2015 Anthem TA & Las Vegas

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October 29, 2015
2015 Anthem TA & Las Vegas Rulocal
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Day 1
Thursday, October 29, 2015
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: 52 ft
England Southampton 50.9097, -1.40435150°54’35” N 1°24’16” W
Southampton
October 29, 2015 in England ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
We arrived in Southampton, and I dropped the girls off at the port with the luggage, while Maz and I took the hire car back.
When we got back it turned out that Sue and Sheila had been talking to one of the ships officers, Jennifer the guest services manager, she wasn't very nice the last time we'd seen her.
Anyway it being Sues birthday was mentioned and that we where going to the Wonderland Restaurant that night to celebrate.
The officer says she could book that for us now over the phone to save us messing around on board doing it where there possibly be queues etc.
After she'd finished on the phone, she tells the girls that it was all sorted and that it was on her.
I'm guessing that the last time we'd spoken to her she was time of the month or she was just having a bad day.
Either way we all had a wonderful meal in Wonderland.Read more
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Day 2
Friday, October 30, 2015
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: Sea level
North Atlantic Ocean 35.746512, -39.46289135°44’47” N 39°27’46” W
North Atlantic Ocean
October 30, 2015, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
Last night in the diamond lounge Gary Thomas, the executive chef stopped for a chat, he's a nice guy from Liverpool. We've met him before on other ships.
He was telling us that he was one of four chefs that developed the very unusual menu in Wonderland
He explained how they prepared a couple of the dishes, one thing he explained was how they made the pebbles in the soil and pebbles dish. It appears that the baby boiled potatoes are covered in a pottery clay mixture and then baked in a cool oven which was interesting.
Also in our company last night was Karl Lornie from Beatles Celebration and he always has a story or two.
Overall it was a very pleasant evening.Read more
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Day 3
Saturday, October 31, 2015
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: Sea level
North Atlantic Ocean 35.746512, -39.46289135°44’47” N 39°27’46” W
North Atlantic Ocean, We will rock you!
October 31, 2015, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
We all went to see the musical We Will Rock You yesterday and what a great show it was it starred Kevin Kennedy (Curly Watts from Coronation St) as pop the old hippy.
It's basically the story of the fight between good and evil.
With the evil being electronic, manufactured pop music, not played on instruments but manufactured in the studio, has no soul, and rules the planet, a bit like today I suppose.
And then you have the good, which is of course rock music, which has gone underground, and is waiting for its messiah, who turns out to be a kid called Gallelo Figuero, who along with his girl Scaramouche aided by Pop and his band of bohemians search for and find the last musical instrument on the planet and bring back rock and roll then all live happily ever after.
A very obvious and old story line, but a great musical, packed full of fun, laughter, great singing and dancing and best of all chock full of the music of Queen.
Not for one second was I bored watching this show, a definite 10 / 10.Read more
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Day 5
Monday, November 2, 2015
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: Sea level
North Atlantic Ocean 35.746512, -39.46289135°44’47” N 39°27’46” W
Lights out!!
November 2, 2015, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
At breakfast yesterday the full rear end of the ship, Ok the aft section to give it it's correct name, was plunged in to darkness as all the electrics failed.
Well to be honest it wasn't darkness, as it was about 8.30am but the ship did loose all electric power in the aft section.
There must have been quite a few people scared and panicking at being in a very rough Atlantic and the ship losing power, as the Captain made a number of announcements telling people not to worry and that everything was under control.
It only took about 15 minutes to sort out, but it was probably not the best kind of excitement to experience in a rough north Atlantic.Read more
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Day 7
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: Sea level
North Atlantic Ocean 35.746512, -39.46289135°44’47” N 39°27’46” W
More cuts
November 4, 2015, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
We four booked Devinly Decadence for our evening meal.
Although the food was good, they've down graded the menu.
Last time we were on board Anthem the surf and turf on the menu have lobster tails, which they have taken off and replaced with king prawns.
Now don't get me wrong, king prawns are nice, but they are a bit of a come down from lobster tails.
End of moan lolRead more
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Day 7
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: Sea level
North Atlantic Ocean 35.746512, -39.46289135°44’47” N 39°27’46” W
Finally!!!
November 4, 2015, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
Well we finally won a progressive quiz.
We've won music and general knowledge quizzes before, but never a progressive quiz.
Or as a friend of mine Lynn calls it the progressive aggressive quiz. Although this one wasn't that aggressive it was quite friendly, and definitely good fun.
If any of you have done Joffs progressive quiz on the Independence of the seas, this one on here run by the cruise director Luke Aerosmith, (What a cool name) is on the same lines.
Some of the questions are very off the wall and you have to listen carefully and think very laterally.
Anyway here is a pic of the fantastic first prize for over 4 hours of quizzing, we got one each! Obviously all expense spared, lol. If you would like to come and see it, email me and I'll book you an appointment, but be quick as I think I'll get booked up really quickly.
Ps, the first 500 applicants will be allowed to touch it!
And maybe even the keyring too. Read more
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Day 8
Thursday, November 5, 2015
☁️ 18 °C
Altitude: 52 ft
United States Bayonne Medical Center 40.668714, -74.11430940°40’7” N 74°6’52” W
Bayonne, New Jersey
November 5, 2015 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
We arrived in Bayonne, New Jersey, and transferred straight to the airport, by a shuttle that I'd pre-booked on-line.
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Day 8
Thursday, November 5, 2015
☀️ 13 °C
Altitude: 2,024 ft
United States Las Vegas Racetrack and Ball Park 36.169941, -115.1398336°10’12” N 115°8’23” W
Las Vegas NV. Bagged a suite woo hoo!
November 5, 2015 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
Well to be honest it's all down to Maz.
He's been saying all week that the Royal Crown and Anchor society have a deal with MGM for diamond and above members, for complimentary room upgrades.
So when we got to the hotel, I thought no more about it and just booked in for our standard room on the 21st floor.
We had to wait for Maz and Sue for about 10 mins, while they appeared to be chatting with the guy booking them in.
So when they finally came over to us, I said was there a problem with their check in?
No says Maz with a big grin on his face, I've just got a free upgrade to a suite on the 4th floor.
So naturally I went back to check in to try my luck, and to cut a long story very short, bingo! We upgraded to a suite on the 4th floor too, all compliments of good old Royal Caribbean!
As I said, Maz had been banging on about this all week, but none of us really took him on, I thought, yeah, it says that in the leaflet, but try asking for it and it will be a waste of time, the hotel will just make excuses, and say there are no upgrades available. Well how wrong I was, well done Maz, you're a star.
On this trip up to now, we've had a free meal in the most expensive restaurant on the ship, finally won a progressive quiz, and got a free upgrade to a suite in the hotel.
Might be time for a little dabble in the casino.
I'll let you know, lol.
By the way the hotel is the Monte Carlo, right on the strip, couldn't be better.Read more
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2015 Anthem TA & Las Vegas Rulocal
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Day 10
Saturday, November 7, 2015
☀️ 16 °C
Altitude: 2,024 ft
United States Las Vegas Racetrack and Ball Park 36.169941, -115.1398336°10’12” N 115°8’23” W
Las Vegas NV. Divas
November 7, 2015 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
We all planned to do a show whilst we were in Las Vegas and wanted to see Diana Ross, but the only tickets we could get were sitting right at the back of the theatre, and were about $180 each.
So we decided to try out the Frank Marino, Divas Show at the Linq; it's a tribute show to all the showbiz divas.
So instead of just Diana, we got Whitney, Liza, Celine, Dolly, Cher and Shania, to name but a few.
The show was hosted by Frank Marino, as the hilarious, Joan Rivers, whose costume changes where many and amazing.
Some of the tributes were send ups such as the brilliant Single Ladies sketch with Beyonce.
Others where proper tributes, such as Cher and Shania, who looked so good you had to do a double take.
Then we had Britney, Reba, Madonna, Liza and Diana the list is endless.
We had front row seats and an amazingly entertaining night.Read more
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Day 11
Sunday, November 8, 2015
☀️ 17 °C
Altitude: 2,126 ft
United States The Strip 36.114707, -115.17284836°6’53” N 115°10’22” W
Ride the Duce
November 8, 2015 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
By far the best way to get around Las Vegas, and especially the Strip, is to ride the local bus service called the Duce.
It runs up and down the strip every 15 minutes with bus stops every quarter mile.
There is also a strip and downtown express service, the SDX, which runs a slightly different route. There are also cross routes for different parts of Vegas.
The cost of this brilliant bus service is only $6 for a two hour unlimited ride ticket, $8 for a 24 hour unlimited ride ticket, or $20 for a 3 day unlimited ride ticket.
To me that represents great value, as walking around Vegas can be very tiring, especially for an old fart like moi.
There is also the overhead monorail train which is good but a little bit more expensive than the Duce and not near as much fun.
Oh I forgot to mention the free monorail between the Monte Carlo hotel and the Bellagio hotel.
Which as I said is free, but the distance you have to walk through the Bellagio when you arrive, to the strip is probably the same as the distance between the two hotels, because don't forget these hotels in Vegas are huge.Read more
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Day 13
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
☀️ 12 °C
Altitude: 2,126 ft
United States The Strip 36.114707, -115.17284836°6’53” N 115°10’22” W
Final night in Vegas
November 10, 2015 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
We decided to go for a pizza last night, so we all wandered down to New York New York and had a look around in there.
We found a great pizza place, just like in the Big Apple itself, well almost.
It cost $27 for a pizza approximately the size of the Colosseum in Rome.
Which easily fed all four of us, with enough left for breakfast, if we'd wanted.
The 4 drinks I got from the Irish bar across the road were almost twice the price, but hey this is Vegas.Read more
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Day 14
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 187 ft
England Manchester Airport 53.358803, -2.2727353°21’32” N 2°16’22” W
Manchester airport UK
November 11, 2015 in England ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Back home after a brilliant flight in premium economy on Thomas Cook Airbus
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Day 14
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
☀️ 14 °C
Altitude: 2,024 ft
United States Las Vegas Racetrack and Ball Park 36.169941, -115.1398336°10’12” N 115°8’23” W
Goodbye Vegas, it's been emotional
November 11, 2015 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
Well this is our third time in Vegas, and definitely the last.
The first time we didn't like it, so we came a second time to make sure we didn't, and this third time confirmed it.
Las Vegas is what it is, it does what it does, and very well I might add.
But it's not for me, it's just too in your face.
It's a place where you've got to come at least once in your life, there's just no where else like it.
But as the title says been there done that even got the T-shirt.
So thank you Las Vegas it's been a blast, but it's a good night and a good bye from me.Read more
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Trip end
November 12, 2015