Leslie K

Going w a 7 year old boy in February and I can see many of his faces and reactions in your son. Usually sailing on more senior cruises I appreciate the reminder of several things my grandkids will enjoy on our trip. 

I’ve been to Wonderland a few times, each time during a different trip, and there’s always something different. There were a few things different from my last visit on Anthem 2 years ago. Thanks for your pictures which was a trip down memory lane. Hope to be back aboard some day. 

I’ve sailed out of NYC at least a dozen times, mostly in January/February and some in May/June. I’ve had cruises that were smooth as glass and others as rough as can be (the Anthem cruise into the storm) and everything in between. I’ve also cruised out of Miami and been in storm and unable to tender to port. It depends very much on the weather. There’s no way to predict now what you will experience.


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Thank you for your most unique review. It gave me some of the best laughs this month! Hope you continue to enjoy your cruise


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Think this was my cabin last year. It is the set up as in the picture with the beds closer to the front door. No obstruction of the view on deck 8.  Great location. 

1 hour ago, rcrdale said:

I got all these from cruisedeckplans dot com.  These are not my pictures.

Thanks all for the great news. Hated Royal iQ 

Learned of a new mobile app when I went to begin check in on line. Using the app, check- in was fast, some information was already loaded, scanned passport instead of inputting all the data. There seems to be lots of functionality with my calendar and the cruise compass once on board including the ability to book things once on board. Is this app replacing Royal IQ which was minimally functional?  Can I delete Royal IQ or will I still need it?  

I know that there are gluten free options in some locations on Anthem but don’t know about keto appropriate desserts. You can try reaching out to the special needs Dept at RCL to see if they know more about what’s available or can be done. Special_needs@rccl.com

Whatever ship comes it better be suited to 4 seasons. Would hate to return to winter sailings in a ship without an enclosed pool and more indoor usable space. 

Anthem was designed for cruising out of 4 season port unlike most of the other ships. So it has a general pool area and an adult pool area that are enclosed in cold/inclement weather. There is an indoor sports area, the Seaplex, that is multi use from bumper cars, to sports games, roller skating, etc. that allows a variety of indoor activities. There are also a variety of lounging areas and types of seating that was greatly lacking when Explorer first came to Bayonne for winter cruises. All these things provide for activities and less sense of being crowded on sea days when outdoor activities are limited due to cold weather.  And once the weather improves there’s lots to do outside including North Star. Much without extra fees. 

January is a period of time when most most kids are back in school so the passengers tend to be fewer kids or younger kids, and a larger senior population.  There will still be a mix of ages but you won’t find 1200+ kids as normal during school holidays. This can be great as the youth programs aren’t crowded or limit peers to meet on board. 

Anthem has 3 recurring shows for which reservations are recommended. We Will Rock You is a musical built around the music of Queen. I’ve seen children your child’s age there but best for you to decide age appropriateness. The Gift is beautifully acted but is not well received by many and probably to old for her. Then again, your child may get what many adults don’t which is why they hate it. Spectral Cabaret is lively mix of music, costumes, aerial artistry etc. you’ll have to decide on that one knowing your child. Mine at 8 would have loved the dancing and music. Other entertainers will be scheduled and there is usually a tribute band. But there is not a show for everyone each evening. Nor traditional early and late seating shows in the theater. Anthem is the only ship doing Name That Tune which is a lot of fun and could be enjoyed by an 8 year old- or not depending upon the individual. 

As as far as the itinerary, it’s not port intensive. The beach day at coco cay will be great. Cape Canaveral for many is a busy day getting toeither Walt Disner World or Universal Studios. The port is about an hour from the Orlando theme parks. Your time there will be limited ( I think about 6 hours but check with those who have done it) compared to just going to the theme park on vacation but people do it and enjoy whatever time they can at the parks. I went to Nassau with. 6 year old, we walked around and enjoyed beach time. 

Hope I understand and get this right. On board the ship, I use WiFi calling to receive calls. I have Verizon and use the WiFi setting in the Cellular section on my phone so the upper left corner of my iPhone says VZW Wi-Fi. You need to be able to connect to ships WiFi to work (that’s your stream or surf packages). If I recall I also turn airplane mode on when on board to connect to ship service only and avoid the eternal search for a carrier while at sea. Your carrier probably has info on connecting to their WiFi service. 

I havent used international calling service so i cant help much there. I know every time we get into port I’ve gotten greetings from a local carrier w info on roaming fees and such. Don’t want to roam, then shut off that option in the cellular section of settings to avoid roaming fees. use your WiFi when you can connect to a local free WiFi like at a restaurant or some shops. Again, your carrier may be able to provide more information. 

Thanks Dan, I should have specified winter cruising to get away from the cold weather. We don’t cruise to the Caribbean in the summer or do much cruising in the summer.  Preference is to travel during non-prime times. Whether 9, 10, 11 or 12 days, the itineraries are very similar. We loved the opportunity to drive to Baltimore for a western Caribbean route but looking ahead it’s not on the schedule. 

There are some ports we like more than others. I’m getting bored with the similar itineraries over and over. Yes we prefer to sail from Bayonne but the Caribbean route has barely changed in years. Is there no way to West to Key West, even Labadee which we haven’t seen in 3 or more years. I don’t need an excursion in every port. At least I get off and wander local vendors and shops.  Yes, the ship is the destination in many respects and the lack of crowds on port days a luxury, but it’s nicer when 1-2 different ports are in the itinerary to shake things up. 

Everyone has their own preferences. Lower is less sway in heavy swells. High is convenient to WJ, pool, sports and spa. Some like the cheaper prices of Deck 6 obstructed views while others wouldn’t consider them. Most often I’ve been deck 8, or 7.  It’s somewhat halfway up or down and seems like a good compromise. Was in one of those cabins when Anthem got caught in the storm a couple years ago. There was movement but I think all decks felt it. We had minimal problems or damage in the cabin so it’s a winner to me. 

We’ve had way too much food whenever we go to Jamie’s. As many appetizers as we wanted. When unable to decide on main courses sometimes we each select one then share a pasta or ask for a small order of a pasta. No issue about how many desserts allowed as we usually can’t even eat one. 

Try accessing boards.cruisecritic.com through browser like safari. I had to access a computer to access cruise critic to find out how to use my tablet and phone to access.  Horrible upgrade that disconnects people and leaves them out in the cold with the info necessary to reconnect. I also cleaned my cache. 

We’ve had beef, chicken and fish as main courses in Wonderland. We usually are given 2 each time I’ve been there. The wait staff ask your preferences at the beginning and the courses reflect that. I’ve not had the same things each time.

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As someone who rents a scooter on board for times I’m not using a Rollator, I either find an area nearby where the scooter can be parked without impeding traffic such as some extra wide hallway sections on Quantum class ships or other areas as directed by crew. Housekeeping will also pick up the scooters at night and take them somewhere to be charged and return them to you in the morning when you call for it. I have more difficulty getting my Rollator past all the housekeeping carts then the scooter, some of those carts are there all hours day and night.

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I have taken the scooter out in San Juan, Labadee and St Maarten. As you note San Juan sidewalks are narrow but the scooter fits. It’s also hilly which added additional thrills. Drive carefully and its manageable. Labadee is easy as it’s pretty flat and there are walkways. Was also able to go across the packed sand near the tram turn around/buffet/marketplace. Obviously avoid the soft sand. I’ve scooted into Philipsburg (about a mile) and taken it on the ferry to the dock near the courthouse. Never had a problem although this past February the cobblestone walks were a little more challenging as there were some pot holes and more uneven post hurricane. Again, watch where you go, travel at a safe speed and you will be ok. Full charge was fine for me in all 3 ports without getting low on power ( but if I’m stationary for more than a few moments I shut it off to save power).

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Anthem is a beautiful ship and it’s design works great for being in a home port that experiences 4 full seasons as it has the enclosed pools and lots of indoor seating something lacking when Explorer initially began year round cruising from Port Liberty. As one who cruises in the winter these are important and significant changes. There are many venues with different activities. Each ship doesn’t need an ice rink or aqua theater but if those are important than that’s the ship you choose. There’s plenty of activities to choose on Anthem but they are different than other ships or in different venues. Crowds on Esplanade are no different than on the promenade and are usually because of the sales team that clogs the area. Likewise food in the dining rooms and Windjammer are the same as the rest of the fleet. Some trips it has been better than others. Announcements and other things (like washy washy) are either fleet wide or determined by the powers that be on the ship at the time. In short, not every feature is for everyone. I don’t pick my cruise by the ship but if that’s what’s important to you then by all means consider what features are important. No matter what class ship I will be on, I will always enjoy my cruise and find something that I really like and other features that are not my favorite, but I’m on a cruise and that’s what counts to me.

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If I get the same wait staff for MTD we’ve always let them know the night before about other dining plans and our intent to return another night. Some wait staff have been instrumental in keeping us at tables assigned to them.

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American Icon is for those people with MTD reservations. Silk is for MTD without reservations. The first night both usually have long lines. You can reserve MTD now. We did about a month ago and some times were already not available.

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in alaska, i would go on the radiance as no way would i ever do a round trip alaska cruise - which i think is what the anthem does....

 

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Explorer does roundtrip from Seattle. Anthem is out of Bayonne, NJ. Doing Caribbean, Bermuda, Bahamas and NE/Canada.

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Speak to them in advance about options. I travel with kosher people who will eat vegetarian or fish while on board. They have gotten fish at Chops brought from MDR and enjoy the other courses and sides. Yes, they pay for a main course they could get free at MDR but they enjoy the company of our group and the ambiance. Similarly, wait staff accommodated them in Wonderland by getting options from other restaurants. Work with them. They go between dining rooms for wine and other things and can do it for you.

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