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Enchantment of the Seas - first time cruisers


Sarah_Y

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We did Enchantment about 2 1/2 yrs ago.   For us, the ship was too small.  However,  our itinerary was port intensive so we didn't mind at all (Bahamas, Coco Cay and Key West). IOWS, I would do it again just for the itinerary.   We did MTD and had no problems, just walked up and we were seated immediately.  No problem getting a seat at the pool.   The plus size of this size of a ship the staff really gets to know you personally.   The negative were the shows.  

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Welcome to the message boards!

I think booking a smaller ship is a great first intro into cruising!  The experience is just so new and different from any other type of vacation that I could see some of the larger ships being overwhelming for a first timer.  Enchantment is one of the oldest ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet, so it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that the newer ships do - but some folks prefer that. 

Just relax and enjoy your vacation, soon enough you'll be like all of us here - hooked, and wanting to try all of the ships!

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Don't be put off by the large cruise ships only snobs....Enchantment isn't that small compared to a lot of other cruise options out there. For your first cruise, it will be great. As you can tell by my signature, I have cruised on her a few times and enjoyed them all!

 

It's a great way to get a taste for cruising...size wise and time wise with the 4 day!

 

There will be lots to keep you busy to say the least...enjoy! I am sure you wont be disappointed and will probably lead to many cruises in the future!

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We sailed on her last summer, our first cruise also, and had an incredible time. The ship is very nice, it's plenty big, and the 4 night itinerary was great. Most of all though, we were blown away by the service- from the moment we stepped on until we were back in port, every employee we interacted with treated us like we were the only guests in a 5 star resort, despite being in a cheapy interior room.

We did traditional dining in the first shift, and loved our wait team- listen to their suggestions on the specials, they were usually right. 

I will warn you that the cruising bug does bite hard. We're a long way from the multiple-cruises-per-year folks you might see on this site, but we booked a 7 night Harmony cruise within a few weeks of getting off Enchantment.

I wrote up a short review of the cruise a couple months after it, but the short version is you're going to have a great time. 

 

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My husband and I went on Enchantment a year ago for our 40th anniversary. Exact same itinerary as yours. It was fabulous! We are fairly new to cruising - 2 for hubby, 5 for me. We absolutely loved the size of the ship, it is not overwhelming at all. We wished we had discovered the Windjammer earlier cos we enjoyed the food there more than the dining room. As far as the ports -- we were unable to stop at Cococay ? Had been to Nassau several times - ugh- my suggestion if you want a beach is to go to British Colonial Hilton on a day pass. Loved Key West! They have a free trolley now that is fabulous. We are not into being entertained, we just wanted to relax. Took in a few shows and trivia nights type things.

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There is nothing wrong with small ship cruising especially if you got a good deal.

I'm sailing 16 nights on Enchantment's smaller sister later this year.  I know the ship and don't expect a brand new ship with zip lines and bumper cars.

So as long as you have the right expectations you can have a great cruise.  If you have watched other Youtube videos showing bumper cars and ice skating rinks and expect to find them on these older ships you may be disappointed.  

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We sailed on the Enchantment for our very first ever cruise 3 1/2 years ago and it was a great first cruise.  We didn't know about this forum yet, my brother booked everything for us as it was for our parents 50th anniversary.  So we enjoyed it and would love to go on it again someday.

I guess it's definitely an opinion thing.  LOL

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23 hours ago, Sarah_Y said:

Hi guys! I found Royal Caribbean Blog on YouTube as I’m planning my first cruise ever!! 

My husband and I decided to book the 4-night cruise with enchantment of the seas. 

Has anyone been recently? What’s your experience? Thank you ?

Our first was on Enchantment four years ago out of Port Canaveral, and it was fantastic! I HATED disembarking after only four nights. You will have a fantastic time. Are you sailing out of Galveston or Miami?

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5 hours ago, DunkelBierJay said:

Our first was on Enchantment four years ago out of Port Canaveral, and it was fantastic! I HATED disembarking after only four nights. You will have a fantastic time. Are you sailing out of Galveston or Miami?

Oooh I know! now that I think about it, four nights are going to be so short!! We're sailing out of Galveston. We've never been to Texas so we're arriving a few days early to travel around.

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6 hours ago, twangster said:

There is nothing wrong with small ship cruising especially if you got a good deal.

I'm sailing 16 nights on Enchantment's smaller sister later this year.  I know the ship and don't expect a brand new ship with zip lines and bumper cars.

So as long as you have the right expectations you can have a great cruise.  If you have watched other Youtube videos showing bumper cars and ice skating rinks and expect to find them on these older ships you may be disappointed.  

I agree - it was a good deal so I'm happy ? OMG - 16 nights?! that's so long but sounds super exciting! let me know how that goes. 

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7 hours ago, kebg said:

My husband and I went on Enchantment a year ago for our 40th anniversary. Exact same itinerary as yours. It was fabulous! We are fairly new to cruising - 2 for hubby, 5 for me. We absolutely loved the size of the ship, it is not overwhelming at all. We wished we had discovered the Windjammer earlier cos we enjoyed the food there more than the dining room. As far as the ports -- we were unable to stop at Cococay ? Had been to Nassau several times - ugh- my suggestion if you want a beach is to go to British Colonial Hilton on a day pass. Loved Key West! They have a free trolley now that is fabulous. We are not into being entertained, we just wanted to relax. Took in a few shows and trivia nights type things.

Ours is actually only going to stop at Cozumel and that's it.. I've heard so many good things about Coco Cay so I'm already looking into next year's cruise that will stop there lol. it will totally depend if we get sea sick or not on this one ?

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12 hours ago, joshvc said:

We sailed on her last summer, our first cruise also, and had an incredible time. The ship is very nice, it's plenty big, and the 4 night itinerary was great. Most of all though, we were blown away by the service- from the moment we stepped on until we were back in port, every employee we interacted with treated us like we were the only guests in a 5 star resort, despite being in a cheapy interior room.

We did traditional dining in the first shift, and loved our wait team- listen to their suggestions on the specials, they were usually right. 

I will warn you that the cruising bug does bite hard. We're a long way from the multiple-cruises-per-year folks you might see on this site, but we booked a 7 night Harmony cruise within a few weeks of getting off Enchantment.

I wrote up a short review of the cruise a couple months after it, but the short version is you're going to have a great time. 

 

Thank you for linking your review - looks like you guys had a great time! I'm really excited now ? Ooh I'm feeling the bug right now too! I've already looked up cruises for next year ? 

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On 4/22/2019 at 4:49 PM, deep1 said:

I started small and slowly working up. The smaller vessels are still enormous when first traveling on one. Its all relative... They are absolutely fun as can be. You'll likely get on and say "Wow! They call this small? " Enjoy your trip. I'm sure you will...

 

Thank you! I'm super excited!! ?

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11 hours ago, Sarah_Y said:

Ours is actually only going to stop at Cozumel and that's it.. I've heard so many good things about Coco Cay so I'm already looking into next year's cruise that will stop there lol. it will totally depend if we get sea sick or not on this one ?

We did a cruise just this past December with the only stop being Cozumel.  It was such a nice relaxing cruise.  We had such a great time. 

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The Enchantment was our first "real" cruise ship back in '06 and we were on her again 2 years ago.  It's perfectly fine, as long as you know you're not getting the zip lines, aquashow, 5 different specialty restaurants, etc.  It is older but still comfortable and a good introductory cruise ship for adults.  I thought the food in the MDR was decent and we thought the Windjammer food was the best we had experienced.  We did MTD and were able to secure a table for two by the window every night.  

The main theater entertainment was so-so, the head liner was good but the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers shows were just okay.  The Schooner bar on that class of ship is better than any on the big ships as it's right along the windows.  The casino seemed (to me) to be smokier than other ships so if you're smoke sensitive that might not be the place to hang out.    We didn't have any issues with getting a seat at the pool(s).

While we prefer the bigger ships, I would have no problems with an Enchantment of the Seas cruise.  Have fun on your trip.   

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 4/22/2019 at 7:49 PM, deep1 said:

I started small and slowly working up. The smaller vessels are still enormous when first traveling on one. Its all relative... They are absolutely fun as can be. You'll likely get on and say "Wow! They call this small? " Enjoy your trip. I'm sure you will...

 

How true is that --- I took my wife on her first cruise a few years ago on Grandeur (Enchantments sister) --- in her eyes that thing was ENORMOUS!!!

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Our very first cruise was on Enchantment in 1999.  She was still fairly new and considered one of the largest.  This was pre-stretch.

I still remember how blown away I was as we walked into the central atrium while boarding.  It was a great first cruise and she is a great ship.  We have been hooked on cruises ever since.

You will have a great time.

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Been on Enchantment twice, and I would gladly sail on her again!  I would have to say that Oasis is our favorite class but we still had an amazing time!  I always say that the cruise depends on your attitude.  If you get onboard expecting a good  time and don't expect EVERYTHING to be absolutely perfect then you will have an amazing time!  If you search other cruise websites then you will easily find out what I am referring to.  I am amazed at how some people whine and complain over the smallest things, life is way too short and I prefer to look on the bright side of things! You will have an amazing time and eat some good food!  Enjoy your cruise! 

 

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My first cruise was on vision... Enchantments smaller sister... and we had an amazing time.  I think know the expectations...no zip line or flow Rider, vintages etc... and you will not be disappointed!  This summer I'm going on majesty which is even smaller and the only thing I'm worried about is the cabin size.  I'm sure the ship itself will have plenty to keep me busy (and all I really need is the sun, a deck chair, an adult beverage and a great book)!  Have an amazing cruise and let us know how you enjoy it!!! Jane

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35 minutes ago, mom2mybugs said:

  This summer I'm going on majesty which is even smaller and the only thing I'm worried about is the cabin size.  I'm sure the ship itself will have plenty to keep me busy (and all I really need is the sun, a deck chair, an adult beverage and a great book!

Darned good concern! We had four people in a 120 sq ft room! It was right and cramped but we still had an amazing time and I would do it again! ( Just not more than a 3-4 day cruise!!?

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9 minutes ago, bhageerah said:

Darned good concern! We had four people in a 120 sq ft room! It was right and cramped but we still had an amazing time and I would do it again! ( Just not more than a 3-4 day cruise!!?

Yeah we will have 3 and all our luggage for our 2 nights before and 3 nights after our 4 night cruise.  But it is all about the itinerary to key West (never been) and Havana (hope we get to go!!!). I know we will enjoy it... Just will have to spend a lot of time in that deck chair and not the room lol!  Jane

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@mom2mybugs  We actually did Enchantment to Key West.  We loved Key West.  A couple of things.  1. We walked the town on our own, did not do any excursion or buses.  However, it is a lot of walking, especially if you want to see Hemmingways house, southern most point, check out the shops on the main drag, etc         2. When you go to the southern most point be prepared for a lonnnnnngggg line.  Hubby and I saw the line for people waiting to take pics at the marker.  We looked at the line, simultaneously turned to each other and said, okay, been there, seen it, no need for the pic., let's move on.            3.  Key West is an open container town.  Go to Fat Tuesday, get your drink and walk the town.  If you have never been to a Fat Tuesday, it is insane!  Think Baskin Robbins 31 flavors, but now it is 31 flavors of alcoholic slushies in a to go cup.  BAHAHA.             4. It is an artisan town, so be prepared that unique souvenirs can be expensive.           5.  My favorite thing in Key West was the side streets as we were walking around and seeing all the roosters just hanging out.        6.  MUST EAT place.  the Blue Heaven.  Kind of pricey, but you will not be disappointed, portions are huge and the food is amazing.  It looks like a hole in the wall from the street. Than they take you into the back, and it is so eclectic, everything from the tables and chairs to the decor.  The bar is actually a small boat flipped upside down.  We were there on a Sunday.  They had off in a corner a psychic.  We had made reservations prior to our cruise, so as we waited for our table with our niece we paid for her tarot cards to be read just for fun.  The Key lime meringue pie had to be 4 inches high.    https://www.blueheavenkw.com/   

Hope that helps.  On Enchantment the one thing we got hooked on was trivia.  It was held in Schooners almost everytime.  We sailed on her back in 2016.  I don't know if they still have the trampoline on the bow (pool deck I think), but nobody knew about this spot and we would go out there at dusk and hang out on it.  At 50 it made us feel so young jumping on it while we were sailing.

 

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12 hours ago, Pima1988 said:

@mom2mybugs  We actually did Enchantment to Key West.  We loved Key West.  A couple of things.  1. We walked the town on our own, did not do any excursion or buses.  However, it is a lot of walking, especially if you want to see Hemmingways house, southern most point, check out the shops on the main drag, etc         2. When you go to the southern most point be prepared for a lonnnnnngggg line.  Hubby and I saw the line for people waiting to take pics at the marker.  We looked at the line, simultaneously turned to each other and said, okay, been there, seen it, no need for the pic., let's move on.            3.  Key West is an open container town.  Go to Fat Tuesday, get your drink and walk the town.  If you have never been to a Fat Tuesday, it is insane!  Think Baskin Robbins 31 flavors, but now it is 31 flavors of alcoholic slushies in a to go cup.  BAHAHA.             4. It is an artisan town, so be prepared that unique souvenirs can be expensive.           5.  My favorite thing in Key West was the side streets as we were walking around and seeing all the roosters just hanging out.        6.  MUST EAT place.  the Blue Heaven.  Kind of pricey, but you will not be disappointed, portions are huge and the food is amazing.  It looks like a hole in the wall from the street. Than they take you into the back, and it is so eclectic, everything from the tables and chairs to the decor.  The bar is actually a small boat flipped upside down.  We were there on a Sunday.  They had off in a corner a psychic.  We had made reservations prior to our cruise, so as we waited for our table with our niece we paid for her tarot cards to be read just for fun.  The Key lime meringue pie had to be 4 inches high.    https://www.blueheavenkw.com/   

Hope that helps.  On Enchantment the one thing we got hooked on was trivia.  It was held in Schooners almost everytime.  We sailed on her back in 2016.  I don't know if they still have the trampoline on the bow (pool deck I think), but nobody knew about this spot and we would go out there at dusk and hang out on it.  At 50 it made us feel so young jumping on it while we were sailing.

 

Thank you so much!! This all sounds amazing and fun.  We booked trolley tickets just so we can get everywhere if we are tired, but planning on just enjoying the atmosphere.  I want to see Hemingway's house, sit at a bar, and now I know my 22 graduate will loved celebrating with the slushies lol!!!  I will look up blue heaven online... We weren't planning on a door down but if we do, we now know one!!

We love trivia though don't always get to it...my hubby and I won the 80s music one!!!!  The schooner is my favorite relaxed atmosphere bat... The one on majesty looks full of light and I'm hoping the chairs are more comfy than they look! 

   I will show this post to my girls!! Thanks so much!!! One month from today... Happy dance!  Jane

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My husband and I won the 70s.  

Hemingway's house is nice.  I want to say it is really close (walking) to the southern most point, but we did and saw much that day I could not swear.  There is a neat gift shop and a place to sit and rest outside.                            

Fat Tuesdays is on the main drag (left side). For extra $$ they will drop a shot that looks like a test tube into the drink.  They also have a neat outside bar.

Blue Heaven is about a 15 min walk from the pier.  If you go there you want to use your phone for GPS.  You will not be charged since you are in the US.   In my memory it is take a left here, go 2 blocks and take a right, go 1 block take the next left. etc. etc. etc.

We cruised to Key West in Nov.  I purchased hand made soap from a store on the main drag as Xmas gifts.  It was not expensive at all.  I want to say it was buy 2 get 1 free.

We sailed away at 6 that night.  My FB picture is us sailing out of that port on the top of the ship.  

The beauty of that port, compared to Nassau is nobody bothers you when you get off the ship. 

Enchantment is old and showing her age, but I would go on her again just for the itinerary.

Schooner on Enchantment is kind of small, but has many tables with ocean views.   It was we always had our pre-dining drinks.  

My negative for Enchantment is the WJ and Solarium.  Both are insanely small and the late night selection is horrible.  I would pay the 7.95 + grats, especially if I did a balcony for both breakfast and late night snacks.  Remember it is 7.95 for am order, not per item.

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My wife and I visited Key West for a day last winter, although it was on a land vacation not a cruise.  We toured both the Little White House and Hemingway's house.  We enjoyed both tours but found the Little White House more interesting and organized than Hemingway's house.  The Little White House is a guided tour with a maximum number of guests while Hemingway's house is either a guided tour or self-guided, your choice.  We did the guided tour and the issue we had was the people who are self-guided wander in, out and through the guided tour.  We often missed what the guide was saying and had some difficulty keeping up with him as he made his way around the house.  Lastly, admission to Hemingway's house is cash only so be prepared before you go.

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11 hours ago, Weezie57 said:

We just booked our first RCL cruise on Enchantment this coming October.  Have been on the Emerald Princess and the Disney Wonder, both smaller ships.  I would assume Enchantment is roughly the size of these two?

Yes, roughly in that size range.  

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