SnappyNappi

We are sailing Anthem between Christmas and New Years - leaving in only 12 days! Following your live review and taking some notes :)

We have sailed Quantum, so many things are similar. Thanks for taking the time to post your experiences on Anthem while you are vacationing. Enjoy the rest of your sailing!

23 DAYS and I can't wait!!!!!

Just off the Anthem. FYI, I took my old Quantum WOW bands and had them reprogrammed quickly at a table set up outside of the Guest Services area and there was NO charge. So if ya still have them and your going on the Anthem bring them with you.:)

This is great information - THANK YOU for taking the time to confirm this... Anthem in 25 days! :)

And I thinks the fact that wow band was never event a useful as a sea pass card was where they went wrong to begin with.

I would absolutely agree with this. If they actually had all the functionality of the seapass card their adoption and usefulness would have been much better for the cruisers. We had them on our Quantum cruise earlier in the year and really found no use for them. I kept mine in my beach bag in case I forgot my seapass card when I went to the pool. That is pretty much where it stayed for our time onboard.

Needless to say, I will not be purchasing them for our upcoming cruise on Anthem in December.

Upload your own security photo, check in in a few minutes via a roving agent with a tablet, Royal iQ app, Voom internet, among other things. Frankly, the WOW bands are pretty minor

I would agree with this statement, Turtles, and also add that the technology in Two70 is amazing and way more technologically advanced than what we see anywhere else. Wow Bands, although somewhat convenient to help open a door or buy a drink if you do forget your seapass in the stateroom, is really a very minor 'technology' and not even equal to the use of an actual seapass card.

Again... just my 2-cents.

While that is the official word from RCI at the moment, if successful, I can't imagine them not extending this to Freedom and Voyager class as well. They don't want to have such difference between say the Freedom and Anthem. We already know that by June next year we'll have threads on here from folks complaining that they didn't get their suite benefits on some Voyager or Freedom class ship.

I agree... I'm sure that the roll-out will be from the newest ship classes to the older ones. At this point though, there is no announcement or timeline that the new suite amenities will be rolled out to any ships except these. Just wanted to set the correct expectation.

While you posted this on the Quantum class subsection, suite perks extend to all ships and you might get more info if you post this on the main board. As was mentioned a better title might garner more interest.

The new Suite Class and amenities is available on all Oasis and Quantum Class ships only - not all RCCL ships. I do agree that the OP may get more responses on the main RCCL board with more information that may be helpful, but the new suite class will not be on all ships.

OP,

I completely understand your frustration with the lack of information and getting conflicting information from RCCL Customer Care about the program. I have not seen any advertising that states a limit on the number of guests that can use the benefits of the new program either... if you equate it to any other suite amenity, you receive the amenity if you are staying in the suite - they do not limit concierge/suite lounge access to only a certain number of people staying in the suite, or any other benefit, so why would we assume that they would limit any of the new benefits of the new program if it is not stated in the literature or on their website.

Being that the new Suite Classes are not available until May of 2016, they may not actually have all the answers yet (or at least may not have been trained to provide details yet). I am sure that they are indeed still working out the intricate details of the program and that some of what is known may change between May 2016 roll-out and February 2017 based on customer feedback.

That is just my 2-cents...

These are completely separate cabins connected by a door. These are typically held to be sold together to families or groups that require connected rooms. If they do not sell together, RCCL can and may sell them separately.

You should be able to add, change, or upgrade your package on the cruise. They may adhere to the 4 night rule (only allowing the upgrade if there are 4 nights left on your cruise) that is part of their policy on purchasing the drink packages. However, while I know the rule applies to new drink package purchases, I'm not sure if it applies to upgrades, but my guess is that it would.

You should be able to book a reservation time for iFly in your Pre-Cruise Planner online under Onboard Activities. This is where you will find North Star and the Wave simulator lessons as well. The activities are posted as they come available, so you should check back if there are no spots to book.

Royal Suite Class is available on Quantum and Oasis class ships only and on sailings beginning in May 2016. The free ultimate drink package (along with many other 'all-inclusive' type perks) is only included in the highest level of suites (Star Class). These include the Royal Loft, Owner's Loft, Grand Loft, 4-bedroom Family Suite, etc. these are there most expensive suites... and this the extra perks. There are also Sea Class and Sky Class levels that do not include all of the same perks. Look on Royal's site to see which rooms and what perks.

Anthem of the Seas has Dynamic Dining not traditional dining and there is no single Main Dining Room.The ship does not have formal night, but rather it is formal dining at the Grande, a complementary dining venue, every night.

Pre-drink packages on cruise lines, DH and I went on a short cruise on another line. People were drunk and stumbling all over the place before the ship even left the dock in NYC. I don't think drink packages are the reason why people drink in excess, nor do I think that the drink packages have helped or hurt the likelihood in seeing this kind of behavior. I do tend to think that these people would be in the same condition with or without a drink package. I have seen it occasionally on our RCCL cruises as well as on other lines, but also in Disney, and on other land vacations... I think it has more to do with people being on vacation than it does on them having a drink package.

I am hoping someone can help me. I am looking to book the entertainment for a March 2016 cruise on Anthem and I only see the schedule through December 2015. Is there some place else I can look or update? I've made all our dining reservations, but some may need to be changed due to shows. Thanks in advance for any help on this topic.

Typically it is somewhere between 90 and 120 days that the entertainment schedule will appear. We are sailing Anthem late December. The list of shows did not appear in Cruise Planner until the first week in September and once it was visible, it still took a few days for the dates and times to be available to be booked.

On a March sailing, I wouldn't look for the show schedule to be available for your sailing until December/January timeline. If you don't see it in Cruise Planner to book at 90 days, then call customer service to find out if you can book direct with them.

I am booked on 2 cruises one this December and one next summer... Both roll-calls are dead, I am talking almost completely silent. People seem to check in and let everyone know that they are booked but then I haven't seen them on the thread again. I feel like I'm talking to myself half the time when I post. LOL! I have tried to do countdown with our December NYE cruise, but no one responds, so I have pretty much abandoned my roll-calls unless I see them pick up. Doesn't seem like anyone wants to be involved for these 2 that I'm on coming up.

However, I will say - don't lose hope. We have had some very lively roll-calls and I have made some life-long cruising friends on these boards and on-board from our past roll-calls. Just the "personality" of each group.

Did you have an ocean view or the rear facing view? I need to know if the rear facing view is a problem.

 

Thanks.

We stayed in an L2 - almost center aft facing Crown Loft on Oasis. It is the most amazing suite, you will love it. Long story how we got there, but we typically would choose an ocean-facing balcony over just about anything. However, having been assigned to this room, we couldn't have been happier. We enjoyed seeing the activity on the boardwalk, the aqua theater and the wave runners... it was fun to watch the divers practice from our balcony and the lights on the boardwalk at night. There is some noise during the day when you are on your balcony in an L2 (which you DON'T hear if you are inside the room with the door closed), but in addition to all of the activity, the ocean view aft of the ship was amazing in the mornings and for quiet time at night.

Go with your gut on which room you think you would enjoy more - an L1 or an L2, but I really don't think that you will be at all disappointed with either.

Actually, RCI is only trying to stay even with all the other mainstream lines that are implementing the ship within a ship. Even Princess has been surveying passengers about increased suites benefits.

I agree with your statement RocketMan. Having been on a tour of the NCL Breakaway recently, the Haven area on that ship (ship within a ship accessible to suite guests only) and the Vibes (a for-fee adult only private hot tub and bar area), I see that other competing lines are moving toward providing much more luxury and higher-end services and amenities to their guests staying in the most expensive areas or willing to pay for those more private areas. RCCL is just introducing competing services and luxury amenities to the passengers that are happy to pay for that kind of experience. We may have our own opinions about it - and my personal feelings aside, from a marketing standpoint, it is smart business for them.

Surprise! That's the old rule.

 

 

 

They are now denying double points to people who get a cheap upsell.

 

 

 

No consistency, of course.

 

 

 

Just a cautionary tale: it may happen.

Wow! Thanks for the info. I had this happen to me in late 2013 and I got the points, so I thought that I was speaking from experience. Well, that will teach me. LOL!

I'll take Junior Suite for $115! LOL!

OP, great score for you! Have no doubt, you did great!

About the double points.... As long as the OP paid something for the move to JS they should earn double C&A points for JS. Doesn't matter if it 'market value' or not, OP paid for a JS, so they get the benefits. If it was a true upgrade without any out-of-pocket cost, no double points, but that is not the case as they posted the upgrade to JS cost them $115.

It is time to say a big THANK YOU to you for such a thorough and informative 'live from' review blog. I completely enjoyed every post and thank you so much for taking time out of your vacation to share your experiences with all of us on CC.

Very excited about our upcoming Anthem New Years cruise now!

Enjoy your stay on the States and have a safe journey home.

First, let me say that I am so happy to know I'm not alone. I freaked out after our first cruise when I was still swaying after being home for 3 or 4 days... It takes me about a week to 10 days for that feeling to pass every time we get back. I take Bonine - start 2 days before we leave, the time we are cruising and for about 10 days after we re home... No stress, it does pass. Just a slight inconvenience for a great vacation.

Couple of years ago... October to Bermuda on Explorer out of Bayonne, NJ - we had 2 sea days down to Bermuda and it was cold and rainy, there was plenty to do onboard as they were sea-days anyway. We did go to the card room and play cards with another couple we were traveling with. Even had another couple that found us in there and asked if they could join. We played a 'team' card game with 6 of us and we all had a great time. Although it is nice sometimes to have someone entertain you, if there isn't anything to do because of weather or whatever reason, sometimes you just have to make your own fun.

We have a booked a cruise on Anthem and have a 7th floor room. I was wonder that since the 6th floor room are blocked by the life boats' date=' do the 7th floor rooms have an obstructed view looking down to the ocean?

 

 

 

Thanks again for all the great updates and pictures, I am making notes of your comments on items that I feel are important for us to remember.[/quote']

 

 

Cruisin Ya-Ya,

We were on Quantum earlier this year and are also booked in a 7th floor balcony stateroom on a future Anthem cruise. It doesn't matter what floor you are on. If you are above lifeboats and look down from the balcony, be it the 7th floor or higher, the view to the bottom of the ship is blocked due to the position of the lifeboats. They stick out the side. Hope that answers your question.

Anthem OTS - Luke Aerowsmith started September 15 until November 10, then Ken Rush (for 2 months?) (Dru Pavlov expects to be assigned to Anthem for a few contracts in 2016, but doesn't know his exact schedule yet)

Thanks for this update. This is good news for us since we are cruising NYE on Anthem... Always wanted to have Ken as our CD. Heard good things!

Can anyone tell me the prices for things on the Anthem of the Seas? I've looked every where and can't find prices for the extra stuff such as : Ripcord

North Star

Bumper cars

Roller skating

Rock climbing wall

Flow rider

 

 

Thanks!!!

I have sailed Quantum... all these items on your list are free for passengers. However, if you want a private or party ride on North Star, it can apparently be reserved but at a fee. If you want a private lesson on Flow Rider or a 3 minute ride on Ripcord (different from a free flight on Ripcord which is 1 minute), you can also book these items at a fee through guest services.

I did all of them for free on our trip and didn't see any need to pay for any of them. BTW - Ripcord is awesome! Don't miss it!