MS Anthem of the Seas

History
Name: Anthem of the Seas
Owner: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Operator: Royal Caribbean International
Port of registry: Nassau,  Bahamas
Builder: Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany[1]
Cost: US$940 Million (2015) [2]
Laid down: November 20, 2013
Launched: February 20, 2015[3]
Sponsored by: Emma Wilby
Christened: April 20, 2015
Acquired: April 10, 2015
Maiden voyage: April 22, 2015
In service: April 20, 2015
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics
Class and type: Quantum-class cruise ship
Tonnage: 168,666 GT[4]
Length: 348 m (1,142 ft)[4]
Beam:
  • 49.4 m (162 ft) (max)[4]
  • 41.4 m (136 ft) (waterline)[4]
Draught: 8.8 m (29 ft)[4]
Decks: 18 (16 passenger-accessible)[5]
Installed power:
  • 2 ×  Wärtsilä 12V46F (2 × 14,400 kW)[4]
  • 2 ×  Wärtsilä 16V46F (2 × 19,200 kW)[4]
  • 2 ×  Cat 3516C HD (2 × 2,500 kW)[4]
Propulsion:
Speed: 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)[7]
Capacity:
  • 4,180 passengers (double occupancy)[5]
  • 4,905 passengers (maximum occupancy)[5]

MS Anthem of the Seas is a cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International (RCI). She is the second ship of the Quantum class, which surpasses the earlier Freedom-class ships by over 14,000 GT, becoming the second largest class of passenger ships behind RCI's Oasis class ships on a gross tonnage basis.[1]

Anthem of the Seas was delivered to Royal Caribbean on April 10, 2015, and christened on April 20, 2015.

Concept and construction

April 2, 2015 - Final preparation of Anthem of the Seas at Columbuskaj in Bremerhaven

On February 11, 2011, Royal Caribbean announced that they had ordered a new class of ships from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, the first of which was scheduled to be delivered by Fall 2014. At the time, the project was code-named "Project Sunshine".[8] Later that year, two 20.5-megawatt ABB Azipod XO propulsion units were ordered for that ship.[6]

On February 29, 2012 the company announced that a second "Project Sunshine" ship had been ordered and would be delivered by Spring 2015,[9] and ordered identical Azipod propulsion units shortly thereafter.[6] Just under a year later, on January 31, 2013, Royal Caribbean announced the official name of the new class of ships, Quantum Class, as well as the names of the first two ships in the class, Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas.[1][10]

Service history

Anthem of the Seas was delivered to Royal Caribbean on April 10, 2015.[11] She arrived at her first homeport, Southampton, England, on April 15, 2015, to prepare for her maiden European summer season.[12] At a ceremony held in Southampton on April 20, 2015, she was christened by Emma Wilby, a British travel agent chosen after a search for a travel agent who could sing, and also because she exemplified "grace, beauty, a social conscious (sic) and a sense of adventure."[13] In addition to being a travel agent, Ms Wilby is a military wife who sings in the Military Wives Choir in Kinloss, Scotland.[14]

The christening ceremony took place in the vessel’s Royal Theatre in front of 1,300 guests. It began with a procession, followed by performances by the Reading Scottish Pipe Band, and Only Boys Aloud, a boys’ choir from Wales. Ms Wilby then sang Katy Perry's hit song "Firework", after which she pushed a button to send a very large bottle of Perrier-Jouët champagne down a zipline on the ship's top deck, from the North Star gondola thrill ride into a wall bearing the ship's name.[13][14]

Anthem of the Seas departed from Southampton on her maiden voyage, an eight-night cruise to France and Spain, on April 22, 2015.[15] She has spent her maiden European season cruising from Southampton to the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and the Canary Islands.[16] Beginning in November 2015, she will operate seven- to twelve-night itineraries to the Caribbean and Bahamas from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, United States.[17] In 2016, Anthem of the Seas will sail year-round out of New Jersey, sailing to the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Canada/New England.[18] Anthem of the Seas will become the largest ship ever to cruise Canadian waters.

Design

Staterooms

Anthem of the Seas has 16 passenger-accessible decks, 8 of which feature balcony staterooms overlooking the ocean. Like the Celebrity Solstice class, those staterooms above the life boats are recessed into the superstructure and don't look down directly at the ocean. There are a total of 2,090 staterooms: 1,570 balcony staterooms, 147 ocean-view staterooms, and 373 inside staterooms. Of those staterooms, 34 are wheelchair accessible and 28 are studio staterooms for single travelers (including 12 studio staterooms with balconies). All aft-facing staterooms are a 2-story "loft" suites. Expanding on the "Virtual Porthole" concept introduced by Disney Cruise Line on the Disney Dream, all the interior staterooms feature a floor-to-ceiling 80-inch high-definition TV screen showing live views from the outside of the ship, which Royal Caribbean calls a "Virtual Balcony". On average, staterooms on the Quantum class are 9 percent larger than those on the preceding Oasis class.[5][19][20][21]

Activities and entertainment

Like the earlier Freedom and Oasis-class ships, the "Sports Court" on deck 15 aft features a Wave Loch Flowrider surf simulator and a rock-climbing wall.[22] A new feature on the Quantum class is "RipCord by iFLY", a skydiving simulator set in a recirculating indoor recreational vertical wind tunnel.[23] Reservations for RipCord are able to be made online in advance of the cruise. All the features of the Sports deck are complimentary, although Royal Caribbean charges for pictures and videos taken of RipCord participants taken by a crew photographer.[21] Guests are free to take their own pictures or have other guests take pictures of videos of them.

The "NorthStar" observation tower, located at the forward end of the top deck, uses a 7.1-tonne (7.8-short-ton) glass-walled capsule on the end of a 41-meter-long (135 ft) crane arm to lift groups of up to 14 guests up and over the edge of the ship, reaching heights of up to 300 feet above sea level. Rides on the NorthStar are complimentary, with the exception of sunrise, sunset, and private trips which have a charge, and can be reserved online in advance.[21][24][25]

Anthem of the Seas is the first cruise ship to offer an on-board live room escape game, Puzzle Break's "Escape from the Future."[26]

Deck 14 features an outdoor pool with a large video screen, an indoor pool with a retractable roof, an indoor "Solarium" with an adults-only pool, the "H2O Zone" kids' water park featuring the first wave pool on a cruise ship,[27] and at least 4 whirlpools.[20][28] Other included features that have become standard on recent Royal Caribbean ships include a Spa and Fitness Center on decks 15 and 16, the "Adventure Ocean" kids club on decks 11 and 12, a Broadway-style "The Royal Theater" on decks 3-5, and a Casino on deck 3. Unlike the earlier Voyager, Freedom, and Oasis class, Quantum-class ships do not feature a Viking Crown Lounge or ice skating rink, and the Royal Promenade mall down the center of the ship is replaced with the two-story "Royal Esplanade".[20][21][29]

The ship also features a number of multi-purpose venues:[28]

The Royal Theater

The Royal Theater is a Broadway-style theater on decks 3–5.[20] It is home to the ship's fully licensed production of the Broadway musical We Will Rock You,[30] the original stage production The Gift,[31] headliner acts, 3D movies, and other entertainment.[20]

Two70°

Two70° is a lounge on decks 5–7 at the stern of the ship, which features three-story-high 270-degree panoramic ocean views, a café, and an ice bar. Automatic window shades can cover the windows to limit the amount of sunlight entering, and a 13-projector projection mapping system can project live views from outside the ship and other imagery onto those shades.[32] At night, movable furniture and retractable dividers and chandeliers allow the space to be reconfigured to be used as a performance venue for a cabaret-style show or as a disco.[31][33] Both nighttime uses will take advantage of the projection system and 6 robotically controlled 100-inch LCD television screens to provide digital backdrops.[20][34]

As of 2016, the venue features the show "Spectra Cabaret" starring Raven O and the Harmony Sisters.[35]

SeaPlex

Located at the middle of deck 15, the SeaPlex is a large indoor gym with a full-size basketball court that can be converted into a dance floor, a flying trapeze school, a roller-skating arena, or a bumper cars ride.[22] The "SeaPlex" also features the SeaPlex Dog House food truck and table tennis, air hockey and foosball tables on a second-level mezzanine.[21]

The Music Hall

The Music Hall is a 2-story lounge on decks 3 and 4 that also serves as a nightclub and small music performance venue.[28] The Music Hall features the self-leveling pool tables first seen on the Radiance-class ships.[36]

Dining

Unlike previous Royal Caribbean ships, Anthem of the Seas does not have a main dining room.[37] Instead, the ship uses a Dynamic Dining concept similar to the Freestyle concept used on Norwegian Cruise Line, with guests being required to make reservations for their choice of restaurant for each night in advance,[38] and each venue will maintain the same menu throughout the cruise.[39] A "classic" dining option will be offered, similar to the rotational dining on Disney Cruise Line, that allows guests to keep the same servers, table-mates, and dining time each night as they rotate between the four largest restaurants.[40] On 27 November 2016 "Dynamic Dining Classic" was discontinued and replaced with "My Time Dining". The Grande and Chic restaurants serve Traditional Dining and the Silk and American Icon restaurants serve Flexible Dining. Traditional dining includes a fixed dining time (6 or 8:30pm), same table assignment and same table companions each evening. Guests in Flexible Dining are seated on a first come, first served basis.[41]

Complimentary

There are five complimentary main restaurants (four of which are available to all passengers):[5][37]

Other smaller complimentary dining venues include:[5][37]

Additional fee

There are several smaller dining concepts that are available to passengers for an additional fee:[5][37]

Bars and lounges

Anthem of the Seas includes numerous bars and lounges, including the Royal Caribbean signatures Schooner Bar and Boleros, the Ice Bar located in Two70°, Michael's Genuine Pub, and the Bionic Bar which features robotic bartenders from Makr Shakr.[44][45]

Incidents

On 7 February 2016, the ship was struck by "extreme wind and sea conditions" off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina while sailing south from Bayonne, New Jersey to Port Canaveral, Florida. The ship was caught in 30-foot (9.1 m) waves and a 125 miles per hour (201 km/h) apparent wind. Passengers were advised to stay in their cabins, as the rocking of the ship overturned furniture and caused damage in public areas and cabins, including collapsing part of a suspended ceiling and rendering one of the ship's two azipod propulsion units inoperable.[46] Royal Caribbean reported that only four passengers suffered minor injuries, but many aboard the ship told a different story. One man described the storm as "The scariest, most horrible experience of my life." The ship resumed sailing on the 8 February, returning to port in the New York area to avoid further bad weather that had been forecast. Passengers were refunded their full cruise fare, and received a credit for 50% of their fare toward a future cruise within the next year.[47][48]

On 30 June 2016, as the ship sailed from Bayonne, New Jersey, 8-year-old Prince Adepoju of Maryland was found unresponsive in the ship's pool. As CPR was performed, the ship returned to port and was met by NYPD and FDNY boats and an NYPD helicopter which eventually flew him to Staten Island University Hospital. After two days in pediatric intensive care, Adepoju died on 2 July 2016. The medical examiner deemed his death to be an accident.[49]

On September 4, 2016, the Anthem of the Seas was again confronted with stormy conditions generated from the nearby Hurricane Hermine, which was a post tropical cyclone at the time. The ship experienced gusts of up to 90 mph. Again, passengers were confined to their staterooms to ride out the storm. However, this one caused less damage than the previous incident.[50]

On December 1, 2016, as Anthem of the Seas docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico, two American passengers were found dead. Authorities said the bodies showed no signs of violence and seemingly had died from natural causes.[51]

On February 18, 2017 at approximately 9:55am, a 75 year old woman experiencing diabetic shock was airlifted by the US Coast Guard from the vessel located approximately 100 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Start of Steel-Cutting for First Project Sunshine Ship". Meyer Wert. February 5, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  2. ↑ http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/anthem-of-the-seas/
  3. ↑ Zeitraffer: "Anthem" dockt in zweieinhalb Minuten aus (in German)
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Anthem of the Seas (32028)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Anthem of the Seas Fact Sheet". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "Azipods ordered for two RCL cruise ships". The Motorship. April 17, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  7. ↑ Innovation & Technology: Shipbuilding in Papenburg (PDF). Papenburg, Germany: Meyer Werft. 2013. p. 26. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Signs Letter of Intent to Build New Generation of Ships". Investor Relations. February 11, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Exercises Option to Build Second "Project Sunshine" Ship". Investor Relations. February 29, 2012. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  10. ↑ Tribou, Richard (February 5, 2013). "Royal Caribbean announces names for new cruise ships". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  11. ↑ Sloan, Gene (April 10, 2015). "Royal Caribbean takes delivery of giant new ship". USA Today. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Anthem of the Seas cruise ship arrives in Southampton". BBC News Online. April 15, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Norton Masek, Theresa (April 20, 2015). "Anthem of The Seas Christened in Southampton". TravelPulse.com. Retrieved April 21, 2015. External link in |work= (help)
  14. 1 2 Stone, Deborah (April 20, 2015). "Inside Look: Anthem of the Seas is officially named in Southampton". Daily Express. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  15. ↑ Sloan, Gene (April 22, 2015). "New giant cruise ship to set sail on maiden voyage". USA Today. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Quantum of the Seas introduces new wows for Royal Caribbean". miamiherald.
  17. ↑ "Bayonne port loses big ship". NJ.com.
  18. ↑ "Royal Announces 2016-2017 Caribbean Deployment, Harmony to Port Everglades". cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  19. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Introduces Unrivaled Accommodation Options On Quantum-Class Ships". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Anthem of the Seas Deck Plans". Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 Dunham-Potter, Anita. "Quantum Of The Seas' New Thrills At Sea". HuffPost Travel. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  22. 1 2 "Largest Sports And Entertainment Complex At Sea Introduced On Quantum Class". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Royal Caribbean International Introduces Skydiving Experiences At Sea". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  24. ↑ "A View From Above: North Star". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  25. ↑ "MacGregor to deliver Quantum Class North Star system". MarineLog. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  26. ↑ "Anthem of the Seas Entertainment Will Rock You". Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  27. ↑ "WOW Experiences Never Before Seen at Sea - Quantum of the Seas". Royal Caribbean International.
  28. 1 2 3 "Royal Caribbean International Reveals Groundbreaking Quantum-class Ships". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  29. ↑ "Royal Esplanade". royalcaribbean.com. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  30. ↑ "WE WILL ROCK YOU: QUEEN'S SMASH HIT MUSICAL MAKES WAVES ON ROYAL CARIBBEAN'S ANTHEM OF THE SEAS". royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com.
  31. 1 2 "New Shows Announced for Anthem of the Seas". cruiseindustrynews.com.
  32. ↑ Immen, Wallace. "Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Leap: Its New Ship Becomes a Transformer". Avid Cruiser. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  33. ↑ "Quantum of the Seas". 5+design. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  34. ↑ "Two70° Revolutionizes Onboard Entertainment". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  35. ↑
  36. ↑ "Music Hall: The Hottest Live Entertainment Venue At Sea". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  37. 1 2 3 4 "Royal Caribbean International Debuts New Era of Dining at Sea on Quantum-Class". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  38. ↑ "Dynamic Dining Hits the High Seas". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  39. ↑ "The Quanum Class Culinary Q & A's" (PDF). Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  40. ↑ Tom Stieghorst, Special for USA TODAY (2 February 2015). "Royal Caribbean to change Dynamic Dining". USA TODAY. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  41. ↑ "Royal Caribbean abandons Dynamic Dining on Anthem of the Seas". royalcaribbeanblog.com. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  42. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Drops Cover Charge for New Celebrity Chef Restaurant - Royal Caribbean International". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  43. ↑ "Anthem of the Seas Fact Sheet - Royal Caribbean Press Center". royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  44. ↑ Gene Sloan, USA TODAY (5 November 2014). "Love craft beers? This new cruise ship is for you". USA TODAY.
  45. ↑ "Bionic Bartenders With a Human Touch". Royal Caribbean Connect. 23 October 2014.
  46. ↑ "Coast Guard deciding if storm-damaged cruise ship can sail". AP.com. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  47. ↑ "Giant Royal Caribbean ship damaged in 'extreme' storm will return to port". usatoday.com. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  48. ↑ Stapleton, AnneClaire (8 February 2016). "Cruise ship turns around, calls of trip after storm". CNN. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  49. ↑ "Boy, 8, who nearly drowned in pool on Royal Caribbean cruise ship dies in hospital". New York's PIX11 / WPIX-TV. 2016-07-11. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
  50. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Experiences Rough Sea Conditions". Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  51. ↑ http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2016/12/01/two-american-tourists-found-dead-aboard-cruise-ship-that-docked-in-san-juan/
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