and found out table mates to be
friendly and our waiter (Sweeden) to be totally professional and personable. The food in the dining room was,
with very little exception, excellent. Try something new...if you don't like it just say so and it will be replaced with
something else immediately! On the other hand, the food in the Windjammer Cafe (for breakfast and lunch
buffets) just squeaked by as edible (I could swear the coffee in the cafe was instant). However, breakfast and
lunch is available in the dining room and much better.

The casino was fun, but too smokey. The onboard shops didn't offer quite enough variety, but there was plenty of
shopping to be had ashore, so no big deal. The pool area is very nice for the size ship. At first I thought there
were no children aboard, then noticed they were all in the children's entertainment area...a real credit to the
activities offered for them! All the staff was very helpful in all areas.

Only had to take the tender (water taxi) in St. Martin. It was handled very well. That was the only port we did not
opt for a shore excursion, so we used that morning to sleep in a bit and waited til after the rush to go ashore. We
allowed enough time to split between both the French and Dutch side and had a great time shopping. The Dutch
side is more expensive and the streets are full of locals very nearly trying to drag you into the shops (not at all
pleasant), but the French side was more relaxed, less expensive and also has great little places to eat.

St. Thomas is best for shore excursions, the prices in shops are outrageous (better in St. Martin). We took a large
Catamaran out to Buck Island (not THE Buck Island Nat'l Park...a different one). The crew was great, the trip was
fun, refreshments are included and the snorkling was pretty good. Don't forget the sunscreen, and don't forget a
few dollars for tipping the crew.

St. Croix was my favorite. Very low key. Don't expect to shop in the immediate port, you will need to go the
Christiansted for that. It is $10 round trip and you will have to share the taxi van. That is not a big deal and they
do it that was because it is a 30-45 minute trip each way. That includes a mini-tour of the island. We opted for
another snorkling trip. This time it turned out to be on a motorized boat. If the snorkling hadn't been so great I
would have only negative to say here. The boat was nearly overpacked, the crew was bossy, and they charged for
sodas and beer (the only such excursion that does so). I would think that for $45 per person, they could have
thrown in refreshements. Needless to say, for the principle of it, they received no tip from us. That left more for
the bus driver (this trip leaves from Christiansted and we received the full tour). About the snorkling: the best I
have done so far. This trip is at THE Buck Island Nat'l Underwater Park and is incredible. A huge variety of fish
and plenty of them set against a back drop of dramatic coral.

We never made it to even one show. We had late seating and took the time between returning to the ship and
dinner to take a nap.

Our flight home was not until 3:00pm from San Juan, so we signed up for the 2 hour Old/New San Juan tour that
concludes at the airport. This tour is $19 per person. Disembarking was the smoothest that I have ever
encountered. We waltzed through customs, checked out luggage with the appropriate airline representative, got
on the excursion bus and were soon off. This trip goes to the fort, the shopping district and tours new San Juan.
We were then dropped off at the airport (which is confusing at best). The signage at the San Juan airport is a true
challenge. Before checking in with the airline, you must go to the agriculture check through to receive a sticker.
The only sign we saw to this effect was halfway along the line for our airline check in and had to go back to do
this.

I would sail with RCCL again and would recommend this sweet little trip to my friends.

Name: Doug Abell
Email: dakotadoug@aol.com
Age: 53
Occupation: Educator
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: August 10, 1997
Itinerary: CoCo Cay/Nassau
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 75
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 80
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 75
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 82
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Dec 1997
Time: 15:47:36
Remote Name: 163.246.21.76
Remote User:

Comments

My extended family (6 adults and 3 late aged teens) took the 4 day cruise from Port Canaveral.

We boarded right at 12:00 PM and were on the ship with no hassels. Our baggage arrived at our cabins about 1.5
hours later. we explored the ship in the meantime.

The teens (all boys) had a great time. We set ground rules for them as to when to check in and no alcohol. We
hardly saw them. They linked dup with other teens and had a great time.

For my two sisters and their husbands, this was their first cruise. They were fearful of sea sickness and they
couldn't believe how smooth the ride was. During our cruise the seas were placid...waves were not over 2 - 3 feet.

Food was good. Our cabin steward was nice, but nothing special. Service in the dinning room was good. The
entertainment in the show lounge each evening was great.

Snorkeling in CoCo Cay was great. In Nassau we did a morning tour of a park with underwater reef observation
tower. The other exibits were ok. The driving tour of the city was hot, yet informative. I was gald when it was over.
I was disappointed that the downtown shops (and I'm not much of a shopper) were not open in the evening.
Everything closed at 5:00 - 5:30 PM.

We spent the afternoon in Nassau at the Atlantic Beach Resort on Paradise Island. Beautiful, yet somewhat
crowded beach with nice waves. For $25.00 per person we could have brought a day pass for their pools. We
passed on this due to time constraints. The Resort has a series of underwater reef aquariums filled with exotic
varies of sea life. It was great and didn't cost anything.

We're hoping to do another crusie either this summer or next. We'll go for 7 days the next time on an RCCL ship.

Name: Julia
Email: zpbrownju@trident.tec.sc.us
Age: 43
Occupation: Computer Services
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: August, 1996
Itinerary: Bahamas
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 70
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Dec 1997
Time: 15:24:28
Remote Name: 199.67.24.35
Remote User:

Comments

Our first cruise and we liked it so much I am in the process of doing research to book another one; which is how I found this
website.

We, my husband and I, really liked the abundance of activites on the ship - everyone was given a daily listing called the
'Ship's Compass'. It also listed the tours available when we docked in Nassau. Our cabin steward was so great; we wanted to
take him home with us. Everytime we left; we came back to a spotless cabin with even our clothes folded and put away. Our
waiter was efficient, friendly and very interested in stuffing us at every opportunity! There were so many lounges on board I
think we missed one of them. And such of variety of music you had to find something you liked. The entertainment in the
main lounge was taped and played back the following day on your cabin TV; just in case you missed it! RCI's private island,
Cococay, has beautiful beaches and lots of watercraft for rent or just lay in the sun/shade.

Only a few things I didn't like: Going through the casino to get to the Dining Room until we discovered an elevator that
allowed us to avoid this. Could not get room service for breakfast the day before we returned to our port in Miami. Showers
were so small I could not turn around without the shower curtain sticking to me in the standard cabin.

We discovered our chartered bus tour of the city booked along with the Coral Island morning tour from the ship could well be
replaced with the #10 city bus which circled even more of the island and brought us right back to the shopping square which
is just a couple of blocks from the ship's dock. When we saw a place we wanted to explore, we would get off and just get back
on another #10 bus. Each time it was 75 cents. Also the farther we went away from the main shopping area, the lower the
prices dropped.

We hope our next cruise will be a little longer and just as much fun!!

Name: bruce bryant
Email: airman@compuzone.net
Age: 50
Occupation: self employed
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: december 8 1997
Itinerary: st thomas, st marteen, st croix
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 97
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 96
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Dec 1997
Time: 23:39:13
Remote Name: 208.141.58.66
Remote User:

Comments

This was our first cruise, so we didn't know what to expect except what other people had told us. Overall it was a very pleasant experience.
Our main reason for taking this trip was to just get away and relax and we were certainly able to to that.

We arrived late in the day in San Juan (we purchased the air/sea package). We did have to wait in line a little while at the airport and then
again at the port, but there were a lot of other passengers waiting to board, so we had a good time talking while we waited. I was impressed
with the fact that someone met us as we board the ship and escorted us to our cabin. Our luggage arrived at our cabin door the same time
we did. Our cabin steward, Sara, was also there and explained things to us.

Our first port of call was St. Thomas. We did not buy an excursion package here since we had been told that there was lots of shopping.
Unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea and St. Thomas was packed with people. I believe there were 4 or 5 other cruise ships also
docked at the same time. We spent 4 or 5 hours shopping and then just went back to the ship for some relaxation time on the deck.

Dinner was a fabulous experience. We had second seating and were at a table with 5 other couples. It was delightful. Our head waiter, Allen
was terrific. He remembered every little detail (we had 3 couples that were celebrating anniversaries and they each got a cake and a song.
Our waiter, Lancelot was very attentive and our assistant waiter Eurdel (I can't remember the correct spelling of his name) was cute.
Reminded us of Sal Mineo. We were give excellent, excellent service. Food was excellent. If you didn't like what you originally chose, they
would always bring you something else.

We only had to use the tender in St Marteen. We shopped for a little while and then took the Explorer Cruise and Island Drive. This was very
pleasant and relaxing. Had very little time to shop in the French side of St. Martin.

St. Croix was definitely the most beautiful island. We took the King's Island Snorkel Adventure. I was most disappointed. There was not much
to see during the snorkel tour. We were able to go at our own pace though. Later during the day we traveled to Christiansted and shopped.
Definitely worth the $10. You get an excellent view of the island and the shops are good. Taxi/van was $10 round trip.

The shows were entertaining and high energy all the way. The casinos were very smoky. There was also quite a bit of smoking in the atrium
areas. However, it was nice that the resturants and Strike Up the Band Lounge were non-smoking.

Leaving the ship was no problem, customs was a cinch, but we had to wait in line about 45 minutes to check in with our airline at the port. We
had a 5:20 PM flight and we docked about 9 AM and were off the ship by 10 AM by about 11 AM we were finished at the port. We did not
take the Old/New San Juan tour because it would have taken us to the airport at 1 PM and we had a 5:20 pm flight. We opted to go to the
Crown and Anchor Lounge in San Juan and take our chances. This was a great idea. The lady there arranged for us to have a tour of the city
with a wonderful driver. We also had a good place to relax until it was time to go to the airport.

Overall, I think RCCL does an excellent job.

Name: Lisa Bucklin
Email: GABU@aol.com
Age: 35
Occupation: nurse
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: 7/19/98
Itinerary: Coco Cay, Nassau
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 88
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 82
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 75
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 31 Jul 1998
Time: 19:30:21
Remote Name: 152.163.213.68
Remote User:

Comments

This was my fourth cruise, my husband's second, and our first time to bring our daughter with us. Our daughter is 5 years old. We chose the Nordic
Empress because Port Canaveral was convenient for us to drive to, and we wanted to try out bringing a child on a shorter cruise instead of a week long
cruise. The embarkation procedure was very quick and painless. There was a line, but they seemed to have plenty of help and it went very smoothly. We
had requested first seating when we booked the cruise, but received second, so we stopped at the Dining Room Manager's table which was located on
the way into the ship. We were unable to change. Since there were so many families on board, everyone wanted first seating. I was disappointed at first,
but it actually turned out better for us to be on second seating. Our daughter went to dinner with us the first night, and really did not enjoy it, it was late,
and dinner takes about 1 and a half, to 2 hours. The rest of the trip we ordered her dinner from room service, and brought her to the kid's program
which started at seven. We were able to have some time to ourselves before dinner, and also have a relaxing meal chatting with our tablemates whose
child also preferred the children's activities to dinner in the dining room.

The room service food was okay. The room service menu says to allow 30
minutes for delivery, but it usually took about an hour, or maybe even a little more. Our dining room service was wonderful. When we brought our
daughter to breakfast with us, they bent over backwards for her. They cut up her food, and even fed her bites occasionally. The food was overall very
good. There wasn't anything that wasn't good, and some things were excellent. The breads on the ship were one of the excellent things. The bread we
had everywhere, in the Windjammer, in the dining room, and from room service was just exceptional. Even the hot dog buns tasted homemade. The
children's counselors and activities were just great. For children ages 3-5 you receive a beeper to wear when your kids are in the pogram. The
counselors were always upbeat and really friendly, even at 10 o'clock at night when they had been working all day. I enjoyed Coco Cay and would
definitley like to go back there, but I think RCI should get some more watercraft, so more people would be able to use them. They had 2 pedal powered
glass-bottom boats, and they cost $80 an hour. That's too expensive and just not enough for a cruise ship full of people.

The water was pretty though,
and the snorkeling was good. I did not enjoy Nassau. The shopping was not good-too expensive and not much of it. The city itself seemed dirty. We had
planned to go over to Paradise Island to the Atlantis, but when we returned to the ship for lunch it started to rain. My daughter did get her hair braided in
Nassau which was good, it looked real cute. Be sure to bring your own comb, even though they say they sanitize, and definitely agree on the exact
number of braids before they start. It cost $2 a braid, and the braiders are located right next to the pier. Our day at sea was nice. We enjoyed the Bingo,
the final pot was $3000. We spent a lot of time out by the pool. I thought the pool area was too small. We were always able to find chairs, but you could
barely walk it was so crowded. The pools themselves were too small for the number of families that were on the ship. I always felt like I was on top of
somebody.

We also enjoyed horse racing by the pool, the casino, and my daughter enjoyed the video game room. I thought the cruise director, Helen
Kennedy, was the best of any cruise I've been on. She was very vivacious, and friendly to all passengers. All 3 of us really liked the magicians they had
on the ship, but didn't get to see to much of the other entertainment on the ship. Overall we enjoyed our cruise. This is a great ship for families, if you
don't like kids, this is not your ship. Maybe it was just the time of year for family vacations. I missed having a quiet spot to sit and have a drink. I didn't find
any spots like that on this cruise. The ship was clean and beautiful, with a few signs of wear. Our cabin was fine, small but functional. Our daughter loved
her bunk bed. The shops onboard were tiny. The Nordic Empress does what it does well-gives you a short cruise with fantastic service.

Name: Laura
Email: JMAToyota@worldnet.att.net
Age: 34
Occupation: Paralegal
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-NordicEmpress
SailingDate: 12/15/97
Itinerary: St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. Maarten
FoodDiningRoom: 0
CruiseDirector: 77
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 0
CruiseStaff: 70
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 0
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 0
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 0
DeckService: 70
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 79
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Jan 1998
Time: 13:21:52
Remote Name: 208.5.34.3
Remote User:

Comments

My friend and I flew to San Juan where we picked-up the ship. The ship was very nice. We signed-up for several shore
excursions, which were wonderful, such as a hiking trip in St. Croix, St. John's Island tour and shopping in St. Maarten. The
deals in St. Maarten were excellent, especially when buying watches and jewelry. You cannot get any deals on items such as
Waterford, Limoge and Lladro. The shows were very entertaining and so were our waiters. The only problem we really
encountered was with the food. The food was horrible. It was absolutely tasteless. The shrimp, the cake and the pasta all
tasted the same. Not one item we ate had a flavor. We ate in the main dining room and in the Windjammer Cafe where they
had the buffets. Aside from the food being tasteless, the amount of food given was microscopic. Sure you could have gone
back for more, but it wasn't worth the effort. The selection of food was also poor. When the main dishes were not to one's
liking, there was not much of anything else to choose from. Overall the ship was nice, but my suggestion would be to bring
some food with you if you intend to go on this ship. The workout room was small. It had 3 treadmills and a select few weight
machines. It did get very busy in the morning hours, but the afternoons were free. The gift shop was nice; had some
bargains on various items.

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