LIVE from Anthem of the Seas Transatlantic October 2022

[laurieal]

Day 4 - continued

 

It was now time to meet at the Schooner Bar for the Chef’s Table, so I made my way back over there. I was the first one there and I waited for the others nervously as I sipped my apéritif. 
 

 

 

As a solo traveller, you never know how those group experiences will go. If you’re lucky, you will get a group where everyone chats with everyone. If you’re unlucky, you can find yourself amongst couples who only speak to their significant other or as the sole intruder in a big group where everyone knows each other. That night, I was the luckiest solo traveller ever. 

 

Chef’s Table was an absolute blast. Everyone was super fun and sociable and by the end of the experience (which lasted 4 hours) we were all best friends.

[laurieal]

Day 4 - continued

 

The food, like the company, was delightful. There isn’t one course that I didn’t enjoy. The wines were also excellent and were clearly chosen by someone who knows what they’re doing. At the price I paid for the experience (50% off the original price), it was absolutely worth it and if I ever get such an offer again I will jump on the opportunity. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[laurieal]

Day 4 - continued

 

After dinner, I ended up in Schooner Bar for some shots with some of the members of our groups, because that’s what one needs after six courses of wines. Tequila. I don’t remember the last time I did shots, but it was probably close to 10 years ago. Then, we went to the Esplanade for the Icon party and balloon drop. Sadly, none of us won the coveted cruise for two on the Icon’s inaugural sailing, and once the last balloon had hit the floor of the Esplanade it was time for us to his the hay. 
 

 

[FionaMG]

17 minutes ago, laurieal said:

What does everyone think of Icon? I think it looks spectacular and despite not being able to go on some of the new shiny things, I would love to sail this new class of ship. Originally, they had announced the Icon would be sailing out of Southampton in late 2023 before moving to Miami, so I was hoping to book a crossing. However, it has now been confirmed that it will debut in Miami in 2024. I still made an appointment with NextCruise on October 25th to see what my options are. 

 

I think it looks a great. I actually bought an open booking at Next Cruise on Anthem just the other week so I reckon I will be converting it to a sailing on Icon in the very near future! 

[laurieal]

Pet update 

 

I don’t think she misses me at all 😂 

[FionaMG]

What a shame you didn't win the freebie on Icon. I'm following a couple of blogs from different ships at the moment but so far nobody has owned up to winning! 

[dani negreanu]

So glad you had an enjoyable experience at Chef's Table 🌷

 

And, yes, personally, I like the posts "separated", as @Biker19 suggested 🙂

 

[shepherdqueen]

I love following along.  And thank you for the photos of accessibility.  This year will be the first I will be traveling with my scooter due to MS.  We're in an accessible virtual balcony in 3 weeks.  Could you share some photos if possible?  Thank you so much!

[barbels]

I'm following your Anthem lovely review.  Thank you and keep it coming.

We will be on the Anthem early next year.  We booked specifically to see Perry Grant.  He always makes our cruise.  He will be back on the Anthem on December 18.  I hesitated to give this info because it's already hard to get a seat in Perry's lounge.  But there you go, I'm

such an altruist.

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

4 hours ago, laurieal said:

I saw someone ask this on the group for this sailing (if it was you, sorry for repeating the info). Apparently Perry Grant will be leaving the ship after this cruise. 

Oh well. Thanks for the info.

[Missusdubbya]

@laurieal Wonderful review so far! 

[LATTELOVE]

Following.

So nice I found your thread. 

We have been on Anthem a few times,

just love this ship.

Can't wait to see how your Transatlantic cruise goes.

Should be fun.

Thank you for doing this review.

[karl_nj]

Awesome "LIVE from" blog, thanks for taking the time to do this!  It's really getting me even more enthused/psyched about my upcoming cruise on Anthem in a few weeks...

 

[maryann2]

Thank you so much for taking the time to do another review.

Hope the seas calm down for you.

Glad you enjoyed the Chef's Table with a fun group.

[laurieal]

21 hours ago, shepherdqueen said:

I love following along.  And thank you for the photos of accessibility.  This year will be the first I will be traveling with my scooter due to MS.  We're in an accessible virtual balcony in 3 weeks.  Could you share some photos if possible?  Thank you so much!

I posted some pics of my stateroom on the first page, but if there’s anything specific you’d like to see let me know and I’ll take more pictures. 

[laurieal]

Day 5 Compass

 

 

 

 

[laurieal]

Day 5 

 

Hello from the Music Hall!

 

According to the captain, we were supposed to arrive in Ponta Delgada around 11:00, so I was surprised to see how close we were when I got to the Solarium around 8:30. Clearly we would be arriving early. 

 

The Solarium was particularly quiet at that time and there were plenty of loungers available, probably because people were getting ready to go ashore and didn’t need to reserve a spot for the day. I sat at what has now become my usual table and I watched as we made our arrival. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[laurieal]

Day 5 - continued

 

Maybe it was our early arrival in Ponta Delgada, but I felt filled with optimism that morning as I went for the French toast. It was, as I should have expected, quite dry. Never go for the French toast in a buffet unless someone has just brought them out. 
 

 

I ate quickly and made my way up to Deck 15 to get a closer look at Ponta Delgada and await the announcement that we could disembark. 
 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t have any plans for Ponta Delgada. It was my third time stopping there and I decided to go for a slow stroll and see the sights close to the port. I started by the promenade that’s close to the water. Coming from the ship, we are on the lower level but there is an elevator in a car park close to where the ships dock. Look for the sign if you want to go to the upper level. 
 

 

 

 

If you are looking to do your own thing in Ponta Delgada, here’s a map that could help you pinpoint some sights:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/vNuKE2B98jgJFgmy6?g_st=ic

 

Edited October 22, 2022 by laurieal

[laurieal]

Day 5 - continued

 

Some pictures from my day in Ponta Delgada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[laurieal]

Day 5 - continued

 

More pictures from my day in Ponta Delgada. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lasmith59]

Thank you so much for your posts!  We’ll be on the Anthem in a few weeks and can’t wait. You’re doing such a fantastic job! 👍🏼

[laurieal]

Day 5 - continued

 

Last batch of pictures from Pontal Delgada. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[laurieal]

Day 5 - continued

 

I had one very important mission before I returned to the ship and, of course, it was food related. I had spotted a bakery close to the port (Colmeia Avenida) and I went there to pick up a Pasteís de Nata. With my pastry in my bag, I crossed the street and found the elevator that would take me back to the lower level of the promenade. I thought I had spotted some marine animals in some kind of bay close to the ship, so I settled there to watch and eat my pastry.

 

 

Those animals ended up being humans swimming. I see enough of those animals on a daily basis, so I ate my pastry and I didn’t linger. I found a place that sold snacks and I got myself a bag of prosciutto chips. Belly full of delicious pastry, bag full of chips, I was feeling pretty happy with my day and I felt ready to return to the ship. 

 

There was a bit of a line for security when I returned to the cruise terminal, but it went quickly. It was such a beautiful and sunny day that I went straight to the North Star Bar on Deck 15. 

 

Still feeling that overall sense of optimism that had made me grab some French toast in a buffet earlier than morning, I asked the bartender if he had the recipe to make a Lime&Coconut, which had been one of my favourite cocktails on the Wonder. Thankfully, his colleague knew how to make one and I sat happily in the sun with my beverage. 

 

 

The upper outside deck is usually one of my favourite spot on a ship. On the Anthem, I wish Deck 15 had more regular tables instead of just bistro tables and loungers. 

 

 

 

 

It was nice to see so many people taking advantage of the nice weather to use the pool deck. Honestly, I felt like it was my duty to have ice cream, so I did. 

 

[laurieal]

Day 5 - continued

 

They were showing Turning Red on the big TV and I watched that while I waiting for my North Star appointment. 

 

For safety reasons, everyone who is using a mobility device and cannot stand has to transfer to the ship’s own foldable, hospital-type wheelchair. It’s a lot larger than what I’m used to drive and I got some help from the staff who were operating the North Star that day. Once up the elevator and into the North Star pod, they asked me to pick a spot and they secured the wheelchair to the ground. Make sure you pick a good spot, because you will not be able to move around and check out the other sides. 
 

 

 

It was a cool ride. I wish I could have been doing it in my own wheelchair and been free to look around, but I get why they’re doing it like that. There were approximately ten of us in the pod, so not crowded at all with plenty of room for everyone. 

 

 

 

Fun and very random fact about my ride, one of the passengers was a man from Germany who came up with the concept of the North Star. 

 

 

After my ride on the North Star, it was almost time for sailaway, which I watched from a quiet spot on Deck 15 while chatting with a family I had met earlier in Ponta Delgada. One of them was using a wheelchair and we had had a very western “there isn’t enough room for the both of us on this sidewalk” kind of moment. It was nice to discuss the accessibility of Ponta Delgada and the ship with someone else. 

 

 

It was Tex Mex night in the Windjammer and I got myself some beef enchiladas and a taco, which I thought were pretty good. I can never resist something as cheesy as those enchiladas. 

 

 

 

I was feeling tired and I knew it wasn’t going to be a long night. I was going to retire, but I saw Music Hall on my way to the elevator bay and I made a detour for a Strawberry Fields. I stayed for the Family Feud game show and then I was off to bed. 

 

[bnaselli]

Hello.  I was wondering if you Anthem cruisers could help with a place for cruise critic people to meet on sea days.  Do you think the Two70 at 2:00 would work?  Thank you,  Barbara

Loving hearing about your TA.  We are on next Oct. 15th 2023 TA.