A few days in NYC and a cruise to the Bahamas
Mar 6, 2024, 11:20 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
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Posts: 362
A few days in NYC and a cruise to the Bahamas
Introduction
We'll we're off again this time for a cruise out of New York City to the Caribbean on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas. As regular cruisers we haven't had the chance to explore the area so we decided to start with a 7-day taster to see what it was like. We added four days before the cruise so we could enjoy NY city again - we've been before but didn't manage to get several things done.
1. Westjet messing us around from Calgary to New York
2. New York City - Part 1
3. New York City - Part 2 - fine dining
4. Exploring the Bahamas on the Anthem of the Seas
5. TWA's airport hotel at JFK
6. Returning to Calgary from JFK on Westjet
1. Westjet messing us around from Calgary to New York
As Air Canada has near destroyed a few of our recent vacations, and has definitely destroyed several of my business meetings we changed exclusively to Westjet who up until this point have been reasonably good. I was warned by a colleague at work that if you wait long enough 'all Canadian airlines screw you in the end' and how true this was. We have started adding on days before and after our vacations because of airline delays in Canada which are endemic, but not as bad as during Covid and shortly thereafter. Some of the delays are their fault (late crew changeovers, mechanical issues etc.) whereas others are victims of Canadian weather (snowstorms etc.)
As we don't live in Calgary itself, we took a small connector to get there. Unfortunately, the Westjet IT system decided to crash again and the pilots couldn't receive a flight plan. We watched them sitting in the cockpit from the terminal for almost two hours before the computers decided to send through the flight plan thus allowing us to board. We already knew by then we'd miss our outbound flight to New York where we were hoping to arrive at 5pm and have a nice evening out.
After landing a list was read of all the diverted cities, and we were one of them. We headed off to Customer Care and were told that we had been placed on the next flight in 8 hours that was routing through Toronto and that we'd arrive the next day. I saw also that we had been downgraded to economy class and when I mentioned this the agent shrugged and said 'sorry business class is full.' Now in theory I understand all of this and can even accept this but it is the absolute apathy and lack of concern with which the message is conveyed that can really make your blood boil. The message wasn't even delivered, I discovered it and raised it with the agent. She then told me that an IT issue is not the airline's fault and they would therefore not be providing us with meal vouchers and other compensation.
After leaving, we booked a day room at the nearby Marriott Airport Hotel and phoned Westjet to see if something could be done. Luckily we had a helpful agent and when I mentioned how we wouldn't want to miss our first night in NYC, she said they could route us through Salt Lake City and we'd land at midnight in NYC. We figured that this was better than missing the next morning in NYC too, so we took it. Amazingly, they said they couldn't make the change until we had our baggage, so we had to first go get the bags retrieved from bag storage before they would put the ticket through.
Four hours later we were at our new gate awaiting our delta flight. Dejected, downgraded and diverted, we boarded and enjoyed the economy comfort service to Utah - which was not on my list of destinations for the day.
It seems like Salt Lake City is a few hours due south of Calgary so after landing we were no closer to NYC than before. I was concerned we'd have more delays and problems, and would be stuck in SLC for the night, but luckily those fears didn't come to fruition. The flight was actually quite pleasant with some friendly crew and a few snacks to nibble on. As I was anticipating my tasty business class lunch on Westjet we hadn't eaten anything until this point so we purchased a cheese/meat platter and a chicken sandwich which filled our empty stomachs.
Taxi in Calgary
Calgary is still freezing at the moment
Descending into Utah
Our plane to NYC. This time we weren't even in economy comfort and joked that if we'd had a third flight we'd be in the hold. The crew once again were pleasant and I caught up on some Netflix shows for this rather uneventful flight.
2. New York City - Part 1
After landing just after midnight we got to our hotel at about 2am and crashed. We had to enjoy the sleep we could get because we'd arranged a 3h food tour of the Chelsea Market and Highline and we didn't want to miss that. Luckily the tour was only at 11am so we slept in a bit until we felt a little more human. After a short walk to the Chelsea Market we met the tour guide who started walking us through the place with some commentary. I was interested to hear that the Oreo cookie was invented nearby. At various stages we were provided with different foods from the market such as fusion tacos, NY style pizza and various desserts. It was a lot of food but all of it was super tasty.
Delicious Asian-Mexican fusion taco
After being given some individual time to wander around a bit we walked the Highline which used to be an overground railway that was created to prevent trains from running over pedestrians (which had become a problem). The railway became less used with time and a few decades ago it ceased to function. It remained an eyesore for NYC for many years until it was gentrified into a walk and park with benches, gardens and art along the way.
After the tour we headed back to the hotel but not before enjoying a few sights in NYC.
One thing we do a lot of while travelling is walking - I usually bring some good shoes and even then I sometimes get a blister on my foot. We averaged 10-20km per day in NYC and I was definitely feeling it by the end!
These guys are all over Central Park - I think they're awesome. Canadian's don't like squirrels as much and many think they're vermin but I have a soft spot for them.
Ice rink in Central Park starting to show some signs of warmer temperatures but still well supported. The slender residential skyscraper in the background is one of my favourite buildings in the city. You too can live there for tens of millions of dollars, though that might be true of the whole city
Getting the steps in...
One of our stops in the week was Spyscape, the spy museum which is well worth it. I was initially hesitant to go because it looked a bit like an escape room but in fact it has some playful components (what kind of a spy would you be? can you escape this laser maze?) which are optional. The majority of the museum is extremely interesting and goes back to WW2 codebreaking and artifacts all the way up to modern government spy techniques and surveillance. I highly recommend stopping here if you like this sort of thing. The museum is politically neutral if that is a concern and makes no judgments either way (except people who were obviously spies and convicted of treason lol)
Got to love that explosive rat, am I right?
Pigeons helping themselves to the horse's food
During our last visit we visited the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) so this time we dedicated a day to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. All I can say is WOW... what an amazing treat and quite possibly one of the best museums on earth. I was recently in the British Museum (which I love) but this felt far more impressive in my humble opinion. One day isn't enough here and the place is just so beautifully laid out. Some of mankind's greatest works are here, but there are also reconstructions of rooms like the royal residences of Versailles and American rooms from centuries past. I can't state enough how amazing this place is.
We made time to attend our first NBA game at Madison Square Garden - a showdown between the NY Knicks and the Boston Celtics. We've made a point of trying to attend as many North American sports as possible because we're very unfamiliar with them, and with this game we now have basketball, baseball and hockey down. Just need football as we're set
As expected the game was tons of fun and the banter between the fans was great.
Rockefeller Centre
We decided to try one of the newer viewing decks, One Vandebilt. I'm too much of a chicken to try the Edge which remains the highest viewing deck in the city. One Vanderbilt was definitely interesting and delivered a surreal and exceptionally beautiful view of the city with its mirrored interior.
We'll we're off again this time for a cruise out of New York City to the Caribbean on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas. As regular cruisers we haven't had the chance to explore the area so we decided to start with a 7-day taster to see what it was like. We added four days before the cruise so we could enjoy NY city again - we've been before but didn't manage to get several things done.
1. Westjet messing us around from Calgary to New York
2. New York City - Part 1
3. New York City - Part 2 - fine dining
4. Exploring the Bahamas on the Anthem of the Seas
5. TWA's airport hotel at JFK
6. Returning to Calgary from JFK on Westjet
1. Westjet messing us around from Calgary to New York
As Air Canada has near destroyed a few of our recent vacations, and has definitely destroyed several of my business meetings we changed exclusively to Westjet who up until this point have been reasonably good. I was warned by a colleague at work that if you wait long enough 'all Canadian airlines screw you in the end' and how true this was. We have started adding on days before and after our vacations because of airline delays in Canada which are endemic, but not as bad as during Covid and shortly thereafter. Some of the delays are their fault (late crew changeovers, mechanical issues etc.) whereas others are victims of Canadian weather (snowstorms etc.)
As we don't live in Calgary itself, we took a small connector to get there. Unfortunately, the Westjet IT system decided to crash again and the pilots couldn't receive a flight plan. We watched them sitting in the cockpit from the terminal for almost two hours before the computers decided to send through the flight plan thus allowing us to board. We already knew by then we'd miss our outbound flight to New York where we were hoping to arrive at 5pm and have a nice evening out.
After landing a list was read of all the diverted cities, and we were one of them. We headed off to Customer Care and were told that we had been placed on the next flight in 8 hours that was routing through Toronto and that we'd arrive the next day. I saw also that we had been downgraded to economy class and when I mentioned this the agent shrugged and said 'sorry business class is full.' Now in theory I understand all of this and can even accept this but it is the absolute apathy and lack of concern with which the message is conveyed that can really make your blood boil. The message wasn't even delivered, I discovered it and raised it with the agent. She then told me that an IT issue is not the airline's fault and they would therefore not be providing us with meal vouchers and other compensation.
After leaving, we booked a day room at the nearby Marriott Airport Hotel and phoned Westjet to see if something could be done. Luckily we had a helpful agent and when I mentioned how we wouldn't want to miss our first night in NYC, she said they could route us through Salt Lake City and we'd land at midnight in NYC. We figured that this was better than missing the next morning in NYC too, so we took it. Amazingly, they said they couldn't make the change until we had our baggage, so we had to first go get the bags retrieved from bag storage before they would put the ticket through.
Four hours later we were at our new gate awaiting our delta flight. Dejected, downgraded and diverted, we boarded and enjoyed the economy comfort service to Utah - which was not on my list of destinations for the day.
It seems like Salt Lake City is a few hours due south of Calgary so after landing we were no closer to NYC than before. I was concerned we'd have more delays and problems, and would be stuck in SLC for the night, but luckily those fears didn't come to fruition. The flight was actually quite pleasant with some friendly crew and a few snacks to nibble on. As I was anticipating my tasty business class lunch on Westjet we hadn't eaten anything until this point so we purchased a cheese/meat platter and a chicken sandwich which filled our empty stomachs.
Taxi in Calgary
Calgary is still freezing at the moment
Descending into Utah
Our plane to NYC. This time we weren't even in economy comfort and joked that if we'd had a third flight we'd be in the hold. The crew once again were pleasant and I caught up on some Netflix shows for this rather uneventful flight.
2. New York City - Part 1
After landing just after midnight we got to our hotel at about 2am and crashed. We had to enjoy the sleep we could get because we'd arranged a 3h food tour of the Chelsea Market and Highline and we didn't want to miss that. Luckily the tour was only at 11am so we slept in a bit until we felt a little more human. After a short walk to the Chelsea Market we met the tour guide who started walking us through the place with some commentary. I was interested to hear that the Oreo cookie was invented nearby. At various stages we were provided with different foods from the market such as fusion tacos, NY style pizza and various desserts. It was a lot of food but all of it was super tasty.
Delicious Asian-Mexican fusion taco
After being given some individual time to wander around a bit we walked the Highline which used to be an overground railway that was created to prevent trains from running over pedestrians (which had become a problem). The railway became less used with time and a few decades ago it ceased to function. It remained an eyesore for NYC for many years until it was gentrified into a walk and park with benches, gardens and art along the way.
After the tour we headed back to the hotel but not before enjoying a few sights in NYC.
One thing we do a lot of while travelling is walking - I usually bring some good shoes and even then I sometimes get a blister on my foot. We averaged 10-20km per day in NYC and I was definitely feeling it by the end!
These guys are all over Central Park - I think they're awesome. Canadian's don't like squirrels as much and many think they're vermin but I have a soft spot for them.
Ice rink in Central Park starting to show some signs of warmer temperatures but still well supported. The slender residential skyscraper in the background is one of my favourite buildings in the city. You too can live there for tens of millions of dollars, though that might be true of the whole city
Getting the steps in...
One of our stops in the week was Spyscape, the spy museum which is well worth it. I was initially hesitant to go because it looked a bit like an escape room but in fact it has some playful components (what kind of a spy would you be? can you escape this laser maze?) which are optional. The majority of the museum is extremely interesting and goes back to WW2 codebreaking and artifacts all the way up to modern government spy techniques and surveillance. I highly recommend stopping here if you like this sort of thing. The museum is politically neutral if that is a concern and makes no judgments either way (except people who were obviously spies and convicted of treason lol)
Got to love that explosive rat, am I right?
Pigeons helping themselves to the horse's food
During our last visit we visited the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) so this time we dedicated a day to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. All I can say is WOW... what an amazing treat and quite possibly one of the best museums on earth. I was recently in the British Museum (which I love) but this felt far more impressive in my humble opinion. One day isn't enough here and the place is just so beautifully laid out. Some of mankind's greatest works are here, but there are also reconstructions of rooms like the royal residences of Versailles and American rooms from centuries past. I can't state enough how amazing this place is.
We made time to attend our first NBA game at Madison Square Garden - a showdown between the NY Knicks and the Boston Celtics. We've made a point of trying to attend as many North American sports as possible because we're very unfamiliar with them, and with this game we now have basketball, baseball and hockey down. Just need football as we're set
As expected the game was tons of fun and the banter between the fans was great.
Rockefeller Centre
We decided to try one of the newer viewing decks, One Vandebilt. I'm too much of a chicken to try the Edge which remains the highest viewing deck in the city. One Vanderbilt was definitely interesting and delivered a surreal and exceptionally beautiful view of the city with its mirrored interior.
Last edited by SAtraveller; Mar 20, 2024 at 3:00 pm
Mar 6, 2024, 12:51 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YYZ
Programs: Hilton Gold Mariott Gold Aeroplan E25K SAS Gold NEXUS
Posts: 1,308
Great photos!
You know how to complain to the CTA by now to get compensation for the delay I assume? Both Westjet and AC lie about not being their fault when it is. It's a long process though to file the CTA complaint and might not be worth the hassle. They lie so often I understand it's backed up for many months to get a review / hearing.
You know how to complain to the CTA by now to get compensation for the delay I assume? Both Westjet and AC lie about not being their fault when it is. It's a long process though to file the CTA complaint and might not be worth the hassle. They lie so often I understand it's backed up for many months to get a review / hearing.
Mar 6, 2024, 7:22 pm
#3
Moderator, Trip Reports
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA GS-2MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 3,715
Great pics SAtraveller I've always wanted to go to Madison Square Garden! Keep up the good working. Interested in hearing the rest...
Mar 7, 2024, 6:33 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 362
3. New York City - Part 2 - fine dining
I did some research on good places to eat out in New York City. I immediately looked at the 3* Michelins but apparently they could all be hit and miss? Either way, I gleaned a few consistently good restaurants for us to explore, namely The Modern and Aquavit. We also had Atomix in mind but it remains a challenge to get a reservation.
The Modern
Situated in the Museum of Modern Art, we arrived in the evening for our tasting menu. With 2* to its name, we were hoping for something exceptional. The food is modern American cuisine and we found the decor to be excellent. The service was a bit stiff but professional and good.
We went for the tasting menu without pairings and without the truffle addition. It was more than sufficient and the sommelier helped us pair a good red and white with our courses.
Peekytoe crab and basil tart
Eggs on eggs on eggs - amazing!!
Delicious lobster with violet artichokes and lemon-caper condiment
Diver scallop with iberian ham and shiso
The roast chicken with grilled mushrooms and wild sorrel was out of this world. I've never had such tender chicken.
Venison, glazed with red cabbage and citrus looked great but wasn't quite as good as I'd hoped.
Spiced cocoa nibs with creme fraiche
Yorkshire rhubarb pavlova with rose champagne - this would definitely not be everyone's idea of good time as the rhubarb had some bitter elements but I liked it.
Petit Fours to take home - one of my favourite hallmarks of a good restaurant.
All in all it was a good night out. The dinner was pretty good with some creative elements. I'd say its excellent but not exceptional.
2. Aquavit
After walking around Central Park the next day for several hours, we had to find a place to clean our shoes before we went for lunch at Aquavit. With a midday appointment we were the first people to arrive at the restaurant as that was their opening time. On arrival we were informed that they were shooting scenes for a commercial. We didn't object and settled into a beautifully decorated restaurant with a Scandinavian theme. With a choice between a 2-course and 3-course Prix Fixe menu, we settled on the three course. There was also an extensive tasting menu. The Prix Fixe was $75 for 2-courses and $85 for three which isn't bad value for another 2* establishment.
Before the crowds arrived...
Along with the camera crew who appeared out of nowhere and spent a lot of time in the kitchen filming the chefs preparing the food, we also had a group of old ladies next to us having a party, two serious businessmen frowning at them and some young couples enjoying a good lunch. It made for a very entertaining day! Alas we were denied stardom as the cameramen gravitated towards the old ladies and one of the younger couples.
Executive Chef Emma Bengtsson naturally received a lot of the attention in the kitchen.
On second thought, I don't think I'd want to eat with that in my face.
Roasted Beets with goat's cheese, horseradish and watercress.
Wagyu striploin with broccoli, cranberries and dill chimchurri. It was well prepared and plated but a bit chewy for the title.
Princess cake with whipped cream, raspberry and marzipan. Delicious!
Overall it was another delicious meal provided by NYC!
I did some research on good places to eat out in New York City. I immediately looked at the 3* Michelins but apparently they could all be hit and miss? Either way, I gleaned a few consistently good restaurants for us to explore, namely The Modern and Aquavit. We also had Atomix in mind but it remains a challenge to get a reservation.
The Modern
Situated in the Museum of Modern Art, we arrived in the evening for our tasting menu. With 2* to its name, we were hoping for something exceptional. The food is modern American cuisine and we found the decor to be excellent. The service was a bit stiff but professional and good.
We went for the tasting menu without pairings and without the truffle addition. It was more than sufficient and the sommelier helped us pair a good red and white with our courses.
Peekytoe crab and basil tart
Eggs on eggs on eggs - amazing!!
Delicious lobster with violet artichokes and lemon-caper condiment
Diver scallop with iberian ham and shiso
The roast chicken with grilled mushrooms and wild sorrel was out of this world. I've never had such tender chicken.
Venison, glazed with red cabbage and citrus looked great but wasn't quite as good as I'd hoped.
Spiced cocoa nibs with creme fraiche
Yorkshire rhubarb pavlova with rose champagne - this would definitely not be everyone's idea of good time as the rhubarb had some bitter elements but I liked it.
Petit Fours to take home - one of my favourite hallmarks of a good restaurant.
All in all it was a good night out. The dinner was pretty good with some creative elements. I'd say its excellent but not exceptional.
2. Aquavit
After walking around Central Park the next day for several hours, we had to find a place to clean our shoes before we went for lunch at Aquavit. With a midday appointment we were the first people to arrive at the restaurant as that was their opening time. On arrival we were informed that they were shooting scenes for a commercial. We didn't object and settled into a beautifully decorated restaurant with a Scandinavian theme. With a choice between a 2-course and 3-course Prix Fixe menu, we settled on the three course. There was also an extensive tasting menu. The Prix Fixe was $75 for 2-courses and $85 for three which isn't bad value for another 2* establishment.
Before the crowds arrived...
Along with the camera crew who appeared out of nowhere and spent a lot of time in the kitchen filming the chefs preparing the food, we also had a group of old ladies next to us having a party, two serious businessmen frowning at them and some young couples enjoying a good lunch. It made for a very entertaining day! Alas we were denied stardom as the cameramen gravitated towards the old ladies and one of the younger couples.
Executive Chef Emma Bengtsson naturally received a lot of the attention in the kitchen.
On second thought, I don't think I'd want to eat with that in my face.
Roasted Beets with goat's cheese, horseradish and watercress.
Wagyu striploin with broccoli, cranberries and dill chimchurri. It was well prepared and plated but a bit chewy for the title.
Princess cake with whipped cream, raspberry and marzipan. Delicious!
Overall it was another delicious meal provided by NYC!
Mar 7, 2024, 6:39 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 362
Great photos!
You know how to complain to the CTA by now to get compensation for the delay I assume? Both Westjet and AC lie about not being their fault when it is. It's a long process though to file the CTA complaint and might not be worth the hassle. They lie so often I understand it's backed up for many months to get a review / hearing.
You know how to complain to the CTA by now to get compensation for the delay I assume? Both Westjet and AC lie about not being their fault when it is. It's a long process though to file the CTA complaint and might not be worth the hassle. They lie so often I understand it's backed up for many months to get a review / hearing.
Great pics SAtraveller I've always wanted to go to Madison Square Garden! Keep up the good working. Interested in hearing the rest...
Thanks 757, much appreciated.
Mar 7, 2024, 11:43 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Programs: Some
Posts: 11,522
To be honest, I wouldn't want to eat with something like that at my neighbor's table either. It totally sucks.
Mar 16, 2024, 10:52 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 362
Mar 16, 2024, 11:26 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 362
4. Exploring the Bahamas on the Anthem of the Seas
Finally it was time for our cruise and we headed off to the distant New Jersey port. This was our first time of the Anthem but we had been on her sister ship, the Quantum of the Seas. They're both enormous with generally great facilities and lovely staff.
What a beauty
Our lovely junior suite
One of the atriums
With a few sea days mingled into the program, our first stop was in Orlando, Florida. We opted for the Kennedy Space Centre tour. I haven't been there since I was a child and a lot has changed since then. After a 40 minute bus transfer we arrived and were impressed at how beautifully they had made the visitor's center. With only 4 hours there, we had to rush around as you probably need a whole day to take it in. The recommendation was to do the guided bus tour first because this stopped at the Saturn V area and also showed some of the other remarkable buildings that allow space travel to occur.
Entrance to the space center
On the bus tour we passed a depleted Space X rocket that was being taken for cleaning and refueling so that it could be used again.
The gigantic Vehicle Assembly Building that is astronomical in its dimensions.
Apollo mission control recreation with the original workstations.
The absolutely incredible Saturn V, one of the biggest manmade creations. A real sight to behold.
One of the Apollo command modules.
External tank and side rocket boosters for the space shuttle
Space shuttle Atlantis
The entire complex was a huge treat and you could really take a thousand photos. There are areas that have all the previous space suits, areas explaining how various aspects of space travel work and even a place where you can touch a moonrock (spoiler: it feels like any other rock, but its still amazing in principle).
Royal Caribbean owns an island called Cococay, and we stopped there for the day too. Sometimes they get up to 11,000 visitors per day depending on how many ships there are, but we were about half that. Food on the island is free, but drinks are not unless you have a drinks package. You also have to pay for various entertainments if lying on the beach isn't enough for you - there's a huge waterpark and you can also rent cabanas and do other watersports. The island is actually really pleasant and the crowd seemed to really be enjoying themselves.
Some of the cabanas to rent
How great are these beach strollers and wheelchairs...?!
We paid for the Coco Beach Club which is an isolated area with access to a private beach with neat deckchairs, good service, a great pool and a delicious lunch included. It was a really great retreat and we had no regrets after spending the day there.
Lovely private beach
This heated pool was extremely refreshing and great to wallow it. The ocean was too cold in my opinion despite the hundreds of people frolicking in it nearby.
Lunch time!
Much to the exasperation of the gardeners, this guy was eating all the flowers.
Sailing away from Cococay with our sister ship following close by.
One of our other stops was in Nassau, Bahamas. We decided to walk around that day - there wasn't all that much to see and the area did seem quite poor and neglected in places. The portside area was well developed and tourist-oriented though, and there were numerous superyachts that had stopped over for a few days. It was an interesting juxtaposition of wealth and poverty. We decided if we returned that we would visit the island with the swimming pigs - it takes a few hours and we didn't really have time to do it that day.
We stopped at the rum cake factory - this local delicacy is really tasty and we purchased a few 'pina colada rum cakes'.
The pirate museum is worth a stop - it's a small museum but worth the detour to explore the history of these legendary menaces.
Entertainment on a cruise ship can be hit and miss, especially with comedians, magicians and other solo acts, but they were pretty good on this one. We also got to see the entire two hour 'We will rock you' show that was quite breathtaking. The food on the ship was also great and several times we ate out at the various specialty restaurants with their various cuisines and quirks.
At Wonderland you paint the menu and it appears...
OMG... nom nom...
After 7 days we docked back in New Jersey after a thoroughly enjoyable cruise.
Finally it was time for our cruise and we headed off to the distant New Jersey port. This was our first time of the Anthem but we had been on her sister ship, the Quantum of the Seas. They're both enormous with generally great facilities and lovely staff.
What a beauty
Our lovely junior suite
One of the atriums
With a few sea days mingled into the program, our first stop was in Orlando, Florida. We opted for the Kennedy Space Centre tour. I haven't been there since I was a child and a lot has changed since then. After a 40 minute bus transfer we arrived and were impressed at how beautifully they had made the visitor's center. With only 4 hours there, we had to rush around as you probably need a whole day to take it in. The recommendation was to do the guided bus tour first because this stopped at the Saturn V area and also showed some of the other remarkable buildings that allow space travel to occur.
Entrance to the space center
On the bus tour we passed a depleted Space X rocket that was being taken for cleaning and refueling so that it could be used again.
The gigantic Vehicle Assembly Building that is astronomical in its dimensions.
Apollo mission control recreation with the original workstations.
The absolutely incredible Saturn V, one of the biggest manmade creations. A real sight to behold.
One of the Apollo command modules.
External tank and side rocket boosters for the space shuttle
Space shuttle Atlantis
The entire complex was a huge treat and you could really take a thousand photos. There are areas that have all the previous space suits, areas explaining how various aspects of space travel work and even a place where you can touch a moonrock (spoiler: it feels like any other rock, but its still amazing in principle).
Royal Caribbean owns an island called Cococay, and we stopped there for the day too. Sometimes they get up to 11,000 visitors per day depending on how many ships there are, but we were about half that. Food on the island is free, but drinks are not unless you have a drinks package. You also have to pay for various entertainments if lying on the beach isn't enough for you - there's a huge waterpark and you can also rent cabanas and do other watersports. The island is actually really pleasant and the crowd seemed to really be enjoying themselves.
Some of the cabanas to rent
How great are these beach strollers and wheelchairs...?!
We paid for the Coco Beach Club which is an isolated area with access to a private beach with neat deckchairs, good service, a great pool and a delicious lunch included. It was a really great retreat and we had no regrets after spending the day there.
Lovely private beach
This heated pool was extremely refreshing and great to wallow it. The ocean was too cold in my opinion despite the hundreds of people frolicking in it nearby.
Lunch time!
Much to the exasperation of the gardeners, this guy was eating all the flowers.
Sailing away from Cococay with our sister ship following close by.
One of our other stops was in Nassau, Bahamas. We decided to walk around that day - there wasn't all that much to see and the area did seem quite poor and neglected in places. The portside area was well developed and tourist-oriented though, and there were numerous superyachts that had stopped over for a few days. It was an interesting juxtaposition of wealth and poverty. We decided if we returned that we would visit the island with the swimming pigs - it takes a few hours and we didn't really have time to do it that day.
We stopped at the rum cake factory - this local delicacy is really tasty and we purchased a few 'pina colada rum cakes'.
The pirate museum is worth a stop - it's a small museum but worth the detour to explore the history of these legendary menaces.
Entertainment on a cruise ship can be hit and miss, especially with comedians, magicians and other solo acts, but they were pretty good on this one. We also got to see the entire two hour 'We will rock you' show that was quite breathtaking. The food on the ship was also great and several times we ate out at the various specialty restaurants with their various cuisines and quirks.
At Wonderland you paint the menu and it appears...
OMG... nom nom...
After 7 days we docked back in New Jersey after a thoroughly enjoyable cruise.
Last edited by SAtraveller; Mar 16, 2024 at 11:32 am
Mar 17, 2024, 7:40 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2023
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Have you got some photos of the rum cakes?
Mar 20, 2024, 1:50 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 362
Mar 20, 2024, 2:02 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
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Posts: 362
5. TWA's airport hotel at JFK
After docking again in New Jersey, we left the ship early that morning and had about eight hours until our flight back to Calgary. We'd always wanted to visit the TWA hotel at JFK. Their booking system is really user friendly and allows you to book day stays in their rooms before flying out. It's an amazing building and we loved how everything was so retro.
The reception area
Our room for the day
The souvenir shop
A collection of the flight attendants' uniforms over the years. It was a whole different story in those days with some of the world's greatest designers competing to design them.
The highlight of the stay was the heated rooftop pool. It was a chilly day, so being able to float around in a hot pool while watching planes take off was a superior experience by any measure.
After docking again in New Jersey, we left the ship early that morning and had about eight hours until our flight back to Calgary. We'd always wanted to visit the TWA hotel at JFK. Their booking system is really user friendly and allows you to book day stays in their rooms before flying out. It's an amazing building and we loved how everything was so retro.
The reception area
Our room for the day
The souvenir shop
A collection of the flight attendants' uniforms over the years. It was a whole different story in those days with some of the world's greatest designers competing to design them.
The highlight of the stay was the heated rooftop pool. It was a chilly day, so being able to float around in a hot pool while watching planes take off was a superior experience by any measure.
Mar 20, 2024, 2:58 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 362
6. Returning to Calgary from JFK on Westjet
After taking the skytrain to a nearby terminal, we eventually got through security and checked into the Centurion Lounge. It was quite a nice spot with friendly staff - and we settled down for two hours and had a few glasses of bubbly.
Despite our previous misfortune with Westjet this flight was actually fine. It shows how far the bar has dropped when we are grateful to fly in the right class at the right time to the right destination after booking a ticket.
The 737-800 regional business product is pretty good and was comfortable for this smooth 5 hour flight.
Escaping NYC
The flight attendant arrived and asked if we would like the chicken dish or the vegetarian dish, but unfortunately they only had the chicken dish. Too bad if you're a vegetarian I suppose and of course it must have been difficult catering for all 6 business class passengers. Luckily we did want the chicken and this was tasty.
Descending into chilly Calgary
Despite a few quirks on the flight we were lucky enough to have a wonderful trip to New York and the Bahamas. Ironically as I am writing this, Westjet emailed me to say that our request for compensation has been approved and we will be receiving $700 each for our inconvenience.
After taking the skytrain to a nearby terminal, we eventually got through security and checked into the Centurion Lounge. It was quite a nice spot with friendly staff - and we settled down for two hours and had a few glasses of bubbly.
Despite our previous misfortune with Westjet this flight was actually fine. It shows how far the bar has dropped when we are grateful to fly in the right class at the right time to the right destination after booking a ticket.
The 737-800 regional business product is pretty good and was comfortable for this smooth 5 hour flight.
Escaping NYC
The flight attendant arrived and asked if we would like the chicken dish or the vegetarian dish, but unfortunately they only had the chicken dish. Too bad if you're a vegetarian I suppose and of course it must have been difficult catering for all 6 business class passengers. Luckily we did want the chicken and this was tasty.
Descending into chilly Calgary
Despite a few quirks on the flight we were lucky enough to have a wonderful trip to New York and the Bahamas. Ironically as I am writing this, Westjet emailed me to say that our request for compensation has been approved and we will be receiving $700 each for our inconvenience.
Mar 20, 2024, 4:36 pm
#14
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Denver, CO
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Posts: 3,715
Excellent report SAtraveller loved the TWA hotel pics and gee, that Centurion Lounge looks impressive. And good to hear Westjet came to the party. Keep up the writing. Well done.
Mar 26, 2024, 3:07 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 362
Excellent report SAtraveller loved the TWA hotel pics and gee, that Centurion Lounge looks impressive. And good to hear Westjet came to the party. Keep up the writing. Well done.