"Live" Enchantment of the Seas, May 19-28

[bearing316]

Roy, can you tell me if they were offering the beer cooler bag special where you buy the RCC cooler bag with 8 beers for $35, then you can refill it for $25 the rest of the cruise. We are leaving on the Enchantment June 2nd. Can't Wait !!!! Thanks for your reporting of your cruise...will be very helpful to us.

 

We were also on Enchantment May 19-28. The beer cooler bag special was available. I saw plenty of crew members with the bags on their shoulders the 2nd day. It was $35 and it was 8 beers of either Miller Lite or Bud Lite initially. Then it was $25 for refills and you could have 8 of a combination of Bud Lite, Miller Light, Michelob Ultra, Budweiser. It comes with a beer opener but all the beers are twist off so it isn't needed. It also has a shoulder strap and they fill it with plenty of ice. It was a great deal and we were happy with the promotion.

 

I highly recommend Placid on the pool deck. The service was OUTSTANDING plus he makes one of the strongest Long Island Teas I've ever had on a cruise. Have fun. :D

[mosywoes]

These menus look yummy!! Do you know if the menus remain the same for all 9 day Enchantment cruises? Also, do you know when can we reserve Chops? The full cruise balance is due today so is it after we are paid in full that we can reserve specialty dining? We are set to sail on Sept. 8 to NE/Canada.

Thanks

[rafinmd]

Since this was my first time on RCI I'm not very well qualified to answer that but my understanding is that the menus are the same each cruise. You should look for some reports from people on the NE cruise since it could vary somewhat with a different itinerary, but I expect what you saw is pretty much what you will get.

 

I think you're right that you can pre-reserve chops once fully paid, but I had no trouble getting a reservation the day before and didn't have the impression that it was hard to get one even the same day, although that might require some flexibility on the time.

 

Maybe some RCI veterans will have a better answer.

 

Roy

[crusinmama06]

These menus look yummy!! Do you know if the menus remain the same for all 9 day Enchantment cruises? Also, do you know when can we reserve Chops? The full cruise balance is due today so is it after we are paid in full that we can reserve specialty dining? We are set to sail on Sept. 8 to NE/Canada.

Thanks

 

Since this was my first time on RCI I'm not very well qualified to answer that but my understanding is that the menus are the same each cruise. You should look for some reports from people on the NE cruise since it could vary somewhat with a different itinerary, but I expect what you saw is pretty much what you will get.

 

I think you're right that you can pre-reserve chops once fully paid, but I had no trouble getting a reservation the day before and didn't have the impression that it was hard to get one even the same day, although that might require some flexibility on the time.

 

Maybe some RCI veterans will have a better answer.

 

Roy

 

Moseywoes - The menus never change (unless there is a new release fleetwide), they stay the same. As soon as you make the final payment, you will be able to reserve chops. And yes, on Enchantment we were able to look at the dining room menu in the morning and head straight up to Chops to ask for reservations for that night. The times were limited, but it is possible. :)

[mosywoes]

Thanks so much for your quick replies. I initially booked through RCCL and then moved the ressie over to a TA. TA is supposed to post the final payment today, but I noticed that it hasn't been deducted from my credit card yet. Hope that's not a problem.

[rafinmd]

I suspect you're ok. A couple of things to check to try to put your mind at ease:

 

Some credit cards have a separate line pretty well hidden for "pending transactions". If you don't find that also check to see if there's a gap between the total of your available credit and your balance vs your credit limit.

 

If you don't find anything there you probably want to check with your TA at your first opportunity (Monday?).

 

Roy

[happythoughts]

I noticed in the compass that there is a 70's party in the centrum. Did you see that on your cruise? Is that where the staff dress as the village people?

Just wondering what it is all about- so that I know if its something the kids should stay up to see...

[rafinmd]

I'm sorry I can't help with that, happythoughts. I'm pretty much an earlybird and was rarely if ever up at 11.

 

Roy

[HB Cruiser]

I noticed in the compass that there is a 70's party in the centrum. Did you see that on your cruise? Is that where the staff dress as the village people?

Just wondering what it is all about- so that I know if its something the kids should stay up to see...

 

As I understand it, the 70's party is held in the Promenade on those ships that have one and the centrum on all others. Yes, this is the party where the staff dresses up as the village people.

 

Tim

[rafinmd]

As I understand it, the 70's party is held in the Promenade on those ships that have one and the centrum on all others. Yes, this is the party where the staff dresses up as the village people.

 

Tim

 

Thanks for bailing me out there.

 

Roy

[Lysingers]

The Enchantment is an older ship but I thought it was very well maintained despite a few minor issues.

 

1. There is a vita course on deck 10. There are 2 benches for situps. One of the boards on one of these benches was broken. It was still broken at the end of the cruise, I expect that repair will take a custom made part. I only saw the benches used once, and the person showed no problem using the good bench.

 

2. The backing of my medicine cabinet mirror was a bit ragged. No problem, just looked a bit strange when the door was open.

 

3. I found one instance of peeling paint, on the grating under the clear section of the floor on deck 9 starboard. The grate appeared to be galvanized and was not rusting. I suspect that it's extremely difficult to reach it except in drydock.

 

4. The one thing that was a bit annoying was the safe. It was the old style that is opened with a credit card rather than a pin. I was wishing I had taken an expired credit card or hotel key to use with the safe.

 

I saw occasional plumbing problems in the toilets but they appeared to be routine blockages and were always put back in service promptly. It could happen on a brand new ship. I never saw or heard of any problems with air conditioning or other significant mechanical issues.

 

This isn't the newest or glitziest ship but I thought it was well maintained and in very good shape. It is slated for drydock in 2012, so I would say RCI is fully committed to it's continuing service.

 

Roy

Can you please explain a bit more about how the safe worked? Just how would you use an old credit card to open/close it? Would a grocery store frequent customer card or one from Toy City/Home Depot/Best Buy, etc. work just as well?

[rafinmd]

The safe door had a slot running across the front which you slide the card across much like you would with a credit card at McDonalds or many stores. The safe reads the data on the magnetic stripe when the safe is locked, and then compares the data with what it stored when you swipe the card a second time to open the safe. You must use the same card to open the safe that you used to close it. The card must have a magnetic stripe on the back like the magnetic stripes on credit cards. The frequent shopper cards I have are all identified by optical scanning of bar codes and they would not work in the safe, it must be a magnetic stripe along the edge of the card.

 

Roy

[Philly Steve]

I noticed in the compass that there is a 70's party in the centrum. Did you see that on your cruise? Is that where the staff dress as the village people?

Just wondering what it is all about- so that I know if its something the kids should stay up to see...

 

This is a GREAT party and we checked it out during our 5/5 Enchantment cruise. I've never seen the Centrum used for something like this and it was so much fun. The surrounding upper deck railings were packed with people looking on and some of the ship's performers were dancing in elevators. What a blast! :cool:

[rafinmd]

This is a GREAT party and we checked it out during our 5/5 Enchantment cruise. I've never seen the Centrum used for something like this and it was so much fun. The surrounding upper deck railings were packed with people looking on and some of the ship's performers were dancing in elevators. What a blast! :cool:

 

Isn't the Enchantment Centrum great? That's the section that was inserted in the middle of the ship a few years ago (2002?). I watched the cake decorating contest from about deck 7 between the elevators and it was the perfect spot.

 

Roy

[Grumpy9117]

Isn't the Enchantment Centrum great? That's the section that was inserted in the middle of the ship a few years ago (2002?). I watched the cake decorating contest from about deck 7 between the elevators and it was the perfect spot.

 

Roy

 

 

No, Boleros was added when the Enchantment was stretched along with cabins.

[crusinmama06]

I noticed in the compass that there is a 70's party in the centrum. Did you see that on your cruise? Is that where the staff dress as the village people?

Just wondering what it is all about- so that I know if its something the kids should stay up to see...

 

I have video of the 70's/80's party in my review -- I was on in the week after Raf ;) Yes, they have it on every cruise. It was a lot of fun. The video is on Page 3 -- click on the picture and the video will start playing.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1423890

 

Can you please explain a bit more about how the safe worked? Just how would you use an old credit card to open/close it? Would a grocery store frequent customer card or one from Toy City/Home Depot/Best Buy, etc. work just as well?

 

We had a cabin on Deck 8 and our safe did not use a credit card. We had the standard punch code one. However, when we were on a ship that did require a credit card for the safe, I used my driver's license since it has a bar code on it. Anything with a metalic strip would work.

[TPKeller]

We had a cabin on Deck 8 and our safe did not use a credit card. We had the standard punch code one. However, when we were on a ship that did require a credit card for the safe, I used my driver's license since it has a bar code on it. Anything with a metalic strip would work.

This begs the question: was your cabin one of the new ones added during the stretch? My cabin up front on deck 2 had the card swipe... but I believe the punch-code safes are newer...

 

Theron

[TPKeller]

Isn't the Enchantment Centrum great? That's the section that was inserted in the middle of the ship a few years ago (2002?). I watched the cake decorating contest from about deck 7 between the elevators and it was the perfect spot.

 

Roy

Sorry... easily shown to be not the case, as every Vision class ship has a Centrum! :) Enchantment is the only one with a Boleros lounge (on 5), and every other deck has a similarly new section of shops (6), pool deck (9) or cabins (2,3,4,7,8) just in front of the Centrum area.

 

Theron

[CruiseKeeper]

This begs the question: was your cabin one of the new ones added during the stretch? My cabin up front on deck 2 had the card swipe... but I believe the punch-code safes are newer...

 

Theron

 

Not sure about Michelle's, but ours was a new cabin. We had the tube shower but had the credit card safe.

 

BTW, we loved the Enchantment and really enjoyed this review. :)

[crusinmama06]

This begs the question: was your cabin one of the new ones added during the stretch? My cabin up front on deck 2 had the card swipe... but I believe the punch-code safes are newer...

 

Theron

 

 

Nope, my cabin was not added during the stretch, here's the little diagram I created to show the new cabins added during the stretch...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lysingers]

The safe door had a slot running across the front which you slide the card across much like you would with a credit card at McDonalds or many stores. The safe reads the data on the magnetic stripe when the safe is locked, and then compares the data with what it stored when you swipe the card a second time to open the safe. You must use the same card to open the safe that you used to close it. The card must have a magnetic stripe on the back like the magnetic stripes on credit cards. The frequent shopper cards I have are all identified by optical scanning of bar codes and they would not work in the safe, it must be a magnetic stripe along the edge of the card.

 

Roy

 

Thank you Roy, for explaining this to me. I understand now, and will know to find such a card to bring along on our next cruise just to use with the safe. I don't think I would feel very comfortable using a current credit card, just in case it inadvertantly did something to it.

[rafinmd]

Thanks to ludde for the site where they are stored.

 

Day1 - Balto - http://www.speedyshare.com/files/28949107/compass1.pdf

Day 2 - at sea - http://www.speedyshare.com/files/28949108/compass2.pdf

Day 3 - at sea - http://www.speedyshare.com/files/28949109/compass3.pdf

Day 4 - San Juan - http://www.speedyshare.com/files/28949110/compass4.pdf

Day 5 - USVI - http://www.speedyshare.com/files/28949111/compass5.pdf

Day 6 - Samana - http://www.speedyshare.com/files/28949112/compass6.pdf

Day 7 - Labadee - http://www.speedyshare.com/files/28949113/compass7.pdf

Day 8 - at sea - http://www.speedyshare.com/files/28949114/compass8.pdf

Day 9 - at sea - http://www.speedyshare.com/files/28949115/compass9.pdf

 

Roy

[dewatson12]

Roy,

In San Juan, did the ship dock at the Old San Juan pier (walk off into Old San Juan)? Or was it at the Pan-Am pier (across the harbor, requiring taxis)

Thanks

[rafinmd]

At least for us it was the Old San Juan pier.

 

Roy

[TPKeller]

Today’s parting shot comes from the Captain’s Corner discussion. The Enchantment is in the only class of ships capable of passing under the bridges leading to Baltimore....

 

I wish you could go back and ask him about this again... maybe I will try on my cruise...

 

This post from earlier this year confirms other thread discussions we have had in which we concluded that Radiance class ships could fit into Baltimore. The bridge height leading into Baltimore is 185 feet, which is apparently 10 feet higher than the bridge in Tampa Bay.

 

Many long-time RCCL fans would be ecstatic to get a Radiance class ship in Baltimore for a few years!

 

Theron

For future reference, the question has been answered... Radiance class ships WILL fit into Baltimore!

 

Theron