Great 1st cruise on Enchantment. Except for fake ID and Argentinian teenagers

[Mattnvick]

Just got off our first ever cruise. We were on Enchantment and loved the ship. Had some wonderful meals, great entertainment. Mostly wonderful staff.

 

Only a few minor gripes. Did anyone else have any problems with the approx 300 Argentinian teenage girls who were on board? They seemed to have only about 4 chaperones. They commandered the hot tubs all the time in huge numbers (way over capacity) and every public washroom was crowded out with them to the point of it was easier to go down to our cabin to use the facilities there. They actually had to close one on the first night as they were all in there throwing up although the sea was like a glass lake so not sure what the problem was there.

 

Also I was upset that our daughter who is 19 (but admittedly looks a lot younger) was actually refused a spot to sing at the adult karaok night by the entertainment guy. She even showed him her driver's license with picture and date of birth but he didn't believe it was real :rolleyes: o

 

Other than those 2 minor issues and the fact that it was too windy to dock and tender to Coco Cay (disappointing but no one can control the weather) we had a wonderful time and can't wait to cruise again.

[Clarea]

Thanks for the report. Sounds like you had a Quinceanera group on board. We've also seen those groups a number of times, and it seems like Royal must have different booking rules for those groups, with regard to chaperones.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for your report.

[didicruiser]

 

Also I was upset that our daughter who is 19 (but admittedly looks a lot younger) was actually refused a spot to sing at the adult karaok night by the entertainment guy. She even showed him her driver's license with picture and date of birth but he didn't believe it was real :rolleyes: o

.

 

This would have really bothered me. Especially since the Sea Pass is different if you're over 18!!!

[BLAMBKY]

This would have really bothered me. Especially since the Sea Pass is different if you're over 18!!!

Not exactly the same thing, since it was not karaoke but my daughter was discouraged from participating in event too. Annoyed me because it really is an awkward age for cruising. I wish they could figure out a better solution.

[PC Cruisin]

Is there a way to find out before sailing date if a large group booked the same cruise I booked?

[Merion_Mom]

Is there a way to find out before sailing date if a large group booked the same cruise I booked?

 

Nope. Not for Quinceañera groups.

[Clarea]

Is there a way to find out before sailing date if a large group booked the same cruise I booked?

The only way I know, and it does not work all the time, is to do an internet search with the ship's name and date. Try the date in different forms.

[NYOB]

Just got off our first ever cruise. We were on Enchantment and loved the ship. Had some wonderful meals, great entertainment. Mostly wonderful staff.

 

Only a few minor gripes. Did anyone else have any problems with the approx 300 Argentinian teenage girls who were on board? They seemed to have only about 4 chaperones. They commandered the hot tubs all the time in huge numbers (way over capacity) and every public washroom was crowded out with them to the point of it was easier to go down to our cabin to use the facilities there. They actually had to close one on the first night as they were all in there throwing up although the sea was like a glass lake so not sure what the problem was there.

 

Also I was upset that our daughter who is 19 (but admittedly looks a lot younger) was actually refused a spot to sing at the adult karaok night by the entertainment guy. She even showed him her driver's license with picture and date of birth but he didn't believe it was real :rolleyes: o

 

Other than those 2 minor issues and the fact that it was too windy to dock and tender to Coco Cay (disappointing but no one can control the weather) we had a wonderful time and can't wait to cruise again.

Just wondered if you or anyone else reported any of this to the appropriate staff members and if so did they address the issues? I would think both the overcrowding in hot tubs, unruly teenagers, especially 300 and failure to recognize legitimate ID would be worth reporting and staff intervening. Neither issue, especially the first, seems minor to me.

Edited February 21, 2016 by NYOB

[Mattnvick]

Just wondered if you or anyone else reported any of this to the appropriate staff members and if so did they address the issues? I would think both the overcrowding in hot tubs, unruly teenagers, especially 300 and failure to recognize legitimate ID would be worth reporting and staff intervening. Neither issue, especially the first, seems minor to me.

 

Regarding the not being allowed to sing we did go to guest services while the karaoke was still going on. They said they would try to contact the entertainment team member in charge but thought it "unlikely" he would pick up the phone as he was working. They then said they would find out the ships policy and call our room and leave a message but they never did. Both these things I mentioned in the questionnaire I rec'd by email from Royal when we got home.

 

Also doing know if anyone else is aware but we have been told by staff on board that they are implementing new policy with regard to staff gratuities linked to these questionnaires and if staff don't receive very high mark,s gratuities are being deducted from them. There was some concern about this.

[sharktums]

I don't think it's necessarily a Quinceañera group. More and more Brazilian and Argentinian groups are extending their Orlando vacations with a cruise.

[WEGL81]

 

 

 

Also doing know if anyone else is aware but we have been told by staff on board that they are implementing new policy with regard to staff gratuities linked to these questionnaires and if staff don't receive very high mark,s gratuities are being deducted from them. There was some concern about this.

 

I am off of the Enchantment today. I didn't hear about deducting gratuities for not receiving high marks, but I did hear from our waiter that they implemented a change in the MDR whereby if you are not satisfied with the food, the marks go against the wait staff and not the chef's staff. Their reasoning is that the wait staff should have replaced the person's dish with something they would like as opposed to letting them leave unsatisfied.

[cruisingsince94]

Just wondered if you or anyone else reported any of this to the appropriate staff members and if so did they address the issues? I would think both the overcrowding in hot tubs, unruly teenagers, especially 300 and failure to recognize legitimate ID would be worth reporting and staff intervening. Neither issue, especially the first, seems minor to me.

 

These groups of girls are pretty much uncontrollable due to the lack of chaperones, and they pretty much just ignore the staff and do what they want. They do indeed monopolize the hot tubs, cut in line at the WJ at will, etc. Honestly, I think some of the staff are afraid to say anything to them.

[looking4info]

Is there a way to find out before sailing date if a large group booked the same cruise I booked?

 

Loads of info on the quinceanera cruises. Here are just a few that popped up when doing a google search for quinceanera cruises 2016. Very popular cruises.

 

http://www.crucerodequinceaneras.com/

 

http://www.yourquinces.com/quinceaneracruises.html

 

http://quinceanerascruisesfl.com/

[TPCRUISER2]

Same experience with this type of group in the past on the Majesty. Put in survey about policy, went over like lead balloon. The almighty dollar!

[bobbie0253]

We were on a ship with a quinceanera group once. I never even realized it till I saw about 50-100 beautiful girls having a photo taken in the centrum. Sounds like we got lucky and everyone behaved.

[Mattnvick]

I am off of the Enchantment today. I didn't hear about deducting gratuities for not receiving high marks, but I did hear from our waiter that they implemented a change in the MDR whereby if you are not satisfied with the food, the marks go against the wait staff and not the chef's staff. Their reçasoning is that the wait staff should have replaced the person's dish with something they would like as opposed to letting them leave unsatisfied.

 

Yes I was told this too. It seems really unfair as you might find a meal ok but it might just not wow you. Not to the point where you would actually complain but when filling in a survey may only give the food a 6 or a 7 say. This now will count against the wait staff which honestly is ridiculous. They told us nothing under a 10 was acceptable. And they would lose their gratuities on a sliding scale basis with the new system. Personally I think they work really hard and deseve every penny.

[ctsharpie05]

Loads of info on the quinceanera cruises. Here are just a few that popped up when doing a google search for quinceanera cruises 2016. Very popular cruises.

 

http://www.crucerodequinceaneras.com/

 

http://www.yourquinces.com/quinceaneracruises.html

 

http://quinceanerascruisesfl.com/

 

 

Thank goodness they will not be on my ship. I have dealt with enough of that at Disney.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Mattnvick]

Thank goodness they will not be on my ship. I have dealt with enough of that at Disney.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Actually sat with someone at breakfast who worked for Disney and thought she was getting away from them. Felt incredibly sorry for her :(

[bunnyrab]

Learn something new every day.

[TravelerThom]

Thank goodness they will not be on my ship. I have dealt with enough of that at Disney.

Maybe you will be lucky and not have one of these groups on your cruise, but don't be too sure of that. The 3 listed ads were ads in English from Miami. This is only the tip of the iceberg. The Argentinians and Brazilians are not booking in Miami. I have to shudder at the following quote from one of the referenced ads:

 

"You will dominate the cruise with all of your family and friends. Did we mention you will have the center of the dinning room reserved for your and your family!!"

[yes, I know how to spell dining, even though the copywriter didn't]

 

BTW: Enjoy your cruise:eek:

[BonTexasNY]

Yes I was told this too. It seems really unfair as you might find a meal ok but it might just not wow you. Not to the point where you would actually complain but when filling in a survey may only give the food a 6 or a 7 say. This now will count against the wait staff which honestly is ridiculous. They told us nothing under a 10 was acceptable. And they would lose their gratuities on a sliding scale basis with the new system. Personally I think they work really hard and deseve every penny.

 

Agree with your post but am I missing something here? If I have auto grats added to MY seapass account, RCI should NOT have the authority make the decision of how much of MY money to actually tip those that serviced me. What happens to the extra money left over if some were not tipped according to the new guidelines? If this is the new procedure then I hope to be able to still remove grats from my account and pay them out personally. There is no way I would accept the wait staff being penalized with lower grats because of a kitchen/chef error. What is RCI thinking??? Gratuities are supposed to be left at the discretion of the PASSENGER not the CRUISE LINE. This upsets me :mad:

 

On our last 2 cruises our waiter went on and on at length, telling us we MUST give him a 10 on the survey or it will impact negatively on him personally. Apparently, RCI is going to tighten the reigns even more. I see how hard the wait staff works and they shouldn't have to be bothered/worried by this at all.

[GBM]

A few years ago we took a cruise out of San Juan (on the Serenade, I believe), and there were quite a few quin...whatever that word is... celebration people aboard. We never had any issues, and found them quite entertaining, as they were all quite dressed up, and would dance in the centrum to the music. We'd watch from up above. Now, I would be less than pleased if the ship was overrun by them running wild, so to speak.

[Merion_Mom]

Agree with your post but am I missing something here? If I have auto grats added to MY seapass account, RCI should NOT have the authority make the decision of how much of MY money to actually tip those that serviced me. What happens to the extra money left over if some were not tipped according to the new guidelines? If this is the new procedure then I hope to be able to still remove grats from my account and pay them out personally. There is no way I would accept the wait staff being penalized with lower grats because of a kitchen/chef error. What is RCI thinking??? Gratuities are supposed to be left at the discretion of the PASSENGER not the CRUISE LINE. This upsets me :mad:

 

 

I agree.

[John&LaLa]

Agree with your post but am I missing something here? If I have auto grats added to MY seapass account, RCI should NOT have the authority make the decision of how much of MY money to actually tip those that serviced me. What happens to the extra money left over if some were not tipped according to the new guidelines? If this is the new procedure then I hope to be able to still remove grats from my account and pay them out personally. There is no way I would accept the wait staff being penalized with lower grats because of a kitchen/chef error. What is RCI thinking??? Gratuities are supposed to be left at the discretion of the PASSENGER not the CRUISE LINE. This upsets me :mad:

 

On our last 2 cruises our waiter went on and on at length, telling us we MUST give him a 10 on the survey or it will impact negatively on him personally. Apparently, RCI is going to tighten the reigns even more. I see how hard the wait staff works and they shouldn't have to be bothered/worried by this at all.

 

It could be those at the top of the scale get more. My wife's agency bonus pool works that way