• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Urban Bliss Life logo

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • contact
  • shop
  • cookbooks
  • resources
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • 30-Minute Meals
    • Air Fryer
    • Appetizers
    • Asian
    • Bread
    • Breakfast
    • Cookies
    • Dairy-free
    • Dessert
    • Filipino
    • Holiday
    • Instant Pot
    • Main Dish
    • Pasta
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Seafood
    • Vegan
    • Cocktails
    • Dog Treats
  • Wine
    • Food & Wine Pairing
    • Oregon Wine
    • Washington
    • California
  • Travel
    • Travel Gear
    • Travel Tips
    • Hotels
    • USA travel
    • Europe
    • Japan
    • Canada
    • Asia
  • Restaurants
  • About
    • Work With Us
    • Press
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Wine
  • Travel
  • Cookbooks
  • About
  • Work With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ร—
    Urban Bliss Life ยป Travel ยป Cruise Travel ยป Anthem of the Seas Activities for Families

    Published: January 5, 2016 / Updated: May 9, 2022 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland ยท This post may contain affiliate links.

    Anthem of the Seas Activities for Families

    Royal Caribbean's Cruise Ship Anthem of the Seas is a playground for adults and kids alike. Here are my top 10 Anthem of the Seas activities for families.

    10 Anthem Of The Seas Activities on UrbanBlissLife.com

    I admit: I've had some preconceived notions about cruise travel that I am learning aren't entirely accurate. The #1 myth perhaps is that cruises are just for older retirees and people who love to sit around, watch shows, and enjoy endless 24-hour buffets.

    Today's cruise ships offer so much more. I loved having the opportunity to travel on Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Anthem of the Seas. As I wrote about previously, the staterooms are modern and spacious, with lots of different room options. Travelers are offered a large and wide variety of gourmet dining options. The entertainment options onboard are top notch. And this particular ship has an impressive array of activities to keep families active and engaged onboard.

    Here are my top 10 reasons families will love Anthem of the Seas.


    Jump to:
    • 1. iFly Skydiving adventure
    • 2. SeaPlex
    • 3. North Star
    • 4. Adventure Ocean
    • 5. Rock climbing
    • 6. Interactive art
    • 7. DreamWorks fun
    • 8. Flow Rider
    • 9. Pools
    • 10. Fitness & Spa

    1. iFly Skydiving adventure

    `0 Reasons Families Will Love Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas on UrbanBlissLife.com

    For adventurous families, you'll love the Anthem of the Seas RipCord by iFly, the first skydiving experience at sea. There are age, weight, and medical restrictions to participate, so be sure to check with Royal Caribbean for the most up-to-date information. After registering, signing waivers, and watching a quick video, you'll suit up and the instructor will take you through a brief but very important training course focused on proper position and hand signals, since you won't be able to hear each other in the wind tunnel.

    10 Anthem Of The Seas Activities on UrbanBlissLife.com
    10 Reasons Families Will Love Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas on UrbanBlissLife.com

    The entire flying experience is one minute long, and if you've never done it before, prepare for a very memorable, exhilarating minute! 

    Can you tell I was having a blast? I LOVED this, and couldn't stop smiling, even with winds pushing against me at high speeds! :)

    Here's a very short 20-second video of me in the iFly tunnel.

    2. SeaPlex

    bumper cars on Anthem of the Seas

    Families with kids of all ages (and even those without kids!) will never get bored on Anthem of the Seas, and the massive sports and entertainment complex known as SeaPlex makes sure of that. This complex is multi-use and changes frequently throughout the day and night. During the day, you can soar on the only flying trapeze at sea or bring your A game on the full-size regulation basketball court, which is also used for team sports such as soccer, volleyball, and badminton. I personally loved the bumper cars, and the main SeaPlex floor also turns into a roller skating rink at select ties. At night, a special floating DJ booth drops from the ceiling and the SeaPlex floor is electrified with a mix of lights and music as it transforms into a dance floor.

    foosball

    If you have tweens or teens who are worried they'll be SO BOOORED (we've all heard that before, right?), show them photos and footage of the live gaming suite with Xbox, table tennis, air hockey, foosball and other interactive games.

    xbox on Anthem of the Seas
    arcade on Anthem of the Seas
    Anthem Of The Seas Teen Room

    There's also an arcade with games for kids of all ages, and a private Teen Room where adults aren't allowed at certain times (other than supervisors) to spoil the teen fun. I love these spaces reserved just for 12 to 17 year olds. It gives them a chance to chill without their parents or younger siblings and also to meet other kids their age onboard. 

    3. North Star

    Travel Bliss: Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas Overview on UrbanBlissLife.com

    North Star is an exclusive and intimate experience that takes guests on an exhilarating journey high above the sea. This glass observation capsule gently rises more than 300 feet in the air and rotates upwards and over the sides of the ship to provide the most breathtaking, 360-degree views imaginable.

    This shot was taken while at the top of our North Star journey:

    10 Anthem Of The Seas Activities on UrbanBlissLife.com

    4. Adventure Ocean

    10 Anthem Of The Seas Activities on UrbanBlissLife.com

    For families with little ones, Adventure Ocean is Anthem of the Seas' large kids' club. The Royal Babies & Tots Nursery is open to kids ages 6 months to 3 years; the Aquanats room is for potty trained 3-5 year olds; and the Explorers Room is for 6-8 year olds. At night, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., Adventure Ocean turns into a Late Night Party Zone for children between ages 3 and 11. There is also in-cabin babysitting for children who are at least one year old. Hours and prices vary, and availability is based on registration, so be sure to check with Royal Caribbean with questions related to your children's specific age ranges and activity requests before boarding.

    5. Rock climbing

    rock climbing on Anthem of the Seas
    rock climbing Anthem of the Seas

    Anthem of the Seas offers a 30-foot outdoor rock climbing wall that

    6. Interactive art

    Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas Overview on UrbanBlissLife.com // Travel Bliss

    One thing that truly surprised and delighted me on Anthem of the Seas was the amount of interactive art displayed throughout the entire ship. There is something to intrigue and entertain you as you walk to and from every activity. My kids would have loved the light switch art (pictured above) and the beautiful Pulse Spiral Chandelier (pictured below).

    10 Anthem Of The Seas Activities on UrbanBlissLife.com

    The chandelier works by placing your hands on the metal plates in-front for 10 seconds, then the 200 light bulbs flash in time with your heartbeat. After its finished flashing, the recording of your heartbeat is then transferred to the lowest light bulb and will move up the chandelier each time a new heartbeat is added. How cool is that?

    These are just two of MANY examples of innovative, interactive art found throughout the Anthem of the Seas ship.

    7. DreamWorks fun

    10 Anthem Of The Seas Activities -  dreamworks

    Kids (and adults too!) will love seeing some of their favorite characters from DreamWorks movies come to life on Anthem of the Seas. Onboard are Po of "Kung Fu Panda;" Shrek, Fiona and Puss In Boots of "Shrek;" and Alex the Lion, Gloria the Hippo, King Julien and the Penguins from "Madagascar ." Families can sign up for a DreamWorks character breakfast, take advantage of Meet & Greet opportunities throughout the cruise, and participate in various games and activities centered around DreamWorks movies and characters.

    8. Flow Rider

    Anthem of the Seas flow rider
    Photo above courtesy of Royal Caribbean

    Directly below the iFly skydiving area is FlowRider, a surfing simulator. There are height restrictions depending on whether you want to boogie board or stand up. I didn't have time to do this, but it looked like so much fun!

    9. Pools

    pools on Anthem of the Seas
    10 Anthem Of The Seas Activities on UrbanBlissLife.com

    There are three main pools on Anthem of the Seas. The main outdoor pool deck is large, with tons of lounge chairs nearby for sunning. There are also two whirlpools, and a ginormous screen that is used for announcements and social media fun during the day and movie nights. 

    The second pool is an all-weather pool that also has whirlpools and a wading pool. This section is quieter and tends to be less crowded than the outdoor main pool, which means the pool bar next to this pool is also less crowded.

    10 Reasons Families Will Love Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas on UrbanBlissLife.com

    The third pool is the adults-only pool in the Solarium. It's a really beautiful pool with a

    10. Fitness & Spa

    After all of the incredible dynamic dining you will do on Anthem of the Seas, you can also work it all off in the HUGE fitness center. There are several treadmills, ellipticals, and stationery bikes, as well as a host of classes throughout your stay. A jogging track circles around the deck of the main activities area (you jog right by Gigi the Giraffe!). The spa is a serene little getaway where you can get haircuts, manicures, pedicures, massages, and more - for kids and adults! I know my daughter would have loved to have done the mother/daughter mani/pedi services, and they also have mother/daughter and father/son massage services.

    There really is so much for families to do to keep busy on Anthem of the Seas. For more, be sure to visit my past articles and visit my Urban Bliss Life YouTube Channel for Anthem of the Seas videos.

    Anthem of the Seas: Dynamic Dining

    Anthem of the Seas: Entertainment at Sea

    Anthem of the Seas: Overview

    Which family activity do you think you would love the most?

    Thanks so much to Royal Caribbean for the complimentary travel and media visit on Anthem of the Seas. All opinions and photos are, as always, my own. For more information about Anthem of the Seas, visit: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/anthemoftheseas/. 

    « Winter Bourbon Cocktail: The Winter Warm-Up
    K Vintners and Charles Smith Wines in Walla Walla »

    Get recipes, travel tips, deals and more delivered to your inbox!

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Kate Comer says

        March 09, 2018 at 6:52 pm

        I have so been reluctant to go on a cruise but you have changed my mind! Looks amazing and our kids would absolutely love it.

        Reply
      2. melody pittman says

        January 06, 2016 at 11:41 pm

        It has been a few years since I've cruised with Royal but man have they stepped up their game! Wow! Even an Ifly! I am impressed. Love all those first 4 new things, gonna check out that ship for sure!!

        Reply
      3. Mary says

        January 06, 2016 at 4:53 pm

        Ohmygosh. I've never had any desire to go on a cruise before (I get seasick just thinking about it), but your posts are very convincing! I also have zero desire to EVER go skydiving (the real kind), BUT I could totally get behind the iFly experience (that looks so fun!!). And all the kids activities?!?
        Though, you sold me at the spa.
        Seriously though, great overviews, photos, and details of this experience! I'm definitely intrigued.

        Reply
      4. Natalie says

        January 06, 2016 at 1:28 pm

        You don't have to convince me--where do I sign up!? :) My husband and I have done two cruises in the last five years, and both were on Royal Caribbean. We'd seen advertising on our ships about the Anthem class of ships and were SO excited about going on this one day. I want to do that indoor skydiving!

        Reply
      5. Monica Louie says

        January 05, 2016 at 11:44 pm

        Wow! I've been on one cruise, and I wasn't thrilled, but it looks like you had THE BEST time! I would love to do the skydiving and the surfing. It's incredible what kinds of activities they can put on a boat!

        Reply
      6. Jen says

        January 05, 2016 at 9:16 pm

        Looks like a great family getaway!

        Reply
      7. Lauren says

        January 05, 2016 at 9:06 pm

        Looks awesome! Forget going anywhere the cruise ship would be way better than any port. I went on a cruise with my whole family when I was 17 and I was less than thrilled to be a part of the 12-17 group instead of the 18 and older. Don't tell... but I might have found my own way into the 18+ club.

        Reply
      8. Willow says

        January 05, 2016 at 8:05 pm

        You definitely changed my mind about cruise ships! I always thought I would only want to go on a three day cruise because you're stuck on a ship with a ton of other people! Your list of things to do make me want to go on a long cruise! IFLY skydiving, bumper cars, and the North Star experience - oh yeah! Sounds really fun!!

        Reply
      9. Melinda says

        January 05, 2016 at 2:43 pm

        When I was about 9, I went on a cruise with my parents that was pretty much the fulfillment of all those old cruise cliches. I've hated the ideas of cruises ever since! But, between your posts and what some friends have told me about the Disney cruises, I'm changing my opinion. Now, I just have to convince my husband!

        Reply

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating





      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      Primary Sidebar

      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! If you're looking for easy, fast, delicious family-friendly recipes, wine pairings, and travel tips, you've come to the right place! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

      More about me โ†’

      Featured In

      Urban Bliss Life Press Featured In graphic

      Spring Recipes

      • Half of a quiche in a pie pan with salmon, asparagus, and leeks.
        Salmon Quiche

      • strawberry crinkle cookies on a plate
        Strawberry Crinkle Cookies

      • dill pickle potato salad
        Dill Pickle Potato Salad

      • bowl of cucumber dill salad.
        Cucumber Dill Salad

      More Spring Recipes โžก๏ธ

      New Recipes

      • Balsamic Chicken Salad.
        Balsamic Chicken Salad

      • moroccan chicken skewers, moroccan pancakes, colorful plates of moroccan food, and chicken tagine with title text overlay.
        Traditional Moroccan Food

      • Cod en Papillote (cod in parchment paper).
        Cod en Papillote

      • berry overnight oats in a mason jar.
        Berry Overnight Oats

      New Travel Tips

      • moroccan chicken skewers, moroccan pancakes, colorful plates of moroccan food, and chicken tagine with title text overlay.
        Traditional Moroccan Food

      • spices, souks, and tagines with title text overlay "Things to Do in Marrakech, Morocco"
        Things to Do in Marrakech, Morocco

      • scenes from Casablanca, Chefchaouen, Fes, and Sahara Desert with title text overlay 10 Day Morocco Itinerary.
        10 Day Morocco Itinerary: From Casablanca to the Sahara to the Sea

      • bottles of syrah
        Wine Tasting in Tournon-sur-Rhone

      Visit our Sister Sites

      Fifty cups of coffee logo
      • Twitter
      • Facebook
      • Pinterest
      • Instagram
      • YouTube

      Footer

      โ†‘ back to top

      logos of media outlets that have featured urban bliss life.

      Recipes

      • 30-Minute Meals
      • 5-Ingredients
      • Air Fryer
      • Asian
      • Dairy-Free
      • Pasta
      • Seafood

      About

      • About
      • FAQs
      • Privacy & Accessibility Policy
      • Terms & Conditions

      Contact

      • Contact
      • Work with me

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
      Copyright ยฉ 2025 Urban Bliss Life

      All rights reserved. You may not use any photos or recipes on this site for any personal or commercial use without my express written permission.