gumshoe958

There is no standalone Starbucks on Anthem, but you can get Starbucks branded coffee at La Patisserie on deck 4. I can’t imagine they’d object to you eating snacks brought in from elsewhere, particularly if you’ve paid for your coffee.

The coach station is only a 5-10 minute cab ride from the cruise terminals so if disembarkation begins on time and you’re off the ship quickly you should make the 7:45 coach. It’s not without risk though, so all things considered I’d go for the 9:45 and enjoy a less frantic start to your day. As flights to Rome are on narrow-body aircraft, boarding typically starts 20-40 minutes before departure rather than 50-60 minutes for long-haul to the US, so you can probably arrive at the airport a bit later. Most airlines close check-in 45-60 minutes before departure but aiming for 2 hours before would seem sensible in case the coach is delayed.

Yes, there is a strike currently scheduled between Friday and Sunday, however during previous strikes there hasn’t been any major disruption - indeed many people have reported immigration being more efficient than usual! So I wouldn’t be overly concerned.

Absolutely fine. Anything goes (more or less) these days.

There are no direct flights from Southampton to Rome that I’m aware of, so for a direct flight you’d need to get to a London airport (Heathrow or Gatwick). If you want to fly from Southampton, which is a small regional airport, you’ll have to transfer somewhere like Amsterdam. Airlines’ baggage policies differ but most now charge for checked-in bags unless you’re flying business class or have status, and the low cost carriers often charge extra to put a bag in the overhead locker as well.

Southampton is a problem for Royal now. The new strategy is all about getting families on short cruises to the sun. But from Southampton, the places in the sun where families want to go are at least a week away, and longer cruises are no longer Royal’s thing. So they’re a bit stuck. Either sell longer cruises to the Med or the Canaries, or short booze cruises to northern Europe which aren’t appealing to families. Neither of which fit into the new strategy.

Sadly the UK doesn’t fit all that well with Royal’s new strategy of short sailings, repetitive itineraries, ship is the destination (for which you need warm, sunny weather). Maybe they’ve found out the hard way that there’s only so much demand for expensive short breaks to Hamburg, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge, and for Norwegian fjords cruises that can’t visit the ports people really want to see. From Anthem to Independence to Liberty is quite the downgrade and, if true, would indeed prove that the UK is no longer a key market for Royal under Jason Liberty.

Set the app to the current sailing and you can see typical show times.

You did the right thing. Was this less than 28 days ago? Because if so, for a 90 minute delay you should be entitled to claim a full refund under the Delay Repay scheme. You claim it online from the train company whose train was cancelled (maybe CrossCountry in your case?), NOT the one you booked with (LNER).

There’s the free Coral Way trolley which stops on Biscayne Blvd right outside Bayside, though it’s about a 5 minute walk to the terminal from the closest port stop.

Only if you buy The Key.

No, on some ships the MDR now does only brunch on sea days, not separate breakfast and lunch.

Sensible choice. Clapham Junction is an extremely busy commuter station (always used to be the busiest in Britain by number of trains) and isn’t ideal for cruisers dragging large bags. Trains only stop for a few seconds so it’s always a mad rush to get on, and there’s no guarantee of good seats - or even any seats if it’s busy and the train is full when it leaves Waterloo. At Waterloo you should have plenty of time to board, find seats, store your bags and relax. And good news about the tickets!

Age is just a number, it’s all about attitude. Virgin is very much aimed at the young at heart, unlike certain lines which can feel like floating nursing homes with activities to match. If you like good food, slightly risqué entertainment and an upbeat vibe you’ll love it.

Advance tickets can only be used to travel to and from the specified stations on the specified train. So if you were caught joining a train at Clapham Junction with an Advance ticket from Waterloo to Southampton, you’d be in trouble. Now the chances of anyone noticing are slim so YMMV on whether it’s worth the risk. But it’s not without risk, and being caught can have serious consequences.

Yes, it is confusing! There is an alternative route from Victoria to Southampton, using Southern trains (not Southwestern). But it’s much slower - nearly 3 hours - and does indeed involve changing trains en route. Another option is to take a Southern train from Victoria to Clapham Junction (about 5-10 mins) and pick up the Southwestern train from Waterloo to Southampton there. But I don’t think you’ll ever be offered a cheap Advance ticket for that particular route as it involves two different train companies. So if you want to use the train it would be easiest to book an Advance ticket for the direct train from Waterloo (not Victoria) to Southampton, and take a cab, Uber or an 11 or 211 bus from your hotel to Waterloo. But given where you’re staying you might also consider the direct National Express coach to Southampton from Victoria Coach Station, less than 5 minutes walk from your hotel. The coaches at 8:30 and 10:00 on August 6th are currently only £5.20 per person. You won’t find a better bargain than that!

Annoyingly, there is no direct tube between Victoria & Waterloo. You have to change trains. I would just jump in a cab or get an Uber, particularly if you’ll have luggage. As @Thejugglersays, keep checking for Advance tickets to Southampton. They should go on sale soon. You are indeed seeing the full walk-up fare.

It depends on the ship and how many categories of inside & oceanview cabins there are but in my experience, from the cheapest inside you’re unlikely to be offered much higher than an ocean view balcony.

Short cruises, repetitive itineraries and high prices is now Royal’s MO globally. We all hate it, but it seems to be working.

Royal’s probably not the line for you then!

While that is certainly true for many of Royal’s in-house production shows and headliners, you can’t possibly think the Broadway, Aqua and Ice shows are slight variations on the same theme? Love them or hate them, they’re high quality productions and are, for me, what sets Royal apart from other lines. I agree Virgin’s entertainment is refreshingly different, but there are only so many times I can sit through Dual Reality.

Why odd? Boy George has just finished a run in Moulin Rouge on Broadway so feels pretty relevant right now.

Yes. All the big airlines with transatlantic service at Heathrow have multiple daily flights so keep their check-in desks open all day. But how early they let you drop bags may depend on their individual policy, your class of travel and your status with them so it’s best to check with them. That said, I concur with the advice above to check out International Friends for a longer tour which would be a far more pleasant way to kill time than waiting around Heathrow for hours.

Yes, the standard fleetwide Chops menu includes a 6oz and 9oz filet.

On Icon only, yes.