We enjoyed the Anthem very much. It was in large part due to the excellent rock band on board called "The Royal Swedes" who we listened to in the Music Hall several nights. This was our first time going on this ship and to New England and Canada. The newness of it all adds to the overall great experience. We Will Rock You was a superb production which was went to twice. There are great dining options. We loved Jamie's Italian and we found a really good spot for a light dinner, Brass & Boch Pub. A nice alternative to Johnny Rockets.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We were consecutive cruisers so embarkation was done on ship. The process took about 30 minutes since there were about 30 passengers.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The day of embarkment they served the consecutive cruisers a lunch in Chic dining room. Only a handful of the eligible passengers came. It was quite good. The first and second nights we had purchased the buy one get one specialty restaurant package so we went to Chops and Jamie's Italian. Chops service was slow but the food was good. Jamie's was excellent. This was our first time in Jamie's. I had Lasagna and my wife had eggplant parmesan. One night we ate in Brass & Boch Pub for a casual dinner. This is a very good alternative to Johnny Rockets which is an outdoor venue on deck 14. The pub is on deck 4. My wife had soup. I had a burger and we split a small nacho plate. All were very good tasting. We usually enjoy a dinner in the Solarium Bistro but on this cruise we had a less than enjoyable time. Service and food was subpar. Otherwise we went to the Windjammer for dinners. Lunch in 270 was a good choice for us. Food was good and the atmosphere was calm while having a view out the back of the ship was fun.
Windjammer Marketplace
3 out of 5
Anthem Windjammer layout is different than all other ships. All food stations are in one common area at the entry point. Seating extends around and to the back of the ship. This causes increased congestion in the food selection area. The placement of pastries on the opposite side from where eggs are prepared made you have to walk around much more than necessary adding to the congestion.
Solarium Bistro
3 out of 5
A bit smaller space than on Oasis which felt limiting. Breakfast was still good there. We always eat dinner in the Bistro when on Oasis class but this time on Anthem it was not a good experience. Food and service was subpar.
Jamie's Italian
5 out of 5
Our first and second time at this venue. My wife loves eggplant parmesan and Jamie's was very good. Most if not all the entrees are pasta based but we like that. The Lasagna was good too.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
I did IFly for the first time. And we did the bumper cars and NorthStar the first day when there were no lines. There are a few billiard tables on deck 4 behind the music hall.
Diamond Club
5 out of 5
Spacious enough to handle more people than Oasis and other classes but the seating requires you be friendly enough to share and interact. On our cruise they had hundreds of diamonds aboard so they expanded into the area outside the lounge. This was part of the Music Hall seating. Service was still good and they provided appetizers both inside and outside the lounge.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The Music Hall was our favorite venue. The band "The Royal Swedes" played almost every night. Excellent rock music band was so good we couldn't get ourselves to do anything else besides the main theatre shows. There were a couple different comedians s headliners. Both were very good. My wife liked The Gift but I wasn't too interested. We Will Rock You was terrific. We saw it twice. Spectra was a good show but not one we made a point to see again.
Two70
5 out of 5
A great space for lunch or a show. Spectra was fun. The daytime views out the back of the ship were nice. Some other events were held there too at various times of the day.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All service and staff were friendly and on the ball except on night in the Solarium Bistro.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We liked the ship design. Yes there was no promenade but on the positive side was many pluses like 270, three pools with two indoors, the music hall is better and larger than the music venue on Oasis class, IFLY, NorthStar, Bumper cars. This has become our favorite class of ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Standard balcony size cabin with a slightly bigger balcony because it was right next to the bumpout. Much more storage space was available with separate closet space for him and her on each side of the bed. The shower enclosure was slightly bigger than on Oasis but the curved shape of the shower door made it difficult to open and close if there was another person in the bathroom at the same time. Oh well!
Ship tip
Check out the Music Hall and consider a light meal in Brass & Boch Pub.
You can't see it all in one day even though we were there for a full day. Pick your priorities and spend enough time at each to really enjoy what you do get to see. The USS Constitution was great and free to board. Wear some good walking shoes. We used a hop on hop off bus called the City Bus. It helped us see more sites and the various drivers would point out and describe various things along the way. Well worth using them.
Fun walking around the shops and we did a city tour using "The Real Portland Tour". We booked onlline but you can find them by walking off the ship and signing up on the street. Well worth the time and money.
Some people think this is too touristy. I beg to differ. A fun day looking through the shops and eating lunch. Very scenic setting. A bit hilly but worth the effort to walk around and enjoy it.
Only thing to do seemingly is Peggy's Cove. For a first time trip on this itinerary it was a nice tour but for repeat visits? Not sure how else to fill your time.
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