Sovereign or Enchantment for 2006?

[jojo2459]

My family will be traveling with 4 other families in June of 2006 and we need help deciding on a cruise ship. We have narrowed it down to Sovereign (4 night) or Enchantment (5 night). If we choose Sovereign we will be able to stay a couple of extra nights at a Florida resort after our cruise for the same price as the 5 nights on Enchantment. For those of you who have cruised both ships, is the Enchantment really worth the extra money? Does it really offer that much more or would we be just as happy on either ship? All of our families have children ages 6-17 - most are 1st time cruisers - we are not interested in gambling or partying. Your advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Merion_Mom]

Can you wait until January for your answer? :D (j/k) We will be on the new Enchantment next month and the Sovereign in December/January.

 

Carol

[jlifeisgoodfaye]

Are they both on weekends? If so, you're going to get a lot of partiers no matter which ship. The cruises through the week are a little less crazy as far as the bars/disco areas.

 

Both ships are now refurbished, but of course, the Enchantment with many new extras like the bungie "jump".

 

Consider what is going to be the best value for the total time you have to spend for vacation. If you're wanting to do some land based along with the cruise, go for it. No matter which ship you're on that part of the vacation is going to be wonderful! There is GREAT service on both ships and the programs for the kids are great as well. The Sovereign has a great new area for teens. I don't know if they have it on the Enchantment.

 

I'm sure you'll get some other comparisons from the posters that have been on both. I've been on Enchantment, but not going on her until Nov to see the wonderful changes they've made. The pics that have been posted have been exciting to see.

 

Enjoy!

[jlifeisgoodfaye]

I fotgot to mention, I was on the Sovereign re-launch after it's drydock.

[Cruiser_Guy]

Enchantment!

[Merion_Mom]

faye, what category of cabin did you have on the new Sovereign?

 

Carol

[Grumpy8]

Enchantment would be my choice and I haven't been on it. The Sovereign has nothing to write home about.

[jojo2459]

Thank you for your encouraging words! My group is excited about cruising and is leaving the details to me and my husband :eek:. We want to get the best value for our money but want our friends to love cruising as much as we do. Our only cruise experience is with Disney on a couple of 3-night cruises but we thought RCCL would be a good choice for our budget and for the age range of our children, 6-17.

[dyanna72]

If you stay in FL for a few extra days if you choose to sail the Soverign, don't forget to add in the costs of meals that you will have already paid for if you sailed on the Enchantment. Just something else to think about.:o

 

Dyanna

[Grumpy8]

My family will be traveling with 4 other families in June of 2006 and we need help deciding on a cruise ship. We have narrowed it down to Sovereign (4 night) or Enchantment (5 night). If we choose Sovereign we will be able to stay a couple of extra nights at a Florida resort after our cruise for the same price as the 5 nights on Enchantment. For those of you who have cruised both ships, is the Enchantment really worth the extra money? Does it really offer that much more or would we be just as happy on either ship? All of our families have children ages 6-17 - most are 1st time cruisers - we are not interested in gambling or partying. Your advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

If your looking to get the most for your buck on a short cruise. I would take this one on the Majesty-Miami, Florida; Nassau, Bahamas; Cococay, Bahamas; Key West, Florida; Miami, Florida

You more stops for your buck.

 

But it leaves from Miami so I don't know if that would cause a problem for you.

[TheWog]

Enchantment has a ton of new things the kids will love. I would pick Enchantment.

[jojo2459]

If your looking to get the most for your buck on a short cruise. I would take this one on the Majesty-Miami, Florida; Nassau, Bahamas; Cococay, Bahamas; Key West, Florida; Miami, Florida

You more stops for your buck.

 

But it leaves from Miami so I don't know if that would cause a problem for you.

 

Yes, we are fairly limited because we're planning to drive from South Carolina to the port to save on airfare. Pt. Canaveral is about 8 hours and Ft. Lauderdale about 10 hours so that is about our limit. I guess Miami isn't much farther but I feel like we are pushing it with Ft. Lauderdale already.

[Cruiser_Guy]

Enchantment!!!!

[Grumpy8]

Yes, we are fairly limited because we're planning to drive from South Carolina to the port to save on airfare. Pt. Canaveral is about 8 hours and Ft. Lauderdale about 10 hours so that is about our limit. I guess Miami isn't much farther but I feel like we are pushing it with Ft. Lauderdale already.

 

Then do the Enchantment.......;)

[momofmeg]

Are they both on weekends? If so, you're going to get a lot of partiers no matter which ship. The cruises through the week are a little less crazy as far as the bars/disco areas.

 

Both ships are now refurbished, but of course, the Enchantment with many new extras like the bungie "jump".

 

Consider what is going to be the best value for the total time you have to spend for vacation. If you're wanting to do some land based along with the cruise, go for it. No matter which ship you're on that part of the vacation is going to be wonderful! There is GREAT service on both ships and the programs for the kids are great as well. The Sovereign has a great new area for teens. I don't know if they have it on the Enchantment.

 

I'm sure you'll get some other comparisons from the posters that have been on both. I've been on Enchantment, but not going on her until Nov to see the wonderful changes they've made. The pics that have been posted have been exciting to see.

 

Enjoy!

 

The Sovereign 4 day falls during the week and the 3 day falls during the week end. But you are right. I have been on Sovereign twice. Loved it the first time-hated it the second time when I took the 3 day mini weekend cruise. Too many partying college students and obnoxious drunks.

 

But anyway this person has picked the right cruise and should have a good time.

[dougp26364]

I have not been on Soveriegn or Enchantment but, I have been on Monarch (a refurbished soveriegn class ship) and on Vision (a non-stretched vision class ship) Between the two classes I much prefer the layout of the vision class ships. They are just a little better thought out and traffic seems to flow better through them. Vision class ships also have the indoor solarium pool with a crystal (glass) canopy. I find this to be a great place to relax. I also prefer the vision class ships layout for the Windjammer buffet over the soveriegn class ship.

 

Finally, we did not find the Bahama's to be a great port of call and have little to no desire to return other than may to take a snorkel excursion. Otherwise, we'll just stay on the ship. There are those who don't care much for Key West either but we like this little island extension of Florida. It's sort of a funky little spot but there's enough there to do and see to make it worth getting off the ship for us. We have not traveled to any of the other ports that Enchantment stops.

 

In short, if it were me (and it is in December since we had the same choices), Enchantment wins hands down.

[Kanukkacruise]

The 7 Blue Seas "Shipshopper" index gives the Enchantment a rating of 102 as opposed to the Sovereign's rating of only 84. You can print these ratings by going to http://www.7blueseas.com

[Andipanda1]

The 7 Blue Seas "Shipshopper" index gives the Enchantment a rating of 102 as opposed to the Sovereign's rating of only 84. You can print these ratings by going to http://www.7blueseas.com

 

 

For me, Enchantment wins hands down.