Just off of Anthem of the Seas 1/15-1/26

[jenfromjersey]

The ship is beautiful, and exceeded our expectations. We even got the bonus day at sea to avoid the bulk of the blizzard system. If you have any questions let me know!

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

How was service? Food? Did you eat in the complimentary restaurants, or specialty?

[jenfromjersey]

We did not have a bad meal. We had one dinner in American Icon, two in Chic, one in the Grande (we had a second one scheduled but chose to cancel it), two in Coastal Kitchen (my in-laws were in a Junior Suite so they were able to book tables for 4), one in Chops, one in Jamie's Italian Kitchen, and one in Michael's Pub. I seem to be missing one meal, as we ended up with the bonus day, but we also ate off the ship in San Juan (go get Mofongo at Raices just blocks from the port!)

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

We did not have a bad meal. We had one dinner in American Icon, two in Chic, one in the Grande (we had a second one scheduled but chose to cancel it), two in Coastal Kitchen (my in-laws were in a Junior Suite so they were able to book tables for 4), one in Chops, one in Jamie's Italian Kitchen, and one in Michael's Pub. I seem to be missing one meal, as we ended up with the bonus day, but we also ate off the ship in San Juan (go get Mofongo at Raices just blocks from the port!)

 

Thanks for the feedback. :)

[pjnj40]

I was leaving Anthem while you was boarding. I had lot of great service too except one breakfast morning. But they bounce back. I ate at Jamie and Izumi in specialty. We did all four complementary and love Grande and Icon. We had Stefan for our classic dining time. there was few hit and miss like you do on land.

 

To Op did anyone you know had interior stateroom that have a couch. My stateroom didn't.

[NOSaints1]

What would you say about doing the Bahamas inteneray? How does the Anthem compare to the Breakaway out of NY?

 

 

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[cruise wizard]

How did the "Classic Dining" scheduling work? Did you receive a printed schedule and did you get the same waiters and table location at each venue? Were the menus the same when you did the second time visit at Chic and Coastal Kitchen?

[pjnj40]

How did the "Classic Dining" scheduling work? Did you receive a printed schedule and did you get the same waiters and table location at each venue? Were the menus the same when you did the second time visit at Chic and Coastal Kitchen?

 

I love classic dining this way the waiter know you. He follow your schedule that is printed in your stateroom or in your cruise planner calendar. Same table number in all 4. The menu to me was the same the entire length of my 12 days. I couldn't do coastal because i am not that high up

[Newbcruiser1]

So glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise! Leaving next weekend for the 7-night!

 

What was your experience with lines for activities like iFly, North Star, Bumper cars, etc if you did any of that? Best times to go? I understand the 7-night cruises tend to be much busier than the longer ones like yours so obviously your experience may be different than mine will be!

 

Did you try the solarium for dinner at all?

 

Favorite places to hang out, both indoors and outdoors?

 

Did you find yourself outside at all in the cooler weather or did you find everything was indoors? Trying to decide on outerwear!

 

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance! :)

[jenfromjersey]

THAT is what I was missing! We did eat at Solarium Bistro and really enjoyed it. The menu there was the same all week. The others did change midweek. We got a different menu at Coastal Kitchen, but the second time at Chic was the bonus day, so it had flipped back to the first menu.

[Clarea]

THAT is what I was missing! We did eat at Solarium Bistro and really enjoyed it. The menu there was the same all week. The others did change midweek. We got a different menu at Coastal Kitchen, but the second time at Chic was the bonus day, so it had flipped back to the first menu.

Do you recall anything from the menu in Solarium Bistro? I'm curious if it's similar to the one on Oasis.

Edited January 29, 2016 by clarea

[pjnj40]

So glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise! Leaving next weekend for the 7-night!

 

What was your experience with lines for activities like iFly, North Star, Bumper cars, etc if you did any of that? Best times to go? I understand the 7-night cruises tend to be much busier than the longer ones like yours so obviously your experience may be different than mine will be!

 

Did you try the solarium for dinner at all?

 

Favorite places to hang out, both indoors and outdoors?

 

Did you find yourself outside at all in the cooler weather or did you find everything was indoors? Trying to decide on outerwear!

 

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance! :)

 

Ifly, north star should be reserved thru your cruise planner. If you can't i heard best place to go is guest service. You can do stand by on north star. When i did that we was on so fast it feel like i was one of the reservationist. Bumper cars should be check in compass. Please note it run for like two hours because it battery operated. Best tip to get there at least twenty minutes prior to start time. If line is short to your liking, go on gain and again.

 

I was in solarium on embarkation day. the food is good. However my chicken needed to be adjusted. There was a skin on it and it was loaded with salt. After i took the skin off i am fine with it.

 

Indoor and outdoor.It depend on how well you tolerate the weather. I like more outdoor and lay by pool area, deck 15 to relax and tan a bit. Indoor is the casino and restaurant. I am guy who hated buffet. I rather have them served me. I also did the win a cruise bingo. The only problem with them is where they set up the table.

 

Tips. When you are in your complementary restaurant , you can get a dish from across the hall. Icon and Silk with Chic and Grande. There a huge big kitchen back there that connect the two restaurant. Also i would book a specialty restaurant after you tried all four or if you want to avoid formal night in grande. Grande is the only one you need to be dress formal at all time.

Ifly tip separate your time if you plan to film or take picture. There is no camera allow inside the tunnel area even if you are sitting down waiting for your turn.

Edited January 29, 2016 by pjnj40

[stipmom]

Did you book I fly before you left. I was able to book Northstar but not I fly. I am on the Feb 6 sailing

[jenfromjersey]

Grrr I had a whole message typed that just got wiped out! Solarium Bistro was appetizers and dessert on a buffet, but the entrees were served to you. My MIL and I had the salmon and my husband had the chicken kabobs. I can't remember what my FIL had.

 

We loved to hang out in Two70 and just watch the wake. It was also a great place to grab lunch or a snack.

 

We spent a lot of time on our balcony too. We were in cabin 13250 and my husband had correctly predicted that it was an extended balcony. I would say it was about 50% larger than a normal balcony, as it is on the back end of the hump. Since it was deck 13, it was also fully covered as the pool deck hangs over. It was super early to get to the pool, windjammer and seaplex and I would TOTALLY book that cabin again.

 

I agree with the poster that said get to the Seaplex before the beginning of the time slot for bumper cars. We found that the morning slots had less crowds than the afternoon.

[Newbcruiser1]

Thanks so much for the replies and answers to my questions! :)

 

I'm also on the Feb 6th sailing and they have not released reservations for iFly. Called 3 times and was told it must be booked onboard for that sailing. It seems as if the longer cruises can pre-book but not the 7-nighters. I see you suggested doing so at Guest Services? Or would I need to go to the iFly desk (is there one?) or Seaplex?

 

Were any of these activities running while in port? I don't plan on getting off the ship in Nassau and was hoping to get on some of these things with shorter wait times!

 

Any yoga classes onboard? I went to my very first yoga class last week (beginner) and enjoyed it.

 

Any idea how/when/where to book the Puzzle Room?

 

With regards to Grande being formal - I read elsewhere that the first night is not formal as some passengers don't yet have their luggage? I booked the first night - if my luggage arrives, I don't have an issue dressing formally, but will I them be "out of place"? Should I stick with smart casual that night instead? And in general, how formal were the guests actually dressed? It might feel awkward running around to shows and lounges and whatnot in a formal dress while the rest of the ship was dressed casually for their dinners! :)

 

Any experience with the dynamic dining and sharing a table? I'm sailing solo and am hoping to share and meet others. Booked dynamic on the advice of someone who had cruised solo and it worked well for him.

 

I'm definitely a pool person as opposed to casino and everything indoors - were you able to be outside on the first and last sea days or did you have to hide out in the solarium? I was on the Explorer in December 2 years ago and the first sea day there were people in sweatshirts and ski jackets outside. The last sea day was a heat wave and I was actually swimming in the outdoor pool until the mid-afternoon!

[Newbcruiser1]

Oh and anything I should do immediately upon boarding? (Like booking iFly and puzzle room and everything)? Running to eat (I'm thinking either 270 or solarium)? Would that be a good time to actually try to get ON iFly since nobody would have reservations yet? I'm worried about injuring myself and being sore for the rest of the cruise! Hahaha! Did anyone have any issues after? I'm not in shape but not a frail disaster either - I have done boogie boarding on the flowrider and was pretty banged up the next day from the legs scraping on the bottom but otherwise no worse for wear.

 

Any sailaway experience in the solarium? I'm considering taking my swimsuit and cover-up in my carry on when I board, and making use of the fact the muster drill is before 3 with sailaway AT 3! I'm not normally a hot tub person but either the hot tubs or solarium pools look like a great place to kick off the cruise and get into vacation mode while still having a view? I've froze coming in and out of Bayonne enough so no interest in freezing out on deck again this time! :)

[Merion_Mom]

Do you recall anything from the menu in Solarium Bistro? I'm curious if it's similar to the one on Oasis.

Not at all like Solarium Bistro on Oasis/Allure, Bob.

 

Salad, appetizers and desserts are buffet style. Main course is served. The meal is complimentary but there are three or four optional 'upcharge' main dishes.

 

Most of the appetizers were Greek-oriented: Vegetable moussaka, meat moussaka, marinated octopus, etc.

 

I enjoyed it A LOT but it's not for everyone. ;)

 

Oh, and I was promised baklava, but there wasn't any. :(

 

But I got baklava in Coastal Kitchen on another night. ;)

[Merion_Mom]

Oh and anything I should do immediately upon boarding? (Like booking iFly and puzzle room and everything)? Running to eat (I'm thinking either 270 or solarium)? Would that be a good time to actually try to get ON iFly since nobody would have reservations yet? I'm worried about injuring myself and being sore for the rest of the cruise! Hahaha! Did anyone have any issues after? I'm not in shape but not a frail disaster either - I have done boogie boarding on the flowrider and was pretty banged up the next day from the legs scraping on the bottom but otherwise no worse for wear.

 

Any sailaway experience in the solarium? I'm considering taking my swimsuit and cover-up in my carry on when I board, and making use of the fact the muster drill is before 3 with sailaway AT 3! I'm not normally a hot tub person but either the hot tubs or solarium pools look like a great place to kick off the cruise and get into vacation mode while still having a view? I've froze coming in and out of Bayonne enough so no interest in freezing out on deck again this time! :)

Book Puzzle Break as soon as possible. It fills up quickly. Many people apparently don't show up for their reservations, though, so you can wait "standby". ;)

[Merion_Mom]

How did the "Classic Dining" scheduling work? Did you receive a printed schedule and did you get the same waiters and table location at each venue? Were the menus the same when you did the second time visit at Chic and Coastal Kitchen?

 

Paper in your cabin when you board. It lists restaurant for night #1, restaurant for night #2, restaurant for night #3, restaurant for night #4.

 

Lather, rinse, repeat.

 

;)

[Clarea]

Not at all like Solarium Bistro on Oasis/Allure, Bob.

 

Salad, appetizers and desserts are buffet style. Main course is served. The meal is complimentary but there are three or four optional 'upcharge' main dishes.

 

Most of the appetizers were Greek-oriented: Vegetable moussaka, meat moussaka, marinated octopus, etc.

 

I enjoyed it A LOT but it's not for everyone. ;)

 

Oh, and I was promised baklava, but there wasn't any. :(

 

But I got baklava in Coastal Kitchen on another night. ;)

Thanks Carol, sounds like the only thing the same is the name.

[gaylemh]

Not at all like Solarium Bistro on Oasis/Allure, Bob.

 

Salad, appetizers and desserts are buffet style. Main course is served. The meal is complimentary but there are three or four optional 'upcharge' main dishes.

 

Most of the appetizers were Greek-oriented: Vegetable moussaka, meat moussaka, marinated octopus, etc.

 

I enjoyed it A LOT but it's not for everyone. ;)

 

Oh, and I was promised baklava, but there wasn't any. :(

 

But I got baklava in Coastal Kitchen on another night. ;)

 

Carol, We never made it to SB on the 15th cruise, but I do have it booked for my March cruise. What were the upcharge choices and the price? Are the Classic choices available?

Edited January 29, 2016 by gaylemh

[bjtll]

Ifly, north star should be reserved thru your cruise planner. If you can't i heard best place to go is guest service. You can do stand by on north star. When i did that we was on so fast it feel like i was one of the reservationist. Bumper cars should be check in compass. Please note it run for like two hours because it battery operated. Best tip to get there at least twenty minutes prior to start time. If line is short to your liking, go on gain and again.

 

I was in solarium on embarkation day. the food is good. However my chicken needed to be adjusted. There was a skin on it and it was loaded with salt. After i took the skin off i am fine with it.

 

Indoor and outdoor.It depend on how well you tolerate the weather. I like more outdoor and lay by pool area, deck 15 to relax and tan a bit. Indoor is the casino and restaurant. I am guy who hated buffet. I rather have them served me. I also did the win a cruise bingo. The only problem with them is where they set up the table.

 

Tips. When you are in your complementary restaurant , you can get a dish from across the hall. Icon and Silk with Chic and Grande. There a huge big kitchen back there that connect the two restaurant. Also i would book a specialty restaurant after you tried all four or if you want to avoid formal night in grande. Grande is the only one you need to be dress formal at all time.

Ifly tip separate your time if you plan to film or take picture. There is no camera allow inside the tunnel area even if you are sitting down waiting for your turn.

What is cruise bingo? and a table?

[jenfromjersey]

Merion_Mom, are you the Carol who participated in the Finish the Lyric game???

[Clarea]

What is cruise bingo? and a table?

"Win a cruise" bingo is usually done once per cruise and gives the winner a "free" cruise. You still have to pay port fees and taxes.

[bjtll]

is it on that same ship and how long of a cruise can you win?