Winter Break on the Athem (2/17-25) - A Trip Report

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

8 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Current situation improved!

 

 

Just waiting on the straw that comes with the cup. The girl said she didn’t want to make me wait and will bring it later!

Follow up to this… “the girl’s” name was Marissa!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

1 minute ago, teddie said:

How nice to treat yourself to a beach bed!

 

Teddie

I’m so glad it became available!! One opened up the day before our cut-off day (which was also payday) and I decided that  if it was still there when I woke up I was getting it! It was, and I did! I loved having that home base to go back to!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Ok… What the heck is this?

 

 

I’m well above the age and am no prude, but that just sounds WRONG.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

We are in Nassau today - so that means a lazy ship day! 
 

One thing I have noticed this cruise is more than a few announcements for guests to report to guest services immediately. Is that possibly someone who cannot be located by their family? 
 

Oh yes! There was a thread earlier about a Reddit post where someone had a person walk into her cabin. I can confirm that my door will not close completely if I don’t pull it. It sounds very close, but could easily be pushed or pulled open. And yes, you still hear a click with the key card. So always make sure you are pulling the door and latching the latch! **No one has walked in on me. Just an observation!!**

Edited February 22 by WrittenOnYourHeart

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Decided to try MDR breakfast today. It’s in American Icon. I got gluten-free chocolate chip pancakes, but I felt like the waiter was annoyed with me since I had not pre-ordered and he had to go to his head waiter. So I probably won’t be doing MDR breakfast again.

 

 

Last night I got the call about My Time since I had not been and whoever that was sounded totally annoyed “Are you ever coming to dinner with us?” Well, no, not when you have an attitude like that. What I said was “The reservations that were available didn’t work with my schedule.” I guess they figure I am removing tips, but I prepaid them, so no.

 

Seated food service is not having a good look for me this cruise.

 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Currently chilling in the Adult Solarium until time for my North Star at 11:30. Kinda wishing I had picked an earlier time, but it is what it is. I *might* walk to the straw market after…last time I was there was the old one in 1982. We’ll see.

 

We have 3 other ships in port (so far) - Carnival Elation and Conquest, Liberty (again), and just watched MSC Merviglia pull in. She seemed to me to be coming in hot, but has now slowed to a creep.

 

Going to work on finishing my second book for the cruise today. I would be on my balcony, but I got a notice that they were doing maintenance today. They did on PC day also, but I honestly can’t tell what was done besides a “Wet Paint” sign taped on the glass. Oh well.

[MKESail]

7 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Currently chilling in the Adult Solarium until time for my North Star at 11:30. Kinda wishing I had picked an earlier time, but it is what it is. I *might* walk to the straw market after…last time I was there was the old one in 1982. We’ll see.

 

We have 3 other ships in port (so far) - Carnival Elation and Conquest, Liberty (again), and just watched MSC Merviglia pull in. She seemed to me to be coming in hot, but has now slowed to a creep.

 

Going to work on finishing my second book for the cruise today. I would be on my balcony, but I got a notice that they were doing maintenance today. They did on PC day also, but I honestly can’t tell what was done besides a “Wet Paint” sign taped on the glass. Oh well.

Can you tell more about Northstar please? I guess this is NOT the extended experience since it’s a port day. Was it free? I was under the impression the “Free” experience on port days is first come first served, but it sounds like you were able to reserve your time? Is this the one that only goes up and down? Have fun!!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

2 hours ago, MKESail said:

Can you tell more about Northstar please? I guess this is NOT the extended experience since it’s a port day. Was it free? I was under the impression the “Free” experience on port days is first come first served, but it sounds like you were able to reserve your time? Is this the one that only goes up and down? Have fun!!

Correct. This was the one that goes up and down. It is included in your cruise fare but did need to be reserved. It felt like we rotated a little bit, but not like at sea. They can’t do the extended one in port because there are other ships and if one had to move it would be bad. It was a little warm - the crew member operating it said he was going to have to put on the air.

 

 

 

 

I decided to get off for a bit just to see. I was back on in half an hour. 🤣🤣 No more Nassau for me unless I am on an excursion. It did provide a respite from all the crew drills happening! I know they are vital, but the announcements and alarms can be disconcerting even when you know what was going on. (Speaking of safety, during sail away yesterday, a mom and kid were out on deck 5 and looked among the ropes at one of the life rings and the mom said “Oh someone found it.” I didn’t have the heart to tell her that in something affecting safety such as that, it was likely a crew member who would have trashed it. In the event of an inspection - which can happen at any time - anything like that found in or on safety equipment is a penalty. So if you are going to hide ducks, stick to things that are not part of the ship’s safety equipment. Ducks in safety equipment is part of why Disney put the kibosh on hiding them. People being insane and literally tearing through on board plants and such is another, but the hiding in safety equipment was the major one.)

 

 

 

 

Decided to try a gluten-free pizza from Sorrento’s. It is ok…a little too much sauce for me.

 

 

The menu looks ok tonight, so I decided to chance going to MTD. Got a reservation at 7. We’ll see if I get fussed at for being gluten-free tonight.

[teddie]

Keep the reports coming--I really like your take on things.  I'll be on the Anthem again in 3 weeks 🙂

 

Teddie

Edited February 22 by teddie

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

“Balcony Maintenance” today appears to be spray washing them down. They were just on my balcony doing that. I am being a rebel and have my curtains open. 🤣🤣 If they want to peep me reading while fully dressed, go for it. 🤣🤣

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

2 minutes ago, teddie said:

Keep the reports coming--I really like your take on things.  I'll be on the Anthem again in 3 weeks 🙂

 

Teddie

Will do!! I am kinda bummed that we backed in and the pier is on the starboard side. I like watching pier runners! Guess I will have to head to the top deck…or maybe deck 5…around 4:20.

[crzndeb]

5 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Last night I got the call about My Time since I had not been and whoever that was sounded totally annoyed “Are you ever coming to dinner with us?”

Wow, I hope this is something new. I travel solo, and always just schedule MTD, since I never go to the MDR. I have never gotten a call like that, and I hope it doesn’t start.

[dbancroft]

3 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

“Balcony Maintenance” today appears to be spray washing them down. They were just on my balcony doing that. I am being a rebel and have my curtains open. 🤣🤣 If they want to peep me reading while fully dressed, go for it. 🤣🤣

We were on deck 13 last week and after balcony maintenance we had 2 inches of water pooled at the balcony doors. Room steward used a squeegee to push the water to the drain.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Well, we won between us and Liberty in terms of lack of pier runners (our gangway was in first)…but we seemed to have more people too drunk -or just observant - to tell the difference between light blue (us) and white (Liberty) because a number of people had to be redirected to us from Liberty’s gangway. 🤣🤣

 

I got a Galaxy from the Bionic Bar - it was yummy! Sprite, Vanilla Absolut, and Orange. Tasted like a creamsicle!

[Jcol5786]

Really enjoying your review. We are boarding Anthem on Sunday so this has been a nice warm up for us. Just watched you leave on PTZ. Have a good sail back north!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

2 hours ago, Jcol5786 said:

Really enjoying your review. We are boarding Anthem on Sunday so this has been a nice warm up for us. Just watched you leave on PTZ. Have a good sail back north!

Thanks!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Decided to try one of the MDRs tonight. Made a reservation so I could get in the line for the Silk side. It was nice. Had the Buffalo chicken dip, the steak, and a gluten-free cake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was good. I ordered for Saturday night since I have Wonderland tomorrow night.

 

I’m tired so will likely just shower and chill in my cabin tonight.

 

Just heard an Alpha Alpha Alpha call a few minutes ago. I hope whoever it is is ok! 
 

(It may have nothing to do with this, but I have seen a lot of kids running around unattended. Before dinner I was sitting in The Via reading and some kids were running around with walkie talkies - I discovered later when their dad (or the adult male with them) came out of Jamie’s to say the food was about to come. So they were just allowed to run all over rather than sit at their table and wait. One of them hid so he had to go and find them, then they were running (as he half-heartedly said to stop) to the restaurant and it was all I could do to not bust out laughing when I heard them fall. They were fine - but come on. I hope the Alpha call is not because someone ran into someone and knocked them down!)

[Coralc]

How was the baked potato? It is always so difficult to get a good baked potato at dining establishments. 

 

Oh! Have you run into the other NY school district teacher who has a similar avatar to yours? And I am curious about the duct tape avatars. ☺️What is that about? If you wouldn't mind. I do like it better than your "Wicked" one. 

 

We are very much enjoying your live review. Thanks for taking the time out of your vacation to do it. Mine would be so boring. Every day would be, read book on pool deck. 😄

[TeachNY]

1 minute ago, Coralc said:

How was the baked potato? It is always so difficult to get a good baked potato at dining establishments. 

 

Oh! Have you run into the other NY school district teacher who has a similar avatar to yours? And I am curious about the duct tape avatars. ☺️What is that about? If you wouldn't mind. I do like it better than your "Wicked" one. 

 

We are very much enjoying your live review. Thanks for taking the time out of your vacation to do it. Mine would be so boring. Every day would be, read book on pool deck. 😄

We have not run into each other but they are two days left! I have run into a former student though which was cool. 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

1 hour ago, Coralc said:

How was the baked potato? It is always so difficult to get a good baked potato at dining establishments. 

 

Oh! Have you run into the other NY school district teacher who has a similar avatar to yours? And I am curious about the duct tape avatars. ☺️What is that about? If you wouldn't mind. I do like it better than your "Wicked" one. 

 

We are very much enjoying your live review. Thanks for taking the time out of your vacation to do it. Mine would be so boring. Every day would be, read book on pool deck. 😄

It was pretty good. I had to ask for butter though - like how in the Windjammer I have to get it from the bread area.

 

The avatar is from the NoH8 campaign. They do pictures periodically in various cities. (The other was Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy.)

[Merion_Mom]

12 hours ago, crzndeb said:

Wow, I hope this is something new. I travel solo, and always just schedule MTD, since I never go to the MDR. I have never gotten a call like that, and I hope it doesn’t start.

 

I have gotten that call, and they always sound concerned, not "mean".  They are afraid that something negative has happened, and they don't want to be the target of your anger.  Quite understandable, considering how RC misuses the survey.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

3 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I have gotten that call, and they always sound concerned, not "mean".  They are afraid that something negative has happened, and they don't want to be the target of your anger.  Quite understandable, considering how RC misuses the survey.

Concerned I could have dealt with. This guy was very accusatory - or sounded that way. If he had said something other than “Are you ever planning to come to dinner here?” perhaps it would have felt concerned. It can be all in the phrasing.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

 

This thing puzzles me. Is is just supposed to be the world’s smallest lazy river?

 

And in my “Beth’s brain is on vacation” moment… I spent yesterday wishing I had brought a water bottle on board. I started doing a light pack up so tomorrow isn’t awful and realized I have my cup with straw from CocoCay. 🤦🏼‍♀️ So I have a water “bottle” today.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Sorry for not posting yesterday. Most of the day was pre-packing and just chilling. I tried We Will Rock You but left - it just wasn’t for me (especially very nasal voices which all of the lead females had). 
 

Dinner was at Wonderland and it was great!

 

 

 

 

 

I had brought my own wine in a clear glass and my server poured it into one of their fancy glasses!

 

 

Reconstructed Caprese, Tomato Water, Crab Cones (minus the cone), and the Bird’s Nest. (All was adapted for me being gluten-free.)

 

 

Snap, Crackle and Pork and The Chicken and the Egg (I couldn’t decide!!)

 

 

Forbidden Apple (also adapted). Sadly because I am allergic to peanuts I could not have The World. 😢

 

We have been very rocky since around noon yesterday. Barf bags were out last night. It doesn’t bother me - my mom says my sister and I got our Navy granddaddy’s genes.

[registrar]

Wonderland looks fun!