The cruise line was founded in 1993 by executives of GoGo Tours and Liberty Travel, who have invested $6 million in a recent refurbishment. Regal Cruises is based in Port Manatee, Florida. This line's ship, the Regal Empress, has the classic elegance of earlier trans-Atlantic liners. You'll find a high level of personal service due to its more intimate size, as well as a diverse range of itineraries at affordable prices. This ship attracts a fun-loving crowd seeking a great value. Built as the trans-Atlantic liner Olympia for the Greek Line in 1953, this former steamship was converted into a motor ship by internationally renowned Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft shipyard in 1983. Acquired by Regal Cruises in 1993, she offers inexpensive cruises in a charming old-world ambience. Sailing from New York each summer and Port Manatee, near Tampa, during the winter months, this 900 passenger ship still proudly shows some of her former luxury trappings.