Cruising giant

Yet another cruise ship giant has sailed into Southampton today, ready to embark on a summer long cruise programme from the south coast port.
Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas arrived directly from the shipbuilding yard in Bremerhaven, Germany, and is to be officially inaugurated in the port on Monday of next week, by travel agent Emma Wilby, 27, from Sunderland  who will christen the ship and be officially recognised as the ship’s Godmother.
In doing so she will be upholding a timeless maritime tradition, and will perform a special song for more than 1,300 invited special guests and dignitaries. In addition to being a travel agent for Thomson, Emma is a military wife and budding singer who performs in the Military Wives Choir in Kinloss, Scotland, where she is based with her husband, a Royal Engineer for the British Army.
The new 167,800-tons cruise liner itself spans 16 guest decks; carries 4,180 guests at double occupancy; and has 2,090 staterooms, and is being lauded as the world’s most advanced cruise ship and according to the cruise company will reflect a history of innovating cruise ship design and cruising holidays.
The city of Southampton will be home port for the ship through till October, sailing to the Mediterranean and Canary Islands.
In November she will cross the Atlantic to New York Harbour which will become Anthem of the Seas’ permanent home, sailing regularly from Cape Liberty cruise port to Bermuda, the Caribbean and Canada and New England.

One of its spectacular features is a glass capsule which can lift passengers more than 300 feet above the sea for panoramic views.  There are no fewer than 18 restaurants on board.