Jump to content

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/21/2018 in Posts

  1. Day 6 Napoli , One of the most interesting stop with many options , Many are going to Capri, a nice small island with breathtaking views, to go to Capri you take a 45 boat ride (or more than one hour if you are taking the slower boats), the cheapest way to get there will be to buy the tickets by yourself in port but the risk is lack of space in the boats. The other popular attractions are visiting Pompeii, the old city which is impressive and about 20 minutes ride from the port , Sorento a nice town , Amalfi coast (one of the nicest landscape road in Europe) and some more. Vesuvius in the background We decided not to take any of those as we have been to Pompeii, Sorento and Amalfi road previously and we are planning to visit Capri next cruise. So we just went to visit Napoli, now if you will ask an Italian which leaves in north of Italy what he thinks about Napoli (and to be more accurate about Napoli people) you might get interesting reaction which will make you think twice if you want visit the city. I, on the other hand say forget it , do not miss Napoli , it is a beautiful city with tons of character. One thing is quite true , as the cruise director said (and he is from Napoli) traffic lights/signs in Napoli are just decorations.Yes , at the exit from the port you will have many taxi drivers try to solicited you some trips but not much more (even less) comparing to many other places like Jamaica.Once you pass the road to the city you can find many nice small streets, interesting buildings, small shops and restaurants. We just went between the streets without any certain direction, stopping from time to time to espresso shots (and other type of coffees). We did came to a place with a street performer , well not exactly street as he perform from his home terrace and organize the crowds to sing with him , very funny. After few hours we went to find a good Pizza (which is an easy task in Napoli) , we found some small Pizzeria that served huge Pizzas , we split one between us as we did not thought we can finish two . Pizza cost around 9$ it was very very good (and not just because we compared it to Sorento’s). Later we went to one of the small supermarkets to buy some Limoncello, prices are much better than the tourist stores. We started our way back to the ship to catch another laser Tag session, we won this time. Dinner was the MDR again, I must say the service was very quick , one hour including everything. I took the tenderloin, excellent, we paired the dishes with a Malbec wine I brought with me to the ship. Another excellent day.
    4 points
  2. I am in the car on the way home to Massachusetts. We went to the Windjammer for breakfast and other than the challenge of finding coffee the crowds were manageable. It took us about 30 minutes from leaving the boat to hitting the highway. A few final thoughts on the Anthem of the Seas. We really enjoyed spending time talking to the crew. Our assistant waiter in the main dining room is flying home to India today and I will be thinking of him today. He was so happy last night! I had posted when out CocoCay day was cancelled that I was prepared for that possibility and I was not upset. Later that night we spent some time talking to a bartender at Two 70. She apologized for being so happy but she loves Atlantis and she hates CocoCay. CocoCay is so much work for the crew. They all were going to Atlantis from midnight to 4:00am. I know the pier will be built and soon the Nassau overnight stops will end. I am glad this crew had at least one more chance for a night out. We heard a lot of guests complaining: the ship is too big, Florida was cold, CocoCay was cancelled....we had a blast. We loved the main dining room. There were many guests that only dined in the main dining room on day 6. Last night (7) the room was almost empty . Yesterday we ate all three meals in the main dining room. I must admit I love lunch in the Grande. We watched the virtual fireworks in Two 70 last night. We loved them but thought there is a potential for so much more! Thank you for all your help and tips over the last 14 months of planning. This was a first cruise but we are committing to at least one cruise a year. I will be waiting for summer 2020 cruises for advice on our next RCL cruise. We have the Disney Dream booked for next summer. I am doing that since I am hoping to be a Disney vacation planner in my retirement and I may be able to talk for 6 hours straight about Walt Disney World resorts, parks and food but I need cruise line experience. Thanks again!
    4 points
  3. First of all thank you , Regarding the Mediterranean vs Norway/Island , one is all about history/culture and beautiful landscapes the other is more nature , hard to choose. The advantage of the med is by ability to serve the Oasis class (if you like this class) while Norway more tending to Vision/Voyager and from time to time freedom classes.We might try the fjords routs next year , always wanted to do it.
    3 points
  4. There is a parking garage right next to the terminal. It was $140 for the 7 night cruise. We used a porter on the way out (I set aside the tip money before the cruise) and it was so easy. The porter directed us on the way out. When you arrive they direct you to a luggage drop off spot and take your luggage curbside before you drive to the garage. I travel with my son and his girlfriend because my husband does not fly but I am trying to talk him into that Bermuda cruise!
    3 points
  5. I'm a bit late to the party but I figured a bit more pressure on me could only help. I don't do diets anymore, I changed my whole lifestyle. It's currently called "Project Zipline" because I really want to do Symphony's zipline on the TA... it's 275 pounds max so still 38 pounds to lose until October 28. Sounds impossible? Well, I started December 14th with 380 pounds... After riding the zipline all bets are off I'm going to enjoy the cruise meals without any guilty feelings, but I'll do a lot of sports to compensate a bit. 1 hour of laps in the pool and at least 1 hour in the gym per day is a given. I know I'll still gain a few pounds but I don't care - my end game is reaching a healthy weight, this will take years anyway so a few weeks more or less don't matter to me. Well, now I've made it official. You can all check my TA live blog to see if I got on that damned zipline. No chickening out anymore even though I'm a bit afraid of heights. Did I mention that I work best under pressure? There's a German saying that describes me perfectly: I lack motivation up to the point when I'm running out of time.
    3 points
  6. I guess this is one of the pluses of being in a new ship. They are really trying. Here is today lunch display Sandwich anyone ?
    3 points
  7. I forgot to mention. There were a lot, and I mean- a lot- of complaints about the change to the entertainment schedule during our trip. I don’t understand it? You could not walk in a straight line the ship was rocking with the waves. They explained they made changes because the scenery in the Gift moves, and there are elements that are. It safe in Spectra’s with that movement. All shows were rescheduled for two nights and it was communicated well. Is there something else they should have done? i have come back to edit to just update what happened at the pool yesterday. It was very cold and the outdoor pool was closed. We could not find chairs but finally we found three chairs by the family pool. Two different couple came to us when we were there about 40 minutes. Each time they asked what we did with their things. We explained there was nothing on the chairs when we sat down. Friends later told us that the crew was going around and bagging up personal items left on pool chairs. There were many angry people.
    2 points
  8. (Belated?) happy birthday, @PrincipalTinker! Very good blog, appreciate one more point of view on Anthem and also this itinerary. We may book this one or the longer 12-night in the next year or two.
    2 points
  9. Fantastic pictures of Napoli! Really liking this blog, you’re really making me think hard about doing Mediterranean before Norway / Iceland, instead of the other way around.
    2 points
  10. Happy Birthday!!!! Yay for not getting sick!
    2 points
  11. IT now having to work on my account. I have been told not to login until they call me with an update. 12 hours and counting...
    2 points
  12. We want to watch the virtual fireworks at 11:00 and we are back at Two 70, front row, waiting for the Karaoke finals to begin.
    2 points
  13. Neaxan, I wish you the best of luck. YOU CAN DO IT!!
    2 points
  14. After years of cruising with Royal, I am a convinced that anytime you you tip and that receipt, envelope, or anything else that says "gratuity" and also has a Royal Caribbean logo on it--those funds are going into that ships general tip pool for all employees. That includes leaving a buck or two tip on a receipt for drinks. That bartender/server/room attendant does not individually receive those funds. That is true for the above pictured envelope. Cash to that guy or gal you want to thank? That goes entirely to that person you want to acknowledge. Case in point: want to know why that employee Waaaytoo described was afraid to touch that little blue envelope??? Because management is afraid an employee would stick it in their pocket and not put it into the collective fund and probably has given extreme warning to any employee thinking of not sharing that money. You don't need no stink'in envelope, there is nothing to hide. Be proud of your acknowledgment and carry some small bills in your pocket when you are onboard. Enjoy the smile you get in return for your couple bucks.
    2 points
  15. Another benefits of fresh new ship , the machines still not tuned Now I have reason to stand at the long line of the guest services
    2 points
  16. @CruiseDude72 is spot on. If you link the reservation you can make yourself the one to manage it. If all you want to be able to do is purchase things in the Cruise Planner, you just need to have reservation number and the last name associated with the account. That also usually works for completing the online checkin.
    1 point
  17. It's anybody's guess. Cruise planner sales are unpredictable. Just keep checking. Sometimes they happen around holidays. Sometimes out of the blue. @Matt does a great job posting it here on the blog whenever one does come up. You can also purchase now and re-price if the price goes lower prior to your sailing. Just as long as you are not within 3 days of your sail date. At least that will protect you from the price increasing on you, which that could also happen.
    1 point
  18. thank you for a wonderful Blog @PrincipalTinker and Happy Belated Birthday! I see where you live, assume you are a SOX FAN?? Hubby and I BLEED RED SOX NATION! LOL
    1 point
  19. WOW. I haven't seen a display like that in years. SOOOO nice to see. And I wonder if it will cease once Symphony comes back here to the States. Now THAT's what I remember about cruising in the "old days" People would just take pictures of the ice sculptures and carved fruit etc. It really is/was an art!
    1 point
  20. Thank you for sharing your cruise experience with us, @PrincipalTinker, and am so happy that you guys had a blast despite the challenges. :) Have a safe trip home!
    1 point
  21. Shari

    Wow Envelopes

    We have left envelopes with tips for our waiter and assistant waiter with someone else in the MDR before (since they were both busy) and by the time we were at the door they had come running to thank us. Since this has happened twice I believe any cash that is in those WOW gratuity envelopes goes directly to the person that they are addressed to.
    1 point
  22. We may get a blazer and new dress slacks.. that is a possibility
    1 point
  23. Stretchy pants is the way to go lol. That is why I cruise mainly in Lulu for the day and maxi dresses at night We go all out on a cruise. At home we eat super healthy. It's night and day. After a few days, we bounce back too. A lot of it is excess sodium. Drink lots of fluids (water lol) when you get home and you'll be surprise how quickly the pounds fall off.
    1 point
  24. I did not say anyone in my party wore shorts. In fact there was a shopping trip the week before to ensure we were formally dressed on formal nights, but there were shorts on many men
    1 point
  25. Excellent blog, Joe! Great pictures and well written recaps of all your adventures! Thanks for taking the time to do this. It's a shame that our Anthem cruises are two weeks apart (we're be onboard for Halloween). As a fellow New Jerseyan, I feel ya on the Sorrentos! Although, we were on Oasis in 2016 and I have to say, it wasn't HORRIBLE there - especially after exercising the drink package :)
    1 point
  26. This week on the Anthem a few people showed up in shorts. I am sure any long pants are fine.
    1 point
  27. Matt

    Formal Night Suit-pant leg

    Would his suit fit into this scene...
    1 point
  28. I’m sure he will look fine, some people wear T-shirts on formal night. I wouldn’t worry about it especially if it’s not something he would much in the future.
    1 point
  29. Nope! It sounds like it's entirely possible. Let us know how the zipline goes!!!!!!
    1 point
  30. Thank you for a wonderful blog!! I will be going on our first cruise (40th anniversary...) in March 2019. Your pictures and descriptions were all amazing. My dogs woke me up at 2am.. your blog was very entertaining when I couldn't get back to sleep.
    1 point
  31. Happy birthday @PrincipalTinker!
    1 point
  32. Happy Birthday @PrincipalTinker!!! Thank you for sharing this week with us.
    1 point
  33. Just hope the captain don't run her into any docks / piers. Too soon?
    1 point
  34. Today is our last day. We are currently sitting in Two 70 waiting for the virtual symphony to begin. Today we did IFly and there are no photos since we all did it. Tomorrow is my 57th birthday and I loved it! The staff was amazing. We are all packed and will put the luggage out before dinner.
    1 point
  35. I would start with MEI, who is a sponsor of this site. You can fill out the form on the home page. There are quite a few of us who use them and have been happy with their service. There are TAs who offer additional OBC, paid gratuities, etc. I've recently tried one like this but I feel like the service I've received has been lacking...one thing I asked hasn't been done and my email ignored. So I'm back with MEI and my TA is very responsive and checks my price vs the current sale automatically.
    1 point
  36. AGSLC5

    Deal Alert!

    I'm totally a gambler. I booked a cruise on Allure for Sept 16th.. But I live in Ft. Lauderdale so if there is a hurricane I rather be on a cruise then in my hot apartment with no power... And if they did cancel my cruise I wouldn't be out any airfare so for me its worth the gamble
    1 point
  37. Yes, there have been some grumblings that the outbreak is pretty bad but yesterday morning, the last time I was in the Windjammer, they were still allowing guests to serve themselves. Our brewery tour was missing almost 1/3 of the tour and there are lots of Facebook posts that are sick and angry (a very bad combo). They are scrubbing walls and our Northstar Time was delayed due to a clean out of the pod. So far so good for us!
    1 point
  38. Day 5 Rome , Well there is only one place to go here , do not even bother on the other tours ,Rome is a must and I think I do not need to explain why.Our tour today was “navigate Rome”, its actually a guided transfer to Rome were you get a cell phone that has several applications to guide you around and help you find your way.With the device (Samsung note 3) you are getting also earphones. The guide kept reminding us that its 500 $ fine if we lose the device (not a bad revenue for RC as you can get such devices for much less).The application also contains a way to communicate with the guide and ability to send photos to your email from the phone. The meeting time was 8 and around 8:30 AM we were on our way to Rome.The ride took 90 minutes so around 10 we were dropped near the Vatican. During the ride the guide offered to sell Vatican tickets which save you the time to stand in the ticket office lines or a panoramic bus tour with ability to hop on and off. The cost for the Vatican tickets is 34 $ , the buss is 35 $ and both are going directly to your sea pass account which is very comfortable. We tool the bus tour although you can do without it and I will explain later. If you plan to visit the Vatican museum take into consideration the way it is organized, it actually a linear maze which you can only go forward at the end after more than a mile you will find the Sistine chapel , it can take more than an hour until you get to it. Also please mind air conditions are not that common in Rome , which mean most of the places missing them including public buses and small shops/restaurants. Check before if the ST Paul is accessible or not, While walking near the Vatican you will encounter many people trying to sell you Vatican tickets/tours, they can be annoying but just tell them that you already have tickets, its usually works. We went to the bus station (around 0.5 mile from the Vatican), the bus came quite fast and we took it just until the next station , which is the famous fountain/Spanish stress. Note , from the bus stop to the attractions you will need to walk around 0.25 miles. The fountain was not working for some reason but we throw some coins in anyway, after all we suppose to come back at September. From the fountain we went into the Spanish stairs, tons of people around but still nice to see. Next station was the Pantheon which is always impressive considering it was built almost 2000 years ago. Just remember if you are planning to go visit some churches make sure you have the proper outfit (no shorts, no cut sleeves). We tried to find something to eat that is not in the middle of the tourist attraction in Rome its not an easy task but we found some bar that served lunch, it was full with local people (well at least the people inside seemed to speak Italian). The food was ok, not something to write home about but did the work. After lunch we went to eat ice cream, do not miss it , you cannot go wrong with ice cream in Italy. We continued to walk to Venice square to visit the capitolina hill where we later took the bus back to the Vatican area , since we had some extra time until we had to catch the group we took another ice cream (just to test if the pistachio flavor is same everywhere , for the research nothing else) and excellent espresso. In Italy you can find many espresso bars where people are drinking coffee standing up (around 1 $) its like refueling station for people , they come , drink the espresso for 30 seconds and go. By the way no Starbucks around ? We started our way back, but before heading to the port the bus travel via some of Rome monuments. All in all a nice tour. If you want to save some money, you can catch this tour or even just transfer to Rome and take the public bus to where you want to start your walking tour, most of the main sites are nearby (the colosseum, the Pantheon, the capitolina , Spanish stairs . (around 15 – 20 minutes). We came back around 5:30 PMs , we tried to do again the laser tag but it was closed already although they published it will be closed at 6 PM. Dinner again was in WJ, they had lots of cakes and tons of fruits. We were too tired to go to a show today, so we called it off qu ite early, all in all very enjoyable day.
    1 point
  39. Now THAT's the REAL DEAL!!!
    1 point
  40. I miss my friend from Bar Harbor...
    1 point
  41. Today is a busy day. We are scheduled to see We will Rock You, Spectra’s Cabaret, and weather permitting- the North Star. We are heading back north. Here are a few photo’s from our balcony yesterday.
    1 point
  42. Day4 Today port was La Spezia. We slept late today until 8:30 am as we have not booked any tour.From all our stops in Italy La Spezia is my favorite one as it’s a nice small city which you can tour around without any issues. To go to the port gate, you must take a shuttle bus as ship passengers are not allowed to walk inside the port. Las Spezia is also the gate to Pisa (45 minutes ride) and Florence (90 minutes ride) .If you never been to Florence I would highly recommend to take a tour to this renascence city with many amazing sites to visit.Pisa on the other hand have only one attraction, and yes it is the leaning tower of Pisa , you come , you take the photo (with thousands of other people) you pose as if you support the tower and create a face book picture exactly like million people before you ? So I would go to Pisa only on the way to Florence. Another excellent option would be visiting Cinque Terre , its actually villages that are built on the cliff , they are very colorful and best view from the sea side although visiting one of them over the land is very nice.You can always take the tour from the ship but if you want to save some money you can find some tours operator in the port (There are many vendors inside the port building).The train station is 15-20 minutes from the port. The best way to save money (for sure if you have 4 people in your group) will be to rent a car and drive were ever you want, for example you can drive to one of the small towns near by, park outside (parking available on the road side using parking tickets machines, make sure you bring enough euro coins) , please note some of the villages/towns are not allow cars inside. or even travel to Pisa (many parking near by). If you choose to rent a car please note , most of the cars that are offered in Italy (and in many other Europe countries) has manual transmission , the automatic one are the more luxurious cars. Car rental with insurance (automatic transmission) will cost around 100$ per day. There are several rental cars in the city , I think the nearest one is the Avis which is 15 minute walk from the shuttle dropped. I used this option last time I visit this port (We were group of four), I rented the car few month ahead, took the shuttle , walked to the renting facilities and picked the car (do not expect to see US car renting like facilities , its actually travel agency with cars parked on the street). Once I picked the car I returned to the port to pick the rest of the group, It was quite easy. For sure it will be helpful if you will have access to Waze or other navigating application. If you just want to stay around the town you can walk and enjoy the seaside some parks and local restaurants There are many shopping option around (usually small shops) , remember shops can be closed between 1:30 PM To 3 or 4 PM for siesta time. . There is also a mall in walking distance (1 mile from the shuttle drop). We walked in the city for a while and at the end we went to the mall to complete some of the must things in Italy : Eat a pizza, drink espresso, eat a pasta and eat authentic Italian ice cream. There were many shops which offered mid session discounts ,My spouse bought some shoes and some T-shirts while I went to the supermarket (the local Walmart) and bought some aged balsamic vinegar and wine. We eat a wired combo of pizza which come with soft drink and espresso then went back to the ship (walking). I love to be on the ship during port day , excellent time to relax and use the different facilities, its also a good option to take some pictures. For dinner, we choose this time the WJ. They had a lovely chocolate fountain, but I should have complained to someone that they located it in front of the window which facing the sun, it is bad for taking pictures, how inconsiderateness of them. Later we went to sea the new ice show 1877, we came 10 minutes before and found some front seat , I must say they excel themselves , it was amazing , the effects is something out of the world although the level of skating was less than other shows over the different ships , maybe they need to run it for a while. Here some pictures from the show , for better quality you will need to wait for @twangster Trans Atlantic cruise in October \ \ Some observations: Internet is fast all around the ship, We have only 5100 people on board which can explain how there are always tables available in the WJ (tip , try to go to the middle of the WJ) The break room is not available yet. The CD is Michelle , BB is on the ship but he is not doing the morning show or most of the activities . The ship looks really well maintained and not showing her age at all
    1 point
  43. Was thinking how I was going to respond to the initial post, but now I don't have too. You said it all, and I agree with you 100%. Great rebuttal
    1 point
  44. I don’t know which “middle aged entitled people” you know but this middle aged entitled person and her husband worked for 40 years, raised & educated 2 millenials and aid in the care of 4 grandchildren. I assure you no one waits hand and foot on me! So yes, I deserve a little entitlement. Maybe when you are my age, you’ll understand how “entitled” your comments sound.
    1 point
  45. now I want French Toast.....
    1 point
  46. Definitely yes!!!. I plan on losing 20lbs before my cruise in September on the Allure. As this is a multi celebration event, we are treating ourselves to Star class and I plan to hit every specialty restaurant and indulge. I am bringing my stretchable waist pants.
    1 point
×
×
  • Create New...