Anthem of the Seas – Suite experience Alaska
In 2025 we explored the majestic water ways of Alaska, including the iconic inside passage with multiple scenic ports of call. Our cruise called at Juneau, Skagway and Sitka and we very much enjoyed going ashore to take in the sights and sounds of this mammoth destination. Glaciers, wildlife and and landscapes so vast that they awaken all your senses ! Adding to the experience is being onboard a fun filled luxury cruise ship – great to combine the nature with a family focused cruise experience !
We cruised on Royal Caribbean’s quantum class ship Anthem of the Seas. Boasting over 4000 passengers and 1400 crew, Anthem of the seas is a delight for families and guests who look forward to the big ship experience – lots of dining venues – entertainment and activities !
Our cruise disembarked from Seattle and we stayed the night before in the Vintage Kimpton Hotel – which is an older style renovated hotel ( large rooms, small bathrooms) but well located. The next morning we made our way to the ship around 1pm and found boarding very smooth ! We heard that arrival at midday was mayhem so sometimes it pays to get to the port a little later. Our room Grand Suite Grand Suite – 6234 was ready at 2pm and we were pleasantly surprised with the size – it has 2 rooms , so perfect for families – large bathroom – with 2 doors and a very large balcony – perfect for viewing Alaska ! This class of suite comes with exclusive access to the Coastal Kitchen. It was a very pleasant dining there with its Mediterranean/ Californian inspired menu and expansive ocean views. We dined there most nights and the intimate size of the venue enabled us to develop a relationship with our wait staff and fellow diners. They were also very accommodating towards our 2 year old which made meal times more enjoyable. The corner window bench seat became our dining home for the next 7 days !
Another advantage of the suite class is access to the concierge lounge – which is located on Deck 12 at the back of the ship. You can have breakfast there as well as evening complimentary alcoholic drinks. It is a friendly place and you get to know your fellow suite travellers as well as enjoying the wake view. There is also a concierge that can assist you with questions. We also loved having the Nespresso machine in the room for an early coffee.
If you are travelling with younger children this ship is perfect as it has a large play zone for children under 5 and parents can take their kids anytime between 9am and 10 pm. They also have the opportunity to pay $8 per hour and attend the 6 month – 3 year old Kids club which has 3 sessions a day 9 am-12 pm, 2-5pm and 7-10 pm. For children 3 and over the Kids Club is complimentary – the age groups are 3-6, 6-8, 8-11 and then 12- 17 years old.
The Seaplex host various activities during the day such as dodgem cars ( minimum age 5 years and 107 cm tall) organised sports such as basketball and dodge ball and a couple of time during the cruise it was dedicated for family time so the younger kids could join in. They had a jumping castle set up, twister and dancing to baby shark ! There is also an IFLY to experience simulated sky diving ( you can enjoy a complimentary 5 minute session or longer paid sessions with an instructor) and the North Star which is a jewel shaped observation capsule like a an arm which comes up above the ship and you an enjoy 360 degree panoramic views that takes you over 300 feet above sea level. On port days you can enjoy this for free otherwise it is paid on sea days.
Highlights of Port Stops Juneau – Cable Car – Takes you up the very top of the historic town and you get spectacular views down below. In Skagway we took the white pass rail line which was the Gold Rush pioneers in 1897 and travels up the steep and rugged terrain. The train travels a very narrow path to over 3000 feet and up the top it is covered in snow. There is an outside viewing platform at the back of the cars and there is a detailed commentary during the journey. Skagway itself is well preserved town, the buildings look like they are straight out of a movie set – its lovely to walk around and enjoy the shops – there is a museum or you can walk further out of town to see the Cemetery and a waterfall. The town only has 1000 inhabitants out of season but this swells to over 15000 in cruise season !! In Alaska even during May sunset is not until around 930pm and sunrise around 430 am so you get plenty of time to enjoy the amazing coastline either from your balcony or your bed !
We also enjoyed Sitka – cruising in to a beautiful harbour and has a modern cruise terminal. We took a shore excursion there to Fortress of the Bear – a refuge for orphaned bears, as it is illegal to release bears once raised by humans. The rest of the tour involved a boat ride up a very large fjord style lake to a family homestead. Alternatively we might fellow cruisers who walked around the town and took a local bus to the fortress of the bear – that could have been a good option.
On this ship all the public areas are very light and modern, lots of beautiful art pieces to enjoy and there are plenty of activities and venues to enjoy on sea days.
Our last port of call was Victoria Canada and we did a shore excursion to Butchart Gardens. Even though it was a wet day the gardens were beautiful and they have umbrellas to borrow at the entrance. The world famous gardens were create by Jennie Butchart over 120 years ago to beautify an old quarry and they are still owned and lovingly maintained by the same family. The shore excursion was worth it for the ease and time saving as it is a bit of a distance from the port – the commentary on the bus was also very interesting.
and the added bonus if the shore excursion was we went to a butterfly gardens which was filled with exotic birds like this 40 year old Flamingo
All in all we had a nice mixture of excursions as well as free time to walk around and explore the ports. We felt the vibe, there was a buzz about for the first cruises to Alaska for the season and we spoke to some local guides and retailers who were excited for a bumper season ahead.
Tips for ports
Juneau – Mount Roberts Tram car (Pre purchase tickets online for faster access, earlier in the day pre 10am is less busy) – Tracey’s Crab Shack & Red Dog Saloon are the 2 iconic spots in town but there are a host of smaller restaurant’s, Bars and Cafe’s as the town has grown over the years due to Cruise Tourism, there is even a famous Chocolate / Lollie shop in town you can get custom made sweets from. Fresh & Smoked Salmon, Crab Legs and other fishing and seafoods are Alaska’s specialties & the Alaskan Brewing Company located on the edge of town is another favorite – Other highlights discussed with fellow passengers were the Mendenhall Glacier and the many tours on offer there, dog sledding with the Huskies or trekking over the Glacier itself all amazing experiences on offer.
Skagway – White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, The most popular tour in Skagway, full of history and incredible scenery, fantastic commentary throughout and fun and family friendly. Alaska & the Rockies are well known for there rail experiences and this one is up there, and it’s just under 3 hours. If you get the earlier departures you have time to explore the town which is very walkable with lots of local and seasonal ventors and retailers.
