Late Enchantment Review: January 5-9, 2015

[the_lovely_voyage]

I finally decided to write a review about my wonderful experience on the Enchantment of the Seas in January! Three months late, but I’d venture that not much has changed about the ship/ports in that time. A little background about us: this was my 5th cruise and my boyfriend’s 1st, so it was super important that he liked cruising as much as I do! (Answer: he does!). We’re both in our early 20’s and are Iowa transplants from Illinois. I understand cruising is all about the perspective one has, which is why we both tried to come in with optimism instead of pessimism. There are things that other people hate that we liked, and vice versa, which is totally okay. Enjoy your cruise in your own way; this is how I remember mine and it could be different for everyone else!

 

We took the 4 night Enchantment of the Seas trip from 1/5-1/9/2015, which sailed out of Port Canaveral. We flew from Chicago to Orlando on Sunday 1/4 and did the Fly, Snooze, and Cruise package that Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach offers. They picked us up from MCO Airport, drove us to the hotel in Cocoa Beach, and even allowed us to check in early. We got promoted from a regular room to an ocean view room, which was a great perk to start our vacation of with! We took a free shuttle to Coconuts on the Beach, a local restaurant located on the water with a great view and fairly good food and service. Monday morning we were shuttled over to the port and were told to call when we disembark on Friday. Overall, I would have no problem recommending Hampton Inn or the restaurant in Cocoa Beach.

 

DAY ONE: Monday: Embarkation/Port Canaveral-

We got to the Port and had a fairly quick check in with very little waiting. We were told to go to the Windjammer for lunch but as I had read on CC many times before, I knew to head to the Solarium’s Park Café instead. They had several options of fruit, sandwiches/paninis, and desserts. We weren’t extremely hungry but it was nice to have a little something and start putting our beverage package to good use. We both had the premium drink package and while it was extremely nice not having to worry about how much we were spending on alcohol, I wouldn’t say we got our money’s worth (which was surprising). I don’t know if I would buy it again, especially on a longer, more port-intensive cruise. That being said, I’m glad we got it and tried it out. After our lunch in the Park Café, we did some exploring of the ship in order to get our bearings for the next 4 days. By the elevators and stairs they have these models of the Enchantment that details where each venue is and how to get there; these were SUPER handy all week long. After exploring and the muster drill, we went up on deck and prepared for sail-away! It was really fun to sail out of Port Canaveral and have people honking and waving at us as we hit the open water.

 

We were in Oceanview room 3084. I felt it was smaller than the Carnival Oceanview rooms I’ve been in previously, but the size didn’t bother us that much. I mean, we are really only in there to sleep or get ready. I’ve read mixed reviews on if this room was part of the refurb/stretching, and I really don’t have an answer myself. However, I had read that new rooms had a shower door and we had a shower curtain, so that may be a tell. The bathroom was pretty small and the curtain was attacking us when showering, but in no way did this affect my cruising experience. (However I will be bringing weights/clips next time lol)

 

We had the late seating at 8:30pm and found that this time definitely worked better for our personal schedules. We usually took a nap around 5 or 6, so it was nice to feel refreshed (and hungry) for the show and for dinner. Monday night we went to the Welcome Aboard show at 7:45pm. It was short, but a nice little introduction to what the week would look like. We didn’t find the comedian Don Barnhart particularly funny, but oh well. Then we went to dinner in the MDR. We were sat with four other groups of two: two mother/daughter pairs and two dating couples. Of course the first night was a little weird because we’re all strangers, but the other few nights were fun and we had a lot of great conversations and much laughter. Unfortunately I don’t have pictures of the menu or remember what we had each night, but I do remember as a whole, the food was pretty good. My bf and I were always able to find something we liked or would be willing to try. A few times, we ordered two appetizers or two entrees just because we couldn’t decide what we wanted. One of the women at my table was a pretty picky eater and she sent something back just about every night, but our waiter was more than willing to help her find something she’d enjoy. Both our waiter and assistant waiter were super friendly, accommodating, and went out of their way to help make our experience in the MDR wonderful. On that note, the entire staff of the Enchantment was friendly and acted above and beyond to ensure our cruise was positive. My boyfriend kept commenting how nice the staff was, in fact he’ll still comment on it if we bring up the cruise in conversation.

[the_lovely_voyage]

DAY TWO: Tuesday: CocoCay!-

I had been to Nassau before and wasn’t that impressed with it, but what really attracted me to this itinerary was CocoCay and the Day at Sea. Because of this, I was SUPER worried that winds would be too bad or seas too rough and we couldn’t make it to the private island. I had surprised my bf with the Kayak Adventure shore excursion and was really excited to see what CocoCay had to offer. While we were in line waiting to take the tender, we were told that the water was a little choppy and we had to wait a little bit to see how things progressed. Less than a half an hour later, we were on the first tender heading to the island! I didn’t even care that it was overcast or a little chilly, I was just so happy to be making the port stop. The tender ride was a little bumpy but not terrible. We met our tour guide for the Kayak Adventure and we walked for a little while before we reached where the kayaks were parked. There are lockers available for rent or a shelving unit to set stuff on; we chose the latter option and our stuff stayed safe the whole time. We kayaked 3 miles in total through many different shades of blue water. While the journey was a little strenuous and I let my bf do more of the paddling, we both had a ton of fun and would definitely recommend this excursion for anyone looking for some physical adventure.

 

After the kayaking, we got some lunch at the BBQ and found it fairly delicious. We were the only ship at CocoCay that day, so it wasn’t too busy or crowded. We shared a picnic table with a few other couples but no big deal. The alcoholic drinks were delicious and we found all the bartenders were fun and always smiling. It was a great benefit to use the drink package on the private island. We relaxed on beach chairs for about an hour or so and headed back to the boat after our fun and relaxing day on the island. There were plenty of beach chairs lining the island, but as I said, we were the only ship, so I’m not sure what it’d be like if another Royal ship was there too.

 

Once back on the ship we went to the rock climbing wall and I tried it out. It was really fun and quite a challenge as it had been multiple years since I climbed last. However, I made it all the way to the top! Afterwards, we walked around the ship, played some ping-pong, and enjoyed our beverage package even more. That night we went to the production show at 7, did dinner at 8:30 in the MDR, had a few drinks in one of the bars, and went to the adult late night comedy at 11pm. The performer was Don Barnhart, a comedian and hypnotist, and his hypnotism show was pretty funny but his comedy beforehand was lackluster. However, we still talk about things that went down on stage with the hypnotized guests and laugh about it.

[the_lovely_voyage]

DAY THREE: Wednesday: Nassau-

As I mentioned previously, I had been to Nassau eight years before. I had some negative memories about it, but it could’ve been because I was an angsty teen. Who knows. Regardless, I went into this port stop with an open mind so that I wouldn’t ruin anything for my boyfriend. I had planned quite a journey for us in Nassau, and was actually excited to see how things turned out. After navigating our way out of the port area and declining a few requests for horse and buggy rides or taxi trips, we walked over to the Queen’s Staircase and Fort Fincastle. This was one of the stops I made eight years ago and knew that we had to visit again. There was a small charge for the Fort that I don’t think existed years ago. I don’t remember the exact fee, somewhere between $1-2 per person though. We entered as a tour was in progress and decided to listen to some history while exploring around on our own. While the view is amazing and I enjoy the Fort, don’t plan on this being any more than a 15 minute stop. There isn’t much to see or do, but it’s definitely worth going if you haven’t been before. The Queen’s Staircase was just as wonderful as I remembered and we got some pretty nice pictures of that area.

 

Then we walked over to John Watlings Rum Distillery. I should probably add that the mileage from the port to the Fort is about 0.4 miles, which wasn’t terrible but it was CRAZY hot and sunny and humid that day in January, so we definitely were a little tired and cranky on that “short” walk. The mileage from the Fort/Staircase to the Distillery is another 0.8 miles and can get a little confusing, so definitely bring a printed map. There were a few streets that were busy and we needed to cross, so that threw a little excitement into the walk. The Rum Distillery offers a free tour of their facility and ends in their bar where drinks and rum bottles are available for purchase. Our tour guide was great; he was funny, engaging, and seemed to really enjoy his job. The tour was short though, which was a little disappointing. We did purchase mojitos and enjoyed them outside in the shade, which was nice and refreshing.

 

We then walked back to the port area and did a little shopping before heading towards Senor Frogs to board our booze cruise excursion! At this point we had walked almost 2 miles and were a little tired, so siting on the boat and relaxing for a few hours was great! I booked the excursion after reading positive reviews on CC and other travel sites. You can find it by “googling” Booze Cruise Bahamas. I’m looking at the site now and it seems the price went up from $70 when we went a few months ago to $80, which is a little sad to read. The trip was amazing, however. We met the boat at 1pm, and we were the only ones on! Then it sailed over to a different area and picked up about 25-30 people and off we went. We were served a lunch of bbq meats and rice and corn. It was pretty delicious. They stopped for snorkeling and most people went out into the water. Crew members were feeding fish so it was pretty to watch from the boat. After the snorkel break, we sailed to another location where we stayed on a small island for about an hour or so. There were unlimited mixed drinks (rum punch, goombay smash, rum and coke, and one other drink) included in the price, and beer and top shelf drinks were available for purchase. We found the included drinks to be strong and tasty, so we stayed with those. We got dropped off around 4:15, so it wasn’t four hours like they advertise but that’s okay, we enjoyed ourselves plenty.

 

After walking back to the ship, we did some music trivia in the Schooner Bar and sat out on the deck and did some reading. Went to dinner and rushed over to the Love and Marriage Show at 10pm. That was the only thing that was poorly timed, in our eyes. Even 10:15 would’ve been better to give us time to finish dessert. Instead, another couple and my boyfriend and I were seen speed walking with plates of dessert in our hands from one end of the ship to the other in order to make it at 10pm. This show is HILARIOUS. I don’t care how many times I’ve seen it on Carnival (even though the questions were a little different on Royal), the people change every time I see it and that’s what makes it funny. This will ALWAYS be a go-to event for us. My boyfriend and I recounted some of the hilarity when we got home to our parents. It really was one of the highlights of the ship’s entertainment.

[the_lovely_voyage]

DAY FOUR: Thursday: Day at Sea-

Our day at sea started off with sleeping in-YAY! We got breakfast in the Windjammer buffet and enjoyed a few mimosas. We headed over to morning trivia in the Schooner Bar and I think we won a pen, or something small like that. We camped out and read for a few hours in the Solarium and thoroughly enjoyed our beverage package. We attempted a dip in the Solarium pool since both hot tubs were really full. I found the water too cold and I couldn't enjoy it, but my boyfriend spent a little time in the water. The Solarium was a great adults-only spot and I don't think we ever saw kids in there. It was hard to get a chair on Sea Day, though. I think we did a few other trivia events throughout the afternoon, hard to say. We did have reservations at Chops at 5:30-ish and really enjoyed everything about that experience. We were SO full we couldn’t even finish our entrees or enjoy dessert (which was a little sad because I had heard good things). The service we received was excellent and really helped make the evening special. I had the French Onion Soup and I think my boyfriend had the Crab and Shrimp Cake, since I had read positive reviews on those two options. The pretzel bread was really yummy! One of us had a filet mignon and one had the sirloin, both of which were fairly good. Mine was undercooked so I had to ask for it to be cooked/microwaved more, which definitely fixed the issue. The gruyere cheese tater tots were something I was SO looking forward to and unfortunately I was really let down; it just didn’t taste as amazing as I imagined. Overall, we had such a memorable dining experience and it’s definitely worth a try! At 30/pp though, come super hungry so you don't feel like any money was wasted.

 

At 7 we went to the Farewell Production show, which was fun. Later, we stopped by our MDR seats and said goodbye to our dining companions, which we felt was necessary after such pleasant conversations we had over the past few nights. We went to the Quest at 10:45 and hid out in the back since we didn’t feel like participating. It was highly entertaining and something we’d probably go to again. We went back to our room and packed up everything we wouldn’t need for debarkation. It was definitely sad to be ending our cruise but we were so glad we have all the memories we do!

 

DAY FIVE: Debarkation: Port Canaveral-

Not much to say about this. We did the self-service debarkation and it was quick and painless. There wasn't really any line to get off, except for the short wait in the terminal to get through security. I was able to call the shuttle service from the Fly, Snooze, Cruise package and we found our shuttle within 10 minutes of leaving the terminal. We actually made such good time to the airport that we had to wait to even check in since we were so early.

 

Other Comments:

-Casino: I don’t remember which nights but we stopped in the casino a few times and put some money into craps and this addicting coin push machine-thing. It was a pleasant atmosphere, the bar service was alright, and we had a good time.

 

-Room Service: We ordered breakfast once via room service and were less than thrilled about what we received. The order came on time and service was fine, but the food was already lukewarm and there wasn’t a lot of it, even though it seemed like we ordered plenty. It was nice to have as an option instead of rushing to get buffet breakfast before going on the tender to CocoCay, but it could’ve been better.

 

-Crew Member Service: I really can’t echo this enough: almost all of the crew members were friendly, willing to help, and added to our experience. I really do agree with other reviews that say the Enchantment has amazing service. I haven’t been on any other RCCL cruises, but I know that the Enchantment has a wonderful staff.

 

-Age of the Ship: While this is one of the oldest ships in the fleet, it’s pretty hard to tell. Sure, it’s smaller than the other ships in port, but I think the dry dock and renovations really added new life to it. I’m sure there were some small things we noticed than acknowledged the age of the ship, but overall, don’t be afraid to take a cruise on this ship just because of that!

 

Sorry this turned out so long! If you have any questions or want clarification on anything, just let me know! =] :)

Edited April 24, 2015 by morninsun86

[cruiseapril]

Enjoyed your review. Thanks.

 

We were in the same area of the Enchantment in an Oceanview last year and found the cabin very comfortable- if small. The loveseat was just right.

 

Liked reading about the port stops- especially about your Nassau experience as Nassau gets varied reviews. We have always had good excursions in Nassau (during many visits) and now are curious about the distillery.

[jt24]

Thanks for sharing the review! We're sailing Enchantment for 4 nights in July, so this helps provide perspective! I'm curious - did you find there was any live jazz music in any of the venues throughout the cruise? Like in the centrum, or the Schooner or something?

[splash_in_the_water]

yes, good review! we'll be going in 2 weeks. Sounds like everything for you is about what we're expecting (been on 4 other CCL cruises- which were great). RCL seems to get a lot of bad press here on CC, but from the sounds of it, Enchantment is a fine ship.

 

We're really hoping we make it to cocoa cay. Nassau we'll get off and look around, maybe trinket shop a little, but nothing too crazy, probably.

[the_lovely_voyage]

Thanks for sharing the review! We're sailing Enchantment for 4 nights in July, so this helps provide perspective! I'm curious - did you find there was any live jazz music in any of the venues throughout the cruise? Like in the centrum, or the Schooner or something?

 

I have no doubt you'll enjoy your cruise! There was frequent music throughout the ship and trip, including some jazz. Here are a few things that were offered:

-Jazz Set with the Singers and Orchestra in the Centrum 9:45-10:45pm on embarkation day

-Piano Melodies in the Schooner Bar or Centrum offered multiple times a day on the other three days

-there was also Latin music, dance music, and Caribbean music

[the_lovely_voyage]

Enjoyed your review. Thanks.

Liked reading about the port stops- especially about your Nassau experience as Nassau gets varied reviews. We have always had good excursions in Nassau (during many visits) and now are curious about the distillery.

 

Thanks so much! I think Nassau is growing on me after this trip; its on the itinerary for another trip in November. We'll try Junkanoo this time, which seems pretty great for a short beach trip.

 

yes, good review! we'll be going in 2 weeks. Sounds like everything for you is about what we're expecting (been on 4 other CCL cruises- which were great). RCL seems to get a lot of bad press here on CC, but from the sounds of it, Enchantment is a fine ship.

 

I appreciate it :) have a great time, the Enchantment really surprised the both of us despite its age and really again, the service was incredible and made the experience wonderful!

[cruiseapril]

Some of our favorite excursions in Nassau are to: The Melia on Cable Beach,

the Blue Lagoon, and the British Colonial Hilton.