Enchantment of the Seas vs Independence of the Seas

The Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas was built in 1997. It was renovated in 2021. It's 11 years older than the Independence of the Seas, which was built in 2008 and renovated in 2018.

Comparison Overview

Ship Size

The Enchantment of the Seas is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 989 feet long and 106 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 11-story building. Compared to the Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas, the Enchantment of the Seas is 46% smaller in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas holds 42% fewer passengers than the Independence of the Seas based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Enchantment of the Seas has less space per person compared to the Independence of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean
Enchantment of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Independence of the Seas
ClassVisionFreedom
Gross Tonnage82,910154,407
Length9891,112
Beam/Width106185
Passenger Decks1114
Passengers (double occupancy)2,2523,858
Crew8521,440
Passenger to Crew Ratio2.62.7
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)3740


Food and Restaurants

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Enchantment of the Seas has seven different dining options like Windjammer, Chops Grille, and Chef's Table. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other four options have an additional fee.

The Independence of the Seas has six more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Fish & Ships, Windjammer, and Cafe Promenade. nine of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Independence of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 86% more dining options than the Enchantment of the Seas.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Enchantment of the Seas might be a better choice then the Independence of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

Restaurants on Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas & Independence of the Seas

Restaurant Royal Caribbean
Enchantment of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Independence of the Seas
Included
Cafe PromenadeLearn More
Main Dining RoomLearn More
Park Cafe
Sorrento's PizzaLearn More
WindjammerLearn More
A la carte
Cafe Latte-tudes
Fish & ShipsLearn More
Ice Cream Parlor
PlaymakersLearn More
Vintages Wine BarLearn More
Flat fee
Chef's TableLearn More
Chops GrilleLearn More
Giovanni's TableLearn More
Izumi Hibachi & SushiLearn More
Johnny RocketsLearn More

Bars and Drinks

Royal Caribbean's R Bar
Royal Caribbean's R Bar
Royal Caribbean's Boleros
Royal Caribbean's Boleros

The Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas has 8 fewer bars than the Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean
Enchantment of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Independence of the Seas
Boleros
Casino Bar
Champagne Bar
English Pub
Olive or Twist
Playmakers
Pool Bar
R Bar
Schooner Bar
Sky Lounge
Solarium Bar
Spotlight Lounge
Star Lounge
Suite Lounge*
The Plaza Bar
Viking Crown Lounge
Vintages
* = this bar is exclusive and not open to everyone.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Enchantment of the Seas and the Independence of the Seas below.



Pools and Hot Tubs

The main pool and kids splash area on Royal Caribbeans Enchantment of the Seas
The main pool on Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas
The main pool deck with two pools and lounge chairs on Royal Caribbeans Independence of the Seas
The main pool on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs.

The Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas has the same number of pools as the Enchantment of the Seas and more hot tubs.

Worried about lots of kids onboard? Visit The Solarium, an adult-only area for guests 18 and older only. Both the Enchantment of the Seas and the Independence of the Seas have full-depth adult-only pools in The Solarium. Enchantment of the Seas’ adult-only area is covered by a retractable glass roof, while Independence of the Seas’ is not enclosed. They’re both located in the middle of the ship.

Royal Caribbean
Enchantment of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Independence of the Seas
Total Pools33
Pools - General Access22
Pools - Adults Only11
Pools - Exclusive00
Total Hot Tubs67
Hot Tubs - General Access45
Hot Tubs - Adults Only22
Hot Tubs - Exclusive00


cruise coloring book

Cruise Coloring and Activity Books for Kids
Get your kids ready for their cruise or keep them entertained while on board with our custom made coloring and activity books. These are the Royal Caribbean editions with places like Studio B and Sorrento's featured.

Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5 - Royal Caribbean Edition

Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8 - Royal Caribbean Edition


Ship Features and Activities

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Enchantment of the Seas. Only 67% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Independence of the Seas, 72% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Royal Caribbean
Enchantment of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Independence of the Seas
Adult Only Relaxation Area
Arcade
Basketball
Bungee Trampoline
Casino
Climbing Wall
Escape Room
Fitness Center
FlowRider
Ice Skating
Laser Tag
Mini golf
Pool-side Movies
Shows - Broadway play
Shows - musical review
Spa
Splash park
Water slides
Learn moreLearn more

Cruise Costs

Royal Caribbean is a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas will likely be cheaper than on Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas.

Onboard Costs

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Royal Caribbean ship.

Royal Caribbean
Base Daily Gratuities*
(Per Person Per Day)
$18.50
Tip added to drinks & services18%
Soda Price$3.50
Domestic Beer Price$8.25
See drink menus
Drink Package Price$77 - $118
Learn more
Internet Plan$19 to $30 per device per day
*Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.

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