My wife and I enjoyed a wonderful 9-day cruise from Cape Liberty, NJ (New York Harbor) to New England (Boston, Bar Harbor, Portland) and Canada (Halifax, Saint John) 10/12-21/2017 on Anthem of the Seas. The weather was unseasonably warm, but unfortunately, the fall foliage colors just weren't there this time (of course, nothing that Royal Caribbean can do about that). Our only real complaint is that neither the air conditioning nor the bathrooms were working on any of the buses used for our excursions... perhaps better tour operator screening is warranted? Overall, a great trip and one we'd take again. On a side note, we are very proud of Royal Caribbean's response to 2017 hurricane relief... another reason why we're "Loyal to Royal".
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was easy and efficient.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We chose "My Time" dining option in American Icon Grill... we were seated immediately each night there, and Ernesto and Oleg (Table 771) were great and treated us very well. The Windjammer is a madhouse during peak hours, so we tried to avoid that by getting there when they first opened for breakfast and lunch. I was particularly impressed that Joseph, the Windjammer head chef, personally took the time to stop by my table (and many others) at breakfast to chat and ask if there was anything he could do for us. While I understand that they are trying to accommodate everyone, I believe that the additional tables placed along the wall in the Windjammer walkways are a major annoyance and perhaps a safety issue, as it narrows the path down to one lane. I saw more than one electric cart collision with passengers and tables in those areas.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
I especially enjoyed the "All Access" tour and "Captain's Corner".
Entertainment
4 out of 5
The technology in "Two70" venue is amazing. Spectra's Cabaret and other shows were exciting and professionally produced. We loved the "Resurrection: A Journey Tribute" band concert, and "Love and Marriage" show was hilarious, as always.
Children's Programs
We traveled without kids.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our stateroom attendant Adolph was unobtrusive and efficient, and responded to our requests in a timely manner. We had an issue with one of our morning tours getting back late and causing us to miss our afternoon tour, but the Royal Caribbean Excursions staff quickly offered alternative accommodations. A liquor mischarge to our account was quickly and efficiently resolved by Guest Services staff.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The Anthem was beautiful and immaculate, but the air conditioning in both our stateroom and the public areas could have been a bit cooler.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Our stateroom (13624) was spacious and beautiful, and we really enjoyed the balcony often. However, we'd really like the option to hear the Captain's daily announcement in our stateroom... had to open our door to hear it. The shower seemed larger than that on other ship classes.
Ship tip
Despite the fact that Anthem OTS carries a lot of passengers, there are lots of niches around the ship for peace and quiet... seek them out. Also, the "flying bridges" to the side of the Solarium are a great place to see the sights.
Going on this same cruise in aug 2018! I've been on the Quantum so I know the basic layout of Anthem but am excited nonetheless. Haven't ever done this itinerary though
I was told that the Captain's daily update isn't put through to the staterooms because some cruisers might panic. I assume guest services was referring to non english speaking passengers. There was talk of a delay through the tv, but guess that never happened yet.
@froggylein. Amtrak worked well for us. $196 r/t for two from BWI station to Newark (not airport). Uber was ~$20 each way. Total was less about the same as driving with parking, tolls and gas. But no driving!
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
