whenismynextcruise

Having traveled on Anthem during football season they do also put games on the jumbo screen at the pool deck. I would go to guest services, or if you can find the cruise director, to mention it as well I would. Anthem sailing out of Bayonne has a large margin of Northeast (ish) guests so I am sure you will be one of many Eagles fans on board.

Thank you @twangsterI hadn't really thought through the logistics of this before! When I send my laundry out at home I do the same thing and it comes back clean. Its a private service though and it gets washed on its own. You are now making me rethink getting any laundry done on a ship again!

A tip for filling the bag. Dont just stuff it. Roll your things before putting them in there. You will be surprised how much more you can get in that little bag.

I cant speak for the accuracy of the this sight but the diagram shows as both cabins with the sofa by the patio door https://cruiseline.com/ship/anthem-of-the-seas/cabin/10552

The sad part about this is that they will never have to realize this and can keep charging more. People will pay. Maybe not many of us here but the way they are marketing cruises now with iFly, Dodgem cars, FlowRider, water slides, kids programs, etc and now water parks on what used to be serene private islands its a whole new passenger demographic. They don't know what is "used to be like" and are willing to pay for just about anything. 15 years ago I never would have ever thought that I would pay $4.50 or more for a cup of coffee but now its normal. For vacations people are more willing to pay for an experience now than they ever were before and because of it we will continue to see nickel and diming happen not just on cruise ships but everywhere else. Its simple really. They charge more because people are willing to pay more. RCL is marketing itself as a family vacation destination now and as more families embrace this new option it creates a new stream of revenue. Instead of going to Epcot to have a faux international experience people can take their families to 2 or 3 different countries in a week and what a great opportunity that is for kids. I personally have been thinking about trying Celebrity for this reason. I read this recently as a comparison: Royal Caribbean has lower-priced entry-level cabins, larger ships, more emphasis on family travel and less emphasis on service, while Celebrity has slightly higher priced entry-level rooms and more emphasis on a refined experience and good service. I am certainly not giving up on RCL myself but I can't change the direction that a multi-billion dollar cruise line is taking. Maybe its time to focus on what I want and will get out of my vacation dollar as opposed to feeling nostalgic for what it used to get me. Just my humble opinion.

Great tip on the sunscreen @mom2mybugs - I learned something new today :)

thanks @Matt. what you say makes sense. We have only cruised in the winter. An escape from cold New England weather. And with Anthem in NJ it is soooo convenient not to have to fly to Florida when the port is only a 4 hour drive. We will have to consider a summer cruise :) and thanks to @WAAAYTOOO - I have never been to Freeport and wont plan to go! Great advice. We will continue to enjoy the relative peace of our ship day in Nassau!

We also like the Bayonne to Bahamas route on Anthem and have done it 3 times so far. Its a long day to one of the them parks that will fly by incredibly fast. It doesnt sound like you are traveling with kids so that is a plus in a way. 2 adults move around a lot easier than with kids and expectations are usually different. And if you have been to either park before you could do some pre-planning for what you want to see or do. I also see it as "something to do" in the otherwise boring port of Cape Canaveral. I say go for it and add a memory for yourselves. An off thread thought on this itinerary to Bayonne to Bahamas is why doesn't Royal look into changing this one up? I love the ship and I like even more the escape to warm weather but Cape Canaveral and Nassau are about 2 of the worst ports of call. Much has been said in these posts about the lack of things to do there. Cant they come up with something else? Inset Key West for Canaveral? Switch Nassau for Freeport? We are on Anthem again for Thanksgiving and this year they have changed it from 7 to 8 nights adding a cruising day which is great but after 3 years cant they change it up a little? First world problem I know. Just wondering...........

" I don't see how after spending thousands on a cruise, why an extra hundred makes any difference, especially when it will make your experience so much better. " I like your stlye @JBC and I could not agree with you more.

Hey @twangsterisnt the "An ULCC (Ultra Low Cost Carrier) in the cruise industry could have the same effect eating into a portion of cruise customers that seek the low cost getaway cruises." already called Carnival? :)

I realize that there are many cruise choices and lines out there but this makes me wonder about who buys these ships? Assuming its not private investors it has to be a smaller cruise line right? Do they slap another name on the back and sail away? Refurbishments? Just curious.

I have been on Anthem each year for Thanksgiving cruises since she has been in Bayonne. We have only ever sailed past the SOL. Its still a fantastic view but you are not all that close.

Thanks so much @monorailmedic The blog you posted is great! Looks like I will be booking for Cuba.

@monorailmedic since you have been to Cuba do you mind telling us about the experience in Cuba itself? I have had the same thoughts as @J. Woody about going there. I am from the US. I am less interested about the ships (RC hasn't dissapointed me yet) but I am very curious about what your experience in Cuba was like. The food, the sights to see, did you feel welcome, all those kinds of things. I have done searches here on Cuba but so many posts return that I cant really parse through them. If there is a blog here already that someone knows of I will go read that if I can be pointed in the right direction. Thanks!!!

Thank you WAAYTOO!! I had no idea there was an actual system to this. I prefer the bed near the balcony but I always went with "luck of the draw". This is fantastic information!!!

you can also sign them before you board in your online check in

Geema that is brilliant. I get my hair cut every 3 weeks at the barber with a #2 clipper. Yet now feel the need to have a flat iron in my luggage!

When we were on Anthem for Thanksgiving we tried it and loved it. Great deal and great food. We also noticed that the place was not very full. We didn't mind that part at all :)

Not silly at all, Here is a link that explains it: http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/eDocs/12028078_Guest_Documents_Printable_Luggage_Tags.pdf If you would like to order luggage tag holders AMAZON has a great selection and they are not very expensive at all. I bought these andy work perfectly: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E4SQNLS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Have an awesome trip!!!

Are there specific carriers for medical evacuation insurance that anyone here would recommend? Not something I have ever thought about before but this post has made me feel like I should look into it.

Congratulations on your sobriety jon46 - 5 years myself here. I have cruised NYE a few times and I have found it to be not really any different than any other time of the year. If you are in the program and feel the need for a meeting look in the cruise planner for Friends of Bill W. Have a great trip!

I cant imagine no matter how well they are sound proofed that one wouldn't hear noise from the gym.

nothing embarrassing about it! Call!

beautiful family portrait and thank you for the information

We were on a crowded elevator (aren't they all?) the doors opened on a floor. A senior put both arms up in front of him, put his hands together, and proceeded to use them like an arrow to squeeze into the elevator shoving people aside. Horrifying behavior.