Sadly, for us, the bad outweighed the good and we do not intend to ever sail with Royal Caribbean again.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation went very smoothly - easy check-in, efficient boarding.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The main dining room we visited - American Icon - was very disappointing. There was only one vegetarian entree (grilled vegetables) and my wife's chicken dinner was poor. The one specialty restaurant we tried - Jamie's Italian - had an excellent selection of appetizers and entrees although, again, there was only one (very good) vegetarian entree. Unfortunately, the second time we visited, on the last night at sea, the food was a bit stale. The Windjammer buffet featured a very wide selection of mostly very good dishes. The problem here was the initial rudeness of many of the staff; a problem that was largely corrected following a conversation with the restaurant manager. The two bars I visited were excellent. Unusually for a cruise ship, one could actually detect the presence of alcohol in the mixed drinks!
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
We didn't find the activities very appealing, but we're just not into spas, crowded pool areas, or trivia contests.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
"We Will Rock You" was excellent, featuring several Broadway-caliber performers. Spectra's Cabaret was amazing with gifted aerialists and outstanding singers, dancers, and musicians. These two shows more than compensated for the fact that the lounge singers and musicians aboard were, frankly, awful.
Children's Programs
Probably because we have no children.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
First, the good. Our room stewardess, Claudia, was wonderful - friendly, thoughtful, and efficient. The Guest Services staff were also pleasant and efficient, and the waiters at Jamie's were very friendly and hospitable. Now, for the not-so-good. As mentioned previously, the staff at the buffet - primarily the folks who bused the tables - were rude and incompetent, e.g. stepping in the path of patrons, nearly causing collisions; failing to clean tables; and taking plates without asking if the patrons were finished.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The only quibble I have with the ship's layout was the design of the main shopping area - the Royal Esplanade. The area was too narrow for the number of passengers aboard resulting in overcrowding. The ship was clean and well-maintained except, again, for the buffet. Spills, especially the last two days of the cruise, were not cleaned-up promptly, creating a serious hazard, and the hand-washing area at the entrance had paper towels all over the floor.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Our cabin was spacious, comfortable, and well-designed. The furniture was very attractive, and we had plenty of storage space.
Our shore excursion was canceled due to inclement weather and the terminal is out in the boondocks, so we spent the day aboard the ship. Note: the water in the bay is dark brown; not generally a good sign.
Miami is beautiful, and the port is close enough to town that we had beautiful views from the ship. Unfortunately, my wife was not feeling well and it was pouring rain. Thus, we skipped our planned excursion.
Beautiful scenery, but when we returned from our excursion in the evening all of the shops were closed (at 7:45!?). The excursion was wonderful - a sunset cruise off Paradise Island.
We were on the Anthem last September and loved it! Seems like you experience was mainly positive, so why don't you like RC? Cruiseline just rated them first in many categories,all passenger voted. You seem very picky, but I get you about the vegetarian entrees. One needs a protein source and many places anywhere just don't get that.
I had to laugh when I read the part about workers talking your plate on the Windjammer before you are finished. That's not exclusive to Anthem, that's on ALL Royal ships. LOL
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