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I was privileged to
be invited on an overnight inspection of the
Enchantment of the Seas. This was a promotional
event for South Florida travel professionals and as
such should not be compared to her usual sailing
standards.
However, it was a
great opportunity to see the Enchantment following
her recent stretching. The $60 million project was
completed in only one month as the new midsection
was fully prepared almost to completion at the Aker
Finnyards in Turku, Finland where it was then loaded
on a barge and shipped to Rotterdam some 1200 miles
away. By a feat of modern engineering it was
maneuvered into position and welded into place,
after which all the cabling, plumbing and furnishing
etc. were reconnected. I have to say that even with
close inspection inside and out, it is impossible to
tell where the original structure ends and the new
section begins.
The new
section has obviously made a big difference to the
ship with the addition of 151 staterooms including
two family rooms which can accommodate up to six
people. Deck space has also been enlarged by 50
percent with an additional pool and bar area. One
of the unique features in this area are the two
suspension bridges which are basically curved bridge
walkways spanning the new area on either sides of
the deck.
While the mid-section was being
added, the rest of Enchantment of the Seas underwent
a refurbishment. On deck a new rock climbing
wall and a bungee trampoline was added. In the
public areas the addition of Boleros Latin Lounge,
Chops Grill steakhouse specialty restaurant as well
as Latte'tudes coffee and ice cream shop are all
welcome additions. Both the art auction venue and
the shopping arcade were also enlarged.
The
2,252-passenger Enchantment of the Seas, is a
Vision-class ship, it is a delightful and classy ship.
Enormous panels of glass throughout bring the sea
and sky inside, resulting in a sense of openness. A
moderately-priced ship with a hot disco and casino,
while those who are more laid-back will also
discover bridge, movies, lounges for dancing and
cool jazz.
We had a balcony stateroom at the aft
end of deck seven, it was nice sized room with all
the basic amenities, the big advantage being aft was
the oversized balcony which overlooked the stern of
the ship. My only comment would be that the soft
furnishing needed to be thorough cleaned or perhaps
they where due to be replaced as they where showing
considerable sign of age and use.
We made sincere effort to visit all
the venues on the ship and found them all, without
exception, to be comfortable, very easy on the eye
and pleasant places to spend time at.
Of the new venues, certainly Bolero’s
was THE spot to be at later in the evening. Possible
because being in South Florida with so many Latino’s
the place was bursting at the seams, yet a few steps
away the much larger and very pleasant Schooner
Lounge was virtually empty. The Latin ambience in
Boleros was Hot Hot Hot with an excellent small
Latino band belting out the latest dance music and
drinks flowing freely it really had a great party
ambience.
The other new venues, The Chop House –
was regrettably not open for the overnight cruise,
so I am unable to comment on it other than to say
that a quick walk through showed it to be a pleasant
spot to dine as an alternative to the main dining
room. Latte'udes coffee and ice cream shop was doing
a brisk business when we stopped by.
The main dining room – a two story
venue with a large open area in the middle was
pleasant enough but somehow looked old fashioned
with its décor giving away its age. The food was
typical RCI, not bad but not all that good either
(bear in mind this was not a regular cruise so the
menu was somewhat limited).
Decor:
From the lobby's dramatic seven-deck "Centrum"
(atrium) to the Viking Crown Lounge, sitting 11
decks off the ocean, the decor is contemporary. This
ship has a very classy decor indeed, with tasteful
blonde wood accented by red or blue carpets and
upholstery. The contemporary art collection extends
throughout the ship, and is accented by recessed
lighting and the use of soft colors.
A quick
run through of the ship’s public rooms:
Passengers enter the Centrum, with panels of glass
soaring seven stories, and brass-and-glass elevators
reaching into the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 11.
The lobby area has palm trees and upholstered chairs
around low tables, and a string quartet softly
playing near the Champagne Terrace. New with the
2005 stretch is a popular daytime spot, Latte'tudes,
where Seattle's Finest coffee and Ben & Jerry's ice
cream are sold at stateside prices and the setting
is lovely as you can lounge by a floor-to-ceiling
window watching the sea go by, but be careful not to
fall over the statue of the "lounger" - a bronze
full size piece of artwork lounging in a chair with
a newspaper over his face.
Schooner's
is a romantic lounge with a nautical motif. There is
the Carousel Lounge for ballroom dancing at night,
situated aft with ocean views. The two-deck Orpheum
Theatre is the venue for RCI's lavish floor shows,
with excellent sight lines from all seats. Royal
Caribbean's signature Viking Crown Lounge is located
on Deck 11, popular for cocktails when the ship
leaves port, and the setting for a late-night disco.
Panoramic views are the featured attraction of this
360-degree room, located mid-ship. The Crown and
Anchor Study is a relaxing place to observe the
ship's position and see information from the bridge
on screen. Casino Royale has all the slots and
casino games one could seek, and is one of the most
popular areas at night. One bar is designated as a
cigar lounge in the evenings - the pool bar is
sometimes used for this purpose. Additional public
areas include a shopping arcade with three large
duty-free stores, a poorly-stocked but comfortable
library with reading area, a card room and a
conference center. There is a cyber-cafe, and wi-fi
is available in specific areas of the ship (at a
price).
Service:
Enchantment of the Seas' staff and crew were
exceptionally good, friendly, professional and
willing to extend themselves.
Restaurants:
The two-story main dining room is mid-ship, a
light-filled room with plenty of glass for scenic
viewing as you dine. It features a raised platform
for a pianist or small ensemble. While large enough
to handle a thousand people per seating, the room's
tables are well spaced and the area doesn't feel
crowded. At the forward end of Deck 9 is the
Windjammer Marketplace, also with floor-to-ceiling
windows, the setting for casual buffet breakfast,
lunch and dinner as well as afternoon tea. The 2005
stretch added Chops Grille, a pleasant steak
restaurant with a surcharge.
Entertainment:
Royal Caribbean offers fairly typical cruise ship
fare with Las Vegas-style reviews, comedians and
magicians. The smaller lounges generally have music
provided by solo artists, and late-night owls can
boogie at the hot disco. Even teens have a private
lounge and disco. Boleros, as previously mentioned,
is destined to be the late night hot spot when the
ship is in South Florida.
Cabins:
Enchantment of the Seas' cabins are well configured
and most people should feel comfortable on a three
or four day cruise. Standard amenities include color
TV, CNN, safe, lighted vanity, individual
temperature control and hair dryer. Bathrooms have
showers and medicine cabinets. Mini-bars and tubs
are found in the highest category stateroom.
Inside
cabins are a tiny 140 and 146 sq.ft., while
Ocean-view staterooms measure 154 sq. ft. Superior
Ocean-view with private balcony are 190 sq. ft. plus
a 36 sq.ft. balcony. The five categories of suites
include the Junior Suite (245 sq. ft. with a
58-sq.ft. balcony) and the Royal Family Suite,
accommodating up to eight people, with two bedrooms
and two bathrooms (532 sq. ft., balcony 53 sq. ft.).
Fitness/Spa:
The main pool on Sun Deck is adjacent to the
Solarium, a stunning glass enclosed second pool with
whirlpools and comfy lounge chairs. The retractable
roof can be opened in good weather. In the "ShipShape"
fitness center, you'll find a spa operated by
Steiner's of London, a large gym which has
also been stretch outward by the addition of some
extra footage, with all the equipment you can use.
Itineraries:
The Enchantment
sails from Fort Lauderdale year round on a mix of 3
& 4 night cruise with the 4 day visiting Key West
and Cozumel with a day at sea. The 3 day cruise
visits Nassau and Coco Cay. With pricing starting at
$299 for an inside stateroom on the three and four
day sailing this is obviously a popular ship and
those of our clients who may be considering a
program on board should be aware that only by early
booking will they be able to obtain the space they
require.
Specification:
81,500
tons
Passengers: 2,252 (double)
Passengers: 2,730 (all berths)
Length: 989 feet
Crew: 840
European officers
Registry: Bahamas
Entered Service: 1997, stretched and refurbished
June, 2005 |
