TwoTimer81

Yup, this was the line I was waiting for to do something to diversify the experience and (hopefully) lower prices some more (obviously now the two newer ships are slightly pricier than the older ones)

Thanks for sharing!

Update: I booked the same sailing next January and am looking forward to the two new islands on this itinerary. Should be in a spa suite unless a good dead on a balcony comes along. Also, my coworker's dad was on the storm sailing. He won a free cruise in the casino during the holiday sailing last December and ended up on the storm one. I wonder what deal he got

As far as dining went, I asked for the 30% multi restaurant discount that wasn't given to me on day 1 as promised. They gave it to me immediately. But the system gives it automatically on day four...so I kinda got over on them. Truth be told, every entree that came out OK in the MDR as told by other guests were the meats, and Silk was worse than the others as far as food quality as a common complaint. There wasn't really any Asian food on the ship that was beyond mediocre. Most of my recommendation about the MDR was a combo of food quality, slightly slow service and the idea that u can't reserve anything around it there were quite a few decent reviews about the service on the TV but I can't remember anyone raving about the food

I'll take you on a quick tour around the ship once again... I'll leave out the ports as those are itinerary dependent.

Our room:

Balcony Staterooms - Our 9148 was decent, a bit forward for my tastes even though the site says its mid-ship. Its forward of mid-ship on the port side. Upon arrival at Puerto Rico you will be on the side of El Morro when you sail by. You can enjoy this from your stateroom balcony instead of being with the throngs on deck. The port side gets sunrises when sailing south, sunsets when sailing back. The mattress was firm, just ask your stateroom attendant to put the heavy comforter that will be stored under your bed on top of the mattress pad to make the bed plush with some firm undertones, a near-perfect sleep environment save the typical gap in the middle when you have two twins pushed together. The pillows were of garden variety and it took awhile getting used to them, feel free to bring your own if you have space for regular sized pillows. Pure white will blend in nicely. Don't touch the minibar items, they are not a part of any drink package. You may remove them from the fridge to store your own wine (two bottles of 750ml per stateroom of course). Leave a note to the bar staff saying you did so. I have no comment on suites or insides.

The food roundup:

Drink packages - We didn't buy any packages, and to get around the inflated bottled water price issue, simply bring your (insulated and empty) thermos with you onto the ship and refill it. Water and ice is free 24/7 at Johnny Rockets (my preferred location) and the Café Promenade (not recommended). They wall off the Windjammer at night. We found the water perfectly drinkable, and even better than the tap at home, on par with our filtered water at home.

Windjammer - We found the food in the WJ be just fine overall, and more convenient than the MDRs. The drawback is when you have MDR reservations, the system will block you from making reservations for the early show (assuming you're still dining at that time). It is quieter towards the back if you can get there before they wall it off for crew members. You can get in and out of the WJ and on with your day in 30-45 minutes, the approx. amount of time it will take you to get an app in the MDR. While I didn't eat in the MDRs at all to compare food quality, what I've heard all cruise long has been mostly poor and mediocre food down there with very few standouts, even though service has improved. Its breakfast is more varied than the Solarium Bistro (see below), however its meat and potatoes options at that time look utterly gross. For that, head over to the Bistro for better looking breakfast. I ate cereal there mostly and tried a fruit piece or two.

MDR's - Generally, the overall feeling around those I spoke to on the ship felt service is better than what was said in forums here. Abe of course would highlight whoever wrote in about their servers down there. Food quality and taste however, tells a different story. You probably will be better off with the WJ, with full flexibility with your evening schedule and faster (self) service.

Solarium Bistro - The Devinly Decadence replacement doesn't disappoint (much). Its now a hybrid WJ/MDR where you have a buffet available for apps and dessert, and they serve you your entrée. Unfortunately, the presentation of said entrée is bland, and to get it in timely fashion you have to snag early reservations (before 6:30). Otherwise service bogs down and the understaffing becomes apparent. This is a solid option if you like to eat early, and you're in the forward part of the ship. It's breakfast and lunch items (even though identical to what's found in the WJ) are prepared better (sometimes significantly so) and with more thought than in the WJ, although its variety is severely limited due to space. They only have two sections. The food is also replaced faster than its aft counterpart. If you like fruit and yogurt for your mornings, the WJ is for you, but if you're a meat/potatoes/eggs breakfast person, the Bistro wins hands down.

Johnny Rockets - The best use for JR is to refill your water bottle discretely! I didn't eat here, and it looked like nobody else did either!

Coastal Kitchen - My next cruise I'll go into a suite to try this :D

Izumi - There's no cover charge, and its ala carte. The service was very poor (the server never checked on us except at the end to give us the bill, and didn't even ask how everything was), and its entrée items were even poorer. I have battle scars with that noddle soup dish that resembled baby food. The appetizers were good, but priced poorly (half the number of chicken wings as the pub below it, but nearly double the price). Five pork gyoza dumplings for $9? I can get 6 better tasting ones for 4.50 on land. It was so bad here this time we didn't even go back for sushi, which didn't even have a brown rice option (its 2016 now people look for little things like that). My wife noted the lack of purchasing a single glass of sake (of any temperature... REALLY?), buying a bottle was the only option. Stay away from here, far away, unless you're a big sushi fan, than eat sushi only (which was only slightly overpriced).

Wonderland - This is the flagship restaurant for Quantum class ships, putting Chops in its rearview. The best dining service, taste and presentation can be found here, as well as the most amount of food for your cover charge bucks. The $45 is really worth it, and even more so if you snag that 30% discount usually offered on day 1. The only bugaboo is you get virtually the entire menu, the only variety is your main protein (three seafood items vs three meat items). I can't eat seafood so we couldn't return, but you shouldn't return either, as you already know the rest of the "story". Eat here but do it only once.

Chops Grille - The service here was excellent, but the food is only ok. My dry aged steak was overcooked, and I had to ask for the same bread served at Chef's Table. The sides and apps were mediocre, with potatoes that looked like it came out of a box and unseasoned spinach. Save your dinner money, and wait for them to offer a $30 brunch/lunch on a sea day (with unlimited champagne/mimosas, they will give you a mimosa unless you ask specifically for champagne only). Nearly the same menu, service doesn't drop off, its not crowded at all, and they hit the temperature on my steak the second time around. An excellent deal in this case. Wait for a discounted brunch to eat here, and DO NOT pay for the dry aged steaks. Save your money for Peter Luger.

Chef's Table - This, along with Wonderland, its the must do foodie experience on the ship. Five wines (unlimited pours) and six courses for $90? Best deal for a complete adult meal on the ship. Do it once, as its only one menu (similar to Wonderland). Plan to miss all entertainment the night you do this, as it takes nearly three hours. But PLEASE, don't be put off by the $180 per couple. Obviously, if you don't drink wine, check with the server or manager. But it will be the best steak on the ship, period, and it sits comfortably in the top three in my life. Once again, do this once.

Café 270 - Open for breakfast and lunch, the menu is different than what can be found upstairs. Not sure if its better, but different. Its worth a try early on in your vacation to see if you like it better than what's in its main competition (WJ/Solarium Bistro).

Jamie's Italian - Perfectly prepared but bland pasta, a plank you can assemble yourself up in the WJ, and a burger with fries that's bested by the one in the pub kind of sums this up. Its $30 dinner price point is horrific, and we did the $20 lunch and found out later that money was better placed into the pub/WJ. Even some of the pasta dishes can be made for free up in the WJ if you get one of their better cooks. Stay away from here, you're not missing out on anything.

Sorrento's - Bad pizza by NYC standards, but mediocre to ok by chain store standards, very similar to Papa Johns. Its operational hours (open late) is its standout.

Michael's Genuine Pub - The best a la carte eatery on the ship, and the best bang for your buck after eating at Wonderland and Chef's Table. The best burger on the ship hands down, with the best fries on the ship hands down (don't forget to ask for secret sauce to dip them in) and consistently so. It's also the least advertised venue on the ship, and there's a discounted entrée (its usually the burger for $10, but bangers and mash and fish and chips also appeared as the deal of the day) daily if you swing by or look in your compass. The service is reasonably quick being that everything is made to order, and it was empty nearly all cruise long. Avoid the salty deviled eggs, however. Abuse your OBC here, and repeat.

Sea Plex Doghouse - One guy working this hot dog stand, its decent if you come when it's not busy, otherwise your experience will be tainted somewhat. Still looking for that advertised German mustard, though.

- Note that maple syrup was found in the Solarium Bistro the first two days of the trip and never again after that. I love maple syrup in oatmeal. Also, no brown rice anywhere on the ship for those a bit more health conscious and low-gluten (by force) like me. While dedicated gluten free options are available, they looked bad and probably tasted worse. Stick with items that are naturally gluten free (like potatoes and meats, and of course watch out for the sauces but I don't have Celiac's so I was ok with sauces).

Entertainment:

Silent Party - The best nightclub environment on the ship. Two DJ's simultaneously play hits, and you switch back and forth on your personal headphones (provided by the ship) between them.

Spectra's Cabaret - The full beauty of 270 is on display here, and is a must see.

The Gift - I didn't see this, and nothing's changed from the reviews noted earlier, so go by those.

RED - Probably overrated as a nightclub, most people just watched from seats and awaited whatever aerial or dance shows the crew would put on around the dance floor. The room really started jumping for the silent party following it.

Ifly - I flew. Had to wait until day 10 (earlier sessions were already booked) but I did fly. Try to do it early on (first 7 days) than if you like it, do it again as a walkup. Must be physically fit (no pain anywhere or artificial anything in your body) to enjoy this.

North Star - This is best when done at sunset leaving from a port. Do your research, you will not get a better view at any other time on the ship, so take natural occurrences into account.

That's a wrap. I like the ship, and will love it now that I can see how I can balance my vacation dollars accordingly. It is the best ship sailing out of the NYC area, and even the captain admitted its the most stable ship he has ever sailed with all the new technology onboard.

Some hits If I had to do this all over again:

- Eat at Wonderland the first night.

- Eat at Chef's Table mid-cruise so I have more than two couples to chat with.

- Wait for a sea day brunch than splurge at Chops.

- Avoid the MDRs at all costs, a big waste of time for mediocre food. I would use the WJ all the rest of the days with some early Solarium Bistro dinners thrown in. Then I can book early shows instead of late ones.

- Use the rest of my dining dollars in the Pub and for alcohol.

- Book Ifly for the first half of the cruise.

- Use North Star at sunset (its not open for sunrise).

Ok, I decided to include what occurred overnight on the last day of the cruise on into disembarkation.

Hits:

RED - The 270 specific party was indeed a blast. While Abe (cruise director) implored people to participate, most just took a seat to better view the dances and aerial acts that were being performed alongside the dance floor. The worst part was the DJ, he was mediocre, but he wasn't bad enough to make this a miss.

Silent Party - All the silent parties on the ship were unique and were among the most attended club events featuring some top 40 music (it obviously can't compete with parties containing mostly music from a previous era well represented on the ship). Two DJs play simultaneously over comfortable headsets given out with two radio channels. It was fun seeing which DJ/song was doing better at any given time. I missed the ones earlier in the cruise and I regret it now. The crew takes part in this party as well.

Disembarking - Unless you have mobility or flight connection issues, this is the quickest and probably the best way to leave the ship. Grab an early danish and coffee from the Café Promenade, and haul tail off the ship as soon as it's ready around 6:30. Leaving any later and you'll find yourself in the middle of the NYC rush hour if its a weekday. After 7, you're better off leaving after 9. Even with picking up photos, we were off at 6:45 and in our car before 7. Simply tap the set n' sail and off you go into the terminal. No lines at customs, either.

Misses:

Photo Gallery - With all the parties going on the last night (and RC trying to get that last alcohol sale in), you think this would stay open late for those still having to pick up photos. Nope. It shut down at 11 PM, after telling us our photos ordered the previous morning will be ready after 10 (a one hour window). Worse yet, they took the network down at midnight so I couldn't download them to my laptop. I had to wait until nearly 7 AM to pick them up, and a line was forming with those with a similar issue.

That wraps up our long 12 day Southern Caribbean. I'll probably do it again with the port swap next year or revisit Bermuda on this ship. A wrap up will follow shortly.

Wondering if you can tell me how many times the $30.00 fill up laundry bag was offered on this 12 night sailing?

 

 

Thanks! :D

None. Didn't even know it existed.

On our last full day on the ship, it was a light, mostly sober feeling about the ship. There were multiple parties tonight, including one in 270 that included much of the technology of the space. We had a full meal in Michael's Pub and dinner in the Windjammer. Tomorrow (day 13) will be a review after I get home (90 min drive from the pier).

Hits:

Michael's Genuine Pub - Now that my wife tried the burger, she indeed agreed with me that it was the best on the ship, better than Jamie's, Johnny Rockets (which we didn't try but we did notice never a line much less anyone at all ordering anything there) and the WJ. The wings were good as usual, a slight quibble that there was only one first portion, the rest were second wing portions - in two orders. The fries were gobbled up as usual. I even threw in some sliders for kicks, which were good but light on the actual amount of pulled pork. The price for two was less than a complete meal for one at Izumi right above it, which we were considering again (for sushi, not the overpriced, small portion entrees and apps).

Windjammer - I actually tried the made to order pasta (even though I can't have a heavy wheat meal) and it probably was as good as Jamie's (and free). They do use EVOO to prepare your meal there.

RED - The 270 has unique nightclub experience tonight, and it was great. Enough said, get on the ship (or Quantum/Ovation) and experience it for yourself.

Misses:

Windjammer - It closed at 9 PM which is a little earlier than I thought. They roped off right behind me when I was waiting for my pasta and almost walked into it and tripped. They also couldn't keep the chocolate chip cookies in stock all cruise long, and kept making it and other varieties in equal quantities (one would suggest if you see one thing constantly selling out that you would dedicate more time and resources to keeping it stocked).

Photo Gallery - The large Samsung screens were much worse than the smaller screens for viewing photos, and the process of buying a package was not intuitive. You have to buy a package (with the included USB) then go back afterwards and add which photos you want to be put into your package, instead of the other way around. Not the way we thought of putting photos into favorites, then looking for a package to buy. Keep this in mind, as the packages range from 8 for $100, 25 for $200 and the entire suite for $300. You won't make the latter two packages unless you sit with a professional photographer on the ship.

Dinner CK is also offered to Jr. Spa suits..on The Anthem at least.

I'm aware :) I'm in a JS suite next cruise, couldn't find a way to shorthand it (lol). For those following, tonight will be my last post, as I'm self assisting early tomorrow morning to beat some traffic (hopefully) as we have to drive north from Bayonne. I will have a day post, followed by a wrap up and "if I had to do this all over again" section.

We've done that trip many times. There is no way of telling what the seas will be like. They can be very rough one day and like a lake the next. Take your meds with you just in case. The Captain will do his best to keep you out of the rough seas.

While we're in the RC forum, the captain just told us the Anthem is the most stable ship he has sailed on, and that's with over 30 years of experience.

Well the seas calmed down slightly (no more side to side movement, just top to bottom), which allowed the iFly to open. My wife and me was able to jump into those announced slots. Info about Jamie's later on in the post.

Hits:

iFly - Our instructor Radcliffe came from the Marines and was still ripped at 53. He was excellent but firm. He took more than he was supposed to, bucking protocol for "customer service". Actual flight time is 1 minute, the "longest minute of your life" (says my wife). I didn't feel I did well as I struggled to keep my form, but with 15 seconds left he was finally able to let me go and float.

Windjammer - The made to order chicken fried rice at dinnertime was very good...the first time. The Jamaican guy who made it the first time gave way to this other Indian guy when I tried to return before his break...(see below)

Misses:

Windjammer - who proceeded to butcher my second serving! One half scoop of chicken, too much soy sauce, no gusto when stir-frying the fish. I took two bites and left the rest there.

Jamie's Italian - We took advantage of the $20 sea lunch. You get a starter, a plank, an entrée and a dessert. I tried the burger as mentioned to me earlier in the cruise, as did my wife. The service was professional, but merely ok. The burger was inferior to the one in Michael's Pub in the end. They actually tasted similar, but Michael's got that special sauce. The fries that came with Jamie's burger were clearly inferior, I didn't even finish them (the first time I didn't finish fries on this ship). The Windjammer fries were better. I had dessert, and the lemon sorbet was ok. Too bad the Haagen Daas frozen lemon sorbet tasted much better. As far as pasta is concerned, this couple sat next to us and the guy ordered pasta with a meat ragu on top. The lady ordered some roast chicken and a pasta side dish. He ate the ragu slowly and left most of the pasta there. The lady took two or three bites of the 1/4 chicken and left the rest of it there, and ate the pasta. The looks on their faces said everything even though I didn't speak to them. Based on this, and less than sterling reviews from the editorial staff and other members, I can't recommend this restaurant either, whether at the $20 lunch or $30 dinner price point, especially when Chops is open. Take your 20 bucks, add 10 and go top Chops.

On our last day 12, we will mostly stick to Michael's and order our photos. I'll do a review of the main themes later on today.

Oh yea, how is the mattress?

Just fine, I asked the steward to put the heavy comforter over the mattress pad, and its been just great ever since (it was firm at first, but not unsleepable). This occurred after day 3 when I realized it was under there and was looking for more under-bed space. The pillows were bland but acceptable. With the heavy comforter on top of the mattress pad, the bed provided an ideal combination of firm+plush. However, it never reached the BYOB (bring your own bed) category. :)

When is your cruise? If you can wait, I will post it in three days.

 

:)

 

(Chris apparently wants to enjoy what is left of his vacation; I don't care. ;) :D )

Thank you :) I didn't keep these, and I usually don't keep any of them longer than a day, on any cruise I have ever done. I finally ate at Jaime's, my response to it will be later on. I'm glad the seas calmed down a bit and we were able to Ifly! My main focus on this blog has been the food quality, taste and service (as that's the biggest complaint for this cruise ship). And both me and my wife are foodies.

A bonus that I didn't feel like waiting to tonight to post...

It appears we won't be on the iFly at all this trip, as we're sailing into a storm that just departed the east coast and into ever rougher seas. Even the outdoor pool was drained as water was splashing up everywhere even though temps are still warm enough to utilize it.

Back to that bonus...

Chops Champagne Brunch Menu

Eggs:

Two Farm Fresh Eggs (prepared your way)

Eggs Benedict (English muffin, Canadian bacon, tarragon hollandaise)

From the Griddle:

Vanilla and Apple Pancakes (lemon curd, blueberries)

Mascarpone Honey Stuffed French Toast (strawberry-rhubarb marmalade, toasted hazelnuts)

Signature Appetizers:

Three Cheese Roasted Onion Soup (melted gruyere, asiago and parmesean)

Crispy Goat Cheese Salad (warm goat cheese, green apple, candied walnuts, cranberries, balsamic)

Main Courses:

Grilled filet Mignon 9 Oz (béarnaise butter, peppercorn, red wine reduction)

Pappardelle (wild mushrooms, truffle, parmigiano-reggiano)

Grilled Branzino (garlicky spinach, olive oil, lemon, flake sea salt)

Side dishes:

Grilled Jumbo Asparagus - Creamed Spinach - Mashed Potatoes - Gruyere Cheese tater tots

Dessert:

Chocolate Mud Pie (homemade Mississippi favorite)

Huckleberry Cheesecake (Double crumb crust, citrus, mountain huckleberries)

As noted before, the steak was excellent and cooked perfectly to temperature. The cheesecake was also great, as was the branzino. The soup was ok, and we didn't have anything else on the menu.

We have retired early most nights (only to wake up around or just after midnight) and have missed most of the entertainment. Whatever isn't listed in the daily reports we did not experience. We have pretty much not been in the music hall at all except for the Meet & Mingle and for Bingo. Sorry about that, but those who have been in there seemed to be enjoying themselves greatly. One of the few things I trust RC with is their entertainment selections.

I'm on vacation too (the only one I can have this year), I'm not visiting every spot for the sake of having a complete blog and review :)

Yes I felt like I had to add a half page again...

Hits:

Café Promenade - They had some delectable chocolate chip cookies, soft baked and delicious at 1 AM.

Chops Grille - My wife and me sharing four glasses of gratis champagne at the brunch reminded me a bit of Chef's Table when the service was added in.

Misses:

Café Promenade - Those chocolate chip cookies were missing, oatmeal raisin were back. I'm not for raisins but this wasn't the issue. It was those hideous lemon cookies... can't sub those out and keep the all-American chocolate chip? The remaining chocolate chip were at the Windjammer at dinnertime but I chose my favorite chocolate sensation.

Back to ZambiniGold that asked about a group and how to navigate the MDR's on Anthem...

Usually, the order in quality of food/service goes like this on ships:

Buffet (Windjammer) => MDR => Specialty Restaurants => Flagship Venue

In the past, the flagship specialty on RC was Chops, but on Quantum class, not anymore. The flagship on Quantum/Anthem is Wonderland (Chef's Table also qualifies here as well for adults). The ship's best culinary talent resides in Wonderland. While the service has been spotty, some good, some bad in the MDRs, the food has been consistently mediocre with few exceptions here, on my cruise and on others. Good service can't make up for that. By the way, I'm leaving Coastal Kitchen out of the equation, as only a small segment of the population on the ship can even access that restaurant. My next RC cruise I'll be in there via Spa Junior Suite.

In light of this, I have to order the food this way at least at dinnertime:

MDRs => Windjammer => Specialty Restaurants => Wonderland/Chef's Table.

The biggest gap here in the range is between the specialties and flagship duo. As stated earlier, Wonderland should only be dined at once per cruise, same with Chef's Table. I would stick to the Windjammer for dinnertime, it greatly speeds your dining experience and allows you to make early shows without a problem. You still can get made to order stuff in there, and try a variety of types of food. If you can get Wonderland on day 1, you can save money there with the first day discount (if they don't give you some sort of group rate later on).

For Chops, wait until they offer a brunch (announced a couple days before, or lunch perhaps) then splurge on the brunch as the main items are indeed on the brunch menu and they throw in unlimited champagne. The brunch was still virtually empty. If you want Izumi, only order sushi, better deals on the rest of the menu exist elsewhere on the ship. Jaime's has been hit and miss as far as I've heard and I haven't eaten there yet, but will do so later on this cruise. Even so, only do lunch, as the dinner menu is identical with only a few additions (lamp chops, crab). The pub has great food, and they have offered discounts on various entrée items daily. Of course, be patient and wait for the entrée item you want to be offered at 25% off, then go in for it and taste the reward. It's mostly been the pub burger (decent), but today its fish and chips (my wife can't wait) and they had bangers and mash too earlier on in the trip.

This plan should keep your vacation humming along nicely without spending much additional dining money while keeping value high. It's exactly how I plan to do this ship in the future. Once you solve dining here, a great vacation awaits you.

As we finally made our way north and our cruise is winding down, the Atlantic Ocean decided to "kick it up a notch" and moderate seas was the result. The final three posts (including this one) will be sea days as we make our way back to Jersey. Ill detail one hit from yesterday that I forgot to include before moving on to today.

Day 9 Hit:

Vitality Spa - Our couples massage was relaxing, not the best duo massage we've gotten (that distinction goes to the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz) or the cheapest (HAL nets this one), but it was decent, and we were surprised it didn't have a sales pitch in the end. Crystal Symphony's massage didn't have one either, but they're even more expensive than RC even though they employ the same company - Elemis - to run their spas.

Moving on to today...

Hits:

Windjammer - This was the best Windjammer day to date. The Mexican station returned, and my wife had a taco salad. They also had soups that weren't salty (including a beef broth I had three bowls of). We had a light breakfast as we were supposed to do the iFly then Chops for brunch.

Chops Grille - FINALLY! They hit the temperature perfectly on my steak. The champagne was good, and the mimosa featured the fresh squeezed OJ they were selling onboard for 7.75 a glass + grats. Even their mash potatoes looked like...well... mashed potatoes that actually came from potatoes not Idahoan! Their $30 champagne brunch was excellent, and service was even better than the excellent service given the second time in the setting (see day 3 or 4). The sous chef also visited us as a bonus. However, brunch is not guaranteed on every sailing or announced beforehand. The only blip was they overcomplicated the stuffed tater tots by putting gruyere instead of cheddar. They had no flavor as a result.

Vitality Spa - I returned here for a reflexology - focused work on my feet after the hike yesterday. It was excellent with medium-strong pressure throughout. Again, no sales pitch. My wife had one too, more on hers later...

Misses:

iFly - The seas were too rough and it, along with the North Star, was shelved for the day. They told us that they'll try again tomorrow.

Wife's Reflexology - While her massage was great, she was pushed Elemis' whole line of products.

Because of the moderate seas, we retired early and will not take in any entertainment tonight, although RC's entertainment is not in question by anyone.

Chris, how cold is the mini-fridge in your cabin. The ones on Quantum were much colder than other ships. Hoping for the same on Anthem.

Mini fridges tend to not have the same reliability as their normal-sized counterparts, but being that these were new, I expect them to be cold. And indeed, ours is cold, cold enough to have beer at a decently cold temperature. They are also stocked full with stuff to buy a la carte (the drinks there are NOT a part of any drink package, so be aware), and you will have to remove stuff to fit in your own wine (or whatever).

Chris,

 

Many thanks for the detailed review. This has been extremely helpful.

 

On our first cruise, the food in MDR (on Explorer) and service were key to our very positive experience. Looking to take more family later this year...I like the Hits and Misses format. Unfortunately, looks like the MDR food is a no-go? Looks like you went with the upgraded dining option, so if you could glean more info from others I would appreciate it! We're planning on paying for everyone, so the upcharge option is unlikely. Does the MDR have a different menu every night?

 

How has the attitude of the crew been? It was noted on earlier cruises that it appeared they did not want to be there.

 

Thanks again, and your posts have been very entertaining :)

There is a lot of information on the MDR's in the Quantum class ships. Crew attitude has been fine, its that when they're overwhelmed with the amount of people they have to serve with the available crew members available, that's when things bog down. It's why the luxury lines talk about the crew to passenger ratio. While I booked a lot of specialties, they haven't turned out as desired. The American and Asian food on this ship has been so-so at best, all the ethnic (Indian, West Indian, French fusion, etc). I wouldn't have booked as many specialties in future cruises, but only the Chef's Table and Wonderland is actually worth it.

The MDR's here are actually divided into four different dining rooms, each with their own menus. I believe on this cruise, the menus change once per cruise. I've heard Coastal Kitchen has much better food, but this is available to Junior Suites (dinner only) and up (Grand Suite and up can dine there at all times). It has a separate menu to what is offered elsewhere on the ship, although they use many of the same base ingredients (I expect branzino to also be up there).

Wonderland is something the whole family can try, and multiple reservations can snag a discount. There was a party of 8 or 12 (I can't remember exactly) dining there the night we were in there. However, must of the stated "imagination" is lost after the first meal there. The second meal with be identical, save subbing out a meat flight with a fish flight. Chef's Table is really for adult couples only, so your party would be divided on that night.

Chops and Jaime's are also open on sea days for lunch, take advantage of the reduced pricing. The pub has some sort of discount daily (mostly the burger, but Ive seen the bangers and mash and fish and chips also reduced). I'll see if I can come up with some sort of plan for you.

Good afternoon (late post today, more than halfway through day 10)! St. Kitts was very interesting, as we did something off the beaten path, the volcano hike! Unfortunately, this doesn't allow me to give a review of the island itself (beaches, local food, etc) as the hike took up the entire time on the island (yes, we were the last ones back on the ship, getting back after all-aboard time). Off to the H&M, shall we?

Hits:

Mount Liamuiga Hike - This 3792 foot dormant volcano sits on the opposite side of St. Kitts. It doesn't dominate the scenery in the same way as Mount Pelee on Martinique, however. It last erupted in the 1600s, and its monitored occasionally by scientists. The hike is aggressive, not to be attempted by the faint of heart (or less agile, less in shape). A few did not even make it to the top. There was an Asian lady that managed to get up there with flats and sheer will. Its three miles long with a 2050' vertical gain.

Michael's Genuine Pub - After a disappointing evening in the Windjammer, I fetched deviled eggs, fries and wings. The eggs were salty, the fries and wings were as expected, consistent all cruise long. Don't forget to order special sauce with it (free).

Nilda - Our stateroom attendant cleaned up our dirt ridden room, and the batteries were replaced. Bravo. She knows me by name now. The service given by her has been excellent throughout, and lots of rave reviews by the other attendants on the ship air daily on the ship's TV channel. Don't expect any issues here when travelling, and anyone that have travelled on higher end lines (see: Crystal, etc) wont be disappointed in this department. Just keep in mind the beds are firm, very firm and ask the attendant to utilize the comforter stored under the bed as extra padding.

Misses:

Windjammer - Didn't find anything interesting in the Windjammer. The chocolate loaf was dry, they should perhaps try a sliced bundt cake round to minimize moisture loss. The beef curry was salty (a common complaint was the salt level of many dishes on this ship, I even saw it on screen at a cooking demonstration by the executive chef!), luckily I had some rum cake left over from Barbados that I had with the pub food. Luckily, the lemonade started to return a bit and was available in several of the drink stations.

Silk - Leaving the WJ, we ran into Bill and Leslie again. They again reiterated the lack of taste and authenticity of the food in Silk (except the lamp chop). But I wouldn't expect to eat lamb chops in an Asian restaurant now would I?

Being that I just did this, it does come out to just under $100 pp USD. It's great, most of the time is spent preparing for the ride and checking everyone in and getting everyone up to the top of the hill. Its more of a bucket list type of thing you do once (record it if possible) and don't do it again. Shore excursions are just about never discounted as those costs are mostly fixed (RCI employees are not involved for the most part with the exception of the private islands).

But again, its your vacation, can't expect a massive discount or a deal on everything now can we? Get an overall budget, and stick with it through hell or high water.

Following! Thanks so much for your thoughts so far!

 

Did you notice any drink packages offered towards the end of the cruise? There were reports on other ships of 10 drinks for $60 or thereabouts.

There were no discounted drink packages towards the end of the cruise yet. Also, Internet wasn't reduced, either. Most of the discounts centered around shopping (of course, but of course they aren't really discounts), and food in Michael's pub (entrees being reduced by about 25%, or including a beer), and of course the spa.

Thanks for taking time to do a live. Since you have done Crystal and now RCL, which would you be more apt to book again? Appreciate info on St. Bart's as will be there in Dec. on Crystal. Which line would you be more inclined to if price was not an issue. We enjoy all of the activities and not knowing everyone on the larger cruise lines, but miss the service of the smaller lines. Have you tried the spa?

Thanks, Sandipalms

When it comes to food quality and impeccable service, nothing is Crystal when compared to mainstream lines. My wife likes the idea of not knowing everyone on the ship, and we get approximately 1 1/2 times the cruise length on Royal compared to Crystal. She has grown to appreciate cruises of longer than 7 days, as you really get to relax. 7 day trips you have to fly to it's day 3 before you finally relax, and now its almost time to pack again. Obviously we would live on the Serenity if we won powerball and became instant billionaires :D

Anthem has its warts (despite its newness), but one of the points of my diary is to help others steer clear of its issues (until they are resolved) and to emphasize its strong points (its entertainment puts Crystal to bed). A lot of people badmouth a particular ship because of a particular thing that's critical to them, but it may not be as critical to others. The free American food on this ship is mostly pathetic, and it extends to Chops to an extent. You did not get bang for your buck at Izumi, either and it seems the Asian items in the WJ are limited to avoid wading into Izumi territory. The ethnic food served in the WJ has been decent, and like I said before, I cannot comment on what has gone in the dining room, although initial reports from others have stated that the service has improved somewhat in them, although the food has remained so-so. The crew still tries to genuinely please, but trying a new concept and then charging extra for it can leave to a double edged result, and that's exactly what has happened.

At the end of the diary, I will do a "if I had to do this all over again" post, but now that I (barring anything like a wife future pregnancy or something life altering) will do this all over again, I matters well state my idea of this (given various types of travel).

Before I get to sandipalms question, matters well finish Day 8 coverage.

We were in Barbados, a different type of island from the rest, topography-wise. Gone are the steep mountains that adorned every other port, Barbados is mostly flat (I should know, this is my third time there, but first in over 20 years). I went to Harrison's Cave as a child so I skipped that for Brownes beach. Off to the hits and misses shall we?

Hits:

Barbados - The warmest and calmest water existed here on her western shore. We chose Brownes beach (as supposed to Brandons) in the hopes of visiting Cuzz's Fish Shack and its excellent reviews.

Brownes Beach - The beach itself was nearly flawless. Small fish can be seen around my feet, even in five feet of crystal clear water. Waves were nonexistent except for tidal changes. It got crowded after about noon, when residents started showing up after church.

Rum Cake - Because the desserts on the ship were so subpar (compared to Crystal), we bought some overpriced cake at the port. Half of it is gone already.

Solarium Bistro - There are some nice touches to its breakfast buffet, as supposed to the Windjammer. The regular corned beef hash had finely chopped peppers (two days ago) and fresh parsley (most days). Even the roasted peppers had fresh parsley and paprika sprinkled on it.

Avengers - The Age of Ultron was shown in the theatre, in 3D. Very nice.

Next Cruise - I booked another cruise for next January. More on this later.

Brown Sugar Restaurant - Near the Hilton at Needham's Point, they had a Sunday buffet which featured local food (see: Dolphin, etc). Excellent, and with similar ethnic food in the States, we could taste the difference between items produced down there and their counterparts up north. It can't be explained, just experienced. Just trust me.

The Toilet - It got overloaded a bit today, they fixed it within five minutes without even visiting the room (fixed from their end).

Misses:

The workers at Brownes beach - Whenever I wasn't at her side, they tried to offer her various excursions (or just plain flirted). It got very annoying at times. But when I was there, nobody came to her.

The Minnesota Vikings - How could they shank that last minute field goal?

Back to the next cruise thing. I booked a Spa Junior Suite on the 11th floor for the Anthem sailing on Jan 14 (2017). I realized for all the ships that homeport in the NYC area during the winter (the only time I can cruise and be assured the vacation time), the Anthem is the best ship up here, even with all her apparent service warts and newness. The JS opens up Coastal Kitchen to us for dinner, and the $200 deposit is nothing even if I decided to not go and get a refund. Adding St Lucia and Antigua only sweetened the pot, as technically we never made it out of the port area at St. Maarten and San Juan, either.

Distilled water and cpap machine... yes that's special needs. I felt lactose free milk is mainstream enough just like gluten free (which is covered in most dining spaces but nobody's touching that stuff that barely looks edible). Its not like I asked for organic and lactose free (which I get at home). And its not like maple (or any other natural sweetener along with sugar) wasn't on the ship. It was, and I guess they ran out, and never replaced it although people were going through it like wildfire. Yes, access to maple and lactose-free milk would be something that should set Royal apart from its competitors, especially given the premium you're paying them.

Today we were in Martinique, a totally French island with Mount Pelee towering in the background. The volcano's caldera was enshrouded in clouds all day and I was never able to get a clear shot. The Anthem will not return to Martinique next season starting mid-year, swapping the port for nearby St. Lucia (the other switch is swapping out Labadee for Antigua). There was the MSC Orchestra there when we arrived, more about this later. I booked a champagne brunch the first sea day after St. Kitts ($30 in Chops Grille). The left the 9 Oz filet on the menu surprisingly. We plan to eat at Jaime's for lunch the day after. We will see how this goes.

Hits:

Windjammer - They have tried to mimic the ethnicity of the food in port, having a few French-Caribbean options at dinner. Bravo. They did this after St. Maarten too, although the food was technically Jamaican (jerk chicken).

Martinique - The island is absolutely gorgeous, which is often the case of landscape in the vicinity of an active volcano. They are renovating the port (adding docks, storefronts, etc) to be able to handle larger ships. A market nearby housed the best authentic local food near the ship, a short walk from the port. Being a part of France, the euro was the main currency, although USD can be found here and there. The amount of English speakers around were limited at best, giving a real foreign flavor to the place. We didn't do an excursion here, what was posted around were rather poorly reviewed.

North Star - I moved our time slot to sunset here (as supposed to Labadee) and was richly rewarded. Sunset when leaving port is the best time to do this, and up there I was finally able to see the top of Mount Pelee. No, it didn't go over the side of the ship, but I didn't want it to. I wanted a few extra moments to get pictures of the landscape.

Donovan and Rebecca - Today's show was from Donovan and Rebecca, and it was a blast of a 50 minutes. I'll leave it at this.

Our Stateroom Attendant - Even though I didn't request this, Nilda left the TV on the football game when we got back from the show.

Misses:

Windjammer - Its becoming more and more difficult to find my favorite lemonade drink. Café 270 ran out, the Solarium Bistro ran out, and now there's only one station in the Windjammer, as supposed to four when we boarded. I'm not trying to spend 4.50 plus grats to purchase one daily in 270. Still no lactose free milk or maple syrup to be found, unless they're hiding in CK. I found an improperly cleaned utensil in the spoon bin, and a kid managed to drop something on the floor and calmly put it back in the bin seconds later. Still more lukewarm food in places as well, especially at breakfast. But we're super concerned about dirty hands coming into the dining hall, however...

Royal Caribbean - Barbados is not far from Martinique, why did we have to leave the port so early. The time allotted here only allowed one to either venture on into the interior, or stay nearby in Fort-de-France, but not both. Lunch is the main meal here, and things close up around 2 PM. But its too late to catch a tour to the interior of the island by then. If you do the interior tour first, the town is closed by time you return from it. As I mentioned earlier, the MSC was already there when we arrived, and we left before them. And it didn't even appear as if they were about to leave, either.