ChristyLNDRN

2 hours ago, MKBR said:

We were a family of 12 on this cruise and we all booked the Oasis for next summer! 

Great review! 

Thanks!  I’m currently stalking prices for Oasis...hope to book before too long😬

2 hours ago, mpdahmer said:

Quote "Me:  Studio Oceanview balcony 7248"

 

We are booked in Cabin 6246 which is one deck down and one cabin over from your room. I was wondering if you had any photos from your balcony looking down?

 

TIA... 

This is all I can find looking downward from my balcony. I think they are all taken looking down and aft.   I’m pretty sure there was a lifeboat more or less straight down from me as my dad and I both remarked that we were surprised how dirty it looked.  It even had a pool towel that had fallen on it!

2 hours ago, js10 said:

Pop here!  Thanks to my daughter for taking the time to post this wonderful review of our cruise.  I usually post a detailed review of each of my cruises but I will not do so this time since Christy has offered such a comprehensive report.  I will briefly say that I loved Anthem and especially enjoyed the large shower and modern bathroom.  The studio inside cabin was ridiculously small but was fine for a single traveller and the virtual balcony was a hoot.  Kudos to Royal Caribbean for taking chances with shows that were truly unique.  My only complaints were not having pizza on the same deck as the pool and the somewhat chaotic nature of the MDR due to everyone eating at different times.

 

Highlight of the cruise--many, many wonderful memories and my daughter's dress on formal night!

 

It’s POP!  Thanks for adding your thoughts dad!  I’ll be your travel agent/cruise director/cruise buddy anytime❤️

Save some calendar space next June, and whatever you do, don’t lose your sea “bass”!!

1 hour ago, DancerMama25 said:

I loved this review!  Thanks for sharing your photos and your stories!

Thank you for reading along😀

8 hours ago, loug1601 said:

Your review is terrific, but what is more wonderful is the time you are spending with your father. Love it!

Thank you so much!

5 hours ago, njkruzer said:

Thank you. We are on this trip in October.   Looking forward to it.

Happy cruising!

4 hours ago, maddycat said:

Excellent review.  Thanks so much for taking the time to post.

Thanks!  It was fun to relive it!

2 hours ago, dreamer976 said:

Thank you so much for such a fun review!  I’ll be aboard Anthem for the first time in October for Canada/New England (COLORS!!😊). Wanted to read your review for your photos/experiences aboard, but got so much more. 

 

You are adorable and are so lucky to be able to share such meaningful time with your “Pop”. Loved your formal night dress story especially. You are a special person. 

 

Wishing you you many more wonderful days at sea ahead... 🚢

Thank you so much for the kind words, and for reading along!  We talked about taking this trip for so long, and I’m so glad we did it!  Such good memories❤️

Happy sailing to you too!

Final pics...what a view from my balcony this morning!

Return to Cape Liberty 

Always sad when a cruise ends!  Normally I would prefer a longer trip, but 5 nights was the perfect time to be away from my kiddos. 

We passed back under the Verrazano around 6:15.   We were docked at 7ish, and the ship was cleared by 7:45ish.  I had grabbed a quick bite at cafe promenade and some caffeine from the freestyle machines next door at sorrentos, then joined a line on the esplanade (deck 4 I think) of self assist passengers waiting to depart. Once the ship was cleared, customs was easy-peasy.  Facial recognition technology sped us right on our way.  We were at our car by 7:55 and on 95 S by 8:10. Last pics were of the gorgeous view of NYC sailing in. 

17 hours ago, VPIcruiser said:

Your photos are beautiful.  Thank you for taking the time to do this review.  It has helped us plan our time in Bermuda.  

Thank you!  Glad to help, and thanks for reading along!

6 hours ago, LuCruise said:

Really enjoyed your review.  Looks like you and your dad had a great cruise.

Thanks for following!   We did have a great time!

Day 5 Compass

After North Star, we headed to Cafe 270 for lunch—wish we had made our way here earlier in the cruise.  It was not crowded, and 270 was a nice place to sit and eat with its huge windows looking out.  Roast beef sandwiches were yummy!

After lunch, we did a bit of pool hopping, swimming in the indoor pool and then the main pool since we hadn’t spent any time there earlier.  I ended up reading on my balcony awhile and packing...pics below are of how calm the seas were!!

We had reservations tonight at 6:30 for We Will Rock You.  Loved this show! It was by far my favorite of the 3.  It was almost 2 full hours long.  

After the show we had reservations at Chops at 8:30.  We were a few minutes late as it took awhile to get out of the theater but that wasn’t a problem.  We had:

Mushroom soup

Lobster bisque 

Filet 

Ribeye

Tots, Asparagus, and mushrooms to share 

Apple Pie

Everything was good!  I’ve been to Chops a few times, and it never disappoints. I must say I’m not used to eating dinner after 9:00...I could not stop yawning!   Once again my young at heart father proved he can probably outlast me any day!

We turned in after dinner in anticipation of an early start the next day.   Kept our suitcases as we would be doing self-assist debark the next day.   

Next up:  Day 5 compass

Day 5

Sadly, the end approaches!  Today was a low key day, and I didn’t take too many pictures.  We ended up in the Solarium quite early, and hung out there the whole morning.  Love having the solarium bistro right there to pop into....we had a light pre-lunch there, before our North Star reservations at 1:00.  Thankfully it was running again!  We headed over around 12:40ish, and it was just coming down.  We got on the next trip.  It goes up pretty high—300 feet according to the crew member running it.  Fun views of the ship!

Hi, I just posted some pics and video of my Ifly experience on Anthem...scroll down to posts 22-24 on page one of my review if you are interested.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2685523-dynamic-duo-on-anthem-5-night-bermuda-72719-includes-compasses/

Day 4 Compass

We arrived back to port early afternoon and did some quick souvenir shopping...can’t come home without something for the kiddos.  We managed to get it all done in 2 stores, which was good because it was getting hot.  Headed back onboard and grabbed pizza at Sorrentos for lunch...it was quick and decent.  I spent the rest of the afternoon before sailaway hanging out in the solarium.  We ended up on the promenade deck to watch the last few stragglers coming back for all aboard at 4:30.  We ended up staying until 5:00, waiting for 2 passengers who never showed.  I’m actually surprised we waited that long.  

Dinner tonight was in the MDR.  Reservations at 6:00 with hardly any line this time, and we were seated promptly.  It was lobster night.  We had:

Vidalia onion tart (both of us)

Shrimp Cocktail (Pop)

Lobster (both of us)—there were 2 on our plate to start, without asking 

Molten Chocolate Cake (both)

50th anniversary Celebration cake to share 

We caught a lovely sunset, and then headed to the photo area to order a few before heading to Spectra’s Cabaret in 270 at 9:00.  The show was well done, with singing, dancing, aerialists and the use of the robot screen  technology.  The show stopped once due to technical issues (the robots froze) but restarted after about 15 minutes or so.  We called it a night after the show—only one day left!!

Next up—Day 4 Compass

Once anchored at Deep Bay, you could snorkel, kayak, paddle board, float on pool noodles that were provided, or swim ashore to two very small strips of beach.  Snorkeling was ok...you just needed to go near the rocks and you could see a decent variety of fish.  We started out paddle boarding (me) and kayaking (pop). There were about 3-4 paddle boards and 2-3 kayaks for everyone...I would have liked to paddle board a bit longer than I was able to but I wanted to make sure everyone had a turn who wanted.  After that, we snorkeled, swam, and just relaxed and enjoyed. 

Rum punch onboard was 2 for $5, until the last “power hour” when it was free.  Crew were friendly and knowledgeable. They said they were the youngest crew in Bermuda, and were apparently highly rated on Trip Advisor.   

All in all, we enjoyed the excursion.  Last summer my family did a similar excursion in St. Maarten (Golden Eagle Sailaway) and I enjoyed that one more—more than one stop, less people, free rum punch the whole trip, longer sail, lunch included.  

We met a little after 9 on the dock.  It was pretty chaotic—tons of people signed up for this excursion. There were two catamarans both going out, but it was a bit confusing dividing people up.  One person pointed us toward one catamaran, and someone else pointed us to another.   They were both supposed to be going to the same place. 

We eventually made our way onboard, and more and more people just kept coming. A storm was approaching, so it didn’t help that everyone wanted to be in the inside portion of the catamaran to start. The storm passed in about 5 minutes, and then people began to spread out, some on the net in front and some on the top deck.  The crew said we had 79 people onboard...ugh.  I will say the catamaran was roomy enough once everyone spread out and I didn’t feel cramped. 

We did a short 15-20 minute power sail to a cove called Deep Bay.  You could still see the ships in port so it was pretty close.  When we arrived, there was already another catamaran anchored there, so the 2nd Rising Son cat peeled off and anchored at a neighboring cove so it wouldn’t be too crowded. 

Day 4

Still awake for sunrise.  Today we made it easy and would be doing the Rising Son Catamaran Adventure, booked thru the cruise planner.  Middle pic is of the two Rising Son catamarans docked in port, very close to the ship. 

16 hours ago, jimbri said:

Great photos!

Thank you!

13 hours ago, Sunseeker20 said:

Love your review! You and your dad are adorable!

Thanks...he’s been reading along and says he feels like a celebrity because I keep posting pics of him😂

Day 3 Compass

Tonight we had reservations at Wonderland at 8:00. I had previously eaten there with hubby on Harmony.  Now I am a picky eater, and tend towards meat and potatoes, so I was a little nervous about trying it.  I’m so glad I did, I loved it...probably my favorite specialty restaurant of the last two cruises.  This would be Pop’s first time. 

Our waiter asked if we had been to Wonderland before, and on which ship.  He seemed to delight in telling us that they bring you more food on Anthem than on Harmony.  No Wonderland bar on Anthem like on Harmony but he was serious about the food.  He brought out almost every appetizer and told us to pick 3 entrees to share.  We had:

Buffalo chicken eggs 

Liquid lobster

Shrimp Katafi (YUM YUM YUM)

Reconstructed Caprese

Crispy Crab Cones

Oceanic Citrus

Tomato Water

Baby vegetables in the garden

Pork belly, Chicken, and Beef Terroir for entrees 

The World, Forbidden Apple, and Key Lime Pops for dessert

Everything was so very very YUM!  I did not try the pork belly.  Pop said it was rather fatty. Ate everything else. Don’t hesitate to try Wonderland, it’s a great experience. 

After dinner we headed to 270 for the Silent Disco. So basically everyone gets a pair of headphones, and there are two different music channels.   Your headphones light up blue or green based on what you are listening to, and you can switch back and forth. So much fun!  Everyone is dancing to their own beat...at one point half the room started doing the Electric Slide while the other half was grooving to who knows what.  Also funny to take off your headphones and hear everyone singing but no music in the background.  Highly recommend this if you can make it.  270 was a fun environment too with different levels of dance floors. 

Headed off to our rooms after 45 mins or so. I’m embarrassed to say that my 69 year old father could have easily outlasted me and danced for longer...I’ll blame it on my heels!

Next up:  Day 3 compass

After lunch we wandered around St. George a bit before catching the 3:45 ferry back to the dockyard. I thought we could try to ride North Star standby when we got back to the ship, but it broke down right before we got there and we heard an employee tell the folks in line it would be down for the rest of the day.   We had reservations for the last sea day, so I was hopeful that it would be running by then.  Last few pics below from St George.  

Next up:  Wonderland and Silent Disco!

21 minutes ago, Networker said:

Really enjoying your report.   We live in Wilmington and are taking the Anthem cruise to New England in September.   We’ve been on the Anthem for a Bermuda and Caribbean cruise.   My husband enjoyed the ship.  My fav was harmony.     Love your Mom’s dress and your traveling with your Dad.  Quite sentimental.   Have never eaten in a specialty restaurant but those Jaime desserts looked wow.  My husband is not a foodie and says how much can you eat.  We also aren’t getting the drink package.  We got it once.  Loved the idea but not sure we needed all that booze.  But I love the freedom of it.  Oasis from nj is tempting.  One of our nj cruises involved hurricanes.  Not something I enjoyed.   

Well hello Wilmington neighbor!  I definitely enjoyed the ship, but I confess that Oasis class is my favorite.  Specialty restaurants were great, but by the third one it was almost too much food.  I didn’t feel like I overate as much in the MDR, that’s for sure.  The freedom of the drink package is one of the best things about it...and that it’s all prepaid. I think my final ship tab was $50, and $30 of that was the pictures.   

Sailing from NJ always makes me a bit nervous since I sailed on Explorer from there the day Hurricane Irene hit...that was NOT a pleasant ride.  The ship channel on the TV said 27+ foot seas at one point...not sure if that was accurate or not but that sailing almost made me swear off cruising.  We got lucky this time...seas were 3-7 feet max, made for a smooth trip there and back. 

After our beach-hopping, we took the short walk back to Clearwater and hung out at Gombey’s at the bar for awhile.  Drinks were about $10 each. We were planning on having lunch, but we heard someone say it was a 45 minute wait for chicken fingers, so we decided to eat back in St. George.  Bathrooms seemed nice and clean here. I took a few pics of the beach here, where you could rent chairs and umbrellas and it looked like you could rent some water toys too (kayaks, etc). I can see in one of the pics that there was a lifeguard station here too.  

Our cab driver showed up right on time, and we headed back.  He was such a fun, friendly guy to talk to.  He was 84 years old, and he ended up driving us up his (steep) driveway to show us the view from his house and point out his favorite fishing spot.  

Pop asked him to drop us at a local non-touristy place for lunch.  He took us to a hole-in-the wall burger place—I think it was Mama Angie’s??  Only 3 tables inside but it was good and reasonably priced.  We both had cheeseburgers that hit the spot.  

2 hours ago, tcmagnum said:

Your trip looks amazing.  Love that you and your pop went!!

Thanks!  It was a special trip for sure!

2 hours ago, mpdahmer said:

My wife and I as well as another couple just booked this cruise for September...photos are great looking forward to the rest of the review.  Great job so far!!!

 

Thanks!  I think it would be a good ship and itinerary to sail with another couple.  Anthem had a more “adult” feel to me than some of the other ships I’ve been on.  

2 hours ago, elizabethbp said:

We did the ship's excursion to Clearwater Beach the second day and did  not  feel it was worth it.  The cost was about $170 each which covered the van trip to the beach ( a little more than an hr ) and about 2 3/4 hours on the beach, including a box lunch ((burger or fish  sandwich) and one rum drink.  There was also free internet.  The bathrooms were fine when we got there, but there is a water shortage  in Bermuda, particularly acute   on that end of the island, and the Bermuda Water Authority with no notice to the manager of the beach facilities, ( who was a lovely lady),  turned off the water right before we left.    The beach  chairs were fine  but the beach had a lot of shells and you needed water shoes.   My daughter did explore and go to Turtle Beach and she thought it was much nicer.  Also,  Bermuda allows public camping on the beaches,  and due to the upcoming cricket matches, by Tuesday the beach was filled with campers and pup tents.

 

But we are not picture takers so I am really appreciating all of yours!

I didn’t realize the ship did an excursion to Clearwater.  We did hear about the match but didn’t see any tents on Monday. What did you guys do the first day?