Anthem of the Seas Cruise Reviews - Reviews

From the day we stepped on the ship we were in awe of the beauty and the amount of activities there were available to us.  We didn't waste anytime, as soon as the bumper cars opened we were there, we played basketball and toured the ship.  Throughout the cruise we were able to go indoor skydiving, roller skating, climb the rock wall, learn to boogie board and surf on FlowRider and even try our hands at circus trapeze.  The Sports Team on the ship was impeccable, they took the time to teach how to use the equipment and, if you wanted to advance, they even took time to help us advance in indoor skydiving and FlowRider.  The food was great, the waitstaff was top notch and it was all around a wonderful experience.  I highly recommend a 12 day cruise on this ship for the simple fact that you will want to experience everything it has to offer.

I would like to commend the restaurant staff for providing me with low sodium meals. The same  menu was provided daily at the four complimentary restaurants.  However, when I was on Anthem of the Seas last March 2017, the cuisine was more varied since we had four different complimentary restaurants to choose from daily.   I would like additional written information/maps provided about the stops, landmarks, towns,etc. to be seen on all excursions. Because it rained in Marigot we were not provided with indoor options to visit  or even get to ride by Fort Louis or through the town of Philipsburg. This tour seemed a bit rushed.

  Again I made reservations for dining, activities, excursions,entertainment, etc. prior to boarding  the ship. I also downloaded the IQ app at home. I used it view the daily Cruise Compass, reserved excursions, etc. There was no charge to use this app.

  On sea days one of my favorite activities was to swim laps in the indoor  Solarium pool for adults.

  Thank you to our stateroom attendant Rainel Serrano and the rest of the crew, staff, and entertainers for their dedication and hard work in making this a relaxing trip for us.

great ship. not much thought given to promenade area. seemed like being in a Walmart with goods everywhere leading to chaos and  overcrowding. trying to get a snack was almost impossible. area far too small. crew was outstanding and should be commended. ship needs a store where essentials can be purchased...too limited inventory.

We had to wait quite awhile in the port terminal  to get a wheel chair for me to get to the ship. Very few available. The dining crew was very good. Food not bad, but, be careful very salty. We had been assigned to late dining, but on a wait list for early we were able to get into the early seating - very helpful.

We enjoyed meeting the staff. Everyone was very friendly and courteous. Guest services and excursion departments were extremely helpful!  The shows that we reserved seats for were very disappointing. The onboard activities left much to be desired.The choices for activities was very limited.

Our room was nice and the steward did a good job!  We had issues with the specialty restaurants, level of service, and security breakdowns.  We spent too much time at guest services resolving dumb problems.  One visit was not enough to fix a problem.  We had to visit time and again to eventually resolve problems.  From poorly prepared food the the theft of a shirt at security.  Our vacation was full of aggravation.  I would caution anyone to avoid this ship until they get their act together.

The destination ports were great.  The ship needs improvements in many areas.  Staff that cannot understand English.  Food in Windjammer always cold; elevators extremely slow or out of order, Air conditioning in stateroom not working correctly/staying the temperature I desired; Safe constantly having error and not being able to open; bed as hard as sleeping on the floor.  That is just some issues.

I really enjoyed this cruise.  Best part was six ports in six days allowed me to see this part of the Caribbean and the lifestyle of the people on these islands.  When possible I took excursions that went into the island away from the port.  The three days getting to the islands and getting back to NJ gave me lots of time to enjoy the features of the ship.  I purchased the specialty dining and it was worth every penny.  The Chef's Table dining I purchased was an exceptional value of wine pairings and food.  The wine expert was excellent and the whole experience ranks as one of my top dining experiences ever.  

I would have given 5 stars but the logistics of planning your dining in advance was stressful. 

The ship is beautiful and we are loyal to Royal Caribbean. But the worlds smartest ship gets a D for being the worlds dumbest ship. They are working on it but none of the computers are linked. So its the left hand doesn't knw what the right hand is doing. All in all the trip in itself was AMAZING!!! Had a great time.

Favorite was food and entertaientertainment

 Loved app and easy Internet 

STEFANO IN American Icon was a fantastic waiter. So much attention to our needs even when we never asked

Disliked  all the reservation making for meals and shows. Stressful

Jose in Windjammer coffee bar had a terrible negative attitude. 

Denise Ellis in Starbucks was very rude .

Great activities for the kids during the daytime. All the restaurants and buffet were excellent. But, drink packages i think is very pricy. Pool area was very clean and Deck 4/5 is always few for new things to shop and food for the kids at all time.

First the positives. Checking in and checking out were very easy (5 stars). And Anthem of the Seas is truly a beautiful ship!!! You are in awe from the moment you step on the ship. The views from the two70 and solarium are amazing. We had a superior oceanview room on the 10th floor. I loved our room. It was spacious and well appointed. And even though we sailed with over 4000 people (the trip was sold out) we never felt crowded. There is an overall feeling of spaciousness on the ship. Sailing from New York in November meant Sunday, Monday and then Saturday were fairly cool. Thankfully, the ship has multiple indoor pools and other areas (like the Seaplex) where you could still enjoy yourself indoors in the cooler weather. In fact there are plenty of activities, unfortunately they are not all available at all times. The are multiple eating options on this ship. The food is good not great. But the pizza and cookies at the Café Promenade were a favorite for my husband and son. Actually, the cookies were a hit for everyone in my group. 

Some of the negatives. The food in the Windjammer was only fair (we only ate breakfast there). Overall the staff throughout the ship seemed rather unenthusiastic (in comparison to staff on previous cruise). Although our wait staff (Ricordo and Chris) and our room attendant (Ceon) were great. Overall the atmosphere was rather subdued, again in comparison to our previous cruise with Royal Caribbean (RC). Because of the number of people on the ship you had to make reservations for some activities and reservations filled up on the first day (i.e. the North Star). So several things that we enjoyed (i.e. I-fly and bumper cars) we couldn't get on over and over again. You really have to plan your time to get to the activities you want. The cabaret show Spectre, which is generally rated as the best of the shows on this ship, was NOT GOOD in my opinion. But I've read other reviews where people loved it (personal taste I guess). Unfortunately, my group just didn't have as much fun on this ship as we've had on other RC ships. And some in my group have sailed many times with RC.

Overall - I did enjoy myself. It was a good trip, not great (but we expect GREAT from this cruise line). I would certainly sail Royal Caribbean again but probably not this ship.

***I gave 4 instead of 3 stars because the ship truly is beautiful and Anthem has very good amenities. With some tweeking this could a great cruise.

I have been on a lot of cruises and this by far was my favorite!  The ship is beautiful.  We had a balcony cabin and it was very spacious.  The restaurants were excellent as was the service.  The shows were great!  The ports of call weren't that great but we were going to relax so it didn't matter to us where we went.  My only complaint is that the special activities like North Star and the sky diving simulator booked up quickly and we could not do them.  They could have had a better selection of TV channels too.  You have to pay to watch any current movies on TV. That used to be included.  The room service menu was very limited too and you would have to pay for extras.  Other than that it was great and we would go back on this ship in a heartbeat!

It was a great first cruise! The ship is absolutely beautiful and we loved our balcony room!  The food was also spectacular with great variety!  The fact that we left from Bayonne was also a plus!

It is a beautiful , large ship. Very techno-driven ship. If you are into technology, you will love it. So many things to do on the cruise, but make all the reservation you need before you go on the ship, it will make your life easier. I wish they play more movies on the cruise, especially during sea days. They also need to put age restriction for gym use, little children were running around in the gym. Overall, we enjoyed Anthem of the Sea and booked for next Thanksgiving cruise. If I don't have to cook during Thanksgiving, it's a winner no matter what 

I can't think of a better way to spend Thanksgiving week with family. The best part of the trip was no doubt the Anthem of the Seas itself. The shows at Cafe Two70 were jaw dropping experiences. The 3D Trolls movie was a pleasantly and unexpected surprise for my two girls. And when they are happy, so am I.

The one thing that really stood out from the otherwise great week was the dinner at Silk on the first night was a little disappointed. Three people in our party and two tables next to us all ordered the duck entrée and the meat was so dried that it was beyond edible. It was as if the dishes were cooked and then reheat again in the microwave for too long. The meat was dried and hardened beyond worst than meat jerky, it's like chewing pieces of leather. The other entrées were much better. The wait staffs did offered to get us another dish but we weren't in the mood to wait anymore. The only thing that redeem the night was the mochi dessert which was delightful and refreshing. And the Crème brûlée was excellent and consistent thru the whole trip. To be fair, we tried the duck again a few nights later and it was perfect. So maybe it's just an oversight on the kitchen on that night to reheat the duck for too long without checking. The salad bar at the Grande restaurant for lunches was a good idea, but probably best served if just let it be a self-service station instead of a staffed service. The line gets unnecessary long just waiting for the guy to toss and chop up the salad, seriously? Let the guests help themselves, we can manage what we like and the amount that we like and not take way more than necessary. And you only need 1 server behind the station to replenish and keep the area tidy. Win win for everyone in my opinion.

Overall, the dinning experience at the restaurants and the choice of menu items were excellent. The rotation of 4 regional different restaurants makes the whole dinning process both stimulating and exciting for the senses and our appetites. We also welcome the more relaxing atmosphere of the casual dinning experience. The staffs were friendly and helpful. We didn't have to wait too long for anything. The glasses were refilled frequently, and the bread basket was a great favorite among the kids. The Windjammer on the other hand might need to have more seatings to accommodate the influx of a big crowds during peak hours. The cleaning staffs were good and mostly fast at cleaning the tables, but no one offered us drinks except one time at breakfast. Not saying that the lines at the water stations were always long, and I am sure any server will be happy to bring us drinks if we asked, but it was nice to be offered so thank you so much for your kind gesture Ms. Blanca Frores. We were happy with the selections at the buffet and the excellent pastries. And the turkey rice congee on Black Friday morning was a big hit with our family. Love the great cakes on Thanksgiving night also. The all hour services at the Sorrento's was great. That was our favorite meet up area, and the pizza was superb.

iFly and everything in the Seaplex were awesome. Too bad the line for the bumper cars was always too long. The staffs were great at managing the crowd, the wall climb and the trapeze were great fun. We were not allow to use the North Star due to wind condition and that is something we really look forward to try for our next cruise. All the pools were great. The gym was so much bigger and more equipped than any of the other ships we have cruised before. Really enjoyed working out that extra serving of sweet from the night before.

We also really like our rooms. Love the shower with the glass door and the balcony. We have connected rooms and with our party of six, the kids enjoyed the extra space to roam between the two rooms. And our housekeeper Ivan kept everything in tip top shape, thank you Ivan.

Great entertaining shows all around, but our Cruise Director, Dru Pavlov, seems to be the most low key CD we had ever met on all of our cruising experiences. We most definitely preferred the more relaxed and civil vibe on the Royal Caribbean Cruise ships and thus avoided the rowdy frat house crowds on Carnivals, but a little more energy would have made our trip a truly unforgettable experience. Case in point, upon returning to our ship at Port Nassau, the Bahamas, the music emitting from the gangway of the Norwegian ship docked directly across from us was a stark contrast. The beat of the music was pulsating and the crews were happily bouncing and dancing with the rhythm welcoming people into the ship. For a brief moment, we were tempted to join them instead.

On the morning of arriving at Cococay, due to weather condition, tenders to shore were delayed which was totally understandable. But the ship could have done a better job of communicating the issues to the anxious crowds. 

Disembarkation was pleasant and orderly. Good job at the Bayonne Port terminal. Our luggage was on time and where they should be. The pick up area was a little chaotic but still so much better than the last time at the old loading area.

These seven days sure past fast. Can't wait to come back again, really soon.

Thank you Anthem of the Seas.

There are so many activities and events happening on the ship. Definitely make reservations in advance for North Star and iFly. The Royal IQ app is a must to keep you informed of all the events and activities on the cruise.

+ Convenient for people in north east area.  No need of air travel

+ Great covered parking facility at the Bayonne Port.  Reasonable price of $20 per day

+ Modern ship, great wi-fi, nice & modern facilities, bigger staterooms

+ Our kids loved skyplex the play area for kids with bumper cars, roller scating, xbox one games, ping pong, basketball and soccer.  They didn't even go to the Royal Adventure club.

+ Speciality restaurants are good but they cost extra money

+Two70 theater and bionic bar are awesome.  

+ Great solarium facility, the closed roof is a good adaptation for the cold winters of north east

Now some minor negatives

- The staff seemed exhausted and over worked.  Service in the complimentary dining restaurants is bad.  It has to be improved a lot.  Wrong orders, no follow up on food and drinks, not enough waiters for tables etc.

- The ship seems a little small for the crowds.  What I heard is this is a good ship for cruises longer than 7 days.  For cruises less than 7 days, the main attractions like ifly and northstar can't accommodate all the interested passengers

- The toilet flush sounds from adjacent balconies are a little too disturbing into my room

Not as kid friendly as I thought it would be, the food was good but the buffets were closed by 9. We couldn't get ice cream past 5 o'clock, the times spent on each island and Florida were not accurate. Overall the service was great the people on the ship were really nice, the islands were beautiful and we had a great time. Just wish a couple of things were different.

The ship is gorgeous the rooms are a good size. All the communal areas decorated high end with lovely furniture, but often left dirty and untidy. Not enough staff to cope with the amount of people. Although a large ship the communal areas are small in comparison. When we boarded we felt hearded in to enclosures. Once on board we headed for the 14th floor as recommend by cruise critics to get our lunch as most people headed for the Windjammer. A bun fight regularly broke out as the hungry on mass congregated, You can eat all day if you pay, but the complimentary restaurants are opened and closed at different times. We headed for Solarium  which opened for breakfast  at 9.am and closed at 1.30pm preferable to the windjammer that opened earlier. The windjammer had several food stations but served the same stuff. Most people held up everyone wondering aimlessly searching for something different. We could never get seated for the sit down at the main dining. We insisted on Classic dining and paid extra for 'Wonderland' Gastromic restaruant experience which was fun. The food in the main complimentary dining room was poor and the staff amateurish. The relax atmoshere left staff with no guidance and direction. We were seated close to the food station and witnessed arguments, food and plates dropping and none of the plated delivered had no garnish or attention to detail. All the staff were more interested in up selling there alcoholic drinks. We did however like a few of our waiters and enjoyed a relaxed conversation with them. Some will agree man and servant attitude is not on this ship! It has a more party atmosphere appealing to the masses and not to the privilege few. You won't feel special on this ship and be waited on had and foot. All drinks onboard are party to a service charge, which I was less than happy to pay as we had to order and collect all our drinks at the bar, waiter service is virtually non existent.  Tea and coffee was provided on a self service basis, unless you pay for one. And expect a paper cup!!

Our room was not prepared properly. on arrival. It had blood all round the toilet seat and urine stains. It had not be cleaned. The carpet was full of hair and bits and had not been vacuumed. No hairdryer, no bath robes. Room service was poor and whenever I ordered I hardly ever got an immediate response. I had to wait over 45mins for some ice for my husband 's foot as he had twisted his ankle badly. The breakfast I had ordered through room service for 8 to 8.30am woke me up at 7.20am to say could they deliver it now. Astonished I couldn't believe they actually rang me to wake me up. But upset us the most. With there count down to cruise we avidly ticked all the boxes. But failed to include DONT FORGET TO FILL OUT YOUR ONBOARD CREDIT FORM. Because we didn't and we did not get our due OBC. We spent three separate days arguing with customer servcie to get our OBC. And they told us to ring our tour operator. And we did and left a message and never a response Shay Quac. Big disappointment.