gumshoe958

3 hours ago, Wildcatllamas said:

Do they have an elevator that will access "The Wake"? Due to a torn meniscus I don't handle stairs to well. 

Yes, you can access The Wake from the aft elevators on Deck 6. However the maitre d’s podium is on Deck 7 so you may need to go there first to check in.

I hope everyone boarding today in Southampton has a wonderful cruise.

Should anyone happen to find out how many passengers are due to board next Sunday (the 5th), please could you share the info?

Thank you!

Yes, having done two 3-nighters this month I agree that, along with the superb crew, the food is the stand-out feature of Scarlet Lady.

Fussy eaters or those who crave traditional, simple British fare like roast dinners or fish & chips will be disappointed. And you won’t find burritos on the menu in the Mexican or spaghetti bolognese in the Italian.

This is excellent, creative, contemporary restaurant food, not the mass catering you get on most other lines (you’ll never see your plate arrive from the kitchen with a plastic lid!).

Virgin have really raised the bar with their food.

41 minutes ago, CruisingCats5 said:

Yes we just showed them the email cert that we received from Randox. The test cost us £60 each by going into Randox to have it done (it was our first PCR so wanted to make sure we were doing it right!) so the extra onboard spend was a nice bonus.

Thank you. I absolutely detest the brain-tickler nasal swabs so plan to use Halo which does a saliva test (still PCR and approved by the UK government as a Day 2 test) for about £75.

9 hours ago, sarakenny said:

Do they offer separate shampoo and conditioner instead of the dreaded "conditioning shampoo"? Are they generous with hangers in the closet? I'm starting to think about what I need to pack for my October cruise. TIA (And thank you for your short review! Looking forward to the full one.)

Yes, separate shampoo & conditioner.

(Shampoo out of shot on the right)

Hangers - there were about half a dozen in my solo inside cabin. 

3 hours ago, CruisingCats5 said:

Hi, today we finished our wonderful 8 day cruise on Anthem. The staff, food and entertainment were all fantastic.

I wanted to answer the question that a couple of people have asked about the PCR testing as we couldn’t find this information ourselves - we did not have a eurofins near to us in N.Ireland so opted to arrange our own test (via Randox, we went to one of their testing facilities and had the results in less than 12 hours, highly recommend). At checkin we presented proof of our negative result and as soon as we were onboard we could see a $140 obc per person on our account.

if I can answer any Qs please do let me know!

@CruisingCats5 Thanks for this info.

For proof of your PCR test, could you just show them your emailed certificate on your phone or do they require a paper copy?

My only concern would be that after a week on the flagship of the fleet, with everything it has to offer, Explorer will be a bit of a comedown. But hey. A deal is a deal!

I’m on board right now, for the second time having been on the first sailing two weeks ago.

After the initial debacle with the testing process, they’ve now sorted it out and it seems very efficient. There was virtually no queueing and the bus transfers from the park & ride to the testing centre and on to the port worked well. They’d doubled the number of check-in desks at the testing centre and there seemed to be many more testers on duty. 
 

On board, the wifi - while still far from amazing - is considerably faster than a fortnight ago. The food’s been great again (so far The Wake & Extra Virgin for dinner, The Wake & Razzle Dazzle for breakfast and The Dock and The Daily Mix in the Galley for lunch).
 

I haven’t seen much entertainment this time but I enjoyed Mr Thing - it’s the type of quirky, slightly anarchic show I’d go and see at the Edinburgh Fringe rather than the slick production shows, covers bands or slightly dodgy comedians you’d get on other lines. That’s the VV difference which some will love and others won’t.

I like that there’s no hard sell and hardly any PA announcements. If there is a cruise director, you’d never know it. The safety video will drive you mad though!

I’m definitely a convert but it’ll be interesting to see how the American market takes to it as it’s certainly not your typical Carnival/Royal/NCL nor is it anything like Celebrity/HAL/Princess.

Has anyone who’s sailed on Anthem so far this summer had any experience of booking your own pre-cruise PCR test as opposed to using Royal’s Eurofins service?

Specifically - what proof do you have to show? Is an emailed results certificate on your phone sufficient or do they need a hard copy? And did you get the promised £100 OBC reimbursement?

Many thanks.

I’m seeing ten listed in my cruise planner.

1 hour ago, bigeck said:

It was closed last week and this week. 1600 on board this week but they need upwards of 2000.

2400 next week including 800 under 18's

I like the windjammer at night but closes a 3pm

@bigeck Do you know how many the following week (5th Sept)?

Razzle Dazzle was open from 7 I think, presumably The Wake also. Don’t know when they close, but everyone is meant to be off the ship by 10.30. 
 

I went for Razzle Dazzle which is mainly vegetarian though it does have bacon and salmon at breakfast. But I promise you - if you didn’t know the “Impossible” burgers & patties they serve didn’t contain meat, you’d never guess. And the watermelon granola dish there is something else.

27 minutes ago, rebeccac said:

Are the deposits refundable if you don't end up using them for a booking within the two years?

Someone on board now could probably check but my recollection is they’re non-refundable.

50 minutes ago, CroozFanatic said:

Curious about the onboard booking incentives - my future Virgin Voyage, or any mention of a loyalty program. Thx.

$300 deposit gets you $300 discount off a future voyage and $300 OBC for the current voyage.

You don’t have to select the actual future voyage there and then - you have a year or two to redeem the offer. And you can lay down up to four deposits.

It’s only valid for standard balconies or better though - not insides, ocean views or obstructed balconies.

3 hours ago, drewdawg199 said:

Saw somewhere that the booking while onboard offer is $300 deposit required, gets you $300 obc for current cruise and $300 off the future voyage, something like that.

That’s it. Only valid for a standard balcony or higher though - not insides, ocean views or obstructed balconies.
 

You don’t have to decide on the voyage you want there and then - if you put down the deposit you then have a year or two to book IIRC. You can put down up to four deposits to use the offer up to four times.

Thanks all. I have emailed UK customer relations so will see what they say.

1 hour ago, les37b said:

Next update not so good.

 

One of the group had a half eaten pizza in the room. 4 of the bands don't work. I can't now connect on the app to do anything. Can't link my CC 

 

 

Guest services said "sorry" about the pizza. No one's bands still able to access rooms that were unable t despite sending someone to the room and reprogramming.. I still can't access the app via the ships WiFi and without that you can't operation the ship.

 

So I left GS frustrated an hour later and they had done Diddley squat and suggested come back later.  Sorry but an hour for sweet FA is not what I expected.

 

All browny points from earlier lost.

 

 

 

Oh dear, there’s absolutely no excuse for the pizza.

You might need to delete the app and reinstall it. That worked for me when it just got stuck. But do it while you’re still in port and the WiFi’s reasonably fast. It gets a LOT slower at sea.

2 hours ago, Sheffben79 said:

The app is still not working for me, I've deleted and reinstalled numerous times now and it still wont work.  Even trying to log on to my account via the web says there is a problem.  Tried to contact customer services, no response.  Unable to see details for the embarkation process, unable to make reservations.  Its pretty crap so far, I'm starting to wish I'd stuck with Celebrity.

App not working as in can’t log in, or won’t even let you get that far? I keep getting an error message when I try to log in with my email address but it works with Facebook. 
 

But yes, it’s very buggy and a definite problem given how much of the on board experience relies on it. 

Having just disembarked after the official maiden voyage I thought I’d share my thoughts.

As has been well documented, the pre-boarding testing process on Friday was horrendous. But I won’t dwell on that. VV know it went wrong, acknowledged they let us down and made a nice gesture by way of apology. I hope the tweaks they’ve made as of today make a difference.

As for the ship, the standout for me was the food. The restaurant concept works, and while I get that many traditional cruisers enjoy dressing up and eating in the same place with the same people every night, I never have. I ate dinner in The Wake, Pink Agave and Extra Virgin, and breakfast in Razzle Dazzle, and all four were superb. Imaginative menus and far better quality than the main dining rooms on other equivalent lines. The only disappointing thing food-wise was The Galley which I think is supposed to feel like a trendy food court but, for me, didn’t quite hit the spot (apart from the salad bar which is great).

The other standout was the crew. Without exception they were friendly, motivated and eager to please - above all they just seemed genuinely happy to finally be doing what they signed up for more than 18 months ago. I had a long chat with my waitress last night who said 85% of the crew who were on board pre-shutdown chose to come back, which seems impressively high.

So what needs attention: the app, firstly - as many have already experienced pre-cruise, it’s very buggy and given that your time on board revolves around it in terms of checking out the daily schedule and booking shows, restaurants etc, they need to sort it out urgently. 

Likewise the wifi - it’s fine in port but at sea it’s very, very slow. There was a note in the cabin explaining why (wrong type of satellite or something!) but for a line that makes much of trying to appeal to Generation Instagram, that’s another thing for the priority list.

Entertainment was an interesting one. What I saw, I liked: a guy called Tom Crosbie (The Performing Nerd) who I’ve seen before in Edinburgh and is right up my street but may be a bit too niche for a cruise ship. Duel Reality, the main show, is great - circus with attitude. The bingo with Abi the Hostess was a laugh and the band (Buster Shuffle) were excellent and went down very well. Again, VV have tried to be different so lovers of the traditional song & dance production show and covers bands will be disappointed. And a lot of the entertainment is meant to be spontaneous - you’ll be sitting having a drink and a magician will wander up or a couple will start singing on the stairs. But I felt there was too much emphasis on “adult” entertainment - yes I know it’s an adults only line but things like talks on how to incorporate play into your sex life and how to communicate erotically, and the sex-themed cabaret show just didn’t do it for me! But hey, maybe I’m just an old prude. Overall though, I thought they needed more crowd-pleaser entertainment and activities, while still keeping that Virgin difference.

So - would I return? Yes I would (and I am!) - I loved the chic, modern style of the ship, its laid back, relaxed vibe, the food and the crew. But I wouldn’t want to do more than 3, 4 or 5 nights - for me, there wasn’t enough to do for a week or longer. And they really need to sort out the tech, which is fundamental to the VV concept. But I admire them for daring to be different. Traditional cruisers who like what they like may find it’s not for them. But there’s no shortage of alternatives. This is an attempt to win a new crowd, and I really hope it works.

16 minutes ago, les37b said:

 

All good and generally no real issues. 

 

We arrived early with the intention of finding our way around. Seeing the park and ride and test spot as well as locating the car park.

 

As has been intimated. The park and ride is the go to location. You will be sent back if you go direct to W4. You are given an A4 sheet to get into the test site at the park and ride.

 

It literally took us 35 minutes from park and ride to leaving the test site. Time will tell as the day goes on. 

 

Inside the tent, there are 3 rows of 10 testers. I'd say it took about 10 minutes once I sat down. At that rate they could test 180 per hour. But I suspect there would be a bottle neck before that where you check in. 4 or 5 desks, but probably 5 mins per person.

 

You leave with your blue band and wearable.

 

So zero to complain about. Well done so far.

 

Getting to the car park was a little more challenging, but that was port staff.

 

Check in was fine, though the boarding room, they insisted you squashed in next to strangers. No social distancing at all. I guess once boarding starts people will go straight through to the x-ray machines.

 

Just been told we will board at 1.30 by VV president.

 

So far happy bunny. I'd rather a stress free experience than a few free beers and some OBC 

 

20 mins to go. 👍

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for the update. Sounds like they’ve got their act together although it’s still early. I don’t think there were as many as 30 testers there on Friday.

Yes, once you’ve checked in at the port and sat down in the holding area you’ll be called in batches to go through security. Then it’s a short bus ride to the ship and you’re on!

Out of interest, what time did you arrive at the Park & Ride? And was there any evidence of people being told to wait if they were too early?

1 hour ago, johnnylikely said:

All eyes on VV for today's embarkation lol

Indeed! Anyone boarding today please let us know how it goes.

I’m pleased to say disembarkation today was very smooth. I heartily approve of not having to vacate your cabin by 8am as on most lines - you can stay until after 10 if you want.

I left bang on 10 and walked straight off.

13 hours ago, janbear said:

Can you please tell me if there are any video poker machines in the casino? When I have asked before they told me there were some in the designated smoking area in the casino but I am hoping there are some outside of that room!  Thank you! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I couldn’t see any - just normal slots. Unless I missed them.

The casino is not large by, say, Royal Caribbean standards.

2 hours ago, les37b said:

Let's hope your charge doesn't run out or drop your phone!

There are lots of USB ports - several in each cabin and also at many of the tables in the Galley (food court) which is a nice touch.

The wifi, however, is horribly slow.

Yes, that’s new. The Park & Ride is on the other side of the motorway junction, about a 5 minute walk to the testing centre.

The big question is: have they addressed the fundamental problem which, as far as I could see, was not enough testing capacity?

If not, all they’ve done is shifted the problem elsewhere. The wait won’t be any shorter, it’ll just be in another location, presumably in your own car rather than standing in a long queue. Which presumably doesn’t look as bad on Instagram …

1 hour ago, johnnylikely said:

What's the general vibe on board like? Are peeps happier and things running smoother?

From what I’ve seen people seem very chilled out, relaxed and happy to be back on a ship after so long. 

I’ve no doubt there were many complaints last night but I suspect the free drinks and extra OBC helped calm people down - and you’d hope that even the most ardent complainer would appreciate that yesterday’s fiasco wasn’t the fault of anyone on board.