Live from the new Enchantment, 12/22/12

[Merion_Mom]

[B][SIZE="7"][COLOR="Black"]O.M.G.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]

How could I have forgotten to tell you all the best story yet?

So, the smaller of my two suitcases is delivered. Nina's one large suitcase is delivered. No sign of my larger suitcase. I look everywhere. No suitcase.

Guess what? I had to go down to the naughty room.

Bad, bad, bad Merion Mom.

She had two pairs of scissors in her cosmetic bag. One with one inch blades, one with two and a half inch blades. I am afraid that I sort of let them have it down on Deck 1. They shrugged and said that it's the Baltimore pier people's fault. Then they put my bag into their own scanner. So they COULD have done that earlier and seen very very very very small scissors.

Our cabin steward laughed to hear the story, and pointed to Nina's six inch blade scissors sitting on the vanity, and asked whether those were the offending scissors.

I said, "NO! Those sailed right through security. Only my LITTLE scissors apparently bothered them."

Then that night in Chops, as I gazed at the vicious, serrated 7" steak knife that they had put into my homicidal, serial-killer hands, I sighed the sigh of the logic-frustrated.

[Merion_Mom]

[quote name='wolfcathorse']Have fun Carol! Maybe I'll get ahead of you on our Words with Friends games! Hahaha![/QUOTE]

Gotcha! ;)

[Merion_Mom]

Battery is dying.

Goodbye for now.

[Cuizer2]

[quote name='Merion_Mom']I hope that you can see that all of the pieces of furniture are touching or practically touching each other!

[URL="http://merionmom.smugmug.com/Travel/Enchantment-12-22-12/27237640_3JFrG6#!i=2288497308&k=zVqC9fM&lb=1&s=A"][IMG]http://merionmom.smugmug.com/Travel/Enchantment-12-22-12/i-zVqC9fM/0/L/DSC06183-L.jpg[/IMG][/URL]


[URL="http://merionmom.smugmug.com/Travel/Enchantment-12-22-12/27237640_3JFrG6#!i=2288497840&k=2wVHpgR&lb=1&s=A"][IMG]http://merionmom.smugmug.com/Travel/Enchantment-12-22-12/i-2wVHpgR/0/L/DSC06184-L.jpg[/IMG][/URL]



[URL="http://merionmom.smugmug.com/Travel/Enchantment-12-22-12/27237640_3JFrG6#!i=2288499580&k=3hwtD2r&lb=1&s=A"][IMG]http://merionmom.smugmug.com/Travel/Enchantment-12-22-12/i-3hwtD2r/0/L/DSC06185-L.jpg[/IMG][/URL]



I will take more cabin pictures when it has been straightened up by our FABULOUS cabin steward, Charlie from the Philippines.[/quote]

[quote name='dixieva']Oh my gosh! I can't believe how much furniture they have stuffed into that JS! When we stayed in that one we had the couch and one chair and that one chair was in the way of the sliding glass door. We even asked our room steward if he could remove it but he said sorry he didn't have anywhere he could put it. We were constantly moving it around. Now with two chairs it's really crowded!

The side JS are definitely bigger than those in the aft. We have a side JS on deck 8 in April and while I will enjoy the larger room I will really miss that corner aft balcony.

And those pics of the balcony of room 8666 brought back memories. We stayed in that Royal Family Suite once and boy was it great![/quote]

This is what my JS looked like in March 2012 ...

[IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Enchantment%20OTS%202/D1-3.jpg[/IMG]

[Clarea]

[quote name='Merion_Mom']Battery is dying.

Goodbye for now.[/quote]
Thanks loads, it's been quite enjoyable to sail along with you. You have a unique perspective.

[Merion_Mom]

[quote name='Cuizer2']This is what my JS looked like in March 2012 ...

[IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Enchantment%20OTS%202/D1-3.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

Because you didn't have two extra upholstered chairs in there !!!

[Cshgrand]

[quote name='Merion_Mom']I know that you are all dying to see the lovely place from which I am currently posting:

[url=http://merionmom.smugmug.com/Travel/Enchantment-12-22-12/27237640_3JFrG6#!i=2288567172&k=mCwXJfP&lb=1&s=A][img]http://merionmom.smugmug.com/Travel/Enchantment-12-22-12/i-mCwXJfP/0/L/DSC06190-L.jpg[/img][/url]


Anyone need/want pictures of the Winn-Dixie? Walgreen's? RonJon's?

:D :D :D[/QUOTE]

You missed the two strip clubs and the adult store opposite Pizza Hut!!

We had a lovely beach day today at cocoa beach - just back to ready ourselves for formal night. Chops!
Hi from 8666 by the way - that's def our balcony!

[Cshgrand]

[quote name='gingerma']Did all decks get new carpeting? How about bathrooms? Flat screens in all cabins? We're in an outside (2530) in 3 wks. Can't wait!! So appreciate everyone letting all know!:)

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2[/QUOTE]

Lots of carpet looks fresh and all TVs in our suite are flat screen new looking samsungs. In fact the tv in my sons room is so new there are no batteries in the remote!!
Bathrooms look good here. My husband who notices such things informs me they have replaced all the silicone seals around the basins etc. He also spotted about four places where masking tape has been left post painting which is enhancing his holiday no end!!

[Agutaya]

Thanks so much for sharing your cruise with us. Score two for the housekeepers!! Especially the one with the Mom/God voice. :D

[quote name='Merion_Mom']I have been pretty impressed with RC's shows lately. Putting true professional-grade shows on Oasis and Allure seemed to lead to them really stepping up the quality of the shows on the other ships, too. [/quote]

Totally agree. We had given up on the production shows for 4-5 cruises after see some shows that just weren't very good - almost amateurish. On our Navigator TA last month we tried again and were very pleasantly surprised at the excellent quality, professional show.

[Merion_Mom]

[quote name='Cshgrand']You missed the two strip clubs and the adult store opposite Pizza Hut!!

We had a lovely beach day today at cocoa beach - just back to ready ourselves for formal night. Chops!
Hi from 8666 by the way - that's def our balcony![/QUOTE]

Hi! See you shortly on Deck 11? ;)

[The Big Booper]

I had forgotten how funny MM's reviews are. And this one is live.

[Merion_Mom]

BTW, back on board painstakingly tapping on my phone.

Just my usual humble opinion, ;), but the Park Cafe does NOT replace having the WJ open from 3 - 6.

For those who were asking about such things:

Adult Solarium? What adult solarium?

Salad bar in park cafe more limited in its ingredients than Oasis/Allure.

No cut up fruit to grab & go as far as I could see.

Park Cafe [i]encroaches[/i] into the Solarium. There is no other way to put it.

[ladylawyer]

[quote name='Merion_Mom'][SIZE="6"]LORNA!!!![/SIZE]

Problems with dining room seating.

This is becoming WAAAY too common.

I went by our table Saturday night to say "hi" and tell them that we would be at Chops that evening, but looked forward to dining with them for the six nights thereafter.

They were very pleasant, in those two minutes. Only three of them sitting there. It turned out that they were a twosome and a one.

Next scene: Night #2; We enter the dining room, and the table is full. It includes a young chickie mama with tattoos all over, daisy duke shorts, and tank top, with her three under-5 age children.

Tonight's recommended dress was "Smart Casual". Saw many many many many t-shirts and shorts. They walked right past the sign that said "No shorts in the dining room at dinner."

Talked to the headwaiter. Cutie. Saul from Cancun. He had the waiter check everyone's seapass cards for the table number. All matched the table.

Saul had trouble finding somewhere for us to sit. We told him that we are VERY sociable and want to sit at a big table. Like our assigned table. But not with children. Certainly not with three children under the age of 5.

Couldn't find one.

Put us at an empty two-top. There were several two-tops available. Not common.

We loved our waitress Alexandra, from Uruguay, but those two tops ARE small in surface area.

And we wanted to talk to people besides ourselves. We are good buddies at home and can chat any time we want. We know pretty much everything about each other. Time for some new blood.

After dinner, Alexandra practically begs us to stay. (we know that she won't get gratuities for an empty table.) She wants us to ask about two empty seats at one of her other tables.

Saul says that a family has her two other tables, and there are 14 at two eight tops, but they like to switch around and requested that their tables be for their own family only.

And it turns out that single person from night one and chickie mama + brood from night two are all assigned to this table........................AND SECOND SEATING.

By the time we finish dinner and find all of this out, the other four people assigned to our table have been seated there. (they threw the late diners out) NOT our cup of tea either. Original couple guy comes over to where we are discussing the issue with Saul and Marek, and practically begs us to come back. ;)

We are still working on it! We want to go to the early show of the Drifters tonight because the CD is begging people to do that, if possible. He said that the second show will be WAY overcrowded.

But we can only do that if we don't eat main seating.

Decisions, decisions. We LIKE getting dressed up for formal night, so that's not an issue.

Will report later what we decide to do.[/QUOTE]

Well, now we know that it's YOU, not me!! ;)

[Havana Daydreamin]

[CENTER][SIZE=7]EXCELLENT!!![/SIZE]
[/CENTER]

Edit out was mine.....

[quote name='Cuizer2']

However, some balconies are even bigger ...

[IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Enchantment%20OTS%202/D10-1.jpg[/IMG][/quote]

[megr1125]

[quote name='Merion_Mom']I know that you are all dying to see the lovely place from which I am currently posting:

[url=http://merionmom.smugmug.com/Travel/Enchantment-12-22-12/27237640_3JFrG6#!i=2288567172&k=mCwXJfP&lb=1&s=A][img]http://merionmom.smugmug.com/Travel/Enchantment-12-22-12/i-mCwXJfP/0/L/DSC06190-L.jpg[/img][/url]


Anyone need/want pictures of the Winn-Dixie? Walgreen's? RonJon's?

:D :D :D[/QUOTE]


me thinks I ate in that McD's in November...I stayed at the Four Points across the street...

sounds like you're having a blast there MM......enjoy!!

[MrFunInTheSun]

Great live report. Thanks for bringing us along!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Please excuse any typographical errors.

[Cuizer2]

[quote name='Merion_Mom']Because you didn't have two extra upholstered chairs in there !!![/quote]

They are under the bed. :)

[sandy toes]

I had one 10 year old in Adventure Ocean and was told 268 and 286 kids on ship...BUT this week I was told there would be over 800 kids and they would add 4 extra crew members for the week. Last year (last week) had over 450 kids so this year was much nicer and she got to do a lot of fun things. We even used AO in CocoCay for 1 1/2 hr when they had a huge sand castle contest.
There are "naughty" parents everywhere that don't care for or about their children. Saw some shopping yesterday!!! Would love to have the God voice to call the parents down for their lack of parenting skills!

PIZZA is at the Park Cafe every night we stopped by for a cup of tea and pizza(several varieties on different nights). Also, they have fruit already cut in a plastic cup that is easy to carry back to your cabin. There was pineapple, watermellon, canalope and honeydew. There were also whole apples, oranges and bananas available.

[Merion_Mom]

[quote name='sandy toes']I had one 10 year old in Adventure Ocean and was told 268 and 286 kids on ship...BUT this week I was told there would be over 800 kids and they would add 4 extra crew members for the week. Last year (last week) had over 450 kids so this year was much nicer and she got to do a lot of fun things. We even used AO in CocoCay for 1 1/2 hr when they had a huge sand castle contest.
There are "naughty" parents everywhere that don't care for or about their children. Saw some shopping yesterday!!! Would love to have the God voice to call the parents down for their lack of parenting skills!

PIZZA is at the Park Cafe every night we stopped by for a cup of tea and pizza(several varieties on different nights). Also, they have fruit already cut in a plastic cup that is easy to carry back to your cabin. There was pineapple, watermellon, canalope and honeydew. There were also whole apples, oranges and bananas available.[/QUOTE]


So, you have confirmed the existence of pizza, if only at late night snack time.

But I reiterate: there was no cut-up fruit, no cookies at PC this afternoon.

[smurfgirl06]

[quote name='Merion_Mom']So, you have confirmed the existence of pizza, if only at late night snack time.

But I reiterate: there was no cut-up fruit, no cookies at PC this afternoon.[/QUOTE]
I definitely saw cut up fruit at the park cafe yesterday. I love this ship. I'm so sad it won't be in Baltimore much longer.

[retiredgram]

So, you have confirmed the existence of pizza, if only at late night snack time.

 

But I reiterate: there was no cut-up fruit, no cookies at PC this afternoon.

Ok, I have confirmation of pizza. It sounds like Park Cafe has a pretty good selection of food.

M-M thanks for your live review. Awaiting more.

[dunn48]

MM thanks for sharing your cruise with us. We board on 1/5 and can't wait to check out the new Enchantment. Merry Christmas. Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[schlimazel_traveler]

Thanks so much for this information. We are first-time cruisers who will be boarding Enchantment as you're disembarking and your experiences are so helpful in preparing us for the experience.

 

Is the Park Cafe the only place for a late lunch? We have the late seating for dinner and 3-ish seems like the right time for lunch--or for a snack to tide one over until 8:30 even for those who are up early for breakfast and eat lunch at lunch time. (My family won't be...they are late sleepers and can't wait to take advantage of room service for breakfast!)

 

(I'd heard so much about non-stop food on cruise ships that it seems funny to be anxious about this issue.)

[Lady Hudson]

There may not be quite as many kids next week for the same reason that *I* am cruising this week: New Year's Day and Christmas fall on Tuesday, so I have to be back in school on Wednesday. I think that most schools reopen Wed or Thurs, so the kiddies can't cruise next week unless their parents keep them out of school. Certainly some will do that, but I think that the calendar will dictate that fewer kids be onboard next week.

 

You lucky dog. :D

 

I see you are in Pennsylvania. I teach in Chester County. How about you? Katherine

[jakenashleysmom]

Could you verify the availibility of sushi in the Windjammer pre-late seating dinner (5:30-6:00 ish?). Would love to have sushi and cocktails before our late seating dinner. thanks!