Anthem Of The Seas - British Isles Mini Cruise - A first cruise for the kids

[Milpston]

The Back Story

So I thought I would post a kind of mini trip report for our booked British Isles Cruise in August. It's not the pre trippie I would hoped to have been writing but we are quite excited about taking our kids on their first ever little cruise. As with most people we've had Florida trips cancelled for 2020 and 2021. We thought we would be having a year with no holiday again and I've been getting tempted to start my 2022 Florida Pre-trip report... but I daren't start another one that may not happen.

I had been following the news about the potential British Isles cruises this year from a distance. When I saw that it was to be Anthem Of The Seas it peaked my interest a little more as I had quite fancied a trip on a Quantum class ship since they were first launched but their itineraries had never really fitted into our plans. I received a quote from an agent on launch day and thought it was a bit too pricey so I waited patiently for Disney Cruise Lines to release more information about their plans. I signed up with a couple of the agents for information to be sent to me. I had mentioned it to Sally who had given me a firm, "NO", as it would put a little pressure on the savings for our Florida trip next year as we had been giving the savings a bit of a hammering by replacing one of our cars and updating the house.

Sally and I were out for a walk (part of a lockdown diet) on the Wednesday that Attraction Tickets were calling people who had registered with prices. I missed the call and had to admit to Sally when they called back as I was sitting with her in a pub beer garden freezing to death We got some prices and during the call decided to book a 4 night night Disney cruise in an inside cabin from Southampton on 23rd August 2021. We paid our £50 deposit and was told we would be called as a priority on Friday morning to get booked. We were really pleased.

That night I have to say I was tossing and turning all night and had another look at the prices for Royal Caribbean. I was torn as to whether to stick with Disney or go back to Royal Caribbean. The idea of Disney was a big draw but with the likely social distancing with characters I couldn't help but think there was more for us all on the Anthem. I was driving myself mad with indecision and Sally was no better. I went to work on Friday morning and it wasn't until I got home that I realised Attraction Tickets hadn't been in contact. I looked online and saw there were no inside cabins left for the Disney Cruise on the dates we wanted.

We had another look at Royal Caribbean website and priced up a cruise that was leaving Southampton on the same date. As I was considering booking Sally said she thought she'd seen something from blue light card about a discount. The code didn't work on the website so we called them. We were pleased to get a 20% discount so when we realised the 6 night cruise on the anthem in a balcony cabin was actually cheaper than the 4 night cruise on the Disney Magic in an inside cabin it was a no brainer for us so we went ahead and booked!

The Cast

Sally and I will be 41 and 42 when we take this little trip. This is about the most recent picture of us when we managed to get a couple of nights away in London last summer where we stayed at the Shangri la at at The Shard.

Sally and I have done three cruises together previously. We cruised on Oasis Of The Seas from Fort Lauderdale in 2011. We actually got engaged in the champagne bar on board this cruise. I also sailed on Navigator of the seas some years before.

We also did a B2B on Allure Of The Seas in 2013 which was the first part of our honeymoon. Our eldest Chloe was with us on those cruises but she will not be joining us this time. She and her boyfriend are busy saving for a house and to join us in Florida next year. This was a decision made easy by the fact they will not be vaccinated in time for this cruise.

Benjamin will turn 4 this month. Benjamin is a typical little boy. He loves power rangers and jumping around like a loon as well as being Mummy's boy. This will be his first cruise and other than Florida in 2018 hasn't travelled ... damn you Covid.

Emma is 6. She is Daddy's girl and loves Disney. I think she will absolutely love this little cruise. She is a typical little girl who I also think has missed a lot over the last year or so... haven't we all!

The Plan

So when I first put a £50 deposit on a Disney cruise I booked a room at the Premier Inn West Quay on their flexi rate so it is all cancellable up to 1pm on check in day. We have pre-booked the meal deal as well so dinner and breakfast is sorted.

We have decided we will head down to Southampton on the morning of 22nd and make a visit to Paultons Park for the day.

We took Emma here a few years ago and think it will make a nice day out for the kids.

We will tell them about the day out of Paulton's Park but other than showing them a short VLOG on the Anthem and asking them what they thought of it we will not be mentioning much about this to them. Having been bitten with disappointments over the last year or so we will leave it to surprise them with it late on. We still have to work out the details for insurance and PCR tests for both of the kids and I haven't looked properly into insurance yet. I will also get the parking booked shortly.

Anthem

So, as mentioned, we have booked a balcony cabin. We have always had a balcony when cruising but we have always been in the Caribbean so not sure how much use we will get out of it this time in the Irish Sea

We have gone for a cabin on deck 6 which is a little lower than we usually opt for but if the sea is a little choppy this will hopefully be a better place to be than higher up. I was too tight to pay the extra (I think it was £20 each) to go mid ship so we are more towards the Aft which will be a little different for us again. We have also opted for Starboard side as a change as we have always stayed port side previously.

We are pretty sure we will get more use out of the indoor pool than the outside one with it being around the UK.

We aren't sure quite what to expect. Will everything be open? What will the capacity limits be? We don't know yet but I'm sure we will have a blast if we can get there. To make sure we have booked the deluxe drinks package for us and the soda package for the kids.

If it's bad I'll make sure I don't remember much of it

I don't think a trip report for this will be a popular read but I think it will be nice for us to have a record of the kids' first cruise... and it will be good practice for a planned trip on Harmony out of Port Canaveral a year later.

I will provide any updates in the build up

[Cutiepie]

Looking forward to reading along I’m sure you will all have a blast!
I keep looking at these cruises but I can’t decide what to do. Most of the dates that suit us have Belfast as a port of call however we live 10 miles down the road from the port so it’s kinda putting us off😂😂

[Milpston]

Originally Posted by Cutiepie

Looking forward to reading along I’m sure you will all have a blast!
I keep looking at these cruises but I can’t decide what to do. Most of the dates that suit us have Belfast as a port of call however we live 10 miles down the road from the port so it’s kinda putting us off😂😂

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We are just treating the ship as the destination. We have no plans to get off the ship anywhere in the uk especially as, I presume, the only way you are allowed off is with organised excursions. I can get to them easier and cheaper myself another time if I wanted to 😂

[Buggles94]

thanks so much for sharing this pre-trippie! So nice to see people planning holidays again

[Goldia]

I'm glad you've found a trip that suits your family for this summer. Emma and Benjamin have grown so much from the last trip report you did. I hope you all have a fantastic time.

[Milpston]

Originally Posted by Buggles94

thanks so much for sharing this pre-trippie! So nice to see people planning holidays again

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We are really looking forward to it but definitely have an air of caution this time after two cancelled trips. I really think these cruises will go ahead but then we all know things change quickly these days. I’m glad we opted for a uk cruise especially after the underwhelming government announced green list yesterday. Florida has long been off the table for us this year so our other option was a week somewhere on the med. we don’t really fancy Gibraltar or Israel!

[Milpston]

Originally Posted by Goldia

I'm glad you've found a trip that suits your family for this summer. Emma and Benjamin have grown so much from the last trip report you did. I hope you all have a fantastic time.

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Thank you Abby.
It’s nice to have something to look forward to this year. I never thought it would be so long after my last trip report that we would do another one with Emma and Benjamin. We are so desperate to take them on some kind of holiday again 😂 I’m not sure i would bother with a trip report for a beach break in Europe but it will be nice to have one for their first cruise. The first trip report I ever wrote was for a cruise on part of our honeymoon so it will be nice to have this one with the kids.
They will be so excited when we finally tell them but we know we are only a positive Covid test from it not happening so we are leaving in very late!

[P&S]

I will be reading along

Can I ask do your children have to wear masks in the public areas?

[Milpston]

Welcome on board!
Guidance is pretty unclear at the moment. I think royal Caribbean are waiting to see what the guidance is closer to the time.
They have not specified any difference between adult and kids so it suggests kids will wear masks.
I don’t think we will know for a couple of months.
Masks on kids was always a deal breaker for us. However, life has changed and if it’s that or no trip we will work it out.

[P&S]

Originally Posted by Milpston

Welcome on board!
Guidance is pretty unclear at the moment. I think royal Caribbean are waiting to see what the guidance is closer to the time.
They have not specified any difference between adult and kids so it suggests kids will wear masks.
I don’t think we will know for a couple of months.
Masks on kids was always a deal breaker for us. However, life has changed and if it’s that or no trip we will work it out.

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Thank you for the answer I hope it is dropped for younger children