Anthem of the Seas Review

4.5 / 5.0
2,871 reviews

Definitely Maybe

Review for the Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Anthem of the Seas
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Ellen Wasco
6-10 Cruises • Age 60s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
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Entertainment
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Additional details

Sail Date: Dec 2018
Cabin: Ocean View Balcony
Traveled with children

An 11 day cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas leaving the frigid cold temperatures for the sunny eastern Caribbean, what could be better? Well, while the ship is amazing, the crew friendly and exceptionally hard working (except for one of the bartenders in the Bionic Bar...more on that later) there are definitely some pros and cons to this experience.

First the good stuff. As I said before, the ship is beautiful. While not the largest of the fleet, Anthem is big (4,180 passengers) and has some unique features such as the North Star observation ride which takes you up 300 feet for a 360 degree panoramic view, the Rip Cord I-Fly Sky diving simulator, Flow Rider surfing experience, and the Bionic Bar. The food was good, not as good as on past RCI cruises, but overall very tasty. Our waiter and his assistant made sure that every need was met and that our glasses were constantly filled. Our balcony cabin on Deck 10 was small but very functional. Two of us slept in the king sized bed and the third on the pull out couch. There were two built in storage closets, a vanity/desk, and a dresser with five drawers and a small refrigerator. Our cabin steward was amazing...twice a day he cleaned up, made (or turned down) the beds, and replaced any used towels. He even folded our blankets that we brought from home. The entertainment on this ship was good, especially the We Will Rock You show.

As a wise fellow cruiser once told me, any morning that you wake up on a cruise ship is a good morning. I wholeheartedly agree with a few exceptions. We are Platinum loyalty members having cruised frequently and almost exclusively on Royal Caribbean. As the years go by however, I feel like I’m getting less for my cruise dollar and that more and more “experiences” are not included in the base or are not a good value. They are really pushing the specialty restaurants which of course cost extra, sometimes LOTS more extra. My thrifty alter ego cannot justify paying for food and then paying again for a “specialty” meal. This was the first time in 8 cruises that my husband (a drinker) did not purchase a beverage package. They insisted that I buy one too. I am not a drinker. I am also diabetic so the “refreshment” package with juices and smoothies that they tried to steer me to was not an option. I offered to provide a note from my doctor but they wouldn’t hear of it. So my husband carried on two bottles of wine and we saved almost $500.

Cabin Review

Ocean View Balcony

Cabin 3D

The cabin was small but very functional. There were 3 of us. There was lots of storage space and a fold out couch (although it wasn’t as comfortable as the king sized bed). On this ship, they have eliminated the coffee table and any cabin chairs. Flat screen wall TVs increase the cabin’s floor space. Our cabin steward was fabulous!

Port Reviews

Bayonne (Cape Liberty)

Getting on and off the ship was very organized. Cruise port was conveniently located and spacious.$20 a day to park your car was a bit excessive.

San Juan

We arrived at 3pm and left at 10pm. This limited the available excursions. Would have liked to visit the bioluminescent bay but it was too pricey.

St. Thomas

We have been here before so we opted to walk around the town and shop.

Antigua

Took a $6 round trip taxi to a beautiful beach.

St. Maarten

Took the Water Taxi $7 usd p/p to shop and relax on the beach. Island is still recovering from the hurricane but is rebounding.

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