Great Getaway...Fun Cruise Director
Enchantment of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western
Contributor Level:
Third Mate
Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Reviews: 5
Helpful Votes: 116
4 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip)
Sail date: September 30, 2019
Ship: Enchantment of the Seas
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 7548
Traveled as: Singles/Friends
Reviewed: 5 years ago
Review summary
Smaller ship, but very beautiful and clean. I would go on this ship again without any hesitation. Very pleased with staff, service, entertainment and food. The vibe is very laid back and stress free. Had a wonderful time!Embarkation
Getting on the ship was painless and carefree, with no long lines. After getting out of the shuttle, the Galveston port employee directed me where to drop off my bag and which door to enter to check in for the cruise. Port employees were at every corner to direct us through the hole process. I was given a Gold 1 ticket and instructed where to sit. The loading onto the ship was very organized and stress free. The wait time was minimal (under 40 mins). The huge waiting room was not crowded and very clean. I thought it was all handled nicely without any chaos. I always knew what was going on.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
This was my first time traveling with Royal, as I have been on Carnival 4 times.
The food on Royal Enchantment of the Seas was pretty darn good. I liked the breakfast, lunch and dinner choices provided in the buffet and dinning room. There is something for everyone.
They even had a Gluten Free section on deck 9. The drink of the day was pretty good, too. (Love my adult bevs) I liked that they have machines to self serve for sodas. No long wait time like on Carnival (because you have to go to a bar tender for service.)
Chops Grill was very nice. Great selections and the food was a tad bit better than main dinning.
The main dinning was nice and all servers were very attentive and polite. Only thing I did not care for was them constantly trying to sell me a package to Chops Grill or another event while I was eating. Do not care for a sales pitch when I am trying to eat and talk with my friends. Other than that, I really enjoyed the food and drink. The sales pitch during dinner is why I deducted 1 star from my Food & Drink rating.
Onboard Activities
Loved, loved, loved that there are 3 big pools on this ship. Two outdoors and one in the solarium.
There are many hot tubs, which are actually hot...unlike on Carnival. Carnival hot tubs seem to be luke warm, not on this Royal ship.
There is rock climbing and a walking trail, but no putt-putt or water slides like the bigger ships.
This ship did have a nice spa and fitness center. Loved the hot stone massage.
The arcade is very small, but I did not have my children with me so that was not an issue.
The Sushi Making class was a lot of fun. The chef that instructed the class was nice with a great sense of humor. It was fun.
Cracked me up listening to people sing Karaoke. Fun times!
Loved the Art auctions, Friendly Feud, Bingo and other games the ship conducted. There was always something going on to stay as busy or lazy as you choose.
Entertainment
Really enjoyed all of the entertainment. The shows were great and very entertaining. Found them to be better than Carnival. Loved how activities/shows were planned out so we could attend one after another without rushing and feeling like we missed something.
The piano singer in Schooner's on deck 6 is awesome. She has a great voice. Very relaxing listening to her sing.
Service and Staff
All staff was very attentive, friendly and helpful. They always had a smile on their face, which was great to see.
The cruise director is so energetic and fun. He really made the cruise fun. Loved his sense of humor and energy.
No complaints regarding service and staff.
Even though this is a smaller ship...I would still travel on it again. The crew made it enjoyable.
Ship Quality
I really liked the layout and design of this ship. Very open. Easy to get to every area of the ship. All areas were clean. There was always a staff member cleaning.
Cabin / Stateroom
Room steward for 7548 was amazing. He seemed to appear out of no where to made beds, replenish towels, empty trash and keep room looking very neat, tidy and clean. He was very pleasant, friendly and helpful.
I would have given 5 stars, but deducted one due to A/C not working well.
Prior to my cruise, I read reviews and brought a small fan, which helped keep me cool when getting ready. Cabin tended to be warmer during the daytime, not as much at night.
Ports of call
The day before my cruise, I drove to Galveston Island from Dallas Fort Worth. Stayed at The Tremont House, which is a beautiful hotel. Walked to near by restaurant and shops. Had a nice time. The roof top bar at the Tremount House is pretty cool.
Thumbs Up
6
Water is beautiful.
Only complaint is the taxi driver did not take us to where we wanted to go. He said that resort was not allowing non guests to utilize the facility. He took us to a beach he said was fabulous. It was just okay. Did not let it ruin our day trip.
After getting back on the ship, found out taxi drivers are in cahoots with some beach resorts. So, if you have a place in mind and a driver won't take you, tell them you will catch another cab. This is why I removed 1 star.
Other than that, the visit to Cozumel was great. Entering and exiting Cozumel was fast and painless. Can't wait to go back.
Great beach recommendations: Paradise Beach and Playa Mia Grand Beach. Nice big pools. Great beaches with chair and umbrella. Good food and drink. Changing rooms.....and more.
Disembarkation
I carried my own luggage and could exit the ship from deck 5 around 8:30a. Took me about 15 to 20 mins to get off the ship and go through costumes. Not bad at all. So much better and faster than Carnival.