This was my second cruise on the Enchantment of the Seas, the first occurring in October 2013 and this one starting on October 20, 2014, both of them being 4-night cruises to Nassau and Coco Cay. Prior to this most recent trip, I read most of the reviews going back one year, and found myself amused at how different reviewers often had different opinions about both the condition of the ship and the food and services. I am sure this review will continue to differ somewhat from other reviewers, but I will give what I consider to be a fair and open assessment, though I will try to deal with the areas where there has been some disagreement or where problems/issues have been mentioned.

Embarkation: I traveled with a group of 10 gentlemen and we were awarded VIP status since one of them has an “in” with RCCL. Thus, I was literally the second passenger aboard. In general, however, boarding occurs in the order in which you are arrived and are processed, though the VIP folks will jump ahead in line (hence, since we arrived early and had VIP status, we were the first). Lots of people arrive early so they can get on board and, I suppose, get to the Windjammer for lunch or otherwise start the party! It might be a better idea to arrive around 1 PM or so, since by then the in-processing lines will be less and tables in the Windjammer will be opening up.

Room, Cabin Steward and Sewer Like Smells: When booking, I selected the cheapest stateroom with an ocean view. I specifically wanted a cabin in the middle of the ship to minimize the effect of waves should the seas get rough (they did not), thus I ended up with a room on Deck 2 in the middle. I was a little concerned since I had read of “sewer” smells on this deck. Well, I did not initially notice any such smells, but when I paid attention to smells on the second night, I did notice a faint wafting of a sewer-like smell in the hallway near cabin 2580. The rest of the hall on that side of this ship seemed fine and, except for those cabins near 2580, I would have no problem about getting a room on Deck 2 for my next cruise. Read more