Jenglish711

Who is the Cruise Director? 

12 minutes ago, alexgtp said:

So do not fly into NJ/NY during Dec months? Not good to hear.

 

We have a NYE cruise planned. and we are flying in to Newark Airport., 2 days early just in case. 

2 days early; you should be just fine. It think for me it's more about - if I lived in like Omaha or something, I'd rather just fly straight to FL and be in the heat right away. 

12 hours ago, bajathree said:

Having sailed out of NY a couple times during the winter (living in the area at the time)...I certainly wouldn't fly there especially in the winter to sail out of.

I live on Long Island and LOVE being able to cruise any time of the year without having to fly, and, right now with two under-10 kids, we're fine with the boring itinerary. That being said, if I lived somewhere where I had to fly to cruise anyway, no way would I fly to NJ/NY in the winter lol.

11 hours ago, Tigerman4LSU said:

Being in Client Satisfaction position at work, if a client had a complaint like this I would have taken ownership of it, not like the Royal Caribbean employee in Guest Resolution Department kept saying it is not my problem.  His comments do not speak well for taking ownership resolving issues.  If I said something like that I work, I would be coached and reprimanded.

 

 

7 hours ago, Tigerman4LSU said:

My biggest complaint is the person in the resolution department refusing to do anything and only say not my problem.  

You know, I've been trying to let this go and I can't. I've worked in CS for a handful of companies, both large and small, my whole career, and I am very good at my job. 

Sometimes, a CS rep or agent literally cannot do anything for the customer. They may transfer you to a manager or supervisor,  but in the end the customer may get told that "we're very sorry, but there's nothing that can be done at this time and my advice is to __________" 

As you state you're in client satisfaction, I'm surprised you can't show a bit of empathy towards your fellow CSRs. Also, I find it hard to believe that you'd expect a CS/guest resolution agent this far out to be able to actually do something for you anyway, when things are constantly changing. Additionally, they are not in charge of their company's rules or even what RC says can actually happen in this situation. Lastly, how is it the company's/rep's fault that you will be without internet on the new checkin day? That's a you problem, not a them problem. 

What I can say with confidence is that the person or persons you spoke with most likely, upon hanging up with you, gave that guttural "uuuhghghghghg" sound and rolled their eyes, because this is the definition of A Bit Much. 

We got off the Anthem on Sunday, 03/03. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures and we didn't do many "Key" activities but perhaps our experience will be helpful for some. We purchased the Key for the two of us (our child sailing with us is 4) at the $19.99 price as we would've been buying internet already so for the added perks for a few more bucks, we figured we'd give it a try. 

On embarktion day, due to some lollygagging, we didn't arrive early enough (got to Port Liberty at about 11:30) to fully experience the priority-ness of it. We did, however, get to use the suite/pinnacle line that had a small sign for the Key there as well, so we did get to skip some of the line for check in. Note that at least in our case, the people at the port kept directing us to the regular line and we had to find the Key signage on our own. 

On board there was a man at a bar-height table with Key signage - we gave him our name at cabin and he handed me an envelope and told us to head to the theater to drop off our carry-on. the envelope contained a welcome letter, three papers with the wifi codes - note on that later - a list of the perks and also a spreadsheet of the Key private times at activities (rock wall, flowrider, ifly, northstar). In the theater, two very friendly staff members gave us labels for the carry-on (3 pieces) and we were on our way to Chops for lunch. 

At Chops the lunch menu was exactly the same as @GalwayGirl03 posted above in post #1615. They were friendly enough but we waited quite awhile to even get some water. and when I flagged someone down to ask about it and state we were ready to order, the man gave me a little attitude about how they were in the middle of the big lunch rush. But it was 1 pm and the restaurant was literally half-full. Whatever, after that the service was good and the food was delicious. 

As for the papers with the wifi codes - even though we paid for only two Keys, as there were three of us in the cabin, they gave us a wifi code for each passenger, which was nice. 

During lunch they stated the cabins were ready and at our cabin, our luggage was waiting for us. I couldn't find our carry-ons at first but when I opened a closet there they were. 

We didn't do any activities within the Key private times - the times were just not convenient for us (Ifly only one day from 6-7 pm when we have 6:30 dinner ressies due to the kiddo). We also didn't attend the shows so are unable to offer any insight there. 

We didn't priority disembark at either Port Canaveral or Nassau so cannot offer any insight there either, but when we got to CocoCay, we simply went down to 3 and I said we had the Key and asked where to go. The staff member didn't ask to look at our cards and just directed us down the stairs to 2 to get on the tender that was currently being loaded. 

Disembarktion at Port Liberty - this was a real cluster, to be frank. Well, back up - first was the Key breakfast. The menu was the same again as GalwayGirl03 posted. The food was delicious and the service top notch. After that we went to the Shore Excursions area (where we were told to go in a note we had rec'd two days prior, along with Key luggage tags) to wait to be escorted out. We waited about 15-20 minutes as apparently the staff members had just taken a group out. They came and got our group of maybe 10 and there was a woman in front and a man in back of our group. But it was so crowded getting off the ship that our group got split up and the woman was walking super fast - we couldn't keep up with the 4yo. She slowed down but the people with the man behind us were nowhere to be seen. So she escorted us to get our luggage and to the customs line. Now here's where it was kind of like, "uuuhhhhh...": The woman was super friendly and all smiles, but I don't think she knew what she was doing, really. First of all, she directed us to the 2 elevators instead of the escalators. I guess she was trying to be fancy but the elevators were much slower than the escalators as there were people with actual reason to use them waiting. We are able-bodied and really didn't need to use the elevator and I felt uncomfortable as there were folks with mobility aids (canes, walkers, wheelchairs) behind us that had to wait longer because of us. I mentioned to her that we could take the escalator and she looked at me blankly and said, "No, the elevator is fine!". Then I spotted the Key luggage area before she did and started over to it. After we got our luggage she basically escorted us to the looooong customs line and just... stood with us in line. I wasn't sure what to say without sounding like a real snobby B, but I was pretty sure we were to get escorted to the front or something (the "priority" in the Key description and all). Ultimately it was really awkward so we decided to relieve her of her post and got a porter to help us - which was much quicker and did have us bypass the huge line. As we were zooming up the porter line, we noticed the couple with the male staff member that were behind us - they had indeed fallen back but he was walking them all the way to the front of the line we were just in. So who knows what was correct, lol. 

All that being said, I don't think we'd get the Key again unless it returned to $19.99. Because we didn't attend shows or private Key times, didn't get to have priority embarktion due to our own "tardiness," and the fact that disembarktion was so strange, I think the value for us would not be there at a higher price point. And that includes getting a "free" wifi code. 

If you really take advantage of everything the Key has to offer, and you get it "on sale" when it could only be a few bucks more than wifi alone, I would say give it a try. But only if you're okay with the random times for certain things (to be fair, flowrider had a LOT of times but we couldn't enjoy it as I'm pregnant and the hubs has a bad back), make a point to go to shows, and especially if you've read in this thread about your port handling it well. I don't think it was handled well at Port Liberty at all. Perhaps that will improve with time. 

7 hours ago, zooma said:

@Jenglish711 -- Don't want to mislead.... We were able to prebook some times for iFly and North Star for our June Anthem cruise, so they are available, at least on some sailings. (Although I was bummed they did not open up North Star availability for Day 1, while still in NY.)  You should be fine because I think you'll get an assigned time for iFly regardless, but if you don't like that time, go see if you can book your preferred time on your own once you board. 

Yeah, I figured I just missed a window. It was 10 years between our first and second cruises (second was Celebrity Summit August 2018 and that was a much simpler ship, lol), so this whole HUGE SHIP MANY ACTIVITIES BOOK THINGS BEFOREHAND thing is still new to me. 

That being said I'm extra glad I purchased the Key - get onboard early enough with priority to sign up for things there or, failing (or forgetting, let's be honest) that, get our little slip with private Key hours. 

@Orsino and @zooma, thank you! I'm glad I didn't miss any sign ups and it's nice to see someone reported that the Key hours exist for it. I *thought* I saw that but there's so many pages in this thread that I wouldn't know where to begin and I'm too lazy to go through every page. Thank you again to both of you! 

4 hours ago, zooma said:

 

Ditto to Orsino. And, Jenglish711 -- we will be awaiting any Anthem-specific input after your cruise. Enjoy!

Will do! Mine will be limited though - I'm pregnant and my husband has a bad back so we won't be doing the flowrider or rock wall, and I won't be doing iFly. The 4yo wants to try it (iFly) though, and I apparently missed the sign-up window for it, so I'm curious to see if it's included in the Anthem Key private hours. Also we may not be attending shows. If we do it will be WWRY only, most likely. But even maybe a little of what I can report will be helpful to someone! 

@Orsino, thanks for your "review" of the Key! While we'll be using it on the Anthem (boarding 2/23), it's helpful to be able to read about someone else's experiences in almost real time. 

Our 2/23 Anthem sailing has gone up to $31.99 as well (with no change in perks). Glad I got it when it was $19.99 because I don't know if the value would be there for us at $31.99. At $19.99 it was literally only like $30 more for the week than just internet, which we would have been purchasing anyway. 

Wow, this thread is a TRIP! I'm living for it. 

OP, you sound like a petulant toddler, stamping their feet every time someone rebuts you, offers a valid explanation (ex: why some bars may close early), or even a hint of a suggestion as to how you could have made the trip better for yourself. You seem content to be angry and argumentative. 

I often tell my four-year-old that if you can't change a situation, you can change how you react to it. Perhaps you could take note as well. 

As for the suggestions you listed that COULDN'T POSSIBLY be valid to you - just because you don't like the suggestion doesn't mean it's not a valid one. I have another suggestion: let it go. Go back to Carnival where you'll obviously be much happier. 

I bought the Key for our Anthem Feb 23rd sailing. It will be myself, my husband, and our 4 year old daughter (who I obviously didn't need to purchase it for). We chose to do the Key because we are in a balcony and were getting internet for the hubs and I anyway, and the Key was only about $20 more for many more "things."

We are not using the Key for access to the shows, so when I update, that won't be included, sorry. Outside of the fact that it was $20 more than regular Voom, we are most interested in the priority embarktion and debarktion, lunch at Chops (I see Jamie's is included now but... we live on Long Island and get our fill of fantastic authentic Italian food, lol), the private hours at certain activities, and the debarktion breakfast. All of these things will just make traveling with the kiddo so much easier - less lines, less waiting... that alone is worth its weight in gold when you have a small child, lol. 

STAHP you are hilarious and I'm loving this review 110%. I can't wait for more! 

Thank you, @jimzgoldfinch and @pamkev! Was starting to get a little worried. Went on the Summit for the the first time (and my second ever cruise) in August of this year and fell in love with her.

I looked around and couldn't find anything out about this so please forgive me if this has been discussed but - is Celebrity not coming back to NJ/NY? I see the Summit has Puerto Rico winters showing through 2021 but after summer 2019 there's nothing for Cape Liberty.

Junior suites don't get the priority disembarkation perk, however, Guest Services is usually very good about getting guests their desired disembarkation time.

Thank you, Bob!

If you get priority boarding, do you also get priority departure at the end of the cruise?

If you happen to have Peter Rosetti on the Summit -- he does take requests. We spent 30+ nights on the Summit last fall and then again spent 21 nights this summer, and he was on the entire time with us. He had been off for vacation time but had returned to the Summit.

Literally just got off the Summit this morning and can confirm Peter Rosetti was on board and I saw him take a few requests. He's so great! Loved listening to him.

To the poster that thinks the OP may be exaggerating... I have a 4 year old. When she and her cousins get together (5 under 5), they act like wild banshees. I can totally see the type of behavior happening with my own daughter and nephews. With one exception - they act like goons in appropriate places (backyards, my mother-in-law's, etc).

Having said that, we are the parents that will haul our daughter out of a place if she's misbehaving. She gets one warning and that's it. We parent our kid (even on vacation - probably moreso because there are other people around! I don't want to be the parent that everyone whispers about, haha) and take every opportunity to teach her about how to behave in public places (the ones not geared for kids. She can go wild in parks, etc) and how to behave around other adults.

If this were happening next to me, whether or not our kid was with us, forget kids will be kids. You bet your hiney I'm calling guest relations and then security.

This was great to read. I love Michael Ian Black!

Thanks for the alert! Just saved $816 on our Feb 2019 cruise! Wahoo!

I'd also consider cruises on Princess out of FLL/NY. We always pay no more than $2K for the 3 of us on Princess - we wait for the $99 sale for the 3/4 passenger.

 

I too would have taken Carnival out of the three above and used the difference on another trip. We love cruising! And so does our kiddo who started cruising a couple of months short of his 4th birthday. He, however, does not go to kid's clubs - not because he doesn't like them (they are fabulous on Princess and our friends' kids love going from morning till night), but because he has separation anxiety.

We prefer to sail from NY/NJ and Princess doesn’t offer sailings until May from up here. But thank you for the suggestion!

I think you will be very happy with Anthem - it is amazing ship with a ton to do. We started cruising RCI when our son was one month shy of 4, and he loves the kids club. In fact, we are in Alaska at the moment, and he spends most of his time in there when we are not on excursions.

 

 

 

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Thanks for the confirmation that we’ll be happy! We’re really looking forward to it. I’ve been looking at posted AO dailies and I think our kiddo will really enjoy the club.

Personally, I would have taken the much cheaper cruise on the Pride and put the $1000 savings toward a second vacation to Disney with a day trip to space center. RCI is not worth that difference in price for me and we cruise to 1)get away and 2) explore new places.

Well this cruise is a break from Disney, lol. And when we go to Disney we spend the whole week there with our break day being a pool day, lol. This is the perfect opportunity for us to see Kennedy!

Okay well never mind! Husband, who can’t make up his mind ever, has definitively stated he wants the whole day at Kennedy. Anthem it is!

:')