Imperial Majesty Cruise Line Inc

 

7

13

Richard P.

West Covina, CA

9/5/2008 28 photos

More than two weeks ago, I went on a cruise to New Providence Island in The Bahamas.  The ship that I took was the REGAL EMPRESS, which is owned by the Imperial Majesty cruise line.  This was the first time I traveled on an ocean liner, and needless to say, it was an interesting experience.  The Regal Empress is a lot smaller than modern-day vessels that are used by the more popular cruise lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the 15-hour voyage to and from Nassau City on New Providence Island.

In terms of nitpicking, the Regal Empress is almost 60 years old (it was commissioned in 1953), and you can tell its age by walking through the corridors inside the ship.  The main restaurant, the Caribbean Dining Room, would probably give you the urge to watch the 1997 movie, Titanic (which in itself isn't a bad thing)...since the décor around the room looked that antiquated.  And the cabins themselves are pretty small...while the shower stall in the bathroom reminded me of the ones at my old college dorm.  I kinda had the urge to wear slippers so I wouldn't have to stand bare-footed on the not-so-clean-looking tiles.  And when the shower was running, you had to be careful not to make skin contact with the knob that releases the hot water...since you can accidentally get scalded by the metal.  To make things worse, you could sometimes smell the diesel fuel that the ship runs on inside the cabin.  Diesel fumes + The ship slightly rocking back and forth from the rolling waves = Considerable dizziness.  Which would explain why I spent almost 90% of my time out on the deck.  More on that right now.

In terms of compliments, the cruise itself was a great experience.  For me, the most memorable moment was just lounging on deck at the aft (or stern) of the ship and watching other people kick back, drinking, and having a fun time.  The best moments were at night.  If you're a contemplative person like I am, try spending time thinking to yourself as you sit on a party chair, staring up at the night sky, with the dark expanse of the Atlantic Ocean around you.  Include the bright reflection on the water by the full moon above (and a couple of gorgeous female passengers sitting nearby), and you have one pretty, um, gnarly moment.  Should I use 'radical' instead?  Entertainment on-deck included music by a small band plus the game of Bingo.  A swimming pool and two small Jacuzzis were also on the back of the ship for those people who didn't want to play Bingo.  Which would be anyone who hasn't reached the age of 45 yet.  No offense!

The Regal Empress cruise included many types of tours that passengers could go on once the ship docked at Nassau in The Bahamas.  You could go scuba diving, take a horse carriage ride through the streets of the city, or do what I did: Take a limousine tour that brought me through the nice residential areas of New Providence Island and ending with a 15-minute stay at the famous Atlantis Resort on nearby Paradise Island.  Word has it that it cost $25,000 a day to stay at a room in this hotel, or so my tour guide (who was pretty cool) told me.  He also mentioned that Michael Jackson once did a concert there, and that Tiger Woods and even Oprah Winfrey bought homes in Nassau.  That's what the guide told me, so don't blame me if you find out that this isn't true!  Which obviously wouldn't be a surprise if it was.  Rich celebrities...  Of course, even a stay at Atlantis Resort isn't really enjoyable when a hurricane or at least a tropical storm is heading your way.  More on that right now.

All in all, I give the Regal Empress and its cruise 4 out of 5 stars.  Something needs to be done about the fumes that you smell when you're in the interior of the ship, but being on deck and the on-shore excursion at Nassau were unforgettable experiences.  When the Empress returned to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the effects of Tropical Storm Fay could already be felt as we were approaching the dock.  Fortunately, the rain and wind brought out by Fay didn't affect us when we were in The Bahamas almost a day before...so it's nice to know Mother Nature didn't prevent this Imperial Majesty voyage from being one of the most memorable trips I've went on.  So far...

Thanks for reading.

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