Enchantment of the Seas, January 26-February 4

[rafinmd]

Rising about 5:50 it was quite windy when I went on deck and I went down to deck 5 to walk for about 90 minutes. Last year there was access across the deck 5 bow a times but I haven't seen that yet this cruise so I walked in a long "U". There was a full moon again with clouds near the horizon but the sun did find a few small openings as it rose.

 

I found the activity schedule less hectic than yesterday but there was plenty to do. In the morning show John Blair interviewed tonight's performers, impressionist (and many other things) Jeff Tracta and comedian Derrick Cameron. Ray Locke gave a presentation on sailing the Intercostal Waterway. This brought back great memories of my cruise on a mini ship a few years ago from Rhode Island to Florida. There was also a "Meet the Stars" session in the Centrum with the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers answering our questions. They did indicate that many shows are presented on multiple ships but generally the 2 ships are of different classes so there will be a new set of shows on the Grandeur when it replaces the Enchantment. At his noon update Captain Gus' words of wisdom were "To be old enough to know better but old enough to try anyway".

 

I spent the early afternoon catching up on things and then went up to the Windjammer for tea. They had one of my favorites today, Cranberry Scones. There was a 4PM session of "Where are you" trivia which turned quite frustrating. The hostess seemed to have a limited command of English saying things like "A landmark of this city is a tower built by William Eye" when she really meant William the First. Finally the Hotel Director came to her aid and we made our way through the questions. My team had a very poor showing.

 

The featured entertainment was Jeff Tracta. He was here mainly as a vocal impressionist imitating the voices of everybody from Tina Turner to Edith and Archie Bunker, but he also has extensive experience on soap operas (especially The Bold and the Beautiful) and on Broadway. He was on the ship for a week, doing a show late in the previous cruise and the one tonight, his first appearances on a cruise ship. He was one of the best entertainers I have seen.

 

I briefly watched the bands in Centrum and spent a few minutes in the Schooner with Danny Beal. He was ok but not great.

 

Today's parting shot goes back to meet the stars. One thing I knew was usually the cans and I confirmed true here was that on a ship everybody has to pitch in where necessary. The duties of the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers come front and center in times of need as leaders and organizers for the lifeboat stations. More than smiling faces, lovely voices, and nimble feet, they also train and provide critical services in time of emergency. Thank you!

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Hi, glad you are on board and hope you have a fantastic time! Please let me know if you get a chance to listen and or dance to the bands on board. I know there is a pretty good Caribbean band called Roots Vibrations and a country band called Shine. We are ballroom dancers and are hoping that the third band I think they are called Evergreen is a good dance band. Also, on Radio's 9 day cruise he had 3 formal nights. Can you tell us if that is also true on yours?

Have a great time!!!:)

 

I did not see anything about Shine in the Compass, they may not be currently on the ship and there was a DJ doing country but I haven't seen a country band. Roots Vibration plays daytime around the pool and later in the evening in Centrum. I would have trouble describing their music but Caribbean sounds relatively close. The one thing I could identify was "Electric Slide". The other band was called Evergreen Trio in the Compass, but I only saw two people, a pianist and a second who played keyboard, flute, and sax. Among the songs they played were Red Roses for a Blue Lady, Spanish Eyes, and an uptempo latin tune. They seemed to be fairly popular.

 

Candleonwater, it was interesting that Afternoon Tea was listed on the WJ schedule but not in the compass. Something may be changing there but for now there is still tea. I imagine much of the same food will be available in Park Cafe if it is discontinued in WJ. I enjoy reading in a lounger but will see if there are upright chairs.

 

Roy

[jakenashleysmom]

Thank you for all the information! Interesting that they are offering "tea" in the Windjammer again, as we were told they were toying with only offering snacks in the Park Cafe at that hour of the afternoon?

 

Edited to say that I see you have already answered this! Have a great cruise!

[Sea and Me]

Roy:

Enjoying your posts! Have a great day:)

Carol

[cruisin4thedeepblue]

I did not see anything about Shine in the Compass, they may not be currently on the ship and there was a DJ doing country but I haven't seen a country band. Roots Vibration plays daytime around the pool and later in the evening in Centrum. I would have trouble describing their music but Caribbean sounds relatively close. The one thing I could identify was "Electric Slide". The other band was called Evergreen Trio in the Compass, but I only saw two people, a pianist and a second who played keyboard, flute, and sax. Among the songs they played were Red Roses for a Blue Lady, Spanish Eyes, and an uptempo latin tune. They seemed to be fairly popular.

 

Candleonwater, it was interesting that Afternoon Tea was listed on the WJ schedule but not in the compass. Something may be changing there but for now there is still tea. I imagine much of the same food will be available in Park Cafe if it is discontinued in WJ. I enjoy reading in a lounger but will see if there are upright chairs.

 

Roy

 

Thanks for the information! We enjoy dancing even tho the dance floors on most ships are not large by any means we still love it. Not really a country music fan.Looking forward to try the new Centrum floor.:)

[Sugar*Magnolia]

We are just off the January 14th sail. There was dancing in the centrum every night, it is beautiful!! Also, we did not see ANY new coke machines. I'm not sure why it is rumored that they are there and just not connected, unless they're hidden somewhere and we didnt notice...

[rafinmd]

So they do have afternoon tea in WJ? Word was going around with the addition of the Park Cafe, they were going to discontinue the tea.

 

If you get a chance, would you mind scouting out the Solarium pool area? I'd like to know if there are any "upright" chairs in there. In one of Radio's photos it appeared that they had removed them. I know they have the chairs around tables, but I like to sit in the pool area and read a book, and it looked like all they had left was lounge chairs?

 

There are a few fabric chairs at the corners of the Solarium with footrests that detach so you can keep your foot on the floor. The backs are not adjustable so if you're looking for an upright back I don't see much. The rest of the chairs there are either loungers or at tables.

 

 

The thumbnails have a picture of the chairs (about 15 total) and the WJ hours. If I see the Hotel Manager around the ship I'll ask for the plans about tea time. I sat in one of those chairs as we were passing Fort McHenry at sailaway and it was comfortable for me YMMV.

 

Roy

[jakenashleysmom]

We are just off the January 14th sail. There was dancing in the centrum every night, it is beautiful!! Also, we did not see ANY new coke machines. I'm not sure why it is rumored that they are there and just not connected, unless they're hidden somewhere and we didnt notice...

The "rumor" came from Radio who got his information from the captain. The captain said the machines were on board (meaning not in place yet) but he didn't know when they would be installed. Hope its soon!:D

[Sugar*Magnolia]

The "rumor" came from Radio who got his information from the captain. The captain said the machines were on board (meaning not in place yet) but he didn't know when they would be installed. Hope its soon!:D

 

Ah ha! At least they arent hidden in plain sight, I didnt think we missed them.

I also spoke with Captain Gus, at length. Not about the coke machines though, lol

Thanks a bunch for the info!

:)

[Candleonwater]

Thank you, those are the chairs I like. They used to reside along the walkway connecting the cafe to the spa (behind the pool). Love that they look out on the water now!

 

There are a few fabric chairs at the corners of the Solarium with footrests that detach so you can keep your foot on the floor. The backs are not adjustable so if you're looking for an upright back I don't see much. The rest of the chairs there are either loungers or at tables.

 

 

The thumbnails have a picture of the chairs (about 15 total) and the WJ hours. If I see the Hotel Manager around the ship I'll ask for the plans about tea time. I sat in one of those chairs as we were passing Fort McHenry at sailaway and it was comfortable for me YMMV.

[rafinmd]

While this was officially a port day, our 3PM arrival made it feel more like a sea day. When I went up to the WJ for coffee about 5:30 the wind was howling (about 30 knots) and did not start the day walking. I went back around sunrise and there was a bright, nearly full moon on the starboard side as the sun was coming up above the clouds to our port. We had another talk by Ray Locke at 9:30, this time on sailing to the Bahamas, but I had to leave it early for a Q&A with Jeff Tracta in a very packed Centrum. At his noon update Captain Gus reported 30-knot winds and keel depth of "13,100 feet 7 inches". His words of wisdom were "The only people you should try to get even with are those who have helped you".

 

The Walk for Wishes was held after lunch. It was scheduled for 1:45 but a shower was threatening and John Blair decided about 1:35 "Lets get this going before the rain". We assembled on the bridge over the "stretch" section for some video footage and then started our 4-lap walk. The wind was pretty brutal rounding the bow of the ship but the attendance was quite good and it seemed one of the more successful Walks I have been on. By the time the Walk ended El Morro was quite prominent on the horizon and our scenic sailin to San Juan had begun. There is a narrow entrance to the harbor passing between El Morro on one side and El Canuelo on the other side, setting up a deadly crossfire for invading ships. We docked next to the Eurodam.

 

This was my 3rd visit to San Juan having been here in May 2011 on my first Enchantment cruise and again a month ago for my nephew's wedding and a cruise on the Celebrity Summit. I did not book a tour here, but left soon after the ship was cleared for a visit to San Cristobal, a short walk from the ship. San Cristobal was the 3rd fort protecting the walled city, providing a barrier to troops invading by land. I then walked along the wall to El Morro, the largest of the fortifications. According to my GPS the channel I had just come through was only 1000 feet from the fort's gun turrets, barely more than the length of the Enchantment. On the way back I stopped at Starbucks for internet and at a drug store. I returned to the ship about 6:45.

 

I had planned on being in port into my dinner time and had booked an 8PM reservation at Chops. The sirloin steak and red velvet cake were excellent. This evening's headline act was our own Cruise Director John Blair in "Longfellow Seranade", a tribute to the music of Neil Diamond. Blair is an excellent singer and did a very nice show. When the show ended at 10:45 the Eurodam was backing out of her slip and I watched it sail away.

 

I had planned on using the very successful Walk for Wishes as my parting shot until my experience in Chops. I was not trying to eavesdrop but the elderly couple at the next table was speaking quite loudly. The gentleman was complaining about most everything, the cold weather in Baltimore, the rough seas, how long it took to get to San Juan, being rushed in the dining room, the Eurodam had more balconies, and so on. They were behind me but I had to suppress my laughter (he might have been able to see my reflection in the window) when he said "Our third port of call is in the dirt poor country of Costa Rica". He did keep telling his wife it was his fault for not checking the itinerary more closely before booking. That was the one thing I could agree with.

 

This was a bit of a moment of truth for me. I haven't made it a secret that I prefer other cruise lines to Royal and in general I'd have preferred to be on the Eurodam. One of my mantras is "every cruise is different" and I'd decided that for this time and circumstance the Enchantment is where I wanted to be, and it's been my best cruise of all on her. I would have preferred the Eurodam's more dignified atmosphere, the better food, and even would have preferred a Walk for the Cure on a real wraparound Promenade Deck, but this was not the time. If I had not been on the Enchantment right now I'd probably never have another sailing with Captain Gus might never have experienced John Blair. I'd have preferred a warmer sailaway, but the snow on the deck was part of the adventure. If I had booked the Eurodam I'd have been a real white knuckle flyer, worried about problems getting to Ft. Lauderdale or missing the ship. That would have been an adventure as well but one that I've had before and don't care to repeat. I come back to something Colonel Potter said on MASH, but I could easily have attributed it to Casey Stengel if I didn't know better: "If you're not where you are now, you're nowhere".

 

Roy

[beachnative]

Great review.

 

I'm glad that you are enjoying your cruise. We just returned from the Enchantment and totally agree that Capt. Gus Andersson is the most delightful, charming captain in the fleet.

 

John and Katrina are wonderful people. Both are very professional, caring, and kind.

 

The rest of the crew is also excellent. The complaining man at Chops is missing out on a lot...if he would open his eyes and quit grumping he would realize that he is surrounded by the best crew in the fleet and is sailing on a ship that delivers an outstanding experience.

 

Enjoy the remainder of your cruise.

[cruisin4thedeepblue]

We are just off the January 14th sail. There was dancing in the centrum every night, it is beautiful!! Also, we did not see ANY new coke machines. I'm not sure why it is rumored that they are there and just not connected, unless they're hidden somewhere and we didnt notice...[/quote

 

Thanks so much, my wife will be very happy about the dancing!:)

[rafinmd]

I spoke too soon about Shine. They were in the Centrum tonight, so they must just have had a couple days off. They seemed to be a pretty typical country band.

 

Roy

[cruisin4thedeepblue]

I spoke too soon about Shine. They were in the Centrum tonight, so they must just have had a couple days off. They seemed to be a pretty typical country band.

 

Roy

 

I sure hope they play more than just country!. We have been on 21 cruises and this will be the first time we had a country band on board. Not my cup of tea so to speak. Old phrase I know!

[beachnative]

I sure hope they play more than just country!. We have been on 21 cruises and this will be the first time we had a country band on board. Not my cup of tea so to speak. Old phrase I know!

 

Shine, although country, performed some music that was not country.

 

The Centrum was also a venue for other music groups and individuals during the cruise.

[rafinmd]

I rose again around 5 and found howling winds up on deck. We pulled into Frederikstead, St. Croix around 7:15. Captain Gus reported we were late because we had a medical emergency as we were leaving San Juan and had to return to port to evacuate the person. He also reported that this is the ship's maiden call, and I would assume one of the last maiden calls Enchantment will make. His words of wisdom "Learn from the mistakes of others. You'll never live long enough to make them all yourself." It was also my first visit to St. Croix.

 

I had booked a walking tour of Frederikstead, but was informed a couple days ago it was cancelled. I rebooked a walking tour of Christiansted, the larger village. The 2 towns are only about 11 miles apart but it takes a half hour by taxi. Two taxis (15-passenger vans) dropped us off in the historic district where we were met by our guide. She concentrated on the story of Alexander Hamilton, who spent his boyhood years here, but not too pleasantly. His mother had an older son by an arranged marriage that didn't suit her. Her husband had her put in prison for 6 months. He thought she would return to him when she was released but instead she fled to the island of her birth (I think St. Kitts), She had several sons there before returning to St. Croix. The marriage which produced Alexander was deemed invalid by Danish authorities, and Alexander's family was deemed illegitimate, and not allowed to attend church or school. When he was 14 his mother died and he was deemed a ward of the state. He fled to the US a few years later and never returned to St. Croix.

 

Our tour started with a visit to the scale house where the king weighed all incoming and outgoing cargo and assessed taxes, collected at the customs house across the street. It was just a few yards more to Fort Christiansvaren. While primarily designed to protect the village it was also a prison site with a cell for Mrs. Hamilton and mostly cells and dungeons for slaves. The worst place was the hole where prisoners were shackled, herded together and given scant breathing room, food, or water. Sentences were typically 25 years to life but few survived 30 days in the brutal conditions. A more cheerful place was the Steeple house, the original church here, where the emancipation proclamation for St. Croix slaves was issued. The church was moved to larger quarters and the building served a number of uses before becoming a museum. I thought Government House, our final stop, was a waste with a slow, disorganized security procedure and little of interest. The tour ended at 11:30 at the town boardwalk where we had an hour to browse before returning to the ship. The internet on the ship had not been working since we arrived in San Juan and I found an internet cafe. I got a lot done there but had to meet the bus before completely finishing.

 

After returning to the ship I walked around Frederiksted, both exploring and looking for wifi. I really did not find an appealing place and returned to the ship about 2:30 (and the internet was then working).

 

The welcome back party was in the Spotlight Club at 5:15 with Shine playing. One couple was recognized about 900 cruise points. As I was leaving the party John Blair pulled me aside and confirmed that a Freestyle machine will be coming to the Enchantment. He still did not know when it would debut but it definitely does not sound imminent. We had an additional couple at our table tonight, and I learned that my original tablemate and I attended the same elementary school in upstate New York. The headline entertainment today was Haines Magic. The Orpheum was very crowded and I left after a few minutes.

 

As today's parting shot we made a bit of history today. St. Croix is brand new to Enchantment, mostly new to Royal Caribbean, and has a ways to go in infrastructure but is a nice alternative to crowded St. Thomas. Another port here is a positive development.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

The day started out overcast and there were showers throughout the day. On the morning show John Blair interviewed this evening's entertainer, Tony D. We came to a stop in Samana Harbor about 9. When I visited Samana 20 months ago I did not book a tour and decided I had to this time.

 

It was "Rainforest hike to Natural Pools Cascade". After tendering ashore we were directed to our vehicle, a truck with seats on the bed, much the style of St. Thomas "taxis". The trucks were heavier with several rows of 2+2 seating, and curtains that rolled down the sides. Ramondo and his driver took us through town and we started climbing. The truck moved very slowly and struggled up the hills but in about 45 minutes we arrived at a restaurant with outdoor toilets and then the start of our hike. The ground was very muddy as we climbed to the mouth of a stream overlooking the town reservoir. The stream dropped perhaps 20 feet through a series of pools before spilling out into the reservoir. There were 3 pools where we could go in, ranging from one very shallow to the biggest at the bottom ending below about a 10-foot waterfall. I am not a big swimmer but did wade briefly in the smallest pool and the water was refreshing. Our guides picked samples of chocolate nuts and coffee beans, breaking one of the chocolate pods open. The inside was layers of seeds about the size of plum pits surrounded by about an 1/8 inch coating of tasty goo.

 

We did encounter some showers during our stay at the pools. After about an hour we returned to the truck. We returned to the restaurant where we were given some snacks and got a bit of a sales pitch on the local crafts for sale there. Ramondo also took us through the grounds to see a variety of the local plants. It was about 2:30 when we returned to the port, after a photo stop to view the ship in the distance.

 

When I returned to the ship about 3:15 a lecture by "Felix" was in progress on Egypt, especially the Pyramids and Sphinx. After the talk I went up to the WJ for coffee, milk, and an apricot scone, then changed out of my tour clothes.

 

It was almost exactly 6 when the last of the tenders was hauled up and we started for Labadee. We had our full complement of 4 at our table again for a pleasant meal. During our starters Captain Gus came on the PA and reported whale sightings.

 

The headline show this evening was Tony B with the "Great American Songbook" featuring the music of Bobby Darrin and Frank Sinatra. The Quest was held at 10:30 but I did not stay up but did drop in briefly.

 

As today's parting shot, I have heard a lot of concern about Samana as a port of call. As indicated above, I attempted to explore the town on my own a couple years ago and found little of merit. From what I saw today I still would not want to visit the town without specific plans. The tendering went quite well with a number of local boats employed which were quick and comfortable. The port brought out a platform which provided a second tender landing on the ship. It did look from my vantage on the truck that the taxi drivers were still quite aggressive, at one point seeming to be spread out in a line across the sidewalk making walking difficult. One of my tablemates booked a whale watch tour with one of the better known private operators (identified by his first name). She found that the walk to the tour boats was very long and had to give up the walk midway. My other 2 tablemates booked a beach trip and were pleased. My overall impression of my tour was that it was about average. I also noted that this was probably my last opportunity for that tour as they impose an age limit of 70, I would not be excited about a return to Samana, but would probably not stay on the ship either.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

It was pleasant at 5AM today, but as we move West he sunrise is getting later and later. The sun officially rose at 7:24, soon after we docked in Labadee, but did not rise above the mountain until about 8:15. Labadee is like a private island, but is part of the Haitian island of Hispaniola, lying on an isolated peninsula.

 

I was booked on the "Haitian Cultural Tour". Just after 8:30 we boarded a catamaran, the Buccaneer, and went about 2 miles down the coast. We landed at Paradise, an mockup village and waded across about 100 feet of knee-deep water to a small beach. There were about 40 steps leading up to the complex. While I had expected the village to be a model rather than a real town, one thing was disappointed. A fisherman's house was listed on the program, it was really a bamboo weaving demonstration (with wares to sell of course), and the only tiein to fishing was a bamboo lobster pot. We stepped in a typical rural (small, wood and mud sides and a partial thatched roof. We saw 2 men doing a lengthwise cut of a bamboo log with a huge hand saw. A woman was roasting peanuts and pounding the roasted nuts into peanut butter. A similar process was used for coffee and chocolate. There were several artisans doing music, carving, and painting, and a man was baking bread on a flat griddle. After the tour we had time for a swim and returned to the ship about 11:30.

 

Lunch was served in the Windjammer and in several pavilions around the complex. There are 3 pavilions with 2 open and they had ample space for a ship the size of the Enchantment. The fare was basic barbecue with hamburgs, hot dogs, chicken, pork, and the usual trimmings. After lunch I walked around the island from Columbus Cove at the far end to the Dragons View Overlook near the pier. I made a brief final swim stop realizing the beaches near the pier were not meant for swimming and returned finally to the ship about 3. As I was heading up to the WJ for coffee the horn blew for all aboard. Captain Gus reported all aboard about 3:35 and about 3:55 we were backing away from the pier.

 

Our dinner table was full again and the Chicken Marsela was excellent. Afterwards I stopped in the Schooner bar where Angelo Castillo was filling in for Danny Beal. Angelo usually plays in the Centrum and is not generally listed in the Compass there. There was a late night 70's party in the Centrum and The Bourne Legacy was shown on the outdoor screen. It wasn't very busy as MUTS became "Movies Under the [stars] Showers". The Drifters performed the headline show. Plans are starting to leak out about the Super Bowl. The farewell show will be at 2:30PM with the game broadcast in the Orpheum Theater and on the MUTS screen. Our waiter Joseph told us dinner would be moved up to 5:30 to give us more time for the game.

 

We gained an hour tonight returning to Eastern time. I am ready for the extra hour of sleep.

 

I'll take today's parting shot from Captain Gus' words of wisdom: "It's easy to tell the truth. You don't have to remember anything."

 

Roy

[Sea and Me]

Roy:

Thank you once again for your informative posts. You write very well:) and I enjoy reading all that you write. Thank you for the review on Samana(still haven't booked anything).

Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

Carol

[rafinmd]

Thank you Carol.

 

I ran into Hotel Director Michael Landry today and asked him about afternoon tea. He indicated they are still intetested in moving the afternoon snack to Park Café to allow time for a better WJ cleaning before dinner. He said what happens depended on traffic and it sounds like if it happens it will be after the ship repositions to Port Canaveral. I think for now tea time is safe.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

When I rose at 5, the wind was howling on deck and deck 10 was blocked off. I walked about 90 minutes on deck 5 with a bit of protection from what was still a strong wind. It was mostly cloudy but the sun did peek through and if the ground hog had been on the Enchantment of the Seas, he'd have seen his shadow. The temperature started out around 72 but dropped to the mid 60's during the day.

 

I did not have much of activities in the morning. Aviation historian Felix Usis from the Virginia Beach Aviation Museum (the Felix who spoke about Egypt Thursday) had a 9:30 presentation on Aviation history through the first 50 years. His slide rich presentation clashed with a balky projector (later determined to be a simple defective connector) and was rescheduled for 12:45PM. At his noon update Captain Gus' Words of Wisdom were "The early bird gets the worm but the second worm gets the cheese.

 

The afternoon proved as busy as my morning was quiet. Felix was followed immediately in the Spotlight lounge by Ray Locke on Small Craft sailing. I had to leave that a bit early for the 3PM Captain's Corner. Captain Gus showed videos on both the stretch and the recent Enchantment revitalization. One problem he acknowledged is that the Channel 40 display no longer shows our route on a map. That was incompatible with the new flat screen TV's and they are working on a solution. We can expect to pass the Chesapeake Bay Bridge about 4:40 AM Monday. The session ended about 4 and I went up to the WJ where the afternoon tea scone of the day was a tasty cinnamon. Captain Gus came on the PA just before 5 to tell us a storm was developing that we cannot go around and we can expect 40-knot winds overnight and seas of nearly 20 feet. It will not be dangerous but we should be prepared for some discomfort and be careful.

 

At the welcome back party earlier in the cruse the breakdown of our passengers by Crown and Anchor status was something like this:

RCI Newbie: 1200, Gold: 600, Platinum: 300, Emerald: 60, Diamond: 90, D+: 35, Pinnacle: 7. I was invited today to my first Top Tier event, a bit ironically. I am actually a couple of points shy of platinum but despite really not liking Celebrity I just obtained select status with them. I was quite amazed when I went into the party and Captain Gus greeted me by name. I was one of about 30 people who gave their names when asking questions this afternoon and I was quite astounded that he would remember. On our formal night in the My Fair Lady dining room I enjoyed a very nice peach soup, prime rib, and baked Alaska.

 

Between the talks on Aviation History, and Small Boat Safety, and Appolo 13 being shown on TV yesterday, I am reminded that despite the greater technical sophistication we have when things get tricky it's the skill and judgement of a real human that makes all the difference. Fortunately, we have way more James Lovells and Sully Sullenburgs than Francesco Schettinos

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

The weather was not as rough as I expected at 5AM. I made one lap on deck 10 but the wind picked up quickly. I went back to my room for a while and then walked on deck 5 for a while. After about a half hour things didn't seem bad but security waved me inside.

 

There was an Interdenominational religious service conducted by the Sinclairs in the Spotlight lounge at 9. Volunteer guitarist, chorus, and reader all helped out. Afterwards Captain Gus, Hotel Director Michael, and the Pastry Chef held the cake decorating contest. The Pastry Chef, not mentioned in the initial voting, was declared the winner at the end. Captain Gus accused John Blair of rigging the vote, and had security carry him off (for a few seconds).

 

The worst of the weather was about 9-11AM. At his noon update Captain Gus reported that the worst of the storm had come after we passed but there were still 60-knot winds at times. The temperature was about 55 degrees. His words of wisdom: "The rear view mirrors are so small because our past is not as important as our future." The parade of flags representing the 50 crew nations followed immediately in the Centrum.

 

The afternoon started with a talk on World War II aviation by Felix Usis. Ray Locke started with a talk at 2 on Small Boat Safety but the Farewell show was at 2:30. It was mainly the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers, but Tony B did a few numbers. When Captain Gus came on stage he insisted on "joining the band". He borrowed a trumpet and played "When the Saints Go Marching In" in honor of the Super Bowl. A couple members of the band were sporting Ravens gear. After a balloon drop the event ended with a large contingent of crew on board and a final song. At the conclusion I went to the WJ for a final tea and scone and resumed packing.

 

Our final dinner was moved up to 5:30 to give us more time for the Super Bowl. The game was in stateroom TV, Boleros, the Orpheum Theater, and on the pool deck's new big screen. A few real football fans were bundled up on the pool deck while more were watching in comfort (but without sound) from the Viking Crown Lounge. Snacks were served in Orpheum and Boleros.

 

At half time Chris and Helen from the Royal Caribbean Singers performed a cabaret in Centrum.

 

Today's parting shot is a hearty congratulations to the new champion Baltimore Ravens. What a fantastic game. Enchantment will be returning for some real celebrations. Well done.

 

Roy

[Arzeena]

What a great review! I have to read it over one more time!:)

Thanks for posting.

[mwenger]

I sure hope they play more than just country!. We have been on 21 cruises and this will be the first time we had a country band on board. Not my cup of tea so to speak. Old phrase I know!

 

 

I just got off the Enchantment and Shine does more than Country Songs. They are very good and enjoyed them very much!

 

Marita