Review/Recap of Anthem of the Seas Bahamas and Florida: 11/2-11/9/19 (solo cruiser)

[TopDogSparky08]

Hi everyone! I just went on my first solo cruise, and third overall, all with Royal. This was also my second time on Anthem. During my downtime on the ship, I kept a journal each day so I could come home and write this review. Hope you all enjoy!

 

Day 1: Embarkation/Cape Liberty

 

I was coming to the port from PA, so I was picked up at about 8:30 by a former coworker who drives people to airports, cruise terminals, etc. as a side job. Traffic on the way to Jersey was very smooth and we arrived to Bayonne by 11 a.m. We waited in a line of traffic upon arrival, but nothing too major. Once a porter took my luggage and I was inside, I was able to go to priority check-in for Crown and Anchor where I was the only person in the line. The employees at the terminal were very vocal in keeping everyone moving and even asking that families stay together as we proceeded up the gangway.

 

When I first entered the ship, I was nervous about being a solo traveler, and the chaos that greeted me made it even more so. People trying to find their way and a lot of conversations going on. I stopped at a seating area in the shore excursions desk to get my stuff together and let my mom know I'd made it onboard. I then decided to handle some logistics like activating my Voom package and making reservations at Jamie's. I still had to get a credit card on file with guest services, but the line was long, as expected, so I decided to wait to take care of that. Once the reservations at Jamie's were made, I headed upstairs in search of lunch...

 

Except I made the mistake of going for the Windjammer! I walked around twice, thankfully with no food in hand (albeit a full carry-on), but was unable to find a place for even just me to sit. Accepting defeat, I went to the much less crowded Solarium Bistro, which is what my mom and I had accidentally found my first time on Anthem two years ago. So, lesson #1 learned: Don't eat at the buffet on embarkation day! Not to mention how much easier it was to get staff attention in an alternative venue. Upon getting my plate, I realized I'd forgotten silverware. As soon as I got up to get a set, an employee was already at the silverware basket ready to hand it to me. While the buffet wasn't as extensive as the Windjammer, I still found plenty of good tasting options and left full.

 

The staterooms were ready right at 1:00, but I was actually on my deck at 12:59. LOL. My stateroom attendant introduced himself as soon as he saw me when I was leaving for the muster drill and immediately asked if I had any special requests. I honestly believe every crew member on Royal shows they care and want to do whatever it takes to make your experience enjoyable. But speaking of the muster drill...does anyone else think the video they show is a little too out there? I would rather a straightforward crew member speech or even a better produced video. Not to mention most of the passengers talk through the video anyway so you don't even really hear anything. Oh well. After that, I walked up nine flights of steps to sail away because there was NO getting an elevator and I need the exercise regardless!

To be continued...

 

[TopDogSparky08]

Day 1 Continued

 

After we got under the Verrazano Bridge, I decided to go get some soft serve ice cream and soda. In the ice cream line, it was clear I needed to have my patience onboard. A woman in front of me already seemed upset that the vanilla ice cream was gone and was complaining that no one was coming to refill it. I'm not sure if she was a first-time cruiser, but do people not realize how busy the crew is on a ship like this, especially on the first day? Anyway, after that I headed to the spa raffle and didn't win anything, which is my luck. I also decided to skip such things in the future since they turn into such long sales pitches! I was also praying I did not win acupuncture or Cool Sculpting, which I had no interest in.

 

I had My Time Dining with a 7:30 reservation, so I arrived to American Icon at 7:20 or so. Second lesson learned: Be at least 15 minutes early for dinner, even if I'd reserved it. The group in front of me was a family of almost 20 who were trying to sit together, so the line stalled for several minutes. (Ironically, it was the line I was bumped to after being told it would be faster! Haha.) But eventually, I was led to my table, and again I felt nervous about sitting alone for dinner in a room of couples and other families. However, the nerves didn't last long. I ended up talking to a nice older couple from NJ who were wearing Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirts. You see, my younger sister and her husband are Eagles fans, so I ended up telling them the story about how my sister didn't want to get engaged until the Eagles won the Super Bowl. However, her husband decided to propose the morning of the game. So for dinner, I had the chicken waldorf salad, the chicken marsala, and the Royal chocolate cake for dessert. My waiter was friendly and working hard, but he initially brought me the wrong starter and the wrong dessert. However, I just remembered to be patient and he did get it right within a few minutes. Even with the minor mistake, the food was still delicious and fresh.

 

After dinner, I attended a game show called Majority Rules but found it to be not as funny as I hoped. I felt like that could be my last activity of the day. So I refilled my soda cup one more time and headed back to my cabin. It was time to go to bed and get ready for a jam-packed sea day!

[gfargo53]

following

[h20skibum]

Looking forward to hearing about your experience on Anthem.   Although we have sailed many different ships, we are sailing Anthem for the first time in April.

 

I have heard that same story about crowds at Windjammer on boarding day.

[TopDogSparky08]

Day 2: At Sea

 

Today, I knew it was going to be hard to find something to do. Anthem felt like NYC...I felt like I could sail her several more times and never run out of things to do!

 

In the morning, I had breakfast at the Windjammer and only needed less than one lap around to find a table. And today, I learned that I can't eat as much as I used to at a buffet. I was full after a little less than two plates.

 

After some downtime, I went to the Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle. I met a nice couple named Andy and Elise and a mother-daughter pair whose names escape me. (I think the mom's name was Lorraine, so to the daughter...if you read this, I'm sorry for not remembering your name!) I came so close yet so far to winning a door prize, which is the story of my life. (More on that in a little bit.)

 

After the Meet and Mingle, I headed to Wonderland to try and reserve the cupcake decorating class. Unfortunately, it was full until the last sea day, at the same time I had reserved the galley tour and bottomless brunch. (Lesson #3: If you can book it ahead of time, do it as early as possible or it might just be impossible onboard.) Oh well. I'm almost set to go on Oasis in 2020 so I can try again then.

 

At 11, I went to the port shopping talk but left not long after it started. I don't have much interest in fine jewelry and watches to begin with, and looking at the port map and coupons, I felt I could figure it out for myself anyway. I later ran into the woman who sat next to me, and she told me that she'd also walked out after finding Paige, our port shopping guide, "insufferable" to listen to. I had been kind of leaning towards staying on the ship in Nassau, honestly. (I didn't, and you'll find out why later.)

 

For lunch, I decided to attend the single/solo travelers lunch in the dining room, but only two other women showed. I did enjoy the dining room for a change of lunch pace besides the Windjammer. I had baked potato soup and truffled grilled cheese, but I skipped dessert. Although it was a little awkward that only three of us went, it did lead to some nice conversation. And it was definitely fun to try a new food.

 

I played Bingo in the afternoon, but I found it disappointing. I got the package with nine paper cards for $49 and added a dabber for $3. The price wasn't that big of a deal, but the reason I was disappointed is because you pay so much for a package and the staff only plays three games, so it was over in about 45 minutes. What's the point? What happened to having more rounds of Bingo for fun prizes? At home, I have paid $20 for a Bingo fundraiser where we played 25 games. Not saying Royal needs to play 25 games, but why not 10-15? Between this and the fact that kids are allowed to play, I vowed no more Bingo ever again on RC. (And they have the tablets too, which makes playing paper less fun.)

 

Oh, remember how I said I came so close yet so far to a door prize at the meet and mingle? It seems whenever I play Bingo, I am one or two numbers away when it gets called. Darn.

 

Day 2 to be continued...

[TopDogSparky08]

Day 2: At Sea (continued)

 

After Bingo, I gave myself some downtime in the cabin to read and watch TV. I was pleasantly surprised to see one of my favorite movies, Mrs. Doubtfire, on one of the Prime channels. That kept me occupied until dinner. As I was skipping "Wear Your Best Night", it was time for the Windjammer! I did see people of all ages there, which made me realize that there are folks in all demographics who don't necessarily care for Wear Your Best/formal night. And it was so much easier to get a table! I grabbed a window seat almost immediately. The highlights of my meal were the pecan-crusted chicken for dinner and the chocolate mousse for dessert.

 

I went to the casino after dinner. I'm not usually a big gambler, but I figured why not? I put a $20 bill in one of the slots and cashed out with $26.50. I'll take that.

 

I also went to a game show called Finish the Lyric, and while I'm not brave enough to be on stage singing, it was great fun watching some of the contestants rock out, or even see their reactions when they got a song choice like Livin' La Vida Loca. One lady was really rocking on the mic and getting the crowd going. I left before the game ended to get a seat for adult comedy, but I was really hoping she won!

 

My last activity of the day was the adult comedy show, and it was worth staying up for. David Naster was hilarious, especially when he talked about how overly PC a lot of Americans are today. Seeing as there are more kids on the ship than expected, it was nice to attend something that was truly adults only.

 

I went back to my cabin afterwards, as I was feeling tired, but I ultimately got a second wind and talked to my mom, who works second shift, through Facebook. I stayed up until a little after 12. Then, it was time to get ready for Day 3 and our first port stop in Orlando.

[TopDogSparky08]

51 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

Looking forward to hearing about your experience on Anthem.   Although we have sailed many different ships, we are sailing Anthem for the first time in April.

 

I have heard that same story about crowds at Windjammer on boarding day.

I hope my review helps you! Are you from out near Pittsburgh in western PA? I'm going there for a weekend in March!

[TopDogSparky08]

Day 3: Orlando

 

This morning, I went to the Windjammer, and to my pleasant surprise, I found a place to eat immediately at one of the long tables. I ordered my omelette today, a ham, spinach, and cheese combination, and I didn't wait in a long line at all. I always feel like it's my lucky day when I get a table and short lines at the buffet!

 

The time between breakfast and my excursion was a bit empty, so I grabbed the daily crossword in hopes of staying busy. However, crosswords are hit and miss for me in terms of challenge and ability, and I couldn't get through this one. Ah well.

 

I arrived at the 12 noon meeting time for my excursion, Orlando Premium Outlets and Disney Springs shopping, only to be told to come back at 12:45. We were delayed arriving to Orlando because of a medical evacuation/helicopter lift that took place on Day 2. (As it would later turn out, Alpha Alpha Alpha would be heard quite a bit on this sailing, as those of you who were also here would know.) So, at the appointed time, I came back to the theater and had to wait what felt like forever to be taken off the ship. When we got off, we had to run through the pouring rain to get to our bus, which was then parked on the other side of the terminal! What a way to start the day.

 

It took about an hour to get to the outlets, which were packed. I had considered going to the Disney Character Warehouse just for fun, and then I saw there was a line to get in and they were only letting a few people in at a time. I was not willing to spend part of my excursion in line to get into a store, so it was onward and upward. I ended up buying my first Kate Spade bag at the outlet of the same name...a crossbody bag that was originally $199 I got for $50. I also went to The Cosmetic Company and got a soap set and a makeup/skincare combo for $30 in total for both.

 

After about 2.5 hours there, we took the short drive to Disney Springs. It was a vast property, and I realized I'd have to move fast to shop and get back to the bus by 7:15. After all, it was already pushing 5. Anyway, I had heard a lot about Disney's customer service, and I saw it in action when a custodial staffer stopped me just to ask how my day was going. I also told some more staff about how it was my first time at a Disney property and that next time, I'd love to have one of my excursions at the parks.

 

I decided not to eat dinner there due to the anticipated high prices, but I did have a couple of snacks, including some poutine. As far as the shopping there was concerned, I only came out with a bag from the Coca Cola store and the World of Disney. After all, how could I go to Disney for the first time and not come back with souvenir t-shirts?

 

However, I made a mistake with this excursion. Towards the end of the day, my Fitbit died, so I could no longer use it as my watch. Then, my phone battery was starting to go to red. I should have bought a charging cable for my portable charger and fueled it up before the cruise in order to keep my phone going. I could have lost track of time and missed the bus, so I got very lucky that my phone hung on. Lesson #4: Charge your electronics before going out on excursions, and have portable chargers if available for your devices. I will definitely be ordering that new cable now.

 

By the time I returned, I had to go to Johnny Rockets for dinner because the other venues were pretty much getting ready to close. I think next time I come back that late I will go for room service. Since it seemed like we were one of the last groups back to the ship, it felt weird coming back to an almost empty terminal. I was actually nervous we'd been led the wrong way at first because all the signage was for Carnival! What if we were headed to a Carnival ship and Royal left us? Luckily I got close enough to see a Royal security guard and breathe a sigh of relief. (As I'm traveling solo, I was much more nervous about things like time and accidentally taking a wrong turn than those in a group might be.)

 

Once I got back on and checked the Cruise Compass again, I saw none of the remaining evening's activities appealed to me that much. I was exhausted so I called it a night at round 11:30 or 11:45 to get ready for Coco Cay!

[TopDogSparky08]

Day 3: Excursion Review/Post-Mortem

 

As I just mentioned, as a new solo traveler, I am fairly hyper-attentive to things like all aboard times and making sure I don't get lost when exploring. For this reason, I choose to stay with ship-sponsored excursions as a solo. I need more time doing this alone before I even consider private excursions or exploring a port on my own.

 

So overall, I really liked going on the shopping trip, and it was a small group. But the far travel time to Orlando attractions made the shopping feel a bit rushed, and the bus being parked on the other side of the terminal was a bit of an obstacle, especially because we had to get there in the rain. However, I realize the weather can't be helped, and it also seemed there was a miscommunication between Pegasus and Royal about where we'd be coming out. So it's not a huge thing. And I definitely got a better deal on the Kate Spade bag at the outlet than I would've gotten on the ship.

 

I would consider taking this excursion again because I enjoy shopping and liked how the Disney employees treated me. But at the same time, I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the all-day excursions. I feel nervous about getting back to the ship so late because I feel it increases the chances that something can happen where Royal would choose not to wait for us. I was also more tired than I might be from a shorter excursion and didn't like having to grab dinner in a hurry when I returned. However, most of that is personal preference and perhaps my own wrongdoing, plus my above-average paranoia. So I wouldn't consider myself an authority on this either if that's what you're looking for.

Edited November 9, 2019 by TopDogSparky08

[monkeyinhat]

excited to read this.   Going in May.  First time on larger ship

[suesnake2002]

Two 70 cafe is a good choice for lunch on boarding day. Not a ton of choices but it fills the need. Also they have shrimp for salad. It's not out and shown. You have to ask. And if you don't have salad you can still get shrimp on a plate. 

Two 70 is also nice for cold weather sail away. 

[TopDogSparky08]

Day 4: CocoCay

 

So, I'm going to conclude the first half of my recap by talking about CocoCay. I have been hearing about nothing but CocoCay for over a year or so on Royal's social media, so I was really excited to see if it would live up to the marketing hype.

 

Anyway, this morning for breakfast, I got a window seat in the Windjammer, so I was able to see Anthem pull in. We were docked right next to Majesty of the Seas, and it's always fun to see how small the older ships really look compared to Anthem.

 

For those of you that haven't been yet, CocoCay is an easy, straight-line walk right off the ship. I bought a full-day pass for Thrill Waterpark, so I headed there to drop off my stuff and grab a chair. After that, I splashed around in the wave pool for a little bit. The water was pretty cold at first, but I got used to it after several minutes and had fun body surfing/catching waves.

 

Once I needed a break from the pool, I decided to try out the water slides. I took to the Speedway Racer first. On this slide, you take a mat with you and go down the slide at the same time as three other people on three adjacent slides. It moved fast, but I had a lot of fun and it was not intimidating. It was pretty much a straight down ride.

 

After I put my mat away, I headed for the Green Mamba, and oh boy. Let's just say that at almost 35, I don't think some things are as fun as they used to be even 10 years ago. The inside of the slide was dark and had brightly colored polka dots on the ceiling. It almost made me feel like I was on an acid trip. 😂When I hit the bottom, I decided it would be the first and last time I rode that slide. The "thrill" of Thrill Waterpark was not to be for me.

 

I migrated towards Chill Island shortly thereafter. I liked the atmosphere over here much better. The kids that were there were generally behaved and quieter, and I liked the saltwater swimming area. In the future, I decided I would get a floating beach mat and just stay over here. I also went to the Chill Grill for lunch, and they and the Skipper have the same kinds of food...burgers, hot dogs, salads, tacos, fruits, kind of like a lighter version of the Windjammer. I was told we could use our beverage packages in Coco Cay but all I saw were juice machines and nothing for soda. Maybe that was over at the bar, but it didn't occur to me to ask.

 

My overall impression of CocoCay is that it's worth the hype RC has put into it. But, for me personally, 3-4 hours there is enough and I won't be spending any more money on the full day water park pass! I'm also not a lay on the beach person in general, so obviously, your opinion may vary if you really like being in the sun.

 

That night, I had dinner at Jamie's Italian, thanks to a voucher for a complimentary specialty dining meal from my travel agent. I felt awkward about eating alone at specialty dining, but the service and food were as good as I remembered from my first time on Anthem. I had the garlic bread as a starter, the lasagna as my main course, and vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce for dessert. The only cost of my dinner was my decision to buy a glass of moscato and the added gratuity for such. However, I did decide to tip my server extra. I felt it was unfair to leave him such a small gratuity for only wine when I was basically getting a free dinner.

 

My last activity of the day was the Rock the Room game show. Our host, Sylvia, had a ton of energy and kept the room singing and cheering. I guessed one song correctly ad walked away with a Royal Caribbean zipper pull! Time will tell what I do with that...

 

After the game, I headed to my room to rest up for our final port stop, Nassau.

 

I hope you all enjoyed the recap of my first few days on Anthem! I will finish the rest later on this evening. 🙂

[TopDogSparky08]

8 minutes ago, suesnake2002 said:

Two 70 cafe is a good choice for lunch on boarding day. Not a ton of choices but it fills the need. Also they have shrimp for salad. It's not out and shown. You have to ask. And if you don't have salad you can still get shrimp on a plate. 

Two 70 is also nice for cold weather sail away. 

I ended up in Two 70 for breakfast two days and did end up really liking it! The Two 70 lounge is also my favorite place to be on the ship, both for the quiet in the day and the shows they put on at night.

[PokrChick]

Loving your review especially since I'm trying to get up the courage to do a solo cruise!

[TopDogSparky08]

Day 5: Nassau

 

I woke up as we were pulling into Nassau. However, no beautiful beach views from my balcony today! Instead, I saw a Carnival ship that was one of five docked here today. (It was Anthem, two Carnival ships, and two Disney ships.)

 

My first stop of the day was the spa, where I had scheduled a fire and ice pedicure. To my pleasant surprise, the woman who did the pedicure did not give me a high-pressure sales pitch, and the purple polish color I picked turned out beautifully.

 

My excursion wasn't until 1:00, so I had some time to pass again. I went to the library on the upper deck of 270 where there were
"zen coloring" pages with half-sharpened colored pencils and crayon, but I wasn't super into the drawing and ended up giving up. I would just pass the time elsewhere. 

 

When I eventually got off the ship, I immediately realized how hot and humid it was. Yuck! High humidity never makes me happy. I had booked the Essential Nassau excursion, and the group was split into two minivans.

 

Unfortunately, I would come to dislike this excursion. The stops at the various sites (a rum cake factory, the Queen's Staircase, Atlantis, to name a few) were no longer than 25 minutes, which is understandable, but it didn't leave me satisfied or feeling like I'd really experienced anything special. My fellow passengers were also not some of the nicest people. There was one family with out of control, bored kids who were making the adults miserable. Then, to make it worse, when that family was not in earshot, the other people would make comments about how bad they were acting. I get it was frustrating, but I also thought well you complaining even louder won't make things better. Good thing I was never going to see these people again... There were also two people who evidently didn't care about timing, as they were taking pictures outside of the distillery we went to at 4:05 when we were told to be back at 4.

 

Honestly, I can see why so many of the posters here dislike Nassau. There is some great architecture and history, don't get me wrong. However, I didn't feel 100% safe as a solo, and the rundown look of some of the city was a little unnerving. I think next time I will stay om the ship or do an excursion that is not quite as long. Royal had options for some tours that were under two hours, for example. We also ended up missing the stops at the fish fry and the straw market. I was really bummed about the fish fry because I wanted to try some local food. The straw market I didn't care as much about. I did find I was not alone, as when I put pics on Facebook, some of my FB friends who'd been to Nassau said they didn't care for it either.

 

At last, it was back to the ship. I was ready to have two more fun days at sea. It may be unpopular on here, but I do enjoy the sea days for what they are. 🙂

[TopDogSparky08]

Day 5: Nassau, continued

 

Dinner that night was in the dining room; this time, people with reservations for My Time Dining were sent to Silk. I ran into one of the women from the singles lunch on Sunday, and although we had separate reservations, she asked me if I wanted to eat with her, and I accepted. The waiter remembered her from her previous dinners, and then he turned to me and said "Welcome to my table." I thought that was a nice touch. I ended up getting the Caesar salad, the chicken parmesan, and the apple pie a la mode. While I am not much for the forced socialization and random table mates in the dining room, it was nice to meet up with this woman. I prefer to let socialization happen naturally. If she and I hadn't run into each other, I would've been just as fine dining alone.

 

I had reservations for the 9 p.m. show of Spectra's Cabaret, so it was back to my favorite spot on the ship, the 270. Although I had reservations, it was still a little challenging to find a seat when I got in. As far as the show itself, the dancing and aerial tricks were top notch. I was just confused by the concept a little bit, and some of the audio was hard to understand when the singers were performing. I'm not sure if it was turned up too loud or what. Overall, a good show, but once may be enough for me for this one.

 

My last activity of the day was Hush, the silent disco. If you've never been to one, you get a pair of headphones when you walk in with two channels, a blue one and a green one. There is a button on the left that changes the channel, and one on the right that works the volume. The types of music don't vary too much. As you look around during the party, you see people's lips moving as they sing along and/or talk to each other. My favorite part was when everyone gradually realized one of the channels had the Cha Cha Slide or the Cupid Shuffle and we all joined in on the dance while still wearing our headphones. After about 45 minutes in the room, it did start to feel kind of warm for me, so I decided to call it a night.

 

We had officially started on our way back home, and I was kind of excited for the two sea days awaiting me.

[gaylemh]

4 hours ago, h20skibum said:

Looking forward to hearing about your experience on Anthem.   Although we have sailed many different ships, we are sailing Anthem for the first time in April.

 

I have heard that same story about crowds at Windjammer on boarding day.

I always go to the WJ after the cabins open at 1.  I drop off my coat and carry on, and then go to eat.  It's easy to find a table then.

[TopDogSparky08]

Day 6: At Sea

 

That morning, I decided to switch things up from the Windjammer and go to 270 for breakfast. Wow, what a difference! Quiet, plenty of seating...I could get used to this. I had a Royal Egg Muffin (English muffin sandwich with ham, egg, and cheese) with a side of bacon and my usual cup of coffee. The muffin was hot and very tasty. After I was done eating, I also grabbed a Seattle's Best mocha creamice (blended drink like a Starbucks frappucino). I do like my Starbucks, but I could get used to the Seattle's Best too. Unfortunately, we don't have any in my hometown.

 

After breakfast, I hung around and went back to 270 for the NextCruise talk. I know what you might say: sounds like a waste after I hated the port shopping talk. But, I actually ended up enjoying this one. Even though I can't afford to go to Europe and Alaska right now, for example, I knew I wanted to go to Alaska someday and felt like I had to start saving yesterday. I also didn't find the NextCruise staff to be very pushy like the shopping or spa seminars. They gave an entertaining presentation and as soon as I left, I went over to the appointment book to sign up for later that day. I went back to my room to see that luggage tags and the departure flyer had shown up. I was going to be group #36. What a wait that would be on Saturday.

 

I decided to try lunch in the Windjammer that day, and it was fine. I don't really remember what I had now, unfortunately. But this time I did remember to take my drink package cup to get a soda. I had forgotten about that when I had dinner there on Sunday.

 

At 2:00, I decided to go watch the Royal Caribbean story. My usual post-lunch crash got the better of me, as I struggled to stay awake during the movie. Then, the feed cut out, and I decided to take my leave. I did think the parts I saw were interesting. I'm kind of a geek for old photos, and with all the fancy mega ships coming out today, it's something to see how cruising used to be and what's been considered innovative over the years.

 

During my appointment at NextCruise, I ended up putting down a deposit on a book later special. I was pretty sure that my friend and I were going to sail on Oasis when it made it to NJ in 2020. When I got back to my room, I messaged her about the sailing dates and told her what kind of rooms were available.The best price was on a Central Park balcony, but my friend decided she would rather an ocean view. I still think that will be fine, though. We'll probably go in September of that year.

 

I used the Solarium pool and hot tub after that, and I liked that they seem to have a lot of chairs available. Or at least I got lucky on this sailing. Of course, while I was there, we had another Alpha Alpha Alpha code over the intercom. I think that had to have been the second or third one I'd heard that week.

 

Tonight was another Wear Your Best night, so it was back to the Windjammer, where I again found a seat with ease. After dinner, I went back to my room and had quite the towel animal creation waiting. It was a monkey that was pinned up on a clothes hanger, the hanger was hung by the TV. The attendant had even given the monkey small eyes. I laughed hysterically and had to take a picture for social media. I was able to see my attendant on my way back downstairs and complimented him on his work, which he seemed happy about.

 

I did a little bit of people watching when I went back to refill my drink and have some snacks. There were some great outfits for that evening's formal night photos, including a man in a sequined tuxedo jacket and a group of ladies in pink boas.

 

I went to late night comedy again on Thursday, this time with Louis Johnson. Overall, I liked David Naster's set a little bit better, but Louis still had me in stitches at parts of his act. Again, I really liked how cruise director Mitch emphasized that kids do not belong in the late night shows. Although I know the staff can't enforce every adults-only spot, it's nice to see this one can't be stressed enough.

 

I was getting sad that the last day was coming, but I still was going to make the most of it.

[TopDogSparky08]

5 minutes ago, gaylemh said:

I always go to the WJ after the cabins open at 1.  I drop off my coat and carry on, and then go to eat.  It's easy to find a table then.

I never considered that before!

 

BTW, I take it from your signature that you REALLY like Anthem. 🙂

[TopDogSparky08]

Day 7: Last Day at Sea

 

Again, I headed to the 270 for breakfast and had my same meal as Thursday morning. I was going to the galley tour and bottomless brunch that morning, so I didn't want to eat too much. However, I am on a cruise and wanted to enjoy the food, so I ended up grabbing a donut when I was done with breakfast, along with another Seattle's Best.

 

The galley tour was meeting in the Chic restaurant. Since I have My Time Dining, I'd never been in here, and I really liked the white and gold decor. Our tour guide was one of the junior sous chefs, and we got to see where the meals are prepared for each dining room and the Windjammer. He also introduced us to some of the other kitchen staff and explained what the colors of the cooks' scarves indicate. For those of you that don't know this, on Royal, a yellow scarf means the cook is new and the more experienced staff know to take care of them. When they come back for another contract, they get a blue scarf, and I can't recall what red is, but I'm guessing that's a manager or a leader of some sort. We also got to see the large cake that would be delivered to the Windjammer that evening, saw the bakery where all the bread is made and were shown a sample ticket of a guest's dining needs.

 

During the tour, our guide also introduced us to a kitchen employee who would be leaving on Saturday for vacation. Later, I saw the departing cook and one of his teammates buying liquor in the port merchant shop, haha.

 

Brunch was as good as expected. I sat at a table with four other women who were traveling together. Two were widows, and the other two were married and come on the cruise, but their husbands didn't come for the tour. It turns out we are all from the same area. We also had a couple join us who had gotten engaged on the North Star! The guy had told the staff what he was doing, and they had champagne in the North Star just for them as they got in and went up. For brunch, I had a mimosa to start. Since I'm not a big alcohol drinker, I'd never had a mimosa before but I ended up liking it. I also chose to eat the Caesar salad, the New York strip steak and the royal chocolate cake for dessert.

 

That afternoon, I had planned to go to the Solarium pool again. Alas, I got a little visitor...ladies, you know which visitor I mean! No more pool. 😞 During the day, I did try to organize my suitcase as much as I could so I wasn't rushing when it was close to the 10 p.m. deadline to put the bags in the hall.

 

Since the pool was out of the question, I went to a concert that featured the singers of We Will Rock You and the Anthem orchestra. I enjoyed the show and the cast's talent, but I did find myself wishing it could've been longer than 45 minutes. As I'm sure the cast was tired from the shows they'd done to that point, I understood why they may have had to keep it short. And fun fact: the pianist helped me set up my Voom on the first day of the cruise, and the trombone player troubleshooted for me when I was losing the signal and forgot my login. He even said my dog was adorable when he saw her picture on my phone background.

 

After the concert, I wanted to go get one last view of the ocean from the pool deck, but the outdoor decks were pretty much closed due to the winds and rough weather. Even though it was cold and windy, I wanted a milkshake from Johnny Rockets, and two other people were there getting them too. I guess we're all crazy! I pretty much spent the late afternoon in my cabin because I now wasn't feeling up to activities and socialization. The Royal Esplanade was a zoo because of all the last day shopping sales going on, and I sometimes need breaks from a lot of activity. While I was in my room, the alcohol I'd bought for my stepdad came, so I could at least get that packed.

 

I had made my dinner reservation a little earlier this last night so I could attend the farewell activities, and I had the same waiter as I had on Wednesday. He asked where my new friend was, and even showed interest in seeing my pictures from the galley tour. I got to see the waiters' dining room parade, which was a lot of fun. I filmed it with my phone, and some of the staff was happy to see the camera, as they made sure to wave or smile bigger when they saw it. For my last formal dinner, I had the Caesar salad (what can I say; I like routine!), my waiter's suggestion of the roasted turkey, and royal cheesecake for dessert.

 

I ended up getting into the front row for the farewell activities, which included the veteran's salute and the crew farewell. It was of course great getting to see the captain in person, but my favorite moment was when some of the stateroom attendants appeared holding their towel animals. I also was impressed with the guitarist of We Will Rock You who played the national anthem. I'd heard how talented she was, but it was cool to see her play in person. I got to talk to Mitch after the farewell and ask if he was on Empress many years ago for my first cruise. I remembered him because I'd won Bingo on that cruise and he was jokingly giving me a hard time for winning. Yep, turns out he was the activities manager on that ship.

 

After that, it was time to go back upstairs and set out my suitcase to make it to the terminal in the morning. I made sure my room attendant got his tip, which he seemed to very much appreciate. I got to talking to him, and he told me he is waiting to hear if he'll get another contract. He has worked on Brilliance and Jewel in the past. I do hope he gets another contract, as I think he deserves one for sure.

 

I went to the casino one last time after my bags were packed, but I wasn't as lucky with the winnings this time. C'est la vie.

 

My final, final activity was another silent disco, but since I wasn't feeling 100%, I wasn't into this one as much. I also didn't feel like hearing the same songs again as the first one. Still, I thought it was great that this one drew a bigger crowed that seemed to get more into the dancing.

 

As I was in bed that night, a call came over the intercom around 11. I believe it was Mitch again. He apologized for making an announcement so late, but he said they were in need of an O-negative blood donor due to a medical emergency. Anthem really seems cursed with guests with medical issues! My parents were on her in January, and they actually had to stop to evacuate a guest to a land hospital. That also happened on my friend's cruise. Between all that and our earlier Alpha calls, it can feel kind of spooky. I do hope everyone that got sick or hurt during this past week is OK though! I think it's great that the captain handled all the issues without skipping a beat. Alas, it was time for bed because the dread of disembarkation morning was upon me...

[TopDogSparky08]

Day 8: Disembarkation, Overall Anthem Review

 

I had a hard time sleeping into Saturday morning. I woke up at 3 a.m. for some reason before getting up to my alarm at 6. We all know that it can be kind of depressing to get up back in port, and since we were docking at 6, I could already see the NYC landscape against the not-yet-risen sun. I knew the drill, so I got dressed and ready to be out of my cabin around 6:30-6:40. When I left the room, I noticed all the laundry bags already lined up along the hallway railing.

 

I had a laugh with some self-carry folks who were riding the elevator with me to breakfast. I'm not sure the title of the song playing, but the lyrics were "It's going to be a good day, good day..." We all agreed it was ironic to hear, and we think it was the crew's subtle way of telling us they wanted us to go! I guess I was early for breakfast, because I had no problem getting a table in the Windjammer like I did that embarkation day. My mom was coming to get me from the terminal and was upsetting me because she was telling me oh I didn't have to be out of my cabin so early. While she wasn't wrong, per se, you'd think she being an experienced cruiser herself would understand that you don't get to laze in your cabin on disembark day. Yes I could go back to get my carry-on after breakfast, but it was clear that the attendants were getting ready to start and I knew from researching here that it wasn't right to be in their way. Whatever. I finished eating and then made my way to the 270 to await my tag number. Since I had a higher number, as I mentioned, I knew I'd be in for a wait.

 

Sure enough, I waited an hour until my tag came up and I walked to the gangway and back to the terminal. It was easy to find my bag in my zone, and I sat to wait for my mom, who again harped by saying but I got off too early. Why didn't she just ask me to stay on the ship a little longer after my number? Again, she has cruised several times; she should know how Royal disembarking works and how efficient they are at it. But, I wasn't the only one waiting for a ride, and she did arrive about 30-45 minutes later anyway. After some pit stops on the way, I was home.

 

And now, my overall review of Anthem:

 

I am so glad I gave this ship a second chance. I was first on her in September 2017 and was supposed to have a five-night Bermuda cruise, but due to a hurricane, we went to Canada and New England. I felt the vibe of that cruise was a bit off, but not badly enough to never want to sail Anthem again. This time, I was in love from the start. As I said before, I feel the crew is really committed to your experience and has a lot of enthusiasm, though I have never sailed with other lines to have a comparison.

 

My favorite areas of the ship are the Solarium and the 270. I also do like the Starbucks at La Patisserie, but it does get very crowded at times. Even then, when I opted for Starbucks, I felt the crew there had the line under control and I never waited very long for my drink.

 

I mostly give high marks to the food, but there were some things that were pretty bad. A donut from the Cafe Promenade one morning didn't feel even the slightest bit fresh. I understand that when a crew is making food for 4,500 people that it can be hard to do top-of-the-line cooking, but even so, some of the stuff just isn't good. It's not even average. But I'm not going to go as far as to say the food is inedible, either, because I had more good than bad anyway.

 

I felt there were more than ample activities on board during sea days. I do understand that not as many activities are planned on port days, but it would be nice if they had a few more things to fill the mornings of port days for those staying on the ship or getting off later for their excursion. Maybe an additional excursion talk or sneak peek about where we'd be headed. I also found the app to be imperfect in the activities area. For example, the game show I went to on the first night was listed as being in Boleros, but it was actually in the Music Hall. I don't believe this was in the Cruise Compass either, so it was confusing. The app also told me that there was an opening in the cupcake class on Day 6, and I reserved it, but when I came down, I was told there was no room and I wasn't even on the list. That was upsetting to say the least.

 

I do think a ship that size needs more freestyle Coke machines for those using the drink package. Having two in Sorrento's and two in the Windjammer isn't enough. Some locations where I'd like to see them? The 270, the pool deck, maybe even in Johnny Rockets. My mom did say even the smaller ships they seem to be lacking, so maybe this is something Royal can work on as a whole. In addition, maybe there could be another soft-serve ice cream machine or two.

 

The North Star is well worth the trip. I rode it near the end of the Coco Cay day and it wasn't as scary as I thought to be that high up above the ocean. I would do it again in a different port. Hmmm, that might be something to do next time I'm in Nassau.

 

For all the talk they did about Nassau shopping, I was disappointed to see they weren't offering a shopping excursion of some kind. My mom told me I should go out with the shopping group, but such a thing was never mentioned in any RC materials or by the port shopping guide. I'd like to see something like this in the future, as I probably would have enjoyed my experience if there were a guided shopping excursion of some sort rather than a boring talk on a sea day.

 

I have no complaints about the cleanliness of my room or the public areas. The ship is in immaculate condition.

 

I am not much of a fan of the cramped shower stalls in the staterooms. Even when I made sure to close it tight, water still trickled out of the bottom while I showered. It also took me a few days to figure out the positioning of my shower head and keeping the thing still. Sure it did the job and all, but I would love if they put a bottom seal on the bottom of the door too so the floor didn't get soaked. Some days I felt bad for my room attendant for having to pick up such a wet towel I used for a pseudo bathmat.

 

Overall, I would be happy to return to Anthem again. I still haven't tried the pub, the rock climbing, the roller skating, and the indoor pool area. I also hope some day to be adventurous enough to go to Wonderland, but I'm not quite there yet. I also have never seen The Gift production and would consider seeing We Will Rock You again now that I've seen Spectra's Cabaret. I do try to avoid the retail shopping madness as much as possible, though I found myself looking in the beauty shop Impulse and eyeing up purses pretty hard.

 

For my next cruise, I should have this same itinerary booked on Oasis very soon. And I have learned a lot about what not to do next time!

 

Thanks for tuning in!

 

 

 

 

 

[Jimbo]

Since your Excursion in Orlando was through RCCL you really had just about no worries about having the ship leave without you, only way that would have happened is if you had missed the bus back to the ship. So I wouldn't have stressed about that.

[h20skibum]

13 hours ago, TopDogSparky08 said:

I hope my review helps you! Are you from out near Pittsburgh in western PA? I'm going there for a weekend in March!

Yes, we are near Pittsburgh.   That lets us drive to this cruise.

 

Enjoyed reading about your time on Anthem.  You should really like the Oasis.  That is one of our favorite class of ships.

[LuCruise]

Thank you so much for your detailed review.  We are going on Anthem in March (for the first time) with same itinerary.  

 

Ship sounds great and its amazing how after a week, there is still lots you didn't get a chance to try.

 

I really appreciate hearing about the Orlando excursion as you don't hear much about it from personal experience.  This is the exact one that we currently have booked but I have doubts about it...especially with two kids (well, one is a shopper so she'll be fine, but the other is not).  Sounds like it was a bit of a pain with the bus location.  Do you remember how much time you actually got to spend at Disney Springs?  And when the bus left to return to the ship?  This is the main reason for booking the tour, but from the excursion description, it sounds like more time is spent at the Outlet mall.  I wonder too if it'll feel too long.  But we never made Disney Springs when visiting WDW last time, nor will we with a trip planned next year (post cruise) so it's a good opportunity.  Btw...I agree with the other poster and that the ship must wait for a ship excursion, so you shouldn't have worried (easy to say, I know , after the fact, and honestly I would feel the same as I'm a worrier).  This is the reason that we would never venture out 1hr away on our own and would only do this through a ship excursion.

 

Thanks again for the details.  Love your whole review.  Glad you enjoyed.  We look forward to trying Anthem.  And enjoy Oasis...that class of ship is amazing.

 

 

Edited November 10, 2019 by LuCruise

[TopDogSparky08]

13 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Since your Excursion in Orlando was through RCCL you really had just about no worries about having the ship leave without you, only way that would have happened is if you had missed the bus back to the ship. So I wouldn't have stressed about that.

I think what worried me is that I've heard that most times, the ship will wait for one of their sponsored excursions that is late returning; however, I've also heard that sometimes they can't and will make arrangements for those passengers to catch up with the ship. What worried me is that the latter would happen and I'd be alone-ish in an unfamiliar city...that something would hold the excursion to the point where the ship could not wait anymore.

 

But, I don't know how common that is either.