The Regal Empress Offers Affordable Cruising

It seems that a new mega-cruise ship breaks records almost yearly. Just a year ago, the Queen Mary II was largest. Today, the Empress of the Seas claims the title. Each new ship features a larger spa, ten more restaurants, or another unheard of amenity. Are there any remnants of the time when cruising took place on much simpler, less city-like ships? Every year, government regulations cause more and more historic ocean liners to be taken out of service. However, the Regal Empress, built in 1953, still survives, sailing two night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau. Now operated by Imperial Majesty, the Regal Empress has been through a handful of names and owners.

The Regal Empress offers a very affordable cruise. With some cabins costing less than $100 including meals, these cruises allow those who can't afford a regular, multi night itinerary to enjoy the essence of cruising without going bankrupt. The cabin prices include all meals in the Caribbean Dining Room, but do not include shore excursions.

This cruise is perfect for those who want a more authentic sailing experience, rather than a modern, resort style atmosphere. The Commodore's lounge, the Caribbean Dining Room, and some cabins and suites have a definite historic feel to them, with many parts of the ship being original. On this small ship, carrying a little more than one thousand people, you'll never be far from an open deck, and you won't find yourself sharing the deck chairs with four thousand other guests. The enclosed promenade and wooden decks give this ship a nostalgic feel.

However, the low prices did affect the overall service and facilities provided. Check in consisted of visiting numerous stations for everything from luggage drop off to having a security photo taken. Long lines abounded, and the whole process took almost an hour and a half. Much of the process took place in an unadorned, concrete floored hall. I'm sorry to say that the facilities were worse than most any airport I've ever experienced. Rolling metal barriers took the place of walls, and many employees could have made an effort to speed up the check in process.

The cabins were small and even outside cabins had no more than a small porthole located in a corner of the room. I didn't see the lowest-priced cabins, but many people upgraded once they found which cabin they had been assigned. It seemed as though the whole ship was made up of random items somehow fixed together, and almost no effort was made to give the aisles a comfortable feel.

If you're looking for constant entertainment or a variety of activities, look elsewhere. Unless you enjoy drinking, dancing, playing bingo, or gambling, there is little to do on the ship. The swimming pool is about the size of a large hot tub, and is emptied once the sun sets. The two small hot tubs are crowded all day long. Children would likely become bored very quickly-even the children's room seemed to be closed most of the day.

We were constantly pushed to purchase one item or another. Both nights at dinner, a photographer came around and insisted to take everyone's picture, later displaying them for purchase outside the dining room in the so-called "photo gallery." After setting sail, the cruise director announced that everyone must attend a mandatory meeting in the Grand Lounge, which turned out to be a sales pitch for the shore excursions. Announcements were made several times that no one should leave the ship without having booked a shore excursion. (Note: Shore excursions can also be booked once on shore, often for less than charged onboard the ship. Even without an excursion, one can easily enjoy Nassau's many attractions.)

Overall, I would not recommend cruising with this cruise line. Unless you would enjoy it for one of the reasons mentioned above, I would book a short cruise with one of the major, well known lines. This cruise is often recommended for first time cruisers; however, I disagree-for only a little more money, one can book a cruise on a much nicer ship, and enjoy the cruise all the more.
Sources consulted: en.wikipedia.org