Review of Enchantment OTS - Feb 9-13, 2006 - Key West & Cozumel

[wgeddings]

Review of Enchantment of the Sea, 4 Night Cruise – Feb 9-13, 2006.

First, let me say that there were 4 of us in our cabin. Me (42 yr old lawyer), Jane (my wife and a teacher), Mary (daughter age 15) and Will (son age 13). We went on a Carnival cruise 19 years ago but more recently went on a Disney cruise 2 years ago and a Carnival cruise (Inspiration out of Tampa for 7 days to Western Caribbean) a year ago. November of 2005, we went on HAL Zuiderdam (that review is available under that ship). We had the same category cabin on each cruise. As I talk about things, I will often compare Disney, Carnival, HAL and RCCL. For those unused to some abbreviations, DD is Darling Daughter, DS is Darling Son and DW is Darling Wife (DH is Darling Husband but thankfully I do not have one of those!). I will refer to each day’s events at the end of the evening so some of my observations may be countered later in the review as we learn or see more. Hopefully you will read the whole thing. In addition, the purpose for this 4 night cruise was to celebrate my sister’s 40th birthday so I will share their opinions on many topics as well. There were 13 of us total (age range from 2 to 63). I will abbreviate Enchantment of the Seas as EOS so please don’t confuse it with any other ship.

My opinion of RCCL was colored initially by the problems we had before even getting to Fort Lauderdale. First, RCCL did not send my documents (or they were lost on the way to the TA) so we did not get our documents until 2 weeks before the cruise. That is normally not so important but when we booked the cruise almost a year ago, we specified a late seating for dinner. Our reservation showed a late seating. When we went to fill out the SetSail pass, it showed a late seating. When the documents finally arrived, it turned out that we had been switched to an early or main seating (6:00). Of course, it was impossible to try to change seatings before getting on the ship so I was disappointed with RCCL. In addition, my other family had booked 3 inside cabins and we had booked an oceanview (booked at the same time as a group by our TA). We were on the same deck but they were at the forward end of the ship and we were at the rear end of the ship (okay, 3 more cabins until the end but who is counting). Overall, RCCL showed little interest in us. I will mention there was a legal conference on board (I was not involved with it) so there were several large groups (125-200 people).

Thursday – February 9, 2006 – Departure from Ft Lauderdale

We arrived at Park N Fly after having a bad experience when we used them in November. Still, even though Park N Fly ignored my letter to them, I figured we would try it again because it does seem good on paper and it is cheaper. The parking went very smooth and the shuttle ride to the port was quick and simple. I enjoy Park N Fly when it comes to getting on the ship, it was that pick up that was the problem the last time. Anyway, bottom line with Park N Fly so far this time is it was very good, economical and convenient. I do wish they had a bigger sign at the intersection after exit 12B (turn left instead of right onto 12B).

We arrived at the port at about 12:45 PM. The porters took our bags quickly and were polite. There were no lines as we walked into the terminal. We followed the signs for those with completed Sea Passes and went right through to the desk where you check in. The clerk was polite and took our information and verified our passports. The couple next to us checking in asked about their bags and asked if they were supposed to have put “those funny colored tags on our bags”. The clerk was amazed that they could be so uninformed as not to have known to mark their bags with their cabin numbers and such and amazed that no porter mentioned to them that just dropping off their bags was not sufficient. He was very polite to them though and tried to assure them that they needed to talk to the cabin steward and to let him know that their bags would have no cabin number on them. After they walked off, I asked him if he thought they would ever see the bags and he told me that it is really not that unusual and the people who do the distribution are used to having to sort only the name. Anyway, that was probably the most interesting thing about embarkation. It could not have gone smoother or easier and there were no waits at all. Even security was very professional and polite. My opinion was improving somewhat at least.

There was no real greeting when we got on board. The Disney greeting (of having your name called out as they welcome you) seems the best extreme but HAL at least had a long receiving line of the waiters and staff all saying welcome. Here, there were 2 people standing at the end of the ramp and not even really paying attention as people walked onboard. We quickly noticed one of the problems with this ship. There are no easily available directories and such around. On other ships, there are many directories for each deck and for what is on the other decks. HAL even had a great little map handout they gave to each passenger. Not so on this ship.

We found our cabin and had another pleasant surprise. It was larger than the other ships and lines we have been on and had tons of drawers and such. We had an oceanview cabins on the other ships too. Carnival was the smallest and worst but HAL was big enough and Disney was the roomiest so far. RCCL EOS falls below Disney but above HAL. HAL was set up so we had a Queen-size bed (the 2 twins pulled together) and the sofa made into a bottom bunk when the top bunk was pulled down from the ceiling. On EOS, there was a bunk that came down from each side and rather than have the bottom together, the bottom beds were apart and against the wall. The sofa remained a sofa all the time. Good and bad I guess. The bathroom has a very small shower (with no tub) but is laid out well and has ample storage in medicine chest and such. Overall, very pleased with the cabin, just not the location.

After dropping things off, we went to the Maitre D to see about changing our tables. There were several waiters serving as traffic directors and buffers to get names and what people wanted to then maintain a “waiting list” to see the Maitre D. Process was not quick but it cannot be if he is going to give ample time to each request. Overall, he was nice and polite when it was our turn but he said that it would be unlikely we could change. He put us on a waiting list but as of dinner tonight, we had not been changed. Still mad about the fact RCCL changed us without even letting us know they did it and then made it so hard to even ask to be changed back.

We then went to the Windjammer Café to eat. Wow! Lots of food and variety. Probably the largest variety we have encountered. The layout was odd since it was concentric circles with the outer buffet rows and inner rows all having different foods. Seating was in further expanding circles and plentiful. Presentation, variety, selection and taste were better than most buffet food. Even though it appeared to be a cramped layout, lines moved quickly and things worked well. HAL has a better dining area layout for their buffet area but overall, RCCL gets my prize for best buffet so far. We ate too much of course then began to explore the ship. One of the first things I noticed was that unlike other ships/lines, there were no hand sanitizer stations on the ship. I am not as fanatical about it as some people but with the rising number of sick people spreading illness on board ships, it is comforting to have available.

The lack of good maps and directories became much more obvious as we tried to get around. A good thing was that rather than deck names (promenade, lido, etc.), they used numbers. We occasionally heard the names used but everything in terms of directories and the Compass (daily activities sheet) used numbers. The center atrium was very attractive and bright. The pools were nice. The adult pool (Solarium area) was very nice. The lifeboat drill went as normal and was pretty efficient.

Since we had dinner at 6:00, we had to get ready after the life boat drill. My son and I then went to the Cruise Critic Meet and Greet in the Champagne lounge. It was good to see jerseygirl and jemingway. On the way to the ship, on the Park N Fly shuttle, we had another couple on the shuttle with us. My son immediately asked them if they were Cruise Critic people. They did not know about it so he was telling them. We found out at the meet and greet that as to the couple we shared a shuttle with, the husband was actually a law partner with jemingway. So I guess that shows that Cruise Critics are everywhere after all. It is always really nice to meet other CCers.

We found our table with little trouble and our waiter and assistant waiter were very attentive and polite. I liked many of the appetizers so ordered a few rather than get a salad. The service was very good and they accommodated special orders with no trouble. Everyone in the extended family thought the food was pretty good. Not excellent but nothing to complain about either. (Just for future reference, if you order the Tiger Prawn Shimp, don’t assume they are peeled….). Everyone, including the young children, were content. We swapped around out seating since they had us at 2 adjacent tables so that we had an adult table and a kids table and the waiter really spent a lot of time trying to be sure the children were well taken care of and happy. Dessert was also pretty good. DW commented that the wait staff was a lot less formal than the HAL staff. By formal, what we mean is eager to please and very concerned that everything be perfect. Still, the EOS staff was very competent and much better than Carnival. I would put it on a level with Disney. The dining room was ample with comfortable chairs and layout. After dinner, the wait staff sang.

Tonight there was only 1 show and that was at 10:15 PM. The EOS dancers did a brief show and then the Cruise Director (Bill) gave a brief talk before introducing a comedian, Tony Daro. Since it was a crowd which included children, he did watch his language and he was pretty funny. I look forward to catching his full show.

So far, the ride has been smooth and things have been pretty good. Tomorrow we will be in Key West arriving at 7:00 AM and have to be back on the ship by 1:30 PM. Please note that the room service menu door tag for having room service delivered in the morning is behind the door in a little pouch that is easy to overlook. I did not think EOS had it until someone else pointed it out to me.

Friday - February 10, 2006 – Key West

We overslept. The beds were not unduly comfortable but we were still tired so we did not get as early a start as we hoped. Breakfast was very good with a very good selection in the Windjammer (buffet). The view from the dining room was excellent of Key West. Remember that even though you only need your Seapass card to get back on the ship, in order to get through port security you have to also have a picture ID. Disembarkation was very quick and simple. We planned on going to the Conch Train Tour. However, because we went straight at the end of the pier instead of turning left we went a few blocks out of the way. It was a nice walk and the weather was very pleasant. The shops and other tourists all seemed to be happy. The Conch Train tour was very good and our guide/driver (Engineer Tommy) was wonderful. I was a little disappointed when I realized that although we “see” sites such as the Truman White House and Hemingway’s home, we saw them only as we drove by and it was not a great view. The other items and local history was still worth the trip and a good time. At the end of the tour, we had just enough time to get a piece of key lime pie at the Rooftop Café and a key lime cookie. Both were delicious.

Got back on board and departure was on time (2:00 PM). We ate lunch in the Windjammer and again the selection was extensive and the food very tasty with more seasoning than I am used to from a buffet (I like seasoning). Although everyone else felt the food was good and the selection wide, my wife still said it was not enough selection. Hopefully 12 to 1 is a pretty good vote in favor of it. Our group split apart for the afternoon. Some went to the rock wall and said it was a lot of fun. Others were in the arcade while still others tried to swim. The indoor pool in the Solarium was out of service and although I did not try to swim, the others who did said the water was very cold. A nap seemed a lot better idea and I enjoyed that.

Tonight was formal night. The staff was very attentive again and getting soft drinks (cola) at dinner was again no problem. The shrimp cocktail was good and the ox-tail soup was very good. Others had the escargot or the lobster bisque and said both were good. The specialty was filet of beef and it was very good. The meat was tender with a lot of flavor. Unlike other cruises, the menu did not really separate appetizers and salads so several in our party assumed that since only 1 salad (Caesar Salad that was good) was shown, it came automatically but we learned that it did not. The wait staff quickly got salads for them but by then the main course was ready. Not a big problem but just a reminder to remember to order a salad if you want one and not to assume it is automatic. After dinner, the dessert strawberry cheesecake (both regular and low-fat) was extremely good. The wait staff have been taking a lot of time with the children in our group, even going so far as to cut up their meat. We also celebrated my sister’s birthday and they brought her a piece of cake and sang Happy Birthday.

After dinner, we waited for pictures and had several taken. There were several areas set up for picture taking with different backgrounds and lines were quite reasonable. All were in the atrium area on the same level and it was easy to find the backdrops and locations.

After pictures we changed and caught the show “Stage to Screen” by the EOS singers and dancers. The lounge was crowded but line of sight was good and service from the wait staff was attentive and quick. The show itself was okay. Most of the songs were from plays/movies I had not seen or did not really care about. They were from West Side Story, Sweet Charity, Little Shop of Horrors, Hairspray and Chicago to name a few. The dancers and singers were quite good though and I would have enjoyed it more if it were songs I knew. I am sure for those who knew the songs, it was much better. There was one singer who was a blocky barrel-chested man. Although he lacked much rhythm in the dance moves, he had a wonderful voice. Everyone in our group enjoyed it as we broke up for the casino and bed. Tomorrow is Cozumel and we are all excited. We were reminded to set our clocks to Central time (1 hour behind EST).

Saturday, February 11, 2006 – Cozumel

Well, this was an interesting day for a number of reasons. Because the Cozumel experience was very different from the RCCL experience, I will separate this into 2 sections. One about Cozumel and one about the EOS.

Ship - We have been on EOS for a few days now so I can comment better about the ship. The crew remain very helpful and nice. The food remains extremely good with a wide selection and good flavor. The cabin is large enough with good storage. However, now I am seeing some issues that other cruisers should keep in mind. First, the cabin has been very warm. I like the cabin very good (68 degrees F usually) and it has remained about 72 degrees. We have had maintenance check it and it is working as it should supposedly. If you like a warm cabin, no problem but, if like me you like a very cool cabin, keep this in mind. Second, the water that comes out of the faucet in the bathroom has 2 temperatures. Hot and warm. We cannot find anything that lets even cool water come out. The shower is fine for cool water but the sink is difficult to get a cup of water from since it is so warm. The beds are not overly comfortable, especially compared to HAL and other lines. The rocking of the boat has been relaxing but we have not slept all that well. Also, the snafu that caused us to be switched to early seating for dinner means we missed dinner tonight (as explained later). Although the food in the Windjammer was very good and the wait staff more than helpful, missing out on the dining room was annoying. Finally, the magic show tonight (Dale Scott and Anna) was very disappointing. He was okay but all of the tricks were ones we have seen before on TV a number of times and it was just not that interesting. Perhaps we were spoiled by the outstanding magician on the recent HAL cruise. Oddly enough, there was only a single show, at 7:45 PM, rather than multiple shows for the different dinner seatings. Since the time in Cozumel had boarding with a departure scheduled for 7:00 PM, I was surprised at the scheduling.

I also noticed that the crew and staff are much more “multi-cultural” than I have seen on other lines. All spoke extremely good English but they seemed to be from a large variety of places. In the past, our cabin steward has been from Indonesia, Philippines or other nearby areas but our steward this time was a 6’2” black man. He did great though but it was a surprise from what we had seen previously.

Cozumel – Well, this was a day of expectations. We visited Cozumel, and Paradise Beach, about a year ago. When we heard about the hurricane and it destroying the docking piers, we were anxious to see how things looked. I knew we would be tendering in and we had tendered a number of times before on the other cruise lines. I did not expect this to be nearly the problem it turned out to be. The tendering was NOT the fault of RCCL to my knowledge. The tendering company to take us from the ship to shore was running very late. We were supposed to be on Tender 2 but there was a problem getting Tender 1 loaded and off. When it was finally done and we loaded on Tender 2, it was already about 30 minutes late. Okay, we were on vacation so it would be okay. The ship was anchored only a couple hundred yards from the pier (not a big enough pier to dock a cruise ship and for those who know the geography of Cozumel, it was Punta Langosta). Loading went okay but once we left the ship, the fun began. The trip to the pier was about 5 minutes at most. Then the captain of the tender started having trouble docking at the pier. For the next 15 minutes, he kept trying to dock. At one point, he slammed into the pier so hard that he broke the lower railing on the tender. The tender held 300 people and was filled to capacity but rather than get upset, we all just laughed and were thankful we were not having to pay for the tender and glad we were not the deck hands onboard or on the pier trying to get the ropes properly sorted. Finally, we docked and were able to leave the tender but now we were pretty far behind our “schedule”`

The plan was to rent a car and go to Paradise Beach. I had contacted a company called “Less Pay” about reserving 3 of their VW Safaris (or Things as they were also called in the US). The owner (or whoever did their e-mailing) assured me that reservations were not necessary but that he would hold 3 for us. Since we had to go to their offices at the Barracuda Hotel, he also offered to pay for our cab ride and give us off season rates. I was quite excited and had talked it up with the other family. Imagine my happiness when I saw that the Barracuda Hotel was only about a block away from Punta Langosta! No need for taxi rides at all! Well, that was when things changed. We got to Less Pay and there were some people ahead of us. A nice lady and a man. Inside the office, it was very hot but we all waited while the owner outfitted a big group of people renting scooters. Finally, after about 15-20 minutes, he came back in. The lady, who was next in line, told him she had come back to pick up the 3 other cars she had reserved previously. He told her that they only had 4 vehicles left (1 Safari and 3 other very small cars). I interrupted (we had all been talking and it was not as rude as it sounds) and asked if those were in addition to the 3 Safaris he was supposed to be holding for us. He said he had forgotten about that and that no, he had no Safaris. No real regret or anything. We all turned around and left. I cannot recommend Less Pay Rentals and I urge anyone to avoid dealing with them since they left us high and dry. Most of the other rental vehicles in the area were now gone as other cruisers snatched them up.

As luck would have it, a guy had some electric cars almost across from the port at a hotel. Yeah, I know it sounds odd but he was nice and made us a great deal on 3 electric cars such that it was just as cheap as the Safaris were going to be. 3 cars to use all day (and we could exchange them when we got back from the 10 km or so ride each way to Paradise Beach for fully charged ones if we wanted) for $105.00. It looked fun so we did it and greatly enjoyed it. On the main road outside of town, they did not go so fast and we kept to the side so others could pass us but they were fun and added some adventure so I am glad we did it. If you go to Cozumel, check out his electric cars but when I asked for his business name he said he did not have one right now (or did not understand my question) so I cannot give you more information than that he is almost right across from Punta Langosta.

Now, it is more expectations. For those who did not read my last review of Paradise Beach, I did not enjoy it last time. My wife and kids liked it but I had a problem when I had to wait about an hour and a half for a massage while constantly being told that the lady who does them would be there in “10 minutes”. I was unhappy with the food we had because the portions seemed small. I was disappointed that there were no free refills on the drinks and that the salsa was not what I was used to in the USA (in USA, it is more fluid but in Cozumel, it is almost just chunks of solids with little sauce). As I mentioned before, my wife and kids liked it though and from that post and the responses, I realized that my expectations were incorrect and most likely lead to my bad impression. We had all decided to go back since I saw that it had been rebuilt after the hurricane and I wanted to give it another try.

On the way there, we passed Puerta Maya, where we docked last time we were in Cozumel about a year ago. Since we knew that area, we could more easily see how much it had been damaged. Wow!

What a difference more realistic expectations can make! First, I did not want a massage so avoided that issue. However, I will mention that when we arrived (about noon), I asked if PB Tom was there and was told he should arrive in “10 minutes”. Hopefully the staff person did not think I was crazy for almost laughing at that comment. I was expecting to see more damage from the hurricane but they have done a great job of cleaning up and repairing Paradise Beach. We saw a lot of damage on the way there and many places that were not open. At Paradise Beach (just PB from here on), it was hard to tell there had been a hurricane. Some of the buildings had changed (the dressing rooms/bathrooms are now in a much nicer building behind the restaurant/bar rather than beside it) but even the grounds between the road and PB were neat and well kept. As we arrived, after parking since someone asked me if there was parking, we were greeted by a staff member who offered us $8 wrist bands for the use of all the water toys and escorted us to umbrellas and chairs on the beach. He also took drink orders for those who wanted something to drink. That was one thing I really noticed on this visit. The staff at PB seemed go out of their way with all of the guests trying to see what each guest wanted and trying to be sure they were comfortable and happy.

The beach was more crowded than it was last time. Perhaps in part due to fewer other options and perhaps due to PB becoming more popular. The sand on the beach, which before had almost seemed like sugar and amazed my wife by the fact that it was so carefully groomed and raked, was not as clean and soft as before but it was still very pretty. From pictures, I saw of how it looked after the hurricane and from how the neighboring beaches still looked, I can see they have spent a lot of time and money trying to replenish the sand. It was comfortable and good, just different. Also, the swimming area, which before had been a very smooth sandy bottom, now had bits of concrete and rocks scattered about. There were not a lot and PB Tom was telling me that they try to clean the swimming area every morning for such things but with such debris constantly washing in, it is an impossible feat. I mention it because it was different but I can also say that my family who had never been there before thought the beach and swimming area were wonderful. So if you have not been there before, you will probably never notice those things. If you have been there, hopefully your expectations will include remembering how much damage was done from the hurricane so you can appreciate how far they have come.

In case you want to go in February, I can safely tell you that the water is cold! Thankfully, although it seems very cold at first, once you are in, it feels fine and we had a great time swimming and playing on the water toys like the trampoline and water iceberg. I had a much better time than I was expecting and so did the rest of my extended family.

We decided to eat lunch at PB as well. Tom had still not arrived (Mexico “10 minutes” being quite a different passage of time you know) but this time, I was expecting different things. We ordered our drinks knowing there were no refills (which I have been informed in that other thread is the norm outside of the US). We ordered Nachos Supreme as an appetizer and it was wonderful. DD ordered a burrito, DW had a cheeseburger and DS and I both got Double Quesadilla Clubs. I was expecting it not to fill me up since last time I had a few tacos that reminded me of pizza bites. I was very surprised and pleased when the food turned out to be much more. The DQC was extremely filling and delicious. All 4 of us ended up with more than we could eat. Rather than expect it to be like a Mexican restaurant in the US, we read the menu more closely, thought about the dishes and ordered much better. Again, I have to fair about it and admit that the food was ever bit as good as others had said.

While we were eating, PB Tom came over and introduced himself. We laughed at the definition of 10 minutes and he told us more about the damage from the hurricane. He also shared some pictures of how it looked right after the hurricane. It has been an amazing recovery. He brought his new baby over too. It was great to put a face with the name and he told my wife all about how he came to be in Cozumel and how much he enjoyed things there. I introduced PB Tom to the rest of my extended family. Great visit.

We rinsed off and changed clothes at the restroom/dressing room and got ready to go back into town amid reminders from my wife and kids that they were right and I had been wrong. I was happy to be able to remind them that I had not been wrong, just my expectations had been. Their smug grins told me that was not going to work either. Any way, we all had a great time and I know that if we come back to Cozumel, the family will find me a more willing participant in their next trek to Paradise Beach.

We got back into Cozumel, exchanged the electric cars, and decided to do some shopping. After a few wrong turns onto one way streets (we were only going one way but apparently the arrow was in Spanish), we found a place to park. We started walking through the shops, off of the main road, and were bombarded with all of the sales pitches and offers. We had seen it before but other families had not and were quite entertained. The merchants were very friendly and nice and everything was not crowded at all. After doing our part to contribute to the local economy of souvenir hawkers, we returned the car and crossed the street back to the port. That is where the other problems began.

There were 2 RCCL ships anchored offshore. EOS and Splendor of the Seas (SOS) were both loading from the same pier with separate lines and tenders. We arrived just as the EOS tender was pulling away from the dock so were first in line for the next one. The SOS tender began loading as we saw the new EOS tender approaching. We figured it would be about a 5 minute wait while the tender docked. We watched the line grow behind us as the SOS tender loaded then departed. Our tender continued to try to dock, over and over. They threw lines, backed up and went forward, dropped lines, threw new lines, went backward and forward, belched smoke, threw more lines, and so on. We watched another SOS tender approach, dock and load. Finally, after watching our tender attempt to dock for about 45 minutes, it finally docked. This was a 600 capacity tender and they eventually loaded it to at least capacity. The SOS tender left again and we watched their next one approach. All total it took us more than an hour to just get the couple of hundred yards from the pier to the ship and then the unloading fiasco continued. I do not believe RCCL is to blame for the disaster the tendering back and forth became. Whatever independent contractor was supposed to be handling the tendering should be ashamed.

Cozumel is a beautiful and fun place and I hope they get their docks back up soon. If this was my first time in Cozumel, I would never know that the tendering was unusual and I would have had a very bad impression. If you go to Cozumel on a cruise, expect problems with the tendering and do not let it impede your enjoyment. If you have no problems, you will be pleasantly surprised but if you have similar problems as we did, you will have been prepared.

Sunday, February 12, 2006 – Day at Sea

The weather changed today. It was cold and the sea was very rough. Not as rough as our cruise in November but still plenty of people were feeling pretty bad. It did not bother anyone in our family though. The downside was that thanks to the waves, occasional drizzle and the cold wind, the outside pools were closed. The Solarium (inside pool) was still open and a few people were swimming. More people were curled up on lounge chairs in the Solarium, wrapped in beach towels and looking quite green.

I always like Days at Sea. Normally there are a lot of fun places to go and things to do on the ship. I was quite surprised however that on EOS, there was very little to do. The general atmosphere on the ship was very dull. Few smiles, no fun games going on, no movies being shown in lounges, no excitement at all really. The weather was not that bad but it almost seemed as if the staff just did not want to bother. So we did the other favorite thing for our family, we took naps! So we still had fun but of all the cruises, this had to be the dullest Day at Sea yet and on our HAL November cruise, one of the days at sea was under much worse weather conditions.

My son and I spent some time in the arcade. The good thing about the arcade is that you can put money on your Seapass card and then you slid your card through a slot on the front of the game and can play. That would be a good way to limit the amount of money a child can spend. Unfortunately, you have to add money in $10 increments. The games cost either $0.95, $1.45 or $1.95. It is thus almost impossible to actually use all of the money on the card. They could increase the cost of the game or make so you can add coins of amounts to the card but it frustrates me that I have a card now with $0.70 which I cannot use and cannot get credit for. I wonder why they did that since I would have had no problem paying $1.50 for some of the game just so I would know the card had used all the balance. Making it impossible to actually use all of the money on the card is something I cannot understand but did not appreciate.

I had opted to do the standard tipping direct to my shipboard account. They delivered envelopes and little vouchers to the cabin. It is purely a personal preference (so if you feel different, that is fine and there is no need to tell me) but I do not like to personally give my room steward, waiter, assistant waiter and head waiter a little envelope. I prefer it when it just goes onto the credit card and they know they are getting it and I know they are getting it. In this instance, even though there were 4 of us, we only had 3 vouchers for each individual (waiter, steward, etc.). My DD went to the purser’s office to try to straighten it out and to seek the additional set of vouchers. The purser’s desk argued with her that their records were correct and we were only supposed to have 3 sets. So I went to the purser’s desk and waited in the nice long line. When I got to the front and attempted to try to explain the problem, the purser got an attitude and tried to argue that we only needed 3 sets (each set had a name on it for me, DD and DS so I knew the missing set was my wife’s). Thanks to his attitude and inability to admit I had 4 people in my party, I just gave up. I went ahead and put some extra in the envelopes but with that type of attitude, I hope the waiters and stewards remind the purser’s desk that a lot more care and courtesy would be nice so they get their correct tips. Since I was told that stewards only get $1 a day plus tips, missing even one person’s tips can mean a lot.

Dinner was very good, as usual, and we especially enjoyed the Key Lime Pie and the Brownie with ice cream. We all gave out the envelopes and, shockingly, suddenly saw the Head Waiter since he was looking for his envelope. Don’t get me started there. He was not interested in us before nor even a presence. We thought we did not have a head waiter. Anyway, we also learned that we are supposed to be out of our cabins by 8:00 AM tomorrow morning but can wait in the Windjammer Café’ while we await debarkation instructions. Seems very confused and chaotic but I will wait to see how it goes.

The evening show was a farewell extravaganza supposedly. It was someone named Mario and Jenni doing a “variety show act” and they were billed as having been on Roseanne and other shows. Since Roseanne has been off of the air for a while, that should give you an idea how fresh this act was. This was the worst show I have seen and everyone in our group was scratching their heads trying to figure out why this was on the ship at all, much less as the grand finale. In a way, it was a cap off moment since it really drove home the point to me that RCCL, or at least EOS on this cruise, had the worst entertainment I have encountered. The EOS singers and dancers were very good but just had very bad material.

Monday, February 13, 2006 – Home and final thoughts

Debarkation was about as expected. The Windjammer was extremely crowded and we were in the group near the last to be called. All total, we got off of the boat about 9:30 AM but I much prefer HAL’s debarkation procedures. After debarking, the final hassle began.

We had parked at Park N Fly. We immediately called for the shuttle and we waited. And waited and waited. We kept calling every 10-15 minutes and each time were told it was on the way and should be there in 5 minutes. We waited more than 45 minutes and finally a shuttle that had stopped at the HAL area came over to the RCCL area already half loaded to pick up all 13 of us with our bags. Tight fit is an understatement and I, along with my brother in laws, was forced to stand on the shuttle. Not a big deal expect the handholds were right in front of the AC and although the temperature outside was extremely cold for Ft Lauderdale, the AC was going full blast. When we arrived at the Park N Fly, the driver just unloaded all of us and our stuff in the middle of a vacant area and said we could get our cars and bring them to where the luggage now sat. Of course he took the other couples to their cars and helped them load. I am really torn about Park N Fly. Arrival is great and the price is much better than port parking but the departure both times I have used it has been a disaster. They make you feel good when you arrive but then make you feel like an intruder when you return. Use your own discretion.

FINAL THOUGHTS

RCCL was not a fun cruiseline and I especially did not appreciate the way we were treated. We were a number, and a small number at that, to them. The staff onboard were nice (other than pursers) so I am talking about the overall feel and the corporate image. Since the price is usually closer to HAL or Disney than it is to Carnival, I would definitely use another line. If the price was really good, I may use RCCL again but it would have to be a VERY good price. It is hard to have a bad cruise I think, but this one came as close as I have been.

As for the stops, I did enjoy going to Key West and it is my first time there. It will not be my last. Cozumel seems to be recovering and I like the place and the people. I hope they get their docks back very soon though before the horrible tender operators turn people off to Cozumel. I was also very happy to revise my opinion of Paradise Beach and enjoyed our lovely day there. Talking with others who went to other places, I was glad I and my extended family went to Paradise Beach. PB Tom mentioned some improvements they are planning as part of the continuing rebuild and those sounded great so I hope I get to return to Cozumel and see them.

Tips for others, I recommend the Conch Train Tour, Key Lime Cookies at the RoofTop Café in Key West, electric cars in Cozumel and Paradise Beach (especially the Double Quesadilla Club). I recommend you avoid Less Pay Rentals in Cozumel and I will leave it up to you to decide about Park N Fly.

[1corona4u]

FINAL THOUGHTS

RCCL was not a fun cruiseline and I especially did not appreciate the way we were treated. We were a number, and a small number at that, to them. The staff onboard were nice (other than pursers) so I am talking about the overall feel and the corporate image. Since the price is usually closer to HAL or Disney than it is to Carnival, I would definitely use another line. If the price was really good, I may use RCCL again but it would have to be a VERY good price. It is hard to have a bad cruise I think, but this one came as close as I have been.

 

 

I had a lot of fun on the Enchantment, and really didn't give as much thought to the food as you seem to have, but some of the things you mentioned, like the cabin temp,(difference of 4°?) lack of directories (which are on every floor by the elevators, and IN the elevators) were never an issue for me.

 

Interesting the things that make or break a cruise for people........

 

Enjoy your future cruises with HAL. It sounds like that's where you belong. I can honestly say though, that I am not surprised by your opinion of this cruise at all.

[wgeddings]

Well, 1corona4u, I guess each cruise can be as different as each cruiser. As I said, I thought the food was very good and the selection as well. The cabin temperature was an issue for me. If it is not for you, that is great too. As for the directories, 1 directory on each floor, by only 1 set of elevators (only the forward elevators, no directory at the other set) is not very much. The directories in the elevators listed what was on a floor but not where it was. Would it have hurt to put directories at the other set of elevators? Since the elevators were in a separate "nook" from the stairs, would a directory central to each set of stairs and elevators have been unreasonable?

 

I can honestly say that I am not surprised you were quick to criticize my opinion or review. You have been similarly anxious to criticize in other threads by me or others. We apparently prefer different things and find different things important/enjoyable. That is great and a good reason why there is such a wide variety of choices in cruises and destinations. I hope you find the right one for you and if you write a review about it, I will enjoy reading it.

[phabric]

We will be on the Enchantment for Christmas so I enjoyed reading your review.

[1corona4u]

I hope you find the right one for you and if you write a review about it, I will enjoy reading it.

 

I have a couple already on the board.

 

Enchantment;

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=5203430&postcount=1

 

 

Navigator;

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=3783352&postcount=1

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=3783364&postcount=2

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=3783373&postcount=3

 

(pics are no longet there though)

[skyw]

I enjoyed your review. I am interested in the good and the bad points of any review. That is the point of a review....right?

Skyw

[wgeddings]

Thanks skyw and phabric. When I read a review, I like to know specifics about what was good, what was not so good and what was learned. I am not a such a frequent cruiser that I have all the perks (wish I was) nor do I get the high-priced or balcony cabins. So I wanted to give as much information as possible and let anyone make their own decisions about what was useful for them.

 

I have been surprised on another thread to see the comments about the wait staff in the dining room. I guess we got really lucky. My biggest problem today (being home) was how much my bathroom and shower moved this morning as I tried to get ready for work. First time I have had trouble getting my "land-legs" back. <g>

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[albertablueskies]

Thanks for the review WGeddings. You're review was by far one of the most lucid, realistic reviews I've seen. And you took the words out of my mouth, we had a similiar experience and felt like just a number to RCI and, in spite of trying to get them to do a better job, it felt quite futile as they seemed to have a 'culture of mediocrity'. The dining staff were the only exception to this. As for the person who criticized your review, they come across as biased and bullying. Who says cruiselines should get a free pass on reviews of service? Since when are cruises free, last time anyone checked ppl still paid $$$ for a cruise. As such, paying customers are well within their rights to expect competent service. Otherwise service declines overall on cruiselines, and automatons just keep posting about how cruiselines are infalliable, and it must be the customers fault, and criticizing those who have the common sense to post realistic reviews. Thanks for keeping it real.

[NboroGirl]

I write reviews like you do, wgeddings - including the good and the bad. I like to warn people if I feel they should be warned. I will be cruising on Enchantment in three days, so I was a little concerned when I read your review, and it probably lowered my expectations (which may or may not be a good thing; time will tell.)

 

Your review obviously took a long time and a bit of effort to write. After reading the first response to your review, I decided I would not write a review because I did not want to get flamed for my efforts, like you did.

[phabric]

NboroGirl-

Please come back and write a review after your cruise. I and others enjoy reading all the reviews that people have taken the time to write about the ship I will be taking. People have to remember the review is someone's opinion. We have to know the good, bad and ugly of the ship. No cruise is perfect. This how we learn about cruising.

[1corona4u]

I write reviews like you do, wgeddings - including the good and the bad. I like to warn people if I feel they should be warned. I will be cruising on Enchantment in three days, so I was a little concerned when I read your review, and it probably lowered my expectations (which may or may not be a good thing; time will tell.)

 

Your review obviously took a long time and a bit of effort to write. After reading the first response to your review, I decided I would not write a review because I did not want to get flamed for my efforts, like you did.

 

Perhaps you should read his other post before you think I was flaming him.

 

Any time people post on a public message board, they leave their post open to other people's comments, and they may not always be the comments people want to hear.

 

The OP started off with a bad taste in his mouth about this cruise, which is I why I said I was not surprised by his opinion.

 

Wite a review, but know that people may disagree with you.

[49holding]

enjoy this cruise...I have cruised the enchantment twice now pre stretch and enjoyed both cruises. I took 5 friends ..their first cruise..the last time and they are hooked on cruising RCCL. I have found the entertainment to be quite good on RCCL...esp the last enchantment...Beatlemania, the talent show/karoke....RCCl's passengers have amazing talent, comedians, , lounge trios, etc. You must have had the same HW we had the first time...( from turkey?) never saw him till the last nite when as he was making his way to our table my husband waved him off . As far as the suprise of having a "black man" as a room steward...he was probably from Jamaica...we have had 2 Jamaicans as our room steward now and they were both superb...I can hear their lilting voices now...Good morning Mrs Jones. In closing it seems that HAL is your favorite line....its my parents too but with 45 cruises under their belt they still cruise and enjoy other cruiselines. HAL can also be quite a bit pricier that the other mass market cruiselines ,so I think RCCl is a good cruise value .

[tngirl1979]

Thank you for the review. I keep looking for reviews post-stretch and have found very few. I know everyone has an opinion and that is okay. I will take what I can get and make my own. I have gotten flamed at a few times on this board but it does not stop me from learning as much as I can about where I am going. Thank you for taking the time to write such a descriptive review. Not many take the time to put as much thought and effort into what you have accomplished.

 

Quick question: You mentioned coke in the dining room. Did you have to pay for this? I assume yes but thought I would ask.

[kenandlinda]

Thanks for that review. Great information. My husband and I are going on the EOS in April, I can't wait to see it after the stretch. I do have one request tho. :rolleyes: Do you happen to have any copies of the menu's or the Compass? I would love to see one of them. I can't find anything newer that 2002. Either post them or I can give you my e-mail address.

Thanks again

[wgeddings]

albertablueskies - you are exactly right about how we have paid for a service so should expect good service in return for our good money. Thank you for reading it and your kind words.

 

NboroGirl - I hope you will write a review anyway. I count on reviews that are reasonable (and give reasons for the things - such as saying "the food was good" is not as helpful as "the food had a lot of spices and I liked spices and the selection was very broad"). What one person likes, another may dislike so sometimes a "like" comment is not enough without some explanation. If you have any specific questions about the EOS, let me know and I will be happy to try to answer them. As for 1corona4u, she/he has flamed me a good bit on other threads so I just ignore it. Don't know why she/he has a bug about me, but it is okay and is awfully pleasant when I get reasonable feedback about my review. Thanks again.

 

49holding - Our steward did not speak hardly at all. If you watch the TV show Lost, our nickname for him was Mr. Eko. Very nice and competent, took good care of us and the cabin but would usually just nod and take care of business. We saw him a lot in the hall or other cabins and would always speak and usually he would smile and nod so I do not want to give the impression he was not friendly because he was. Just big and quiet but very competent. Our main waiter was from Turkey and the head waiter probably was too. The assistant waiter was from Ukraine. HAL was a good trip but I do generally look at the cost first. The waiter (especially head waiter) comparison with HAL was just because on the Zuiderdam, the head waiter made such a point of knowing our names, talking with us each night and helped out the waiters and assistant waiters in our section so much with everything. Thanks for the comments.

 

tngirl1979 - I think that even in the dining room, you had to either buy the coke or have a drink card. Once the staff (for us it was the assistant waiter) know you have a drink card or like soda, they made sure the rest of the time that it was waiting on you and kept the glasses refilled pretty well. The drink card is always a big question mark on any line for us. We love our sodas. On EOS, (and possibily on all RCCL), it was $4.00 per day for children and $6.00 per day for adults (per night might be better since we were on a 4 night but technically 5 day cruise). A tip of 15% is added to that. Most of the extended family got the drink card too. When you want a soda, you just go to any bar and order what you want and they fill it from the soda fountain after seeing your card. They also gave everyone a souvenir cup (insultated 22 oz coca-cola "mug") so if you were taking that to a bar, you did not even have to show your card. I hope that answered your question.

 

Once again, thank you for your comments and I will be happy to try to answer any question that I can. For those who have been flamed before, just remember how much other comments on this board may have helped you and let that be your incentive to offer new comments for other cruisers. For anyone who just likes to flame, they are better ignored lest they ruin a good thing and a great source of information sharing. I have benefited by reading this board so I really want to try to offer some help back.

[Schplinky]

 

I also noticed that the crew and staff are much more “multi-cultural” than I have seen on other lines. All spoke extremely good English but they seemed to be from a large variety of places. In the past, our cabin steward has been from Indonesia, Philippines or other nearby areas but our steward this time was a 6’2” black man. He did great though but it was a surprise from what we had seen previously.

 

I'm sure this wasn't meant in a racist way (or at least I hope it wasn't) but that was an odd choice of words.

 

In reading your review, I was appreciative of all of the information you provide but was also struck that you may need a new TA. Since you booked so far out, you should have had little trouble getting cabins close to one another. A decent Ta would have arranged that and if it weren't possible, they would have monitored rooms that had become available and put you all together. Also, it may be that th TA had your docs and held them, as opposed to RCL getting them out to you late. Our last docs actually had dates on them from RCL from a month earlier than we got them. The TA said they like to hold on to them so folks won't lose them. This was odd, since they were e-docs. Anyhow, if you're arranging things that far out, you should have no trouble being together.

 

I have to say that some of your complaints seem unfair. Complaining that you weren't served a salad that you didn't order seems a bit off to me, as does arriving at a car rental place without a confirmed reservation number. Taking the word of people who are just trying to get you in the door isn't a good idea. Lastly, I'm not sure why anyone would re-use a service like Park N Fly if they had the bad experience you did. Since you chose to re-use them, your disappointment seemed unrealistic.

 

I did enjoy the details of your review and I find it interesting how people tell you what's important to them in the way they write their reviews.

[TrinaLC]

We're sailing in April, and I found your review helpful.

 

It does seem to me that you may be a "glass half empty" kind of person though (not being critical, that is my observation from what you wrote).

 

Also, the document problem and the cabins not being together was most certainly a TA problem, it is unfortunate that you started off with a negative view of RCCL for something that appears not to be their fault. (The dinner time is not guaranteed, and is subject to change - that is made clear by RCCL.)

 

I'm not looking forward to tendering - but may but PB on our to do for Coz based on your positive experience.

[whale-watcher]

I'm not looking forward to tendering ....

we no problems tendering from the Enchantment in Bar Harbor ME, even though there was another large cruise ship in town; of course, this is a different port...

[cruisingjon]

wgeddings,

 

I normally do not post on these boards, but I have to come to the defense of RC and the enchantment of the seas.

 

I find it difficult to understand how you could not find your way around the ship.....Your kidding right? What is the ship about 900 ft long? How may places is there to get lost? It isn't madison square gardens after all.

 

I mean I am very sorry, but it seems to me that if you need to find your way around the ship and for whatever reason you can't seem to read the clearly marked directions in the elevators or outside the elevators, there are staff around and I believe Guest relations could help you out with that as well...oh, I'm sorry, you couldn't find it.

 

As far as the room temp's. there is a little white box on the wall near the vanity that will control the temp in your room, in these parts we call it a thermostat.

 

I know I seem extreme to people who may be reading this, but I think this is just silly, absolutetly silly. And my response is intended to sound exactly as silly!

 

This is a beautiful ship, I was able to find my way around within 2 hours, I thought the staff was very friendly and mannerly and I felt like they truly wanted to please.

 

There is more than one review of the enchantment on this board....read the other one....it has more accurate information.

[wgeddings]

Schplinky - Good questions and happy to try to answer. First, let me stress again that my comment on the multi-cultural things was definitely not racist and I had hoped it was clear from the entire comment. On the other cruises, the staff have been predominately from 1 area or another (mostly Phillipines or Indonesia) but on the EOS, there were people from many different nations in many different areas. I do not think it is better or worse but it is different so I felt it worth mentioning. All spoke excellent English however I should note. The mention of our cabin steward being a 6'2" black man was again just pointing out a difference from our prior experiences where we have always had Phillipino or Indonesia stewards. I was surprised that someone that large had no trouble performing all of the cabin steward duties so well since when you are 6'2", few things are "spacious". I am 6'1" and my son is 6'2" and I would have been constantly bumping into things. Our steward however did the great job I have seen from all cabin stewards we have had.

 

On the other issues, I agree with you that we should have been together and because my TA follows this board, I will leave it at that. I was not complaining about the salad, I was just mentioning it so others would know that although there is only a single salad shown on the menu, it is not automatic. It was no problem and the servers were great (and note that I was not one who wanted a salad but others with us were) but since normally things are broken out in courses (appetizer, salad, soup, entree, desert) they assumed that if there was only a single salad, it must be automatic. I did not want others to make the same assumption and did not mean for it to appear as a complaint. As for Less Pay, I tried to make a reservation and was told I had a reservation as much as they allowed. If his word (by e-mail) that he was holding the 3 vehicles was not enough, would a number have any difference? I do not know but small businesses seldom work the same as large companies like Enterprise or Budget so seldom would use confirmation numbers. It is again just something I learned from and since I believe this board is very useful for helping me learn from others experiences, I wanted to share mine. If you want security and knowing the vehicle is reserved ahead of time, using Budget or Enterprise is probably a better bet. If you are a bargain shopper like me, actions like that by Less Pay is just part of the risk. Now that I have mentioned it, if others want to play safe or take the risk, it is up to them.

 

As for Park N Fly, I gave them a second chance for the same reason I gave Paradise Beach a second chance (first visit was not good). If there are other circumstances that could easily be to blame for a poor experience, I like to try to check again. PB experience was wildly different this time so I am glad I did give it a second chance. Park N Fly was still bad. First time, the parking and drop off was so good that I was hoping the return part was just a fluke. Sadly, it was the same this time with the start being great and the end being bad. I tried to give details since I do not like to hear something was "good" or "bad" if I do not what the commentator based the opinion on. I believe it was reasonable to give them a second chance and thus reasonable that I would be disappointed when history repeated itself and proved last time was not a fluke.

 

TrinaLC - Thanks. I really am not a negative person (I hope) but I find detailed comments more helpful to me so I try to do unto others as I like. There are more problems mentioned than great things primiarly because if something is great, and you say it is great with a couple of notes, it is not something I would expect others to need to plan about. If something is a potential hassle or problem, I like to give enough details so others can make appropriate plans to deal with it or ignore it. Tendering is a good example. We have tendered at many other ports and never had a problem. Even at Cozumel, we watched other tenders operate with no apparent problem or delay so I tried to be specific to explain that I believed that our problems were solely related to the tender company or operator. Hopefully, you will not have the same one but, if you do, at least you know to bear with it and it will work out. I definitely encourage you to go ashore and play in Cozumel though, it is worth it.

 

whale-watcher - I agree, each port (and tender company) can be very different. This was the first time we have had problems and we have been in some very busy tender ports before.

 

cruisingjon - I note that you have only posted twice so I assume you are new to this. Your message was rather condescending and could be viewed as a flame. Please re-read my review if you did not notice that I explained why I felt the directories were inadequate and where I explained that I had turned the thermostat to its coldest setting. If you disagree with my assessment or comments, that is fine and you are welcome to post your own review. Flaming is not a constructive response and I wish you a happy cruise if you cruise on EOS or any other ship.

[cruisingjon]

-cruisingjon - I note that you have only posted twice so I assume you are new to this. Your message was rather condescending and could be viewed as a flame. Please re-read my review if you did not notice that I explained why I felt the directories were inadequate and where I explained that I had turned the thermostat to its coldest setting. If you disagree with my assessment or comments, that is fine and you are welcome to post your own review. Flaming is not a constructive response and I wish you a happy cruise if you cruise on EOS or any other ship.

 

Thank you for your permission to have my own opinion. I found your review to be a bit condescending and I couldn't really care less whether you think my response is viewed as a flame or not. I found the negative issues you had about enchantment (which by the way I was on the week after you were) to be silly and trite. There are, in my opinion, better reviews that are more accurate on the enchantment on this board. Try reading those. If you can find your way to it!

[wgeddings]

You're welcome cruisingjon.

[Schplinky]

Thanks for your comments on my comments. I find that if people are open to questions (as you were, from me) that the potential for reviews is fully realised because people can qualify their comments.

 

We use ParkNFly in Ottawa often and without incident but I will never use them in Toronto again. Really poor service! I think it's a franchise and can be really variable.

 

I am glad your TA reads these boards. That said, let me say they should make it up to you for not getting you close together when you booked so far out. We booked a year out on Freedom (a larger but more popular ship) and monitored the room we had and the one we wanted. We got exactly what we wanted by watching what was open. If dummies like us can do this from the net can do this, your travel should be able to the same.

 

Good luck on future cruises. As you say, proper expectations and perpsective are key.

[lojill]

I have to agree everybody has different opinions. We went on the Enchantment cruise Feb 13th to the 18th 12 of us and we had the time of our life so we booked them again next March. The ship was in good shape the food was great, the help was excellent the directions were very understandable.but this was our opinion and every one is different.

[hlfdzn]

But I can sympathize with you about the thermostat issue. I sailed on the Disney Wonder and could not get our stateroom to be cool enough for me to be comfortable. Some people sleep just fine at 70-72..I personally can't sleep if it is that warm. We complained more than once and never got the issue resolved. I feel bad for the next people who got that room, cuz it was stuffy and warm in there most of the time. Thermostats DO malfunction and they do not always work properly cruisinjon!!!