Last Christmas City Cruises Poole ran daily competitions with some great prizes and I was delighted to win a family ticket for a Sea Train Adventure!

So last weekend we set off in warm sunshine from Poole Quay and after an hours cruise we arrived in Swanage and walked straight to the railway where we caught our steam train to Corfe Castle for a beer and an ice cream.



Before embarking on our return journey the boys had a good look around the little museum which is situated at the end of the Corfe Castle platform.  We had a picnic on the train to Corfe but the staff very kindly sold me a cup of milk and even warmed it up for our baby while our son enjoyed a homemade airplane biscuit.



Back in Swanage we still had a couple of hours to relax before our return cruise so we took the kiddies to the little Santa Fe Fun Park which has a play park next to it and then had a nice wander around the town.



If like us you find yourself back on the Pier a bit too early then the kids will enjoy spending some time in the Pier exhibition and shop.  The have the coolest vintage slot machines and you can exchange 10p’s for an old penny and have a go on them. 

Sadly by now the sunshine had gone and it was pouring with rain but it certainly didn’t ruin our wonderful day or the journey back home.

Good to know………

• The bar on the boat sells snacks and hot/cold drinks for the journey.

• There are toilets on board the boat but no baby change facilities.  The staff however are more than happy for you to find a corner should you need to change your baby.

• If you are planning this journey with a buggy then help is on hand both on the boat and the train.  If you are using the train then I recommend you ask a porter for help at Corfe Castle as they will happily escort you over the track so you don't have to worry about going over the bridge.  They also have a carriage for buggies and wheelchairs and a porter will help you with this too.

• Trains are quite frequent in the summer holidays but it is advisable to check a timetable to see if the steam or diesel train is running.

• If your child has never experienced the Swanage Railway before then you can let them know at the ticket desk and they will issue you with a fantastic souvenir of the day.

Update 2025: City Cruises Poole is no longer operating.  For similar cruises, please visit Coastal Cruises Poole.  

Anyone local to Bournemouth will know about the BH2 entertainment complex which houses a shiny new multi screened Odeon cinema.  I took my son last week to see the hilarious Despicable Me 3 and both of us were very impressed with the whole experience. 



The new complex is definitely state of the art with 10 screens offering amazing sound, lighting and above all spacious comfortable seating.  They even have a soft play area in one of the screens which is great for little ones who can’t make it through the whole film and just want to stretch their legs and have a play.  

The staff we met were very friendly and you’ll be spoilt with the choice of snacks and goodies which you can take in with you.  Family favourites included hot dogs, nachos, crispy fries, sweets, popcorn and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.  I loved the Kids Mix you could buy with a choice of popcorn, a drink and a treat - one of which was the Yo Yo fruit snacks which isn’t full of junk.



So, armed with our snacks and a drink we jumped on the futuristic escalator where we were then directed to our screen.  First impression was wow!  There was a couple of rows of premier seats which were huge but I prefer to be a little further away from the screen so the standard seating we had was perfect.  Now, I say standard but it was far from it.  There was no bouncy up and down chairs, no knees touching the seat in front and no squeezing or fighting for the arm rest space.  Both of us were super comfy and spent the next 90 minutes or so giggling together.

After the film I noticed there was a bar area upstairs which serves drinks and fresh pizza.  You’ll also find a Costa downstairs if you need a coffee break at any time.


 
Good to know…………

• There are plenty of toilets and baby change facilities available.

• When you book online you’ll notice some films have several different screen options which might include the kids screen with soft play, 3D and the immersive isense.

• Full details of current films, screens and prices, please visit BH2 Bournemouth Odeon.

I can thoroughly recommend the new Odeon, our film experience was amazing and I’ll look forward to going back.