My family is limping along until the end of school. Award ceremonies, concerts, final projects, field day….please, let us be done already. SIX MORE DAYS of school!
The only thing keeping me going right now is knowing that next week I will be on a cruise ship. No more school activities, no more cooking, and my teenager won’t be attached to his phone (I’m not buying him a cruise internet package—ha!)
Aside from the normal stuff we look forward to about a cruise, my kids and I are really excited about specific things about our cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas.
SeaPlex
This indoor entertainment complex on the ship has multiple uses. It’s known for bumper cars and circus lessons. However, the area also offers roller skating, basketball and volleyball. SeaPlex even has a floating DJ booth to turn the space into a party!
On the sides, SeaPlex has Xbox stations and a hot dog stand. I have a feeling my boys will spend a huge chunk of time at the SeaPlex.
Wonderland
Wonderland is one of the extra-charge specialty restaurants on board. It has an Alice in Wonderland theme with whimsical food and décor.
I love trying new restaurants, especially when the food or presentation is heavily themed. I plan to eat at Wonderland with one of my kids who is an adventurous eater.
Adventure Ocean
Adventure Ocean is the kids’ club on board Anthem of the Seas. Unlike the kids’ clubs on Disney Cruise Line, it is divided into different age ranges instead of one big area for ages 3-12.
From what I can tell from photos, Adventure Ocean rooms are more of a blank slate. The club is more focused on programming and activities than the clubs on DCL. I’m very curious what my younger two kids will think of Adventure Ocean!
Pools
My kids love pools, all pools and every type of pool. On this cruise, I’m sure we will spend many hours in the pools.
The outdoor deck not only has a regular pool, but it also has a “lazy donut”. That’s kind of like a lazy river, but it just goes in a circle. There is also a teeny tiny wave pool.
This will be our first cruise ship that has an indoor pool. Bad weather? No problem, we’ll just move inside.
Solarium
I plan on spending some time in the adults-only Solarium on board Anthem of the Seas. It has tiered, cascading pools and a few jacuzzis. Maybe I can snag one of the day beds and catch up on some reading. AHHHHHHH.
The North Star
That giant robotic arm on Anthem of the Seas is the North Star. We have a reservation to ride it on the first sea day. I’m also hoping to ride on it while the ship is docked in Bermuda to get a birds-eye view of the island.
Escape Room
Am I the only one who has never done an escape room?
Anthem of the Seas has an escape room that is included (i.e. no extra charge). It is not advertised very well, and you have to sign up right when you board.
The minimum age for the escape room is 12, so I can only do this with one of my kids. I hope we get the chance to try it!
Coke Freestyle Machines
On Disney Cruise Line, soda is “free”. And by free, I mean it’s included in the very expensive cruise fare. There are soda dispensers on the pool deck, but the choices are somewhat limited.
For this cruise on Anthem of the Seas, I purchased a soda package for my boys, my mom and my sister. Throughout the ship, there are these Coke freestyle machines. Have you seen these in some fast-food restaurants?
The machine has almost every soda flavor imaginable, and you can combine multiple flavors. My sons will be so excited to have root beer and all sorts of fruity mixtures at their fingertips.
Parents, how many more days of school do your kids have? Are you feeling as over it as I am? What are you looking forward to this summer?
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Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
Sounds like fun! We have 17 days of school left-no break until June 14.
@Andrea 17 days sounds doable!
Looks like a lot of fun ahead for you!
Side note… I hate those freestyle machines. Actually, it’s not the machines as much as it is people using them. If a restaurant has only one and there’s 3 people in front of you, you might as well take a nap while they fumble through the 800 different options trying to make a decision. “uh… let’s see… coke… vanilla… uh… no, let me go back… hmmm… Sprite with, oh, OH, orange… wait, orange vanilla coke! Yeah, oh wait… maybe I should just get water… uh….”
Ha ha yep! I’ve used them in a few fast-food restaurants and it can take awhile for people to decide. My kid is gonna be the one holding up the line!