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The nor’Easter that went through the NE US has impacted cruise itineraries this week.
Nassau port was closed today as a result of sea swells and it was a roller coaster ride from Port Everglades last night. Turned today into a sea day and a modification of the ports of call for the rest of the week.
Was:
Nassau, sea day, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, sea day, sea day
Is now:
sea day, sea day, San Juan, St. Thomas, sea day, Nassau
No complaints, just an illustration of how things far away can impact your plans. As a cruiser it’s important to be accepting of the unexpected out of control of the cruise line and not let it ruin your vacation. 
Now...off to the afternoon set of laps on deck 5 followed by a post 4:30 trip to the bar.

This was posted by Ken Kozak, the admin for the Anthem FB group:

Interesting info on travel insurance plans. I didn't book insurance for this trip, but I'll check the fine print when I think about it for future trips.  Ethically, my view is that insurance is a contract and if that's what they promise under that circumstance and it's not tied to a specific loss, then claim away!

Regardless of the San Juan cancellation, enjoy the rest of your cruise.  Although San Juan was a port that was cancelled on our cruise, and one that I was really looking forward to exploring.

Just a heads up regarding changes in cruise itinerary.  Nationwide Choice plan travel insurance, and possible other plans,  cover changes in itinerary, whether the changes were made pre-departure or during the actual cruise.  Our cruise last November that was altered from Eastern to Western Caribbean due to hurricane damage was eligible for a $750 per person reimbursement, even though the cruise wasn't cancelled.  Changes in itinerary made during the actual cruise were covered for a lessor amount (I don't recall exactly), but still a significant sum.  With the insurance claim, our cost for the cruise was about $500 for the two of us.
That said, the ethics of making such a claim was discussed a length on another board last year.  But you buy a policy and hold the insurer to the coverages that they offer.  Maybe by now, Nationwide has changed their coverage and has eliminated this option or raised the price, but it's worth a look when purchasing trip insurance from any company.  
Finally, I don't intend this to come across as an endorsement of Nationwide, but rather as information that some policies cover itinerary changes that result from unforeseen circumstances such as this Nor'Easter.
 
 

In our years of cruising we have never missed a docked port of call. Tendered, yes, several.
Capt’n said swells in the entrance channel were at 20ft.
Aside from a brisk wind it’s clear, sunny and 78 degrees.

Swells at the port entrance are making it too dangerous to enter. Port stop canceled.
Off to St. Thomas!

Have a great cruise, Sabrina! I live in Ontario too, and my co-worker is on the Anthem sailing after yours :) 
Safe travels! 

Now for another food post :) So tonights dinner was a little different then I expected but in a good way. So I always thought My Time Dining was always you and your group get a table to yourselves like a normal restaurant. However, I found out tonight that they also do pairings so we got paired with another couple and made dinner different tonight. So guess what I got extra pictures for you ;)
So I got the caesar salad again, everyone else got the Asian style pork tacos and they all agreed it was good.
Then the main course came. I got the lamb, Sandra got the steak Diane, the other couple got the chicken parmigiana and the tiger shrimp.
For desert Sandra and I got the Tres Leche which was a little different then what we are used to but was still so good.

We are on our way to San Jaun now but heard Allure couldn't dock today so worried about us tomorrow. Waves have picked up and is pretty rough already and will get worse around 12/1am we were told. Hoping for the best.

Looking forward to following along!  It's been forever since I've cruised...

Wishing you and your family, as well as the rest of the RC blog cruisers on this trip the best. If you can find some ginger snap cookies (try Walmart) they are  pretty good for, well you know what in rough seas. They don't make you drowsy like Dramamine can and you kids will probably like them. "Hey kids, want some cookies"? I take them with me when ever I go scuba diving in rough water. All the best! 

Pre-cruise report:

Sailing:  March 9-17, 2018, Anthem of the Seas, 8 Night Bahamas cruise
 
Sailing with:   Hubby and daughters, ages 11 and 9, who I will refer to as D1 and D2 from this point onward.
 
Flying from: DTW to EWR via Delta.  
 
Pre-cruise hotel:  Embassy Suites in Elizabeth, NJ.  
We chose this hotel based on several factors.  When travelling with the kids, I like to look for hotels that provide a complimentary breakfast.  It is one less thing to worry about.  Also, this hotel came highly recommended by another site that I like, EatSleepCruise.com for value, space, and ease of getting to the port.  Also, being the hotel/cruise snob that I am, this was one of the few in the area that looked relatively clean and modern.
 
The itinerary is as follows:
Day 1 – Cape Liberty, NJ
Day 2 and 3 – At Sea
Day 4 – Port Canaveral
Day 5 – Coco Cay
Day 6 – Nassau
Day 7 & 8 – At Sea
Day 9 – Cape Liberty, NJ

We booked the Kennedy Space Center guided tour through RC shore excursions.  Got a great rate on it during the Cruise planner Christmas sale.  At Coco Cay, we have the Aqua Park and Slide combo purchased for the kids.  And Hubby and D2 are going to do the Blue Lagoon Dolphin Encounter in Nassau.
We are lazy cruisers.  The ship is often our destination.  So, going on 3 excursions (only two for D1 and I) is actually quite the splurge for us.
 
Cabin:  
Unless the last-minute upgrade fairy strikes it’s going to be a Family Junior Suite (FJ) this time around.  Initially, we went with 2 connecting balconies, but then KSF came up in November and we switched it to the FJ so that I could get my dinners in CK.  Picking a cabin with our kids is a bit more difficult.  No one sleeps well when the girls share a bed so we needed a room that has a Pullman or can accommodate a rollaway.  Also, with 2 girls and myself, a 2nd bathroom is becoming a necessity.  So, the FJ fit those requirements as it has 1 ½ baths, and we have one on Deck 9 that has an additional Pullman.  
Our plan was to book the FJ and then wait for the 45-60 day price drop (as I have seen on many sailings) and upgrade to a full suite.  However, this was one of the few times that this did not work out. The price did drop around the 60 day mark, however, KSF ended by then so it was not worth it to upgrade.
 
Random Pre-cruise thoughts:
-    It’s our first time:
•    Bringing our kids on RC.  We have sailed DCL with them 3 times in the past.  
•    In a Junior suite.  We’ve done interiors, ocean view, regular balconies, and full suites but never Sea class.
•    Sailing Quantum Class.  As many of you know, I am a huge Oasis class fan.  I also tend to favour the newer and bigger ships.  However, Hubby does not like to sail the same ship twice in a short time span.  That’s where Anthem fit the bill.  It also worked out nicely that this sailing just made the cut off date for KSF.  I must admit that I do feel some apprehension about this sailing.  As a creature of habit, I will miss my morning coffee and nightly strolls in Central Park and the amazing shows in the Aqua Theater.  In addition, sailing out of NJ in March makes me a bit nervous.  The weather and seas are always up in the air and sailing out of cold weather (and snow now, thanks to Nor'easter) doesn't quite sit well with me.
•    Doing a Live Blog!  I can’t say enough how much I love this RC Blog community and how much I have learned and benefited from all of you.  I see this as a way of contributing back.
-    We plan to eat most of our dinners in Coastal Kitchen.  We were able to make reservations in the Cruise Planner this time.  This option became available in the Cruise Planner around 170 days out.  Disappeared for a while and then came back again.  When we sailed on Harmony, we had to wait until we got the Concierge email or book on board.  Going from what others have reported on other boards, it seems that you can make reservations ahead of time on Quantum class ships but not Oasis class.  We also made reservations for dinner at Jamie’s for one night.  The pasta was calling, and we could not turn away.
-    We purchased VOOM for 2 devices.  Too bad for the kids but @twangster saved the day for them.
-    All other entertainment reservations (shows, iFly, North Star) have been made.  These all showed up in the Cruise Planner about 160 days out.
-    This cruise sold out over a month ago.  It reached the ¾ lifeboat capacity back in November!  It’s March break in Ontario and according CC roll call and FB pages for this sailing there will be lots of kids and many Toronto Maple Leafs fans!  Hubby will be in good company!
-    The teacher in me is hoping that this can be an interactive live blog. Meaning, if there is anything you would like me to find out please do not hesitate to ask away.  I will do my best to check back regularly and find out for you.
-    Lastly, I will likely be doing most of my blogging from my phone, so if you are replying to something that has pics attached, please do not include the pics in your reply.  Thanks!  ?
 

As promised here are some photos from St. Martin. So to start the tour we went to a rental property that had been ruined.

We then headed to the national flag pole on the dutch side. The sites you get from this are quite nice.

On our way to Maho we stopped at a flipped over boat and say a few others damaged near by.

We then worked our way to Maho beach (sorry forgot to take pictures but I did a scope from here you could see).

After Maho we went to the French side and worked our way through the French streets to Fort Luis. Really neat place with amazing views. Its crazy how different the island is depending which side including languages.

After the fort we went to Friers Bay. The had a small little restaurant to grab a quick lunch. A little warning the food wasn't that good in our opinion and the prices were higher then I expected (5€ [yes the French side is based on the euro] for fries). I couldn't get too many photos here as people were sunbathing topless here.

After Frier Bay we went Orient Bay. The tour took us to the clothing optional area so I was not able to take photos here (nor did I want to.....) This is definitely the area that looks like it got hit the hardest. There are a few places open however, many converted shipping containers as temporary bars or shops and others using tents. There were also a few temporary options for the bathroom facilities. Not the perfect solution but is definitely a start. We got back on the ATVs and went back to the start where I visited Great Bay Beach (right near the port and is the many shopping district). These conditions where really good in my opinion. Everything is pretty much operational and even saw a hotel open here. We walked back to the port after getting a new shot glass. 
One thing I forgot to mention is that if you plan to use bubbles (tour company) then you are best just to confirm with the information desk as there are no actual signs.

I would actually recommend this tour to anyone who's up for a nice drive with some wind in your hair.

Yes St. Kitts, it was amazing, the guys were great, the setting and views we mesmerizing. My only complain is it needs more lines lol. They do have a weight limit but there was a little girl who was 7 and had no problem. I took some go pro video I'll have share once I get the time to post it on YouTube.
We were at 4 beaches, Maho beach, Frier Bay (not sure spelling on that one) and Orient Bay (the nude side and boy were there some um.....sights..... Lol) and Great Bay Beach. After dinner (maybe after the show) I'll try to do a bit of an update on what I thought about them. I just want to say, do not be afraid to stop here. They have come a long way and shops, bars are all open even if still damaged. We drove around the entire coast and I was surprised how well it looked. Still not perfect but knowing how a cat5 effects you its not bad. Most of the places severely damaged are older buildings that may not have the newer hurricane rating standards. There was a brand new building that actually looked barely touched right next to an older building that was practically destroyed. They are ready to take our money and we are ready to give it to them. Also the ATV tour is something I would highly recommend.
 
It was even weirder in person. Looks like you took an older river boat and slapped some sails on it. Its kind of why I took a picture of it in the first place lol.

Mdr menu for tonight

Josh scoped from Maho Beach earlier, he's on an island tour today.  

So good morning have an early start to our ATV tour in St. Maarten. Just wanted to show a few pictures from zip lining yesterday. Also wanted to share which beers I had in port. So for the beers, I started with the Carib which is their main local beer. It was actually pretty good and reminded me of a Caybrew which is our local beer in Cayman. Very similar in tastes. I bought this at the excursion for $3.
I then had the Stag and I thought it was a horrible flavor and have nothing to even compare it to. I'm glad I tried it as that's what I do but I'm also glad I had an extra Carib after (I got 3 for 5 at the port or if you buy a shirt some stores offer free beers with them). 
Below are just a few photos of the zipline itself.

Below are a few photos of the plantation where you start and end the zipline. 

and lastly some photos of the trip to the plantation in no real order.
hope to take some video and photos along the way today.
 

Forgot tot taken pictures of my french Union and garlic soups
For desert i only need 1 picture cheesecake

Thanks guys :) we should be going again later tonight. I also have a few photos from today that I'll try to get resized and written up :). Two things, Ziplines were amazing only complaint is there should be more lines lol. Second thing I can confirm gigsky sim works and actually did a pretty good job. I did get some go pro videos that I hope turned out lol. Will post those when I get a chance. I have to say its nice being in a warmer area that's temps are much closer to cayman. Ft. Lauderdale was just way to cold. @JLMoran in Cayman we get many Nor'easters this time of year and causes a lot of rough conditions which causes us to get missed. 

On Liberty it was available at lunch on sea days,  port days around dinner, listed under specialty dining:
Sea Days 11:30am - 1:30pm

Port days 5:30pm-7:30pm

Looks as if the little one is already mesmerized by cruising. I do the same-thing, just stand there and stare out the balcony door...

ALSO - COFFEE CARD: 
Yes, you can use it at Cafe Promenade for the Starbucks coffees. Since there isn't a branded Starbucks Kiosk on Adventure, it makes that whole bit a little bit easier. I heard them talking about it on an interview the CD had on repeat on the tv.

I had VERY good luck with VOOM - besides some slightly slower upload/download times, I was able to do everything I needed to do with ease.

Sorry again for the lateness! Turns out getting home was a little more difficult than anticipated. 
Disembarkation from Adventure was pretty easy - we did self-carry disembarkation around 9:30 AM, and the line getting through customs was fairly quick. Ship to curb, around 10-15 minutes. Keep in mind, due to damage they're still dealing with at Pan-Am Pier you will be embarking and disembarking at level 1 at San Juan. Getting a taxi was pretty easy as well - if there are more than 6 in your group, plan on splitting between two taxis. Getting back to the airport from the port is ~$30 plus $1 per bag. 
Due to all of the super fun storms hitting the east coast, our first leg of our flight got delayed enough that we were going to miss our connection in CLT. Due to some kind of miracle, all 12 of us were able to be moved around to different flights later on in the day. So, we spent about 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM at SJU following the cruise. We landed in ATL around 8 PM, and made our final leg back home putting us in Dayton, Ohio around 11 with an hour drive back home on top of that. Needless to say, we were all exhausted and ready to be home. Yesterday was a day of recovery (and also green juice and other healthy things).
... so, that's why I haven't followed up quite yet. The specific excursions I will be reviewing in greater detail:
St. Maarten - Bernard's SXM Tours (spoiler: book it!)
St. Kitts - Island History & Rum Tour (spoiler: maybe pass on this)
Antigua - Valley Church Beach (spoiler: go!)
St. Lucia - Jeep Safari & Beach Break (spoiler: book it!)
Barbados - Good Times Catamaran (spoiler: book it IMMEDIATELY)
I'd also like to talk a little bit more about the main dining room and other complimentary dining, as well as our feelings in the interior promenade cabin. As mentioned, I DID save all of our cruise compasses and I will be sure to get those to Matt quickly. 
 

So I did a much better job tonight on my photos lol. The pools were mostly all closed but the solarium due to bad weather today. Ice skating was also cancelled. I heard it was so bad that on some of the smaller ships it tossed people out of bed. I can tell you as large as freedom is, its still getting tossed pretty good and makes you walk as if you were drunk lol. They whole ship has been creaking like crazy.
We saw The Las Vegas Tenors and they sounded great. They even got people up and dancing to a love song. They did a great performance.
Walking around the promenade I noticed an Izume express. Didn't expect it but they had sushi in to go containers. Pretty interesting.
For dinner we hit up the MDR again. Here is the menu for today.
To start I got the ceaser salad which was good and Sandra got the seafood cake which she said had good flavor but was on the dry side.
Next I had the steak (which I ended up getting a second order of), first one was perfect but second one seemed a little tough in parts, and from what our waiter told us it wasn't the only item they had complaints of tonight (maybe a new chef or something different tonight). Sandra got the chicken cordon bleu which she says was not very good and only took a few bites of.
For desert I ordered only one tonight lol, I got the chocolate cookie that was served with ice cream and I would compare it to the taste and texture of the outer shell of a lava cake (which is one of my favorite deserts) and even though wasn't exactly cookie like to me was still very good. Sandra tried to avoid sugar and got lemon panna cotta with strawberry sauce and she thought it was pretty good.
When we got back to our room we found this little guy :)

Also for reference is today's menu for sabor
Now I'm going to try and catch the end of the 70s party. Although might have a better view from our room.