Stavanger is Norway's fourth largest city and a firm favourite port for cruises to Norway and the fjords. Located in SW Norway, the city became rich from fishing, fish canning, shipbuilding and since the late 60s and early 70s, from oil. Cruise ships dock in the heart of the city which means you can explore the city on foot directly from the cruise terminal. No shuttle buses here. Ships tie up opposite Gamle Stavanger (Old Town), a photogenic mix of white-painted timber house

Afternoon Tea on a Cunard ship is something of a tradition. We first sailed with Cunard in October 2025, aboard their newest ship, Queen Anne; a 7-night trip to Spain and Portugal. Afternoon tea takes place every day at 3.30pm in the Queens Room, a double-height ballroom with subtle lighting, elegant decor and seating around the edge. Afternoon Tea is included in your cruise fare and it is clearly a popular activity. We took our seats about 40 minutes before the event, even t

The Rooftop Garden sits at the very top of Celebrity Apex, a space described by Celebrity as a living urban playground. One highlight of the Rooftop Garden is the Rooftop Garden Grill, a speciality restaurant which allows diners to eat in the open air, under the stars, listening to the waves crashing several decks below you. Given the Rooftop Garden Grill is an open air venue, make sure you pick your dining time carefully. We ate there as we sailed away from Barcelona in Augu

We first sailed on Cunard Queen Anne in October 2025. Queen Anne is an elegant ship with a modern timeless feel. It offers a stylish range of venues and varied entertainment. This gives a brief overview of Queen Anne. Subsequent blogs will look at various aspects in more detail. Queen Anne in Lisbon Queen Anne debuted in 2024 and accommodates 2,996 passengers and 1,225 crew. On board it feels modern whilst offering Cunard’s much-loved signature venues, combining classic and c

We first sailed on Celebrity Apex in August 2025. Celebrity Apex is an amazing ship with fantastic venues and entertainment and the great standards and service provided by Celebrity Cruises.   This gives a brief overview of Celebrity Apex. Subsequent blogs will look at various aspects in more detail.   Celebrity Apex is the second ship in the revolutionary Edge Series. The 130,818 ton ship carries about 2,910 passengers. Celebrity Apex is a stunning resort at sea with visiona

We first sailed on Anthem of the Seas in August 2021. We have sailed on Anthem of the Seas a number of times since. We really enjoyed Anthem of the Seas with amazing venues and entertainment and the great standards and service provided by Royal Caribbean. This gives a brief overview of Anthem of the Seas. Subsequent blogs will look at various aspects in more detail. Anthem of the Seas entered service in 2015 and is one of Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class ships. The 168,666 ton

We first sailed on Ventura in October 2022. We have sailed on Ventura since and have two more cruises planned. We were pleasantly surprised with Ventura, finding it a nice sized ship, easy to navigate with a lovely atmosphere. This gives a brief overview of Ventura. Subsequent blogs will look at various aspects in more detail. Ventura was launched in 2008. It's a 116,017 ton family-friendly, mid-sized cruise ship which carries about 3,500 passengers. It provides a range of co

We first sailed on P&O Iona in May 2022. We sailed on Iona again in April 2023 and May 2025. Whilst we enjoyed our first cruise on Iona, it was a mixed experience. Our experiences in both 2023 and 2025 were far better, with terrific food, service and entertainment. This gives a brief overview of Iona. Subsequent blogs will look at various aspects in more detail. P&O's 184,700 ton Iona carries around 5,200 passengers and entered service in 2020. It has an array of entertai

We first sailed on Celebrity Silhouette in August 2021. We have sailed on Silhouette a number of times since. We love Celebrity Silhouette, finding it a nice sized ship, easy to navigate, with beautiful surroundings, a fantastic crew, a lovely atmosphere and the great service provided by Celebrity Cruises. This gives a brief overview of Celebrity Silhouette. Subsequent blogs will look at various aspects in more detail. Celebrity Silhouette is a Solstice-class ship and was lau

We first sailed on Independence of the Seas in August 2017. This was our first cruise experience. We enjoyed it so much that we sailed on Independence of the Seas three times since. We really enjoyed Independence of the Seas with amazing venues and entertainment and the great standards and service offered by Royal Caribbean. This gives a brief overview of Independence of the Seas. Subsequent blogs will look at various aspects in more detail. Independence of the Seas is one of

Sharing Our Holiday Adventures: The Story of Our Journey Now it's time to share how we started on our blogging journey. The travels started first, initially with a love of holidaying in the UK and making sure our family enjoyed many diverse destinations and attractions that our home country has to offer. Then in 2017 we decided to spread our wings and try a cruise and then we were hooked! Out first cruise was on Independence of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) from Southampton. Sin

Welcome to the new website for Anchors Aweigh. Here we will share some of our holiday experiences. We hope you find some useful information on cruising, time on board and destinations abroad and closer to home. Over time we will add more information from our travels. Happy travels!