rccl-enchantment14

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Linda Beasley
Email: lbeas@gte.net
Age: 48
Occupation: Business Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: 5/14/00
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: K
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 98
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 98
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 75
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 98
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 98
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 98
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino: 98
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 98
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 98
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 May 2000
Time: 07:16:49
Remote Name: 12.41.192.201
Remote User:

Comments

You must cruise on the Royal Caribbean, Enchantment of the Seas. This was my first cruise and it was
everything I imagine it could be and more. My long time friend went with me and we had a blast! So imagine
two 40 something year old broads on their first cruise or vacation together. We didn’t miss a step! Well,
maybe the all nighter stuff!

First let me start with itinerary: We chose the Eastern Caribbean which on this trip included St. Maarten, St.
Thomas and Nassau. I’m a water baby who sold my 27 ft. Sea Ray Cruiser last summer and the first thing I did
was start looking for a cruise line and the Virgin Islands to take my first real vacation from home (Texas). Our
first port was St. Maarten. I was a little disappointed but you must know I chose a catamaran snorkeling
excursion which left the port at 9 a.m. in St. Maarten. So when we got off of the catamaran we didn’t have a lot
of time to go looking around the island of St. Maarten. We quickly hit about a 5 block square area and had to
get back to the ship. I just expected more for some reason. But ewe-la-la the water there was something else.
I’ll tell you about the excursions later.

Next port was St. Thomas. Had another early morning excursion (snorkeling) and then went into town. Loved
St. Thomas and want to go back soon! It was much cleaner and we did some serious shopping. Maybe it was
because it was American. But we liked it much better. Next time I want to do some site seeing of the island.
But this time I wanted the water experience. Will go back here for sure!

The last port was Nassau. Loved Nassau. It was so cool coming into the “boat slip” there. Got to see a bunch
of other cruise liners – Walt Disney’s Magic, Sovereign of the Seas, Voyager and so forth. Really cool to
compare them. We could not get to Nassau until about 10:30 and couldn’t disembark until 11 a.m.. And it was
our final day and our final excursion which was at 2 p.m. that afternoon. So you can see NOT ENOUGH TIME.
Our excursion was 3 hours and wasn’t to get us back until 5 and our last night seating in the dining room was
at 6. So we felt shorted and definitely want to go back to Nassau and check out the island(s)! Let me add
right here we definitely preferred the 6 to 8 seating. The 8:30 to 10:30 was just to late in the evening.

Excursions: We bought an excursion in every port. The first one in St. Maarten was nice catamaran
sailing/snorkeling trip. But it was more of a sailing trip to one of the French Islands (uninhabited) rather than
snorkeling so we didn’t bother. Nothing to see but the sandy bottom and with such clear water you didn’t need
to snorkel. The catamaran was 65 ft. with an 80 ft. mast and was beautiful. They beached the boat for us to
get off and enjoy the beach area. Free drinks and some snacks were furnished. Being a French island we
encountered some nude bathers from another catamaran, but who cares. The beach was beautiful. And one
of the wild goats came up and we gave her water and ice. She was so cute. Got some great pictures.

The second was in St. Thomas. A sailing snorkeling excursion. Again on a catamaran; not as new as the one
in St. Maarten but again who cares; you’re in such beautiful water. We anchored off a French island. The
snorkeling there was not that good, but loving water the way I do, it didn’t bother me that much. My friend had
never snorkeled so the female instructor worked with her for 15-20 minutes and she got more comfortable in
the water but hung close to me. I ventured off a little to some rocks and saw a few more fish in that area – a
couple of crabs, sea urchins and the such. Spotted a huge sand dollar. Tried to dive for it but it was just to
deep!

The third excursion was in Nassau. Wonderful is all I can say. Much better snorkeling this time. They
anchored out by a reef and fed the fish so we saw much more here underwater. I just can’t tell you how
beautiful those fish were. The folks who had taken scuba classes were with us getting their certification that
day so we got to watch them and that was cool. Next time I’m going for a diving certification – I love being
under water! I took lots of under water pictures here but I haven’t seen them. My travel buddy called me last
night to say the underwater pictures were spectacular. She got scared out in the deeper water and had gone
back to the boat and didn’t get to see the beautiful colored fish. But she says the pictures told the story. Will
go back to Nassau for sure.

I wanted to do it all, island stuff and snorkeling but there just isn’t time! Next time I will take only one snorkeling
excursion and spend more time checking out the islands! And I will only snorkel where they are taking us to
reefs. Much more to see in that environment. But you have to see that beautiful water! Coming from Texas,
the water is not that color or that clear so this was impressive!

The ship: Royal Caribbean, Enchantment of the Seas. I’m pretty picky but my bedroom and bathroom but
they have never been that clean except maybe when my house was built. That ship is immaculate! They keep
it spic-n-span clean. They were always cleaning and even painting places on the outside when we were in
port! One time I saw a guy hanging in some kind of support, painting the frame that was supporting a life
boat! The auditorium where all of the shows were held was beautiful. The dining room was spectacular! The
Centrum was spectacular. The lounges were spectacular. The staff was spectacular. I just can’t say enough
about that ship.

The Staff: They couldn’t do enough for you! Our steward, Ricardo from Trinidad was the best. He took care of
our every need. Our stateroom was cleaned every time we left. He always had a new bucket of ice for us
when we came to the room. Anything we wanted he got for us and was always asking if there was something
he could do or if we needed anything. We definitely tipped him more than the customary, suggested amount
at the end of the trip! Our waiter in the My Fair Lady Dining room, Jorge from Portugal, was the best! We tried
our best to get him to come back to Texas with us; especially my travel buddy, but he needed to go home to
Portugal to see his little boy! So we wished him a good and safe trip when he went home in June. He worked
his little hiney off that entire week taking care of us. He got more than the suggested tip amount too! And the
assistant waiter, Jacob. . . unbelievable. Once he knew our preferences for dinner we never had to ask for
anything. They must train those folks to watch your every breath. And they had us down pat! Two lemons in
your tea, hot tea or coffee with dessert, and on and on! We had a good Head Waiter but you didn’t see him
that much. But I’m sure he was keeping things going behind the scenes. He liked us Texas girls and was
always asking how things were and if there was something they could do better to serve us. That is how it
went all week. All of the staff we encountered were excellent.

Ship Activities: I tell you this! Next time I won’t try to do everything every day! I was wasted when I got home.
We went from about 6 a.m. until at least midnight every night. And we only stopped then because we just
couldn’t go any more. And yet we just knew we were probably missing something then! There is so much to
do all day every day and night! The evening shows were superb! The lead performer for the week, Gary
Puckett, didn’t cut it with our early show crowd. He wouldn’t even come out for an encore when the Cruise
Director gave him the lead in to come back on stage. I don’t know if it was because it was later in the week
and everyone was so tired or what. But the other performers were so good; especially a guy who’s last name
is Behr – a comedy/singer – entertainer of the year in Las Vegas. And I don’t care for comics! He was the
best! Royal Caribbean’s entertainment group of dancers and singers were absolutely dynamic. I mean first
class performers. Chris Lane is a wonderful cruise director and his staff were just as good!

Food: Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. If you went hungry you had a personal problem. If you didn’t like any
of the five entrée choices for the evening you have steak, rosemary chicken or salmon, baked potato,
mashed potatoes, or rice and their veggies to choose from. They covered everything. Four course meals at
noon and in the evenings if you ate in the My Fair Lady dining room! The Windjammer which I had read on
the Internet that wasn’t suppose to be that good . . . we thought was good. So I would say it comes down to
your personal food preferences. There was always variety. The Captain’s Gala Midnight Buffet was a
shocker. I’ve never seen food put together and displayed so magnificently. It was astounding. You could take
pictures from 11:30 p.m. – 12:15 a.m. that evening and the buffet was at 12:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. – we made the
picture taking but were in bed during the buffet! It was just beautiful. I was so impressed! It’s just hard to
believe they can do so much on a ship.

Embarking/Disembarking: Embarking was slow to me. Maybe I was over anxious to get on board. But you went
from one great big room to another huge room, and then into another huge area and stood in line there to
see a RC person to get your RC card for the week, and then to the ship. But when you hit the ship there were
people to help you go where you needed to go and when you got out of the elevator on your deck there were
more people to show you to your cabin and already offering you drinks! Disembarking was a breeze. We just
went to the auditorium and when they called our colored ticket (based on when your flight was leaving Ft.
Lauderdale), we headed to the appropriate deck and they sent you right out to get our luggage. Customs was
nothing. I didn’t even notice those folks. I’m sure they were there somewhere. I just to tired after this marathon
fun week, to pay attention. Finding our luggage was a breeze and a porter was there to help us to the bus.
Buy the RC tickets to and from the airport. That's makes things a breeze too! Simple and easy. When we
arrived in Ft. Lauderdale, RC reps were there at the gate to tell us where to go and what to do! Wonderful!

Disappointments: I was disappointed in the reflexology massage I bought – much to pricey and in the long run
not worth it. Had to have some nails fixed and it is way expensive and they only had one girl who could do
acrylics, and she worked in a hurry and the result wasn’t something I was pleased with at all. But to me that is
not directly involved with the cruise! These were ancillary to the cruise so this is just a tip to others to think
about. Everything else was above reproach!

I will definitely sail Royal Caribbean and the Enchantment again!

Name: Jean-Marc Mazerolle
Email: jmaz@nbnet.nb.ca
Age: 30
Occupation: Tech Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: May 21st
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 3501
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 91
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 92
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 87
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 86
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 40
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 70
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 31 May 2000
Time: 10:08:37
Remote Name: 142.134.182.137
Remote User:

Comments

Cruise Review

Enchantment - Western - May 21st sailing.

I've taken so much from this newsgroup, it feels nice to be able to contribute.

BACKGROUND We are a honeymoon couple in our late twenties, early thirties. This was our first cruise, and
as comparison our only other real vacation was an all-inclusive vacation last year to Cuba.

OVERALL Great cruise. The ship was gorgeous, the food was to die for and the ports of call were perfect.
Drink prices were ridiculous. Photo prices were also nuts.

EMBARKATION Terrible. Our bus driver from Miami to Fort Lauderdale couldn't read. We left the airport at
midnight as our flight was delayed out of Toronto. Lots of signs said, "I-95 closed ahead". He ignored the
signs that said "I-95 detour" and went through lots of residential Miami neighborhoods. We felt very
uncomfortable, as we were the only 2 on the mini-bus. Upon arrival at the hotel, we were given several
different times to be in the lobby the next morning. Also, nobody told us that we could get out sign and sail
cards in the hotel lobby in the morning. This would have saved us lots of time. After arriving at the cruise
terminal, we stood in line for over an hour waiting to get checked in. Nobody was around to tell us where to
go. The whole process took about 2 hours to get on the ship. It felt as if they were all doing this for the first
time.

DAY ONE Everything was great as soon as we set foot on the ship. Our luggage actually beat us to the room.
The buffet in the Windjammer was quite good. We got a drink and got set to watch us sail out of Fort
Lauderdale. For dinner, we were seated at a table with a family of four ranging from 45 to 65 years old.
Obviously no effort was made to match the guests at the dinning tables (there were 140 honeymoon couples
onboard). Luckily we completely fell in love with our table mates. They were experienced cruisers that gave us
great advice. They were just the friendliest people I've ever met. They were one of the best parts of our
cruise. We were often the last table to leave the dinning room, the conversations were so interesting

DAY TWO - KEY WEST Beautiful. The ship seems to tower over Key West giving a great view. The free tram
ride into town is great. We just walked along Duval Street and took in the sites. We found Hemmingway's
house and the Little White House. We lunched at the Hog's Breath Salon. The "Hogerita" left me a little
woozy. Great drink but strong! I wasn't too excited about this stop and wound up loving it.

DAY THREE - COZUMEL Great shopping. I bought 2 beautiful Onyx chess sets, and some gorgeous
blankets. We lunched at Carlos and Charlie's. What a party! The bar was jumping with 5 cruise ship's worth of
patrons. It was two in the afternoon but some folks had that 2:00AM glassy-eyed "Where's the floor?" kind of
look. The food was good and plentiful (Excellent ribs!). The drinks were fantastic and powerful. We took a
leisurely horse-drawn carriage ride back to the ship. The terminal was under construction, but that was just a
minor annoyance.

DAY FOUR - AT SEA Getting a deck chair was almost impossible. With 2200 fellow cruisers, the ship was
FULL. Still we were able to find a spot on the upper deck to lay on our towels. The weather was a little windy
but warm and sunny. I used the Internet café to tease friends and family about me being in the Caribbean and
them being in Canada. The cost was $0.50 a minute. I was able to create a HotMail account and send a
couple of emails in less then 15 minutes.

DAY FIVE - GRAND CAYMEN What a beautiful island! We took the ship excursion to swim with the stingrays.
My wife didn't spend much time in the water. She was a little intimidated by the stingrays. I had a blast! By the
end I was chasing them around. This is truly a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed. This island
reeks of money. Multi-million dollar homes, expensive cars, and Rolex dealers everywhere. We lunched at
Captain Brian's, a great spot with a spectacular view of the harbor. The jerk chicken is excellent. It was neat
listening to the young bankers next to us talking about being in Abu Dhabi the day before and then New York,
and off the Rome the next day. We shopped a bit and bought tons of rum cakes and lots of liquor.

DAY SIX - JAMAICA We followed the herd and went to Dunn's river falls. We had a great time climbing the
falls. Luckily our guide didn't insist on us holding hands like some other groups. I found keeping my balance
was easier with my arms free. Also, I figured climbing would be easier without carrying the 300-pound woman
behind me up the falls. We returned to the ship to change. The ship was empty. All the passengers were off
exploring Jamaica and all Jamaican employees had the day off to be with friends and family. We then went to
Evita's. This restaurant is high on the hill above the Ochos Rios. There are photos on the walls of the famous
people who have visited: Anthony Hopkins, Keith Richards, and Madonna. We had the best meal of the whole
cruise there. Great service, great food and a great view: tough to beat.

DAY SEVEN - AT SEA Still no use looking for a deck chair. Lots of deck chairs had towel and things on them.
The cruise line doesn't enforce its rule about not reserving them, so why would anybody listen any ways? We
had a nice relaxing day laying on the deck and watching the Carnival Paradise of to our left. We sailed next to
her for the whole day. A neat site. Our table mates invited us their room for drinks and to show off their
balcony.

DINNING I can't say enough about the food. Every night had several great selections, so I usually ordered all
of them! The steaks were done to perfection each time. Being from the East Coast of Canada, I was curious
how the lobster would be. I didn't need to worry. The lobster tails was wonderful. Our waiter Cubi from Turkey
was a joy. I asked the headwaiter how the Caribbean Banana Chicken was made, and he spent 15 minutes
giving me the recipe and technique. Very friendly. The table was entertained when I order in French on the
French night.

SHOWS We caught about half the shows onboard. The Orpheum Theater is exquisite. I've never seen
anything like it. The light shows and pyrotechnics were amazing. The shows ranged from good to great.

ONBOARD TV STATIONS This was a real great feature of the cruise. The shopping and tour talks were
carried live, each on their own channel, then shown over and over. Very convenient. The live shot off the
front of the ship was great for us in the bowels of the ship without a window. The movies shown were quite
recent. The regular channels (ESPN, CNN, A&E, and Discovery) were sometimes snowy or off the air but
would return after a few minutes. It was great to be able to catch the last quarter of the NBA playoff games
after dinner before going to the show.

CABIN ATTENDANT I think our cabin attendant Marguerite was psychic. We met her the first day, and saw her
a few times during the cruise. But the room was always done and our beds were turned down every night.
Quiet, quick and efficient.

DEBARKATION Slightly better then getting on the ship, but not by much. They made all non-US citizens
gather at the Carousel lounge at 6:45 am (Ouch!) to return our passports. This only took about 15 minutes.
Then they only let us of the ship at 11:00 when they called our luggage tag color. They told us we could
watch CNN in the Orpheum and wait there. But you couldn't here the announcements in there, so we had to
go sit elsewhere. Once our tag color was called the rest went well.

RANDOM FIRST CRUISE THOUGHTS Weak drinks at $5.95 seem like theft to me. That's actually $9.00
Canadian. I saw a few folks really drunk one night. I thought, "there goes somebody who makes more money
then me!" We like to have a few drinks while sun tanning, and a bottle of wine with our meal. A drink during
the show is nice too. We were never drunk. But our bar bill at the end of the cruise was quite a shock. Also
thirteen dollars a picture from the ship photographer seems a little exaggerated.

OVERALL We had an amazing vacation and would recommend Royal Caribbean to everyone. I'm afraid to
get on a scale to see how much weight I gained because the food was so good. I realize that the cruise lines
make a lot of their money on drinks and photos. But the high prices leave a lingering bad feeling when we
reflect on our vacation.

Any questions are welcomed at jmaz@nbnet.nb.ca

Jmm

Name: Laureen Vinicombe
Email: vinicombes@cs.com
Age: 36
Occupation: Executive Assistant
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: May 7, 2000
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 259/inside stateroom
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 70
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 100
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Jun 2000
Time: 20:50:56
Remote Name: spider-mtc-tc043.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was my very first cruise and having had my first on the Enchantment of the Seas has given me a
wonderful taste of cruising! I absolutely enjoyed the whole experience.

Some of my initial fears of taking such a vacation were thus: sea sickness, overall small stateroom, lack of
drawer/closet space for unpacking, and waiting on long lines for disembarking for excursions.

Well, to be quite honest sailing on this ship was like staying in a huge hotel on the calm sea. I had no motion
sickness whatsoever. The waters were calm, however, we did do 21 knots one evening and I still didn't feel
anything more than a tad tipsey.

As far as the stateroom, I anticipated a walk-in closet sized room and was so impressed with how efficient
and beautiful the room was. I loved the decor which was very classy and not tacky in the least. I found plenty
of drawer and closet space sufficient for all of the clothes my husband and I brought. There were so many
hidden compartments that I didn't have to pick from my suitcase throughout the trip.

As far as going to and from each port of call, there really wasn't a hold up. It flowed fine even when a tender
was necessary. The only complaint about a ship of this size is that it cannot dock too close to any island
therefore leaving you to take transportation to and from land or walk quite a distance.

The food on the Enchantment was wonderful, but now this is where I had my anticipation shattered. I was
always under the impression that when you go on any/all cruises that you will gain weight. I am not saying I
lost weight, however, I wasn't forced to eat on the hour every hour. As a matter of fact, my husband and I
found ourselves without any place to eat when were hungry at certain times during the day. We did snack
on their pizza, but there was no variety in the snack bar on board. Also, there seemed to be a push on beef
more than any other item during dinner hours. Do not get me wrong, all of their beef dishes were superb,
but to eat it almost every night really took its toll. The Enchantment chefs also should study further on their
Italian dishes. My husband and I couldn't wait to come home if for only that reason alone.

Overall, a cruise is a wonderful opportunity to see several places to gather a taste of them and perhaps
revisit for a longer stay. A cruise provides so many opportunities to play, rest, meet new people from all over
the world and just enjoy a boating lifestyle. I definitely was sold on cruising vacations and would love to try
another Royal Caribbean line!!

Name: Shelly F.
Email: cdjsklaf@aol.com
Age: 25
Occupation: Advertising Associate
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: May 21, 2000
Itinerary: Western Carribean
Cabin: 4045-I
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 88
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 92
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 88
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 14 Jun 2000
Time: 14:22:43
Remote Name: spider-ti033.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was my first cruise and what a blast I had. I had heard horror stories of the embarkation/disembarkation
process but this was no problem at all. Everything was very organized so everyone knew exactly where to go
and what to do. The ship is absolutely gorgeous. Very large with plenty to do and very clean. Our first stop
was Key West. We found it to be very beautiful town. We just walked around town ourselves and stopped at
Sloppy Joes's Cafe for some lunch before heading back to the ship. Next, was Cozumel, Mexico. Here we did
the horseback riding adventure and I would not recommend it to others at all. The horses were very hot and
hardly moved at all. Also, the forest was very dry and the trees were half dead. After that we took a taxi into
town and shopped. Wednesday was at sea, and what a relaxing day to just sip drinks by the pool and do
some gambling in the casino. Thursday was Grand Cayman. This was by far my favorite island. It was just
beautiful. We snorkled here, and were very pleased with our decision, the water is absolutely gorgeous.
Afterwards we did an island tour in a taxi and went to the turtle farm and the famous town of Hell to mail
some postcards. Jamaica was Friday's stop, and there we climbed the Falls. The Falls are really something
to see, they are very crowded but everyone works together as a team to make it a very enjoyable attraction.
Saturday we just hung out by the pool again, did some exercising in the gym, went to the art auction and
gambled. We also unfortunately had to pack this day to prepare for our Sunday departure back home and
this made us very sad. The main dining rooms food was absolutely delicious and our waiter Wally from
Tailand and our Asst. Waiter Alexandrjo from Peru were excellent. We had a great time talking with them
each night. Also, hats off to our Head Waiter Julian who always greeted us with a smile. Like I said this was
my first cruise and I loved it. In fact, my fiancee and I loved it so much we are planning another cruise as our
honeymoon getaway next year. Thanks Royal Carribean for a truly great vacation experience.

Name: Gerald Pinner
Email: CoastSKArd@AOL.com
Age: 23
Occupation: Student/Musician
NumberOfCruises: 0
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: 05/21/2000
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 3903 N
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 93
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 92
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 92
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 98
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 93
BeautySalonStaff: 92
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 92
BeautySalon: 93
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 93
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 92
DeckSpace: 93
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Jun 2000
Time: 16:46:04
Remote Name: spider-wa062.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

We sailed on Enchantment of the Seas on May 21st, 2000 bound for the Western Caribbean. Before I talk
about the cruise, I'll give you a little background about us. It was my girlfriend and my first cruise. We're both
in our early twenties. Everyone kept telling me that RCI was the way to go for a great cruise vacation, and
I'm here to tell you that they were right! It the first real vacation my girlfriend (soon to be fiancée' later in the
cruise, but she didn't know that yet!) and I had ever taken together, and we decided to let the cruise
company take care of all our travel arrangements to avoid any possible snafus. We flew out of Philadelphia
the Saturday before the cruise departed, as we had signed up for the optional Air-Sea plan that let you stay
in Ft. Lauderdale the night before. This is an excellent idea! At only $79 per person, it seemed worth it to be
refreshed and ready to leave the day of the cruise instead of rushing from airport to ship trying to remain on
time. The plan also allows you to skip embarkation- your cruise card is activated at the hotel, and the RCI
porters take your bags from the airport the day you arrive, so they're waiting in your room when you arrive!
Can't beat that!

DAY ONE- We arrived on the ship from the Ft. Lauderdale Airport Sheraton at about 1:30. We quickly
checked into our cabin: 3903. It was an interior cabin, and was very nice. There was more storage space in
a small room than I could have ever imagined! We decided to book the interior cabin room to save money,
rationalizing that all we'll do there is sleep and change, and that our money would be better spent
elsewhere. I think it was the right choice. After unpacking, we explored the ship. At first it seemed
intimidating, but it was very easy to get around, and soon enough we were navigating our way around like
pros! We spent the whole day exploring and meeting new people. We relaxed and got ready for a great
vacation.

DAY TWO: Key West, FL- Key West was a very nice island, but probably my least favorite. We took the
walking tour of the city, and to be honest, I had seen all of the island that I desired to after the 90 minute
walk. Still, we stayed on until about 3 P.M., just walking along Duvall St. and Whitehead Rd., saw Jimmy
Buffet's Margaritaville, and took pictures by the famous 'Southernmost Point in the Continental U.S.A.' buoy.
Key West is a beautiful island, but unless you're into bar hopping, there's not a WHOLE lot to do.

DAY THREE: Cozumel, Mexico- What a fun excursion we had here! We took the 4x4 Jeep adventure. We
drove on some of the roughest roads I've ever seen to get to a Mayan Ruin, and then off to a private beach
for lunch and an hour of beach time. The water in Cozumel was some of the bluest I have ever seen! The
lunch that was provided by the excursion was unbelievably good! We had the greatest beef tortillas ever,
accompanied by soft drinks and fresh fruit. I think they must have started to marinate the beef while to cow
was still alive to make it that tender! If you can stand being bounced around in a Jeep for a few hours, I
STRONGLY suggest you take this trip. It is more than worth the money. If you do, say hello to Eduardo, the
insane Mexican Jeep tour guide. He's an absolute blast, and makes sure everyone is having the times of
their lives. After the trip, we got off downtown for some shopping, and my girlfriend found some great deals
on jewelry and semi-precious stone sculptures. Since the ship stays longer in port in Cozumel, we missed
the 'official' dinnertime in order to spend more time in Mexico. We ate in the Windjammer that night, but I'll
get into that later.

DAY FOUR: At sea- Yes, it is very difficult to find a deck chair during at sea days. Yes, people save seats
with towels and shoes while they disappear for hours. However, there is a system to get a nice seat. We
opted to sleep late that day to recover, then I went and entered a Blackjack Tournament and ate lunch. By
this time, it was about 12:30. Lunch time. When we went up on deck, we had our choice of seats, right by
the pool! So just wait until early afternoon, and you'll be fine.

DAY FIVE: Georgetown, Grand Cayman- We went to Rum Point on the northern end of the island while in
Grand Cayman. It's a small private beach that has snorkel equipment, floats, and jet skis available for rent. It
also comes with a complimentary lunch ticket. While in Grand Cayman, I suggest taking an excursion with a
meal included, as the island is ludicrously expensive. That being said, it is also the cleanest island, and the
water there is the clearest and bluest imaginable. (Yes, I know I said that about Cozumel. Grand Cayman is
even BLUER!) I understand that Grand Cayman is the place to find great deals on loose gemstones, but I
wouldn't really know anything about that. In any case, after lounging around Rum Point for a few hours, we
returned to Georgetown for window-shopping and pictures. A small note for planning your day. The piers at
Grand Cayman aren't deep enough to hold the Enchantment, so you have to tender in. This will add
anywhere from 20-30 minutes to embarkation/disembarkation times. Just keep it in mind.

DAY SIX: Ocho Rios, Jamaica- Okay, if one more person had asked me if they could get me cab or could
braid my girlfriend's hair, I would have screamed. We did the typical in Jamaica- climbed Dunn's River Falls.
It was a lot of fun, and we got some terrific pictures with my disposable waterproof camera. Oh! Yes, note to
travelers: guides will 'offer' to carry your camera up the falls to keep it dry for you. I watched numerous
people from the cruise ships haggling at the top of the falls over exactly what the proper 'tip' should be to
get their cameras back, so beware. After climbing the falls, we did some snorkeling at Laughing Waters (not
too bad, but I wish I had snorkeled in Grand Cayman instead.), then we changed and went shopping in town.
We went to Soni's Plaza, and then to the craft market. If you can handle to constant badgering of pushy
Jamaicans, shop at the craft market, you'll find the same stuff as at the centers, but at about half the price.
Don't forget to buy some Blue Mountain Coffee while you're in town, although I'm SURE the locals wouldn't
let you forget! Don't pay more than $13/lb, or you're being taken. Final word on Jamaica- it is definitely the
dirtiest island on the cruise. The people are pushy, and you really have to watch your back. If you're not
used to urban life, you will not like town at all. However, if you're used to city living, Ocho Rios is just like any
other city area that is full of beggars, just amplified. We had a blast because we just didn't let people bother
us, and kept an eye on our valuables at all times.

DAY SEVEN: At sea- The saddest day of the cruise! We spent all day taking pictures of what we missed,
exchanging addresses with friends, etc. We also took a couples massage class, which was VERY expensive,
but fun. This is certainly the most bittersweet time on the cruise- living in the lap of luxury and loving every
minute of it, yet knowing it was soon to end.

DISEMBARKATION: Not really the nightmare everyone makes it out to be. We all gathered in the lounges
and waited for our color tags to be called. Some non-U.S. Citizens slowed us up as they hadn't cleared
customs yet, but no big deal. Again, having the air sea package was a great thing here! We got off, found
our bags, and all we had to do was put the airline baggage claims on them (which were given to us the last
day on board before disembarking). Someone took them to the airport and checked them in for us. We
didn't have to see them again until Philly!

CREW: Could these people do any more for you? Our wait staff, Eduardo and Jose', did everything but
chew for us! (And probably would have done THAT if we had asked!) Outstanding service. I don't know how
or where they train these people, but well done! By the end of the week, Eduardo knew all of our personal
preferences and dining idiosyncrasies cold. Our cabin steward was named Warner Rodney, and he was
unreal. Every single day, many times a day, our room was meticulously cleaned and restocked. One day he
found a pair of glasses and hat laying out, and made a 'pillow man' out of one of my sweat shirts, a pair of
pants, some shoes, and the hat and glasses. He propped it up, put the remote control in it's 'hand', and
turned on the TV When we came back form dinner, my fiancée almost had a heart attack! It was hysterical!
The cruise director, Chris Laine, went above and beyond for me on this cruise. As I said, I was planning to
propose while on this cruise. Mr. Laine set it up so that I would be able to propose to her ON STAGE during
the show Friday night, in between the first and second act. We called her on stage under the guise that she
had lost her cruise card (actually, I had swiped it!) while I conveniently went to the restroom. After getting
her on stage, I came in stage left and proposed. He set this up without being able to call the cabin or have
any direct contact with my 95% of the time. It was all done by passing notes and in 'covert meetings' late at
night while she slept and I wanted to "take a walk." God bless that man, he works unbelievably hard, and
obviously loves his job. Don't miss his 'Not So Newlywed Game.' It's a highlight!

FOOD: Unreal. Period. End of discussion. I have heard people claim that the food quality had declined
recently. If this is the case, I can't perceive of what it used to be like. I also keep reading pot shots at the
Windjammer Cafe. I ate there a few times, one dinner, one breakfast, and a few lunches, and found the food
to be very good. Of course the quality wasn't as high as in the My Fair Lady Dining Room, but you can't
fairly compare buffet to formal European style restaurant service.

RANDOM NOTES AND CONCLUSION: The much talked about ship vibration was very slight, even on the
lower decks where our cabin was. Ship stability was terrific. Enchantment of the Seas is a spectacular
vessel, and if the Centrium doesn't take your breath away when you first board her, there's probably
something wrong with you! This won't be our last cruise with RCI! Everything was perfect. Please feel free to
e-mail me with any questions or suggestions! Thanks!

CoastSKArd@AOL.com

Name: Carrie Higuera
Email: carrie@yahoo.com
Age: 25
Occupation: teacher
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Enchantment
SailingDate: June 18, 2000
Itinerary: Western Carribean
Cabin: 7020
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 50
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 99
CasinoStaff: 100
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram: 50
MedicalFacilities: 100
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 100
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Jun 2000
Time: 23:08:20
Remote Name: spider-wi014.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

Our (our being my parents, 18 year old sister and myself) cruise was a very nice cruise. I would likely take
another Royal Carribean cruise again. We did have some mishaps, which I will explain below. I can't help but
to compare this cruise to one I took last year on the Regal Princess to Alaska. I will say that I enjoyed Alaska
a great deal more as a destination than I did the carribean, however I found several ports to be very
enjoyable.

The air/sea program was the pits. This started off our vacation on a sour note, and we were not affected as
badly as some others were. We were supposed to have a direct flight to Ft. Lauderdale from San Francisco,
however we found out that our flight was delayed and had a layover in Atlanta. Once in Atlanta, we had
another delay of about two hours. We arrived at our hotel (the night before the cruise) at about 11:30pm.
We were supposed to have arrived at 5pm. Some people got in around three am, and others arrived very
late and had to be flown to the first port, Key West. Our flight home was even worse. Our plane was delayed
out of Ft. Lauderdale for a couple of hours and again in Atlanta for a couple of hours. We sat at the gate in
the plane in Atlanta for an hour before we finally took off. Once airborne, there were only a handful of
pillows and blankets for the fully booked flight (I froze), they had no diet coke, or diet sprite and the staff
were rude, to say the least. I think I will book my own air next time and I guarantee it will not be on Delta.

Ok, on to the more pleasant things...Room with balcony: A+, same goes for cabin steward and waiter.
Assistant waiter seemed to be incompetent, as our waiter constantly managed her job and his and went well
out of his way to grant unusual requests. We had asked for a large table (10 or 12) but got a table for six.
As there are four of us to begin with,we were placed with two other people. It turned out ok though. We sat
with a very nice newlywed couple from New Jersey. It seems funny, because we sat with a couple from New
Jersey on our last cruise too.

Some of our unusual requests...mashed potatoes every night for several people at the table. It started off
with the new bride. She didn't care much for fancy food, she loves pizza, so she asked for a side of mashed
potatoes the first night. She raved about it, so my mom and I shared some the next night. These were the
best mashed potatoes I've ever eaten! They are a must on this cruise. So, our ritual began and on the last
night, everyone ordered some. We didn't even have to ask for it, our waiter, Selim from Turkey, instinctively
brought us some. We also asked for ice cream to make root beer floats. Our table mates bought my dad
root beer in one of the ports, as he asked for it but the ship does not carry root beer. Our waiter shared in
the drink. He really helped to make this cruise a great one.

Key West...loved it. My sister and I took a Kayaking tour. I loved it, she hated it. She hates creepy crawly
things and can't swim, so she was scared from the start. Plus, neither of us had ever gone kayaking before.
There were fairly large bugs with claws climbing the trees that you float under and she freaked out, literally.
Other boaters were telling her to be quiet. I apologize for her, if you were one such kayaker. I on the other
hand loved every minute of it. We saw small jelly fish, a few reef sharks, and we went through some amazing
tunnels made by arching trees. It was beautiful. Shopping in this port was fun, check out the shell shop by
the aquarium, good deals in there. I bought one of my most favorite souvenirs here, a very cheapo, tourist
trap coconut shell turned ugly fish for three dollars and fifty cents, I love it. My parents went on the glass
bottom boat and said there was nothing much to see and they both came back a little green, despite
wearing sea sick patches. Several people apparently became ill on board the very rocky boat.

Cozumel...hated it. This was the only port I did not care for. In fact, I did not find one cruiser who actually
liked it. The snorkeling was murky, the shopping was expensive (if you want a Mexican blanket, shop around
I bought one for seven dollars and later found the same blanket for two fifty), Carlos and Charlies is a loud
bar that smells of vomit but the worst part...you have to walk down a pier, through a construction sight to get
to the taxis, where I fell, hard on my knees down some sand and gravel covered steps. My ankle turned
under me and I hit knees first and slid down two steps and skidded to a halt at the bottom. At first, I thought I
had broken my ankle, but I realized I had sprained it. Then I saw my knees...oh boy did I do a number on
them! I was embarrassed to wear shorts the rest of the trip. I was lucky the next day was one at sea,
because I could barely walk and my left knee was badly scraped. I sat on deck icing my ankle all day on
Wednesday. My knee still hurts today, June 30th, and I think I have a permanent souvenir on my left knee.

Grand Cayman...my most favorite port!! First we took the bus tour of Grand Cayman, with stops at Hell, the
turtle farm and a rum cake factory. Hell is a big tourist trap, but I mailed some post cards, took a picture in
front of the black formations (which smell) and one in front of the Hell post office. The turtle farm was
informative and interesting and the rum cake is delicious. We went on this tour primarily because my father
has bad knees and can't do much walking. He did not get off in Cozumel, but he did here for this tour and he
enjoyed it. The bus was air conditioned and the best seat is next to the driver, which is where I sat. Dad went
back to the ship while my mom, sister and I went on to Sting Ray City...wow. One of the most incredible
experiences in my life. I've always dreamed of being a marine biologist, and this gave me a little taste of that.
We finally figured out that if you actually snorkeled, you could swim high over them without actually touching
them. My sister was very squeamish! I loved it, as did my mom. Because this was on a sandbar, it would be
great for non-swimmers, as we were in waist high water but we could snorkel out a little ways too. A must in
Grand Cayman!

Jamaica...very nice. We took the shopping tour in Jamaica with my dad. I bought a nice piece of Lladro for a
very good price at the Taj Mahal shopping center in one of the jewelry centers. Sales people are very
aggressive in Jamaica. They follow you around the store and if you show the slight bit of interest in
something, they start saying they could lower the price and it such a nice item and this and that. It was a
little unnerving, but I know that theirs is a poor economy and that they know cruise passengers often come
to port looking for a nice souvenir. I gave a street performer a couple of dollars and he allowed me to take
his picture, which turned out very well. After shopping, we dropped off my dad and my mom, sister and I took
a short boat ride to Dunn's River Falls. Once again...wow. I was humbled by nature, yet again. Our tour
guide (I never caught his name) was great, at times he literally pulled me up some frightening parts of the
falls. The falls are tricky and one could easily lose his/her balance. We thought we had reached the end,
and we saw a few signs and figured we were done, as the falls looked particularly dangerous at this point,
however the signs only asked us not to carve the rocks. So, we marched onward and upwards. We
managed to reach the very top. We tipped our guide and made a surprisingly long treck back down the hill
via mostly stairs. A lot of people got their hair braided, but we didn't think to bring any money for that, so we
just watched. A great day in Jamaica. We did see a lot of poverty however, and it sort of grounded us too.

So, we did the other cruise tourist things on board the ship...each of us bought a seventy dollar watch at
their big sale, despite not needing one. I do like the gold by the inch however, as I have large wrists and
have trouble finding bracelets to fit and this allows me to measure to size. The ship was very nice. I found
the food in the dining room to meet or exceed expectation. The food in the buffet was awful. The only thing I
did not care for on board was the way they would hound you for a drink in the show lounge before you even
had a chance to pick a seat. Public areas are beautiful.

Here is where Princess differs from Royal Carribean(that we could see)....public areas are much grander on
Royal Carribean. Rooms are slightly nicer on Princess (although we really had no complaint with our rooms
at all). The food in the dining room on Royal Carribean was better than on Princess, but the food in the
buffet was better on Princess than on Royal Carribean. The Regal Princess was a much smoother ride than
the Enchantment...I don't know if this is due to location or not, but the Enchantment rocked a great deal.
And the biggie...entertainment head over heels goes to Royal Carribean. They had the Platters, who were
beyond great! However, in Alaska (on Princess), I did not go there to see entertainment, but the
unbelieveable sights, so this did not affect our overall cruise.

A few final thoughts...we saw some spectacular and frightening lightening showers. Four at one time, fairly
close to the ship around two in the morning, the morning of Jamaica. The strikes touched the water. We saw
the coast of Cuba, and I highly recommend the raviolis in the dining room. So much to say, but I think I've
given a fairly lengthy account already. I hope this helps you a bit...oh one last thing the next time I cruise, I
will book a trip which has a day at sea for day number one, as opposed to a port on the first day. We felt like
we really did not get to know the ship very well as we did not explore it fully until Wednesday, the first full day
at sea. It makes a difference. I also don't think a balcony is necessary in the carribean, I find it a necessity in
Alaska. But overall, we enjoyed our trip very much and I would cruise Royal Carribean again.

Back to RCCL Enchantment