LIVE from the Enchantment 8/14-8/21 #1

[CruzinSuz]

Hi Carol aka Merion Mum,

 

Sorry we didn't get to meet you on Monday at M&M. Did Coasterbill tell you that we saw him in the Platinum/Diamond lunch? Wine-tasting conflicted with the M&M. I was afraid of that.

 

Glad that you had a wonderful time and did so well in the Casino. I came back even.

 

Everything was really great, however, I have to totally disagree with the make-up of the passengers. There were SO MANY children, that my DH and I are wondering if we want to go on RCI again! We had late dining, romantic table for two, the worst waiters you can imagine, in fact, we ate in the WJ 3 nights, and believe me, we never do that. The large table beside us was a table with 3 children the youngest was approx. 3. The table beside them also had a 2-3year old plus a newborn. Naturally the two tables played with each other. The irony was that it was the first time that we had such a great table right by the window.

 

As far as old people, compared to some other RCI cruises we've been on, the weren't very many. In fact, when we did Legend for the Panama, there were so many old people with scooter's etc., it was like a grand prix just getting in the dining room!

 

The stops were great, but overall, we did not have the usual great shipboard experience that we're used to. We took the chance that most school districts would be back in school by then, as they are here in Texas. Oh well.

 

Just needed to vent!

 

Suz

[Merion_Mom]

Wow, Suz, it's amazing how people's perceptions can differ! It's probably our own past experiences. You sailed on the Legend on a Panama canal cruise, notorious for drawing an older crowd, and we had only been on Voyager class, notorious for drawing the kiddies! Now, the Enchantment's population was doubtlessly somewhere in between these two "extremes", but we each saw it from opposite ends!

 

I am really really really sorry about your dining room experience. That would have definitely pushed my buttons! Actually, we had a not dissimilar experience on our New Year's cruise on the Explorer. There was a very large family group cruising together and they had three or four or five tables (I can't remember and it was hard to tell), sort of next to and around us. What did these wonderful people do? They put ALL OF THEIR CHILDREN AT ONE TABLE, RIGHT NEXT TO US. And then they ignored them, of course. Were they HORRIBLY ill-behaved? No, but they certainly were acting and making noise since they were free of any adult restraint or guidance. It drove our waiter and assistant waiter insane, too. We kept exchanging eye-rolling looks.

 

Carol

[CruzinSuz]

Hi Carol,

 

I can see why you would have thought the way you did. We've yet to do a Voyager class. Wouldn't do it during the summer though. Do you think it would be okay to take Voyager class when school's in???

Yes, I agree on the age group for the Panama, the longer the cruise the older the pax.

By the way, what was your favorite machine in the Casino. I liked the rockets!

Suz

[Merion_Mom]

The Voyager class ships attract families regardless of the calendar, but cruising when MOST kids are in school does make a huge difference. The tough part is figuring out WHEN that is. School calendars vary so much these days. Mid-September is a pretty sure bet, as is the second week in November and the first two weeks on December. Now, New Jersey has some weird week off when all the teachers have some sort of state-wide inservice, and I don't know when that is. Other areas have enormous variations of mid-winter breaks and spring breaks and long weekends, etc. It's close to being a crapshoot.

 

The two slot machines that like me are

 

 

1. The only "9x" Triple JackPot machine - in the row marked above in neon as "Morgan's Millions", on the far right end.

 

2. Against the back wall, near the wall to the left of the Cashier's cages. "Deluxe Red, White and Blue" - play 5 quarters for all five paylines.

[CruisinBabe]

Hi!!

 

Anyone interested in that Philly area get together that was mentioned a few posts back... check out the "Philly Area Get Together" thread on this board.

 

Hope to meet some of you soon!!!

 

Amy

[lojill]

Hey Carol any information on the midnight buffet was there one. Was there lobster any night ?

[Merion_Mom]

I have to confess............we completely missed the midnight buffet. There WAS one, but we had plenty of food during the day, and felt no need to keep on stuffing late at night! It was on either Thursday or Friday.

 

The lobster was DELICIOUS - large tails, tender and tasty.....and unlimited. :D I had three, and they were maaaahhhvelous.

 

Carol

[erntrish]

It was the best lobster I've ever had on a cruise ship!

[lojill]

Were they served on a certain day or could you order it at ant time in the dinning area. For instance if lobster was not on the menu for Wednesday could you still order it. And if they had it on a certain day do you know ahead of time or if you decide not to eat in the dinning one day you just missed out.

[lojill]

Why does it feel like a long way off before my family and friends cruise. Our date is Feb13th 2006

[erntrish]

In my experience, they only serve it on one night...the second formal night. On our sailing, it was Friday night. Not sure if you can special request for other nights- my gut (larger since my cruise!) tells me probably not.

[memphismimi]

Our darling waiter Theodor on Enchantment 8/7 gave us preview eahc night of next night's dinner - describing Cehf's special and alternatives (lobster is actually an "alternative"!) - he also very plainly told us that any time we didn't like what we ordered he would change it - or get extras...he offered to make the lobster entree into surf and turf which both kids ordered - my 17 yo dd made use of his kindness - ordering three different soups for dinner one night (my salad is the berry soup, my appetizer is the onion soup, my entree is the pumpkin soup) that may also have been the same night that she ordered "nothing" for dessert and got a salad plate with n o t h i n g spelled out in chocolate sauce - obviously there was extra in his envelope at the end of the week!

[persch77]

Going on the Enchantment 9/11 and was wondering how the ship and excurisions are?? Did you tour on your own or RCCL tours???

 

Thanks!!!

[Merion_Mom]

I almost never use ship's excursions. I do my research ahead of time, and find appropriate companies in the ports where we are going, and contact them about their tours. This time, my kids decided at the last minute to go kayaking, and rather than risking being able to find a company at the pier (as you often can do), I ponied up BIG BUCKS for the two of them. They had a FANTASTIC time. I think that they added one more group because of the high demand for kayaking trips, so they only had 10 in their group, whereas most groups had 40.

 

Carol

[Merion_Mom]

But now I realize that you wanted some more specific help:

 

http://www.acadiatours.com/index.html

http://www.mvtour.com/

http://www.visitportland.com/arch_sites.aspx

http://www.mainelytours.com/frames_tours.html

http://www.halifaxinfo.com/