RCI’s ‘Enchantment of the Seas’ Gets A ‘Stretch’
By P W Mooney
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As part of the ongoing enhancement of Royal
Caribbean International (RCI) ships, a modernized and longer
version of Enchantment of the Seas is now sailing out
of Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey. She is the largest cruise
ship of Royal Caribbean’s to be lengthened and the first of
its kind to be completed within a month.
RCI pioneered the “stretch” back in 1978
when an 85-foot section was inserted into the Song of Norway.
In 1980, the Nordic Prince was also extended. When the
Song of Norway and the Nordic Prince were lengthened, much of
the process was completed in water. When each ship was split,
the shipyard had to fill the dry dock with water; float the
aft section of the ship out of the bay and the midsection into
the dock; and then float the aft section back into the bay.
The dry dock was then drained and the ship reconnected. According
to company records, putting the pieces back together was the
hardest part of the process as each section floated at different
depths. Engineers had to play a patient juggling game with ballast
tanks and winches to align their trio of disparate floating
craft in one seamless horizontally whole.
Today, ship technology has advanced considerably.
Now the lengthening process is done out of the water; and instead
of three months, takes only one month to complete.
Last year RCI teamed with two European shipyards
to stretch the eight-year-old Enchantment. Aker Finnyards in
Turku, Finland, builders of the Enchantment in the mid 1990s,
was given overall responsibility for designing, building and
installing the mid-body section. Aker then asked Keppel Verolme
of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, to split the ship in two,
insert the midsection and reassemble the parts.
Construction started on the midsection last
September at the Aker Finnyards and was completed in April.
The midsection was then barged on a 1,430-mile journey through
the Baltic and North seas to the Rotterdam shipyard. There,
the section would be inserted into the Enchantment, which had
arrived at the shipyard on May 15 and entered dry dock. The
dry dock, one of the largest in the world, would enable the
ship and midbody to be placed side by side and allow the use
of an advanced and faster lengthening process.
The work proceeded somewhat smoothly despite
some tense moments. “One of our greatest problems was the logistics
of getting the crew to the shipyard from their hotel for each
eight-hour shift” remembers Chief Engineer Peter Fenten. But
work proceeded as planned; the midsection insertion was completed
in 31 days on June 13. After a series of sea trials, Enchantment
arrived in Bayonne, New Jersey on schedule July 1. Commenting
on the successful completion of the stretch, RCI President Adam
Goldstein emphasized the company’s commitment “to providing
innovative, exciting and unexpected experiences for its guests.
“We are willing to stretch ourselves and our ships—literally—to
fulfill that promise.”
Enchantment’s
$60 million “stretch’’ added 73 feet to her length, 151 additional
staterooms, a new nightclub, a first of its kind suspension
bridges, a Splash Deck for youths, and bungee trampolines. Additional
costs were incurred for the refurbishment of ship interiors,
new bedding in existing cabins and the additional venues incorporated
into the vessel. At a press conference onboard the Enchantment
during my two-day cruise, Goldstein said that “doing the stretch
was cheaper than building a new ship” which these days can be
more than a billion dollars based on the current Euro rate.
“Adding 151
cabins and other venues could be done without
building a new ship and so RCI went ahead with the construction
of the ‘stretch’.”
Goldstein indicated that “currently no plans
are in the works to do a similar stretch on another ship but
if one is done in the future, a probable candidate would be
sister ship Grandeur of the Seas” as ship specifications
would be identical to Enchantment.
The
ship is longer of course but still retains her sleek profile.
She now accommodates some 300 additional guests. Especially
striking on the “new” Enchantment are the two 75-foot long suspension
brides supported by dramatic arches that run along both sides
of the new top deck of the ship in the new midsection. The two
bridges cross over two new areas of the Pool Deck that now extend
out over the water. On the port side, the overhanging platform
features a new Island Bar, while on the starboard side there
is plenty of extra sunbathing space. One can also spot the place
beside a red box that marks where the ship was split for the
midsection insertion.
A new hot spot in the midsection is the Latin
lounge called Boleros—the place to be each night after dinner
or the musical revue. Standing room only, guests were dancing
or just moving in place to the jivey Latin music while sipping
their mojitos and caipirinhas.
Steps away from Boleros is the new and very
popular Latte’tudes coffee and ice cream bar dishing out Ben
& Jerry’s ice cream or serving Seattle’s Best Coffee to
one’s preference.
One
deck above was the reservation-only Choppes Grille, which formerly
was a walk-through lounge. The more intimate restaurant seats
108 persons and offers a menu of grilled meats and fish. There
is a $20 charge per person if you are lucky to get a reservation.
The main dining room, My Fair Lady, was expanded
to include additional seating and refurbished. New thick carpeting
helps to mute the sound in the large dining room, which seats
1,365 diners at two sittings. There is a wide selection of international
and American-style dishes offered, and portions are nicely presented.
The former Windjammer café is now known as
the Windjammer Marketplace which offers a variety of self-serve
foods from around the world at multiple serving stations that
are placed so as to avoid grid lock at peak times. Different
stations offer salads, Asian and Italian dishes, cook-to-order
pasta dishes, a carved meats, a selection of cheeses, and ample
desserts at lunch. For breakfast, there is a wide choice of
light fare including omelets prepared to one’s liking. In both
dining venues, there is a charge for wines and sodas ordered.
The
100-seat Conference Center was refurbished and upgraded. Wi
Fi was installed throughout the ship and there is also a 24-hour
Internet Center with computers for work or pleasure. In the
Enchantment Day Spa, five additional treatment rooms were added
including two massage rooms for couples. And throughout the
ship, new features for the disabled were installed including
improved ramps, pool lifts and easy access to the Splash Deck.
Another
first in the cruise industry was the introduction of four bungee
trampolines on Deck 10 forward. Here participants are harnessed
to bungee cords that are monitored by crew as they jump skyward
to their hearts’ content. In addition, a rock-climbing wall
was added and joggers can work up a sweat on the quarter-mile
jogging path to four fitness zones that focus on stretching,
cardio, agility and toning.
The outdoor pool area now has two pools and
four whirlpools—a space increase of 50 percent. But what held
my attention in this area is the new interactive fountain area
for kids—it sports 64 water jets on the floor, perimeter and
central dome. The Splash Deck allows kids to spray one another
or create their own water effects with a touchpad system. At
night the area transforms into a fiber-optic light-and-water
show.
Besides the additional cabins in the new
midsection, two family staterooms that sleep six were added.
And most cabins received new bedding and other embellishments.
During
my brief cruise, I found the ship to be quite comfortable, almost
like an old shoe. Its seven-deck high Atrium is a focal point
and no matter on what deck you sit or stand around the Atrium,
it is the abundance of light streaming through the ship’s giant
size windows bringing in views of the sea that makes an impact.
During the evening hours, a variety of live music is offered
in the lounges or on the lowest deck of the Atrium where one
night is was Big Band music performed by the ship’s orchestra
to set you dancing. In fact, I found the music offered throughout
the ship whether live or piped was quite good in the variety
offered—from classical to pop. This is not always the case on
other ships where sometimes the music can be raucous.
I was not able to try Choppes this time but
a look at the menu certainly places it as a must-eat here-on
one’s agenda despite the $20 charge. Elsewhere in My Fair Lady
dining room and in the Windjammer Marketplace, I found the food
served quite adequate. It may not be best one can eat at sea
but it certainly was tasty and the table service was quite good.
Our balconied cabin had adequate storage
space for two people and the bathrooms were functional. However,
bring your body lotions, shower cap and hair conditioner as
these amenities are no longer supplied unless you are in a top-category
cabin. I did complain as I had expected these amenities to be
stocked in the bathroom and had not brought my own. Quickly,
the missing toiletries were supplied.
The
library is great place to read with its cushy leathery chairs.
There is a nice selection of books and magazines to choose from
as well as the New York Times in mini version. I was able to
find the novel that I left at home on the bookshelf so I could
finish it.
Cabins are comfortable—but choose the ones with balconies as
you don’t want to miss the seascapes. The food that I tasted
was adequate in the two major dining areas in selections offered—not
gourmet—but what one would find in a neighborhood restaurant.
And the hotel and dining staff were top rate.
Enchantment is a comfortable spacious ship
although the pool/sunbathing areas can be crowded on a sunny
day. Importantly, there are adequate facilities for children
and teens to keep them amused as well as babysitting service
for tots.
I would recommend this ship to anyone, especially
first timers and families.
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Ship Statistics
How The Stretch Was Done
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