BrianB

This will be my 35th time on the Anthem since 2015. I love this ship! I live less than an hour from the port and cruise primarily from mid Sept through mid May. The Anthem is perfect for sailing from the northeast during cold/chilly weather. So many climate controlled indoor venues to relax in while on the way to the warmer weather. She’s a wonderful ship! I see that there may be a launch from the space center during our visit on Tuesday at 7:36pm. Hopefully it goes as scheduled. Seeing a launch from the ship is fantastic! Fingers crossed!

I booked as soon as I saw Odyssey coming in Nov 24. Good prices!

Obsessed? …or addicted? Of course not. I have a reason. @Matt previously commented about a possible risk of frequent cruising. How it’s possible that cruising too often may take away some of the enjoyment of planning, and the anticipation that comes as the cruise date gets closer. Interesting hypothesis. Challenge accepted!

@FionaMG Just got off Sunday. Terry Lavalle was back as Spectra. He was spectacular as usual! Terry was recently involved in an incident in Bayonne a few weeks ago. While on shore leave and shopping at Walmart, an individual set fire to a rack of clothing in an attempt to cause a distraction while he stole a flatscreen television. It didn’t work…he was apprehended and charged. Anyway, Terry didn’t flee the fire…but instead ran to the burning rack of clothing and started pulling them off and stomping out the flames. He was recognized by the Bayonne fire department for his actions. He’s really a nice guy and an amazing person.

There’s usually availability when you board. Also, I’ve been on standby lines for shows plenty of times and have never been turned away. But, don’t plan to be on standby with a group and expect to be able to sit together. You get what’s left.

I agree with @twangster…check with guest services after embarkation closes to see if there are any no-shows. Oh, and don’t ask me to change seats on an airplane because you didn’t book early enough to get seats together, or got a cheaper price by booking middle seats and now want me to give up my chosen seat because ‘my family needs me!’. Been there, heard that. Don’t care.

Itineraries are planned very far in advance. Unpredicted wear and tear changes over time to the ships propulsion system or power plant may result in limitations having to be made to the ship speed limit before they can arrange repairs or upgrades. Also, I have had itineraries cancelled because whales were spotted in the channel leading to a port, and the mandated decreased ship speed limit made it impossible to make it to the port in time to spend the day, and then make it back out to sea. Or we had to cancel a stop because we diverted to another port to drop off a sick passenger, and didn’t have time to make it to our scheduled port. Point is, these things happen. That’s why the cruise contract includes itineraries may be changed without notice. But, it seems to happen very infrequently. That being said…since it happens to you so often (three out of the last four cruises) please let me know your future bookings so that I can avoid them. Or at least be prepared for possible changes.

I bring enough to get me through the first week and into the next. Then I usually send it out on day two. But, I only send out enough to get me through the rest of the second week. I always like doing my laundry when I get home…all of it. Even things laundered onboard but not used. Sometimes I may send out some things near the end of week one. I may also include some button down shirts. Then, on day one of the second week, I’ll send them out for pressing.

Was in Nassau on the Anthem Wednesday. No sign of construction, supplies or equipment…yet.

A ship carries boats….ie; lifeboats.

On the Anthem…. Still twice a day.

I understand their computer systems won’t open for bookings until just before the sailing. On my b2bs, If I need reservations for next week…including the beach club restaurant…I’ll go to the restaurant manager and he/she will usually make a note in their system to remind themselves. They’ll put me in as soon as reservations open. Then, on turnaround day, as soon as I sign in to the new week’s WiFi…I’ll see my specialty reservation on the app. If not, I’ll stop by just to make sure. When I’m in a suite, the concierge will compile a list for the suite guests after sending out the emails…and then forward those reservations to the restaurant managers/hosts for them to be entered as soon as the system opens.

On the pass…no. On the card…yes. I think that the higher level casino players are entitled to early embarkation so I guess their status should be on their pass. Maybe they figure it’s not really helpful to have the lower tiers printed on the pass……JMO.

On the Anthem…. Very rarely am I given a receipt to sign for my voucher drinks. But, when I do…I see the number of drinks remaining printed near the bottom of the receipt. It doesn’t stand out…sort of squeezed in with other printing. But, I do like that it indicates how many I have left after using the one I was just served. I sign it and it gets taken back. I don’t get a copy unless I ask for one.

My TSA-approved locked checked bag never arrived to my room on embarkation day and my room steward found out it was being held by security because port screeners flagged it. I went down to deck 2 and security showed me a sticker on my bag which said ‘Iron’. I don’t have an iron in my bag. They said they had to wait for me before they could re-scan it onboard in case it needed to be opened. They then scanned it using the onboard X-ray scanner and found………nothing. I offered to open the bag but they said it wasn’t necessary as the scanner showed nothing of interest. Did port security open the bag and take the item, or did onboard security do it with you present? Was your bag locked? Curious………..

I’m old school. I use a notepad. I list them by date, reservation #, ship, cabin #…then price and balance due. Makes it easy to check each day for price drops. I note any OBC due and Cruise Planner purchases. I also list them on my calendar…my wall calendar (old school). Of course, I list them in my phone, too. Both on notes and calendar. But, my working scratch sheet is my paper notepad.

@Pattycruise Just curious…where was your cabin located? I was also on the Feb 26 sailing and had no major issues at all. Except for the occasional drop off and reload on my phone during the day. At night I streamed HD movies on my iPad with no problem…no drop off. I was midship on deck 8 in a balcony. That’s where I am now… Every morning I would sit outside Cafe Promenade with a coffee and a healthy snack…aka/donut…and go through my emails and surf. I know other people had problems with the WiFi, but I don’t know why I didn't. In fact, while in the theater waiting for WWRY, the person next to me kept losing the signal on his iPhone…and was amazed that my old Galaxy S8 Android had no problem. I’m just really curious why I don’t have the same problems so many others are having. Not knocking it! Just curious…

Right now on the Anthem…sea day…sitting in the Cafe Promenade.

On the Anthem… Wifi has been fine for me. I know there are many who are experiencing problems, but I don’t know why. There’s usually one or more people at the WiFi desk with an issue. Virtually all of my cruises have been up and down the east coast from Bayonne NJ to Florida and the Bahamas…with a Caribbean cruise in January. I use an older Samsung Galaxy S8 and a new IPad 10. Both have no real problem with the WiFi except for the occasional drop and reload signal during the day. At night, I stream HD movies and shows from Netflix, Prime and YouTube without issue. I can even download one show while viewing another. I use the phone all over the ship and the iPad in my cabin. I’ve been in high, low, forward and mid cabins…all no problem. So far, I’m really liking the new WiFi…much better in comparison to the old system.

On the Anthem….. The designated restaurant handling the Beach Club Restaurant reservations is Chops. I go to the host desk as soon as it opens on embarkation day and make my reservation. If I forget, I’ll get the letter delivered to my cabin on the first night or two advising me to call Chops to do it.

Here’s a copy of my email from Sept 2021 on the Oasis….

@WAAAYTOOO I think the new changes don’t take effect until after March 10. I wondered about that, too. I do the wash and fold service midway through the cruise…not on day one like it says. But then again, they have been known to make mistakes on the grid. For instance, it still says the milestone free cruises are applicable only on the cruise in which you earn the milestone…but, we know that’s wrong.

On the Anthem…

I’ve found that there are times when I call regarding a question and the answer I get doesn’t seem correct. I have learned (from these forums, thank you all!) that whenever I feel I’m not getting a correct response, I just call back and get a different agent. Many times the first person either misunderstood my question, or had old information…or is just not capable of original thought! It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I usually get the right answer…eventually. In my experience, the best place to get the most accurate up to date information is………here!

On both the printed and digital SetSail pass it should have ‘Sea Class’. I have found that different terminals handle boarding priorities in different ways…and sometimes the same port does it differently each cruise, depending on who’s running the show that day. For instance…at Port Liberty in Bayonne they used to enforce the arrival times. An agent would check your SetSail outside and if you came early, you had to wait. On my recent cruises, it’s been the same as it was pre-pandemic…just go in and get on the security line. Nobody checks your time. I don’t know if they eventually enforce the times if it gets too crowded outside. But that could be a Bayonne thing as the cold winter weather makes standing outside very uncomfortable. **I always do my online check in as soon as it opens for each cruise so that I can get the earliest arrival time. I figure the first time I don’t do that, that’s when they will enforce the arrival times! There’s a designated security line for suite guests and pinnacles, but sometimes that line takes longer as it leads to a single scanner. After security, there are designated check in kiosks for suites and pinnacles, but I have found every kiosk check in is quick. Star Class has it’s own priority experience, but that’s under$tandable.