Anthem Of The Seas
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 29, 2014 (CUOPM)
Although the 5,400-passenger Anthem of the Seas, is still under construction, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has penned in St. Kitts’ Port Zante for the 2015/2016 Cruise Ship Season.
The Anthem of the Seas, the second of three 167,800-ton next-generation Royal Caribbean cruise ships, will launch spring 2015 with 2,090 cabins including 373 virtual balconies — inside cabins featuring real-time views of the ocean and destinations.
According to the RCI website the Anthem of the Seas will make its inaugural call to St. Kitts during the 12-night Southern Caribbean Cruise which departs New Jersey on November 10th 2015 with stops in Puerto Rico, Barbados, Martinique, St. Kitts and St. Maarten.
St. Kitts’ Port Zante is also on the 12-night Southern Caribbean Cruise on January 3rd 2016, February 21st 2016 and March 27th 2016 from New Jersey with stops in Labadee, Haiti; Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, Martinique and Barbados and the 10-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise from New Jersey on January 15th 2016 with stops in Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.
St. Kitts is also on the itinerary for the 10-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise leaving New Jersey on April 8th 2016 and the 12-night Southern Caribbean Cruise departing New Jersey on April 18th 2016.
The Quantum Class fleetmate Quantum of the Seas which sailed November 2015 and made its inaugural call to St. Kitts on December 8th 2014, and a third, yet unnamed ship will debut in mid-2016.
The Quantum Class represents a significant reduction in size compared with Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships, which measure 225,282 tons and carry 5,400 passengers at double occupancy. The Quantum Class is more similar in tonnage to RCI’s 154,407-ton Freedom Class trio.
The Quantum Class is bringing with it innovation, including a skydiving simulator and North Star, a jewel-shaped glass capsule that rises 300 feet above sea level and provides 360-degree views from high above the ship. Seaplex will become the largest sports and entertainment complex at sea, with attractions including bumper cars, roller skating and a circus school complete with a flying trapeze. The adults-only solarium and outdoor pool will return featuring a brand-new indoor pool with retractable roof. Several new cabin categories debut on the class: virtual balconies will dispel the traditional idea of an inside cabin, family-connected staterooms will prove more accommodating and studio staterooms with balconies will spoil the single traveler.
In March 2014, Royal Caribbean unveiled a new concept called Dynamic Dining, which eliminates set dining times and main dining rooms, replacing them with 18 restaurant options, flexible dining times and dining spaces that limit capacity to no more than 500 passengers. This will be rolled out on the Quantum Class.