So, we cruised the crazy Nov 3-10 Anthem Itinerary...and

[TwoMisfits]

Thanks to all the great info and comments on this board, we had a FABULOUS time!  As I mentioned to my spouse, it felt like that for this type of ship, planning REALLY pays off in making for a fun and relaxing cruise.  I'll have more on certain areas of the cruise (kinda a "best tips for newbies on Anthem" and "best and worst" things list), but I have laundry, unpacking, and groceries to do.  I will say, the whole family agreed this was the best cruise of our 6 total (Disney Magic, RCCL Grandeur of the Seas, Carnival Glory x 2, Carnival Pride, and now RCCL Anthem of the Seas).  And the crazy itinerary of wearing swimsuits and swimming in the Bermuda ocean one day and then wearing long sleeves and jackets in Boston less than 36 hours later was hard on the packing, but really made the cruise seem so "cool", literally:)...

 

PS - One thing I will note...while my family does not need to take advantage, I had the chance to observe and casually interact a few times with the Autism of the Seas staff and attendees...they were amazing.  I had no idea they'd be on board, but if you have to have a big group on board to cruise with, you couldn't ask for anything better, especially when you are also bringing kids.  So, if you ever see your cruise is selected for this program, consider it a big plus:)...

[shelnj18]

We were also on this cruise. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it! Personally, I had a great time! It was my first time on Anthem but not my first time cruising. Now, I'm following in your footsteps....going to fold the second batch of laundry!

[TwoMisfits]

Okay, groceries done, so I guess I'll start with food (b/c when it's on the mind)...the free food currently available on RCCL is better than Carnival (except in the burger area, but even then, it's close).  The free food exceeded my expectations, having read so many threads warning that it might not live up.  There were very few "bum" items, and quite a few stellar ones, a few that are world's better than what I have access to in my mid-budget area restaurants (ie - those ethnic and chain restaurants that aren't earning stars).  We ate pretty much at every free location, and REALLY enjoyed the variety - most days, we wanted light lunches if we hit a buffet for breakfast, so having the quick pizza (it's not awesome, but it's definitely pretty good, especially right out of the oven), the sandwiches (get the kimmelweck...and the smoked salmon bagel made any way you want...and the thai chicken noodle salad - but ask for extra dressing, b/c they never dress it enough), and even the dogs (according to my family, there was only one "bummer" in the bunch - one of the German ones - which one, we can't say, b/c we ordered one of each at the same time and never got back to figure out which was which:)...Windjammer FAR exceeded my expectations - the breakfast crepes with strawberry sauce, shaved chocolate, and whipped cream - YUM!  And the dining room dinners and ESPECIALLY the Solarium Bistro dinner made the evening.

 

Now, if you have only one thing you can eat for dessert all week, figure out a way to go to the Solarium Bistro for dinner and get the baklava.  Like, just get it - multiple times (I did).  I have had SO MANY awful baklavas in my life - way too dry (b/c they don't use enough honey or butter), way too soggy (b/c they use too much honey or it's sat too long), way too flavorless (b/c it's a sucky filling or there isn't enough filling), way too sweet (b/c too much honey and not enough nuts), etc.  I've paid to eat them in so many places (practically every ethnic cuisine which has their version), b/c it's way too time-consuming for me to attempt myself...and I've been disappointed so many times.  But Anthem hits the perfect balance.  And they did it 2 separate nights, since we ate at Solarium twice.  It wasn't a fluke.  It's going to be good when you get it.  It's the perfect ending to any meal you get there.  Get it.  Eat it.  Thank me later.  

 

Now, if you have only one main course for dinner all week (and you want it to be free:), go to the main dining room on 2nd formal night (aka lobster night) and do NOT order the lobster main course dish.  Instead, since the sides on that dish are disappointing, order the out--of-this-world gnocchi with braised beef dish and ask for just a lobster tail on the side - you will love this plan.  The gnocchi is good, but not earth-shattering...but that braised beef and sauce - spectacular!  And having the lobster tail as a light finish is just so decadent, which is such a cruising thing:).

 

Now, if you have only one app all week (and you want it free), do NOT order the lobster bisque on the 1st formal night.  Of all the apps I ordered on the week, I was shocked this was the poorest.  It wasn't very good...and on formal night, you want good.  The beef carpaccio is a WAY better choice, and if you do like I did and order 3 apps for a meal, getting the seafood vol-au-vent "main course-sized" is the way to go:).   

 

Now, it wasn't ALL good.  Some of the disappointments on food (other than the bisque) - the last night dining room fried cod (it was soggy), the buffet muesli (my daughter had one bite and yeah, learned her lesson), the buffet beetroot water (I know it's fascinating, but just don't try it...it's bad, really bad...my spouse and I were trying to figure out who drinks it b/c it's not possible), the dining room bacon (sometimes, it's just TOO done, and it's like bacon chips), the last night dining room profiteroles (only awful sugar free dessert we had), the dining room cheese plate (which isn't technically bad, but if you are used to a "standard" for a cheese plate, this doesn't meet it)...there's a few more things, but I'm running long here:)...

 

The big tip I want to impart about food - order what you want and see if they can make it.  Anthem was AWESOME about this.  My son hates kiwi and pineapple, and the kid menu had strawberries and kiwis as the "app" (and sometimes brought pineapple out instead of kiwi, as I chatted with the family behind me who saw my son't fruit one night).  So, on night 1, I saw the banana split, and asked if he could have strawberries and bananas, instead.  And he had a gorgeous bowl of both every night.  And that bowl was especially wonderful on strawberry bisque night, b/c he also ordered the soup that night and dipped his fruit in the soup.  See, my son was also figuring out decadent cruising (that soup is spectacular with the fresh fruit).  I had nights where I routinely got the vegetarian entree and added a "side" protein offered that I thought I'd like better as a whole dish than the steamed veg or rice (I really don't do plain rice) that accompanied something I wanted.  As mentioned, on 1st formal night, I did 3 apps and no dinner, so my server had the staff slightly upsize one app.  Make the meal you want, b/c you are most likely going to love that one...and you are most likely to be disappointed if you order the meal with items you already know you don't want:).

 

The second big tip to impart about food is that the free dining is good enough.  Feel free to splurge on a pay meal or two, but know it isn't necessary to eat well.  PS - This tip is not gonna apply to drinks (spoiler:)...

 

The 3rd and last big tip is to try all the locations - you may love one and hate another.  But it's all free, so you have nothing to lose.  Don't feel like you have to always be in Windjammer b/c it has so many options.  Sometimes, less is more, especially when you want to be able to enjoy a nice dinner later.

 

 

   

[TwoMisfits]

One more for tonight, since I spoiled it...drinks.  Now, this is a mixed category, b/c what's good is good, and what's bad is bad...and what's good normally costs money (although there are exceptions), and what's bad normally does not.  Disclaimer - with 2 cabins, we had a girls cabin (with mom and teen girls) and a boys cabin (with dad and kid boys), and we had 1 all-included beverage package (dad) and 1 all-but-alcohol (mom - since I take motion sickness meds, I drink very little alcohol - this cruise was 2 total drinks - a nice amaretto sour and a homemade sangria from the pool bar - that's it, but I drink nothing in real life, so this is actually a lot for me...while my husband brews beer and mead as a hobby, so he knows his way around the bar:).  

 

So, 1st, let's talk about availability.  When you are on Deck 10 midship with a family, it's great.  You can easily walk the flight or two up to the kids room if the elevators are packed after a show, or your kid still has too much energy to burn out.  You can usually get a lot of empty ones up to 14, b/c so many folks get on from decks 3-5 and leave by deck 9...you also get a chance to get on a lot of empty ones coming down from 14 b/c you beat the lower decks on.  BUT, this deck sucks for getting drinks.  And it makes a soda package worthless if you don't like one of the 6 sodas available at the bar (I usually drink a daily decaf diet coke - this is not available - and more on the diet coke later)...you NEVER think to bring the soda cup.  AND if you think to bring it, you never want to bring it BACK to your room.  I mean, who wants to head back from Deck 14 (Windjammer) or Deck 15 (the Hot Dogs) or Deck 4 (Sorrentos), back to Deck 10 midship every time after they finish a drink.  And who wants to clean the cup every time?  Now, one nice couple shared their tip about bringing a backpack with their cups.  But, I didn't want to worry about a bag around the ship - that's why I had lanyards for the cruise cards.  I didn't want anything bogging me down.  So, by day 3, my spouse and I still had unused soda cups.  We ended up letting the youngest boys take 1 to try the soda machine and making whatever gross soda they wanted (and proceeded not to drink).  Yes, this may not be 100% in the rules, but the cups got used I think 3 times...total.  And I used it 1 of those times to say I did (and it was the only decent soda I had, so I guess there's that:).  The cups are nice souvenirs now.

 

So, more on availability...having a beverage card was so key for me to not dehydrate on my motion sickness meds, and it made going to bars with my spouse not awkward.  Pretty much every time a waiter approached me at a show, or my spouse was going to get a drink at a bar, I handed over my card and asked for a bottle of water.  It became my thing at trivia and game shows.  Yes, I know I probably could have asked for cups of tap water, but you know, you feel cheap doing that when getting served by the roving waiters.  I think I drank 3 bottles of water a day, on top of what I had with meals and the other drinks I had.  And I never had to worry about drinking them b/c they were included.  

 

It also let me (and sometimes my kids) try out some of the "fun" outings.  The teens wanted to make something at the Bionic Bar, so I let them design me a non-alcoholic drink.  Would I have given them "free reign" if I was paying by the glass?  Knowing what they ended up making me, which was awful (yeah, teens and grenadine - not a good combo), probably not, but they had fun "doing the activity" and taking pics, so it gave me more value, if not more beverage.

 

So, moving off availability, let's talk quality.  The best non-alcoholic drinks were the teas, per my daughter.  There was a huge selection, and she got to try what she liked when she liked...and found some kinds she loved and hated.  The coffee is not good, but it is palatable (the same cannot be said on Carnival).  That is also my evaluation of the juices - palatable, but not good.  There is a WORLD of difference between the free and pay orange juice, so much that my mom, the self-proclaimed OJ snob (who tried a sip of my pay version, since she was only on the soda package) has vowed to get the full non-alcoholic plan next time.  There is also a WORLD of difference between the "mixed fruit smoothie" on the Windjammer Buffet and the Solarium Bar smoothies.  

 

As for best and worst drinks - well, you know about the Beetroot Water, but the things I loved on board the most were a "made to order" Fresh Strawberry, Fresh Banana, and Mango Puree Smoothie at Solarium Bar (they pretty much let me order whatever I saw - no idea what this would have cost, but had it 3-4 times and it was SO good!!  It was so good I only had Johnny Rocket's shakes once - they WERE good, but there's a lot of ice cream around, but all that fresh fruit goodness - not so much:) and the Starbucks Grande Vanilla Cappucino at La Patisserie (yes, this is not technically on the menu, but they can add syrups to the beverages, and if you order this size with this item, it comes out just perfectly - it's the best way to start the day...and it is included).  But I tried a lot of everything - even a flavored soda from Johnny Rocket's, b/c that was a helluva lot closer than my soda cup when I was at the pool.

 

Special note on sodas from the bar.  The Diet Coke and Cokes were not "right."  Now, I don't live in NJ, and when I drink soda, I drink from bottles and not cans.  But for those 2 sodas (since my spouse said his Jack and Coke also suffered), it wasn't good.  If I was on the soda package, I would have been sad, b/c the only good Diet Coke came from those far away machines...to avoid those, I actually ordered a Shirley Temple or two when I wanted a break from water at the bars - the Sprite didn't suffer like the Cokes, so I can't explain it:)...      

 

So, my tips on drinks.  The 1st is obvious - if drinks matter to you, get a drink package, b/c the available drinks just don't compare to the pay ones, and most don't come close.

 

The 2nd, which I haven't discussed so far...check your bill.  On the last night, we had 2 random coffee drinks on our bill.  By having the cards, rather than a 2 hour wait in the customer service line, the senior manager who was roaming the line looking for the "quick fixes", saw my 2 adult beverage cards and promptly picked up her cellphone and got the charges removed in 2 minutes.  I got to tease my husband for that one, b/c he said "are you really gonna waste all this time in line for $5...and I said it was principal...and when I was back in 5 minutes, I was both impressed by RCCL and happy I could tease my spouse..."

 

The 3rd, like the food, is try everything.  I tried the Starbucks hot chocolates -twice - they are sugar bombs not for me.  But I was happy to see what they were in case I was ever in the mood.  I tried the Seattle's Best coffee location, and found their cappucinos just weren't as good as Starbucks - probably b/c they forgot the vanilla, but it was busy in Windjammer, so all good:).  I had the Johnny Rocket's milkshakes, a few different Solarium Bar smoothies, the Johnny Rocket's Flavored Soda, Schooner Bar Shirley Temples, etc, etc.  

[TwoMisfits]

On to my take on the onboard activities:)...

 

I'll split this into "inactive" and "active" activities, and start with the inactive ones - trivia, the main shows, the headliners, the game shows, etc.  Anywhere you got to sit in a chair and not get up or get moved!

 

These activities were STELLAR!  For the 3 main shows, if you have to miss one, miss Spectra's Caberet, not b/c it's bad, but b/c it's the least good of the three.  I could rewatch We Will Rock You and The Gift for multiple cruises before I got sick of them.  And the tech and tricks they pull off in all 3 shows - wow!  For those who say The Gift is confusing, my husband agreed with you.  For those who say it's not (who are in the "right" category - kidding), I agree with you.  If you listen to the opening lines, you'll be set - don't complicate the story and enjoy the spectacle!  We Will Rock You is best, but I was so happy it was not the only show that obviously gets love on board.

 

For the headliners, the Las Vegas Tenors (even for a non senior) were out-the-door awesome for what I expect for a cruise ship "non-main show".  Heck, my mom ranked it as the 2nd best show on the whole ship (after WWRU).  The comedians were also 1st rate, and did not make us pine for Carnival's comedy club (although it did make the other 2 adults in the party wish for a 3rd comedian and and extra "main show" time show, vs the 2 late nights:).  Tornado Tonya and CD Dru were really good at running the "game shows", and every one of these was also a fun time.  Nothing we went to show-wise was a total miss (although if you don't like 80's MTV and sci-fi, and you get a bad seat, again you may want to skip Spectra's Caberet - seeing the spectacle and enjoying the music help:).

 

Now, one big thing I did notice - man, trivia is a bloodsport on RCCL:).  Didn't make it less enjoyable, and heck, probably was more amusing to watch and play in b/c people CARED for those keychains and highlighters.  I have never seen adults get so worked up on a ship for so little, but then again, I've never seen so many adults play a round of trivia (be it the regular trivia or the "big event" trivias they had).  Folks calling other folks jerks, arguing with the cruise activity leader over right answers and not letting it go, etc...when I say people were invested and it was war, I'm not kidding:).  But again, it didn't detract - it's just different (and an even better feeling when you win one, which we did:).

 

My mom also took advantage of a spa special - her response was it was great...so there's what I know.  With kids going everywhere, I never did get a chance to visit the spa except to walk in and help my mom schedule her time...but she was very happy, so I'm assuming it went very well.

 

So, tips I learned - this is where the "plan like it's Disney" come in.  Having all 3 shows scheduled before we were on board was priceless.  However, if you don't, you can still have a good time and get in - schedule as soon as you know what you want.  I didn't know the Las Vegas Tenors were gonna be on board, nor what night they would perform (b/c they only did 1 night).  When I saw they were performing during out Spectra's Caberet time, I switched those tickets to another time at guest services, even needing 7 seats.

 

2nd tip - Either use the Royal IQ App, the tablets at Guest Services, or the manual paper to check the schedules.  The online schedule integrated Kid Room family activities WITH the normal cruise compass (listing the added movie, the family bingo, etc) so it was the better option than paper, but sometimes you all just need the paper b/c you are charging your phone in your room and you're in Windjammer - have the paper in your lanyard or pocket, so your group can decide.

 

3rd tip - Head to activities a little early.  It's a big ship that runs the same number of "planned generic activities" as a smaller ship, b/c it relies on so many of its "special added active" activities to fill in.  So, more people that you expect are at these generic activities (if you're coming from another line or size of ship). 

 

4th tip - If you only want the inactive activities, you may be a little disappointed with the Cruise Compass schedule or feel things are a little lacking for such a big ship, but for us, it was perfect!  My mom, while an inactive senior, was very active for this trip and could handle most of the active activities (since she's still mobile and willing:), so they don't take much activity, but if you aren't ready to be a little active, you probably won't  be happy. 

Edited November 11, 2018 by TwoMisfits

[aring75]

This is all really GREAT information. Thank you for taking the time to write it out. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise! We really like the entertainment options on Anthem too. 😊

[sparks1093]

Thanks for your thoughts! So looking forward to Anthem!

[TwoMisfits]

So, now for the "active" activities - they are equally as awesome as the inactive ones:).

 

First, the Puzzle Break activities are awesome for those who like to "solve" things.  And these are not "Disney-fied", where everyone is gonna win at the end.  These are a challenge!  We did both the Escape Room and the Royal Mystery - we beat the Escape Room in 35 minutes without help (except for the 1st "find the clues" event) - apparently, that was REALLY good, but we had a full room of 12, and we had some teens who were willing to do footwork (that's all I'll say so I don't spoil this too much) - it really worked having a wide variety of ages and genders...and a full group of 12.  We failed at the Royal Mystery as a group of 6 - we needed about 5 more minutes to get the last puzzles solved.  They recommend a bigger group, and I think 8 folks is probably the perfect amount to have a chance to beat this game b/c there are so many puzzles to solve and so little time.  In our packed house, only 2 teams actually solved this correctly, so again, these are tough, and more heads just help:).

 

Next, the Seaplex activities - these are just awesome fun for families.  We did Bumper Cars (4x), Roller Skating (2x - one with only the kids and one with the myself and the kid who liked it the most), X-Box, Ping Pong, Bean Bag Toss, and Foosball.  We were there in time to sign up for Trapeze, but I didn't have any willing parties:).  You will wait some for activities to open, and sometimes you have to plan to do an activity you didn't plan on - Bean Bag toss became our "waiting game of champions."  And you have to respect the time limits...there are a LOT of people on board, and not as many units as you'd expect to manage the crowds - ie, there are 4 Ping Pong tables, so sometimes, there's a wait.  We never stayed more than 30 minutes at an activity, and that was enough...but I did play my teen daughter in Ping Pong 3 different times on the cruise.  I'll have tips for these activities at the bottom.  

 

Next, IFly is gonna get a special mention b/c this was just AWESOME!  My whole family (including my practically blind senior mom without her glasses) did this.  The personnel who run this are spectacular and handle the people well.  If you are close on weight, sign up.  We had someone in our family who was 3lbs over (this was the last day of the cruise, so probably not over on day 1), and they asked if they could follow directions and relax, and getting an affirmative, they went on...and that person was one of the best flyers of our group.  The weight limit is there b/c the instructors need to be able to manage you b/c some folks will get some manhandling in the tube if they aren't in the right position (and aren't following the signs - this is normally a lot of the kids).  

 

Next, the rock wall also gets a special mention.  Again, this isn't Disney-fied, but it is a lot of fun.  I only got 2 of my kids to try it with me, and climbing the wall in the wind was an experience.  We all sucked, but we had fun sucking (note - we didn't get to the 1st bell, although we got close:).

 

Next, the pools.  It was SO nice having an indoor pool on this itinerary...and it was so nice seeing SO MANY lifeguards and having swim vests for all the kids.  It made for a very relaxing pool time.  With the weird itinerary, we had both indoor and outdoor pool time and both were super fun and safe.  Pool towels were easy to check out and return, drinks were right nearby, hot tubs were sweet, they had a few extra splash and fun zones for kids...and the solarium, which I only walked through and swung on the swing in, seemed like a great place for adults...and I'll probably add a tip for this, too:).

 

Okay, time for tips...

 

1. The 1st tip is to arrive early and often for Seaplex activities.  They only have 3-4 public session times for each activity (bumper cars, roller skating, and trapeze) and they only have so many spots.  So, coming by a few minutes early is a must for the "limited activities" and coming by at the beginning of the slot for bumper cars is a must b/c they tend to close the line 15-30 minutes before the end of the session.

 

2. The 2nd tip - if your kids have never rollerskated and your spouse can't...and you are good on skates, but not good enough to manage multiple kids who are flailing while on your own skates...DON'T wear skates for that session.  Wear closed-toe sneakers and ask if you can take your kids around the rink.  I did this at the 1st session (only adult), and by the 2nd session I attended (when I skated), 8-10 parents were doing this.  It's rough skating for the 1st time, and skating on a moving ship is rougher to get balance...you want this to be a positive for the kids, and for them not to get hurt, so if you have doubts about their abilities, see them skate 1st:).

 

3.  And speaking of the skating, another tip is to make sure you have time for all of the equipment.  If you have a kid to help, you'll need the full 15 minute prep time to get them geared up and then yourself geared up.  You need to wear everything and you should wear everything.  I'll say again - it's not as easy to skate on a ship.  In the session I skated, an expert adult was pulling his female partner, got cocky, and wiped out, wiping her out, too.  She got hurt and needed medical.  I myself slowed down if I felt shaky...slow and steady wins the roller skating race (and I was proud that the teen who joined me 2nd session did not need the wall once, after using it the whole 1st session...so I did teach one kid to skate on board - 3 still to go:).    

 

4. For the Escape Room, follow all the advice on the boards and head to Guest Services the 1st day and use the tablets to sign up (it's a featured activity).  Now, if you don't get in, don't panic.  We found out they will take 2 standby at every session, even if all 12 sign ups show up (and they will take more if they don't).  So, swing by 10 minutes before the sessions to check if you can fit if you don't make it in for sign ups.

 

5. For the flowrider - my kids had done this at a waterpark resort, so we passed this time, but it is OUTDOORS on this ship...so, if you can handle cooler weather, you are golden to never have a line.  We watched this run while we were cruising down from Boston to Bayonne, and they had like 3 folks doing this, 1 in a bikini.  They could handle the weather, so they got practically free time.  Second tip, if you can't handle cool weather, and you have a crazy activity, do this early in the cruise when it's warm:).

 

6.  For the rock wall, WEAR SOCKS.  You can't climb without them b/c you wear their shoes.  SAME TIP for Roller Skating - you can't skate without socks either.  So, pack extra socks...never know when you might need them or might need to lend them to an extra family member.

 

7.  For the I Fly, try it.  It's an intro to probably get you into trying the activity in more difficulty state side.  Kids to seniors can hack it...trust me.  My scaredy cats to my athletically challenged all liked it, and some now want me to pay for this at a facility:).

 

8.  For the solarium - do NOT sit between the indoor pool and the solarium bistro doors if you want quiet...families and kids will go to the bistro for food and with the hand-washing station, it's never quiet.  If you want a quiet, relaxing solarium experience, head to the back where the giant swing is.  It was always open and really quiet there.

Edited November 11, 2018 by TwoMisfits

[TwoMisfits]

And now, for what a lot of parents are wondering about - the Kid/Teen Rooms:).  On our cruise, we had about 300 teens, 300 9-11's, and 250 6-8s (and probably the same for the lower age, but this is what the rooms my kids were in told me).  So, LOTS of kids!:)  PS - There were about 4500 people on board, so a large ratio of kids:).

 

Let me start with the Teen Room.  On our last cruise, both of my girls steadfastly avoided the teen/oldest kid rooms to hang with each other.  This cruise, they were able to be in the same room together, so I thought they'd go more.  Nope!  BUT, they did make use of the Teen Room some, so that was a win!  The activities they found the most desire to go to were the reserved activity times for teens at the active sites - bumper cars was the best, with my kids getting multiple rides in the reserved hour (they said they could almost get off and get back on if they timed it right, but never waited more than 1 round).  If we hadn't had a show, they would have also done teen roller skating, which they thought would also run well.  There was an hour for each of the Seaplex activities planned for the teens only (including dodgeball and volleyball on the courts when they were "open"), so that's a big bonus.

 

They also liked the game tournaments, doing 3 different ones over the cruise (including the free air hockey tourney), and they probably would have done more if they weren't so busy elsewhere...and that's it.  So, for the course of the cruise, they spent about 6 hours there...but it was a valuable 6 hours b/c it tended to be right around the "mom, I'm bored time", and I said "well, isn't there a room with activities just for you that will unbore you?"  Now, that being said, the teens said that the room was "cheap"...no X-boxes, a mostly broken foosball table, etc.  They said they would have enjoyed more of the activities if more money was put into them.  To which I said, but look at what happened to the teen foosball table vs the public ones?  The teens are probably rougher on everything, and when you're rougher, they spend less on you:).  So, it's a 3 star out of 5 area.  Don't plan for your teens to want to hang all day, or even part of a day...but plan for them to enjoy a few things, especially the reserved activity times. 

 

Now, for the Kid Rooms - 6-8 and 9-11.  These rooms do NOT get reserved times for the Seaplex activities and really don't go anywhere but their rooms.  SO, your kid will NOT want to spend all day there b/c they will want to do some of the fun ship stuff.  That being said, my boys LOVED their time there every day, but I never put them in for more than one session length per day - aka 3 hours (except the last day, when my youngest asked to go back for the movie, so he did a 6 hour stint to end the cruise...and that made his day...my older one asked to stay with us, so he got to hit a game show and the Avengers pool deck movie).  It worked well to have a family Seaplex activity for either the morning or afternoon (or a port stop) and using any extra time to give them some down time with an adult or teen in the room with cartoons or on the decks doing the craft, family activity, movie, etc.  We did not use the pay babysitting at night, again rotating through my mom, my oldest teen, my spouse, or myself on who would hang with them in the room for 1-2 hours.  We also did not use the meals...I can say that my kids would have been disappointed with the meals b/c the cuisine is REALLY limited.  They really enjoyed getting to eat fun stuff of their choice vs "the designated few choices of the night" if you dined in Kids Room.  I did hear one parent in an elevator lament that the kids room was not as good as Disney's.  It's not, b/c this ship expects families to want to have some fun together and apart, and not just be a 100% split vacation.  All this being said, I'd give this a 3.5 star out of 5 area - solid, but not spectacular.  There's only so much you can do with a ton of kids in a single room...but somehow it was always great and fun for my kids.

 

Now, the tips. 

 

First, the kids rooms both told me that when the ship is full of kids, if you have to have your kids in the program, come early to the session.  They can and do fill up, and if they do, they will turn your kid away.  Never happened to me, but forewarned is forearmed.

 

Second, the kids are very active in kids' room, so plan a drink or a little downtime after a session.  It will keep your kid on an even keel.

 

Third, this ship HAS kids' room available the 1st night.  This was a 1st for me in 6 cruises.  It runs 8-10pm, so if you are doing 1st night done right or BOGO and want the quiet dinner, schedule it for 8:15pm and you'll have a nice dinner in peace:).  Or go to the Welcome Show which is really the 1st comedy night in prime time - better for adults and teens than littles:).

 

Fourth, keep your expectations of Kids Room (and Teen Room) in check.  It's glorified fun babysitting (or hangout space), but not as cool as the rest of the ship.  So, plan all the Seaplex time, plan a daily swim time, and then plan the kids to enjoy some camp while you do shows or adult stuff.  It's all about balance to make sure everyone has fun:).  

Edited November 11, 2018 by TwoMisfits

[TwoMisfits]

Moving on to the ports...we had a very good time and really enjoyed the itinerary, but it's not for everyone.  It made the cruise feel so long in a good way - you pretty much went through every time of weather possible in one week:).  It also enabled a compromise for families who have one spouse who hates beach ports and likes cities and one spouse who is the exact opposite.  And we did the range of activities in the ports - one prescheduled excursion (Boston), one scheduled-on-the-island taxi tour (Bermuda) and one beach day (Bermuda).

 

Now, my family does 3-4 hours, and is done with a port.  They really don't enjoy really long excursions or activities, so I don't plan them or expect them...maybe in a few years, the long involved tours will work:).

 

For Bermuda, since I saw the weather was more questionable our 1st day, and we only planned to snag a 3ish hour taxi tour, we spent the beautiful morning enjoying a nice breakfast, a nice swim, a few games of ping pong/foosball and trivia, and then pizza on board...and we didn't try to leave til noon (when we figured the 1st 3 hour taxi tours would be over).  Best decision ever b/c we literally walked off the ship, which is priceless with kids.  Once we walked off the ship, we found a blue flag taxi tour for our group within 2 minutes and enjoyed a solid, if not spectacular, tour with Winslow.  He was a perfect tour guide for us, but he couldn't control the weather, so when it downpoured as we made it to Hamilton, all of us decided that shopping could be passed on (we drove by it, but stayed in the cab).  We did get to get out and see Fort Secuar and the Lighthouse and we went by and took pics of the famous beaches (Hamilton Bay was my priority).  For 7 of us, for a tour that was a touch over 3 hours (we agreed to 3 hours and he didn't charge us for the overage), it was only $210...and I left a $40 tip.  No idea if I should tip, but if I'd done a taxi tour from the ship, it would have cost me twice as much, and Winslow answered everything my mom wanted, and made sure my kids had needed bathroom breaks and out-of-the-cab time, so I was happy.  Was I wowed - no.  But, it gave me a view of everything but St George.  And we got back in time to get on board, enjoy a little down time, and head to dinner and then kids club...a relaxing day for the parents and kids.

 

On the 2nd day, we left much earlier, at 9:30am (right after breakfast), again with no wait to get off the ship, and delivered the beach day our kids missed on our last hurricane-effected cruise.  Since my spouse hates beaches, he wanted something cheap and easy with bathrooms...and the beach walkable from the ship delivers.  For $5/person, we laid out our RCCL towels and let the kids enjoy 2 hours of pure beach time.  Is this beach a great beach?  Nope.  Again, it's workmanlike and solid.  It has Wi-fi, so my internet deprived spouse spent his 2 hours checking his phone, making him so happy.  I had prepared by having everyone wear their summer Crocs - this is CRUCIAL!  You CANNOT go in the water on this beach in bare feet - you'll shred your feet.  This beach has tons of rocks and shell pieces (and live hermit crabs - my shell-hunting kids were amazed).  The joy of Crocs is that if you have the beverage plan, you and your spouse get bottles of water to take off the ship and enjoy at the beach.  Then, when you finish, you fill the bottles with water from the bathroom sinks and wash your shoes out, so you're not walking back to the ship in sandy Crocs.  In fact, since we were dry with nice clean shoes and full beach coverups, we stopped to watch the glass-blowing, try the rum cakes, and shop for alcohol and Bermuda onion jam on our way back to lunch and showers.  Again, if you are a beach connoisseur, you will be incredibly disappointed by this beach. Jersey beaches are nicer.   But if you want a beach with a rock area to play in, a sand area to build in, a tide to bring shells in, and little and big fish that literally swim to you in waist deep water, this beach knocks it out of the park for the price.  If it's your kids 1st beach day (which it was for 2 of my kids), they will leave very, very happy.   In a bonus, we got back in time for a very short line to board the ship and then lunch and rollerskating when folks were still off ship (and we hardly had a wait).       

 

In Boston, it was cold...and we had to do customs.  In a stroke of genius, which I did not know I had beforehand, scheduling a ship tour is the smartest thing to do ever if you want an enjoyable day.  First, you get an early customs time, so you can get off the ship right when it ports.  Second, you don't have to wait in line to get off the ship.  And third, it wasn't too pricey in Boston for the ship tours.  Again, I paid about $210 (thanks to a $25 credit for booking my mom on her 1st RCCL cruise and some RCCL sales) for my group of 7 to get on a tour of Lexington and Concord and Harvard.  In a theme, this tour was solid, but not spectacular.  It was a workmanlike, relaxing tour that you're happy to go on, but not happy to repeat.  It had the advantage of only being half-full, so we had a lot of room on the bus (which does have a port-o-pot type restroom, which some of my group did use even though we also had a bathroom stop...kids after breakfast).  I had almost the only kids, who made it through with flying colors, b/c there were nice stops to play in leaves after the educational part was done (there were things to look at, too, but the acres of colored leaves were such an attraction:).  We also got a small tour of Boston on our way in and out of the tour.  So, for the money (with a $25 tip included - I had to tell my mom, you do tip the guide, so I tipped for solid, but not wowed, for my group), I was happy...and I learned a few things and just enjoyed the relaxing time.  So, again, this plan worked so well for a very nice day.  A little port time, a little Seaplex and family active time, showers, dinner, and Kids Club (aka parent time:).  

 

For tips...I kinda gave them in the posts...

 

1st, if you have to go through customs during a cruise, and you want a lot of time in port, book a ship excursion to get off.  Normally, you never book excursions b/c they are overpriced and not usually exactly what you want...but getting through the whole customs and departure process quick and easy is exactly what you want...trust me:).

 

2nd, do what others aren't doing.  We stayed on late day 1 and left early day 2 in Bermuda, probably the opposite of most folks, and that worked.

 

3rd, note that there is a crazy cut off time for duty-free booze purchases in Bermuda.  For us, it was 11:30am, and after this time, prices literally more than doubled.  If that happens to you, know that the ship actually sells the same dang rum for the duty free price anytime...so don't fret:).

 

4th, know your family, their limits, and their interests.  I knew what my little kids and mom could handle (nothing too long or strenuous).  Knowing their limits avoids meltdowns or bad "rest of days" after ports:).

 

Edited November 11, 2018 by TwoMisfits

[Guest maddycat]

What a fantastic review.  Thanks.

[TwoMisfits]

So, let's talk the cabin.  Since I get motion sick, I always need a horizon in the room - maybe it's mental, but it makes me feel better, so I have one.  However, my husband is a panic-er with my boys, and does not want balconies they can get out on if the girls are babysitting.  So, on most ships, we have done a window cabin or on the Pride, an inside room with balcony doors that couldn't open.  And these all worked for us.

 

So, then I read about these Anthem virtual balcony inside rooms, and it seemed like a great idea for us.  I get my view, my husband gets his sanity, and I save on the price...and they worked great!

 

We were worried b/c since I booked 2 3 person rooms, I couldn't get them directly next to each other near midship, but after the last elevators(at least not when I booked), so we had a cabin in between, but it worked.  I kept a card of my sons in my lanyard and I could help my spouse at any time (the teens in my room kept their cards, since they never needed me:).

 

The rooms had plenty of space, the beds were comfy for me (beds and pillows really are a preference in firmness, and these worked for me...but the sofabed would not work for me (but it did for the kids)), the shower was AWESOME for a cruise ship - the door was a total win, and the storage was sufficient.

 

As I mentioned before, except for wanting soda machines, the deck 10 location just past the midship elevators (the 2nd ones) was ideal.  My mom had a balcony a few doors closer to the elevator than ours, and she also loved her room (and she let my kids on her balcony and watched them...that probably did panic my spouse, but we always agree that grandparents can spoil the kids, so we don't have to...and it was a special treat for them when my mom was "sitting" the younger two...well, that and her internet plan, which gave her Netflix which helped keep them entertained if they got bored:)... 

 

PS - If your kids need a nightlight, leaving the bathroom door open or leaving the balcony curtains open a smidge works great.  And if you need it dark, close the bathroom door and the balcony curtain - you get pitch black:).

 

Not sure how many tips I have for cabins, except don't book the very back or front of the ships, unless you want a lot of walking to elevators.  Also, plan for a lot of walking no matter where you are - 270 is the back and Royal Theater is the front, and there were many times we went from one to the other...same for Seaplex to Schooner Bar:)...I'm not sure how many laps I did every day, but remember about my bottles of water usage?  Yeah, you'll need them:)...Finally, don't book floor 11 or 12 between the mid-elevators and the kids room, unless you don't mind noise from 9am-10pm...there will be a lot of kids walking that route getting to the 2nd elevators, so you may want to avoid if you sleep late or go to bed early and kid noise bothers you.

[maryjaden]

Thank you for this review.  It has a lot of really good information.  We are considering a cruise on the Anthem. 

[TwoMisfits]

So, last few miscellaneous topics:

 

Embarkation/Debarkation - best of all 6 cruises we had.  Following advice on this board, we got to port at 10:30am and were walking into the terminal after luggage drop off and parking at 11am.  We got through security and then cruise check in and kid safety band dispersal, and were literally walking on board at 11:45am, heading to Guest Services to book the Escape Room.  We had time for lunch at the Solarium Bistro, a round of bumper cars, and a tour of our rooms before the muster - it was a breeze, and we were so thankful.

 

And then Debarkation - since we were in a virtual balcony, we got a sucky "send us your luggage" departure time of 9:30am, while my mom in the balcony was 8am.  Remember how I said to book a cruise tour in Boston - yeah, this is a big reason - I have a feeling that interiors get the worst picks.  So, even though we had linked reservations and I was driving my mom home, well, RCCL must have forgotten on those debark tags.  But no worries, we were Self-Carrying:).  So, I didn't have to deal with fixing this or forcing an issue.  Instead, we had the option to leave between 6:45am-7am or 8am-8:15am.  So, we planned to wake up at 6:20am, leave our bags and our "we're still sleeping" tag on our door, have a nice breakfast and beverage package coffee drink at Windjammer, and then hang in the room for the 8am.  And we did all of it, but quickly, and were in our cabin at 7:15am.  So, I asked my spouse to head down to deck 5 and see how debark was going and if they'd let us fit in.  Low and behold, since there was a big delay between the end of debark for diamonds/suites/other "high priority" and the start of debark for the rest of the cabins, there was literally no one leaving.  They begged my spouse to get us and leave.  So, we got on the elevator at 7:23am, and were through ship checkout, customs, a bathroom stop, a parking payment stop and elevator wait, and packing the whole minivan and starting the car at 8am.  On a ship with 4500 people.  CRAZY efficient...and so, so wonderful.  It let us make the trip back to my mom's and then get her settled, and then get us back to our house in a time I didn't dream of before we took this cruise.  If I have a tip for this area, if you are in an interior cabin, self debark, self debark, self debark...it was a dream exit:).

 

I did not dream before this cruise that this would go so well...our last Pride cruise, it took us 3 hours to get on board...another cruise took over 2 hours to debark...so, this was so, so, so nice.  No idea how later folks did on embark or interiors who checked bags did on debark, but we had the perfect scenario.

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by TwoMisfits

[lovescats5]

Really enjoyed your review.  We were on the Anthem in Sept. and will be back on her in April so are planning on cold, warm, cold clothing also.  This class has so much to do to keep you busy that the time flies while you are sailing.  The iFly was the biggest hit with the family, so much so that husband and son are going to iFly in Phoenix and Sacramento to get better as we will be on the Anthem 2 more times and then the Ovation also.  The shows were wonderful but we opted not to see The Gift for personal reasons but also enjoyed WWRY, my granddaughter loved that and can't wait to see it again in April.  Know that I will also be folding clothes and wondering how a week could go so fast. 

[TwoMisfits]

Last things...

 

Elevators - yeah, there could be more...yeah, we rode down from 4 or up from 14 a few times to be on one...Doesn't break the cruise.  I will say, you'll likely normally be very chummy with folks in the elevator b/c you'll be in tight quarters.  But for the most part, they work out for the ship...

 

The People - I mentioned the trivia bloodsport, but really this cruise was refreshing for how nice folks were to each other.  I talked to lots of adults and some kids, and they were all usually so nice.  When a molehill issue happened (someone jumped in front of the elevator line, missed where the line was for bumper cars, etc), most folks shrugged it off.  My motto is to try and pay it forward...it kinda started pre-cruise in the car arrival line when I told my spouse to let a car in, and he said "really?"  And I was like, "yeah, why piss off someone you're obviously cruising with when you can generously let them in"...and literally 5 minutes later, it paid off when a bus stopped in our lane, and we needed to get in the other one, and the truck right next to us let us in.  Smiles and courtesy rule the day.  Did some folks lose their temper?  Sure.  Were some folks upset, especially around the CS desk?  Yes.  But overall, it was a pleasant ship:).  I teamed with folks I never knew in trivia and the puzzle break activities...helped some kids up rollerskating...let a kid give me hashbrowns b/c he wanted to give everyone hash browns.  It was a nice reminder how awesome people are.

 

The Ship Personnel - also great.  Never had a bad interaction with any of them, and had great ones with many of them.  Heck, my mom's steward, who wasn't servicing my rooms, went out of his way to greet me and chat every time I walked past her room...I also easily got my teen's ship card replaced (2 days in a row) b/c she was flighty, and it was done in minutes...note to self - she's getting a button lanyard next time.  

 

The Shopping - It's there.  My spouse just needs the booze store...the rest existed.  We didn't buy anything, but we walked past tons who did.

 

The Casino - surprisingly, I spent almost no time there.  I did my Gold member slot pull and got nothing.  Then I got $5 free to play the last night (as did my mom), so we spent 30 minutes playing slots down to nothing:).  Usually, I play tables, but didn't want to get invested since I just replaced a bathroom.  Even $5 tables would have been too rich for me.  I was bummed I never made the poker tourney, b/c I did want to try that event.

 

The Art - walked through it when it wasn't an auction.  It's there, it's real, it's not for me...but it's there:).

 

The Photography - so this wouldn't have been for me, but my mom told me midcruise that she bought the full digital package...and we had taken like 8 photos total.  So, we went to one of the real cruise sessions and got professional shots of my boys together, my girls together, and my mom, me, and the girls...and they are awesome.  My kids suck at posing and looking good in shots, but the photographer was type A enough (and patient enough) to move them into some cool poses and get them looking at the cameras with eyes open and smiles.  I'd have paid more for a session like I got at home, and my mom was SO happy to do these b/c I never do a professional session - see the previous sentence.  Funny enough, these were almost unplanned, so we went in casual clothes, no hair or makeup, or anything...and that photographer worked some magic.  So, if you love photos, you can get some nice ones here.  I'd normally say this was a waste, but compared to the pics on my husband's cell...well, these are the Christmas card ones...

 

Odds and ends - buy a lanyard if you have to hold kid cards - leave all the money/purses/wallets in the safe (I saw some folks lose purses - who wants to do that)?  Use the safe - and leave it open for the next passenger (my room had the safe left closed, so I never used mine, since I didn't feel like dealing with the issue and my spouse's worked).  

 

I guess that's a close for this review.  If I think of more, I'll add to it, but if you have questions, I'll try to answer them, although I saved no paper from the cruise b/c self-debark...what wasn't important anymore got tossed:)...

[TwoMisfits]

Okay, last, last things...

 

Northstar - We rode it on the 1st sea day.  It's low key, but fun...if you have to choose between this and IFly, choose IFly in a second...but still choose this.  I know folks say you should ride this in port and not at sea, but riding it at sea had the advantage of giving us a whole aerial view of the ship, so we didn't have to find IFly or rock climbing later b/c we could see them!  It's also cool to just see from in front of the ship to behind the ship without moving a muscle.  ANYONE can do this activity, so it is perfect for anyone to sign up for...

 

Room Service - At least for continental breakfast, don't do it.  You'll only be disappointed:).  Nah, it's not that bad, but we planned room service for Boston morning for our 2 cabins - 1 cabin (the boys) got what they wanted on time...and 1 cabin (the girls) did not, getting late food (45 minutes later than boys with same selected time slot) with no actual butter/cream cheese/silverware and only 1 tea bag (when asked for two)...since it was late, I sent the girls to Cafe Patisserie to find food (so we wouldn't miss customs) and grabbed the leftovers from my spouse's cabin.  When it finally arrived, the beverages got used and most of it got left and eventually tossed...I felt bad with the waste, but figured it wasn't my fault, and probably wasn't the 1st time...and yes, this was the one thing I didn't tip all cruise (when I have to call after the time slot passes and then the order's wrong, well, you know)...and yes, we only ordered room service once (even though we originally thought of last breakfast morning before this went wrong:)...

 

Tipping - Please do it.  The staff everywhere earns it!  If you don't prepay, the tips can get posted in a strange way, but by the end of the cruise, it's all right on your account, so leave them.  I remember at dinner the last night, I heard someone proudly proclaiming to her tablemates that she removed tips b/c they posted them 7 times on one day and she wasn't getting ripped off...and I sat there thinking, "yeah, they booked the week for you on the one day..."  Sigh...and yes, the customer service line had many people probably removing them the last night, b/c I was about the 25th person in line when I asked the roving manager about my mischarged drink...no one else was piping up with a mischarge...now, lots of those folks could have had lots of strange issues, but you'd think they wouldn't mind announcing them to the crowd...the other person to speak up, the one missing her purse, also didn't mind...

 

Promise, this was it:)...again, ask away if I missed something...

[TwoMisfits]

PS - Off topic, but important - it's a rougher trip to Bermuda and back, especially in early spring/late fall than it is up and down the coasts and into the Caribbean.  Family members who have never been motion sick might get motion sick.  My oldest daughter felt it the 1st night and used meds the rest of the cruise...my 2nd daughter felt it in the hours right before and after Bermuda, as did my youngest son.  Only my spouse and oldest boy never took a med and felt fine the whole time.  Thankfully, I planned for this with chewable child Dramamine and about triple the meds I thought I'd need (since I do the 1-a-day Dramamine)...but it's something to keep in mind b/c in 6 cruises, this is the 1st so many of my family felt the motion (thankfully, the meds kick in after 15 minutes or so, so it was only ever a short stop to sit, take the med, and move on)...on our hurricane-affected coastal trip, they only had a few hours total when they needed them (and my 2nd daughter never needed them)...not sure if it's a combo of the huge ship, the open ocean, etc...but in the boyscout motto, be prepared.  It really doesn't hurt and it REALLY helps to have them when you need them:).

Edited November 12, 2018 by TwoMisfits

[Biker19]

20 hours ago, TwoMisfits said:

For the flowrider - my kids had done this at a waterpark resort, so we passed this time, but it is OUTDOORS on this ship...so, if you can handle cooler weather, you are golden to never have a line. 

Every Flowrider in the fleet is outdoors. There are many Flowrider aficionados that come prepared (with a wet suit) and cold weather is not a guarantee to thin the crowds.

[grest]

are the shakes in Johnny Rockets included in the package?  Thanks.

[TwoMisfits]

4 minutes ago, grest said:

are the shakes in Johnny Rockets included in the package?  Thanks.

 

Yes...as are the flavored sodas (and I'm betting the floats, but I didn't try those).  You will also sign a receipt here (it's about the only place you do), so you'll have immediate confirm they are free!:)  And they are easy to take to-go - it's the only way I ordered...

Edited November 12, 2018 by TwoMisfits

[grest]

thanks!

 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

23 hours ago, TwoMisfits said:

We had someone in our family who was 3lbs over

 

what's the min and max weight limit, please?

Edited November 12, 2018 by Itchy&Scratchy

[TwoMisfits]

1 minute ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

hippo

what's the min and max weight limit, please?

 230lb if under 6ft tall and 250 lbs if over 6 feet tall:)...they were under 6 ft...(and the weights are measured in full clothes and sneakers...although if you're close, maybe take those shoes off:)...

Edited November 12, 2018 by TwoMisfits

[lkneller]

Wow!  what an interesting review.  thank you for taking the time to post this!