Our Florida & Bahamas Cruise 2016 Anthem of the Seas - our floating holiday home 19 to 27 Mar 2016 Continuing on from the last blog post where we stayed in New York in March 2016, this week’s post covers the first 4 days of the cruise we subsequently took from there. It was an 8 day Florida and Bahamas cruise with Royal Caribbean on Anthem of the Seas and this covers the first part of the trip from New York to Port Canaveral in Florida. It includes a memorable visit to the Kennedy Space Centre and describes what we saw. Enjoy! Day 1 New York (Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey (USA) Saturday, March 19, 2016 By Taxi from Manhattan to Cape Liberty (About 45 minutes) As we had been staying in New York since the previous Wednesday (read blog here), the transfer to the Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas was relatively straight-forward. That morning we had a leisurely last breakfast at Dunkin’ Donuts on Rector Street and then we were picked up by taxi at around 11:30 am. Our ship check-in was listed at any time between 1230 and 1300 so we were not rushed.  Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal, Bayonne, New Jersey Cape Liberty Cruise Port is one of three trans-Atlantic passenger terminals in the Port of New York and New Jersey. It is located in Bayonne, New Jersey at the north side of the 2 mile long pier of the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbour, a former military ocean terminal, and began operations in 2004. Royal Caribbean is one of the port's primary tenants. The port should be reached in about 25 minutes from Manhattan but as it is a single lane road we found very slow traffic approaching the port and it took over 45 minutes which still isn’t too bad. In 2014 (two years before our trip) the new cruise terminal opened at Cape Liberty. Housed in a new building close to the ship, guests now walk to and from the ship and do not need to be bussed from the terminal to the ship as was the case before. Outside the terminal is a large paved area used for dropping off passengers. This area is also where chartered buses and taxis wait to pick up passengers after a cruise. Nearby, is a multi-level parking facility. There is also a monument to 9/11 - donated to the US by Russia when relations were more cordial.  9/11 Memorial at Cape Liberty Cruise Port donated by Russia to the US in friendlier times! Cape Liberty is close to and accessible from the New Jersey Turnpike. The cruise port is relatively close to Newark Liberty Airport so if you are flying in or out, Newark will be the most convenient of the area airports. Back in 2016 getting to Cape Liberty from Manhattan by public transportation was somewhat complicated. You had to take the Port Authority PATH subway or one of the New York Waterways ferries to New Jersey. Once there you had to take the Hudson-Bergan Light Rail to the Bayonne 34th Street station. Next, you had to call one of the local taxi companies and request a cab to take you to the terminal. So, we took a taxi for the whole journey from Manhattan! We had checked in online and had printed off our cruise luggage labels which we had attached to our bags before leaving our hotel in New York. This time we also had Priority Boarding as we had Platinum status with Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society (Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program) so boarding was super easy.  Ship-side view of Cape Liberty The Itinerary The itinerary for the 8 days ahead was as follows but this blog post will only cover the first 4 days up to Cape Canaveral in Florida (….the rest will follow in the next blog post):  Our 2016 Cruise Itinerary on Anthem of the Seas The Ship – Anthem of the Seas: On 11 Feb 2011, Royal Caribbean announced that they had ordered a new class of ships from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, the first of which was scheduled to be delivered by autumn 2014. At the time, the project was code-named "Project Sunshine". Later that year, two 20.5-megawatt ABB Azipod XO propulsion units were ordered for that ship. On 29 Feb 2012 the company announced that a second "Project Sunshine" ship had been ordered and would be delivered by Spring 2015, and ordered identical Azipod propulsion units shortly thereafter. Just under a year later, on 31 January 2013, Royal Caribbean announced the official name of the new class of ships, Quantum Class, as well as the names of the first two ships in the class, Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas. So, our ship for this trip, Anthem of the Seas was delivered to Royal Caribbean on 10 April 2015. She arrived at her first homeport, Southampton, England, on 15 April 2015, to prepare for her maiden European summer season. At a ceremony held in Southampton on 20 April 2015, she was christened by Emma Wilby, a British travel agent. So, the ship was less than a year in service when we travelled on her and I must say I really loved her! She was bright and airy, sparkly and shiny, easy to navigate and I loved all of the artwork and quirky features everywhere. Above: Some shots I took of inside Anthem of the Seas - 19 Mar 2016Anthem of the Seas has 16 passenger-accessible decks with a total of 2090 passenger cabins (about 4,000 passengers on full double occupancy). Her facilities include 16 restaurants, 11 bars, a Wave Loch Flowrider surf simulator, a rock-climbing wall, a skydiving simulator, swimming pools, a solarium, a Spa and Fitness Centre, a theatre and a casino. Here’s a YouTube video from Travel TV back then that gave a flavour of what it felt like on-board:  Day 1 of Cruise Cape Liberty, New Jersey (USA) Saturday, March 19, 2016 (Evening Attire: Casual) Departed: 8:00PM We had stateroom #9246 (a class D1 on the ninth deck) which I had picked because of its close proximity to the lifts which allowed us easy access to all parts of the ship. We could open the door with our Wow band wrist straps that we got at check-in. We had a lovely balcony so we could enjoy the sunset drinks together. We opted for Dynamic Dining and had booked early sittings but could make or change reservations at any time by using the Royal IQ app. This would allow us eat and then go to whatever entertainment was on afterwards with full bellies. We were also free to go to any of the speciality restaurants and we chose Jamie’s Italian on the first night (Saturday) and Chop’s Grille on the Thursday.  Our room #9246 - a class D1 on the 9th deck  Our room #9246 in purple located portside (left) midship near elevators We bought the Zoom (internet) and drinks packages. First thing on board, we headed off to explore the ship and after a good walk we headed up to the Two70 on Deck 15. This is one of the many bars and eateries on board!! During the day this venue functions as a living room of sorts where you can relax a watch the 270 degree view of the ocean, catch a robot show, dine on treats from the Café or indulge at the bar. At night, the venue transforms into a state of the art production featuring Vistarama screen displays and Spectra’a Cabaret.  Two70 Lounge Screens - 19 March 2016 Cruise Compass Copies: We also read our first “Cruise Compass” welcoming us on-board…these are the daily newsletters telling you all you need to know on your cruise and are left on your bed each day (See the first 4 copies from our cruise here). At 2:30 pm we all assembled for the mandatory Emergency Lifeboat Drill at our Assembly Station. It all went off fine. And at 3pm we sailed out of New York harbour. A really iconic vista greets you though at the start of your cruise out of Cape Liberty Cruise Port — you'll sail right past the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. It's an awesome sight, and I’d imagine even better at dusk when the city lights are up. To be honest though Cape Liberty wouldn’t be my favourite cruise terminal in March as it takes a couple of days before you hit warmer weather on-board. It was only 8 degrees C/ 48 degrees F when we were leaving so we didn’t stay out on deck for long. Luckily someone else captured it on this YouTube video by Mogens Hallas: That evening at 6 pm we had booked to eat at Jamie’s Italian for dinner - one of the Speciality Restaurants on board. At Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver, every bite is crafted to transport you to Tuscany. Think homemade pastas tossed in savoury sauces, shareable dishes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients, and decadent desserts that guarantee every meal ends on a sweet note. The food and drink were delicious!! Above: Jamie's Italian where we ate on 19 March 2016After dinner, Charlie and I went to the Schooner Bar to enjoy the music. And then onto “We Will Rock You” in the theatre. We went to bed that night looking forward to the week ahead. Day 2 Cruise At Sea (Atlantic Ocean) Sunday, March 20, 2016 (Evening Attire: Casual) We awoke to a partly cloudy day. We avoided the Windjammer crowds and went instead to La Patisserie on Deck 4 for a great breakfast and lovely coffee (me) and tea (Charlie). As always, there was plenty of choice and the food was really good. We had the day to ourselves at sea so it was lovely to relax and read in one of the many seating areas on board. There was a lot to do as you can see from the Cruise Compass. In the morning, we watched people surfing on the FlowRider: We also saw people on the North Star® which elevates you high above the ship for unrivalled 360-degree views of the world. You just step into the observation capsule – winner of the Guinness World Record for tallest viewing deck on a cruise ship – and take in views of the ocean, ship and some of the world’s most incredible shores from over 100 metres above sea level!:  North Star on Anthem of the Seas And it was fun to see people in the Bumper Cars at SeaPlex on Deck 15:  Bumpers on Anthem of the Seas We tried the Bionic Bar by Makr Shakr the world's first robotic bartenders that can produce 2 drinks per minute from endless cocktail combinations: We had booked dinner that evening at 5:15 in the American Icon restaurant. After dinner, at around 8pm on the Royal Esplanade I was delighted to meet with our Captain for the trip, Captain Henrik Sorensen. I got my photo taken with him.  We came back to the room later that night which was turned down with some towel sculptures:  Towel sculpture on our bed on Anthem of the Seas - 20 March 2016 Day 3 Cruise At Sea (Atlantic Ocean) Monday, March 21, 2016 (Evening Attire: Casual) At Sea All Day With a ship like the Anthem you can be as active or as laid back as you want to be. We did a little of everything after we first ate again in La Patisserie. And as forecast, the day was partly cloudy and a little chilly – as I said, to be expected in the North Atlantic in March! We spent a lot of the day in the Solarium, the adults-only indoor and outdoor retreat. The Solarium is a slice of paradise, with soothing whirlpools, warmth and a refreshing water mist.  Solarium on Anthem of the Seas Even though it was chilly there were people on the signature Rock Climbing Wall. From beginners to speed climbers, anyone can enjoy an unparalleled view from 40 feet above deck. Included in the fare, no reservation is required. We decided to give it a miss though. We again watched people on the FlowRider: I took a break for a Pina Colada. All that watching had made me thirsty!  Enjoying a Pina Colada on a Monday afternoon! - 21 March 2016 Than on to say hello to the Giant Giraffe!  Don't look now...but there's a Giant Giraffe behind you! - Anthem of the Seas, 21 March 2016 And on to the skydiving on RipCord by iFly: We finished the day by having a delicious dinner at Silk restaurant at 6:15pm. And then went out on deck to enjoy the gorgeous sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. Another great day!    Day 4 Cruise Orlando (Port Canaveral, Florida, USA) Tuesday, March 22, 2016 (Evening Attire: Casual) Docked: 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM As the home of Kennedy Space Centre, Cape Canaveral is the launching point for all-out adventure in Central Florida. Its beaches offer a mix of family-friendly shores and secluded swathes of sand. And with Orlando’s theme park sprawl only an hour away, you can easily mingle with your favourite characters. Beyond the parks lie equally amusing gems packed with Old Florida character. Kayak past manatees in the Banana River Lagoon and zip line above alligators at Brevard Zoo. Discover notable art museums and Park Avenue’s ritzy charm.  We however had always wanted to visit the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral and this is what we did. Kennedy Space Center is about 15 minutes away by coach from Port Canaveral, and is the centre of NASA's space launch operations. From the early days of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions to the Space Shuttle and missions of today, Kennedy Space Center has been at the heart of these historic milestones. The Visitor Center allows guests to explore the grounds, see historical artefacts that have global significance, and learn about the history and future of manned space travel. There are two main components to the Kennedy Space Center the Visitor Complex and the Apollo/Saturn V Centre. The Apollo/Saturn V Centre requires a bus ride to get there. Our guide on the bus ride over to Kennedy Space Center recommended doing that sooner than later, so we headed there first. The bus ride over took us near the Vehicle Assembly Building, various operation centres and provided an excellent view of nature in the area. Once at the Apollo/Saturn V Center, there is a brief exhibition about the Apollo launches, which sits guests in a recreated launch command room to experience the final moments leading up to launch. Following that re-creation, guests can explore the grounds and see an entire Saturn V rocket, which is incredible to see in person. In addition to the Saturn V rocket, there are a few smaller exhibits that have some pretty interesting pieces of history from the Apollo era. We even touched a bit of the moon!  Being able to touch a piece of the moon - 22 March 2016 Taking the bus back to the Visitor's Complex, there is a lot to see here. The star attraction is Space Shuttle Atlantis, which features the fourth operational and the second-to-last Space Shuttle built, back in October 1985. The shuttle conducted 33 missions and orbited the Earth a total of 4,848 times, traveling nearly 126,000,000 mi (203,000,000 km). Above: Space Shuttle - 22 March 2016There are many more exhibits, including 3-D IMAX films (included with admission), rocket gardens, Astronaut Hall of Fame Meet (where we met a veteran NASA astronaut at the Astronaut Encounter Show) and much more. The facility and its history is simply incredible. Being there and bearing witness to the accomplishments of the past, with an eye towards the future, really gave me an appreciation for the remarkable work that has happened, and is still happening, at Kennedy Space Center. It may have been one of the best shore excursions we ever took, and lived up to the reputation as the premiere thing to do in Port Canaveral.  The next crew?? On the day we were there the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket and Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft stack had been rolled to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 of the planned liftoff that night. Launch time was planned for 11:05 p.m. EDT. The mission called for the Cygnus to deliver more than 7 1/2 tons of experiments and supplies to the International Space Station where astronauts will help conduct research to improve life on Earth and prep NASA for a journey to Mars by future astronauts. We came back to the ship and had fish and chips at Michael’s Genuine Pub. Helmed by James Beard Award-winner Michael Schwartz, the gastropub keeps the drinks flowing and the food cooking day and night, right in the middle of all the action. Michael's Genuine Pub evokes a classic pub-style setting, with dark woods, leather accents and high-top tables supported by rustic barrels. The venue is casual and laid-back. It's also a great spot to watch for an impromptu flash dance or parade taking place outside. Later that evening we had dinner at Chic restaurant at 6:30pm. And right on time as planned, shortly after 11pm we watched as the Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft “S.S. Rick Husband” and a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket were launched and flew over our ship!! This was the company’s fifth scheduled cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station under the agency’s Commercial Resupply Services contract. It was the second flight of Orbital ATK’s enhanced Cygnus featuring a larger pressurized cargo model with increased capacity and an optimized service module design. The launch resulted in the Cygnus spacecraft arriving at the space station on Saturday, March 26 2016. Another memorable day! We went to bed looking forward to reaching the Bahamas the following day!!  The Cygnus Launch - 22 March 2016 TO BE CONTINUED ... Bucket List Items Ticked Off in the above Blog 89 Number 34 - Eat/ Drink Regional Food and Drink
Other Blog Posts Blog 11 - Sydney, Australia Blog 12 - Hong Kong, China Blog 17 - Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai, China Blog 19 - California, USA Blog 27 - Scotland Blog 28 - Barbados Blog 29 - Canada Blog 30 - Alaska Blog 31 - Everglades, Florida Have you ever been on a cruise to the Florida/ The Bahamas? Tell me about your experience in the comments section below. If you liked this post, please share. Sharing is caring 😊
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AuthorMy name is Mary and this is my bucket list blog ...having survived a near-death experience. I hope it encourages you to "live your best life". See how I'm completing my own bucket list items. And let me know how you're getting on with yours! Archives
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