Cruise Spotlight
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Anthem of the Seas vs Wish
The Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas was built in 2015. It was renovated in 2025. It's 7 years older than the Wish, which was built in 2022. The Disney Wish is inspired by stories of wish fulfilment. You'll enter the ship through the Grand Hall which is themed after a castle with a large statue of Cinderella and a display of her glass slipper. Outside the ship, you'll see Rapunzel painting the name on the stern.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Anthem of the Seas is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,141 feet long and 136 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.2 football fields, as wide as 2.6 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Disney Wish, the Anthem of the Seas is 17% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas holds about the same number of passengers as the Wish based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Anthem of the Seas has more space per person compared to the Wish. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas | Disney Wish | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Quantum | Wish |
| Gross Tonnage | 168,666 | 144,000 |
| Length | 1,141 | 1,119 |
| Beam/Width | 136 | 128 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,180 | 4,000 |
| Crew | 1,500 | 1,555 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.8 | 2.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 40 | 36 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Anthem of the Seas has sixteen different dining options like Chops Grille, Wonderland, and Johnny Rockets. Of those options, twelve are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other nine options have an additional fee.
The Wish has six fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are 1923, Palo Steakhouse, and Worlds of Marvel. five of these restaurants are complementary and the other five have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Anthem of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 60% more dining options than the Wish.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Wish might be a better choice then the Anthem of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas | Disney Wish | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 16 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 12 | 5 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 9 | 5 |
| % of Included Options | 44% | 50% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Anthem of the Seas and the Wish below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs.
Disney Wish has more pools than the Anthem of the Seas and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Wish. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Anthem of the Seas.| Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas | Disney Wish | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 8 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 6 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 2 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Anthem of the Seas. Only 76% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Wish, 83% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas | Disney Wish | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bionic Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bumper Cars | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✗ |
| Character experiences | ✗ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✗ |
| Indoor Sky Diving | ✓ | ✗ |
| Kid's Play Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Laser Tag | ✓ | ✗ |
| Movie Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| North Star | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water Coaster | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Disney, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas | Disney Wish | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $6.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 - $118 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $12 - $36 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.
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