Enchantment Review. Sept 21, 2015. 4-nights.

[Anita Latte]

Here's a funny tidbit for you...

 

This has happened to me TWICE now...both times when going to a cruise line's private island beach.

 

If your camera has been in the air conditioning for a while? It may take a while to acclimate to the humidity and temperature of the world off the ship...

 

My camera lens fogged up and I couldn't take any pictures until we were much closer to the island...literally...all I could see on my viewfinder was white fog... So get your camera open and on as quickly as possible...or spend some time out on deck to see if you might experience the same issue...

 

Fortunately, we had mostly sunny, patchy clouds...it was warm and very humid...CD Marc said it was a "scorcher" out there and he was RIGHT:

 

Our tender will park next to this one:

 

 

The straw market is RIGHT THERE. It's a little bit reminiscent of the way the grounds can be for a Renaissance Festival? There are permanent booth/huts that are temporarily opened and stocked with tourist friendly merchandise and souvenirs. But it isn't necessary to walk through it if you don't want to:

 

 

There was no map readily displayed for CocoCay. I mention this because there was for Carnival's island. Here, you rely on these signs to point you in the proper direction...

 

 

I didn't really have the first destination in mind...I just wanted to find a pretty place to be that was in the shade...I'm white. Very white. And I don't mind being my lily white self at all...I much prefer white to red...or even pink.

 

Ahhhhh:

 

 

 

If you reference this map:

 

http://c3270052.r52.cf0.rackcdn.com/ports/maps/cococaylinkmap4.jpg

 

These are photos of "Coconut Willie's Beach" which really isn't that far away from the tender at all.

 

The buffet was in full force when we arrived...but we had seriously just ate. Service would be from 12 noon to 2 pm on the island...we decided that we would push it closer to 2 for food.

 

We did skirt the food area on the way to finding our loungers...there appeared to be plenty of picnic table seating with much shade available.

[NOSaints1]

Four of us would be going, we want to pay for them they work about 16-17 hours a day, most days. So there tired and want to relax. Other one I was looking at was a 4 day on BOS out of Tampa.

[Anita Latte]

There in their 60s, my dad has trouble walking, haven't had a vacation in like 10 years, never been to the Caribbean or Bahamas. I think we would be paying for them

 

I've been thinking about your parents. I think they could really enjoy themselves on EOS.

 

Here are some reasons why...

 

For anyone that has mobility issues...I think this is a great ship. First..it isn't that big. You don't have to walk a lot to get anywhere on board. Second, there are only two elevator banks and there are at least 6 elevators in each bank. There was never a long wait for the elevators...and the elevators were generally close to where you were and where you wanted to be.

 

The ship itself is very CRUISE ship like. It's light and bright...and virtually everywhere you go, you can see the ocean. It's very connected to the outside world. There are many, many places to sit in the air conditioned space and just relax and enjoy the view.

 

I say this in contrast to some of the bigger ships that are more focused on a promenade design, where people who are already fans of cruising may appreciate more than people that who want to feel more like they are on a cruise ship as opposed to a floating hotel.

 

There are many entertainment opportunities. The music/entertainment on board was very good. It's easy to not have to entertain yourself but instead to be a bystander for entertainment or participate in something that could be more or less active.

 

I like the 4 night cruise, because you get a Sea Day. Everyone should experience at least one day to just be able to hang out on the ship and enjoy on their first cruise.

 

The private beach day is a handy dandy port for a first time cruiser. No planning required. There are golf cart like vehicles that I'm sure could be used to help passengers with mobility issues.

 

Nassau isn't my favorite port...not by any stretch, but there are several things to do right at the port area for anyone that wanted to get off the ship for a bit. There are places of historical interest...a bit of shopping...some food interests...all within close proximity to the port. And ship tours to many of the local interests.

 

I would also recommend the exact type of room that we were in. But be on Deck 7. It is ridiculously close to the elevators. It is midship (more stable). You can easily see in the Centrum and then decide which direction you want to head depending on what might be going on there.

 

They could even stay up there on Deck 7 to observe some of the more "party" like events in the Centrum. Sometimes, it's fun to observe such things from a distance and then decide if you are up for going in.

 

It isn't a balcony room...but honestly...the use of balconies can be hit and miss depending on the weather...and the large window of this room and the fact that the window in at the very edge of the ship makes for excellent view time from air conditioned comfort.

 

Also...it is as large as a balcony room.

 

Also...if you wanted to give them a special treat, there is Chops on board this ship. I enjoyed Chops a lot on Allure. I say the location of Chops on the ship and again...it's a lovely dining room and would be a wonderful experience.

 

Overall, I would recommend this as a first cruise for your parents for sure. There are many choices, but not so many to overwhelm and also not such a long cruise...it's long enough to have a good vacation but not so long if it turns out they don't really enjoy cruising.

 

Which. Has been known to happen.

[MNfamilycruiser]

I've been thinking about your parents. I think they could really enjoy themselves on EOS.

 

Here are some reasons why...

 

For anyone that has mobility issues...I think this is a great ship. First..it isn't that big. You don't have to walk a lot to get anywhere on board. Second, there are only two elevator banks and there are at least 6 elevators in each bank. There was never a long wait for the elevators...and the elevators were generally close to where you were and where you wanted to be.

 

The ship itself is very CRUISE ship like. It's light and bright...and virtually everywhere you go, you can see the ocean. It's very connected to the outside world. There are many, many places to sit in the air conditioned space and just relax and enjoy the view.

 

I say this in contrast to some of the bigger ships that are more focused on a promenade design, where people who are already fans of cruising may appreciate more than people that who want to feel more like they are on a cruise ship as opposed to a floating hotel.

 

There are many entertainment opportunities. The music/entertainment on board was very good. It's easy to not have to entertain yourself but instead to be a bystander for entertainment or participate in something that could be more or less active.

 

I like the 4 night cruise, because you get a Sea Day. Everyone should experience at least one day to just be able to hang out on the ship and enjoy on their first cruise.

 

The private beach day is a handy dandy port for a first time cruiser. No planning required. There are golf cart like vehicles that I'm sure could be used to help passengers with mobility issues.

 

Nassau isn't my favorite port...not by any stretch, but there are several things to do right at the port area for anyone that wanted to get off the ship for a bit. There are places of historical interest...a bit of shopping...some food interests...all within close proximity to the port. And ship tours to many of the local interests.

 

I would also recommend the exact type of room that we were in. But be on Deck 7. It is ridiculously close to the elevators. It is midship (more stable). You can easily see in the Centrum and then decide which direction you want to head depending on what might be going on there.

 

They could even stay up there on Deck 7 to observe some of the more "party" like events in the Centrum. Sometimes, it's fun to observe such things from a distance and then decide if you are up for going in.

 

It isn't a balcony room...but honestly...the use of balconies can be hit and miss depending on the weather...and the large window of this room and the fact that the window in at the very edge of the ship makes for excellent view time from air conditioned comfort.

 

Also...it is as large as a balcony room.

 

Also...if you wanted to give them a special treat, there is Chops on board this ship. I enjoyed Chops a lot on Allure. I say the location of Chops on the ship and again...it's a lovely dining room and would be a wonderful experience.

 

Overall, I would recommend this as a first cruise for your parents for sure. There are many choices, but not so many to overwhelm and also not such a long cruise...it's long enough to have a good vacation but not so long if it turns out they don't really enjoy cruising.

 

Which. Has been known to happen.

 

Yes... I agree

The 4 day cruises on Enchantment are Monday-Friday - returning to port on Friday. To me these are far less likely to be "party" cruises than the 3 day Friday-Monday. The exception would be if you chose a spring break week. Then even 5 days are likely to be "party" cruises.

[Anita Latte]

Four of us would be going, we want to pay for them they work about 16-17 hours a day, most days. So there tired and want to relax. Other one I was looking at was a 4 day on BOS out of Tampa.

 

Oh. Wow.

 

I haven't been on a Radiance Class ship...but Brilliance has many more dining options compared to Enchantment. These options cost more money...so not sure if that matters to you...but with two Sea Days...I think the thought is that it would definitely be a nice option to be able to eat at one of the Specialty Restaurants.

 

If your parents would be into a spa experience...Brilliance has a Thermal Suite which is a wonderful place to enjoy a heated lounge (hard to explain but amazing), steam room, dry sauna, and rain shower experiences (fancy showers...but amazing in the context of the Thermal Suite experience). And again, with 2 Sea Days...there is time to enjoy this feature. But again, added expense.

 

Looks like there is a dedicated sports bar on Brilliance, so depending on your sports interest and season...could be a bonus?

 

Also...there are billiards tables on Brilliance...that could be a draw for some.

 

There are some nice specialty bars on Brilliance that aren't on Enchantment, including the wine bar and the pub. This means that there will greater drink options in those places (if that matters to you).

 

The sheer number of additional lounges/bars on Brilliance means that you could locate a place that would be more conducive to a relaxing evening.

 

I can tell you from looking at the map that the Solarium of the Enchantment is likely to be quieter with less traffic than on the Brilliance. Look at the deck plans and see that the elevators are between the fitness center/spa and the solarium/general pool...unlike the Enchantment where the elevators are between the spa/fitness/solarium and the general pool.

 

Sea Days can be more relaxing than any other day...there is no need to do anything but what you want to do.

 

However...you can always CHOOSE to not leave the ship on Enchantment.

 

The CocoCay day isn't guaranteed. There has been occasion when the weather prohibits the tender transport to the island.

 

I would pick Cozumel over Nassau any day. I LOVE Nochi Cocum, which is an all inclusive beach resort in Cozumel that limits visitors to 100. This is an amazing benefit because I have been to Cozumel when there are 6 ships in port...one of them an Oasis class. That's A LOT of people in port...so the limit means that you get your relaxing beach experience.

 

There is an additional cost for that though.

 

And for the taxi cab to get there.

 

BUT...service there is wonderful. And the beach itself would require less walking to use the facilities and amenities than CocoCay.

 

I have no knowledge of the CD on Brilliance...but CD Marc is AWESOME (the one on Enchantment)...and he runs a fun ship with good activities.

 

The Brilliance was more recently refurbished. That's one reason why she has so many Oasis class features on her. I don't know if that would hold sway in your decision making process.

 

I don't know how this information affects your cost/benefit, pro/con analysis. I would honestly say that either of those cruises would likely be very good cruises and you just need to figure out which features are likely to be of greatest appeal for your parents.

[Anita Latte]

From the same beach...looking toward the water sports rental place (the yellow building)

 

 

This is looking out at the water of this beach area:

 

 

Please observe the different shades of water here. Also notice that the heads of people are generally in the lighter colored water...

 

The darker water is plant life...some sort of grass-like thing. It is a STINGING grass...and not only that...it would appear from the reports of SEVERAL people, that to venture into the weeds is to venture into the land of creatures that will BITE you...as evidenced by the bite marks that several people showed me for my viewing displeasure.

 

However...I would also call your attention to the smoothness of the sea. It looks like LAKE water... There was no tide! No waves. No bouncing above and around in the waves. So weird. Nice. But kind of weird, too.

 

There was no sound of the ocean here.

 

I must admit that I got myself a bit freaked out by the weeds...

 

It was fun to see the fish...the water was very clear...

 

Soon enough...as amazing as it is...you can get hungry AGAIN...and if we wanted food...it was time to lounge for a bit to dry off a bit and hit the buffet.

 

The buffet was laid out in several stations. There were no differences between the different stations. Hot offerings were build your own burgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken, and ribs...and mac and cheese. Cold offerings were cole slaw, potato salad, and MAYBE a cold pasta salad? FRUIT could be found by the desserts.

 

The burgers looked dry. The dogs didn't look appealing AT ALL. The chicken was legs and thighs...and looked OK, the ribs were the most appealing for me. You could pick and choose and find some meaty ribs in there. I found a couple with that extra shelf of meat on them? They were a mix of tender and chewy? You could get the meat off the bone rather easily, but the meat didn't really melt in your mouth... There was also a lack of sauce.

 

The potato salad was good. The dressing was a sour cream/mayo mix...it had a sour kick to it and wasn't too thick. There was no acid (vinegar) on the potatoes though to cut through...but it was better than the cole slaw for me...I'm not a big fan of sweet cole slaw...and that dressing was SWEET.

 

DS got some mac and cheese...which was a bit dried out...but he ate the best bites. And he ate a hot dog...he isn't picky about toppings and found a decent looking one.

 

Unanimously, we agreed that there were WAY better desserts on board than anything available here.

 

The pineapple was OUTSTANDING. Ripe and sweet without being too mushy.

 

All in all...it was a pretty disappointing lunch. Carnival's island food was WAY better...WAY. We all agreed.

 

Given the heat of the day...there was NO WIND...no relief from the warmth...even the water was pretty warm. We were being careful with our drinking. It's easy to over indulge at the beach...the heat...the need for additional water already...so I must say...we didn't drink much.

 

Several bottles of water.

 

I did want a Coco Loco. This is the drink that is supposed to only be available on this island. It is a fruity concoction served frozen...and they add dark rum to the frozen pour. You have to stir it up yourself.

 

I must admit...I think I might have liked it better with a smaller shot. IDK...it was hard to mix...and I think my ratio was off. It was tasty...but I was satisfied with ONE.

 

Drink in hand...we headed out for Barefoot Beach, which was a place I had read about and heard good things about. I was hoping it would be nicer in the water there.

 

It was.

 

OMG...so beautiful:

 

 

Back toward where we came from:

 

 

Looking further down...away from the action:

 

 

There is a sort of packed sand path that you can walk to get here:

 

[Anita Latte]

The trees here aren't as dense. But you CAN find a deep pocket of shade:

 

 

Anywhere there are trees though...these are PINE trees? They are messy and they made the sand messy:

 

 

It seemed easier to be close to some shade but able to access softer sand here though. It wasn't beautiful sand...but it was better than some of the pine tree sand.

 

I was not attracted to the water here much...I ended up on my lounger taking in the beauty though:

 

 

 

 

You can rent a raft to use here. The fee is pretty nominal. If you look hard at the horizon here (don't be fooled by DS's head closer)...you can see two dots. They are two people each on one of those rafts...we totally thought they were on kayaks:

 

 

I don't know if the lack of current here is normal? They were straddling the rafts and able to move themselves very far out...admittedly, the water wasn't very deep.

[Scotty G]

If you don't know...CocoCay is Royal Caribbean's private island/beach resort. IIRC, no one lives on the island...the workers there commute to the island to work when a ship is "in port."

 

Great review - one of the best I have seen!

 

Just to clarify, RCI has around 40-50 employees stationed on Little Stirrup Cay, aka Coco Cay (RCCL name). There is an Island Manager who overseas all permanent island functions including the contract tender operation.

 

They live in a cantonment area with dorms and dining facility. Their contracts are similar to those that work on the ships. Food and other supplies are delivered periodically by the ships that come there from Florida.

 

All food and beverages consumed by cruisers comes from the ship and is served exclusively by ships crew.

 

The folks that work the Straw Market and the tender operators are the ones who commute to work there.

[Anita Latte]

We found a HUGE shell:

 

 

and we are pretty sure that it was occupied:

 

 

The facilities weren't so far away. It wasn't SO far to walk to Willie's Shack and the restrooms that were directly across. I wasn't sure that I could get DS another Coco Loco here because I couldn't see a blender? He had a smallish cooler that was filled with the frozen goodness and just scooped some into a glass for him.

 

DH and I opted for Coronas. Because that seemed like a very beachy thing to do to me. These are glass bottles, so they poor into a plastic cup for you and add a lime (if wanted).

 

The Coronas went down easy...so it was good that it was getting later in the day.

 

I think it was before 4 pm but we were starting to feel like the only people still on the island...we had had a bunch of sun and so we decided to pack up and leisurely wander back to the tender.

 

I remember the chickens on Key West...how do they get here?:

 

 

 

And the island LOOKED pretty deserted too...Water Sports Beach (Maybe Snorkle)

 

 

Some of these thatched roofs are near the food service area:

 

[Anita Latte]

Great review - one of the best I have seen!

 

Just to clarify, RCI has around 40-50 employees stationed on Little Stirrup Cay, aka Coco Cay (RCCL name). There is an Island Manager who overseas all permanent island functions including the contract tender operation.

 

They live in a cantonment area with dorms and dining facility. Their contracts are similar to those that work on the ships. Food and other supplies are delivered periodically by the ships that come there from Florida.

 

All food and beverages consumed by cruisers comes from the ship and is served exclusively by ships crew.

 

The folks that work the Straw Market and the tender operators are the ones who commute to work there.

 

Ahhh. Thank you for that info!

[NOSaints1]

Where do you fly from to take the Enchanment?

[Anita Latte]

Where do you fly from to take the Enchanment?

Orlando. Port Canaveral is about 45 or so minutes away from MCO.

[NOSaints1]

My DW and I are going on the Adventure, so when we want to take my parents Majesty will be in PC and Enchanment will be in MIA

[Anita Latte]

My DW and I are going on the Adventure, so when we want to take my parents Majesty will be in PC and Enchanment will be in MIA

OK. I did read that. I think many people that fly to embark at the MIA port end up flying into FLL and having to find transportation to the MIA port. At least...that's my impression. Most people I know find deals on Southwest and I think that requires flying into FLL.

 

That is definitely a consideration for your cruise. I have never embarked in MIA. I have in FLL, Galveston, Jacksonville, Port Canaveral and San Juan. It's an important consideration too because this is how you begin and end your vacation, you know?

 

And there could be added expense due to the transportation issue.

[Scotty G]

My DW and I are going on the Adventure, so when we want to take my parents Majesty will be in PC and Enchantment will be in MIA

 

Sounds pretty easy and inexpensive to get from Miami Airport to Port of Miami. This is under Florida Departures: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2261009

[Valentyna]

Just wanted to thank you for your review. My bff and I will be heading out on an Eastern Caribbean 7-day on November 1. We'll be on the Freedom instead but I felt like I got a lot out of your narrative. Nice work!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Miryam1234]

 

Today's Total: $77.50 (not including bottled waters...OR 18% gratuity)

With Gratuity: $91.45

Daily Premium Package cost: $57.00

 

There is no "savings" here in my mind. I didn't SAVE any money. I SPENT less. Did I spend less because I drank more because I had the package.

 

You betcha...it's WHY I knew that it would be a good deal for us to get the package.

DH had a similar day...

 

I like your thinking! It's not about saving. It's about enjoying yourself while cruising, not having to think about the prices. And still knowing exactly how much you are spending.

 

Let's face it: nobody is doing this every day anyways. It's your vacation, special time. Something you've earned and worked for. I want to enjoy, not to think about if I can afford still another mojito. Or just choosing a beer over a strange drink mix because I dont know if I can finish the strange mix.

 

And let's not forget about the water! That is a huge plus for us.

 

Thanks for your review and for sharing this.

[awhfy]

Anita, loving this review! Did you happen to see any paddleboards on the private island? That water is perfect for that activity! All our cruises we've never hit CocoCay. NCLs private island on our first cruise (in 1995)

[Anita Latte]

Thanks again for the positive feedback! I do appreciate it so much.

 

Melody...I don't recall seeing any paddle boards...but I didn't see ANY rental equipment...which just means that I wasn't near any rental equipment...it was there. I recall reading that there were supposed to be both kayaks and paddle boards though. You are absolutely right though...it was PERFECT paddle boarding. It would have been a great place to give it a try. I have no idea if it is normally like this? Is there some natural barrier to the current? Or what it just the way it was that day? IDK...I couldn't get over it...I took so many pictures of the smooth sea.

[Anita Latte]

We made our leisurely way back to the tender...

 

The island felt deserted. I KNOW that the last tender was supposed to depart at 5:00 pm...(I heard the announcement AND the Compass says so) but we were feeling so alone...we weren't, but it just felt that way...

 

The bars were all closed.

 

The restrooms were being cleaned with signs everywhere warning of the wet surfaces. I was able to sneek into one a use the ONE stall that the lady in there hadn't hit with bleach yet...

 

It wasn't yet 4:00 pm but my men were thinking that there was no way that you could stay there for another hour.

 

That isn't to stay you couldn't.

 

But seriously, everything was closed.

 

Good night. The party's over.

 

Move along. There's nothing to see here.

 

There is a foot wash station right before you hit the hard surface of the docking area of the tender.

 

 

I noticed it upon arrival...you can see the mostly closed and closing down Straw Market in the distance. I had thought for sure that we could hit the market for some end of day shopping...last opportunity to leave some money with the locals, right?...but I was mistaken...they were also done for the day before 4 pm.

 

There are showers in the beach areas. So...you could...and we did...give yourself a rinse before hitting the lunch buffet...or at any time. They are conveniently located for continuing to enjoy the beach...but you really need this last foot wash (with the faucet and water power closer to your feet) to help the sandy foot situation.

 

Me...looking down:

 

 

As we sat on the tender...I remember that I was wondering how long we'd have to wait to be able to leave. How full did the tender have to be? Was it timed?

 

Still have no clue. There were passengers in every row by the time we left. We did wait. I kept asking DH what time it was...the last time I recall was 4:10 ish. I was glad I hit the restroom before boarding...

 

Just sayin'.

 

Choose the top deck of the tender if you want some picture taking time and views worthy of pictures:

 

 

The last closer view of Coco Cay:

 

 

In contrast...here was one of the first close up views...see what I mean about the foggy camera lens?

 

[Anita Latte]

As I just said...the smooth sea was really an incredible sight:

 

 

Our family conversation was along the lines of this being some creepy scene from the one Pirates of the Caribbean movie...I think World's End.

 

 

It all almost looked fake. Like a false background. An elaborate set.

 

The ripples you may see are from the movement of the tender...

 

 

Here you can see where the PV rooms (our stateroom) are...see the circle in the windows in the middle of the side of the ship?

 

 

One last look at Coco Cay:

 

 

In the boarding area of the ship...they were collecting the towels that you may have checked out. The check out is considered to be for your stateroom, so it doesn't matter whose card you used specifically, so long as a card connected to the stateroom is booped to recheck the towels.

 

Our mostly dry...somewhat damp selves headed straight up to our stateroom.

[Anita Latte]

In the stateroom...

 

This was another specific moment in time where I adored our stateroom...

 

Normally, I wouldn't think I would be that jazzed about a plastic window seat? But when you have 3 people who all want to now take showers...and you don't really want to put on any other clothes before showering?...and you aren't exactly dry...or completely free of SAND...

 

Well. That's when you be super duper happy that you have a warm plastic window seat to sit on!

 

And continue to enjoy the view while you patiently wait for your turn in the bathroom:

 

 

And if YOUR cabin steward is as sharp as OUR cabin steward...yay Oswald!...then you might be enjoying that view while sipping on some Matua wine.

 

We had both Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. I had requested a bucket of ice to chill the white...and smart man that Oswald is...he not only had the wine on ice in the bucket...but also, he had provided two wine glasses and an extra hand towel by the bucket!

 

Rock on Oswald!

 

And that my friends...a private view on your plastic window seat basking in the welcome warmth...feeling very floppy from a full day in the sun...and tired from all the energy spent relaxing on the beach...sipping a cool glass of wine with your honey...is why bringing your wine allowance on board (even if you purchase the Premium package) is worth it.

 

Oh yeah.

 

Sometimes...you just have to hang out in your stateroom for a while...and you don't want to leave...

 

It was formal night!

 

There was some serious lounging around to do before dinner...

[FLCruisin'Mom]

Looking forward to hearing about formal night! CoCo Cay and formal night are the 2 things I am most excited about!:p

[Anita Latte]

I enjoy formal night!

 

Since many people seem to discuss clothing issues related to formal night...

 

I do like to dress up...and my men like to dress up too...

 

On past cruises, the men have worn full suits (black), sport coats, and just shirt and tie. We have eaten in the MDR and we have done the Specialty Restaurant for formal night dinner also.

 

As good as I am with my mobility...I still have issues with my knee (it's the fate of living without an ACL) and I must admit that this has put just a little bit of a damper on my enthusiasm for dressing up in my more formal dresses. It's the shoes...

 

I'm generally a practical person...but I haven't truly found what I think of as full on formal flats. Not 100%.

 

I was going for the "sparkly top" look and wanted to find the equivalent for my men. I think men are more limited in options for being more or less dressy...but I landed on the idea of a long sleeved Guayabera shirt (traditional Mexican wedding shirt) and linen dress pants. I saw a couple in a similar outfit last Fall Break and thought it looked very appropriate for an elegant Tropical evening...

 

We went to dinner after a bit of a rest and a leisurely "getting ready" phase...

 

This view is of the Centrum from Deck 8 in the elevator area:

 

 

You can see some men in coats...some just in long sleeved dress shirts...women in dresses and a couple in pants...but mostly...I think it's just a fun graphic picture.

 

After dinner...the sunset view was spectacular...remember MTD is on the Promenade Deck...so we just headed out...and continued to marvel at the smooth sea:

 

 

The moon was out too...though I don't think it looks very "real" in this photo:

 

 

And here is DH and I:

 

 

DS looked like DH...but he had a black shirt and different colored pants.

[Anita Latte]

I believe I already mentioned that DS was interested to see if the sushi offerings were better earlier in the service...we made our way up to the Windjammer...and enjoyed the ambiance of the Pool Deck:

 

 

Here you can see the big screen in the distance...it's the bright rectangle.

 

 

In the evenings and at night, you can watch full length movies on that screen. Usually there are 2 or 3 showings a night. Tonight's first feature was "San Andreas". The second was "Pitch Perfect 2".

 

These big globe lamps are on the railing that defines the space for one of the table tennis tables. It's hard to see here, but it's in the curved part. There is another one on the other side of the boat. There are paddles but the balls were in short supply and often cracked.

 

 

The sliding glass doors lead to the Solarium and the Park Cafe. Even when the Park Cafe was closed during the day...you could usually still get the complementary beverages, including water, coffee and tea.

 

This view is from under the big screen standing in front of the pool bar. IIRC, Dh and I had grabbed some coffee from the Solarium and were having them doctored up for Irish Coffee.

 

 

You can see some people lounging and watching the movie. On the right is the Oasis Bar under what I always thought of as fins...and the Viking Crown lounge overlooking all. In the foreground is the splash zone and one of the pools (which was closed during the movie). The other arching canvas structures are covering the whirlpools on the deck (which were open during the movie).

 

I know we headed to Music Trivia in Boleros.

 

I often take a what I think of as a time stamp picture, to make a pictodiary of what we do during the day/evening. Prior to trivia, the Caribbean Band "Spices" was playing in Boleros...this is a horrible picture, but this is my time stamp:

 

 

It's a small stage area...and there is a dance floor. The band was very good. Very easy to listen to...they did have that fun steel drum sound. One of the keyboards was set to synthesize steel drums. It was the kind of music that was very easy to listen to...not too many dancers.

 

While we were in Boleros...I had to check out the menu again, because that Sangria drink was SO bad. And that's when I discovered my FAVORITE cocktail on the ship.

 

The clouds parted and a chorus sounded...Aaaaaahhhhhh!

 

 

The Triple Coconut Mojito! From the menu: Malibu coconut rum, coconut water, and a rim of desiccated coconut are three more reasons to enjoy this Cuban classic.

 

This is the only lounge on board capable of making the Coconut Mojito...