Newbie with Enchantment of the Seas Questions

[beachlover777]

We originally were going to take NCL Sky for the three day Bahamas trip, but now I'm thinking about switching to Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas. I just have a few questions for anyone who has been or can offer insight. We will be traveling with our son (almost 2) and my mom as an extra set of hands.

 

1. The cruise sails out of Port Canaveral. We will fly into Orlando. Is it best to stay in Orlando the day before, or in the port area? We will arrive around around 2ish. Also, with a child, is transportation easy to the port?

 

2. Large Interior Stateroom: Do they have couches that pull out or is the Pullman the only option? Not sure if my mom can climb into the Pullman. I prefer an interior room though since my soon needs it dark to sleep. Is deck 7 pretty quiet?

 

3. Is there a disadvantage to using My Time Dining? Can I choose MTD and switch it before we arrive at the port?

 

4. Dress code: will there be a formal night on the shorter cruise? If so, does this apply to children?

 

5. Does everyone in the stateroom have to have the same drink plan?

[bigque]

I am only responding to #1 as I am booked for Enchantment in March of next year, so I can't specific questions about that.

However having stayed overnight in PC for a cruise twice with one time flying into Orlando. IMHO I would say go on to PC since you are getting in early and stay at a hotel there. There are many nice hotels there and the next morning you are already there rather than having to take the 45 minute drive from Orlando the day of the cruise! :cool:

Edited June 18, 2014 by bigque

[Ourusualbeach]

We originally were going to take NCL Sky for the three day Bahamas trip, but now I'm thinking about switching to Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas. I just have a few questions for anyone who has been or can offer insight. We will be traveling with our son (almost 2) and my mom as an extra set of hands.

 

1. The cruise sails out of Port Canaveral. We will fly into Orlando. Is it best to stay in Orlando the day before, or in the port area? We will arrive around around 2ish. Also, with a child, is transportation easy to the port?

 

2. Large Interior Stateroom: Do they have couches that pull out or is the Pullman the only option? Not sure if my mom can climb into the Pullman. I prefer an interior room though since my soon needs it dark to sleep. Is deck 7 pretty quiet?

 

3. Is there a disadvantage to using My Time Dining? Can I choose MTD and switch it before we arrive at the port?

 

4. Dress code: will there be a formal night on the shorter cruise? If so, does this apply to children?

 

5. Does everyone in the stateroom have to have the same drink plan?

 

All interior cabins have Pullmans except for a couple accessible cabins. Deck 7 would be quiet.

 

Not everyone has to have a drink plan.

 

Formal night is night 2. Just dress your child nice but tuxes or suits for the little one definitely not required.

[Clarea]

You can choose MTD now and possibly switch before the cruise. However, you may find traditional dining has filled, and you cannot select it via Royal's website. In that case, you can go to the dining room when you board and try to switch then.

[sjb317]

We thought MTD worked better than traditional when we took our 16 month old grandson on a cruise as 6pm was too early for the adults and 8 pm was too late for the kids. We had the same table and the same waiters every night with MTD.

 

I agree the easiest would be to stay in Port Canaveral. If you arrive in the afternoon, you have time to take your little one over to Cocoa Beach, plus the morning of the cruise will be less stressful for you.

 

No one will care how your child is dressed, kids that age look cute in just about anything!

 

Sherri:)

[CecilCtyCruiser]

The country inn and suites is nice and is (at least when we add stayed there a couple of years ago) the closest hotel to the port. They also had a free shuttle to the port and I think breakfast was also included.

 

 

Sent from my KFAPWI using Tapatalk

[cruiseapril]

We like to stay in PC the night before. It is more relaxing.

 

Also, we left the hotel for the Enchantment at 11:30 a.m. -so it was good to be on the ship early.

[beachlover777]

Thank you all so much for the info! I'm pretty sure we will be sailing on

Enchantment now. It seems like more of a fit for us. I will definitely choose MTD and plan meals accordingly. I also see some hotels will pick us up from

Orlando and let us stay in PC at their hotel, which is an awesome bonus! Thank you for all of the advice!

[cello56]

Just remember that the show times are geared towards early/late dinner, so if you choose a MTD time in the middle, you will probably not be able to make any of the shows. This may or may not be important to you! We love Enchantment - cruise number five with her coming up this September! Have a wonderful time!!

[the_lovely_voyage]

Beachlover,

 

Which hotels did you find that will pick you up from Orlando? I'm having the same situation and would love to weigh all my options!

[beachlover777]

Just remember that the show times are geared towards early/late dinner, so if you choose a MTD time in the middle, you will probably not be able to make any of the shows. This may or may not be important to you! We love Enchantment - cruise number five with her coming up this September! Have a wonderful time!!

 

I'm hoping early will be available since I have a toddler. He can eat and go to bed with his grandmother, while mommy and daddy can go celebrate our birthdays hehe! Thanks for the tips!

 

Beachlover,

 

Which hotels did you find that will pick you up from Orlando? I'm having the same situation and would love to weigh all my options!

 

I'm still creating a list of options. I have a toddler and will need a car seat so it makes me choices a bit more limited than just a taxi. The Radisson near PC offers airport pickup, but I'm unsure if they will provide a car seat. I may end up using Cocoa Beach Shuttle. I thought about renting a car but unsure if it will be more of a hassle.

[Familygoboston]

Don't worry about the shows, they have two and the late one (shown somewhere between 9 and 10:00 PM) is usually late enough for you to go after dining at MTD around 6:45-7:15 because it doesn't take nearly as long to dine at MTD as it does in regular seatings. Since you dine with your own party,you can pace your dining to suit your own schedule. We would tell the waiters if we wanted to make a show and they worked to get us out in time (we always leave AT LEAST 90 minutes for them to serve us and many times they'd have us in and out in about an hour and a few, less if we skipped dessert.

 

In my Enchantment review linked below in my signature, I have the cruise compasses with the showtimes listed so you can pick times that work with the shows.