teddie

I love to dress up and I really like Anthem's buffets. I approve, lol! Teddie

Check out this Youtube by Ben and David...it's a very balanced recent review and tour of the Explorer. Teddie

I understand. I am hoping you contacted your insurance company directly while in Mexico and they provided the support and accommodations you required. Teddie

I am so sorry. Unfortunately, people do get ill while traveling, and your insurance purchase was smart. Now I'm going to say this: frequently, people become ill or get injured and transported off a ship on every sailing. I know your distress is still fresh here. You had insurance--good on you for taking the right care. Please know that waiting for the documents from any provider is a waiting process, including from RCIs medical department. Having difficulty in a foreign country is an added burden. I do not think another comparable cruise line would handle things much differently--they stabilized her, had her transported, and billed you as expected. I am no RCI cheerleader, by the way. You've been through a tough time, and I wish you the best. Teddie

Love me some food porn! Looks yummy! Teddie

We've had a kettle on our last two Anthem cruises out of Bayonne, and we used it every day. I understand that if your cabin doesn't have one, you may ask your cabin attendant for one. Don't forget t check out the Solarium Cafe for breakfast--it's less crowded, quieter, and had everything I would want for breakfast, including the lovely raison cranberry bread. Mmmmmm. Teddie

Of course...I'm referring to individuals with P status who engage in such behavior. Teddie

I'm just going to state the obvious, and I'm not going to beat around the bush. Those individuals who lord over other pax because of their P status are simply entitled, status-seeking snobs. I don't care how much they spent to get there. Crappy behavior is not acceptable. That is all. Teddie

Perfect. Thank you. teddie

We recently switched from a regular balcony cabin to a Jr. suite on Anthem, sailing on 03/17/2024. I had booked MTD early on but now that we are in a Jr. suite, we will try for dinners at CK. Question: Once onboard, do I need to cancel my MTD reservations in order to secure the CK dinner spots that might be available? Thanks in advance! Teddie

That tells you where I'm at--I was thinking she was named after that lovely little town of Merida on the Yucatan Peninsula.... Teddie

I don't say this to be argumentative, but *everything* we get on board has been carefully calculated into what we pay, whether individually or across the board for cruise fare pricing trends. Justt sayin'... Teddie

OOOH Did you request it specifically from Room Service, or did it come with the pastries plate? Teddie

Here's the recipe posted way back by @reallyitsmema #3 Posted July 18, 2011 I found it. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=900066&highlight=bread+recipe&page=2 Alexis posted via igot2cruz back in 2009. Here you go. This is what is the raisin and cranberry AUSTRIAN STRIEZEL that igot2cruz calls what you want. AUSTRIAN STRIEZEL 2 (¼ -ounce or 7 g) packages dry yeast 1 tablespoon (15 g) sugar 2 tablespoons (30 ml) rum 1 cup (250 ml) water, lukewarm 2 pounds (900 g) all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon (1.2 g) salt ½ cup (120 ml) milk 4 eggs ½ cup (120 g) butter, room temperature 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract Zest of ½ lemon ½ cup (120 g) raisins ½ cup (120 g) dried cranberries 1 egg yolk, beaten Garnish - slivered almonds Preheat oven to 400F or 200C. 1.To prepare dough, combine yeast, sugar and ½ cup (120 ml) water in a bowl and whisk until yeast has dissolved. In a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine all ingredients except raisins and cranberries and mix for 2 minutes at low speed, then for 8 minutes at high speed using a dough hook. The dough should be soft and elastic. 2.If kneading by hand, add flour a cup (250 g) at a time and knead for 10 minutes. Add raisins and cranberries to dough and mix well. Shape dough into a ball. 3.Cover and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for 20 minutes. 4.Punch down dough and divide into 1 pound (450 g) loaves. Cover and allow to relax for 20 minutes. 5.Cut dough into 3 equal pieces and hand roll each dough into 12-inch by 4-inch strip (30 x 10 cm). 6.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray with nonstick spray. Transfer rolls to the baking sheet and braid,tucking the ends under.Cover and let rise for 20 minutes. 7.Brush braids with egg yolk and let rise for another 10 minutes. Brush a second time and sprinkle with slivered almonds. 8.Bake for 20 minutes, until nicely golden or until loaves sound hollow when their undersides are thumped. Serves 6.

I’ve had those and they are pretty tasty actually. But that’s me. teddie

I did spy some cranberries in it. It used to have sliced almonds on the top--those are gone... Confession: on disembarkation day, I bring a baggie with me and nab 4 or 5 slices to bring home 😇

Looking forward to more! I will be on this ship/itinerary for the third time in March. It's so convenient sailing out of Bayonne, and I've reached the point where I don't care where the ship goes, as long as I can get to cruising. Anthem was the largest ship we've sailed so far. I won't go any bigger, but we do like it very much. PS Anthem has an excellent Windjammer, and the Solarium Bistro is also an excellent buffet for all three meals. Teddie

So I am sailing 3/17/2024 on the Anthem, and I just noticed that the Welcome Aboard message is now showing on the app. No mention of the D restriction. Might it show up closer to sail date? T

Thanks; I guess it comes down to the final breakdown of C&A status on sail date. Teddie

Apologies if this has already been answered here. How would I know if my sailing excludes Ds from HH, and how far in advance would it be made known? Thank you Teddie

Sailed Anthem in Feb 2023 and again in November 2024. I found the MDR to be noticeably without the WOW factor from, say, 10 years ago. Not horrible, but not thrilling. On the most recent cruise, we had a number of dinners in the Windjammer, and we loved it. Variety, presentation, international options, all very very good. Again--subjective but this was our experience. I add that the Solarium cafe is a great option for all three meals. It's smaller, less crowded, and much more relaxing, even at peak times. Sailing again in March. I will update after that. Teddie

Interesting--I was at Beach Club last February and again in late November 2023. I think I saw a total of 3 kids. I purposely do not cruise during school vacation times. When were you there? Teddie

So looking forward to the rest of your report. Congrats to you and your beautiful family! Teddie

Me too! I anticipated a high-dive gone bad. Glad everyone was just safely dancing. LOL Teddie

Thanks for the review! The Diamond drinks deal is to us the best of the perks. Teddie