pamici

The only concession I've made so far to anything but an inside room is thanks to this weekend's sale, the price dropped enough that I was able to switch to a non-refundable deposit for my holiday sailing on Grandeur and upgrade to an ocean-view stateroom. Did I need it? No...but the price is dead-even with what I owe for final payment for this particular cruise. Plus, I was able to get the ocean-view cabin directly across from the inside cabin I'll have on my May cruise on Grandeur. Hey, I'm easily entertained! ?

I wouldn't like to breath recycled air all the time while in the cabin. Nothing replaces smell of fresh salty sea air before going to the bed or wonderful view when you wake up in the morning. 

Well its is booked and considering there is still like 2 years left, I am sure my TA will reprice it a few times over. Also who knows, maybe by then I won't be a single gal???

Ahhhhh! I just saw the Oasis Bar. I must sail Enchantment when she takes up station here in Maryland next year!
And @RoyalGreek, your video was FANTASTIC! At the beginning, I was half-expecting my mom to tell me it was time for bed and to not sit so close to the TV! ?

Enchantment is a Vision Class, but she stands apart from the others. Some time ago the ship was sent to dry dock for a refurbishment.  During that time the ship was CUT IN HALF.  A new 90' section was added in the middle of the ship.  You will notice on the pool deck a "flying bridge' on both sides of the ship. Inside the Centrum in different than the others.  They also added a Boleros Lounge.  She is a great ship and the one we have sailed on the most.  Do not hesitate to book her!!  Here is a video I made while on board.
https://youtu.be/J1whgEVsvq0
Here is the video of the ship cut in half in dry dock
https://youtu.be/lKDA8GgBSIM

I'll try to remember to post a not-so-live blog of my Canada/New England cruise from Baltimore in May; of course, I'll be on Enchantment's sister ship, Grandeur, but since they're both Vision-class, I'm guessing it'll be a comparable experience. And I've definitely heard good things about "Lady G". ?

We sailed on her out of Galveston in January for 5 days and are booked for a 7 day cruise in September to the Eastern Caribbean. I really enjoyed sailing on Enchantment. The layout of the ship was very good IMO and the ship's interior was quite attractive. The exterior does show signs of age although the crew was painting at every port. Specialty dining is limited but we enjoyed the MDR, Entertainment, ship layout and decor and thought the crew was quite hospitable. That is why we have already booked her again for September. I would not hesitate to book Enchantment if the price and itinerary are what you are looking for.

There are definitely some signs of her age showing. I would say that most of that are on the exterior of the ship. Most of the interior areas are fine. You wouldn’t notice it unless you were looking with a fine tooth comb. Obviously there’s less of the flashy type of things to do like water slides and specialty restaurants. I sailed on her last July and will be on her again this coming June. She’s a great ship and I had a great experience. 

At this point Celebrity has not announced anything. My travel agent spoke to a Celebrity rep and was told they have no plans to have a ship in Galveston at this time. But who knows if he/she really knows for sure.

Thank you, that was helpful. It’s nice to hear others positive stories ? when we called to book, we said it was for our honeymoon and was told they will have strawberries and champagne waiting for us in our room as a gift. It’s a very kind gesture. I was also surprised when the agent asked if there were any food allergies. I don’t know if you get that option while booking online but it was really helpful. I have a whey protein allergy so I can’t have certain dairies and it makes me feel better that it was noted in our reservation. 

I'm on this same itinerary a few weeks after you.  Normally most of the cruises out of Galveston go down south to Mexico and that region so I jumped on this when I saw a CocoCay from Galveston! 

Hi all, my husband and I are going on our first RC cruise on May 29th 2020 for our honeymoon. We are doing a 7 night cruise to the Bahamas out of Galveston. We are both very excited but some blogs and reviews have me worried. I’d like to ask you all a few questions I have.
Itinerary:
-Galveston
-Cruising
-Key West
-Nassau 
-Coco Cay
-Cruising
-Cruising
1) Has this cruise normally been done on a different ship or something? I can’t seem to find any reviews on this specific cruise with this ship.
2) Is the drink package worth getting for a 7 night cruise? My husband and I are wine drinkers so the discount for the bottle prices might be great and we are also stopping at coco cay so does that factor in when deciding? We do drink normally as well, not just wine to be more clear.
3) what is this lobster night I keep seeing mentioned in the blog? When is it? I want to do the chef table and I don’t want to miss out on lobster night while doing chefs table.
4) Any suggestions for honeymooners cruising? I want to get the most out of this cruise. We had to cancel our original honeymoon cruise because I became pregnant and gave birth 2 days after our 1 year anniversary. It’ll be great to finally celebrate a honeymoon and anniversary.
TIA for all the help. We appreciate it!

I’m experimenting with using a travel agent this time. It hasn’t been exactly life-changing, but it’s been helpful at times. I wanted a balcony, but not in close proximity to pool decks, galleys, and nightclubs. TA and I hit upon the aft junior suites, but they required a 3-person minimum occupancy. And then the lightbulb went off. We would invite my sister’s best friend to join us. With any luck, the two of them will keep each other so occupied, I can have moments of solitary bliss between the sea and the sky.
By a fluke, I saw someone’s post about the $18.00 drink package just in time to sign the three of us up. We decided against the Chef’s Table because although sister and I had enjoyed it thoroughly last year, it does take up a chunk of time and this is a pretty short cruise. Ditto for the Bottomless Brunch. I’d heard that the Key wasn’t necessarily worth the expense, but when I got the Cruise Planner email, I clicked on it anyway, just to check it out. It actually seemed like a good deal for us. 
I liked the idea of a quiet MDR lunch on embarkation day, from the Chops menu, no less, but when they threw in carry-on drop off and delivery to the stateroom (no schlepping!), I was about half-sold. We wouldn’t make use of private hours on the rock-climbing wall (sadly), but VIP seating in the theatre is another story. The option to slip out ahead of the crowd in Cozumel sounded awesome, and then there was another seated breakfast on debarkation morning. I pulled the trigger and I have no regrets.

I’ve heard it said that the two longest weeks in cruising are the one just before you sail and the one right after you come home. I can’t remember which is supposed to be worse than the other, but right now, 10 days out, is pretty rough. I have a cruise crush who only sails solo, and only on another line, but he writes the best live blogs and I wait for them like I was the one cruising. I’m going to try to ease my impatience by following his example and start a pre-cruise live review.
February of last year, my sister and I took our first cruise together. It was a first cruise for both of us, and I think we weren’t quite sure what we thought of it. I liked about 90% of the ship we sailed on, but was fairly annoyed by the other 10%. I decided that I could enjoy the heck out of any cruise if I had the right companion, or barring that, if I had easy access to the outdoors. I discovered that I need a lot more time on deck than my sister, or for that matter, my husband, with whom I took my second cruise last October.
So I was surprised when the sister asked where we were cruising next. After I informed her that pretty much all ships go to Cozumel, at least out of Galveston, I told her that if she was serious, I thought I could put together a cruise we could both enjoy. One of the things on her wish list was a shorter cruise. We’d sailed on a 5-day itinerary, and by the end she was feeling impatient to return to her grandkids and her routines. A 4-day on Enchantment of the Seas looked like a winner.
To be continued ...

I’m experimenting with using a travel agent this time. It hasn’t been exactly life-changing, but it’s been helpful at times. I wanted a balcony, but not in close proximity to pool decks, galleys, and nightclubs. TA and I hit upon the aft junior suites, but they required a 3-person minimum occupancy. And then the lightbulb went off. We would invite my sister’s best friend to join us. With any luck, the two of them will keep each other so occupied, I can have moments of solitary bliss between the sea and the sky.
By a fluke, I saw someone’s post about the $18.00 drink package just in time to sign the three of us up. We decided against the Chef’s Table because although sister and I had enjoyed it thoroughly last year, it does take up a chunk of time and this is a pretty short cruise. Ditto for the Bottomless Brunch. I’d heard that the Key wasn’t necessarily worth the expense, but when I got the Cruise Planner email, I clicked on it anyway, just to check it out. It actually seemed like a good deal for us. 
I liked the idea of a quiet MDR lunch on embarkation day, from the Chops menu, no less, but when they threw in carry-on drop off and delivery to the stateroom (no schlepping!), I was about half-sold. We wouldn’t make use of private hours on the rock-climbing wall (sadly), but VIP seating in the theatre is another story. The option to slip out ahead of the crowd in Cozumel sounded awesome, and then there was another seated breakfast on debarkation morning. I pulled the trigger and I have no regrets.

@pamici I'll be reading your blog, I'm hoping it helps with the cruise hangover I'm still suffering from. Now that we're back it's like my family wants me to cook...and clients want to talk...and nobody makes my bed twice a day...ugh! 

Yes, but we didn't really "notice" them. You could hear them in the background, but they have announcements turned off in the rooms. I only remember a couple a day. We could hear announcements clearly in the halls, in the Windjammer, and on the pool deck. 

Thank you for this wonderful review! My sister, her best friend, and I will be sailing out in 11 days. First Royal Caribbean cruise for all of us.
Do you remember if there were many loud speaker announcements from the cruise director? Our only other cruise was on a Carnival ship last year, and the announcements seemed a bit excessive ... ?

I’m experimenting with using a travel agent this time. It hasn’t been exactly life-changing, but it’s been helpful at times. I wanted a balcony, but not in close proximity to pool decks, galleys, and nightclubs. TA and I hit upon the aft junior suites, but they required a 3-person minimum occupancy. And then the lightbulb went off. We would invite my sister’s best friend to join us. With any luck, the two of them will keep each other so occupied, I can have moments of solitary bliss between the sea and the sky.
By a fluke, I saw someone’s post about the $18.00 drink package just in time to sign the three of us up. We decided against the Chef’s Table because although sister and I had enjoyed it thoroughly last year, it does take up a chunk of time and this is a pretty short cruise. Ditto for the Bottomless Brunch. I’d heard that the Key wasn’t necessarily worth the expense, but when I got the Cruise Planner email, I clicked on it anyway, just to check it out. It actually seemed like a good deal for us. 
I liked the idea of a quiet MDR lunch on embarkation day, from the Chops menu, no less, but when they threw in carry-on drop off and delivery to the stateroom (no schlepping!), I was about half-sold. We wouldn’t make use of private hours on the rock-climbing wall (sadly), but VIP seating in the theatre is another story. The option to slip out ahead of the crowd in Cozumel sounded awesome, and then there was another seated breakfast on debarkation morning. I pulled the trigger and I have no regrets.

I’ve heard it said that the two longest weeks in cruising are the one just before you sail and the one right after you come home. I can’t remember which is supposed to be worse than the other, but right now, 10 days out, is pretty rough. I have a cruise crush who only sails solo, and only on another line, but he writes the best live blogs and I wait for them like I was the one cruising. I’m going to try to ease my impatience by following his example and start a pre-cruise live review.
February of last year, my sister and I took our first cruise together. It was a first cruise for both of us, and I think we weren’t quite sure what we thought of it. I liked about 90% of the ship we sailed on, but was fairly annoyed by the other 10%. I decided that I could enjoy the heck out of any cruise if I had the right companion, or barring that, if I had easy access to the outdoors. I discovered that I need a lot more time on deck than my sister, or for that matter, my husband, with whom I took my second cruise last October.
So I was surprised when the sister asked where we were cruising next. After I informed her that pretty much all ships go to Cozumel, at least out of Galveston, I told her that if she was serious, I thought I could put together a cruise we could both enjoy. One of the things on her wish list was a shorter cruise. We’d sailed on a 5-day itinerary, and by the end she was feeling impatient to return to her grandkids and her routines. A 4-day on Enchantment of the Seas looked like a winner.
To be continued ...

I’m experimenting with using a travel agent this time. It hasn’t been exactly life-changing, but it’s been helpful at times. I wanted a balcony, but not in close proximity to pool decks, galleys, and nightclubs. TA and I hit upon the aft junior suites, but they required a 3-person minimum occupancy. And then the lightbulb went off. We would invite my sister’s best friend to join us. With any luck, the two of them will keep each other so occupied, I can have moments of solitary bliss between the sea and the sky.
By a fluke, I saw someone’s post about the $18.00 drink package just in time to sign the three of us up. We decided against the Chef’s Table because although sister and I had enjoyed it thoroughly last year, it does take up a chunk of time and this is a pretty short cruise. Ditto for the Bottomless Brunch. I’d heard that the Key wasn’t necessarily worth the expense, but when I got the Cruise Planner email, I clicked on it anyway, just to check it out. It actually seemed like a good deal for us. 
I liked the idea of a quiet MDR lunch on embarkation day, from the Chops menu, no less, but when they threw in carry-on drop off and delivery to the stateroom (no schlepping!), I was about half-sold. We wouldn’t make use of private hours on the rock-climbing wall (sadly), but VIP seating in the theatre is another story. The option to slip out ahead of the crowd in Cozumel sounded awesome, and then there was another seated breakfast on debarkation morning. I pulled the trigger and I have no regrets.

I’m experimenting with using a travel agent this time. It hasn’t been exactly life-changing, but it’s been helpful at times. I wanted a balcony, but not in close proximity to pool decks, galleys, and nightclubs. TA and I hit upon the aft junior suites, but they required a 3-person minimum occupancy. And then the lightbulb went off. We would invite my sister’s best friend to join us. With any luck, the two of them will keep each other so occupied, I can have moments of solitary bliss between the sea and the sky.
By a fluke, I saw someone’s post about the $18.00 drink package just in time to sign the three of us up. We decided against the Chef’s Table because although sister and I had enjoyed it thoroughly last year, it does take up a chunk of time and this is a pretty short cruise. Ditto for the Bottomless Brunch. I’d heard that the Key wasn’t necessarily worth the expense, but when I got the Cruise Planner email, I clicked on it anyway, just to check it out. It actually seemed like a good deal for us. 
I liked the idea of a quiet MDR lunch on embarkation day, from the Chops menu, no less, but when they threw in carry-on drop off and delivery to the stateroom (no schlepping!), I was about half-sold. We wouldn’t make use of private hours on the rock-climbing wall (sadly), but VIP seating in the theatre is another story. The option to slip out ahead of the crowd in Cozumel sounded awesome, and then there was another seated breakfast on debarkation morning. I pulled the trigger and I have no regrets.

Enjoy! Looking forward to seeing your liveblog. ?

I’ve heard it said that the two longest weeks in cruising are the one just before you sail and the one right after you come home. I can’t remember which is supposed to be worse than the other, but right now, 10 days out, is pretty rough. I have a cruise crush who only sails solo, and only on another line, but he writes the best live blogs and I wait for them like I was the one cruising. I’m going to try to ease my impatience by following his example and start a pre-cruise live review.
February of last year, my sister and I took our first cruise together. It was a first cruise for both of us, and I think we weren’t quite sure what we thought of it. I liked about 90% of the ship we sailed on, but was fairly annoyed by the other 10%. I decided that I could enjoy the heck out of any cruise if I had the right companion, or barring that, if I had easy access to the outdoors. I discovered that I need a lot more time on deck than my sister, or for that matter, my husband, with whom I took my second cruise last October.
So I was surprised when the sister asked where we were cruising next. After I informed her that pretty much all ships go to Cozumel, at least out of Galveston, I told her that if she was serious, I thought I could put together a cruise we could both enjoy. One of the things on her wish list was a shorter cruise. We’d sailed on a 5-day itinerary, and by the end she was feeling impatient to return to her grandkids and her routines. A 4-day on Enchantment of the Seas looked like a winner.
To be continued ...

I’ve heard it said that the two longest weeks in cruising are the one just before you sail and the one right after you come home. I can’t remember which is supposed to be worse than the other, but right now, 10 days out, is pretty rough. I have a cruise crush who only sails solo, and only on another line, but he writes the best live blogs and I wait for them like I was the one cruising. I’m going to try to ease my impatience by following his example and start a pre-cruise live review.
February of last year, my sister and I took our first cruise together. It was a first cruise for both of us, and I think we weren’t quite sure what we thought of it. I liked about 90% of the ship we sailed on, but was fairly annoyed by the other 10%. I decided that I could enjoy the heck out of any cruise if I had the right companion, or barring that, if I had easy access to the outdoors. I discovered that I need a lot more time on deck than my sister, or for that matter, my husband, with whom I took my second cruise last October.
So I was surprised when the sister asked where we were cruising next. After I informed her that pretty much all ships go to Cozumel, at least out of Galveston, I told her that if she was serious, I thought I could put together a cruise we could both enjoy. One of the things on her wish list was a shorter cruise. We’d sailed on a 5-day itinerary, and by the end she was feeling impatient to return to her grandkids and her routines. A 4-day on Enchantment of the Seas looked like a winner.
To be continued ...