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Anthem of the Seas - March 9-17, 2018


Lovetocruise2002

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2 minutes ago, twangster said:

Don't forget to ask the suite concierge about tender tickets for CocoCay.

I'm in lowly Sea Class lol. No concierge. But we did purchase the Aqua Park/Slide combo as an excursion so I'm assuming that is our tender ticket? Cruise compass said that those who purchased shore excursions through RC do not require a tender ticket.

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Just now, Sabrinaklai said:

I'm in lowly Sea Class lol. No concierge. But we did purchase the Aqua Park/Slide combo as an excursion so I'm assuming that is our tender ticket? Cruise compass said that those who purchased shore excursions through RC do not require a tender ticket.

Yes, excursion tickets work as tender tickets.

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Back from rock climbing. Hubby and kids got there at 1:30pm for a 2:00pm start. They were first in line. By 2pm when I got there the line was very long. I did not get a pic in the frenzy but the line started to the left of the wall and it was past the giraffe (not my pic...credit to google search). 

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You are required to wear socks. They provide the shoes and harness. No helmet for this activity.

Beginners:

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He's done it before:

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Ever wonder what happens if you lose your  seapass card?  After rock climbing hubby could not find his. He went back to rock climbing to see if he dropped it. No luck. Went to to guest services and they basically deactivate your card and WOW band and issue you a new card. Pretty easy. Then D1 found hubby's card...location? In the slot for the lights! ?

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Kids are having Sorrento's pizza and chips on the balcony and I had some time to put this together. This was probably the coolest sailaway I have experienced. After putting this together I had to laugh at myself, I am the whimpiest Canadian. Can you tell I hate the cold? Lol. Hence the retirement plan to move to Florida.

 

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Quick post before dinner. Hubby and kids went roller skating in the SeaPlex. I did not go. I avoid that place like the plague. Too much like work lol. 

?: Hubby

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After that it was soft serve ice cream time. It was nice that there was a hand washing station right near it.

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Dinner time! CK and Spectra's Cabaret tonight.

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Loving the blog! Great job, not boring at all. Today looks warmer based on the number of people wearing shorts.  Is it still too cold to swim?   Really nice to see a different ship.  I don't think I could sail out of NJ for Spring Break. Way too cold for me and I live in the South although it may snow here tonight!  I need to move somewhere warmer. 

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3 hours ago, Sabrinaklai said:

"not my pic...credit to google search"

 

 

Me thinks she's a bot like Twangster, Has anyone actually seen her or Twangster, or an actual pic of them....like in a drivers license?  ? Pictures randomly get posted on here by the two of them...who's the wiser...sneak they are, real there not! ?

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1 hour ago, Sabrinaklai said:

Dinner time! CK and Spectra's Cabaret tonight.

Sabrina--Loving your blog. It is great. I think you will enjoy Spectra's Cabaret--very entertaining. Assuming they are still doing their We Will Rock You production, make sure to see that. We sailed Anthem in 2016 and that was the highlight of all entertainment. It is truly as good as a real Broadway show.

Also, a quick request please. We are sailing Adventure out of Cape Liberty in May and the first stop is Cape Canaveral. We were think of getting the Kennedy Space Center excursion also. However, ship is not scheduled to arrive until noon and according to the website KSC closes at 6. Please let us know if you agree that this will not leave enough time to make it worthwhile. Thank you so much and enjoy your cruise!!

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1 hour ago, mworkman said:

Me thinks she's a bot like Twangster, Has anyone actually seen her or Twangster, or an actual pic of them....like in a drivers license?  ? Pictures randomly get posted on here by the two of them...who's the wiser...sneak they are, real there not! ?

This is too funny! @twangster, we need to get together one day and take a pic for all these people. 

@mworkman...not a bot, bots don't wear lulu ?

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17 minutes ago, Skid said:

Sabrina--Loving your blog. It is great. I think you will enjoy Spectra's Cabaret--very entertaining. Assuming they are still doing their We Will Rock You production, make sure to see that. We sailed Anthem in 2016 and that was the highlight of all entertainment. It is truly as good as a real Broadway show.

Also, a quick request please. We are sailing Adventure out of Cape Liberty in May and the first stop is Cape Canaveral. We were think of getting the Kennedy Space Center excursion also. However, ship is not scheduled to arrive until noon and according to the website KSC closes at 6. Please let us know if you agree that this will not leave enough time to make it worthwhile. Thank you so much and enjoy your cruise!!

We have a reservation for We Will Rock You in a few nights. I will let you know about KSC.

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CK Night 3 Menu

Dinner tonight features another two of my favourite CK dishes.

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Spinach salad: Fresh, healthy. Not much more to say. Rating...A

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Scallops: Hubby's dish. It is raw. He did not expect that. I don't think he liked it. He said he cannot rate it because it wasn't his thing lol. 

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Braised Beef Gnocchi: Love this dish! Braised beef is tender and falls apart. Excellent flavour. Rating A, not + cause it was slightly cold.

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Veal Cannelloni: This came with Balsamic dressing. D1 did not like it. She thought it was chocolate sauce...oops ? No rating here.

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Moroccan Spiced Chicken Breast: Hubby's dish. He said it had full flavour. I had this one on Harmony. The couscous is very light and tasty. Rating: A

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Grilled Tofu: I adore this dish ? I like tofu. I've been eating it since I was young. I know fresh vs. not so fresh tofu and this one is perfect in texture and freshness. Even if you are not a tofu lover, you need to give it a try if you ever find yourself in CK. It is dressed with a sweet chilli sauce that is simply delicious. 

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Dessert!

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No dessert pics tonight...sorry. They were all repeats. Hubby and I got apple pie. It had raisins in it. D1 had ice cream (for the 3rd time today) and D2 skipped dessert cause she was too tired ? 

The head waiter here in CK continues to amaze me. He stops at every table, every night to have a chat. Not just a hello, but a real chat. So personable. On top of this I have also witnessed him do things that I have never seen a head waiter too. He refills water and buses tables while making his rounds. Super hard worker! In a chat with him last night we spoke about the pier at Coco Cay. He mentioned in passing that it might be slated for a late 2018 completion now. 

After dinner we headed to Spectra's Cabaret in 270. I had pretty much no expectations for this as I have read very mixed reviews about this show. I loved it! I find it hard to describe. It was a variety show of sorts. There was singing, music, acrobatics, dancing, and course the amazing technical and special effects in 270. It was psychedelic, futuristic, very Cirque du Soleil-ish at times. I loved the percussions and the musicality of it as well. Really well put together. 

Wrapping it up tonight as we have a pretty early start tomorrow. Meeting time for KSC  is 8:15am. That is way too early for us. Probably won't update much tomorrow until I get back on board. Canadian in the US without data.  Good night all.

 

 

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Day 4 - Port Canaveral

Good morning all! Happy Monday? ?

This morning we arrived in PC to cloudy skies and light rain ? Majesty of the Seas is here with us today but she's not in view. 

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Had room service delivered for the first time ever today since it was easier and faster for the kids. Room service arrived with half our order missing. Not sure if inaccuracies are the norm but I was slightly disappointed by that. Hubby ended up taking the room service tray (thanks to our previous discussions here) up to the WJ to get us the remainder of breakfast. He reported that while he was there he was approached by other passengers as to where he got it from. Apparently, others think it's a great idea too lol.

Checking out now. Time to get my kids moving. Off to Kennedy Space Center.  Will not be updating until I get back on board. ?

 

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15 minutes ago, Sabrinaklai said:

Room service arrived with half our order missing. Not sure if inaccuracies are the norm but I was slightly disappointed by that.

 

This happened to us last week.  I called the room service # and told them half my stuff was missing.  She asked what we had ordered, and within 10min (probably less) the same lady who brought our first half was back with the rest.

Welcome to the Space Coast!  Have fun at KSC.  The Atlantis, and Apollo exhibits are my favorites.

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Sabrina, I am in awe of your blogging tenacity.  Great job !

Surprised and disappointed at the room service debacle.  As Twangster said, it is an alarming trend.  I have always had exceptional room service experience.  Sorry this happened.  BRILLIANT use of the confiscated trays !

Are your girls doing anything with Adventure Ocean ?  I haven't heard you mention it at all.  Just wondering if they are doing anything with the other children.

Sounds chillish.  I hope you had a wonderful day at KSC.  It's an amazing place.

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1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Sabrina, I am in awe of your blogging tenacity.  Great job !

Surprised and disappointed at the room service debacle.  As Twangster said, it is an alarming trend.  I have always had exceptional room service experience.  Sorry this happened.  BRILLIANT use of the confiscated trays !

Are your girls doing anything with Adventure Ocean ?  I haven't heard you mention it at all.  Just wondering if they are doing anything with the other children.

Sounds chillish.  I hope you had a wonderful day at KSC.  It's an amazing place.

Haha! The kids refused to go to AO. Too "babyish" in their words. No review on that. 

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Great updates on the blog. Loving the CK menus! I hope they have at least some of the appetizers and entrees you've posted here by the time October comes around; that Green Curry and Coconut Soup sounds like a must-try for me, and I'd definitely try the tofu entree based on your recommendation.

Very sorry to hear about the room service mess-up; not something you want to deal with when you're trying to get ready for an excursion. Glad your husband was able to leverage the tray and salvage things via the WJ!

Have fun at KSC, and I hope the kids enjoy it!

Oh, and be aware there is yet another nor'easter that's supposed to hit NJ tonight and into tomorrow morning. Not supposed to be anything at all like the one from last week, only a couple of inches of snow forecast now unless it changes track again. Depending on how it tracks after going by NJ, I guess there's a chance there could be some rough water heading your way (based on the earlier posts here about the impact from prior nor'easters).

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41 minutes ago, Matt said:

Loving the photos!

Is it alright if I share your stateroom photos on my wife's @Momsoftheseas site?

Sure Matt! Not a problem. I noticed in my research prior to this cruise that there are very few photos of the FJ. That is why I made sure hubby took very detailed ones. You can use it in a photo tour too if you want. Happy to contribute!

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Hi all!  Sorry for the lack of live posts today.  It has been a busy day.  We went to KSC today on a shore excursion purchased through RC.  It is called "Kennedy Space Center Guided Tour".  It is pricey but well worth it in my opinion.  We got 10% off the Cruise Planner price during the sale at Christmas time.  Here's a short summary of our day...

Instructions were to meet outside the terminal building at 8:15am.  Upon arriving outside, greeters were there to direct you.

Greeter:  "What excursion are you headed on today?"

Hubby:  "Cape Canaveral"

Greeter: ...looking puzzled

Me:  We are going on the Kennedy Space Center guided tour.

Greeter:  "Oh, ok, down to the buses on the right."

More evidence to support the fact the I am the Genie, even on vacation...Ok, moving on...

The bus left promptly at 8:30am.  It took slightly over 20min to get to KSC.  The bus ride there and back was very interactive.  Our guide gave lots of info about the area and the Space Center.  We headed straight to the Saturn V Center.  The last time we were here it was about 20 years ago.  Hubby and I both noticed throughout the day that they have added many more attractions to the place.  At the Saturn V building, we watched a video on the lift off of Apollo 8 and there was plenty of time given to walk around, take pics, and tour independently.

Photo Credit:  All Hubby

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After leaving the Saturn V Center, they gave us some time to view the launch pad from the viewing stands.  That's where my pic earlier today came from.

We boarded the bus again and headed over to the Visitor Complex.  Here we watched a short video at Journey to Mars and watched an 3D IMAX movie on "Journey to Space".  Many of the attractions here reminded me of the Epcot Center.  Our kids were surprisingly engaged and we were really pleased with that.  Free time was then given for lunch.  It was raining by this point so the break was welcomed.  The food choices here are standard theme park items.

D2 was quite inspired by this time.  She created this.  It's called "Mission Chicken"  or "Chicken Rocket", she couldn't decide.

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After lunch, we met back up with the group and it was time to head over to Atlantis.  Here we had time to participate in the Shuttle Launch Experience and wander through other exhibits.

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All in all, it was a very worthwhile experience at KSC.  Everything mentioned above was included except lunch.  It was a busy day.  D2 lost all steam by the end of the day.  In chatting with the kids at dinner, they had time to reflect on the visit and they enjoyed it.  It was eye opening for them to see the collective effort that goes into a mission.  It was also humbling for them to see the sacrifices made by others to get to the point where we are now in space exploration.  I am really happy that we took them now (at this age) and not earlier because they are at an age where they can see beyond the "fun" of the exhibits and process the information they took in today.  This excursion also provided a really good mix of guided exploration and independent touring. 

In answer to @Skid's question from earlier, if this excursion is worthwhile as a half-day tour, I feel that the answer is it depends on several factors.  If the tour is guided and includes both the Saturn V Center and the Visitor Complex, then no.  I fear it may be very rushed.  If it only includes part of it, then yes, you can still get some good time in.  If your tour is totally independent, then it is worthwhile if you are not visiting for the first time (and you are selective) or if you have researched it and have a set plan (no wandering).  Keep in mind that travel time alone is about 50-60 min round trip.  On our way back to the ship, we had to wait on a bridge for about 10 min because there was a barge that had to pass.  Things like that can eat up time if you only have 6 hours.  Our tour was listed as 8hrs but really it was 8:15am-5pm.

After we got back, the kids were wiped.  It was a quick stop at Sorrento's pizza again (kids like it lol) and then back to the stateroom to clean up for dinner.

Going to put the kids to bed then post dinner photos...

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43 minutes ago, Skid said:

Sabrina-Thank you soooooo much for the great information. I am honored that you remembered my question! I'm glad you are enjoying your cruise and hope you have great weather and smooth sailing the rest of the way. You and your wonderful family deserve it!

Thank you. Any day that I don't have to cook or worry about dinner is a great time!

And no worries, that's what RC Blog is all about, helping each other, learning from each other. So ask away! ?

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CK Night 4 Menu:

I forgot to mention in previous dinner posts that the classics menu (left side) is the same every night. The menu that changes nightly is the one that I am posting. For the classics menu, see the first dinner post. 

We were all super tired from today's activities so the plan was just to eat quickly and relax the rest of the night. 

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Hubby, D1, and I all started with the Caesar Salad. No pic as I already posted that in another post. D2 had her usual tomatoes in a martini glass. We didn't even have to ask for it tonight. At CK on Anthem, they sit you with the same server each night. I like that way better as they know you well by now and it makes tipping easier at the end.  He has also been very accommodating with D2 as she is ridiculously picky. More than once now, he has taken items from the adult menu and modified it to her liking. For example, for dinner tonight, she had the roasted chicken but it was completely plain (zero sauces and garnishes) and her side item was fries. 

Cheese Tortellini: Flavour was light and not too strong. Hubby and D1 liked this a lot. I liked it too but I could only eat about 1/3 of it as I find tortellini sits heavy in your stomach and fills you up quickly.  Rating: A

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Grilled Barramundi:  The plan was for Hubby and I to share this. In the end, we each took a few bites and left it. It was really salty and the texture was very stiff. It was fresh, just not to our personal liking. I want to say rating is a B- but that is highly subjective. 

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Vegetable dish. Sorry, in putting this post together I just realized that my menu pic has the last entree cut off. I also cannot remember the name of it. Whatever it was called, this dish is good! It contains beans, chick peas, and grilled vegetables. The white stuff was a yogurt dressing. Flavouring played a big part in making this dish delicious!  Rating: A

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Dessert!

Proof as to how tired my kids were by this point, they skipped dessert. Totally unheard of!  Hubby and I still found the strength ?

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Creme Brûlée, my usual favourite.  

Rating: A

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Chocolate and Olive cake. This did not sound appealing at all but our waiter insisted that I try it. I am so glad I listened because this was yummy! It was dense and rich but melted in your mouth.

Rating: A

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New York Cheesecake with Strawberry topping, Hubby's usual favourite.  Rating: A

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After dinner we called it a night. Back to the stateroom for PJs and family time. Everyone, but me, is now fast asleep ? 

Goodnight all!

 

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