I didn't know service like this existed...
Written: Feb 14 '02 (Updated Feb 14 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful boat, top-notch food, stellar service in all areas, and cute employees with exotic accents
Cons: Expensive drinks.... and that's about it.
The Bottom Line: Royal Caribbean is a first rate Cruise line, and I give it the highest recommendation possible. EVERY staff member was kind and helpful, and the ship was BEAUTIFUL!
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| molly143's Full Review: Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas |
Somewhere around June, I was informed that my entire family was going to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and going on a Caribbean Cruise in October. Strange as it may seem- I wasn't too in to the idea (I was having to pay for it). However, the time came, and I grew more and more excited.
The arrival
We got to the Port and I was amazed at all the beautiful ships, and how huge they really were. I'd seen cruise ships on TV before, but you really don't realize how big they are until you see them in real life.
We checked in a little early, which was smart, because the massive lines that formed behind us were unbelievable. We each recieved a blue card which had our name, and our dinner table number. These cards are what you use throughout the cruise to identify you, buy things, and get into your cabin (like a key card). DO NOT LOSE THIS CARD!
On the ship
I was blown away at how beautiful everything was. The whole ship was like a giant maze at first- I didn't think I'd ever figure out where everything was. My cousins and I went exploring, and found the gift shops, eateries, and pools. The whole ship was beautifully decorated with a incredible attention to detail. Accents were in crystal and gold, with hanging chandeliers and marble staircases.
My cabin
I found my cabin, which fortunatly, was in one of the upper decks. It was spendy (Nearly $2000), but I was lucky to have a family member to share it with, so the cost was only half to each of us. I probably would have gone crazy if I didn't have the little sun deck that I could sit on, which the other cabins in the lower levels didn't have.
Everything was sparkling clean, and our room attendant (Clement) promptly greeted us letting us know to tell him personally if we needed anything. He was very nice, and immediatly learned when each of us left for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so we would always come back to a clean room. Every evening, the last time our room was cleaned, there would be a "newsletter" letting us know what was going on the next day, so we could accordingly plan our activities and meals.
The shower was great- I've never had such wonderful water pressure in my life. It was pretty cramped, but that was fine. I felt so clean and refreshed :)
The FOOD
The food alone is fully worth the cabin price. TRUST ME. Every day you have opportunities to eat whenever your heart desires. There are many different places to eat for each meal. For breakfast, you can go to the formal diningroom, partake in the large breakfast buffet, or have room service. For lunch, there is the Windjammer Cafe, which has a large spread of items, again in buffet style. Room services is always available, and you can also go to the poolside cafe, which has very tasty fresh grilled burgers, hotdogs, and french fries. Dinner is what it's all about, though. You have a head waiter and an assistant waiter who learn your name by the end of the first night. They pull out your seat, place your cloth napkin on your lap, and hand you an opened menu. Your head waiter then might make a few suggestions from the menu, and then take your order. Each dinner consists of a salad, a choice of several soups, appetizers, main course, and desert. You can even have more than one serving of whatever you want, but the ones you get are usually pretty large. All the food was wonderful- better than any restaraunt I've ever eaten at.
Entertainment
I will say, that many of the ships activities were best suited to couples, which was kind of a drag if you were there without your significant other (or didn't have one). There were a few singles mixers, but they usually consisted of a few chicks, and my cousins (neither of which I was interested in). There were performances in the theatre nightly, however I'm not personally into that stuff. For folks who like that- they were top notch. There was a comedian, some musicians, and a musical to name a few, but there was always something going on. I preferred to watch the movies in my cabin, go swimming, or hit the casino.
Costs
One thing that really pleasantly suprised me was that items on the ship were shockingly low cost. They had a guarantee that the prices of tolietries and other incidentals were as good as or better than prices on shore. Yay! I didn't have to break the bank when I lost my toothbrush. Very nice. I didn't feel ripped off. Even the gift shop had some great deals, which isn't too common in tourist situations. I bought several jewelry sets that consisted of a necklace and coordinating earrings for only $10 each.
Gratuity is given on the final day at sea, and it is actually quite reasonable. If you were to pay the minimum gratuity to each employee you tip, it would come to about $75. I ended up paying about $100, which I really didn't think came close to what they all deserved (but it was sure all I could afford).
Shore Excursions
The shore excursions were what really made the trip, if you ask me. I had planned on doing one at each port, but I only ended up doing three. I went to the Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum in Key West, and that was really a lot of fun. The Museum has air conditioning, and an hour in an air conditioned building after wandering around Key West is worth the $10 admission. The exhibits were very cool, and the employees were quite nice. The gift shop was pretty bogus, but I got a key chain anyway.
My next excursion was in Costa Maya Mexico, where I got to explore Mayan Ruins! It was breathtaking. I had never seen such amazing historical wonders. The ruins tours come in several different time lengths, depending on how long you want to take, and your physical ability. My gradmother opted for the hour long tour, which had less impressive ruins, but was less exerting for the older crowd. I went for the four hour tour, which was an hour drive (in a little bus) each way. We had a wonderful tour guide and bus driver. The ruins were spectacular, and afterwards, we were all treated to either a beer or Pepsi (which was much appriciated after baking in the sun for two hours!)
My final excursion was in Grand Cayman. This was probably my favorite. We hopped on boats and went to a little sand bar in the middle of the light blue ocean. It was about a 25 minute ride, and we all soaked up sun and drank fruit punch until we got there. We were snorkling with the Stingrays!!! It was so much fun. You got to feed them peices of squid, and hold them. They felt like wet mushrooms. Anyway, be sure to double up on the sunblock... the water is like a magnifying glass for the sun.
Overall
All in all, this was probably the most exciting, relaxing, pampering vacation I've ever been on. I plan on going again, probably on the Western Caribbean Cruise next time. If you can, bring your significant other, or at least a close friend, because all the couple activities sure make you feel lonley. I had my family to keep me company :)
Royal Caribbean is a very professionaly run, detail oriented and high class Cruise Line. I give them my highest recommendation.
PS- October/November is RAINY SEASON. Please take care when you book your vacation, because rain ruins any vacation- trust me. We had rain at some point almost every single day of our cruise, and for the rest of our stay in Florida. Keep an eye on weather reports for tropical storms, too!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
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Epinions.com ID:
molly143
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Member: Molly Isachsen
Location: Tempe, Arizona, USA
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 4 members
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