Live from the new Enchantment, 12/22/12

We were among the first to board around 11:30.

Typing on my phone; please forgive any mistakes.

Parking and security staff were grumpy. Check-in was cheerful and trouble-free. No surprise upgrade to the RS.

Staff onboard VERY pleasant, warm and happy. "Pleasure, ma'am."

They are really not opening the staterooms until 1:30.

The ship looks absolutely beautiful.

More later, with pictures, I hope.

Enjoy the cruise.

Keith

Mom

Have a great cruise. Sure wish Crystal and I were with you.

Tim & Crystal

We got into our cabin about 1:35. Boy, I had forgotten that the JS on this ship is MUCH smaller than bigger classes.

I can't figure out how they would open the sofa bed since there are two upholstered chairs filling the space between sofa and vanity.

HUGE corner aft balcony: two loungers, two upright chairs, two normal-height small tables.

Looking forward to your live report! Have a wonderful cruise.

I have stayed in one of those corner aft JS on that ship and I agree the aft JS are small. I think the side JS rooms are bigger than the one in the aft on Enchantment. But I make do because I love that balcony!

Looking forward to your reports. I'm especially interested in how Park Cafe works in the Solarium, i.e., availability of tables, traffic flow, hours of operation, kids in the Solarium now, etc.

Thanks for taking the time to bring us along.

Thank you for taking the time to give us updates, etc. We are cruising on the repositioning cruise in April. Sorry to see the Enchantment leave Baltimore. Husband and I have completed 4 cruises on the Enchantment. They all have been wonderful cruises!!! Looking forward to all of her refurbishments.

Have a super wonderful Merry Christmas cruise!!!:)

I hope you have a fantastic cruise! Bon voyage!

I hope you have a relaxing enjoyable trip.

Did you have any trouble getting to port with the recent weather?

Eagerly awaiting your posts

Safe travels.

Sue and crew

Looking forward to your review with photos. We will be on her in about 35 days.:D

Have fun Carol! Maybe I'll get ahead of you on our Words with Friends games! Hahaha!

We are just off the Enchantment and the Park Cafe was nice. The old pizza/burger area is filled with wraps, tuna, egg salad sandwiches and dessert items. There is also the Roast Beef sandwiches that were wonderful. Across there is a salad bar where a crew member mixes a salad to your specs. The complaint that we heard is that there was no place that served pizza on the ship. None in the Parkl Cafe and none in the Windjammer. Not sure if this was just our cruise or something permanent.

There are tables all around the perimeter of the Solarium. I guess the bad news would be if you had a stateroom under that area you might hear a cart moving across that tile floor.

There are 4 double doors that enter the Solarium. 2 from the center hallway and 2 from the pool deck. They had signs posted on 2 of those double doors that stated no kids under 16. Problem is...if people came in the other two door, they did not see those signs! Kinda silly!

Due to the weather, the pool was available to all ages from noon - 2 and 4 - 6. But no one was there to enforce those times. As a result...kids were there at other times as well. This may be better enforced as things on the ship settle down. They were still working many areas of the ship.

There was a bit of a problem in the Solarium yesterday. We came through a storm and rough seas and there was a water leak in one section of the Solarium causing a few lounge chairs to be wet.

Also, half of the windjammer was closed off yesterday with wet carpets.

We have found the parking staff (cashiers) at Baltimore to be the rudest we've ever encountered. They will blatantly ask for tips and the ones that don't directly ask will make snide comments about previous people parking who didn't tip them. Other posters have stated the same, although it does seem to have improved between our last two cruises on EN. BTW, we never tip them, especially because of the comments.

We have found the parking staff (cashiers) at Baltimore to be the rudest we've ever encountered. They will blatantly ask for tips and the ones that don't directly ask will make snide comments about previous people parking who didn't tip them. Other posters have stated the same, although it does seem to have improved between our last two cruises on EN. BTW, we never tip them, especially because of the comments.

I don't recall one way or the other about the cashiers being rude, but why on earth would the cashiers expect a tip for taking my payment for my parking spot? It isn't valet parking. Porters, I understand, they're handling my luggage. Parking attendant cashiers expecting a tip, that's a new one!

to the OP... ENJOY Your Cruise!

Very strange. We have sailed out of Baltimore many times now and never experienced rude parking staff or anyone asking for a tip. We always tip the porters who take our checked luggage out of the car for loading unto the ship. Never heard of anyone tipping the cashiers who take your parking fee. I would never tip them.

I guess we just happened to be there on the days when everyone was in a good mood:).

Carol, will be following along!!

Have a wonderful cruise...Merry Christmas!!

***

That was the COLDEST muster drill I have ever experienced.

They directed a family to stand in front of us and I thought, "Good. A wind break."

Then after about 7 seconds I realized that the woman had recently doused herself in perfume. OY. However, it turned out to be a good thing.

Five minutes later, she farted.

Oh, the humanity!

Have fun Carol........:):)

Merion Mom, were you on starboard? I was on port side for the muster and was absolutely sweltering because of the sun.

I don't recall one way or the other about the cashiers being rude, but why on earth would the cashiers expect a tip for taking my payment for my parking spot? It isn't valet parking. Porters, I understand, they're handling my luggage. Parking attendant cashiers expecting a tip, that's a new one!

 

to the OP... ENJOY Your Cruise!

There was a thread over a year ago discussing them asking for the tips. Several posters had the same experience at that time.

It may have happened over a year ago but we did 2 cruises out of Balt this year and did not have any problems with the parking staff suggesting tips. Possibly they got the CC message and let them know it was not acceptable!

Our muster drill on 12/15 went very quickly. They moved early seating to 5:30. Drill at 7:30 and then main seating at 8:30. I was on the phone when the alarm was sounded...the Pa system in our stateroom did not work so we lost track of time...we barely got to the station when we were dismissed. Also, it was a little warmer last weekend. Sure hope thngs warm up for all of you!!! We had georgeous weather once we got past the Carolinas.

That was the COLDEST muster drill I have ever experienced.

 

They directed a family to stand in front of us and I thought, "Good. A wind break."

 

Then after about 7 seconds I realized that the woman had recently doused herself in perfume. OY. However, it turned out to be a good thing.

 

Five minutes later, she farted.

 

Oh, the humanity!

ROFL!! :eek: Looking forward to your review.

We loved our cruise in August on the Enchantment. Please let us know about the new things on board!