TRAVEL DAY

EMBARKING THE SHIP

I met everyone at Newcastle train station bright and early at 6 am for our 6:30 am train to London. Meeting everyone in a large group was great because it ensured everyone knew where they were going. 

The train journey to London was quick and efficient; however, getting multiple tubes in the busy London underground to Waterloo Station for our train to Southampton was slightly more stressful. We arrived at Southampton, got taxis to the port, and were ready to embark on the Anthem of the Seas.

Boarding the ship was easy and efficient; all you needed was your SetSail Pass and passport. Once we successfully embarked, the first call of action was going to your muster station, which you know from your SetSail pass. If you want a quicker and easier embarkation process, complete the safety videos, which you can find on the Royal Caribbean app!

DAY 1

SAIL AWAY

After successfully embarking, everyone enjoyed lunch in the Windjammer on deck 14. Windjammer is a buffet-style restaurant with lots of different options! To enter the Windjammer, you must always wash your hands, highlighting cleanliness. 

After lunch, the cabins were ready, so we all headed to find our cabins! Navigating the ship was easier than I thought, and I quickly picked up where everything was. I was very impressed with my cabin on deck 11. It had a balcony overlooking the views and an area to sit and enjoy the view. The room was spacious and had all the needed facilities, such as a hairdryer, mini fridge, ample wardrobe space, drawers, and a desk.

Once we were settled, at 3 pm, we had a scavenger hunt, which was terrific for team building (mainly because I hadn't met many people who were on the trip before), finding your way around the ship, and locating where everything was. 

After we completed the scavenger hunt, we had free time before meeting for drinks at 7 pm. The evening meal was in the Main Dining room, which requires a smart dress code, so everyone dressed very nicely. For starters, I had tomato soup, which I thoroughly enjoyed. For the main course, I had spaghetti bolognese, which was tasty. Lastly, I had a delicious peanut butter rice crispy square for dessert.

After enjoying food, we all went to a bar called the Music Hall on the ship. However, after a long day of travelling, I returned to my cabin, where I spent my first night on a cruise. It went smoother than I anticipated, although I refused to look out of my balcony when it was dark!

DAY 2

AT SEA

Today was an excellent opportunity to experience more of the ship's facilities and features because we were at sea sailing all day. 

Being at sea all day meant you had no phone service, so I recommend buying the Wi-Fi package. To save money, you could only purchase Wi-Fi on the days you were at sea, as you would still have service when you were in port. 

I had lunch at Cafe Two70, which offered different variations of pita, toasties, wraps, and salads. 

Day 2 on the cruise was 'formal night', which allowed everyone to dress up in their best outfits. I really enjoyed dressing up! The menu at the Main Dining room was 'French night', so there were many exciting options. I tried snails for the first time and liked them! 

After enjoying the food, we headed to Two70, where the silent disco occurred. The silent disco was my favourite part of the trip because it was a great way to bond and laugh with the team! We were all on such a high from the silent disco that we decided to continue dancing (until 2 am) in one of the clubs on the cruise, the Music Hall.

DAY 3

VIGO, SPAIN

We arrived in Vigo, Spain and had free time to explore. Getting off the ship was easy as you only needed your SetSail pass (your room key). However, there was a long queue because everyone wanted to get off simultaneously. 



I enjoyed wandering around the streets of Vigo, and I am glad I can say I have been!

For my last night, I was lucky to go to Wonderland, an extra dining experience on Royal Caribbean that lasted 2.5 hours. I was excited about this because I have seen videos and heard it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that isn't similar to anything you would have done before (which is true!).

The night was magical, and the serving staff were excellent! I tried so many foods that I never thought I would try!

DAY 4

LISBON, PORTUGAL

Today, I was lucky to go on the North Star, which was a fantastic experience that I would recommend anyone (without a fear of heights) try out! It gives you an incredible view of the ship, and if you are in port, like we were in Lisbon, Portugal, it lets you see an overview of the city!

It was my last day, which I was sad about because I loved experiencing a cruise for the first time, especially the magnitude of Royal Caribbean.

I enjoyed my last breakfast in the WindJammer and prepared to disembark in Lisbon! 

The checking-out process was straightforward. All you needed was your SetSail pass, and you were given a card to give to the crew when leaving! You had to vacate your cabins at 8:30 am, so I recommend getting breakfast beforehand so you won't have to carry your bags and cases to breakfast! 

Once we disembarked, it was time to explore Lisbon! I had never been to Lisbon before, so I enjoyed seeing what it was like! We got on a hop-on tour bus, which is more suitable for people who want to see city areas quickly without walking. However, if you don't mind walking, I recommend wandering around so you can experience Lisbon more personally.