I quite like the option of a shorter cruise - they haven’t been available for years from the UK - or at least very few. I did one with the kids in 2016 (also on Independence) but haven’t seen the option much since. With all our annual leave we can squeeze in a long weekend here are there as well as our longer holidays - maybe a girls trip. Much more likely to do this from Southampton than fly somewhere for it. I am tempted - although haven’t been on Anthem before so would be more tempted by that.
I look at the Anthem options each year but it seems to be two weeks or nothing, especially in the summer holidays, so I don’t book it.
But for those people who want their usual two week summer holiday on Royal Caribbean from Southampton this will be a bit of a shock to the system.