Live blog From Anthem of the Seas Transatlantic

[denatravels]

This is fun to read, but I don't think I would be a happy camper if I were onboard. Glad you guys are not getting sick!!

Question about the drinks package-- I was planning on getting premium. But I see some nice alcoholic coffees on one of the menus that was posted. Are these considered cocktails (and thus included in premium) or do you need ultimate? Is there a difference with drinks that include brewed coffee vs one that has espresso?

Thanks!!

[jonj]

Thank you for the wonderful information you are providing and for taking time during your holiday to post. I have enjoyed everything you have shared with us.

 

If possible I do have one question, Any idea what the regular cocktail prices are, not the specialty ones that are on the menus. I understand that they will differ depending on the actual cocktail and just an idea of some would be welcomed

 

Here is to calmer seas and hopefully everything will be fully operational soon

[njkruzer]

Thanks for the photo of GG the giraffe. They are great!

[alexkrn46]

I was booked on this cruise, but final payment time I switched to a CL on the Oasis, and so glad I did. The main reason was the discounting of the JR Suite which we paired a premium for and there were no suites available to upgrade to.

 

The Oasis was so smooth and weather was perfect.

 

thanks for this blog, it does sound like an adventure, but glad I missed it, and for the same money got a cls

[BourkeBlogs]

CruisenovicesUK--- no pressure here at all, I promise you...however, next time you go to a bar, could you kindly find out how much they charge for a Mudslide?

 

That is our drink of choice.

 

No worries if you can't

 

Thank you both!

 

-Michael

 

 

Hi Michael

 

Sorry for the delay in reply

 

Yes you can get a mudslide:

 

 

The cost is $12 but the costs on this sailing include the service charge

[Mott1086]

Hi Michael

 

Sorry for the delay in reply

 

Yes you can get a mudslide:

 

 

The cost is $12 but the costs on this sailing include the service charge

 

Thank you so much, CruisenovicesUK.

 

That settles it: drink package for me!

 

Thank you, guys so much!!! :o)

 

-Michael

[BourkeBlogs]

Here is the pool bar menu

 

[BourkeBlogs]

Thank you for the wonderful information you are providing and for taking time during your holiday to post. I have enjoyed everything you have shared with us.

 

 

 

If possible I do have one question, Any idea what the regular cocktail prices are, not the specialty ones that are on the menus. I understand that they will differ depending on the actual cocktail and just an idea of some would be

 

 

Thanks for your comments

 

I have just asked at the bar, all regular cocktails are charged at $12 although this is inclusive of service charge on this cruise

[BourkeBlogs]

This is fun to read, but I don't think I would be a happy camper if I were onboard. Glad you guys are not getting sick!!

Question about the drinks package-- I was planning on getting premium. But I see some nice alcoholic coffees on one of the menus that was posted. Are these considered cocktails (and thus included in premium) or do you need ultimate? Is there a difference with drinks that include brewed coffee vs one that has espresso?

Thanks!!

 

 

Hi

 

Good question, not sure, we will find out.

 

However an alternative would be you could get a free coffee and add a liquor to it.

 

The alcoholic coffees are only served in the coffee locations and not at the regular bars so as a guess I would say you need ultimate but I will find out.

[BourkeBlogs]

Thank you so much for your blog.

 

We also like a table for 2. Could you please tell us if they all are in nice locations or at least are not all within inches of each other. Any pictures would be great.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

The tables for 2 are very close to each other. In some restaurants there are some at the windows although it does vary.

 

We do have some pictures of the restaurants when they were empty from yesterday morning so will get these uploaded in the next couple of days.

[Photofinish4]

Jamie's is $30 on an evening and $20 at lunch time. The lunch menu is slightly different and here it is

 

 

You obviously enjoy writing these very informative and detailed blogs but for a first time cruiser you are turning this into a job. Enjoy the cruise. I know some ff these people along with my DW will suffer withdrawals if you miss an entry two. We enjoy reading your updates but hope you will not miss the enjoyment of cruising.This is a great way to journal your trip and it is nice of you to share

[BourkeBlogs]

So I said last night I would have some exciting photos, well this morning we went on

 

 

We've taken a lot of photos which we will go through and upload.

 

Before I do though I would like to get to the bottom of Lobster Gate.

 

As part of the tour, we were taken around the galley by one of the chefs. I asked them about lobster.

 

He advised that lobster is available in The Grande, we questioned this as it was not shown on the menu. Another couple also questioned as they had asked for it specifically last night and were told lobster is was not available. So the key is if you want lobster, ask and be persistent. It is available even if it is not on the menu.

 

The couple who asked about it last night and were declined, the chef has personally assured them they will get it in whichever restaurant they are in this evening.

 

The shrimps we had the other night were shrimps, I asked about these and he said you get around 6-8 per kg, so these are pretty big shrimp.

 

We also asked about caviar and were advised this is available at Jamie's but again this was not on the menu.

 

The chef advised that on this cruise the menus are rotating every 3 days.

 

I will upload the pictures of the tour later.

Edited October 31, 2015 by CruisenovicesUK
Typo

[deb1835]

Thanks for your comments

 

I have just asked at the bar, all regular cocktails are charged at $12 although this is inclusive of service charge on this cruise

 

Thank you so much for posting the pool bar menu. Not thrilled though that they have raised prices 150%! :mad: This is just forcing cruisers to buy a package.

 

I don't drink enough to pay for even the premium package but now I must pay for those that drink over the premium package price. We have paid quite a chunk of change so far between flights, deluxe balcony, 3 restaurant reservations and 4 port tours. This trip is going to end up being our most expensive by far at the rate things are going. I would prefer that RCCL stop nickel and diming everything and include it in the total price of the cruise.

 

I still will enjoy every second of this cruise but will make sure to be very aware of charges to our onboard account. The spa might need to be out on this cruise :p

[countess5]

You have to have the meat Plank at Jamie's! The best ever.

When we were on Anthem our table for two was by the window in every dinning room. The table next to us was close but they wee a great couple from England.

 

Sail on! Safely.......:D

[BourkeBlogs]

You obviously enjoy writing these very informative and detailed blogs but for a first time cruiser you are turning this into a job. Enjoy the cruise. I know some ff these people along with my DW will suffer withdrawals if you miss an entry two. We enjoy reading your updates but hope you will not miss the enjoyment of cruising.This is a great way to journal your trip and it is nice of you to share

 

 

Thanks, I can assure you it's not ruining our cruise.

 

You could safely say I am addicted to my iPhone so if I wasn't writing this I would probably be ordering something off Amazon or reading some pointless information on something totally random.

 

If the weather had been better I wouldn't have done as many posts as we would have been doing other things, but as everything we would like to do keeps getting cancelled, and we can't go for a swim or anything this is keeping me occupied.

 

In fact I had not planned writing as much, we have a brand new DJI Osmo video camera on order which we hoped to get before the cruise to get some quite clever videos with but unfortunately they have not started shipping in the UK yet.

 

These blogs must be addictive as even my other half keeps asking me when I'm doing another update to read and she is sat next to me!

[BourkeBlogs]

This is fun to read, but I don't think I would be a happy camper if I were onboard. Glad you guys are not getting sick!!

Question about the drinks package-- I was planning on getting premium. But I see some nice alcoholic coffees on one of the menus that was posted. Are these considered cocktails (and thus included in premium) or do you need ultimate? Is there a difference with drinks that include brewed coffee vs one that has espresso?

Thanks!!

 

 

Ok, so further to my previous post we have checked. The premium package does not include alcoholic cocktails. The only package that includes these is the ultimate which we have.

 

However there would be nothing stopping you getting a coffee from one of the many free locations then getting a brandy etc. From the bar

Edited October 31, 2015 by CruisenovicesUK

[BourkeBlogs]

Thank you for the information. I may look into the packages they offer when we board in that case, it would be a waste being that I don't drink much but my wife loves wine and at $9+ a glass :eek: it may be worth it.

 

 

You both don't need to have the same package. One of you could have a package and one not or you could both have different packages.

 

I think of we hadn't we would have been bankrupt by now. I checked this morning and we have done 120 drinks so far! Im surprised by this but it quickly mounts up. For example at breakfast this morning we had 2 fresh juices each and a speciality coffee each which was 6 drinks by 8am.

 

We've not even been on it really, only one night where we were up till 3am and had a couple too many.

 

Most nights we are asleep relatively early as we prefer to get up early, so therefore, tend to do more coffees, soft drinks etc

[BourkeBlogs]

At 12 noon we had covered 1581 nautical miles with 1590 to go.

 

The weather has improved slightly so they have started to refill the pool. However, as you will see from the video below there is a lot of movement in the water

 

 

We have just been advised that tonight's show The Gift has been cancelled due to safety concerns and there will now be singers on instead.

 

As one other poster has mentioned it is difficult to get seats at any of the inside venues as it is so busy with all the outside activities cancelled.

 

It would be good if there could be more things to do during the day to replace cancelled activities though.

 

By the way Happy Halloweeen

 

 

We decorated our door and will be dressing up tonight. We're in Wonderland for dinner tonight so that will work well and a Halloween event is going to be on in the Music Hall later.

Edited October 31, 2015 by CruisenovicesUK

[BourkeBlogs]

So here's the start of the posts from the behind the scenes tour.

 

It only became available on the cruise planner approximately 2 weeks before sailing and it's expensive. As it's priced in pounds on the UK site it was £95 each which I believe is around $150 per person.

 

Although it's expensive it is something we wanted to do.

 

Last night we had some letters in our cabin which confirmed the time and meeting place of 08:45 at The Grande restaurant. There was also a waiver form we both had to compete.

 

On arrival at the Grande we were seated given a lanyard to wear (picture posted previously) and given a baseball cap to keep.

 

The tour is hosted by one of the entertainment team but at each area you are met by someone from that area who conducts the tour.

 

One of the chefs took us into the galley for The Grande's kitchen

 

This is where the drinks are prepared

 

From here the cold starters are prepared. Each starter is placed on a different position on the counter so the waiters can come and collect the starters quickly

 

This is the area where hot starters and mains are prepared. Again these are placed in specific places to make it easy for the waiters to collect

 

These screens show what is being ordered so the chefs can prepare. The orders come through digitally from the dining rooms so the right quantity can the be prepared at pace

 

At various points in the kitchen there are screens which flip between this which shows what appliances are on and this next shot showing current power usage

 

[Susie51]

I'm glad you did not get ill while the seas were very rough. Your diligence at answering questions is appreciated.

[BourkeBlogs]

Here is the salad preparation area

 

I wouldn't fancy doing this pile of washing up!

 

All of the sauces for the ship are prepared in this part of the galley

 

Again all 10 of the daily soups are prepared in this kitchen . Because of the sea state they are having to half fill and make in batches rather than full tubs

 

Some beef tenderloin cooking for lunch

 

And some drinks and cakes they had prepared for the tour.

[debpaytond]

We too are on the TA on the Allure. The motion in the ocean as the captain keeps calling it has finally calmed and we have had a glimmer of sun, thank god:eek:

 

This is our first time on a TA. Enjoying it and will do now the sea has calmed. Hopefully pools back opened soon.

 

Hope its better for you guys too

[BourkeBlogs]

We too are on the TA on the Allure. The motion in the ocean as the captain keeps calling it has finally calmed and we have had a glimmer of sun, thank god:eek:

 

 

 

This is our first time on a TA. Enjoying it and will do now the sea has calmed. Hopefully pools back opened soon.

 

 

 

Hope its better for you guys too

 

 

Thanks glad it's calmed down for you.

 

Don't you just think it's crazy how we are in the middle of the Atlantic yet can still use the Internet and have people on another transatlantic viewing it.

[BourkeBlogs]

After the galley tour we were taken down a level via the crew staircases to deck 2 and the stores. The store officer have some great information and showed us in some of the stores.

 

He said that most supplies have to be ordered around 6 weeks in advance and only fresh supply orders can be amended 3 days in advance.

 

Mistakes are made and on past occasions they have even had to go to local supermarkets to buy supplies.

 

One of the things that did surprise us was that some bread is not fresh but frozen which is a new thing and will continue when based out of Bayonne.

 

There are a number of refrigerated, frozen and ambient stores and we were shown in a few of them.

 

Crew staircase, sightless less luxurious and much stepper than the guest ones.

 

One of the vegetable chillers

 

The salad fridge

 

Some of the fresh salad onboard

 

The seafood freezer. He mentioned this has been a nightmare over the last couple of days as the boxes have kept moving all over due to the seas so they have constantly had to restack

 

The beer store. We weren't officially taken in here but saw it and managed to get a sneaky photo

[BourkeBlogs]

From here went on down the main staff corridor (of which we were not permitted to take photos of) to the recycling centre.

 

This ship has a target of zero waste to landfill and it is the responsibility of every crew member including the captain to sort their own waste.

 

In the recycling room waste has to be tipped on a table then sorted into buckets for recycling. Anything that cannot be recycled including food waste with liquid removed, is incinerated at sea. As the incinerator is small the heat is not recovered from the process. However, there are some exception such as hazardous items which cannot be recycled or incinerated which are taken and dealt with on land such as used shoes, batteries etc.

 

Once the waste has been sorted glass is crushed in this machine (separated by colour first)

 

And then stored in crushed form

 

Aluminium cans, tin and plastic are compacted and bundled. The aluminium is sold and the money raised from this is used for the crew such as crew activities, pool tables, social events etc.

 

 

 

 

The final picture for this post is waste cooking oil. It is separated into 2 containers one which is purely for bacon fat and the other for clean used cooking oil which is used for bio diesel.

 

It costs approximately $200 - $300 to dispose of these oil containers and what surprised me is that it takes about 2 weeks to fill these oil containers. I would have thought they would use much more oil than this.

 

The room where the used oils and crushed cans etc are kept, is refrigerated to stop fruit flies and other insects

 

 

Ok that's it for now, we are off to Vintages for a nice wine.

 

The next section from the behind scenes will be the engine control room of which I have a lot of pictures and some interesting facts.