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My Photo Review Of My Enchantment Cruise Of March 13, 2015


bigque
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Well hello fellow cruisers! This is my review of my recent cruise aboard the Enchantment Of The Seas on March 13, 2015 (Spring Break). As always with my reviews I start with a disclaimer that this review is my opinion of the cruise and there may be folks on the same cruise or who may have been on Enchantment in the past that have differing views. I will also attempt to answer some questions that I have been reading here in cruise critic to dispel myths and fact from fiction. So with that said, let’s go!

 

This cruise was our 2nd 3 day cruise to the Bahamas with our first being on board the Sovereign Of The Seas in 2008. On this cruise we had two female friends taking their very first cruise ever and I will also have what they thought from a newbie perspective throughout the review also. We are age 63 and 58 married 35 years and our friends (single) are in the 40’s.

 

So we decided this time to take the drive down to Port Canaveral from Charlotte, NC leaving at 4:00 AM Thursday morning (A day early). With a breakfast stop and a couple of gas stops we were expecting to get into Coco Beach at about 1:00-1:30 PM. Now for the exciting fun part of the drive. Our driver (Me) was going just a little bit too fast on I-95 in the state of Georgia and he looks in the rearview mirror and low and behold there was a big black SUV trailing behind with blue lights flashing. The driver thought hey maybe I should pull over to the shoulder and see what the guy in the big boot camp looking hat wanted. “Where are you headed”? On our way to Florida to catch a cruise! “You were driving ** over the speed limit”. Oh was I going that fast??? So great start to the cruise vacation……Dumb driver! LOL!

 

Not to ruin our fun, once into Florida we pull into the Welcome Center for our first Photo Op!

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Such nice weather down here in Florida and after the speeding ticket in Georgia things could only get better from here! As we continue down I-95, laughing and singing to songs on the radio and having a good ole time and now about 55 miles or so from Coco Beach…what is this this???? The traffic comes to a slow crawl to about 5-10 mph. An emergency highway sign says there is an accident about 2 ½ miles further down the highway and by this time we have been creeping along for about 30 minutes. Another sign tells us we will have to take a detour at an exit about a mile up the highway……..Oh Joy! After the detour exit and traffic off the exit backed up from here to there still creeping along, I decide to get out of that traffic and let my GPS try to pick an alternate route to Coco Beach. To make a long story short, we did not arrive to our hotel in Coco Beach until about 5:15 PM….remember our original time to arrive was going to be between 1:00 and 1:30! I learned a very valuable lesson from this and that is not matter what, be it driving or flying I will always have I have done from my very first cruise leave at least a day early. I know here on cruise critic there have been many opinions on arriving a day early or the day of the cruise but if this would have been the day of the cruise we would missed the ship. You never know what might happen on your way!

 

Ok…Can we now get this party started without anymore incidents??? We were booked at the Comfort Inn & Suites in Cocoa Beach with the Park & Ride Special. We stayed here for our first cruise back in 2008 and thought it wasn’t bad so why not give them another try. Our friends and I had both booked standard rooms but all the standard rooms were filled with spring breakers so they had to upgrade us to suites with balconies. Well Hot D*mn, finally something good has gone our way! After checking in we took a ride a few miles down the highway to Patrick Air Force Base (I am an Air Force Retiree) to pick up a few things at the Base Exchange and then to Walmart and then on to dinner at Rusty’s Seafood restaurant at the port. We ate there before our last cruise on Freedom and we really like it. Very Good food and they give you plenty!

 

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When we got to Rusty’s there was a ship in port docked at the new terminal and while waiting to get seated I decided to walk down to see what ship it was and take a couple of pictures. The ship was Explorer Of The Seas!

 

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After dinner it was back to the hotel to get some rest for our 3 day adventure aboard Enchantment Of The Seas! YAAAY!

 

Up Next - DAY 1- Embarkation

Edited by bigque
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Day 1 – Embarkation

 

Embarkation at the new Terminal was easy and painless. We arrived at the terminal in our shuttle from the hotel about 11:30. We gave our bags (Already had the luggage tags on) to the porters, gave them a $5 tip and on to the terminal. Walked into the terminal and went to the line for Gold Members. We asked the lady there if our friends could come in this line with us and she said sure! There was no one currently in the line when we went through so we were able to walk right up to the counter. Check in was easy as our friends and us all had passports. After the very quick and easy check-in we went to board the ship. Drop off to boarding took all of about 30 minutes as we were on the ship by noon! Well once on board we did our traditional stop up at the Windjammer for lunch. As in my previous reviews I give everything (food, dining facility, room steward, entertainment, service and ports) a grade based on a school grading system of A, B, C, D & F and if I did not do a particular thing, I will not mention it!

 

MY Windjammer Lunch:

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The Windjammer:

 

When we got up there shortly after noon, it was already quite crowded. We walked around for and found a table that needed to be cleared and a server came over and cleared it and we were ready to eat. The four of us tried different items from the buffet and the consensus was that the food was ok…not great but ok. The waiter assigned to our table was very friendly and actually stood and talked to us for a couple of minutes before moving on. The buffet area on Enchantment was quite crowded around the station. The lunch items on both Friday and Saturday was hot and basically the same items on both days with maybe a couple of items on Saturday that we did not notice on Friday. We all felt that breakfast was better than lunch. Breakfast had your typical buffet breakfast items and there was an omelet station to get fried eggs or omelets made to order. The coffee was the best tasting coffee I have had in the Windjammer on any cruise I have been on. Due to the crowds this was the first Windjammer that I saw that got so crowded that they had to rope it off and only let people in when people left.

Breakfast (DW & I) – B / Newbies – B

Lunch (Us) – C / Newbie #1 – B- / Newbie #2 – C-

Windjammer overall – Us – C / Newbies – C

 

 

After lunch we started to make a little exploration of the ship but right after we got started and was sitting in the solarium, the announcement was made that the rooms had now opened up (about 1:15) so away we went to check it out! We were both on the 3rd deck, we in 3578 ocean view and the newbies in 3586 ocean view. We both had the same Room Steward whose name was Nikki from St. Vincent. Nikki was the best room steward we have ever had on any cruise. She was very nice and personable and we connected right from the start. Every time we saw her no matter the time of day she always greeted us with a smile and always greeted us by name. “Nikki can you get us ice”? The ice bucket was filled every time we came to room after that. Speaking of the room, the room was roomy enough for an ocean view room with the typical size bathroom, shower with sliding glass door (New stretch section) and room had the small glass coffee table and chair rather than a love seat or couch. There was plenty of closet space where we stored our suit cases as on this three day cruise we elected to live out of them rather than unpacking. The newbies had the shower curtain in the bathroom and a non glass coffee table and a love seat. There was no noticeable odors throughout the cruise. The newbies had a problem with the toilet not flushing but someone was sent right up and the problem was fixed. There was not refrig in the room so all the bar stuff was sitting on the dresser which we moved to the space were the refrig was suppose to be. The room safe was the type that you had to use a card with a magnetic strip and it was easy to use and never had a problem there.

Room Cleanliness – Us – A / Newbies – A

Room Steward – Us – A+ / Newbies – A+

 

Cabin 3578

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We then decided to take our first full tour of the ship before time for muster drill. We first headed to the MDR to see where our table was going to be. It was table 28 by the windows right near the entrance to the MDR:

 

As we walked around checking things out and taking a few pictures the newbies commented that the ship looks old and worn. (WOW this coming from newbies who has never been on another ship or cruise line). In my view I had to sort of agree. As compared to other ships we have been on, it did look like age has crept up on the Enchantment. The furnishings around the ship looked dated to me and the Centrum area where a lot of the happenings were on the ship was the least gorgeous Centrum of the ships we have cruised that have the centrum rather than a promenade. When we were in port in Nassau and I could see the entire outside of the ship, it appeared to me that the ship was not well maintained (paint, etc.) as compared to the other 5 ships (3 Carnival, 1 Disney & 1 NCL) in port with the Disney Dream by far the best looking ship on this day.

 

The pool deck was pretty big and there always seemed to be chairs available to sit somewhere even right around the pool and remember this was spring break. Now about spring break. We usually cruise in October but we thought we would take a small cruise while waiting for our cruise coming up this October. There was a lot of kids from college age to High School age to elementary school age to very little ones. We have never been on a cruise with so many kids and we have nothing against kids at all, but after this spring break cruise we have decided that this will be our last and will only cruise in our regular time in October from now on. I am not going to make comment on how good or bad kids behaved but a spring break cruise but a spring break cruise is just not our cup of tea and I will leave it at that!

I was not impressed with the Viking Crown Lounge. It was only like half the size of other VCL’s. If you went up to the parties at night there was not really any place to sit if you did not get there early. The club I like the best was where Quest was held, which I will mention in my entertainment review

 

Enchantment overall – Us - C / Newbies – C

 

 

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Table 28

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On Stage In The Theater

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Casino Royale

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I am enjoying you review. We were on the same sailing.

 

Funny, we were also on deck 3, OV cabin but our bathroom was completely different. We had new tiles, a raised sink, modern faucets, new bathroom floor, new shower floor and had all kinds of storage drawers. We were in the original ( not added) area and still had a shower curtain. In fact, we remarked that the bathroom looked like the bathrooms on Celebrity in balcony and Aqua suite cabins.

 

We liked that we did NOT have that oval glass table and liked the small wooden table, especially in a small cabin. We had a love seat rather than a chair. I guess you had the chair because your room was connecting.

 

We've sailed spring break few times and thought this was a tame crowd. There was one "incident" during karaoke in the Centrum when a passenger got so involved in his song that he went up the stairs and sang from the floor above the Centrum. Before I could blink, there were 3 security guards a few steps away. There must have been some plain clothes security officers to call for back-up.

 

 

All in all, we had a good cruise.

 

M

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After the ship tour while out on the pool deck the announcement was made to head toward your muster station. Let me do a quick mentioned about ship announcements since that is one of the topics that have been mentioned on Cruise Critic recently. On Enchantment announcements were made throughout the day concerning everything, i.e. – bingo, sales, events and so on. I don’t think I heard any announcements from early dinner on but as I said throughout the day they were plentiful.

 

After muster drill we went up to the top deck forward to watch sail away:

 

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Then headed back to the room as it was starting to close to dinner time (Early Seating). When we got there the bags had been delivered to the rooms……everybody except mine! I waited a little bit and no bag. As we left for dinner, I told Nikki about it and she said she would check on that for me.

 

Dinner Menu On 1st Day:

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We were a little early for dinner as they had not opened yet so we were waiting in a line. Since the Customer Service desk was near I decide to walk there and check on my luggage. After the speeding ticket and the multi hour detour on the way to Cocoa Beach, I thought to myself what else could go wrong then.............OHHHHHHH NOOOOOOO....... My bag was in the Infamous "NAUGHTY ROOM"! :eek: So I was escorted there by the Customer Service Rep. I thought I was going to be taken to some room in some obscure place in the lower bowels of the ship but we just went to the a roped off area of the Photo Gallery. There sitting among a throng of baggage was mine! I told the guy which was mine and it was opened it turned out that mine was sent there because of a bottle of mouth wash! :mad: He opened it, took a sniff closed it and gave me my suit case and sent me on my way with no apology! Our Room Steward Nikki later explained to me that they check a lot of bags during Spring Break Cruises. I took the bag to the room and headed back to the Dining Room for dinner.

 

This will be a good time to describe the "dress" in the MDR aboard Enchantment Of The Seas.

 

Our table as I mentioned earlier was right near the entrance to the MDR so I was able to see a lot of folks coming in. The first night was casual and it was pretty much wear whatever you wore on the cruise as even if you did receive your baggage you really did not have time to change for early seating dinner.

 

We ate in the MDR on the first two nights and we ate in Chops on the last night. In both the MDR and Chops what I observed was:

 

Men wearing T-shirts, jeans, dress slacks, shorts, button down shirts, Sport Jackets, shoes, sandals, flip flops, sneakers, polo shirts and wearing baseball caps at the table. The only thing I didn’t see were wife beater shirts or swim wear.

Women were wearing dresses, skirts, shorts, skorts, sun dresses, blouses, slacks, pants suits, jeans, dress shoes, sneakers and sandals. The women were however generally dressed much nicer than the men they were with.

Kids wore pretty much the same style of clothing that you would see their parents in.

 

There is one formal night on this cruise and the style of dress on this night were some men in tuxes, suits, shirt and ties, dinner jacket with slacks shirt and tie or with an open shirt collar. Women wore gowns, evening dresses

 

And………………………………….(Hold onto your seat)……………………..

 

We saw men wearing T-shirts, jeans, dress slacks, shorts, button down shirts, Sport Jackets, shoes, sandals, flip flops, sneakers, polo shirts and wearing baseball caps at the table. The only thing I didn’t see were wife beater shirts or swim wear.

 

Women were wearing dresses, skirts, shorts, skorts, sun dresses, blouses, slacks, pants suits, jeans, dress shoes, sneakers and sandals.

 

There was the “Suggested” clothing for each night in the daily Cruise Compass, but it appeared to be however you came dressed that was ok.

 

Dinner was not bad on the first night as we and the newbies and our table mates which was a family of four enjoyed what was ordered. It was flavorful

and tasty. Was it the best I have had on a cruise....No, but it was actually pretty good.

 

So after the speeding ticket, the detour and the naughty room, you figure nothing else could go wrong, right???! Wrong! We spent some time in Nassau and after returning to the ship we had a little lunch in the Windjammer. Later when we went to dinner for formal night I had a little stomach ache. While at dinner it seemed to get worse and I was really getting queasy. I ordered dinner but when the soup came I took one spoon full and didn't feel like eating anymore. I was feeling so bad that I excused myself and went back to the room and stayed there about 10 minutes and went back to the MDR. After another five minutes I had to leave again and the DW went with me. I made it outside the dining room and had to go the men's room and threw up three times. I got back to the room and received a call from the ships clinic which the head waiter called and told them about me. I was to call them back later if I didn't get any better. I attributed this sickness to something I ate in the Windjammer but I actually think I might have gotten some type of stomach virus as I could not really eat much of anything the rest of the cruise after this happened.

 

I was a real trooper though as after going back to the room I went back out for a little bit and took some of the formal night pictures and went to some of the shops of the centrum till I started feeling really bad again. I called the clinic and they told me to come down. The clinic was located on deck 1. A nurse took my vital signs and asked all the usual questions. I then saw the doctor and asked more of the same. All of this was no charge. The doctor said I was also slightly dehydrated from the vomiting and he wanted to give me an IV and also wanted to do a EKG. I declined because this is when the charges would have started. He was persistent but I told him that I thought I could make it through this without that so I had to sign a waiver that I declined treatment. WOW! Let's hope this is it for the cruise. I went back to room where I stayed the rest of the night while the DW and the newbies went out to have a good time.

 

Now back to the MDR......As I said the food was not bad and it was real good on the formal night (So I was told) even though I did not eat anything on that night. We had a very good waiter and assistant waiter. They were very attentive and had great attention to detail as they remembered all of our names at the table from day 1 and whatever drinks we liked was at the table after the first night.

 

MDR Food - US - B / The Newbies - B

MDR Service - Us - B+ / The Newbies - B+

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Entertainment:

 

The 70's/80's party was one of the best I have attended on any of the cruises I have been on. People were really into it and everyone seemed to be having a good time. We did not go to the Welcome aboard show so I can't comment on that. The newbies did however go to the Farewell Show and they seemed to enjoy it, but we did not go....Been There Done That! While they were there we went to the shops to see if there was any good deals to be had. We stopped by to see the comedian and we did not think he funny at all. Usually with bad comedians I will usually get a chuckle from something they say but with this guy.....Nothing! We watched the Love And Marriage show on TV and he seemed to be good as usual, as good as on previous cruises. What we really enjoyed was "QUEST"! As always it is hilarious and the newbies really enjoyed it. I will never understand for the life of me why people will do the things they do just to get a fake bronze, silver or gold medal...But it is still hilarious to watch every cruise. You never get tired of seeing it!

 

Entertainment - US - B / The Newbies - B

 

Well that is it for the day - UP Next - Day 2 - Nassau

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I do have a question, do they serve Lobster on the menu on the Formal night? I know they have the upcharge Lobster dinner, do they offer Lobster without the upcharge?

 

No they do not have lobster on the formal night. I think it would be great to have the menu with the lobster on the one formal night on this cruise rather than the menu they currently use for formal night.

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Entertainment:

 

The 70's/80's party was one of the best I have attended on any of the cruises I have been on. People were really into it and everyone seemed to be having a good time. We did not go to the Welcome aboard show so I can't comment on that. The newbies did however go to the Farewell Show and they seemed to enjoy it, but we did not go....Been There Done That! While they were there we went to the shops to see if there was any good deals to be had. We stopped by to see the comedian and we did not think he funny at all. Usually with bad comedians I will usually get a chuckle from something they say but with this guy.....Nothing! We watched the Love And Marriage show on TV and he seemed to be good as usual, as good as on previous cruises. What we really enjoyed was "QUEST"! As always it is hilarious and the newbies really enjoyed it. I will never understand for the life of me why people will do the things they do just to get a fake bronze, silver or gold medal...But it is still hilarious to watch every cruise. You never get tired of seeing it!

 

Entertainment - US - B / The Newbies - B

 

Well that is it for the day - UP Next - Day 2 - Nassau

 

Mike, sorry you did not feel well during the cruise. Agreed--- that comedian was pretty bad!

 

M

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Great review. I love hearing about other's Royal cruise experiences. Too bad that you found the ship rundown, but seems like you still had a fun time. Thanks for sharing the great pictures. Love the formal night ones.

How do you find the shorter cruises? I'm sure it goes fast but still a good little vacation to get away for a few days.

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I'm enjoying reading your posts and seeing the pictures. I will be on the Enchantment for the first time in June. I am surprised that lobster isn't on the menu for formal night. We've cruised other lines and that has been one of the offerings on the formal night. Oh well.....I know that none of us will go hungry :). Looking forward to reading and seeing more pics!:)

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Great review. I love hearing about other's Royal cruise experiences. Too bad that you found the ship rundown, but seems like you still had a fun time. Thanks for sharing the great pictures. Love the formal night ones.

How do you find the shorter cruises? I'm sure it goes fast but still a good little vacation to get away for a few days.

 

We didn't think it was rundown but just old and worn showing it's age and yes we did have a wonderful time. What we thought of the condition of the ship in no way had an effect on our enjoyment of the cruise other than me getting sick! :( We actually like the longer cruises, but this time we wanted to just take a short weekend cruise to put in between our last cruise and our next cruise in October. You are right they do go by pretty quick and I am ready to go on the next one already!

Glad you are enjoying the review. More to come! :cool:

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I'm enjoying reading your posts and seeing the pictures. I will be on the Enchantment for the first time in June. I am surprised that lobster isn't on the menu for formal night. We've cruised other lines and that has been one of the offerings on the formal night. Oh well.....I know that none of us will go hungry :). Looking forward to reading and seeing more pics!:)

 

Yes! As I mentioned to a previous poster I think that the menu with the lobster that is served on the 2nd night of 7 day cruises should be the menu of choice on the one formal night of this cruise. I wrote that as a comment in my post cruise survey they sent me! :cool:

Glad you are enjoying the review thus far!

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Maybe I missed it. What night was the formal ? I'll be on a four night I assume pretty much the same schedule

 

This was the 3 night and it is on Day 2. I am not really short which night it is on the 4 night cruise. Sorry :(

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