WrittenOnYourHeart

Well, we won between us and Liberty in terms of lack of pier runners (our gangway was in first)…but we seemed to have more people too drunk -or just observant - to tell the difference between light blue (us) and white (Liberty) because a number of people had to be redirected to us from Liberty’s gangway. 🤣🤣 I got a Galaxy from the Bionic Bar - it was yummy! Sprite, Vanilla Absolut, and Orange. Tasted like a creamsicle!

Will do!! I am kinda bummed that we backed in and the pier is on the starboard side. I like watching pier runners! Guess I will have to head to the top deck…or maybe deck 5…around 4:20.

“Balcony Maintenance” today appears to be spray washing them down. They were just on my balcony doing that. I am being a rebel and have my curtains open. 🤣🤣 If they want to peep me reading while fully dressed, go for it. 🤣🤣

Correct. This was the one that goes up and down. It is included in your cruise fare but did need to be reserved. It felt like we rotated a little bit, but not like at sea. They can’t do the extended one in port because there are other ships and if one had to move it would be bad. It was a little warm - the crew member operating it said he was going to have to put on the air. I decided to get off for a bit just to see. I was back on in half an hour. 🤣🤣 No more Nassau for me unless I am on an excursion. It did provide a respite from all the crew drills happening! I know they are vital, but the announcements and alarms can be disconcerting even when you know what was going on. (Speaking of safety, during sail away yesterday, a mom and kid were out on deck 5 and looked among the ropes at one of the life rings and the mom said “Oh someone found it.” I didn’t have the heart to tell her that in something affecting safety such as that, it was likely a crew member who would have trashed it. In the event of an inspection - which can happen at any time - anything like that found in or on safety equipment is a penalty. So if you are going to hide ducks, stick to things that are not part of the ship’s safety equipment. Ducks in safety equipment is part of why Disney put the kibosh on hiding them. People being insane and literally tearing through on board plants and such is another, but the hiding in safety equipment was the major one.) Decided to try a gluten-free pizza from Sorrento’s. It is ok…a little too much sauce for me. The menu looks ok tonight, so I decided to chance going to MTD. Got a reservation at 7. We’ll see if I get fussed at for being gluten-free tonight.

Currently chilling in the Adult Solarium until time for my North Star at 11:30. Kinda wishing I had picked an earlier time, but it is what it is. I *might* walk to the straw market after…last time I was there was the old one in 1982. We’ll see. We have 3 other ships in port (so far) - Carnival Elation and Conquest, Liberty (again), and just watched MSC Merviglia pull in. She seemed to me to be coming in hot, but has now slowed to a creep. Going to work on finishing my second book for the cruise today. I would be on my balcony, but I got a notice that they were doing maintenance today. They did on PC day also, but I honestly can’t tell what was done besides a “Wet Paint” sign taped on the glass. Oh well.

Decided to try MDR breakfast today. It’s in American Icon. I got gluten-free chocolate chip pancakes, but I felt like the waiter was annoyed with me since I had not pre-ordered and he had to go to his head waiter. So I probably won’t be doing MDR breakfast again. Last night I got the call about My Time since I had not been and whoever that was sounded totally annoyed “Are you ever coming to dinner with us?” Well, no, not when you have an attitude like that. What I said was “The reservations that were available didn’t work with my schedule.” I guess they figure I am removing tips, but I prepaid them, so no. Seated food service is not having a good look for me this cruise.

We are in Nassau today - so that means a lazy ship day! One thing I have noticed this cruise is more than a few announcements for guests to report to guest services immediately. Is that possibly someone who cannot be located by their family? Oh yes! There was a thread earlier about a Reddit post where someone had a person walk into her cabin. I can confirm that my door will not close completely if I don’t pull it. It sounds very close, but could easily be pushed or pulled open. And yes, you still hear a click with the key card. So always make sure you are pulling the door and latching the latch! **No one has walked in on me. Just an observation!!**

Ok… What the heck is this? I’m well above the age and am no prude, but that just sounds WRONG.

I’m so glad it became available!! One opened up the day before our cut-off day (which was also payday) and I decided that if it was still there when I woke up I was getting it! It was, and I did! I loved having that home base to go back to!

Follow up to this… “the girl’s” name was Marissa!

I was at South Beach today in one of the last beach beds and maybe it was the wind direction, but I could clearly hear the music from Hideaway all day (they back up to each other with only some brush separating them) - so I can only imagine how loud it was there today.

Back on board - just showered, which was apparently everyone else’s idea as the water pressure sucked! 🤣🤣 It was a fabulous day! I did get stung by a baby jellyfish…right on my bikini line, so NOT going to first aid for that one! It’s not a bad sting…just a bit ouchie! I went over to Skipper Grill for taco bar, which was yummy! There were chickens in the bushes behind my bed. I named these two Clucky and Plucky.

Uh, ok… THIS is service! All that was missing was the straw - which I didn’t even know about, and she brought me a whole new one for no charge! It is currently chilling in the cooler. Internet is very spotty right now. Currently just on my included data.

Current situation improved! Just waiting on the straw that comes with the cup. The girl said she didn’t want to make me wait and will bring it later!

Current situation!! Beach bed 71 at South Beach!! Even though it (and 72) are at the end, that means NOTHING but sea and sand in front of me!! The only thing is the bass from Hideaway carries since the areas essentially back up to each other. (So I can only imagine how loud it is there!) But other than that, perfect!

We are pulling into CocoCay. We are the first ones here. I can see…I think it is Liberty we are with today pausing off in the distance.

Random observation… Most people I thought opted for the buffet at night to NOT dress up. But there sure are a lot of people who are very dressy eating in here.

2 - You should be using a cup to refill your water bottle.

The trip to Disney was good. It was great to see my best friend and her fiancé! Lunch was at Disney Springs at Summer House on the Lake and was yummy! I took Disney transportation back to the Polynesian (I walked over there from our drop off at the Transportation and Ticket Canter (TTC) to get to Disney Springs - might take a little longer but saves on Uber costs!!) and got a Dole Whip with coconut rum, then took the monorail to the TTC and hopped onto the Epcot line to just ride around Future World. There was no one waiting so I stayed on to get back to the TTC. There were 2 busses - I was on the first one that left at 4:15 (our meeting time was 4:30) and we tapped back onto the ship at 5:30 - scheduled all-aboard. We are obviously waiting on at least the second Disney bus. (Chicken tacos)

I enjoyed Spectra’s Cabaret a lot. Will likely go back on my reservation day. Spectra looked like a young Billy Porter and was amazing!

I have a reservation for this on Day 5, but decided to try the stand-by “line”. The crew members checking people in let the 3 or 4 of us waiting in early. 😄

Ship - Anthem of the Seas Deck - 6 Stateroom # - 6248 Stateroom Category – Solo Studio Balcony Starboard or Port Side - Port Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) – Relatively quiet. Of course all depends on the people around you. There are some kids who are allowed/encouraged to run down the hall, but that could happen on any cruise. Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? - Nope Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. – Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - It’s a nice oversized balcony on the back side of a “hump”. Lifeboats are just aft of it - a friend joked I could just jump into the boat from my balcony. Being on the back side of the hump I have to lean over to see forward. Was wind a problem? - Nope! Back side of a hump. If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? - n/a Any specific problems with this cabin? - Nope. It is small, but for one person who doesn’t over-pack it is great. It is close to the elevators/stairs, but no noise from those aside from the aforementioned running kids and some people talking loudly which can happen anywhere.

Chops Grille for lunch. It was good. I was bummed that the famous tots can’t be gluten-free (and the “fries” seemed to be baked) but the filet was wonderful and I always love a wedge salad. (Also ice cream is the only gf dessert option, though the chef made a “chocolate custard” also which tasted like regular chocolate pudding.) I enjoyed it, but I am glad I went at lunch. Popped by the Bionic Bar after - just the novelty of it. Got a “Sunshine” for a cloudy day.

Thanks! Yeah, had it been a direct hit to my nose, I strongly suspect I would have had a broken one to deal with.

Yup. On Anthem I was going up to Deck 15 for sailing under the Verrazano Bridge, and as I was walking up the ramp to the North Star Bar, I was hit in the nose/cheek by a snow/ice ball (it was moist enough it was not just snow) that someone threw. I got up enough to see the people and said to one guy making and holding a ball “You need to be aware of where you are throwing those. I just got hit.” And he acted less than sorry - said it, but tone and facial expression said otherwise. I am still not sure if they were just randomly throwing them, if the intended target ducked, or if they thought I was someone else - but they all certainly played dumb like they had no clue where it came from. ( spoke with an officer at the Top Tier event just to make them aware that in the future, ensuring that as much snow as possible is cleared would be a good idea. She was very apologetic and seemed shocked that people would have been throwing snowballs - she asked if I needed medical attention, which I didn’t…my cheek is a little sore but nothing bruised…and said she would certainly speak to the heads of hotel and housekeeping so that they could follow up with crew about clearing snow if they run into that again.) So yeah, there are a lot of rude people out there.