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We have that same dilemma regarding the Ovation OTS, so I was looking here for answers also! It's a tough decision.

With all the flights cancelled this past weekend across the US, is anyone else concerned about missing their cruise, even though they are flying in a day early in the coming weeks?

Thank you CRZNDEB! Between the time I posted that comment and now, we were able to find an itinerary  that was similar and we will probably put a deposit down on it. The original itinerary included Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, France, England, and Germany - a really great itinerary for a 9 night cruise...nothing matches it, but at least we'll get most of those countries in.

My biggest disappointment is that there is no itinerary like the inaugural from Copenhagen on any other Carnival ship (or probably any other line)!  It was totally unique and isn't currently offered again!  ...that' why I (we) were are sad about this cancellation.

Great to hear, Nikki, and yes, we got the photo!

Hi Nikki!  It was wonderful to meet both of you and spend a really enjoyable evening together! Our dinner was one of our favorite memorable events of the cruise! We got back home late last night.

Thank you Andreas!

I have booked on Ovation for 9 Jan and it had DD.

 

 

...same here!

I'll go on the assumption it won't be running on Wednesday, I'm assuming you're coming in on a relatively small cruise ship? It's impossible to walk out of the port, would take far too long without some sort of shuttle bus. It's a commercial port so not very safe either to walk the whole way out. I think it was 6 - 7km, 10 minute bus ride.

Thank you! Actually a very large ship - Anthem...but I guess from what you're describing we'll have to pay the $32 or $34 dollar round trip shuttle offered by the ship. Won't be the worst thing, but frustrating that the free shuttle operates on a Tuesday but not on a Wed!

We will be there on a Wed. and the sign I am looking at in the photo says the free shuttle runs Fri - Tues. Does that mean there is no free shuttle on Wednesdays or are the times just different??? Help Please!

I thank you both so much for the wonderful information on how we get to Cinque Terre! I wrote down all your instructions and I will take them with us! Thank you so much again!!! Visiting those towns is one of the main reasons we selected this sailing.

We had also done pisa and Florence many times on land holidays so in la spezia we walked to the train station and visited the cinque terrace, 5 villages all connected via train

This is exactly what we are hoping to do! How long is the walk to the train, How much does it cost for the train pass, what time should one think about returning so as not to miss the ship? Thank you!!!

Thanks Mike for everything you are responding to!

Sue, thank you for this information! Since you are on the ship currently and I will be fairly soon, the situation will probably by the same for our sailing UNLESS RCCL TAKES NOTICE that a lot of people want lobster!

I am very disappointed to hear that we will not be eating lobster since it's one of the dining highlights for me on my cruises in the complimentary restaurants, but at least I have been warned ahead of time so I won't be disappointed when I board the ship! Thank you!

Thank you Mike! Glad to hear you've been having good weather! What did you do as far as a tour from the port of La Spezia?

Thanks so much for all of your responses! Although I LOVE lobster bisque and I look forward to that soup, for me there is no substitute for the tails and I would hate to think that RCCL would not provide lobster tails at least once on the Anthem!

Do any of the complimentary restaurants serve lobster tails on the Anthem this summer?

I certainly hope they are re-thinking this concept for longer cruises, except that I think part of the original idea was to save them money on food! If all four complimentary restaurants are serving the same food, that could be quite a savings on the cost of food for the ship. I think it's disguised as a sampler, when it's actually a cost cutter for them!!!

I was assigned to an E1 through a quarantee, but I gave it up becasue although it had a much wider balcony, since it's a cabin and one half, it didn't have the inside square footage that I wanted, or, the view of the forward part of the ship, since they are all behind a part of the ship which juts out.

Thank you all so much, this is really helping me! I am taking your comments into consideration!

Since CruiseCritic is still working on getting "Cabin Reviews" set up for the Anthem of the Seas, I am resorting to asking the question here, as to which of my two choices of cabins would offer the most advantages, from past Anthem/Quantum cruisers.

One cabin is a D8 balcony category on deck 7, port side, mid ship, on the middle hump.

The other is a D6 balcony category on deck 11, port side, forward, on the forward hump, but close to the stairs/elevators.

This may not sound like a tough choice to many, but it is for me and I have to make my decision in a couple days.

Any opinions or suggestions will be appreciated!

Thank you!!!!!

We booked all our dining before we boarded and have to say all worked well. went earlier than booked and also took friends with us that had not booked and had no trouble whatsoever.

I'm very glad to hear that Dynamic Dining worked well! We will be giving it a try! We have all five of the the complimentary dining rooms booked for each night, rotating through them all, but at our choice of day and time, not like the classic. It was really easy to book them all online, and I will take a copy of the reservations with me.

I'm curious about these issues too!

We thank you also for this live review - VERY informative and honest!

why should I have to research every ship before booking?

 

I am uncomfortable about having to book dining and entertainment months prior to my cruise. why should the onus be on the customer to do this? This cruise line should be sorting this out. .

That's what makes us all different - Some of us enjoy the process of "sorting this out," and booking months in advance. I like to to book each dinner and evening's entertainment myself.