On Enchanted now

[AtlantaCruiser72]

This will not be a live report and I may not do much fact finding. Just want to give some random observations. 
 

First - the ship is stunning. Every single area sparkles and is decorated beautifully. The crew are justifiably proud of their ship and keep her spotless

 

Second - food - very subjective. I would say the variety of items on offer has been equal to if not better than my previous Princess cruises. First night MDR dinner was exceptional. Second very good but may have just made choices that could have been better. Entrees both night’s excellent. Buffet breakfast good but nothing unique, but that is normal for Princess. Everything everywhere has been fresh and at expected temperatures. No evidence of cutbacks in quality or portion sizes. Zero complaints 

 

Third - service - the staff are friendly, responsive and up to princess standards of old. No waits for bar or food service even though ship seems to be 90-95% full

 

Fourth - entertainment. Have not attended and shows in theater but tonight is first production show (Spotlight Bar). Lounge entertainment good and the trio (piano, bass, drums) in take 5 are excellent however they SHOULD be a quartet with a brass/woodwind player of some sort, but that’s just a quibble. 
 

in conclusion - after 2 days the cruise is off to an excellent start with no noticeable cut backs in staffing, food quality or quantity of entertainment. 

[kywildcatfanone]

Glad to hear

[1965]

AtlantaCruiser72 loved reading such good things about the Enchanted. We board her on the 12th for 26 days. So looking forward to it.  😊

Edited November 3, 2023 by 1965

[Lady Arwen]

Thank you for sharing your cruise with us!  I’ll be following along and looking forward to it.  Have a wonderful time!

[MissP22]

It's always been excellent in the past and good to here that their reputation is continuing. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

We have yet to sail on the Enchanted...looking forward to the opportunity, though!

[LACruiser88]

Thank you for your updates!  We also board the Enchanted for the first time on the 12th.

 

Enjoy your cruise! 🥂

[Toottoot22]

19 days till our Mediterranean cruise on the Enchanted…. Can’t wait! Thank you for the review!

[PacnGoNow]

4 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

This will not be a live report and I may not do much fact finding. Just want to give some random observations. 
 

First - the ship is stunning. Every single area sparkles and is decorated beautifully. The crew are justifiably proud of their ship and keep her spotless

 

Second - food - very subjective. I would say the variety of items on offer has been equal to if not better than my previous Princess cruises. First night MDR dinner was exceptional. Second very good but may have just made choices that could have been better. Entrees both night’s excellent. Buffet breakfast good but nothing unique, but that is normal for Princess. Everything everywhere has been fresh and at expected temperatures. No evidence of cutbacks in quality or portion sizes. Zero complaints 

 

Third - service - the staff are friendly, responsive and up to princess standards of old. No waits for bar or food service even though ship seems to be 90-95% full

 

Fourth - entertainment. Have not attended and shows in theater but tonight is first production show (Spotlight Bar). Lounge entertainment good and the trio (piano, bass, drums) in take 5 are excellent however they SHOULD be a quartet with a brass/woodwind player of some sort, but that’s just a quibble. 
 

in conclusion - after 2 days the cruise is off to an excellent start with no noticeable cut backs in staffing, food quality or quantity of entertainment. 

One of our favorites and loved the crew.  Best crew we have had in the last year.

Enjoy!

[hllwdcruiser]

Looking forward to your report and so happy to hear the ship and staff are still excellent.
If you have a chance, would you mind checking to see if the have completely replaced the original Winemaker's Dinner with the $140 Caymus Winemaker's dinner?
We've really enjoyed the original one on past cruises, but I don't think we will be partaking in the Caymus one if that is all that is offered. 
I know you said that you may not do any fact finding, so no worries if you don't have the time!

Edited November 3, 2023 by hllwdcruiser

[World Bouncer]

Thank you for taking the time to share your observations and thoughts with us!!

We are counting the days til our 14 day Anniversary trip on Enchanted in April!

Hope you enjoy your time aboard and make lots of wonderful memories!

 

If you are on plus or premium, maybe you can answer this, and if not, maybe someone else who has recently been on can answer:

........we are wondering how the premium desserts are working on there? 

• 1. can you get the premium sundae without all the premium (in other words basically gelato)
• 2. are they offering the premium cake desserts?

 

[kad56]

Thank you so much! Are you seeing lines to get into the MDR? 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Day 4 - Santorini. Both exceeded expectations and disappointed. Akrotiri is an amazing archaeological site and we had an excellent guide with a real passion for her work ripples history. Oia was a picturesque as one imagined and enjoyed strolling the town however prices were borderline extortionate. Fira was well, dumpy. Ended up walking down the donkey doo path of doom as they kept shutting down the cable car due to high winds

 

dinner last night was the Catch by Rudi. Far exceeded expectations in every regard and would heartily encourage a visit. Started with the mussels Provençal which were heavenly and a massive portion. Really should be shared or served as a main. Main course was French turbot with a tepanade served over puréed parsnip and cauliflower. Perfection on a plate. Dessert was Chef Rudis signature soufflé which was light, fluffy and served over the most deliciously macerated strawberries. Service was outstanding 

 

spotlight bar was excellent n in main theater last night. Hands down best production show I’ve seen on Princess 

 

tonight’s dinner in MDR did not disappoint and the Mushroom arancini stater was a standout. Ordered the veal over the polenta that was supposed to accompany the shrimp/scallops rather than the mash it should have come with. The polenta was an excellent accompaniment to the veal which was perfectly cooked, though a Marsala should have mushroom in the sauce which this lacked. 
 

this continues to be an excellent sailing 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

2 hours ago, kad56 said:

Thank you so much! Are you seeing lines to get into the MDR?

 

 

Max wait I have seen/experienced has been 5 minutes. We have dined between 715-730 each evening with reservations in different MDR/tables each night

[Jimmys Chippy]

On 11/3/2023 at 11:54 AM, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

This will not be a live report and I may not do much fact finding. Just want to give some random observations. 
 

First - the ship is stunning. Every single area sparkles and is decorated beautifully. The crew are justifiably proud of their ship and keep her spotless

 

Second - food - very subjective. I would say the variety of items on offer has been equal to if not better than my previous Princess cruises. First night MDR dinner was exceptional. Second very good but may have just made choices that could have been better. Entrees both night’s excellent. Buffet breakfast good but nothing unique, but that is normal for Princess. Everything everywhere has been fresh and at expected temperatures. No evidence of cutbacks in quality or portion sizes. Zero complaints 

 

Third - service - the staff are friendly, responsive and up to princess standards of old. No waits for bar or food service even though ship seems to be 90-95% full

 

Fourth - entertainment. Have not attended and shows in theater but tonight is first production show (Spotlight Bar). Lounge entertainment good and the trio (piano, bass, drums) in take 5 are excellent however they SHOULD be a quartet with a brass/woodwind player of some sort, but that’s just a quibble. 
 

in conclusion - after 2 days the cruise is off to an excellent start with no noticeable cut backs in staffing, food quality or quantity of entertainment. 

How has the entertainment been so far throughout the ship? We’ve found the our two Enchanted cruises to generally be of a high standard but our two Sky cruises to be disappointing, especially on our last cruise in July.

[Senga]

On 11/4/2023 at 3:28 PM, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

though a Marsala should have mushroom in the sauce which this lacked. 

That was my complaint on the Enchanted in September and I was informed that I was incorrect expecting mushrooms in Marsala sauce/  That would be "Diane" not Marsala!  Who knew!

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Been a busy few days. Athens, Kusadasi (Ephesus), Mykonos, Katakalon (Olympia) and finally a much needed sea day.  I am left humbled and in awe of the beauty of the history of the region. If I had to pick a highlight it would definitely be Ephesus. If you visit make sure you book a tour that includes the terrace houses. Stunning.  That said each site we visited offered something new and unique and deepened my understanding of the region, its peoples and their cultural rise and fall. History came alive and I am forever changed. 
 

This itinerary is not well suited to those with mobility issues as few of the sites have facilities for guests with mobility issues and feature lots of uneven and irregular stairs/walkways with virtually no handrails.  The tours have LOTS of walking and many of the guides move at a fast pace.

 

We were lucky enough to dine at 360.  As we are not in a suite it was a cover of $149pp and with every penny!  Seven courses with complimenting cocktails and wine. Truly a magical experience and photos just do not do it justice. 
 

Ate at GiGi’s one evening and food was good. Service was a little lacking as our server was only 4th day on ship and still getting her footing (more on service later). Crown Grill exceeded my previous experiences and had a few more decent meals in MDR. Now for the big disappointment- O’Malleys. The food was actually very good but the service team was in meltdown mode while we were there. Plates of food coming out of kitchen and then going back in as servers were trying to deliver to wrong tables or had wrong items. Lack of training for new staff and inefficient management led to a very poor dining experience. So much so we walked out before dessert as the staff had virtually disappeared and left us abandoned. 
 

So now to the big issue - staffing. There are ample staff aboard and they really are trying to do their best. There has been a huge staff turnover during this cruise and it is apparent that many of the onboarding staff are new, like “new” new and they are receiving only the bare minimum of training before being sent to the wolves.  They are trying their hardest and I find a little patience and a smile go a long way to getting a positive result. 

 

More to come

[LACruiser88]

Thanks for the updates, we board on Sunday.

[PacnGoNow]

6 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

Been a busy few days. Athens, Kusadasi (Ephesus), Mykonos, Katakalon (Olympia) and finally a much needed sea day.  I am left humbled and in awe of the beauty of the history of the region. If I had to pick a highlight it would definitely be Ephesus. If you visit make sure you book a tour that includes the terrace houses. Stunning.  That said each site we visited offered something new and unique and deepened my understanding of the region, its peoples and their cultural rise and fall. History came alive and I am forever changed. 
 

This itinerary is not well suited to those with mobility issues as few of the sites have facilities for guests with mobility issues and feature lots of uneven and irregular stairs/walkways with virtually no handrails.  The tours have LOTS of walking and many of the guides move at a fast pace.

 

We were lucky enough to dine at 360.  As we are not in a suite it was a cover of $149pp and with every penny!  Seven courses with complimenting cocktails and wine. Truly a magical experience and photos just do not do it justice. 
 

Ate at GiGi’s one evening and food was good. Service was a little lacking as our server was only 4th day on ship and still getting her footing (more on service later). Crown Grill exceeded my previous experiences and had a few more decent meals in MDR. Now for the big disappointment- O’Malleys. The food was actually very good but the service team was in meltdown mode while we were there. Plates of food coming out of kitchen and then going back in as servers were trying to deliver to wrong tables or had wrong items. Lack of training for new staff and inefficient management led to a very poor dining experience. So much so we walked out before dessert as the staff had virtually disappeared and left us abandoned. 
 

So now to the big issue - staffing. There are ample staff aboard and they really are trying to do their best. There has been a huge staff turnover during this cruise and it is apparent that many of the onboarding staff are new, like “new” new and they are receiving only the bare minimum of training before being sent to the wolves.  They are trying their hardest and I find a little patience and a smile go a long way to getting a positive result. 

 

More to come

Sorry to hear about the staffing issues.  They were one of the best crews we ever had in March.  They really should stagger their contracts more, to keep on more experienced crew when brand new ones come OB.

Hopefully, they’ll catch on quickly.

 

Hope the rest of your cruise goes more smoothly.  Who is the DRO now?

[DCThunder]

6 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

Been a busy few days. Athens, Kusadasi (Ephesus), Mykonos, Katakalon (Olympia) and finally a much needed sea day.  I am left humbled and in awe of the beauty of the history of the region. If I had to pick a highlight it would definitely be Ephesus. If you visit make sure you book a tour that includes the terrace houses. Stunning.  That said each site we visited offered something new and unique and deepened my understanding of the region, its peoples and their cultural rise and fall. History came alive and I am forever changed. 

Serious question, did you feel at all unsafe or unwelcome in Kusadasi/Ephesus due to the situation in Gaza and the pro-Hamas demonstrations that have taken place in other parts of Turkey? 

 

I'm on an Island cruise that calls in Kusadasi on 11/27 and there are people on our Roll Call who are extremely nervous about getting off the ship there or even having a port call.  I'm not worried myself, and am looking forward to visiting Ephesus, but since you've just been there, I thought I'd pose the question to you.

[LACruiser88]

36 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Hope the rest of your cruise goes more smoothly.  Who is the DRO now?

Nicola Furlan, he boarded on Oct 8th and will stay on until January.  He moved over from the Regal.

 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by LACruiser88

[SCX22]

1 hour ago, DCThunder said:

I'm on an Island cruise that calls in Kusadasi on 11/27 and there are people on our Roll Call who are extremely nervous about getting off the ship there or even having a port call.  I'm not worried myself, and am looking forward to visiting Ephesus, but since you've just been there, I thought I'd pose the question to you.

 

Ephesus still full of people.  As the local guide told us on our tour, Americans should really stop using CNN as a primary source.  The war is between Israel and Gaza; Turkey is not involved.  Excursion to Ephesus ends in a carpet shop, you can walk directly back to the ship if you don't want to walk around town.  Not sure why you wouldn't want to walk around Kusadasi afterwards.  Paranoia for no reason.  Ship wouldn't stop here if Princess felt passengers would be at risk.  (On a side note, Princess cancelled a bunch of Turkey calls in 2017 on the Royal Princess because of government unrest.)

 

 

[Steelers36]

21 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

As the local guide told us on our tour, Americans should really stop using CNN as a primary source.

LOL... I would certainly second that emotion.

Edited November 10, 2023 by Steelers36

[DCThunder]

26 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

 

Ephesus still full of people.  As the local guide told us on our tour, Americans should really stop using CNN as a primary source.  The war is between Israel and Gaza; Turkey is not involved.  Excursion to Ephesus ends in a carpet shop, you can walk directly back to the ship if you don't want to walk around town.  Not sure why you wouldn't want to walk around Kusadasi afterwards.  Paranoia for no reason.  Ship wouldn't stop here if Princess felt passengers would be at risk.  (On a side note, Princess cancelled a bunch of Turkey calls in 2017 on the Royal Princess because of government unrest.)

 

 

Thank you.  I don't disagree with a word you wrote, and I know that even first hand observation won't change the opinion of those dedicated to certain media coverage and narratives.

Edited November 10, 2023 by DCThunder

[PacnGoNow]

3 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

LOL... I would certainly second that emotion.

😂  I would add to that.,,ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS and the US Embassies.  They have just advised us to be cautious when traveling outside of the country.

 

Isn’t that always the case?