Anthem in winter. Who has done this?

[MaiseyM]

I am looking for a family cruise for Christmas, 2018. We have done Oasis and Harmony. I am considering something different this time and want to do Anthem. That said, I am trying to escape the cold (live in midwest) and worry about how long it will take to warm up on the ship. I am steering away from Anthem, but thought I would ask for those that have done it. If you have taken a winter Anthem cruise, can you tell me about it? Thank you.

 

How many days until it was warm and you could wear shorts/tees and lay by the pool?

Was packing extra special because you had to pack clothes for warm and cold weather?

Overall, approximately, how many days were nice and warm vs. typical dreary winter cold?

[Biker19]

1.5 days

No.

x-3, where x is the length of the cruise.

[cb at sea]

If you're sailing from Florida, it doesn't take long to warm up. If you're sailing from the northeast..then at least 2 days (coming and going!)...I wouldn't sail from a northern port in the winter...eats up too much time getting to warmth.

[Ocean Dancer]

You'll love Anthem in winter..........that is what she was built for, cooler weather. The dress of the day is shorts and sandals. There is so much to do and this is truly a different feel for a cruise ship. Go for it:D

[reallyitsmema]

I am looking for a family cruise for Christmas, 2018. We have done Oasis and Harmony. I am considering something different this time and want to do Anthem. That said, I am trying to escape the cold (live in midwest) and worry about how long it will take to warm up on the ship. I am steering away from Anthem, but thought I would ask for those that have done it. If you have taken a winter Anthem cruise, can you tell me about it? Thank you.

 

How many days until it was warm and you could wear shorts/tees and lay by the pool?

Was packing extra special because you had to pack clothes for warm and cold weather?

Overall, approximately, how many days were nice and warm vs. typical dreary winter cold?

 

Anthem in winter is different than cruising from a warm port since you will not be able to use the outside decks for at least the first 24 hours. There are many indoor venues like the Solarium and the indoor family pool but you are have to aware of how to get there, you do not want to go out on deck from the aft elevators in your bathing suit, use the forward elevators to stay inside. Getting to iFly and Northstar is very cold, but they were running on our February cruise even though the outside temp as we left had warmed to 40 degrees:eek::D No one was running around in shorts an sandals until we got closer to Port Canaveral. The doors to the outside from the Seaplex were not allowed to be opened because it was making the Seaplex too cold, plus it was windy.

 

If you go into it knowing it is going to be a different type of cruise, you can have a good time. You can swim from day 1, just not outside. Bring warm clothes but also cooler clothes for once you get south. I would have loved to sail out of a snowstorm, into warmer weather, but we just went from 40's to 90's to 20's on our return.

[genegri]

We did it last Christmas and loved it but I tend to love cold weather cruising so I might be a little biased.

 

Have to agree that the first and the last day should not be called warm, but if your cruise is longer than 7 days like ours was I would still think there is a good number of warm days vs cold.

 

And I especially enjoyed the gradual warming up going south. So much fun and excitement.

[Diamond Dandy]

I beg to differ in my opinion. In winter you have to deal with the turbulence off of Cape Hatteras, NC. We sailed in January and encountered 30 foot waves in that area. You can look up more info about that, but it was described as colder water flowing down from the North to meet warmer water flowing up from the South. In addition, one has significantly more salinity than the other. The two do NOT play well together. (The area is also called the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Thinks is just to give you something to look up for more info, not to scare you. We were sometimes uncomfortable, but never felt in real danger.)

 

Our trip was a few weeks after the headline-making similar (but actually worse) Anthem trip you may have seen on TV.

 

In our case we also had to deal with Hurricane Sandy near the end of the cruise, which delayed our return by an extra day.

 

RCI handled everything the best they could, and we enjoyed the ship and staff, but overall we think winters out of Liberty are definitely not for us.

[nelblu]

I've sailed the Quantum in early Feb. when the temperature was in the teens. First time sailing out of N/E (Bayonne) and enjoyed it as we got 12 nights for the price of a 7 niter out of Florida. You lose about 1.5 days each way, but still got more than 7 days of fun & sun. Going down was no problem, however, on the return, as soon as we reached Nassau, we began encountering up to 25 ft waves. One wave and related spray reached the Solarium deck and I was impressed. The ship creaked like heck, but not much rocking & rolling--guess great stabilizers. When we approached the metro area the outside temperature was -10 degrees and the swim pool and surrounding area was like an ice rink.

 

Had such a great time and are scheduled the same itinerary on the Anthem on Jan. 28th.

[Ocean Dancer]

I just wanted to add that the dress of the day WAS shorts and sandals. As soon as you stepped in, it was warm and you felt as if you were in the Caribbean. You do NOT have to bring many winter clothes, just what you wear on board and a change of jeans for coming home, along with an extra hoodie.

 

Now if you plan to walk outdoors in the cold and wind, dress accordingly. We did 12 days in early March and it was wonderful. Def am planning to do it again, just know Anthem is a much different cruising experience.

[Baron Barracuda]

Yes, first and last day may be cold and rocky. Also need to be concerned with flight delays at EWR in winter. Having said that, have sailed from NJ in winter a number of times and none of this would dissuade me. Anthem has wonderful indoor facilities. Just personally don't care for that 12/21/18 itinerary. 8 nights with stops at Port Canaveral, Coco Cay and Nassau. Now if op is also looking to spend a few days in NYC over the holidays that would make the vacation more attractive. Otherwise prefer to sail from FL and enjoy warm weather for entire length of cruise.

[reallyitsmema]

Yes, first and last day may be cold and rocky. Also need to be concerned with flight delays at EWR in winter. Having said that, have sailed from NJ in winter a number of times and none of this would dissuade me. Anthem has wonderful indoor facilities. Just personally don't care for that 12/21/18 itinerary. 8 nights with stops at Port Canaveral, Coco Cay and Nassau. Now if op is also looking to spend a few days in NYC over the holidays that would make the vacation more attractive. Otherwise prefer to sail from FL and enjoy warm weather for entire length of cruise.

 

That was the itinerary that we did, not my favorite, but better than nothing. Was nice to finally put on shorts and use our balcony as we got farther south on day 2. We didn't find the seas to be too bad on our February sailing, but we had sailed Anthem in September to Bermuda when it tried, unsuccessfully, to outrun the last of a hurricane turned tropical depression. We had 50 ft swells and terrible winds since we ended up in the right quadrant of the storm after it shifted.

 

You can just never tell what the weather is going to go. Even sailing from Florida in winter can be tough. We had a really rough cruise on Sovereign back when it was sailing from Port Canaveral.

 

OP really needs to go in with an open mind.

[crookedhalo]

We did the 12 night itinerary from 11/26-12/9/16. It was chilly for the first day, but you could be on the covered deck areas with a light hoodie and longer pants. By mid-morning the second full day it was much warmer and it stayed that way until two nights before we returned to NY. The last day was a bit blustery, but nothing uncomfortable.

 

The advantage is what others have hinted at - you get more nights than sailing from Florida PLUS you can save a substantial amount on airfare. After watching price drops and jumping into the guarantee pool a few times we ended up with a D8 Balcony, port fees taxes and grats for $2700.00 for two. A balcony at just over $100 per night is a good price as far as I'm concerned - BUT the biggest thing is that when we booked this trip in March of 16 we booked an OB balcony w/port fees, taxes and grats for $3500 for two. Perseverance (and not needing to be in a particular location) paid off handsomely :halo:

[bob brown]

Since the OP is from Wisconsin, and is probably flying to the cruise, and further states is looking to get away from winter weather for vacation......I would recommend flying to Florida or San Juan, and cruise from there. If it is just to enjoy the Anthem specifically, I would recommend doing a summer or fall cruise, say to New England and Canada at another time.

 

Even for those of us that are within driving range of Cape Liberty...and especially on a short Florida/Bahama's cruise...there is no guarantee of really tropical weather....in mid-winter that area has had some really cool weather at times, but sometimes you luck out, and can even leave NJ in relatively balmy mid-winter weather.

As was said, the Anthem design is well-suited for cooler climates, with plenty of indoor public spaces, and entertainment...

[2IfByC]

Just be aware that it may not turn out to be the trip you plan: We have sailed both the Anthem and Quantum in Jan/Feb. We won't do it again. Although we like the ship and it's much closer for us to get there ... the water was way to rough both times. 30 foot waves coming home from one trip -- seasick bags on every floor, in the stairwells, etc. Shows cancelled. Mealtime was not enjoyable for anyone. :o

Also, for both cruises our itineraries were changed because of weather -- big nor'easter blowing around caused us to miss stops on our Anthem cruise and then the following year our Quantum cruise was cut from a 12-day to a 10-day cruise because we were snowed in in New Jersey. Not fun.

We have gone back to Florida cruising -- it's warmer, smoother and more relaxing, despite the flying there/back part.

Good luck with whatever you choose and ENJOY!

[DKNYC]

Hi

Well since I live in NYC and Bayonne is very close for me to get to AND I like to cruise in the winter to warm places I would and have cruised Anthem/Quantum in January. I think a longer itinerary makes more sense (10-12 nights) opposed to 7 or 8. However I know the Christmas itineraries are short. Of course you could maybe do a B2B.:halo: But then that adds more cold weather days. The first day and a half is going to be cold but if you stay inside the ship you will be fine. As others have said keep an open mind and take precautions if you are prone to seasickness. I have also flown to New Orleans and California for winter cruises and got stranded in New Orleans for 2 days because of a blizzard here in NY.

Oddly enough I have never cruised from Florida in the winter.

 

Denise

[meadowlander]

I am looking for a family cruise for Christmas, 2018. We have done Oasis and Harmony. I am considering something different this time and want to do Anthem. That said, I am trying to escape the cold (live in midwest) and worry about how long it will take to warm up on the ship. I am steering away from Anthem, but thought I would ask for those that have done it. If you have taken a winter Anthem cruise, can you tell me about it? Thank you.

 

How many days until it was warm and you could wear shorts/tees and lay by the pool?

Was packing extra special because you had to pack clothes for warm and cold weather?

Overall, approximately, how many days were nice and warm vs. typical dreary winter cold?

 

Having sailed Anthem in January 2016 and January 2017, I will answer the question you asked and not offer options you did not ask for.

 

The first sea day in 2016 the temperature was in the 60s. While the crew members were still bundled, many passengers were in shorts and there were people using the outdoor pool. FYI, Christmas eve 2015 temperature in north Jersey was in the 70s.

 

The 2017 cruise had good weather but not 60 degrees on day 2. I have never experienced rough seas on any of the 3 winter sailings from Bayonne, and I hope my luck continues.

 

The return trip on both cruises were impacted more the weather. I think the outdoor decks were closed on the 2016 sailing on the last sea day. Both cruises were 12 nights.

 

I always dress in layers, I work outside, so the only extra clothing I took was a thermal undershirt to wear upon disembarkation.

 

The indoor pool and the solarium pools can be accessed without being outside and subject to the weather, if you use the forward elevators.

[Diamond Dandy]

If you really want to be picky, the only ways to "answer the question you asked" (who has done this?) is "I have" or "Not me".

[MaiseyM]

Wow. Thank you all for the feedback. It's good to know how long the cold weather lasts. Since the ship looks amazing, being inside for 2 days wouldn't be horrible. That said I didn't think about the big waves. I know I would panic like crazy if they start, even if it's normal and happens often. I may need to look at this for a summer trip. I don't know if the pricing is better/worse when comparing summer to Xmas, so I'll have to figure that out. Flying to NJ is probably less expensive than flying my crew down to Florida, but that's not too much of an issue. Thank you for your feedback!

[tennislvr8]

We did it last Decemeber and loved it. I would sail anytime during the winter on Anthem. It was cold the first day, jeans and a sweatshirt. We were allowed on the top deck for sail away, I watched us go under the verazzano bridge. I recall it being cold the first and last day. We included 2 sweatshirts and pairs of jeans for the cold weather.

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Forums mobile app

[Merion_Mom]

I beg to differ in my opinion. In winter you have to deal with the turbulence off of Cape Hatteras, NC. We sailed in January and encountered 30 foot waves in that area. You can look up more info about that, but it was described as colder water flowing down from the North to meet warmer water flowing up from the South. In addition, one has significantly more salinity than the other. The two do NOT play well together. (The area is also called the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Thinks is just to give you something to look up for more info, not to scare you. We were sometimes uncomfortable, but never felt in real danger.)

 

Our trip was a few weeks after the headline-making similar (but actually worse) Anthem trip you may have seen on TV.

 

In our case we also had to deal with Hurricane Sandy near the end of the cruise, which delayed our return by an extra day.

 

RCI handled everything the best they could, and we enjoyed the ship and staff, but overall we think winters out of Liberty are definitely not for us.

 

I don't think so, since that was in 2012.

[Biker19]

That said I didn't think about the big waves. I know I would panic like crazy if they start, even if it's normal and happens often..

Cr using may not be for you, if this ^ is really an issue.

[Crazy planning mom]

I am looking for a family cruise for Christmas, 2018. We have done Oasis and Harmony. I am considering something different this time and want to do Anthem. That said, I am trying to escape the cold (live in midwest) and worry about how long it will take to warm up on the ship. I am steering away from Anthem, but thought I would ask for those that have done it. If you have taken a winter Anthem cruise, can you tell me about it? Thank you.

 

How many days until it was warm and you could wear shorts/tees and lay by the pool?

Was packing extra special because you had to pack clothes for warm and cold weather?

Overall, approximately, how many days were nice and warm vs. typical dreary winter cold?

If you have to pay money to fly to New Jersey, I would try the Anthem in May/June. I would bet Christmas time probably 90% of her passengers were people who lived within driving distance.

[Diamond Dandy]

You are right of course, Merion_Mom, it was not Sandy. Could be a senior moment or cumulative effect of too many Bahama Mamas. The ship routed around what was a large Winter storm that dumped on the Northeast. We got the extra day on ship. Newark airport was still trying to get caught up for several days. Thanks for catching my error.

[constable145]

Sailing the PC, Nassau, Coco Cay itinerary in Feb. We'll be driving down.

 

Come hell or high water, I'll be on my balcony for sailaway as it will be my first time in an aft balcony.

 

Can anyone tell me how long it takes approximately from the time you leave the pier until you're going under the bridge?

[reallyitsmema]

Sailing the PC, Nassau, Coco Cay itinerary in Feb. We'll be driving down.

 

Come hell or high water, I'll be on my balcony for sailaway as it will be my first time in an aft balcony.

 

Can anyone tell me how long it takes approximately from the time you leave the pier until you're going under the bridge?

 

I did that itinerary in February with a 3pm sail time. I know we had a 4:30pm Northstar reservation, which was for after we had gone under the bridge, obviously;p. I think we passed under the bridge about 30 - 45 minutes after sail away.

 

Edit: Just remembered I took all sorts of pictures going under the bridge, time stamp on pictures is 3:33pm, we left the pier right on time, so guesstimate 30 minutes.