I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience with Empress Events was extremely disappointing…read more
Throughout the planning process, communication was inconsistent and often frustrating. Important details were overlooked, which created unnecessary stress. One major issue involved a lost cashier's check that was not handled with the level of urgency or accountability you would expect.
Unfortunately, the event itself fell far below expectations. The dinner quality was poor, especially for the price, and many of our guests noticed. The yacht had no air conditioning, making the ride very uncomfortable. Guests were visibly hot and sweating, and we had to request that the upstairs plastic windows be opened just to get some airflow.
The bar service was also disappointing. The cash bar was not fully stocked, and several items listed on the menu were unavailable because they had run out. Additionally, per our contract, we were supposed to use an iPhone for music, but that wasn't possible because they could not locate the connectors they said they would provide.
Most frustrating of all, our cruise was cut short due to errors in the contract--errors that were never corrected or brought to our attention beforehand, so we were never given the opportunity to review or re-sign. This directly impacted the experience we paid for.
After the event, I reached out to Deborah to address these issues, and I never received a response. That lack of follow-up only added to the disappointment.
Overall, I feel like we were cheated out of an event that should have been epic and enjoyable. I cannot confidently recommend Empress Events based on my experience.
RESPONDING TO GERRY:
Gerry, thank you for responding. I appreciate your apology; however, I want to clarify that my concerns were not based on a misunderstanding or simply being upset after the event.
The issue with the cruise time was not that we expected an additional hour. We understood and paid for a 3-hour cruise from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The signed contract clearly stated: Boarding at 5:45 PM, Start at 6:00 PM, End at 9:00 PM, and Disembark at 9:45 PM. We were told during the event that we had to get off the boat at 8:45 PM, which shortened the experience we paid for.
I brought this concern to the Host during the event, and she went to speak with you. When she returned, she informed me that unfortunately it could not be accommodated and that we would have to get off the boat. If there was a typo or error in the contract, that should have been brought to our attention before the event and corrected with an updated contract for us to review and sign. We were never notified of any correction or given the opportunity to acknowledge and agree to a revised agreement. A signed contract should accurately reflect the services being provided.
While I understand you felt everyone was having a great time, there were many issues happening behind the scenes that impacted our guests' experience. The yacht did not have air conditioning, and guests became extremely uncomfortable from the heat. People were sweating, and we had to request that the upstairs plastic windows be opened just to allow airflow.
The cash bar was also disappointing. It was not fully stocked, and several items listed on the menu were unavailable because they had run out. The music arrangement included in our contract also could not be used because the connectors that were supposed to be provided could not be located. We had to use a worker's personal device, which required me to sign into Spotify to access our playlist. If that employee had not been available with his device, we would not have had music for the event.
After the event, I reached out directly to address these concerns and never received a response. That lack of communication was disappointing, especially after investing so much time, money, and effort into planning what was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.
I truly wanted this event to be an amazing and memorable experience for our classmates and guests. Unfortunately, the combination of planning issues, communication problems, contract concerns, and the conditions during the event left us feeling disappointed and that we did not receive the experience we paid for.
