Anthem of the Seas Review from Bahamas sailing

[AbeFroman2]

Hi all,

 

Longtime first time here, as my girlfriend and I spent many days and nights reading CC leading up to our Feb. 19-26 seven-night sailing to the Bahamas aboard the beautiful Anthem of the Seas. I'm hoping this review will help answer many of the questions we had, and my PM box will now be linked to my email so feel free to send any followups, as well.

 

Some brief background: It was my GFs first cruise and my third (previously Disney to Caribbean, Princess to Bahamas, and RC to Alaska), but so much has changed since I saw Alaska in 2008. Both mid-20s, and of course we sailed out of Bayonne, N.J.

 

We drove in morning of, getting there about 9-9:30 a.m., and after sitting for about 20 minutes to get to the front of the baggage drop off line, we dumped our checked luggage and went to the garage to park. Getting in and finding a spot was no hassle, and it's just a short walk to booking.

 

We got through security and check-in by about 10:40 a.m., and then waited about 30 minutes to board the ship. Some folks get pretty riled up during any and all of these stages, but with a little bit of patience and wherewithal to realize just how much is going on to get 4,000-plus passengers off one vacation and onto another, plus day visitors for the crew, and you'll realize it's all going much quicker than you may have imagined!

[AbeFroman2]

Once we got onto the ship, a member of the crew suggested we eat at Cafe 270, which is on the entry floor. My GF had wanted to check out the buffet ("that's what everyone does!") but we were so thrilled we checked out 270 instead. It was significantly less crowded, drinks were easily obtained, and the food was quite good. And, because it was slow, our bartender Marcos spent some time giving us some highlights of the ship, some tips on areas to avoid at high traffic time, and where to go and how early to get there for set sail. It was perfect.

 

We sat there for about two hours and then it was time to get into our room. We had a balcony room on the seventh floor (7592) and it was ready, as was our luggage which was waiting in the hallway, just after 1 p.m. as promised. We quickly got unpacked and stored our luggage (yes, there is PLENTY of storage space) and before we knew it, it was time for the muster drill.

 

Tip on that: Some cruisers might recall assembling outside for their muster drill, but because of the possibility of frigid temps in Bayonne in the winter, everyone appeared to be assigned indoor locations, and this also helped with automation as screens with sound showed what used to be done by crew vocally. It was crowded: If you need a seat or cannot stand for a long time, get there early, because it gets crowded.

 

From there we took the stairs all the way from our fifth floor muster station to the pool on Deck 14, and this is where I'll make my first big takeaway: Walk if you can walk. We saved countless times (not to mention pounds by walking off that extra lobster tail or omelette) by walking. We saw some comment that elevators broke down a lot on the Anthem, but we only saw that once. Yet, the crowds waiting for elevators more often than not made walking much more efficient.

 

The pool deck was a great place to watch sail away; weather was mid-60s with little wind, so we sat at the North Star Bar (the gang of Ellis, Hugh, and a rotating third bartender took care of us and were fantastic!) until the captain blew the horn, and then we walked to the front of the ship to watch for 30 minutes or so.

 

From there, it was dinner in one of the My Time Dining locations, a show, and then bed.

[AbeFroman2]

Some notes before I get into more of the trip:

 

-We had the drink package that gave us any drink up to $13 dollars on the beer/mixed drink front, and also soda, bottled water, etc. If you drink something specific, be sure to ask what it costs first before getting it to make sure you do not get charged, since the package doesn't cover absolutely everything behind the bar. Saw a few people get burned on that.

 

-You can usually ask for a water and a package drink and get both, but two beers is generally a no-go. Two waters, however, is usually fine.

 

-Yes, the $13 does apply to shots, and I believe they cost $11 for the garden variety of shots if you didn't have the drink package. So again, check before you order, but there's a pretty good chance that what you get at your favorite watering hole back home is covered.

 

-Neither of us are big wine drinkers, so I cannot be of help on that front. Sorry.

 

-Tipping is the question most inexperienced cruisers have. I'm unsure how long the practice of leaving a receipt for you each and every time your card is swiped for a drink (if you have the package, it's still swiped) has been going on, but it can make you feel tempted to tip over and over and over again. This is where having a plan came in: We prepaid the gratuities as most do, and decided ahead of time that our room steward would get $40, $20 the second day and $20 at the end of the trip, assuming we were happy. Our guy was greatly appreciative of this, but it certainly is not expected or a requirement by any means, and you're not going to get any worse service if you don't. For us, it was something we decided to do ahead of time and stuck to it.

 

So why do I tell that in a bar post? Because it can be hard to stick to your plan as receipts pile up, the bartenders stay friendly but can sometimes feel overbearing about it, and more than anything, the drinks keep flowing. We frequented the same bars most days (North Star during the day, 270 for a drink or two at night) so on Day 2, we tipped each bartender at NS Bar $5 at the start of our day and told them to please not give us any more receipts, and they understood our gist and appreciated not just the money but being up front about it. Same at 270, and it kept the drinks coming even when the bar was swamped. We decided to take that approach of spreading out the tipping at the end for exceptional service, and it worked out great.

 

I will warn, though: If you think you are tipping an amount that you hope will get you faster service later on, do not do it when the bar is packed, i.e. during sail aways, the first day, etc. There's just too much going on, and too many faces, to remember.

 

Hope that helps some, and remember: You are not expected to tip, nor is it required, and it does not guarantee you anything. That last part is especially important, because many think it does.

[AbeFroman2]

We woke up on Day 2, a sea day, and I hit the gym while the GF laid in bed with some seasickness. I would recommend anyone planning to cruise consider consulting with a medical professional before they do so, and at the very least, I would consider packing some Dramamine to be safe; we got it at a Target near us for $3.99 before we left. On the boat, it's $12. At a store in Cape Canaveral, it was $10. We would have never thought she'd face seasickness, but she did, and while we were sort of prepared, it wasn't nearly enough, and we paid the price.

 

Also, don't waste your money on the pressure point bands sold in the on-ship store. I'm sure they work for some, but they are one size fit all, and that's not really how pressure point applications should work.

 

The gym facilities are tremendous, with a good amount of machines, free weights, and treadmills/elliptical. It's most crowded on Day 2, and the crowd dwindles significantly from there, so if you want to just wonder in and look around, the Day 2 AM may not be the best time.

 

She finally felt better so we ate at the Windjammer for breakfast, which was also packed to the gills as expected. Plenty of seating, though, and we picked around and then sat down, no problem.

 

From there we headed to the pool, starting first under the roof on Deck 14 (I think) before heading up to sun-soaked Deck 15. Pretty much standard-fare lay out and drink kind of day, and there are a lot of chairs but some are in shade and chilly, so be mindful of that.

 

We are dinner at Chops on Day, 2 and it was worth every penny. While all of the ships meat offerings are very good, Chops' just tasted a cut above (perhaps it was a placebo effect) and we'd definitely do it again.

[AbeFroman2]

Day 3 took us to Florida, and we got off the ship and paid $12 bucks for a roundtrip ticket to Cocoa Beach. There might be a cheaper way to do this, but there are many people like this offering a shuttle right at the pier, and we figured we'd take the hassle of Uber/Lyft/Taxi out of it and just sign up with them.

 

We got to the beach in about 15 minutes and walked from where they dropped us off to the Cocoa Beach Pier, which has a bar, restaurant, and an area you can walk out on the pier. Hint: If you want to go to the pier, and also want to drink, do not pay the entry fee to the pier (which was $5, I think) to then pay $5 for a drink on the pier. Instead, stop short of the pier at the bar and make sure your drink/food receipt will get you access to the pier. It should (it did when we were there, but terms do change) and you can save a couple bucks.

 

Nothing special about the food/beer offered, but it was a nice, relaxing day off the ship. We went back and ate at My Time Dining then went to the late night comedy show, which was hilarious and highly recommended.

[AbeFroman2]

I promise I'm not being paid per post, but I liked reviews/threads that broke up information best (I found the SUPER long ones hard to scan for what I was looking for), so apologies and please bear with me.

 

Day 4 took us to CocoCay, RC's private island, and please heed this warning: Tender tickets are available at 7 a.m. (be sure to check with literally any crew member to confirm this) and if you want to get to CocoCay ASAP, be at 270 to get them right at 7 a.m. We made the mistake of eating breakfast first, then going to get our tender tickets, putting us in group 45. The first group went ashore at 9, but we didn't until 11:45, and with the ship departing at 4:30 or so, it definitely eats in to your time. Fortunately, the weather wasn't al that great, so we weren't too disappointed.

 

Be sure to check when the food is served to, too: We nearly missed lunch because we figured it lasted awhile longer. Nope, last call was 1:30 with a hard stop at 2 p.m. so the crew could clean up and get everything ready to go back.

 

Food is included, and you can use your SeaPass card to purchase drinks, but do note that the tiny nicknack stores are cash only so be sure to have plenty if you want to shop. My GF got plenty of souvenirs with about $40, but would have been happier with double that.

 

After tendering back, we ate at My Time Dining again and saw The Gift, which I found to be absolutely baffling and confusing but it is a very neat visual presentation.

 

This was also my first trip to the casino, and make sure you get paid for winners at the tables. Dealers took chips on winners at blackjack and tables that I fortunately caught in time and was paid out on. I do not believe it was malicious, but simply ignorance on the part of the dealers, some of which choose to be there and know the games and others who just end up there.

 

I also saw more winners at slots/poker machines on the far end of the casino nearest the music hall way in the back, as opposed to those near the Promenade steps. My guess is that's because, like in any casino, the machines closest to the doors where the most people sit and play payout the least.

 

Also, keep in mind Casino Royale is a smoking area of the ship, and it can get a little hazy in there.

[AbeFroman2]

Day 5 of our sailing landed us in Nassau, where we snorkeled at the Rainbow Reef on a tour set up by the cruise line. I know, I know -- book third party and all that -- but we liked the comfort of knowing it was through the ship and they'd wait for us if something went wrong. To each their own in that regard.

 

The trip out and back was flawless and fun, but considering your physical fitness is a must. You can be in the water for as long as an hour, and some found they were not much for wading and the like after about five minutes.

 

After that, we came back and walked around the shops that the cruise ship directs you to. Picked up a few small things -- DelSol is a huge hit -- but much of it was overpriced as you might expect it to be in that proximity to the port. We ate at a restaurant directly facing the port, though I apologize for not remembering the name. It was fine, but a tourist trap, no doubt.

 

After that we took a water taxi ($4 one way, $8 roundtrip) to Atlantis, and it was just marvelous and beautiful. We walked around the free part of the Island (when you get to the red light, go right, not left, to the free part) and in some of the buildings, and then headed back to the ship.

 

Beware that like most of Nassau, there are many, many people trying to stop you to sell you things, and they'll just keep talking and walking. Politely declining almost always works, but some did require a more forceful no. Just an FYI.

 

We hit My Time Dining Again and then saw whatever the variety show was, followed by Name That Tune, which was fairly brutal, and then headed to bed.

[AbeFroman2]

Day 6 was our second formal night (Day 2 was our first), and yes, they do have lobster tail, and yes, you can have more than one.

 

Now, with that out of the way, it was also another sea day, and the GF did North Star (I don't like heights) and also iFly. She said North Star, going so high in the air, was really neat, and she loved iFly. We booked both as soon as we possibly could and you pretty much half to because iFly can accomodate something like 40 percent of all cruisers, and North Star a little more but not much.

 

Quick note on iFly: There is a weight restriction. Something like under 200 pounds if under 6-foot and under 250 or 300 (sorry, I know that's a wide range) if over 6-foot.

 

We spent the day hanging out at the pool and had lunch at WindJammer, which was great again. You really are going to have a very, very hard time finding any bad meal on this ship. We also checked out the adult pool and that was nice and quiet, but also very hot and also with natural sunlight but also enclosed.

 

Dinner was outstanding -- we had the lobster tail and couldn't get enough. We then were to see the other headliner show, Spectar's Cabaret, but it was cancelled due to rough seas rocking the boat. This was maybe the one really frustrating part of the trip, as they had everyone seated and waiting but didn't announce the cancellation until the show was set to start. The ship was rocking all day, so I found it hard to believe that a decision wasn't made far earlier.

 

No matter, we checked out the casino, hung out in the Pub area for a bit, and they went to bed.

[toras]

Great info and especially the tender tickets details, I've been wondering about it!

[AbeFroman2]

We've hit Day 7 (thanks for anyone who has stuck around). We started with breakfast and then hung out by the pool for a bit before going to the Captain's Talk. This was a nice change of pace and we also had lunch at 270 but if you've seen one of these you've seen them all. If you haven't, I do recommend it.

 

After that, we headed to say our goodbyes to the North Star Bar crew, who were just outstanding from start to finish. We ate at Jamies Italian and fair warning: If your idea of Italian food is Olive Garden, you probably will not like it. But, if you have Italian appreciation and appetite, it passes muster.

 

We then went and saw a re-seating of Specta's Cabaret. It was visually incredible (270 is an amazing venue) but again, I found it a bit confusing to follow. Guess I'm not one for theatre.

 

We then had a few drinks at 270 bar and went to the late night comedian, who was marvelous. It was a great way to end our trip, and then getting off Sunday was quick. We were set to leave just after 7, and did just that, and were at the car by 720.

 

Thanks for reading, and please, please, please, ask questions. Even if this thread ends up inactive one day, hit my PM box. There is no question to minor or "dumb" to not ask.

[AbeFroman2]

Great info and especially the tender tickets details, I've been wondering about it!

 

Thanks for reading, and yes, it is good to know that ahead of time!

 

I see you are sailing in 10 days. You will absolutely love the Anthem and please let me know if you have any questions. I haven't quite figured out the PM thing yet but feel free to drop me one if you don't want to leave another note here.

[Jerseygirl1416]

Lots of great information. Thanks for taking the time😀

[DonnaK]

Great info about the tender tickets!

[LibrarianBecky]

Loving all the Anthem reviews lately! We board in 18 days! Thank you!

 

 

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[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[tangled1010]

Great review thank you for taking the time. We are sailing next month to Bermuda on the Anthem, cant wait.

[gepgelmik]

Great review! I was on the Anthem in December, and you gave me a lot of information I didn't know.

[toras]

I see you are sailing in 10 days. You will absolutely love the Anthem and please let me know if you have any questions. I haven't quite figured out the PM thing yet but feel free to drop me one if you don't want to leave another note here.

 

Thanks - and please keep an eye out on your credit card for an erroneous mini-bar charge.

 

I don't think PM works on this site!

[AbeFroman2]

Thanks - and please keep an eye out on your credit card for an erroneous mini-bar charge.

 

I don't think PM works on this site!

 

Ah, yes, this is a great tip. Popped up on ours, too, though we were able to

get it taken care of.

 

On this note, another point: The cabin TV, as well as the Royal IQ app, tracks your stateroom's statement daily by person. Be sure to check it daily to ensure no false charges show up.

 

 

For example, we were charged full price for two drinks covered by the drink package. Honest mistake -- the bartender took four cards at once (as is common at busy times) and somehow ended up charging our two cards for the four drinks he was trying to put one per card. Went to guest services and got it ironed out, and while we're only

talking about 22 bucks, bigger charges could accidentally end up there, too, and the quicker you dispute, the easier it is to resolve.

 

On that note, be careful with beach towels "checked out" on the shop to the extent of having the attendant repeat how many your account is taking and thus how many it

has out total, and then do the same when returning. They only ask for room number, not card, so if someone makes a mistake and gives your room and then doesn't return the towel, you'll be hit with a $25 charge per towel.

[tamtot]

Love love loved this review ! Thanks for posting !

 

 

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[toras]

On that note, be careful with beach towels

They only ask for room number, not card

 

What?? so I can blurt out any room number when getting towels?

[easyboy]

Thanks for the detailed review, and tips.

[Clarea]

Very nice review. I like the way it was broken up into smaller posts - much easier to read.

[cruisin0504]

Great info - helps pass the time as we wait for our turn!

[AbeFroman2]

What?? so I can blurt out any room number when getting towels?

 

Oddly enough, yes.