★★★★★
The staff was friendly and courteous, the food selection was excellent, the entertainment was very good, and the room was perfect for us. Thank you
Quick Ship Facts:
Ship Spotlight
Anthem of the Seas is built around doing things. The Quantum-class ship launched in 2015 with a skydiving simulator, a robotic observation capsule that rises 300 feet above sea level, and an entertainment venue unlike anything else on the water — and a decade later, those features still define what kind of cruise this is.
At 168,666 gross tons and carrying roughly 4,180 guests at double occupancy, Anthem is large without being Royal Caribbean's largest. It sits in a useful pricing tier: more distinctive than older, smaller ships but typically more affordable than the newest Icon-class vessels. The traveller who gets the most from this ship is the one who arrives with a reservation list already prepared.
The features below are what distinguish Anthem from a standard large cruise ship. Several — the North Star, iFLY, and Two70 — have no equivalent elsewhere in the fleet and are the primary reason experienced Royal Caribbean guests choose this ship over newer alternatives.
A glass capsule on a robotic arm that extends over the ocean and rises 300 feet above sea level, holding 14 guests for 360-degree views — complimentary with a reservation.
A two-story wind tunnel skydiving simulator open to a wide range of ages and sizes, included in the cruise fare with a reservation booked early.
A six-story glass atrium at the stern that shifts from a panoramic lounge by day to a performance space at night, using robotic Roboscreens and live acrobatics.
The full Queen musical has run on Anthem since launch and consistently ranks among the strongest onboard theatre productions in the Royal Caribbean fleet.
The largest indoor active space at sea when the ship launched, with bumper cars, roller skating, circus school sessions, and a basketball court.
Jamie Oliver's shipboard restaurant serving casual Italian food with a menu that reflects the brand's approach rather than a generic cruise adaptation.
If you will use the skydiving simulator, ride the North Star, catch the theatre shows, and fill the evenings with live music and specialty dining, Anthem rewards that approach. The ship is designed for guests who treat the onboard programme as the trip, not just the backdrop.
The breadth of activities means different family members can be doing entirely different things at the same time — and still converge for meals and shows. Children roughly eight and older will engage with the SeaPlex and signature features most fully, though the kids' club handles younger ages well.
Anthem carries over 4,000 guests and feels like it on popular sea days, particularly around the pools and SeaPlex. Travellers whose ideal cruise involves unhurried mornings in quiet corners of the ship may find the energy level consistently higher than they prefer.
Quantum-class ships were designed around a different architectural concept than the Oasis class. Guests who specifically value the Central Park, Boardwalk, and neighbourhood-within-a-ship layout of Oasis or Harmony will find Anthem a noticeably different experience — not worse, but different enough to confirm before booking.
Signature Experiences
No other cruise ship has the North Star. The glass observation capsule mounted on a robotic arm at the ship's bow extends outward over the ocean and climbs to 300 feet above sea level — high enough to look down at the hull, high enough on a clear morning to see for miles. The experience lasts about fifteen minutes and carries fourteen passengers. It is complimentary. It is also the first thing that fills up on embarkation day, which is all you need to know about booking strategy.
The RipCord by iFLY wind tunnel and the SeaPlex indoor complex operate on the same principle as the rest of the ship's activity philosophy: the experience should be something you could not get at a resort. Indoor skydiving, bumper cars, roller skating, circus school, basketball — these are not cruise ship versions of those activities. They are the actual activities, installed on a ship. Two70 at the stern ties the experience together in the evenings: what looks like a lounge becomes a performance space, and the Roboscreens reconfigure the room in ways that remain genuinely surprising even after you know they are coming.
Both experiences are complimentary but require reservations. They fill quickly. Open the Royal Caribbean app or head to the venue on embarkation afternoon — waiting until day two typically means waiting in a long standby line.
The Two70 production shows run in a different venue and on a different schedule from We Will Rock You. Check the Cruise Compass daily programme — some sailings offer more Two70 performances than others depending on itinerary length.
Dining
The included dining on Anthem covers the main dining room — which operates on a traditional schedule across three decks — and the Windjammer Marketplace buffet. Both are solid. The main dining room in particular draws consistently positive feedback for service quality, which benefits from a crew-to-guest ratio of roughly 1:2.8 — attentive for a ship of this size.
The specialty dining lineup is where Anthem genuinely distinguishes itself. Jamie's Italian brings a credible restaurant brand to sea rather than a generic approximation of one. Wonderland is the ship's most ambitious concept — a multi-course surrealist experience that works if you engage with it on its own terms. Chops Grille and Izumi are the reliable mid-range options that experienced Royal Caribbean guests return to. Booking specialty dining before sailing is not merely suggested — the best time slots for the most popular venues disappear within days of bookings opening.
If you plan to eat at two or more specialty restaurants, the multi-restaurant dining package consistently comes in below the sum of individual cover charges. Prices and package configurations vary by sailing — check at booking.
Individual drink prices on Anthem run high enough that the unlimited beverage package breaks even quickly for moderate drinkers. Calculate your typical daily consumption honestly before deciding — the package is not automatically the right call for everyone.
Anthem is a high-energy ship and reads that way from embarkation. The vibe is suited to travellers who want to fill their days rather than drift through them — those seeking a quieter, more contemplative sailing will find the energy level consistently elevated.
The North Star, iFLY, and Two70 are features that no other ship fully replicates, but Anthem was launched in 2015. Icon-class and newer Oasis-class ships offer fresher cabins and updated spaces — at a higher price point. The 2025 refurbishment closed some of that gap.
The guests who get the most from Anthem are the ones who pre-book specialty dining, entertainment, and the signature experiences before sailing. Treating these as things to figure out once aboard means competing for availability against passengers who planned ahead.
Anthem of the Seas is the right ship for travellers who will actively use what makes it distinctive — the North Star, the iFLY simulator, the Two70 shows, and a specialty dining lineup anchored by Jamie's Italian and Wonderland. The tradeoff is age: at over a decade old, the ship trails the newest Royal Caribbean vessels in cabin freshness and overall gloss, though the 2025 refurbishment helped. For the traveller who wants those specific experiences at a price point below Icon or the newest Oasis-class ships, Anthem remains a strong and specific choice.
Itinerary deployment and homeport vary by season. Confirm current routing at time of booking.
Anthem of the Seas
The staff was friendly and courteous, the food selection was excellent, the entertainment was very good, and the room was perfect for us. Thank you
Throughly enjoyed my Royal Carribean Alaska cruise. Customer service was superior and our cabin with balcony was perfect. Meals exceeded my expectations specially Choos Grill which we visited twice. Ready to book my next Royal Caribbean cruise.
The cruise was good but perhaps since I booked the cheapest cabin so I was expecting toiletries only to find we got provided a low quality 2-in-1 shampoo and body wash instead of separate shampoo, conditioner and body wash. One caveat is that I cannot refill my water bottle directly, I have to use glasses to get water then dump them in my water bottle, quite an inconvenience. Overall, it is a great experience but I prefer a smaller ship like Margaritaville where there was less lines, faster elevators and same or better service.
The Anthem is a beautiful ship. The staff was incredible making our trip thoroughly enjoyable.
We loved the cruise, especially the staff. The bartenders were fabulous. We loved eating at the chic. Our waiters were Jose and Dan and they were the best. . The only complaint I have is that I had charges for gratuities for the cleaning room staff put on my card without my authorization. I had to go to guest services four times to get the charges taken off. That was a big waste of my time. Other than that, the cruise was fabulous.