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2015 Anthem Canaries
  • Rulocal
September 2015

2015 Anthem Canaries

A 14-day adventure by Rulocal Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 15, 2015
    RulocalRulocal2015 Anthem Canaries

    Southampton, Panic stations

    September 15, 2015 in England ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    It was a fairly uneventful drive down, except for Joe throwing up somewhere on the M40, where we had to pull in to the services and wash him and his seat down. The panic started when we got on the ship, and couldn't find my rucksack. Which not only had the passports and tabs, chargers, etc. Also had all of mine and Sheilas medication in. We had come through security and stopped to have a group boarding photo taken. We then boarded the ship and headed straight for the cabins. That's when we noticed that the bag was missing. I was up and down to check in, and guest services asking everyone if they'd seen the bag, with no luck at all. Then Sheila said did you check at security? No I hadn't! I was off like a greyhound, well ok, I dad ran down to security, I must have looked like a demented Mr Bean.
    Anyway, long story short, there was the bag nestled quietly under the security desk, panic over, lol.    Read more

  • RulocalRulocal2015 Anthem Canaries

    Flippin heck I stayed up!

    September 17, 2015, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    After a nice night in the diamond lounge, the girls decided to go and see the show.
    I said that I would finish my drink and take Joe back to the cabin. But after they'd gone I decided to go and have a look at the show myself. Having Joe in the pram, I would stand at the back and if I didn't like it, I could leave without disturbing anyone.
    Anyway it turned out that the act was a guy I'd seen before. He is a violinist called Gary Lovini, he once won "Britainsgottalentintheirxfactoreyes" or something similar about 20 years ago. Long before Simon Cowell had been heard of.
    He is a very talented violinist, and proves the point that if you have got real talent you can make a good living in showbiz.
    The 45 minute spot flew by, as he played something for literally everyone.
    He's one of those acts where people look at the theatre listing for the evening show and see "violinist" and think, I'll not bother as I don't fancy sitting through an hour of violin music, then spend all the next day regretting not going, as everyone who did tells them how good he was. So folks remember the name Gary Lovini, he's well worth a watch.    Read more

  • RulocalRulocal2015 Anthem Canaries

    Robbie Williams best mate

    September 19, 2015, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Last nights act was Johnathan Wilkes, his main claim to fame is that his best mate is Robbie Williams.
    He's not a bad singer in his own right, not as good as Robbie though.
    But for the second time this cruise I stayed up and watched the full show.
    Don't know if the staying up thing will last for the rest of the trip though.
    Anyway today is a sea day and the weather is a bit overcast, so no sun bathing for the girls.
    We are expecting it to get better the closer we get to the Canaries.    Read more

  • RulocalRulocal2015 Anthem Canaries

    What's that smell??

    September 20, 2015, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Yuck! It's cigarette smoke.
    Just for future reference, Anthem ots, starboard side balcony cabins from about number 670 to 690, are directly above the smoking area on deck 5, and the stink is awful.
    We are in 680 btw.
    Anyway I spoke to Andrew the diamond concierge, and he got his boss to come and see me.
    He said he would try to move us, and if not he would arrange some sort of compensation as we could not use our balcony.
    So I'll probably get a future cruise discount voucher in the mail. Lol    Read more

  • RulocalRulocal2015 Anthem Canaries

    Funchal, Madiera

    September 21, 2015 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    We all went for a stroll in to the town and decided to take the cable car up to the village of Monte, it's a great ride, if a little bit scary towards the top when the wind got up and shook the gondola a bit.
    Our Aimee hated every minute of the ride and had her eyes covered most of the time.
    At the top we went to see the toboggans as they start their slide down to the town.
    Our Nic was gobsmacked that they had no brakes or steering.
    If you've never seen them just imagine a wooden bread tray with a seat on it.    Read more

  • RulocalRulocal2015 Anthem Canaries

    Lanzarote, Canary Islands

    September 22, 2015 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Today was Lanzarote, we docked about 12.30am and it was a Sunday, so everything was shut.
    But in true Royal Caribbean style they charged $9 per person for a shuttle bus to town, knowing that there was nothing open.
    Sheila and I stayed on the ship, while Nic and Aimee decided to go into town as they'd never been to Lanzarote before and as luck would have it, they found a Mackie Dees open, so at least got some wifi.
    Tomorrow is Tenerife and we've all decided to stay on board the ship and have some pool time, which Aimee in particular is looking forward to, water baby that she is.
    Her tan as usual is brilliant btw, first day of sunshine and she's as brown as anything, even with full factor suncream on, lucky bugger.
    Oh I nearly forgot, Nic and Aimee did the North Star and loved it!
    Which in the Aimsters case was a surprise, as on the cable car ride yesterday she had her eyes closed and was praying almost the whole way up and down.
    Anyway she got some great shots of the ship while on the North Star.    Read more

  • RulocalRulocal2015 Anthem Canaries

    Pool day.

    September 23, 2015 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Spent most of the day by the kids pool and the weather was brilliant, so the girls got the time in the sun that they wanted.
    Took little Joe into the baby pool, it only has about 1 inch of water, so he was fine when he flipped over on to his belly. That was until he decided to try and eat the brightly coloured pool floor. He ended up with a mouthful of water which he didn't like at all, lol.
    Nic and Aimee spent some time in the big pool, Sheila lay in the sun, and I read my book in the shade, so a good day was had by all.    Read more

  • RulocalRulocal2015 Anthem Canaries

    Wonderland

    September 25, 2015 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Last night we did the wonderland restaurant as our Nic really wanted to try it.
    Well as you may know, I'm not really one for paying extra for the so called speciality restaurants, because the food and service is normally no better than you get in the complimentary restaurants.
    But in the case of wonderland, I will have to make a big exception.
    The whole experience is amazing, from the blank menu you receive at the start to the sweet delights at the end.
    The service is great, but the food is definitely the star of the show.
    I won't tell you what we got as it would spoil the surprise if you go yourself, and the surprise is a big part of it.
    Suffice to say, that the food is brilliant and presented in a very different and imaginative way.
    As far as ordering goes, the waiter will ask you if you have any allergies etc, and if you have a preference for meat or seafood or a mixture for the main course, after that you sit back and see what comes.
    As far as the $49 per person charge goes, this is still a bit steep, but if you can get a 33% off deal which they do offer at times or even a 2 for 1, which diamond and above get, it's well worth a visit.    Read more

  • RulocalRulocal2015 Anthem Canaries

    Babe Magnet

    September 25, 2015 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    I have been getting a lot of young women stopping me and chatting, and for a while I was thinking I was some sort of a babe magnet.
    Then it struck me, it wasn't me they wanted to talk to, it was the cute bundle of joy that I was holding. Little Joe is a real babe Magnet. Seriously though the amount of people that stop and speak to him is amazing.
    I was in the Windjammer with him the other day and my food went cold and uneaten because of the number of staff that stopped to coo at him and ask me all about him.
    Another time Nic and Aimee got on a shuttle bus and sat near the front, and every passenger stopped to talk to him, causing a queue.
    Also everyone says how much he looks like me, so there's the answer to why he's a babe magnet, he takes after his Granddad.... LMAO 😘    Read more

  • RulocalRulocal2015 Anthem Canaries

    Conclusions

    September 27, 2015, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 8 °C

    Another great cruise, even Nic and I didn't argue much lol.
    Aimee was a star and even completed 14 A3 sheets of home work that she in her wisdom had requested from school.
    Aimee and I went on the bumper cars, bumper cars at sea! Only on RCL. Nic, Aims and I are doing the I-Fly today so I'll let you know about that later.
    On this trip we've used the diamond lounge instead of the concierge lounge as the concierge wouldn't let the kids in for the evening drinks, even though he has the authority to. And kids are not out of place in the concierge lounge as suite guests are allowed to bring their kids in.
    Anyway Andrew the diamond concierge let us in and looked after us very well.
    The ship itself is just the same as Quantum, but the atmosphere doesn't seem quite as relaxed. Also virtually nobody wore any formal dress any evening just the odd few, and quite a lot of people were in shorts and T shirts all evening.
    Personally I put this down to sailing from the UK.
    I probably sound a bit snobbish, but I don't think it's to much to ask to slip a shirt and a pair of slacks on of an evening. If you want to bum around in shorts and T shirts all the time, I believe Benidorm is nice.
    That said we've once again met some lovely people Mick and Sharon who did the progressive quiz with us. Also Ian and Janet along with Bob and Doreen who are Janets parents, we spent most evenings in the diamond lounge with them.    Read more

  • RulocalRulocal2015 Anthem Canaries

    P.S.

    September 28, 2015 in England ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Just a quick update, Nic Aimee and I did the I-Fly sky diving this afternoon and all I can say is it's amazing.
    First you get an instructional safety video then you get fully equipped with full suit, goggles, earplugs and helmet.
    The actual time in the fly tube is only one minute, but what an amazing experience it is. Definitely going to do it again when we're back on the Anthem next month.
    Sorry there are no photos but Sheila couldn’t get up by the fly tube with Joe in the pram.    Read more

    Trip end
    September 28, 2015
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