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!

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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!

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.

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!

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.

WHO WOULD THIS TYPE OF TRIP BE SUITED TO?

This trip would be suitable for people of all ages. Anthem of the Seas has unique features that suit families, such as Dodgem cars, FlowRider, the climbing wall, iFLY, and many more. Additionally, the older generation can enjoy the facilities of this ship, such as the many restaurants, the solarium, which is 18+, and the spa.

I recommend a cruise to anyone who wants to easily experience multiple destinations in one trip without worrying about booking a hotel at every destination.

BEST EXPERIENCE FROM THE TRIP?

My best experience was the silent disco because it created such a positive atmosphere. I loved that there were two music channels, so you always had options. I also loved getting to experience iFLY. I had never done it before, and it was an incredible experience, especially getting to do it on a huge cruise ship.

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT VISITED

My favourite restaurant was Wonderland, simply because I had never experienced anything like it. It was such a unique experience that it would be hard to match. In addition to this, the food was incredible and something you wouldn't get at a typical restaurant. I tried foods I don't usually try and enjoyed them more than I thought!

General Comments and Tips:

My first cruise experience exceeded my expectations, and I will consider doing it again. It's a great way to see multiple destinations in one trip while experiencing the features of a cruise ship that you wouldn't find in a typical hotel.

I had initially thought spending time in the middle of the sea would be hard. However, I didn't give it much thought, which surprised me. You are constantly distracted, so you don't feel like you are on a cruise ship.