Carlos A.

Asking a serious question here, nothing meant behind it but pure curiosity.  Do you actually capitalize the first letter of each word manually when you type, or are you using some type of talk-to-type software?  Just curious.   

I don't recall exactly, but @twangster is correct that it's something we work out as part of the group.

Indeed.  I suspect Labadee will be fine.  Strong concrete buildings.  I'm more concerned with local residents whose housing isn't always built very well.  

I took a number of night shots from different angles.  Some are long exposure to blur the reflections in the water.  The first one is a normal exposure.  I tried experimenting with zooming during the long exposure on some.
I can't decide which I like the most so here are some of the best ones.

As an aviation geek my intention today was an experience in a 737 simulator open to the public in Nassau.  While I was at the hotel in Miami I got a call. 
A bulb had blown in a projector.  Being in Nassau they don't have access to resources like we do in the U.S. so they had to cancel my reservation.  Fortunately because of my double dip I had already booked a second appointment during my Enchantment visit to Nassau. 
I have a projector in my home theater and have gone through this myself.  Just like they did, I had a spare on hand from Amazon and just like me, their Amazon spare bulb lasted 10 seconds.  I totality felt their pain - been there, done that.   In their case it was costing them money.  In my case it was just annoying and I ordered a bulb from a real projector outlet instead of Amazon.  'No problem' I told them and they were super nice and apologetic about it all.  They assured me it would be fixed before my Enchantment stop a few days later.
That left me without an excursion.  Since it was a weekday I decided to work.  Gotta pay for these cruises...
After a few hours of work I needed to stretch my legs and I was hoping I might get some pictures in the AMPED adult only solarium without interrupting any fellow guests.
On my way there...
Pool deck surfer dude:

Saw the ice cream machine on the pool deck close to the Windjammer so adding that here as well.

Flowrider in action.

The Solarium is for adults only.  It has it's own pool and hot tubs, plus its own bar.  The pool area is open to the sky but there are also covered areas for those who want to stay out of the sun.  

I noted the cubby holes on the wall where you can put towels, shoes, etc while in the tub.  Another great addition instead of using a longer or chair to put your stuff on even though you aren't using that lounger or chair.

Some of the solarium is similar to other ships albeit with a modern and fresh color design.

However they have also added these new beach bungalow type beds.  Very nice! 






Wow!  Super great upgrades to the solarium.  I hope they continue this on other ships getting ready to be AMPED.
Of course just off the solarium forward port side is the door that leads to the Peak-a-boo bridge mentioned earlier, or you can just step out onto a small balcony/walkway to look around outside.

The new solarium updates should be a big hit.

Day 1 - Dinner
Changing for dinner I noticed a nice sunset over Miami

If you look closely you can see the Miami skyline within the clouds.

My Time Dining Room

I don't normally order the regular steaks in the MDR but the table beside raved about the NY Strip so I figured why not?  I can always ask for something else...
It was pretty good for a cruise ship dining room steak.

Key Lime Pie for dessert.  Yum.

Jewel - Panama 
Radiance - Hawaii
Spectrum B2B, Voyager and Quantum - Asia
Vision, Rhapsody, Anthem, Mariner, Freedom - Bahamas/Bermuda/Caribbean
Good question on blogging.  Not a fan of CC.  Maybe I'll launch NCLBlog  ?  
Stay tuned for my Mariner recap blog - coming soon.  You picked a winner in Mariner.  
The drive between Miami and Port Canaveral was just under 4 hours with stops.  Orlando probably similar depending on stops.  Some car rental companies have shuttles in Miami that go to the port.  I have status with Hertz so that's why I used them.  The Florida Turnpike between Orlando and Miami is a toll road but accepts cash at toll booths.  
 
Exactly.  My cabins are already going for more than I booked for so they are thrilled I am cancelling.  On Panama alone it's a $1,000 more now.  Radiance balcony $700 more.  Someone at Royal HQ is reading this and thinking "cancel more!"
 

In Summation
I've questioned myself if coming off Mariner was a factor.  I don't think it was.  I loved Grandeur and Empress.  As I drove up the coast towards Enchantment I was looking forward to it.
If the bathroom sewage issue had not occurred the outcome would have been very different.  However that saved me $20k and it broke me from the need of being Loyal2Royal.  NCL has some inexpensive last minute Panama Canal cruises you never see on Royal. 
They claimed the sewage contained no human waste.  Since the toilet system is vacuum based and it whisks away your deposit under vacuum to distant regions, that is very possible.  Nasty gray water though, I still have the stench in my nostrils.  That floor drain outside of the shower would gurgle as I showered and it was hard not to keep checking it every time it did.
Beside that issue, the onboard food and beverage is consistent with other ships.  Entertainment and activities are consistent with a Vision class experience.  I was fine with both.  One Schooner Bar musician in particular was very good and quite enjoyable.  It's is very lively at night on the pool deck.
I did miss the promenade and extra space and venues of Voyager class and above.  With the AMPED program underway I think I'm going to gravitate to Voyager class and above in the future.  Empress may remain an exception, I still like that ship.  
Being a 3 night weekend cruise there was definitely a younger vibe and party atmosphere on board.  That came with a few more younger men who would drop the F bomb for no apparent reason but that's a generational thing.  Who knew one word can be a noun, pronoun, adjective, verb and adverb at the same time and in the same one word sentence?  Ugh.  I just proved I'm getting old (like I didn't know that already).
I'm booked one cruise shy of hitting 340 Crown and Anchor points in 2018 and that drops the single supplement to 150% on most cruises.  Now I am reconsidering the desire for that target.  I'm still three cruises short of platinum on Carnival.  Maybe I should aim for that in case they change their loyalty program.   Horizon looks pretty cool.  
A 3 or 4 night cruise is perfect for the drink package.  Beyond that drink fatigue can become an issue.  With the weekend sale I had bought it for a 9 night cruise but cancelled it yesterday.  I also canceled the package for the Symphony transatlantic.    If I return to Mariner I'll likely splurge for the drink package.  The drink packages make a lot of sense on these short Bahamas cruises that include Cococay since Cococay is covered by the drink package.
I did enjoy the aft balcony.  Great views.  No regrets there.  The Junior Suite program on Royal is weak.  Not enough to it on most ships to justify the up-charge.  If you can catch a deal that's different.  
I had an interior booked on Vision and Rhapsody.  I sailed in an interior on Grandeur.  I wonder what would have happened if I had stuck to interior on Enchantment?  Who knows, can't start playing that guessing game.  At least I had no clingy shower curtain latching on to me.
For those booking or thinking about booking Enchantment - keep in mind thousands of people board this ship twice weekly at the moment.  A select few unlucky ones experience what I did.  I won the lottery!  The day I disembarked someone else excitedly walked into cabin 7166 at 1:30pm and they are not likely aware of nor will have likely have to deal with what I did.  The cycle of cruising continues and life goes on.  Research the ship as you should any ship you are thinking about booking.  By and large those nearly 5,000 guests (2,500 twice weekly) have a great cruise and there is no reason why you can't either.    

Had I not encountered the sewage issue, the other things are minor in the bigger picture.  The regular crew (dining, bar, security, cruise director staff, etc) were all on point and excellent.  No issues with MDR food and I ate there every night.
At one point I had decided not to blog this cruise at all.  However I decided that every story, good or bad needs to be told.  I doubt very many of the other 2,500 guests had my issue.  Most people boarded, partied and went home oblivious to anything that happened to me.   

Back on board and excited from the rush of 'flying' a 737 I quickly consumed a frozen drinks after the walk in hot Nassau sun back to the ship before changing into long pants and a dressy shirt then heading up to the Concierge Lounge.  I had the drink package so i didn't need to visit the lounge but it was formal night and I had some time to kill before my MTD reservation so why not take in the views from up there?  It really is a nice lounge.  
Not long after the concierge was making her way around talking to guests and she sat down next to me.  I was mostly over the sewage issue and ready to let it go still high from my excursion but she approached it like I was out of line and she couldn't comprehend why I had been upset by it in the first place.  Seriously?  She was going on the offensive when I was all but over it?  Sorry but I don't find it acceptable that I should have to walk through sewage in a suite no less (even just a JS).
To be honest, she really pissed me off and I politely and in a calm voice told her I do not find the situation or the way it has been handled to be satisfactory.   The look on her face said it all, like I had made up the whole thing.  With a new look of disdain on her face I told her I was going to cancel some cruises from it and so I did.  Ten in all.  Just saved myself over $20,000 not to mention airfare and other related charges.  
Earlier in the day and what had led me to getting over it was asking myself if I was being too much of a snowflake.    I wasn't harmed by it.  I didn't let it ruin my cruise or even the day.  I had an awesome excursion.  Despite that, the fresh salt in the wound and a couple of drinks was all it took for full snowflake mode to kick in and in hindsight i did let it get to me too much.  Damage done though and I looked her in the eye and told her because of this I am cancelling ten cruises.  
With that I headed off to dinner, internally fuming a bit.  
The dining staff were right on their game again with excellent service.  I was not going to take this out on them so I put it behind me for the moment and enjoyed dinner.  I wasn't in the mood to promote Royal Caribbean or take nice pictures and post them so no dinner shots and I abandoned plans to take night photos of the ship in port since we were staying until 11:30pm.  Basically my creative spirit had been zapped and I left my good camera in the safe.  
You tell me - is sewage bubbling up into your cabin a 'nothing' event that we all should just accept?

Back to my cabin to shower and since it was a sea day morning I thought I'd knock off a couple hours of work.
I had noticed some odor in the bathroom but wrote it off to the older ship.  As I was showering the smell got really bad.  I pulled back the shower curtain and discovered raw sewage had filled the bathroom and was flowing out the door onto the carpet in the cabin.  I'll spare you the photos but take my word - it was nasty.
I had no choice but to walk through it out of the shower to get dressed and call maintenance.  After 30 minutes and with my cabin wreaking of it I went upstairs to the Concierge Lounge hoping they might be able to motivate someone to come soon rather than later.    
I hung around the Concierge Lounge for a while before venturing down to see what progress they made.  Joseph my cabin attendant was washing the bathroom out with sanitizer.  I pointed out the carpet was wet and needed to be cleaned or replaced so he made a call.  This resulted in a fan being positioned to dry it.

I couldn't get any explanation what was done to resolve the issue other than "the plumbers were here".  
The fan pushed a lot of air and between the noise and the thought of it moving air laced with sewage around the cabin I gave up on getting any work done so i left.  Joseph gave me the phone number for the deck supervisor who told me no other cabins were available.  I figured if it happened once and they didn't really do anything but clean it up, it could happen again.  
When I pushed this I was offered a Junior Suite midship but only after noon since that guest experienced the same thing and was so disgusted they decided to leave the ship in Nassau.  With our arrival still a few hours away they could move me there after noon.  
When I booked the aft facing Junior Suite it was about $85 more than side facing JS.  I hadn't been in my cabin for 24 hours yet so I asked if there would be any compensation for moving to a cheaper (albeit still a JS) cabin.  That's when the wheels really fell off their response.
Apparently this is becoming common place on Enchantment so they frown on any compensation.  "It's nothing, we cleaned it up, why compensation?" I was asked.  I pointed out that the aft facing cabin was a premium price over the side facing equivalent.  "You asked to move, we are offering to move you, that is enough".  So I pointed out they were offering to move me to a cabin that had the same issue.  "We cleaned it up, it's fine, but you want to move so we are offering to move you".
So my choices were to pack everything up and lose my aft view or stay in place. I told them I'd let them know.

Muster time.  

I was in 12.  

Muster took a long time.  After the signal it was 14 minutes before they started making announcements from the bridge in English then Spanish.  Seemed to go on for ever.
Soon after sail away.  

Some random photos as I walked around.


 



On Grandeur Izumi is located where the Concierge Lounge is on Enchantment.



This bridge over the pool deck area is unique to Enchantment and a result of the stretching process when they cut her in half and added a new section in the middle.

I booked this package on Harmony a few weeks ago. The first thing I did when I boarded was going to the Speciality Dining desk that was located on the Main Dining Room. 
There was no line, and I was able to make my reservations on the day and time I wanted.

I booked this package on Harmony a few weeks ago. The first thing I did when I boarded was going to the Speciality Dining desk that was located on the Main Dining Room. 
There was no line, and I was able to make my reservations on the day and time I wanted.

So sorry to hear you and your husband got sick but I don't understand how getting Influenza could be RCI fault? 

It seems to me if he had the flu...he needed to be quarantined......take it from someone who was exposed to the flu by a sick passenger .
I was between jobs, so no insurance, I missed my first week of training because I was so ill. It also cost me over $300 in doctors bills.
I didn’t blame RCCL for becoming ill, I blame the passenger who was contagious and spread it around.

So sorry to hear you and your husband got sick but I don't understand how getting Influenza could be RCI fault? 

I cruised Explorer in June.  We ate in the MDR almost every night, never had any issues with the food.  They ran out of food?  I've never heard of such a thing.  I met people this morning while waiting to board Mariner who were on that same cruise and they didn't mention any issues.  
It's unfortunate you got sick from another guest.  I've heard of people refusing to give up their cruise because they were sick and they boarded any ways.  Getting sick happens on land as well.  As a frequent business traveler I can't count the number of times I've gotten sick after flying domestically within the U.S.   
They only quarantine when it's appropriate.    Not going to the doctor for fear of quarantine puts other guests at risk.  If you've both gotten this sick you've likely infected someone else.  Imagine how they feel.  

seems a little bit over the top that you are blaming royal for getting ill. sugar free desserts to me don't sound like desserts :/

So sorry to hear you and your husband got sick but I don't understand how getting Influenza could be RCI fault? 

Let's talk about something else... ?

I'll bet you this is what Icon Class bow will look like

The bow does look weird, but I think she will become a classic.  God willing we will be on her January 2020, enough time to get kinks out.  The jury is out on the Magic Carpet, they could have at least made it a different color, it almost looks like a lifeboat. 

Stumbled upon this from USA Today
https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/travel/cruises/2018/09/13/celebrity-cruises-edge-ship-first-look-photo-tour/1284728002/

Cruise Summary
This is my 3rd Alaska cruise.  For me the question isn't if I'll do another Alaska cruise but when.  (Hint - I've already got a 2019 Alaska cruise booked)
I scored a great last minute fare.  That doesn't always happen so book early, sit back and watch fares increase.  
Depending on your interests there are ways to do Alaska ports relatively inexpensively.  Helicopters to glaciers are fantastic but expensive.    For American readers the fact that you are in America and cell phones work normally is a huge benefit to those who want to self explore.  Some ports have city buses and for those on a tight budget a little research before going can help you save a lot of money.  Car rentals for a family of four can be very economical and at a port like Skagway you can see a lot from a rental car (just bring your passports if you want to drive into Canada).  Uber and Lyft have arrived in Alaska!  (not all ports)
I bought Voom on day 2 and saved an extra $20.  With my C&A discount that took the price down to $74.  On a port intensive cruise like where the ports are US ports you can easily get away without Voom (at least for US residents).  
No drink package.  Prices for drinks (including Gratuity):
    Kraken and soda $8.26 (same for any common cocktail)
    Expresso Martini $14.16
    Total bar bill ~ $70.
No specialty dining - all MDR or Windjammer. 
Overall this was a fantastic cruise.  
 
Common Alaska Cruise Questions
One-way North/South or Seattle round trip? 
Having done both this summer I feel I am qualified to tackle this question.  Both are an awesome experience.  Like comparing two Caribbean cruises they are different and there are pros and cons to each.  Some ports overlap and some ports or glaciers are unique . 
The Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise in June was a Seattle round trip and it was incredible.  (For proof  read my live blog from that cruise here ).  
Our time at Dawes Glacier from Seattle was incredible.  Seeing the ship in this narrow passage with steep canyon walls all around us while the ship slowly turned around at the glacier is a memory I will never forget.
On Radiance watching Hubbard Glacier calving in front of my eyes and hearing it crack was incredible and a memory I will never forget.  Hubbard is much wider than Dawes.    
One is not better than the other, they are different.  I'm very fortunate to have experienced both.  
Having said that, I do feel that a one-way North/South cruise is a better overall Alaskan experience.  I love Icy Strat Point.  I love Ketchikan.  I love the Alaskan Railroad between Anchorage and Seward.  I like the extra ports and long days in each afforded by not having to turn around and return to where we came from.  That doesn't mean a Seattle based Alaskan cruise should be avoided as this is still a great way to experience Alaska (my 2019 booking is from Seattle).
Isn't it harder to book plane tickets for a one-way cruise?  No.  Maybe it was some years ago but not really any more.  Last year I found it cheaper to book it as two one-way plane tickets.  This year it was the same booked as a multi-city trip or two one-way tickets.  Since you should be using a travel agent anyways, let them research and figure this out for you.  I was pleasantly surprised how affordable airfare was for this most recent cruise.  For non-Canucks, Canadian airports do charge a higher landing tax so if you can make it work, flying into Seattle and making the short journey to or from Vancouver by land or sea part of the experience should be considered. There is ferry service, trains and buses between the two.  Both are great cities to explore so if you can afford an extra day or two it may be worth looking into Seattle based flights instead of Vancouver.  (Hint, many Canadians who live close to a U.S. airport will drive across the border and fly from a U.S. airport for this reason).  
Explorer or Radiance? 
Neck and neck but I have to give the nod to Explorer.  In some areas I prefer Radiance and in some areas I prefer Explorer.  Having thought about that for a moment, maybe Radiance gets the nod.  I can't decide.  Ovation 2019 should be interesting.  4500+ guests versus 2,500 guests.   Explorer can accommodate 4,000 so will Ovation really be that much different?  Probably not.  I missed certain things present on Explorer while on Radiance but with a port intensive one-way cruise that really wasn't a big deal - I was there for Alaska, not the ship so much.  Unlike the Caribbean where I have cruised often, the ship isn't the destination.  With more sea time out of Seattle having more ship features works well (Flowrider, ice skating, etc).   
Time of year?
That's a tough one.  Seeing the Salmon spawning in the rivers was pretty special.  You won't likely see that in June. 
As a photographer the longer days in June were a treat.  Many photographers will tell you the best time to take pictures is not in the middle of the day but during golden hour, that time just around sunset.  The long June days in Alaska have an extended golden hour.  There is something very special about enjoying 13 hours at a port, boarding the ship, having dinner, watching a show and then going out on deck at 10pm and seeing a spectacular mountain vista with a glowing sky and a sunset in June. 
Here is an example from Juneau.
June 2018 from Explorer looking at Radiance leaving Juneau

September 2018 from Radiance looking back at Explorer at the same time of night and same ship positions.

I definitely felt the shorter days in September.  Even finishing my hike in Skagway at 5pm the shadows from the sun in the forest cast long shadows that let me know it was time to head back.  In June I probably could have gone an extra hour or two.  
In June there was more snow at elevation.  That only impacts your pictures and mountain photos always look better with snow on them (trust me, I live in Colorado).
Here is an example from the train.  
June 2017

September 2018

Both are nice photos but the snow really defines the peaks, cracks and crevices.  
I think I give June the nod but feel very fortunate to have experienced both.  I wouldn't hesitate to cruise September again though.  I really should try July but that is peak season and as a bargain hunter I may not.  Okay, never say never - right.  
I did this same itinerary day for day on Celebrity last year in June.  Here is my recap blog from that cruise in early June 2017 
You decide what is best for you.
MUST you have a balcony on an Alaskan cruise?
No.  Both Explorer in June and Radiance in September were done from an interior cabin.  Look at my pictures from both.  Does it look like I missed out because I had no balcony to call my own?  Sure a balcony is great if you have the extra money.  Both of my Alaskan cruises in interior cabins combined cost me one Alaskan cruise with a balcony. 
Alaska excursions are expensive.  Given the choice of incredible excursions from an interior cabin or cheap excursions with a balcony cabin I'd go interior cabin every time.  That person sitting next to me on the float plane/helicopter/dog sled/train just might have a balcony.  I'll be sitting a little higher though because of my fatter wallet.  Once off the ship for 13 hours what does that balcony do for you?  Nothing.  Sitting beside that person in the theater - is the show better for them?  Sitting in the dining room - is the food better for them?  No.  
I had a balcony last year on the Millennium in Alaska and it was great, no question.  However nearly all of my memories and photos from 2017 were not from my balcony.  
If you got it, spend it.  For the rest of us, do not put off an Alaskan cruise saving a few more years just for a balcony.  
Balcony exception - Ovation has a higher balcony cabin ratio and the difference to upgrade to a balcony may be affordable for many people.  Time will tell if that holds true as sail dates book up.
I hoped you enjoyed this experience with me and I thank you for following along.