Anthem 8/31/17 9 nights from Cape Liberty review

[mugtech]

This is our first Royal cruise since Mariner in 2006, are Platinum Plus with Norwegian, heard good things about Anthem of the Seas, giving it a go. Only booked 10 weeks ago, paid about $600 more than for a similar cruise out of Manhatten on the Norwegian Gem. So far we think it was worth the extra cash. Our cabin is 9319, the most aft inside cabin on Deck 9. Very quiet and very useful, the virtual balcony caught my immediate attention. The bells and whistles have been great fun so far, going high above the ship in the North Star and I have done 3 rounds of bump cars in Staples on deck 15 with another round planned for 4 PM today, as today is a sea day before Halifax tomorrow. I will start at the very beginning on my next post, for right now I am headed to the Schooner Bar on deck 5 for trivia. It is helpful that every trivia is held in the same place. Back soon.

[mugtech]

Took a Transbridge Bus from Bethlehem, PA, to the port. It is a 90 minutes bus ride for $41 round-trip for people aged 62 or older. Younger tickets are about 40 % more. Parking is $5/day with the first 3 days free, so we paid $35 for parking. The bus was supposed to arrive at 1:30PM, but we had problems with late arrivals, pulled into the Cape Liberty parking lot at 1:50 PM. We went through faster than any cruise we ever took, our cabins were available immediately and our checked in luggage arrived very quickly. By 2:20 PM we were in Windjammer having a late lunch. The muster was at 3:30 PM and we were in the Two-70 on deck 5. All 4,300 passengers were on decks 4 & 5 for 20 minutes of watching two silly videos, I won't spoil it for you. So at 10 minutes to 4 everyone was on those two decks and sail away was 4 PM. Needless to say this was the time we most noticed over crowding and no available elevators. People would get on the elevators going down from deck 5 so that when they came back up to 5 they were already filled. After 10 minutes we walked from deck 5 to deck 15. The lower decks have between 19 and 22 steps per deck while from above deck 6 to deck 13, mostly all cabins, there are 16 steps to the next deck. So when we got to deck 15 people were 3 deep at most places,had the usual NYC exit of going under the Verazano Narrows Bridge. We immediately made reservations for the three shows requiring them, enjoyed the first two (more later) and are looking forward to We Will Rock You at 2:30 PM on day 9, the last sea day headed home.

I enjoy trivia, good way to have fun and meet similar minded people. There are many trivias on the Anthem, but the prizes are either RCCL markers or pens or key chains. I already have more key chains than keys, so I play for fun mostly. I like the NCL system in which you play for signatures, winners getting more but everyone gets at least one signature for participating. The last night of the cruise the signatures are converted into coffee mugs, t-shirts or key chains. There are some specialty trivias I will be avoiding today, including Star Wars and then Harry Potter. Time for 11:00 AM napkin folding, gotta get off the piano. Back soon.

[mugtech]

The entertainment for us has been the best on any cruise for originality and wide variety of well performed music. Spectra's Cabaret required reservations and had a total of 8 performances listed, we attended at 7:30 PM on day 2. The Two70 is a wonderful multimedia venue, some seats being much better than others, especially for Spectra's Cabaret. Upon further review I would advise arriving at least 30 minutes early on deck 4 and then going up to the balcony on deck 5, only accessible from deck 4. The performance started like a funky version of the Electric Kool-aid Acid Test, but then some doowop and "Shout" plus some sitar and Indian images. Really considering seeing it again.

The Gift is a musical set in Victorian times, with 20th and 21st century music, lots of combined props used, also worth the 50 minutes. The Long Run played all Eagles or individual Eagles songs, including Henley's Boys of Summer and Joe Walsh telling us about his life being good so far. They had some sound system problems and screeching feedback for the first 6 songs, but after that they sounded great, Lyin Eyes sounded just like the record. Also heard at Music Hall was Rock the Boat, spanning music from the 50's to the 80's. I was concerned with their name, didn't want to hear disco, but they got me when they opened with the Ventures Walk, Don't Run and Wipeout. Later they played some Led Zeppelin and some Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee's Louis.

Joyce Kuo played some mellow acoustic guitar in the bars, Simon and Garfunkel sounded very good. I am looking forward to hear her as lead guitar on We Will Rock You.

Tonight the Headliner is Travis Clover, who is most famous as the lead in Jersey Boys, so am expecting more 60's Four Seasons tunes tonight. Lunch time , a CruiseNext talk and then battle of the sexes trivia, once again MacArthur (I shall return)

[mugtech]

When it comes to food I am an eat to live person, so I have never had a problem with food on any cruise. My wife falls closer to the live to eat class, and she has been very happy with the food so far this cruise. She claims the Anthem has more choices and better quality food in the Windjammer than other ships. We ate in the Solarium once, will be going back, the Mediterranean food was very good. Sorry, we will not be spending any money on food, have nothing to report. We got any time dining, have not attended any main dining rooms, probably will not. The literature says please allow two hours for such dinners, but we rather spend time in other places. The free pizza at Sorrento on deck 4 was OK with onions and mushrooms, the other piece my wife had was not acceptable to her.

[mugtech]

We went on our own in Boston, it was easy to take a bus to the Red Line at South Station to go to Harvard for $2.75 each. Had not been there since 1978, but Harvard and the area around it looked the same except that the bar we used to attend for Irish music no longer exists.

In Portland we made the mistake of taking a ship excursion to Kennebunkport. It was a 55 minute bus ride to town, and the guide had little to say about history, she sounded like a real estate agent trying to convince us to move there. We stopped for 70 minutes at a tourist village with plenty of lobster available. There were other buses there and the restaurant said there would be a 50 minute wait for a table. On the way back after that waste of time we stopped for a minute to see the Bush compound from a distance. The Bush clan likes Kennebunkport for their privacy, so we got back to the ship just in time for 4:30 all aboard. Waste of time and money.

By contrast we enjoyed the walking tour in Bar Harbor, the guide flowing history of the rich and the history of many churches. The 90 minutes went very fast, the town is a great placed to walk.

In St John we took a combo train ride and hop on hop off bus tour, it was great to see where the river meets the bay at two different times to see the river flowing out for a time of Flux where no water is moving in either direction. I would also advise one to take this tour, the boat did not unload until 11:30 AM after turning the clocks ahead one hour overnight. More later.

[TickledBlue]

We went on our own in Boston, it was easy to take a bus to the Red Line at South Station to go to Harvard for $2.75 each. Had not been there since 1978, but Harvard and the area around it looked the same except that the bar we used to attend for Irish music no longer exists.

In Portland we made the mistake of taking a ship excursion to Kennebunkport. It was a 55 minute bus ride to town, and the guide had little to say about history, she sounded like a real estate agent trying to convince us to move there. We stopped for 70 minutes at a tourist village with plenty of lobster available. There were other buses there and the restaurant said there would be a 50 minute wait for a table. On the way back after that waste of time we stopped for a minute to see the Bush compound from a distance. The Bush clan likes Kennebunkport for their privacy, so we got back to the ship just in time for 4:30 all aboard. Waste of time and money.

By contrast we enjoyed the walking tour in Bar Harbor, the guide flowing history of the rich and the history of many churches. The 90 minutes went very fast, the town is a great placed to walk.

In St John we took a combo train ride and hop on hop off bus tour, it was great to see where the river meets the bay at two different times to see the river flowing out for a time of Flux where no water is moving in either direction. I would also advise one to take this tour, the boat did not unload until 11:30 AM after turning the clocks ahead one hour overnight. More later.

 

Thanks for the review. We are going on Anthem on this itinerary on Sep. 28. I booked the Portland/Kennebunkport tour but after this review, I'll likely cancel.

[Ashland]

Enjoying your report and looking forward to more. We'll be on Anthem Oct 12th.

[mugtech]

Thanks for the review. We are going on Anthem on this itinerary on Sep. 28. I booked the Portland/Kennebunkport tour but after this review, I'll likely cancel.

My intent to give useful information. The first 10 people back on our bus during the wasted 70 minutes all agreed they would never advise anyone to take this tour. It was the worst rainy windy day of the cruise, but the tour would have been bad in sunshine and blue skys.

[sorensl]

Enjoying your report and tips. Going on the same cruise departing Sept. 14th!! Looking forward to hearing more.

 

Linda

Canton, MI

[mugtech]

There was free Internet available in the cruise terminals in Boston and St John, quite strong. In Bar Harbor there was supposed to be free wifi in the public park next to the ship, but I had no luck with getting anything there. However, walking up the hill on Main Street for a few blocks there is another park called the Village Greens, got good wifi there, used Bar Harbor Beer connection. I did not check Portland for WiFi. Last year when cruising the Caribbean there were many ports in which bars and restaurants advertised free wifi in signs large enough to read from the ship. Of course to get the "free" wifi one had to buy something. On a sea day I purchased 24 hours of unlimited wifi for $17.99, would have been $19.99 but my Gold status got me a $2.00 discount. I have gotten a lot of good information and many smiles and goodwill from the staff all over the ship. My wife is Filipino, and like all other cruises she has had many friendly conversations with Filipinos working on the ship.

[SteveinPhilly]

Joe: Love the report and laughs. Will not clog up post with other comments. Just popping in to thank you and make sure I'm "Subscribed" (and the WIFI info was REALLY helpful)

[Merion_Mom]

The entertainment for us has been the best on any cruise for originality and wide variety of well performed music. Spectra's Cabaret required reservations and had a total of 8 performances listed, we attended at 7:30 PM on day 2. The Two70 is a wonderful multimedia venue, some seats being much better than others, especially for Spectra's Cabaret. Upon further review I would advise arriving at least 30 minutes early on deck 4 and then going up to the balcony on deck 5, only accessible from deck 4. The performance started like a funky version of the Electric Kool-aid Acid Test, but then some doowop and "Shout" plus some sitar and Indian images. Really considering seeing it again.

The Gift is a musical set in Victorian times, with 20th and 21st century music, lots of combined props used, also worth the 50 minutes. The Long Run played all Eagles or individual Eagles songs, including Henley's Boys of Summer and Joe Walsh telling us about his life being good so far. They had some sound system problems and screeching feedback for the first 6 songs, but after that they sounded great, Lyin Eyes sounded just like the record. Also heard at Music Hall was Rock the Boat, spanning music from the 50's to the 80's. I was concerned with their name, didn't want to hear disco, but they got me when they opened with the Ventures Walk, Don't Run and Wipeout. Later they played some Led Zeppelin and some Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee's Louis.

Joyce Kuo played some mellow acoustic guitar in the bars, Simon and Garfunkel sounded very good. I am looking forward to hear her as lead guitar on We Will Rock You.

Tonight the Headliner is Travis Clover, who is most famous as the lead in Jersey Boys, so am expecting more 60's Four Seasons tunes tonight. Lunch time , a CruiseNext talk and then battle of the sexes trivia, once again MacArthur (I shall return)

mugtech, I am really enjoying your posts.

 

Just a quick correction for anyone reading this for directions.

 

Two70 is on Deck 5. You access the balcony from inside Two70 on that deck, and go up the steps to Deck 6.

 

However, you CAN access the balcony from the Deck 6 corridor. We call it the "secret door" because it's not marked, but I use it all the time.

 

:)

[Ashland]

mugtech, I am really enjoying your posts.

 

Just a quick correction for anyone reading this for directions.

 

Two70 is on Deck 5. You access the balcony from inside Two70 on that deck, and go up the steps to Deck 6.

 

However, you CAN access the balcony from the Deck 6 corridor. We call it the "secret door" because it's not marked, but I use it all the time.

 

:)

This "secret door"...is it portside or starboard...how will I recognize it ?

[chandom]

This "secret door"...is it portside or starboard...how will I recognize it ?

Smack dab in the middle, right next to the small elevator in Two70. From the passenger hall side it looks like a normal firedoor. Two70 side it the same way. If I get the chance before I get off I'll grab pictures of it.

 

Sent from a mobile device

[Merion_Mom]

Smack dab in the middle, right next to the small elevator in Two70. From the passenger hall side it looks like a normal firedoor. Two70 side it the same way. If I get the chance before I get off I'll grab pictures of it.

 

Sent from a mobile device

 

 

 

And from the corridor side, it's the only door. [emoji4]

 

From the Two70 side, it's the only way out on Deck 6.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Ashland]

Smack dab in the middle, right next to the small elevator in Two70. From the passenger hall side it looks like a normal firedoor. Two70 side it the same way. If I get the chance before I get off I'll grab pictures of it.

 

Sent from a mobile device

A picture would be great...Thank you so much for taking the time....so thoughtful !

[mugtech]

mugtech, I am really enjoying your posts.

 

Just a quick correction for anyone reading this for directions.

 

Two70 is on Deck 5. You access the balcony from inside Two70 on that deck, and go up the steps to Deck 6.

 

However, you CAN access the balcony from the Deck 6 corridor. We call it the "secret door" because it's not marked, but I use it all the time.

 

:)

Sorry about that, you are correct

[mugtech]

Tonight we ate in our first MDR, the American Icon on deck 4 with 5:30 reservations, we're finished by 6:15, skipped desert. My steak was good, nothing special, the tomato soup was very good. My wife enjoyed her lobster tail, no additional charges, but said it was not as good as the Bar Harbor lobster. The service was fast and we'll done, but sitting between two other tables for two, each one about a foot from ours, I did not enjoy the environment as much as the buffet. We both preferred the Solarium, will probably go back to Solarium rather than the American Icon scene.

Travis Cloer, of Jersey Boys fame in Vegas for over 9 years, did a great job of pleasing all the Jersey Boys fans while providing a different variety. He did some Tony Bennett, Dion, Bob Dylan and also encored with Simon & Garfunkel. The ship orchestra was great in support, I would think most Four Seasons fans would be pleased with the show. Going to the Halifax museum and cemetery of Titanic victims. We get our hour back on the way home early Friday morning. Just noticed another thread about this cruise with 242 replies. Might read it when I get home.

[Amber14]

Thanks so much for the review and information. We will be on this same cruise in one year. I really appreciate the details about the bands & shows. The music sounds great to us!

[SteveinPhilly]

T. My wife enjoyed her lobster tail, no additional charges, but said it was not as good as the Bar Harbor lobster. T. Just noticed another thread about this cruise with 242 replies. Might read it when I get home.

Joe: Love the concise post you've done. Re: Lobster: The one in BH was fresh, the one on ship may have been frozen. Where did you get your lobster in BH? And that other live review is way too long for me to read so I've not gone back on that one -

Last qyestion: Where in Eastern PA are you from?

[chandom]

A picture would be great...Thank you so much for taking the time....so thoughtful !

Passenger hall side on deck 6.

Inside upper level of Two70

 

Just a warning, door requires a good amount of force to push open.

 

Sent from a mobile device

[chandom]

... Just noticed another thread about this cruise with 242 replies. Might read it when I get home.

Not missing much. Just a bunch of my ramblings, thoughts, and pictures.

 

 

 

Sent from a mobile device

[cb747]

Thank you for all your time and effort to post your very informative review.

 

Chantal

[Ashland]

Passenger hall side on deck 6.

Inside upper level of Two70

 

Just a warning, door requires a good amount of force to push open.

 

Sent from a mobile device

So just push hard on those exit doors.....Again thank you so much !

[Sprasa03]

following!