MS Empress

MS Nordic Empress at Cayman Islands, 2004
Career
Name:	1990—2004: Nordic Empress 2004—2008: Empress of the Seas 2008 onwards: Empress
Owner:	1990—2008: Royal Caribbean International 2008 onwards: Pullmantur Cruises
Operator:	1990—2008: Royal Caribbean International 2008-present: Pullmantur Cruises
Port of registry:	1990—2002: Monrovia, Liberia 2002—2008: Nassau, Bahamas 2008 onwards: Valletta, Malta
Builder:	Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire, France
Yard number:	G29
Launched:	1989-08-25
Acquired:	1990-05-31
In service:	1990-06-25
Identification:	IMO number: 8716899
Status:	In active service as of 2010
Notes:	CDC sanitation score: 94% (3/7/2008)
General characteristics (as built)
Type:	cruise ship
Tonnage:	gross tonnage (GT) of 48,563 tons 5,344 metric tons deadweight (DWT)
Length:	210.81 m (691.63 ft)
Beam:	30.70 m (100.72 ft)
Draught:	7.10 m (23.29 ft)
Decks:	11[citation needed]
Installed power:	2 × Wärtsilä-Duvant Crepelle diesels combined 16,200 kW
Speed:	19.5 knots (36.11 km/h; 22.44 mph)
Capacity:	1850 passengers[citation needed]
Crew:	668[citation needed]

MS Empress is a cruise ship operated by Pullmantur Cruises . She was formerly operating for Royal Caribbean International as Empress of the Seas. The ship was ordered by Admiral Cruise Lines and was intended to be called Future Seas and join the other Admiral Ships Azure Seas and Emerald Seas. However, Royal Caribbean merged with Admiral in 1987, the Admiral brand was dissolved and the newbuild (still under construction) was incorporated into the Royal Caribbean fleet. A few signature Royal Caribbean brand elements were added, including the Viking Crown and Windjammer Cafe. The ship was originally named Nordic Empress and was the final RCI ship whose name did not end with "of the Seas". The name was changed to match the rest of the fleet following an extensive rebuilding that ended on 8 May 2004.

Nordic Empress was the first mainstream cruise ship especially designed for the 3 and 4 day cruise market. Her initial itinerary was short cruises to the Bahamas, which then were combined with 3 and 4 day cruises from San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1999, following the sale of Song of America, Nordic Empress took over the New York to Bermuda route.

In 2000 Royal Caribbean announced that Nordic Empress would be undertaking a series of cruises in South America. Shortly after these cruises were put on sale, Royal Caribbean decided to replace Nordic Empress with Splendour of the Seas in the South American itineraries, leaving Nordic Empress in the Caribbean.

On 23 March 2007 it was reported that in March 2008 the Empress of the Seas would be transferred to the fleet of RCI's subsidiary Pullmantur Cruises. Her final voyage for Royal Caribbean took place on 7 March 2008.The maiden voyage as Empress for Pullmantur Cruises took place on 15 March 2008.

Ship Highlights (as Empress of the Seas)

• Portofino Italian Restaurant
• Latté-tudes coffee house
• Boleros Latin-theme lounge
• Rock-climbing wall
• Themed bars and lounges
• Casino Royale
• Outdoor pool and wading pool
• 3 whirlpools
• Adventure Ocean youth facilities
• ShipShape Day Spa and Fitness Center

Room Service

Dining (as Empress of the Seas)

• The main dining hall which overlooks the ocean is called Carmen. Over the course of one’s vacation, the Carmen dining hall requires its guests to dress in formal wear; though tuxedos are not required, men usually wear a suit and women dress in long evening gowns.
• The Windjammer Café is on the main pool deck which offers a buffet for breakfast and lunch. The Windjammer has a more casual menu including such fare as pizza, French fries, and hot dogs.

Room service is available twenty four hours a day.

Entertainment (as Empress of the Seas)

• Boleros is the Latin-themed lounge and bar that has different activities going on every night. The karaoke competition is held in Boleros’ lounge as well as dancing competitions to Latin music.
• The Viking Crown Lounge is a lounge during the day, but after 10 p.m. it turns into a night club that is for adults over the age of eighteen. The Viking Crown Lounge closes at 2 a.m.
• The Casino Royale is a casino with over one hundred different slot machines, and multiple poker and blackjack tables. The casino is open all day and until past midnight.
• The Strike up the Band Room is a theatre which shows different musicals or has performers present different dances each night. During the day the theatre has multiple bingo games with prizes that could upgrade your cabin.

Cabins

• The cabins are very small^{[citation needed]} unless one rooms in a stateroom, which is a larger cabin with a balcony to over look the ocean.
• Every cabin comes with a built in safe, hair dryer, and telephone.

In Popular culture

• The Cruise Ship Nordic Empress was seen in the Novel World War Z. It was derelict, splattered with blood and full of zombies.
• Most of the Astroboy TV episode "Gangor the Monster" (1963) takes place aboard "the famous luxury liner Empress of the Seas."

External links

• Pullmantur Page
• High-resolution cutaway of the ship