By Jeffrey A. Rendall; Photos by Jeff, Shari and Bethany Rendall
Anthem of the Seas Review Part II – Eating on Anthem: Coastal Kitchen is a wonderful dining venue, but…
Because we booked a suite on our Alaska sailing, one of the perks of doing so was getting access to the Suite Lounge and Coastal Kitchen, the exclusive dining facility for suite guests. Prior to this time, we’d always either dined in the Main Dining Room, occasionally at a specialty restaurant or, rarely a bad alternative, the ship’s main buffet.
I didn’t think we were actually going to do this, but we visited the Suite Lounge each day for Happy Hour. And I’m not too shameless to admit that the reason we did so was to take advantage of the complimentary drinks in the lounge as well as the hors d’oeuvres, such as chocolate covered strawberries and meatballs and veggie crudites and chicken pate, etc.
It’s a perk that’s included in your suite fare, right?
Because we decided not to purchase an unlimited drink package, which of course includes every drink available on the ship, we knew, if we wanted something stronger than soda or other available “free” beverages, we’d need to buy them and add to our ship account. Trust me, these charges accumulate rapidly and small additions here and there quickly add up, especially on a cruise ship.
We did purchase a “Soda package” for our cruise, which provided soda fountain drinks, but not cans of soda or, as we discovered too late, no bottles of water, either. We weren’t too happy about that one.
We overheard a few guests complaining about being “nickel and dimed” by the cruise line. This is true if you think of it this way, but it’s more useful to remember that you basically start at zero and work your way up rather than trying to tally all the things you’re not getting.
The Suite Lounge, if you’re staying in a suite, is quite a benefit. Each day, starting at 4:30, guests can, while in the lounge, order pretty much whatever you want and as much as you want in terms of alcoholic beverages. It’s almost like having a beverage package without keeping a count. Rest assured, you’re still paying for the privilege, but it’s liberating to know there isn’t a limitation on your adult beverage whims of the moment.
We became quite friendly with the waiters in the lounge who committed to memory our preferences quickly. Just show up and they’ll bring it to you, and make conversation along the way. The staff is mindful that part of their jobs is to chat about just about anything if you like it, and it’s great to learn about their lives and the places they live when they’re not working on the ship.
One gentleman we encountered was from Guyana. I don’t recall ever meeting someone from the country and we quickly began talking about the Jim Jones tragedy from the 70’s, as well as the country’s burgeoning energy production economy. It’s a small world, isn’t it? Another favorite waiter was Vinny, from Goa, India. They lead very different lives there.
Our suite concierge, Vashim, was also from India. His sole shipboard occupation was to make us – and every suite guest – happy. Therefore, the concierge was always ready to answer questions and assist with bookings onboard as well as ensure we were well taken care of in the lounge itself. It was almost like having an all-inclusive resort, if only for a couple hours a day.
We would take a glass of wine with us when heading to dinner in the Coastal Kitchen, which was positioned right next door to the Windjammer buffet on deck 14 on Anthem of the Seas, which sometimes had a line to get in during busy times.
There was no waiting at the Coastal Kitchen, however, which was kind of like a specialty restaurant on its own and a sizable step up in enjoyability from the Main Dining Room. As a result, we ate dinner in the Coastal every night. We didn’t need to, but part of the experience was getting to know the waiter (“our” waiter, Pravin) who, true to form, recalled our every request and his service got better and better as the days went on.
Having the same waiter was almost like dining with Artificial intelligence, since he “learned” our likes and tree nut allergies with each passing meal.
As I indicated, having the Coastal Kitchen as a benefit was wonderful, yet it inevitably presents a dilemma – use it or lose it. At times we desired something off the menu in some other location, but didn’t want to “risk” not using a benefit that we paid for when we booked the cruise. Staying in a suite is expensive – no doubt about it. But 
because you “pay” for the benefits, you want to use them.
It was almost like purchasing the NFL ticket one season, which we did. We loved it, but felt beholden to watch it. You can’t undo time. It’s one of the drawbacks of each level of accommodations and service as well as buying drink packages, specialty dining, etc., on a cruise vacation. You must mentally factor in what you’re giving up when adding the extra expense.
Our lone experience with the Main Dining Room came during a Gally Tour, which we bought at the urging of our wait staff in the Coastal Kitchen. The Tour time was on a Sea Day, so we had a free couple hours to kill. I’d been on a Gally Tour years ago on our first cruise ship and it was very thorough and conducted by the executive chef himself.
That tour was long – probably about an hour, and the chef took us through each aspect of food preparation at the enormous and busy dining operations. To say the least, it was astonishing how much work goes into feeding thousands of passengers in a relatively confined space. And it’s not just generic food offerings, either. Every meal has several courses, and each day’s menu is different. To some extent.
Years ago, we toured the kitchens set aside for salads, appetizers, bread, main courses, desserts… the list goes on and on.
On our Alaska cruise, the Gally Tour “only” lasted about fifteen minutes, was conducted by a “regular” staff member (in our case, it was an officer, not sure which one) and wasn’t nearly as informative as it could’ve been. Understandably, it was very loud below decks in the oversized gally. The machines made a lot of noise, and we couldn’t hear much of the officer’s narration. Most of what we gathered was seeing the facilities, impressive as they were.
The tour ended rather abruptly, then our guide directed us to the Main Dining Room for lunch. The menu was specially prepared for the tour groups, and the server was polite and efficient. But the totality of the meal lacked the quality of a meal in the Coastal Kitchen.
It was a nice experience, but I wouldn’t be anxious to sign up for another Gally Tour, considering the price per person we expended.
Specialty Dining at Izumi and Chops – and one trip to the Windjammer buffet
Seeing as we had access to the Suite Lounge and Coastal Kitchen for each meal to the day, it’s by no means mandatory to book a specialty restaurant. As mentioned before, having Coastal Kitchen is like enjoying access to a specialty restaurant the entire time. But you probably should try the specialty restaurants anyway, if for nothing else, to take advantage of their availability and expanded menu offerings.
We made reservations to eat at Izumi (Japanese cuisine) on our first day at sea at lunchtime so we could make our daily trek to the Suite Lounge and Coastal Kitchen for dinner later in the day.
My wife and I had eaten at Izumi on a previous cruise and enjoyed it very much. But it was a ton of food. That particular Izumi restaurant (on Oasis of the Seas) had sushi and a few hibachi tables. Anthem of the Seas’ Izumi had no hibachi tables – just sushi and menu items for order, which allowed us to tone down the amount of food. A good thing. And it was some cheaper, too.
Two members of our party had sushi and I ordered chicken Karaage as an appetizer and teriyaki chicken for an entrée with vegetable fried rice.
The meals came with dessert included. We had chocolate matcha cake.
The food was very good and more than satisfying. Would I rate it as outstanding? No. All agreed that the quality of the food wasn’t on par with that in the Coastal Kitchen. But the experience of eating Izumi made it worth booking the specialty restaurant, though it would’ve been better if we’d had a choice of tables, one overlooking the Promenade area of the ship.
We also enjoyed one meal at the Windjammer buffet on embarkation day, which ironically, we were advised to avoid because of hungry crowds looking for a buffet meal when first boarding the ship.
The Windjammer buffet is special in and of itself for the sheer selection of food offerings. Simply stated, even the pickiest of eaters should find something there, including pizza, pasta, burgers, Asian cuisine, etc… and an impressive selection of breads and salads to round out the meal.
Many food connoisseurs shy away from the ship buffets because they feel they’re germy and crowded and the food isn’t fresh. And the service is poor. A cruise ship nightmare only to be used when desperate.
Royal Caribbean’s buffet is pretty good, and the selection is outstanding. The crowds at the Windjammer ensure that most offerings are fresh, too. I chose a pretty standard cheeseburger and fries, just to tide me over until dinner. And it was embarkation day. We thought we would probably hit the buffet again, but with Coastal Kitchen available most meal times, we never went back to the Windjammer. I wouldn’t hesitate to go there on the next cruise we take, particularly for breakfast and lunch.
On our final day at sea, we booked the Chops specialty restaurant for lunch. Chops is a steak place specializing in… well, meat. There are also chicken and seafood items available for those not desiring another heavy steak meal.
For that reason – I wanted something other than steak – I ordered the specialty burger, which came with several different sides for the table to share. There were fries, mac n’ cheese, mashed potatoes and vegetables. The meals came with a salad appetizer as well. I chose a Caesar salad, which was worth it for the croutons alone.
As would be expected at a steak specialty restaurant, the burger was superior. The quality was outstanding, as was the service. The sides were higher quality than you’d get in other “free” restaurants.
Was going to Chops worth the additional expense? It’s according to your own personal preferences. My wife had filet mignon for her selection. So you had choices, the same as with other specialty restaurants. All were delicious and satisfying.
One note – specialty restaurants mean a LOT of food. Sometimes you just don’t want that much, but they bring it anyway. I don’t think there’s any such thing as smaller portions. It’s almost like the attitude is, ‘If you pay for it, the food will come.’
One last tidbit – the chocolate dessert at Chops was probably the best of the cruise. Delicious! As always, served with a couple small scoops of vanilla ice cream. Paradise.
Previous reviews on our Alaska cruise and Anthem of the Seas:
Alaska Cruise Review Part I – Why cruise to Alaska? Let us count the ways. Bring a calculator
https://www.golfintheusa.com/1448-2/
Alaska Cruise Review Part II — Alaska ports of Call – Sitka is all about wildlife with culture and history thrown-in
https://www.golfintheusa.com/alaska-ports-of-call-sitka-is-all-about-wildlife-with-culture-and-history-thrown-in/
Alaska Cruise Review Part III — Alaska ports of Call – Skagway; Waterfalls, gold miners and a taste of the old west
https://www.golfintheusa.com/alaska-cruise-review-part-iii-alaska-ports-of-call-skagway-waterfalls-gold-miners-and-a-taste-of-the-old-west/
Alaska Cruise Review Part IV — Alaska ports of Call – Juneau. Alaska Capitol, Tracy’s King Crab Shack and Whale watching
https://www.golfintheusa.com/alaska-cruise-review-part-iv-alaska-ports-of-call-juneau-alaska-capitol-tracys-king-crab-shack-and-whale-watching/
Alaska Cruise Review Part V — Alaska ports of Call – Victoria, Canada, Butchart Gardens, Spaghetti Factory and Big City
https://www.golfintheusa.com/alaska-cruise-review-part-v-alaska-ports-of-call-victoria-canada-butchart-gardens-spaghetti-factory-and-big-city/
Alaska Cruise Review Part VI — Alaska ports of Call – Seattle; Original Starbucks and CHAZ
https://www.golfintheusa.com/alaska-cruise-review-part-vi-alaska-ports-of-call-seattle-original-starbucks-and-chaz/
Anthem of the Seas Review – Part I — Entertainment on Anthem of the Seas – Something to do for every spare moment
https://www.golfintheusa.com/anthem-of-the-seas-review-part-i-entertainment-on-anthem-of-the-seas-something-to-do-for-every-spare-moment/