Brain Droppings: Anthem 1/7 - 1/19 Southern Carib

[Greenmomma]

Here are my musings regarding the 1/7 - 1/19 Anthem Southern Carib sailing. Not doing a long or short review, just wondered what I would still remember a week out.

 

Ship: This was my fourth time on Anthem (I live in NJ). I think she is as beautiful if not more so than my first time. Royal Carib does a great job maintaining ships. Inside and out she is just stunning. I found no issue anywhere, private or public spaces, with maintenance of the ship.

 

Crew: Again, I can't remember a cruise where every single crew member was as friendly and accommodating as this cruise. Special shout out to Keshimir, Kevin and Reuben in Coastal Kitchen. They made the cruise for us. Dennis Charles as CD was the best I've ever had and his staff was mostly great. Nick (Bingo Daddy) was awesome.

 

Food: First time in a suite so Coastal Kitchen was a revelation. Didn't step foot in MDR but Solarium for lunch and dinner were great, Wonderland was amazing as usual, both food and service. Chops - while good, was not a Wow moment and not worth the upcharge. We would have done Wonderland twice.

 

Cabin: Ok so you may have seen my other posts. We did a suite guarantee and ended up with a spa junior suite 6240. Beautiful cabin, great location. A noise issue. I would avoid this in the future, but the size of the cabin and location behind the elevators was great. Just go up to deck 7 or higher.

 

Entertainment: It was great. Honestly every night I thought the shows, headliners and CD staff were great. Couldn't ask for more. The house band this cruise was The Royal Swedes and both my 22 year old daughter and I loved them. Amazing

 

Embarkation and Debarkation: Not sure how it could be better. Cape Liberty has their **** together coming and going.

 

Ports: okay, I'm gonna duck the thrown windjammer rolls here. I love San Juan and St Maartin. They are not ready. My two favorite ports broke my heart. Yes we made the best of it and spent as much money as we could. They need time and money to heal. Antigua was beautiful, we did the helicopter over Montserrat and it was a once in a lifetime experience. St Lucia we did the mud baths. Great tour, beautiful island. Can I live there? Barbados we did the Cave tour. It was fine. The island is beautiful. Breathtaking. St Kitts We were tired so just walked the pier area. Monkeys and humidity is what I remember.

 

Closing: Great Itinerary, Great Ship. Good time to go. Not too many kids. (really hardly any) We did have a few medical emergency itinerary changes. Hope all those folks came out the other side well.

[Clarea]

What did you see in San Juan that made you decide it was not ready?

[GeekSquad4]

Thanks for the musings! :) Our first RCCL cruise is in a bit over a week, and this makes me so excited! We'll be sailing on the Liberty, but we've been talking about how much fun the Anthem and her sisters look.

[Greenmomma]

What did you see in San Juan that made you decide it was not ready?

We walked around on our own. Comparing to the last time I was there. We stopped for a bite to eat right near the fort. The only food available was fried. I asked for water and was told the water there was undrinkable. So I had a mojito. We did walk the streets, spent money with the vendors. My daughter did the parrot thing and it was great. Best ten dollars we spent.

[Clarea]

We walked around on our own. Comparing to the last time I was there. We stopped for a bite to eat right near the fort. The only food available was fried. I asked for water and was told the water there was undrinkable. So I had a mojito. We did walk the streets, spent money with the vendors. My daughter did the parrot thing and it was great. Best ten dollars we spent.

Thanks, didn't know about the water.

[Greenmomma]

Thanks for the musings! :) Our first RCCL cruise is in a bit over a week, and this makes me so excited! We'll be sailing on the Liberty, but we've been talking about how much fun the Anthem and her sisters look.

Love Liberty! She was berthed out of NJ in 2015 or 16. Have fun!

[GeekSquad4]

Love Liberty! She was berthed out of NJ in 2015 or 16. Have fun!

Thanks!! It's going to be the largest ship we've cruised on yet. Super excited about the amenities!

[shakeNbake]

Royal Swedes, they are a great band. We had the pleasure to meet them on Freedom 8 nt last November.

[Greenmomma]

Royal Swedes, they are a great band. We had the pleasure to meet them on Freedom 8 nt last November.

Yes. They are great. I liked Rock the Boat and Katrina and Synergy on previous sailings too. Kudos to RCL on choosing the house bands. Outstanding.

[PTAngel]

We just got back from St Maarten, St Croix, St Kitts, St Thomas, & Martinique on Jan 15. I agree that St Maarten is still in bad shape but they are functioning. The damage still visible is heartbreaking. Our guide said they lost about 750 boats & it looks like the majority are still where they landed. There was 1 big fishing boat only about 6 to 8 feet from the road next to the airport. Some of the containers the ships bring are twisted like toys. The boardwalk still has at least a fourth of their businesses not open yet. Marigot would have little business if not for the straw market. Some are still in the process of getting power back & wifi is spotty. You never know if you can use a credit card or not. My friend went on the back road to shop & saw police with guns & dogs. Someone told her there is a lot of looting. I expected more clean up but I can certainly understand their issues. I really feel compassion for these islands that survived those storms. I heard some people complaining but it is just something that we all have to deal with. Best of luck to all those still recovering.

[Greenmomma]

We just got back from St Maarten, St Croix, St Kitts, St Thomas, & Martinique on Jan 15. I agree that St Maarten is still in bad shape but they are functioning. The damage still visible is heartbreaking. Our guide said they lost about 750 boats & it looks like the majority are still where they landed. There was 1 big fishing boat only about 6 to 8 feet from the road next to the airport. Some of the containers the ships bring are twisted like toys. The boardwalk still has at least a fourth of their businesses not open yet. Marigot would have little business if not for the straw market. Some are still in the process of getting power back & wifi is spotty. You never know if you can use a credit card or not. My friend went on the back road to shop & saw police with guns & dogs. Someone told her there is a lot of looting. I expected more clean up but I can certainly understand their issues. I really feel compassion for these islands that survived those storms. I heard some people complaining but it is just something that we all have to deal with. Best of luck to all those still recovering.

 

We had lunch at L'escargot and it was amazing. Walking down Front st, more businesses were closed than open and there were many, many police around. We did enjoy our lunch and highly recommend the restaurant.

[Arzeena]

Walking down Front st, more businesses were closed than open and there were many, many police around.

 

Exactly what we saw too.

[Greenmomma]

A couple more thoughts. We did the sushi making class at Izumi. It was great and a lot of fun. The staff and other cruisers made it fun and I think I could actually make it at home now. Well worth the cost. It was a little bit early 10:00 a.m. to eat sushi but I had mine packed up and ate it for lunch. Delicious. Highly recommend this. We also did the all access tour. Paid 79 a head on sale. It was ok. I think this tour really depends on the person giving it. It was fine. I guess I expected more given that they sell it for $150. We saw the galley but not much cooking going on. 1-95 was interesting. The laundry - well those guys should have a separate line item for tips. The bridge, while I was glad to see it, was sort of boring. No captain and we were sort of shuffled off to the side while our guide chatted with a couple people on the tour. Not a highlight, My daughter did iFly and that was amazing for her to do (and for me to watch) such a cool activity. We didn't get to do Northstar due to weather (I had done it previously and it is an amazing thing - just do it). We did bumper cars the first day on embarkation and go to go around twice with no line. Such good fun. Highly recommend. Trapeze school we watched but neither one of us was brave enough to do it. Maybe next time. Casino was fun. No big losses, no big wins but fun to do. Bingo was fun, (wish we had won the grand suite!). After all is said and done, my favorite places are still the Music Hall and 270. Love the ship, love the crew.

[amarantha7]

Thank you for the advice, Greenmomma! Super helpful! I signed my daughter, husband and I up for the sushi-making class on Anthem for our cruise in April, so I'm particularly happy to hear that you enjoyed it so much! I will pass on your other advice to the family. Thank you so much for posting.

[Greenmomma]

Thank you for the advice, Greenmomma! Super helpful! I signed my daughter, husband and I up for the sushi-making class on Anthem for our cruise in April, so I'm particularly happy to hear that you enjoyed it so much! I will pass on your other advice to the family. Thank you so much for posting.

You're welcome. Enjoy! Hi! (you'll know when you take the class)

[Lovetocruise2002]

Greenmomma, we're headed on Anthem soon in a JS as well. I have heard conflicting reports about breakfast/lunch in CK? Normally it's just dinner only for JS guests but others have reported staying in a JS on Anthem and being able to have all meals there. Did you dine there just for dinner? Or breakfast/lunch too?

 

 

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[Greenmomma]

Greenmomma, we're headed on Anthem soon in a JS as well. I have heard conflicting reports about breakfast/lunch in CK? Normally it's just dinner only for JS guests but others have reported staying in a JS on Anthem and being able to have all meals there. Did you dine there just for dinner? Or breakfast/lunch too?

 

 

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We just had dinner. I also heard that you could ask about being "allowed" breakfast and lunch but we didn't ask. I sort of feel like if we had, they would have let us. But we mainly did room service breakfast and lunch on port or WJ so it wasn't needed for us. I will say CK was the best part of all my Anthem sailings. Great food, great service. They've got it going on.

[Lovetocruise2002]

We just had dinner. I also heard that you could ask about being "allowed" breakfast and lunch but we didn't ask. I sort of feel like if we had, they would have let us. But we mainly did room service breakfast and lunch on port or WJ so it wasn't needed for us. I will say CK was the best part of all my Anthem sailings. Great food, great service. They've got it going on.

 

 

 

Thanks! And yes, I completely love CK! But it's our first time on Anthem so I wasn't sure if the rules were different.

 

 

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[Greenmomma]

Reuben was the Maitre'D (also in charge of Windjammer), Kevin was the host, and our waiter was Keshimer (K) he went by K so not sure I've spelled his name right. Honestly best service I've ever had land or sea and I'm a "foodie" snob. They are great. I've altered my booking searches now to suites so that I can enjoy CK because of them.

[Lovetocruise2002]

Reuben was the Maitre'D (also in charge of Windjammer), Kevin was the host, and our waiter was Keshimer (K) he went by K so not sure I've spelled his name right. Honestly best service I've ever had land or sea and I'm a "foodie" snob. They are great. I've altered my booking searches now to suites so that I can enjoy CK because of them.

 

 

 

Lol! You sound like me! Ever since I experienced CK I will only book a JS or above now on ships that have a CK.

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

We have a Family Junior Suite for our upcoming 12 day Ovation cruise so we can book CK. I have it booked for three nights. I would have booked it more but the menu they show online looks too limited.

Are there multiple menus or the same one every night?

[Greenmomma]

My understanding is that they have seven menus so on the eighth night they start again. There is a "classic" side which has the normal shrimp cocktail, ceasar salad, chicken and steak (some other stuff too) and then there is the daily side which rotates. We ate off both and they were great. One of the main advantages to CK other than the lovely atmosphere and outstanding service, is that the food is hot. That's my main complaint for MDR or WJ. The food is "good" but never hot. In CK it is.

[Lovetocruise2002]

We have a Family Junior Suite for our upcoming 12 day Ovation cruise so we can book CK. I have it booked for three nights. I would have booked it more but the menu they show online looks too limited.

 

Are there multiple menus or the same one every night?

 

 

 

Don't go by the online menu. I don't think it's up to date. My advice would be to book it for every night and then when you get onboard ask to look at the menu for the entire sailing. Then decide if you want to keep or cancel your reservation after that. That is what we did our first time last in CK. I'm on an 8 night sailing on Anthem in March and I've been told the menu is different every night. When we were on Harmony six months ago, the menu was different each night as well.

 

 

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[Lovetocruise2002]

My understanding is that they have seven menus so on the eighth night they start again. There is a "classic" side which has the normal shrimp cocktail, ceasar salad, chicken and steak (some other stuff too) and then there is the daily side which rotates. We ate off both and they were great. One of the main advantages to CK other than the lovely atmosphere and outstanding service, is that the food is hot. That's my main complaint for MDR or WJ. The food is "good" but never hot. In CK it is.

 

 

 

It's hot and fresh because they have their own kitchen. Greenmomma...you should try CK on an Oasis class ship for your next cruise. Same fantastic food and the view is phenomenal!

 

 

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[Greenmomma]

It's hot and fresh because they have their own kitchen. Greenmomma...you should try CK on an Oasis class ship for your next cruise. Same fantastic food and the view is phenomenal!

 

 

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I'm working up to it. I have an aversion to air travel after 9/11. Used to be on the road three out of four weeks before that. I'll get there eventually. Do love the convenience of Cape Liberty in Bayonne. I'm about forty minutes (on a bad day) away. So Anthem it is for me. (no complaints - love her)