You’ve seen them. Those glossy, high-saturation images of Anthem of the Seas that Royal Caribbean uses in their brochures. Everything looks perfect. The North Star pod is always at the highest point against a neon-blue sky, and the RipCord by iFly looks like an effortless dance in the clouds. But there is a massive gap between a marketing render and the reality of standing on Deck 14 with a smartphone in your hand.
I’ve spent a lot of time looking at these ships. Not just as a fan, but as someone who tracks how the Quantum Class has aged since Anthem first hit the water in 2015. It’s a tech-heavy beast. Honestly, it’s kinda weird how different the ship looks depending on the lighting in the Solarium versus the stark midday sun on the pool deck. If you're looking for photos to plan a trip, you need to know what you’re actually looking at.
Most people just see a big boat. Experts see a "SmartShip."
The North Star and Why It Looks Different in Person
One of the most iconic images of Anthem of the Seas involves that glass observation capsule. It’s called the North Star. In the official photos, it looks like this solitary, peaceful bubble floating over the ocean. In reality? It’s a mechanical marvel that looks much more industrial when you're standing right under it. The arm is huge. The hydraulics are visible.
The view from inside is where the real magic happens, but taking a photo of the North Star from the deck is actually harder than it looks. You’re usually fighting the sun or the sheer scale of the ship’s funnel. If you want that "Discovery Channel" shot, you actually need to be off the ship—either on the pier in a port like Bermuda or on a tender boat.
The North Star can reach heights of 300 feet above sea level. Think about that. That is higher than the Statue of Liberty. When you see photos taken from inside the pod looking down at the ship, the perspective is warped. The ship looks like a toy. It’s one of the few places on earth where you can get a true bird's-eye view of a moving vessel without needing a drone license.
The Two70 Lounge: A Visual Nightmare for Cameras
If you walk to the aft of the ship, you find Two70. It’s a massive room with 270-degree views. During the day, it’s a bright, airy library-style space. At night, it turns into a high-tech theater.
Capturing decent images of Anthem of the Seas in this specific area is notoriously difficult. Why? Because of the Vistarama technology. Royal Caribbean uses 18 projectors to turn the floor-to-ceiling windows into a digital screen with 12K resolution. It’s stunning. But if you try to take a photo of it, your camera sensor will likely freak out because of the refresh rates and the low light.
You also have the Roboscreens. These are six 100-inch LED screens mounted on robotic arms. They move. They dance. They create a "wrap-around" visual experience that honestly feels a bit like being inside a sci-fi movie. Most "real" photos from passengers in Two70 look blurry or dark, which is why the professional shots look so much cleaner—they're using long exposures and tripod setups that the average cruiser just isn't carrying.
Why the Solarium is the Best Place for Your Photos
If you want the best possible images of Anthem of the Seas without needing a professional rig, go to the Solarium. It’s at the very front of the ship. It’s adults-only, which is a nice bonus, but the architecture is the real draw.
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The glass canopy is tiered. It creates these interesting geometric shadows that look incredible on Instagram or in a photo album. Because it’s enclosed, the water in the cascading lagoons is always still. It’s a controlled environment.
- The lighting is soft because of the glass tint.
- The greenery (yes, real plants) adds a pop of color that the rest of the ship lacks.
- You get a direct view over the bow, which is the classic "Titanic" shot everyone wants.
Interestingly, many people think the Solarium is a giant greenhouse. It’s not. It’s climate-controlled, but on a hot day in the Caribbean, it can get a bit steamy. The photos don't show the humidity, but your lens might feel it. Pro tip: let your camera acclimate to the temperature for five minutes before you start snapping, or you’ll just get a foggy mess.
The Reality of Staterooms and Balconies
Let’s talk about the rooms. You’ve probably seen the images of Anthem of the Seas virtual balconies. This was a huge deal when the ship launched. If you book an interior room, you get an 80-inch high-definition screen that shows a live feed of the outside.
It’s a cool trick. It’s not a window.
When you see a photo of a virtual balcony, it looks seamless. In person, you can tell it’s a screen, but the effect is surprisingly effective at preventing claustrophobia. The real balconies, however, are where the "wow" factor lives. Anthem has a high percentage of balcony cabins compared to older ships.
The glass railings are great for photos because they don't obstruct the view of the water. However, if you're on a lower deck (like Deck 6), your view might be partially obstructed by the lifeboats. Marketing photos rarely show the lifeboats. They focus on the high-up suites. If your "view of the ocean" is actually a view of a bright yellow boat, your photos are going to look very different from the brochure.
SeaPlex: The Visual Chaos of Fun
The SeaPlex is the largest indoor active space at sea. It’s where the bumper cars, roller skating, and basketball happen.
Visually, it’s a lot.
The colors are primary and loud. It’s great for high-action images of Anthem of the Seas, but it's often crowded. If you want those clean, empty-looking shots of the bumper cars, you have to get there the second they open.
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There’s a second floor in the SeaPlex with "nooks" for gaming and lounging. This is actually one of the best spots to get a high-angle shot of the action below. Most people stay on the ground floor. Go up. The perspective change makes for a much more interesting photo than just standing at the fence.
The Bionic Bar: Robots Making Drinks
You can’t talk about this ship without mentioning the robots. The Bionic Bar is essentially two robotic arms (built by Makr Shakr) that mix cocktails.
It’s a gimmick. A fun gimmick, but a gimmick nonetheless.
Photos of the Bionic Bar usually focus on the arms mid-pour. To get a good shot, you need to wait for the "mirror" behind the robots to display the statistics of the drink being made. It adds a layer of data visualization to your photo that looks very "future of travel."
Hidden Gems for the Best Ship Photography
Most people take the same five photos. North Star, the pool, the robot bar, the main dining room, and their balcony. If you want something unique, you have to look for the art.
Anthem of the Seas has a multi-million dollar art collection. There’s a giant giraffe wearing a swimsuit (named Gigi) on the upper deck. She’s huge. Yellow. Hard to miss. But most people take a photo from the side. If you go to the deck above and look down, you get a much funnier perspective.
Then there are the "Smart" features. The ship uses RFID technology. Even the way the elevators work—choosing your floor on a touch screen before you enter—is a visual cue of how modern the ship is.
Lighting Matters More Than You Think
The Atlantic is moody. Since Anthem often sails out of Cape Liberty, New Jersey, your early images of Anthem of the Seas might be gray and foggy. Don't fight it. The ship’s metallic surfaces and white hull actually look quite striking against a moody, overcast sky.
Once you hit the Gulf Stream, the water turns that deep, electric blue. That’s when you want to use a polarizer if you have one. It cuts the glare off the water and lets the camera see the true depth of the color.
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The Art of the "Ship-Scape"
To truly capture the scale, you need a reference point. A photo of just the ocean is boring. A photo of just a railing is boring.
Find a spot where the architecture of the ship frames the horizon. The glass walkways that overhang the sides of the ship are perfect for this. They allow you to look straight down at the water rushing past the hull while keeping the sleek lines of the ship in the frame. This creates a sense of motion that static photos usually lack.
Things People Get Wrong About Anthem Photos
A common misconception is that the ship is "crowded" based on photos of the pool deck. Yes, on a sea day, the pool deck is packed. It’s a sea of lounge chairs.
But Anthem is designed with "pockets." You can find areas of the ship that look completely empty even when there are 4,000 people on board. The Solarium at 8:00 AM is a ghost town. The jogging track at sunset is often quiet.
If you see a photo of a crowded pool and think the whole ship is like that, you’re missing the design philosophy of the Quantum Class. It’s meant to disperse crowds.
Another thing: the food photos. The specialty restaurants like Wonderland look like something out of a fever dream. The decor is all white and gold with velvet chairs. The food is served in smoke-filled domes or on "trees." These are some of the most shared images of Anthem of the Seas, but they don't represent the everyday dining experience in the Windjammer buffet. Balance your expectations.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Photo Op
If you're heading onto the Anthem of the Seas soon, or just researching for a trip, here is how to get the most out of the visual experience:
- Download the Royal Caribbean App Early: You can see deck plans and photos of specific areas to map out your "must-see" spots before you even board.
- Golden Hour at the Aft: Go to the back of the ship (near Two70) about 20 minutes before sunset. The wake of the ship creates a leading line that directs the eye straight to the sun. It’s the best shot on the vessel.
- Use the "Burst" Mode for RipCord: The skydiving simulator is fast. Don't try to time one shot. Hold the shutter down and pick the one where the person actually looks like they're flying rather than just falling.
- Look for the Details: The ship is full of small architectural details, like the way the LED lights change color in the Royal Esplanade. These make for great transition shots in a digital photo album.
- Clean Your Lens: Seriously. The salt air creates a fine film on camera lenses within minutes. Wipe your phone or camera lens constantly, or every photo will have a weird, hazy glow that isn't supposed to be there.
The images of Anthem of the Seas that stick with you aren't usually the ones of the whole ship. They’re the small moments—the way the light hits the glass in the Solarium, the weird robotic dance in Two70, or the scale of the North Star as it swings out over the edge of the hull. It’s a complex, beautiful, and sometimes slightly industrial-looking ship, but that’s exactly what makes it interesting to look at.