June 3, 2013 Enchantment Review ... Going Coco Loco and the Suite Life

[duncanmaria]

Enjoying your review. Looking forward to the rest of OUR cruise;)! Thanks so much for sharing!!

[ksawyercruiser]

So then it was off to the Muster. Our group was on Deck 5 on the jogging/walking track. It was the most solemn muster I’ve ever experienced. The crew was very serious and people were paying close attention. I’m sure the fire on the Grandeur was on everyone’s mind.

 

After the drill, we went back to our cabin. We decided to do sail away on our balcony. Me, Tom and Marissa waved to everyone in boats by the ship and at Fish Lips restaurant. Tommy was off on his own exploring, as usual. As we left the port, we saw a pod of dolphins. So cool!

 

After sail away, we got ready to go the Concierge Lounge. No way I wasn’t taking advantage of that perk! Being in the front of the ship, it was a long walk to the Viking Lounge, where the Concierge and Pinnacle lounges are located.

 

We started down the long hallway to the aft elevators. But when we got to the end of the hall, it was a dead end.

 

We did some backtracking and finally found the lounge. It’s pretty small with about 8 tables and a small food and drink station. We were greeted warmly by Reyno, the concierge. He had emailed us a few days before sailing to see if we were interested in a cabana on Coco Cay. We were VERY interested, so he booked it for us.

 

Reyno is a real character. He’s from the Netherlands and is very cordial and outgoing. I looked forward to seeing him each evening.

 

Tom and I each ordered a glass of cabernet from the waiter and Marissa opted for a Sprite. We then helped ourselves to appetizers and chocolate-covered strawberries. I noticed that there is absolutely no dress code in the lounge. Some people were in shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops. This is just an observation … no judgment.

 

I really looked forward to that quiet hour in the lounge every night on the cruise. It was a nice way to end the day before going to dinner. I never saw any children in the lounge, except for Marissa, the entire trip. We only used the lounge in the evening. We never peeked in during the day.

 

Then it was time for dinner in the My Fair Lady dining room! We found our table. It was set for 10 people. Tom and I are traditional cruisers. We like late seating and the largest possible table in order to meet people.

 

We met our tablemates. A mother and daughter celebrating high school graduation. They were from Florida. And a group of women travelling together from Athens, Georgia. This was a fun coincidence because Tom and I met in Athens (Go Dawgs!) many, many moons ago.

 

Our waiter was Ivan. A very friendly fellow from the Phillipines. He recommended the mojo pork that night. I followed his lead and ordered the pork. Tommy did, too. Tom opted for a steak and Marissa chose a roasted chicken breast.

 

For appetizers, I ordered a shrimp cocktail, Tom went for the escargot, Tommy got a Caesar salad and Marissa a fruit cup.

The appetizers arrived and YUCK. The shrimp cocktail was awful. Four or five small, warm, floppy shrimp with some lettuce and no cocktail sauce. Just really bad. About 10 minutes later, the assistant waiter came around with cocktail sauce. Wouldn’t it be easier to add it to the dish?

 

Tom was also disappointed in his choice. They substituted scallops for the escargot. This is understandable … and it even mentions on the menu that escargot is subject to availability. But it would have been nice if the waiter had told Tom beforehand. Tommy and Marissa both enjoyed their appetizers.

 

The shrimp cocktail was by far the worst appetizer I’ve ever had on a cruise. I made a mental note never to order it from the MDR again.

 

Entrees came, and they brought me the wrong dish. It was the prime rib, and it looked absolutely delicious. I told the server that I would be happy to eat the prime rib if it didn’t belong to someone else. The waiter asked me several times if I was sure. He would be happy to bring me the pork. But seriously, the prime rib looked really good so I told him it was fine.

 

The prime rib more than made up for the appetizer. It was as good as it looked. And Ivan ended up bringing me the mojo pork anyway -- which was super nice. I was full but Tommy devoured it. Aw … to have the metabolism of a teenager again.

 

Tom wasn’t thrilled with his steak but Marissa LOVED her roasted chicken breast. She ordered it every night. I had a couple bites, and it was juicy and delicious. It’s on the menu every night so it’s a good go-to if you’re not sure what to order.

 

For dessert, I again went with Ivan’s suggestion and had a warm blueberry-apple crumble with vanilla ice cream. I’m not a dessert person but I ate the entire thing. It was yummy.

 

So except for the appetizers, I thought dinner in the MDR on night one was very good. And as a bonus, I could tell Tommy was quite interested in the 18-year-old girl at our table. He was being extra charming, and it was cute to see him try to impress her.

 

We had planned to take Marissa to the kids’ club after dinner so Tom and I could have a nightcap. But Tommy said he wanted to watch movies in the room. So he volunteered to watch Marissa.

 

We took them back to the cabin and turned on cartoons for Marissa. We then let Tommy pick a $4.95 movie on the iPad. Cheapest babysitter ever!

 

The evening ended with Tom and I at the casino. I lost $40 on slots, and Tom was up about $20. So we decided to cut our losses and go to the Schooner Bar to see Noel.

 

When we arrived, Noel wasn’t there. But there was an absolutely amazing piano player: Bernie Martini. That’s most likely not his real name, but his voice is AMAZING. Very smooth and crooner-like. Reminded me of Michael Buble. And he’s very sweet and personable. He made a point to speak to every table during his breaks.

 

If he’s on your sailing, I highly recommend you stop by for a martini with Bernie Martini! He’s always happy to take requests. He sings all types of songs but I like his Rat Pack tunes the best.

 

At around midnight, we headed back to the cabin. When we got there, Tommy and Marissa were both asleep on the couch bed. They usually stay as far apart from each other as possible so it was cute to see them sleeping next to each other. Kids are so darn adorable … when they’re asleep.

 

That concludes day one! NEXT UP: COCO CAY!

 

 

 

Tom relaxing on the balcony for Sail Away.

 

 

Leaving Port Canaveral.

 

 

Bye bye, Florida! We're Bahamas-bound!

 

 

The insanely talented Bernie Martini.

 

 

Success! We actually tired-out the kids.

Edited June 25, 2013 by ksawyercruiser

[ksawyercruiser]

We moved 2 days after our first cruise on Enchantment so I understand the rush and crazy post cruise you are going thru!

 

It is craaaazy around here right now! When we booked this cruise back in January, we had no idea we were going to be moving. We close on the new house on Thursday!

 

Thanks for checking out the review! :)

 

Great review, we are sailing on her in September so looking forward to reading more, can't understand why the don't open the solarium roof more, especially in that climate as well, it's normally our favorite place to relax.

 

I think that's one of the big RCI mysteries. Why are the solarium roofs rarely opened? I don't get it. That and the soda machines never working. ;)

 

Thanks for your nice comment!

 

-Kim

[ksawyercruiser]

great job

 

THANK YOU!!! :D

 

Staying in a Grand Suite will spoil you :p I am enjoying reading your review since the smallest ship we have sailed on is Voyager class. I really do want to try a Vision or Radiance class but the big ships keep calling me :rolleyes:. You have a beautiful family.

 

I'm afraid you're right. A regular room would be fine for Tom and I. But with four of us in a room, the suite was sooooo nice. And I did love the Concierge Lounge.

 

I really loved the Enchantment. Very different than the Allure (obviously) but I loved feeling like I was on a ship rather than a Vegas hotel or high-end mall. That's not to say I won't sail the mega ships again! I just wouldn't sail on them without an ocean balcony room.

 

My sister is a Buckeye! She and my parents live in Columbus. O-H- ...

 

Thanks for reading the review! :)

 

-Kim

[Familygoboston]

Wow! Congrats on your new house! I find doing a review is a full time job (which means my regular work suffers terribly! Luckily I work for myself so my boss lets it slide;)) Not sure how you are managing this!:eek:

 

Thanks for mentioning the dinners...first night is Mojo- I'm trying to figure out which menus are offered which night to decide if and when we want to try one of the specialty restaurants. There were a couple of nights where we didn't care for what was in the menu, and I'd be happy to go elsewhere. If you can recall a couple of the meals each night, I can figure to out from my " menu" spreadsheet and I will post the whole cruise by menu, with all the offerings, at the end of your review for future cruisers if you want!

 

Clearly coco cay day will be formal, and wondering if they served lobster (Jasmine) - guess ill have to wait till the boxes are unpacked ;)

 

Thanks again!

[PH8]

Enjoying this review and can sense the excitement in your tone.........great job!

[Buckeye State Cruisers]

THANK YOU!!! :D

 

 

 

I'm afraid you're right. A regular room would be fine for Tom and I. But with four of us in a room, the suite was sooooo nice. And I did love the Concierge Lounge.

 

I really loved the Enchantment. Very different than the Allure (obviously) but I loved feeling like I was on a ship rather than a Vegas hotel or high-end mall. That's not to say I won't sail the mega ships again! I just wouldn't sail on them without an ocean balcony room.

 

My sister is a Buckeye! She and my parents live in Columbus. O-H- ...

 

Thanks for reading the review! :)

 

-Kim

 

 

...I-O . We live about 2 1/2 hours from Columbus. Small world. On our last cruise we met someone whose brother lived across the street from us.

[ksawyercruiser]

Welcome to Day 2!

First of all, thank you so much to everyone who took the time to comment. I tried to respond to everyone but if I missed someone, I apologize. I really do appreciate all the feedback.

 

So before we get to Coco Cay, a couple things I forgot about Day 1. First, we went to the welcome show on the first night. In between the Concierge Lounge and dinner.

 

The singers and dancers did a few numbers. But most of the show was the cruise director John Blair performing songs. (He did a rousing rendition of Sweet Caroline that really got the crowd going) and a preview of the cruise’s comedian. The comic was very funny, and Tommy even laughed out loud a few times.

 

I thought the show was fun ... and a nice way to kick-off the cruise. Again, Tom and I are very traditional cruisers. We like the shows. And they're a great family event.

 

The cruise director was excellent. This was probably the first cruise where I feel like I really got to know the CD. He and his wife Katrina – who I believe is the Activities Director -- were very personable and great at getting passengers involved. I saw them around the ship quite often. One of the benefits of a smaller ship!

 

It turns out this was their last cruise before moving to another RCI ship (the Voyager? I warned you about my memory.) They were very sentimental about it, having been on the Enchantment for three years.

 

The last thing I wanted to mention … when we got back to our cabin that first night, there was an invitation from the concierge to a private party on Coco Cay at 11:30 a.m. Very nice!

 

Okay – now that we’ve gotten those tidbits out of the way, let’s get to it!

 

We like to use room service as our wakeup call. There’s no better place on the ship to have breakfast than your own balcony. So at 8 a.m. breakfast arrived. Eggs, bacon, sausage and hashbrowns for the boys. Fruit and yogurt for the girls. And pastries for everyone. Plus juice and coffee.

 

If you order room service, put a few bucks on the nightstand the night before for a tip. Or risk fumbling around the room and tripping over stuff looking for cash. (Or maybe that’s just me?)

 

So around 9, we headed down to the gangway. The wait wasn’t bad at all. I wasn’t sure what to expect from tendering as this was our first time. But they had a few boats going back and forth – not just one like I envisioned. So we boarded pretty quickly.

 

It was a fast trip to the island. Maybe 10 minutes. I thought the boat ride was fun. It was nice being in the open air.

 

We exited and went to check in to the cabana. Someone pointed us in the right direction, and we walked up to a small counter. The gentleman manning the counter was very friendly. He checked our reservation slip and told us we had cabana #2. He explained where to get the snorkeling equipment (2 sets were included).

 

We got to the cabana, and it was lovely. We weren’t directly on the water … we were one cabana away. But since we were facing the beach, we had a great view. A fruit plate, 4 large waters, 2 floating mats and a chilled bottle of champagne were waiting for us. Heavenly!

 

We popped the champagne. I had actually filled up an empty water bottle with the leftover orange juice from breakfast and brought it with us to the island … in anticipation of a morning mimosa.

 

So after a big Cocoa Cay cheers, we walked around to explore. Marissa wanted a hair wrap so we went to the hair-braiding ladies. One gave Marissa a cute blue hair wrap and talked me into getting some braids. $65 for both.

 

The braids were really cute but started to hurt my scalp almost immediately. They’re just sooo tight. Keep that in mind if you have young daughters who want their hair braided. A hair wrap might be a better option. Or maybe I’m just a wimp.

 

After exploring, it was time for the concierge party. It was about a 10-minute walk from the cabana to the event, hosted on an outdoor, covered deck. They had all kinds of salads, bread, veggies, fruit and chocolate-covered strawberries. Plus soda, champagne and the famous Coco Locos!!

 

We ordered four locos, two virgin of course, and sat at one of the tables. Reyno, the concierge, stopped by to say hello. As did the cruise director. It was such a pleasant little event.

 

We had time for a quick swim before lunch. The main beach near the cabanas is very pretty. Marissa, Tom and I traded off using the beach mats and just splashed around. Tommy opted to walk around and explore a little more. Recently, my son has developed some sort of aversion to water. He used to be such a water baby. I think he’s concerned about his hair. Seriously.

 

Around 1 p.m., it was time for lunch. Cabana guests have a separate buffet. I think it’s the same stuff, just in closer proximity. The food was the standard BBQ fare … all very tasty.

The jerk chicken, in particular, was awesome! But I was surprised at how spicy it was. I love spicy. And jerk chicken is supposed to be very spicy. But a lot times, restaurants go sparingly on the spices for people who may not be familiar or tolerant.

 

After lunch, Tom and Marissa wanted to go snorkeling so they went to get the equipment. Tommy was whining about not wanting to get wet. But I was having none of it. I told him that if he loved his mother, he would float with her for 15 minutes. I don’t ask for much … heehee. You know, all that mom-speak.

 

It worked, and he and I had such a good time. He found a foam ball in the water and threw it at me. I threw it back and suddenly it was World War III. We were laughing like maniacs.

Tommy kept his word and stayed out with me for about 15 minutes before heading back to the cabana. Then I floated out to where Marissa and Tom were snorkeling. Although I was quite a ways from the beach, the water was still quite shallow.

 

I caught up with the snorkelers and let Marissa rest on the raft for a while. She was doing great snorkeling! She and Tom found a starfish and a lobster and were having fun watching them.

 

Unfortunately, the coral closest to the main beach is pretty torn up. Uninformed passengers standing on it or kicking it, most likely. So if you’re really into snorkeling, you might want to look at other options. The location was great for Marissa, however, and she was delighted to see a few little sea creatures.

 

After a while, I headed back to the cabana for a siesta. I probably dozed off for about an hour.

 

We decided to go back to the Enchantment around 3:30 p.m. There was a big line waiting for the tender boats. But again, it went very quickly. Within 30-40 minutes, we were back on the Enchantment and heading to the cabin.

 

We really lucked out on Coco Cay. It was overcast all day but never rained. A couple times, the sky got really dark and I thought, "here it comes." But it held off.

 

So was the cabana worth it? Yes, yes and yes. $200 ... or $50 for each of us. A pretty inexpensive excursion. Plus it included the bottled water, champagne, snorkeling gear and mats. I think it’s a bargain. I know they are very hard to book but if you can, I highly recommend. Ask for a waterfront cabana if they’re available.

 

Again, I know they’re tough to secure. Your best bet (if you’re not in a suite) is to go the excursion desk as soon as you board and ask to put your name on the waiting list. Another reason to get on board as early as possible!

 

We also had a cabana on Labadee on our Allure cruise. In that case, I booked online. I just think I got lucky as we were not in a suite. The cabanas are very similar on both islands. On Labadee, you had a personal attendant but no champagne. On Coco Cay, you got champagne but no attendant. Personally, I like the champagne.

 

I think Labadee is just a little bit prettier than Coco Cay. I like the hills and mountains. But Coco Cay is completely charming. And I would go back in an instant.

 

UP NEXT: FORMAL NIGHT

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was the bar reserved for cabana guests. Behind it, was the buffet and picnic tables.

 

\

 

That's the Norwegian Gem in the distance. The two ships left Port Canaveral together. And now we're at our private islands together. Would we also be in Nassau together? Hmmmmm ...

[jamon]

For the event you went to on coco cay, was this for suite, diamond plus and pinnacle???? Just wondering since the Monarch use to have this and some people reported that they no longer do this...

[Eriksgarden]

Glad I found this review! We are going on Enchantment next Spring and I turned to my partner and said, "This person did Enchantment AND Disney World, too!" We are now doing Disney, too! Thanks for the push!

[Scotty G]

For the event you went to on coco cay, was this for suite, diamond plus and pinnacle???? Just wondering since the Monarch use to have this and some people reported that they no longer do this...

 

I reported this on June 20th so it was after OP's cruise.

 

Just heard from a friend on FB that the Wacky Seagull Jr event (Suites and C&A top tier?) has been eliminated by corporate. This was input from a couple that returned from an Enchantment triple b2b Monday.

 

I will find out what's up next week. :D:D

[jamon]

Thanks Scotty G and will be looking for your answer about the deck party on coco cay when you get back and post....

[Bjcruzn]

Sitting back enjoying your review...and taking notes. Always best to be prepared than not. DD12 and I will be on this cruise 7/8. Much anticipation even though we are cruising alot lately. We will enjoy Disney a day before and a few days after since we are driving from Atlanta area and not flying. Cabana sounds like a great idea hmmmm.

 

 

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[givethemwings]

"When we got there, Tommy and Marissa were both asleep on the couch bed. They usually stay as far apart from each other as possible so it was cute to see them sleeping next to each other. Kids are so darn adorable … when they’re asleep."

Enjoying your review AND your sense of humor very much! Thank you for all the details. We'll be going back to Coco Cay for the second time, which I'm excited about. Ours was the only ship at the island the first time and what's not to love about having your own island. :D

The formal picture of your family is adorable - it's a picture that you can't help but smile at!

[givethemwings]

Thanks for mentioning the dinners...first night is Mojo- I'm trying to figure out which menus are offered which night to decide if and when we want to try one of the specialty restaurants. There were a couple of nights where we didn't care for what was in the menu, and I'd be happy to go elsewhere. If you can recall a couple of the meals each night, I can figure to out from my " menu" spreadsheet and I will post the whole cruise by menu, with all the offerings, at the end of your review for future cruisers if you want!

 

 

I like your idea. It will be only our second cruise and I hate to think I'm missing something yummy in the MDR, but I also want to try one of the specialty restaurants. There aren't enough meals in a day. :D

 

I look forward to your menu spreadsheet. :)

[ksawyercruiser]

 

Life is rough for our 15 year old.

 

 

 

 

The first row of cabanas faces this rocky beach. The second row is behind the first. I'm not sure I'd like a cabana in the second row. You would be looking at ... other cabanas. Our cabana #2 was on the edge, so we actually faced the main beach. But we were not directly on the water. I think those were cabanas #3-#7.

 

 

The line to get back on the ship. Don't worry ... it goes quickly!

[ksawyercruiser]

Wow! Congrats on your new house! I find doing a review is a full time job (which means my regular work suffers terribly! Luckily I work for myself so my boss lets it slide;)) Not sure how you are managing this!:eek:

 

Thanks for mentioning the dinners...first night is Mojo- I'm trying to figure out which menus are offered which night to decide if and when we want to try one of the specialty restaurants. There were a couple of nights where we didn't care for what was in the menu, and I'd be happy to go elsewhere. If you can recall a couple of the meals each night, I can figure to out from my " menu" spreadsheet and I will post the whole cruise by menu, with all the offerings, at the end of your review for future cruisers if you want!

 

Clearly coco cay day will be formal, and wondering if they served lobster (Jasmine) - guess ill have to wait till the boxes are unpacked ;)

 

Thanks again!

 

Thank you for reading the review!! The second night, Marissa had a delicious banana rum soup. There really wasn't any rum in it after it was made. (I checked.) Maybe that helps? The only other note I have from that night is that I had a yummy chicken salad and grape appetizer. It was a salad with grilled chicken and grapes. Really good and recommended by our waiter. I didn't see lobster on the menu.

 

Sorry I didn't keep better track of the menus! I'll see if I can find out more.

 

Enjoying this review and can sense the excitement in your tone.........great job!

 

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying. :)

 

-Kim

[ksawyercruiser]

Glad I found this review! We are going on Enchantment next Spring and I turned to my partner and said, "This person did Enchantment AND Disney World, too!" We are now doing Disney, too! Thanks for the push!

 

You should do Disney! It's very convenient to the port. Please let me know if you have any questions. We love Disney and go several times a year.

 

You just made your vacation even more magical! :)

 

Sitting back enjoying your review...and taking notes. Always best to be prepared than not. DD12 and I will be on this cruise 7/8. Much anticipation even though we are cruising alot lately. We will enjoy Disney a day before and a few days after since we are driving from Atlanta area and not flying. Cabana sounds like a great idea hmmmm.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for checking out the review and taking time to comment! You are going to have a great trip. It was so fun doing Disney and then a non-Disney cruise. It kept us from mouse overload. And we love Disney!! :)

 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Thanks!

Kim

[ksawyercruiser]

"When we got there, Tommy and Marissa were both asleep on the couch bed. They usually stay as far apart from each other as possible so it was cute to see them sleeping next to each other. Kids are so darn adorable … when they’re asleep."

 

 

Enjoying your review AND your sense of humor very much! Thank you for all the details. We'll be going back to Coco Cay for the second time, which I'm excited about. Ours was the only ship at the island the first time and what's not to love about having your own island. :D

 

The formal picture of your family is adorable - it's a picture that you can't help but smile at!

 

Awww ... thank you so much! That's so great that you're going to Coco Cay. We can't wait to go back! :)

 

-Kim

[Familygoboston]

I like your idea. It will be only our second cruise and I hate to think I'm missing something yummy in the MDR, but I also want to try one of the specialty restaurants. There aren't enough meals in a day.

 

I look forward to your menu spreadsheet. :)

 

I think I can do it easily! So far based on the Banana Rum soup clue...day two is Saffron menu.

Thank you for reading the review!! The second night, Marissa had a delicious banana rum soup. There really wasn't any rum in it after it was made. (I checked.) Maybe that helps? The only other note I have from that night is that I had a yummy chicken salad and grape appetizer. It was a salad with grilled chicken and grapes. Really good and recommended by our waiter. I didn't see lobster on the menu.

 

Sorry I didn't keep better track of the menus! I'll see if I can find out more.

 

 

 

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying.

 

-Kim

So according to your "clue" ( Marissas soup) I have deduced that day 2 Formal night is the Saffron menu.

 

Kim-If you can remember even one unique item (not an everyday item) from each day, I can easily pair it up with the menu and then I can post the whole 4 days at the end, with all the foods on the menu for that night. So wrack your brain, woman, scour those photos, interrogate the kids (trust me, you got a 15 yo, you'll need the practice :rolleyes:)...we've got important work to do to, future cruisers are depending on us....it's a a matter of life and :o....okay, that's a little over the top;) But I will do my best if you can come up with a menu item or two for each night!:D

 

So I'm wondering on this cabana thing...do you have any idea if JS residents can book them ahead- I'm thinking I've heard "no" on this, but maybe someone could weigh in. There is an aft JS available for my cruise, and my DM so loved her aft balcony last time, that I would maybe, possibly, consider booking it, just to make her happy...sigh. I could maybe , possibly consider it if I could get first whack at a cabana, but again, i think thats only for "real" suites, not poorly named marketing scheme suites. It is 200 more pp to upgrade (for the first 2, not DD) and then I'd still have to put another 200 for the cabana. Nah, I'm leaning towards not worth it. For 600 bucks I can practically take another 4 day cruise. See talked myself right out of it!;)

[Bjcruzn]

I phoned RCL yesterday inquiring on cabana. None available now but they open them up embarkation day.. So must hurry over to customer service day 1.

 

 

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[Clarea]

I phoned RCL yesterday inquiring on cabana. None available now but they open them up embarkation day.. So must hurry over to customer service day 1.

You want to go to Explorations to book the cabana. Don't want you to stand in the wrong line and miss your shot.;)

[Bjcruzn]

Thanks!!! Will take note of that. Still considering this and will hope for good weather.

 

 

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[ksawyercruiser]

So after we got back on the ship, we decided to hit the pool since we were already damp and in our swimsuits. The pool was semi-crowded. Not jam-packed but definitely busy.

 

Marissa was splashing in the pools, and Tom and I were going to head to one of the Jacuzzis. But first we wanted to get a beer. I volunteered and went to one of the bars. This is where I experienced the worst customer service of any cruise.

 

The poolside bartenders just didn’t care. They weren’t keeping track of who came when, and weren’t working the entire bar. Which was weird because the bar was only half full.

 

I ended up waiting over 20 minutes. I tried changing locations. I tried to (very politely) get their attention. But they just weren’t responding. It got to the point that other customer started pointing to me, and others who had been waiting, and saying things like, “they were here first. Please serve them first.” They honestly looked like they couldn’t care less.

 

I attribute this to two things: One, the soda machines weren’t working. So every kid had to go to the bar to get a refill. (Read: No extra tip.) Second: The all-you-can-drink patrons wanting refills (Read: No extra tip.) The bartenders were just going through the motions. The service was embarrassingly apathetic.

 

This wasn’t a one-time thing. I experienced this two more times before I finally realized I wasn’t going to get the kind o f service I expect from RCI at the pool bar. Then I started ordering drinks from the waiters.

 

I get it. Bartending is hard work. VERY hard work. But just ignoring people hoping they’ll go away isn’t customer service. I will say that, except for the poolside bartenders, I found the service on the Enchantment to be absolutely top-notch. Really friendly and really responsive. This was definitely the exception.

 

If you have a similar experience, and plan to be at the pool for a while, I recommend finding a poolside waiter, slipping him an extra $5 and asking him or her to stop by often. I did find the waiters to be much friendlier and service-oriented.

 

After an hour or so, we headed back to the cabin to get ready. I love late dinner seating. It gives you a chance to relax after a port day before you have to be at the MDR.

 

Once we were all clean and fresh, Marissa, Tom and I headed to the Concierge Lounge. Tommy stayed behind to take the last shower and get ready for dinner. We went up for an hour or so to chat with the delightful Reyno and nibbled on some appetizers. Then it was back to the cabin to collect Tommy and go get family portraits and take pictures with the captain!

 

One of the great advantages of a cruise is family portraits. At home, it’s so tough to get everyone dressed up and then travel to a photography place. It’s a hassle and no one has fun.

 

On a cruise, you’re already getting dressed up. Especially for formal night. Then you can take tons of pictures with the ship photographers. And you’re not obligated to buy anything! It really is a huge benefit to cruising.

 

So we got our picture taken with Captain Gustav Andersson, who was very nice and charming. And looked just like you would envision a ship captain to look. Then we got a bunch of portraits taken by the other ship photographers.

 

After that, it was time for the Captain’s champagne welcome reception where they introduce all the ship officers. This was the first time we’ve done this event, and it was a lot of fun. They had complimentary champagne for the adults and punch for the kids.

 

Then it was on to the MDR for dinner. I didn’t keep very good notes on what we ate. But I do know that Marissa had a cold banana rum soup that she loved. (It didn’t have any alcohol after preparation. I checked with the waiter.) And I had a unique chicken and grape chilled salad appetizer. Sounds a little weird but it was good. Tom and Tommy ordered beef tenderloin, Marissa had her roasted chicken breast. And I have no idea what I ordered. Oops.

 

Dress in the MDR on formal night was varied. A few men in tuxes. Most in suits. Afew less casual. But for the most part, everyone was dressed a step above a typical MDR night. I wore a cocktail dress. Tom wore a dark suit. Tommy wore a dark gray long-sleeved button down with black slacks and dress shoes. Marissa wore a dress and her big-girl silver high heels.

 

After dinner, Tommy again said he wanted to chill out in the room. I really wanted Marissa to go the kids’ club to get a feel for it but her stomach started bothering her. She ate three soft-serve ice cream cones by the pool, and I think all the yummy cruise food was getting to her. (For the record, I thought she had two. But she was playing mommy against daddy to get extras. Clever girl ... but she paid for it later!)

 

So we went up to the room to get the kids settled. After a while, Marissa’s tummy was feeling much better. She was watching TV, and Tommy was watching another movie on the iPad. So Tom and I changed our clothes and headed to the Schooner Bar to enjoy the musical stylings of Mr. Bernie Martini.

 

Our favorite bartender Noel was there, and he was happy to see us. Bernie Martini was awesome, and it was fun to watch Noel sing along and groove behind the bar. The crowd was much larger than the first night. Word was getting out on the ship about Bernie.

 

Suddenly, a very attractive woman entered the bar. She and her husband (?) were dressed to the nines. She sat down by the piano. Shortly thereafter, a group walked through the lounge and spotted the woman. They stopped and started asking for pictures with her. They were giddy and telling the woman how much they loved her, etc. They appeared to be big fans.

 

Because I’m the biggest dork on the planet, I decided I wanted MY picture with her. Tom was like, “Really Kim? You don’t even know who she is.” But I didn’t listen and jumped up to join the crowd for pictures. The woman was very nice and took a photo with me. I thanked her and walked back to my seat ... very pleased with myself for getting my picture with a celebrity ... who I didn't know. Suddenly that sounds a little odd. ;)

 

To this day, I have no idea who she is! So if anyone knows this lovely lady, please tell me. For all I know, the crowd was relatives who wanted a photo because it was formal night. But I don’t think so. They were so excited to see her.

 

Tom and I had fun the next day trying to decide who she might be. Our guesses ranged from Queen of Spain to a Latin soap opera star. Hmmmm … the plot thickens.

 

NEXT UP: NASSAU!

 

 

 

 

 

The beautiful mystery woman. Any idea who she might be?

 

 

Our welcome photo at Coco Cay.

 

 

I have a hard time not buying the photos ... especially of the kids.

 

 

Our photo with Captain Andersson. I had a very funny encounter with him on the last night. I can't wait to tell you about it!

 

 

This cute critter was waiting for us on Night #2!

[JanKrav]

Loving reading all about your cruise on the Enchantment! Great writing and you are really peaking my excitement about our cruise on her in August. We are in the Royal Family Suite, and we have never been in anything larger than a Junior Suite, so that will be great. Thanks for posting this review and I surely have been enjoying it!