Pima1988

I agree with @Matt. We did traditional late seating on Anthem, went with a group of 8, 1st time not doing MTD with RCCL so we were hesitant to say the least. We literally walked straight in, no wait. We had the same wait staff every night. They were A-MAZING. ! in our group due to medical issues can only eat fish. The waitstaff knew this after night 1. They even asked him that 1st night, what type of fish they liked. His reply was any. We laughed every night... they brought out off the menu items for appetizers in multiples. We basically had family style seafood appetizers. They would ask him his fish preference. Again, off the menu, branzino, salmon, no sauces, etc. He became the joke of the table, and he loved every moment. This is a guy we had to drag his butt onto the ship. He owns a beach house,. Out of our group he was the only one to book with Next Cruise, another Anthem. He is in charge of doing the AK cruise in 2020. I am still trying to get them to agree to do Oasis out of Bayonne since Anthem is leaving. Failing. but still trying. I lived in AK.

We have a cabana, is the Chill Grill only for people in a Cabana? An additional charge for the beer station? Why should we pay if we have the DBP? It just says on their site...help yourself to complimentary bites at Chill Grill restaurant ---plus self serve beer station for an additional charge. We booked this cabana back when you would order food for the cabana. Before they moved the cabanas. I am okay with change, I accept that is business. I really don't care about the beer, bc we don't drink beer, but I find it strange...an additional charge, especially if you have the DBP. Maybe it is RCCL's way of closing the loop. IE the cabanas can hold 8 people, if 6 of them did not take the DBP, and it is self serve they need to charge, otherwise, the 6 can drink beer all day long since it is self serve, Maybe they will require to show your sea pass card, and if you have the DBP they will not charge. What exactly are the complimentary bites? Is it all day?

Go to WJ when it opens for dinner. Make a plate for your late night snacks and take it back to your room. Place it in your mini-fridge. So much better than their pre-made selection at midnight. My husband is Italian, so we usually make an anti-pasta salad. Deli meats/cheeses, olives, veggies, etc, with breads. I on the other hand like to hit the carving stations and add that to the plate for me. We than get some sweet treats too. We always now take a balcony. We are early risers, 7 a.m. is late for us... I blame that on my Husband working in No VA. We go to the gym, walk the track or ship when we wake up. We love doing this because nobody else is out there, it feels as if you own the ship. The night before we place our continental breakfast request on the door with our requested time for delivery. IT IS FREE...no delivery charge. Again, we go to WJ before returning to our cabin. We get omelets, hash browns, and whatever hot items catch our intention. We try to time it right, so within minutes of being back in our cabin, the continental breakfast, with coffee is delivered. We get the best of both worlds and more. We don't have to scrounge for a table in WJ. We can eat on the balcony. We are able to have a very leisurely breakfast, while at the same time get ready for the day in our room. Nothing like having the last sip of coffee while you are applying your makeup as you pull into port. No need to run back to your cabin bc you realized that you forgot to pack something in your beach bag. We did this with an ocean view, but it feels more cramped since you don't have the balcony. If you have the DBP, always ask for a bottle of H2O when you order an alcoholic drink. You will need to hydrate. Plus, at the end of the night or go on excursions you have them on hand. Take a flat iron (hair) even if you don't need it. Traditional irons are not allowed, but hair flat irons are. The beauty of a flat iron is you can use it like a traditional iron for shirts and pants. I don't take downy release because I take a flat iron. Look at a flat iron, and you can see how you can use it to iron out wrinkles in the sleeves of a shirt, or crease the pant legs. It takes up little room, and you don't need to worry about any liquids leaking on your clothes. Think before you pack your carry on board suitcase or any suitcase. 1 of our cruises we didn't get our last bag of luggage until after 7. Hubby's bag was delivered at 1. Mine...7 pm.. We physically walked up and down the hallways to see if it was dropped at the wrong cabin...nope. Luckily, on my carry on I had packed a dress for dinner just in case. After that cruise, we now make sure each bag has clothes for both of us. Go on FB and search to see if there is a group set up for your cruise. IE for my cruise in July, we already have a FB page and will be doing a bar crawl on day 3 starting at 10 p.m. I want to say the number of participants are @ 25 passengers. Finally, I don't know about Radiance lunch in the MDR, but, the Tutti Salad is a must if they offer it.

I have used the spa on every single one of my cruises, we always pre-book on our planner. The costs might be extravagant, but I use my OBC for that treat. I am not sure how this became a shocker or false advertising, but I am a woman, thus I expect it. IE. ask any woman that gets her haircut, colored and highlighted that they assume the price on their brochure is what they will pay in the end. Their answer will be NO. Why? Because even though it says 39 for a cut, the fine print says it is tied to the length of their hair. In the end 10 will get me 20, every woman walks up to the register and hands over their card, they don't argue. They know it says XYZ dollars, but they understand that this was their starting price. Same with getting our nails done. Manicures may start at 20, but that is not for gel/shellac. It is an upgrade. For cruises, peak times are those upgrades. I don't really know how this was a shock @Prince Valiant. When you go through the planner, as illustrated, you select the time. It clearly states the cost. You than again at check out acknowledge the cost. I can get maybe the grat included threw a curve ball, but mathematically I would have said hold on a minute...that is close to 30 bucks more, how is that right, at 90 pp with grat I should be @107, but they are charging me 117, huh?. I would have gone back and looked at the exact charge for that appointment before I hit submit. I also would point out that the spa is actually a 3rd party. RCCL does not own the spa. The spa contracts with RCCL for that area, and their employees are paid via that spa company, just like most of the shore excursions. Your position would be like Black Friday doorbusters. 1st 100 customers will get a playbox for 100 bucks, the next 100 will get it at 200, etc. You were number 101 and thus, you now pay the higher price. Are you going to fight that store? I am old enough to remember customers lining up/camping out days in advance at Best Buy for big screen tvs during Thanksgiving week. 1st come 1st serve. To me RCCL is an amazing company from a customer service aspect. Here are my 2 stories. 1. We were going to Bermuda on Anthem. 2 Hurricanes were tracked to be barreling down on Bermuda during our cruise. 48 hrs prior they contacted us via email and our phone. Our cruise was being diverted to NE/Canada. We could either cancel full refund and a FCC or they would give us 50% back, and 250 pp OBC on top of our OBC we already had. We sailed. The ship actually sailed 100% full. That was a total loss for them, but they had happy passengers. IMPO they made more money bc they now had 4000 passengers that felt appreciated. Those passengers would return to them over Carnival or NCL because trust was created from this simple action. These passengers, just like me spent money on the ship, be it now buying tee shirts, specialty dining or ship tours. 2. My family will be doing a cruise in July. It is a family cruise. We are using a TA. My SIL has cruised a lot, but she is not loyal to any particular cruise line. She has never used a TA. This trip was booked 10 mos out. Black Friday, we as a family did a conference call and booked excursions, beverage packages, spa apptmts. Super Bowl Sunday she contacts me and screams at me...I am the one that set this trip up. RCCL cancelled everything, but her room. She was ticked. Long story short, her cabin mate cancelled and she did not tell our TA. They kept saying you need your TA to do this, she fought them, and finally they relented. Well, when they did, her excursions, etc. were removed, and only rebooked the room at a different rate (single balcony). I told her hold tight, I would get our TA involved, do not call RCCL again. I got on the phone immediately and talked to our TA. I called her back 1 hr later and said the TA will have it done by 9 a.m. Monday. TA calls RCCL and finds out that she called them 5 TIMES between 2 pm Sunday and 9 am Monday. The "this phone call may recorded" is true. The TA heard their conversations. The TA worked her magic. RCCL not only rebooked everything at the same cost, but got them to throw in Champagne and chocolates for sail away, bottomless galley brunch, and Chefs table at no cost. She was wrong to start off with, but RCCL did her more than right impo. My point is they try to make customers happy, even if it costs them some money. They care about their reputation. Cruising now is a very cut throat industry, unlike 20-25 yrs ago. I am loyal to Royal, because they have never done me wrong. I expect that their pricing/advertising is like other cruise lines. Carnival has unlimited beverage package too, but it is limited to time between drinks and how many during the day. RCCL is unlimited. NCL has their pick and choose options, but it has limitations there too. You need to be a savvy customers and read the fine print. Finally, I hope you go on your cruise with an open mind.

I am with SpeedNoodles. Go see Queen Victoria Building (QVB) it is akin to an upscale mall. Go Mrs. Maquaries Chair in the botanical gardens. Go to the zoo, it is amazing. The hotels by the port are great. You have enough time now to get a credit card tied to a specific hotel if you don't have one now. Use it for everything and you should be able to get the hotel room for free. We stayed with our group at the Inter Continental, which I think is a Hilton Group. Some other friends stayed at the Marriott (used their points). We were both looking over the Harbor.

I wouldn't. Arriving in port and debarkation are 2 different things. We were in Sydney last yr (land vacation) I could see the ships from our hotel room. It is a solid 30-45 mins to the airport. You would want to be at the airport by 8-8:30. Travel would mean you want to be off the ship by 7:30. Again, docking at 6:15 is not the same as getting off the ship. JMPO

I would book Spectra for Day 2. They will cancel the show do to weather/seas. Waiting for the last date can equate to never seeing it.

Here's my advice. Don't book it. Go gamble. walk the ship, hang out at Schooners, try to find the Stowaway. Than 30 mins after it starts see if you can walk in. Ten will get you twenty you can. After 15 minutes, ten will get me twenty you will walk out. However, you will be able to say...did that, and collected the check. My husband was military for 20+ yrs. He didn't like going to the sandbox, but he laughs about it now. That is my only comparison when it comes to The Gift. You will laugh later on when you discuss the 90 minutes of killing time on your cruise.

Sorry, but I am LMAO with your comment. The reason why is that if they did, I would have immediately switched the channel. Paid the price/pain, would not want to relive it again, I am on vacation afterall. I know that they do show clips of the activities the night before, but not if they show the productions. For example, a table next to us became great friends with our group during the cruise. They actually changed into 70's outfits. They do a Conga line and the next a.m. we saw them in it. They were the dinner conversation topic.

I don't know if it was my cruise, or it is common on Anthem, but we had a different late night comedian every time. The one show, besides the Quest that was standing room only was the Love and Marriage show. We traveled as a group. For Love and Marriage we showed up 30 mins prior, and could not find seats together. For Quest we were there 45 mins prior, no problem. I would also say that the 70s night was huge. It was standing room only. Trivia was done in Schooners, and impo they should have moved it to 270. It was packed, so get there early if you want a table. We had reservations for the others, and there were people waiting in line when we did the check in, but the theatre was never full. As a matter of fact, I have sensitive hearing. We saw The Gift the 1st night, and be it that the theatre was not full, where we sat, the lights. it was just too loud or I had to concentrate on following the story line, I got up and went to the back near the bar bc I was getting a migraine. For We Will Rock You, we sat closer to the back, nowhere near the speakers (overhead). We saw everything perfectly and I did not feel like the music was vibrating through my body.

You are not the 1st person that said they gave it a 2nd try. Some said, on the 2nd go they understood it more. However, for me, I would rather sit on the pool deck and watch a movie listening to the ocean that I probably already saw months ago than endure that show again. Betting for @rjac when it does open up, they will not be reserving time slots for The Gift. If they do go, maybe it is a challenge to them, so they can come back and explain the show to us. For others that go and see this show, please explain the importance of the dragon? I am sure it is metaphorical, but how, for what? I just keep thinking they purchased a crappy script and thought, let's dazzle them with set decorations and lighting.

I will also say for our sailing I think passengers knew of the poor reviews. There was no line, and the theater at best was 1/2 full. Redoing a set on a cruise ship is not only expensive, but difficult. New sets, new music, new choreography, new scripts, etc. I am shocked in a way that they got rid of The Gift. That is $$$. However, I am happy that RCCL saw that passengers never liked it. To me it shows that they are listening to their clients via the questionnaire at the end of the sailing. Or maybe it is the staff at The Gift is 50% less attendance than We Will Rock You and that more people are doing Trivia in Schooners than attending that show. Now if RCCL will hear their passengers and get rid of that crappy new design for the soda cup.

OBTW, make sure you stay for the encore regarding We Will Rock You. So many passengers get up and start leaving as soon they bow...kvetching I can't believe they didn't sing …. They will come back on stage and sing that song. It is funny to watch bc now they are all trying to get back in. Somebody let me in on that secret. Our group was getting up, and I said sit down. Hoping and praying I was not let awry. 1 min. later and my group turned and said OMG you were right!

Thank you, that was the name. I actually thought to myself, did I drink too much at dinner bc I cannot follow this story at all. We actually joked that this show reminded us of the Producers...let's create a play nobody will ever see, and lo and behold it gets purchased. Whoever selected that show, should have lost their job in my mind. As my husband said...that was 90 minutes of killing my time, thankfully I have the DBP!

The only time I felt the hard sale regarding the dining package was in the a.m. when we were in the WJ. Again, said no, and they moved on. My true problem with Anthem was formal night. The constant sell a portrait. If I want one, I will line up with other passengers at the multiple areas, otherwise, please leave me alone.

We booked out about 70 days prior. I can say We Will Rock You is worth it, and Spectra too. However, I can't remember the 3rd show, but recall absolutely hating it. OBTW, We would go to the 270 for lunch (you can find the kummelwreck there). Their broccoli cheese soup is great. The options are limited, but bc so few realize it exists, it is nice and quiet. I can't recall what time the acrobats train for Spectra, but if you time it right you can see them practicing. I want to say 12:30-1:00. It was neat to watch. I don't think anybody that was eating ever left while they were practicing. The bar was open in the 270, so depending how long you stayed, and how long they practiced, you got to see the show during the day.

Yes. It is just like any Coke freestyle machine you see in certain restaurants. IE in VA we have 5 Guys and Qdoba, both have the freestyle machine. I want to say it has Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Seagrams Ginger ale, Diet Ginger Ale, Fanta, Sprite, PowerAde, Minute Maid, plus Dasani water. And of course there are caffeine free options. You are able to add in flavoring, such as, lime, cherry, raspberry, and vanilla. I won't swear if I got them all correct. However, I know since I drink only diet ginger ale, with flavors, they have that. My husband likes Powerade when we go to the gym, so I know they have that, and I get the Dasani water flavored. I had said before that I wouldn't use this new designed cup, but now I realize I have to for when we go to the gym in the a.m.

AK is amazing. You won't regret not seeing them.

@12thman The thing about the freestyle machine besides it being self serve is if you want diet gingerale lime flavoring they have it there. Just like you can get coke vanilla or Powerade, Minute Maid, etc. Beverages you won't be able to get at the bar. Hence, you will probably walk around with the cup. If you are fine with just diet coke or coke, than you don't need it.

I agree that I doubt you will see any northern lights. I lived in Anchorage for several yrs. I remember every summer solstice we would go on a white water rafting trip that went until 2.m. and it was still light out. The golf courses last tee time was 11:00 pm. We used to joke that the sun just would bounce down and right back up. Winter time and we would see them at least once a week, but than again the sun did not rise until about 9- 10 a.m.and it would be dark by 3:30-4:00.

I agree that it is highly unlikely there will be a ban. However, I do see them taking a hit financially and the stockholders will not be pleased. in the end it will not only be loss revenue if cruisers can't trust that the ships will dock, but stock investments too. They need that $$$ to remain competitive in the cruise traveling world regarding updating their ships.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6911541/Judge-threatens-stop-Carnival-ships-docking-In-US.html A federal judge is set to hurt Carnival big time come June. Threatening to temporarily block all Carnival ships from docking in the US as a punishment for a possible probation violation. They were found to be guilty of dumping grey water into the Alaska Bay National Park while they were on 5 yrs probation and a 40 million fine because Princess dumped oil back in 2017. I believe it was also alleged of dumping plastic garbage too, and falsifying records for the auditors. Can you imagine...you have booked a cruise out of Baltimore, Miami, NY for Aug. with Carnival and now read this article. Than add in the AK cruises. Sure, no impact if you sail out of Vancouver, but sooner or later you need to dock in AK. Princess will also be impacted. Princess actually also owns their own private train to Denali National Park for cruisers. $$$$ I highly doubt it will come to this level, but let's be real, when the Chairman and President are requested to attend, it might also hurt their stocks too. I am a cynic, so I believe in the end of the day it will be another slap on the wrist at worst, and delay, delay delay at best. There is more at play here bc terminals like I mentioned for sail away will be screaming Bloody murder from a loss revenue aspect. Baltimore has only Royal Lady G and Carnival Pride...That will hurt the city and the port revenue and tax wise, Bayonne would be fine, they could lure NCL out of NYC to take over. However, I also believe that if the RCCL CEO is smart, they will make sure that they adhere to all regs. That, and they may want to think about how repositioning their ships. If worse came to worse and Carnival can't dock in AK. Will RCCL now try to capture that market?

We were on Anthem going out of Bayonne and it was suppose to go to Bermuda. Jose and Maria (?) were barreling down. 48 hrs prior to the cruise RCCL contacts everyone on the cruise and said we are going to Nova Scotia. If you want to cancel, we will give you a FCC and pay back your costs. If you want to go, we will give 50% of the cost + 250 OBC. They stated that the ship sailed away full occupancy. The funny thing there was on the sail away a group of 15 people wearing designed tee shirts. It stated sail away to Bermuda, and than a red line crossed through it with handwriting saying Nova Scotia. It didn't end there. The next day was a sea day. They traveled as a group and all had tees, drunk 1...15 Think thing 1 and 2, Dr. Seuss. I had noticed them throughout the day in different spots on the ship. We went to trivia, late afternoon. There they are. I look around and count the numbers on their shirts. Other people did too. All of the sudden we realized there were only 14 people, even though there was a drunk 15. The group said, that because they got the trip so cheap now (RCCL OBC) they didn't want to jinx it and decided nobody would be #13. They were the talk of the entire ship, bc everyday they wore a new tee shirt.. Day 3.Bermuda/slashed through and Portland Maine written. Day 4 was the funniest...Bermuda slashed through and BRRR written because we were now in Canada, the last week of Sept. These were professionally done and prior to us leaving the temp was suppose to be in the mid 70s in Halifax. We get there and it was 91 degrees.

Actually we are AF, but he did CGSC as a sister school opportunity

I immediately knew as soon as you said that you most likely were at CGSC. My husband loves to do that same line just to see people's reaction.