HLR
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Posts posted by HLR
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Exactly, we will be assigned one or the other for all 12 nights. Chic and the Grande are the 2 nicer rooms.
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No...you will have the "choice" of those two for the 12 nights of your cruise. You won't be assigned a dinning room with MyTime. [Yes, I have heard Chic and The Grande are nicer]
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plus I won't be happy getting stuck in Silk for 12 nights.
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You won't be stuck in silk for 12 nights...it is either Icon or Silk.
Here are some proposed menus if they haven't been posted on here; http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Anthem/Dynamic_Dining_Menus.pdf
HLR
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Hi!
When we went we took the #10 Jitney Bus which was $1 or $2 each and it drops you a few blocks from the Zoo. And then you wait for it where it drops you off on the main road to return you to the street just a few blocks from the port.
HLR
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Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but, We went in late January. Friday thru Sunday. Harry Potter was crazy busy all of the time! It's the most popular part of the park right now. We went early in the morning, by the afternoon the single rider wait was 2 hours! Sunday was worse than Saturday.
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Oh dear...I am so not into Space Travel...
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Even with a car service you won't be in the park until close to 2:00. You would need to leave by 7:30 at the very absolute latest to make sure you didn't get caught in a traffic snarl or get a flat and miss the ship. Personally there is no way I would spend that much money for 5.5 hours. December 18 is a Sunday, I would expect very heavy crowds from locals using their annual passes before the holiday blackout dates kick in.
Ah!!! Locals and blackout dates! Good observation. The calendar shows "Slow" thru the 14th and jumps to VERY BUSY on Sat the 17th.
I would prefer to take the ship's shuttle so I wouldn't have to worry about the flat tire/traffic thing.
HLR
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Hi All!
So...what do people think? Sailing solo on Anthem and will dock at Port Canaveral on Sunday December 18th, 2016. What is the best plan for visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter?
Facts:
The Park Calendar says it will be VERY BUSY that day.
We are scheduled to dock at 12:30 pm so won't get there on the ship's shuttle till 1:30 or 2 pm?
Park is open late but we set sail at 9:30 pm.
I can use the "Single Rider" lane and save big time in lines.
Sounds like a "One Park" day and I wouldn't have time for two parks and would miss the Train Ride between the two [sad Face]
I am thinking Hogsmeade and the one park.
Any insider experiences with arriving so late in the day?
HLR
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Bob - I think that might be the case but not entirely sure. I was told that Grande & Chic would go to Traditional and Silk and American Icon would become MTD. That would support the only one menu concept I think. I am disappointed because I really was looking forward to the different restaurants and menus.
I Just called RCL and the operator knew nothing about it! Surprised? Nope.
HLR
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BUT WAIT!
A new thread has appeared! "Supposedly" Dynamic Dining will be "no more" starting with the Anthem's sailing on November 27th! [No details were provided]
HLR
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We had reservations for dinner each night and we typically arrived on time or within 15 minutes of our reservation time.
On the last evening, when we noticed the menu did not change in American Icon, we walked over to Silk (an hour after our reservation time), and they were able to accommodate us. As a group of 2, I'm sure it is easy to find a table in most restaurants, but I imagine larger groups would be tougher to accommodate without notice.
As others have mentioned on the boards, even if you don't care for the reservation time or restaurant, book what you can get and change it later. With the Royal IQ app, you can check available dining times throughout the cruise, or you can walk up to the hostess stand outside of the restaurants. Sometimes there was a short line leading up to the hostess station, but it always went really fast.
Have a wonderful trip!
Thanks for the response! You seem to "clinch the deal" so to speak agreeing that a dinner reservation at "any" time can be changed easier than making a new one. Good!
HLR
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Nice review! You gave back up to your observations, likes and dislikes. I am sailing on the Anthem in December.
One Question: When you ate dinner in the complimentary restaurants between 8 and 9:30 and were seated within 2 minutes...did you have reservations or were you walk ins?
HLR
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You can only use the voucher on board - any specialty you reserve now has to be paid now. You should have no problem getting a reservation on board.
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You caught me just in time to ask a question to an operator who wouldn't have know the answer anyway! Haha!
Now what about: Are there showers in the gym locker rooms that are free? [i know steam and sauna are not]
THANKS!
HLR
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Some things with DD don't.
Well this should be very interesting!
All the Specialty restaurants are open for reservation but not the Complimentary. I called RCL and the operator said they should open up 90 days before which is about another 10 days.
I have this Specialty Restaurant Voucher, but I don't know what the rules and restrictions are yet. Do you think I should make a reservation at Jamie's so I am sure to get one and then if I can't use the voucher there, I can cancel it without penalty? Guess I'll call about that too!
HLR
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Anyone sailing on December 16th on the Anthem?
HLR
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There are those people that make reservations, never show up and don't cancel their reservation. Experienced that during our 35 days on board. We did DD Choice but were seated many times in the DD Classic section because people didn't show up.
Thanks...but that doesn't answer what I was asking.
HLR
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You did not say what dining option you had "Classic" or "Choice".
If you want lamb chops, may I recommend Jamie's--my wife loves the lamb chops. You get 3 lamb chops and vegetable. I ordered the prawns with linguine--asked to substitute marinara sauce rather than theirs. Jamie's is cheaper than Chops and I'm sure there's no problem in switching. Like their meat plank.
Ps. Don't believe all of the gripes, you must judge it by yourself.
Hi Nelblu!
I am Choice Dining. Since I am solo and who knows who I'd be seated with...that's the way to go. I see that Jamie's has a less expensive cover than Chops so I wonder if they will let me use the specialty dining voucher there instead. We'll see! I know some of the menus do have rack of lamb...but one has to wait til one's on board to see which set of the two menus is first.
I think many people's gripes are personal and hopefully...I won't have them! I know not to expect a lounger by the pool... I know there will be lines in the buffet... I know "Don't expect a party of 10 to be seated without a reservation at 7:30 pm without a long wait!"
So there!
HLR
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Just called RCCL and they told me it's to early to book the entertainment yet. When I explained there was a person who is sailing the week after me, that has already booked their entertainment. She took my reservation number and pulled up my booking and said it's to early to book yet, 90 days prior to the cruise. I asked her why the cruise after mine was able to book the entertainment then. She only replied 90 days prior. Not sure I believe her so I'll wait a few days and try to book again, it will be the 90 days then.
See! I was right! The operator didn't know!!!!
HLR
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We booked a month out so the only dining we could get was 9:30. We were not happy but I did book it. We went to the early show and showed up at dinner....you choose your dining place, and yes you may eat in Grande every night, we showed up for dinner at 8 after the show. We never booked Silk.
We were seated right away, they never batted an eye. Those without reservations were waiting in a line, sometimes 50 couples deep, some a bit less. Many were turned away and told to eat in the Windjammer.
Just make reservations.
Ocean Dancer: So what you are saying is that even though your reservations were for 9:30...you showed up at 8 pm every night and they sat you right away. "They never batted an eye" that you were arriving 1 1/2 hours early? Meanwhile people with no reservations at all were turned away or had to wait a very long time?
So what your post is saying is that it doesn't matter what time you reservation is...as long as you have one you'll be seated right away.
That doesn't make sense....
HLR
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Call to confirm, but it's likely just too early.
Well hmmm... I am sailing a week later and the shows opened up end of July. Then the activities...the Specialty restaurants opened for online booking last week...just not the complimentary restaurants. I'd call! [And the operator will not know what to tell you!]
HLR
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Thanks! That's a start!
HLR
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I am sailing solo on Anthem of the Seas on December 16th, 2016 a week before Christmas. [so far the ship looks empty though I know that ships do not sail empty] I have made all my reservations for activities and shows. From reading reviews I see what people complain about and most of those things are of minor concern to me…but most all complain about having not made dinner reservations and being forced to eat their dinners in the Windjammer cafe. Some questions…in no particular order:
1) Should I pre-book all the night’s dinner reservations for 1 which can be changed once on board if meeting new people?
2) If I am booked for a specific complimentary restaurant and I see that evenings menu and I would rather dine in a different one how difficult is it to switch?
3) I have a free Specialty Restaurant offer with my cruise fare that I think is only good for the Steak House. I don’t see Lamb Chops on their menu and that would be my “real” choice. Can I request them prior to the meal?
4) Is it the best idea to get the RCL transfer to Universal Studios and pre-buy ONLY a 1 park ticket to Universal online since we don’t arrive in Port Canaveral until 12 noon? The park is open until 10 pm, but we sail at 9:30 pm. The park will be very busy and I don’t think there would be time for 2 parks. I don't see a package for Universal on RCL's site, only Disney.
5) Are there showers in the Men’s Locker room at the fitness center? I know there is no free steam or sauna.
6) If you get a Spa treatment are you allowed to use the Spa facilities afterward?
7) Do people attend the Ballroom Dance sessions in the Music Hall as I see listed usually around 6 pm in the Compass? “Pre-Recorded Ballroom Music” it says.
Hmmm…anything else???
HLR
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Any Gaysters on the Anthem of the Seas sailing on December 16th, 2016?
HLR
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Thank you! That helps - it narrows it down for me. We will plan to watch one or both of those shows, but not bother with the others. :)
You can always pop your head in if you've got time...like food; Entertainment is subjective to the individual!
HLR
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This is why I should have kept the daily papers! It was the last show and I think it was 80's to the Max, but it might have been Heart of Soul. I just found a link to Carnival which lists the ships with Playlist Productions and designates which have LED Screen technology. The Pride Doesn't!
https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1155/~/playlist-productions-and-stage-shows
HLR
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Carnival Pride - August 14, 2016 – 7 nights
It was a good cruise! Not great…but good. It was pretty much exactly what we expected. Like others have said it was never really crowded even though a full sailing and children behaved [and there were a lot of them]
We had excellent weather; Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay were WONDERFUL! Freeport…was Freeport. [Not enough time to merit going to a beach club unless you got up at 6 am to be off the ship at 7]
EMBARKATION IN BALTIMORE…was one of the slowest I’ve ever had! Others said the same. We had a check in time of 11 – 11:30 am. Arrived too early at 10:23 am and we knew we’d have to sit in the car line up for a wee while. That was fine as the ship docks later than most. Once we were moving and luggage was off loaded from the car, we paid for parking and parked, walked to the terminal…no problem! At no time did anyone ever look to see when our check-in time was. Hmmmm… It is now 11:25 am. Security line took a LONG time! Don’t know why. It wasn’t even a long line. Just didn’t move. Once inside the line for check-in went quickly. Then wait to board. It was after 12:45 pm when we were on the walkway to board the ship. At no time did anyone ever look to see when our check-in time was. Hmmmm…
THE HUB APP: Very handy! My online Bar Credit was on my account upon arrival and signing in the first time. At a kiosk I easily swiped, set a pin and added a gift card with no trouble at all and the credit instantly appeared on the Hub App. All charges appeared instantly on my account screen.
THE SHIP looks in very good shape, though a little worn around the edges [i.e. bathroom stalls, edges of balcony metal work rusty] Décor mostly intact, but you can see where things have been broken and motifs attempted to be fixed. No big deal.
The new additions, however, just don’t match the original décor and look out of place. The Alchemy Bar for instance is a lovely space…but doesn’t look like it belongs on this ship. On other ships it seems to work. There is no continuity between the old and the new décor to bridge an old space to the new. And I like them both…though the hundreds of New bare LED light bulbs in the hundreds of Old Joe Farcus candelabrum…I bet it looked quite amazing with “real” light bulbs!
THE CABIN was very nice! A GTY Balcony got us an extended Balcony mid-ship on deck 7. Spotless room and the extra balcony depth of 2 feet really DID make a difference. Our cabin crew had the room cleaned without ever seeing them in the room! We saw them in the hall all the time working on other cabins, but we never left to come back to an unmade up room; cleaned morning and night/turn down. Very impressed!
THE STAFF was nicer and friendlier on this sailing than almost any sailing I have been on [18] and used our first names constantly and consistently from the stewards to the dining room hostesses/wait staff, etc… Many took what seemed like a personal liking to us and two unexpected gifts showed up in the room which was really nice!
THE DINING ROOM was fairly consistent to past experiences. We had Anytime Dining and being two people we were usually seated right away. If given a beeper and it was never more than 10 minutes before a table was ready. And this was always between 6:15 and 7:15…prime time! Of seven nights we only had one meal that we felt the service was sub-par [the waiters seemed distracted]…but the first 6 nights service was very good and fairly quick!
Sea day Brunch had good service…though port day breakfasts in the dining room were kinda slow. I thought portions were of nice size and not over-sized, though I think the appetizers are often the stand outs on a menu and another few bites of each would be nice! [Order another one you say?] Desserts I particularly enjoyed were the warm Date and Fig Pudding Cake, Melting Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Amaretto Cake.
THE TAJ MAHAL THEATER is pretty high tech and we always found seats downstairs even without going to the “Pre-Show”. We never had trouble getting good seats at the shows…maybe got there 15 minutes before show time and a waiter, Nikoli, was right there for our drink order. Every night the minute he saw us he made a bee line over to take care of us! Nikoli was friendly and remembered our drinks and adorable as well!
PLAYLIST PRODUCTIONS: I just don’t get it. I wanted to like the shows! We have 8 talented singer/dancers who are given material that they just can’t make all work!
Don’t get me wrong: Cheesy, flashy shows are fine, but they have to be done well. And there were some fine individual performances and one particularly fine dance piece with one male dancer juxtaposed with a male singer. But on a whole the Pride’s Playlist Shows just were not very good.
I have seen the Playlist Shows on two ships now: The Conquest and the Pride.
CONQUEST: Really slick, technical LED screen, lighting effect powerhouses…costumed and choreographed to an inch of their lives, but the cast just seemed too overworked. Their dance skills amazing, but their voices just could not deliver the notes.
THE PRIDE: Only one of the shows had the technical WOW factor and in all shows the vocal selections seemed inappropriate for the singer’s vocal ranges. They were also noticeably UNDER miked: songs began and their microphones were not turned on until maybe the second line of each song. This really stresses singer’s voices. I know…I’m a singer! Is it the wrong people in the wrong parts? Give us back the production shows!
THE SHIP TRIVIA sessions were extensive! I’m usually not one for trivia, but this is a strong suit for this ship between the many categories, difficulty of questions and very entertaining host! [We never found out his name!]
THE GYM was again both good and not so good. Elliptical and treadmill machines were great. Whirl pool was really cool in the center of the area. The terraced weight areas were awkward though and some of the machines need some upkeep. The free steam and sauna were in perfect condition. Many of the lock mechanisms on the lockers were broken and sometimes you could not lock your stuff. The showers were spacious and had multi-head sprayers so you could wash all your private parts at the same time! Well…not in all of them. One shower was missing two of the four heads and didn’t work at all…so I tried another and it was great! Though when I went to turn the water off the knob came off in my hand! I quickly shoved it back in place and turned off the water! I thought it was kind of amusing at the time, but again I don’t quite get it; these things seem like easy things to fix and not things that “just break” all the time. They just aren’t being fixed?
THE PIAZZA CAFE was very good! Good service and delicious espresso drinks. Prices were fine.
CHERRY ON TOP candy store…like you need to buy more sugar on a cruise? We popped in when the proprietress waved at us as we strolled by. We had a lovely conversation and I asked if she knew what the name of my favorite chocolates “Non Pareils” means. I explained it was French for “Nothing Can Compare” and the next evening a box of them was waiting in our stateroom as a present! That’s really nice! It was a “Carnival Moment”!
DEBARKATION was the opposite of arriving. GREAT! Since the ship docks at 9 am there is no need to wake up at 6 am! Up at 7:30 am, retrieve liquor purchases and then breakfast in the dining room. We waited in the theatre and were called to debark ½ an hour earlier than it said in the paper handout and our luggage was in the neatest rows I have ever seen in a terminal! We found our bags immediately.
Final Note: I don’t remember hugging staff members when leaving a cruise before. When leaving on Sunday morning we hugged Alina in the dining room, Anak our cabin steward and Anna at Cheery on Top.
HLR
Universal Studios with late Port Canaveral 12:30 pm arrival
in Royal Caribbean International
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It's ME! The Original Poster! Been keeping an eye on this...
Now point #2 is a REAL GOOD detail to know about!
I don't know when I would get to Universal again...so being alone sitting on the ship...when I could be with people sitting in traffic? And waiting in lines...I'll have to decide. Can't be worse than going to the Hermitage in St Petersburg!
HLR