Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas: Overview and Things to Do

One of Royal Caribbean’s older vessels, Enchantment of the Seas may not — at least on the surface level — appeal to you as much as some of the cruise line’s newer, flashier ships, but it’s still worth your consideration.

The ship is filled with family-friendly fun and is small enough to not be overwhelming. It’s also often used on more affordable routes than some of the other, newer ships, making it more appealing to first-time cruisers. Additionally, more recent upgrades have brought this 1990s ship up to date, with amenities like you’ll see on some of Royal Caribbean’s newer vessels. 

So, ready to learn more and see what all you can expect from Enchantment of the Seas? Keep reading to learn everything you might need to know ahead of an upcoming cruise.

Enchantment Ship Stats

Enchantment of the Seas doesn’t necessarily boast any sort of spectacular size or cruise passenger capacity. It’s definitely not one of the largest ships in the world. But this makes the vessel appealing for cruisers who don’t want to be bombarded with all the overwhelming options that are available on today’s mega ships. This ship boasts… 

• A 82,910 GT (up from 74,000, its weight prior to its 2005 refurbishments)
• A length of 988 feet (301 meters — up from 916 feet and 279 meters, its length prior to the 2005 refurbishments)
• 11 passenger decks
• A capacity for 2,446 passengers
• 1,145 total guest rooms
• A crew of 840 members

Construction and Refurbishment 

Enchantment of the Seas was first launched in 1996 and has been in service ever since. If you think that this makes the ship outdated and old, though, think again. The vessel has undergone several dry docks since its inception, bringing it up to date.

In 2005, the ship was majorly overhauled, which increased its length and weight with a mid-body extension. At that time, Royal Caribbean also added more than 150 passenger cabins to the ship.

More recently, in 2012, Enchantment of the Seas underwent a second dry-docking period that brought a lot of new changes to the ship. These included the additions of better WiFi, flat-screen televisions, theater improvements, stateroom bathroom improvements and the addition of more, newer restaurants, including the Park Cafe in the Solarium.

Today, you’ll find that Enchantment of the Seas is a smaller Royal Caribbean ship, sure — but it’s also filled with many of the venues and amenities that are considered Royal Caribbean classics. These range from the rock-climbing wall to the three pools, the multiple restaurants to the full-service Vitality at Sea spa. 

Vision Class Cruise Ship

Enchantment of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s Vision-class cruise ships. The Vision class includes six ships: Grandeur of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, Legend of the Seas and Splendor of the Seas. Enchantment is the fourth of the Vision-class ships to be built, but also the largest.

Unfortunately, some of the Vision Class ships no longer exist. Both Legend of the Seas and Splendor of the Seas were sold to Thomson Cruises. Grandeur of the Seas was slated to be sold to Pullmantur Cruises, though that deal was canceled in 2021, due to the cruise line’s bankruptcy.

Also Read: Easy Guide on Royal Caribbean Ships by Age

If you like Enchantment of the Seas, but just wish it was a little bit newer, you might want to consider sailing on Vision of the Seas, which received updates the latest among the remaining Vision-class ships, in 2013. 

Staterooms and Suites

Enchantment of the Seas offers a range of staterooms and suites, including…

• 1,145 total guest rooms
• 431 ocean-view rooms
• 154 balcony rooms
• 94 suites

So what can you expect from each of the primary four stateroom and suite options?

Firstly, there are the interior staterooms. These are usually your least expensive stateroom options, but they’re hardly lackluster for the affordable price. With lots of space, singles and couples travelers have lots of room to spread out. 

Ocean-view staterooms are a little more of an upgrade, with ocean views (of course), thanks to large bedside windows. There’s also a little more floor space and extra seatings compared to what you’d get in an interior stateroom.

Balcony staterooms are even better, with large, private exterior spaces for enjoying the ocean views up-close and personal. Of course, the suites are going to be your largest option.

Whichever stateroom or suite that you choose on an Enchantment of the Seas cruise, you can expect to see mid-range furnishings and decor, similar to what you might expect from a mid-range hotel on land. Think crisp white linens, blue upholstery and marble countertops. 

When shopping for your stateroom on this ship, be sure to check the number of cruisers a stateroom will fit. Some cabins can sleep four people, while some suites can sleep up to eight. All of the staterooms feature ample storage for your clothing and luggage, and at least two seats. 

However, do note that you won’t see certain expected, modern amenities in these staterooms. Not all of them have mini fridges, and none have USB ports or bedside chargers. 

Dining

When it comes to dining while aboard an Enchantment of the Seas cruise, expect Royal Caribbean classics and long-standing favorite restaurants. Enchantment of the Seas offers the following dining venues:

• My Fair Lady Dining Room (the main dining room)
• Windjammer Marketplace
• Solarium Park Cafe
• Cafe Latte-Tudes
• Chops Grille
• Ben & Jerry’s

Yes, this is much fewer than the number of restaurants that you’ll see on some of Royal Caribbean’s newer ships, but you have to consider what you’re getting. For example, the dining room fits more than 1,300 ship passengers at once, while the buffet, Windjammer Marketplace, fits more than 500 cruisers at once. Additionally, you can also take advantage of specialty dining experiences, such as The Chef’s Table or room service.

The main dining room, buffet, Park Cafe, Cafe Latte-Tudes and select room service are all free to enjoy within the price of your stateroom. You’ll only need to pay extra when dining at Chops Grille and Ben & Jerry’s, or when purchasing room service items that are an additional fee.

At the main dining room, expect scheduled seatings for dinner and open-seating at breakfast and lunch. A classic cruising experience, the main dining room offers upscale, banquet-style eats every evening. Lunch is only available on sea days, but you do get similar menus, as well as access to buffets. Breakfast is a mixture of a buffet and table service.

At the primary buffet, though, the Windjammer Marketplace offers lots of options for every meal of the day. The Park Cafe offers healthful items during breakfast, lunch and late-late evenings. Cafe Latte-Tunes provides snacks and sweets. For upscale dining, try Chops Grille, where you can expect a steakhouse-style menu.

Bars and Lounges

Bars and lounges aboard Enchantment of the Seas provide you with plenty of spots to kick back with an adult beverage (or two!). Your options include… 

• Spotlight Lounge
• Viking Crown Lounge
• Schooner Bar
• Boleros
• R Bar and Centrum
• The Diamond Lounge

The largest of these is the Spotlight Lounge, with capacity for nearly 600 cruisers at one time, while others on the list, like R Bar, are a little more intimate, holding fewer than 100 cruisers. Spotlight Lounge is typically packed, with revelers enjoying karaoke and live music. The Viking Crown Lounge is also a popular pick, with its DJ sets (but note that this lounge is only open to those ages 18 and up once darkness falls). 

For Latin music and dancing, try Boleros. The Schooner Bar is the place to go for piano tunes. R Bar and Centrum are a combined cocktail bar and dance space, though Centrum is used as a place for fun, scheduled cruise activities during the daylight hours. Beyond all of these dedicated bars and lounges, you’ll also find a bar in the ship’s casino. 

Lastly, if you’re a member of Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program and you’ve built up your loyalty status over the years, you can enjoy access to the exclusive Diamond Club, where upscale experiences (and drinks) await. 

Things to Do on Enchantment of the Seas

But beyond all the dining and drinking that you can expect to do while on a Royal Caribbean cruise, what’s there to do for fun? Turns out, there’s plenty.

The Orpheum Theater is where you’ll find the larger entertainment for the cruise. Think music acts, comedians, magicians, game shows, etcetera. The theater also shows movies on occasion. Beyond the daily events happening there, you’ll also find lots of scheduled entertainment events scattered across the ship, from educational seminars to fitness activities to games. Most of the activities are free.

For some fun in the sun (because it is a cruise, after all), go to one of the three pools (an impressive number for how small this ship is). There are two pools on the main pool deck and one indoor pool inside the Solarium.

In addition, there are four hot tubs outside and two hot tubs inside. There’s also a small splash zone for the smallest travelers in your bunch. All of the pools are surrounded by loungers and the pools’ popularity all depends on what else is going on, on the ship, at any given time.

As far as other outdoor entertainment, Enchantment of the Seas offers a rock-climbing wall, as well as a Jump Zone, which includes bungee jumping and trampolines. Unlike other Royal Caribbean ships, you won’t find sports courts here, but you all find some ping-pong tables. 

The adults in your party can find a little peace and quiet in the adults-only Solarium, where things are a little more low-key and less rambunctious. 

Amenities

But what about when you need a little bit of extra service? There are other amenities on this ship, to help you out.  Amenities aboard Enchantment of the Seas include…

• Shops offering a range of souvenirs and luxury items
• An art gallery
• Photo gallery and camera shop
• Conference room for business travelers
• An internet cafe
• WiFi packages that start at $20 per day
• Paid laundry service
• The Vitality Spa, with a full treatment menu 
• A fitness center with a range of fitness equipment and fitness classes
• An outdoor jogging track
• Late-night babysitting services
• Children’s programming within the Adventure Ocean Kids Club

Book Your Enchantment of the Seas Cruise

As you can probably see, Enchantment of the Seas is a small and simple ship, but it is one that’s great for first-time cruisers who don’t want to be overwhelmed or those who prefer smaller ships, or even just those looking for a great deal.

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