Checking the current position of the Anthem of the Seas isn't just for ship nerds or AIS junkies. Sometimes you're the one standing on the pier in Sydney wondering where your ride is, or maybe you're at home trying to figure out if your family is currently getting rocked by a swell in the Tasman Sea. Honestly, it’s one of those things that changes by the hour.
Right now, as of January 17, 2026, the ship is basically finishing up one chapter and starting another. It just pulled back into Sydney, Australia, early this morning. It was wrapping up a 9-night South Pacific run that took it through places like Noumea and Mystery Island. If you’re looking for it on a map at this exact moment, it’s docked at the Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT) in Circular Quay.
The view there? Incredible. You’ve got the Opera House on one side and the Bridge on the other. But don't expect it to sit still.
Where is the ship going next?
Cruising isn't a static business. By 5:00 PM local time today, the lines will be dropped. The ship is heading out on a quick 2-night "Weekend Getaway" which is essentially a "cruise to nowhere" (or a cruise to everywhere if you count the buffet).
It'll spend Sunday at sea.
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Monday morning, it’ll be right back at the same dock in Sydney. If you're tracking the current position of the Anthem of the Seas over the next 48 hours, don't be surprised if the GPS coordinates just show it doing a giant loop in the Tasman Sea off the coast of New South Wales. These short hops are mostly about the onboard experience—North Star, the RipCord by iFly, and all that.
The 2026 Australia and Alaska Flip
Royal Caribbean moves these ships like chess pieces. For the first quarter of 2026, the Anthem is staying Down Under. It's doing a heavy rotation of:
- New Zealand fjords (Milford Sound is the big draw there).
- South Pacific islands (Vanuatu and New Caledonia).
- Short domestic coastal runs.
Then, things get interesting. Around mid-April, it starts a massive Transpacific trek. It’ll hit New Zealand, Tahiti, and Hawaii before finally parking itself in Seattle for the 2026 Alaska season. If you are trying to find the ship in June or July, it won't be anywhere near Australia; it'll be dodging icebergs in Endicott Arm.
Tracking the ship in real-time
How do people actually find the current position of the Anthem of the Seas? You’ve got a few solid options that aren't just guesswork.
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- VesselFinder and MarineTraffic: These use AIS (Automatic Identification System). Every ship over a certain size has to broadcast its position, speed, and heading. It’s pretty reliable unless the ship is in the middle of the ocean where land-based receivers can’t see it.
- Royal Caribbean’s App: If you're actually booked on the ship, the app usually gives you a "map" view, though it’s sometimes a bit laggy compared to the professional maritime trackers.
- Bridge Cams: This is the fun way. Anthem of the Seas has a forward-facing camera. It doesn't give you GPS numbers, but it tells you if the ship is in port or staring at a foggy horizon.
Why the location matters for your Wi-Fi
Here is a bit of a "pro tip" that most people miss. The current position of the Anthem of the Seas directly impacts how well your Starlink internet works. When the ship is docked in a major city like Sydney, you’re competing with land-based signals, and sometimes the surrounding skyscrapers can mess with the satellite line-of-sight.
Once the ship gets out into the open water, the speeds usually fly. However, if the ship is way down south in the New Zealand fjords—like Dusky or Doubtful Sound—the high cliff walls can occasionally cause "signal shadows." If you're trying to Zoom call your boss while the Captain is navigating the Milford Sound, you might have a bad time.
Is the ship's schedule reliable?
Generally, yes. But the ocean has a vote.
Back in late 2025, several ships in this region had to swap ports because of tropical cyclones in the Coral Sea. If there's a big storm, the "current position" might end up being a sheltered bay or a redirected port call. Royal Caribbean is usually pretty quick about updating the itinerary in the app, but the AIS trackers will always show the "truth" of where the hull is sitting in the water.
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Moving forward with your tracking
If you are planning to meet the ship or just want to watch it sail, keep an eye on the Sydney Ports schedule. The OPT dock is the primary spot, but occasionally, if there's a traffic jam of cruise ships, they might use the White Bay Cruise Terminal (though Anthem is usually too tall to fit under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, so it stays at the Quay).
The best way to stay updated is to bookmark a live AIS map. These tools show the ship's speed—usually around 18 to 22 knots when it's hauling between ports—and its exact heading. For the next few months, expect to see it hovering around the 33° S latitude mark as it services the Australian market.
Check the live AIS feeds tonight around 6:00 PM Sydney time to see it clearing the "Heads" and entering the Pacific.