This was a fantastic cruise. The itinerary was excellent - we visited Inverness, Scotland, Kirkwall, Scotland, Liverpool, England and Greenock, Scotland. (Ignore the itinerary listed - we cruised on August 15th, for 8 days). These ports of call were very interesting and pleasant, with the highlight being Kirkwall (in the Orkney isles). The ship was amazing and the crew great, all making for a fun holiday.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Embarkation was good - the process was smooth and efficient for adults who were already vaccinated and PCR tested. However, the process for unvaccinated children (who had to have an additional antigen test at the port) was less good and delayed the process, however I understand it is inevitable waiting for the test results, but there wasn't any particular accommodation for those who had to wait.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
So many dining options with loads of different types of food, all high quality. The windjammer marketplace buffet was great, with a very good selection and nice food. Coastal Kitchen was particularly good, we ate there many times and always thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We also ate in Chops Grille which had fantastic steaks and Jamie's Italian, with great (and a lot of) Italian food, and very good value. The main dining room was also good.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The ship is jammed full of fun activities for everyone, which were great and never too busy. Highlights included the flowrider, north star, skydiving simulator, bumper cars, rock wall and gym. Anthem truly is a spectacular ship.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
There was always loads of live music all around the ship - the pianist was particularly good. There were also shows in the main theatre and/or Two70 every night, all of which were great. The headline show of We Will Rock You was amazing, likewise was Spectra's Cabaret.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All the staff onboard were so happy, friendly and helpful. They provided a great service, which was always very fast thanks to the lower number of guests onboard. Particular mention must go to our stateroom steward Anak, as well as Muammer (waiter) and Camilla (sports staff).
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This is an amazing ship. It is very well designed, with easy access to everything, especially off the Royal Esplanade. There was lots of interesting artwork, and all the common areas were kept in pristine condition. The Two70 venue is also a great space.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This was a one bedroom grand suite. We had taken part in the royal up bidding programme before our cruise and were upgraded to this cabin from a balcony. The room, balcony and bathroom were all huge and it was amazing to have so much space - it was like having two cabins! The bathroom was very nice and big, with a bathtub and two sinks, however it would've been nice if there was glass instead of a shower curtain on the bath/shower. Our cabin steward kindly converted the sofa into a bed each night, meaning we had two double beds, but would always put it back in the morning so we could use the living area during the day. There was also ample storage space.
Disembarkation
5 out of 5
Disembarkation was very smooth, we stayed to be one of the last off (around 9am) as we weren't in a rush. Breakfast in windjammer was not too busy and we were able to stay in our stateroom until we got off. We walked straight through the terminal to collect our bags and were back to our car in less than 15 minutes.
My mum and I did this cruise in August. It was brilliant. Saw some amazing things including Cawdor Castle, the Highlands, Skara Brae and the excellent museums and galleries around the Albert Docks in Liverpool-don't bother with a tour for that one.
Thanks for the review. We were due to go on the Anthem last summer and this summer but both Med cruises were cancelled. Can’t wait for next August’s Med cruise!
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