I booked this cruise as a surprise to my parents for their 30th Anniversary. Us being a close family, we all went together. This was our 16th cruise on RCCL and first on Anthem of the Seas.
We've left from Bayonne 6 times previously, however this was prior to the new terminal being built. The new terminal is fantastic and allows for a very smooth experience. We arrived around 9:30 and were ushered straight in to drop our luggage. After doing so it was a quick in to the parking garage and we were on our way. A few parking notes. It is $20 per day and you get a ticket and pay upon your return. There are many pay stations which makes it easy. There are only two elevators, so I recommend walking the ramp to save time.
The ship itself was nothing short of awe inspiring. As soon as you walk on the gangway, you see the vastness of this ship. This was the first time for us on the Quantum class of ships. We found it very well designed and laid out. There was a venue for every taste and you could always find a place playing live music. There is two main "gathering areas" I would call them. The Royal Esplanade replaces the promenade on this class, and the Via is an extension of it featuring an open area round Jamies Italian and Vintages. There was usually an acoustic set going on here. We found that despite having these places, the ship lacked sufficient area for a large group gathering. Everything was split up promoting different areas instead of one central gathering point like the Promenade or Centrum on the smaller classes. This design contributed to the fact that despite there are 4,900 of your closest friends on board, you really don't notice crowds that often.
The cabin was very nice and functional for its size. The only time it felt cramped was when the pull out sofa was converted to a bed. You had to walk on the bed to get to the balcony. The view is obstructed on the balcony by the lifeboat. This cabin is centered in the middle of the lifeboat which gave a nice view of the ocean despite the boat being there. There is no straight down view of the ocean from this balcony. The lifeboat comes to about railing height.
We docked at terminal one and were able to get a quick Uber to Cocoa Beach. Excellent and close to many destinations in florida.
I still wonder why ships gravitate to this port. The port is becoming rather sketchy, however it was still a nice stop with very warm weather. If the Bahamian government follows through with their promise to inject money into the island, it will hopefully become a better port to visit.