Wednesday, September 19, 2012

RCI Enchantment of the Seas -, Nassau, Zoo and back


Day 5
Today we were supposed to be on the RCI private island Coco Beach. However, when we woke up we found a note from the Captain that the seas were far too rough and we would not be able to tender to the island so we were going to stay an extra day in Nassau. The weather was sunny and warmer than the day before so after a group discussion we decided to all go to the Zoo. The zoo is about a 15 minute drive or a very long walk from the ship and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.
Lots of the animals were roaming free (flamingoes, monkeys, peacocks), they offered a lot of feeding opportunities and it was a great way for the kids to experience a lot of exotic animals up close.
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We strolled around for quite a while and even got a peacock to open his full tale for us (or for the female bird nearby, but we took full advantage of the photo opp).
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Victor and I went into the large parakeet enclosure during feeding time but we did not realize that as soon as the people walk in parakeets come from everywhere and climb on your head, shoulders, hair and pretty much everywhere on you. After my initial screams and victor hiding under my shirt we ended up having a good time though.
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After the Zoo we walked over to the beach area, only about a 10 min walk, and found several cute local restaurants where we had a nice lunch and some of us even tried conch. The service was typical Caribbean (slow) but the fish and the other seafood was fresh and we enjoyed being outside even though the temperatures were still not that warm.
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On the way back we walked through the Nassau downtown area and got some duty free goodies but overall there was not much to see here. It is still a very poor island with lots of visible hurricane damages. Everything looks run down and small and there are a ton of locals just milling about on the main street so we quickly made our purchases and got back on the ship.
On most cruises that we have been to mid afternoon is my favorite time of the day. A coffee and a pastry at the onboard coffee shop is always a favorite family experience. However, on the Enchantment, the coffee shop is small, the area around it is dark and there are no pastries, just tired-looking oatmeal cookies and a few types of muffins. I was definitely missing the lovely desserts on Celebrity’s CafĂ© il Bacio.
 Day 6 and 7
The cruises ends with two days at sea while we make our way back to Baltimore. The first day is actually warm and sunny and for the only time on this cruise the outdoor pool is open and buzzing. The water in the pool is warm and everyone is playing outside and happy to get some sun. However, the seas are rough and the ship is rocking and rolling and some people from our group suffer the consequences. The three of us are doing good so we fully enjoy the warm day.
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 That night we send the kids to the club despite some protests and save our seats for Quest – the adult scavenger hunt game which I totally enjoy watching. For those who have not played it, you are hunting for things like ladies underwear, a pair of thongs, a guy with lipstick on and things like that. It is hilarious to watch and is exactly what we need considering the other entertainment onboard has been geared mostly to the older crowd.
The next day is our last one and, as we are already past the Carolinas, the weather is back to being cold. We play some trivia, get some drinks in the atrium, watch the Love & Marriage show (where the oldest couple, in the 70s probably, have absolutely no shame and share some hilarious stories like the time the woman handcuffed the guy to their bed and accidentally lost the keys) and then go back to our cabins to pack and say our goodbyes.
All in all, this cruise was a good way to spend time with our friends and get to hang our with people we don’t see as often as we want. But unfortunately I have to say that we will not be returning to the Enchantment of the Seas and probably Royal

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