Anthem of the Seas
Cruises
Departure Ports
Starting Price, Per Night*
Maximum Duration
|
Spec |
Value |
|---|---|
| Age | 11 years (entered service 2015) |
| Class | Quantum class |
| Length | 347 metres (1,139 feet) |
| Beam | 49.4 metres (162 feet) |
| Tonnage | 168,666 gross tonnes |
| Capacity | 4,180 lower berth (4,905 maximum) |
| Crew | ~1,300 |
| Speed | 22 knots |
| Itinerary | Sydney (Australian summer) + Seattle (Alaska): South Pacific, New Zealand, Great Barrier Reef, Alaska |
What is the Anthem of the Seas?
Anthem of the Seas is a 168,666 gross tonne, 347-metre Quantum-class ship operated by Royal Caribbean International, the second of five ships in the class, in service since 2015. She carries 4,180 guests at lower-berth capacity (4,905 maximum when every berth is filled), with around 1,300 crew on board. Her standout features are the Quantum-class thrills: North Star, the glass observation pod that lifts you about 90 metres above the sea, RipCord by iFLY indoor skydiving, and SeaPlex, the largest indoor sports complex at sea.
Built by Meyer Werft in Germany and christened at Southampton in 2015, Anthem of the Seas is a globe-trotter: her primary homeports are Southampton and Cape Liberty near New York, with an Alaska season from Seattle, and for the Australian summer she repositions to Sydney and Brisbane, a genuine local departure during the season. She is registered in the Bahamas and was last refurbished in 2025, so you can sail her from home in the Australian summer or fly to join her overseas the rest of the year.
How many decks does the Anthem of the Seas have?
Anthem of the Seas has 16 decks in total, 15 of them open to guests, with cabins spread across nine, so your stateroom sits on one of those. The remaining decks hold the public spaces you use during the cruise: the multi-deck Main Dining Room, the Windjammer Marketplace buffet, the Royal Esplanade promenade, the Main Theatre, the Two70 lounge, the Vitality Spa, the Adventure Ocean kids’ centre, the casino, and the top-deck pools, North Star, RipCord by iFLY, FlowRider, and SeaPlex.
What cabins does the Anthem of the Seas have?
Anthem of the Seas carries 2,090 cabins. Royal Caribbean’s Quantum-class adds two specialty categories to the standard line-up, so you can book:
- Interior cabins (categories such as 1U through 4U), the entry-level rooms, with the basics covered.
- Interior with Virtual Balcony staterooms (2V and 4V), a Quantum-class signature: an interior cabin fitted with a floor-to-ceiling LED screen showing a live view from a camera on the side of the ship, rather than a real balcony.
- Ocean View cabins (3M, 4M, 1N, and 2N), which add a picture window.
- Balcony cabins (spanning 1C through 4D, plus 1E, 2E, 2F, and CB), with a real private balcony.
- Junior Suites, the entry point to the suite tiers.
- Suite Class, which Royal Caribbean splits into three named tiers: Sea Class (Junior Suites), Sky Class (the Grand, Owner’s, and Loft suites), and Star Class (the top Royal Loft and Owner’s Loft suites). Star Class bookings add the Royal Genie, Royal Caribbean’s personal suite concierge, which is a Star-Class-only perk rather than a general suite benefit.
Suite-class guests also have their own restaurant, Coastal Kitchen, plus the Suite Lounge and reserved seating in the theatre and on the pool deck, with Star Class adding a butler, complimentary specialty dining, and a drinks package.
What does the Anthem of the Seas itinerary look like?
Anthem of the Seas sails five regional itinerary types across her year, with her Australian-summer voyages departing from Sydney. You can choose:
- South Pacific voyages of 8 to 9 nights from Sydney, calling at Noumea in New Caledonia and Port Vila and Mystery Island in Vanuatu.
- New Zealand voyages of 9 to 11 nights from Sydney, calling at Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, and the Bay of Islands, with scenic cruising through Fiordland (Dusky, Doubtful, and Milford Sounds).
- Queensland and Great Barrier Reef voyages of 8 nights from Sydney, calling at Cairns (via Yorkeys Knob) and Airlie Beach, with a scenic cruise-by of Willis Island.
- Short Australian coastal getaways of 3 to 4 nights from Sydney, calling at Eden on the New South Wales coast or Hobart in Tasmania.
- Alaska voyages of 7 nights from Seattle during the northern summer, calling at Sitka, Skagway, and Juneau, with scenic glacier cruising at Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier and a stop at Victoria in British Columbia.
What are the top facilities on the Anthem of the Seas?
Anthem of the Seas has eight standout facilities:
- North Star, the glass observation capsule that lifts you about 90 metres above the sea for 360-degree views, a Guinness World Record holder.
- RipCord by iFLY, a skydiving simulator in a glass-walled vertical wind tunnel.
- The FlowRider surf simulator on the top deck.
- SeaPlex, the largest indoor sports complex at sea, with bumper cars, roller skating, and basketball.
- Two70, a panoramic lounge by day that transforms into a high-tech show space with Spectra’s Cabaret at night.
- The Bionic Bar, where robotic arms mix your cocktails on the Royal Esplanade.
- Music Hall, a two-deck live-music and dance venue.
- Adventure Ocean kids’ and teens’ programming, with the Splashaway Bay water-play park for younger children.
What is the onboard experience of the Anthem of the Seas?
Anthem of the Seas‘s onboard experience covers six areas:
- Dining
- Bars and lounges
- Entertainment
- Activities and pools
- Wellness and fitness
- Kids and teens programming
Dining on the Quantum-class spreads across several complimentary restaurants rather than one fixed dining room. The multi-deck Main Dining Room offers anytime seating, the Windjammer Marketplace handles the casual all-day buffet, and Café Promenade, Sorrento’s Pizza, and the adults-only Solarium Bistro round out the included options. Specialty (extra-charge) venues cover a wide spread: Wonderland for imaginative themed cooking, the Chops Grille steakhouse, Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver, Izumi for sushi and izakaya, Johnny Rockets for diner burgers, and the Chef’s Table tasting menu. Suite guests also have their own restaurant, Coastal Kitchen.
Bars and lounges lean contemporary and tech-forward. The Bionic Bar’s robotic arms mix cocktails on the Royal Esplanade, the Schooner Bar runs live piano late into the night, and the Two70 Bar fronts the aft lounge with sweeping views by day and shows by night. The North Star Bar serves drinks by the observation-capsule platform, Boleros brings Latin music and salsa, and the English Pub and the poolside Sunshine Bar fill out the rest.
Entertainment is built around large-scale shows. The Main Theatre stages Broadway-style production shows, and Two70 turns into a tech-rich venue at night with Vistarama projection, six Roboscreens, and Spectra’s Cabaret. Music Hall delivers two decks of live music and dance, Boleros adds Latin nights, and Casino Royale covers the gaming floor.
Activities and pools are the headline thrill stack. North Star lifts you about 90 metres above the sea, RipCord by iFLY runs indoor skydiving, the FlowRider provides a stand-up or boogie-board surf simulator, and SeaPlex packs bumper cars, roller skating, and basketball into the largest indoor sports venue at sea. There is also a rock-climbing wall, the main pool and the adults-only Solarium pool, the Splashaway Bay kids’ aqua park, whirlpools, and a jogging track.
Wellness and fitness centre on the Vitality Spa & Fitness Centre, with a full massage and treatment menu, a thermal suite, and an ocean-view gym carrying cardio and weights plus paid group classes such as yoga and spin. The adults-only Solarium adds a glass-domed pool and whirlpools, and a hair salon and barber round it out.
Kids and teens programming runs through Adventure Ocean, Royal Caribbean’s age-banded program, from Royal Babies and Royal Tots for the youngest (with a parent), through Aquanauts, Explorers, and Voyagers for ages 3 to 11, to dedicated teen spaces for 12 to 17s. Splashaway Bay is the kids’ water-play park, the Adventure Science Lab adds STEM activities, and late-night programming is available for an additional fee.
Who is the Anthem of the Seas best for?
Anthem of the Seas is a strong fit for you in four scenarios:
- You’re an active family or multi-generational group and want the headline attractions, with North Star, RipCord by iFLY, FlowRider, and SeaPlex all under one funnel.
- You want a wow-factor megaship for an Australian-season cruise. For 2025-26 she was the single largest cruise ship deployed in the Australia and New Zealand region, a clear step up in scale from the usual local Princess, P&O, and Carnival ships.
- You’re a tech-curious cruiser drawn to the Two70 Vistarama shows, the Bionic Bar, and the Virtual Balcony cabins.
- You’re cruising from the United Kingdom or the US East Coast and want a premium-feeling Quantum-class ship without the cost step-up to Royal Caribbean’s larger Oasis- and Icon-class ships.
Anthem of the Seas is in Australia only for the southern summer, so to sail her from home you’ll need to book within that season. The rest of the year she is based in the United Kingdom and on the US East Coast, with Alaska sailings from Seattle.
Where does the Anthem of the Seas dock in Sydney?
Anthem of the Seas docks at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay during her Australian season, right on Sydney Harbour next to the city centre. Because her air draft is around 67 metres, well above the roughly 49-metre clearance under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, she stays on the seaward side of the bridge at the Overseas Passenger Terminal and cannot reach the upstream White Bay terminal. Some of her Australian-season sailings also depart from the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal at Pinkenba.
Anthem of the Seas FAQs
How old is the Anthem of the Seas?
Anthem of the Seas entered service in April 2015 as the second of Royal Caribbean’s five Quantum-class ships, which makes her 11 years old in 2026. She was built by Meyer Werft in Germany, christened at Southampton on 20 April 2015 by Emma Wilby, and last refurbished in 2025.
How many passengers can the Anthem of the Seas carry?
Anthem of the Seas carries 4,180 guests at lower-berth capacity (standard double occupancy) and up to 4,905 passengers when every upper berth and sofa bed is filled. With around 1,300 crew, that is roughly 5,500 people on board at standard occupancy and about 6,200 at full capacity.
How long is the Anthem of the Seas?
Anthem of the Seas measures 347 metres (1,139 feet) in overall length, with a beam of 49.4 metres (162 feet). At 168,666 gross tonnes she is one of the largest cruise ships to sail Australian waters.
Does the Anthem of the Seas have a water slide?
Anthem of the Seas doesn’t carry the big waterslides you’ll find on some family ships. Her headline thrills are different: North Star, the RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator, the FlowRider surf simulator, and the SeaPlex sports complex. For younger children there’s Splashaway Bay, a water-play park with fountains and sprayers on the pool deck. These are included in your cruise fare, though a few activities carry a fee, such as repeat iFLY flights and North Star rides on port days.
Does the Anthem of the Seas sail to New Zealand?
Yes, Anthem of the Seas sails to New Zealand during her Australian summer season. From Sydney you can join 9 to 11 night New Zealand voyages calling at Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, and the Bay of Islands, with scenic cruising through Fiordland, including Dusky, Doubtful, and Milford Sounds. These voyages run only while she is based in Australia for the southern summer.
