Anthem of the Seas - Post trip thoughts

DisneyFan714

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jul 27, 2013
Greetings All, I've been on two Disney Cruises (Dream, Wonder) and this was our first time on Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas. We just recently took the 5 night cruise from Port Liberty to Bermuda. We were a fairly large group of 4 families (parents, siblings) with 8 adults and 5 children (ages 6 to 16). I've never written a trip report but did find the other one helpful and these were some of the things that I wanted to know so hopefully some of you may find it helpful. Sorry for the lengthy post but wanted to share some thoughts. Sorry for the lengthy post but wanted to get my thoughts out while they were fresh.

Being Disney veterans (Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruises), I am a typical Disney Planner and my immediate family (DW, 2 DDs) are more into activities so I figured I would share some things that worked well for us.

Show Reservations: Prior to departing, definitely make the Show and Activity reservations that you want to attend via your Online Cruise Planner. The three shows that require reservations are The Gift, Spectra's Cabaret, and We Will Rock You. If you don't have reservations, they do open up for Standby seating about 10-15 minutes. No reserved seating, first come, first serve. The trip was actually planned by our parents so they made the Show reservations for all 3 shows. Overall, if you are used to Disney entertainment, you may be disappointed but the last 20-30 minutes of We Will Rock You was great especially if you like Queen.

Activity Reservations: We weren't really interested in taking the Cruise Excursions so actually realized too late that you can make online reservations for iFly and Northstar so if you want to do those, book in advance.

Making Reservations once on board. Since we didn't have the Activities reserved online prior, the first thing we wanted to do was make reservations for iFly, Northstar and their Escape Room (which you can only do once onboard). This was crazy. We boarded around 11:30 and had a hard time figuring out where to go to make them. We finally were told to go to the Royal Theater. But also told that it could be done via the Royal IQ app, which definitely had a learning curve on how to use. But once we figured it out, we were able to make reservations for iFly and Northstar. The big tip here is if the Activity says there are no times available, just reduce the quantity of people if you don't mind splitting up, and times may start being available. For example, I was able to get 10 of us in one iFly session but had to make two separate NorthStar reservations of 7 and 6. We did stay in line (which took about an hour) to talk to someone just to make sure our reservations went through the app. The hardest activity to get into is definitely the Escape Room. On our cruise, it was only available on the last day at sea and I think they only do it 6 times a day. It was already booked by the time we figured out the app but with persistence of checking (I checked the night before), I was able to book 6 of us in the same session due to some cancellations (4 the first time and 2 the second time) so was pretty lucky. With that said, I think some folks in our session that did have reservations and didn't even show up, so that was a little annoying. With iFly and Northstar, they will charge for no-shows, so cancel if you can't make it, but for the Escape room, no penalty charges. With that said, iFly was a highlight for the group and even the 6 year old was able to do it.

Onboard Activities that don't require reservations: During our cruise, our group did the Bumper Cars, Roller Skating, and FlowRider. Our first time on Bunker Cars, we arrived after it started and the line wrapped around the whole SeaPlex which took about an hour so we quickly learned that if you want to do it, plan to show up before it starts at least for Bumper Cars, and Roller Skating. They offer a Trapeze activity so would assume the same for that even though we didn't do it. Note: for Flow Rider and Roller Skating, you have to check in first (sign waiver and get a wristband), not needed for Bumper Cars. We wanted to do the Rock Wall but never got a chance since when it was supposed to be 'open', one time it was being cleaned, and other times it was windy or drizzly, and they had to close it.

Royal IQ app: I really saw poor reviews so didn't have great hopes for it. But once you connect to their Wi-Fi, it worked pretty well. The exception was the first day trying to use the App for making reservations but it has the Daily Compass schedule on the app and overall it worked well.

Messaging: They offer a $7.95 text messaging app for the duration of the cruise via the Royal IQ App which we opted for so my wife and two daughters to keep in touch but since they all have iPhones, we found out that iMessage worked so if you have iPhones, check to see if you can message before purchasing. We didn't purchase any Internet packages so it may have just been a fluke but check before purchasing.

Beverage Packages: We are not big drinkers so none of us opted for the beverage package (we just shared a bottle of wine each evening at dinner. We did consider the Soda package but since our kids are not soda drinkers, there was always water/lemonade/ice tea/juice available at WindJammer and we also brought water bottles that we would refill (not directly). Water was also available at Cafe 270 and Cafe Promenade, as well as Coffee/Tea so glad we didn't get it.

Dining: We were a large group and not big foodies so we wanted to eat together so we had the Traditional Dining and ate in the same table at Chic, with the exception of one night, where we ate at Silk (My Time Dining) when we had a show conflict with our dining time. We were happy with our dinner choices and also with the Traditional Dining, you have same Waiter and Assistant Waiter so the Service was consistent and better than when we went to Silk and was slower since they didn't know us. We ate most breakfasts and lunch at Wind Jammer but occasionally had lunch at Cafe 270. Buffet was overall good for the Selection, with slight changes every day.

Silent Party: This was a late night party (10P-12A) but was a huge hit for our group. Each person gets a headset and has the choices of listening to one of two channels, playing different songs. So if you take off your headset, you just hear people singing and dancing but no music so pretty funny to watch. But really a lot of fun. But go early to make sure you get a headset.

Gym/Spa: I didn't participate in any Spa activities but some of our group opted for massages and said they were good. I did use the Gym and outdoor running track (approximately 3 laps is a mile) and it is at the top of the ship and plenty of equipment to use. They offer fitness classes for a fee.

Trivia: There are plenty of trivia contests. We are big into trivia, and we won a couple (80's music, and a General trivia contest, and Sudoku Challenge, and won some key chains and highlighters, mostly held in the Schooner Lounge. The most popular one was the Harry Potter challenge.

Bingo: Somewhat expected, it was expensive. They opted for the $49 package which is 9 games per card. My DW and DDs like playing so they played twice, once the grand prize was to upgrade to one of their top suites, and another to win a cruise.

Pools: As expected, with nice weather, the outdoor pool is very popular and most chairs are 'reserved' by early AM on Sea days. We actually liked the Indoor Pool since it was less crowded. This was probably one of our poor experiences of the trip. You have to check out towels and if they are not returned, they say they will charge you $25. On the first day, two of our group's towels were taken. But with that said, if you explained it when you returned your other towels, they were okay with it. The other time was at the indoor pool and we had our bag and shirts on chairs, and went to have lunch at Windjammer, and came back, and a woman just sat on one of our chairs and was using our bag as an arm rest and was trying to use our other chair. So I thought that was pretty brazen and rude. I don't like that others reserve chairs for long times but I still 'respect' that space.

Solarium: If you want a respite, and kids are in the kids club, the Solarium is pretty nice. However, that can be busy, and a couple of times I walked through, there were no chairs available.

Kids clubs: Our group never really used them since the 5 kids in the group did a lot of things together but they seemed nice.

Embarkation and Disembarkation: I can honestly say that both processes were very smooth. Definitely do the online process with picture, we had a 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM boarding time, and arrived at the port around 11:15, and literally after we checked in, we were able to board the ship. Some of us went to make Reservations (see above), and the others went to WindJammer for lunch. The ones that made the Reservations went to Cafe 270 for lunch. On Disembarkation day, we opted for Self-Carry, and we had planned to walk off by 9:00 AM and were heading towards Cafe 270 to wait at 8:30 but actually just got in line to get off the ship and was off the boat in about 10 minutes.

Parking Garage: We are local so we just used the onsite Parking Garage. It is $20 a day but very easy to get in and get out.

Bermuda: As mentioned we didn't book any excursions, but if you are a little adventurous, we found it very easy to get local transportation on your own. We booked a mini bus to the Crystal Caves and Hamilton. Another part of our group went to Horseshoe Bay and it is only $7 pp by Taxi one way.

In summary, we had a great time with our two highlights being iFly and the Silent Party but with most cruises, there was something for everyone and Anthem of the Seas didn't disappoint.

If you have a future Anthem of the Seas cruise coming up, hopefully some of the information is helpful. Happy Cruising!
 
Pools: As expected, with nice weather, the outdoor pool is very popular and most chairs are 'reserved' by early AM on Sea days. We actually liked the Indoor Pool since it was less crowded. This was probably one of our poor experiences of the trip. You have to check out towels and if they are not returned, they say they will charge you $25. On the first day, two of our group's towels were taken. But with that said, if you explained it when you returned your other towels, they were okay with it. The other time was at the indoor pool and we had our bag and shirts on chairs, and went to have lunch at Windjammer, and came back, and a woman just sat on one of our chairs and was using our bag as an arm rest and was trying to use our other chair. So I thought that was pretty brazen and rude. I don't like that others reserve chairs for long times but I still 'respect' that space.

Sorry, but if you opted to leave your chair and go enjoy lunch in the Windjammer you should have taken your stuff with you. Leaving it there to 'save' your space is exactly what most other passengers consider rude.
 


Sorry, but if you opted to leave your chair and go enjoy lunch in the Windjammer you should have taken your stuff with you. Leaving it there to 'save' your space is exactly what most other passengers consider rude.
I'll just say that is not the practice I observed, at least on this cruise. On sea days, most chairs were 'reserved' by 9 AM, which we could have done as well but didn't, but when we did use the pools, it could be difficult to find chairs that were not 'reserved'. Personally, I found it more odd that someone would sit on someone else's stuff, but that's obviously my opinion.
 
Thanks for your review. I am doing the nine day itinerary in less than two weeks. I have a couple of questions. What did you think of the escape room and was there a charge for it? I have been checking my planner to see if it shows up in there as I have heard sometimes it shows up in the planner to book beforehand and sometimes it doesn't. It is the one activity I really want to do.

I was also wondering about the Suduko challenge. How did they work it on the Anthem?
 


I also wrote an Anthem v. DCL comparison from the point of view of a Disney fan.. not sure if you saw it...if you have a few hours ;)
Looking forward to reading more about your experience:)
https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...bbeans-anthem-of-the-seas-comparison.3607316/
I didn't finish yet but pretty impressive write-up. For me, I would have a harder time with a comparison because my DCL cruises were just our family while the Anthem Cruise was extended family with four families. But if I look back at what stuck with me on those cruises, with DCL (Entertainment, AquaDuck (Dream), and participated in a Fish Extended (Wonder)). On Anthem, the iFly, Escape Room, and Silent Party but part of it had to do with doing it with a larger group of family to share the experience. Bottom line, we enjoyed each and every cruise, and you try to make the most of it, wherever you are. :)
 
Thanks for your review. I am doing the nine day itinerary in less than two weeks. I have a couple of questions. What did you think of the escape room and was there a charge for it? I have been checking my planner to see if it shows up in there as I have heard sometimes it shows up in the planner to book beforehand and sometimes it doesn't. It is the one activity I really want to do.

I was also wondering about the Suduko challenge. How did they work it on the Anthem?
So for our 5 night cruise, they only offered it only on the last At-Sea day. Hopefully, for your cruise, there will be more opportunities. It was only my second Escape room, I liked it. We had 11 people in our group, which I thought was a good size. I would say it was somewhat challenging, especially for first timers (my parents were first timers and thought it was confusing). We had a good group and were able to escape in about 38 minutes. I heard that an earlier session had 18 people which seems like too much. There is no charge for it, and apparently no charge for not showing up (unlike iFly and Northstar). I never saw it on the Online Planner prior to departing. Of all the activities available, I do think this has the most limited availability. That is the feedback I plan to provide on having it offered it more often but I can understand it requires a dedicated staff member and time to set up and re-set up the room each time.

If you really want to do it, I would try to get aboard early and go straight to the Royal Theater and try to make a reservation. While on line at the Royal Theater, if there is one, check the Royal IQ app, and go to Onboard Activities, scroll down to the activity "Escape from the Future", and try to Reserve via the App. As mentioned above, if it shows no times available with your requested group size, reduce the number to see if spots show up. With that said, a lot of people were using the App, and it was slow and not reliable. I would say by approximately 12:30 PM, all spots were gone. But it was only offered on the 2nd Sea day, and I think there were only 5 or 6 times, so you probably talking about only 75-90 spots to reserve, if that. I was able to just check periodically and was able to get some spots the night before via the app. The other alternative is to show up at the time (10:30A, 12:30 P, 2:30 P, ....) and hope there are no-shows (which we apparently had, as 3 folks were waiting standby and joined us, but no guarantees). Also, note, I thought I read you had to be 14 and over to do it but when I reserved it, I think you had to acknowledge that each person was 12 or over. I would agree because unless someone in that age range has done it before, it can be very confusing. Finally, the location of the Escape Room is right outside the SeaPlex, they put out a sign, I think it was the Fuel room or something like that.

As far as the Suduko challenge, we did it twice and I think it depends on who is running it and how many people are doing it. It is essentially one Suduko puzzle and the first one(s) that complete it, get a prize. The first time, we showed up a little late, and there was only a handful of people doing it. I finished 2nd but only the 1st place person received a prize. I thought maybe there would be a 2nd puzzle but that was it. On the second time, there were a few more people, and the person had '7 Keychains' so she offered it to the first 7 that finished. So my only advice would be if you like Suduko, show up on time. Everyone starts with it flipped over, and then are instructed to start at the same time. With that said, I found that all of the Activities/Shows pretty much started right on time.
 
So for our 5 night cruise, they only offered it only on the last At-Sea day. Hopefully, for your cruise, there will be more opportunities. It was only my second Escape room, I liked it. We had 11 people in our group, which I thought was a good size. I would say it was somewhat challenging, especially for first timers (my parents were first timers and thought it was confusing). We had a good group and were able to escape in about 38 minutes. I heard that an earlier session had 18 people which seems like too much. There is no charge for it, and apparently no charge for not showing up (unlike iFly and Northstar). I never saw it on the Online Planner prior to departing. Of all the activities available, I do think this has the most limited availability. That is the feedback I plan to provide on having it offered it more often but I can understand it requires a dedicated staff member and time to set up and re-set up the room each time.

If you really want to do it, I would try to get aboard early and go straight to the Royal Theater and try to make a reservation. While on line at the Royal Theater, if there is one, check the Royal IQ app, and go to Onboard Activities, scroll down to the activity "Escape from the Future", and try to Reserve via the App. As mentioned above, if it shows no times available with your requested group size, reduce the number to see if spots show up. With that said, a lot of people were using the App, and it was slow and not reliable. I would say by approximately 12:30 PM, all spots were gone. But it was only offered on the 2nd Sea day, and I think there were only 5 or 6 times, so you probably talking about only 75-90 spots to reserve, if that. I was able to just check periodically and was able to get some spots the night before via the app. The other alternative is to show up at the time (10:30A, 12:30 P, 2:30 P, ....) and hope there are no-shows (which we apparently had, as 3 folks were waiting standby and joined us, but no guarantees). Also, note, I thought I read you had to be 14 and over to do it but when I reserved it, I think you had to acknowledge that each person was 12 or over. I would agree because unless someone in that age range has done it before, it can be very confusing. Finally, the location of the Escape Room is right outside the SeaPlex, they put out a sign, I think it was the Fuel room or something like that.

As far as the Suduko challenge, we did it twice and I think it depends on who is running it and how many people are doing it. It is essentially one Suduko puzzle and the first one(s) that complete it, get a prize. The first time, we showed up a little late, and there was only a handful of people doing it. I finished 2nd but only the 1st place person received a prize. I thought maybe there would be a 2nd puzzle but that was it. On the second time, there were a few more people, and the person had '7 Keychains' so she offered it to the first 7 that finished. So my only advice would be if you like Suduko, show up on time. Everyone starts with it flipped over, and then are instructed to start at the same time. With that said, I found that all of the Activities/Shows pretty much started right on time.

Thanks for the reply. I did a Suduko challenge on Princess awhile ago and it was run very differently with three different levels of puzzles and multiple puzzles so I was interested to see how they run it on here.

I am definitely going to try the app to try to book the escape room when we first get on the ship if it doesn't show up in the planner. It's good to know about the age being twelve for the Escape Room instead of fourteen. I am traveling with a family group and am hoping we can do it together including one that is twelve. I also had read that on Harmony they were charging for the Escape Room.

Glad you enjoyed your cruise.
 

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