Great Crew, Disappointing Ship

Item: Enchantment of the Seas
Rating: 3.5
Author: pegharold

Enchantment of the Seas Cruise Review to Bermuda

pegharold

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 4-6 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 30

Overall rating:

3.5 out of 5

Verified Review

6 Night Bermuda (Baltimore Roundtrip)

Sail date: July 22, 2022

Ship: Enchantment of the Seas

Cabin type: Inside

Cabin number: 3587

Traveled as: Family (young children)

Reviewed: 2 years ago

Review summary

We enjoyed wonderful weather with beautiful days at sea and on Bermuda. The ship was very disappointing.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Efficient and friendly. Because we ere traveling with a young child, we had a shorter, faster embarkation line.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

2 out of 5

The staff worked diligently, fast, and were always eager to please. Too crowded and poor food in the main dining room and buffet. It was a mob scene in the buffet for every meal. The tables were so close together it is hard to get in and out of chairs. It is acceptable to make a plate and take it to a preferred location. Cocktails were fine. We only found one beverage machine working for the soft drink package. Soft serve ice cream of very low quality and mostly no vanilla. And there was only one station. There is a Ben & Jerry’s onboard to purchase ice cream. It is the worst of times to be on a cruise ship this crowded. Everyone was asked to sanitize hands before entering the main dining room and buffet.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

Two ping pong tables were not sufficient for 2,400 passengers. The rock climbing wall was ok for our grandson; he tried it once. Online I saw that a trampoline with bungee cords was available for kid activities. The customer service desk explained that hadn’t been available for years. Our grandson is 12; the 12-14 year olds were lumped in with the older teens. There really isn’t a program for this age group as stated on the online site. The Arcade is small, very limited, and costly. It’s in a dark room that becomes crowded with only a handful of folks. There wasn’t even bocce ball or shuffle board. Where was the movie under the stars? The 3 hour Batman movie the first night began at 8. This was too late for most kids. The daytime movies were too few. The pools and hot tubs, except in the adult area, were literally shoulder to shoulder packed. Some passengers enjoyed the pool games and Zumba. Too packed for us under the best of times and now under Covid completely unacceptable. My husband very much enjoyed the fitness center.

Entertainment

4 out of 5

Although we didn’t go to any stage shows, the ship’s house band and salsa band were excellent. The ending crew flag ceremony was tops. We watched from the less crowded upper levels. The cruise entertainment director was great. On the last night, there was supposed to be a finale show by crew members in the main theater. An announcement said that due to crew being being ‘under the weather’ only one crew member would sing. Did they all have Covid?

Children's Programs

1 out of 5

There wasn’t much of anything for the 12-14 year olds.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Our room steward, Chandra, was the best. Daily he kept our cabin spotless and well supplied.Anytime we met in the hallway he addressed us by name and inquired if we or our grandson needed anything. The staff in the buffet worked brilliantly to serve, restock food, check on guests, clear tables, etc. They were always attentive and smiling. Our waiters in the main dining room, Noel and Robert, were fantastic. Their service was friendly and efficient. Noel’s recommendations were very good. With all his ‘law’ badges, Robert stood out in all the food areas. Noel, too, entertained 3 tables one night with a fun magic trick. Robert and Noel informed us nightly regarding clock changes and following day’s dining hours. They remembered detailed preferences. All onboard staff from maintenance to cleaners to service said hello, inquired about your enjoyment, etc., always remembering and putting the passengers first. The service desk was polite and efficient. The internet gentleman who helped me with my connection was great. They were all exceedingly patient.

Ship Quality

1 out of 5

The ship’s layout and design are fine. Although the interior common areas were mostly attractive and clean, the buffer area was dingy and unclean(the carpet, the beverage station, etc). The bathrooms are old and dingy and not cleaned often enough. The toilets are shameful, not working well. This ship needs a complete refit or taken out of service.

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

Very comfortable, small interior cabin. Good layout and clean. Like all the ship the cabins are old and need upgrading. Plenty of drawer and hanging space for clothes. Our steward supplied everything we needed.