Cam044

Let me know how the Empress goes. I hope you enjoy it!

Wow....$4000 for over water cabana at Christmas in CocoCay

Went on Enchantment in 2017 after having done Freedom in 2015. We didn't know at the time of booking that the ship was SO much smaller and different than Freedom class so it was a bit of a shock to not have a glowing purple promenade. 
TLDR: From what I remember, it's not a bad ship. It was well suited to us doing a very chill cruise where nothing felt hurried or urgent. Not the most fun but not bad.
I would say the thing I disliked the most was that some entertainment took place in the base of the centrum. Pro: we could see something fun happening as we walked to our rooms. Cons: we were so far removed from the entertainment, often looking down only at people's heads, and there were no seats around the upper floors to really take a pause and enjoy what was happening. The Suite service was much less than on Freedom with our concierge often not leaving any voicemails about the next day's port or reminders to come by and partake of the lounge. In fact, on our first visit there, it felt like we were in her way even though it was open and serving snacks....

I sailed on Enchantment out of Galveston last summer and had a great time.  Yes, the ship does show some wear from her age, but I had expected this so it didn't bother me.  The staff and service was excellent.  It was great seeing the same faces all over the ship, same bartenders and wait staff (we did MTD).   We would even see our assistant waiter working in the Windjammer in the mornings and he would make it a point to offer to bring us our favorite drinks we would order at dinner(he remembered) ...that blew me away.  The pools and venues were full, but didn't feel crowded at all.  After the cruise I thought I wanted to go on a larger ship next, but I found a Bahamas and CocoCay sailing on Enchantment from Galveston this summer and booked it.  Can't wait to be back on Enchantment.  I'll probably want to move to a larger ship after this trip, but it's nothing against Enchantment.  Just want to try something different.

I was on the Enchantment last March... and I HATED IT! I can only speak for my experience... Staff was nice, yes.. but that was about it. It is definitely an older ship- and it showed.
We were in a grand suite- and it was not worth it. Seas were a little rough- so everything squeaked, rattled, opened, etc. I got so little sleep. Doors and drawers kept opening, you could hear the wind through the sliding door. There was a constant knocking noise... exhaust smell in the room for 2 nights.. it was rough.
Lots of stuff really "used" looking or broken.. Soda machines constantly out, ice cream machine constantly inop.,  equipment outside was very worn, such as ping pong tables and trampoline jump, etc.
Was extremely disappointment when I let my kid go to the Kid Adventure thing- that he asked to call to me to pick him up and they told him no... so he was sitting in a corner completely bored for almost 2 hours because they would not let him call me..
So, for me--- I would NEVER use Enchantment again...  It was not worth the money that we spent.
Sorry for the rant.. makes me mad every time LOL It was supposed to be a great trip for my sons 9th bday- and it wasnt.
Going on the Harmony this March-- hoping for a better experience  ?

Yes to ice cream ... No to Coke machine. 

That more personal experience definitely appeals to me as does the not being in a mad rush. I’m on vacation, it don’t want it to feel stressful. 
The cruise I’m looking at has 3 sea days, but spread out so maybe that would be ok. I guess it’s time to go through videos of the ship with her and see if she’d like it. Thanks for your input!

The Enchantment I’m looking at is a 7nt out of San Juan, and it only has one at sea day. I definitely think we would have no problem on this and would enjoy ourselves. Juggling would not appeal to me either....lol.

A major appeal of the smaller ships for me is less crowds. I typically tend to eat as many meals as possible in the MDR, and run to the promenade or buffet if I need some sort of snack, so a huge selection isn’t that important. As long as the food is good I’m happy! Itinerary is my #1 though for sure. 

Really?? Yikes, that’s not a good thing. I had to bust out the gravol twice on the Explorer and that’s a bigger boat. I guess it depends on the weather and waves. There is actually two on Freedom we have on our short list now, both out of San Juan. Only wish they were longer than 7 nights.

@Cam044 I really enjoyed Vision of the Seas.  I was a bit apprehensive at first but the ship was fantastic and we had a great time.  The staff were great and because it was a smaller ship you got to see many of the same passengers over and over.  After 5 days I felt like we were in a small town, people saying hello, no one i a mad rush to get anywhere.  I felt I knew the ship very well and even the staff.
I had thought after 5 days I could do a transatlantic on her but, after a few days of sea days at the end of a 12 night cruise, I decided I could not do 11 sea days because I could only relax so much.  The ship was great for port intensive cruise like the med, as well other destinations.  If you have anymore that 2 seadays in a row you do need a ship that does offer a little more.  I have been looking for other Itineraries on the Vision that I can do because I really did like the ship.  Possibly looking at Rhapsody as well.
The staff really made the ship and the staff seem to like her smaller size as well. 
If you are in ports just about everyday then your teens may be ok with the ship.  The ship does not have water slides and some of the stuff other bigger ships have it may be a hard sell to them.  I guess it depends what they like to do.

We were on Enchantment in 2018 for our honeymoon, didn’t hate it but didn’t love it either.  She is definitely showing her age and lacks the restaurant choices some of the other ships have as there is only Chops Grille for specialty (I believe Vision has Chops and Giovannis) and then the MDR and WJ.  All of these ships are smaller than Explorer, with Vision and Enchantment being roughly the same size and are in the same class, Empress is the smallest in the fleet.  We enjoyed the entertainment on Enchantment but we also didn’t go into the trip hoping for great broadway shows either.  We enjoyed the pool deck and solarium.  The staff we interacted with were great.  I guess it really depends on what is important to you with the trip, we were only on a short 4 night cruise on Enchantment and I don’t know that I would want to do a longer 7+ night trip on her, but that’s just me.

I’ve never been on Vision, but it is on the smaller side, I’d wait until some of the more seasoned cruisers weigh in with their insights.  Even on the smaller ships there is a lot to do, maybe just not as much as Explorer.

You could also consider a back-to-back. Do any of the larger ships do 3 or 4 day trips during your time frame?

I've been on explorer and the smaller ships which you talk of.
 
vison, rhapsody, grandeur and enchantment are all of the same class. Enchantment is a little longer and has a few extra bars etc.
i'm on vision in Novemeber doing a great itinery and its more for that and not the ship. saying that I like big and small ships alike.
you just have to know what to expect. for me all I need is a pool-bar and some music.
All ships have that … ooo and some good food. yes smaller ships have less options but how many options do you really need?
 

I just did a B2B on Vision of the Seas  over Christmas and New Years and I can tell you that it was AWESOME !!! I had the Aft Balcony 7652 which wraps around the side of ship and was extremely happy with that cabin.

Is the vacation about the ship or about the cruise ports? It sounds like on a longer cruise you would be hitting many ports so if you found the ship a little lacking, lots to do on your stops.
 
As for the smaller ships, still very enjoyable and still lots to do, just not on the same scale as the Freedom class ships. I don't think Explorer has had an AMP yet? So you wouldn't be missing out  that much on a smaller ship really..no promenade but...

Vision class ships and Empress are fine ships.  Little Empress is one of my favorite ships.  However in terms of things to do for your family you can't beat Voyager class (Explorer for example).  
It really depends what level of activity your family is looking for.  I just did a 16 night cruise on Vision through the Panama Canal and she was perfect for my needs.  I've booked another cruise on her that includes Columbia and Costa Rica which are more exotic destinations for Royal.  That will be my 3rd cruise on her so there is nothing wrong with Vision as a ship. 
If you want to spend quality time with your kids hanging out together Vision class is great for that.   If you are seeking something where your kids can go off and be entertained by water slides or ice skating type activities you are better to stick with Voyager class or newer.  
When Empress was brought back in 2016 for Cuba she received a new "Show Girl" type main theater show.  That show is very good and on par with the AMPED Voyager class ships.
Explorer is getting AMPED very soon if I recall.  March of this year.
If you do continue to think about Vision class I'd suggest bringing the kids into the decision making process.  Let them know it's not like Explorer, it's smaller and older, no slides, no ice skating.  Let them know what they are getting into so they can set expectations accordingly.  

At Royal's site for Vision, there is a video that explains a little about the ship. You might want to check it out or explore the deck plans.
https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/vision-of-the-seas
Whatever you choose, have a great cruise.

I'm on Rhapsody of the seas, which is Vision class, right now. I really enjoy the more personal service and slower pace of this class ship. However, if you're looking for a more active vacation, I'd stick with the bigger ships. There's just more for the kids to do. 

I've sailed Enchantment probably 5 times, because I live in Florida and for a long time she was going out of Port Canaveral, so it was an easy, value-for-the-money vacation to do frequently. So I definitely have a soft spot for her, and it's a thoroughly enjoyable cruise. That being said, I have found that the quality of the live entertainment shows *generally* corresponds to ship size. However, most of the shows are entertaining and worth watching.
The only shows on Enchantment that I can't enjoy are the headliner juggling acts, which at one point they started cleverly referring to as "Action Comedy." I won't even go to those shows anymore, because (personal preference) they are utterly boring to me, and we had one performer who acted completely disgruntled with the audience and part of his show was quite vulgar, during the early show when kids are present. 
Chances are, you would enjoy an Enchantment cruise, unless you have very particular goals that would be better met by a larger ship.

I enjoy all of them except the empress, just to much motion on empress for me. I do think you get awesome service on the smaller ships. Personally the Freedom is our favorite. 
 
 

We have sailed on Enchantment and will be trying Empress for the first time next month.   Looking forward to our first Oasis class vacation next January on Symphony.  All the ships are great, just some are more suited for what type of cruise you are seeking.   

Hmmm.........I never really thought about that! That’s a great idea, I’m going to check that now, thanks. 

I definitely like the more professional look to the photos, and maybe just maybe, my teenagers will pose for a family portrait. Guess it’s still cheaper than buying them all separately.