Enchantment Review 7/27 + Fire Picture

[juliaoh]

My family (of five) and I got home last night from the July 27th Enchantment cruise. We had a good time, although I'm still deciding whether I liked this cruise as well as the Disney cruise two years ago. Just quickly, since I'm still unpacking:

· We were in grand suite 8032, with friends in 8034. The room was very nice, with a very comfortable bed, pillows and sheets (high praise from someone who really isn't comfortable in hotel rooms). The kids had no complaints about the sofa bed and rollaway. Our cabin attendant, Kenroy, was excellent. This room was nicer than the Disney family suite, although my husband liked all of the Disney cabins extra storage spots.

· I didn't care for the dining room-- too big, too noisy. Hard to talk to each other without yelling. We were misseated the first night, and were asked to move rather abruptly, like we sat at the wrong table on purpose. Food was good to ok, no better (I thought) than the Windjammer. After the Disney rotational dining, I thought the single dining room was a little boring. By the way, I don't know how anyone can see what people at the other tables were wearing, it was so crowded! My daughter did comment that she had the best hummus served in the Enchantment dining room.

· My husband and I thought the concierge lounge was overrated. We usually stay concierge at Disney World and often at other hotel. Here, the hours are too limited, as is what is offered. I couldn't get a diet coke (my prefered morning caffeine) in the mornings, and the concierge (Julian) wouldn't let me take a can to the cabin the night before. Julian was ok, no particular opinion one way or another. His karaoke (the last night), however, was interesting! I wouldn't let access to a lounge influence any decisions too much.

· We had a nice time in Key West and Cozumel. In Cozumel, we did a Catamaran Snorkel and Beach Party, which was a little crowded but fun. The beach part was nice.

· I think my ambivalence about this cruise is colored by the fire. We were in our cabin, getting ready for our excursion, when my daughter got me from the balcony, saying something smelled funny. By the time I went in, the cabin was noticably smokey, and smelled like burning plastic. We opened the hall door, and saw several crewpersons running by. At this point, my husband got the kids out of the cabin, while I got our passports, money etc, out of the safe. I met them on the stairs, and went up to the pool deck (the Windjammer just closed, also because of the fire). My husband told me when they went into the hall, one crewperson was screaming at them to "get out of here", until the female cruise director calmed the crewperson down, and told my family to just go upstairs to the pool. About 15 minures later, the captain made an announcement about the fire (in a tender, nothing to worry about, etc), so we headed back to the room to get the stuff for our snorkel. The room smelled really bad, and our smoke detector was still going off. We got out or there as fast as possible, not wanting to breath the fumes, and told a crewperson about it as we left. However, it still smelled and the alarm was still going off 4 1/2 hrs later. I called the desk about it, and the alarm was off by the time we got back from dinner, although it still smelled some. The next day, we smelled paint fumes! Obviously, we must have shared ventilation. No one ever asked if we were ok, or checked if the room was ok. My 9 yr old son wanted to get a plane ticket and fly home that day, and didn't sleep very well that night. No huge deal, but bothersome. By the way, the attached photo was taken as we went by in the catamaran out on an excursion.

· I need to go do some more laundry, so if anyone has any questions, I'll try and answer them. Julia

----->Big picture!

[BearySweet2Cruise]

We were on this same sailing on deck 7 cabin 7094. We never noticed a smoke smell and did not even know the ship caught fire, until the captain came on the PA and stated about what happened and how the fire is no resolved. We were ashore in cozumel and never even saw the fire, or damage as posted above. Was the ship facing port or away from port when the pic was taken? I cannot belive we did not notice the damage because we walked the cozumel pier and also took a boat excursion to the atlantis submarine that drove us right past the ship! WOW.. the pic is impressive.. but I think most passangers were not even aware it caught fire.. sorry you had the smoke inhalation in your cabin.. My bed had bed bugs.:eek:But that is posted in a different thread.

Hope your cruise was decent over all though :)

[coskat]

Bed bugs & Fire what an exciting cruise! I think I will avoid the Enchantment for any cruises in the near future.

[mommabean]

Well, since I am going on this ship soon, I have one little question. Were you docked in Cozumel or was it a tendered port?

[BearySweet2Cruise]

Well, since I am going on this ship soon, I have one little question. Were you docked in Cozumel or was it a tendered port?

 

We were docked at both Keywest and cozumel

[lyndamarie6]

You will have a wonderful cruise on her don't worry. I was on the Enchantment two weeks ago fabulous, Unfortunately for the person with the bed bugs but I know hotels even get that at times and the fire well be glad it wasen't on board to interrupt your cruise. I do feel that they should of given you something since you had the smell of smoke in your room, I would write Royal about it and complain and the same with you bed bugs you deserve something in return.

[wolfcathorse]

Juliaoh - who was the captain?

[juliaoh]

Captain Per? Not sure how it is spelled. The only reason I remember is the song the Adventurers Club sang the last night--- "I don't know but I've been told, Captain Per is gettng old".

[timespliters]

I see they are in the news again--

A passenger returning from the four day cruise ending today posted a message at Cruise Critic detailing their experience with bed bugs on the ship (Stateroom 7094), and the less-than-attentive response on the part of onboard staff. They report that when they left the ship, the room had been made up for the next passengers and it had not been fumigated.

[wrp96]

I see they are in the news again--

A passenger returning from the four day cruise ending today posted a message at Cruise Critic detailing their experience with bed bugs on the ship (Stateroom 7094), and the less-than-attentive response on the part of onboard staff. They report that when they left the ship, the room had been made up for the next passengers and it had not been fumigated.

 

Yeah, that was BearySweet who posted above.

[wrp96]

We were docked at both Keywest and cozumel

 

Hey, if you docked in Cozumel, that means they've gotten more work done on the piers. Previously, Enchantment was too long for the International Pier.

[BearySweet2Cruise]

I see they are in the news again--

A passenger returning from the four day cruise ending today posted a message at Cruise Critic detailing their experience with bed bugs on the ship (Stateroom 7094), and the less-than-attentive response on the part of onboard staff. They report that when they left the ship, the room had been made up for the next passengers and it had not been fumigated.

 

That is entirely correct I am that person unfortunately.. i have however contacted customer service and they took my report very seriously and I faxed them all documentation including names of every person I spke to and the medical report. I told them I will send pics when requested. They indicated that the ship log will not be recieved until Thursday and when they recieve the ship log they will working to resolve my issue. I am still itching as I type this, as the bites are all over my back and sides prodominantly.

I have to wait now and see what they will say will be the resolution to this problem. After ten loads of laundry I am still washing, being very careful as I unpack as I pray that I do not have a problem now that I am home:eek:

[BearySweet2Cruise]

Hey, if you docked in Cozumel, that means they've gotten more work done on the piers. Previously, Enchantment was too long for the International Pier.

 

Yes I thought that as well.. Apparently RCCL paid to have the pier repaired and only RCCL ships can dock. There were two other ships in port the day we were there and they were carnival ships tendereing in.

 

Still alot of extensive visible damage present at the pier and around the island

[lyndamarie6]

Bearysweet2cruise: Also, keep the clothes you normally would put in the drier right away longer in the drier and the clothes you may hang up outside to dry and immediately in the dryer for awhile, this way if anything else still on the clothes, they will be killed with the hot heat of the dryer. I would also throw away anything else such as toiletries and such that was in the same suitcase as your clothes, take the suit cases and put them outside wash them out a few times keep them outside a few days. Shoes put them outside everything from your bag that were in contact with clothing outside for the next few days.

[mibshubby]

Bearysweet2cruise: Also, keep the clothes you normally would put in the drier right away longer in the drier and the clothes you may hang up outside to dry and immediately in the dryer for awhile, this way if anything else still on the clothes, they will be killed with the hot heat of the dryer. I would also throw away anything else such as toiletries and such that was in the same suitcase as your clothes, take the suit cases and put them outside wash them out a few times keep them outside a few days. Shoes put them outside everything from your bag that were in contact with clothing outside for the next few days.

 

Just a little side note on this comment. Not all bugs die from the heat of the drier. I have personally seen ticks crawl out of the drier. They don't drown either.

[BearySweet2Cruise]

Thanks for all the helpful advice. I took the day after my vacation off (Today) to relax and rest up before going back to work, and it has been anything but restful.. thanks to STILL doing laundry and throwing things out from unpacking very carefully.. Hubby will be very PO'd if HE gets the Bed bugs, he does not sail as it is, and he would probably object to ME sailing again if he gets the BB!!

[jnnifer01]

Thanks for the review. Sorry to hear of your problems with the smoke. It's good that no one was hurt. DId they say how they thought the fire was started in the lifeboat?

Sorry to hear about the bed bugs, bearysweet. That's scary that they could be anywhere. I'm paranoid when we go to hotels or on ships and won't let DH unpack or leave the suitcases on the floor.

[juliaoh]

Someone, one of the cabin attendants I think, said it was an electrical short in some equiptment in the lifeboat. The picture certainly shows something started in the tender, but I never heard for sure. I had a little trouble understanding the Captain over the intercom. Julia

[sharonanna]

Julia, your photo turned out better than mine!!! (8034)

We were in the Windjammer when the fire broke out. The crew was very reassuring and calm as they told us to go outside back of the ship. The fire was on the ocean side, so you couldn't see it getting off of the ship... but if you took a boat excursion it wasn't hard to miss. I took 2 shots, one about an hour after it happened and another upon return from our party boat, approx. three hours later. You can see changes in each photo where ship staff attempted to clean up.

 

My family had a a great time on this cruise. We were a bit worried, since we were first time cruisers with 3 kids ages 8-15. The children/teen programs were fun according my kids. Any complaints? 1) It would have been nice to have more time in Key West & on Cozumel. A few hours isn't long enough!!!

2) They were very pushy about "tipping" at the end of the trip. We were planning to tip anyway, but "the bold reminders" were a bit overboard.

[CasaSmith]

Sharonanna,

 

We were in the Windjammer also. The crew was great. Did you hear the lady scream when she say the smoke? But besides that everyone else was calm and just got out of the way and very orderly.

 

Our table mates said they started painting as soon as they could.

 

But besides the fire, it was a nice trip and great weather.

 

Christine

[sharonanna]

Christine,

I heard the lady, but assumed she was injured by the fire, Hence the screaming! Interesting what people will do in a crisis...

[Justme2]

Could you please tell me what where the compimentary beverages available in the grand suite, if any thanks

[juliaoh]

There were cans of soda in the refrigerator, along with a price list. Th only other complimentary drinks were in the lounge in the evening, from 5-8ish. In the morning there was orange juice.

[riatn]

I have been following your story and CC seems to have removed the post on your bed bug experience on your own thread.

[Clarksfan1]

Use to be you could come on here and post your experiences good or bad. Now more then ever, when there are controversal post they seem to be getting deleted. Really seems like the Cruise Companies may be pulling the strings on CC. For example my post will be deleted.

 

And thats too bad, this use to be a great watchdog, now it is just part of the dog.