This 12 night cruise was the 2nd leg in a 7+12 night B2B cruise. I had a great time on Anthem and look forward to returning for a 9 night this winter that's already booked.
The Captain is very sociable and did a great job keeping us informed as both cruises progressed. On the way back we altered course to avoid less pleasant seas and the Captain recorded an 18 minute video on channel 40 that went into great detail about the new course and the technology used to ensure a better ride.
I had no bad crew interactions and during the Captain's Corner event in Two70 several other guests complimented the senior officers on their great crew experiences. On the 1st cruise of this B2B I ate in Chops and Wonderful on days 1 and 2. The remainder of the dinners, 17 nights in a row, were in the My Time MDR which I enjoyed. Some nights during prime time service was a little slow but no worse than a land restaurant in peak times.
At no point in 19 nights did I question booking this B2B and on day 18 I sadly began packing my bags.
Anthem is a perfect ship for the NYC area with its large indoor family pool area and enclosed adult only solarium. It has a lot of unique features you won't find on any other class of ship such as Two70, North Star and the SeaPlex. With Bumper cars, roller skating, circus trapeze and basketball on top of foosball, ping pong and an XBOX area I don't see how any kid of any age could be bored. Not to mention Ripcord indoor sky diving and the flow rider. So much to do.
I'm really glad I chose to fly to NJ for this ship. No regrets.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Boarding delayed but sail away was not so the compressed time created large crowds in the terminal. Relatively small terminal for such a large ship. Water coolers were available.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
I ate the majority of my breakfast and lunch in the Windjammer and dinner in the My Time MDR. Food was consistent with other RCI ships and I enjoyed most meals. I tried some new entrees since I am not a big fish eater (trying to expand my tastes) but I didn't like it so it was quickly replaced with something I did like. Bar service was great, faster than many land bars I visit at times.
Vintages
5 out of 5
Vintages was excellent and the staff very knowledgable about wine. I visited daily and they took great care of me.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
A lot to do. The SeaPlex is amazing. Ripcord was awesome and I enjoyed North Star. The solarium on Anthem may be the best of any Royal ship I've sailed. The indoor family pool area is great for a cold weather port like Cape Liberty and being so massive it keeps the kids out of the solarium.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We Will Rock You was awesome. The Gift was very good and Spectra's Cabaret really showed off what an amazing venue Two70 is.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
I did not have a bad crew experience. Everyone crew person I met was friendly and greeted me, even other cabin attendants as I walked the halls.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This is a perfect class of ship for a cold weather embarkation port like Cape Liberty, NJ. The aft elevators are more midship and with my cabin all the way aft it's a bit of a walk but I was glad to wear off some of the food and drink and didn't mind the walk at all. Everything was very clean. The ship is very easy to navigate.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This is my 1st experience with a virtual balcony and I thought it was great. I've stayed in everything from inside cabins to loft suites. The virtual balcony doesn't equal a real balcony but it sure beats a plain inside cabin or even ocean view. I often book inside cabins to save money and given a choice I'll gladly pay a little more for a virtual balcony. The cabin had lots of storage and is nicely decorated. The bathroom with curved shower door was perfect.
Ship tip
Upon first boarding the ship on day 1 it seems crowded as people mill about slowly dragging their carry on luggage but once cabins open up and people settle down the crowds become much better. Find a venue to relax in and let the crowds disperse instead of trying to explore the whole ship the moment you board. Hint - Two70 after on deck 5 is a great to relax. If you weren't able to make iFly or North Star reservations before sailing visit Boleros upon boarding to do so.
Easy to access using a ride sharing service. The terminal is a little small so don't arrive too early. The Teardrop Memorial is right next door and worth a visit before entering the terminal.
I was hoping to visit the fort near the port but it was closed. There is a small city beach with no facilities near the ship but the nice beaches are a ferry ride away . The ferry dock is very close to the ship. Being a part of France they use Euros here and speak mostly French. Very European ambiance to the town near the pier. Quite enjoyed it.
I missed out on a helicopter excursion by waiting too long to book it. That's my fault. Instead I did a walking tour and visited a wonderful old church that is being renovated due to termite damage. At 175 years old the termites had a long run but they are using termite resistant wood imported from Texas to restore it. As Caribbean churches go its very large with seating for 2,500. There are 365 beaches on Antigua so as they, 1 beach for every day of the year.
Fifth in the self carry line and 1st through customs so I was the 1st out of the terminal. Lots of cabs close by but I used Lyft to reach EWR airport. That cost $20 with snowy roads and Thursday morning traffic. Very easy.
Great review. I'm on the holiday cruise so it will be very crowded I know. Did you do the puzzle break? If so , did you book it as soon as you got onboard? What about Northstar on sailing day? Do they take walk ups like I've read?
Thank you for your review! I couldn't have put it any better. I was on your second leg of your b2b and as mentiined, I enjoyed it tremendously! From the MDR food to the live entertainment, everything was a touch of class!
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