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Anthem Jan. 5, 2020 11 Nights Southern Caribbean - RECAP


twangster

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Day 8 - St. Kitts

Arriving in St. Kitts it seems my streak continues.  It always seem to rain in St. Kitts in the morning.

The heavy rain even knocked Voom offline for a spell.  Fortunately these were isolated showers so 10 minutes later it was sunny.

The new pier (in the distance) at St. Kitts is nearly complete.  In fact it looks complete but along the shore you can see signs of ongoing construction activity so it's got to be very close.

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Through the rain and morning mist I could a see a ship approaching but it seemed to have this large array above it.  In my morning haze I thought maybe it was a glitch in the matrix but my telephoto lens proved it be one of those small ships that can sail under wind power as well.

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Breakfast this morning at the café @ two70°

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This is a somewhat lesser known gem on Anthem both for breakfast and lunch and it's included. 

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Not going to lie.  I have a hard time not inserting "Mc" when ordering the Egg Muffin.  The salads are part of the lunch offering.

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Lunch sandwiches.  It's probably not good for me but the B & B is heavenly.  This is also where I get my Kümmelweck fix at lunch.

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The coffee bar has an additional charge.

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Shortly after breakfast and a little more rain it dawned on me another ship was attempting to make the pier.

I hadn't appreciated the wind today because I was on the sheltered side of the ship.  This other ship was starting straight behind us and letting the wind push them into position to slide into the berth beside us.  

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The angles made it look like it was headed straight for the mooring point and I was thinking the tug boat was on the wrong side but the strong wind prevailed and the ship aligned with the pier as it moved forward.

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For a few moments I had visions of the Glory-Oasis miss a few weeks ago but as it turns out this approach was just about perfect despite it looking like it was heading into the pier earlier on.

That's how strong the wind was acting on this much smaller ship compared to Anthem.  

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I didn't have an excursion booked for today.  My plans were to wander into town and along the black sand beach.  

Every time I got ready to leave the ship another passing rain cloud washed more salt off the ship and sent be back inside.  

I really didn't feel like getting my camera wet so I used the opportunity  to grab some more pictures around a more empty ship.  

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The VIA.

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Jamie's Italian in the VIA.

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Vintages on this ship is one of my favorite Vintages.  It is the bar used by Jamie's to fulfil dinner drink orders so it's a more of a full service bar unlike some ships where Vintages only has wine.  It's more open to the VIA so you don't feel like you stuck in a box and there are some truly knowledgeable bartenders who have taken care of me on this and other Anthem cruises.

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Some leisure seating across from Vintages in the VIA.

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Sail away party on the Helipad.

I've always called it a Winch Pad because that's what the big letters on it say but when the Captain invites you to the Helipad, I'm going with his wording.  His ship, his rules.

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Like Oasis class, the Quantum class Helipad is not open to the public.  Oasis class has often held special sail away events for Suites and Pinnacles but they are much less common on Quantum class ships.

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The Hotel Director mentioned this was only the second time he has put on this event using the Helipad so it was truly special enjoying the sail away and a fabulous sunset from here.

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Loyalty pays.  #Loyal2Royal

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Dinner tonight - not Coastal Kitchen.  Shocker, I know.

My TA had given me a specialty dinner for two so I invited a new solo friend I met at Diamond happy hour in the Music Hall to Jamie's Italian for dinner.

Having dinner with a new friend I decided to switch off trip report mode and enjoy the moment.  No pictures.

I have a collection of menu pictures from various restaurants including Jamie's I'll post at the end.  

It occurs to me that had I been able access to the CL I probably wouldn't have met my new Diamond friend so while access to the CL for D+ is a hot topic these days, the Music Hall Diamond Lounge overflow approach worked in my favor this trip.

For those following along with the Coastal Kitchen menus, tonight we repeated day 5

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Day 8 Late

Getting up from dinner I questioned if I had truly only had one glass of wine at dinner.  Either I was rocking or the ship was.  Turns out it was the ship.

All that weather that was causing trouble in the Bahamas and putting CocoCay calls in jeopardy was also impacting us.  A strong area of high pressure and a strong area of low pressure caused a wind tunnel effect between them and that's right where we were as well as a number of other ships give or take several hundred miles.  

This sort of thing doesn't bother me, it wasn't that bad but it certainly made everyone look like they were walking funny.

We went up to the Schooner Bar to listen to some piano tunes and even the entertainer was commenting on it.  

Fortunately this motion makes me sleep like a baby and that's exactly what I did.    

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Day 9 - Sea Day

Now we begin our return to Bayonne consisting of three sea days.  Morning found us still in the rougher weather but I noted we had put on speed.  Looking at the Windy app I think I knew what the Captain was up to.

By going faster this morning he would get us through this rougher stuff faster and by afternoon it should be getting better.  Sure enough during his noon update that is exactly what the plan was.  

My nice clean balcony was a layer of salt.  Down on deck 6 the wind driven waves were causing a lot of sea spray.  Outer areas on deck 5 were closed as was deck 15.  The Captain reported gale force winds across the decks.  

Despite the winds I thought the ship handled it quite well.  There was some rolling at times but I used the stairs without using the hand railing so it wasn't that bad.  

I had run into the Digital Entertainment Manager a few days ago and talked to him about the new game.  He mentioned it's better on calm sea days as the motion of the ocean can impact the gyros in a phone and cause unpredictable behavior in the game.  Being the inquisitive type I wanted to see how the game would handle these rougher seas.  

Sure enough the virtual mountain was all over the place.

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The game was impossible to play so if you want to try the game, don't wait until a rough sea day to play.

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As morning turned to afternoon the sea conditions improved and there was less motion in the ocean.  The wind was still up and sea spray was still coating my balcony but it looked like a nice enough day out there.

By early evening it was even better and we slowed down to a more economical cruising speed.

For reference the temperature was 23°C or 73°F.  Not hot but also not humid, quit pleasant. 

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After a happy hour drink in the Music Hall overflow for the Diamond Lounge my new friend and I went to Coastal Kitchen for dinner.  Earlier I had asked the CK manager if it would be okay to bring someone who isn't eligible and since I was occupying a table for two by myself he had no problem allowing it.  The CK on Anthem is a much friendlier experience for JS guests compared to Oasis class CK as a JS guest.

 No dinner pictures when dining with friends.

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I saw another display from the food and beverage team on Anthem in the Esplanade.

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When I first saw the Bionic bar being replenished I thought... "they are making the robots so lifelike these days"

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Yes, even Bionic Bar drinks are subject to 18% gratuity.  I guess this is why.  ? 

Don't shoot the messenger.

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Day 11 - Sea Day

Our final day is upon us.

Curious.  Anthem goes into dry dock in April yet they are replacing the Windjammer carpet on this sailing.  Over several nights they've been tackling various sections of the WJ and now it appears complete.  Their stash of carpet in a corner of the SeaPlex has been dwindling night after night.

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For reference the temperature is down to 61°F.  Out here away from land a big influencer on air temperature is the sea.  Absent of any land mass to heat up and change temperatures, the temperature of the sea is the most significant factor in the air temperature. 

Many people always ask what will weather be like when sailing from Bayonne?  Absent of a weather system the temperature of the sea will likely determine how it feels on board.  Search for ocean temperatures and you'll get a baseline of what to expect.   

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Beautiful conditions again today.

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Captain's Corner in two70° to a full house.

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Several guests made comments related to Captain Srecko and his presence around the ship.  He frequently walked through Coastal Kitchen during dinner and apparently did the same in the MDR.  Not only is he a great mariner but he is also a great host around the ship.

The topic of his Flowrider and iFly skills came up and Mitch our CD noted the Captain doesn't simply use the Flowrider or iFly, he must inspect them from time to time.

One guest made the mistake of calling Anthem "a boat".  The Captain stopped Mitch from answering the question.  "If there was just one person on a ship who would that be?" he asked - The Captain.  "If there was just one person on a boat?" he then asked - A frustrated husband.   It was all in good fun.  

At any rate Captain Srecko is well liked by the guests.   

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Where has the time gone?

As I get ready for my last visit to the Music Hall Diamond overflow happy hour, it's hard to pull myself away from this stunning final sunset.

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Just loving this deck 6 balcony.  Close to the water, stunning sunsets.  Should have booked a B2B.  I'm not ready to go home.

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Day 11 - Dinner

You know it... Coastal Kitchen

The day 1 menu was back and with it the Grilled Filet Mignon.  

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Dinner with a friend so no pictures.  

Gotta say this filet let me down a bit.  The flavor was good, it was cooked perfectly but the cut of meat wasn't that great and it was hard to cut through the sinew.  However the ambiance, the company and the wine went a long way to overcome it.  

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Day 12 - Bayonne

Up early to grab some breakfast in the WJ we were backing into the slip at Cape Liberty.

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I joined the self assist line early because I was up and had nothing better to do.   Time 5:53am.

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Comparing prices it looks like Lyft has gone crazy so Uber it will be.

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Ahead of schedule they started letting us off and I was through the facial recognition and outside by 6:51am.

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By 7:35am I was checked in, through security and in the Delta Sky Club.

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For some reason my Uber driver went South through NY to reach Newark claiming traffic was backed up.  Imagine my surprise when my fare went from under $20 to $67!

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I submitted a fare review through Uber and within hours had my rate adjusted back to what I signed up for. 

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Don't let your rideshare driver go the Southern route to Newark through New York.  They are really proud of their bridges on this route.  

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Cruise Summary

When ever I sail a Quantum class ship I'm reminded about how much I love this class of ship.  I was just on the newly amped Oasis and that is a great class of ship but there is something about Anthem and Ovation that is really appealing.  I prefer both the balcony and junior suites on these ships more than Oasis class.  The balcony cabin layout and bathroom is just about perfect on this class. 

As it has happened to work out 80% of my 2020 cruises are on Quantum class and I'm okay with that. 

On this trip I hardly used the pool deck and for the first time I didn't use North Star or iFly.  I don't know where the time went but other than walking through the Solarium a couple times I lived on the lower decks this cruise.   I'm not a sun worshiper so that plays into equation.   I may dig through some of my older Anthem picture galleries to post some pictures because the Solarium is one of the nicest in the fleet and the indoor pool area for families is perfect for this ship.  I wouldn't be doing her justice to not show them off.  

I did walk through the SeaPlex with the goal of visioning how Playmakers will work on Odyssey when she arrives later this year.  I'm really looking forward to sailing on that ship with the evolution that has come with operating these ships for a number of years now.  I was disappointed when Spectrum went straight to Asia but was thrilled when Odyssey was placed in Florida for the end of this year.

A lot has been said about Diamond Plus being restricted from the Concierge Lounge.  I seem to pick my sail dates with increased number of top elite so that is something I've experienced a number of times on both Anthem and Ovation.  I've got to say the expanded Diamond Lounge has always worked really well for me on both ships.  I met some new friends and saw a many of them night after night.  As a solo cruiser I love that the Music Hall bar is available for happy hour.  It's much easier to meet and talk with new friends at the bar seating compared to a table somewhere by myself.  For me losing access to the CL is a non-event.  

The crew were amazing once again on Anthem.  I've sailed with Captain Srecko before and will always look forward to sailing with him again.   

Coastal Kitchen once again was a star and a highlight of the cruise for me.  The night one filet is one of the best steaks in the fleet.

I am really glad they occasionally do these longer itineraries on Anthem.  It's such a nice ship a 7 or 8 night is too short and the ports are more interesting on these longer runs.  Having to wear long pants on the first and last day in the middle of winter is trivial.

Bayonne or Cape Liberty is a great home port.  With sub $20 rideshare transfers it's second only to Fort Lauderdale for fly-in convenience.  Facial recognition is a welcome update since my last Bayonne departure that makes the debarking process so easy.

I'll post the specialty dining menus I have soon and I may go through some of my older Anthem pictures to find the best one to show off a few areas I missed this time around.

Until then I hope you enjoyed following along and I thank you for viewing.  

Cheers!

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20 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

Sounds like that's a pretty common occurrence, eh @CGTLH?

Under breath grumblings...

8 hours ago, twangster said:

For some reason my Uber driver went South through NY to reach Newark claiming traffic was backed up.  Imagine my surprise when my fare went from under $20 to $67!

I personally think the drivers know of a glitch on how Uber calculates the tolls. From what I understand/read if a toll was going to be applied it should only been applied leaving New Jersey, Bayonne Bridge.

Plus I'm not exactly sure how Uber does reimbursement to the drivers, toll is max $16. So I'm sure the drivers can pocket a bit if they get reimbursed the cash rate and only get charged the pass rate or plan rate.

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Thanks @Twangster for posting trip details and great pics.  Your pictures are outstanding and capture a lot of the great features the Quantum class ships offer.    That junior suite looks impressive. 

Our first trip on Anthem was just a couple of weeks ago and she really is a great ship.   I asked my wife if she would be willing to go on Anthem again and it was an enthusiastic "yes."   Now let's see what she thinks about Empress when we sail her next month. 

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This blog is probably one of my favorites of yours to date.  I enjoyed seeing the pictures of the ship and am glad it has fewer pages (thank you to those who didn't repost your photos when replying to one of your posts).  You went home??  I didn't know you ever went home-thought you basically lived on a cruise ship lately.  At any rate, keep enjoying those cruises.  I cannot wait to try a Quantum class ship sometime.

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Thank you so very much Twangster for another great blog.  Your blogs are so wonderful like a good book you don't ever want to put down!

I love the Anthem too!  We were on a second 9 night which I wish was longer like yours last May in a Jr. Suite and that Coastal Kitchen was a definite favorite of ours!

All your beautiful pictures I feel should be in books too!

Michelle

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19 hours ago, twangster said:

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This has to be one of my favorites of all the... hundreds? More likely thousands of photos you've taken. I don't care that it's only January 21, this one has got to (a) get into Friday Photos at some point, and (b) be a finalist for Best Cruise Photo of 2020.

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14 hours ago, twangster said:

Cruise Summary

 the Solarium is one of the nicest in the fleet and the indoor pool area for families is perfect for this ship.  I wouldn't be doing her justice to not show them off.  
 

Having recently disembarked from Quantum OTS I can attest to this comment. ^^

The Solarium is simply gorgeous, while the indoor pool was where my family found itself gathering on a regular basis. The AC was not too cold, just the right temp to provide relief from the harsh south-east Asian sun, but still warm enough to want to hop in the pool.

I loved the 270* theatre as a space to relax and dreamily watch the wake of the ship. The Music Hall was also an excellent venue.

On the downside, I did not enjoy the Esplanade. It lacked a certain vibe that is present with the Promenade and Centrum from other classes of ships. I also didn't feel much of a connection to the ocean, which is ample when on Radiance class for instance. It seems that you do not necessarily share this view Twangster? It's all a question of personal preference, after all.

Love reading your blogs!

 

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On 1/18/2020 at 9:34 PM, twangster said:

I was almost done unpacking when I made a dash for deck 15 to take in the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

 

 

 

Loving this thread! 
 

About that time did you reach the Verrazano Bridge? I’m curious because our Genie is delivering food to our room for sail away, right after Muster.... but we were wanting to go up top for the passing under the bridge. It seems like we may feel super rushed, and now wondering if we should cancel the food/ drink order. 
 

from my understanding we should be back to our room by 3:30 following muster. Does this seem right? 

sailing Monday, can’t wait! 
 

Thanks!

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3 minutes ago, SwagsAF said:

Loving this thread! 
 

About that time did you reach the Verrazano Bridge? I’m curious because our Genie is delivering food to our room for sail away, right after Muster.... but we were wanting to go up top for the passing under the bridge. It seems like we may feel super rushed, and now wondering if we should cancel the food/ drink order. 
 

from my understanding we should be back to our room by 3:30 following muster. Does this seem right? 

sailing Monday, can’t wait! 
 

Thanks!

We started leaving the pier just after 3pm and we were passing under the bridge at 3:30pm.

My close up picture of Lady Liberty was at 3:10pm, the bridge picture with us passing under was at 3:29pm.  

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On 1/20/2020 at 9:34 PM, twangster said:

I saw another display from the food and beverage team on Anthem in the Esplanade.

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Yes, even Bionic Bar drinks are subject to 18% gratuity.  I guess this is why.  ? 

Don't shoot the messenger.

We spent a lot of time chatting with the two people who serviced Mix and Mingle on Ovation.  They always sought us out to ask how our day was and chat about various things.  They also worked really hard to keep the area clean and the machines stocked and serviced.   We tipped them extra at the end of the cruise. I think they get forgotten about.

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As promised here are some menus from around the ship (minus the MDR).

The Pub 

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The pub menu uses small fonts with fine characters so here are two sections of it blown up bigger.

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Izumi

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Jamie's Italian

Lunch:

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Dinner:

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Kids:

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Chops Grille

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Dessert:

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Solarium Bistro

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Wonderland

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La Pastisserie

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Since that menu is an eye chart here it is blown up bigger:

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Taste of Royal

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6 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

Also how far in advance did you book to get a Jr suite? I am trying to decide between an Anthem or an Allure sailing for 2021.

That really depends on how popular the cruise is and the dates involved.  

JS are available with a refundable deposit that can be converted to non-refundable later.  That's always a smart play well in advance if you can afford the deposit.  

Suites including Junior suites often sell out first because there are limited supply of them compared to other cabins.  The normal wisdom applies to any suite - book early and watch for price drops to secure the best pricing.

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