The Empress of the Seas finally arrived in Miami this morning. The recently reacquired ship was delayed quite a bit in drydock in Cadiz, Spain, forcing her to reposition to the Grand Bahama Shipyard for the completion of her work. Empress of the Seas had spent the last 8 years sailing for sister brand Pullmantur. Upon inspection by Royal Caribbean, they found out the ship was in worse shape than they had thought. $50 million was spent on revitalizing the ship up to Royal Caribbean standards.
The ship will offer short 4- and 5-night getaways from Miami to Nassau, The Bahamas; Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Grand Cayman and Key West, Florida.
Enhancements in the drydock include:
a rock-climbing wall; new pools and whirlpools; a spa with an extensive treatment menu; and a complimentary Adventure Ocean youth program and the addition of Chops Grille.
There is strong speculation that the Empress will be Royal Caribbean’s first Cuba ship. She’s the right size and in the right place to be their primary ship focusing on short 4 & 5 night trips. They would sail out of Miami, stopping in Havana, then continuing on to Key West or the Bahamas. I have a strong feeling that this is how things will play out so stay tuned.