Anthem of the Seas
Anthem of the Seas: Groundbreaking tech to enhance family fun
Our review
Snapshot
Royal Caribbean promised newly designed staterooms, game-changing technology, ground-breaking venues and excellent dining — and Anthem of the Seas certainly provides it. Active cruise passengers will love the interior design, sports and fitness options, and entertainment.
A revolutionary cruise ship, Anthem of the Seas marries extraordinary comfort with pioneering design and technology to offer outstanding energy efficiency and environmental performance alongside some of the finest accommodations at sea.
I attended her christening ceremony in Southampton, UK, in April 2015 and came away impressed by the innovative features and abundance of amenities she has to offer.
Who will like sailing on Anthem of the Seas
Anthem of the Seas should appeal to both veteran cruisers, who will revel in her new-ship feel, as well as newcomers to cruising who will be dazzled by all this ship has to offer. If you're looking for a floating amusement park brimming with nonstop action, lots of decorative eye candy and sumptuous dining, Anthem more than fits the bill.
Offering around-the-clock fun and thrills, Anthem is the ideal choice for families and young couples looking for something new and exciting when taking an ocean-based vacation.
Where Anthem of the Seas sails
Anthem of the Seas features a wide variety of sailings to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mediterranean and Northern Europe — plus occasional transatlantic crossings.
Top dining choices
At the helm of the dining experience is something Royal calls Dynamic Dining. The ship offers a multiplicity of options and the total flexibility to shape your own delectable journey. There are no set dining times, no assigned seats and no required formal nights.
On board you'll find the American Icon Grill, serving all-American favorites; Chic, a contemporary restaurant serving contemporary dishes; Silk, Anthem’s pan-Asian restaurant; The Grande, a venue themed around classic European ocean-liner cruising; Coastal Kitchen, offering a Mediterranean vibe; Jamie’s Italian, with rustic Italian favorites from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver; Wonderland, a new concept restaurant that has a feel of Alice in Wonderland; Michael’s Genuine Pub, an American gastropub by James Beard award-winning chef Michael Schwartz; Devinly Decadence, serving healthy options all under 500 calories; Chops Grille, Royal Caribbean’s signature steakhouse, and Izumi, the Japanese sushi bar.
You'll incur additional charges at all of the above eateries.
During my time on board I dined in Chops Grille and it was superb. You have to make a reservation here, and I would advise doing so as it does get quite busy. The menu offered a varied selection of meats and seafood, and my filet mignon was cooked to absolute perfection — it was one of the juiciest steaks I have ever had at sea. Before this I tried the scallops, which were also incredibly tasty. The side dish selection was nicely balanced as well and included grilled asparagus, creamed spinach, truffle French fries, mashed potato and tater-tots.
Anthem of the Seas also offers lighter options including Johnny Rockets Burger bar (this incurs an additional charge per item), Windjammer Marketplace buffet, The Café @ Two70, SeaPlex Dog House, Café Promenade and Sorrento’s pizzeria.
Room service is also available and is complimentary during breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is a $3.95 service charge for in-room deliveries between midnight and 5 am. Also, try the Dine in Delights menu, which will fetch your favorite food from the specialty restaurants for an á la carte price.
Entertainment
Entertainment on board was nonstop and the options were incredible! Hit the slots in Casino Royale, enjoy nighttime aerial entertainment in Two70, you can even sing along to "We Will Rock You" in the theater, or dance the night away in the beautiful, energy-filled Music Hall.
For those with children, the Adventure Ocean youth program is calling your name and open for all ages, and you'll also find the Royal Tots and Royal Babies program on board. The H2O pool area on deck 14 is a great place for young ones to have some fun in the wave pool, and for the really little ones there's a small splash pool (awww!).
If you want to release some energy and go one step further than a walk around the deck, then check out SeaPlex on deck 15. Bumper cars, roller skating, basketball court, circus school, tabletop games, Xbox Zone and more await you at the largest indoor sports center at sea.
Other fantastic entertainment options include RipCord by iFly, the first skydiving experience at sea (I didn't); NorthStar, which takes guests up 300 above the ship for incredible views; the FlowRider surf simulator, and the ship's Fitness Center. I highly recommend the NorthStar. The birds-eye view of the ship was absolutely incredible — it looks great in people’s pictures, but trust me when I say it looks even better when seen through your own eyes. I’m scared of heights, but I did it!
If you would rather relax and unwind, then the full-service Vitality Spa is calling you, as is the adults-only Solarium. The Solarium is a beautiful, inviting space, located forward on deck 14. The entire area is housed in glass, so you can imagine what the views are like, and it has a serene, tranquil vibe. Inside you'll find a number of lounging options, tiered pool, whirlpools and a bar. Anthem of the Seas also offers a large indoor pool just a 15-second walk from the Solarium.
Staterooms
Anthem of the Seas offers a wide range of accommodations, from the ample-sized interior stateroom to the top-of-the-ship Royal Loft Suite. Anthem also boasts brand new, and rather large, Royal Family Suites with Balcony — an ideal choice if you have two or three children in tow. During my time on board, I stayed in a Superior Deluxe Balcony stateroom on deck 10 forward. It was spacious, beautifully decorated and the balcony was standard size. I particularly liked the bathroom and the fact that even when you turned the light off, there would remain a very soft glow, ideal if you get up in the middle of the night — it means the days of blinding your cabin companion with the bathroom light are finally gone!
Disclosure
Danielle Fear sailed on Anthem of the Seas as one of the journalists and bloggers invited as a guest of Royal Caribbean. See Cruiseable's Ethics & Disclosure policy.
Updated from an earlier review.
Your take
Have you sailed on Anthem of the Seas yet? Planning to go? Please share a story, tip or discovery. What was the highlight for you? I'd love to know!
Interested in a cruise on this ship?
If you're interested in a cruise on Anthem of the Seas, contact a Cruiseable travel consultant at 1-877-322-3773 or by email. We can usually offer a better deal than you can get by contacting the cruise line directly.
Top highlights on this ship
- Head to the free RipCord by iFly, where you can skydive without the scary jumping-out-of-a-plane part.
- Play basketball, go roller skating and ride bumper cars at the SeaPlex.
- The new stateroom design includes family-friendly modular staterooms that interconnect and the first virtual balconies at sea.
- There are no set dining times, no assigned seats and no required formal nights.
- View the ship from 300 feet above as you try out NorthStar.
- Experience a meal with a big difference in Wonderland.
- Dance the night away in the ship's multi-level Music Hall.
Top dining options on board
Fast facts
Overheard
“You will love Anthem of the Seas because it incorporates all of the latest features (and you can go flying aboard this ship!), and then some, for plenty of Royal Caribbean wow factor.”
