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“The Starry Neighbor (Neighbour?) Chronicles: Pining for the Fjords” – Anthem of the Seas, July 8th-15th, 2022


Lovetocruise2002

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6 hours ago, GregD said:

Oh well, there wasn’t anything important in there so all is not lost.

I will tell you what @Neesatold me in March, you will still look fabulous, lost luggage or not. But I feel your pain lol

4 hours ago, WannaCruise said:

Wow...that Harry Potter exhibit looks amazing!  Like you are really in the movies!

but seems this one isn't about the ship. 😉  

What an incredible vacation...and your cruise hasn't even started yet.

It really did feel like we were in the movies. And it was such a treat to be able to walk through the sets they used for filming. 
 

You are right, this cruise is not about the ship at all. Like I mentioned originally, I would not even have picked Anthem if a smaller ship was available.

We count our blessings each day. It really is an amazing opportunity to be able to come back to London again, especially in light of the last few years.

3 hours ago, MicDay said:

@Lovetocruise2002

We vacationed in London in 2016 and was hands down one of the best.

We were last in London in 2004, pre-kids. It was one of my most favourite vacations. Not much has changed here, but yet lots has changed. Hubby has spent some time trying to re-create shots from 2004 😂

1 hour ago, SuperStarian said:

If I was in the London area in July, my choice would be Wimbledon.

If you have followed my blogs in the past, you will know that is not where you would find Hubby lol

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Despite the long line, it only took us about 20 minutes to get through border control. We then had a nice surprise at baggage claim, the app was wrong and all of our luggage was on the carousel waiting for us!

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we also booked blackberry cars for a ride to the hotel in Southampton. It was super easy. Our driver met us outside baggage claim and whisked us off to our hotel.  We landed in London at 7:35 and we’re at our hotel by 10:30. Rooms weren’t ready so we ventured off to keep ourselves busy for a while.

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35 minutes ago, Rags1 said:

I know that @Lovetocruise2002has an impact on people wherever she goes. But just a few days there and the Prime Minister resigns??😂

WOW !  I don't think we can blame this one on @Lovetocruise2002though.  I seem to recall that @Raywas the rabble-rouser for this one !  LOL

🤭

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We dropped our luggage at the hotel in Southampton. We are staying in the Novotel across from the port. I didn’t get a chance to grab a picture of the room before bags were strewn everywhere, but it’s a standard room. Beds, bathroom, espresso machine (best day ever). When we got here the room wasn’t ready, so the front desk stored our bags and we went exploring. 
 

We started at the Seacity Museum that has an interesting Titanic exhibit. (Photos to follow)

After this we were feeling tired and calorie depleted, so lunch, or whatever meal our bodies felt we were on was required. There was a place close by called “Slug and Lettuce “

I love weird names, so that’s where we went. Following this, we felt a little recharged and ready to rally. We wandered around the city center and marveled at the modern buildings being built among the original walls of the city.

we wandered long enough for the room to be ready. We are now in the room, ready to crash. Tomorrow will be fun when the kids find out we are star class. They still think we are in a small room.

Here is a little photo dump for you all. 
 

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2 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

WOW !  I don't think we can blame this one on @Lovetocruise2002though.  I seem to recall that @Raywas the rabble-rouser for this one !  LOL

🤭

Without going into details of his latest controversy, this time he had to go! Even his closest allies had enough and bailed out leaving him alone lol 

 

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London- Day 4

Today was mainly “Things that Hubby wanted to do” day. But first, breakfast at the Savoy’s Thames Foyer again. We have breakfast included with our stay and true to Fairmont standards, each morning it has been tasty and super fresh. 
 

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After Madame Tussaud’s, we headed back to the Savoy for something that my 15 year old and I have been looking forward to ever since we started planning this vacation, Traditional Afternoon Tea.
 

No better way to experience it than at the Savoy, so we bit the bullet on the cost. While Hubby did not enjoy the cost of it, he did agree that it was good for everyone to experience once, and essentially, that is what you are paying for.

I love my tea. I am a bit of a tea snob to the point where I travel and carry my own tea to different places and restaurants, even at home. I was impressed with the teas this afternoon at the Savoy. The cakes and scones were amazing too!! 
 

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Hubby needed a pick me up after signing off on the bill for afternoon tea, so we headed back to Covent Garden for some some shopping that he and the 16 year old wanted to do. Hubby went one way, and my daughter and I went another. Hubby found this place a few weeks ago on YouTube and put it on his “must do” list 🙄lol

My daughter and I shopped at the many other stores in the Covent Garden area.

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After already eating dinner once in Covent Garden, we decided to head back to Chinatown for our last meal here. Main reason being that we know the food coma that lies ahead and noodles and soup was calling us again. Back at the Savoy now and packing up because tomorrow is cruise day!! 
 

On the cruise front, Leroy sent us the confirmed entertainment schedule yesterday and the activities (North Star, iFly, bumper cars, etc.) today so we have our schedule firmed up a bit more now. 
 

Tomorrow, for the first time ever, I won’t be at the port when boarding starts. 😕 Bit of a mix up. When check in opened in May, the earliest time that everyone got was 11:30am. I had originally booked Blackberry Cars to pick us up at 8:30am but after check in, I bumped it back to 9:30am. @GregDand I were chatting a few days ago and I realized that I didn’t even think to ask Leroy or if could show earlier. I just assumed that they later boarding was due to sailing out of a different port. After talking to @GregDand Leroy (who said that boarding can definitely be before 11:30am), I contacted Blackberry Cars to move it back to 8:30am pick up but no luck. They are booked up. So we will be rolling in around 11:30am as originally planned. The girls are happy. They get to sleep in slightly. Teenagers 🙄

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Breakfast at the hotel this morning was decent. They had all the typical things for a full English breakfast as well as typical continental fare. The host looked at me like I had three heads when I asked him if the Thomas’s factory was nearby. I’ll keep trying when we get to London though.  A little backstory here, my stepmother is from England, and any time she and my father are in England he always asks the same thing much to her chagrin.

Stray Observation about the hotel. Typically when we check into hotels, when booking it’s specified two adults and two children. Without fail when we arrive, we have to open up the couch, if it’s that type of room, then we have to call the front desk because without fail, the spare linens are never in the room. When we arrived here and got into room, the sleeper sofa was already open and prepared with plenty of pillows, sheets blankets, and extra towels for the bathroom. After such a long day of travel and exploring, having one less thing to deal with was really appreciated.

Continental breakfast side

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Hot Breakfast 

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Someone was thrilled they had coco crispies, and pancakes with Nutella. (Scope the cruise lanyard that he was so excited to find in his suitcase that he just had to wear it)

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Inquiring minds want to know. Any physicists out there? Why is that when you are on the ship, time moves at a breakneck speed, but when you are sitting in your hotel waiting for your cab ride time moves backwards? 

Our “ride” is here

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Day one cruise outfit is on point. Gotta represent right?

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Norwegian Blue nails are done too

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Why is it only 8:56??!!???

 

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We are on board!!! Our van picked us up promptly at 10:15, and we were at the port by 10:20. We were dropped off in the general cab area, and the porters were ready to grab our bags. The Boss channeled her inner @WAAAYTOOO and had a vice like grip on her bags and exclaimed “WE ARE STAR CLASS” at which point the kids said wait what??!!

A few of the porters looked at us confused, but one knew what we meant and pointed us in the right direction. 

The star class check in area is in the middle of the building. At that point we were on a mission, so I didn’t get a chance to snap a picture. The regular and star class people did have a list of the star class rooms, so they do verify. 
 

Once at the correct area, we turned our bags into the right people and at that point we were assigned to port personnel who guided us through the rest of the check in.

He first verified our test results, then brought us to security.

Security was a quick walk through the metal detectors where Leroy was waiting for us. 

We met the next crew member who completed the check in process. He verified our passports, vaccine stuff, health questions. 
 

Shortly after Leroy escorted us onto the ship. Meanwhile, I was sending messages to @Lovetocruise2002 about what to expect, and she “yelled” at me that I was teasing her.

From arrival to on the ship was about 10 minutes.


 

 

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We made it too! Took us about 2 hours. Some traffic cleared up for us. When we got here boarding had started. Like @GregDalready mentioned, no Star Class podium or banner here in Southampton. Just this sign. However, once you identify yourself as Star, boarding was very smooth and efficient. 
 

Driving up to the ship
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This was the only sign to indicate Star.

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Now that's a NICE Star Loft.  For reference, that entire side where the wardrobes are located are completely MISSING on the corner units.  The upstairs on those corners are sooo small.  ...and the downstairs bathroom is split with the shower in 1 space and the a tiny toilet closet on the other side.  I really love those center SLS.  ENJOY !!!!!

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Once on board we did all the required Muster drill things and then relaxed in Vintages while Leroy went over all the star class benefits and everything. In earlier chats when @Lovetocruise2002and I were talking about what time we were getting on the ship, and we found out we would beat her on board. I mentioned that I would meet them at the gangway with tequila shots.  When I promise something, I deliver. 
 

We met them with said shots

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It was a great way to start this cruise!

 

 

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