Post-Cruise 12 day review 18th April 2016 to 30th April 2016 – Anthem of the Seas

[novicetraveller]

Ok, I better start this review before I forget. I may include some photos somewhere along the line, but mainly wanted to give my impression of the cruise. I'll try answer questions if I can, but no promises.

 

Pre-cruise experience

 

Flights and Newark International Experience

 

Booked my flights, hotel and cruise via RCI to avoid anything possibly going wrong by booking things individually. The flight was with British Airways and the hotel was with Hilton Newark Penn Station. I stayed in the hotel for 2 nights.

 

Flights was painless and getting through Newark International immigration was also painless. It's a shame that nobody knew where I needed to go to for Global Access interview, but managed to find it in the end. I went to terminal C to get the courtesy bus to the hotel. Please note that if you are staying in Hilton Penn Station, you need to call the hotel to get the courtesy bus to pick you up.

 

Overall process / experience 9/10.

 

Hotel

 

As mentioned in my live review, the hotel is not the best place to stay in. Yes it is convenient to get to the station, but the windows are not thick enough to block out the noise from the train station. My room was on floor 7 towards the far end facing the road. I don't know if the hotel has quieter rooms available, but may be worth asking. The "Gift" shop is nothing more than a place to get some food / drink, and the welcome staff are the ones who deals with you and no dedicated staff. The shops that neighbours the hotel are pretty much closed on a Saturday, so if having access to newsagents, etc. is important to you, this location isn't the greatest.

 

The restaurant is expensive. The neighbourhood is safe'ish, but it's not something I felt comfortable being around on my own so I didn't visit any of the local restaurants on my own. If you are a fan of McDonalds, there is one across the road from the hotel. I didn't visit it myself, so can't comment on the friendliness of the place.

 

Overall experience 7/10. If I had booked things myself, I would have either stayed in the hotels near the airport or in NYC. However, access to the Metro was convenient from the hotel (about 5 minutes walk at most).

 

The Metro

 

Nice and relatively cheap, but lacks the elegance of London Transport in terms of information display outside the barriers and also lack of a route map other than on the trains. At no point did I feel unsafe on the trains, but did experience a confrontation when I came back to the hotel after my experience in NYC. Also, I found it interesting that nobody I spoke to (i.e. the passengers) knew how to help me in getting from A to C via B. Whilst this is fairly universal, at least in London, if nobody could help, you could look at a map before the ticket barriers and on the platform. A lot of educated guesses were needed.

 

Overall process / Experience 8/10.

 

Statue of Liberty, Manhattan and Empire State Building.

 

I know in my review I said I wasn't going to go the Statue of Liberty, but my mission to go up to the crown beat my better judgement. I was exhausted after the climb up the statue, and was going to go back to the hotel to retire. However, I decided to visit B&H Photo and Video shop and wanted to go to Rockefeller building, but ended up going to the Empire State Building. It is expensive, but I feel that for a tourist attraction, it is priced about right. I felt relatively safe in Manhattan / NYC, but I wish I had more time to do more and I wish I didn't have to rely on Google Maps to get me around NYC.

 

Overall process / Experience 9/10.

 

A note to British travellers. Get a 3 Mobile Sim Card, even if it is a Pay as You Go. The Sim card works in the USA and San Juan without any additional cost. Also connect to the AT&T Mobile network instead of T-Mobile as the quality of the line is clearer and you can dial numbers as if you were dialling them locally in the UK.

 

More to follow shortly.

[Clarea]

You might want to add "Anthem" to your thread title while you still have the chance.

[novicetraveller]

You might want to add "Anthem" to your thread title while you still have the chance.

 

Oops. Well spotted. I'll have to email admin and ask them to change it for me.

[novicetraveller]

Photos from NYC

 

My highlight of NYC was taking this picture near Exchange Place opposite to Manhattan on my way to visit the Statue of Liberty.

 

 

But I am trying to decide whether this image works better.

 

 

Anyway, I digress. I prebooked my tickets to visit the Statue so that I could go up to the Crown. Passport is needed for verification. In hindsight, I should have gone to the NYC side rather than Newark / NJ side, simply because of the walk to the cruise port from the Light Railway stop is too far. Also, the signage isn't great from the Light Railway to the cruise port.

 

 

There are plenty of photo opportunities approaching the Statue, and I wish I could have taken some of them at night.

 

 

It's a lesson learnt for the next time to find a place to photograph the Statue at night. More research is needed.

 

 

A word of warning. If you suffer from vertigo, issues with breathing, weak legs, other mobility issues, going up to the crown of the Statue is not a good idea. The base is good, but not to the top. It's a lesson learnt. But, if you haven't been to the statue before, it's worth a visit, and probably worth spending a day there.

 

My main regret was not spending 4 or 5 days in NYC / NJ before the cruise. If I also had known there was the opportunity to go to Niagara Falls before the cruise, I would have taken it.

 

 

Also, for those who are looking to travel light and need some electronic stuff, visit B&H Photo & Video near 34th Street in NYC. For the Brits, just think of Dixons / Currys / PC World on steroids. You can get a bit lost in there. Also, good news, they accept Chip and Pin.

 

Also, near the shop is a nice Indian curry house called Patiala. Ok, it's not a posh Indian restaurant, but the food is fresh and edible.

 

Empire State building. Personally, I don't think it's worth the $65 price tag if you have been before. It can get a bit crowded on the viewing platform. If you are going to go to the Empire State Building, go in the late evening and do Rockefeller building during the day.

[novicetraveller]

So moving on quickly to the ship. Anthem of the Seas.

 

I had a choice getting to the ship via the courtesy bus which would have got me to the ship at around 12-12:30pm. I decided to get a taxi instead. Can't remember the cost, but all I can say is that the taxi driver is funny. We need these type of characters in the UK.

 

Dropped off my bag to the porter and gave the appropriate tip to throw the suitcase into the river, sorry I mean onto the luggage holdal. They put the RFID tag on my luggage and onto my Sea pass and I grabbed someone to check me in.

 

Check in was painless and didn't need a new security photo. Proceeded to the seating area via the security guards. Had the obligatory photo done and waited for the "Get on board" announcement.

 

My comment is that the boarding area is too small to seat everyone, and it wasn't obvious as to where I should sit as there were 2 sectioned off areas. The boarding is now done by C&A level rather than times.

 

Overall process / score: 9 out of 10. Would have been nice if there was somewhere in the terminal to get a drink and a chocolate bar whilst we waited to get on board.

 

First impression of the ship.

 

The ship is nice and aesthetically pleasing to look at. Not exactly wow like the Oasis class ship, but nice. I must admit that I found Deck 4 and 5 a tad bit confusing in terms of layout. I think RCI could have got away with putting things like the Bionic Bar into the pub or Schooners rather than on its own. The shore excursion area could have been better off near Guest Services. In Focus (The photo place) could easily be downsized.

 

The Bionic bar is not non-alcoholic friendly. If you want to try a soft drink, go elsewhere. The drink it served for me was fairly bland and watered down. For that, I give it 4 out of 10.

 

 

 

Schooners is a nice place to go to. Only tried it once just before Muster. Service is good. Often go past it to get to the elevators to get to my stateroom.

 

 

Schooners was often busy. Is it strategically placed? I don't know. Maybe better off nearer to the Casino. Who knows.

 

Score: 9/10.

 

Didn't visit Izumi or Wonderland, so can't comment on it.

 

 

 

Jamie's Italian. I visited it 5 times during the cruise. My only mistake was visiting it on Day 0. The pasta was a little cold and I don't think the staff were in their rhythm at that point. Overall during the 5 visits, the service was good enough and the food was good. Word to the wise. If you are expecting traditional Italian food, this isn't the place for you. If you want to try a British Chef's take on Italian food, this is worth a try. But please, don't be deluded into thinking this is a pure Italian outfit.

 

 

Score: 8/10. My only other comment is why there is an outdoor seating area for Jamie's Italian. It's never used. I hope that when Anthem goes to Drydock that they reclaim that space and do something else with it.

 

More to follow later.

[Island Wave06]

Very nice review. Great photos too! For some reason I like the NYC harbor photo in color more. Not sure why. I like the way that you rate your experiences. Thank you for sharing. Loved the Anthem and the cruise.

 

Donna

[novicetraveller]

Very nice review. Great photos too! For some reason I like the NYC harbor photo in color more. Not sure why. I like the way that you rate your experiences. Thank you for sharing. Loved the Anthem and the cruise.

 

Donna

 

Thanks for the comment Donna. :). I hope there are others reading my review. It can get really lonely writing this with nobody to read it. :o

[Cruisin'Newlyweds]

I'm greatly enjoying your review! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experience!

[novicetraveller]

I have neglected to mention my experience in Windjammer. On previous cruises, I have deliberately avoided it. I have seen them just as bad as people leaving their towels on sunbeds and walking away. On the Oasis Class ship, I had a reason to avoid Windjammer. MDR and Park Cafe. On the Quantum class ship, I had a reason to avoid the 4 main complimentary restaurants, as they didn't really cater for vegetarians in the way that would have been suitable towards me. I know I could have requested a special menu, but sadly, it demeans the purpose of having a set menu.

 

Windjammer. Breakfast. Avoid the scrambled eggs at all cost. It tasted awful. Other than that, the food was pretty good...for Windjammer. I only had one incident, where a new'ish chef failed to wash the cooking pot when preparing the Pasta for me. I did complain, but sadly it went on deaf ears. The head chef failed to understand the problem that the cooks need to clean the pots to avoid allergies and also to avoid offending vegetarians when the saucepan has been used to cook meat.

 

Overall score, 8.5/10.

 

A few of us on our Roll Call met up on the first sea day after the last port of call. I think we met up in Chic. The vegetarian option wasn't great, but the Salad bar was almost comparable to Park Cafe on the Oasis Class Ship, but not quite as good. I won't score Chic based on one visit, as it isn't fair, but suffice to say I won't be in a hurry to try Chic again if I return on the Quantum Class ship.

[novicetraveller]

Behind the Scenes tour.

 

Unlike the tour I have done on Allure, the one I did on Anthem didn't seem as comprehensive. I felt a little short changed. I did learn something new about the Galley in that it is parted into sections and is probably bit more compartmentalised depending on where you eat on the ship. The tour did feel a little rushed.

 

We were shown where the staff do their laundry, we did see the bridge and engineering plus backstage of the main theatre, but I was left somewhat unimpressed. My main highlight was seeing this.

 

 

Ports of call.

 

Labadee Beach.

 

A few changes since my last visit 3 years ago. Slightly more expanded and some pointless beds on the far side of the beach. Personally, they should have put more Cabanas on the beach. I'm somewhat bored of Labadee, so I had the choice of staying on the ship or going onto the private beach and do some photography.

 

 

Access to this location was closed.

 

 

No reason, no explanation, nada. I can only assume that because of the waves that were showing, it may not have been safe enough for us to visit. A shame really as it was one place I wanted to go to.

 

 

 

The buffet was more geared towards the meat eaters rather than the vegetarians. I think this is now good enough reason (again) for me not getting off the ship in the future with the expectation of getting something to eat.

 

Private Beach score: 6/10.

Food score: 3/10

Photography opportunities: 8/10.

Edited May 15, 2016 by novicetraveller

[novicetraveller]

Ports of call.

 

San Juan.

 

I was hoping to do my own thing here in San Juan, but sadly the weather wasn't great. When we got off the ship, it was overcast with the threat of rain. It is what it is. I decided to do a ships tour to at least say I have done something in San Juan.

 

 

I don't normally rate Ships Tour as it doesn't really give you much flexibility to do what you want to do. This is still the case. However, for a quick tour, it was reasonable value for money. The tour was the old and new San Juan. I hope that if I go back to San Juan that I do my own thing and that the weather is better.

 

 

 

Overall score for this port: 6/10. Only because of the weather and not being able to do my own thing. Also, it would have helped if the old fort was open later than it is so that we can do enjoy the sunset on land. I think they have missed a trick here.

Edited May 15, 2016 by novicetraveller

[novicetraveller]

I have seen a post on that well known social media site (the one beginning with F and ending in k and has more than 4 letters in its name, before anyone gets any ideas) asking if the North Star is worth going up on.

 

My answer is yes. Do it at least once. It won't change your life, but it's worth it. I did it twice. Once at sea, and the other time whilst dock in Haiti. Whilst waiting in queue to do the North Star the 2nd time, I saw a guy who refused to go up because he was scared of heights. I failed to convince him that it was worth it. So I won't try to convince people to do it.

 

 

If you can't see the appeal, there's no point convincing anyone to do it.

 

Score: 8/10 for the experience. Docked 2 points because the windows were a bit dirty and the arm didn't go far out enough over the sea.

[novicetraveller]

Port of call.

 

St Maartin.

I love St Maartin, but sadly getting a taxi to take me where I wanted to go was a bit expensive. All I wanted to do was go to Moho Beach and the Butterfly farm. I only managed the Beach to see the planes land in the morning.

 

 

Martinique.

 

By far the best port in the Caribbean. Why? No Diamond International or hard selling of souvenirs. This port is Royal Caribbean's worst nightmare, and it's no surprise it is a port that isn't sailed to that often.

 

I booked a private excursion via Tour by Locals with a tour guide called Meri (https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/members/721meris is her profile on Tripadvisor. Not sure if the link will work, but will find out after this has been posted). We visited a few places as part of the tour, including the active volcano, a garden, a waterfall (off the beaten track) a stream, a couple of churches and the town which was devastated / ruined by the volcano.

 

Some of the sights won't be covered by an excursion by Royal Caribbean.

 

The island is governed by France, and therefore the official language is French and Euro is the official currency of the island. Take some euros to this island, and it helps if you can speak basic conversational French, or hire a tour guide that does. Tips are not expected or required. if you believe this rude, than stay on the ship. Martinique is not fully equipped for mass tourists from cruise ships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slight off topic. One of the main problems with ships cruise (other than being a tad expensive because they add 100% on top of the actual cost of the excursion) is the limited time as well as the regimented way the tours are organised. Yes, the tour guides can be fun and informative, but you are restricted on where you can go, how much time you can spend at the location and no really option of diversions to see something else. This is often the case when tour guides know they are getting paid regardless. Private tours guides rely on positive feedbacks, repeat bookings and referrals knowing that future bookings are not guaranteed, therefore more effort to make you happy and a more personal experience.

 

I recommend the tour guide if anyone plans to go to Martinique either via a cruise or on a longer vacation.

 

St Maartin Score: 7/10. Lower score mainly because of the cost of getting around. Also whilst in one of the duty free shops, I was followed by the store owner whilst looking round. May have something to do with the colour of my skin, but who knows.

 

Martinique Score: 10/10. Would definitely go back.

Edited May 16, 2016 by novicetraveller

[novicetraveller]

Ports of call

 

St Kitts

 

St Kitts is the next port of call. I took a private tour on this island. My error was that I got the timings wrong when I booked the tour. I sent the tour guide a message the night before (Annie's Caribbean Tours and Excursions on Tripadvisor) to inform her of my mistake. I did say if it was too late for me to take the tour that as I was in error, I would pay the amount in full by whatever means. She was good enough to wait and we went on the tour. I could have done the train tour via RCI, but I'm one of those people who would want to stop and take photos where I could.

 

 

 

Annie's knowledge of the island is 2nd to none. If you don't mind her religious beliefs, you will find her experience of the island valuable. Also, her local contacts is beneficial to the tour. On the tour, you may be fortunate to try some local watermelon. It's far sweeter than any watermelon I have had in the UK. I could have literally eaten the whole watermelon on the back of the small taste. (And yes, it was included in the fee for the tour).

 

 

Please do consider Annie if you are going to St Kitts. You won't regret it, and it is value for money and you get to go to a lot of places.

 

Barbados.

 

Due to a problem I had on board the ship, my hope to do the ship's tour was cancelled. Once the issue was sorted, I tried to book a taxi that would take me to see the mushroom rock on a beach and another location. Sadly, I was kept waiting far too long and abandoned the excursion and headed back to the ship. I stopped at the bar to get a drink and luckily one of the taxi co-ordinators asked if I wanted to go and see a couple of gardens.

 

Huntes Garden and Orchid World were the 2 gardens we went to. I wouldn't waste my time going back to Orchid World again. Waste of money and time. Same Orchid in different colour. No wild orchids. Disappointing. Huntes Garden is worth the money, even if you only spend an hour there. Also, they have a nesting Hummingbird on site. Seeing the Hummingbird was worth the visit.

 

St Kitts Score - 9/10, mainly down to the tour guide.

 

Barbados Score - 6/10. If only I hadn't cancelled the ships tour, this may have got a better mark. Don't book a private taxi unless you have a group of 7 or 8 of you wanting to go to the same location.

[erby2283]

Thanks for posting your thoughts. Your pictures are very beautiful!

[nycglitter]

Port of call.

 

St Maartin.

I love St Maartin, but sadly getting a taxi to take me where I wanted to go was a bit expensive. All I wanted to do was go to Moho Beach and the Butterfly farm. I only managed the Beach to see the planes land in the morning.

 

How much was the cab?

We plan on going to see the planes as well. We have 11 people and were told the bus is not a great option, so we may need 3 cabs...

Edited May 16, 2016 by nycglitter

[linkerbink]

Thanks for the review...your photos are beautiful! I especially liked the review of the Anthem. We were on the fateful "50 ft. seas, 120 mph winds, had to turn around and head back" cruise this past February. We spent most of one day sequestered in the cabin and then was cut short so we didn't get to do/see as much as we would have otherwise. However, we did book a "do over" cruise for NEXT February so your review will be helpful.

[novicetraveller]

 

How much was the cab?

We plan on going to see the planes as well. We have 11 people and were told the bus is not a great option, so we may need 3 cabs...

 

$20 per person via the normal taxi to Moho Beach. Research the times beforehand for when the 7x7 and the 3x0 planes are due to land and plan accordingly.

 

As you have a large group, you may be able to negotiate a discount.

[just4kixx]

enjoying your review. You have some beautiful pictures! Thank you for sharing!

 

A~

[novicetraveller]

Thanks for the review...your photos are beautiful! I especially liked the review of the Anthem. We were on the fateful "50 ft. seas, 120 mph winds, had to turn around and head back" cruise this past February. We spent most of one day sequestered in the cabin and then was cut short so we didn't get to do/see as much as we would have otherwise. However, we did book a "do over" cruise for NEXT February so your review will be helpful.

 

Sorry to hear about your experience on Anthem in February. I was going to pull out of doing the cruise because of what happened. I thought it was going to be the wrong season to cruise.

 

Do you know what ports you will be doing next February?

[linkerbink]

Believe it or not, we (my sister, her husband and myself) had a great time! We considered it an adventure and didn't let it bother us at all. It was a great story to talk about when we got home. My sister and I had been on the hurricane Sandy cruise on the Explorer out of Bayonne a few years earlier so we were not too upset about this weather. Also, when my brother-in-law was in the Navy his ship was shot at and attacked so he said the weather was nothing in comparison and he had a good time.

 

It will be the same itinerary as the aborted cruise...Orlando, FL, Nassau, and Cococay. They went above and beyond by giving us a complete refund and an additional 50% of what we paid to put toward another cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited May 16, 2016 by linkerbink

[novicetraveller]

The last 3 sea days were just that. Sea Days. I'm not a sun worshipper, so i didn't spend that much time in the open. I did spend time in the Casino.. A lot of time. The new Casino reward program applies to both Slots and Card games. However, slots are more favoured than card games. I spent most of my time playing black jack with 20 side bet. And yes, I lost a bit of cash.

 

The night before we return back to Bayonne, I picked up a certificate from the Casino Host. $400 off the next cruise providing I book within 30 days and is for a sailing by January 2017. A bit of a shame that, but it is what it is. The Casino did have a competition whereby if you tap your Seapass / Wowband on one of the slot machines, you were in with a chance of having your expenses account paid off up to the value of $2,000. Sadly, the winner only spent around $120 to $150 for the whole cruise. It should have gone to someone who spent a fair bit of money in the Casino or on-board to be fair, but it is what it is.

 

 

 

 

 

[novicetraveller]

Believe it or not, we (my sister, her husband and myself) had a great time! We considered it an adventure and didn't let it bother us at all. It was a great story to talk about when we got home. My sister and I had been on the hurricane Sandy cruise on the Explorer out of Bayonne a few years earlier so we were not too upset about this weather. Also, when my brother-in-law was in the Navy his ship was shot at and attacked so he said the weather was nothing in comparison and he had a good time.

 

It will be the same itinerary as the aborted cruise...Orlando, FL, Nassau, and Cococay. They went above and beyond by giving us a complete refund and an additional 50% of what we paid to put toward another cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Glad to hear that you had a great time. I've heard some people threaten legal action against RCI. I give RCI full credit for the way it handled the situation.

[linkerbink]

Life's too short to be bitter or angry about things! You take the chance about weather when you cruise. If you don't want to chance it, don't cruise! You can go on a land tour and hit bad weather...who are you going to sue then?

Edited May 16, 2016 by linkerbink

[novicetraveller]

I felt that 12 days is about a day or two too long. Maybe this is down to the fact that the 6 ports are crammed together that I was exhausted from all the visiting I did. I would have been a lot happier if the 6 ports were broken up into 2 sets of 3 ports and 1 or 2 nights at most before returning to Bayonne.

 

I don't really have anything bad to say about the ship as such other than the confusing layout on Deck 4 and 5.

 

The Casino is smaller and combines both the smoking and non-smoking area into 1, which isn't a great thing, despite the air-conditioning. Some nice touches to the ship, including the Music Hall.

 

Overall a good cruise, with a couple of great highlights. Just a shame that Martinique is going to be dropped from the Itinerary for Anthem. It's a nice Island for the very reason that it's an island that doesn't do hard sell of merchandise as with the other islands in the Caribbean.

 

I didn't do iFly or Bumper Cars, and did notice Johnny Rockets was noticeably quieter and smaller than other ships. The Ice Cream counter looks better than on the other class of ships.

 

We Will Rock You is worth watching. The music was a bit loud, but that's just the nature of the musical. Spectre Cabaret was ok. A bit camp for me. (Please check the Urban dictionary if you want to know what camp means). If you understand the story behind the entertainment, you will probably enjoy it. I didn't see Beatlemaniacs. Whilst I love the Beatles, I gave this a miss. The music headliner and one of the other entertainments I enjoyed. The one thing the ship missed out on was a regular / dedicated comedy club location.

 

General service was good. Ok, it isn't quite personal. But staff I have seen on a regular basis recognised me, which is a good thing. If you are looking for a more personal touch, this ship isn't for you.

 

Would I do Anthem again? Maybe. But I'm in no rush.

 

I hope someone else is able to do the Behind the Scene Tour and is able to provide some better feedback. Feel free to ask questions, but if you want a quicker response, by all means find my F***book page under Novicetraveller Cruise diary and I will do my best to respond.

 

Overall score: 7.5 / 10.