Anthem of the Seas Review
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This is my first time on Anthem but have cruised with Royal Caribbean in the past. The ship is admittedly beautiful but wasn't as grand as I had expected. I would have thought this ship would have been bigger and better...which was not the case in my opinion. However, the cabins exceeded my expectation. The rooms are modern and spacious (as cruise cabins go). I was also impressed by the storage. Our waitstaff was also very friendly and accommodating.
The ports of call were lovely (for the most part). One of our ports was changed which was disappointing, as was the overall entertainment (for middle aged people). At times, the limited complimentary dining options and times were frustrating....don't look for anything to eat on this ship after 9pm that isn't pizza or pre-made sandwiches (non of which my child would eat), and don't look for anything to eat at all late night. There are no overnight options beyond rooms service, which requires a late night service charge.
I also noticed the kids club (adventure ocean) is only open for certain times of the day, e.g. 9am - 12 pm; 2 pm - 5 pm and 7 pm-10 pm. It was very inconvenient having to worry about what time to pick up (because it is an extra $1 for every minute you are late). I also noticed limited amenities for the number of passengers, resulting in waits for basically everything - including the non-existent ice cream cones on deck. For example, I found the two swimming areas (for all ages) had a load of only 30 people.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony
Port Reviews
Barbados
Beware of private excursions on this island, especially David's Taxi. Not having pre-booked an excursion on Anthem, we asked the workers at the port for a guided tour and we were directed to David's Taxi who took us on a guided tour with drop off to a beach (for a couple of hours) and pick up and return to the port. David's Taxi was not a legitimate taxi service and gets around the system by paying off the port police and guards. In addition, it is my belief he gets a kick back by taking tourists to a specific beach, i.e., Cococopana Beach (near Backyard). Furthermore, he asked for additional money after the beach (which was not initially agreed upon) and when we refused he looked at my visibly disabled mother and said he should have left her too (as he left two passengers that had toured with us on the beach).