Last month, I was lucky enough to tour Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Anthem of the Seas while it was docked in New Jersey.
The ship is HUGE- hosting up to 4,905 guests with 1,500 crew members. It measures 136 feet wide and 1,141 feet long with 18 total decks! The ship has 2,090 staterooms- 1,571 with balconies.
Stepping onboard, you enter this huge area where you will find restaurants and shops..
One of the most popular spots is one of 3 “First at Sea” spots on board, the Bionic Bar.
Here you are served by robots a number of mixed drinks- pretty impressive!
Anthem of the Seas has over 20 places to find a great meal- including a character meal with your favorites from Dreamworks (think KungFu Panda, etc).
One of my favorite spots was this piano bar found just outside Chops Grille, Schooner Bar.
A great place to relax before and after you dinner inside Chops Grille…
Wonderland, another signature restaurant, also looked pretty amazing. Here you are given a menu and paint brush to reveal your options for dinner each night!
Strolling around the ship, you will come across some of the most amazing works of art… even in the elevator areas! These Crystal Cherry Blossoms is titled “Healing Garden” by Ran Hwang:
The Via section of the ship greets you with “Eve” created by artist Richard Hudson:
Here you will also find Jamie Oliver’s, “Jamie’s Italian”:
and Vintages Wine Bar:
Continuing through the ship, TWO7O is a GREAT, included (unless otherwise indicated), spot for 3 meals daily!
Here you can grab a comfy spot at the rear of the ship for some amazing view during the day. At night, those windows are covered with CGI panels and you can catch a variety of performances each night.
Heading back to the front of the ship you past their “Next Cruise” desk where you can book your next RCCL cruise on board with the best promotion available PLUS an onboard credit you can choose to spend on your current cruise or your next cruise!
Next up- another great place to grab a drink (and where you go to sign up for excursions, show times, etc on the first day of your cruise), Boleros.
There are a number of drink packages available, which we suggest adding to your cruise vacation before your arrival.
Heading back to the center of the ship, you find quite a few neat spots to shop and grab a snack:
One very popular spot is Michael’s…
Another popular spot to catch some live music and shoot some pool is Music Hall-
Adventure Ocean is where you will find spaces exclusively for kids. The groups are separated into groups that only span 2 years and each group has their own space.
Solarium is one of the ship’s adults only areas…
Head behind the bistro and you will find a true sanctuary…
Families can head to SeaPlex to play!
and you can grab something to eat at the nearby “food truck”!
Are you ready to head outside? 2 Outdoor pools, outdoor movie screen, sports court, Ripcord by IFly, Flow Rider, North Star, rock wall… where do you start? Have you met Gigi the Giraffe?
Inside the ship there are fun things to find as well- like the chandelier in lobby- place your hands on the kiosk and the lights flicker to your pulse.
Forget what day it is? Just look down in the elevators- and they change every night at midnight!
Overall, I really enjoyed my time on the ship. I was treated to lunch at Chic, one of six main dining rooms onboard, and it was delicious.
I think Anthem of the Seas is a fantastic option for those looking to cruise out of the Northeast. There is someone for EVERYONE to enjoy on board as well, including small intimate spots I was surprised to find on a ship this size. The ship was spotless and the food was plentiful and delicious.
For more information please contact Castle Dreams Travel at info@castledreamstravel.com
