This was a last minute cruise and we really enjoyed the ship. We normally fly to Florida but driving to Cape Liberty had its pluses. The ship was smaller than many that we've been out but it wasn't lacking for amenities
Embarkation
5 out of 5
This was our first time at Cape Liberty Cruise Port and it was very easy to get to. The traffic flow was great and there were people to help you all along the way. You drop your bags and head to the parking garage and from there it's a quick walk into the terminal. There was a small line but it moved quickly and was very efficient. We have been on several other Cruise Lines including Holland America, princess, Carnival, and Norwegian Cruise lines. On balance we prefer Royal Caribbean.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We used my time dining and had an excellent menu and great service. We were able to shift times as needed and did try a couple of specialty restaurants. Chops is always amazing and we tried Wonderland for the first time. It was unique and different but for us a one-time thing.
Chops Grille
5 out of 5
Really great food and excellent service! We always try to eat here when we're on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
Windjammer Marketplace
5 out of 5
There was a nice variety of food and it was always fresh. There was plenty of seating but you couldn't be picky. If we got there early enough we could get a seat by a window or outside.
Café Promenade
5 out of 5
We bought a coffee card and the drinks were really good. The service was excellent and the drinks were put up quicker than most coffee shops I've been to.
Wonderland
5 out of 5
We really enjoyed this as a one time thing but probably wouldn't go back. I'm told that they're more elaborate on the larger ships.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Next Cruise
3 out of 5
We were actually quite surprised at the lack of service here. We came with a couple of specific cruises we were looking at and pricing and when it didn't match what she gave us she just shrugged. There may have been a reason but she wasn't willing to sit down and look it over to try to determine where the difference was and see if it was something we were willing to work with. We ended up walking away.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Didn't attend much of the entertainment but did enjoy the trivia games and the music in the Schooner bar.
Art Gallery
3 out of 5
While the staff was always very pleasant and the artwork was beautiful we've found that things have gotten incredibly pricey and the variety is limited. Perhaps this was because we were on a smaller ship but I almost always go to the auctions and occasionally buy something and really could find nothing that interested me.
Solarium
5 out of 5
Since we left New Jersey in cooler weather and returned in cooler weather, the solarium was a nice place to get some pool time that was rather quiet.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff and service were excellent.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This was a smaller version of The Oasis class ships but had been renovated not too long ago. The layout was easy to follow and everything was up to date.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We got our cabin through the Royal up program and it was very nice. We would do that again. It was a balcony room with a bit larger balcony and although it said it had an obstructed view, we didn't find that to be so.
Ship tip
Anthem of the Seas is one the smaller ships so I would get to any of the venues early.
We bought passes for Hideaway Beach but we wouldn't do that again. Although it says adults only it's really for young adults. We are hoping for a variety of music by the pool but it was pretty much the same loud repetitive drum beat all day. People who are looking for that had a great time it just wasn't what we wanted. We were hoping to have a pool and some Caribbean music for at least some of the day. I understand there are more suitable places on the island for what we're looking for.
We went to junkanoo beach because we had heard it was a close walk. However there were six ships in Port that day and the streets were very crowded. We got a place at the beach but were continually interrupted by drink sellers. They were out of most drinks and what we got wasn't very good. A basic lunch was about $100 plus tip. We would have been better off taking the cruise shuttle to the beach they offered.
The cruise port was very easy to get to and well staffed with trained people. Our embarkation was very smooth as was our debarkation once we were off the ship.
Disembarkation was fairly easy with the one exception of the elevators being so full. People were not honoring places in line when you had to fight for your space. However once we were off the ship the cruise port did a great job. They had people by the payment stations for the parking garage and plenty of people to direct you.
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