Frugal Husband’s Anthem of the Seas Review

[ramja96]

OH! And before the torching begins (which I fully expect, and probably deserve) - the same applies to "would of", "could of", "might/may of", etc. That is all ....

[Biker19]

Hello, about to cruise on Anthem 9 night. Does anyone know which days 'formal' nights are on?

2 and 7 - make your own formal night for such an occasion.

[Okcruiser64]

Thank you again Bighousefootball your review and pictures made me feel like Anthem wasn't a huge overwhelming city but more like a place I understood and could plan to enjoy. Your review helped me decide to skip The Gift and enjoy a quiet night. I checked out places you recommended and had a cruise with less anxiety.

[celebrity]

Native New Yorker here as well! Born and raised in Brooklyn, and raising my kids here too. I laughed when I read this, because yes we have always measured driving “distance” in time instead of actual distance. We also say we will “take the streets” if the Belt Pkwy, BQE, etc. are backed up, and we also measure distance in the neighborhood by blocks, not miles. As in, “the school is about 10 blocks from here”. ;)

 

Another New Yorker chiming in. Recently, my company announced they were moving our office and it was “only 15 miles away.” Those 15 miles equate to 1 additional hour each way in NY traffic.

 

The following day, I announced I would be resigning as the commute was just too much since I already spend 40 minutes each way to travel 7 miles.

 

Miraculously, I was offered a position in another locale that takes me 7 minutes.

 

Life is good! :D

[bangzoom6877]

Another New Yorker chiming in. Recently, my company announced they were moving our office and it was “only 15 miles away.” Those 15 miles equate to 1 additional hour each way in NY traffic.

 

The following day, I announced I would be resigning as the commute was just too much since I already spend 40 minutes each way to travel 7 miles.

 

Miraculously, I was offered a position in another locale that takes me 7 minutes.

 

Life is good! :D

 

Wow, I’m glad that in the end it worked out better for you than before! Yes, 15 miles takes a long time here. I’m always amazed when we’re away in another state or upstate NY and it takes 15 minutes to travel 15 miles!

[BillOh]

Thank you again Bighousefootball your review and pictures made me feel like Anthem wasn't a huge overwhelming city but more like a place I understood and could plan to enjoy. Your review helped me decide to skip The Gift and enjoy a quiet night. I checked out places you recommended and had a cruise with less anxiety.

 

 

Great post. I do believe people who take the time to do reviews, appreciate hearing that kind of thing.

[Orangefan]

Thank you for taking me along on your cruise adventures. You are meticulous in your planning. I tend to be that way also. I also check my reservations all the time.Sometimes there is a cruise rate drop but lasts for only a few hours. I hope another cruise is in your plans.

Sali

[Peeker28]

So Wonderland does have Chicken or beef option for dinner? I thought it was all the fancy food. I don't like seafood but love chicken and would go there if that was an option. The menu confused me when I looked at it online

[Leslie K]

We’ve had beef, chicken and fish as main courses in Wonderland. We usually are given 2 each time I’ve been there. The wait staff ask your preferences at the beginning and the courses reflect that. I’ve not had the same things each time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Destaw71835]

Great review. We just booked Anthem for this Thanksgiving.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[BigHouseFootball]

On 10/1/2018 at 9:06 PM, Okcruiser64 said:

Thank you again Bighousefootball your review and pictures made me feel like Anthem wasn't a huge overwhelming city but more like a place I understood and could plan to enjoy. Your review helped me decide to skip The Gift and enjoy a quiet night. I checked out places you recommended and had a cruise with less anxiety.

 

Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m glad I was able to help and lower any anxiety. I have learned so much on these boards I was happy to pay it forward!

[BigHouseFootball]

On 10/3/2018 at 4:25 PM, Peeker28 said:

So Wonderland does have Chicken or beef option for dinner? I thought it was all the fancy food. I don't like seafood but love chicken and would go there if that was an option. The menu confused me when I looked at it online

 

I wouldn’t even call it fancy food. It’s just prepared in a unique way. There was a lot of seafood but the couple next to us had a seafood allergy and the waiter catered their menu around that. 

It is fabulous, give it a try I don’t think you will be disappointed.  

[cruisequeen4ever]

Great review!

[hersheyk19]

On 9/6/2018 at 6:29 PM, BigHouseFootball said:

Dessert time. We are stuffed, good move on our part to have a light lunch. But we are going to push through.

 

So this mess was a chocolate dome. Then our survey poured hot caramel sauce over it until the dome collapsed. I believe there was brownie in there. Very tasty but I’m not a huge chocolate guy.

 

 

This. Whoa.

 

 

So looks like a candy apple right? And you would think that the shiny red is hard right? Ha!

 

 

It’s raspberry mouse and in the middle was lemon curd. This thing was the bomb.

 

The silverware is fun...as you can tell from the perplexed look on my face

 

 

 

 

As I said before Wonderland is an experience. Go do it, you won’t be disappointed. It’s an experience I’ve never had before and don’t know where to go to experience again.

 

My wife and I were talking after that Disney could make a killing with this type of dining experience and were surprised Disney hasn’t taken this concept and run with it.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Great review!!! Did you pay full price of 54.99 for this place?

[Fishkillbill]

On ‎9‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 9:59 AM, The Fun Researcher said:

 

 

 

Can’t answer for the Anthem but the fries have been fantastic, and similar, in the Windjammer on every cruise I’ve been on. I assume they are all supplied from the same vendor.

 

Taste buds vary, but I think Royal has great fries on their buffet. Can’t necessarily say the same for the burgers.

 

Dan

Wonder if the fries are gluten free.

[Clarea]

6 minutes ago, Fishkillbill said:

Wonder if the fries are gluten free.

 

I would not assume they are because I've never seen them marked that way or separated much from the hamburger buns.  Speak to the Windjammer chef for this info.

[lovescats5]

On ‎9‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 5:18 PM, BigHouseFootball said:

For those wondering there was NOT a ship photographer outside the tunnel taking pictures which I was shocked by. I thought Royal would be all over that to make some $$$$.

I am very surprised.  When we were in the tunnel (all 4 of us) and every time my son and husband went after that (and they were hooked also) there was a photographer outside taking pictures.  We ended us with some awesome ones.

[BigHouseFootball]

On 12/30/2018 at 9:38 AM, hersheyk19 said:

Great review!!! Did you pay full price of 54.99 for this place?

 

We did not. We received a free night of specialty dining with our booking. 

 

I dont o to think I would throw down $55 per for Wonderland. It was an awesome experience but that’s too much in my opinion. I’d be in the $30 range. 

[Trinam2]

Love this review

[hersheyk19]

9 hours ago, BigHouseFootball said:

 

We did not. We received a free night of specialty dining with our booking. 

 

I dont o to think I would throw down $55 per for Wonderland. It was an awesome experience but that’s too much in my opinion. I’d be in the $30 range. 

Ok thank you! It seemed a bit high to me

[MaiseyM]

On 9/15/2018 at 11:39 PM, BigHouseFootball said:

5 Day Cruise. Too short. Plain and simple. It was either this or none so we went with this but man did we miss those extra 2 days. I can’t even image a 3 day cruise!

 

Good to know.  I was contemplating a 5 day cruise to fit travel/budget needs and was wondering if the two days makes a big difference.  I was inclined to stick to the 7 days, but good to know.  Thanks.

[MKESail]

18 hours ago, BigHouseFootball said:

We did not. We received a free night of specialty dining with our booking. 

Thank you for your great review! 👍 We are going on Anthem in a couple month and we also received specialty dining from our TA and I am strongly considering Wonderland. Did you make your actual dining reservation after you boarded or were you able to do that online? I was told we would get a voucher in our room once we board, which means I will only be able to book Wonderland AFTER we board and I am a little worried about availability seeing how popular this place is. What did you do?

[inlinesick]

so funny!! I couldn't stop laughing at the nearby couple!!! Reminded me something!! Awesome review!!

[Fishkillbill]

We enjoy tables for two. Have only been on three cruises so far. All on Celebrity. Their tables for two are about two inches apart, really tables for four. This was in the Blu dining room as well as MDR. 

[FMZ]

Thanks for the entertaining review!! Wondering if you ever received your ifly pics? Crazy the cruise line doesn't offer pics. Missing a major revenue opportunity there 🙄

Edited January 6, 2019 by FMZ
Spelling