Review Anthem of the Seas 10/1/2016

[cat5dog1]

I love reading your review. We leave Saturday on Anthem. We have an inside cabin 11179. Happy to hear that floor is nice. We will be 2adults and 2 kids in the room. Unfortunately my granddaughter wants me to sleep on the sofa bed with her. Might have to see if we can get a pad for it.

 

 

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[cat5dog1]

We also live 1 1/2 hr away and want to get there early. We were planning on 10 but may try for 9 instead after reading your review. We hope to ride bumper cars and Northstar while still in port.

 

 

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[Pandabear90]

Hi, how far out did they let you book the IFLY and stuff?

[Luv my furbaby]

Loving your review. Just booked this cruise for June 2017.

Bermuda is one of the few islands I've never been too.

 

Upcoming:

RCCL Adventure - November 2016

Regal Princess - January 2017

RCCL Anthem - June 2017

NCL Pride of America - October 2017

Caribbean Princess - January 2018

[Pencruise]

We were on this same cruise too (1-6 Oct) and it was our second time on the Anthem. We loved everything about the ship and the cruise. Bermuda was fabulous with gorgeous weather.

[Dina7]

We also live 1 1/2 hr away and want to get there early. We were planning on 10 but may try for 9 instead after reading your review. We hope to ride bumper cars and Northstar while still in port.

 

 

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We were on the same sailing and pulled up to the curb to drop off our luggage at 10:30 & it was fine. No long line of cars to wait on and the Windjammer was not crowded yet. Could easily find a table. The lines build later.

 

Dina

[Moltar]

Just keep in mind your room is unavailable till 1pm

Edited October 12, 2016 by Moltar

[easyboy]

Thanks for the feedback.

[Biker19]

Hi, how far out did they let you book the IFLY and stuff?

 

It varies - keep checking your planner. Also, subscribe to the Roll Call thread for your sailing - someone is bound to announce it there.

[nycfa]

Hi, how far out did they let you book the IFLY and stuff?

 

We booked the cruise late (2 months out). I was only able to make I Fly reservations (I checked the RCL site DAILY until 3 spots opened up).

 

I second checking the roll call....people usually post when it becomes available for booking

[nycfa]

Day 3 - Bermuda

 

We pulled into the dock around 7 ish...they announced that we could disembark a little before 9 am.

 

View from the Windjammer at breakfast...

 

 

When we booked I wanted to make sure we had an activity we could do no matter what the weather was the first day (rain or shine, hot or cool)....

 

After some research I decided to book an island tour with Byways Tours and the lovely Heidi Cowan (and her dog Buddy!).

 

Heidi and Buddy were the most excellent tour guides and our family along with 3 other couples had a great day.

 

We traveled from one end of the island to the other and saw many of the sites and got history about the island.

 

DH & myself had been to the island twice before (one cruise and one land visit). So it was nice to see what had changed and ask questions about what ever happened to.....??

 

View of the Anthem from a distance....

 

 

Heidi took us to the Gibb's Lighthouse....where she grew up as the granddaughter of one of the Lighthouse Keepers! My family took a trip up to the top.....quiet a bit of stairs (185 I think?) but wow the view from the top are worth the trip.

 

 

FYI the stairs are pretty much spiral and narrow on one end...

 

Edited October 13, 2016 by nycfa

[nycfa]

After the Lighthouse we headed over to Warwick Long Bay and did a walk on the beach and the rocks.....

 

Heidi.....

 

 

 

[nycfa]

While chatting with Heidi my DH mentioned we had stayed at the Harmony Club back in 1999 for a visit on the island.

 

Heidi said it's no longer a hotel but is used as barracks for the police. It is in somewhat of disrepair.

 

So Heidi took us over and we got out for a photo opt! LOL

 

 

That was a nice little treat!

 

After some more driving around and sight seeing we stopped for lunch in this area which was right across from the Zoo. Heidi dropped us off then went to pick up the fish sandwiches she had ordered for us.

 

 

 

 

 

Let me say those sandwiches are AMAZING!!! I'm going to have to go back just for those! LOL

 

Edited October 13, 2016 by nycfa

[nycfa]

After lunch we made our way over to St. George......

 

Heidi dropped us off at this Church then we all met back at the van after looking around a bit.

 

 

My 12 year old checked out the phone booth (probably hoping it was a TARDIS ;) )

 

 

 

 

[nycfa]

On the ride back we stopped here for homemade ice cream

 

 

Wow it was amazing!

 

Next stop was the small drawbridge.

 

 

Before heading back to the ship.

 

It was an amazing day and I would highly recommend taking a tour with Heidi!

[nycfa]

More to come.... :)

 

Having a photobucket issue....

Edited October 13, 2016 by nycfa

[AndyT3]

We were in port on the Sunshine with you guys for a day and a half (or so). Seeing the Anthem up close and personal really interested me, and we booked it back to Bermuda next year!

 

It's great to get your point of view on the ship, thanks for the great review!

[nycfa]

ugh photobucket is being difficult! I have a nice Sunshine photo for you! I will try later. :)

Edited October 13, 2016 by nycfa

[cementhands]

Any Zumba or other dance activities, we are going this January and would love to know, thanks. Really enjoy your review, been to Bermuda twice and on the Anthem last year, loved the ship but found same dining issues as you reported. Has not gotten better yet hope it improves with changes scheduled for this November.

[Dina7]

Any Zumba or other dance activities, we are going this January and would love to know, thanks. Really enjoy your review, been to Bermuda twice and on the Anthem last year, loved the ship but found same dining issues as you reported. Has not gotten better yet hope it improves with changes scheduled for this November.

 

I know there was a Thriller Dance Class that met several times where an instructor taught the moves of Michael Jackson's Thriller and then the group performed it, I think in the Esplanade. We watched them rehearse one day. Looked like fun and the passengers who were participating were really good. We saw the last rehearsal.

 

Dina

[nycfa]

Yay photobucket seems to be back in business

 

So after dinner that evening my DH & I got off the ship for a bit and walked around the dockyard.

 

Got this great pano shot!

 

[nycfa]

We were in port on the Sunshine with you guys for a day and a half (or so). Seeing the Anthem up close and personal really interested me, and we booked it back to Bermuda next year!

 

It's great to get your point of view on the ship, thanks for the great review!

 

Sunshine.....

 

[nycfa]

Day 4

 

Today we kinda played by ear.....since the weather was good we decided to head over to Horseshoe Bay in the morning.

 

We got off the boat around 10 and grabbed a taxi to the beach (appx $32 for 4 people and the mini bus is $28 for 4 of us, since we would have to wait for a mini bus to fill up for $4 extra dollars we just jumped in a taxi and went!)

 

Horseshoe Bay is amazing! We did rent the two chairs and umbrella for $40.

 

Thought most of the time my kids and husband were in the water. It was a bit too rough for me that day so I only went into my knees and just relaxed on our chairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We stayed until around 1 pm before grabbing the mini bus back to the beach (one only needed four more people to go and we fit the bill! LOL)

 

My original plan on our return was to walk around the Dockyard again but the kids were wiped out from playing in the ocean and sun so the three of us just got back on board. My DH walked around to get stamps to mail some post office (a store in the mall had them) and do a little shopping.

 

Soon we were setting sail for NJ......

[nycfa]

Day 5 - Sea Day!

 

Woke up and it was overcasted, windy and cooler. Not cold but not 85 anymore....it was in the mid 70's.

 

The sun did come out later for a bit.

 

My youngest wanted to try the Flow Rider so we headed up there for her to give it a try! Again make sure your waivers are done. Then check in at the Ifly for the wrist band (they check your waiver is done and if you are a kid your height!)

 

Luckily it wasn't too busy. They had it split into two sides....

 

 

This RCL guy helping my DD was awesome! He was great with the kids.

 

 

She was nervous at first but ended up going on it several times. :)

 

 

Video...

 

[YOUTUBE]soRjtOtyjfY[/YOUTUBE]

Edited October 14, 2016 by nycfa

[nycfa]

A few shots around the ship....

 

 

Ice Cream...

 

 

This kids current pool....it flowed in one direction....

 

 

 

Outdoor Seating in the back of the Windjammer

 

 

Shopping