Greatest Vacation We Ever Had

Item: Anthem of the Seas
Rating: 5
Author: othellocast

Anthem of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

othellocast

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Reviews: 5

Helpful Votes: 167

Overall rating:

5 out of 5

Verified Review

9 Night Bermuda & Eastern Caribbean (Cape Liberty Roundtrip)

Sail date: May 05, 2016

Ship: Anthem of the Seas

Cabin type: Inside

Cabin number: 11279

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

It was the greatest vacation my wife and I ever had in our 29 years of marriage. Except for the traffic condition going to the Bayonne port, everything went smoothly till the end of our cruise. The crew and the staff were very efficient and friendly. The ship was very clean and the hallways to the staterooms are wide - in fact, all the places in the ship were spacious. Dynamic dining was a great idea and it allowed us to choose the restaurant and the menu we wanted. There was a long list of daily onboard activities and there was never a dull and boring moment even at late hours. Since my wife and I are avid ballroom dancers, the Music Hall and the Boleros are 2 great venues for dancing every night aside from other themed dance parties in other venues like the Two70 and the Poolside. Overall, it was a great vacation and experience for us.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Apart from traditional dining, the 'Dynamic' dining is very good with a lot dining options and venue choices.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

Love the dancing in both Music Hall and the Boleros.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Entertainment activities were great. Love the 3 complimentary shows - We Will Rock You, Spectra, and The Gift. The live band Katrina Love & Synergy was great with excellent repertoire of danceable song. For Latin dancers, the band Mamboleos offered good music, but sometimes the tempo was not right and they lack skills to play Tango tunes.

Children's Programs

Have not been into one. Sorry.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Our stateroom attendant - Rooney plus Irene; Restaurant/Wait staff - Raquel, Darcy, Geraldine, Andrea, Hicela; Entertainment staff - Heart and the band Katrina Love & the Synergy. They're all great!!!

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Great ship configuration and layout. Very clean and proper hygiene is observed specially in restaurant/dining areas.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Cabin was very clean and tidy. It was spacious and the cabin attendant always made it sure that things were tidy. The 2 closets and the drawers were more than enough for our clothes and other clothing accessories.

Ship tip

Be sure to purchase any of the Internet Package; you need it to share your experiences and photos hot while cruising. Yes, book your restaurant reservations and shore excursions ahead of time for some savings and to avoid lines.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey

3 out of 5

Because of traffic in the bridge going to, be sure to get to the port ahead of your appointed check-in time.

Thumbs Up 1

King's Wharf, Bermuda

3 out of 5

Due to heavy rain and strong winds, shore activities were cancelled.

Thumbs Up 0

Philipsburg, St. Maarten

5 out of 5

Beautiful beaches and friendly people. Very low prices for souvenir items, such as t-shirts, hats, tropical shirts, etc.

Thumbs Up 2

San Juan, Puerto Rico

5 out of 5

Walking around the historic sites and shopping the stores in Old San from the dock is great. No need to get to a tour bus.

Thumbs Up 2

Labadee (Cruise Line Private Island)

3 out of 5

Swimming in the beach wasn't good. There were rocks in the water. However, the complimentary lunch/picnic food provided by the ship was great.

Thumbs Up 1

7 Comments

lenaapple1974 8 years ago

I love the idea of dynamic dining after sailing with Disney! Rotating dining is one of the traits I love. There are two forms of it - classic and another I can't remember the name of currently. One is timed the other not? Anyone know? I booked for next June and may ask to swap becuz mine is the anytime. Didn't realize. Not sure if I like the idea. On NCL - freestyle dining wasn't a fave.

Thumbs Up 0

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ripkenlewis 8 years ago

How was the dynamic dining? Did you make reservations, was the wait long?

Thumbs Up 0

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meghad23 8 years ago

I have done 2 cruises out of Jersey, and I remember it being crowded, but we left my friends house early to try and give us plenty of time. Glad to hear the positive feedback regarding the dining. I have seen many not happy with the set up.

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karenmeima 8 years ago

I'm cruising in August as well patmar, the 6th. I'm hoping for a fabulous time!

Thumbs Up 1

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patmar 8 years ago

othellocast it's so nice to read such a positive review. Most of the reviews that people (cruisers) read are very negative and critical. I am glad you and you wife enjoyed your cruise as much as you did. I will be cruising on The Anthem in August, and I hope that I can say the same.

Thumbs Up 2

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indybat 8 years ago

Great to hear such a positive review!! What were the themes of the dance parties?

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JohnsonL 8 years ago

Very nice review covering the key areas in a very helpful way. One note on the bad weather experience is that the Atlantic Ocean can be nasty at times throughout the year. We always try to alert cruisers to this for cruises from the Mid Atlantic and for Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises. Not that it should stop you, but if you have the expectation of Atlantic Ocean weather, it wont be a big disappointment. Today's well appointed ships have the variety of activities and entertainment to account for some outside event limitations, but don't seem to provide this expectation setting information.

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