Live BLOG & PERISCOPE from Anthem of the Seas - Feb 6, 2016

[maaaaattt]

Matt quick question. You said you paid $95 for 4 specialty restaurants, can you choose the ones u want or they assign it to you ? Thanks.

 

 

You can choose. The way I understand it, if you reserve before you board, they make a courtesy reservation for you for a restaurant and time that they choose either on day 1 or 2. Once onboard, if you're not happy with it, you can change it up when you go to make your reservations for the whole week.

 

I signed up for the package moments after coming on the ship and was able to reserve my first restaurant for whatever day and time I wanted.

 

Word of advice though, be sure to reserve all of your dining through the website before you board. I did not, and when I used the Royal IQ app to plan my week out last night, most restaurants had very limited times left and I had to take what I could get. I could certainly understand where that would be VERY frustrating for people.

[Blondynka]

 

Word of advice though, be sure to reserve all of your dining through the website before you board. I did not, and when I used the Royal IQ app to plan my week out last night, most restaurants had very limited times left and I had to take what I could get. I could certainly understand where that would be VERY frustrating for people.

 

Just off the Jan 26 cruise.

 

We didn't have any issue getting in anywhere without a reservation. Correct, the app showed limited times, but when we showed up in person at various restaurants without reservations we were almost always seated right away at any time, usually around 6:30/7.

Edited February 7, 2016 by Blondynka

[kelly0525]

I have all my MDR reservations already but was looking to try out several specialty restaurant as well. So your advise is to buy specialty package on board or at the ship? If buying it online I cannot specify which ones I want, only on the ship correct? Do you know if I call customer service would they be able to book specialty restaurants for me? Thanks .

[Edmngld]

have you used the Royal iQ app when boarding or any other time. Do you need to purchase the Internet service in order to use the app? We're taking the Anthem in May 2016 and just wondering if it would be useful. Thanks and watching you on periscope.

[denatravels]

Can you tell me if buying the drink packages on board costs the same as online (yet again trying to get this question answered). Apparently over the holidays it was more (gratuities added on top of the $22 replenish and $57 premium that already includes gratuities online). I've asked several times and I would need to buy it tomorrow if I need to do it online. Haven't yet been able to get an answer, so it would be great to know.

Don't do periscope, but looking forward to following your review before I board on Saturday.

[maaaaattt]

Wow guys... Simply put, we are in the middle of one of the worst storms you could possibly imagine at sea. We've been stuck in our stateroom for close to 5 hours. The ship has been going up and down and side to side to the point our coffee table literally fell over. The room looks like a tornado blew through.

 

For those with family onboard, please fear not. The ship is handling it well. I believe the worst is behind us at this point and we should start to experience calmer waters in the next hour or two. The captain and cruise director are making constant PA announcements to calm passengers. We were able to make it to our staterooms quickly once we were asked to, but I've read that half the ship has been stuck hunkering down in public spaces.

 

Honestly, I've been through some rough weather on cruises but luckily I've never seen anything like this. I'll be very curious to see how it's handled and how people react when we are allowed to move around.

 

I'll update once things clear up.

 

What a cruise so far! :-)

 

- Matt

[kahliasmom]

Thanks for posting. It sounds pretty scary! Glad to hear you are almost out of it.

[pajazz28]

Hang in there Matt

[maaaaattt]

Latest Update:

 

We are not making any headway. We haven't in several hours so that we can weather the storm and stay safe. We are floating a couple hundred miles off the coast around the North Carolina/South Carolina border with the ship pointing North to keep us facing the direction of the wind.

 

Speaking of wind, throughout the evening we have endured hurricane force wind speeds of over 150 miles an hour.

 

The captain has said that they are in constant communication with Miami and that they are talking to the Coast Guard every hour.

 

He feels that things will start to stabilize and we should be able to turn South and make our way down toward Florida around midnight eastern.

 

He has admitted that there is some damage to the ship, although he did not go into detail. I know from even before we were forced to our staterooms that there was a lot of flooding on the upper levels from water coming under doors.

 

They have opened up the pay-per-view movies in the staterooms for free viewing and anything that is in the mini fridge is free for consumption. Out stateroom attendant also came to check on us a few minutes ago and gave us candy and water.

 

All would be ok if I wasn't so hungry. I could really go for a burger right now. :-P

 

I'll update again soon...

 

- Matt

[kahliasmom]

Latest Update:

 

We are not making any headway. We haven't in several hours so that we can weather the storm and stay safe. We are floating a couple hundred miles off the coast around the North Carolina/South Carolina border with the ship pointing North to keep us facing the direction of the wind.

 

Speaking of wind, throughout the evening we have endured hurricane force wind speeds of over 150 miles an hour.

 

The captain has said that they are in constant communication with Miami and that they are talking to the Coast Guard every hour.

 

He feels that things will start to stabilize and we should be able to turn South and make our way down toward Florida around midnight eastern.

 

He has admitted that there is some damage to the ship, although he did not go into detail. I know from even before we were forced to our staterooms that there was a lot of flooding on the upper levels from water coming under doors.

 

They have opened up the pay-per-view movies in the staterooms for free viewing and anything that is in the mini fridge is free for consumption. Out stateroom attendant also came to check on us a few minutes ago and gave us candy and water.

 

All would be ok if I wasn't so hungry. I could really go for a burger right now. :-P

 

I'll update again soon...

 

- Matt

 

Did you even think you'd be hungry on a cruise?! I hear there's a good burger served for lunch at the American Icon.

Edited February 8, 2016 by kahliasmom

[maaaaattt]

Can you tell me if buying the drink packages on board costs the same as online (yet again trying to get this question answered). Apparently over the holidays it was more (gratuities added on top of the $22 replenish and $57 premium that already includes gratuities online). I've asked several times and I would need to buy it tomorrow if I need to do it online. Haven't yet been able to get an answer, so it would be great to know.

Don't do periscope, but looking forward to following your review before I board on Saturday.

 

 

The price online is the same as what you pay once onboard. I had checked the price before I left, and my account was charged that exact amount when I signed up onboard yesterday.

[denatravels]

The price online is the same as what you pay once onboard. I had checked the price before I left, and my account was charged that exact amount when I signed up onboard yesterday.

 

 

Thanks-- too bad you're not getting any use from it now!! Wishing you guys the best!

[gizmo911]

Can someone help me to understand what PERISCOPE is and how to download the app. (where to go). I am not very tech savvy but would like to see what is being posted. I will be on Anthem and also have specialty dinning package.

 

Thanks

[herdfans4]

Can someone help me to understand what PERISCOPE is and how to download the app. (where to go). I am not very tech savvy but would like to see what is being posted. I will be on Anthem and also have specialty dinning package.

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Go to the App Store and download Periscope then open the app and create a sign in name. If you have a Twitter account it will be easy to do. After you open the app and sign in look in the bottom right corner for the people icon(it is a picture of 3 people). Click on it and after you open this click on the top left for search icon. Type in Matt's screen name for periscope (@M_W_M_K). Don't forget the @ sign. It should pull him up for you. After that the app will send notifications when he is broadcasting live. If you can't catch the live broadcast you can watch it later for 24 hours. After that it is gone. Good luck. I just started using it to watch Matt so I am by no means a pro and may have told you something wrong but the above worked for me.

[IndyKat]

Thanks for scoping. Just watching it now. Glad everyone is safe.

 

Kath

[herdfans4]

Yes thanks for the scope this morning. My husband and I were just looking at new coverage when the notification that you were broadcasting popped up. Have a great day. Enjoy the sunshine

[Merion_Mom]

have you used the Royal iQ app when boarding or any other time. Do you need to purchase the Internet service in order to use the app? We're taking the Anthem in May 2016 and just wondering if it would be useful. Thanks and watching you on periscope.

 

Royal IQ works on the ship's intranet. :)

[maaaaattt]

Good morning, everyone!

 

"Eventful" is the word of the day. I lived in Boynton Beach, FL when the eye of Hurricane Wilma passed right over us. I also lived in Brooklyn, NY when Hurricane Sandy slammed her way through New York City. Now I can say I survived one of the most brutal storms that a modern day cruise ship has ever been stuck in the middle of.

 

165 mile per hour winds. 50-60 foot waves. Miraculously, Anthem has lived to see another day and so has all 5,000 people onboard.

 

There is a lot of aesthetic damage to the ship. The pool decks took a beating. A lot of art work throughout the ship has been damaged. The galleys, public areas and staterooms were turned upside down. But as I write this at 11:30 am, the crew is working tirelessly to clean everything up as we continue to sail toward Port Canaveral.

 

Nothing has been said about any changes to the cruise as of yet that I know of. The latest announcement from Cruise Director Abe is that the wifi is now opened up and complimentary for all onboard for the rest of the day.

 

Captain Claus is in constant communication as they assess damages to the ship and should be back shortly with a new update.

 

The passengers seem to be in good spirits. The Windjammer and several other dining options are open and the crew is working on putting together some activities to keep people entertained. Of course, all everyone can talk about is the events of the last 24 hours.

 

I'm sitting in the solarium relaxing. I'm thinking we should be seeing land fairly soon, as we were only 25 miles from our assumed destination a couple hours ago.

 

I know a lot of people are talking about this on Cruise Critic. I doubt I have anything to add that hasn't already been said. I do want to go on record and say that I for one am very thankful for the Captain and crew for courageously weathering the storm and keeping us all safe.

 

I will update once I hear some new information to share. I will also try to broadcast the next announcement on Periscope.

 

Happy Sails,

 

- Matt

[maaaaattt]

Update:

 

No updates yet from captain or crew. Although the latest *unconfirmed* rumor is that we are not going to get to Canaveral until 7 am tomorrow (Tuesday). The ship has quite literally turned east and is almost at a complete standstill. Seems very odd.

 

Everyone is just sort "hanging out". The wifi was opened up to all, which is something I thought should have happened much earlier. Unfortunately, it has slowed internet speeds considerably making it very hard to surf.

 

If anyone knows anything factual, please share here. :-)

 

- Matt

[Merion_Mom]

Update:

 

No updates yet from captain or crew. Although the latest *unconfirmed* rumor is that we are not going to get to Canaveral until 7 am tomorrow (Tuesday). The ship has quite literally turned east and is almost at a complete standstill. Seems very odd.

 

Everyone is just sort "hanging out". The wifi was opened up to all, which is something I thought should have happened much earlier. Unfortunately, it has slowed internet speeds considerably making it very hard to surf.

 

If anyone knows anything factual, please share here. :-)

 

- Matt

 

As I am sure you know by now, you are going back to Bayonne/Cape Liberty.

 

ETA 6:30 A.M. Wednesday, February 10

 

Full Refund

 

50% FCC (future cruise certificate)

[maaaaattt]

As I am sure you know by now, you are going back to Bayonne/Cape Liberty.

 

 

 

ETA 6:30 A.M. Wednesday, February 10

 

 

 

Full Refund

 

 

 

50% FCC (future cruise certificate)

 

 

That is true. We are heading back to New Jersey.

 

They are working on putting together an abridged version of today's Cruise Compass and will be getting some entertainment together for those onboard. They've just opened the bar for a completely free happy hour from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM.

 

The spirits of those onboard are remarkably high considering what we went through last night and that our dream vacation has been nothing short of disastrous and now cut short. I think the company is handling the situation well and with everyone's safety in mind. They've gone above and beyond to right this "wrong", in my opinion.

 

The one show I've been dying to see is Spectra's Cabaret and they're performing two "first come; first served" shows tonight. I hope to be able to see one and will try to broadcast a little of it (although connection is terrible now that everyone can access).

 

I will continue to blog and scope all the way home. Feel free to continue to ask questions. I will also be going back and responding to any I've missed from earlier in this thread.

 

Hopefully we will sail smoothly back to the tri-state area.

 

- Matt

[#4'smom]

Hi Matt, so relieved that everyone is safe and sound on the ship. I can't even imagine how scary yesterday must have been. Do you know how much Wonderland, Chops and Jamie's are person?