By Huw Kidwell

Costing some $940 million, Anthem of the Seas is the second of the Quantum class ships built by Royal Caribbean Cruise International (RCCI), extending their fleet to 23 and providing a true next-generation experience for the ever expanding cruise market.

The 168,666 GRT Anthem of the Seas is 1,141 feet in length, 136 feet wide, can cruise at 22 knots and carry in comfort some 4,905 passengers in 2,090 state rooms with 1,500 crew members to look after them. The ship has 18 decks, 16 passenger elevators, 22 restaurants and bars, 5 designer retail outlets and a huge range of leisure activities on-board. She will spend the summer season of 2015 sailing from Southampton to Mediterranean destinations before relocating to her home port of Cape Liberty Cruise Port, Bayonne, New Jersey to sail the Caribbean.

HotelDesigns joined the ship for a pre-inaugural cruise on 18th April 2015. The Anthem of the Seas is an impressive sight at the quay side, and with towering stacks and the North Star viewing platform easily the tallest structure in town at around 72 metres. Receptionists use mobile tablets and if the passenger has been through the Set Sail RCCI self-check-in on their computer and submitted a photograph kerbside to stateroom takes ten minutes.

The ship is boarded through deck three and passengers sweep up sumptuously carpeted stairs to the Royal Esplanade (the centre of ship life), an area that runs from one end of the ship to the other hosting shops, cafes and restaurants and connecting the two elevator lobbies.

Staterooms
The Anthem of the Seas has 2,090 staterooms of various sizes and levels of comfort. There are 1,571 balcony staterooms, 148 outside staterooms with no balcony. The 375 inside staterooms have floor-to-ceiling HD screens allowing a live camera feed of the sea, Royal Caribbean calling this concept a ‘Virtual Balcony’. There staterooms with wheelchair access, 34 staterooms having wider doors and more space. There are family rooms, 16 being reconfigurable interconnected family staterooms as well as single staterooms offerings with outside balconies.

At the top of the scale are the suites with additional facilities such as whirlpool baths, full round bathtubs, personal libraries, HD entertainment area, full concierge service, baby grand piano, personal dining service, personal cocktail bar, spa and massage service, indoor and outdoor dining areas. To give some idea of stateroom sizes the Owners loft suite is 975 square feet with three balcony areas of around 500 square feet.

The standard décor is modern and well-designed with a family room having light wood multi-functional furniture, shelves underneath the large round dressing mirror. Thoughtful design was evidenced by a handle on the back rail of the vanity chair to allow it to be pulled out with ease.

Other additions to make travelling easier include USB sockets for charging phones and tablets, with US and European sockets. There was also a 40 inch flat screen television with fully interactive guest services, messaging, mobile device registration and movies on-demand. A TCMF was provided on a small tray in the sitting area, but only an addition for the UK market.

The family room bathrooms had small rectangular butler design sinks with shelves all around the rectangular mirror and plenty of lower shelf space for storage by the side of the toilet. The shower was very large by cruise ship standards with a curved glass hinged door and was hot and powerful at all times.

IMAGES:
Standard cabin
Cabin shower room
Good standard hotel room level
Electronic tags for guest charging, door access etc.

SOURCE: http://www.hoteldesigns.net/industrynews/news_14431.html