Anthem of the Seas Cruise Reviews - Reviews

I am very disappointed in this cruise. I always talked so great about Royal Caribbean but after this cruise I will not recommend anyone. They surely were not ready for this cruise the first two days were a disaster. Had to wait numerous times on customer service line for over an hour each time trying to make reservations for dinner and all the amenities which all was booked first three days we had to eat at the windjammer. The food there was not fresh and in the Soliurium the glass was still broken it was freezing that we could not even swim this was a first time for my eight year old grandson plus I am a platinum member  the north star was not working until Monday at Cape Canaveral when it was fixed.  I have more to say but it would take to long.  Just so very disappointed. Very surprised at Royal Caribbean they just weren't ready. Gina wiegand

upon arrival got to the room we specifically reserved with our agent. There was only one key in our envelope which did not work. Went back to the service desk to notify them of the issue. stood in line for 45 min. when we finally got to see an agent there was no apology, just a sarcastic "thats because its not your room anymore" then he went on to say that "we've been upgraded to another room".

we went from the 5th floor to the 12th floor. we got to our "upgraded room" only to find someone else's name, room keys, excursion tickets/ intineraries and champagne in the room. In a nutshell they were very unorganized and unprofessional. Specifically in the areas of customer service, luggage delivery, windjammer seating, applying unboard credits in a timely manner and catering to the needs of their passengers in a respectful and courteous manner.

I wish there were more family centered activities.   Supervision at the hot tubs left much to be desired. There  were many young children (some in swim diapers) unsupervised and also some preteens actually eating ice cream cones in the hot tub- gross and completely unsanitary. 

In addition, we were not made aware the damage sustained would affect our use of the indoor family pools for our days at sea. We had a hard time keeping the kids entertained for those days...

Especially knowing that the indoor family pools were closed,  there should have been many more family oriented opportunities. In addition to that, I would suggest having some type of mommy and me, or daddy and me, room for young children to play especially when parents aren't comfortable leaving the little ones with strangers at the infant babysitting room. 

 I have traveled Royal Caribbean before, and this was a very disappointing trip.   Even the private island, was disappointing.   Our best day was our excursion to Balmoral beach. It was beautiful, had  white sands and crystal-clear water that we had hoped for all along.   There was even an opportunity to snorkel, see dolphins and stingrays up close and personal.

If you haven't been living in a cave the past two weeks you probably saw the Anthem of the Seas in the news.  We knew from the start it was going to be a rough trip.  However, it is only by the grace of God that this didn't turn into a disaster dwarfing the Titanic.  We didn't turn into the wind until the ship began listing.  The listing was due to the winds hitting this ship broadside.  It took about thirty minutes to get the ship into position to ride out the storm.  The next eight hours were sheer terror.  Broken glass in the bathroom and items getting tossed around the stateroom.  Even I was tossed from the bathroom door onto the bed across the room.  Slight injury that I chose not to report.  After reaching the coast of Florida it was decided to turn the ship around.  Five days at sea with no stops.  Although it looks like a beautiful ship we never got to explore it  or utilize it's many amenities.  I have cruised out of New York before and have hit rough seas.  Nothing like this.  Sustained winds were 150mph.  Captain himself, in an interview the next day,  mentioned that we had recorded gusts at 180mph!  If you choose to cruise out of New York I would strongly urge you to avoid the winter and the hurricane season (summer and fall).  Guess that leaves just the spring.  As a result we are getting a full refund of the cruise fare and 50% off (based on that fare) for a future cruise taken within the next twelve months.  However, I am getting nothing towards my lost vacation time.  I am only thankful we are still alive.  For a while there I thought the ship was going to capsize.

Anthem of the Seas is a beautiful ship with lots to do.  Unfortunately we hit a very bad storm that caused our cruise to end early without ever getting to a warm port.  That being said, the captain and crew were phenomenal!  I cannot say enough about their calm demeanor during the storm.  They helped ever passenger who needed assistance.  So, for anyone with a of cruising, the crew is trained to handle emergencies and they do so quickly and calmly.  Cruise was a bust but I have a memory of a lifetime.  Definitely cruising Royal Caribbean again!!! 

We were on the voyage that sailed into hurricane force winds and high seas, so it will always be unforgettable. I can't imagine anyone on board, including the captain, who wasn't anxiety ridden.  When you're falling off the bed and walking uphill to the bathroom, while the shower door is swinging open, I'd say scary!  However, we think the staff did a good job throughout.  The reason for three stars is not about the storm, it is about the rest of the trip.  On our first night, which was normal, we ate in American Icon....for over two and a half hours.  The service was the worse ever on a cruise ship and the food was awful.  We, as well as several other tables, complained.  They wrote down all of our information, but we never heard anything.  Of course the next day all hell broke loose.  We have been on thirteen cruises.  Our previous cruise last year was on Quantum of the Seas (sister ship to Anthem).  We went on that ship when it was brand new and the whole "smart ship" premise was new.  There were tons of glitches and angry people on long lines for everything.  The staff was not trained and it was crazy.  We figured everything would be resolved by now, and the Anthem was definitely better regarding those situations.  However, we found the food to be the most disappointing on both ships that we ever had on a cruise ship.  Not one meal was really good.  So disappointing.  And desserts, which were always delicious on ships, were our biggest disappointments.  We ordered a Napoleon and German chocolate cake in the Grande....it looked like a graham cracker and a piece of pound cake!  Jamie's Italian restaurant was good, but it was extra and we refused to go to Chops because our party of eight ate there on the Quantum, and the steak looked and tasted like we were at The Sizzler.  Terrible.  The Anthem is definitely a beautiful ship, awesome from the staterooms to the lobby.  270 is beautiful.  The show was incredible.  You would think you're on Broadway.  Even with the beauty of the ship, we all decided that we wouldn't cruise on another smart ship.  There is no question that we all like the convenience and warmth of a main dining room. We missed that on both of these ships.  It had nothing to do with the storm we went through, but we all decided that we wouldn't be returning to the Anthem of the Seas.

Ran into a storm, damaged ship, turned around and came back. There goes my vacation for this year. This was my first and last cruise. Actually, this was my first vacation in years. Should have just flown to the island. 

This cruise never should never have left port Bayonone. Getting bounced around for 12+ hours stuck in your stateroom is very tramatic. My wife got hurt and thinking what the else could happen made for the worse cruise experience ever. We cruised quite a lot before this happened and now I'm afraid any New cruises will probably not happen. 

Did you not see the news cruise was dangerous and we could of all been killed you are crazy to  even ask about the cruise I will go back on the ship very excited to go the ended real fast will never go on the ship again not all that great just to big for the crew to help see them running around scratching their heads like okay we got this far now what do we do didn't not get service like lynette vrana said I would towels not enough ,bed double wanted 2 singles didn't get like she said over our phone conversation week of trip but I guess as long as they get their cut they just talk    and do nothing will not use her or cruise.com again I will sail from Maryland that ship is very nice I"ve been on it and will use again will find someone else to make a next plans with when if ever we get are refund ????

We had a terrible time on our cruise.  We encountered a hurricane on our second day at sea. The captain decide to turn the ship around on day 3. It took us 2 more days to get back to port because the ship couldn't get clearance to dock in NJ.  Limited food options, we were asked to eat and leave the food areas to allow other guests to eat.  I totally understand the request, just wasn't sure where the crew expected us to go. None of the attactions were open!  Not even the walking trail. Totally wasted my vacation time sitting around waiting for the ship to dock!  We were offered our money back for the cruise. Just not the $1000 we spent on the ship over the 5 days!!! We were charged $122 for 3 boards of Bingo!  

After reading all of the negative reviews about the Anthem of the Seas I didn't know quite what to expect.  I have to say that the Anthem is an awesome ship.

The ship is immacuately clean!   The staff and all that work for the cruise line were exceptionally friendly, everyone we ran into had a smile on their face.  Starting with the our cabin which was on the Deck 12 midship, there wasn't anything to complain about.  Our cabin attendant Nelson, kept our cabin spotless in the morning with cleaning the whole cabin, then again in the evening with freshening up the cabin. There were two large closets one on each side of the bed, both containing at least 20 or more hangers.  The closets were spacious and one of the closets even had 2 large drawers on the bottom.  There was more storage space throughout the cabin, that even I couldn't fill, and I bring A LOT of clothes. A dresser with 4 large drawers and over the bed storage too.  The bathroom had shelves on one side of the sink and a solid shelf beneath the sink. I brought a collapsable container to put our toiletries in and kept it on the bottom shelf.

Though we didn't get to use the balcony because of the storm, it was large enough with 2 chairs and ottomans  and a small table.  No complaints with any of these things.

The food was delicious, we ate in the American Icon one night, the staff was pleasant and attentive, the service was also quick, our waitress made sure everything was to our liking and told us if we wanted more of anything, main course included she'd bring it to us, and if didn't like what we ordered, no problem, we could order something else. The dining room was very pretty and elegant.  We had several meals in the Windjammer Buffet breakfast, lunch, dinner when we chose to.  The food in the Windjammer was better than I expected, since i read such terrible reviews about how horrible the food was.  

It was most delicious and there was a great selection. Breakfast had everything that you would expect to have available for you for breakfast.  We usually got made to order omelets.  Delicious!  Lunch had EVERYTHING from some kind of fresh carved meat to wraps, made to order paninnis, chicken dishes and fish dishes, cooked to order asian food dishes, tacos, etc. etc.  All good!  Dinner was also absolutely great with a wide selection of carved meats and delicious hot dishes. I had the best Prime Rib there!   They always had soup, pizza, and pasta that you can order the way you want it.  My husband always got the pizza, many reviews said it was horrible, NOT!  It was a thin crust pizza with lots of cheese and toppings.  The hot foods were HOT and the cold foods were COLD! The staff in the buffet cleared the tables quickly!   They brought you your your beverages, soda, coffee and tea etc.   Of course the first day on the cruise when everyone was boarding, the Windjammer was packed and it was a bit harder to get a table.  That only makes sense though.

So the food was awesome!   I did get to try out the North Star which raises you up in the air 300 feet.  I did it while we were still in the Bayonne Port.  I got to see NYC up close.   So this was the first day.   The second day we had a terrible storm with waves that supposedly rose to 30-35 feet and winds that reached 150 miles an hour. The waves did come up to our 12th Deck balcony.  The morning was a little rocky, we had reservations  for the show, "We Will Rock You" at 2:30 pm.  We got to see some of the show, then the weather took a turn for the worse. The ship began to rock quite a bit, and the performers were beginning to loose their footing, they did tell us before the show began that the performers safety was utmost.  They cancelled the show immediately.  No one complained, it was for the safety of the performers and our own safety as well.  My husband returned to our cabin around 3 pm.  I went to get a cup of coffee.  That proved to be very difficult, the storm had increased in strength in less than a half hour.  People were having a difficult time walking. first clue,  RETURN to your cabins, no one should have to tell you to do that, it's common sense.  I went back to our cabin, and Captain Claus made the announcement that EVERYONE NEEDED to return to their cabins and stay there till further notice.  It must have been 3:15, 3:30  by this time.  The captain made an announcement at least every hour from this time, until the cruise director joined the captain in the bridge or whatever you call it.  This was a good thing, though many people complained because now the cruise director, Abe was making all of the announcements and not the captain.  To me that was the right thing to do, the captain DID NOT need to take his attention away from what was most important, keeping us safe and concentrating on the safety of both the passengers and the ship.  Abe took over the duties of making the announcements and keeping us informed at least once an hour.  He did a great job of maintaining a calmness. The captain did make an announcement that the passengers could help themselves to beverages and snacks in the mini bar, he also told us that we could access the pay preview movies at no charge. During the night, our attendant came around to the cabins that didn't have a "do not disturb" sign  on their door, with water and fruit. The announcements went on for the rest of the day and until the next morning.  Between 7 am and 8 am the seas began to quiet and we were permitted to leave our cabins.  Most of the areas that we passed through suffered damage with chairs overturned, the water was no longer in the pools, there was broken glass on the 14th deck and numerous other things that were damaged or broken.  We made our way to the Windjammer for breakfast, had to wait about 1/2 an hour, the Windjammer had a lot of damage to the kitchen and dining area.  They worked diligently to get everything clean and made the areas safe for us.  An announcement was made apologizing for any inconveinance, but they did a wonderful job and there was still plenty of good food considering what the staff also went through.

The captain spoke to us through the PA system numerous times during the day, offering us free internet and at one time free open bar for 1 hour.  He did everything in his power to make the passengers safe.  Several times during the morning he said that he was in contact with the Royal Caribbean's home in Miami and also with the Coast Guard.  We only got as far as the Carolinas when the Captain made the announcement that we would be returning to Bayonne.

He said that another storm was coming up from the south and that he would not subject us or the ship to any danger.  He apologized and said that the full cost of the cruise, everything that was spent, including parking in Bayonne, would be refunded to us in 6 to 8 weeks and that we could book another cruise with R.C.

at 50% off.  I know this is long, but because of this storm, there was a lot to cover.  Now for the couple of negatives.  Because the ship had at least 4,550

passengers, some things were difficult, like Guest Services.  At any given time

when you went to Guest Services, there were at least between 20 to 25 people in line. There were about 5 or 6 reps. and few others walking around with I pads and trying to answer questions.  They definitely need more reps for a ship of this capacity.  It was impossible to use the bumper cars, they only operated a few hours at the time and the line was huge.  The area referred to Two70 was a total let down, it was not,  as described, It was said "Vistarama transforms Two70's floor to ceiling sea view into any scene, real or imagined."  It was supposed to

have 18 projectors projecting great things, and different types of entertainment.  We saw a trapeze artist there once, all the other times, nothing.  The ship is extremely hot in most places, with the exception of walking to the buffet.  Unless you find the all "glass" elevator, you will need to walk outside to get to the buffet.  Not a great design, you'd always need to have a coat or jacket with you, unless you located the "glass" elevators, or the weather is warm, which it wasn't.

All in all,  considering these few negatives, the Anthem of the Seas was a great ship with lots of shows and things to do. I absolutely cannot believe all the negatives that I read about before we boarded, which by the way took 5 minutes to check in, and if you arrive at the time you are supposed to arrive, you'll be on the ship in 10-15 mins.  We don't live in a perfect world, so why would you even expect to have the perfect cruise. You definitely should make reservations for the restaurants and for the shows.  Then things will go more smoothly.  Don't wait till you get on board to do these things. So despite the storm, all was well!

I would of gave no star but it would not let me.I was and my daughter was two of the people that was on the ship when they new of a storm was out there and took us into a hurricane that was so bad that I'm still trying to recover .We almost lost our lives.

We were on the cruise that encountered the hurricane at sea on Feb. 7, 2016.  To say the least, it was an unexpected adventure.  While the captain and crew did the right moves to keep the passengers and crew safe during 170 mph winds with 40 ft. swells, it was still a terrifying cruise.  In the beginning it was somewhat fun, but when the ship continued to be tossed like a balloon in the wind, it became less enjoyable.  Confined to the stateroom for 16 hours while the ship listed at 20 degrees was "Poseidon Adventure" scary.  Time went by very slowly while we watched items roll from one side of the room to the other.  Rain pounded our balcony door with each wave and we were tossed around like rag dolls.  Each wave created a see-saw motion with jarring results.  The bow of the ship crested the wave and crashed into the next.  Wind, waves and rain made it impossible to  do much else but pray for it to be over.  Dinner consisted of the mini bar contents -- Pringles, Snickers and M&Ms. 

In the morning, damages were evident but not overwhelming.  After surveying the damage (damaged azipod), the captain decided to return to Bayonne instead of risking another storm off the coast of Florida. We crawled home on one engine. A wise decision -- disappointing, but wise.  The North Star remained intact, but unusable.  I was truly looking forward to going on that! 

As far as the food, breakfast was less than spectacular.  Eggs tasted processed and they were not able to keep up with the requests.  Dinners were much better, although the Asian restaurant was not up to par as the others.  The Grand was, by far, the very best on the ship.  Since our vacation was shortened by four days (with one of them confined to the cabin), we did not have the opportunity to sample the wares at the other dining establishments. 

Again since we were in the storm, the shows were cancelled as well as any pool activities (FlowRider, pools in general.)  The shows we did see were "Spectre's Cabaret" in the aft lounge.  It consisted of Circ du' Sol routines and was simply amazing.  We saw it twice!

I gave it a 3 because of the disappointment of the early return and the mediocre food. The Thermal Spa was equally mediocre.  Other than that, I am willing to try another cruise on the Anthem.

We take 2 cruises a year, and this was our first (and possibly last) with Royal Caribbean.  We are Manhattan residents, and the reason we decided to go out of our way and to spend close to $300 to take a car service to and from Bayonne, NJ to go on this cruise, was because we were apparently going to places that we have never been to.

On 1/22, we received an email from Royal Caribbean stating that due to Winter Storm Jonas, our cruise would be delayed by a day.  We then called Royal Caribbean to inquire about our itinerary.  We were told by a representative that everything would be delayed by a day, but that our itinerary would remain the same.  However, during check in, we were informed that the itinerary was completely changed!  We had purchased cancellation insurance, and if we had been given the correct information on -/22, we would have cancelled the cruise.  We have never been to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Mexico, Honduras or Haiti.  Then, to our extreme disappointment, we find out that we are instead going to places that we have already been to (with the exception of Haiti).  St. Kitts and Nevis we have been to once before, butSt. Martin, St. Thomas and Puerto Rico we have already been to many times.  We were especially looking forward to taking an excursion to the Mayan ruins in Honduras.

To add insult to injury, NBC doesn't pay me when I take time off.  We believe that we should be refunded for this cruise, or be given credit to go on another cruise to the destinations that were on the original itinerary.  That would give us an incentive to cruise again with Royal Caribbean.

Richard Gordon and Alice Fu

Cannot rate this trip. Ship is the best design I have seen. How ever we did not go to the western islands, but was told after we got on the ship that we was going to St Kitt , St Maarten , St Thomas , San Juan and Labadee. No one was happy but this ship is so amazing it made it bearable .

Ship is huge, new and there is so much to be explored each day.  There's always something to do so you will never be bored. Just remember to bring comfortable shoes! Staff all over the ship are friendly and eager to please.  Definitely book shows well in advance of boarding. Although complimentary they sell out quick.  The spa thermal experience room was not worth the price. Overall I think the Spa was working through some kinks during my cruise because it fell way short of my expectations.  Overall I had a great time and would cruise on this ship again.

I ORIGINALLY BOOKED THE ANTHEM FOR JAN 25 TO WESTERN CARIBBEAN BUT DUE TO THE STORM IN NEW YORK CITY IT DELAYED 1 DAY TO JAN 26. WHEN I GOT ON THE SHIP ON THE 26TH I HEARD THE CAPTAIN SAID WE WILL BE GOING TO EASTERN CARIBBEAN INSTEAD. I WASN'T HAPPY SINCE I ALREADY BEEN TO EASTERN CARIBBEAN SO MANY TIMES BEFORE. I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO GO TO CAYMAN ISLAND. ANYWAY SINCE I ALREADY PAID FOR FOR THE CRUISE IN ADVANCE ,I CAN'T HAVE MY MONEY BACK. THE FOOD AT THE DINNING ROOMS DOESN'T MEET MY EXPECTATION, THE SERVICE WAS GOOD. ENTERTAINMENT ONBOARD WAS GREAT. THEY DID REFUND $150 PER CABIN FOR THE LOST DAY BUT I AM STILL UPSET THAT THEY CHANGE THE WHOLE ITINERARIES ON US.

This was our 14th cruise.  The Friday before we were to leave on Monday I received an email that our cruise was postponed for one day leaving on Tuesday.  A storm was coming up the coast and I was concerned about parking at the pier.  I called the pier and left a message to have a return call to find out the parking situation not knowing it was a parking garage.  I received a call the next morning after leaving the hotel for the pier.  We were checked in by a man standing in a large room with chairs where we were directed to sit for 1 hour.  This is the point we found out from fellow travelers that we were not going to the western Caribbean but the eastern Caribbean. We were told from the travelers that they received an email with the notification.  I have no idea why we were not notified or given an option to cancel due to the change. We later received notification of the ports and the days.  Before leaving home we had made notification to credit cards and family for western Caribbean. My husband had to go to security on the boat to get his luggage .  They retrieved an iron which we got back when we disembarked.  All the shore excursions were cancelled and we had to rebook.. We were not told by our cruise planner that we had to make reservations for dinner at the various restaurants or to see any of the shows.  The boat is great for all that is computer smart but if your have difficulty with computers good luck. The first 2 days of travel we had to stand in long lines for the restaurants even though we had reservations.  The service was less than acceptable. I must say it did improve with time.  The shows were great.  There are many activities to do on board. Difficult to ride the bumper cars and their are limits on the number of people to roller skate. Again one must make reservations to do most activities.  Their is an adult area with hot tubs and pools but the childless restriction in not enforced.  Love my grandchildren but I don't take them on vacation.  You may think your Childs behavior is cute but not everyone will agree.  Bar Service is good if you go to the bar and pick it up.  Yes you will still pay the 18 % gratuity for this.  Our room was nice.  I love the virtual balcony. A wall size TV has video and audio from the deck makes it feel like a real outside balcony. Oh yes forgot we received a $100 onboard credit for our late departure.  It didn't cover the 1 day price for 2 people. Very disappointed no further compensation was offered.  I filed a former complaint with Royal Caribbean and  Cheap Cruises but no one will take ownership for lack of communication. The time we spent in San Juan was longer because of a medical emergency on a ship berthed beside us.  Passengers on our ship were locked out and not able to embark back on ship. Everyone on the ship was given free bar drinks for 2 hours.  That was great if you didn't have a bar package.  If you had a bar package there was no compensation again.  I guess we were lucky we got home safe and sound unlike the following cruise.

We loved our virtual balcony room. Very roomy. Bigger than some outside rooms we had! The shows were more for younger generation! Food was ok.

some nights better than others! The crew were  very pleasant and helpful!

Royal carribean handeled our one day delay fine! Would have preferred to go on our original schedule but it was ok

will call about our shipboard credit! Thanks

They say the ship is a good part of the destination, it is if you have never sailed on it before, if you have, you want to do different things and that includes going to different ports. This cruise was rerouted due to weather and the ship was delayed coming back up to Port Liberty. We lost one day of the 12 days and were not reimbursed properly.  We went to the same old ports on previous cruises. If you are traveling with another couple who are a different point level then you , you will find you cannot do everything together. 

Other then several very great crew members we found others lacked courtesy and were always saying no to your requests.