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

Facilities/Features: Fully air-conditioned; stabilized; 9 passenger decks; 7 passenger elevators; midships pool area topside with 2 large pools (with deep and shallow areas); 3 hot tubs; jogging/walking track; glass sheltered tanning areas; rock-climbing wall. Inside there is a shopping arcade with logo shop, cosmetics booth, clothing shop, jewelry store, and liquor shop (not for consumption onboard); photo shop; art and photo galleries; laundry and dry-cleaning services, but no self-serve; tuxedo rental; concierge desk; safe-deposit boxes; medical center; business services; conference center. Smoking in designated areas (no smoking in dining rooms).

Money Matters: All shipboard expenses are charged to the passenger account established on boarding. Payment by major credit card, or pre-deposit amount using traveler's checks or cash, U.S. dollars preferred. ATM machine onboard. Tips can be added to shipboard account; recommended per-person/per-day: $3.50 for waiter, $2 for assistant waiter, $3.50 for cabin attendant; a 15 percent gratuity is added to bar-service bills. The following are extra-cost items: alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, special coffees in Latte-tudes, spa treatments, laundry, photographs by shipboard photographers, casino, ship-to-shore telephone, e-mail, internet, faxing, shore excursions, government taxes, fees.

Itineraries/Fares: 4-night roundtrips from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West and Cozumel departing on alternate Thursdays through Oct. 6, 2005; fares range from $879 to $3,849 (per-person/double-occupancy). 5-night roundtrips from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West, Cozumel, and Costa Maya departing on alternate Mondays until Sept. 26, 2005; $1,119-$4,099. 5-night roundtrips from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West and Grand Cayman departing on alternate Saturdays until Oct. 1, 2005; $1,119-$4,099. 7-night positioning cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to San Juan calling at Labadee, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, and St. Thomas departing Oct. 10, 2005; $430-$2,410.4-night roundtrips from San Juan to the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo, Catalina Island) departing Oct. 17, 24, 31, Nov. 7, 14, 2005; $342-$1,252. 3-night roundtrips from San Juan to St. Kitts and St. Maarten departing Oct. 21, Nov. 4, 18, Dec. 16, 2005; Jan.13, Feb. 10, Apr. 7, 2006; $391-$1,331.3-night roundtrips from San Juan to St. Thomas and St. Maarten departing Oct. 28, Nov. 11, Dec. 2, 30, 2005; Jan. 27, Feb. 24, Mar. 24, 2006; $362-$1,332. 11-night "Exotic Caribbean" roundtrips from San Juan to St. Maarten, St. Barts, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Isla Margarita, Curacao, and Aruba departing Nov. 21, Dec. 5, 19, 2005; Jan. 2, 16, 30, Feb. 13, 27, Mar. 13, 27, Apr. 10, 2006; $1,499-$4,349.

For More Information: Contact your travel agent or Royal Caribbean International (Cruise Travel Magazine), 1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132; or log on to www.royalcaribbean.com