Empress of the Seas: RCI's "small" ship has been reinvented and renamed to take a proud place beside her bigger fleetmates

Cruise Travel, July-August, 2005 by Glen Petrie

There is a new ship in the Royal Caribbean International fleet, a mid-size alternative to the line's floating cities, a nice option when one wants all the positive elements of a RCI vacation but with more intimate dimensions. She is, in fact, not really new, and her name sounds vaguely familiar: Empress of the Seas. She is, of course, the former Nordic Empress, rechristened with a moniker more befitting the family.

The renaming reflects a substantial renewal. To bring the ship up to the standards set by RCI's recent newbuilds, those barraising leviathans, the Empress of the Seas/ Nordic Empress was almost completely redesigned and refreshed inside. The result is an attractive, low-key, mid-size vessel that features a full big-ship complement of amenities without vast onboard distances. (It is a sign of the times that a 48,563-gross-register-ton cruise liner could be considered small; standing dockside by the Empress of the Seas, only one adjective comes to mind: big.)

Still, you won't find indoor malls, Johnny Rockets restaurants, ice-skating rinks, or inline skating tracks. (Though there is, as on every RCI ship now, a rock-climbing wall.) In this respect, the ship is unique in the fleet; but the Empress of the Seas is an anomaly not only for her tidy size, but also because she is the only RCI ship not designed and built by the line, having been acquired in 1990 (while still under construction) when Royal Caribbean Cruise Line bought Admiral Cruises. That means she was designed from the keel up according to another company's vision, but RCI has undertaken an extensive retrofit to correct that.

Come aboard for a look, starting on the promenade deck, where we note one feature that has not been altered--thankfully, since it's one of the ship's best--a traditional teak promenade. Completely encircling the ship, broad and spacious, furnished with (too few) deck chairs, it's new-teak smooth and cool to bare feet--and splendid. It even has shuffleboard courts.

Moving inside, we see that although she was delivered in 1990, the former Nordic Empress could have been the set for a special episode of "That '70s Show," a monument to the virtues of chrome. Happily, most of that is now gone. For evidence, just look at that signature RCI lounge, the Schooner Bar, low on Deck Five. To the classic motif of ropes, wheels, and ship models has been added a cool '50s retro look in new leather armchairs and sofas, frosted-glass tabletops, and faux-wood paneling. It's very of-the-moment, and very successful.

Through the bar's forward doors lies the lobby, at the base of the Centrum, an atrium that soars eight decks high. Here on Deck Five the original white-marble staircase is still the centerpiece. The Centrum is not one of those glittery spectacles, but rather is bathed in natural light from glass walls spanning decks six through nine. The attractively furnished common areas on each level offer panoramic seaviews and are popular places to relax and read. On Deck Seven this common area is designated as the card and games room, with chic designer chairs. On Deck Eight, check out the large model of fleetmate Grandeur of the Seas, so detailed that it cost the line $90,000 to produce.

Slide down to Deck Five again in a glass elevator, cut through the Schooner Bar heading aft, and we find a new addition, a specialty coffee shop called Latte-tudes. Seattle's Best Coffee is served here, as it is throughout the ship. But note that not all SBC is created equal. In the Carmen Dining Room, it is nicely strong; in the Windjammer Cafe, medium; at the poolside self-serve kiosks, weak. I can only assume this is deliberate to cater to all tastes.

Next-door is another new addition--an alternative, extra-charge ($20) restaurant called Portofino, serving upmarket Italian cuisine. I thought the food in the main dining room was excellent, but here you'll find extra-stylish, even exotic, Italian fare: Pappardelle Montecatini con crema, Gamberoni cotti in padella, Filetto di manzo alia piastra, and so on--a very extensive menu of regional dishes. Hand-painted wall murals of Italian scenes set the tone, and the chairs also have a vaguely '50s throwback style, reminding me of photos I've seen of Italian trans-Atlantic liners of yore. If photographed in black and white, Portofino could pass for a dining salon on the Andrea Doria or Cristoforo Colombo.

Occupying the stern on both decks four and five is the little-changed Carmen Dining Room. Its original blue and pink chairs have been reupholstered in burgundy, and some other minor updates have been made, but essentially the room has the same feel it always had. Stern windows spanning two decks frame nice views of the wake. Food here is well above average. RCI hasn't cut back on extras such as lobster--servings are large and succulent, not dry. The beef is invariably melt-like-butter tender. Desserts hit the mark every time (with the odd exception cheerfully replaced by obliging waiters). Service was prompt, efficient, professional.