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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Linda Miller
Email: linda.miller@oja.state.wi.us
Age: 44
Occupation: Financial Officer
NumberOfCruises: 0
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: November 7, 1999
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 2555
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 97
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 96
FoodLidoDeck: 96
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 98
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 97
FoodVariety: 97
DeckService: 97
ShoreExcValue: 96
GoodForHoneymoon: 99
CasinoStaff: 96
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 96
LoungeService: 97
TenderService: 97
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 97
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 97
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino: 98
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 98
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 96
SpaceRatio: 96
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Nov 1999
Time: 14:15:52
Remote Name: 165.189.252.18
Remote User:
Comments
My husband and I decided to try a cruise to begin our 25th year of marriage. Royal
Caribbean was recommended to us by
my sister. We decided to book a cruise to the Western Caribbean in November to miss the
hurricane season. We booked
our cruise through a travel agent and booked just the cruise through Royal Caribbean. We
decided to book the flight
separatly to select the times that worked best for us and because at the time we booked
the cruise, the airfare prices were
less expensive if we booked them. Since this was our first cruise, we decided to fly into
Miami a day early and found a
hotel for only $49.00. Since we booked our own airfare we purchased the transportation
vouchers from Royal Caribbean
which provided bus service to and from the airport. They only bad thing about booking your
own airfare, is you have to get
your luggage to the bus and then off once arriving at the ship. Its not a big deal and the
cost savings make it worthwhile.
The check in process went very smoothly and within 15 minutes of arriving at the ship we
were checked in and on board.
We stayed in cabin 2555, which is on the lowest passenger deck of the ship. The cabin was
an inside cabin and was
indeed small (the bathroom was even smaller). It is very, very dark so I recommend if you
book and inside cabin to take a
flashlight. We really liked our cabin and will definately book again on the lowest level.
We heard no noise from the rooms
next to us or in the hallway. Completely quite! This ship is huge but very easy to
navigate.
Our first port of call was Key West. Because of the rough weather, the captain was unable
to tender us safely to Key
West. We then spent the day at sea allowing us to get in early to Cozumel. The on board
ship activities are great. You are
so busy you often have a hard time deciding which activity you want to participate in.
They hold art auctions, games,
shopping talks, bingo, and of course the casino is also open while at sea. I enjoyed the
casino and even came out a little
ahead by the end of our trip. Played roulette for my first time and also enjoyed that
experience.
Attended the shopping talks given by Faith. These were also interesting and informative. I
felt her recommendations were
also good and often received additional discounts at some of these shops. If you attend
her talks, she gives away prizes
at the end of each shopping talk. My husband was lucky enough to get a gift certificate
for $100.00 at a jewelry store in
Cozumel. Since we ended up spending over $1,000 there anyway, the gift certificate came in
handy.
Our second stop was in Cozumel. We didn't book and shore excursions in Cozumel because I
wanted to shop here. I had
always heard the jewelry was great in Cozumel. I can sincerely say this advice was great.
I purchased, very reasonably, a
pearl necklace, bracelet and earrings are one place and a one carat anniversary diamond
ring, gold bracelet and pearl
pendant at another location. Was completely satified and saved a great deal of money.
Our next stop was in Grand Cayman. This was a beautiful island. We booked a shore
excursion to see the stingrays from
an underwater vessel. This was very exciting and fun to watch these marvelous creatures.
We then went to the Turtle
Farm. This was a nice excursion and for those that don't want to swim with the stringrays,
I would recommend it. I was most
impressed with the linens here. I was able to purchase some beautiful linens that were
very reasonably priced. Also the
rum cake was great.
Our next stop was in Jamica. We also booked the Brimmer Hall shore excursion here. This
was suppose to have been a 5
hour tour. However, it ended up being more like 7 hours. The Brimmer Hall plantation was
very interesting. We also
received a fresh fruit and drink buffet with the tour. We then went to Dunn River Falls.
While we did not climb the falls, my
husband has bad knees, it was beautiful to see this place and watch all the climbers.
As I indicated earlier our ship was beautiful. The food was also great. We had the early
sitting for dinner (6:00 p.m.) and
were at a table for six people. Even though the ship was fully booked, there was only four
at our table. We sat with a
couple that was just married the day before we sailed. We had a great time. Our waiter,
Roberto and his assistant were
great. We gave each of them an extra tip because of the marvelous service. These people
work very hard to make sure
your vacation is truly enjoyable.
We attended most of the entertainment and always found it to be of high quality. There was
a mixture of comedians,
magic, singing and dancing. We also enjoyed the activities the ship offered. We
participated in bingo, were on the last
evening one person won $11, 149 dollars. It pays to play!! We enjoyed the art auctions and
cooking demonstrations. The
on board photographers are also very nice. We purchased five 8 x 10 pictures.
Even though the ship was full with over 2,400 passengers and 700 crew, you could always
find a spot on the ship to be
alone. There are several lounges where you can sit and have some quite time. It seems
impossible, but true.
We had heard horror stories about the disembarktation process. However, other than waiting
for one and a half hours
after docking in Miami, we thought the process went very smoothly. We were on a bus
heading back to the airport by
10:30 a.m. Our flight was scheduled to leave Miami at 1:00 p.m.
My husband was so impressed with our first cruising experience that he did not want to get
off the ship. We are definitely
planning on taking another cruise and it will be with Royal Caribbean. In fact, we are
currently looking into a cruise to
Alaska in the summer of 2000
Name: Arthur Field
Email: fieldam@aol.com
Age: 46
Occupation: Attorney/College Prof
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: Nov. 21, 1999
Itinerary: Western Carib
Cabin: 7558 D and 7545 K
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 99
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 94
CabinAmenities: 97
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 97
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 75
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 92
Casino: 97
AirSeaProgram: 70
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 99
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Nov 1999
Time: 15:11:36
Remote Name: spider-wb013.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was the 4th cruise for my wife and me and the first for the kids: son, 17, and
daughter, 10. We are do-it-yourselfers
and will tlry to give you some good and new tips. Background: I teach statistics applied
to travel and worte several articles
featured in leading publications on travel and hotel and restaurant management. My
specialty is customer satisfaction. I
worked in hotels and can be a very critical consumer. I was very pleasantly surprised by
this cruise. It was a great
Thanksgiving vacation. AIR/SEA: We let RCI book this. Although reserved 6 months in
advance, we were still sent to Ft.
Lauderdale. My son from CT was flown to Miami. Avoid Lauderdale; it took a 45 min. bus
ride to the port. We arrived at
noon and was told to wait 10 min. in the staging area for the bus. We were hungry; there
is no food. The bus didn't show
until 1:25. Bring food and drinks, especially if going with kids.
The agents were hopeless. They didn't take vouchers, gave
out numbers and called 53 numbers for a bus that only seats 50. People rushed on and ran
over my kid, so we stayed
back and got on last. There were too few seats and the agents forced us off, even though
we had a low boarding number.
It was inexcusable and no manager was present. My son had no problem at Miami, but arrived
at 9:30 and had to wait in
the airport until noon. The flights back were badly arranged. He was put on a 6 PM flight
and didn't get back to CT until
midnight. Conclusion: Probably better to do this separately with an agent and take a cab
to Miami. SHIP OVERALL:
Stunning and very well kept. Totally clean. Everything worked well.
CABIN, ATTENDANT, AND ADVICE: We booked a D
cabin on deck 7 and put our kids in a K right across the hall. Tremendous. They had their
own room and loved it. Costs
more, but who wants to share with kids? Balcony was lovely touch. Well worth the money.
Spacious and very well
maintained. I tipped the steward LaFleur $20 on arrival and she took excellent care of us.
Why wait until the end? Give
something up front and they go the extra distance. I simply reduced the end tip by a
couple of dollars, and she still did
better and we had the best service in the hall. There is ample storage, put your suitcases
under the bed. BRING A
CLOCK. There are none and this can be disconcerting. The in-room free safe is very nice.
The refrigerator is a bonus.
We bought Cokes and beer in Key West. Saved a lot on bar bills.
DINING ROOM: Chose 1st seating for kids. It was great.
Table 218. Good location near kitchen entrance, which makes special orders no trouble for
waiter. Waiter Jose Rodrigues
from Portugal and Karl, assistant, from Romania. Head waiter Earl Brown. DEFINITELY
request Jose. He was superb. He
even came over during open seating to make sure we were being well treated. Impeccable
service. My son ordered 3 of
everything and they took care of him. Mr. Brown even cut my daughter's steak. She was in
heaven. He had the food
brought to her immediately, so she could finish and leave for the 7 PM kids' program. We
had so much fun at the table
with the other family we were always last to leave. We felt bad, but both Jose and Earl
said not to--stay as long as we
wanted. Most food was excellent. Not 5 star, but certainly better than most restaurants.
Variety was a nice plus and there
were vegetarian selections at all meals, which made nice veggie side dishes. We ate lamb
chops, filet mignon, veal
ossobucco, rhubarb soup, etc. Appetizers and desserts were great. Only the pasta was
so-so. Medium rare really means it
here. I was impressed they could get it right. Wine tip: The price can be steep. $40 for
cabernet. There is an $8 corkage
fee, but it may pay to buy your own and pay the $8. WINDJAMMER: Improved. We used it for
quick breakfast on port days.
Food was respectable for a buffet and service was ok.
PORTS OF CALL, SELF-TOURS AND TIPS: We don't do ship tours
since I plan lots and hate crowds and selftours are better values. Key West: Nothing much
here. Bicycle is good idea.
Everything is 1 mile from dock. Walk up Duval and find all. Turn off occasionally to see
Truman's White House,
Hemingway's house, etc. Turn left on Fleming and go 1 block to find a liquor store and
then a supermarket. Get snacks,
soda, beer, wine, etc. Highlight: Route 1 End sign and 0 mile marker. Shopping other than
for t-shirts is a waste. Jewelry is
about 50% over retail. Margaritaville is hokey but the drinks are good, but expensive.
Cozumel: Called Budget Car from
US about 3 months in advance and rented a Jeep for $45 for day. Only 1 real road which
circles south half of island. Can't
get lost. Budget is right on the pier and easy. Tip the guy $1 and he treats you like a
king. Head downtown and make right
turn onto Ave. Benito Juarez which turns into Cross Island Road. Go about 8 miles east to
the Mayan ruins of San
Geraisamo. Excellent. Can leave stuff in Jeep and guard watches it. Tip him $2 after.
Spend hour here. Cost for 4 was
$11. Everything is in English and well posted. Go back out and head east to thocean
beaches. Head south and stop
anywhere. Continue around to leeward side and stop at the beach right after Playa San
Francisco. Reef club beach.
Good swimming, good Mexican restaurant, no crowds.
Shop after downtown and then go back out to Cross Island road to
get gas. I got stopped by the police and shook down for $20 for no reason, but it happens.
Just deal with it and don't make
a fuss. Local customs. Note on golf tour: Don't go. Those who did were unhappy. Long
travel time to course and lousy
greens. Grand Cayman: Capt. Marvin runs semi-private snorkel tour. Email captmvn@candw.ky.
Confirmed reservation for
$30 adult, $15 child. 3 hour trip and you get 2.5 hours in the ocean at reefs, barrier
reef and stingray city. Ship tour only
gives 40 minutes in ocean and costs much more. Private video also available which was well
done. We then took a
bus--they look like VW minivans and have the letters WB on the front and honk when they
pass you--up to Turtle Farm.
Kids loved it. Bus is $2 each. Taxi is $5 each. Great tour of west side on bus.
Turtle Farm $21 for the 4 of us. Worth
seeing. Whole day cost about $150, far less than ship tour. Jamaica: Rented cab for whole
day. Recommend Melvin
Taylor. Can arrange by faxing 876-975-0205 or ask for him outside gate. Cost ranges from
$60 to $80 based on time and
distance. We went horseback riding at Prospect Plantation 876-994-1058, call about 1 week
ahead and arrange. $20 for
one hour, and it lasted almost 2. Great private tour of plantation and the guides were
wonderful. Very tame horses. Left
everything in Melvin's taxi and he picked us up at the end. Then took us to Falls. Very,
very crowded. He arranged lunch
for us with a Jamaican stand at bottom of falls. We had curried goat and jerked chicken.
Excellent. Falls is hard with so
many people. After, Melvin took us through Fern Gully and then around hills and then to
Shaw Gardens. He avoided the
shops at our request and didn't let anyone bother us. Jamaicans are wonderful people
outside the shopping areas. Those
who comment adversely never get away from the tourist areas. The above are my opinions
only. I have no association
with any firm or person and make no guarantees. Just did huge research and am sharing.
ACTIVITIES AND CRUISE
STAFF: Lots of fun. 70s night in disco was great. Formal nights very entertaining. Bingo
was wonderful, but wait until the
last day. Buy lots of cards then. Cruise staff was better than most. Ken Rush was
enjoyable, a bit camp, but he knows it.
Show me the Money Richie, asst. director, was excellent. Very funny in a dry way. Even the
Captain can laugh at himself.
Farewell show was great. Bring a toga if you don't want to use a sheet. The
Not-so-newlywed game was hilarious;
thankfully we lost the audition. KIDS CLUB: Wonderful. My daughter, who hates camp, left
us as soon as she could to go
there. They had a blast every day and the staff is wonderful. We watched them from a
distance and they know just how to
handle the kids and have fun. And there were over 225 kids on this cruise due to the
holiday. My 17 year old could go to
the teen center, better for the 13-16 year group, and looks 19, so went to the disco with
me, which was fun. Others were
carded and removed. Nobody bothered him since he acts like an adult.
SHOWS: These left a bit to be desired. The
headline singer was Kenny James, who was tedious. The comedian was Lonny Shore, who was
ok, but not great. The
juggling comedian was excellent. The dance troupe was mediocre. Still, we went and watched
and had some good times.
Get there early to get a seat. The magicians, La Raf, were pretty good, but the usual
stuff. Don't be afraid to take the kids
to the shows. They have a great time. Our daughter loved the newlywed game and was VERY
GLAD we weren't picked,
although we almost were. I think Richie decided to spare us out of friendship. CASINO:
Very well run. Some craps people
were novices, but management is excellent. Several people won at the machines. SHIP'S
STAFF: Very good. Purser was
helpful. They arranged a private 30 minute interview for me and my son with the hotel
director. He was most helpful and
informative. Quite gracious. Everyone, everywhere was helpful and very interested in
customer satisfaction. FINAL
NOTES: Enchantment is a good ship and a bit smaller than Voyager. We met people who went
on Voyager and thought it
a bit too much; impersonal. Here, we got to know people and they took good care of us.
Excellent value for money and
one of the 3 best vacations of our life and we travel at least 4 times a year.
Name: Cassie Ainley
Email: cassie@nappnet.com
Age: 46
Occupation: receptionist
NumberOfCruises: 0
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: 11-14-1999
Itinerary: western
Cabin: 7057K
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 99
FoodRoomService: 94
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 99
DiningRoomService: 94
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 97
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 99
DeckService: 99
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 99
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 99
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 98
CruiseActivities: 99
Casino: 97
AirSeaProgram: 99
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 93
SpaceRatio: 99
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Nov 1999
Time: 11:04:45
Remote Name: nappnet.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was my first cruise and it was planned for a year and a half. I had lot of time to
read every review about this ship and
many others. I knew pretty much want to expect so there would be know surprises. used the
sea/air program and I was
very pleased. I am a fearful flyer and they got me a flight straignt through. I flew to
Miami from Houston the day before and
I was met by a Royal Caribbean rep that directed me to a waiting bus and right to the
hotel. I was booked at the Hyatt
Regency by the cruise line. I was a beautiful hotel. I checked in and went exploring. I
walked to a shoping area and had
lunch. I went back to the hotel and hung around until bedtime. The next mrning I awoke and
the RCCL reps were
downstair in the lobby checking people in for the cruise.
The whole process took three minutes. I went back and had
breakfast and checked out. We met in the front of the hotel at noon and were ecorted to
the buses by the cruise reps.
The bus driver gave us a little background history of Miami has be drove along. We ame
over the bridge to the port and it
is a sight to behold-all of the cruise ships were lined up and waiting. We were able to
board right away since I checked in
at the hotel. The cruise staff met me at the door and directed to my floor. There were
other cruise people there to give me
a Supercard and show me where my room was. I went to my room and was very please with the
size. I had read many
reviews about the size of the cabins and this was perfect. I met my cabin steward. His
name is Ricardo and he is from
Trindad. He was wonderful the whole week.
He took care of my every need. He made cute little shapes out of my pj's and
was very atentive to my room mate who is handecapped. I then went exploring. I was amazed
at the size of the ship and
how beautiful it is. It is truly like staying in a five star hotel for a week. I went to
the Windjammer Cafe" for the lunch buffet.
It was wonderful. They had several different entrees, buffet style and fruits, cheeses and
deserts. I have read in other
reviews about the poor quality of the food in the "Windjammer" These people must
be very spoiled. I thought the variety
was good and the food was always hot. The original intinery was to go to the eastern
Caribbean, but on Monday morning
the captain decided to go to the western because of Hurrican Lenny. I was just as happy
going there, because I hadn't
been to any of these port.
There were some people that were upset, but no one can control the weather so we moved
on.
I had a little bout of seasickness the first night but I went and bought this
accu-pressure bands and I was fine. I took them
off Monday night and never had another problem. I found the rocking very soothing. There
are areas that move more that
others, the theather and the dining room. You get used to it. Our first two days were at
sea and there are many things to
do. I went out by the pool were they have music and people dancing around. The bartenders
are very friendly and not
pushy. Be pepared to pay for bottled water and cokes as weill as other drinks. They did
have a drink special everyday.
The first day in port was Jamaica. I chose to go shopping. A bus picked us and drove us to
the shopping district. There is
much poverty in Jamaica and lots of starving animals. It was very sad. We stayed in
Jamaica for several hours and we
were on our way to Grand Cayman.
Dinner was a very nice expercience. I met some wonderful people and we all had a
good time. Our waitress was a little hurried and our asst. waitress was new, but all in
all we had a nice time. The food was
excellent and you could have a much as yu wanted. Every night we each had two deserts. I
was wonderful. Be prepared to
gain weight. The don't have the Midnight buffet every night. They had it twice on this 7
day cruise, but the rest of the
nights the waiters walk all over with trays of food. You will never go hungry. The had
food 24 hours a day. The next day
was Grand Cayman. I swam with the Stingrays.
What a wonderful day. the weather was beautiful. They took us about 16
miles out to this sandbar where the stingrays come from every where out can feed them or
just watch. It is a little
unnerving at first because there are all around you and touching you. It was wonderful! We
had two formal nights on this.
There was all matter of dress. Everyone looked really nice. There was every age group on
this cruise. We only had 110
kids on this cruise. So they were not too annoying. The staff did a good job of keeping
them entertained. The last port was
Couzemel. It was pretty hot here, but the shopping was really good here. The disembarkment
was painless This is by far
the best vacation I have ever had. Royal Caribbean is a first class cruise line and I
would recommend it to everyone. If you
have any questions, don't hestite to email me.
Name: Jeff Bush
Email: jeff.bush@asu.edu
Age: 44
Occupation: university professor
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: 1/9/2000
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: 3081
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 98
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 79
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 92
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 88
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 88
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino: 98
AirSeaProgram: 75
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 88
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 88
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Jan 2000
Time: 15:42:51
Remote Name: noname-16648.generic.asu.edu
Remote User:
Comments
We (wife – Candace – and myself) went on back-to-back cruises – Jan. 2nd on Celebrity’s Mercury and
Jan. 9th on RCCL’s Enchantment. Consequently, whether we liked it or not, we did a fair amount of
comparing! So please excuse me when this occurs – it was just the easiest way for us to write this. I’m
writing two reviews – one on each ship – so you may find it interesting to refer to the other. By the way,
we did this because we’d initially planned on completing a Millennium cruise but found out we could go
on two cruises for the price of the Millennium cruise! We wanted to go on different ships to experience
different ports and meals, so this was the solution we came up with. Let me discuss our experiences on
the Enchantment . . .
Embarkation: We were transferring from the Mercury (Ft. Lauderdale) to the Enchantment; everything
went well. We arrived at the port in Miami at 10:45 and had to wait in a tiny room with 60-80 people until
11:00 when we could go through security. No big deal – they probably don’t want people there that
early! A larger room, however, would have been nice. We then went upstairs and actually went through
the sign-in process – quite reasonable and efficient (the agents knew what they were doing). We
overheard someone talk upgrading so asked our check-in agent. She put us on a list and, sure
enough, we received a note the next day (on ship!) that we could upgrade if we wished. By that time we
were settled and the cost to make a significant upgrade was more than we wanted to spend. Yet it is
good information to have; we’d never heard of it before. We were allowed to go on the ship at 12:00, so
we waited about 30 minutes. Again, this wasn’t a problem, as we knew we were early and realize that
there is much work onboard when they change passengers. We were directed to the correct floor
where an attendant gave us our keys. A quick inspection of the cabin and we went up to the
Windjammer for a bite to eat. No problems, mon!
Cabins: We don’t have much in the way of information to add to what you can find out in other reviews.
We were disappointed that there was no fridge OR hairdryer like on Celebrity and Princess. The
bathroom is smaller than on some ships, but the rest of the cabin has more room because of it. No big
deal – just two different ways to configure about the same amount of space. Can’t say it made much
difference to us (although we missed the high power shower head found on Celebrity’s ships!). We had
an outside about midship on deck three. Absolutely NO complaints! We hit some bad weather and
things creaked a bit at the end of the week, but so did every OTHER part of the ship!
Food: We had just come off the Mercury, so we were prepared for the food to not be as good as
Celebrity. We were correct. That being said, we enjoyed virtually every meal! Absolutely nothing wrong
with the food overall. A few meals weren’t as well prepared as we might have wanted, but we really
wouldn’t have thought much about it if we hadn’t just come off the Mercury! RCCL could certainly
improve on the presentation (we got tired of the mound of rice on virtually every entrée – especially
since it looked like it had been dished out with a large ice cream scoop). Always a good variety. Meat
sometimes wasn’t cooked properly (overdone more often than the opposite), but still better than what
we often get ashore. We didn’t like the Windjammer all that much (although we never ate there for
dinner). The variety was fairly limiting and getting around the buffet was somewhat awkward – we often
had to double back to find something - like butter. Because things are at different stations, we often
came close to running into people – nobody’s fault. Consequently, we ate in the dining room whenever
we had the chance. Breakfast was the weakest meal. Both Celebrity and the Enchantment had the
same menu each day for breakfast. Possibly that is because they don’t get enough people in the dining
room to make it worth their while changing it. Even though we liked several dishes on the menu, we
grew tired of it and remembered fondly earlier cruises when there were 3 or 4 ‘specials’ on each
breakfast menus. We never ate at the late night buffets – partially because we had second sitting. I
know several people have complained about the quality of these, but they ‘looked’ fine. I think the lines
have realized that fewer and fewer people are eating this late (for good reason!) and have
de-emphasized this. Consequently, I’m loath to worry too much about any perceived lack of quality.
Service: One of the real strengths of RCCL, we found! Our waiter, Jose Rodrigez from Portugal
(mentioned at least once in a previous review), was wonderful – the best we’ve ever had. Here’s a
suggestion some of you may want to think about: we made a point of mentioning our waiter to our head
waiter (saying how great he was) in FRONT of our waiter. We wanted Jose to know we were truly
impressed and appreciative. Since RCCL is so concerned with good reviews, we think this is a smart
idea. Our assistant waiter was also good, but Jose was the true star. He was professional, yet friendly
and informative. He knew when to be friendly (and put up with my sense of humor!) and when to be the
true professional. I had a copy of the review where he’d been mentioned previously and I gave it to him.
He promptly showed it to his boss and everyone else! BELIEVE ME, kind words go a long way on these
ships! Bar staff were a little more pushy than on Celebrity and didn’t always appreciate it if you didn’t
want to buy a drink from them. I can understand; it’s how they make their living. We had several
dealings with the Purser’s office – all positive. In fact, they were the most pleasant Purser’s group we’ve
ever dealt with!
Entertainment: Another strength! Wow, the orchestra in the main hall (the Orpheum) were incredible!
Also the largest we’ve seen on a cruise ship – 10 strong. All the entertainment acts were good and we
tend to be pretty critical. The steel band (somewhat misnamed because there was only one steel drum
in the group) were great as were the solo pianists and the trio. A lot of easy listening and light jazz
which suited us well. The entertainment in the Orpheum was even stronger. We enjoyed all three
comedians – RCCL seems to pick them quite carefully. They knew how far to go without offending, we
felt. Ken Rush (now off to the Voyager) frequently warned passengers not to be offended, so obviously
they have had complaints. However, we thought the warnings were unwarranted as the shows were not
more than mildly suggestive. We enjoyed the cruise director and his staff. At first, we thought the
director (Ken Rush) was too slick, but we learned to appreciate him as a professional. He was on top of
everything and never minded poking fun at himself. Being yuppies, we thoroughly enjoyed ‘Bowser’
(formerly of Sha Na Na) and the Stingrays in particular. We went away from their show singing all of the
old 50s tunes that Sha Na Na had performed in the 70s. Likewise, the autograph session with ‘Bowser’
was wonderful – he took time for everyone and made every person feel like they’d gotten to know him a
bit. A real pleasure to meet him! He allowed everyone to have their picture taken with him; he must
have made his trademark ‘gesture’ (mouth wide open and flexing his arm muscles) HUNDREDS of times
just during the autograph session. He brought an immense amount of joy to everyone who took the time
to get his autograph.
Shore excursions: Didn’t take any! We only stopped at 2 ports (Coco Cay had to be cancelled due to
TERRIBLE weather that contributed to many passengers ‘feeding the fishes’). We actually stopped at
San Juan for a few minutes to debark a sick passenger and also arrived back at Miami on Sat. night
(instead of Sunday morning) to debark another sick passenger. The good news is that I didn’t hear one
person complain about this. If it were ME that was ill, I’d certainly appreciate it!
Ship: We really liked the Enchantment! The Centrum atrium was very beautiful (with all the chrome,
lights and glass elevators that went up 9 stories) we felt. We enjoyed the fact that they had diskclaviers
playing (ok, player grand pianos!) when an ensemble wasn’t performing. They added a nice touch and
were never too loud. We didn’t think the ship was as clean as the Mercury (sorry for all the
comparisons!), but still very nice. We saw more wear, even though the ships were the same age –
1997. I know one person said they found it too contemporary, but we thought it was very enjoyable. The
dining room (My Fair Lady) was very classy – moreso than the Mercury. We also liked the love seats,
couches and individual seats in the Orpheum Theatre. We also liked the open areas – there were more
of these than any other ship we’ve been on (a plus, in my books!).
Debarkation: Had a snag that ended the cruise on a low point. Even though we’d booked the cruise
nine months previous, RCCL had screwed up our air arrangements and we only got it straightened out
4 days before we left. Initially, they set it up with us returning after one week (remember, we cruised on
the Mercury the first week). Then they sent the tickets back to our agent with NO information on the
return! Consequently, when we got off the ship, the Delta agents wouldn’t take our luggage at the port
as they didn’t have our names on their list. We then lugged our 4 suitcases, two overnight bags and
box of alcohol that we ‘somehow’ purchased in the US Virgin Islands (I’m now in single malt heaven!) to
the bus that we’d been told to go to. When the next bus pulled up, the driver said he didn’t take
luggage! Two RCCL agents stood there and just shrugged their shoulders! We were told (by the driver
– the agents didn’t know) to go up several buses. When we got there, we were AGAIN told this wasn’t
the right bus. So we went to the head of the line (having started in the middle with the Delta reps then
gone to the back of the line of buses) where I was reasonably rude, I’m sorry to say. The rep confirmed
that this now was the correct bus and apologized for the problem (even though it wasn’t her fault). I
then apologized for being ‘snippy’ with her and lugged the bags to that bus where they were loaded.
The upshot was that we hired a porter to take our 4 bags 25 yards to the Delta area at the port, then
we lugged them 50 yards to one bus, 50 to the next, and another 50 to the third! NOT WELL DONE,
RCCL. We climbed on the bus all sweaty, knowing that we’d then be in the same clothes in airports and
planes for the next 10 hours. Not a great way to end a wonderful vacation! RCCL is NEXT on my list of
who to write!
Other comments: As mentioned, the weather was rough for the last couple of days. The staff
apologized repeatedly and went out of their way to explain why (beyond their control) and to find extra
activities for the passengers. They even had a free ‘happy hour’ for the passengers on the last day –
an hour of Bloody Marys and Screwdrivers. The staff (from captain down through cruise staff, bar and
meal staff) had extra work on their hands, yet seemed to be very upbeat and worked hard to ensure we
had the best of times. Because of the first ill passenger, we’d sped to Puerto Rico – meaning faster
speeds and consequently more wind on decks. This unfortunately meant that time on deck wasn’t as
much fun as it might have been. Still, I wouldn’t have had it any other way (debarking a sick passenger
as quickly as possible). Our first RCCL cruise, but not our last! We’ll do it again! Sure, there were some
areas that we were ‘slightly’ disappointed with, but they were small. If you have any specifics that we
can help with, e-mail me at jeff.bush@asu.edu. Happy cruising!
Name: Jamie Miller
Email: JKMillerInc@aol.com
Age: 24
Occupation: Radio Morning Show Co-Host
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: 08/08/99
Itinerary: St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Coco Cay
Cabin: 3011
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 65
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 60
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 89
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland: 50
GoodForFamilies: 79
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 75
BeautySalonStaff: 10
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 75
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 85
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 75
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Jan 2000
Time: 18:02:48
Remote Name: spider-tn031.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
The trip started off pretty well, as we were shuttled from the airport to the dock in an airconditioned bus
with a very charismatic guide. Once on scene, it was easy to get on the ship and register with the staff.
This was to be our first cruise, and honeymoon, so we were very excited. The room was about what we
expected. As a young couple, we didn't have a lot of cash to blow on a deluxe room with a balcony and
had to book an inside cabin with no window. That was just fine, as we only used our room for late
afternoon naps, showers and sleeping. Our room steward is to be commended, as we were extremely
messy and always found our room in impeccable condition upon returning from shipboard fun.
Speaking of ship activities, there were many to choose from. We chose to laze about on the pool deck
most days at sea, and only had to deal with the obnoxious prattling of our cruise director once an hour.
This was one time I prayed for the electricity to go out, so his microphone would be rendered
inoperable. My new husband and I decided it would be a great idea to get a massage at the ship's
salon. So, he went to his massage while I went to mine. It was all well and good, but the end ruined it for
me. As the massage technician finished, she proceeded to tell me that I had a back condition that would
need surgery some time in the future if I did not purchase some sort of organic pill she was pushing.
The sales pitch went on for about ten minutes, during which I could feel myself tensing back up. The
ports of call were fine, about what we expected. I loved the French side of St. Maarten, and St. Thomas
was fun, what with the booze cruise and all. I even managed to buy myself a darling imitation Prada
purse. The food on the Enchantment of the Seas was a bit less than I had hoped for. I know, they must
prepare food for so many people, so I shouldn't expect so much. But, I come from the beautiful Napa
Valley and I guess I'm just spoiled by the world class cuisine. I do concede, however, that the ship was
trying out a new menu on our voyage, and that may account for some of the inadequacies. We spent
more than we had planned on this trip, as anything extra such as drinks, magazines or a pack of gum
was so expensive. But, it was all in the name of vacation.
Name: Dennis Willing
Email: shoot3gun@yahoo.com
Age: 51
Occupation: Medical Investigator
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: 1-30-00
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: I-2102
FoodDiningRoom: 93
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 97
FoodVariety: 97
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 97
TenderService: 88
GoodForSeniors: 92
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 94
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 97
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 93
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 96
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Feb 2000
Time: 10:13:50
Remote Name: tollbooth.state.mi.us
Remote User:
Comments
We sailed on the Enchantment of the Seas, Jan. 30 - Feb. 6, 2000 on the Western Caribbean
itinerary.
Travel to and from was somewhat hectic to say the least. RCCL booked us on American Airlines.
When we arrived at the airport we found our flight had been cancelled. Fortunately we were
transferred to a Northwest flight but did not reach the pier until about 45 minutes before sailing.
After going through the check-in procedure we arrived in our cabin just in time for the lifeboat drill.
We completed our shore ecursion request form immediately following the drill. We received all of
requested excursions. The San San Yacht cruise Ocho Rios was a 12:30 PM departure rather than
the 8:30 AM as requested, but this was not a problem.
Check-in was a breeze and we spent all of about 2 minutes at the counter and we were on our way.
The Enchantment is a copy of her sister ship Rhapsody of the Seas, which we sailed on last year.
We knew exactly where to go to our cabin but were directed by a friendly staff member upon
boarding.
We booked an outside room on Deck 2, preferring the natural sunlight coming into the room but not
wanting to pay the higher prices related to top deck cabins. Our room was adequate with lots of
storage space. Nothing to rave about but better than some I've had. I have no complaints about the
room. Our cabin attendant, Rosalinda, from the Philippines, was always smiling and
johnny-on-the-spot. We had few requests of her other than beach towels every day and lots of
water. Both were delivered in a timely fashion.
The My Fair Lady dining room is beautiful with excellent food. There are always a variety of main
dishes to hopefully suit everyone's taste. I particularly enjoyed their cold fruit soups, the filet minion,
and the duck. We talked with a couple who were on their second week of a Eastern/Western
back-to-back cruise. They advised the menu did not change over the 2 week period. In other words,
Monday's menu on the Eastern route was also Monday's menu on the Western route, so they went
through each menu twice during the 2 weeks. Our waiter, Gabor from Hungary, was a little stiff but
did a very nice job. He loosened up some on the nights when the staff entertained us. Our assistant
waiter, Oana, from Rumainia, was much more friendly and always helpful. We sure can't complain
about their attentiveness.
Preferring to eat in the dining room, we had little experience in the Windjammer cafe. We only ate
there twice but the food was excellent and about as good a buffet food as you'll get. We found this
also to be true on the Rhapsody, which also calls their buffet restaurant, "The Windjammer."
Coming back late from tours required us to have a burger in the Solarium burger bar in the
afternoon a couple days. This restaurant has hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and pizza. The pizza was
good but the burgers had little taste, but they filled the void until our late dinner seating.
Not being much of a drinker (I had only 3 alcoholic drinks all week), we don't frequent the bars. We
did meet some friends in the Schooner Bar, a relatively quiet piano bar, for drinks. At one point we
could have ordered from 3 different waiters who seemed to be falling over us to take our orders.
The Orpheum Theater is where all the big shows are done. Entertainment is very taste related so
what pleases one may not please another so you can take this with a grain of salt. We thought the
Wave Revue programs were long on gltiz but short on real entertainment. Most of the entertainment
was mediocre with some real bright spots though. Mr. Glen Smith, a piano player/singer/comedian
was riot, and althought I did not go, a Beatle impersonator band was talked about as being
excellent.
The pools were crowded as usual. The Solarium pool is inside but has a retractable roof, should the
weather turn bad. Since we had great weather, 77-78 degrees every day, the roof was usually open.
Being big snorkeling fans, we booked this activity at each port.
In Key West we snorkeled a reef which was interesting, but not inspiring. However, we did see our
first shark, a small Nurse Shark, and some small barracuda.
In Cozumel we opted for the Xcaret ecological park where we snorkeled through 2 underground
rivers. Each was quite different from the other and both were fun and interesting. The rivers are
puncuated with enough openings to the above ground that sufficient light penetrates for good
snorkeling. However, in some parts you have to keep your head above water due to the intense
darkness. You can see the cave walls but that's about all. These stretches are few and usually
short. The deep cracks in the rock underground were fantastic. You seem to be completely safe
here and can't get yourself into trouble because you are required to wear full life preservers while
snorkeling. These prevent anyone from diving down into these massive cracks and not coming up.
The excursion was bills at 7.5 hours but you really got about 5.5 hours in the park, which is not
enough. There are many other things to see and do here, even if you never enter the water. For
those interested, you can even arrange to swim with dolphins.
We booked a Sting Ray City tour off the internet with Captain Crosby Watersports in Grand
Cayman. This was interesting to say the least, since Capt. Crosby is real laid back. This tour wasn't
necessarily cheaper but there were only 17 people on the boat, rather than 90, as in Key West. We
first spent about an hour snorkeling for conch, and someone apparently found some since Capt.
Crobsy marinated it a had it available raw to eat. I passed. Next we snorkeled with the stingrays for
another hour. They are remarkably freindly and enjoy being fed. I found they take the food better if
you dive down about 6 feet to them though. Their skin is not slimy like a fish, but rather smooth and
bumpy. They don't mind being touched in the least. You should experience this if at all possible. My
wife is the world's biggest wimp and she loved it. These animals are not frightening in any way. Go
for it.
In Ocho Rios, Jamaica we first went to a local shopping center by cab. We had friends who walked
with two young girls, aged 12 and 14. They regretted that decision because of the harassment they
received, much of it directed at the girls. Our trip, meanwhile, was pretty much a waste of our time. I
doubt we'll bother to go into the town again. Another couple we knew went to the old market area,
but left as soon as they could. They also thought they had not made a wise decision and were very
uncomfortable during their short stay. After our brief encounter with the town, we took the San San
Yacht cruise. This excursion is a little pricey at $63 each but probably worth it. We climbed Dunn's
River Falls then went snorkeling for about an hour on a reef. The snorkeling was not inspiring since
there were few fish and almost none over about 5" long. However, it was nice to be in the water and
see the reef anyway.
On the various bulletin boards may people have complained about how pushy the cruise lines have
become about attending art auctions, shopping on board, and the incessant photos. I found the
photographers would not take your picture if you simply said no. There were not any annoucements
about attending the art auctions, other than in the daily newletter, the Compass. I have attended art
auctions and purchased some art in thew past but don't feel anyone was pushy about it. Had I not
stumbled acroos the auction, I would never had known it was going on. Likewise, I don't recall any
annoucements to push people into the shops other than one or two stating when specials buys were
available. A friend was particularly pleased about the annoucement because he feesl he made a
good buy on a watch.
I don't gamble my mopney away because I beleive this is a losing proposition to start with. I'd rather
spend it than give it away for nothing. My wife, on the other hand, like to play the quarter slots. On
her first machine she managaed to win $45 but by the end of the cruise, that and a little more were
gone.
Yes there is vibration on the ship and it is noticeable, but not frightening. It sounds and feels like a
prop cavitating. It appears to be something not completely repaired from the breakdown the ship
had some time ago. Since the ship seems to work fine, they are probably holding out for a dry dock
period to fix it.
Debarkation was the fastest I've had on any ship. I had a late flight but was still off by 9AM. As usual
the airline screwed things up by over booking, lost luggage, another cancelled flight, and eventual
late arrival. If we could eliminate the airlines, this would have been a perfect vacation.
All in all, this is a beautiful, clean, well maintained ship that is a credit to the industry. If you've sailed
on the Rhapsody of the Seas, you've sailed on the Enchantment as well, and vice versa. I would not
hesitate to sail on this ship again.
Dennis Willing
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