May 30, 2003 -- The Regal Cruises saga continues. After a debtor secured a court order against the one-ship line, resulting in its almost instantaneous demise, the future of the charming, 50-year-old Regal Empress was seriously in doubt. An initial government auction on May 16 offered the vessel at a minimum $2 million bid, but netted no takers. However, at a second round on May 23, with no minimum bid in place, the ship was finally won by Florida's Imperial Majesty Cruises, with a sale price of $1.75 million.
Based in Fort Lauderdale, short-cruise specialist Imperial Majesty has until now operated the ss OceanBreeze, christened back in 1954 and once a part of the now-defunct Premier Cruises fleet. According to a spokeswoman, Regal Empress will take over OceanBreeze's itineraries as early as June 20--good news for fans of the Empress, bad news for fans of OceanBreeze, which is probably on its way to the scrapyard.
Two-night cruises sail round-trip from Fort Lauderdale year-round, visiting Nassau, Bahamas. High-season rates run from $179 for an inside cabin, $279 for a standard outside, and $409 for a suite.
In related news, Regal Cruises has announced the opening of a claims center to handle refunds to passengers booked on unsailed Empress cruises. The line's website (www.regalcruises.com) links to a downloadable refund form. To have a form mailed to you, contact the Regal Cruises Refund Center at tel 305/362-3536 or RegalFMCRefunds@cs.com.