Anthem 5-Day Bermuda July 23-28 Review

Welcome to my review/summary of our July 23rd-28th cruise on Anthem of the Seas!

A bit of background - my husband and I have cruised a few times over the years and after this cruise we will be platinum. While our two kids were away at summer camp we decided to celebrate our 15th anniversary with a cruise on Anthem! We've been on all categories of Royal ships except for the 2 biggest so Anthem was the largest we have been on to date (after our Oasis cruise this coming December the list will be complete!).

For ease of writing I just summarize major areas rather than a minute, by minute detailed review.

Pre-cruise:

We are from the Toronto area and one of the reasons we decided to try Anthem is because we could drive to the port in about 8 hours. We drove down two days early and stayed in a Times Square hotel and did some exploring and saw a Broadway show. I love NYC and anytime I can spend time there is great, even in the crazy heat of last weekend!

The morning of the cruise we left the hotel at about 9:00am and were at the port 40 minutes later. It was an easy drive at that time of the day but Manhattan can be crazy and we wanted to make sure we had plenty of time.

Embarkation:

We dropped our bags and went to park the car in the garage without any lines or problems. Checked in with an agent, went through security and were sitting in the chairs by 10:00. I settled in for what I had hoped would be a short wait but at about 11:00 we heard an announcement that boarding would be delayed until 12 -12:30. Before long there were far too many people for the amount of chairs but the agents really tried to keep things organized. Thankfully they started boarding earlier than expected and we were on the ship by noon. We heard later that the reason for the delay was that the previous cruise took longer to clear the ship because only 8 customs agents were on duty instead of the normal 12. Not too bad all things considered. We headed over to Two70 cafe for lunch and waited until the Cabins were available at 1:00

Cabins:

When we initially booked Anthem we wanted the cheapest way on board so booked a virtual balcony but with several price drops we were able to upgrade to a balcony guarantee for the same price. We were assigned 10268 and we were very happy with the location. The cabin itself was amazing. Perfectly laid out with ample storage and I loved the tasteful, modern decor. My favourite cabin so far! Our room attendant Cathy was attentive and everything was cleaned and made up just perfectly. No complaints whatsoever.

Pool Areas:

We wandered around the pool area the first afternoon and decided to hang out in the covered pool area. It was brutally hot outside in Bayonne so the outdoor pool deck was sweltering as was the solarium. For some reason the air in the indoor pool area was nice and cool and it wasn't really that busy. I wish that there was better airflow in the Solarium because we would have rather had stayed in there - it gets really hot!

On both sea days we stayed in the Solarium. It took a bit of doing to get chairs as the chair hogs were outrageous but if you have some patience, it can be done (We spent over four hours in the prime area at the front of the Solarium and witnessed two people saving 7 chairs - in those four hours only the original two people were ever at those 7 chairs. Royal really needs to enforce their 30 minute limit). The Anthem Solarium is by far the best pool area on any ship we have been on. Beautifully teared pools and hot tubs with a perfect view out the front on the ship. It was convenient to grab a drink or a snack and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Dining:

Before the cruise we purchased the 2 day BOGO. The online information says that reservations would be made for us but hearing from the boards that this is rarely the case, we headed straight to the first specialty restaurant we saw upon board to check. Yep - no reservations but no problem we just made them for the two restaurants we wanted to try out, Wonderland and Jamie's.

Wonderland:

The earliest we could get a table when we booked was 8:30 (unless we wanted to eat at 6:00). The restaurant was almost empty at 8:30 when we came in, with a big table just finishing up and several other couples just starting out their meal journey. I wondered why it was so empty?

After we looked the menu over, our waiter explained that that the best way for us to experience Wonderland was to pick 2-3 mains that we would like to share and he would take care of selecting the appetizers. Everything was brought out with interesting serving methods and dishes - truly artful! Somethings tasted amazing and some things looked amazing. It was probably one of the most unique meals I have ever experienced. Our waiter really added to the experience as he explained the dishes with flair. It was really worth it, especially since we only paid $15 pp with the BOGO deal.

Jamie's Italian:

Before the cruise I had heard the most positive reviews for Jamie's so we wanted to try it out. It did not disappoint. I must say though, everyone talks about how great the charcuterie plate is but it really wasn't that exciting (I think I could put together a better one from Windjammer pickings). Both of our pastas were delicious and the service was perfect.

We were done with the specialty dining for the week so for the next three nights, regular dining it would be, Dynamic style. We made reservations beforehand based around show times and compasses. If I could make one suggestion - don't book a time at the same time as the early or main seating for the classic dining - it makes getting into the restaurant more hectic.

Chic:

Right away I could tell that things had changed as far as the level of service in the regular restaurants. I think it could have been the assistant waiter's first day - he was super nervous and he really didn't know what he was doing. Our main waiter was extremely busy and barely had time to bring the food. The food itself was pretty good but it was lukewarm (the only time on the cruise when the food wasn't hot enough). When our meal was finished we sat with our empty plates in front of us for way too long. I looked forlornly for our waiter and the head waiter must have noticed as he came over, cleared our plates and took our dessert orders. He brought dessert and coffee and tried to salvage our impression of the service.

The Grand:

We dressed up to enjoy our formal night at The Grand. We both ordered lobster as 'sides' to our mains. I had the Osso Buco which was so good and the accompanying polenta was heavenly. The lobster was cooked perfectly, I only wish I could have eaten more than one. Service in Grand was much better than Chic but there was a feeling of panic in the air as the servers are racing around like chickens with their heads cut off. We joked with the assistant waiter that we hadn't seen her stop running the entire time we ate. She apologized as we left but we told her not to - we saw how hard they all worked, it is totally not their fault there isn't enough of them for the amount of guests on board.

American Icon:

This is billed as the 'comfort food' restaurant. Some things are definitely more traditionally American such as ribs and chicken wings. I had a Waldorf salad and a really really good turkey dinner. I had to chuckle at the inclusion of the steak tartare on the menu though. With only two appetizers on the menu (other than the two everyday classics) this seemed an odd choice and doesn't really go with the rest of the offerings. My husband ordered it and said he liked it and the waiter joked that he is only the second one to say that. I'm guessing it must not be popular. This restaurant had the best service of the three regular restaurants but maybe it was just a quieter night.

Windjammer:

I really don't like buffet restaurants on land and I really try and avoid eating at the Windjammer when we cruise normally. The first sea day we went in for breakfast and lunch (to save time on short cruise) and I can honestly say the Anthem's Windjammer is the best one we have ever eaten at. Food was hot and the choices were great. Freshly made pizzas, a made to order pasta station, and lots of out of the ordinary choices on the buffet. We ate there for lunch and breakfast several more times and it was always good. My one complaint is that it is busy and can be a little hard to find a table but if you go all the way to the back there are lots. The servers a very helpful and come around and ask if you would like drinks frequently.

Entertainment:

The Gift: beautiful singing and sets, sort of an abstract story and I really enjoyed it.

We Will Rock You: The best production I have ever seen on a cruise ship. Full of energy and the performers brought the audience to our feet!

Spectra's Cabaret: I was not really all that impressed with this show. I didn't love the music or the singing. I think they were trying to go with a bit of a Cirque du Soleil feel but I didn't feel it.

The Police Experience: The cover band on our sailing didn't disappoint. We are mild police fans and really enjoyed the concert they put on in Two70. It is probably hit and miss though if the cover band is one you don't care for. I think a few weeks ago it was Bon Jovi which we would not been fans of.

All of the other bands and singers at the venues were enjoyable. I think that is one of Anthem's (and Royal's) greatest features is the plentiful and varied entertainment available. I will say that I was not a fan of the cruise director John Blair. I had heard beforehand that he was polarizing. He really rubbed me the wrong way. I almost felt like he was on autopilot for all of his introductions and he had very little real charisma.

Bermuda:

We have never been to Bermuda before and I love that for the five day Anthem cruise, the stop is for two days. It gives you plenty of time to see the island. We took full advantage!

Day 1:

We booked the 'Hidden Gems' excursion through Royal. You can book the same excursion through the company privately but it is only a few dollars more to do it through Royal and we liked the 'extra insurance'. It was a seven hour eco-excursion that had a bit of everything. On the hour long drive to the other end of the island, the tour guide pointed out interesting sites and gave a history and general information on Bermuda. The first stop was a hike to some dry caves which we got to explore, after a bit we hiked over to a wet cave for some swimming then another short walk to a lagoon for cliff jumping (optional of course). After that we drove to a lighthouse with a great view of the whole island. Lunch was at a beachside restaurant and then there was some time to snorkel in a small but beautiful cove. On the drive back to the ship we stopped for some ice cream - I had ginger ice cream - so good! It was a very well run tour and while it was expensive it really gave us a taste of the whole island. I highly recommend it.

Day 2:

You can't go to Bermuda without going to Horseshoe Bay. We took the mini-bus ($7 each way) and rented chairs and an umbrella for a few hours of relaxation. It really is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. There is a small bar and restaurant there for a snack. The beach can get busy but it is well worth it. We got back to the port with a few hours to spare so we did a quick walk around the shops. Another great thing about Bermuda - there are no people harassing you to buy things or check out their tours etc. A nice change from many island in the Caribbean.

On Board Activities:

Northstar: We had made reservations before we sailed. Showed up 10 minutes before our time and got on board. The 15 minutes was plenty of time to see the ship from up high. We did it while at sea so maybe it is more interesting if you are in port.

IFly: My husband and I aren't really big dare devils and sky diving isn't something we've ever dreamed of experiencing but we decided to try it since the version on the ship is free (we have an IFly in our city but it is $75/minute). It was fun but harder than I imaged. Thankfully there is an instructor there to make sure everything does well. Not everyone in our group was totally sucessfull.

Puzzle Room: We were only able to secure a reservation for one of us before the cruise. Once on board we never saw anything advertising it or even where to sign up. If you didn't know about it beforehand you would never even know it existed. I cancelled my reservation because by the last day I just wanted to spend more time relaxing with my husband. We walked by the room in the Sea Plex and we were shocked that there was a Coke Freestyle machine in the waiting area (behind a closed, locked door). Why they would put one in there when they are in high demand (or not working) in the rest of the ship is beyond me.

Disembarkation:

One of the easiest disembarkations ever. We had an early breakfast in Chic, waited for an hour in Two70 and got off the ship and we were through the customs line and in our car before our scheduled departure time.

Overall:

Anthem is now my favourite ship! Almost everything was spectacular and I have very few complaints. There were some little things like some of the ship technology not working properly or the minor blips with uneven service in the dinning rooms. Hopefully Royal will continue to work on these issues. Overall it was a fantastic cruise and I would love to sail her again!

Thanks for a great review! Did you upgrade your room before final payment or after?

Thanks for a great review! Did you upgrade your room before final payment or after?

It was a few weeks before final payment. I check daily for price drops up until the final payment - after that I don't want to know ;)

Nicely written report, thanks.

Thanks for the review.

Thank You for your well-written review Nerak11. Can't wait to board Anthem 3 weeks from tomorrow. :D

Jonathan

Thanks for your review.

We were on this cruise too and agree with most of what you said. I'm in the process of writing a review also. We are on our way home from a couple of days in NYC.

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Absolutely agree! Our 14th cruise was on this awesome ship and by far our best cruise. 12 days! 2 days after returning home we booked again for next April, 12 days again!

Marg

We were on with you also. Great review. We Will Rock You was fantastic. We saw it in March and enjoyed it even more this trip! MIni bus to the beach was so convenient, no worries about that huge hill. Leaving the ship was a breeze. We were back home before 9:30AM!!!!!!

Where do you get the mini-bus????

Where do you get the mini-bus????

When you walk up the pier and get to where all the tours and taxi's are waiting there are people holding a sign for 'Horseshoe bay $7 per person'. It is a standard rate for all mini buses - no hassling or haggling. You pay when you get to the destination.

The mini bus line is right off the ship. Walk off the ship, down the walkway, make a right and you should see the line. There are signs posted and the taxi guys will point you to the line also.

The kids rode free if they sat on our laps.

Does the minibus go down the hill at Horseshoe Bay??

Does the minibus go down the hill at Horseshoe Bay??

Thankfully the mini bus drops off and picks up at the bottom of the hill at Horseshoe Bay :)

great review and some great advice.

Great review! We got off as you were getting on, and I share the same opinions as you!

The kids rode free if they sat on our laps.

Do you know what ages they allow this?

Thanks for your review and glad you had an excellent time! May I ask, how much pier was parking per day (or for the 5 days)?

You must be from Oakville or Mississauga....I know the i-Fly ;)

Thanks for your review and glad you had an excellent time! May I ask, how much pier was parking per day (or for the 5 days)?

 

You must be from Oakville or Mississauga....I know the i-Fly ;)

Parking is $20 per day so it was $100 for us. And yes we are from Oakville :)

Excellent review, thank you for taking the time to share.

Excellent job and review. We were on the cruise with you as well. We had some different views of the cruise perhaps. We have sailed on both Carnival and NCL and this was our first RCI cruise.

We agree with the majority of your review but here are the areas we found needed improvement:

Cleanliness throughout the ship- we found as we walked through the ship there were plates, cups and other various things left behind that staff members were walking past and leaving. This did not exist on other cruise lines we've travelled. It seemed like there was a lack of staff members focused on this.

Bar service/pool service- There was a lack of staff/servers paying attention to guests. It seemed like the norm was to go stand at a bar to get a drink versus having someone come by to take a drink order. On the sail away from Bayonne we stood in line for 35 minutes and never got served at the bar below the North star. On other Cruise lines it seemed like there were loads of staff members serving drinks consistently at the pool areas.

Casino Comps- This was disappointing as an avid casino player who is highly rated. The casino seemed more interested in offering future comps instead of taking care of you on the current cruise. For example NCL and Carnival offer free drinks after earning a certain number of points.

Complimentary restaurants- We found the service needed improvement for dynamic dining choice guests.

Speciality restaurants- Provided great service and experience. Jamie's was the best!!!! If you go there ask for Marco from Serbia to be your server. He will guide you through a great experience!!!

Overall we had a great cruise but wanted to share the areas we didn't feel were up to par with other lines we have sailed.

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Parking is $20 per day so it was $100 for us. And yes we are from Oakville :)

Thanks! We sailed from Cape Liberty a few years ago and they didn't have the parking garage or (new) terminal. This should be much easier.

I enjoyed both of the reviews! We are going on the Anthem in January and I can't wait. Thank you for the reviews, it really helps to read others experiences. Then I get to experience my own.