I'm honestly mixed. Living in CT, it is the most convenient cruise for us to get to.... but the itineraries are quite boring. We like the newness of the ship, but definitely my least favorite ship design. Unique activities a plus.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Quick, painless, easy on
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
We were disappointed with the service in the MDR.... very slow staff. We switched to the Coastal Kitchen and had a much better experience
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Lots of unique experiences - iFly, Bumber Cars, North Star... Great with staff that enjoyed their job, not so great with the staff that didn't care. Inconsistent...
Entertainment
4 out of 5
With regards to the main production shows: 1. The Gift. Great performance, stupid storyline. Definitely low budget writer with a talented technical crew and performers. 2. We Will Rock You.... better than the Gift for story.... marginally. Tacky... Flash Gordon meets Queen. 3. Really weird, was Spectra's Cabaret. Great potential for an incredibly advanced stage (270)…. once again, disappointing writers.
Children's Programs
1 out of 5
The kids love the program, I find that the staff have very different levels of tolerance in how they deal with energetic kids. Not saying that my kids are angels, but we've been on many cruises to see that some staff are far more tolerant than others.... the Anthem was particularly low.
Service and Staff
2 out of 5
Hit or miss.... some were phenomenal, some were lack luster. Although to be honest, this is a ship that solely serves the NJ/NY area. The "demeanor" of the passengers from this port is far different than what you see from a cruise leaving Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. Not to say that Florida natives specifically are better, but the proportion of people that need to fly to the port is MUCH higher, so you get a much better "blend".
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Cleanliness is outstanding and the ship has a very modern feel, I'd call it the first of the "Symphony" and "Harmony" era ships... i.e. modern European flares. However, the layout is a big departure from the success they've had since the first Voyager Class ships came out. The Oasis class ships still had it, but it was lost with Quantum class.... i.e. there's no Viking Crown Lounge.... the infamous Royal Caribbean "saucer" at the top isn't there. It made it back for Oasis, admittedly became a Suite Only area.... but its still there. There is no "wrap-around" promenade deck around the life boats. My biggest complaint is that outdoor deck area is also limited compared to other ships. The Solarium is HUGE, but at a loss of outdoor deck space. The pool area is also relatively small for a ship of this size, as a result the pool area is absolutely mobbed on a sea day. I know this is common for all cruise ships, buts it was REALLY bad for the Quantum. The Oasis class ships are able to handle it much better, and so are the Voyager/Freedom classes. Granted, I could be biased based on what I've come to expect on the other RC ships, and it grows on you after a while, but definitely not my favorite RC ship layout.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
So we were in a Grand Suite. Another example of RC trying new things that missed the mark in my opinion. The new layout tries to make the room feel like two distinct areas which we initially thought we would like, but made the room feel much more cramped compared to the older, more open, arrangements. Lots of storage, but not as well thought out as the old style. Again, due to the living room/bedroom separation with a wall. My wife and I don't pack many clothes, but we had to keep a lot of clothes in the living room side where the kids were because that was where most of the storage was.
My other big complaint was the Concierge Lounge. You need to walk down a long corridor full of state rooms to get to the lounge, which there fore is not open when you first embark as the staterooms are still not open. So if you want to relax in the suite lounge until your room opens.... can't. On the plus side, it was NEVER crowded, probably because most people found the location inconvenient and never went there.
Ship tip
Reserve EARLY. iFly, North Star, Production shows fill quickly. If you wait until your 30-45 days out, you'll find the options much more limited.
Great ship, however whenever go to a port north of Florida, there’s always more sea time and limited ports because of the travel.
That’s the trade off when you done leave from a pot in the south....
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