OnTheJourney Posted January 19, 2022 #401 Share Posted January 19, 2022 On 1/18/2022 at 10:16 AM, rbeauch said: There is a lot less mask compliance as the cruise goes on. Almost no one wears one in the solarium or indoor pool areas. It's about 50% compliance in other common areas. This doesn't impress me at all. Exactly what happened post 9/11 when, initially, airport security was very tight. Then, gradually, back to loosey-goosey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheJourney Posted January 19, 2022 #402 Share Posted January 19, 2022 On 1/18/2022 at 10:29 AM, toad455 said: Theater have the least compliance. yikes...and just the venue where there should be the MOST compliance. Most unfortunate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toad455 Posted January 19, 2022 #403 Share Posted January 19, 2022 Just now, OnTheJourney said: yikes...and just the venue where there should be the MOST compliance. Most unfortunate. Hard to enforce this once it gets dark. Luckily for any show there, it was never crowded. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toad455 Posted January 19, 2022 #404 Share Posted January 19, 2022 Just now, OnTheJourney said: Bummer for folks who've never been to the canceled ports and were looking forward to it. Such is unfortunately life during covid travels right now. We got extended time in St. Maarten (9am-10pm). Credit for missing St. Kitts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheJourney Posted January 19, 2022 #405 Share Posted January 19, 2022 7 minutes ago, toad455 said: Hard to enforce this once it gets dark Yeah I wondered about that. Only so much can be done. The crew isn't about to throw someone over the side, put them off the ship, or in the brig (is there one? lol) for not wearing a mask. Sounds like in general there was decent compliance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare EllieinNJ Posted January 19, 2022 #406 Share Posted January 19, 2022 It's the last day at 4 15pm sitting in the Solarium while hubby is in the hot tub. They are still asking people to put on masks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BND Posted January 19, 2022 #407 Share Posted January 19, 2022 Everyone returning tomorrow, there is a winter weather advisory from 5 am to 1 pm. Up to 2 inches of snow expected. Roads could be slippery. We have a friend onboard and they drove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mets123 Posted January 19, 2022 #408 Share Posted January 19, 2022 5 hours ago, PiperHolliday said: There's three of us and there's only three mains. Learn how Italian dining works before you try to spew your insults. I guess I'm not a food snob. I have no problem with their drinks or food. Are they all perfect, absolutely not. But I'm not going to complain about everything I don't like. If a dish is not to my liking, I politely let the wait staff know, and request something different. They are very happy to please. It doesn't have to be broadcast on cruisecritic. It's should just be between the staff and myself. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiperHolliday Posted January 19, 2022 Author #409 Share Posted January 19, 2022 3 minutes ago, mets123 said: I guess I'm not a food snob. I have no problem with their drinks or food. Are they all perfect, absolutely not. But I'm not going to complain about everything I don't like. If a dish is not to my liking, I politely let the wait staff know, and request something different. They are very happy to please. It doesn't have to be broadcast on cruisecritic. It's should just be between the staff and myself. It's a live review, is it not? This is Cruise CRITIC? I don't expect things to be perfect either but I think customers have every right to know so they can choose the cruise line and ship that's right for them. And we have definitely discussed these things with the staff in a very polite manner but at a certain point, it's just not vacation anymore when you have to ask for everything to be fixed. It's also a lot of extra work for the crew, who are already working their butts off. I had to have one meal replaced three times and it still wasn't right so at that point, what do you do? There's also a difference between not liking a dish and having the meat dry and overcooked. That's what we are running into most. We've had a lot of great food, too. And I've been mentioning those as well. It's not as if I'm only saying negative things. And these are my opinions, not facts set in stone. I'm sure plenty of people have no problem with the things that bother me and that's fine. But it doesn't make my experience (or theirs) any less valid. This is the reason CC exists. 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiperHolliday Posted January 19, 2022 Author #410 Share Posted January 19, 2022 4 hours ago, Virtopia said: Thanks for this live reporting - I'm on the 1/31 sailing and barring any last minute complications, I'm looking forward to my return to cruising. My last sailing ended December 2019 so it's been a long time coming!! Also, I've never been on Anthem before so it will be nice to have all this time to explore a new ship. 2 hours ago, shleds said: Thank you Piper for entertaining us for the last couple of weeks. Like Virtopia, we’re leaving on the Anthem on January 31st, and we are hanging on every word you write! You guys are going to have a great time! The crew are so awesome and really make the cruise! Really, some of the hardest working and kindest crew I've ever experienced on a ship. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiperHolliday Posted January 19, 2022 Author #411 Share Posted January 19, 2022 For those of you that prefer a softer bed (or supportive without being hard) you may want to request extra mattress pads for your bed. It really helped with ours. Other than that, I like everything about the cabins on this ship very much. They're very nice and so much room. Our bed is away from the window/balcony and our friend's is the opposite. After being onboard for 11 days, I think I prefer our layout more. We used the balcony a lot, so keeping it easily accessible from the living area made it convenient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mets123 Posted January 19, 2022 #412 Share Posted January 19, 2022 59 minutes ago, PiperHolliday said: It's a live review, is it not? This is Cruise CRITIC? I don't expect things to be perfect either but I think customers have every right to know so they can choose the cruise line and ship that's right for them. And we have definitely discussed these things with the staff in a very polite manner but at a certain point, it's just not vacation anymore when you have to ask for everything to be fixed. It's also a lot of extra work for the crew, who are already working their butts off. I had to have one meal replaced three times and it still wasn't right so at that point, what do you do? There's also a difference between not liking a dish and having the meat dry and overcooked. That's what we are running into most. We've had a lot of great food, too. And I've been mentioning those as well. It's not as if I'm only saying negative things. And these are my opinions, not facts set in stone. I'm sure plenty of people have no problem with the things that bother me and that's fine. But it doesn't make my experience (or theirs) any less valid. This is the reason CC exists. In answer to your question, it is cruise critic, but it is NOT food critic. How many people on this thread agreed with you about the food? You say you discussed with the staff, then leave it alone. Mant you should find another cruise line since you seem to have so many issues with RCL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted January 19, 2022 #413 Share Posted January 19, 2022 1 hour ago, mets123 said: I guess I'm not a food snob. I have no problem with their drinks or food. Are they all perfect, absolutely not. But I'm not going to complain about everything I don't like. If a dish is not to my liking, I politely let the wait staff know, and request something different. They are very happy to please. It doesn't have to be broadcast on cruisecritic. It's should just be between the staff and myself. 1 hour ago, PiperHolliday said: It's a live review, is it not? This is Cruise CRITIC? I don't expect things to be perfect either but I think customers have every right to know so they can choose the cruise line and ship that's right for them. And we have definitely discussed these things with the staff in a very polite manner but at a certain point, it's just not vacation anymore when you have to ask for everything to be fixed. It's also a lot of extra work for the crew, who are already working their butts off. I had to have one meal replaced three times and it still wasn't right so at that point, what do you do? There's also a difference between not liking a dish and having the meat dry and overcooked. That's what we are running into most. We've had a lot of great food, too. And I've been mentioning those as well. It's not as if I'm only saying negative things. And these are my opinions, not facts set in stone. I'm sure plenty of people have no problem with the things that bother me and that's fine. But it doesn't make my experience (or theirs) any less valid. This is the reason CC exists. 20 minutes ago, mets123 said: In answer to your question, it is cruise critic, but it is NOT food critic. How many people on this thread agreed with you about the food? You say you discussed with the staff, then leave it alone. Mant you should find another cruise line since you seem to have so many issues with RCL? If we are taking sides on this disagreement, I'm on Piper's side. She wrote calmly, dispassionately and in detail. To say that this is "cruise" critic not "food" critic is a bit silly. Food is a large part of the cruising experience. She didn't rant. She didn't say DON'T CRUISE ON RC BECAUSE THE FOOD SUCKS. She gave her full experience over 11 nights, and her food posts were full of pictures and worthwhile captions. I applaud her hard work on this thread. 18 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted January 19, 2022 #414 Share Posted January 19, 2022 7 hours ago, Jimbo said: Did the 2 of you have 6 main dishes at one seating, I know the portions are tiny but....... trying to get your monies worth I guess. @Jimbo, I think that you are spiralling. Why would you comment on how much someone orders for dinner? It's just plain ODD. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megamixer Posted January 20, 2022 #415 Share Posted January 20, 2022 54 minutes ago, mets123 said: In answer to your question, it is cruise critic, but it is NOT food critic. How many people on this thread agreed with you about the food? You say you discussed with the staff, then leave it alone. Mant you should find another cruise line since you seem to have so many issues with RCL? I have very much enjoyed Piper's live critique. You do realize you can just pass over this thread instead of getting all stressed out about it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggieq Posted January 20, 2022 #416 Share Posted January 20, 2022 2 hours ago, PiperHolliday said: You guys are going to have a great time! The crew are so awesome and really make the cruise! Really, some of the hardest working and kindest crew I've ever experienced on a ship. Thank you for this live review. Booked on the 2/11 sailing and starting to get excited. Really appreciate you taking the time out of your vacation to share your experience and opinions. 😊 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiperHolliday Posted January 20, 2022 Author #417 Share Posted January 20, 2022 Tonight was Indian night at WJ. Our head waiter suggested we pop into the buffet tonight right when they opened so we could sample some snacks before our late dinner. It was a wonderful suggestion! We really liked everything we tried and highly suggest having dinner at WJ on the Indian night. Everything was delicious! We still went to the MDR for our usual late dinner so we could say our goodbyes to the awesome waitstaff and properly thank them and gather some contact info for future visits to India. We had to roll each other out of there, we were so stuffed. Baked French Onion Soup. Yummy. Coconut Shrimp. Aged Prime Rib of Beef. Cheese Tortelloni. Chicken and Veg Curries. Off-menu. Amazing, as always. Dark Chocolate Brownie. The brownie is inside the mousse. No Sugar Added Profiteroles. I actually didn't initially notice these were no sugar added, but they were good! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky1987 Posted January 20, 2022 #418 Share Posted January 20, 2022 My wife and I enjoyed the Indian food in the WJ on our December Oasis cruise as well. IMO Royal does Indian food pretty well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPT Trips Posted January 20, 2022 #419 Share Posted January 20, 2022 Yep! Dry and overcooked describes many of the MDR entrees we had about a month ago. And soup that was warm, not close to hot. Neither are acceptable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irelandvegas Posted January 20, 2022 #420 Share Posted January 20, 2022 10 hours ago, Virtopia said: Thanks for this live reporting - I'm on the 1/31 sailing and barring any last minute complications, I'm looking forward to my return to cruising. My last sailing ended December 2019 so it's been a long time coming!! Also, I've never been on Anthem before so it will be nice to have all this time to explore a new ship. Exactly the same in all counts! Excited but a bit cautious. Again thanks Piper and everyone currently aboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Cruises Posted January 20, 2022 #421 Share Posted January 20, 2022 (edited) 7 hours ago, PiperHolliday said: Tonight was Indian night at WJ. Our head waiter suggested we pop into the buffet tonight right when they opened so we could sample some snacks before our late dinner. It was a wonderful suggestion! We really liked everything we tried and highly suggest having dinner at WJ on the Indian night. Everything was delicious! We still went to the MDR for our usual late dinner so we could say our goodbyes to the awesome waitstaff and properly thank them and gather some contact info for future visits to India. We had to roll each other out of there, we were so stuffed. Baked French Onion Soup. Yummy. Coconut Shrimp. Aged Prime Rib of Beef. Cheese Tortelloni. Chicken and Veg Curries. Off-menu. Amazing, as always. Dark Chocolate Brownie. The brownie is inside the mousse. No Sugar Added Profiteroles. I actually didn't initially notice these were no sugar added, but they were good! THANK YOU SO MUCH for your very informative narrative of this cruise. It was so kind of you to take the time to post the Compass and all the many pictures. We were supposed to be on the ANTHEM for our annual winter cruising but had to cancel because of health issues. Have a safe trip home and enjoy all your future travels. Edited January 20, 2022 by Love Cruises 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toad455 Posted January 20, 2022 #422 Share Posted January 20, 2022 This was a fantastic cruise. Felt safer on the ship then anywhere on land. The crew was fabulous, food was great, weather was damn near perfect. @PiperHollidaythanks for letting me add to your Live Report. Already counting down to next year. Anthem 1-13-2023!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toad455 Posted January 20, 2022 #423 Share Posted January 20, 2022 Likely due to the low capacity, but that was the fastest debarkation ever. Got to the dinning room at 7am for breakfast, headed back to the room at 7:45am to grab our carry-ons and was off by 8:15am. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolls123 Posted January 20, 2022 #424 Share Posted January 20, 2022 16 hours ago, PiperHolliday said: For those of you that prefer a softer bed (or supportive without being hard) you may want to request extra mattress pads for your bed. It really helped with ours. Other than that, I like everything about the cabins on this ship very much. They're very nice and so much room. Our bed is away from the window/balcony and our friend's is the opposite. After being onboard for 11 days, I think I prefer our layout more. We used the balcony a lot, so keeping it easily accessible from the living area made it convenient. Thanks! Hubby prefers a softer bed and I like a firm one so I'll ask for the extra mattress pad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiperHolliday Posted January 20, 2022 Author #425 Share Posted January 20, 2022 We did self-walk this morning at 7:00 and getting off the ship was quick, simple and easy. CBP (per usual for cruises) was almost non-existent, which is very convenient for us. This was my only time sailing from Bayonne, so I'm not sure if it's usually like this, but it seems best to arrange your transportation ahead of time if you didn't drive yourself. Taxis charge $65 plus tolls just to go to EWR, which is comical. We arranged a Lyft XL for $30, tolls included. You can do this ahead of time in the app. When we arrived, we checked availability for Lyft and Uber and neither had drivers readily available. We got to EWR quickly and are now seated on our 10AM flight home. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now