PaulaW

Hi Jim,

Thank you for posting all of the beautiful pictures.

I’m glad you enjoyed the Falls— it’s an incredible experience.  I’m sure you will enjoy the Welland Canal transit too.  I wish the timing had been better so I could have driven to Lock 3 and watch your ship!

Enjoy the rest of your voyage!

Jim,

I am loving your posts.  And your pictures are beautiful!

Even though I have spent my life living on the shores of Lake Erie, I would love to do this itinerary.

I would also love to see your ship transit the Welland Canal.  Do you happen to know what the schedule is for that?

Continue to enjoy!

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

I'm sure it will.   I wish they had scheduled time so that we could take the boat ride under the falls.    While very wet looks like fun.

If you won’t have time to do the boat ride, Journey Behind the Falls might be a good alternative if your schedule permits.  I have done this and it’s an incredible experience.  You won’t get any closer to the Falls than this!

https://www.niagarafallslive.com/journey_behind_the_falls.htm

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Thanks much.   What is funny is that I was born in Syracuse while my father was finishing his Masters.    I have only seen it once since when driving by decided to get off and take a look around.    5 minutes later I was back on the Interstate.

 

For Port Colborne we have booked the Tour to Niagra Falls and Wellard Canal.   Iain has never been to the falls before so sure he will be amazed.

 

I just looked at a map and I guess we will have to pass through the Wellard Canal in order to get to Toronto ---  My geography can be so bad,  I'm glad you prompted me to look.   

You’re welcome!  The Falls are very impressive. I’m sure you’ll love the area. 
 

I’m looking forward to following along. 
 

Have a great cruise!

Hi Jim,

I have been following many of your previous “LIVE” posts, but have never posted.  Thank you for all the great information.

I am a native Buffalonian and along with my husband (who lived in the Niagara region of Ontario for years), we are very familiar with the area.  Please let me know if you have any questions or need any suggestions about what to do in Port Colborne.  I would highly recommend Niagara-on-the-Lake and the surrounding wineries.  

Also, when is the ship due to transit the Welland Canal?  We drove over to see one of the Viking ships transit last month and it was a fascinating experience.  We would love to see your ship and wave, schedule permitting!

We just got off the Silhouette four day cruise last week.  We upgraded to the premium package and paid $72 per person including gratuity for the four days. 

7 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

 

I can’t imagine that upgrading just to be able to buy premium wines makes much sense. Wouldn’t you be better off just paying the up charge on a class by glass basis for a couple of glasses of wine each night?

You make a good point,  and perhaps that’s the best move in this case.  But adding in the Captain’s Club discount and drinking at least two glasses of premium wine per night,  and one is almost at a break even point.  Not to mention the access to premium spirits and water as well.

I guess we’ll have to weigh the pros and cons.  

Thanks for the information!

Thank you for doing this report.  We will boarding in December.  Can you please comment on the availability of wines?  When I was onboard the Millennium back in May, I had upgraded to the premium drink package only to be disappointed by the lack of wine choices.  They were out of nearly everything on the menu!

Just wondering if it will be worth our while to upgrade on the Silhouette.

Thank you!

2 hours ago, GenerationX said:

 

Sharing some info on the wine events offered on our sailing as well as the captains club event schedule. I was very amused to see that apparently my loyalty status doesn’t carry over to Jeremy. So they left a list of events for Elite for me as well as for his lower Select status (his sea pass also shows him as Select).  He was less amused by all this than I was. I have a feeling it’s soon going to get much harder to convince him to let me cruise without him. LOL

 

 

Hi Charla,

Just wanted to tell you how much I am enjoying this review and all of your previous reviews.

You can have Jeremy’s status match yours since you’re married.  I did the same thing with my husband.  He had never cruised Celebrity before and once we got married, my TA called and he was upgraded automatically!  

Have a fantastic cruise and wonderful birthday!

2 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We learned something new today regarding the Elite+ 15% discount perk you get on the cost of one specialty restaurant. Well, we also learned it only applies to one SR reservation rather than all of them. But, more importantly with that limitation in mind, the discount will be applied automatically to the first SR you actually eat at which may not be the most expensive one if you wind up eating at multiple SRs.

 

In our case our most expensive SR will be at the Le Petit Chef on the last day at $110 for 2. However, since our first one was the 2 for 1 deal at the Tuscan Grille at $40 for 2, that’s the one the “computer” discounted 15%.

 

Lesson learned. When you get onboard, either contact the Captains Club rep or a maitre d’ at one of the SRs and have them add a note stating which SR you want your Elite+ 15% discount applied to. At least that’s how it’s been explained to us. If someone knows something different, please let us know.

I agree with the above posters.

I was on the Edge in October and dined at 3 specialty restaurants and had the 15% discount applied to all three reservations.  We had to ask at Guest Services to get it applied, but it was done.

Keep at them!

5 minutes ago, bama4cruisin said:

During your online check-in process, there is the opportunity for you to select your boarding time from timeframes still available.  We are booked on the westbound TA on Apex on October 10; while we have completed the initial step in online check-in, the second step of selecting boarding time is not yet open.  The third step is the HealthInfo form, which must be done a day before boarding.

Thank you!

That is very helpful!

Just curious about how the embarkation times are assigned.  Are they random?  Or does it depend on when you do your online check in?  

I’m also curious if Captain’s Club status means anything once arriving to the cruise terminal.  In the past, Elite and above had preferential embarkation. 

7 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Do you, or anyone else know who Nate Berkus is?  Some sort of well known designer?  Or, just another guy named Nate who has a sewing machine in his basement?

Nate Berkus is a well known interior designer, thanks to Oprah. 
 

Thanks for your review. I am enjoying very much. I will be on the Edge for the first time in October. 

8 hours ago, cyndyga said:

Is the Pub food in Brass & Bock  on Anthem included with a $35.00 cap like Playmakers on the other ships? Thanks!

We were on the Anthem in May. Unfortunately, Brass and Bock was not included. 

2 hours ago, CC Help Jenn said:

 

We are eating at Johnny Rockets right now on Anthem and it is included.  We did have to mention it though otherwise we would have been charged 

Thanks Jenn.  That it is very interesting.  I am glad you were able to take advantage of it.  I only wish the staff on my cruise were better informed!

18 hours ago, j1d1 said:

 

I had the same reaction.  I recall seeing some of the responses posted from RCI customer service saying that JR was now included and was surprised to see the review saying it wasn't included.  I don't have a lot of interest in JR but might have given it a shot if it was included and I could get a milkshake with the UBP.  Playmakers is an option for me, and I think that looks much better than JR.  $35 will go a long way at Playmakers.

See my post #61 above.

I asked and, unfortunately, was specifically told no Johnny Rockets under the unlimited dining package. 

3 hours ago, Mack and June said:

In October of 2018 we experienced distressingly long embarkation lines for Royal Carribean. Never in our 15 year crusing history have we had such a problem. 

Has anyone since experienced this problem at Cape Liberty? 

We just got back from the Anthem last week and had no problems whatsoever for embarkation.

We arrived around 10:15 am and encountered no lines to drop baggage and we were able to quickly park the car.  We were onboard the ship by 11 am— even though we had received an email that the ship would have delayed embarkation due to a USCG inspection.

Easy peasy!

38 minutes ago, zooma said:

 

Thank you for these details. Not sure whether this has been covered, but did you ever try having an appetizer early in one restaurant and then main dinner later in another one? Any trouble getting reservations for that kind of thing? And would it be possible to sit with larger family at MDR for appetizer course and then have entrees at specialty restaurant later as just a couple? I just don't get how they're able to coordinate all those reservations without lots of wasted table space/time slots. Certainly don't want to be the one causing chaos but curious whether they've thought through these options.

We didn’t really try to split up our meals at different restaurants.  Of course on the Anthem, there aren’t as many options as on the Oasis class ships.  I suppose it would be possible, but it was already quite difficult to get reservations and I noticed most of the restaurants were quite full each night.

And I’m sure it would be possible to eat at the MDR with family and then go to the specialty restaurant later.  You certainly aren’t obligated to have each course offered. 

We just returned from the Anthem of the Seas and had the unlimited dining package.  

We enjoyed the benefits very much and the staff we encountered were well informed.  We were able to have lunch on embarkation day at either Chops or Jamie’s.  We chose Jamie’s.

We received a $35 credit per person at Izumi.

The package does not cover Brass and Bock, Vintages or Johnny Rockets.

I purchased the Ultimate Dining Package back in January for my May 2019 Anthem cruise.

Now, in my cruise planner, it showing the UNLIMITED package— and that I purchased it.  

So, what does everyone think?  Will I be “grandfathered’ automatically to the unlimited now?

On 3/3/2019 at 11:48 AM, zooma said:

 

Is embarkation lunch included with the UDP on Anthem? If so, does anyone know which restaurant?

I was wondering this as well.  

Anyone have any information?

Thanks so much!

Thank you so much for an extremely well-written and thorough review. I have read it with great interest as this a cruise that I have on my bucket list. The Maasdam is also one of my favorite ships. :)

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Bon Voyage to all and especially PaulaW.

Thanks Deb!

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Happy to add you. A 7 day Caribbean, I presume?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh nice :)

 

 

 

My pleasure to add you.

Yes, a 7 day Caribbean.

Thank you!

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Please add PaulaW to the list.

Sailing the Eurodam Western Caribbean January 14, 2018.

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