Just off Anthem

[allyfree]

17 hours ago, JCDCA said:

This post is all over the place.  The only ships with Central Park are the largest.  

Quantum Class does not have Central Park - Anthem is Quantum Class - this thread is about Anthem 

[Giantfan13]

We also sailed the Anthem, but in January, for the first time. Since we are from NY, it was great sailing out of Bayonne, but overall, and this is just us, we really didn't care for the Anthem as so many others have.

First, we had an inside cabin and we like to find some quiet place outdoors to just sit and chill out, which is basically impossible on the Anthem. The outside chairs are on the upper decks which are usually crowded. We also never partook in many of the high features of the Anthem, the bumper cars, North Star, etc, etc. We also aren't huge fans of Queen so we didn't like the main show. So overall, we paid a premium for many of the elements that this ship has to offer, but it just wasn't for us. 

It is a beautiful ship and I can see why many do like her, but for us, we still prefer the smaller, quiet ships, and again, that's just us.

 

Cheers

Len

[herickim]

May1 - May 12, 2023, we will be on Anthem for transatlantic cruise but in the opposite direction (NJ to Southampton). We booked the 5:20PM Easyjet flight from Gatwick on the same day of our disembarkation. We plan take a cab to Southampton Central Station and take train to Gatwick. We are now worried. With 4000 passengers disembarking and going through the immigration process at the same time, can we make the flight? Any one has the experience? Nice.

[Yinster]

1 hour ago, herickim said:

May1 - May 12, 2023, we will be on Anthem for transatlantic cruise but in the opposite direction (NJ to Southampton). We booked the 5:20PM Easyjet flight from Gatwick on the same day of our disembarkation. We plan take a cab to Southampton Central Station and take train to Gatwick. We are now worried. With 4000 passengers disembarking and going through the immigration process at the same time, can we make the flight? Any one has the experience? .

I don't think you should be too concerned. From hearing people getting successful royal up bids from interior or oceanview to balconies weeks before the cruise and also seeing people booking it this week, I get the feeling it won't be 4000 passengers on board. 

 

If you get a train it won't take more than a few hours to Gatwick. You should be fine

[herickim]

Yinster, your optimistic comment certainly is calming my anxiety. I certainly hope that your guess is right. To meet Easyjets picky requirements, I am hoping that we can catch the 12PM train at Southampton Central Station.

[Roybthered]

17 hours ago, herickim said:

May1 - May 12, 2023, we will be on Anthem for transatlantic cruise but in the opposite direction (NJ to Southampton). We booked the 5:20PM Easyjet flight from Gatwick on the same day of our disembarkation. We plan take a cab to Southampton Central Station and take train to Gatwick. We are now worried. With 4000 passengers disembarking and going through the immigration process at the same time, can we make the flight? Any one has the experience? Nice.

You should be finished and out of the terminal quite quickly and on your way to be honest, the trains are roughly about every 15 minutes to Gatwick (some with changes, the 12.15 is straight through) and should only take a couple of hours. We are on the 2 night sailing on the 12th May and are looking forward to it.

[herickim]

Roybthered. Yes, we are considering either 12PM or 12:13PM train. The former makes 1 stop but takes shorter travel time (1h 49min) than the latter nonstop train which takes a longer time of 1h 56min. Why? I am not sure the National Rail time table shown online is really reliable. Also the ticket price of the former is more than twice of the latter. Confusing. Eric

[sgmn]

23 minutes ago, herickim said:

Roybthered. Yes, we are considering either 12PM or 12:13PM train. The former makes 1 stop but takes shorter travel time (1h 49min) than the latter nonstop train which takes a longer time of 1h 56min. Why? I am not sure the National Rail time table shown online is really reliable. Also the ticket price of the former is more than twice of the latter. Confusing. Eric

Not Roy,  but the direct train (1213) is the stopping service, stops 12 times, but no change of train. Advance single £9.50.

The midday service is via London (Clapham Junction which is a big station) and you have to change trains. So you would be going all the way from the south coast into London, then out south again to Gatwick.  Advance single over £20.

Check out Southern railway website to click on route specifics . Click on 'journey info', and then 'show calling points'

Sue

 

https://ticket.southernrailway.com/journeys-list/SOU/GTW/2023-05-12T12:00//1//?departNow=no&realTime=no&searchPreferences=%2C%2C%2C&showAdditionalRoutes=no&showCheapest=no&step=outward-fare&tocSpecific=no

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by sgmn

[herickim]

Roy, thanks for the web link. Since we are new with the train ride, we probably prefer the direct train. As long as it arrives on time, 12 time stops should be ok.

 

Still the biggest question is if we can catch 12:13PM train. Royal Caribbean does not give me good answer. Eric

[nelblu]

1 hour ago, herickim said:

Roy, thanks for the web link. Since we are new with the train ride, we probably prefer the direct train. As long as it arrives on time, 12 time stops should be ok.

 

Still the biggest question is if we can catch 12:13PM train. Royal Caribbean does not give me good answer. Eric

What time does Anthem dock and can you do self-disembarking.  In the states Royal usually want passenger off no later than 10AM.

[herickim]

Nelblu, Royal Caribbean says the ship my dock at around 5:30AM. Of course, no guarantee. He did not know when the disembark actually starts. Eric

[nelblu]

31 minutes ago, herickim said:

Nelblu, Royal Caribbean says the ship my dock at around 5:30AM. Of course, no guarantee. He did not know when the disembark actually starts. Eric

From some experience in sailing out of Barcelona, the disembarking was as quickly as in the States.  The only advantage was that the airport is some 20 miles away with plenty of taxis.  However, what made the process so strenuous was--one of our sails was right after the terrorist attack at La Bramble (?) and security was so tight that the lines were unbelievably extra-long.  Never saw so many soldiers and policemen in my life and carrying extra firepower.  Also, the United gate was so far away from security.

[herickim]

Our last disembark experience was off Celebrity/Constellation at Rome Civitavecchia Port. It was about 2000 passengers. With Anthem of the Seas, we are talking about twice large crowd. Royal Caribbean did not give me an idea how long it would take to unload all 4000 passengers.Eric

[nelblu]

57 minutes ago, herickim said:

Our last disembark experience was off Celebrity/Constellation at Rome Civitavecchia Port. It was about 2000 passengers. With Anthem of the Seas, we are talking about twice large crowd. Royal Caribbean did not give me an idea how long it would take to unload all 4000 passengers.Eric

I've sailed Anthem and Quantum many times form Bayonne and the uploading 4k+ passengers is pretty quick.  As an example, disembarking on my February sail, I was assigned an 8AM slot.  Took me 15 minutes from ship to luggage, Customs and street.  Customs in the US uses facial recognition technology and make the process so much easier.  No forms to declare or showing of passports. In my car a few minutes later and home by 9AM.  I'm about 25-30 minutes from cruise terminal.

 

Ps.  Same time frame even with Oasis which has 6k + passengers.

[herickim]

Nelblu, thanks for all the comforting info. I was buying train tickets from Southampton Central to Gatwick. The ticket site shows an option "Add PlusBus". What it this? Eric

[Island2Dweller]

The "plus bus" option would cover you for bus journeys in the Gatwick area.  You have no need for this, ignore it

[sgmn]

6 hours ago, herickim said:

 

Still the biggest question is if we can catch 12:13PM train. Royal Caribbean does not give me good answer. Eric

The Railway station from the cruise port is less than 2 miles . A taxi should do it in less than 10 min and cost around £6.

I've never had any delays in getting off at Southampton . 

 

[sagosto63]

I am on the Sunday sailing and only Spectre is available for prebooking. I THOUGHT we were able to book IFly/etc. before the sailing on previous cruises?

[thjeepster]

Can’t wait to go on Anthem OTS next July 2024 for the Norway Fjords. 
 

we love this class as we loved Odyssey OTS since we were the first couple to be married aboard of it!!!

[vwlmember]

On 3/29/2023 at 11:31 AM, thjeepster said:

Can’t wait to go on Anthem OTS next July 2024 for the Norway Fjords. 
 

we love this class as we loved Odyssey OTS since we were the first couple to be married aboard of it!!!

Northstar + Fjords = Awesome