This just happened to me and I lost my 150.00 OBC BUT I saved an extra $500.00 so at the end of the day I was up. My TA keeps an eye for me and when there are more savings to be had well she gets it done. I am sure before February 2021 you will see additional flash sales but I do think every sale is inclusive of themselves and can't be combined, I believe. I am sure some wonderful other cruisers will chime in shortly. Good Luck and happy sailing!!
I think it depends on the sale. I have requested a price change twice. The first time, I had a $100 OBC, and it was taken away when they did the price change, but my savings were over $300, so I didn't mind at all. The next price change, I saved another $100 but I was given a $25 OBC.
I've repriced our November sailing 4 times since we booked onboard in September. We still have our Next Cruise OBC. It makes me nervous every time I call our travel agent - I'm expecting someone to push the wrong button or something!
As long as you booked the cruise on the ship at the Next Cruise desk you ALWAYS keep your OBC unless you cancel (changing price is not a cancel) regardless of "sale". We price match all the time and always keep our OBC. Next cruise can verify this for you and the royal vacation planners can verify it also!
I should have clarified also, this is correct. If the OBC is part of the "sale" then you lose it if you price match and the new promo does not offer OBC. You only keep the Next Cruise OBC benefit, which is separate from the sale OBC
As the sun dropped lower it reappeared from behind the clouds.
It was pretty magical and soulful.
With that it was time to regain feeling in my frozen fingers so we boarded our bus for the drive to our restaurant just over an hour away.
Cruise Summary
Don't let the pictures fool you, Empress is not a large ship. Cabins from interior to suites are not as generous as they are on newer and larger ships.
In some cases the pullman beds for 3rd and 4th guests that are flush into the ceiling on other ships are mounted externally to the walls. This is what cruising was like in the mid-80's when she was originally ordered by Admiral Cruises. Incidentally that is also how Royal Caribbean found themselves in possession of CocoCay - through the acquisition of Admiral Cruises. It is fitting to visit CocoCay while sailing Empress.
On Empress you'll find a Royal Caribbean ship with all the core cruising essentials and more - a pool, hot tubs, kids splash area, a pool bar, a Viking Crown Lounge, a Windjammer, a Main Dining Room, Chops Grille, Schooner Bar, Boleros, Main Theater entertainment, Casino, game shows, trivia, rock climbing wall, pool deck activities, live music and dancing.
When I booked these cruises I wasn't hesitant about booking B2B or 14 nights on Empress because I know and love this ship. What I should have done is booked B3B or B4B as some of others that I ran into daily had done.
Did I miss a Diamond Lounge? Not really. The regular top Crown and Anchor members had our regular spot and we would see each other there nightly. We enjoyed our three free Diamond Happy Hour drinks. The bartenders took care of us.
I still maintain that Chops Grille on Empress is the best Chops in the fleet. Large windows to the sea with great service and great food.
Without question Boleros on Empress is the best in the fleet.
There is no inherent motion simply because she is a small ship. Some nights I accidentally left my bathroom door open and it was never swinging or creaking in the night.
With only 1,840 guests maximum it never feels crowded. Certain events were popular and well attended but not overly packed.
Voom. Like any ship that uses the older satellite technology there are times when Voom struggles on Empress just like it does on other ships that use the old technology. I hope the IT Manager's request for an O3b upgrade comes through, that would make Empress the perfect ship.
The new Empress itineraries that include small ship ports look outstanding. St George's and Hamilton? Montreal? Wow!
Perfect Day - just wow! I'm glad to see the classic CocoCay beach experience remains with Chill Island but with new food and beverage additions. Oasis Lagoon is massive and really nice.
The complimentary choices mean you don't have to spend a dime to have a Perfect Day but when you want to AMP up your vacation there are choices like Thrill Waterpark to do so. Captain Jack's and Skipper's Grill with their patios overlooking the Harbor Lagoon are places where you just want to hang out. The large paved pathway that circles CocoCay is friendly to accessible needs, much more so than CocoCay ever was before.
Louis the Loyalty Ambassador once again took great care of me. With no Diamond Concierge Louis helped to fill that void.
Julie our Hotel Director put it best. She is a small ship but she has the biggest heart plus you can get anywhere in 5 minutes or less. This is a huge benefit of small ship cruising. The majority of the crew report up through the Hotel Director and If these crew and the great service are a reflection of the Hotel Director then Julie has done an outstanding job on Empress.
There is a part of me that wants to perpetuate a myth that everyone should avoid this ship. Only then will prices remain low and I can have her all to myself but that wouldn't be fair to the ship or her crew that make Empress not only the biggest little ship but the Royal ship with the biggest heart.
I hoped you enjoyed following along and I thank you for viewing.
