Format: Cruise

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: We Arrived For Our Cruise… But There Was NO SHIP! | Anthem of the Seas

Posted by Deb & Matt | Jun 16, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat |

Welcome aboard Anthem of the Seas!

Our Sydney to Airlie Beach cruise adventure officially begins, but things don’t quite go to plan when we arrive at the Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal and discover one very important thing is missing…

The ship!

Join us as we travel from Brisbane to Sydney, explore Circular Quay, check out recent airport upgrades, drop our bags, complete embarkation, board Anthem of the Seas and enjoy our first day onboard.

We also visit Windjammer Marketplace, explore the ship, enjoy sailaway from Sydney Harbour, test GIGSKY connectivity, watch aircraft movements around Sydney Airport and experience our first dinner in the Main Dining Room.

Unfortunately, we also encounter a couple of unexpected problems, including damaged clothing and an issue with our cabin shower.

🛳️ Ship: Anthem of the Seas
🌏 Cruise: Sydney to Airlie Beach
🚢 Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean

Anthem of the Seas – Arrival in Sydney https://youtube.com/live/qn9tn2cwieY?feature=share

Sydney Harbour Cruise Ship Sailaway
https://youtube.com/live/KPVIB4nKD48?feature=share

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
00:22 Late Cruise Arrival
00:42 Brisbane Airport Upgrades
01:32 Sydney Airport Train
01:55 Circular Quay Sydney
03:11 Cruise Bag Drop
04:45 Anthem of the Seas Arrives
05:39 Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal
08:27 Sydney Light Rail
08:37 Cruise Supplies
10:03 Cruise Embarkation
10:47 Cruise Boarding
12:06 Finding Our Cabin
12:41 Lunch in Windjammer
15:45 GIGSKY Preview
16:21 Plane Spotting in Sydney
17:39 Sailaway
18:18 Warning – Ruined Clothes
20:03 Shower Problems
21:14 Main Dining Room – American Icon
24:31 Starters
28:11 Dinner
31:08 Dessert
33:31 Outro

If you enjoy cruise vlogs, cruise news, ship reviews and travel adventures, be sure to subscribe and join us for the rest of this Anthem of the Seas series.

#AnthemoftheSeas #RoyalCaribbean #CruiseVlog #CruiseLife #SydneyCruise #CruiseAustralia

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Anthem of the Seas Interior Cabin 11703: Full Room Tour

Posted by Deb & Matt | Jun 11, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat |

Welcome aboard Anthem of the Seas!

In this first video of our brand-new cruise series, we’re taking you inside Cabin 11703, an Interior Stateroom with Royal Caribbean’s famous Virtual Balcony.

We’ll show you everything you need to know before you book, including the layout, storage, bathroom, power outlets, air conditioning, tea and coffee facilities, room service options, and a couple of little surprises we discovered during our cruise.
This is our first impressions tour Anthem of the Seas cabin 11703 to see what this specific stateroom looks like before you book your next cruise vacation.

If you are planning a trip on Anthem of the Seas, knowing exactly what to expect from your accommodations is essential. This cabin tour of room 11703 walks you through the layout and features, helping you decide if this specific Royal Caribbean room is the right choice for your travel needs.

We show you how to access the space using your Sea Pass card, verifying that you have the correct stateroom upon arrival. Whether you are a first-time cruiser or a frequent traveler, seeing a real cruise cabin setup helps remove the guesswork from your booking process.

Subscribe for weekly cruise room breakdowns, and comment below if you want to see more stateroom tours from this ship.
We also share some practical cruise hacks, including our favourite towel trick, why you should pack magnetic hooks, and what travel adaptor you’ll need.

If you’re planning a Royal Caribbean cruise from Sydney, or you’re considering an interior cabin with a virtual balcony, this review should help you decide if it’s the right cabin for you.

📍 Cruise: Anthem of the Seas
🛳️ Cabin: 11703
🚢 Cabin Type: Interior Stateroom with Virtual Balcony
🌏 Itinerary: Sydney to Airlie Beach

Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:12 Seapass Card
00:53 Entry Area
01:09 Evacuation Card
01:30 Do Not Disturb
01:42 Air Conditioning
02:04 Bring Your Hooks
02:37 Bathroom
03:09 Towel Hack
05:06 Storage
05:21 Hanging Space
06:06 Virtual Balcony
06:56 Power
07:16 Travel Adaptor
07:55 Tea and Coffee
08:31 Room Service
09:17 Cruise Fridge
09:51 Problem #1
11:32 Final Thoughts

If you enjoy cruise tips, travel advice, cabin reviews and live cruise news, make sure you subscribe and join us each week.

#RoyalCaribbean #AnthemoftheSeas #CabinTour #VirtualBalcony #CruiseTips #CruiseReview #SydneyCruise #AirlieBeach #DebAndMattChat

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Cruise News LIVE 🚢 Floating Cities, Carnival Changes & MSC’s New Mega Ship

Posted by Deb & Matt | Jun 10, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat |

Welcome back to Deb & Matt Chat LIVE! 🚢

We’ve got another fun week of cruise news, opinions and plenty of community chat.

🗞️ Tonight’s Cruise News

🚢 Freedom Ship returns
The concept of a permanent floating city is back. This certainly brings a new meaning to the idea of living seaside. Could people really live on a ship full time? Is this even a ship?

🎫 Carnival introduces new Sail & Sign cards
A fresh look for one of cruising’s most recognisable items and another step in Carnival’s loyalty evolution.

📱 John Heald changes his social media role
Carnival’s legendary Brand Ambassador is stepping back from his full-time online presence.

🌏 MSC World Asia countdown begins
MSC continues its mega ship expansion with new attractions and experiences.
⚡ PLUS…

🎤 30 Second Quick Questions are back!

One question. Thirty seconds. No time to overthink the answer!

And of course we’ll have all the usual cruise banter, live chat and viewer questions.

💬 Tonight’s discussion:

👉 Would you live permanently on a floating city?

👉 Do cruise loyalty programs matter?

👉 Is John Heald the most influential personality in cruising?

👉 Are cruise ships becoming the destination?

👍 Like & Subscribe

🔔 Turn on notifications

📺 Deb & Matt Chat — Life, Cruise & Travel

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: The Truth About This Interior Cabin 🚢 Carnival Encounter Room 5236 Review

Posted by Deb & Matt | May 8, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat |

After spending our cruise in Interior Cabin 5236 aboard the Carnival Encounter, it’s time for our full end-of-trip cabin review.

In this honest cabin review, we break down:
✅ what worked well
❌ what challenged us
😴 the bedding and pillows
🔊 the noise issues
🚿 bathroom practicality
📍 cabin location on Deck 5
⚠ maintenance concerns
🥤 fridge performance and storage

This is the REAL review after actually living in the cabin for the cruise — not just first impressions.

If you’re considering booking an interior cabin on Carnival Encounter, especially Cabin 5236 or nearby rooms, this video should help you decide whether it’s the right fit for your cruise.

👇 Let us know:
What’s the BIGGEST thing you look for in a cruise cabin?

🚢 Part of our full Carnival Encounter Australia Day cruise series:
✔ Embarkation day
✔ Daily cruise vlogs
✔ Cabin tours
✔ Dining reviews
✔ Honest cruise experiences

Subscribe to follow along!

00:00 Intro
00:10 Carnival Encounter Cabin 5236 Review
00:31 Bedding Comfort Review
01:34 Pillows & Sleep Quality
03:34 Fridge Performance
05:38 Maintenance Issues
06:21 Bathroom Review
08:27 Cabin Location on Deck 5
09:37 Noise Problems 🚨
10:43 Final Thoughts & Wrap Up

#CarnivalEncounter #CruiseCabinReview #CruiseTips #CarnivalCruise #CruisingAustralia

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Carnival Encounter Family Friendly Australia Day Cruise

Posted by Deb & Matt | May 6, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat |

It’s Australia Day aboard the Carnival Encounter 🇦🇺🚢

In this final full day of our long weekend cruise from Brisbane, the ship really came alive with classic Aussie-themed activities, deck games, trivia, entertainment and plenty of fun.

From morning trivia and lunch at Waterfront Restaurant, to ice carving, thong throwing competitions, afternoon drinks, dinner, parties and evening shows — this was a fun-filled sea day onboard Carnival Encounter.

🎥 In this vlog:
✅Australia Day celebrations at sea
✅Morning trivia sessions
✅Sam I Am / Dr Seuss fun
✅Lunch at Waterfront Restaurant
✅Ice cream eating competition
🍦✅Ice carving demonstration
✅Thong throwing competition 🇦🇺✅Afternoon drinks onboard
✅Dinner review
✅Evening entertainment and shows

This is part of our full Carnival Encounter Australia Day Cruise Series from Brisbane, including embarkation, cabin tours, dining, entertainment and honest cruise experiences.

👇 Let us know in the comments:What’s the MOST Australian thing you’ve ever seen on a cruise ship?

Chapter Markers

00:00 Intro
00:19 Australia Day on Carnival Encounter
00:45 Morning Trivia
03:50 Sam I Am Dr Seuss Fun
04:13 Waterfront Restaurant Lunch
09:04 Ice Cream Eating Competition 🍦
09:31 Ice Carving Demonstration
10:05 Thong Throwing Competition 🇦🇺
13:15 Afternoon Drinks
14:28 Dinner on Carnival Encounter
20:40 Evening Shows & Entertainment
21:48 Final Thoughts
22:46 Jessie & James
#carnivalencounter #AustraliaDay #CruiseVlog #CarnivalCruise #CruisingAustralia