Anthem Of The Seas: A Truly Smart Ship
From dining to entertainment & art, RCI is at the top of their game

by Vanessa Lee

I recently sailed on a short voyage of Royal
Caribbean’s absolutely splendid new,
Anthem of the Seas. I knew what to
expect as she is almost a virtual twin to
Quantum of the Seas which made
her debut in November 2014 before heading to China. The good news on Anthem,
according to a great Royal tag line, is that she is “Anchored in America” and,
for the foreseeable future, will cruise out of Cape Liberty on various
Caribbean itineraries.

 
I have
waxed lyrically about the Quantum Class ships and seeing Anthem brought me
back to just how spectacular and amazing they are. And because I knew my way
around, I was able to get a better sense of the ship even though the 2 day
inaugural provides such a narrow time frame to really immerse yourself in all
it has to offer. I feel I was able to experience Anthem the way your prospective
clients will on a full length voyage. And once you book your guests on this
ship, I can assure you they will be more than thrilled with their experience.
It will blow them away.

I have been
on so many ships and lines that I have lost count. I know I am around 175 +
actual cruises and of course way more ships re inspections or inaugurals or
just going aboard for a dinner event. I can cover this
industry from top to bottom, small to large, ocean ship to river ship
to motor yacht and anything in between. In fact, there are very few cruise
lines upon which I have not sailed and there is that bucket list too – I do
want to try and sail every brand…

So when I
think about the remarkable achievement that is Quantum Class it is with pride
and satisfaction that I see how far this industry has come in just a few short
decades. And I am pleased to see that Royal Caribbean continues to lead the
pack in the most outstanding and innovative ways. The concept of these ships is
sheer brilliance – I would even go as far as to say it is a force majeure.

This is a
new generation of cruise ship with such creative acumen, a true smart ship in
every way with the dining, entertainment and all the other bells and whistles
including VOOM the fastest internet at sea. Royal Caribbean is at the top of
their game and  are steaming ahead with yet more great ships to come and
more ideas and concepts that truly are practically mind-blowing. When Michael
Bayley, President of RCI said that the fabulous 270 Lounge cost more to build
with all of its magical Roboscreens and concepts, than their entire 1
^st
ship, the Song of Norway. That brought home the truth of this brand’s
trajectory of success.

This
experience at sea is one of the most remarkable things to hit the hospitality
industry in years. This is the best of every great hotel, combined with Vegas
and all of its offerings along with the sex appeal of a major city like New
York, rolled into one with a total sense of harmony. It is fun and decadent and
charming and engaging all at once.

I wandered
my way through the ship, checking out new spaces, figuring out ones I knew from
last time and absorbing more small delightful moments. I also dined for the 1
^st
time in Wonderland with my long-standing friend and colleague, Adam Goldstein
who is President of the over-arching brand of RCCL. The food in Wonderland was
totally different, a sharing concept with fabulous ingredients creatively
delivered from kitchen to table. The whole experience was like a quirky Lewis
Carroll novel and a delight in every way.  

The
staterooms are beautifully designed  and every inch has been thought
through. I love the 2 matching closets on either side of the bed so that each
person has their own space. The large mirror, the spacious sitting area, ample
storage in many spots – it all works and very well. Also the bar in the shower
for a lady to be able to shave her legs (a pick up from sister brand
Celebrity). 

And the
onboard art makes it for me – all of the fabulous, beautiful and intriguing
installations – more than 3,000 of them and many totally breathtaking.
Described as “the singular and eclectic art collection” it has been curated to
celebrate the timeless question, “What Makes Life Worth Living”.  The
whimsical and vibrant elevator art, the surprises around almost every corner,
the art you “read” along the corridors, the striking stairwells, the jewels in
the ceilings  – it is all just remarkably effective and exquisite.

 Many have likened
Quantum Class to a Celebrity ship mixed in with the best of Royal;  I
thought that myself on Quantum last year. But now, having spent more time on
 Anthem, I see that Royal Caribbean has
just taken all of this one step further. They have reached for the moon and the
stars and they have almost overshot their destination. This ship is larger than
life but in the best possible way. As they
roll out their new marketing slogan “Come Seek” – The ROYAL Caribbean, they are
building on their brand success to such a degree that it is truly a stellar moment for the cruise industry.