---> !!ANTHEM OTS REVIEW!! <--- Complete Pictorial Guide! [June 02, 2016]

[cincicruisers]

Loving your review!! Thanks for sharing with all of us.

[swim13]

Loving your review!! Thanks for sharing with all of us.

 

Thanks so much!

[TishGiggle]

Thank you so much for posting the compasses!!!😃

[maggie416]

Loving living my cruise again!! Thank you!!!

Marg

[MrsB05]

This is great, thanks!

We'll be on Anthem in October, same itinerary. I've been on a lot of Royal

Caribbean cruises but this will be the first on this class so all the things you're noting that are specific to this class are very helpful.

I do hope they get the embarkation/no Sea Pass until 1 changed, that seems odd. How do they handle those who have drink packages and want a bevo but don't have the Sea Pass yet? The horror!:D:D:D

[dsvd79]

That name that tune game looks awesome!

[lh1971]

Awesome video and pictures! Thanks for all the detailed information :)

[whitshel]

 

Glad to see you here!! I remember you from my Allure review! :) Hahaha that is funny, I should screenshot this and send it to Royal and ask for commission lol!

 

 

Haha, ya!! You would make a killing :) My daughters every now n then ask "Has Mike had any reviews lately?" They enjoy your post too! :D

[cbolter]

Following

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[perfect match]

I just found this review, and I am very glad I did! I have enjoyed your other reviews, so I have been hoping to find a new one to read, and I am certainly enjoying this one. :D

 

Anthem is a beautiful ship. I hope we get to sail on her some day. Bermuda is also on my cruise bucket list, so maybe one of these days. It's just that the cruise bucket list is so very long! :eek:

 

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this review and more of your wonderful pictures. :cool:

[Overtyme]

I think today we ate breakfast in the Windjammer. The Windjammer is never overbearingly crowded and we always found a seat. This morning we walked out all the way to the back and got a seat outdoors! Before you enter the windjammer you must walk through a hand washing room. They have many sinks you can use or you can walk through and use the Purell. There is a crew member standing there to make sure you all wash your hands and they sing the "washy washy" song, hahaha! The "washy washy" song will get stuck in your head and now it is stuck in mine once again as I'm typing this! :rolleyes: It may seem like a bother, but it is just helping us in the long run and doesn't take too much time.

 

 

 

Today I went on the FlowRider. I have been on that thing since our cruise on Freedom in 2006. I just love the FlowRider! I only boogie board, but will probably trying surfing on the next cruise. We ended up in the Solarium to see our other favorite bartenders we met back before sail away in NYC: Travis, Duane, and Jaime. Great guys and easy to talk to!

 

 

 

Solarium

 

The Solarium is truly awesome on this ship. Definitely the best solarium on any RCI ship besides Quantum and Ovation. The pools are actually pretty massive and cascade into each other (see Day 1 pictures). I liked to sit in the middle of the 3 pools and lean my back up against the glass of the top one to feel the water from the top pool flow over my shoulders, very refreshing! Usually one of them is always shaded if you want to escape from the sun too. The glass is tinted very well and you most likely aren't going to get a tan in here. There is a cool swing chair in the very front that is popular. Never saw kids in there besides passerby's.

 

 

 

We got ready and did our pre-dinner routine of going to Schooner Bar to see Jelena and Lambert... and to drink of course! Jelena knew I like sweeter drinks and made me a few special concoctions. Delicious!!! A lady at the bar told my mom that she thought I was a handsome boy and then Jelena was like "Ummm aloha, back off he is mine!" and the lady goes "oh goodness he's too young for me (while laughing)". Jelena goes, "you never know, it's the 21st century!" hahahaha! :p I forgot to mention that I ended up buying the premium package earlier at the Solarium bar with Travis. I paid $417 since it was Day 4. Now it would only cost you that much for the whole trip if you purchase it before the cruise. Lesson learned although my mom had purchased it before, so at least she saved some money. Here are my drink package thoughts...

 

 

 

Drink Package

 

I think the premium package is great if you like to drink. I don't like to get obliterated every night, but I did recently turn 21, so it is a new and fun thing for me. I made my money's worth every night by a good amount and I was never really drunk. The thing is that cocktails are typically $11.99 and come in small glasses compared to on land. If you don't think you'll have more than 4 or 5 per day then maybe it is not worth it to you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lavender Daiquiri

 

 

 

 

 

Question about the drink package:

We purchased the ultimate package, just because we don't want to think about costs where it's avoidable.

That package is really expensive on a 9 day cruise, but comes with one advantage. Gratuities are built into the package.

So my question is (finally), did you add an additional tip with each drink or did you sign and smile?

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[cruisingbajan]

Great review and photos. Keep it coming:).

[maggie416]

This is great, thanks!

We'll be on Anthem in October, same itinerary. I've been on a lot of Royal

Caribbean cruises but this will be the first on this class so all the things you're noting that are specific to this class are very helpful.

I do hope they get the embarkation/no Sea Pass until 1 changed, that seems odd. How do they handle those who have drink packages and want a bevo but don't have the Sea Pass yet? The horror!:D:D:D

 

They stamp your set sail pass so you use this to get your drinks!!!

Marg

[swim13]

I apologize for my short absence everyone!! It has been crazy this weekend with work, my dad's engagement, and now fathers day today! On a funny side note, I have been on the lake all day and during my shower it felt like the sensation of taking the first one on land after a cruise! :p

 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE DAD'S FOLLOWING ALONG!

 

DAY 6

"Run Inside That Castle!" -

 

My eyes did not want to open this morning as it was quite an early docking. You would think by now I would be okay with a 7 am wake up call however, my schedule at college this past semester worked in my favor of sleeping in a little later! :-] Today I knew I wouldn't be in water...ermm at least I thought... drat! So I put on some city-going clothes. My step-dad is used to getting up very early so he had already been exploring the ship a little with a nice cup-o-joe. He came back and informed my mom and I that we should eat at the Solarium Bistro since it was open for breakfast again and not many people had yet figured out this extra complimentary breakfast option exists! I am sure the Windjammer was slammed as we did not have much time in Puerto Rico today.

 

MY goodness was it hot this day. I lived in Florida for a bit of time in the summer last year and I used to think that was unbearable. Well this was on a whole other level! The issue was the humidity, I thought we may have docked in the jungle instead of Old San Juan! We walked around and mom and her friend went to some more jewelry shops, go figure! Haha! Quick note: There is a new Walgreen's opening up right when you walk off the dock if you need to restock on any toiletries. At one point we came out of the shops and it was a total downpour! We stood under the canopies for awhile and let it pass by. The weather was awfully weird today with sporadic moments of sun and downpours.

 

A couple split from our group to go back to the ship while the rest of us headed up to one part of the old Fort San Cristobal. I had been here 12 years ago and wanted to see it again! Out of nowhere another downpour happened and sent us sprinting to the reception area of the fort! If we were running towards the fort like this in the early 1600's, I probably would't be alive to give you this cruise review! ;-p

 

We eventually had a chance to take some pictures outside and walk back to the ship. Like I said, it was a very short amount of time on land - maybe 3 or 4 hours max. All aboard was 12:30 pm and we were leaving at 1:00 pm. A few people we talked to had a theory that the only reason we stop in Puerto Rico on this itinerary is to refuel. It was kind of nice though, because it was almost like a combo of a port and sea day all-in-one.

 

We met a nice Puerto Rican couple at the Solarium a few days prior and it was funny because they actually live in San Juan, so we asked if they were going to check on their dogs while they were home for a brief moment, lol! They were very knowledgable of the port area and gave us a suggestion of a place to eat lunch at. We would chat with them for a bit each night and then when we were embarking the ship for the last time back to Bayonne, they were walking out of their room on a couple down from us! Funny we never ran into them before then!

 

On to some pictures!

 

 

 

 

 

[swim13]

 

 

 

 

 

[swim13]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me in Puerto Rico 2004 vs. 2016!

[swim13]

 

 

 

 

 

[swim13]

 

 

 

 

 

^One of my favorite photos! I don't really know why though...

 

[Videophile]

 

Me in Puerto Rico 2004 vs. 2016!

 

Hey, you shrunk!

[swim13]

When the azipods started I was in Two70 eating a delicious kummelweck sandwich from Café @ Two70. This is the same sandwich we all fell in love with at the Park Café on Oasis class! I walked up to the huge windows to see what was going on and boy was there a muddy ruckus going on! It was very cool to watch sail away from Two70 however, I realized we would be sailing by the very end of Fort San Cristobal and I wanted some good photos. We walked outside to the promenade where the lifeboats are. It was amazing to sail by so close! I was able to get some good photos and videos right before another downpour!

 

Eventually it became sunny again and I found serenity from the heat in the beautiful cascading pools in the Solarium. I don't really recall what all I did, but I imagine it was just another fun day on the pool deck's, including an ice cream cone from the self-serve station (starboard side towards inside pool entrance)! Pre-dinner routine at Schooner Bar again although this time they brought out some addicting nuts! I have a picture of the watch I got in St. Maarten this night!

 

 

 

 

Pork Taco's in Silk.

 

 

Mom actually took this picture because they always went to bed early and I liked to stay out. I told them I couldn't believe they didn't make towel animals anymore and they laughed and told me it's because I go to bed too late to see them! :p So she took this for proof. I went back to the Schooner Bar to enjoy Matt, the awesome piano man from Aus!

 

Day 6 END.

[swim13]

Thank you so much for posting the compasses!!!😃

 

Of course! I am sorry in advanced for not getting every night's CC! Day 5 and 6 cruise compasses will come next week!

 

Loving living my cruise again!! Thank you!!!

Marg

 

Of course, I do too! :-D

 

This is great, thanks!

We'll be on Anthem in October, same itinerary. I've been on a lot of Royal

Caribbean cruises but this will be the first on this class so all the things you're noting that are specific to this class are very helpful.

I do hope they get the embarkation/no Sea Pass until 1 changed, that seems odd. How do they handle those who have drink packages and want a bevo but don't have the Sea Pass yet? The horror!:-D:-D:-D

 

Thank you! Yes, it is horrible for the first hour or so! I mean they know you have a package so you won't get charged for it, but it is just annoying because the crew has to fill out a paper receipt until you get your sea pass! Hope you will enjoy this class!

 

That name that tune game looks awesome!

 

Yes, better than I thought it was going to be! We had a great audience that helped make it even better!

 

Awesome video and pictures! Thanks for all the detailed information :-)

 

Thank you!

 

Haha, ya!! You would make a killing :) My daughters every now n then ask "Has Mike had any reviews lately?" They enjoy your post too! :D

 

Hahaha well I am glad to hear that! Hello family! I neglected to do a review for MSC Divina one, but I think I will keep doing one for each cruise. I might have to wait until 2018 for the next cruise though... the horror!!

 

Following

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Welcome!

 

I just found this review, and I am very glad I did! I have enjoyed your other reviews, so I have been hoping to find a new one to read, and I am certainly enjoying this one. :D

 

Anthem is a beautiful ship. I hope we get to sail on her some day. Bermuda is also on my cruise bucket list, so maybe one of these days. It's just that the cruise bucket list is so very long! :eek:

 

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this review and more of your wonderful pictures. :cool:

 

Yay, glad to have you back for this one!! She definitely is beautiful and Bermuda should be on everyone's bucket list! I totally feel you on the long cruise bucket list, lol!! Whoever I marry in the future just has to love cruises, could you imagine if not?!

 

Question about the drink package:

We purchased the ultimate package, just because we don't want to think about costs where it's avoidable.

That package is really expensive on a 9 day cruise, but comes with one advantage. Gratuities are built into the package.

So my question is (finally), did you add an additional tip with each drink or did you sign and smile?

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Great question! My family and I were trying to figure out why only sometimes they print a receipt for people with drink packages during the whole cruise! Sometimes they did not even look at our cards because they knew our stateroom number. I would say they only printed it 50% of the time and I usually gave $1 or $2 if they did. My step dad usually gave them some cash each day too.

 

Great review and photos. Keep it coming:).

 

Thanks!

[swim13]

Hey, you shrunk!

 

Lol!! I realized I should've switched the pictures the other way after it was too late! :p:p

[King of Cruising]

Loving your review and pictures. I did not know that Anthem docked in Old San Juan, I thought it docked at the Pan American port. This is great. Thanks again. :cool:

[DonnaK]

Loving your review and pictures. I did not know that Anthem docked in Old San Juan, I thought it docked at the Pan American port. This is great. Thanks again. :cool:

 

 

 

The Pan American pier is only for sailings that originate and/or end in San Juan.

 

For ships that originate elsewhere and are just calling on San Juan for one day as part of their itinerary, the Old San Juan pier is used.

[King of Cruising]

The Pan American pier is only for sailings that originate and/or end in San Juan.

 

For ships that originate elsewhere and are just calling on San Juan for one day as part of their itinerary, the Old San Juan pier is used.

 

Thank you so much for that information, saves a taxi ride. :cool: