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

[mugtech]

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?

Testas Hospitality was the Lobster place, not far from shore. Spent the last 20 years in Bethlehem, about 2 miles from Coca Cola Park, home of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, Phillies AAA minor league affiliate. Originally from where John Updike went to high school, Shillington, PA.

[mugtech]

A few more incidental observations before my 24 hours online expires and we go ashore. The layout of the ship is great for us as non smokers. The Casino Royale is on Deck 3, so the only time I go near it is first thing in the morning when I take a half hour walk before breakfast. Do not like it on other ship where walking through the casino is required to get to the theatre or other spots. The elevators are clear glass, so you get to see the butts of others running in the opposite elevators. Not always a perk. There is a nice sculpture on deck 5 on the way to two70, don't know what is called, my guess is "Sousaphone on Steroids." In Canada only one bar per deck can be open while in port. So the robot bar gets shut down. It is not like the robots are replacing people, for there is a crew member present while the robots do their job. They seem fast enough and accurate enough in mixing drinks, but there is no personality involved, heard no one actually talking to their bartender. They spend a lot of time selling the idea of a Next Cruise having money saving ideas plus you get to pick your cabin. For the 9 day Anthem next May 31 to Bermuda, San Juan, St Maarten and Labadee we would get $100 OBC for our cabin. We are supposed to get a 25% discount on a cruise the next 12 months because we were scheduled for the Mariner TA from Barcelona next May and the cruise was canceled. I got a price of $2,334 for an inside cabin for the two of us including fees and taxes. For some reason I cannot access RCCL online today to see what it lists as the prices. Gonna go see what Next Cruise can do for me concerning the 25% off. Will report back once I find out

[Loved to Cruise]

Mugtech

Thank you !!!

Wonderful information....

Great you are giving real time info....

I picture a crowd now looking for the Magic Door!!!

Love it!!

Nikki

[mems]

Mugtech, Great review.

Thanks for all the information. I took notes.

[mugtech]

Found out I can use my 25% credit for the 5/31/18 cruise, but Next Cruise does not have the codes to do it for us here, but I can do it when I get home. Deposit only $500, got the price quoted yesterday. Gonna be in cabin 9269 next year, stop in and say hi!! Currently using the one hour free wifi available in the Halifax port terminal at Seaport_guest.

[mugtech]

Mugtech

Thank you !!!

Wonderful information....

Great you are giving real time info....

I picture a crowd now looking for the Magic Door!!!

Love it!!

Nikki

Don't know how many other people on the ship know about the Magic Door, but I have told no one, let them tune in to CC for their info.

[mugtech]

One other form of entertainment was a virtual Symphony concert in Two70. We sat in the first row of the balcony and enjoyed it very much. It is like watching films of the orchestra on the world's largest screen. By the second song some got up and left, I don't know what they thought they were attending. The music went back to back quickly with only a few solo acknowledgements between tunes. They started with three Aaron Copland songs, then Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue. After that it was movie music, with the violin players doing the finger snapping for Westside Story and then a combo of ET, Star Wars, Jaws music by some guy named Williams. We got a lot of music in 55 minutes, the crowd didn't know went to clap, if ever. There were patrons applauding on the virtual side. It was good music, good sound system, a nice change of pace. I believe more virtual concerts were scheduled, but none caught my eye.

[maggie416]

Found out I can use my 25% credit for the 5/31/18 cruise, but Next Cruise does not have the codes to do it for us here, but I can do it when I get home. Deposit only $500, got the price quoted yesterday. Gonna be in cabin 9269 next year, stop in and say hi!! Currently using the one hour free wifi available in the Halifax port terminal at Seaport_guest.

 

Hi,

Great review. We are also on the 5/31/18 cruise, will be our third on The Awesome Anthem! After 15 cruises, our favorite ship. Of course a big plus is no flying, we live in Ct.

Marg

[SteveinPhilly]

Testas Hospitality was the Lobster place, not far from shore. Spent the last 20 years in Bethlehem, about 2 miles from Coca Cola Park, home of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, Phillies AAA minor league affiliate. Originally from where John Updike went to high school, Shillington, PA.

 

O know Testa's well. It's our first bathroom stop before we've taken the Acadia Park Tour Buss (green ones) :)Didn't know they did LOBSTER! (Always went to West Street cafe. Will have to check out Testa's menu

Know Shillington well we gpo out annually for huge yard sale and stay at the Best Western Shillingtom.

Again, great report

[Ashland]

Testas Hospitality was the Lobster place, not far from shore. Spent the last 20 years in Bethlehem, about 2 miles from Coca Cola Park, home of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, Phillies AAA minor league affiliate. Originally from where John Updike went to high school, Shillington, PA.

Testa's is the restaurant we will be going to to pick up our pre-purchased tickets for our Acadia Ntl Park tour...what a coincidence...looks like this is the place to eat also.

[Dremac373]

Thanks for such an informative and detailed review, I'm enjoying and looking forward to more

[mugtech]

So we got off the ship today, walked off at 8:40 AM, we were outside the terminal by 9 A M. It was any easy walk to the Transbridge Bus, loaded up, and even though the departure time was 10:30 we left at 9:45 and were off the bus in Bethlehem at 11:20. Smooth

The excursion we took at Halifax on Thursday was the Titanic special. First we went to the cemetery where 121 casualties of the 1912 disaster are buried. We also went to the maritime museum, which had a lot of Titanic stuff and a film. I was surprised to find out about the explosion and fire in the Halifax port on December 6, 1917. 2,000 were killed and 9,000 were injured, but it was not as romantic and dramatic as the Titanic, no movies were made. It was a good tour, the kilts wearing Scotsman named Donald was very informative and showed great passion for the subject matter. If you like history, this is a great tour. The wifi in the terminal in Halifax was satisfactory.

Friday we saw one of the greatest entertainment events of any cruise, I really loved We Will Rock You. If you like Queen's music you will enjoy this presentation. I don't want to give away any surprises, it takes place in the future when computers run everything and some Bohemians are trying to rediscover Rock. At the end, after all the curtain calls, do not leave, there is one more delightful surprise. It ran 1 hour and 52 minutes, We were pleased to have front row balcony seats. The middle two balcony sections, great seats, we're reserved for Stars and Pinnacles, but few seats were occupied 10 minutes before show time . So the ushers took down the restraints and opened it up to the common man, and people who had been kinda hanging out bolted to capture the new seats available. I got the idea some of them had done this maneuver previously. They will probably keep We Will Rock You on the ship for at least 5 years, but I will gladly see it again. I am sure I have listened to my favorite Moody Blues and Bob Dylan over 100 times each.

We had the Captain's Corner at 1 PM in Two70 and We Will Rock You in the Royal Theatre at 2:30, so we did the length of the ship to grab our seats at 1:55. The Captain's Corner always reminds me of a press conference a certain brass had on MASH, saying "We're having a press conference here, the last think we want to do is answer a bunch of questions" So few learned anything new, but the officers were nice enough about it. If you ever saw one you know what I mean. The captain is from Croatia, he was pleasant while explaining the ship's top speed is 24 knots, which is very fast for such a large ship, not as fast as a pt boat, but it holds a few more passengers and crew.

We went back to MDR for the final dinner, the turkey was good, the shrimp was OK. Out of the blue so very loud pop music blasted American Icon for about 2 minutes. People were covering their ears, others killing hearing aids. Then it stopped and it was announced that the staff were doing the rounds through the dining room, singing along with some new, lower volume happy song. Then, in honor of everyone leaving the next day, they did a Peter, Paul and Mary song about departing on a non prop airborne vehicle. For those of you who would not want to miss this, it started at 6:30. For those who might want to avoid it, it started at 6:30. As we were leaving it was turning into a bad wedding reception, some blaring music about doing something GANGA STYLE.

 

Overall I would have to say that this was the most I ever had on the ship. Few things could have made it better, rear view mirrors on the bumper cars comes to mind. I hope to see some of you on the 5/31/18 sailing out of Cape Liberty, it looks like another great time

[cb747]

Great Review, Thank you Mugtech.

 

Chantal

[mugtech]

After seeing We Will Rock You on Friday and getting off the Anthem on Saturday we attended Catholic Mass at Notre Dame Church in Bethlehem, PA. The processional hymn was #539, Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above. The credit for the music was BOHEMIAN BRETHREN 1566. I know of no other hymns with music credited to them, and I usually check every week. Needless to say I was very surprised, seemed like my cruise was extended another day, even though I had to buy and prepare my own food.

Edited September 10, 2017 by mugtech
Misspelled

[SteveinPhilly]

I was going to post immediately "What a GREAT report: Mugtech, but I spent five minuted laughing (and couldn't stop" on your sentences about the music at the final dinner. I hope we meet on an RCI cruise one day!

[jalbertfarm]

Would you be able to describe your cabin? Any pictures?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[mugtech]

Would you be able to describe your cabin? Any pictures?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

It was a typical inside cabin, door opened out into the hall. Virtual balcony with two chairs, usual bathroom arrangements. The most aft cabin on deck 9, very quiet, lots of walking, beautiful blonde Ukrainian did a great job on our cabin. Sleeping, shaving showering about all I did there.

[Maraprince]

It was a typical inside cabin, door opened out into the hall. Virtual balcony with two chairs, usual bathroom arrangements. The most aft cabin on deck 9, very quiet, lots of walking, beautiful blonde Ukrainian did a great job on our cabin. Sleeping, shaving showering about all I did there.

 

Approximately what time was the did the last group scheduled to leave the ship in NJ? Trying to arrange a pick up time with my car service upon our return.

 

Thanks.

 

MARAPRINCE

[DaniDanielle]

We saw We Will Rock You on all four cruises and can’t wait to see it in November for the fifth time! I thought the secret door was a secret[emoji15]

 

 

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[SteveinPhilly]

Approximately what time was the did the last group scheduled to leave the ship in NJ? Trying to arrange a pick up time with my car service upon our return.

 

Thanks.

 

MARAPRINCE

 

on 9/28 cruise things got delayed nearly an hour. We were to be off by 8:50. It was almost 10 when we were called. Ithey take off Emreld and avove first (before 9am and them times from 9 to 9:50. Everyone ids off by 10:15 or so. USUALLY.

[Maraprince]

on 9/28 cruise things got delayed nearly an hour. We were to be off by 8:50. It was almost 10 when we were called. Ithey take off Emreld and avove first (before 9am and them times from 9 to 9:50. Everyone ids off by 10:15 or so. USUALLY.

 

 

Trying to plan for pickup by car service at port.

 

Thanks!

 

MARAPRINCE

[SteveinPhilly]

Trying to plan for pickup by car service at port.

 

Thanks!

 

MARAPRINCE

To go to your house or airport? It'll be hard to guess. You will know the night before when you are getting off. If you have on board internet, you couldemail them.

 

Best I think you can do.