ANTHEM cruise to Bermuda, help!

Hello fellow CCers! Cruising to Bermuda in May and looking for some info.

 

1--Parking at Bayonne? Any tips or hints? We'll be driving there from NH. Luckily we depart on Sat, so traffic into NYC shouldn't be that bad.

 

 

2--Can you reserve the skydiving ahead of time? Haven't found anything online.

 

 

3--Anyone know which side of the ship faces dock at Bermuda?

 

 

4--Suites...does Suite Lounge offer complimentary drinks at any other time than the cocktail hour from 5:30-8:00pm? Last time we were on Oasis, they offered select beer, wine, and soda at all other times throughout the cruise.

 

 

5--THANK YOU!!

Hello fellow CCers! Cruising to Bermuda in May and looking for some info.1--Parking at Bayonne? Any tips or hints? We'll be driving there from NH. Luckily we depart on Sat, so traffic into NYC shouldn't be that bad.

 

 

2--Can you reserve the skydiving ahead of time? Haven't found anything online.

 

 

3--Anyone know which side of the ship faces dock at Bermuda?

 

 

4--Suites...does Suite Lounge offer complimentary drinks at any other time than the cocktail hour from 5:30-8:00pm? Last time we were on Oasis, they offered select beer, wine, and soda at all other times throughout the cruise.

 

 

5--THANK YOU!!

 

 

Where are you coming from in NH? Parking is $20/day at Cape Liberty.

 

Directions from Mass

 

If you come down I495, you take I290 through Worcester to the Mass Pike west one exit to I84. If you come out the Mass Pike, you pick up I84 west in Auburn and I91 south in Hartford. You take exit 17 marked W Cross Parkway. This becomes the Merritt Parkway at Milford.

 

If you come down I95 there is a cutover to the Merritt at Milford CT exit 38. At Rye NY there is another cutover to the Hutchinson River Parkway South exit 21 immediately after exit 2 in CT (no exit 1). You This cutover is longer than the one at Milford and involves getting off onto I287 West and following the signs to the Merritt/Hutch. You get off onto a service road, go through a few lights and take the turn for the Hutch south.

 

The Merritt Pkwy becomes the Hutchinson River Pkwy at the NY/CT line. From the Hutch take exit 15 in New Rochelle to get on the Cross County Pkwy. Stay in the middle left lane, which will become the left lane when the road "scrunches". This leads onto the Saw Mill River Pkwy South which becomes the Henry Hudson Pkwy at the NYC line ($5.50 toll - if no EZPass they will bill you in the mail and you need to pay it!). The toll is worth every penny.

 

You take the George Washington Bridge exit and slide over to the middle left lane. Follow the NJ Turnpike signs. When you get on the turnpike, follow the first set of Lincoln Tunnel signs to get on the eastern spur of the turnpike, but don't get off at the actual tunnel exit. Continue on to exit 14-14A-14B-14C and follow the signs to exit 14A.

 

The are no trucks on this route from Meriden CT to the GW Bridge and you will avoid any traffic issues on the Cross Bronx Expressway or the intersection with I87.

I parked at the pier for both trips, you drop your bags off at the curb and park next door, it is $20 per day payable at the end of the cruise. There is construction at Exit 14A so be sure to follow signs for new traffic patterns for Cape Liberty.

 

Keep checking back for Ripcord reservations they do fill-in quickly, if you have no luck on the website a reservation table has been set up outside the theater on deck 4 (I believe). You might be able to reserve with the Royal IQ app once onboard as well.

 

Docking in Bermuda will vary, with the overnight stay there are usually lifeboat drills and maintenance work that can vary the side facing the pier.

For parking - these guys are great and only 11.99!! http://www.bayonnecruiseparking.com

Hello fellow CCers! Cruising to Bermuda in May and looking for some info.1--Parking at Bayonne? Any tips or hints? We'll be driving there from NH. Luckily we depart on Sat, so traffic into NYC shouldn't be that bad.

 

 

2--Can you reserve the skydiving ahead of time? Haven't found anything online.

 

 

3--Anyone know which side of the ship faces dock at Bermuda?

 

 

4--Suites...does Suite Lounge offer complimentary drinks at any other time than the cocktail hour from 5:30-8:00pm? Last time we were on Oasis, they offered select beer, wine, and soda at all other times throughout the cruise.

 

 

5--THANK YOU!!

 

 

You should book iFly on line as soon as it opens. If not you will need to go to the facility once on board to sign up (and possibly end up on a space available wait list.)

 

Suite Lounge is open all day. Speciality coffee machine is round the clock. Alcohol is comp only during the evening hours.

 

Other posters answered your other questions.

Thanks everyone!

 

Another quick question...does Anthem have a baby pool (swim diaper approved) like Oasis class does?

Hello fellow CCers! Cruising to Bermuda in May and looking for some info.

 

1--Parking at Bayonne? Any tips or hints? We'll be driving there from NH. Luckily we depart on Sat, so traffic into NYC shouldn't be that bad.

 

 

2--Can you reserve the skydiving ahead of time? Haven't found anything online.

 

 

3--Anyone know which side of the ship faces dock at Bermuda?

 

 

4--Suites...does Suite Lounge offer complimentary drinks at any other time than the cocktail hour from 5:30-8:00pm? Last time we were on Oasis, they offered select beer, wine, and soda at all other times throughout the cruise.

 

 

5--THANK YOU!!

You can make IFly and North Star reservations on the RC website when the activities area for your cruise opens- at least 90 days prior to the cruise. You just have to watch your reservation.

I saw a "play pool" , very shallow for children. RC has added a rack of life vests for children and pool attendants.

You've been given great directions. My advise: we used Trinity Reservations in the past and had a great experience. Our $210 package included overnight stay in the Ramada Inn, 13 nights parking, transportation to and from the cruise port at the times we requested. I will use them again.:loudcry:

When are you going? We will be on the 7/6/2017 cruise, we were just on the Anthem for the 1/2/2017 cruise- love this ship!

For parking - these guys are great and only 11.99!! http://www.bayonnecruiseparking.com

 

Have you ever used them with an early check-in time? I'm wondering how long the wait to get a shuttle to the ship will take around 10:00am.

 

Thanks!

3. This is unpredictable. The ship can dock with either side to the pier. On our cruise, it was the starboard side to the pier.

Thanks everyone!

 

Another quick question...does Anthem have a baby pool (swim diaper approved) like Oasis class does?

 

They have a baby splash area near the kids zero entry pool. It's not very big, but it is meant for babies/toddlers.

They have a baby splash area near the kids zero entry pool. It's not very big, but it is meant for babies/toddlers.

 

Great thanks!

You can make IFly and North Star reservations on the RC website when the activities area for your cruise opens- at least 90 days prior to the cruise. You just have to watch your reservation.

 

When are you going? We will be on the 7/6/2017 cruise, we were just on the Anthem for the 1/2/2017 cruise- love this ship!

 

Thanks for the info! We're going on a 5nt May 6-11.

Does Anthem do luggage tags in the mail for suites like Oasis class?

Thanks for the info! We're going on a 5nt May 6-11.

We are doing the 5 night May 20-25. We missed the online reservation window already, they are all gone. I would love to hear if you had success signing up for things once on board and any other tips and help that you have for me when you get back.

We are doing the 5 night May 20-25. We missed the online reservation window already, they are all gone. I would love to hear if you had success signing up for things once on board and any other tips and help that you have for me when you get back.

We booked two Anthem cruises last spring at the last minute and had no problem getting reservations onboard. Have you downloaded the free Royal IQ app? Some people report being able to connect while still in the terminal, but we couldn't until we were onboard. You can make reservations via this app. We ended up using the iPads that are set up for making reservations - skip the busy customer service area and go to the ones in the shore excursion area. The key is to board as early as possible for the best availability. We also booked MTD while onboard - there is a podium set up outside the MDR on deck 3.

Does Anthem do luggage tags in the mail for suites like Oasis class?

 

We did not receive free luggage tags for Anthem when we stayed in a GS in January.