Considering Royal Caribbean, a few questions

[Jack E Dawson]

We have been invited to join friends who are sailing on a 15 night TA on the Enchantment of the Seas next April. Have very limited cruising experience, none with Royal Caribbean (RC).

1. Over all, is RC considered a budget, middle of the pack or luxury cruise line?

2. How does Enchantment of the Seas compare to other RC ships, big/small, new/old, crowded/spacious more family or mostly adults?

3. Looking at an outside view cabin but they appear very small on this ship. How do they compare to other cruise lines?

4. At that level cabin and being new to RC will we have limited or no access to certain areas on the ship?

5. A crossing in April could get rough, how stable is the Enchantment of the Seas

6. Is the drinks package a good deal. We probably have lattes at breakfast a pre-dinner drink, 1-2 glasses of wine at dinner and a couple of cocktail/wine in the evening. 

7. What other extras/upgrades are worth paying for? Right now all higher grade cabins are sold out.

Anything that is unique to RC or thoughts on their onboard culture would be appreciated.

Thanks

Jack

[firefly333]

I would say rcl is a budget family friendly line. If you looked at rcl at all you would see enchantment is a older ship so will have fewer amenities. Some who just enjoy sitting and enjoying the ocean love older ships, some like me love the mega ships for more food choices and better shows. 

 

Other than a few places like the suite and diamond lounge the ship is open to all.

 

There are a lot of threads about is the drink pkg worth it. I think you have to drink at least 5 mixed drinks a day to break even. It wouldnt be worth it for me, but might for you.  

Edited December 17, 2022 by firefly333

[Tree_skier]

1. Middle of the pack

2. Small and old.  On a TA it will be mostly adults with very few kids.

3. About the same as any other typical OV cabin.

4.  You'll have access to the whole ship except for a couple suite specific areas, which are few. Also the Diamond lounge will be restricted.  That is a very small and insignificant portion of the ship.

5 I don't know for sure for a TA but I sailed Serenade (sister ship) in rougher Alaskan waters and we were fine.

6. Based on your summary of drinks I'd say you'd probably get good value out it.    4 alcoholic beverages plus a few extras like Latte's, soda and bottles of water and you are golden.  I'd get it in your situation.

7. I don't recommend the Unlimited Dining Plan on this ship, if they even sell it on Serenade. I think Enchantment only has Chops... You'd be bored stuck exclusively to Chops.  Get a couple specialty meals to give yourself some variety from the MDR.  We always at least get lunch at a specialty restaurant on Embarkation day to help ease the chaos of the the first day in the buffet.

 

For spa services wait until you get onboard and look for daily specials.  DW always pre-books a massage on the first day but you don't get a deal doing that way.  She does that because she wants a specific time. Every other service she'll book on the ship based on whatever other specials they have going..

 

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Tree_skier

[smokeybandit]

1) Middle of the pack

2) Small, older, but still charming and popular ship

3) Cabins are of similar sizes across the major cruise lines

4) You'd have access to anywhere except lounges reserved for suites and "frequent flyer" status passengers

5) Seas are generally calm

6) The drink package is a deal if you can drink enough per day (from $8 for a beer to $14 for mixed drinks) to match the daily cost.

7) For a first time RC cruiser? No other upgrades are worth it

[taglovestocruise]

We have done a handful of TA'S, Oasis class, Freedom Class, Voyager Class.  Enchantment would be way to small for us to consider. She is also 25 years old and one of the smallest in the fleet.  A TA on Enchantment would be 95% adults. Some love the old small ships and some don't.  We are in our 70s and absolutely love the TA's on Oasis Class. 

[Tree_skier]

1 hour ago, Jack E Dawson said:

We have been invited to join friends who are sailing on a 15 night TA on the Enchantment of the Seas next April. Have very limited cruising experience, none with Royal Caribbean (RC).

1. Over all, is RC considered a budget, middle of the pack or luxury cruise line?

2. How does Enchantment of the Seas compare to other RC ships, big/small, new/old, crowded/spacious more family or mostly adults?

3. Looking at an outside view

but they appear very small on this ship. How do they compare to other cruise lines?

4. At that level cabin and being new to RC will we have limited or no access to certain areas on the ship?

5. A crossing in April could get rough, how stable is the Enchantment of the Seas

6. Is the drinks package a good deal. We probably have lattes at breakfast a pre-dinner drink, 1-2 glasses of wine at dinner and a couple of cocktail/wine in the evening. 

7. What other extras/upgrades are worth paying for? Right now all higher grade cabins are sold out.

Anything that is unique to RC or thoughts on their onboard culture would be appreciated.

Thanks

Jack

 

54 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

We have done a handful of TA'S, Oasis class, Freedom Class, Voyager Class.  Enchantment would be way to small for us to consider. She is also 25 years old and one of the smallest in the fleet.  A TA on Enchantment would be 95% adults. Some love the old small ships and some don't.  We are in our 70s and absolutely love the TA's on Oasis Class. 

 

Just as an add on to my original comments.  I'm with @taglovestocruise If I'm doing a TA It'll be on an Oasis or Quantum class ship.  There are too many sea days where I'm going to be looking for entertainment that I'm not going to find.  Enchantment would be very peaceful and relaxing but I'm afraid I'd be bored.

[gumshoe958]

@Jack E Dawson I believe you’re a fan of Cunard? I see you posting quite frequently on that board. So let me put it this way:

 

If you’re in the ‘Cunard is dumbing down by no longer insisting on ties at dinner’ camp, you’ll absolutely detest Royal.
 

If not, well maybe you’ll be just fine. But be under no illusion: they cater for very different markets and if you’re expecting afternoon tea with a harpist, ballroom dancing, daily lectures and connoisseur cocktails in the Commodore Club, prepare to be disappointed. 
 

(For what it’s worth, I like them both. But I can only take Cunard in small doses before the over-formality starts to get to me. I find Royal more relaxed and fun.)

[Jack E Dawson]

17 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

I believe you’re a fan of Cunard? I see you posting quite frequently on that board. So let me put it this way:

You are correct gumshoe958, I am a huge fan of Cunard having done 3 TA'a on the QM2. The formality and British flavor is unique and special for my wife and I. However, what I most enjoy doing on board is just watching the ocean go by or strolling around on the deck. We try to get at least 3 miles in every day. While we don't ballroom dance, we do make one afternoon tea each crossing because the scones are so delicious. In the evening we are looking for good food and good live music (NOT classical).

The comments from the posters above have given me exactly the information I am looking for. We would probably fall into the group that enjoys the older smaller ships. Also, it's been our experience that crossings attract an interesting group that fun are to get to know. Not sure what we will do but I feel like we can make a much more informed decision now.

Thanks

Jack 

[PhillyFan33579]

Comparing Cunard to RCI is Ike comparing a BMW to a Yugo (for those old enough to remember the Yugo). 

[mac66]

6 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Comparing Cunard to RCI is Ike comparing a BMW to a Yugo (for those old enough to remember the Yugo). 

Different clientele on an older, smaller RC ship doing a TA. The OP will do fine.

[taglovestocruise]

7 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Comparing Cunard to RCI is Ike comparing a BMW to a Yugo (for those old enough to remember the Yugo). 

 

[shipgeeks]

16 hours ago, Jack E Dawson said:

You are correct gumshoe958, I am a huge fan of Cunard having done 3 TA'a on the QM2. The formality and British flavor is unique and special for my wife and I. However, what I most enjoy doing on board is just watching the ocean go by or strolling around on the deck. We try to get at least 3 miles in every day. While we don't ballroom dance, we do make one afternoon tea each crossing because the scones are so delicious. In the evening we are looking for good food and good live music (NOT classical).

The comments from the posters above have given me exactly the information I am looking for. We would probably fall into the group that enjoys the older smaller ships. Also, it's been our experience that crossings attract an interesting group that fun are to get to know. Not sure what we will do but I feel like we can make a much more informed decision now.

Thanks

Jack 

I'm happy to read your response.  We like Enchantment a lot.  She has a promenade deck and an upper walking deck.  In the evening, music-wise, there is a band in Centrum (loud, popular music), Bolero's for Latin music, and pianist in Schooner Bar.

Much less formal than Cunard, as you know.  No afternoon tea.  Passengers are typically friendly and open.  Crew are outstanding.

If it weren't for having to fly back, we would probably be on that crossing.

[shipgeeks]

Re OV cabins: On decks 2, 3, and 4, the higher the deck, the bigger the window.  And on decks 7 and 8, a small number of midship cabins have floor to ceiling windows, and are slightly larger.

[shipgeeks]

OP, Now you've got me thinking more and more.

Have your friends sailed with both Cunard and RC?

I might add that Enchantment is more classic, less amusement park, so in that respect is more like a Cunard ship.  

We have done April TAs three times, and overall the seas were not particularly rough.  There might have been one or two occasions when the Captain announced "I request that the ladies do not wear the high heels this evening".  Other than that, coolish but fine.

I learned my lesson a few years ago, re recommending a cruiseline.  A friend had done a Celebrity (or was it Cunard?) cruise, and I recommended the other.  She went, she hated it.  "There were no announcements; we never knew what activities there were".  IMO, she should have read her planner, and that seems insignificant anyway, but it put me off thinking I knew what someone else might enjoy.

[Tatka]

10 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Comparing Cunard to RCI is Ike comparing a BMW to a Yugo (for those old enough to remember the Yugo). 

I know very well what Yugo was… being originally from USSR I know much worse cars that Yugo.

 

I enjoyed QM2 Independence Day cruise, loved loved QM2 experience. I wouldn’t call it BMW though. It was definitely interesting and unusual. Nice crowd, history on the walls, Planetarium! Great music in various lounges.

However QM2 is not a luxury ship. We thought food was pretty much on mass market level. In fact it was weaker than let’s say food on Celebrity. Really nothing to write home about. 
We had Britannia accommodations. I’m sure Queens and Princess Grills are luxury.
 

We sail about 5 times a year with Royal now. All classes of ships. This year it was Anthem, Enchantment, Oasis, Adventure, Anthem in this order. We enjoy all of them. We were worried that previously we enjoyed Grandeur twice only because it was long Christmas/New Year holiday cruises …. but our 12 day cruise in March was very nice. Very nice crowd. 

We loved all music in various lounges (Centrum, Schooner, Boleros etc) as well as theater entertainment. 
We also enjoyed all paintings on the walls in centrum. 
 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Tatka

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

 

Great pictures. 

[Merion_Mom]

21 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

 

5 I don't know for sure for a TA but I sailed Serenade (sister ship) in rougher Alaskan waters and we were fine.

 

 

 

Enchantment is a Vision class ship, built in 1997and stretched in 2005.  Serenade is a Radiance class ship that was built in 2003.  Apples and oranges.

 

 

[Merion_Mom]

21 hours ago, Jack E Dawson said:

We have been invited to join friends who are sailing on a 15 night TA on the Enchantment of the Seas next April. Have very limited cruising experience, none with Royal Caribbean (RC).

1. Over all, is RC considered a budget, middle of the pack or luxury cruise line?

2. How does Enchantment of the Seas compare to other RC ships, big/small, new/old, crowded/spacious more family or mostly adults?

3. Looking at an outside view cabin but they appear very small on this ship. How do they compare to other cruise lines?

4. At that level cabin and being new to RC will we have limited or no access to certain areas on the ship?

5. A crossing in April could get rough, how stable is the Enchantment of the Seas

6. Is the drinks package a good deal. We probably have lattes at breakfast a pre-dinner drink, 1-2 glasses of wine at dinner and a couple of cocktail/wine in the evening. 

7. What other extras/upgrades are worth paying for? Right now all higher grade cabins are sold out.

Anything that is unique to RC or thoughts on their onboard culture would be appreciated.

Thanks

Jack

 

I am going to disagree with a lot of the posters so far.  I have been on almost every ship in RC's fleet, some multiple times.  I have done several transatlantic cruises.  I have no interest in sailing a TA on the Enchantment.

 

1. Middle of the pack

2. Old, can be crowded because when they stretched her and added many cabins, they did NOT enlarge the theater or the Windjammer buffet.  Those can get crowded and congested.

3. OV are quite small on the Enchantment.  I would only get one on Deck 4.  And not too far forward.  (not forward of the elevators).  There is no refrigerator (which is really a cooler) in an OV or interior.  (except the 16 IM cabins midship on Decks 7 & 8, which usually sell out very fast).

4. You won't be able to access the Concierge Lounge or Diamond Lounge, but those are "hard to find" and you probably wouldn't even know that they are there.  On a TA, they may take over part or all of the Viking Crown Lounge at some times of the day.

5. As stable as any ship.  Weather is unpredictable.

6. Enchantment drink package prices have been high in relation to other ships, IME, so watch for lower prices on holiday "sales".  But beware that whole "sale" thing.  It can be, ahem, confusing.

7. DO NOT BUY THE Unlimited Dining Package.  I think that Royal Caribbean has brass balls even offering it on the Enchantment. ONE specialty restaurant.  ONE.  Not even a Johnny Rockets.  JUST CHOPS.

7 a.  I don't know how you feel, but I could not function without internet access.  Enchantment does have the new Starlink system.  So, I would suggest buying an internet package pre-cruise.

[Tatka]

We sailed on Enchantment at full capacity and it was not crowded. Including buffet and theater.

Not more crowded than Grandeur anyway.

 

Enchantment has Boleros. Latin music venue we enjoyed.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

It depends on your interests.  We did a TA on an Oceania 65,000 ton ship that would have held 650 people, we had 175.  Any cruise more than 7-10 days will have mostly an older demographic and especially a TA.  That being said, if you enjoy sea days, reading, and watching the ocean all is good.  We love our sea days, laying out, reading, nice meal, and cocktails.  So no rock climbing, zipline, water slide is good with us.  

[vtgal]

I am just off Enchantment and would recommend the special meal/wine tasting called Chef's Table

if you can afford it. Outstanding food and wine pairings.  worthwhilt camaraderie

 

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, Tatka said:

I enjoyed QM2 Independence Day cruise, loved loved QM2 experience. I wouldn’t call it BMW though. It was definitely interesting and unusual. Nice crowd, history on the walls, Planetarium! Great music in various lounges.

 

However QM2 is not a luxury ship. We thought food was pretty much on mass market level. In fact it was weaker than let’s say food on Celebrity. Really nothing to write home about. 

We had Britannia accommodations. I’m sure Queens and Princess Grills are luxury.

We are RCCL Diamond and sail on RCCL about 3 times a year. And are also Diamond-level equivalent on Cunard sailing in Grill Class. 
 

The photos are pretty much an accurate depiction. 

[Ret MP]

Before cruising with RCCL I was a big time fan of, Okay, I'll say it this time for clarification purposes, Carnival.  I was as loyal as can be.  When I cruised with them, I though I had the world by the tail.  Just to make a long story shot, I turned against Carnival (now known to me as Rustbucket Cruise Lines.  And it has nothing to do with rust) and turned to RCCL and haven't looked back and am D status now, just as a point of experience, not a bragging point).  Having been addicted to John Heald's/Carnival's Facebook blog, I knew how opinions there are of everything cruise related, or in life in general, there are as many sides of the story/item as there are sides to a Rubik's Cube.  So, I made a conscious decision not to go into any cruise related blogs/forums, before my first cruise on RCCL.  Boy O boy, am I glad I did that.  I would never have cruised with RCCL and may others.  I'm now loyal to Royal.  No, I don't think it is perfect in any way, shape, or form.  Especially Royal's Landside Operations.  But, I love the ships, Oasis Class and Quantum Class.  I also respect, appreciate, and enjoy the crews, for the vast majority that I have had contact with.  

[Tatka]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

We are RCCL Diamond and sail on RCCL about 3 times a year. And are also Diamond-level equivalent on Cunard sailing in Grill Class. 
 

The photos are pretty much an accurate depiction. 

 

Which photos?

Do you compare Grills or overall. We are D+ with RCI and sailed once with Cunard on QM2 in Britannia. I enjoyed ambiance a lot. As for some other things I would not call Cunard luxury line.

Edited December 19, 2022 by Tatka

[PhillyFan33579]

54 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Before cruising with RCCL I was a big time fan of, Okay, I'll say it this time for clarification purposes, Carnival.  I was as loyal as can be.  When I cruised with them, I though I had the world by the tail.  Just to make a long story shot, I turned against Carnival (now known to me as Rustbucket Cruise Lines.  And it has nothing to do with rust) and turned to RCCL and haven't looked back and am D status now, just as a point of experience, not a bragging point).  Having been addicted to John Heald's/Carnival's Facebook blog, I knew how opinions there are of everything cruise related, or in life in general, there are as many sides of the story/item as there are sides to a Rubik's Cube.  So, I made a conscious decision not to go into any cruise related blogs/forums, before my first cruise on RCCL.  Boy O boy, am I glad I did that.  I would never have cruised with RCCL and may others.  I'm now loyal to Royal.  No, I don't think it is perfect in any way, shape, or form.  Especially Royal's Landside Operations.  But, I love the ships, Oasis Class and Quantum Class.  I also respect, appreciate, and enjoy the crews, for the vast majority that I have had contact with.  

Similar to you my initiation to cruising started with Carnival and I stayed loyal to them for several years. However, once I cruised on RCI I never cruised on Carnival again, although I have cruised on Celebrity multiple times. Since you are relatively new to Royal, the name of the cruise line is Royal Caribbean International (RCI),  not RCCL.