Live blog From Anthem of the Seas Transatlantic

[BourkeBlogs]

So for a bit of a weather update, the captain made a further tannoy announcement at around 4pm to advise that some of the lifts had been taken out of service to prevent damage to them as the rough seas cause pressure on them due to the length of the tracks. He advised by taking some of the lifts out of service this would ensure there are working lifts in he morning when the weather should have improved.

 

As mentioned in my earlier lift post we have been briefly stuck in lifts so it's no surprise that the rough seas are causing issues. I am surprised they have coped so well.

 

The captain advised the worst of the seas would be over by between 6pm and 9pm but it is now 8:30 and I can safely say it is still rough with both pitching and listing.

 

On the cabin tv earlier speed was showing between 10 and 12 knots which was much slower than the 18 - 20 we have previously been doing. Earlier we had been advised that the speed had slowed to try and steady the ship slightly.

 

While eating dinner we heard numerous things smashing from the kitchen so the staff are obviously having issues with it.

 

We have not felt at all ill with the seas. Although we have never cruised before we have been on lots of boats. We have sailed from Hull to Rotterdam many times and for those of you who have done this mini cruise, especially in winter you will know how bad the seas get. We always go on boat trips on holidays such as catamarans etc and have had rough seas on these and never been ill, which is why the thought of a TA at this time of year did not concern us. Although we weren't sure how much different rough seas would be on a boat of this size.

 

Currently we are just in 270. As Spectra's has been cancelled (ours has already been rescheduled for day 7) there was a virtually symphony on the vistarama screens and now which hasn't gone down to well with some people, they have had a vistarama of a large waterfall. We personally think it's quite funny based on the current conditions.

 

 

Whilst typing this I have had to stop my glass sliding off the table. My Mrs managed to grab hers but mine nearly ended up in her lap, which wouldn't have gone down too well. Fortunately I managed to drop my phone quick enough to grab my glass.

 

There is a singer in the theatre tonight, although it's not really our type of music but a comedian is scheduled in 270 at 9.30 which we will probably stay and watch.

 

If I haven't answered any of your questions yet, I might have missed them so please do remind me.

 

I know I still need to find out about mudslides, the drinks prices at the pool bar and also root beer.

 

Tomorrow morning we have a very exciting activity planned which as long as doesn't get cancelled due to the weather I will be able to put some (hopefully fantastic) photos on tomorrow afternoon.

Edited October 30, 2015 by CruisenovicesUK
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[BEENSAILING]

Thanks to all you posting live from ANTHEM. Many people in our roll call are following your postings. (We are on Nov 30 sailing) are really looking forward to free lobster and caviar. Maybe there was no free lobster because of what food gets loaded based on departure port. So maybe leaving from New Jersey .... like we had on Quantum. In your travels on the ship can you find out if there is any complimentary caviar in any of the bars? Perhaps at Vintages or the bar next to North Star. Thanks!!

[Turtles06]

I had my first mudslide this evening. (OP, you need to go to one of the pool bars for it. ) I'd describe it as a White Russian smoothie.

 

I'm in 270 now looking at that amazing waterfall. I think 270 is one of the most amazing entertainment venues I've ever seen. Genius. Loved it this afternoon when the "entertainment" was watching the real 20 foot waves. Simply fabulous.

[BourkeBlogs]

Thanks to all you posting live from ANTHEM. Many people in our roll call are following your postings. (We are on Nov 30 sailing) are really looking forward to free lobster and caviar. Maybe there was no free lobster because of what food gets loaded based on departure port. So maybe leaving from New Jersey .... like we had on Quantum. In your travels on the ship can you find out if there is any complimentary caviar in any of the bars? Perhaps at Vintages or the bar next to North Star. Thanks!!

 

 

Leave it with me, I'll find out tomorrow.

 

The questions are really good. It's keeping us busy, especially with a lot of the other things that are cancelled due to weather. So if there are anymore let me know.

 

It's also keeping our step count up burning off the food and cocktails walking around the ship.

[sharktums]

Here's two random questions...

 

1. Originally when announced they were supposed to offer Trapeze and Lyra (or hoop) as part of Circus School in the SkyPlex. Last year on Quantum they told us the Lyra's would be coming in the next couple of weeks (we were on the inaugural). Can you see if they plan to do anything other than Trapeze with the Circus School? Especially Lyra!

 

2. Can you confirm that the menus in the included restaurants are rotating every four days?

 

Thanks for all your awesome reporting! It's really appreciated! Good luck with those seas. We were on Deck 3 of Quantum last year and one of the days the waves kept smashing our window. We were all seasick!

[TheKevinShow]

Thanks for posting this blog. I'm on board soon and can't get enough. Strange request... Can you venture to my future stateroom and tell me what's across the hall? I'll be in room 7146. See the attached photo. I'm guessing it's a closet...

Many thanks! Keep up the good work!

[BEENSAILING]

Your sense of humor about the waterfall made me chuckle. Our last "rough crossing" was the Tasmanian Sea from Australia to New Zealand and back. Water up and out of the pool. Ropes to hold on to when walking. and that was a much smaller ship - Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas. Could not believe the swells. We were fortunate we did not get sea sick, but there were others who had a miserable time. I hope your crossing gets smoother...

[Seaworthy01]

Hi Seaworthy, we have not seen anything on wine packages anywhere onboard. He only thing being plugged very heavily are the drinks packages with multiple tables set up on the first day and tv screens on each bar with the information on them

 

Thank you for the information. I may look into the packages they offer when we board in that case, it would be a waste being that I don't drink much but my wife loves wine and at $9+ a glass :eek: it may be worth it.

[conandrob240]

That's amusing, since on the Anthem FB group people have said that Grande had lobster the 2nd night.

 

From the photos, even though the menu said shrimp, I would say those were lobster. They had a hard tail with a flat edge with isn't typically the way a shrimp tail looks. It was also in a 1/2 shell- a way I've never seen a shrimp served.

Edited October 31, 2015 by conandrob240

[deb1835]

The drink package can also be purchased if there are 4 or more days left in the cruise. I was thinking about doing just that as our last three days are at sea.

Edited October 31, 2015 by deb1835

[njkruzer]

My dh wants to know if you have been able to take a picture of the giraffe? We loved the bear on the Quantum.

[Seaworthy01]

The drink package can also be purchased if there are 4 or more days left in the cruise. I was thinking about doing just that as our last three days are at sea.

 

That's something to think about.

[Psych Cruiser]

My dh wants to know if you have been able to take a picture of the giraffe? We loved the bear on the Quantum.

 

YES, we too would like a picture of GG the giraffe (if they'll let you out on that deck).

 

My wife, Lisa, is called GG by our grand children.

 

We are scheduled for the Nov 10th, 2015 sailing out of Port Liberty, NJ.

 

Also, thanks for the wonderful insight into your first cruise. You are keeping this very professional and a fresh perspective on cruising on a bobbing ship in the Atlantic :)

 

We are planning on going on the Harmony's trans-Atlantic crossing. Hope it's not as windy and wavy when we go.

 

I trust that most people on board are either downright sick or not feeling well with the rocking and bobbing. That would not be a good thing.

[Dall]

The drink package can also be purchased if there are 4 or more days left in the cruise. I was thinking about doing just that as our last three days are at sea.

 

Hm, interesting. That may be an option :)

[BourkeBlogs]

Morning

 

Here is our current position at 6am on Saturday morning:

 

 

 

As you will see our speed has increased to about 19 knots.

 

We noticed on screens near the lifts last night (around 10pm) that we were back to around 18knots so we have speeded up significantly from the earlier 10 - 12 knots on Friday.

[BourkeBlogs]

Here is day 5 cruise compass

 

 

 

There was also another clock change last night. Although think they forgot to change the day as the change was Saturday and not Friday

 

[Biker19]

As you will see our speed has increased to about 19 knots.

 

We noticed on screens near the lifts last night (around 10pm) that we were back to around 18knots so we have speeded up significantly from the earlier 10 - 12 knots on Friday.

 

The weather was no better a bit north of you and up at 38000 ft as I crossed the Atlantic. I rather have the rough weather on the sea than up in the air.

[BourkeBlogs]

Thanks for posting this blog. I'm on board soon and can't get enough. Strange request... Can you venture to my future stateroom and tell me what's across the hall? I'll be in room 7146. See the attached photo. I'm guessing it's a closet...[ATTACH]366763[/ATTACH]

Many thanks! Keep up the good work!

 

 

Hi Kevin

 

We've just been and taken some pictures. Opposite your cabin is a corridor leading to the internal staterooms. Although not directly opposite your door, it's just before it.

 

 

 

[BourkeBlogs]

My dh wants to know if you have been able to take a picture of the giraffe? We loved the bear on the Quantum.

 

 

Hi

 

We haven't been able to get on deck for the last few days but took some shots on day 1 of GiGi the giraffe. It's huge!

 

 

 

 

 

[BourkeBlogs]

We got a video of one of the Robo shows yesterday, had been struggling to upload to YouTube but have just managed to do it so here it is:

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BourkeBlogs]

The seas have been noticeably calmer this morning, it's still rocky but no where as bad as it was yesterday afternoon / evening.

 

On our way to breakfast this morning we noticed 4 out of the 6 lifts at the front of the ship 3 out of 10 at mid ship are currently out of service. Yesterday an announcement had been made that some were being taken out so not sure if this is the reason or if they are actually broken.

 

I've took some pictures of the sea this morning, although as we can't get on deck they are all through glass.

 

Hopefully they will open deck 15 later so we can get some outside shots. We're hoping they also fill then pools again so we can have a swim at some point.

 

Taken from deck 14 pool deck

 

 

The next 2 are from deck 14 Windjammer

 

 

 

And here are a couple from 270, there is less spray on the windows today so they shots are slightly clearer:

 

 

Edited October 31, 2015 by CruisenovicesUK
Typo

[BourkeBlogs]

Just a quick post, the screens at the elevator banks are touch screens and one of the options is for ship position.

 

It also shows other ships on the map. The ship shown below and slightly to the right of Anthem is the Allure and the one below and to the left of the Allure is Celebrity Reflection

 

You can click on the ships for more information as well.

 

[michigal]

Thank you for this excellent blog! We are also currently on the Anthem. It is unfortunate that the outdoor and other motion-related activities (Cabaret show, bumper cars) have been canceled or postponed due to weather, but we knew this was a possibility when we booked this TA cruise, so we were prepared for it. We are having a great time! However, because of so many canceled activities, it is sometimes challenging to get a seat at the indoor events (trivia, music events, etc.). Again, it's not a surprise, just a bit frustrating. You have to arrive early to get a seat!

 

Someone asked about bringing your wine into the dining rooms. We brought our two allotted bottles on board along with a corkscrew. We've been carrying a glass into the dining room, and no one has seemed to have a problem with it.

 

Regarding lobster, we ate in the Grande (formal restaurant) on day two, and were served lobster tail (at no charge) with a light sauce (instead of butter). It was tasty. My favorite meal so far has been the Surf & Turf in American Icon. The beef was extremely tender, and in my opinion, cooked to perfection (which is sometimes tricky for me because I like it medium well).

 

We signed up for "classic" dining, which involves being rotated through the four dining rooms (which we will repeat as this is an 8-night cruise). Our rotation is Chic, Grande, Silk, then American Icon. I have reviewed the menus, and it appears that we will receive a slightly different menu than the one we received on the first night in each restaurant, although there are several items that are repeated.

 

Thanks again for blogging. It's been fun following along.

[Turtles06]

I'll comment on some of the food on the TA as well. We had a fabulous dinner at Chops. Really excellent food and service to match. Likewise at Coastal Kitchen. (We had been booked in a balcony, but a last minute price drop allowed us to pamper ourselves in a spa junior suite. A perk is dinner at CK.). We had one dinner at Silk, and both of us found the food to be quite poor.

 

We ate lunch yesterday at American Icon. It's on Deck 4, so we had great and up close views of the huge waves and swells. The "tutti salad bar" is very well done. I also ordered a "Ruben" sandwich. (Yes, that's how they spelled it.) It was supposedly made with pastrami, but it was like no pastrami I've ever eaten, and I say that as a native New Yorker. It actually tasted foul. I switched to a Philly cheesesteak. At least it had good flavor, even if it was not exactly the classic.

 

The food so far has been a mixed bag. Still, we are having a great time.

[bravostar]

Thank you so much for your blog.

We also like a table for 2. Could you please tell us if they all are in nice locations or at least are not all within inches of each other. Any pictures would be great.

Thanks again.