Onboard Enchantment February 17-25, 2022

[erewhon]

Thanks for your update Roy, @rafinmd.

Hope your leg will soon be better.

Shame Charleston could not welcome the correct ship.

Edited February 25, 2022 by erewhon

[rafinmd]

Day 8, Thursday, February 24, 2022, Final Sea Day, Enchantment of the Seas

 

It was a sea day with ever changing conditions although I had the news on TV much of the day watching things unfold in Ukraine.

 

When I first went on deck we had just passed Wilmington NC and the weather was just a bit chilly with light winds and clear skies.  I snacked my way through breakfast, getting an omelet and waffle from the WJ (both eaten in outdoor sheltered areas) and toast at the Diamond Club.  While I was eating at the Diamond Club (just after 😎 the clear skies had turned murky and my repast was punctuated with regular blasts of the foghorn.  

 

When I went to the WJ for lunch at noon (baked pasta and carrot cake) the temperature was still mild (mid 70's) but the wind had picked up and it felt chilly.

 

 

The final evening there was a single show, JR McCollom at 7PM.   I don’t really know what he was doing and with my mid-evening dining I did not check it out.  The game show “Majority Rules” was done in the Centrum at 8:30 and “Battle of the Sexes” in Spotlight at 9:30.  I have seen a lot less of the traditional “adult” game shows this time than past Royal cruises.

I thought I had seen a few years ago that Royal had stopped offering Rack of Lamb in the dining room in a menu cutback.  It was offered tonight and was my choice as well as the fruit salad and Cherries Jubilee.  Service was superb once again and I said farewell to Ruel and Alan about 7:45.

 

I had planned to include a photo yesterday of Ross Leadbeater in the Schooner Bar so I am including it this time.

 

I had got a lot of my packing done during the afternoon and was able to put my bag out about 8:45.

 

In my last report I had mentioned a limp after my time ashore in Charleston, possibly a pulled muscle.  I carry a folding cane and broke it out today.  I think it not only helped while I was using it but by relieving strain it even helped when I didn’t use it.  It will need to go back in the suitcase tomorrow as I take stuff out to my car.  I think I also hit my sweet spot on covid protocols.  I hear masks will be optional when the ship sails Friday.  I’m glad the change is happening after I leave and also indicates that the case numbers are declining so I feel like I’m getting a bit of the best of both worlds.  

Today’s parting shot is a followup to the one from 2 days ago.  I decided that 5 days is just too short, and today I booked the previous 5 days on Adventure of the Seas, now May 21-31, first to Bermuda and then to Canada and New England.

Roy

 

[erewhon]

Roy,

Are you able to post a photo of your stateroom?

We are pleased that you have extended the length of your cruise on Adventure of the Seas.

Best wishes for a safe journey home.

[rafinmd]

Back home about an hour ago.  About 2 hours from my number called to my door step including stops at Burger King for skim milk and coffee and one grocery store.  Just finished a home covid test, negative.

 

Roy

[May B]

5 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Back home about an hour ago.  About 2 hours from my number called to my door step including stops at Burger King for skim milk and coffee and one grocery store.  Just finished a home covid test, negative.

 

Roy

Welcome home! So happy to hear you are safe and Covid-free.

 

I heartily approve of your adding a leg to your next cruising adventure. This one seems to have met your expectations!

[May B]

On 2/23/2022 at 2:50 PM, Another_Critic said:

Dinner menus are in the app.  But they may change closer to your sailing date.

I couldn’t find them. I’m on Brilliance, March 19th.

[rafinmd]

Day 9, Friday, February 25, 2022, Disembark Enchantment of the Seas

 

Sometimes I wonder why people fly in from far away to cruise from Baltimore in winter.  If I were flying from somewhere like Chicago I think I’d want to land somewhere warm.  As seen today, Baltimore is not such a destination.  I did not sleep past about 4AM and went on deck around 5.  There was a cold rain and strong winds and I was unable to get up to deck 10 but did end up walking about 30 minutes between the pool deck and indoor corridors.  

 

There were just 2 venues for breakfast this morning, the WJ and the dining room.  I believe there had been an intention to open Park Café but there may have been a maintenance issue.  I got 2 breakfast courses, first a slice of ham and later grits.  I ate both courses inside the WJ as it was just too cold in the extensions.

We arrived at the terminal just about 8.  My cabin was almost directly across from the gangway and I noticed a welcome change from my first cruise out of Baltimore.  At that the ramp to the gangway was covered but led to an open sidewalk between the ramp and the terminal building.  That route is now fully weatherized and it was gratefully appreciated this morning.

The departure protocols are drastically changed in the era of covid.  While we used to be put out of our rooms early to wait in lounges, we now are directed to stay in our rooms until called off.  Once that happens the departure line moves very quickly with no waiting anywhere.  We breezed past immigration officers without showing any documents and I was soon out of the terminal.  Even with a stop at a grocery store my time from Green 7 being called until arriving at my doorstep was about 2 hours.  Our arrival was just late enough to avoid being caught on icy roads.  I did pass a few waiting snow plows on the way home.  When I entered my car the thermometer said 36 degrees so it was definitely not a warm morning.

 

My parting shot will be a wish for a great cruise for those boarding Enchantment today.

 

Roy

 

[rafinmd]

16 hours ago, erewhon said:

Roy,

Are you able to post a photo of your stateroom?

We are pleased that you have extended the length of your cruise on Adventure of the Seas.

Best wishes for a safe journey home.

I posted one the day I boarded looking towards the window.  Here it is:

 

I did not post a photo looking the other way but here it is:

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

2 hours ago, May B said:

I couldn’t find them. I’m on Brilliance, March 19th.

I didn't see menus on the app until I was actually on board.  Once you board they will come from the ship's wifi and should be there from the beginning for the entire length of the cruise.

 

Roy

[Another_Critic]

3 hours ago, rafinmd said:

I didn't see menus on the app until I was actually on board.  Once you board they will come from the ship's wifi and should be there from the beginning for the entire length of the cruise.

 

Roy

I'm seeing menus in the app for my March 25th Enchantment sailing.

[emeraldead]

What a wonderful travelog, we were on this cruise also.  Funny to hear about the milk, I also heard tomato juice also ran out and had to fight for some pina cold as a few times and no cocktail sauce mid cruise.  

[rafinmd]

A  recap of the compases:

 

Officer Bios

 

Day 1 - Embarkation

 

Day 2 - Outbound Sea Day

 

Day 3 - Port Canaveral

 

Day 4 - CocoCay

 

Day 5 - Nassau

 

Day 6 - Tropical Sea Day

 

Day 7 - Charleston

 

Day 8 - Final Sea Day

 

Departure

 

Roy

[Jarmo]

Roy, thanks for all of this thread.  Am sitting at the R Bar right now enjoying a cocktail.  

[May B]

On 2/25/2022 at 11:05 PM, Another_Critic said:

I'm seeing menus in the app for my March 25th Enchantment sailing.

Maybe Roy and I don’t know how to find them, before boarding!