sardam

I checked out Uber and it was like $50-60 one way. Right now, it looks like the Bayonne Parking 1.5 miles away at $102 for everything is our least expensive option. I'm from Ohio and parking is a little cheaper needless to say. I really cant understand why Cape Liberty doesn't have a bus stop or any subway/train station close by. Or rental car companies with a shuttle back and forth to the airport like MIA. I'm beginning to think the mafia owns the taxi companies and is keeping it out. Maybe too many late night police dramas for me lol! :D

I am using light rail to 34th street station, then Uber to port next week. There are 4 of us traveling and the Uber quote was $11 if I recall correct. I will do a review when I return, but it seems pretty easy. Our hotel is a couple blocks to the light rail station. It may not be the fastest way, but it is cheap ($25 each way, for 4), we aren't in a hurry, and we aren't from the city so public transit is amusing.

Are you sailing 'off season'? If so, the 6-8 and 9-11 are usually together for most of the day from my experience. When there are not many kids those two groups end up together.

What route do you usually take driving from Toronto to Cape Liberty? It'll be our first time driving and I'm trying to get an idea on different routes....

We drive from London to New York at least once a year, for the last 9 years. We often go one way and come back another. There are two main routes, both are an easy and nice drive. It is a 5 minute difference so take your pick.

If you cross in Lewiston take the 90 over to Syracuse and down the 81/380/80 there are tolls on the 90, but it amounts to about $7US so not a big deal. However there are mountains from Syracus down to Scranton, in winter that may not be as nice, but in fall it is beautiful.

If you cross in Fort Erie and take the 20A, down the 390/86 to Binghamton and then down the 380/80. No tolls this way. But it is not a multi-lane road for most of it so you can't pass if you get behind a Sunday driver.

My husbands typically gets a little sea sick with more than 10ft seas. On the Anthem in November we had high seas for just a couple days. He really felt it in the theatre and the buffet but elsewhere it wasn't bad.

Our cabin was 10227, virtual balcony. We did not feel it at all there.

We stayed at the Tahitian Inn, in Tampa and my kids enjoyed the pool. No free breakfast, but they do have a free shuttle to the port and airport. We dropped off our rental car at the airport, called and they picked us up. We spent the night at the hotel, and then had a nice shuttle to port in the morning. They have diy laundry facilities so I did a load of our items for a couple dollars since we had spent the previous three days at Legoland, etc.

In Costa Maya there is a large pool right in port, with loungers all around it that my kids enjoyed for a while. The port there I like better than some. It has the same shops as everywhere else, but there are a few cute photo ops with an old truck, a (fake) crocodile, the rain dance show that takes an hour or so, and there are dolphins right in port. You can swim with and feed them for a fee (approx. $30/each to feed, pet, and they print a free picture, price goes up from there if you want to swim with them, etc.) or you can just watch from the side.

In Cozumel my kids loved the Everyone Loves Rays excursion. It has an educational component first and then you feed and hold the rays in knee deep water before going into a larger fenced area to snorkel with them and a shark :) Of course it isn't a dangerous one, but my boys (6 and 8) were excited to say they swam with a shark. There is also a water trampoline, parrots, iguanas, and hermit crab races. You stay as long as you like and get a free taxi back to the ship, but it is close by, you can see the ship from there.

If you want to see ruins, and not drive too far that is best in Costa Maya, but still 45mins on the bus I think it was. It was a great excursion though, and we saw howler monkeys in the trees too.

Thank you for your quick replies!

They are pre-teen boys, they will be fine on a double/queen. I was picturing it opening up to a twin.

We have had four people (our two kids) in one stateroom many times, but it has always been two pull-downs or a pull-down and cot.

Our stateroom on the Anthem has a sofabed. Is it a double bed or will we have a cot in there as well?

Thanks

I was on the Anthem for the first time in November and it was not crowded at all! I was very pleasantly surprised. The buffet was busy at breakfast but other than that it was fine. We even started showing up to the main theatre only 5 minutes before show time (comedians, etc.) and were able to get within 5 rows of the stage as it was empty. And the theatre doesn't have any random poles (support posts) that make for terrible views.

I disagree with this. I think you just need to stay away from the popular places. For example - on night 1 you go stand in line for guest services it will be a 40 minute wait. The promenade will be packed an there will be no place to pass through.

 

But if on night 1 you lounge upstairs in Two70 or sit in the indoor pool area or hang out in the Solarium or go have a drink in the pub or have dinner at any one of the specialty restaurants they will often be quite empty. The ship can handle the people. The people just cant help themselves from all going to the same place at the same time.

 

I do think that the Esplanade is a bottle neck for sure. But whats funny is it will be shoulder to shoulder with people trying to raffle win a 10$ hat that costs 2.99 in a touristy beach shop in the US but you can sit right inside on any of the couches in the coffee shop and people watch and no one else is in there.

 

Our cruise was sold out and we could always go find a nice quiet place to sit and relax with not many around.

 

-Sean

 

 

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I agree with you. Our November sailing was also a sell out and you never would have guessed there were 4900+ people on board! The theatre was often empty for the shows compared to many ships I've been on. Dining was pretty quick. The indoor, outdoor and solarium pools were well laid out and never too busy. It was fabulous.

Anthem is great for teens!

Thanks

Have you found your roll call yet? I'm sure others on your sailing are as excited as you are.

I just got off the Anthem which is my third mega ship, and have been on 11 smaller ships. The layout of it was wonderful. The windjammer (buffet) at later breakfast times (9-10) was packed and lunch from about 11-1 but other than that we didn't see crowds or lines anywhere. Even shows in the main theater you could arrive to 5 minutes before and it was half empty, no problem getting seats. It was by far the least crowded and noisy ship I've been on and it was sailing at two hundred people over double capacity so it wasn't that there weren't people! My 7 year old also has anxiety disorder and sensory disorder.

Can people just watch the trapeze? if they don't want to actually do it

Yes, it is in the seaplex so everyone can see what is happening.

We are going to be checking out Liberty State Park before boarding the ship. Original plan was to take light rail there from our hotel. I just noticed they have parking for the light rail at that station. Could I drive there from the hotel, park, and stay parked there for the week while on the ship if I buy a month pass ($54ish) and take the light rail to 34th station and head over? We will only have one suitcase so that doesn't concern me being on public transit, but my car being towed does. Thanks

Anyone know how much Uber is from Newark to Port?

What happens when your at sea? I want to try to avoid paying the VOOM. I don't want to have to look for my husband all day and vice versa. LOL

We need text.

I don't think I caught what ship you are going to be on. We just got off the Anthem and there is a glitch in the system that allows i-messaging (and the equivalent in android) to work with no roaming or voom. I kept my phone with data off, in airplane mode and hooked onto royal wifi for the Royal IQ app and was able to not only i-message my husband on board but my kids at home (in Canada) as well. I never got any fees from Bell or the ship.

We only ate there once and I do not recall seeing anything too kid friendly. No nuggets, burgers, etc. It was a mini buffet, but mostly Mediterranean themed. It was good, but not the type of food my kids enjoy.

It has been reported by many that iMessage on iPhone does seem to be able to text on/off ship without any WiFi package (or the texting package inside RoyaliQ).This only works on ship with Royals IQ (Harmony and Quantum class).

I was on Anthem in November and this is true. We did not know until we got on the ship, but I had no wifi or royal IQ texting or anything was able to not only imessage with my husband on board but also with my Mom and kids that were at home (in Canada) and I never got any fee through Royal or Bell during our trip. Apparently android also has something that works, but we have apple so I'm not familiar with it.

Does anyone know if the kids get to do things like Bumper cars, circus and roller skating with the Adventure Ocean as a group? Wasn't sure if they get a special time slot to use them if they are signed into the club. Thanks

I was on the Anthem in November and there wasn't any special AO time for bumper cars. Kids have to be 5+ to ride, and there is a height requirement to ride alone.

Thank you for your responses!

He is my quiet kid and has 3 younger brothers so he is used to be around younger ones, I have no fear of that.

Glad to hear it sounds like there is a possibility of him being in AO.

Depending what type of phone you have and your family has you may be able to stay in touch for free. Sorry I don't know much about technology but I just got off the Anthem and there is a bit of glitch which allows i-messaging for free the entire time. I was able to stay intouch with my kids. No pictures, but texting (well i-messaging) worked perfect. I had it on airplane mode. Did not get a plan, never got charged for anything and have gotten my cell bill since and there is no fee. I am Canadian and never had any fee for being out of the country as I had it on airplane mode and data off before we left Canada. If you search the forums, there is one that details it a little better. Apparently android has a similar thing that works as well, like I said I'm not very techy, but you can search it on here.

We are cruising in January. My son's birthday is December and he just turned 12, the cut off for Adventure Ocean. I know they have an area for 12-14 year olds. Has anyone ever had any luck asking if their child could stay in Adventure Ocean? My almost 11 year old son will be there. We aren't cruising over any holidays or anything so I'm assuming older children will be at a minimum.

This is the first time my kids have been on Royal. I successfully had my son stay back an age bracket on Carnival 3 years ago, when he had just turned 9. Wondering if anyone has had a similar experience on Royal.

I had one on my Nov. 18th cruise and it was filled with custard, no fruit.

I just read the Grandeur has a bungee trampoline. Can anyone confirm this? I know other ships have it in the Vision class but I thought Grandeur did not. My kids would love it though. Thanks