BrianB

The Anthem is returning to New Jersey from the UK. Due to the CDC protocols…the first sailing on November 7th has been shortened by one day. Instead of leaving on the 7th, we will depart a day later, Mon Nov 8th. The port schedule has changed and the stop at Nassau has been eliminated. We have the choice of doing nothing and being shifted to the six day with a one-day refund…or cancelling altogether and getting a full refund. Only the money paid will be refunded and any FCC used to book will be re-issued.

The Mission Control Escape Room on the Oasis had been closed due to the health protocols. It is re-opening again. It will operate on sea days 2, 6 and 7 three times each day. Capacity was 12 but now is 8 max. Vaccinated-only…but you can request everyone if all eight are in your travel party. $19.99 per person. It can only be reserved onboard. I may be an eternal optimist but, every little bit of relaxing protocols is a good sign to me.

Thanks @DanielBfor the heads up. I just checked and the Key is being offered for my cruises on the Anthem. I purchased it for my Nov cruises so far. I’ll see how it goes and keep an eye on the price for the future.

Thank you. It’s a skill.

Remember…sometimes when check in opens, there is only a 3pm slot available. This seems to be just a temporary placeholder. You can add, and save, all your check in information without picking a time. Or even if you do, you can go back and edit check in. Just keep checking as earlier times will open up as the cruise date gets closer. Enjoy your cruise!

Doing a back to back on the Oasis from Bayonne NJ. Like @dswallow, I’m local to the port. I arrived to the terminal at my assigned time (12:00) and found no traffic, no problem parking in the garage, no waiting out front, breezed through the terminal and onto the ship. Car to ship about twenty minutes. Easiest check in I have ever done. A week later, on turnaround day, as we were being escorted through customs, I could see lines of people crowding the front of the terminal waiting for it to open. I guess if you have no choice due to flight or other issues, then you’ll be part of the crowd. But I’m sure there are others who just ignore their assigned time and try to jump the line…adding to the mass. As usual. Based upon my experience, when I come back, I’ll go with the easy no-stress twenty minute car to ship process.

I haven’t been in a Royal casino in quite a few trips…and when I did, it was very minimal. But I received the email offer for a comp cruise for two yesterday. I have seven choices…all are cruises for either three, four or five days. From Florida, Texas and California. Must book by Oct 20…any sailing up to 12/27/2021. Unfortunately there is no value and it can not be applied towards an existing reservation. So, to me…it’s useless. Oh, well. It wasn’t expected anyway.

Protocols could be different in December, but here now on the Oasis… Masks are required for indoor public areas except certain areas where only vaccinated people are admitted. It seems most clubs, the pub, casino and the majority of the theater are vaccinated-only so as soon as you walk in…mask free. I received a bracelet to show I was fully vaccinated upon check in. Crew members man the entrance of the venues to ensure you are wearing a Vaccinated Bracelet. Restaurants ask you wear a mask until seated...unless it’s a vaccinated-only venue. Shops are open to all but masks are required. I have seen crew members gently reminding some guests who forgot to put their mask back on when they entered a public area. There are other protocols for social distancing such as max 6 people (or your party) on an elevator. All in all it wasn’t terribly inconvenient. I got used to it pretty fast. Also, we were in Nassau yesterday. Some businesses require you show your proof of vaccination at the door in order to enter.

On the newly amplified Oasis…Dazzles has been changed…it’s now the Music Hall.

I always tip the concierges in the suite lounge. Typically for me, it’s a single amount for each of them, once a week if I’m doing a back to back. On the Oasis sailing from Bayonne, there is no suite walk-off service as of yet. I’m pretty much on my own. And turnaround day on a back to back is also unassisted. But that’s not their fault. The protocols have screwed up lots of suite services. They work hard, always are pleasant and welcoming, and that’s gotta be tough seeing some of the attitudes thrown their way during the cruise. I’m lucky to be able to share with them and I’m happy to do it.

Both my Nov 7 and Nov 14 cruises automatically reloaded my original check-in info and arrival times. So far, so good.

I sure hope that’s right…but I don’t have much faith in the CSO not being extended. I think it’s awfully hard for government agencies to release control over things they manage to bite into. Maybe they will extend it but with some modification. Hopefully they will realize the quarantine period and the tests cruises are no longer necessary. Fingers AND toes crossed…and we know how hard it is to cross our toes!

They make a point of saying this should be considered as a last ditch, emergency test. After exhausting all other options, or getting tangled up in confusing testing mistakes that occasionally pop up. Rather than being turned away...you can schedule a test at the port...starting at $99. And you will need to wait outside for the results...hoping you're negative after getting that far.

Amazing timing! I'm here on the Oasis suite sun deck now. A woman with mobility issues using a cane asked if she could be helped down the stairs. It took alot for her to climb up! The crew brought her into the elevator and told her to just let them know whenever she needed to use it.

If you purchased this over the counter at a retail store...it may not be the acceptable test. It should have an 'Rx' (prescription) on the lower left and a warning 'Do not open until instructed' on the outside. I could be wrong, but this may not be the Proctor-monitored test required for cruising.

I guess it would…as long as there are no paying passengers. But the Anthem is scheduled to leave Southampton on Oct 25 for a five day cruise. So the last paying cruise would end Oct 30. That puts the Nov 7 cruise at risk. Unless they cancel the last UK cruise. Decisions, decisions…

There’s still that 14 day quarantine mandate. I understand that period starts after the ship finishes it’s last UK paying cruise and before entering US waters. Will they cancel the last few UK five day cruises and send her over early…or the first few November cruises out of Bayonne. Still nervous.

Bayonne is my preferred port as it’s so close to home and easy to get to. Anthem is a great choice to sail out of New Jersey in late winter/early spring. The Solarium (ages 16+) is completely enclosed in glass. Temperature controlled and beautiful on a sunny day regardless of how cold it may be outside. Also, the family indoor pool is large and also completely enclosed in glass and temperature controlled. Things to do? Anthem has the SeaPlex complex. A massive indoor open area that can be separated into separate sport venues, or used for the flying trapeze experience, or roller blades, or the whole area becomes one large bumper car space. As you travel south, it gets warmer and outside is the place to be. The outdoor pool is large and loungers are all around on two decks. The Flowrider and Rock Climbing Wall are always a hit. And cold or warm outside, going up in the Northstar capsule is always a great view. The capsule is heated/air conditioned. The crew is typical Royal…excellent. The pubs, bars, clubs, casino, restaurants are all excellent. My favorites are Chops and Jaime’s Italian. Also, I love me some Johnny Rockets! Entertainment is great! I love the show, We Will Rock You! I always found the guest comedians and performers to alway be excellent. Anthem is the perfect ship to sail out of Joisey in winter!

Update…went to guest services today (day 2) and picked up my SeaPass from last week. No problem.

Oasis of the Seas…Sept 26…2580 Almost 500 (25%) more than last week.

B2B day on the Oasis. There were approximately 100 consecutive cruisers. At 8:15 we reported to the Theater on deck 5. There were two lines coming from both elevator banks converging on the one open door so social distancing was not happening as everyone tried to squeeze in. We stood on line for almost a half hour as each guest received their new wristband (a different color each cruise) and received our new SeaPass cards. We were then seated in the theater balcony and waited until a crew member came around and checked our vaccination cards. Due to a computer glitch, they couldn’t just photo the cards but had to copy all the information by hand (I think this is what caused the holdup in the first line…they were doing these things in line but then realized it was better to just let us in and seat us). Then they asked the health questions. We were instructed not to use our new SeaPass cards until after we went through the terminal and were re-boarding. After a while of sitting, we were escorted to the gangway and scanned our old cards as we exited. Security kept our old cards. I understand we can go to guest services to get the old card back, for those like me who like to keep them, but guest services throughout the day and first night was typically crowded. We then breezed through the empty customs area, pausing just long enough to get the green check mark on the CBP facial scanners. Then we stood in line again. No seating. After about twenty minutes we were escorted back aboard, scanning our new SeaPass cards. We were instructed to either go back to our cabins or go wait in the Music Hall while they finished sanitizing the ship. My cabin wasn’t ready so I headed to the Music Hall. Of the 100 or so b2b’ers, I was one of only six in the venue. After hearing nothing for about an hour, I ventured out and found the Windjammer open and serving. I didn’t wait until noon to take advantage of the Consecutive Cruisers Lunch in the dining room because I was tired and hungry and somewhat frustrated. All in all the experience could have been better…especially outside the theater with some crowd control. I hope next time it goes smoother with more control and information. I sort of felt abandoned in the Music Hall…and there was no music…or drinks…or contact of any kind. But the good news is…I’m still onboard and ready for another great week.

I always tip servers when I get the service. But room stewards and concierge...I always tip at the end of each week. Sometimes room stewards get moved and you'll have a new one for the next leg. I feel the concierge is more appreciative getting the tip each week. But...to each his own.

Getting nervous…the Anthem is still doing cruises in the UK. The last cruise listed is a five night ending on October 30. The next available cruise is November 7 from Bayonne. I’m booked for that cruise…first half of a b2b. I tried a mock booking for the Oct 25 cruise from Southampton and it’s still accepting reservations. If the CSO is still in place…some sailings will have to be cancelled to abide by the fourteen day quarantine and then the test cruise. So…..getting nervous

This morning, the day before arrival back in Bayonne, I received my complimentary Covid antigen test in the conference center on deck three. I had made a reservation for 8:10 but arrived a little early. No line, no waiting…got my nose tickled and done. Bioreference Laboratories has been contracted by Royal to perform the tests on board. Tested at 8am and received my results via email at 11:55am. Negative. Easy peasy.

I cruise solo virtually all the time and I sort of expect this. Sometimes right after the cruise my points are not doubled (or tripled in a suite) when they first post on my account. Resisting the temptation to call immediately, I find that they usually auto-correct a short time later. Maybe the computer needs time to catch up. Computer techs probably forgot to feed the hamster spinning the wheel.