Nonna4 Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 We’ll be on the Anthem of the Seas in a few days, so we check in, drop off luggage, what’s next? Do we go to have lunch somewhere (recommendations?), explore the ship Also we we need to sign up to ride the bumper cars? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogalthorpe Haywood Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 We usually go right to the windjammer and eat lunch. Anthem has a few options though with 270 being very good also just with fewer options. The bumper cars will fill up fast so getting in line early is best. Nonna4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jticarruthers Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 Get yelled at by my wife for not doing what she wanted to do as soon as we got on the ship ?? ;) Nonna4, coneyraven, Todd W and 4 others 1 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arebee Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 We like to find our table in the MDR so come time we don't look lost. Usually do that with a long island ice tea in hand. MikeK, Nonna4 and jticarruthers 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneyraven Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 Do a Bee Line to the closest Bar --- Have a Bloody Maryland ---- then head up to the Windjammer .... even if it's a zoo, you can't break tradition. jticarruthers, Nonna4, Todd W and 1 other 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monctonguy Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 First thing is to get drink out on the pool deck. Enjoy that sun, breeze and cold drink. Then take the time to explore the ship before it gets too crowded. Its a great time to get your bearings on board and also a great time to get some photos as its nice and clean and empty. JLMoran, jticarruthers and Nonna4 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 If you arrive after 1PM you will be able to drop off your luggage in your room. If you are there before 1:00 chances are your room will not be ready yet so you will be schlepping all of your carry-on luggage around with you. Whatever you decide to do, keep that fact in mind. MikeK and Nonna4 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 If it's Anthem, then I really suggest going to the WJ or 270 to eat first. When we were there in March, we got there when it opened (just before 11 am) and it was fine. By noon, there was a huge line outside the WJ and they were limiting how many could go in. The was the first time I ever witnessed anything like that. No need to sign up for bumper cars. But lines do form pretty early. Nonna4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 First thing we always do is eat lunch at Windjammer. Lately, we have then gone to going for a swim, as it gives my kids a good outlet for all that pent up energy. Some other first day activities are take a spa tour, check out your table location at MDR and otherwise explore the ship. Nonna4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 58 minutes ago, monctonguy said: First thing is to get drink out on the pool deck. Enjoy that sun, breeze and cold drink. Then take the time to explore the ship before it gets too crowded. Its a great time to get your bearings on board and also a great time to get some photos as its nice and clean and empty. +1 for this. First cruise ever this past March/April, and it was such a good feeling just sipping that drink (lava flow!!), feeling the breeze, and letting yourself go for just a little. It really brings that "I'm finally on vacation" feeling home. Let that settle in for a bit, and then worry about (leisurely) exploring or having lunch or whatever. You've waited a long time for this moment, so take a little while to just savor it and take it all in. The ship won't mind, it'll be there all week. WAAAYTOOO, henrysea13, monctonguy and 2 others 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DunkelBierJay Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 My default on past cruises has been to go to the Windjammer and find honey stung chicken. Now that I finally have that off my bucket list, I am hitting Giovanni's on Allure to use my CP Balcony lunch perk away from the throng of people in the Windjammer and Park Cafe (Kummelwicks will be there later when I want them -- hopefully for an early evening snack to hold me over till my 9 PM Izumi Hibachi reservation on embarkation day!) Nonna4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason.H. Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 1 hour ago, Matt said: First thing we always do is eat lunch at MDR. Lately, we have then gone to going for a swim, as it gives my kids a good outlet for all that pent up energy. Some other first day activities are take a spa tour, check out your table location at MDR and otherwise explore the ship. I don't think the main dining room is open for lunch on embarkation day. I think you meant windjammer. (in your pronunciation of course Nonna4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellcee Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 A cocktail and a run around the ship to be wowed. I try to get my bearings of where my room is and where are the places I will be at the most. Nonna4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason.H. Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 We get on as early as possible and start with a champagne for my wife and a rum and coke for me. Walk the main areas then the pool and try to get a few good pictures before there are a million people. Then we head to the windjammer for lunch or park cafe if on Oasis. Then go to our main dining room and find our assigned table (if doing traditional dining). Then drink some more out by the pool or on the top deck (wipe out bar at rear of ship on oasis is my favorite place for sail away). Nonna4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 24 minutes ago, Jason.H. said: I don't think the main dining room is open for lunch on embarkation day. I think you meant windjammer. (in your pronunciation of course D'oh, thanks. I meant Windjammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny260 Posted May 10, 2018 Report Share Posted May 10, 2018 If I made specialty restaurant reservations or BOGO, go confirm my dates, times and restaurants and then to the pool to swim and gets drinks, Park Cafe if on an Oasis class ship for a snack, if it is a new ship or new type of ship we have never been on we explore in there someplace and then to the room at 1pm and then muster at 4 or 5 when ever it is announced. Nonna4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonna4 Posted May 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2018 Thank you everyone for your input, our boarding is at 12:00 but we will get to the Anthem earlier hopefully we can get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd W Posted May 22, 2018 Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 i have to agree with so many others, drop off any carry-on's and find the nearest bar for a cold drink! it's always 5 o'clock somewhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincipalTinker Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 On 5/10/2018 at 4:45 PM, Nonna4 said: Thank you everyone for your input, our boarding is at 12:00 but we will get to the Anthem earlier hopefully we can get on I think we were very lucky when we boarded the Anthem in April. We arrived at the terminal around 11:15. We dropped off the luggage, parked the car and went to the terminal. As we entered we said “hello” to an employee standing right inside the door. She asked us “how many” and then sent us to a station with an iPad along the left wall. At that station they checked us in and stamped our set sail pass. This allowed us to skip the longer security line. The whole process of pulling into the terminal road to boarding the ship was less than 30 minutes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fonemanbob Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 We go and make our specialty dinner reservations then spa reservations. After that to the M.D.R. to see where our table is. Off to the Windjammer and then the pool bar. And it is not even noon by this time. No we are not O.C.D. It beats coming late and being in lines forever. I did forget to mention if it is a bigger ship we make show reservations. And we do have carry on bags. But they are a minor inconvenience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigskin Posted May 27, 2018 Report Share Posted May 27, 2018 This December I’ll be on the Symphony & I booked the Ultimited Dinning package. So when first board I will go to deck 8 to a specialty restaurant to book my dinning for the wk. I will then go to Park Cafe for lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted May 27, 2018 Report Share Posted May 27, 2018 Park Cafe is a great place for lunch on embarkation day and I’m not trying to change your mind about doing that, but if you have the UDP aren’t you entitled to have lunch on embark day at a specialty restaurant ? You might as well maximize your plan, right ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPS Posted May 30, 2018 Report Share Posted May 30, 2018 For us, the new tradition is stop by Schooner for our first cocktail followed by getting some lunch. (Park Cafe is usually pretty free of congestion, Windjammer if it's not TOO crowded) Following that, we always take the Spa tour and cross our fingers to win something in the raffle. (Plus my wife usually has a Day 1 massage already booked to start vacation extra relaxed!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 30, 2018 Report Share Posted May 30, 2018 First of all, that 12 noon boarding time is a suggested arrival time. I arrive pretty close to 10am regardless of the time on my set sail pass. On Anthem the first thing I do is visit Boleros where the Box Office is temporarily setup to make any reservations that I couldn't make online in advance. This includes entertainment but especially NorthStar and iFly. Next is specialty dining if booked in advance to update any dining packages purchased. With that complete, visit the SeaPlex to see how the bumper car line is or what time it will start on day one. While there take a photo of the SeaPlex schedule on the displays that you can use it to plan the rest of the cruise and SeaPlex schedule: On day one only in the evening they have a special show in Two70° that highlights the technology of this room. It's easy to miss so look at the cruise compass for it. It's called "Two70° Tonight" or "The Two70° Experience": https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/5068-anthem-112517-712-b2b/&do=findComment&comment=50344 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted June 5, 2018 Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 We're in the "go to lunch" camp, but usually head to somewhere other than the Windjammer like the Promenade Cafe or a specialty restaurant if it's open and wait there until our cabins are available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.