Enchantment of the Seas is one of the older ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet, but in mid-2005 she underwent one of the most extensive rebuilds in recent cruise history, which effectively brought her into the 21st century.
Enchantment was built at the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland, and launched in July 1997. She is one of six sister ships in Royal Caribbean's Vision-class series. Measuring in at 80,700 gross tons, she accommodates 2,252 passengers double occupancy, or 2,730 with all third and fourth berths filled. Her cruising speed is 22 knots. She is registered in the Bahamas and sails with Norwegian officers and an international crew.
Reviving a trend common in the mid-1990s, RCI had Enchantment literally sawn in half at the Keppel Verolme shipyard in Rotterdam, Netherlands, then welded back together with a new 73-ft section in her middle. The lengthening added 151 new staterooms and a number of new topside amenities to the vessel, including the first bungee trampolines at sea, an interactive water park for kids, a midships bar for adults, a pair of "suspension bridges" that overlook the pool deck, and an exercise course that incorporates four fitness stops along the jogging track. Inside, the ship got a new Latin-themed bar, a new specialty steakhouse restaurant, a specialty coffee and ice cream shop, an expanded casino and a larger shopping area.
As aboard all Royal Caribbean ships, you'll find a range of passengers, from 20-something honeymooners, to families with kids, to retired seniors. Overall, her 4- and 5-night itineraries tend to draw a crowd eager to pack lots of good times into their short vacations. The majority are Americans. Announcements are in English, as well as in Spanish, French or other languages, depending on the mix of passengers on board.
Year-round, Enchantment sails 4- and 5-night western Caribbean itineraries round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. The 4-night itineraries visit either Cococay (Royal Caribbean's private Bahamian beach) and Key West or Cozumel (Mexico) and Key West. The 5-night itineraries visit either Cozumel, Key West, and Belize City (Belize) or Cozumel and Grand Cayman. Similar cruises are offered by Royal Caribbean's larger, more modern Navigator of the Seas and Carnival's Imagination (sailing from Miami) and Inspiration (sailing from Tampa).
In Key West, the line offers a number of catamaran, snorkeling, historical, and bar-hopping excursions, but the island is so manageable you can just as easily see it on your own. In Cozumel, your best shore excursion bet is a visit to the Mayan ruins at Tulum. In Grand Cayman, don't miss Stingray City, where you can snorkel with scores of the giant, gentle creatures. In Belize, tour the Mayan ruins at Lamanai, a huge ceremonial site with more than 700 structures.
Overall, Enchantment's interiors are a mix of her original 1990s styling spiced up with some more modern renovations. Most public rooms are located on decks 5 and 6, including the glitzy, two-story theater for large production shows and featured performers; the large, flashy casino; a veritable shopping mall with six separate stores; a 100-seat conference center; and the Carousel Lounge for small-scale entertainment, music and dancing. At midships on deck 5, Boleros nightclub is the most modern, engaging room on the ship, serving Latin drinks to a soundtrack of live Latin music, with a sunburst-pattern glass ceiling, moody lighting, and a red, orange and yellow color palate. On deck 6, the Schooner Bar is a good pre- or post-dinner drinking spot, with piano entertainment and a woody, nautical decor.
At the foot of the seven-story atrium, on deck 4, the Champagne Bar and Terrace offer their namesake bubbly and music in the evenings. On deck 11, the glass-walled Viking Crown Lounge spans the full width of the top deck, offering views during the day and a full-on disco experience at night.
The vessel also offers a library, an Internet center, and several less conspicuous bars and lounge areas. For young kids, the Adventure Ocean center is stocked with toys, books and games, while the nearby teen center is a small-scale disco lounge with attached video arcade.
Outside, Enchantment's pool deck got a major reworking as part of her 2005 remodel. In the center are a main pool, sports pool, kids' splash pool, and four whirlpools, but it's around the perimeter that things get interesting. To port and starboard, two spans bridge the newly inserted central section of the ship, connecting the old sections of the walking track and arcing above two half-moon deck areas that curve out from the ship's sides and offer a view straight through glass deck panels down toward the water, 100 ft below. To port, the space is used for a long bar; to starboard, it's done up with deck chairs. At one end of the pool deck there's an interactive splash fountain with 64 water jets, some automated and others that kids can manipulate to soak friends and family. A Solarium farther toward the stern offers the opposite experience for adults, with a quiet pool, two whirlpool tubs, floor-to-ceiling windows, lounge chairs, and a retractable glass ceiling for bad weather.
The ship's spa and beauty salon offers the usual array of massage, wellness and beauty treatments, while the gym is surprisingly small.
Royal Caribbean's signature rock-climbing wall is located in the stern on deck 10. At the bow end of that deck are four large bungee trampolines, the first ever installed on a cruise ship. After strapping yourself into a harness and having the attendants adjust the bungee tension to counterbalance your weight, just start hopping: If you get up enough momentum, you could find yourself 35 ft above the deck, doing somersaults.
For dining, Enchantment offers a fairly limited range of venues, though the overall quality of the cuisine is high. The main, two-deck My Fair Lady Dining Room is a very traditional venue serving American favorites and international options in fixed early and late seatings. On deck 6, Chops Grill offers a menu of steaks and seafood, at $20 per person. For casual dining, guests head to the Windjammer Marketplace buffet restaurant, where serving islands offer dishes from around the world, as well as a salad bar, carvery, deli counter, and made-to-order pasta.
Cabins are generally on the small side, with standard inside and oceanview cabins measuring between 140 and 154 sq ft. Insides offer two twin beds convertible to queens, a TV, private safe, a vanity area, a bath with shower, and a good amount of closet and storage space. Standard oceanviews add a small sitting area with sofa and a picture window (except in bow cabins on decks 2, 3 and 4, which have portholes). Superior Oceanview Staterooms add a private balcony and a sofa-bed. Suite levels start with the 245-sq-ft Junior Suites (which offer a bath with tub and a 58-sq-ft balcony) and go up to the 1,140-sq-ft Royal Suites (with their baby grand pianos and huge marble baths with whirlpool tubs and glass-enclosed showers for two).
Enchantment is a primo example of updating, taking a class of ship that had started to look dated and snazzing it up with 21st-century style. Service is surprisingly good, and the ship's short cruises offer great value for people with limited vacation time.
