What is it like onboard Anthem of the Seas in 2024?

Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Class ships combine modern amenities with technological wonders for a fantastic cruising experience.

The Quantum Class was first released in 2014, pioneering five marvelous ships with unique itineraries.

Many cruisers feel that Royal Caribbean got a lot right with this category, so I was excited to experience my first cruise on a Quantum Class ship.

I took my first cruise on Anthem this past month, choosing a 7-night sailing out of Cape Liberty and stopping at Port Canaveral, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Nassau.

After sailing on Anthem of the Seas, I absolutely agree that this is a top-tier ship.

With 2,090 staterooms and 16 guest decks, the ship has ample space for all 4,095 passengers on board.

She’s a large ship, 1,138 feet in length and 136 wide. 

Not only was my Anthem cruise my first on a Quantum Class ship, but it was also my first time sailing out of Cape Liberty in New Jersey.

Based on this experience, I’ve written a comprehensive review of what sailing on Anthem of the Seas is like in 2024.

Read more: Anthem of the Seas Guide and Review

Capacity

Anthem comfortably holds 4,905 passengers and 1,500 crew members. However, you would never be able to tell that over 6,000 people are onboard while walking around the ship.

Each venue was spacious, with enough room to accommodate all the cruisers. I enjoyed how separated and closed-off some of the venues were. 

For example, even though the Royal Esplanade is a long, open space, it is separated into two floors, which spread out the space.

Not only that, but each venue located nearby (the Music Hall, Boleros, and the Royal Theater) is fully closed off from the Esplanade.

This ensures that you can’t see or hear everyone at the same time, which I really appreciate.

And yes, while there were chair hogs on sea days, I never experienced a moment where I couldn’t find a chair where I wanted one. There were always at least one or two available.

As a matter of fact, I found much more seating than I expected!

It seemed like most of the cruisers onboard Anthem for a 7-night cruise were families with kids, or large groups of extended family members.

Strangely enough, it was easier for me to get lost onboard than it usually is on Oasis-class ships, even though Anthem is smaller.

My theory is that the strategy of dividing the ship into neighborhoods, like Royal Caribbean does in its Oasis and Icon-Class ships, really does help you comprehend and remember the space you’re in. 

Entertainment

Anthem of the Seas had a wide variety of exciting performances, games, and events. 

Even over the seven-day cruise, I barely had enough time to see everything.

Read more: I’m new to Royal Caribbean and tried 4 different kinds of cruise ships, here’s what I like about each

Two70

The first show I saw onboard was Spectra’s Cabaret, a stunning mixture of music, dance, and technology. 

I loved the song selections and the colorful, flamboyant costumes.

Two70 impressed me with its six moving LED screens and wide, comfortable seating.

I also thought it was an amazing venue for events like the Captain’s Corner and “Are You Smarter Than a Crew Member?” trivia.

The wide glass walls brought in sunlight and gorgeous sea views, while access to the library at the top of the venue made for plenty of space. 

Royal Theater

Games and shows also played in the Royal Theater, such as the popular “We Will Rock You” musical. 

While I was looking forward to seeing this performance, apparently I waited too long.

On the last two days of the cruise, which were both sea days, I decided to go and see the show. 

Days 6 and 7 each had two performances scheduled, and I attempted to go to the last three.

However, all performances were canceled due to the heavy waves and high winds. For the safety of the performers, they chose not to do the performances.

I completely understand why, but this was my first time experiencing such bad sailing conditions that the indoor shows had to be canceled!

The Royal Theater was also home to one of the most confusing musicals I’ve ever seen: “The Gift.” 

The singing and dancing were incredible, but I struggled to connect the plot with the songs chosen.

Dining

While Anthem of the Seas has a broad selection of delectable specialty restaurants, I chose to focus on the complimentary dining options for this cruise.

There’s a wide array of food included in the cruise fare on Anthem: the Main Dining Room, the Windjammer, the Cafe at Two70, Cafe Promenade, Sorrento’s Pizza, SeaPlex Dog House, and Solarium Bistro.

Main Dining Room

The Main Dining Room was very hit-or-miss. Some nights, the food was sublime. Other times, it tasted bland or wasn’t warm enough.

Our waitstaff was always willing to help out, making suggestions or getting us any other dishes we preferred. I can’t blame them at all for the quality of the food!

But it was a little frustrating to look at a menu and never know if I would enjoy what I ordered.

The service and atmosphere of the Main Dining Room, however, blew me away.

Our waiters were friendly and helpful. They served us to the point of almost predicting our needs.

And I loved the soft, jazzy electronic music that played each night.

My friend and I were seated at a large table, so it seemed that another party was meant to join us. Despite us hopefully waiting each night, we ended up dining alone for the length of the cruise.

Windjammer

I can hardly believe it, but—after six cruises—I feel sick of the Windjammer buffet. 

Maybe that’s just because I’ve been to the Windjammer so often, not only on my past cruises but also over the seven days I spent on Anthem. Or perhaps the food was subpar compared to the other Windjammers I’ve been to on Royal Caribbean ships.

Much like the Main Dining Room, I felt that the meals were hit or miss. 

For example, I usually love all the Indian food served at the Windjammer. On Anthem, however, I only enjoyed a third of the Indian dishes I tried.

Exemplary Guest Service

During meals on Anthem of the Seas, head waiters announced that the ship’s customer service has been the best-rated in the fleet for the past eight weeks.

Based on cruiser survey ratings, the ship’s waitstaff has the best service out of all the other ships.

This may sound like an easy rating to grab, but I honestly agree.

Anthem’s staff, from head waiters to bartenders to chefs, were endlessly charming and attentive. 

I definitely felt that it was some of the best service I’d experienced on a Royal Caribbean ship.

Read more: I’ve cruised on 4 Quantum Class ships. Here are 7 things Royal Caribbean got right with these mega ships

Bars

The service at the bars on Anthem of the Seas was just as ideal as on the rest of the ship.

It was quick and the bartenders were quite friendly, eager to have a conversation when they got the chance.

I also got to use the Bionic bar for the first time. The experience was delightful, but I only bothered to use it once; it felt more like a trendy sensation than a place to sit down and consistently order.

I also noticed that the robots were down for maintenance quite often, so it would have been hard to order there frequently.

The Vintages bar, located on deck 5, quickly became my favorite spot to grab a drink. 

It was open until midnight each night, growing dark and comfortably quiet with speedy service. 

They also have an incredible Mint Berry Delight, which tastes like a sparkling blueberry mojito.

Ports of Call

For a seven-day cruise, Anthem’s itinerary was more sea-day focused. 

We only made stops at three ports: Port Canaveral, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Nassau, Bahamas. 

As someone who already resides in Florida, a stop at Port Canaveral was completely uninteresting. 

We stayed onboard instead and enjoyed the amenities with fewer guests around.

I did go explore on the days we visited Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau.

However, given how sea-intensive this cruise was, I would only recommend this itinerary to cruisers who are confident they’ll enjoy everything Anthem has to offer.

I loved this ship and the activities onboard, but if you prefer more exciting ports, I would advise you to choose a different cruise.

Compared to her sister ships, such as Ovation of the Seas, which travels to Alaska, Anthem had one of the more uninteresting itineraries at the time of my sailing.

Read more: Anthem of the Seas 7-night Bahamas and Perfect Day Cruise Compass – February 25, 2024

Stateroom

This was my first time staying in a virtual balcony interior stateroom—a concept that debuted on Quantum of the Seas, Anthem’s sister ship.

I enjoyed being able to look at what was going on around the ship while still inside the stateroom. Just having a small view of the outside world was worth it!

Our stateroom felt clean and very modern, with navy blue and gold decorations. The design was also upgraded, but some changes were more efficient than others. I disliked how the storage was split up over multiple places in the cabin.