Tatka

We absolutely LOVE Anthem solarium. We live there. Even with 1350 kids during thanksgivings it’s a quiet adultplace. It’s the best for us, but also enjoy Oasis, Liberty, Adventure and so on.

We have multiple sailings (about 10) booked up to April 2025 with refundable deposits. Prices are nowhere close to what RCI is offering today. However just recently my DH adjusted price for one of our cruises. If you have a refundable deposit you always can cancel & rebook. Knowing this agency are adjusting prices on such bookings

Yes, it is very safe. I always have it there. 5 cruises a year. Sometimes for work. Completely safe.

I’m referring to use in ports, if one doesn’t need to be 24/7 on line it works. On ship is Starlink

We have regular unlimited T-Mobile plan. It gives it 256 kbp data in 215 countries and free text. Calls cost 25 cents a minute, but I never tried to call. I call via messengers, Google, Viber, Whats App. I read that in Europe much faster data is included.

I am so very sorry.

With Bermuda you need to be ready for any weather during summers. First time in 2011 we went on NCL Dawn for 3 days 2 night in July... There was overcast and rain at times we only saw Sun by midday of day #3. 🙂 Second time also in July 2015 it was similar, but a bit better. In the beginning of September 2019 we had 4 days 3 nights of perfect sunny weather and water was 90F! There was so much fish in snorkeling park by the Fortress ... it was fish soup. 🙂 During the same time hurricane was raging from Bahamas to Canada! Several times we went via Bermuda to Caribbeans in July and August weather was fine. Worst weather we experienced on May 11 of 2016(?) ... It was 66F and crazy rain... This May (almost June) we had pretty much overcast and some son. Still very beautiful, but I felt for people who went on a trip of their lifetime. (I hate when weather is not perfect because I want people experience what we did) .

I think 5 days itinerary out of Baltimore is not a very good one as you really have only 2 half days due to how long ship needs to sail out of Baltimore (I love that sail during deep Caribbeans cruises, but ...)

Also after many years in 2018 0r 2019 they reopened The Commissioner House inside of Fortress. It is a huge attraction of itself. Beautifully restored.

We did 3 days (almost full)/ 2 nights twice on Celebrity Summit out of New Jersey and NCL once out of Boston. One Summit cruise actually turned into 4 days/3 nights in Sept 2019 as Grandeur could not sail from Baltimore due to hurricane. We were booked on Empress for Summer 2020 to do 3 nights (1 in St George's and 2 in Hamilton), but obviously it did not happen due to Covid. During our travels we LOVED Bermuda. Just taking a bus through this island is a pleasure. We loved Hamilton, Crystal Caves, St Georges, Horseshoe bay and Long Bay and some other places

Eh.. there is a beautiful Fortress with a great museum. There are dolphins inside too. Beach is right next to it, so you can walk there. Stores, blowing glass show, restaurants. I thought West End had tons of things. We sometimes sail there for 3 days/2 nights and just spend all time there. Month ago we took ferry to Hamilton. Beautiful sail.

This is cruise boards right? All cruises sail abroad. Passport by the way is also a Real ID. "A passport is an acceptable form of identification and may be used in lieu of a REAL ID Drivers License or ID to board domestic flights and visit federal facilities."

Everyone is aware of cost. I had a child and was buying passport. However it is a trip abroad. Whole World is traveling with passports. It is changing in US too. Gradually. Flying to Mexico and Caribbeans used to be without passports, now you must have it. It is normal to have a passport. If you have 3 kids and traveling abroad with them $500 for 5 years should not be an issue. You are very welcome!

Do you thing adding more expenses and headache is worth it? You cannot even fly straight home without passport. So you will incur more expenses for absolutely no reason, Get passports... they are good for 5 years (kids), 10 years adults. It is not even one time trip insurance spending, but for many years!

We are talking about cruise.. travel, not the last penny to buy grocery. If you need to fly back to States and kids do not have passport, it will be WAY more expensive and problematic.

On 5 days month ago cruise we had it 3 times so you will have it. RCI had a classic section that did not change daily with some items, now they are served, but not daily ... but you know how people get used to things. I think menu is fine. Not totally gourmet, but enough good items. Princess used to be a step above RCI. Maybe not anymore. We had 7 cruises with them.

Our last cruise (New Year 2020 on Crown Princess) featured not so great food, but overall before Princess food was better than RCI. I love RCI but I’d not expect great food, although we always find something good to very good.

I am not sure about this. Princess usually has better food. 13 menus is for example Taste of UK, Taste of Mexico, Royal Night, Taste of France etc. So for your sailing it will be 3 out of 13. Probably Welcome Aboard, Taste of France and maybe Bon Voyage or Taste of Italy. I am completely fine with this change,but some people not liking missing Classic portion of menu which consisted of familiar choices like salmon, chicken, french onion soup etc. Escargots are making appearances on many nights though (used to be every night)

I absolutely loved Saturday Night Fever. I missed original one and a move. After cruise I re-watched it. Cast is terrific!!! Not sure what will be your rotation for menus. There are 13 now... but in Sorrento's do not miss Primavera pizza. It is great, and I try to avoid pizza at all cost to stay in shape 🙂

Liberty has 3 terrific shows 1. Broadway - Saturday Night Fever 2. Circus like: In the Air 3. Ice show. Not sure what you will see.

Agree. Anthem is better suited for colder weather sailing. However IIRC roof of indoor pool is also can be opened I think Odyssey should work better for UK pax... even though it won't work perfectly for us during November - March. I will still be sailing... heck I sailed on Explorer in colder times.

But still because of indoor pool kids were not allowed into Solarium. On our 9 times on Anthem all during colder times families were using pool. I even love Thanksgiving in some ways more than January because more families are on the ship and less in Solarium. In January it is mostly couples so solarium becomes more crowded at times.

Of course because of Indoor pool. Last Thanksgiving about 1350 kids were on board.. Of course some number of them were 16+ so they can be in Solarium... but still many kids under 16. In Quantum and Anthem they would be in Indoor pool.. We should see what happens on Odyssey. Also as there won't be a roof over family pool towel station will be colder place... We are also booked for Thanksgiving 2024 and January 2025 (11 days) 11 Days should be less problematic as most of kids will be in school... still less convenient.

Of course because of Indoor pool. Last Thanksgiving about 1350 kids were on board.. Of course some number of them were 16+ so they can be in Solarium... but still many kids under 16. In Quantum and Anthem they would be in Indoor pool.. We should see what happens on Odyssey. Also as there won't be a roof over family pool towel station will be colder place...

I’m not very happy about first change. Second is fine. We lately cruise on Anthem for Thanksgiving and in January (longer cruise). She has family indoor pool. We don’t use it, but family do use it. Now I expect kids in Solarium and colder passage to Solarium. Towel station will be outside. 😞 Hopefully I’m wrong, but I can foresee described problems