Cruise Diva's CRUISE DIARY
~ Eastern Caribbean Enchantment ~
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Enchantment of the Seas: Atrium
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Debarkation
All cruises, like other good things, eventually come to an end.
Enchantment of the Seas "cleared" quite quickly and debarkation began while we lingered over a final dining room breakfast. Our departure color was called and we were off the ship, through Customs & Immigration, and had our luggage loaded in a taxi in less than a half hour.
Our leave-taking was as seamless as the embarkation and week on board.
Final Impressions
Enchantment of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean's "Vision-Class" ships. Launched in 1997, she's a large ship at 74,140 GRT and accommodates 1950 passengers double occupancy, or 2446 when every berth is full.
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Enchantment of the Seas: Schooner Bar
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I sailed on sister-ship Vision of the Seas during her 1998 maiden season and found the Enchantment to be quite similar, but not identical. One of the Enchantment's most noticeable differences from the Vision is decor; I found the Enchantment more to my liking, with understated fabrics and richer-appearing drapery and carpeting.
The Vision-Class vessels are noteworthy for their "vision of the seas"... featuring expansive walls of glass for views of the sea from most public areas.
Dining and food are at the top of most cruisers' lists of high expectations and the Enchantment of the Seas' galleys did not disappoint. The Windjammer was an excellent choice for quick meals and the buffet stations are an efficient alternative to long, slow-moving buffet lines. Meals in the My Fair Lady Dining Room were consistently well presented and tasty. My only disappointment was a somewhat stringy steak; however, it was grilled to my order. Without exception, desserts were some of the best of any I've tasted on cruise ships.
Noteworthy is that Enchantment of the Seas is consistently chosen the #1 "Friendliest" ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet. Her staff members go out of their way to please passengers, resulting in repeat guests with as many as a dozen Enchantment of the Seas cruises under their belts.
There were 149 children on our sailing and the majority seemed very content with the youth program. The extensive activities kept them well entertained and I was surprised to discover there were so many junior passengers on board. A treat for adults was the children's "pirate night" appearance in the dining room. Led by their counselor, youthful buccaneers commandeered the ship in spirited fashion.
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Enchantment of the Seas: Whimsical Artwork
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For adults, there were enough daytime and evening activities scheduled to keep even Type-A personalities satisfied. A nice touch was the "First Time Cruiser's Club" for novice passengers to meet the Cruise Director's Staff and learn about the ship and week's activities.
ShipShape dollars redeemable for prizes are still awarded to guests participating in the fitness program. While most are complimentary, there is a small fee for some specialized classes, such as yoga. Enchantment's Steiner-operated spa offers a wide range of services and treatments. I enjoyed a soothing Aroma Spa Ocean Wrappure pleasure and at a discount on a port day! Watch for those specials.
Interestingly, Enchantment of the Seas had two special "security" passengersa private K-9 officer and his companion, a drug-sniffing dog.
As a Louisiana resident, I became accustomed to the practice of extending lagniappe, or "something extra" for valued customers. On the Enchantment of the Seas, I was delighted to receive my Crown & Anchor Society member's coupon book with freebies and discounts. A nice touch to add to the lasting memories of an exceptionally pleasant journey.
Enchantment of the Seas' alternating week-long Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries come to a close in late-spring 2003 when she begins sailing exclusively on 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises.
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Cruise Line Profile - Royal Caribbean
Crown & Anchor Society - Benefits for past passengers
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Illustrations Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International & Author's Collection
