My Video Of The Enchantment Of The Seas – Midnight Buffet
There is no shortage of food on a cruise, there are restaurants galore, buffets that go on all day long, and specialty restaurants for those who want something other than the food in the main dining room every night. There are snack shops, and even specialty coffee shops selling you your favorite Starbucks drinks. You can even get Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream on a cruise ship!
Did you know you can get a chocolate and dessert buffet at least once during most cruises? On the Enchantment Of The Seas, we had our dessert and chocolate buffet on Day 4 of the cruise – on Monday, August 6, 2012. This special buffet started at 10:45 pm, and finished at around midnight. Location? The main deck – around the swimming pool. Here’s what the pool looked like that night.
Main Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas
Here’s just some of the desserts:
Chocolate and Dessert Buffet – Enchantment Of The Seas
There was also fruit!
Midnight Buffet – Enchantment Of The Seas
Who can resist chocolate or dessert? Certainly not me! Watch out, you might be heading for a midnight buffet of your own! Thank you for watching the video that I made.
Bermuda Can’t Just Be A One Time Visit!
Here are some last pictures of when we sailed away from Kings Wharf in Bermuda on August 7th, 2012.
Kings Wharf, Bermuda
Let’s catch the Dockyards one last time through the port-hole window of the cruise ship! You will see the reflection of Clock Tower Mall.
And here is the Clock Tower Mall in all it’s glory!
Kings Wharf, Bermuda
Kings Wharf, Bermuda
We also saw the Norwegian Dawn yet again, and I just had to take pictures.
Norwegian Dawn in Bermuda
Norwegian Dawn in Bermuda
Well goodbye Bermuda, I will try to make it back to you so that I can take more pictures of your beautiful country next time. You certainly can’t be just a one time visit!
It Pays To Have Travel Insurance
It can be quite costly if you travel without purchasing travel insurance, and something happens to you during your travels.
Count your small investment in travel insurance as a blessing and not a cost (it’s also peace of mind).
Spa – Enchantment Of The Seas
I am happy to report that I made the right choice when I purchased my trip insurance back in May. As you know, I suffered an injury in Bermuda (wrote about it in a previous post), and not only did I suffer an injury, but my camcorder got smashed up too around the lens. Accidents can happen anywhere, but imagine if I had gone to the hospital and had to pay out of pocket for the ambulance, guess who would have reimbursed me? My travel protection company! Luckily, I did not go to the hospital, so I did not have that expense. However, my camcorder which cost about $469 or so, was fairly new, and therefore, I put in a claim upon my return. I made a quick phone call, filled out a few forms, and supplied a copy of my receipt to Travel Guard. Imagine, to my delight, when I received a check in full. I thought I would have to get a repair estimate, but Travel Guard didn’t ask me for any of that, they just cut the check and I got it within two or three weeks or so of filing the claim.
Additionally, I want to tell you about a client who booked a cruise, and had an emergency come up one week before her scheduled cruise – her aunt had died of cancer. Understandably, she could not go on the cruise, and had to attend the funeral (which was scheduled to take place during the same time as the cruise). Luckily, she had purchased travel protection from me and she was refunded in full (since she had a reason that was covered, and could be fully documented). Remember, certain covered reasons allow a full refund when you have trip insurance, even when you would not get a refund from the cruise line because you are after full payment date (penalty phase).
So, please next time you travel…..whether on a cruise or on a flight, remember to purchase travel protection, and you will be protected.
Enchantment Of The Seas – A Photo Review
Want to experience enchantment on the seas? Well, you might wish to consider taking a cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas from Baltimore to Bermuda. We took a six day cruise from August 3 to August 9, 2012, and found it to be an enchanting ship with a lot of people of all different ages. I was quite surprised to see a lot of families with young children, and my pictures can give you a glimpse of just how many people were on this cruise ship, and give you an idea of the age range. This was definitely the right ship considering I have three kids – they felt completely at home, and Adventure Ocean was definitely not short of kids. This ship can hold about 2,446 people, and was truly packed! Here are some of my photos:
Enchantment Of The Seas
The Main Swimming Pool is on Deck 9, and is in close proximity to the kids swimming pool and splash area. That is a big bonus for families – it takes a lot of thinking to come up with the perfect solution where everyone can be relaxing and enjoying themselves in the same area.
Enchantment Of The Seas
Main Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas
The kids pool, and guess who loved it? Chandi had so much fun and the best part of this pool is that the kids pool is right next to the main pool. So often on ships, the kids pool is at the other end of the deck, but on the Enchantment, the pools are in close proximity, so that the whole family can have fun close by to each other, and the kids pool is very safe.
Kids Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas
Kids Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas
- Kids Splash Area, Enchantment Of The Seas
Relaxation on the Enchantment Of The Seas
The ship also looks completely enchanting in the evenings.
Deck 9, Enchantment Of The Seas
In this picture, you can see the Rock Climbing Wall
Rock Climbing Wall, Enchantment Of The Seas
Other Areas of the Ship:
Orpheum Theater
Roots Vibrations Band, Enchantment Of The Seas
Captain Gus Andersson
Desserts on the Enchantment Of The Seas, that were served in My Fair Lady, which is the main Dining Room that spans two floors
Key Lime Pie, Enchantment Of The Seas
Sorbet, Enchantment Of The Seas
Ice Cream, Enchantment Of The Seas
Dessert, Enchantment Of The Seas
Tiramisu, Enchantment Of The Seas
My Fair Lady, Enchantment Of The Seas
My Fair Lady, Enchantment Of The Seas
Schooner Bar, Enchantment Of The Seas
Schooner Bar, Enchantment Of The Seas
Chops Grille, Enchantment Of The Seas
Chops Grille, Enchantment Of The Seas
Some of the artwork on the Enchantment Of The Seas, the first two were taken by the staircases, and the last two were taken in the Spa:
Now to the Solarium, however, the pool is for adults only.
The Solarium, Enchantment Of The Seas
I was expecting to see the Park Cafe in the Solarium, and was so disappointed, as I just loved going there for breakfast on the Radiance Of The Seas. However, as the picture above and below show: there were other lunch options, as well as pizza, and snacks
The Solarium, Enchantment Of The Seas
Someone sure liked the ice cream on the ship, and she wasn’t the only one!
Ice cream on the Enchantment Of The Seas
Enchantment Of The Seas in Bermuda
Casino Royale, Enchantment Of The Seas
Casino Royale, Enchantment Of The Seas
Floor near Casino, Enchantment Of The Seas
Boleros Lounge, Enchantment Of The Seas
Chandi often came back with her face painted, but she had so much fun and loved it at Adventure Ocean, the greatest place for kids age 3-11.
Adventure Ocean, Enchantment Of The Seas
Main Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas
The Shops, Enchantment Of The Seas
The Shops, Enchantment Of The Seas
Midnight Party, Enchantment Of The Seas
Midnight Party, Enchantment Of The Seas
Enchantment Of The Seas
Enchantment Of The Seas
Towel Art, Enchantment Of The Seas
Our Inside Cabin, even though it was a little tight for all four of us, served us really well, and we really enjoyed our cabin.
Inside Cabin on Enchantment Of The Seas
The Lobby (or Centrum as it is referred to on the ship):
Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas
Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas
Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas
The decks are a great place to take a walk or run, and try to keep in shape.
Enchantment Of The Seas
There was a Cake Decorating Challenge on Day 6, and the Captain participated, and I believe he won.
Day At Sea, Enchantment Of The Seas
Two of the singers who are also great dancers from the Orpheum Theater, performed for us in the Centrum on Day 6.
Summer Breeze Music Concert, Centrum
On Day 6, we also had the International Parade of Flags, and this was such a fitting ceremony, especially since the Olympics were taking place during the same time
International Parade of Flags, Centrum
Want to learn how to create towel art? Well, on the Enchantment Of The Seas, they gave a demonstration of how to create the towel animals (however, I still can’t do it).
Enchantment Of The Seas
Do you like Ben & Jerry’s? Well, their ice cream is available on this ship (not included in the cruise fare) – you will have to pay for this, as well as for the premium coffees and pastries at Lattetudes, and for alcohol.
Ben & Jerry’s, Enchantment Of The Seas
Lattetudes, Enchantment Of The Seas
Now for some pictures of the Indian food – finally, I found it on Day 6 in the WindJammer Cafe. However, it was available every day on the menu in My Fair Lady, which was my assigned Dining Room for dinner at 6pm. There was always something that was Indian, and ranged from Sholay (chick peas curry) with rice and naan, to Aloo Gobi (potatoes and cauliflower) with rice and naan bread.
Indian Food, Windjammer Cafe, Enchantment Of The Seas
These pictures below are a 1) a delicious rice dish 2) Fish Tikka 3) Aloo Muttar 4) Tikka – Butter Chicken 5) Malai Kofta (also shown above in bigger picture)
I didn’t always have Indian food, and often opted for other dishes such as the chicken dish shown below
Food on the Enchantment Of The Seas
The waiters on the ship are absolutely fantastic. Our waiter is the one waving in the picture below.
Enchantment Of The Seas
Bernie Martini at the Schooner Bar – he is a fabulous singer!
Bernie Martini, Schooner Bar, Enchantment of The Seas
Balloons ready for a Farewell Dance Party in the Centrum
Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas
Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas
Well, that evening the party got into full swing, and balloons were flying everywhere! Adults as well as kids were having a great time trying to catch the balloons.
Enchantment Of The Seas
The entertainers who usually entertained us in the Orpheum Theater, were now entertaining us in the Centrum, and there was such a party atmosphere, it was a truly nice way to end the cruise.
Enchantment Of The Seas
Closing thoughts on my cruise experience on the Enchantment Of The Seas. Well, I think it is a great ship for families, and there is a lot to do. There is bungee jumping, rock climbing, a jogging track, the gym, ping-pong tables, a Spa, and of course the Orpheum Theater for spectacular entertainment. Also, a really important bonus that is on many other Royal Caribbean ships is Adventure Ocean kids club, which made my family vacation really great, as Chandi absolutely loved being there.
To see some more photos that I put on my Facebook page, please click here: facebook.com/luchaniktravelandcruises
Thank you for reading my post, and I hope you enjoyed my pictures.
Lovely Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe, California, is not just a winter destination for ski-lovers – it is a perfect place to go in the summer. It is serene, and offers a laid-back atmosphere, where you can spend your summer afternoons doing practically nothing other than sunbathing along the edge of the Lake. The beaches along the Lake are beautiful, and the color of the water is just gorgeous – very green. Then with the mountains, and the fresh air – this place is terrific. We visited in the middle of July, 2012, and even though it was hot, there was a nice breeze.
Bring your hiking shoes, as this is a perfect place to take walks, although be warned that going up the hills in Lake Tahoe, should only be undertaken by those who are fit enough. I once attempted to take a walk along the road leading back up to the place where we stayed – Tahoe Seasons Resort – well, going downhill was no problem, but going back up certainly was a different story – let’s just say, it was quite a challenge for me. Be warned though, that you are going to be way up in the mountains and you will see that items in the grocery store such as chips, and even milk and yoghurt will be slightly swollen with excess air. I was told that many people can suffer from swollen ankles here, but I didn’t have that problem.
Here are some pictures of Lakeside Beach – a private beach, and further down this post, you will see pictures of Emerald Lake and Tahoe Seasons Resort.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
This is a restaurant that overlooks the private beach – Lakeside Beach – which we had a free pass to.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
- South Lake Tahoe, CA
On day three, we ventured onto the narrow roads again (it takes quite a bit of courage sometimes to face those same roads again) to see Lake Emerald, which is just about a fifteen or twenty minute drive from downtown South Lake Tahoe.
Emerald Lake – South Lake Tahoe, CA
Emerald Lake – South Lake Tahoe, CA
Emerald Lake
Emerald Lake – South Lake Tahoe, CA
This is a beach that is not private, and it is also very beautiful, and it is only a five minute drive from Lakeside Beach.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
As for food, we mostly went to Denny’s, however, we did try a wonderful Indian restaurant named Nikki’s Chaat Cafe – it had the best pakoras ever! I am normally more a samosa person, but this time I was hooked! I will always remember the pakoras.
Nikki’s Chaat Cafe, South Lake Tahoe, CA
This is just a picture I took, but I didn’t get to try the food here.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
This is the resort where we stayed. It actually is a timeshare that I exchanged into, and instead of staying for seven days – we stayed for just four days. The actual accommodation was quite nice. It was a one-bedroom with a separate living room, that had a mini-fridge with microwave, and coffee maker (no stove).
Tahoe Seasons Resort – South Lake Tahoe, CA
Tahoe Seasons Resort – South Lake Tahoe, CA
Tahoe Seasons Resort – South Lake Tahoe, CA
Chandi at Tahoe Seasons Resort – with her “Bear Family”
Tahoe Seasons Resort
South Lake Tahoe is indeed a very beautiful place to visit – once you get there. However, getting there – can be a little tricky. In fact, I would be hesitant about driving on those roads in snowy conditions, as it was a little hair-raising driving to this popular, and very laid-back ski destination. As I drove the car along the narrow roads that went into mountainous community, my heart skipped many a beat and I dared not look along the sides of the road as I could easily have gone off the edge of the road in an instant.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
So, my words of advice are – just be careful driving into this tourist destination, and bring some extra money – as Harrah’s Casino and Harvey’s Casino are in Lake Tahoe, in the centre of downtown.
Review of the Carnival Splendor
Luchanik Travel & Cruises had so much fun on the Carnival Splendor on the July 17th seven day cruise to the Mexican Riviera. This cruise definitely was not boring, especially as Hurricane Dora just had to follow us along our journey, and threatened to crash into our path. However, with the skillful handling of Carnival Cruise Lines, and a little bit of an itinerary change – we stayed safe, and still saw all the ports we were supposed to visit. Instead of visiting Cabo San Lucas two days in a row, and Puerto Vallarta on the day after, it was determined that Puerto Vallarta should be sandwiched in between Cabo San Lucas to avoid the hurricane as the Captain had word from Miami and knew where the hurricane was headed.
Hurricane Dora affected our group, as we had the El Morocco Lounge booked on Wednesday afternoon at 4pm for refreshments for our group, as well as a rehearsal for our dance team – UCSD Zor, one of the top Bollywood dance teams in the USA. Due to the itinerary change, the rehearsal was rescheduled to Thursday. Luchanik Travel & Cruises cultural division called Bindi Cruises (http://www.bindicruises.com) provided complimentary cultural entertainment for the entire Bindi Group, as well as some lucky people on the Splendor, who got to see the entertainment that really should have been a private event. Normally, when you book a cruise, you only get the entertainment (public event) provided by the cruise line, and this does not usually include cultural entertainment. We think it is important for people to be exposed to other cultures and wanted people to enjoy the Bollywood and Bhangra performances by UCSD Zor. The performances went ahead as scheduled at 2:30 to 4:30 pm on Friday in the El Morocco Lounge and Saturday in the Red Carpet Disco. Video clips of the performances are available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/luchaniktravel . More photos will be posted later.
Restaurants
The Splendor is an amazing ship. The food was plentiful, there were so many options to choose from – The Lido for buffet style dining; the Gold Pearl, or Black Pearl for sit-down service; the Tandoor on Deck 9 for Indian buffet style eating; the Pizzeria; a Rotisserie; and a specialty restaurant – which I believe is a Steak Restaurant – did not visit that one though. Sometimes we had breakfast in the Lido Dining Room, which is buffet style and sometimes we ate in the Gold Pearl Dining Room where breakfast was available from 8am to 10am. We had our dinner every evening in the Gold Pearl at 6pm. During a cruise, you have the choice of early dining – usually at 6pm – or late dining at around 8:15 pm. This is reserved dining, and the earlier you book, the better…… as you have a higher chance of getting the seating that you request. If you book too late, and want an earlier seating, you could be subject to being on a wait list. There is also “Any Time” seating between 6pm to 9:45 pm, however, this is not recommended as you might have to wait for a while for a table to become available, it is just nicer having a reserved table and time.
Food
Our group had Indian food every evening in the Gold Pearl, however, we were free to change it to the regular menu in the event that we saw something we liked – some members of our group did that, and enjoyed salmon, lobster, shrimp, sushi and even snails (Escargot) one night! What is really nice about the Gold Pearl Dining Room and the staff there, is that you can ask for as many dishes as you like, extra ice-cream for the kids or even for a second or third dessert, and the waiters will bring it for you with a smile on their face. The same also applied to the meals, if we felt like salmon in addition to Indian food, the staff were very accommodating, and it was no problem.
The desserts were good in the Gold Pearl, especially the Bread and Butter Pudding, the Warm Chocolate Cake (melted chocolate sponge), and the Espresso Cake – this was was my favorite! On cruise ships, drinks such as soda are not included, so at dinner, we were limited to lemonade, milk or water for the kids. The lemonade was quite sweet, a little too sweet actually! We were also able to get Indian tea for our group, which was really nice, and really can make you feel at home.
Cabins
The cabins are quite small, but this is nothing unusual as most cabins on cruises are approximately the same size for Interior cabins, which is what we booked. Interior cabins probably are sufficient for just two occupants, but we had four in our cabin, so that is probably why they appeared to be even smaller! Our cabin had a double bed, and two bunk beds on either side. We regularly bumped our heads into the bunk beds as we forgot they were hanging over on each end of the double bed. However, the cabins were always clean and tidy, and housekeeping did an outstanding job bringing fresh towels whenever they were needed (without us having to even ask!)
Swimming Pools
There were plenty of swimming pools, with the main pool being on the Lido Deck which is Deck 9, same as the Tandoor Deck. There is also a huge outdoor TV screen on the Lido Deck, so you could be in the pool, and watch the TV at the same time. In the evening, the Lido Deck looked spectacular when all the little lights were on. There was also an adults only pool, a kid’s pool, a Splash Area for the kids, a Twister Water Slide and various jacuzzi’s that were scattered around.
Gym and Spa
The gym and Spa are both on Deck 11. There are plenty of treadmills, bikes, and other machines to work of all those calories. Carnival also provides classes such as yoga, and nutrition classes, at a cost of $12 each session. The Spa was a luxury that I did not take advantage of unfortunately, but I did see the Member’s Area, where you could pay something like $268 and soak in a giant hot-tub.
Suggestions for Carnival
Three suggestions – the first suggestion is that Carnival really needs to provide vegetable samosas for Indian people who travel with them. The Tandoor on Deck 9 (Lido Deck) provided only beef samosas and beef is against the religion of many Indian people. Also, needless to say – if you provide an appetizer that is an Indian appetizer – you should not offend the people of that region and insult them by putting something in the food that they love, and that they will not be able to eat! The second suggestion is that Carnival really needs to put changing tables in the public bathrooms and make the cruise more family friendly by doing so. It was a struggle once or twice changing my two year old in the bathrooms. The third suggestion is that they really need to provide more beverages for kids, and the lemonade needs to have less sugar!
Summary
We had a great time on the cruise, and I would definitely recommend the Splendor to anyone wishing to take a cruise. Carnival is very family oriented, and the Splendor is a beautiful cruise ship. I would not hesitate to go on this ship again.
If you would like to book the Carnival Splendor, please contact me and I would be happy to assist you.
Carnival Splendor
Carnival Splendor lobby
Balcony Cabin on Carnival Splendor
Lobby of the Carnival Splendor
The main swimming pool of the Carnival Splendor
More photographs can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.248969871794696.70400.182290738462610&type=3
My ship inspection video of Carnival Splendor made prior to the cruise can be found here: Carnival Splendor Ship Inspection
12 Day Trip Vancouver to Alaska, May, 2012
This gallery contains 5 photos.
I flew into Vancouver from San Diego on May 10, 2012, and spent a day there, and then caught a seven day cruise on the next day from Vancouver to Seward on the Radiance Of The Seas. The port visits for the seven day cruise from Vancouver to Alaska include Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, […]
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