Enchantment of the Seas

After a miserable August, I don’t think we’ve ever been more ready to get out of town for a few days. No, it wasn’t the Maine lighthouse and lobster trip we had planned, but it was just what we needed. Three days of sun, fun and relaxation.

We got to Port Canaveral at 10:30 and were in the very first group on the ship. Time to explore! After three cruises on Monarch of the Seas, I was excited to see her replacement. I wasn’t disappointed. Built in 1997, Enchantment of the Seas was “stretched” in 2005. They literally cut the ship in half and added another section in the middle. As a result, the pool deck on Enchantment was huge. There were two outdoor pools and a kids’ Splash Zone, as well as the glass-enclosed Solarium pool. My favorite parts of the ship were the arching suspension bridges on either side of the pool deck. Also added in 2005 were the bungee trampolines on Deck 10. I definitely wanted to try those!

the Centrum

Enchantment had some fun technology features too. There were digital screens placed all around the ship with interactive deck plans and a list of all the current activities and where they were taking place. There was even a “Restroom Finder” button, which gave directions to the nearest restroom. It sounded funny but it was a brilliant idea. It always seems to take three days to figure out where the restrooms are. :-)

After getting our bearings, we had lunch at the buffet in the Windjammer. Here is where we discovered the drawback to the stretch. They had added an additional 151 cabins but they hadn’t expanded the restaurant to compensate for the extra people. The place was a mob scene! There weren’t nearly enough places to sit and everyone was bumping into each other, trying to get to the plates or the drinks. We ate and got out of there as fast as we could. Fortunately, the staterooms were ready by then so we headed down to Deck 3 to unpack. We were in 3528, which was a nice, quiet ocean view cabin.

We spent the afternoon checking out the spa, signing up for the soda package, having the obligatory “Welcome Aboard” mojito and just enjoying being on a ship. The weather was spectacular – drier and not too hot. We could feel the stress melting away as we left Port Canaveral behind.

Since we’d booked the trip last-minute, the only dinner seating available was My Time Dining, which was great since that was exactly what we wanted. We headed to the dining room around 7 and were seated at a table for two with a fantastic wait team – Teresa from the Philippines and Natalie from Trinidad and Tobago. Girl power! The menus had changed a little since our last Royal Caribbean cruise. I had the spinach salad, scallops gratin (which replaced the escargot – bummer), seafood spaghetti (one of the new entrees) and chocolate sensation cake. Ron ordered the prime rib, which was so tender he could cut it with his fork.

My Fair Lady dining room

   

After dinner, we stopped in Boleros for a drink and to watch the "Name That Disco Tune" game. People were starting to gather in the Centrum for the big 70’s dance party.  We stayed for one dance, and then headed to bed.

Boleros

 

the Centrum at night

Day 2 - Nassau