Anthem of the Seas spends most of her year on the Cape Liberty–Bermuda run, and the more time we have spent on her, the more obvious it becomes that she is the right ship for the route. Quantum-class hardware was designed with the North Atlantic in mind — heavy-weather stabilizers, a great deal of indoor space, and a series of indoor activities that keep a ship full of passengers happy when the weather refuses to cooperate. After a sailing in late September that included a 12-foot swell heading south, I came away with serious appreciation for the engineering.
Cabins
We booked a Junior Suite on Deck 12, port side aft. At 287 square feet plus a 91-square-foot balcony, it's a meaningful step up from a standard balcony for usually 30–40% more money. The bathroom is a proper walk-in shower (no tub), the closet runs the full width of the cabin, and there's a real love seat instead of the typical fold-out. We had two adults and one teen; everyone had real space.
The cabin tech is well-thought-through. Lighting is keycard-controlled, the balcony door has a real lock, and the bed is a Royal-standard pillow-top that ranks among the better ones at sea.
Food
Anthem operates Royal's Dynamic Dining concept, which is a polite way of saying the main dining room experience is split across four smaller venues — Silk, Chic, Grande, and American Icon. In practice, the food is interchangeable; the rooms are differently themed but use the same kitchen. Quality is fine, not memorable.
The standouts were Chops Grille (consistent across the Royal fleet), Wonderland (the same theatrical concept as on Symphony — worth one dinner), and the Café Promenade for late-night sandwiches. Jamie's Italian, which used to be on this ship, is gone; Giovanni's Table replaces it and is a competent if unremarkable substitute.
The Solarium Bistro is one of the most underrated lunch spots on any Royal ship. Free, healthy, and quiet.
Entertainment
The Two70 venue is the headline space — a three-deck-high room with floor-to-ceiling sea-facing windows that transforms in the evening into a theater with massive video walls and robotic Roboscreens. The "Spectra's Cabaret" production is genuinely original. We saw it twice.
The SeaPlex sports court doubles as a roller-skating rink and bumper car arena. On a ship with hundreds of children aboard, this is a meaningful quality-of-life feature when the weather is bad.
North Star — the glass observation pod that lifts 300 feet above the ship — is the most-marketed feature and one of the few that actually delivers. We rode it in calm seas off Bermuda at sunset and again on a windy departure from Cape Liberty. Both were worth it.
RipCord by iFly is a much smaller payoff. The skydiving simulator gives you about 60 seconds of actual flight; the queue, training, and turnaround take 90 minutes. Try it once; once is enough.
Value
A Junior Suite for two adults and a 16-year-old in late September came to $4,920 all in for seven nights, including refreshment package for one adult, three-night specialty dining package for the suite occupants, and a full Wi-Fi plan. That's roughly $234/night per person — squarely mid-market for a premium-class ship and an excellent rate compared to flying somewhere warm and renting a hotel for a week.
For a frame of comparison, our review of Celebrity Edge in the Southern Caribbean covers a more upscale alternative for similar money once you factor in Always Included pricing.
Bermuda Itself
Three full days docked at King's Wharf is the right amount of Bermuda. Day one: ferry to Hamilton and St. George's. Day two: beach day at Horseshoe Bay or Elbow Beach. Day three: Crystal Caves and a visit to the Royal Naval Dockyard's small but excellent Maritime Museum. Skip the ship excursions for the ferry-and-bus combo — Bermuda's public transit is exceptional and cheap.
Overall
Anthem doesn't have the wow factor of a brand-new ship. What she has is competence at every turn, a great-fitness route, an excellent home port for the Northeast corridor, and indoor amenities that make the inevitable sea-day weather a non-issue.
Who It's For
East Coast travelers who want to skip a flight; couples and families who prioritize port time over ship spectacle; anyone who likes an itinerary with three docked days in one place. Quantum-class regulars (we know several) tend to stay loyal for good reason.
Who It's Not For
Travelers seeking a true big-ship spectacle (look at the Oasis class instead); anyone who needs warm-weather guarantees from the moment the ship leaves port (the first day out is North Atlantic, full stop); first-time cruisers who want a more conventional dining-room experience (Dynamic Dining can confuse the first night).
Booking Window and Cabin Notes
Anthem from Cape Liberty to Bermuda is a high-demand Northeast itinerary; book 9–14 months out for the strongest cabin pricing, particularly for July–August departures. Aft-facing balconies on decks 8–11 deliver the best wake views at the King's Wharf approach and are typically only $150–$300 more than mid-ship balconies — worth the upcharge on a Bermuda run where the arrival is part of the experience. Travelers focused on the bow-to-stern weather variability should pick mid-ship oceanview cabins for the smoothest ride; the Quantum class handles Atlantic swell well but a mid-ship choice still helps. Pre-book Wonderland on day one — it sells out fastest. For broader cabin economics across the Royal Caribbean fleet, see our cabin upgrade strategies guide.
Editorial Cross-References
For the broader fleet context and itinerary calendar, see our Royal Caribbean cruise line page. For broader planning context, see our cabin upgrade strategies guide.
