Just Back from Enchantment--9/20-9/25

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

My family and I just returned from the Enchantment of the Seas 5 night Cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Grand Cayman and Cozumel. There were four of us, including my parents and my 22 year old sister (I am 27). We are all Diamond Plus Members and have been on the Enchantment before. We all have about thirty cruises under our belts. If you're looking for detailed info regarding dining, shows, etc., you might want to pass on reading. We just like to go and relax, lounge by the pool, etc. We don't usually attend many shows or join in on the activities.

 

We are from Cleveland, so we flew from Clevelan Hopkins direct to FLL a day prior. Stayed at the Sheraton Yankee Clipper and were very pleased with the hotel. I had read a lot of negative reviews prior, but knew not to take them too seriously, and I was right. We are used to staying at Hyatt's, Intercontinentals, etc. It's a very decent hotel with two buildings, the main building and then one across the street that sits directly on the beach. We asked for the beach building and were appointed a very ncie room with two double beds, not ocean view though, although from our window (no balconies here), we could see the ocean. The room was very clean and the service was excellent. The hotel staff was very nice, helpful, and eager to please. It's super easy to get across to the beach going through the main building of the hotel. They are doing some minor construction and we had to walk through sort of an outside maze to get to the beach building, but it only took a second and was no trouble at all. Once in our room, we went to the SanBar Grill to get a bite to eat. This is a small open air restaurant/bar right on the beach that serves hamburgers (no fries), hot dogs, etc. The menu was very small and average in price. After lunch, we laid on the beach, but the water was too rough (and filled with seaweed) to swim in, so we went back to the room for a nap.

 

We did not use either pool as they were both very small and crowded, and this leads me to the only negative aspect of this hotel. We like to go swimming at night, and when we went to do so, it had been shut down, no lights on. We tried both pools, but both were closed by 8:00 p.m. We were very disappointed and wonder why certain hotels close down their bar/pools so early.

 

After our nap, we took a cab over to Las Olas/Ocean Blvd. It was very close...maybe a 5 minute ride. Once there, we walked a bit and ate dinner at the Seafood & Crab house right on Ocean Blvd and it was very good. Ft. Lauderdale is a very pretty area and although I am used to Miami and like it, Ft. Lauderdale feels a step above to me, as there is more to see and do.

 

Up in the morning early, took a walk on the beach, and just grabbed some bagels and juice from the "Deli/Store" down in the hotel lobby, and got ready to go over to the ship. We went down early and the Gentleman who came to get our luggage called us a cab. We needed a van, so they arranged that and we paid $6 a person to get to the port which I feel was a bit high. We left around 10 a.m., stopped a walgreens for some things, and arrived at the port around 10:20. People were still leaving the ship, so we found a porter to take our luggage, and we walked around the terminal to the entrance. We were not the first people there, and we waited in a short line for about 8 minutes until we were able to check in. We received our sea pass cards and were seated where we would be the first group onto the ship after the wedding party. I believe we sat for maybe a half hour, and were on the ship by 11:45-12:00. Can't remember exactly.

 

I'm just going to summarize the rest of the trip below and then give pro's/cons that we experienced while onboard.

 

Captain: Srecko Ban from Croatia

CD: Paul Rutter

 

 

Our stateroom was #7612. It was a great location, surprisingly quiet as it was right in the centrum area of the ship, and were pleased with the cabin overall. Oscar was our Attendant and was excellent. Very nice guy and we became friends with him during the week. If you have Oscar, he will take good care of you.

 

Brown water concerns: We did not experience any brown water the entire time, but did notice that once in awhile the water was a little yellowish. We were prepared and had brought lots of bottled water, but we were fine. Another problem the Enchantment is experiencing now, though, is that the water in the staterooms is too hot. In our room at least, there absolutely NO cool or cold water at all. It was so bad the first 2 nights we asked Oscar to try to get someone to adjust it. He did and after that it did improve, but it is another maintenance problem the ship is currently having. They did shut the water off in Cozumel from 11-3, and then again one evening for an hour. I think the brown water problem should be over now, as I asked some of my crew buddies about it, but we'll see what others have to say.

 

Also another issue I noticed on this ship was that the A/C has been significantly cut back. I am ALWAYS cold and it was very, very warm everywhere on the ship. Not sure if it's the Enchantment only, or other ships as well. I know the Majesty was always cold, so this was definitely different for us. Our cabin was very warm and never seemed to cool down.

 

We chose to go "casual" and eat in the Windjammer each night. Also made a reservation at Chops for the final night of the cruise for my Mom and my sister (I am a vegetarian so didn't see the need). We have a very good friend who is a Head waiter in the Dining Room, so we did visit the DR each night to see him, but did not eat there. The food in the Windjammer is good, but nothing extraordinary. I liked it very much b/c there were lots of different choices for my meatless diet, but my sister was disappointed and wanted more of the Dining Room menu b/c she hadn't cruised in awhile. The food was always fresh and hot, and they offered either a "Mongolian Barbecue" option or a "Pasta Bar" each night in addition to the other choices. They had a great salad bar, fresh fruit, etc. One negative that I have noticed within the last couple of years are the dessert choices in the Windjammer. They have very, very weak options and nothing CLOSE to what you would get in the Main dining room. They usually had fresh fruit and cookies (coconut, oatmeal raisin, etc), a custard choice, a jello choice, and then maybe a non-choclately pie or cake. I was disappointed in this category, as I remember the old days when there were quite a few solid choices of desserts. I skipped dessert most nights because of this.

 

Honorable mention would go to John from Colombia, a server in the Windjammer while we were onboard. He was great and was always there to get our drinks and anything else we may have needed. He was also great getting our bottle of champagne that we had purchased through the ship to have one evening at dinner. We tipped John each night for his services.

 

This was a 5 night cruise, and the first day was a Sea Day. I was *very* impressed with the pool deck on the Enchantment, and feel as though it was the best pool deck of any ship I have been on thus far. It was very large and spacious, with two main pools (one slightly smaller than the other, and one freshwater/one saltwater as well), a Childrens splash pool, and the 2 whirlpools. You'll also find the solarium along with 2 more whirlpools and the retractable roof on Deck 9 as well.

 

As always, it was a crowded Sea Day by the pool, but everyone had a great time and there were no problems with chairs as I could see, but then I usually don't pay too much attention to what other people are doing. The water was great, perfect temperature and we were blessed with continuous sunshine and temps in the high 80's the entire week. We were so lucky!

 

The next day (Monday) was Grand Cayman. This has been long anticipated since GC is my favorite island of all time, and we booked the cruise hoping to make it into port. We anchored around 7:30 a.m. and since we had the VIP tender tickets, headed down to grab one of the first tenders. We did, and were on land by 8:15 and greeted with temps in the high 80's and abundant sunshine once again. We stopped in a couple of stores, then grabbed a taxi and headed to the Grand Cayman Beach suites (formerly the Hyatt) on 7 Mile Beach. Upon arrival, we went to the front desk (we have done this numerous times before) and purchasd our Day Passes for $25 each (USD). We were then free to use their facilities inclusing 2 pools, a swim-up bar, a whirlpool, and their beach facilities and lounge chairs. It's a beautiful place and very uncrowded, as the Enchantment was the only shipped docked that day. We ate lunch outside at the grill and bar, had a few drinks, and retreated back to the ocean. It was a great day and we were sad to leave as we had to do so by 2:30 to make the last tender at 3:30. I wish Royal would allow some extra time at the port, but it is what it is....

 

The following day (tuesday) was Cozumel. We have been to Cozumel many times and usually don't get off the ship, but this time we decided to head over to Nachi Cocum. I had booked the excursion online through islandmarketing.com and paid a deposit of $12 per person with a credit card to reserve our spots there. We arrived in Cozumel around 10:00 a.m, and I believe we off the ship around 10:30. We arrived at the International Pier and shopped a bit, then headed through the building and to grab a taxi. It was $16 for all four of us to Nachi.

 

When we arrived, there was a lady waiting to snap a picture of all four of us in Sombreros....THAT was an experience, ha, ha!! We had a good laugh, and continued on through to where a gentleman named Manuel took our reservation confirmation, the remaining balance of the $50 PP, and gave us wristbands. Manuel was also going to be our server for the day, and explained what was available to us at Nachi and escorted us to our Palapas (grass huts that offered shade and 2 padded lounge chairs and a table). This place was absolutely BEAUTIFUL and was a very fun day. There were probably about 10-12 people there that day (including us) and it is a gorgeous beach, very secluded, and quiet. We spent most of the day in the crystal clear water, but there is also a really nice pool with a swim up bar and lounge chairs as well.

 

The $50 PP included the facilites, unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (bottled water as well), and one appetizer, entree, and dessert per person. It is a GREAT deal and well worth the $50. They make great drinks (Try the Mamasita...it's excellent!!) You can spread out ordering your food throughout the day. We had the nachos and guacamole for appetizers, and then the Enchiladas for lunch. Everything was excellent and safe to eat/drink.

We also took advantage of the Massage Center here and all four of us got 1/2 hour massages. They were awesome!!! Everyone is very nice here and we were extremely impressed with the organization and attentiveness of all the workers. We were ready (not literally) to leave around 4:30 p.m. to go back to the ship (All aboard is 6:30), and Manuel called a taxi and it was there waiting for us as we left. We tipped Manuel for his services and were off to the ship. We had another great beach day and again, were sad to leave the island.

 

The next day (Wednesday) was the final Sea Day and once again with the great weather, the pool area was packed. We watched the Men's (now apparently women can participate as well...?) International Belly Flop Competition, which was quite amusing actually, and just laid out in the sun. Most days we atea lunch in the Windjammer or grabbed the pizza/burgers/hot dogs/fries at the Solarium Cafe. They also have Veggie Burgers available here, for anyone who is interested.

 

This evening, my Dad and I once again ate at the Windjammer for dinner while my Mom and sister dined in Chops. They were both happy with the food, but said that the service was so over the top, that they wouldn't go back. I'm sure this is a personal preference (that I share as well), but we just don't like people falling over us, or frequenting the table too often while we're eating. My Mom said that literally every 2-3 minutes someone was at the table asking if everything was okay, or taking away an empty glass, or a sugar packet (LOL). They said they would take one bite, and one of the 3 waiters would be there asking if everything was okay. This may be okay for some, but I know for them it just wasn't too pleasant.

 

We did have a major problem that was never fixed and created quite a bit of disappointment for us, especially from my Dad. Starting on the very first day, his Sea Pass never worked, neither as a room key, or as a charge card for the ship. He notified Guest Relations right away, and between the 5 days on the ship, we all received up to 5 different Sea Pass card and spent a ridiculous amount of time at the Purser's desk trying to resolve it. It was very frustrating, one day all 4 of us had to go the entire day without being able to buy anything with the cards, and my father went the entire 5 days without being able to use the card. Guest Relations was not very helpful at all, but rather had Miami working on the problem which never was resolved. My Dad was very upset about it and I have to agree that it was a major inconvenience. I have heard that Management on this ship is a problem, and I saw it quite a few times this cruise. We tried not to let it ruin our cruise...but you have to admit, that would be rather annoying.

 

Everything else went smoothly and we were off the ship by 8:30 using our White luggage tags. We had a good time, although noticing more and more cutbacks from RCI and poor customer service. But, I always have a good time on a cruise and am always happy to return to the ship. The world is not in a good state right now, so lots of things are changing all over the place, not just with Royal Caribbean. I felt fortunate that I was able to cruise again!!

 

If anyone has any specific questions, please feel free to ask. The Enchantment is a beautiful ship....but she is moving to Panama soon!

 

Thanks for Reading,

 

~Stacy

[kimbiak]

Stacy,

We will be on Enchantment and doing this same itinerary Nov 15th. Just one question. Was island time the same as itinerary time? Meaning we are scheduled to do Grand Cayman 7:30am-4pm and Cozumel 10am - 7pm. Are these times correct or was island time an hour earlier? I'm trying to book an independent excursion so this would be helpful to know.

Thanks,

Kim

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Hi Kim,

 

No, we actually had to set our clocks back one hour the night before Cayman, and then ahead one hour on our way back.

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Here are some pics, hope this worked:

 

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Grand Cayman Beach Suites (Formerly the Hyatt):

 

 

 

Enchantment Pool Deck:

 

 

Nachi Cocum:

 

 

Nachi:

 

[GMoney]

 

Also another issue I noticed on this ship was that the A/C has been significantly cut back. I am ALWAYS cold and it was very, very warm everywhere on the ship. Not sure if it's the Enchantment only, or other ships as well. I know the Majesty was always cold, so this was definitely different for us. Our cabin was very warm and never seemed to cool down.

 

Having been on 3 ships (Enchantment, Grandeur and Majesty) in about a 4-week period recently, I totally agree with this.

[sailor moon]

We will be on Enchantment over Thanksgiving! We were on the Navigator last Thanksgiving and I am looking forward to a smaller ship :) I enjoy the Vision class size. Hopefully the A/C will be fixed.....

[CLATHEN]

Hey Stacy-

 

I'll be sailing on Enchantment in 6 long days and I have a few questions if you dont mind.

 

Im trying to decide how much money to take for my day in Grand Cayman. At the Grand Cayman Beach Suites are the drinks and food included? If not, can you use a debit or credit card to purchase food and drinks? How resonable are the prices?

 

Thanks in advance,

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Hi Cara,

 

Everything is very expensive in GC, and usually in the CI (Cayman Islands $$). The restaurant, bar and gift shop will all be in CI money. Yes, you can use credit/debit cards there. We had 4 people and lunch of just basic burgers, an appetizer and 2 drinks was $97. Also, I went back to the bar to grab 2 drinks and a coke and it was $30 US. So very expensive.

 

Nothing is included in the $25 other than their facilities. Let me know if you have any more questions.

[mr jailerman]

Hi Stacy.:) I noticed that you have been on the Majesty 35 times or more so your the person that I must ask some questions to please ..:D I am thinking of taking my 9 Year old son on the Majesty next summer. We just got off of the Enchantment last month and he had a great time at their Adventure Ocean and I would think that he would on the Majesty as well ? Do you know anything about the Kids programs on the Majesty ? Also we had stayed last month in a Junior Suite on Enchantment and I am thinking that I would do the same with this cruise as well. Are they worth it in your opinion ? Any other info for a First timer on her would be great. Thanks very much and glad to hear that you had a good Enchantment cruise.:) Kurt..

[Cruisenouvelle]

Thanks for taking the time to share your observations. We were on Enchantment earlier this month, and also enjoyed it. You pics are also very nice, and brought back some nice memories. Thanks again.

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Hi Stacy.:) I noticed that you have been on the Majesty 35 times or more so your the person that I must ask some questions to please ..:D I am thinking of taking my 9 Year old son on the Majesty next summer. We just got off of the Enchantment last month and he had a great time at their Adventure Ocean and I would think that he would on the Majesty as well ? Do you know anything about the Kids programs on the Majesty ? Also we had stayed last month in a Junior Suite on Enchantment and I am thinking that I would do the same with this cruise as well. Are they worth it in your opinion ? Any other info for a First timer on her would be great. Thanks very much and glad to hear that you had a good Enchantment cruise.:) Kurt..

 

Hi Kurt,

 

I would think your son would have a great time at AO on the Majesty as well, although I don’t really know much about AO anymore. My sister used to participate when she was younger, but that wouldn’t help you now.

 

Yes, I would def go for the Junior Suite on the Majesty…you’ll have some more room in there.

 

Let me know if you have any more specific questions.

[4everafter]

I am thinking of booking Labor Day 09 , same trip over a B2B on Majesty (which we'll be on a month before anyways) , being Labor Day , we'd like to stretch out just a bit more than the 3 or 4 day with repeats.

 

Did you use the CL? what other alternative food choices are there besides windjammer and MDR? are the rooms updated with the new bedding?

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

I believe they may have removed the Chairman's Lounge from the Port of Miami....not 100% sure, but I thought they did.

 

On the MJ they have the Compass Deli, Sorrento's Pizza, and Johnny Rockets. Other than that, just the MDR and the Windjammer.

 

Yes, all staterooms have the updated bedding.

[4everafter]

I thought Enchantment has a Concerige Lounge too?

 

Also, is the Windjammer open longer than until 9pm for snacks? we miss dinner a lot. Was it hard to get Chops Reservations?

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

ACtually, by "CL" I thought you were talking about the Chairman's lounge at the Pier, not the Concierge Lounge.

 

The last time I was on the MJ, I was not aware of a Concierge Lounge.....you might want to check that out.

 

Windjammer is open for dinner from 6:30-9. No snacks after that, you'd have to go to Sorrento's.

[vermontvoyager]

Having been on 3 ships (Enchantment, Grandeur and Majesty) in about a 4-week period recently, I totally agree with this.

 

I heard a while ago on the boards, whether this is true or not. That RCCL has cut back on the A/C on their ships to help cut back on fuel consumption.

It would make some sense, since they are cutting some ports and sailing at slower speeds to cut fuel consumption.

Bob:)

[berman947]

There is no Concierge Lounge on Majesty. Just a welcome back reception.

[dmbfiredancer03]

I heard a while ago on the boards, whether this is true or not. That RCCL has cut back on the A/C on their ships to help cut back on fuel consumption.

It would make some sense, since they are cutting some ports and sailing at slower speeds to cut fuel consumption.

 

 

Bob:)

 

That would make sense... it felt rather hot on the Sovereign earlier this month, and I know it wasn't just me because everyone in my group mentioned it. While my cabin finally cooled off the second night, the others said it was still warm.

[4everafter]

There is no Concierge Lounge on Majesty. Just a welcome back reception.

 

I meant is there a Conceirge Lounge on Enchantment?

[aurelius180]

I heard a while ago on the boards, whether this is true or not. That RCCL has cut back on the A/C on their ships to help cut back on fuel consumption.

It would make some sense, since they are cutting some ports and sailing at slower speeds to cut fuel consumption.

 

 

Bob:)

 

 

This doesn't make me happy! :mad: I thouroughly enjoyed the coolness of the Majesty last year when I was on it.

 

I wonder if the increase in temperature has increased drink sales....:rolleyes:

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

I meant is there a Conceirge Lounge on Enchantment?

 

Yes, there is. :)

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

This doesn't make me happy! :mad: I thouroughly enjoyed the coolness of the Majesty last year when I was on it.

 

I wonder if the increase in temperature has increased drink sales....:rolleyes:

 

I don't know, but I'm glad I'm not the only one who has noticed it. It was a MAJOR change, as I'm sure we're all used to that awesome feeling of the A/C hitting us once getting back onboard or from going outside back inside. It just isn't the case anymore, at least on the Enchantment. It was actually so hot when we first got onboard and waiting to get into the Windjammer, that I got out of line, very annoyed, and went back later. It was steaming hot, but I figured that it was just due to embarkation day. But it never got better. :(

[Tranquil Waters]

I can't imagine the complaints they would be getting if they keep their ships too hot. I certainly expect functioning adequate air conditioning as part of my cruise fair. Of course I guess there will be "those" who say it is all the fault of those pax who set their thermostats way down that caused this additional cutback...... :eek: :rolleyes: :D

[aurelius180]

I can't imagine the complaints they would be getting if they keep their ships too hot. I certainly expect functioning adequate air conditioning as part of my cruise fair. Of course I guess there will be "those" who say it is all the fault of those pax who set their thermostats way down that caused this additional cutback...... :eek: :rolleyes: :D

 

 

You have to wonder at what point even those poeple would except a price increase for what a majority feel are basic niceties....:confused: