Former USA Today travel editor's review of Anthem

[Turtles06]

In case folks are interested, former USA Today travel editor Candyce Stapen has the review linked below of her August Med cruise on Anthem. Obviously, her opinions are just that, hers alone. I'm looking forward to forming my own very soon next month on the Anthem TA! :)

 

Her main takeaways: 1) the pre-cruise process of making/moving/coordinating reservations for dining, shows, and activities was "way too much work for a vacation;" 2) embarkation process was quick and easy; 3) food in the included dining venues was of "so-so quality," while the "only reliably good" dinners were in the up-charge venues; and 4) lots of great and fun activities on board and a variety of entertainment.

 

Her conclusions (again, her opinions):

So, is the mega-ship too mega? It depends on what you want.

 

Those accustomed to fine dining without extra fees and little hassle when booking meals and activities should not board.

 

But if you like a variety of entertainment and can put up with the frustrating pre-planning and so-so food, or can shell out for better fare; and if you want to sample surfing, rock climbing, skydiving and ramming each other in bumper cars — especially good choices with children, teens and 20-somethings along — then run up the gangway.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...5d8_story.html

[ladylemondrop]

thanks for posting! Interesting comments, I have to say we are looking at Anthem for next year, but, I tend to agree about the pre booking of everything, aside from how complicated that process seems to be, it also seems to hinder any feelings of freedom whilst on holiday to see how you feel, or go with the flow....everything has to be nailed down way ahead of time. (i am well aware there are options to avoid this such as the buffet, or taking a set dinner sitting etc, but neither appeals) when we cruise with celebrity we go select dining (anytime) and just go when we are ready. Is this not an option on Anthem?

Again, shows, they are not even bookable on Celebrity. I really want to sail Anthem but wonder if it will feel stressful? (dont flame me please its just a thought!)

[Turtles06]

thanks for posting! Interesting comments, I have to say we are looking at Anthem for next year, but, I tend to agree about the pre booking of everything, aside from how complicated that process seems to be, it also seems to hinder any feelings of freedom whilst on holiday to see how you feel, or go with the flow....everything has to be nailed down way ahead of time. (i am well aware there are options to avoid this such as the buffet, or taking a set dinner sitting etc, but neither appeals) when we cruise with celebrity we go select dining (anytime) and just go when we are ready. Is this not an option on Anthem?

Again, shows, they are not even bookable on Celebrity. I really want to sail Anthem but wonder if it will feel stressful? (dont flame me please its just a thought!)

 

Having been through the entire pre-cruise booking process for the October TA on Anthem, I can only say that it is not how I prefer to cruise either. I can't weigh that yet against the ship-board experience, obviously, which I hope and expect will far out-weigh that downside.

 

The key thing that makes the booking process less than optimum imho is that you can book dining long before you can book entertainment. So you book all your dinners (you don't have to book any, though, as the reviewer says), and then you keep checking and checking and checking for the entertainment to open up. And then once it does, and particularly since each of the bookable main shows is only performed a couple of times or so, invariably you have to change one or more of your dining reservations. It was not technically hard to do these things, just something I would prefer not to have to do for a cruise.

 

That's all in the past for us now, and, as I said, I'm hoping and expecting the ship-board experience blows that away. :)

[nelblu]

thanks for posting! Interesting comments, I have to say we are looking at Anthem for next year, but, I tend to agree about the pre booking of everything, aside from how complicated that process seems to be, it also seems to hinder any feelings of freedom whilst on holiday to see how you feel, or go with the flow....everything has to be nailed down way ahead of time. (i am well aware there are options to avoid this such as the buffet, or taking a set dinner sitting etc, but neither appeals) when we cruise with celebrity we go select dining (anytime) and just go when we are ready. Is this not an option on Anthem?

Again, shows, they are not even bookable on Celebrity. I really want to sail Anthem but wonder if it will feel stressful? (dont flame me please its just a thought!)

 

It seems as if she regurgitating all of the stories of the Quantum sails observations. I had a marvelous time on the Feb. Quantum sail, yes it was a bit frustrating with the reservations, but at the end it worked quite smooth. Part of the problem in the beginning was their IT problems as it kept dropping reservations from the cruise planner and the other was that Paxs were not aware that you needed reserves and wound up eating in the WJ as the time(s )available were not conducive.

 

From one person perspective, the ship is a engineering marvel. I found the quality of food preparation and taste to be as good as other ships, if not better. The WJ was by far the best that we have experienced of all the RCL ships. There were some frustrations and it was primarily to the so-so service in the dining rooms--some were excellent and other downright poor. The other, for a new ship, we had a lousy view of Mamma Mia--never seen so many columns in the main theatre. On our upcoming Anthem cruise, we'll make sure that we arrive much earlier than the 20 minutes for MM.

[garnetpalmetto]

Unfortunately your link doesn't work (looks like the URL got truncated somewhere). Fortunately I was able to find the review here

[conandrob240]

In my opinion, the pre-booking system is simple to use and very user-friendly. If you are a planner, booking dining and shows isn't much work at all-it takes the stress out of worrying about lines when on-board. To me, it's all booked (very simply) and the rest is all relaxing and enjoying the fruits of a few minutes of on-line labor.

[Jo and Rob]

In my opinion, the pre-booking system is simple to use and very user-friendly. If you are a planner, booking dining and shows isn't much work at all-it takes the stress out of worrying about lines when on-board. To me, it's all booked (very simply) and the rest is all relaxing and enjoying the fruits of a few minutes of on-line labor.

 

We too have pre-booked all our dining. Do they provide you with a reminder of what you have booked once on board? Is there a card in the cabin to take down to dinner?

 

Also I can't pre-book shows yet (sailing in March). I'm hoping that we can prebook the shows as it saves the hassle of having to arrive extra early to guarantee a seat. Do you prebook a seat number or just the amount of people in your party?

[Turtles06]

In my opinion, the pre-booking system is simple to use and very user-friendly. If you are a planner, booking dining and shows isn't much work at all-it takes the stress out of worrying about lines when on-board. To me, it's all booked (very simply) and the rest is all relaxing and enjoying the fruits of a few minutes of on-line labor.

 

As I noted above, the issue is not that it is technically difficult to book, it isn't. The problem is that you can book dining months before you can book entertainment, which invariably means that once the entertainment becomes available to book, you are very likely going to have to change some of your dining reservations around to accommodate the entertainment schedule, and some of that may just not fit properly. Plus, you never know exactly when things become available to book, so you have to keep checking. Not exactly what some folks want to do when planning a cruise, that's all.

[Turtles06]

Also I can't pre-book shows yet (sailing in March). I'm hoping that we can prebook the shows as it saves the hassle of having to arrive extra early to guarantee a seat. Do you prebook a seat number or just the amount of people in your party?

 

You will be able to book the three main shows: We Will Rock You, Spectra's Cabaret, and the Gift. You book the number of people in your party (not specific seats).

[sasha96]

For me, it is a matter of perspective going into it with the bookings. On Q we didn't know they were putting DD on the ship, so I think some cruisers felt a bit blindsided by what they perceived as a dramatic change. Having cruised DCL and NCL, I didn't find the change very dramatic.

 

The IT was terrible and it took a while for reservations to go through the whole system or to "stick". Once on board, they were all in place and worked nicely. I wish they would have changed over (or started) the whole concept to DD Classic. We've cruised DCL and they basically do it (call it Rotational Dining) and it's wonderful!

 

I don't think pre-planning and booking show and dining reservations is a big deal. On older ships there is a set dining time (mostly) and set show times given/told to you. Only difference on Quantum class is you some choice in those matters. You are still showing up for dinner and shows at a set time on all ships...either they pick it or you do!

 

We're booked for Anthem b/c we loved Quantum. We didn't get into DD Classic so we are going with regular old DD. I'm not concerned. Having cruised this class of ship before the planning shouldn't be any harder than the IT dept. will make it!

Edited September 14, 2015 by sasha96

[starfish216]

We too have pre-booked all our dining. Do they provide you with a reminder of what you have booked once on board? Is there a card in the cabin to take down to dinner?

 

Also I can't pre-book shows yet (sailing in March). I'm hoping that we can prebook the shows as it saves the hassle of having to arrive extra early to guarantee a seat. Do you prebook a seat number or just the amount of people in your party?

 

When we sailed on the Quantum we just booked the amount of people in our party. We were a group of 5 in three different cabins.

 

There is no assigned seating but they do have a section of the theatre roped off for suite guest.

 

I actually like the pre planning idea….since we are a group of 5 (my self, DH, sister, BIL and our dad) that always travel on vacation together the conversation everyday is 'so what time are we meeting for dinner and where?' the response is usually 'I don't care where or when, what do you want to do?' We usually banter back and forth like this through out the day. lol

 

When we booked the Quantum I had a chance to pre plan I asked the same question and the response was 'it doesn't matter where or when we eat or see shows'. So when we sailed on the Quantum in March I booked each of the complimentary dinning venues once and left the remaining nights free. Most dinner reservation were between 6:00-6:30 PM which is early for all of us but I figured this early time left lots of options for booking shows when the schedule was released. We never had to wait and were usually done in little over an hour. I found service to be fast since the venues weren't crowded yet.

 

I also booked all the main shows, the times scheduled for shows worked well with our early dinner schedule. Sent my sister and BIL the links and said 'this is what I booked and if you want something different change it once on board.' My dad and BIL didn't attend some of the shows so those seats were just released to the public about 15 minutes prior to show time.

 

This pre-planning saved a lot of stressing over 'what are we doing tonight?'. Once on board, on the Royal IQ app you can see any reservations you have….so everyone already knows the tentative plans for the cruise…if they don't like it they can change it. The pre-planning gave us on opportunity to try most things once without having to worry about being closed out of a dinning venue or show.

 

For our family this worked out well. We tried all the complimentary venues once and the other nights ate in WJ when ever we wanted. Some nights all five of us ate together other nights we split up, this was our choice. We actually prefer to eat and go and not sit for an hour or so.

 

For our cruise on the Anthem in May 2016 (we will be a party of 7) I will be doing the same thing once the reservations open up. Again everyone will be sent the tentative itinerary with the options of changing things once on board.

 

For all those wondering I am not a control freak….I just know that a party of 7 people most times can not show up to a dinning venue at 7 PM (our normal dinner time when home) and expect to be seated immediately. I also know that it will make it more difficult for a party of 7 to wait standby to get into a show….you will probably get in but forget about finding seats together.

Edited September 14, 2015 by starfish216

[tlatrice]

Plus, you never know exactly when things become available to book, so you have to keep checking. Not exactly what some folks want to do when planning a cruise, that's all.

 

Yet people do it religiously when waiting for the actual dates to open up. Or when checking for price drops. Or when coming on CC daily for info about excursions, shows, the concierge in the CL, the daily compass...

 

I don't think pre-planning and booking show and dining reservations is a big deal. On older ships there is a set dining time (mostly) and set show times given/told to you. Only difference on Quantum class is you some choice in those matters. You are still showing up for dinner and shows at a set time on all ships...either they pick it or you do!

 

This is what I thought it was too. It seemed simple enough. But I guess change is just really hard for some. They get so fixated on the fact that it's different that can't see that it's not that bad. For them different = bad. :p

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

I'm still up in the air about it.

 

On the one hand, trying to decide when and where to book for each night, is a bit of a pain. Then, once the entertainment opened up, I had to go back and change some of the dining times. Then just last week, they opened up new times for dinner. We like eating 8-8:30 and those times were not originally available. All of the sudden, every restaurant every night had that availability, so I went in and changed every night that wasn't booked around entertainment.

 

We stopped going on NCL cruises years ago because we didn't like their Freestyle dining system. And the killer was that we had just reached their Gold status, which very few people had at the time.

 

On the plus side, we get to move around to different restaurants, and once on the ship we can change as we please. And in a way, it's fun to be able to keep being involved and thinking about the cruise as we get closer.

 

Our first DD cruise (on Nov 10) will be 12 nights, so hopefully it will go well, and we'll want to go back. The Anthem will be the permanent ship in NJ (our preferred port) for years to come, so if it's not enjoyable.....

 

I am, however, optimistic about it.

 

----------------

[JezzaC]

We are cruising on January 2016 but made dinner bookings already on December 2014. We booked early dining times, so don't have a problem with shows starting 9PM. Overall the whole booking process was easy and fast.

[Turtles06]

We are cruising on January 2016 but made dinner bookings already on December 2014. We booked early dining times, so don't have a problem with shows starting 9PM. Overall the whole booking process was easy and fast.

 

But that's just it. This is not a regular ship with all traditional show times. On our upcoming 8-night TA, We Will Rock You will be performed twice, once at 2:30PM and then the next night, I think at 8:30PM. If you weren't able to get the afternoon reservation, and keeping in mind you need to get to the show on the early side for decent seats, you might have to switch your dining around. Similar issues for Spectra's Cabaret and The Gift -- not 9 PM "traditional time" shows.

[conandrob240]

At 7 and 9pm show times are about as traditional and dimple as it gets.

[Turtles06]

At 7 and 9pm show times are about as traditional and dimple as it gets.

 

Those are the shows like hypnotists, comics, etc. NOT the three big shows that you need to book in advance -- We Will Rock You, Spectra's Cabaret, and The Gift. My only point was that those shows are not performed at the traditional 7 PM and 9 PM times, nor performed that often. So they may well conflict with dining that folks have booked in advance.

[JezzaC]

Those are the shows like hypnotists, comics, etc. NOT the three big shows that you need to book in advance -- We Will Rock You, Spectra's Cabaret, and The Gift. My only point was that those shows are not performed at the traditional 7 PM and 9 PM times, nor performed that often. So they may well conflict with dining that folks have booked in advance.

 

Based on the Anthem Dailies bookable shows are 7:30 and 9:30 or 7:00 and 9:00 - so those are quite traditional times. Times aren't available for our cruise yet - then we will see if we need to adjust times.

Edited September 15, 2015 by JezzaC

[conandrob240]

Yeah, I don't really get how it's complicated. I'd much rather book it before I sail than spend a second of vacation time trying to book things or worry about where I'm going and when.

[njmomof2]

We're sailing over Christmas and I was able to book entertainment and dining at the same time.

 

I made our dining for 6:30 each night in all of the included venues, then booked us into the three main entertainment options.

 

I'm sure that once we get aboard, we might want to change out a few of the included venues with specialty, but I'd like the kids and mom to see the menus of all of the restaurants and then decide which night they think they want to try something else.

 

Also, I have read in reports that there is a night when all of the restaurants have a "taste of Anthem" menu, which still confuses me. Will all included restaurants have that menu on the same night, meaning that we will not partake of the individual restaurant's menu? Or is it IN ADDITION TO the venues menu? That might be a night we'd prefer specialty.

[conandrob240]

Latest reports suggest the " taste of anthem" menu has become an "in addition to" rather than the only menu

[MisterBill99]

I understand the issue with having to make dining reservations (although it's doable) but we've have had to make show reservations for quite some time on Oasis and Allure, with schedules similar to what I've seen for Anthem.

Edited September 17, 2015 by MisterBill99

[conandrob240]

I can't even imagine heading onto a ship that holds 4800 people without reservations. The stress of that would kill me.

Edited September 17, 2015 by conandrob240

[MisterBill99]

I can't even imagine heading onto a ship that holds 4800 people without reservations. The stress of that would kill me.

How about 6000+? There are different points of view here. Some don't want to have to make reservations in advance while on vacation so they can "go with the flow". If those same people also complain when they have to stand on line waiting to get into something, there is going to be a problem. Others just like to be told where to go when like the old early show/late dining early dining/late show way of cruises. Those people are either going to have to get used to a new way of cruising or avoid ships that work that way.

 

In any event, to coin a phrase, that ship has already sailed :).

Edited September 17, 2015 by MisterBill99