Anthem of the Seas leaves Sydney on Friday 15 January 2027 for nine nights in the South Pacific, in peak southern-hemisphere summer. Our database calls this a “winter” sailing, which is adorable and wrong. Pack for hot, wet and mildly dramatic. This is the Vanuatu and New Caledonia loop: three sea days out, three port days, two sea days home, and a 6:30 AM Sydney arrival on Sunday 24 January. Our database holds no port list for this sailing, so the route below is as reported by cruise sellers. Confirm it with Royal Caribbean before you book flights.
Start Here
- Now: check your passport is a physical book valid until at least 24 July 2027, six months after the cruise ends.
- Now: open the Cruise Planner and look at specialty dining, excursions and drinks. Fan-blog guidance puts dining windows 90 to 60 days out, which for this sailing is 17 October to 16 November (my calculation from a 2017 guide). They may already be open, so go and look before the good tables vanish.
- Around 1 December 2026: online check-in is expected to open, 45 days before sailing. Confirm the exact date in the Royal App.
- By 12 January 2027: finish check-in. Royal Caribbean encourages doing it at least 3 days before sailing.
- Before you book parking or transfers: confirm your terminal and the port list in the Royal App.
The Sailing at a Glance
| Detail | This sailing |
|---|---|
| Ship | Anthem of the Seas, Quantum Class, built 2015, refurbished 2025 |
| Size | 168,666 GT, 16 decks, 4,180 passengers, 1,500 crew |
| Departs | Fri 15 Jan 2027, Sydney, 5:00 PM (listed time) |
| Returns | Sun 24 Jan 2027, Sydney, 6:30 AM |
| Length | 9 nights, 5 sea days (16, 17, 18, 22 and 23 Jan) |
| Ports (reported, to be confirmed) | Port Vila 19 Jan; Mystery Island 20 Jan; Nouméa 21 Jan; each 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Countries | 3: Australia, Vanuatu, New Caledonia |
| Season | Southern summer; tropical wet and cyclone season at the ports |
| Latest CDC score | 100 out of 100, inspected 11 June 2026 |
This is not the 6 January 2027 sailing, which reportedly runs a different port order. It is also not the 28 December 2026 New Zealand sailing. Cruise listings love to look alike, so check the departure date before you trust any of them. Our Anthem itineraries page is a good place to compare.
What to Do Now and the Deadlines That Bite
Most of the hard dates land between 1 December and 13 January, but some booking windows may already be open. The figures below come from fan-blog guidance, not the cruise line, so the app has the final word.
| When | What happens | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Oct to 16 Nov 2026 | Possible specialty dining windows | Reported 90 to 60 days out, from a 2017 guide; may have changed |
| ~1 Dec 2026 | Online check-in opens | 45 days before sailing; slots are first-come, first-served |
| 12 Jan 2027 | Check-in target | Royal Caribbean encourages at least 3 days before |
| ~13 Jan 2027 | Check-in reportedly closes | About 48 hours before sailing |
| 72 hours before sailing | Drinks package cutoff | Buying later adds a reported 10% to 15% onboard surcharge |
| 15 Jan 2027 | Arrive in your chosen slot | Early arrivals can’t board yet; late ones may wait for a later group |
Skip online check-in and you must finish at the pier at least 2 hours before sailing. For a 5:00 PM departure that is 3:00 PM, but the departure time is a listing figure. Everyone must also be checked in and onboard no later than 90 minutes before port operations close. The ship will not wait for you and your very good excuse.
Check-in slots are usually 30 minutes long, with the earliest often around 10:30 to 11 AM. Checking in early gives you more choice. We found no Crown & Anchor tier that opens check-in earlier. Pinnacle Club members reportedly get flexible boarding, which is a perk and not an earlier window.
Embarkation Logistics
Anthem usually docks at the Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT), but confirm your terminal in the Royal App before you book parking. The OPT sits at the corner of Argyle and George Streets, Circular Quay West, The Rocks NSW 2000. Sydney’s other cruise terminal is White Bay. Anthem was at the OPT for a 30 October 2026 call, but that is a different sailing and no guarantee for ours.
Driving and parking
There is no parking at the OPT on cruise days and no waiting bays for pick-ups, so you either drop off or park nearby.
- Drop-off is on the lower roadway at Circular Quay West, reached from George Street.
- The stop limit is 2 minutes and you can’t leave the vehicle. Carnival’s page says 3 minutes, so go with the port authority’s 2. Think pit stop, not tearful farewell.
- Wilson Parking sells prepaid cruise parking up to 3 months ahead, online or in its app. Otherwise casual rates apply.
- Cruise parking is offered for 4 to 30 days, and each prepaid transaction covers one entry and one exit.
| Car park (OPT) | Per day | Height limit | 10 calendar days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Opera House | $30 | 2.2 m | $300 |
| Quay West, 111 Harrington St | $40 | 2.0 m | $400 |
| Clocktower, 55 Harrington St | $51 | 2.0 m | $510 |
| The Domain, St Mary’s Rd | $25 | 1.9 m | $250 |
The totals are my arithmetic: 15 to 24 January inclusive is 10 calendar days, and Wilson bills per calendar day. Wilson doesn’t say whether your 24 January collection counts as day ten. The listed rates are undated, include a transaction fee and can change without notice, so recheck before you pay. If the ship uses White Bay instead, Wilson lists Harbourside (Pyrmont) at $40 a day with a 5-day minimum, and Darling Park at $20 a day.
From the airport
The T8 train runs straight from Sydney Airport to Circular Quay, and the OPT is about 450 m from the station.
- By road it is about 16 km and roughly 35 minutes, or about 30 minutes in a taxi depending on traffic. We found no reliable taxi or rideshare fare, so we won’t guess.
- A tourism blog quotes about AU$22.30 for an adult train fare, most of it the airport access fee. Verify the per-person fare on transportnsw.info.
- Circular Quay also has ferries (about 450 m from the terminal) and light rail (L2, L3).
We haven’t vetted hotels for this guide, so there are no picks. Staying near Circular Quay at least puts train, ferry and light rail within easy reach of the terminal.
Getting off on 24 January
Anthem is listed to arrive at 6:30 AM, so line up your ride home in advance. The morning taxi rank for disembarking passengers is on Level 3 via Hickson Road, and private drop-offs aren’t allowed there. Limousine and private-car drivers meet passengers outside the front of the terminal.
The Ship and How to Work It
Anthem is a Quantum Class ship, built 2015 and refurbished 2025, with enough gadgets to make a sea day interesting. It carries 4,180 passengers and 1,500 crew over 16 decks. We can’t tell you what the 2025 refurbishment changed, so we won’t invent upgrades. For the full spec sheet, see our Anthem of the Seas page.
Its latest CDC Vessel Sanitation Program score is 100 out of 100, from an inspection on 11 June 2026. That is the kind of number you want on the ship that is feeding thousands of people. You can look up any ship with our CDC inspection lookup.
Eating
Plenty is included in the fare, and the specialty restaurants are where the bill creeps. Travel guides count about 18 venues, which is a secondary figure.
| Included in the fare | Extra cost |
|---|---|
| Main dining rooms: Silk, Chic, The Grande, American Icon | Jamie’s Italian |
| Windjammer buffet | Chops Grille |
| Café Two70 and Sorrento’s pizza | Wonderland |
| Café Promenade (with Sorrento’s, the late-night options) | Chef’s Table (14 seats) |
| Johnny Rockets (a la carte; one reported combo is US$14.99) | |
| Specialty coffee |
Specialty cover charges conflict between sources, so check the real numbers in the Cruise Planner. A dining package can cut specialty costs by up to 40%, per Cruise Critic. Crown & Anchor Diamond tier and above can move to the top of the main dining waitlist, but not for My Time Dining.
Playing
The Solarium is your escape hatch. It is the adults-only pool area, almost entirely glass, with pools and whirlpools, and it is described as a quieter alternative to the main pool. We couldn’t verify the minimum age or whether it costs extra.
- SeaPlex has bumper cars, roller skating and circus school. Yes, you can run away to the circus on holiday.
- RipCord by iFLY, the skydiving simulator, was reported as new to Australian waters.
- FlowRider is the surf simulator, and North Star is the observation capsule.
- We couldn’t confirm which of these cost extra, or how much.
- Shows include We Will Rock You and an original musical, The Gift. The lineup for this exact sailing isn’t confirmed.
- Music Hall handles late-night drinks and dancing, and Two70 does daytime craft workshops and board games.
Travelling with kids? Check Anthem’s exact kids-club structure and age groups on Royal Caribbean’s ship page. Fleet-level age bands conflict between sources, and a reported Wiggles collaboration for the Australian season may not cover our date.
The Ports
The route is Port Vila, Mystery Island, then Nouméa, each 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM on the listing. The 5:00 PM end is probably all-aboard or departure, but that isn’t confirmed, so check the times with Royal Caribbean and in the daily planner. Itineraries can change, particularly with weather. The 5 sea days, 3 ports and 3 countries are all in the table above. More on our itineraries hub.
Port Vila, Vanuatu (Tue 19 Jan)
Don’t count on a walkable town until Royal Caribbean tells you the berth. Vanuatu Tourism says the town is a 5-minute walk from the terminal. Cruise Critic puts the berth in the Laho area, a 30 to 45 minute walk, partly uphill and often without a footpath. Those two accounts do not agree, and we can’t referee, so plan for either.
- Royal Caribbean lists a round-island Efate drive, a private-island snorkel and a beach-and-market combination. It advises booking early.
- Independent favourites include the market, duty-free shopping, Hideaway Island snorkelling, Mele Cascades and the Blue Lagoon.
- The currency is the vatu. Many vendors take cash only and ATMs can be out of order.
- Some taxis reportedly drive recklessly, so an organised tour or negotiated fare is safer.
- Smartraveller says “exercise normal safety precautions”. A 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Port Vila in December 2024, and some operators are still closed or in temporary premises.
Mystery Island, Vanuatu (Wed 20 Jan)
This is a beach day on an uninhabited island with no roads, where the market stalls don’t take cards and there’s no ATM or bank. Vanuatu Tourism describes Mystery Island as a tender stop, but Royal Caribbean hasn’t confirmed how Anthem will land guests, so check the Royal App before you plan around it. Think beach time and snorkelling (Royal Caribbean’s page for a similar sailing also shows paddle boarding), not shopping. Exchange to vatu beforehand. Australian dollars are often accepted, but change may not come back in AUD.
Tipping isn’t expected, and locals may feel obliged to repay it under local custom. If it is a tender stop, it is at the mercy of wind and swell, so a skipped call is a real risk in cyclone season. We found no tender-fee information, so check the Cruise Planner.
Nouméa, New Caledonia (Thu 21 Jan)
Nouméa rewards an excursion more than a stroll from the pier. The terminal is in a plain commercial part of Moselle Bay, and the view improves within about 10 minutes’ walk. Port Moselle Market is about 1.6 km away, and other beaches are 30+ minutes on foot.
- Royal Caribbean highlights Amédée Island, about 45 minutes by high-speed ferry, with snorkelling and a buffet lunch. It says the trip sells out.
- It also lists a rainforest canopy trek, which is physically demanding, and a kayak trip of about 70 minutes’ paddling.
- Reviewers say the terminal’s excursion desks have been reduced, so book on the ship.
- Taxis are regulated but vary with traffic. The currency is the CFP franc, and some shops close at midday.
The US lowered its New Caledonia advisory to Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution”, effective 21 May 2026, after the 2024 unrest. It still warns of petty crime and demonstrations that can turn violent with little notice. We couldn’t confirm Australia’s current level, so check Smartraveller before you sail.
Conditions and Packing for This Season
This is hot, humid and wet, and it sits inside the South Pacific cyclone season, which runs 1 November to 30 April. The Australian cyclone season peaks in March and April, so January isn’t the headline act, but changed itineraries or skipped ports are possible. Down here the storms are tropical cyclones, not hurricanes. If Mystery Island is a tender stop, it is the call most exposed to the weather. We found no 2026-27 seasonal outlook, so check the Bureau of Meteorology closer to sailing.
| Place | January picture |
|---|---|
| Sydney | Jan 2026 (Observatory Hill): mean max 27.9 °C, mean min 19.6 °C, rain 160.8 mm. Jan 2025: mean max 27.0 °C, rain 187.4 mm. Expect highs typically in the high 20s |
| Port Vila and Mystery Island | Mean about 26 to 27 °C, highs up to about 31 °C, January rain about 196 to 250 mm, humidity 80% to 82%, sea 24 to 29 °C. Figures are for Port Vila; Mystery Island has no specific data |
| Nouméa | Average about 25.5 °C, highs around 29 °C, lows around 23 °C, rain about 117 to 139 mm; wet season |
The sea days are the main seasickness exposure: five days across the Tasman and Coral Seas. Anthem is a big stabilised ship, but heavy weather means heavy seas, and nobody can promise you a smooth crossing. One forum poster suggested a mid-ship, low cabin, which is anecdote, not science.
- Light, breathable clothes for 27 to 31 °C and 80%-plus humidity.
- A compact rain jacket for heavy afternoon showers.
- High-SPF sunscreen (reef-safe is common advice for Pacific snorkelling), a hat and sunglasses. Check local sunscreen rules before you go.
- Swimwear for Mystery Island, and seasickness remedies for the sea days.
Money
The fare doesn’t cover alcohol, sodas, specialty dining, Wi-Fi or spa treatments, and whether it covers gratuities depends on where you book. We found no verified fare or excursion prices, so budget from the table below and check the Cruise Planner for the real numbers.
| Item | What we found | Caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Gratuities, Australian bookings | Cruise Passenger (Nov 2023) reported the service charge is included in the fare, with tipping optional; summaries of Royal Caribbean’s Australian FAQ say the same | No AUD daily amount is confirmed, so check your booking page |
| Gratuities, other markets | US$18.50 a day standard, US$21 suite: US$166.50 or US$189 per person over 9 nights | Nov 2024 rates; no 2026 figure found |
| Service charge on extras | 18% on bar drinks, room service, specialty dining; 20% on spa and salon | Reported |
| Deluxe Beverage Package | Estimated AUD 140 to 160 a day: AUD 1,260 to 1,440 per person, or 2,520 to 2,880 for two | Blog estimate; assumes all 9 nights |
| Refreshment Package | Estimated AUD 50 to 60 a day: AUD 450 to 540 per person over 9 nights | Blog estimate |
| Wi-Fi | Pre-cruise about $18 to $35 per device per day, median around $20 (about $180 per device for 9 nights); onboard about $39 (about $351) | US-based guide figures; no Anthem or AUD price found |
If your booking does include gratuities, that is the one genuine saving here: about US$166.50 per person against the US rate over 9 nights. That is a saving, not a price, and it applies only if you booked through an Australian channel and your booking page confirms it. Whether the 18% service charge is already inside the drinks price is also unclear, so check the total at checkout before you celebrate.
Deluxe covers drinks up to US$14 each, and pricier drinks carry a $6 to $7 upcharge. If one adult aged 21+ in a stateroom buys it, every other adult aged 21+ in that stateroom must too. Moderate drinkers may lose money at AUD 140 to 160 a day. By my rough maths you’d need around 8 to 10 drinks a day at AUD 15 to 18 each to break even, and that is a lot of umbrella garnish.
You can bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine per guest of drinking age on embarkation day, plus up to 12 non-alcoholic drinks per stateroom. Beer and spirits aren’t permitted. Opening your own wine in a restaurant carries a corkage fee, and reported amounts conflict. Check Royal Caribbean’s Australian wording and see our bring-alcohol guide.
Mystery Island is a beach day with market stalls, no ATM and no bank, so it can cost you very little if you bring a bit of cash for the stalls. Port Vila and Nouméa are where excursion and shopping money goes.
Documents
Bring a physical passport book valid for at least six months after the cruise ends, which means until at least 24 July 2027. Any itinerary leaving Australia needs one, and birth certificates and other non-passport ID aren’t accepted. Royal Caribbean also says visas are the guest’s responsibility. Without proper visa documents you’ll be denied boarding without compensation, which is a very expensive way to stay home.
- Vanuatu: the immigration page says a passport valid for more than 6 months on arrival, and a visa if your nationality isn’t exempt. We couldn’t confirm which nationalities are exempt.
- New Caledonia: cruise passengers now face the same entry rules as flight passengers. Australian and NZ passports must be issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months beyond departure, with 2 blank pages. No visa is needed for up to 3 months. Other nationalities should use the France-Visas wizard. This fact sheet is 2022-era, so check for updates.
- Everyone else: non-Australians and non-New Zealanders must check Home Affairs for their own nationality.
- Not applicable: NZeTA and the NZ visitor levy don’t apply, because this route doesn’t touch New Zealand.
Use the strictest rule. A passport that meets Royal Caribbean’s six-months-after-24-January rule should cover all three destinations, but double-check your own nationality.
Kids, medication and banned items
Minors travelling with someone who isn’t their parent or legal guardian need an original, notarised consent form, or they’ll be denied boarding. For cruises departing Australia, the accompanying adult must be 18 or older. Check the form is current.
- Australia’s TGA says most prescription medicines can come in under the traveller exemption. Carry them in original packaging with an English doctor’s letter or prescription, and declare them to Australian Border Force.
- The 3-month supply limit comes from a secondary summary, so verify it with the TGA or Office of Drug Control. We found no medication rules for Vanuatu or New Caledonia, so check with each government.
- Reported prohibited items include illegal drugs, weapons and replicas, fireworks, open flames, knives, extension cords and power strips, clothing irons, steamers, coffee makers, kettles, hot plates and networking gear.
- Royal Caribbean reorganised its list in February 2026, so read the current official list before you pack.
FAQ: Anthem of the Seas from Sydney, 15 January 2027
What ports does Anthem of the Seas visit on the 15 January 2027 cruise?
Cruise sellers list Port Vila on 19 January, Mystery Island on 20 January and Nouméa on 21 January, each 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Sea days fall on 16, 17, 18, 22 and 23 January. Our own database has no ports for this sailing, so confirm the route with Royal Caribbean before booking flights or excursions.
Where does Anthem of the Seas dock in Sydney?
Anthem usually docks at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay West, but we couldn’t confirm the terminal for 15 January 2027. Sydney’s other cruise terminal is White Bay. Check the Royal App before you book parking or a transfer.
Do I need a passport for a cruise from Sydney to Vanuatu?
Yes. Royal Caribbean requires a passport book for any itinerary leaving Australia, valid for at least 6 months after the cruise ends, so until 24 July 2027 for this sailing. Visas, where your nationality needs them, are your responsibility. Without them you can be denied boarding without compensation.
Are gratuities included on Royal Caribbean cruises from Australia?
For bookings made through Australian or New Zealand channels, Cruise Passenger reported in November 2023 that the service charge is included in the fare, though you can still tip at your discretion. Other markets pay a daily charge, last reported at US$18.50 per guest for standard staterooms and US$21 for suites. Confirm on your booking page.
Can I bring wine on Royal Caribbean from Sydney?
Royal Caribbean’s published policy allows one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine per guest of drinking age on embarkation day. Beer and spirits aren’t permitted, and seized alcohol isn’t returned. Drinking your own bottle in a restaurant carries a corkage fee. Check the Australian wording before you pack, and see our bring-alcohol guide.
Is January a bad time to cruise the South Pacific?
It is hot, humid and wet, and it falls inside the South Pacific cyclone season of 1 November to 30 April. The Australian season peaks in March and April, but itinerary changes or skipped ports are possible. Mystery Island, which Vanuatu Tourism lists as a tender stop, is the call most exposed to the weather.
When does Royal Caribbean online check-in open?
Fan blogs say about 45 days before sailing, which would be around 1 December 2026 for this cruise, and closing about 48 hours before. Royal Caribbean encourages finishing at least 3 days ahead, which is 12 January. Your Manage Booking page or the Royal App shows your exact date.
The Bottom Line
This is a sunny, sticky, mostly stress-free nine nights, as long as you do the paperwork before the fun. Sort your passport and check-in dates now, confirm the terminal and ports in the Royal App, and book the Nouméa excursion early because Amédée sells out. Pack for rain as well as sun, and keep an eye on cyclone and travel advisories as January gets closer. For more on the ship, see our Anthem page and the CDC inspection lookup.
Ships in This Story
- Anthem of the Seas Royal Caribbean · Latest CDC score 100
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