Live...mostly...from Anthem

[LaShelle2]

So, how much are those mini bottles of vodka on the ship?

 

I see I'm not the only one who noticed that. LOL:D

[grandgeezer]

The only reason?

 

They register it in foreign so they don't have to pay their workers a fair base pay, among other labor issues.

[Lidodeckdrinks]

It may be a foreign flagged ship but it is owned by an American Company. They have all the rite in the world to include it in the investigation. The only reason why they register the ship in a foreign country is so that the military can't take control of the ship in a time of war, as they have done in the past.

 

FWIW, Royal Caribbean International, which owns Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, is a Liberian corporation, not an American corporation. It's a foreign company with office space in, and port calls on, the United States. It would be the same idea as the NTSB investigating an air crash of a foreign airline in a foreign land.

 

American flagged vessels must comply with, among other things, American labor laws, including minimum wage. Foreign flagging allows circumvention of these laws.

[Newbcruiser1]

I'm officially holding onto my bed again! The noticeable difference is that it's now a pitching motion rather than a side to side roll.

[Ruthieofthesea]

I sailed with RCCL for many years. I left when the Explorer of the seas launched. I have nothing against Royal. I just don't want to sail with five or six thousand people.

 

I moved to Celebrity and stayed with them during the inception of the Solstice

class ships. The problem with the RCCL family is the constant increase in cost and decrease in service. I am a Elite Plus with X and a Diamond Plus with Royal. I have abandoned both. We decided if we are going to spend thousands on a cruise Crystal, Seabourn, Viking Ocean and River as well as the newly launched Scenic European lines will get our money. Lets not forget Oceania.

 

Royal has become somewhat indifferent to certain areas such as food, safety and they will nickel and dine you to death.

 

Why pay thousands and continue to pay once on board. There is such a thing as all inclusive cruising.

 

Happy cruising everyone.

[POA1]

It's showing as being slightly south (and east) of myrtle beach.

Wishing you all the best. There doesn't appear to be anything but a band of rain off Jacksonville, but you look to be in the thick of the second system.

 

[ropezo]

I sailed with RCCL for many years. I left when the Explorer of the seas launched. I have nothing against Royal. I just don't want to sail with five or six thousand people.

 

I moved to Celebrity and stayed with them during the inception of the Solstice

class ships. The problem with the RCCL family is the constant increase in cost and decrease in service. I am a Elite Plus with X and a Diamond Plus with Royal. I have abandoned both. We decided if we are going to spend thousands on a cruise Crystal, Seabourn, Viking Ocean and River as well as the newly launched Scenic European lines will get our money. Lets not forget Oceania.

 

Royal has become somewhat indifferent to certain areas such as food, safety and they will nickel and dine you to death.

 

Why pay thousands and continue to pay once on board. There is such a thing as all inclusive cruising.

 

Happy cruising everyone.

Way to stay on topic!

 

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[Newbcruiser1]

Off topic but for anyone onboard right now:

 

Did you receive your compass for tomorrow yet? I know they said it would be late. I have an iFly reservation first thing in the morning and I'm not sure whether it will even be open or not (and if not, I'd like to sleep in!). I assume it won't be if the weather remains like this but if it calms down...? I don't think it was open at all today though, even when it was calmer and sunny.

[Yorkvillain]

FWIW, Royal Caribbean International, which owns Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

 

Other way around.

[ropezo]

Off topic but for anyone onboard right now:

 

Did you receive your compass for tomorrow yet? I know they said it would be late. I have an iFly reservation first thing in the morning and I'm not sure whether it will even be open or not (and if not, I'd like to sleep in!). I assume it won't be if the weather remains like this but if it calms down...? I don't think it was open at all today though, even when it was calmer and sunny.

Seems like a perfectly on topic question for a "live from the anthem" thread. You're not just randomly whining about RCCI, for instance.

 

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[Seaworthy01]

No. It is flagged in the Bahamas for labor reasons. They used to ALWAYS be flagged in Norway, but they had stricter labor laws than the Bahamas did. It has nothing to do with the military.

 

And most ships are generally their own corporation, also not registered in the US. "Miami" is just a reservations, management, and logistics company.

 

http://www.marinelog.com/DOCS/NEWSMMIV/MMIVSept16.html

 

The cruise line brand was founded in Norway in 1969 and based in Miami. Miami is the Corporate Headquarters.

[bedazzler]

What about tips?

On the one hand, I think that they should be reimbursed, but on the other hand, all I think of is how hard working the crew is, especially in these difficult times (and from what I have seen, everyone is praising them all). I just know how much they depend on these tips and it'd be sad if they got this kind of personal financial hit. I hope the cruise line at least takes care of them!

 

 

We just asked about tips. We had prepaid ours (and were told they'd be reimbursed) but you bet that we will be dishing out to all of the people that have made this cruise worth it. We've had fantastic experiences all day today thanks to the wonderful crew and they absolutely have earned their keep for at least the full week's worth of tips.

[ropezo]

The cruise line brand was founded in Norway in 1969 and based in Miami. Miami is the Corporate Headquarters.

Still doesn't matter in regards to NTSB investigations. The flag country has jurisdiction on any investigation occurring in international waters, and permission is required for a U.S. agency to get involved. This lack of NTSB oversight is one of the reasons put forward by anti-cruise advocates for why they feel you shouldn't take a cruise.

 

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[ryano]

I've sailed with Captain Claus before and would sail with him again. This thread has gotten beyond ridiculous with armchair meteorologists, lawyers, etc pointing fingers and talking woulda shoulda when you don't have a clue :rolleyes: It takes a real foolish person to believe the captain did all this on purpose jeopardizing all the lives including his own and his crew, the ship and everything else. Honestly, any and all accusations are pretty disgusting and you all should be ashamed!

 

Also I find disgusting, the media focusing on pics of furniture that was clearly laid down by the crew :rolleyes: typical.

 

Thank you to everyone onboard who are actually there for your firsthand reports. Be safe and best wishes when you return to land with everything you have to deal with

 

I guess that tired ol cliche "a bad day on a cruise is still better than a good day on land" should finally be put to rest. Oh, wait. Who am I kidding?

Edited February 9, 2016 by ryano

[robmtx]

1. We haven't received our schedule yet either.

2. iFly was indeed closed today in good weather and despite the system letting me make a 4pm reservation. That entire section was closed off and crew were hosing down the area. ..so maybe it'll be open tomorrow, weather permitting,

3. I completely agree that the crew had been amazing! We've taken the time to talk to more crew this cruise, and they really open up about their experience!

[jmf123]

We just asked about tips. We had prepaid ours (and were told they'd be reimbursed) but you bet that we will be dishing out to all of the people that have made this cruise worth it. We've had fantastic experiences all day today thanks to the wonderful crew and they absolutely have earned their keep for at least the full week's worth of tips.

 

^^^^

Like! ;)

[Seaworthy01]

Didn't mean to hijack the thread, I'll keep my comments to myself.

[iheartbda]

Way to stay on topic!

 

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For sure...what on earth brought that out?

[goingplaces1132]

A fun activity is Puzzle break deck 15 right before you enter bumper car area. It's an escape room and you work as group to solve clues to escape in an hour. It was really fun. Don't go by if the IQ app says it is full. The day we did it there were only 7 of us even though others had signed up.

 

 

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[ropezo]

Didn't mean to hijack the thread, I'll keep my comments to myself.

Don't get me wrong, as a cruiser from the United States, I really wish you were correct. The law just isn't on our side.

 

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[ropezo]

For sure...what on earth brought that out?

I think it was the completely off-topic post I was responding to.

 

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[Newbcruiser1]

Thanks for the note about the tips! I will make sure to leave some cash for my room attendant (although the room was sort of half-done this evening).

 

I guess I'll wake up early to check out iFly... Low hopes on that though! I tried to go out there around 1:30 today and that whole deck was closed with the power washers out then too! And I just saw the pic of poor Gigi's hole in her neck! I wonder if something hit her!

[PaulB]

Anthem's February 13th sailing is still showing on the RC website. It is also showing to be "sold out", so that may mean one of two things. One, it truly is sold out, or two, it is not sold out but they do not want additional bookings in the event they have to "modify" the sailing.

 

Let's hope the three days they will have in Bayonne will give them enough time to repair some, if not most, of the damage. I am sure the last thing they will want to do is give full refunds for BOTH cruises.

 

This is February school vacation in much of the North East so I am not surprised it is sold out

[poppy_kc]

It IS costing them money. Full refunds and 50%FCC and replacing damaged items and if my cruise gets cancelled on Saturday, I will ALSO expect a full refund.

 

 

I am scheduled to leave on Saturday as well. What do you think the chances are that our cruise is going on Saturday? I am not worried about the safety of the ship, but I am concerned that areas will be closed for repairs.

[Loonbeam]

Serious question. Can you document this. I've found several forecasts predicting max 75-80 mph winds as possible, not even probable, which while not fun are not even close to what actually happened. I have not found one forecast that said even a significant chance of what actually happened. Yes, they all predicted a big storm (75mph counts) but NOT, for lack of a better term, a hurricane at sea.

 

I have found meteorologists saying, well yes its always possible, but not one that actually said, around the time the ship left port, that hurricane force winds were even probable.

 

People make decisions with the best info they have. That doesn't mean they are always the right ones, but they work from the best available info. Based on all actual data I have seen, including the interview with the captain, forecasts, onboard accounts etc, it looks like while they had some concerns, there was nothing to indicate any conditions the ship could not handle, and so they left.

 

I'm happy to believe alternative arguments, such as RCCL forced them to go despite weather forecasts, etc, but need some more evidence other than 'damn money grubbers'.

 

There's a distinct line between being aggressive in business and foolhardy. If there is any actual evidence that RCCL is making decisions based on finance instead of safety, I want to know about it, because I won't sail any line where that is the case. But in general, businesses are risk averse and that's where actual facts lead right now.

 

This ship should of never left the harbor. This storm was forecasted days before the cruise.

It did not change course. The storm formed and tracked as forecasted.

 

With all the modern technology off the ship and on the ship, your trying to tell me they did not have an idea. If not sure, why even risk it??

 

Buoys were reporting 30 foot waves and high winds before the ship even sailed. Royal and the captain knew what they were in for. Corporate greed and a Captain too dumb and scared to call the shots and not listen to Miami.

 

Safety of the passenger was clearly not first and foremost!! They lie! At this point , Royal will say anything but the truth to save face. Cruise ships are talented at twisted and also keeping information from the public.

 

I hope congress and the lawyers attack. This is clearly carelessness and gross negligence on there part.

 

my 2 cents.

 

People would think differently if they were on the ship and had worried families!!