Enchantment of the Seas Review

4.0 / 5.0
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clo6216
10+ Cruises • Age 70s

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Sail Date: Jun 2013
Cabin: Owner's Suite with Balcony
Traveled with children

We took our 7th Annual Family Weekend Cruise July 7, this time aboard Enchantment if the Seas. We started on Sovereign of the Seas, followed by Monarch of the Seas. We live in Central Florida, and it’s a short drive to Port Canaveral. However, a couple of years ago we decided the 4-hour drive to Miami for NCL Sky was worth it, because the rooms on Monarch were so darn small, and the ship itself was rather worn out. When the whole family goes, we have to stick to weekend cruises because of work schedules, and choices are limited.So… I was very glad to learn Enchantment of the Seas would be taking Monarch’s place. I had hoped it was a step-up from Monarch and am happy to report it is a huge leap up!Our family consists of my husband and I, our son, our daughter and son-in-law and two grandsons, ages 5 and 11.We arrived at Port Canaveral at 12:45pm. Check-in took about 10 minutes. We all went to the Park Café in the Solarium for lunch since we did not want to battle the crowds at Windjammer. We enjoyed sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts in a relatively quiet setting. The food was very fresh.We went to our staterooms. We had three staterooms – and outside cabin, a balcony cabin, and an owner’s suite. All were excellent. I will caution anyone staying in OS 8022, and probably adjacent cabins, that noises from the Windjammer directly above are VERY LOUD in the morning while they are setting up. If you don’t want to get up at 6am, don’t book these rooms. We booked My Time Dining, but made reservations ahead of time. The reservation times were honored promptly, and we were lucky enough to have Harish and Nizar as our servers each night. Every single dish arrived as ordered, every time. We never lacked for a full water glass or bread and butter. They checked to make sure we liked everything at the appropriate times, and remembered our preferences.Formal night, as is the case on most of these short cruises, wasn’t so formal. My husband and sons wore suits. But most men just work slacks and nice shirts. Dress code was not enforced as there were some people in shorts.We were all pleasantly surprised at the quality, if not the variety, of the food served at all venues we tried. The bars in all areas of the ship (we found them all!) were also well staffed and service was prompt. Enchantment must have an excellent F&B manager.We went to the Concierge Lounge a couple of times for before-dinner cocktails. It is a nice amenity, but nothing special. Beer, wine, a few kinds of quality liquor and mixers, average hot and cold hors d'oeuvres. We did not get off the ship in Nassau. Been there -- done that -- hate running the gauntlet at the pier to get into town. The following day, my husband and all the kids went to Coco Cay and had a great time. I stayed on the ship, relaxed at the Solarium and also had a great time! The ship really empties out on Saturday and Sunday. The only time the ship seemed crowded was the day we boarded.There were a few rather ordinary shops onboard. I browsed, but did not buy. I already have enough $10 pashimas to last a lifetime! I did take advantage of the 4-for-$99 bottles of Grey Goose (liters). And then I won the drawing for $50 toward my liquor purchase.Best price ever on my favorite vodka! My advice is to enter all the drawings. Odds are probably better than the casino.Entertainment was okay. We saw a couple of shows (magician and part of production show) but spent most evenings in the casino. The casino had plenty of slots and tables. I was surprised to see blackjack tables with $6 minimums and 3-card-poker tables with $5 minimum bets. Smoking is allowed though. I prefer Celebrity’s non-smoking casinos though. Our grown children enjoyed some the late-night activities. There are lots of things for children aboard. Our 5-year-old enjoyed the kid’s club, and they seemed to have a lot of nice programs for him. The 11-year old hung out with the adults. He was too old for the activities in the age 3-11 club and not quite ready for the teen club.We walked off the ship at 7:30am, and I was in my office by 9am!Our overall impression: Great weekend getaway. My husband and I are going to do it again, this time without the kids!

Cabin Review

Owner's Suite with Balcony

Cabin OS

OS 8022 is very spacious. Plenty of closet space and drawers. Large balcony with two lounge chairs. L-shaped sofa that opens to a large bed. Nice bathroom with tub and separate glass shower. Some wear and tear visible, especially in the bathroom. VERY LOUD noises starting around 6am from carts rolling in Windjammer directly above. I would avoid this room because of the Windjammer noise.

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