WAAAYTOOO

I’ve found that if I go into my cruise planner for any reason then I am often blocked out of the reservation if I try to go back in. It’s truly a PITA.

Even for younger, older folks !

If you have the UDP but find that there is a dish that you want that is being served in the MDR just ask them to bring it to you in whatever specialty restaurant you happen to be visiting the night they are serving it. We do this all the time. If we are in Chops the night they are serving lobster in the MDR we just ask the waiter to bring us a MDR lobster tail. No problem !

It was, as of April of 2018. They no longer cover the tables and chairs or offer the Carnivale show. The food wasn’t terrible but it was uninspired. A real disappointment.

I have no doubt that he IS a Veteran. It was a specific claim he made that I know to be untrue. ...but I think he is a good CD.

We have been in a number of 1 and 2 BR ATS and I would say that more than 6 people would be REALLY uncomfortable. Officially they will accommodate 8 but unless there are many small children in that group, I would advise against it. Lovetocruise2002 is correct about pricing. Unless this is 1 family unit that has 1 set of adults and a variety of children, it would be difficult (IMO) to cost-share in a way that would be fair. The master suite is very nice but the second bedroom is tiny and would probably be cramped with more than 2 people and if anyone is sleeping out in the living area the accommodations would be very much inferior to the master suite.

Dennis (can’t remember his last name. I think maybe it’s Charles ?) is the CD on Anthem, currently. Ok except for a kind of “stolen valor” issue. One of his claims of being a Veteran is an absolute lie so he’s not sitting too well with Dan. But he’s an ok CD.

I realize that this is a “mind trick” but it’s so true that walking the exact SAME distance along the Promenade or Central Park seems so much shorter than through the narrow corridors of the cabin maze. Dan and I just made the same observation this week on Anthem.

YUK !

Dan and I are on B2B Star Class cruises on Anthem right now. I cannot say enough about our Genie, Yen. She has been absolutely priceless. Yesterday (day 4 of the first cruise) we were in Port Canaveral. A situation, too involved and convoluted to get into now, required that all guests disembark the ship. Yes, I mean EVERYbody, including staff. We were already off the ship when they forced everyone else off so when we got back to the terminal, it was mayhem. A thousand or more guests - some in still-wet bathing suits - all waiting to reboard the ship. Tempers were beginning to flare and we were stuck in the terminal. Thank GOD I still has the loop app on my cell phone. I texted Yen for help. She came down and escorted us past hundreds and hundreds of people straight onto the ship. THIS is why having a Genie is so incredible. This morning we are in Coco Cay. I am staying on the ship but Dan wanted to go snorkel. He told Yen that he did not need an escort off the ship b/c he wasn’t going until around noon. Surely by then there would be no line for the tenders, right ? He got ready, went down and the line to get onto the tender on deck 3 stretched all the way into the casino. He called Yen. In 2 minutes she was there to take him to the front of the line to catch the next tender to shore. THIS is why you have a Genie. We wanted to try the bumper cars. When we went up there, the line was all the way around the sea plex. Yen took us to the front of the line and we got into our cars as soon as the next session started. The story is the same for North Star. We waited at the bar with a drink and boarded the next session while everyone else was standing in line in the sun. The suite is sweet, the all-inclusive specialty dining and drinks packages are awesome but IMO, Priority access is the biggest perk of Star Class. You have an advocate that can get you just about anything. In our pre-cruise questionnaire, I noted that Dan likes Modelo Negro beer. Yen wrote back to us that, sadly, the Anthem had discontinued stocking Modelo Negro. No problem....we made a second choice and forgot all about Modelo Negro...but Yen did not. Yesterday, she came to our suite with a tote bag full of Modelo Negro that she had scavanged from God-knows-where on the ship. It was such a sweet gift that she even remembered. THAT’s the kind of personalized service you get with a Genie. In the past we tipped the Genie the $100 per day but I think we are going to need to up the ante for Yen. She has truly been a Godsend this entire cruise....and we still have another glorious week with her. We also have incredible stateroom attendants. What a great cruise this is and continues to be ! Star Class rules !

No doubt about it. You are already past the point of return. This will just solidify that !

I agree with Twangster. Being on Deck 17 is awesome. You are never more than a few steps from food or drinks or the elevator. I believe in some cultures that is how they describe heaven ?

Matt is evolving !! YIPPEE !!!!

This is why we always prepurchase the DDP even if the D+ discount would have saved a few bucks...I don't want to see the cost of ANY DRINKS on my final bill !!!

That's why I think that site is fairly useless. It gives you NO details about what is or is not available. I just call them or ask Michelle to call for me. It's just as fast.

YIPPEE !!! They are so much fun. IF you're talking about the October Brilliance cruise, we are on that one, too !!!

I totally agree with Twangster. Check the airline prices FIRST b/c that is likely to be nearly as expensive as your cruise itself.

Sometimes even tipping doesn't help. We are very generous tippers and sometimes it's just not good enough ! I have 2 examples: 1. In Bayonne a few years back, we dropped off our bags with the porters (they are longshoremen at Bayonne) with a generous tip. The luggage tags have METAL attach straps so it's virtually impossible for them to "come off". Our bags mysteriously somehow "lost" their tags and we (along with many others) had to go to a big room on the ship and find our bags. They were all there but it was a true PITA. Later found out that the union was in a tiff with management about a new contract. Unacceptable. 2. In Galveston our biggest bag disappeared off the face of the earth. No idea what happened to it. It has never been found. This is a REALLY, REALLY good idea. You really have no choice but to leave your bags with the ports on embarkation. The big bags won't go through the scanners so you cannot just carry them on yourself. However, on disembarkation, we no longer leave our bags outside our door for the porters. 100% of the time, we carry all of our bags off ourselves UNLESS we are using Luggage Valet, which is a WONDERFUL program.

ya scaaared 'em

This is GREAT news ! Well done !

For whatever reason, they always only offer this event on the first night. We did it MANY years ago....can't remember which ship. I enjoyed it. Dan did not. I seem to recall a special menu from [at the time] Portofino's. I think it was worth it to do it once. I don't think we would do it again. Dress code was casual.

Your wife has excellent taste ! I also love, love, the cream of mushroom soup. I can already (almost) taste it. Will be boarding Anthem in 2 days !

YIKES ! I think that's an awful big jump in price. I guess the program has been a success !!

Actually, I HAVE found that the more I cruise the less often I get the land waves. I also mostly feel it (rare, anymore) when I lay down and close my eyes.

VERY careful planning ! ??