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

ksawyercruiser
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jrljel

jrljel

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Thanks for the great review so far! I am eagerly anticipating more as I sail on her in EXACTLY two weeks from today and I, too, am like a little kid waiting for Christmas!

 

Haven't been on Enchantment since the first sailing after she was elongated and I am really torn about it. Going with two friends, one who has cruised with me before and the other her first cruise. Now having avoided the smaller ships in past years, I am a little torn about this, but we are in a GS (haven't had one since Navigator) and I find that makes me even more excited. We would have been on a "regular" 7 nighter but at the time when we booked one of my friend's mother was very ill and we weren't sure any of us would get to go. So we opted for the shorter cruise, bummer.

 

Thanks for the pictures as I wasn't sure how plush the GS actually was on this ship, but I am happy with that. Bummed about the Coke machines because I already bought the soda package only for that machine. Glad to know about the cabanas on Coco Cay. I didn't think they had them at all and hopefully the concierge will email us as well so that we can get one.

 

At Atlantis, I snagged a TA rate for one of the Royal Tower rooms so it's WAY less expensive for the three of us to do the water park and pools than if we did it with Royal. Again, I'm ecstatic about that.

 

Now I always thought that Park Café WAS open on embarkation day. Do you remember what time they open? Hoping to go there first once we get onboard but maybe we just can't. Bummer.

 

I'm hoping that the ship won't disappoint me since I've only been on the large ships lately and because this is one friend's first cruise, I hope we made the right decision. Keep the review coming! I cannot wait to hear more!!!! Soon, please!!!!!

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SportsFanatic

SportsFanatic

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

 

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

 

 

 

According to the 4 day Enchantment compass - Dining menu is day 1- mojo, day 2- Saffron, Day 3- Pimiento Doesn't really say what day 4 is.

 

 

Hope that helps.

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ksawyercruiser

ksawyercruiser

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Happy 4th of July! Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday!!

 

So here we are in Nassau. Or as the Sawyer family likes to call it: Pool Day. Since we live in Florida, we’ve been to the Bahamas many times. So there’s nothing really new for us to do. But we LOVE spending the day on the ship when the majority of passengers are enjoying their excursions.

 

We started our day with room service breakfast, and then got ready for the pool. The crew was running safety drills so there were alarms sounding from time to time. This continued for most of the morning. It was a little jarring ... but hey, safety first!!

 

We headed down around 10 a.m., and the pool decks were pretty empty. Perfect!

 

Marissa and Tom hopped in one of the pools, while I lounged and read a magazine. But then I spotted that couple. You know, the one you run into over and over again on the cruise ship even though there are thousands of passengers on board? Yes, that couple.

 

So I wandered over to introduce myself. Turns out, I noticed them everywhere. But they didn’t recognize me at all. They are a very sweet older couple who also live in Florida. They told me that this was their 46th RCI cruise. I joked that they must love their Pinnnacle status. But they told me that they were nowhere near Pinnacle and probably would never achieve it. What??!!??

 

46 cruises and you’re nowhere near Pinnacle? Puts it in perspective how few passengers can achieve that status.

 

Anyway, I loved talking to them. They have been on almost every RCI ship, and they were completely entertaining telling me all their cruise tales and comparing the benefits of each ship.

 

They are on a fixed income so they watch the deals very closely. As soon as a “too-good-to-be-true” offer shows up, they book it regardless of where the cruise goes. They told me they rarely get off at any port and that the ships are their vacation destination. They were very sweet and knowledgeable about everything RCI.

 

For lunch, we grabbed a quick bite in the Windjammer. It was great to eat there without the crowds. We almost had the place to ourselves.

 

After lunch, Tom and I got a couple drinks of the day, ordering them from the Schooner Bar so we could get the real glasses. (I was still determined to complete my collection.) Then we transferred them to plastic before returning to the pool.

 

Marissa wanted to try out the trampoline park but it was closed most of the day. It opened at 4 p.m.

 

After lunch, the pool started to get a little more crowded as passengers made their way back onto the ship. Tom and I had fun chatting with folks in the hot tub. I’m convinced the hot tub is the best place to meet people on a cruise. There’s something about bubbling together that makes people feel social.

 

We really clicked with one couple. We were exchanging stories about our moody teens and how they sometimes act like it’s a huge imposition to go on a cruise with their family The other mom and I joked that they should have a “Meet and Mingle with Other Miserable Teenagers” activity in the Compass. And then maybe a corresponding support group for parents.

 

Although Tommy can be grumpy sometimes, he loves cruising more than any other type of family vacation. The only thing that really bothers him is no texting or Facebook. But I think it’s great for him to unplug for a week.

 

So that pretty much sums up our Nassau day. It was a perfect pool day.

 

NEXT UP: Chops, Casino and Quest

 

(Question for my readers: I really want to share a couple things that happened at Quest. Can I share or are we supposed to keep all details of Quest quiet for those who haven’t experienced?)

 

 

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While we were in Nassau, the Enchantment crew conducted a safety drill. They lowered all the lifeboats and drove them around the port. The engine on this lifeboat wouldn't start. We saw the captain observing the drill, and it was evident he was HIGHLY displeased ... to put it mildly.

 

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The Norwegian Gem and Sky. We were with the Gem at Port Canaveral, at the private islands and now in Nassau. But this was the last time we saw this ship. I think they were on a longer cruise. Marissa thought these ships were so beautiful. I think I prefer RCI's more classic look.

 

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Marissa started out her day in Nassau by flicking Daddy in the nose.

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SherriZ366

SherriZ366

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

 

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

 

 

 

According to the 4 day Enchantment compass - Dining menu is day 1- mojo, day 2- Saffron, Day 3- Pimiento Doesn't really say what day 4 is.

 

 

Hope that helps.

Adding my 2 cents to Sport Fanatic's request. We are sailing on EN on October 28 for a 4 nighter and it would be great to have the menus. So please try to give us clues.

 

Thanks for posting your reviews and pictures. I'm really enjoying your review.

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ksawyercruiser

ksawyercruiser

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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!

 

Royal Family Suite? That sounds amazing. I'm not familiar with that suite type. Maybe that's one of the suites with doorbells? We saw those when we were exploring the ship.

 

Enjoy the concierge lounge! Reyno is such a doll. You're going to have a great cruise!!! :)

 

Thanks for the great review so far! I am eagerly anticipating more as I sail on her in EXACTLY two weeks from today and I, too, am like a little kid waiting for Christmas!

 

Haven't been on Enchantment since the first sailing after she was elongated and I am really torn about it. Going with two friends, one who has cruised with me before and the other her first cruise. Now having avoided the smaller ships in past years, I am a little torn about this, but we are in a GS (haven't had one since Navigator) and I find that makes me even more excited. We would have been on a "regular" 7 nighter but at the time when we booked one of my friend's mother was very ill and we weren't sure any of us would get to go. So we opted for the shorter cruise, bummer.

 

Thanks for the pictures as I wasn't sure how plush the GS actually was on this ship, but I am happy with that. Bummed about the Coke machines because I already bought the soda package only for that machine. Glad to know about the cabanas on Coco Cay. I didn't think they had them at all and hopefully the concierge will email us as well so that we can get one.

 

At Atlantis, I snagged a TA rate for one of the Royal Tower rooms so it's WAY less expensive for the three of us to do the water park and pools than if we did it with Royal. Again, I'm ecstatic about that.

 

Now I always thought that Park Café WAS open on embarkation day. Do you remember what time they open? Hoping to go there first once we get onboard but maybe we just can't. Bummer.

 

I'm hoping that the ship won't disappoint me since I've only been on the large ships lately and because this is one friend's first cruise, I hope we made the right decision. Keep the review coming! I cannot wait to hear more!!!! Soon, please!!!!!

 

Thanks for the nice comment!! I'm glad you're enjoying the review. :)

 

I think you'll really enjoy the Enchantment. I think it's a great choice ... particularly for a shorter cruise. The staff overall is incredibly friendly. And although I saw a bit of wear-and-tear on the outside of the ship, the interior looked new. There was plenty to keep us occupied for four days ... even with one sea day and our Nassau "Pool" Day.

 

Park Café was open on embarkation day. But I think it opened at noon. We were there at 11:30, and we wanted to eat before more passengers boarded. So we opted for the Windjammer.

 

Happy Cruising!

Kim

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ksawyercruiser

ksawyercruiser

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Adding my 2 cents to Sport Fanatic's request. We are sailing on EN on October 28 for a 4 nighter and it would be great to have the menus. So please try to give us clues.

 

Thanks for posting your reviews and pictures. I'm really enjoying your review.

 

Glad you're enjoying the review! And I'm glad you'll be getting the menus. We were in Chops on Night 3 so I don't know what was on the menu in the MDR.

 

Enjoy your cruise!. :)

 

 

I think

 

 

 

According to the 4 day Enchantment compass - Dining menu is day 1- mojo, day 2- Saffron, Day 3- Pimiento Doesn't really say what day 4 is.

 

 

 

Hope that helps.

 

 

Mystery solved! Yay!! :D

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SherriZ366

SherriZ366

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Glad you're enjoying the review! And I'm glad you'll be getting the menus. We were in Chops on Night 3 so I don't know what was on the menu in the MDR.

 

Enjoy your cruise!. :)

 

 

 

 

Mystery solved! Yay!! :D

Think we are Chops on night 3 if that is Nassau day.
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ksawyercruiser

ksawyercruiser

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So after a splendid day lounging by the pool, it was time to get ready for the Concierge Lounge and dinner at Chops. We had 7:30 reservations.

 

The kids got cleaned up first and then Tommy took Marissa to the Windjammer for dinner. When they got back, we brought Marissa to the kids club. Here we are, our third night, and this was Marissa’s first time in the club. We like her to go for at least an hour early on in the cruise to get a feel for it, but it just didn’t happen.

 

When we got to the club, the staff told us that the 9-11 year olds were in the Teen Club for a dance party. So we headed over.

 

When we got there, the kids were all doing the chicken dance. Marissa turned to us and gave us that “OMG” look that only she can give. Then she said, “You’ve got to be kidding.” She tends to like quieter activities and is a little shy. We assured her she would have fun, gave her a quick kiss (so as not to embarrass her) and dropped her off. Turns out we were right. , Marissa ended up having a good time.

 

Then it was off to the lounge to say hello to Reyno. Turned out, he wasn’t there. But we had a nice time anyway and enjoyed chatting with the other passengers.

 

Around 7:15, we left for Chops. When we were planning this cruise, I told Tom I really didn’t care if we ate at Chops or not. We had tried Chops on the Allure and had an okay time. The food was good – not great – and we had issues with the waiter trying to sell us a wine decanter, a cookbook, an expensive wine, a bottle of sparkling water … It took a lot of the fun out of it.

 

But Tom said he would like to give it a try. And boy, am I glad we did. It was a completely different experience.

 

As soon as we walked in the restaurant, I was surprised by its size. I was used to everything being bigger on the Allure but this was the exception. Chops was at least twice the size. And it was an absolutely beautiful space. I immediately felt like we were in for a treat.

 

The hostess was lovely, and she said that our MDR waiter Ivan had called ahead and asked them to take excellent care of us. Wow! Talk about wonderful customer service.

 

Ivan had told us that he had recently moved from Chops to the MDR. And he told us we were going to really enjoy dining there. But we didn’t know he was going to call ahead for us. It was a nice surprise and really set the tone for the evening.

 

The hostess led us to a beautiful window table. And that’s when I heard a very familiar voice at the next table. It was Reyno! No wonder he wasn’t at the Concierge Lounge. He was dining at Chops with a large group of about 10 … including the captain!

 

It was fun listening to their conversation. Tom and I don't normally eavesdrop but Reyno's voice carries. And his stories were incredibly entertaining.

 

Our server came over and introduced himself. We gave him our bottle of wine. (We still had both the bottles we had brought on board with us.) We asked if he would decant the wine for us, and he said he would be happy to. He did remind us of the $25 corking fee which we were aware of. And we had no problem with it.

 

He decanted our Peju Cabernet Franc. (If you like red wine, I highly recommend Peju. It’s from Napa and is a little difficult to find. But it’s absolutely scrumptious.)

 

While our server decanted the wine, he commented on the aroma. He said he was unfamiliar with Peju but that the wine had a wonderful aroma. He then asked about he winery and we had a nice conversation about our trips to Napa.

 

He seemed really curious about the wine. So we told him we would be happy for him to try the wine if he wanted to see what it tasted like. He started laughing and politely declined. He said it wouldn’t be wise with the captain at the next table. Oops!

 

Tom and I decided to start with the shrimp cocktail. I was determined to have a great shrimp cocktail while I was on this cruise! Then we ordered a beefsteak tomato and onion salad to share. For the main course, Tom selected the New York strip, and I decided to try the herb-crusted jumbo shrimp. For some reason, I just wasn’t in the mood for a steak.

 

For sides, we went with the roasted potatoes, mushrooms and asparagus.

 

The shrimp cocktail arrived, and it was perfect. A short while later, we had the tomato salad which was equally good.

While we were waiting for our entrée, our server came over and told us he was bringing us a sampling of the forest mushroom soup. He told us that we absolutely had to try it; it’s the captain’s favorite dish.

 

We were worried about being too full for our entrée, but we went along with it. And I’m glad we did. The soup was rich and delicious. Really, really good. It would be the perfect dish for a cold, wintery day. It’s the kind of soup that warms your whole body.

 

Our entrees arrived, and they were very good, as were the sides. I recommend the shrimp if you're looking for a lighter entrée. I was so happy I chose it. After soup, salad and appetizer, I was already getting full!

 

For dessert, we selected the flourless chocolate torte. And I requested that they wrap up a slice of red velvet cake for me to share with Marissa. It’s her favorite dessert.

 

Both times we’ve dined at Chops, the staff has been happy to wrap up a dessert for us to take back to our cabin.

 

A funny sidenote: While we were bringing the red velvet cake back to our cabin, we got a lot of comments from passengers. “Where did you get that?!” I thought we might get mugged in the elevator by this one girl who was absolutely drooling over the dessert!

 

So overall, Chops was amazing. We had such a great dinner. I’m glad we gave it another shot. Totally worth the $30 surcharge.

 

Our waiter was great. I wish I could remember his name. I did make a note of his stellar service on the comment card. But I can’t recall his name now. We tipped him an extra $20. He deserved it.

 

So then it was time for The Quest. Tom and I knew nothing about this event other than it was some sort of game show. But I kept reading how it was the “highlight of the trip” on the message boards, so I was determined to give it a try. And, as is almost always the case, the boards were right on. It was probably the most fun I’ve ever had on a cruise.

 

Again, kudos to the cruise director. He and his wife made every event so much fun. He promised that by the end of the cruise, we would feel like family. And he was right.

 

I’m going to try not to give too much away. But one very funny thing happened. They asked for a pair of pants, and Tom gave up his for the team. Then, we needed to dress one of our male team members as a female, and the team asked if I would lend them my blouse. I agreed but first asked Tom for his shirt so I could cover up.

 

Tom gave me his shirt and I quickly slipped it on before shimmying out of my shirt. I turned to thank Tom and that’s when I realized HE WAS NAKED IN HIS BOXERS. The game was moving so fast that Tom completely forgot that he hadn’t put his pants back on before giving me his shirt.

 

My husband is a pretty conservative CPA. So seeing him in his boxers in an auditorium full of people was pretty darn funny. I laughed about it for days. Of course, no one really gave him a second look because everyone else was scrambling to play the game.

 

So that’s all I’m going to say about The Quest. Except give it a try if you haven’t already.

 

And P.S. We won the gold!

 

UP NEXT: SEA DAY

 

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Now THIS is a shrimp cocktail!!!

 

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I want this salad NOW!

 

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The roasted potatoes are so good.

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ksawyercruiser

ksawyercruiser

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Your mystery woman looks a lot like actress Elpidia Carrillo. She starred in the movie Predator.

 

I googled her, and you're right! It does look a lot like her. Maybe I should have asked for an autograph. That would have helped with the identification. :):)

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ksawyercruiser

ksawyercruiser

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Loving this review, makes me so excited to be on the ship in about 2 weeks! Hoping I have a great experience too, maybe I will post a review too :)

 

Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the review!

 

You should definitely post a review. I'm convinced there are never enough. Everyone's cruise is different.

 

Happy Sailing!

Kim

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ksawyercruiser

ksawyercruiser

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Us too!

 

Thank you for the nice comment! :)

 

Thanks for the review, we are sailing on Echantment on Monday so excited

 

Have a great cruise! You're leaving tomorrow. I'm sooo jealous ... I have to go back to work! :D

 

-Kim

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