Summer of 23 - Transatlantic Cruise - Cape Liberty, New Jersey to Southampton, UK - Leaving New York!!

Monday, May 1st, 2023 

Well, we woke up to no rain!!!! Thank goodness for that, it's a shame we didn't get to see New York but the weather just didn't co-operate.  At least we will see the Statue of Liberty today close up, as we sail by!!!

Our shuttle was booked for 11 o'clock and our check in time for the cruise was 12.30, so we had plenty of time.

The hotel tried to charge us twice for the shuttle as we had booked the hotel rate that included it but I pointed it out to them and they credited it back. Hmmm!!!! The lobby was a madhouse as a lot of people were getting various shuttles for the cruise and there was an overseas military contingency on their way somewhere!!

We eventually got on a shuttle and the ride to the port was uneventful. We checked our luggage in as we got off the shuttle, waiting to make sure they put the correct tags on and then took our carry on bags and went to the line to process through check in.

It was a long, long, long line!!!!! We had nearly reached the end of it around the back of the building when a "porter" was meeting people with mobility problems and taking them out of the line and to the front where there was a smaller line of "handicapped" people.  He saw Bryan's stick and told us both to follow him and he led us back to the front of the line, collecting other handicapped people on the way. This was a life saver as it cut down on us standing in a long line for what would have been a considerable time. The handicapped lanes really should be marked and not just an afterthought, but we were very thankful.

We had some batteries in our carry on that the metal detector detected and so we had to show them to verify what they were. Then we were good to go. 

We walked on the ship, it didn't take very long but we decided to find somewhere to sit and wait with our bags until our room was vacant. The nearest seats were at the bionic bar, although I don't believe it was working at the time.

We then moved to another sitting area which was more comfortable. It looks a little dark in the picture but the area was actually quite bright.

It wasn't long before the announcement came over the tannoy that our rooms were ready. We didn't rush but waited until most people had gone, and the line for the elevators wasn't bad!! 

The day is changed daily in all the elevator floors, so you can remember what day it is!!!

We got to our room and had just finished exploring around it and hanging out on the balcony when our room steward, Vernal, came to introduce himself to us. He was very nice and got us a bucket of ice, a daily printed "compass" that told us what the events were for the following day. They don't hand these out now unless you ask.  Everything is done on an app on your phone!! The daily events, anything you have booked, daily menu and times of shows etc.  We were very lucky with him as he was always around somewhere if you needed anything, although we're pretty self-sufficient. As we finished talking to him, our luggage arrived. 

We went and did out lifeboat drill before we unpacked. This has been extremely streamlined since the last cruise we were on, a few years ago!! You watch the lifeboat drill on the app and verify you've watched it and then go and check in at your lifeboat station. They may ask you to put a lifebelt on, just to check you've watched the video but they didn't ask us anything, just checked us in and said we were good. 

So, we went back to the cabin and unpacked.  We managed to get that all done and then went to find somewhere to watch sailaway. 

We were excited as we knew the captain was going to take us right up to the Statue of Liberty and then turn the ship 360 degrees, so everyone, no matter which side of the ship you were on would get a good view. This isn't something they usually do and you can usually see her in the distance as you leave the port but we found out that on Transatlantic cruises they try to make it special by going as close as they can!! 

We went up to Deck 15 

and squeezed in between a few people and got a spot on the rail on the port side. There are 16 decks and we wanted to be near the top.

It took quite a while to approach the Statue of Liberty and then turn the ship 360 degrees so everyone got a good look. It was quite something, what a way to see the Statue for a first time!!!

We wanted to be as high up as possible as we were going under The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, a bridge that is relatively low and comes close to the top of the ship!!! So we went up to Deck 16 which was the highest we could go and got as close to the front of the ship as we could.  The actual front of the ship had been blocked off.

The North Star, which goes high above the ship to give you an all around view. Needless to say it was stationary as it wouldn't have fit under the bridge if it had been elevated!!!

There's the bridge in the distance.

We got as far to the front as we could. Unfortunately the Solarium on Deck 14 was closed for a private party as that would have given a view from the very front of the ship, albeit from the inside and wouldn't have been so close to the top. It was a little annoying that the whole solarium was closed though as it was one of the places we were looking forward to seeing and quite a few people were upset they couldn't go in. It's an adults only area, over 16's and we thought it might be a quiet place to lie and relax. We'll check it out tomorrow.

The bridge was getting closer.

Here we go!!!!!

Click here for video of us going under the bridge to see how close it was!!!

Somebody posted the picture below on our Facebook page, showing us leaving New Jersey/New York.  I guess they were flying out of the airport. I think it's kinda neat that we have this picture showing the ship leaving and we are on it!!! Yeah, it's the little things!!!

Anthem of the Seas, with us onboard!!

Wow!!! we had a wonderful first day. Seeing the Statue of Liberty up close was amazing and then going under the bridge, where you find yourself ducking as it looks as though there's very little room to spare.

We went to dinner in the main dining room and met our waiters, Alexander and Lawrence, we remember them as Alexander the Great and Lawrence of Arabia!! 

We were on a table of 6 and all seemed to get along. However, it was the last we saw of one of the couples, apart from a couple of times later when they were seen in the buffet and around the ship. I actually preferred having just 4 of us as I had felt a little left out this first night when the two ladies sat next to each other, and I was on the opposite side of the table so couldn't really join in with their conversation. It was easier to converse with just Don & Judy and we had some laughs.

The Maitre D, Sachia, who frequently came to check on us even stopping by to help Don cut his steak a few nights. The steak was not that good and a little tough and Sachia knew it. However, we haven't been on a cruise for a few years but this is the first time we've had the Maitre D come and talk to us every night.

We went to see Perry Grant, who is a pianist/singer/comedian and everyone had a good laugh & sing-a-long with him for almost 3 hours.

He even chose me out of the crowd to go up and talk to him and asked me questions about where I live etc.etc. He had one of those disco ball lights and I was asked to turn his ball on!!! It was very embarrassing but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. During the night a couple of other people were asked to turn his "ball" off and then "on" etc. It was a good way to find out about people. He handed us all out maracas, so we could really get involved.

He really knew how to involve the crowd and get everyone singing along. Unfortunately, Royal Caribbean are not renewing his contract so I doubt he will be on our return cruise. We will miss him!!!

So, looks like this is going to be fun and we haven't even gone to the buffet yet!!!

We found a small pastry shop where we found some good cookies. It became a routine to get cookies to go with our nightly cup of hot chocolate and cappuccino, that we made ourselves, before going to bed. There was a kettle provided in the cabin.

It was 1 o'clock before we got to bed and didn't take long to get to sleep after a long but exciting day.

The adventure is just beginning!!!!