We booked back-to-back cruises for a 9-night cruising experience that we so looked forward to, but were extremely disappointed.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Embarkation was good, only one hiccup to getting on board; not abig deal. Probably one of the smoothest embarkations in my 40+ cruising experience.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
I did not eat at any of the specialty restaurants. The food in the main dining and Windjammer buffet was good, even though the offerings were limited each day.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
There was not a lot of interesting activities offered, maybe because of the short duration.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
We only attended one show in our 9-night stay onboard (we had back-to-back cruises) because the show was a flop, in our opinion. We did enjoy dancing to the music of Rhythmocracy in the Centrum after dinner.
Children's Programs
We did not travel with childen.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Overall, the service provided by staff in the dining room and Windjammer was excellent. The room stewards did not give the impression of being as friendly nor as accommodating as we have experienced on other cruise lines, whether luxury or otherwise.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
This ship had an addition to its mid-section which is called the Centrum. The common areas are mostly clean and well-maintained, however, there were leaks from the ceiling onto the dance floor in several places each night. We got varying explanations for why this was so.
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
We gave this cabin 2 stars because it is in disrepair. The wood cabinetry and paneling was streaked and faded, almost as if it had sat in water for a long period of time. We could not even use the balcony because of all the unsightly rust stains running down the steel paneling that contains the glass panels and the presence of globs of gunk where they had tried to patch it before. It gave such an impression of being unclean that I took a soapy washcloth and wiped down each and every drawer and closet where I had to place my things. That said, the bed was very comfortable for sleeping, the bathroom was roomy and there was plenty of closet space,
Ship tip
If you do not care about overall cleanliness (I was put off by the rust stains while going through the gangway,) or lack of activities such as lectures, bridge playing, a library and likeminded dinner companions, then I think you might be ok with this particular ship. I was excited to cruise with RCCL because my son has always wanted to cruise with RCCL and I wanted to have a positive experience before recommending to the entire family. However, I am sad to say that I was disappointed with RCCL's approach to cruising judging by this ship. Perhaps, I will give another look on a different ship in the future.
We lost one engine on the way home and got in an hour later than expected. Also, a tropical depression came through Galveston and the Houston area two nights before our return and knocked out one of the gangways, so we only had one at our disposal and disembarkation was a rather lengthy experience.
I really enjoyed this ship when i was on it! I thought for as small as it was, RCL had a lot to offer! (Plus, im kinda fond towards the older and smaller ships). Im sorry you didnt enjoy it!
You booked a much older and very limited activity ship. What did you expect? Can't compare the Enchantment to the harmony. Perhaps you should look for a ship that would interest you more with their activities. Sorry you did not enjoy your vacation. Hope your next cruise is better.
Sorry you had a bad experience. We have cruised Royal Caribbean several times and have always had a good experience. I’m not sure I would call rust on the gangway unclean. It’s just a fact of being around salt water that there will be rust at times and this occurs on any ship. I do find it interesting that you complained that there was nothing much to do on the ship, but you chose not to get off the ship at two ports that have lots of interesting things to do. I would have thought that if you were that bored with the ship offerings that you would have looked forward to the opportunity to get off and do something in Cozumel and Costa Maya.
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