Dan Curtis

My thoughts were caught by the mountain of food entering the suite while I was blogging and also distracted by the fact that I was ravenous and wondering How Could That Possibly Be, which caused me to forget to add some visual bling to the last post.
My focus is now back to its laser sharpness having had breakfast and a couple of bellinis.  I did ask they they ease up on the amount of food.  I hate to see waste. 
Here are some shots from yesterday and a few from this morning:

Never underestimate the power of redneck ingenuity.  The divider to the next suite squeaks at incredible decimals.  Waiting until a decent hour to let Allan know and see if something can be done.  
 
It sounds like a nest of about 27 baby pterodactyls chirping in hungry angst..

@WAAAYTOOO You're ability to make lemonade out of lemons, I just love the positive attitude. I have been sending positive thoughts your way as well as your fellow cruisers and the staff of the Anthem. Here's wishing you a beautiful experience for the rest of your sailing. I second @ellcee remarks,  I really hope one day to sail with you, you are an inspiration! Enjoy!
 

We stayed at the Marriott Courtyard in downtown Newark.  The hotel itself was excellent. Absolutely no hesitation or concerns. The room was comfortable and clean and the mattress was very, very comfortable.  The neighborhood.....(or maybe I should say”the ‘hood).....however, was very sketchy.  We ventured out a couple times to eat but frankly, I was not comfortable (for one thing it was effing freezing) so we mostly stayed in the hotel.  We kept having people come up and beg for money.  We picked this location b/c, as I said in an earlier post, we were under extreme duress to find a place in a hurry. Likely we could have made a better choice, but it was well within the $200/day allowance that a Royal was reimbursing so we are happy, looking back.

Quick update this morning.  Woke up to HEAVY rain pretty early.  This is what it looks like outside!

This is not what we had in mind for our first day of this trip and boarding the ship!  

We signed up for the hotel shuttle service which was $10 a person.  Not too bad of a price.  
 
The issue with luggage tags and set sail pass was solved!  The hotel had an area where they had a desktop computer with a free printer to use!!!  CRISIS AVERTED!!  ?
 
Leaving for the ship in about 3 hours so stay tuned!  Thanks to all that are following along!
 

Couldn't really sleep this morning (as usual before a trip) so got up and continued to get ready to go.  Lisa is mostly packed and I am a last minute packer so I don't have anything packed yet.  I decided to work on last minute things around the house and whatnot.  The packing for me will start soon...
 
Here is a positive for us though.  The 7 day forecast that we will be missing!!!

 
Stay tuned as we finish packing and start the journey!

I could be wrong, but it seemed to me (if I’m reading the screening guidelines correctly) that you will receive these “extra” screening parameters ONLY if you qualify via the “China” questions. In other words, if you have not been in contact with anyone who meets those (list) of conditions, you will not be subject to the extra screening.
I will find out later today, as we board Anthem at 3:00.

honestly I can’t comprehend how delusional someone can be. more than fair? pro rated refund is the bare minimum.  If you booked tickets to travel abroad and you were taken only half way and the airline said we will give you half your money back as a refund. would you think that was also more than fair and roll with those punches. talk more sense next time...

Just got off of,theVision of the seas, service was outstanding and we had no complaints about the food at all, steaks were tender and Lobster night was awesome with some prime rib. I don't think you have quite the selection as years ago, but we was at a table of seven and everyone enjoyed their dinning experience.

Just got off of,theVision of the seas, service was outstanding and we had no complaints about the food at all, steaks were tender and Lobster night was awesome with some prime rib. I don't think you have quite the selection as years ago, but we was at a table of seven and everyone enjoyed their dinning experience.

Just got off of,theVision of the seas, service was outstanding and we had no complaints about the food at all, steaks were tender and Lobster night was awesome with some prime rib. I don't think you have quite the selection as years ago, but we was at a table of seven and everyone enjoyed their dinning experience.

Just got off of,theVision of the seas, service was outstanding and we had no complaints about the food at all, steaks were tender and Lobster night was awesome with some prime rib. I don't think you have quite the selection as years ago, but we was at a table of seven and everyone enjoyed their dinning experience.

Just got off of,theVision of the seas, service was outstanding and we had no complaints about the food at all, steaks were tender and Lobster night was awesome with some prime rib. I don't think you have quite the selection as years ago, but we was at a table of seven and everyone enjoyed their dinning experience.

When you get old and take meds, it reduces the amount of alcohol your liver can process...honest truth.

Ride share is the best option regardless of your departure location Port of Miami to MIA or Port Everglades to FLL.

Not difficult at all, we used lyft and was picked up in 6 minutes, Fll is very close,you should have no problems at all.

Well good moring from Nassau. Today I was planning to get up and see our arrival into port but I slept in a little bit too late. But I was able to catch the arrival of the Carnival Liberty. 

At 8:00am Sharp she was docked beside us.
At 8:45am The Grand Classica was arriving into her dock space in Nassau.

After her arrival It was time to hit the wave. The lines were pretty short for stand up today. but the lines for bogie board was super long. So instead of riding I was able to see the Carnival Elation pull into port. She pasted the lighthouse at 10:15am.

Also today they were having a crew lifeboat drill. They used the horn twice during the drill and it happen once when I was on the wave. 

One sad thing about the Elation was the rust on her. She had more rust spots on her than the Grand Classica. And I believe The Grand Classica is older.

You will be OK, but try to be sensitive to others-- different venues have different suggested attire.  That means wear your best on formal night in the MDR, whatever that ends up being.  We once lost our luggage and didn't have the nicest clothes to wear, but we explained to our wait staff it was the best we could do, and we were readily accommodated.  Attire at dinner isn't about judging others, but it is about trying to create an atmosphere where all can enjoy the sights and sounds as well as the food and the companionship.  Other nights might be casual (still no shorts/T's at dinner), tropical, or even smart casual, although that seems rare these days.  Also, some ships have a white night party, and guests have gotten in the habit of wearing white to dinner.  That might be another option when it falls on a formal night.  Have a great cruise!

The easy answer is to say, don't worry about it.  The cruise lines are in business to get you to spend your hard earned money on a fun and rewarding trip to places you probably wouldn't ordinarily go to.  They are all pretty good at that.  While there is no doubt that I also look at the weather ahead of time, RCCL has staff meteorologists whose only job is to ensure your safety and comfort on your trip.
The Voyager class, Navigator included, are wonderful ships.  You've done the hard part.  You've saved your money and paid for the trip.  Now, go have fun.  Next time, book a 7 day.  You will like that even more. 

Day Two - New Year's Eve Festivities
After hanging out on the sun deck to watch sail away and the little bit of sunset, I popped back down to my stateroom to quickly rinse off from the day's humid walking. When I had taken a shower the first time, I couldn't figure out why the water got so hot, despite adjusting the knob down as low as I could without turning the shower off. This time around, I realized there was actually a second dial, to the right of the one in the center, that controlled the temperature. The one I had been using was just for pressure, so I thought I'd include a photo for anyone else new to cruising.

The dial my hand is holding in the photo controls the water temperature. The dial in the center is just for water pressure.

I also found a flyer was left in the stateroom of all the activities going onboard the ship in celebration of New Year's Eve. 
I don't think Empress typically has formal nights, but as it was a holiday celebration, it was noted on the flyer and cruise compass as a "dress to impress" formal night. After my hop in the shower, I got a nice dress on (not a cocktail dress, but nicer than a sundress), and had a look around the ship to see what all was going on so far. The Centrum had quickly been set up for the balloon drop and DJ party.

Some reservation only seating for the party could be found on decks seven and eight.
I stopped by the Windjammer to see if they had any offerings for NYE, but it looked to be pretty standard. There were many staff at the entrances wearing crowns and hats clapping and wishing people a Happy New Year though. I knew that I would be eating in the MDR tonight, but I saw a delicious looking little cheesecake bite that was calling to me, so I had to try one.

Standard cheesecake, but so good. These were by the kid's section, on the side where the bar stool sitting area is.
I headed to the Royal Theater for the 7:00pm showing of Bailamos. I again sat on the right hand side, but in the upper balcony level this time. A decent view, but the railings do obstruct the view slightly. The show was wonderful, and I definitely recommend anyone sailing on Empress to check it out. The dancers and singers are all very talented! The show ended just in time for me to make it to my 8:30pm seating in the MDR.
The tables in the MDR tonight had some streamer/confetti type decorations on top, as well as some NYE hats, crowns, and blowers.

Even the menus got a little bit of decoration.

Menu for New Year's Eve Dinner
Tonight I had the beef tartare, the oven-roasted turkey, and the spice cake. I'd never had beef tartare before, but I did know it was a raw dish. I tried a majority of it, but it's not my favorite. The turkey and spice cake were both very good. My table mates were a little more talkative this evening. The solo traveler had purchased a $15/day Voom package earlier in order to text family, and said that it was working, but was extremely slow. This complaint was echoed by the family as well, so I'm glad I ended up not purchasing the package.

Spice cake for dessert
With dinner over, I went back to my room for a quick power nap. I'm usually asleep by 10:30pm, so I figured I could use the extra energy to make it midnight. In the room waiting for me was tomorrow's cruise compass, and a towel friend! It made my smile, it caught me by surprise. I was also happy to get a map of Coco Cay, so I could start making a plan for my Perfect Day.

A frog? Or crab? Maybe both.
With my catnap finished, I made my way back out, ready to take on the NYE celebration! Live music was happening everywhere, and the Centrum was starting to get people waiting right at the ropes to get choice spots for the balloon drop.

Some folks waiting for the DJ party to start at 10:45pm. 1hr and 30 minutes until midnight!
After checking out the music in the Schooner Bar and Boleros, I went up to the pool deck. I decided I'd ring in the new year up there, as I expected the centrum to get pretty crowded (which it did). Mass Effect was playing great music, once again. I also took this time to try out the hammocks, which had always been occupied when I'd go by them in the day. The clouds had cleared up, so the hammocks made great spots for stargazing. I'm not super familiar with astronomy, but I was able to clearly see Orion's belt. It was very beautiful, and I was happy to be starting 2020 this way.

Dancing our way into 2020. Was glad that it wasn't as crowded up here.

A look down at the balloons ready to be dropped from the windows of deck eleven. 
The giant screen by the pool had been turned into a countdown clock. When I saw it reach 45 minutes to go, I made my way over to the pool bar to grab a drink. While I waited for my drink, I took a look at the rest of the menu. I remembered someone on here asking if there were ciders and non-alcoholic beverages served, so I snapped a couple pics of the Empress' offerings on both.

Cider, Gluten-free beer, and non-alcoholic beer available on Empress.

More non-alcoholic beverages available on Empress.
With my Sparkling Sombrero in hand, I was ready to ring in the new year. Mass Effect played right up until the minute mark, and then everyone got ready for the countdown. It was a great celebration, and although I went to bed a little while after midnight, I understand that multiple parties went on until 3:00am or so. If you really like to party and go all out for NYE, I'd definitely recommend celebrating it on a cruise!

Cheers to 2020!

It's a great idea. We get disinfectant wipes from the dollar store and use them on the plane as well. 

We have started picking up some Lysol at a Walgreens or someplace after arriving the night before cruise. Never know if someone had a cold or flu in room before you.

We have started picking up some Lysol at a Walgreens or someplace after arriving the night before cruise. Never know if someone had a cold or flu in room before you.

May 16, 2020. Majesty - believe it or not

First time for us too! Very exciting! ?