KeywestK

We are in the very early planning stage of researching a cruise and land tour to Alaska.  We want to do the Denali portion first, then the cruise.  We are long-time Royal Caribbean cruisers, but are not ruling out other cruise lines.   We prefer the train over a bus to the interior, and want to know what others have experienced.   

We booked for January 2021 a few weeks ago.  Best cabin selection, and pricing will probably only go up, but I'll keep an eye on it.😉👍

Amazon sells travel mah jongg sets. I wouldn't trust that any sets on a ship would have all the tiles.  Post on your roll call to see if there are other players who might be interested.  I have spent many sea days playing may jongg🌞

8 hours ago, lazydayz said:

No way would I go for this.  You and your husband have booked and planned your cruise, and paid for lots of extras,.  If you change your cabin, you will lose everything and have to start over, some of which may no longer be available or  cost more.  The group dynamics of your cruise would make this an easy decision for me. The two new solos could either room together, stay solo or find replacements for those who are not longer able to cruise. Good luck! 

This is exactly right.  You and your husband have made YOUR plans for YOUR vacation.  There is no way would I allow their problem to become my problem.  They need to work out their own solutions.  

On 2/27/2019 at 7:57 PM, matj2000 said:

Don't micro-manage your trip.

 

Don't plan every second of the day.

 

Don't  try to find everything you can about the ships nook & crannies.

 

Don't read the Daily Compass's people post here.

 

Don't Look over every menu available that people post here.

 

Find out the basics and learn as you go.

Best response!  

I have never done this exact cruise, but I have cruised a few times on the NE/Canada itinerary, and also to Bermuda, all in prime hurricane season, all in late August/early September.  We have never had a weather-related issue to deal with.  Certainly no one has a crystal ball to forecast when a storm will happen.  The ship's captain will do everything in his/her power to avoid a storm, even if it means cancelling or changing ports of call.  The safety of the passengers/crew/ship are top priority.  If the itinerary and pricing looks appealing to you, go ahead and book it.  And be sure to purchase travel insurance, just in case.  

We were on Anthem for 9 nights a few months ago, and we saw everything from a few men in tuxedos, some suits or sport jacks, and a large majority in slacks with collared shirts.  No need to dress up if your husband doesn't want to.  

Whatever you do, avoid the Windjammer.  We went to the Park Cafe on boarding day.  Short line, nice selection, did not feel like a madhouse.

Back on the early 90s when Majesty was built, cabins with balconies were rare.  The next generation of ships, the Vision class, there were  few more.  It wasn't until Voyager class and Radiance class that balconies became commonplace--and much more affordable.

It was on the menu one night (on a 9-night sailing) on Anthem in August.  

We've done this itinerary twice, and really enjoyed it.  My recommendations for must do tours are:  Boston - do the hop on hop off tour bus.  There is so much history to take in, and you can maximize your day doing it this way.  Halifax - Peggy's Cove is a beautiful and quintessential scenic view of coastal Canada.  Also in Halifax, the Maritime museum, which is an easy walk from the ship.  It's easily accessible from walking along the boardwalk, which is a beautiful pedestrian promenade.

Thanks for the responses.

Researching flights for next fall.  Miami to Venice, one way.  Pricing is excellent.   Anyone have any experience with this airline? 

Jamie's was, without exception, the best dining experience on our recent Anthem cruise.  Our entrees, rack of lamb, were outstanding.  Our server presented a beautiful appetizers board and told us just to taste, so we'd have room for our entrees.  And that's what we did.  We also had a dessert board, beautifully presented, and just took a few bites, which was all we wanted.  It was a great meal, and I highly recommend it.

Thanks for the responses.  Hope the app comes back.

Anyone else having trouble accessing it lately?  I tried to research it on the boards, but not able to find anything.

In addition to crafts, you can bring cards and play different card games. On our recent 9-night Anthem cruise, we were 4 couples traveling together, and the 4 women are all mah Jong players. I bought a travel set for the trip, and we had 3 sea days where we were able to play. Great way to spend a few sea days.

 

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If your ship has a Jamie Oliver restaurant, it's worth the upcharge. That was the best meal we had on Anthem last month. Lamb shank in the dining room is consistently good, and one of my all time faves. Windjammer is, IMO, not great. We typically avoid it. You won't go hungry.

 

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We had a very good dinner at Chop's on Anthem last month. Filets were done to perfection. But i was very disappointed that they served the same tired and uninspiring Caesar salad that is served in the dining room. This was the first time they didn't offer the Hearts of Romaine Caesar salad.

 

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270 and Solarium Bistro are better options than the Windjammer. Not crowded, easier to find tables, and 270 has the added bonus of the roast beef sandwiches. Great way to start a cruise.

 

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Dress suggestions are no longer enforced in the dining room.

 

And to expand on this accurate comment.....Dress has gotten even more casual in the dining room. We saw men in shorts every night at dinner, just a handful of tuxes and suits on "formal" night, with many men wearing slacks and collared shirts only, and overall, the most casual dress of any cruise we've been on. This was Anthem a couple of weeks ago.

Anthem is a great ship for families! There are many kid-friendly and family-friendly activities you can all enjoy. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Anthem to anyone, including families.

 

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We were on the Serenade for her spring TA and were able to get our free drinks in the MDR.

Excellent! Thank you!

 

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Do we know which ships will let you get your free drinks at dinner?

I'd like to know that too. Was recently on Anthem, and we couldn't get free wine at dinner. We stopped in the DL or Bolaros to get our drinks before heading into dinner. Not a big deal, but not as convenient. Next cruise booked is on Serenade and I'm hoping by then things will be consistent fleet-wide.[emoji6][emoji485]

 

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Thank you all! She just told me she made a typo when emailing. I appreciate these responses.

 

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