We've sailed on Princess five times and we wanted to give Royal Caribbean (RC) a try. This was a 4-night cruise out of genteel Galveston to Cozumel only. Before the cruise we stayed one night at the charming Tremont House Hotel and parked the car at their luxurious sister hotel, The Galvez. Parking was only $18 total for all five nights, garage parking. The Galvez provided a free shuttle between hotels and to and from the port.

Embarkation on the Enchantment was fast and efficient and we were on-board in half an hour at 11 a.m. We had an ocean view room on Deck 3. Room is about the same size as on Princess, but the bed was lumpy and uncomfortable. Also, unlike Princess, the 'king size' bed is actually two metal framed cots just pushed together. The metal legs underneath will not allow you to slide your suitcase under the bed.

Food in the Windjammer buffet was pretty good, with a large variety of items. However, the offerings didn't change much from day to day; Princess seems to offer new selections daily. The 'Asian Food' section had only Indian dishes which did not change day after day. RC should really call this the 'Indian Food' section, as there was never any Thai or Chinese food items. The Windjammer was always crowded and finding a good seat was sometimes difficult. But the waiters and waitresses were all terrific and always ready to refill your glass with lemonade or a fresh coffee with a smile. They seemed much happier to help than some of the staff on our Princess cruises. Late night snacks at the Park Cafe were limited in choices and there were often 20 or 30 people waiting in line. Some of the tables around the solarium were filled with dirty dishes. We do not fault the overworked staff; this is a RC management problem. Read more