After careful consideration we decided to take our two children aged 6 and 9 to the Fjords for a week in May on Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the seas. Firstly, we sailed from Southampton and the embarkation was seamless. What we love about this is that as soon as we were onboard, we were able to start our holiday. This ship was perfect for the children as it had so many activities to do both inside and out. Before we even left Southampton we went to the ifly tunnel and did our included free fall flight simulation which was fantastic.
After a leisurely sea day enjoying the ships facilities and a formal night at sea our first port of call was Haugesund. Before we got off the ship we went on the Northern Star which is a encased glass viewing platform raised to over 300 feet above sea level to take in the 360 degree views of the port. It was great and the children enjoyed being so high. In the city we took the land train to see the sights and enjoyed a leisurely stroll.
Next, we sailed for Geiranger and on the way had a day at sea where we sailed through the fjords and saw the spectacular Seven Sisters Waterfalls. The captain performed an incredible 360 degree turn in the Fjord so regardless of where you were on the ship you managed to see it all. We had a balcony cabin which meant we were able to enjoy the views in our own space. We arrived at Geiranger, however, due to some issues at the port we were unable to dock. This meant we had a day on board the ship, luckily there was plenty going on to keep everyone entertained and the views outside were beautiful.
Our next stop was in Olden, here we took a bus to the Loen Sky Lift and went via the cable car to the top of Mount Hoven. The views were breathtaking. There was snow on the mountain which the children enjoyed playing in, a walking trail for those wishing to explore and a wonderful café and restaurant to warm up in. We spent quite some time here taking in the views.
Lastly, we docked in Stavenger. Here we booked a rib ride through the Fjords which was exhilarating, travelling at high speeds and feeling so small at the bottom of the incredible mountains. We saw waterfalls and looked up at Pulpit rock which was amazing to see from so far down. We chose not to venture up there with the children so was good to see it from below.
Onboard the ship we went to the arcade, did laser tag, roller skating and dodgems. Not to mention the rock climbing wall, surf simulator and enjoyed lounging by the inside covered pools. The food in the main restaurant was good and the speciality restaurants were lovely. The children thoroughly enjoyed the kids club and entertainment for them that was all included. The buffet restaurant was a big hit with them as they liked to pick their own dinner before they would go to kids club most evenings and we would go to the restaurant. We all went to the theatre to see a performance of We Will Rock You which was brilliant.
Overall, we had a wonderful cruise and explored some great places, there were times when the ship was a little rocky in the Northen Sea but we enjoyed watching the waves. We were dubious as to whether the children would enjoy this kind of holiday, but we were so glad it worked perfectly for us all and we had a fabulous time. I would certainly recommend a trip like this for families wanting to see the sights and keep the little ones entertained at the same time.
By Kerry Rogers