Sailaway with Sian

A Photographer in the Making

2012-02-04T03:25:00.000-08:00

So for some time now I have had a keen interest in photography, but have not been an owner of a proper camera. And by ‘proper’ I mean one that is not able to fit in a pocket. So a while back I decided to invest in a ‘proper’ camera, now where to begin??? Well unfortunately as I browsed the specifications on cameras, it became quite clear these were designed for people already with a sound knowledge of camera equipment. So after many a headache and toing and froing I opted for a Nokia D3100 with an 18-55 mm VR lense. Based purely on two main factors it was deemed a good entry level camera and was within the budget I had sought to spend.
So below are my first attempts at trying to use the camera:

I’m not sure where this obsession with taking pictures of flowers has come from, but I’m sure this is a clear sign I’m getting old!! I unfortunately don’t know any other keen photographers and apart from the 5 minute stint on the One Show each Friday, where their budding photographer gives handy hints I am not sure how/where to develop my photography skills.

I have thought about possibly getting a longer lense (please excuse my non techy wording) but was wondering if anyone had any helpful tints in relation to placement, focus etc.

Who Are The Real Cruise Experts??

2012-01-26T01:12:00.000-08:00

As you may or not be aware we have a large forum community on our website www.cruises.co.uk. The forum is not where we (who work for cruise.co.uk) post information but it is for fellow passengers/cruise goers to assist one another with questions and provide insider knowledge. I can’t imagine there is a question about cruising that someone on there would not be able to answer.

So why is this information tool so useful? Well say for instance you are travelling in a particular cabin and want to know information on that cabin only, chances are you will be able to find someone who can help you. Where else can you get those specific details from?

What else can you find out, done on here?

Have your say on some of the hot topics of cruising, whether it’s your opinion on gratuities or your thoughts on other passengers, some of the stories you read will shock!

Or maybe you just need to get something off your chest and in the case head for the cruise rant section!!

Along with this, cruise.co.uk and our loyal follows have built up an extensive information section which includes everything from a comprehensive drinks prices list and on board menus: to information on disabled/wifi and smoking facilities to name a few.

The combination of the forum members and the cruise specialists here at www.cruise.co.uk we have built up a vast library of information and knowledge to help with any cruise questions you may have. We are not here solely to book your cruises, we are here to help you with any questions/queries you may have.

Best Cruise Destination in the World

2012-01-17T00:46:00.000-08:00

So where is the best cruise destination in the world? Well according to travel publisher Frommers, they would have you believe that it is Tromso in Norway:

“Northern Norway is a winter, fall, summer and spring wonderland, and nowhere is better for experiencing the Call of the Wild than pulling into port in the North’s coastal capital,”

I think this question posed, like many others is very subjective. For instance I love the sunshine and like to relax on the beach where as my mother is not a sun worshiper and would far prefer to see this sites. I also think to be qualified to judge the best cruise destination in the world you need to have been to them all, otherwise how can you judge fairly.

Then of course you have to consider what the port offers, take for instance Rome/ Civitavecchia. Visiting Rome is such a great trip, but the 1 and a half hour transfer from the port is not so great.

So I have given it some thought and from my cruising experience it is hard for me to pick a favourite overall, but maybe a favourite by continent (the ones I have been too):

Europe: Barcelona

Australasia: Sydney

America: New York
Asia: Singapore

Why are these ports my favourites? Well for one I loved each and every destination, but most of all the convenience of visiting sites from getting off the ship was my draw.

So what are your thoughts, do you have a favourite port and if so why?

Fancy Some Winter Sun???

2012-01-10T05:19:00.000-08:00

As we are all wrapped up warm in our winter bests, it’s at times like these that I dream of being on a beach sipping a cocktail in beautiful sunshine! Fear not, not everywhere in the world is suffering with the same temperatures as we are. Just a few hours flight away you could too be in the sun!!
So where are the best places to go this time of year for warmer climates? Well really you could go to any of the following:
The Far East

The Middle East

Egypt

South Africa

The Caribbean

Australia

Canary Islands
And that’s just to name a few! If you don’t want to fly fear not, there are some great round trips sailing from the UK that will take you the sun, for instance:
Fred Olsen has a 35 night sailing departing on the 19th of January over to the Caribbean, taking in the following ports:
Tenerife, Barbados, Curacao, Cartagena, Panama, Jamaica, Cuba, Grand Turk, St Maarten and Ponta Delgada
If you looking for something shorter, how about an 11 night trip down to the Canary Islands with Royal Caribbean departing on the 6th of March. Calling at:

Vigo, Lisbon, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Madeira and La Coruna

Tis the New Year, With Many Deals to Be Had……

2012-01-03T03:52:00.000-08:00

Well all the festive celebrations are over for another year and I am now back in the office! January is always a great time to look at booking a cruise as the cruise lines have great offers, otherwise known as their ‘turn of year campaigns’. And this year is no different! Look at what all the cruise lines are offering………..

P&O:

Up to 10% discount

Free child places on a number of cruises

Cunard:

Up to 10% discount

Princess:

All 11, 12 & 14 night European cruises lead in at £999 for inside cabins and £1499 for balcony

Royal Caribbean:

Save up to 20% - On all Ex UK, European and Round the world sailings.

Free car parking or coach transfer for all Independence and Jewel sailings

Free upgrade from ocean view to balcony on all European fly med sailings and Around the world voyages

Celebrity Cruises:

Free upgrade from ocean view to balcony on ALL Ex UK, European and Round the world sailings.

For all Ex UK sailings on Celebrity Eclipse and Celebrity Constellation there will be free car parking or coach transfer to Southampton.

Flights from £49 per person for Barcelona departures and £99 for Rome on selected sailings

NCL:

Save up to £400 per stateroom

This really is a great time to book a cruise, for specific cruise deals, please contact me directly

Off To Celebrate Christmas!

2011-12-15T01:23:00.000-08:00

I am now on annual leave until the 3^rd of January, I hope you all have a nice Christmas and Santa brings you all you want!! To make a booking or if you require assistance, please contact one of my colleagues on 0800 408 6200 and they will be happy to assist

Valletta Port Reports Record Visitor Rates

2011-12-07T05:25:00.000-08:00

The main cruise port in Malta (Valletta) has reported record numbers of visitors this year. The port announced that they had seen 565,547 passengers pass through during the financial year of 2011/2011. The figure has risen by 20,000 compared to when the last statistics were taken. Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco said:

“The numbers are encouraging. They are the result of cooperation between the government and the private sector. We now need to look to the future; we need to deal with the coming year’s big challenges.”

One of the main reasons for growth is purely down to the fact cruise ships now carry more passengers, as a result the post have had to lengthen the quay. As well as these changes, the port is also looking to improve its road infrastructure around the port.

Personally I think the road infrastructure around the port does need to be addressed. When I visited Malta on a cruise I remember having to walk some distance to reach transportation and the walk after this was rather steep so better facilities would be a real bonus.

I really enjoyed my trip to Malta; the Island has a feeling as though many elements have been stuck in time. The buses used on the Island are very old fashioned, and very uncomfortable but add to its quirky charm.

To Tip or Not To Tip????

2011-11-30T01:38:00.000-08:00

So P&O have recently announced that they, like many others will now add gratuities onto your on board account (across their whole fleet). However their gratuities are still far lower than some of their American counterparts at just a mere £3.10 per person per day. I think tipping has to be one of the biggest gripes we get with cruising with opinion on tipping coming from across the board. We have those who pay them religiously to those who get them removed religiously! Managing Director of P&O Carol Marlow said:

“The new policy will see a recommended tipping rate added to a passenger’s onboard account on a daily basis. The recommended daily rate per person will be the same as has been in place for several years, namely £3.10, which is less than other cruise companies recommend as a daily rate.”

So where do I stand? Well I think we should all tip, it’s part of cruising and that’s how the ships operate. I don’t buy into this argument that people can’t afford to tip but can afford to spend thousands on a cruise!? I understand the British culture to tipping is different to the Americans but when it boils down to it the cruise lines barely pay their staff a wage so it is not in fact ‘just a tip’ but is the main bread line.

It would be easier if the cruise lines just incorporated the tips in with the cruise price, this way everyone pays the same and none of the staff lose out. If you are on a week’s cruise that costs £749 per person and are charged £770 I’m sure most people wouldn’t complain to their travel agents. And if customers were told tips were included up front, not only would they feel like they were getting a better deal it takes all the hassle of tipping out of the equation.

What are your thoughts………

Another 1st for Royal Caribbean.......................

2011-11-22T11:43:00.000-08:00

Ahead of the game again, Royal Caribbean will become the first cruise line to introduce I Pad mobile devices into staterooms. The innovation is going to be introduced to the Splendour of the Seas, so how will this enhance the in room facilities? Well the following can be achieved through its use:

• access the daily Cruise Compass of events and activities

• personal daily itineraries: including shore excursions

• monitor their onboard account

• order room service

• view restaurant menus

• access the internet

• watch movies

Most of this can be done in rooms, but being able to access this from one portal at any time is a great advantage. And is case you have forgotten what time your shore excursion starts in the morning you can find out and make sure you don’t miss it!! Lisa Bauer, senior vice president, Hotel Operations, Royal Caribbean International said:

“Based on consumer research, we added the iPads to greatly enhance guest communication, interactivity and to continue to offer industry leading technology that helps enhance the guest experience”

They won’t be introduced until February 2012 so you won’t see them on board before then.

An Island Is Born....

2011-11-15T02:44:00.000-08:00

A volcanic eruption has been taking place just off the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands. For the majority of the time it has been erupting, it has all been underwater. However in the last few days the shooting magma is making an appearance above sea level, with many locals speculating that a new island will be born.

This is the first eruption of its kind since 1971 in the Canary Islands, and is in turn having some negative impact on the environment. Local fishermen have reported a complete wipe out of fish in the surrounding area, and many of the beaches close by have been closed for safety.

The Canary Islands are a very popular cruise route, I wonder how long before we see a new port of call on the list????

Last Day To Vote.........

2011-11-08T05:32:00.000-08:00

If you haven't alread voted for me in the Travel Weekly Cover Stars competition, can I please ask you to spare a moment to click on the link below and vote for me?

http://www.twcoverstars.com/sianconnell

Voting is due to finish today.......

Thanks

We Can't Have Independence But We Will Have Our Freedom!!!!

2011-11-02T03:53:00.000-07:00

The Independence of the Seas has been sailing from Southampton for two years now, providing the British market with one of the biggest cruise ships in the world right on our doorstep. However it has recently been announced that the Independence is relocating to the Caribbean for the winter 2012/13 season. So where does this leave the UK market? In my own personal opinion this ship and its itineraries have been really popular and will leave a massive gap in the family/American liner option for passengers who want to sail from the UK.

It may not be all doom and glum on this front. I spoke with a past passenger of mine last week who had just returned from an Independence of the Seas sailing and he said that whilst on-board he heard that the Freedom would be being sent over in its place. I have checked the Freedom of the Seas schedule and she still appears to be sailing from Port Canaveral for winter 2012/13 and nothing has been announced so we will have to wait and see. I hope this is true as it would be a great shame to lose the Royal Caribbean sailings from Southampton, the more choice we have sailing from the UK the better I think. Has anyone one else heard anything on this front?

Vote For Me....................

2011-10-31T05:19:00.000-07:00

A little favour please……

Travel Weekly (a travel magazine) have a competition running for any travel professionals to enter, I am not one to normally enter competitions but when I saw what the prize was I thought why not give it a go.

Well the prize is to fly to New York with Virgin for a two night stay in the Hilton Gardens Inn, whilst there we would visit the Celebrity Silhouette to have a look and have a makeover. I have never been to New York but would love,love,love to go!! so if you could take a second to click on the link below and add your email address that is all that’s required!

http://www.twcoverstars.com/sianconnell?secret=3th9qac

Thanks in advance

Sian

Who Offers The Best Food At Sea?

2011-10-27T03:48:00.000-07:00

Food is such a large part of cruising that for many it defines a cruise line with so much emphasis being put on the dining experience with cruising. The main dining rooms in the evening often have dressed codes as well as fixed time to eat, but it always seems to makes for an enhanced experience when everybody abides to the dress codes. In my day to day life I don’t have many opportunities to wear an evening dress so really enjoy the whole rigmarole of getting dressed up for a formal evening.

Then to the food, when we speak to customers on their return to see whether or not they enjoyed their cruise, food is always mentioned and can really swing a passenger’s opinion on the whole cruise experience. Every year here at cruise.co.uk we commission a survey through our website to see who offers the best excursions, entertainment and cabins for example. We of course have a bes food category and the results from last year’s poll were as follows:

1st Queen Victoria

2nd Oceana

3rd Queen Mary 2

4th Ventura

5th Celebrity Eclipse

6th Azura

7th Adventure of the Seas

8th Arcadia

9th Thomson Celebration

10th Independence of the Seas

Out of the top ten I have been on 6 of the ships and I think I would rank the ones I have been on in a different order. The Queen Victoria would be top for me if we were including speciality restaurants as the Todd English experience I had was without a doubt the best meal I have had at sea. However as I have not eaten in all the specialty restaurants of the other ships it is only fair to compare main dining room to main dining room. My ratings would be as follow:

1st Azura

2nd Celebrity Eclipse

3rd Ventura

4th Queen Victoria

5th Queen Mary 2

6th Independence of the Seas
Of all the main dining rooms I have ever eaten in the best by a long mile for me has to be the Oceania Insignia! Where for you offers the best on board dining experience……….

The Ultimate Question, Which Is the Best Cruise line???

2011-10-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

On a day to day basis as a cruise consultant I talk to many people about their cruising needs. Many people know who they want to cruise with and where to cruise too but many others need advice as to who to cruise with and want to know who the best is.

I always find this a particularly hard question, for one I think every cruise line has their positive and negatives points, and as a whole it is impossible to compare them all as the range in costs involved can be ginormous. But I think if you are looking to compare the different cruise lines, price has to come into it when talking about the best cruise line as value for money is a key factor.

For instance how can you compare a luxury liner like Regent where you can easily pay £2000 a week and have everything included to a week cruise with Thomson’s which you could get for around £500?

Then it all comes down to personal preference, one of my colleagues loves the really big ships, the Independence of the Seas is her favourite. She will always going to the evening shows which I can’t stand 90% of the time as there is too much ‘Jazz Hand’ action going on for me. Whereas I love the Oceania vessels, space and tranquillity with amazing food and being smaller vessels you get to go too far more interesting ports (again in my opinion) and I know she would get bored on this type of vessel.

So I really don’t think you can judge who is the best cruise liner in general but you can work out which is the best cruise liner for you. How? Well ideally by trying them all and working out what you like from a cruise (in ideal world of course) and if not RESEARCH, RESEARCH RESEARCH! We have thousands or reviews on our website, and our forum section is full of past cruises that have oodles of information to share. And of course call us, between everyone in the office we will have been on every cruise liner out there so we can give you first-hand knowledge and figure out which cruise will suits you best.

Cruise Port Guide Part 6 - Tenerife

2011-10-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

So are final decision was the island of Tenerife and the port of Santa Cruz, unlike how most people travel to Tenerife we went by ferry from the mainland of Spain. To say I wasn’t particularly looking forward to this crossing would be an understatement! My partner had travelled with the ferry company before and described the vessels as ‘rust buckets’, the crossing itself took 36 hours and would of cost an extra 600 euros to have a cabin so we opted not too! So not only would I be on a rust bucket but have nowhere to get away to and relax, I was full of dread as we approached the vessel.

However on-board I was taken by surprise as there was a plan of the ship on the wall at the reception, a swimming pool, two restaurants, outside bar, lounge with films to name but a few were on-board! Well it proved to be far more of an enjoyable journey that first thought and can only assume it was an old cruise ship due to its facilities and layout.

The port of Santa Cruz is the chosen port by all cruise lines that stop in Tenerife. The capital is full of life and there is much to see and do, from the Opera house (based on the one in Sydney) to the manmade white sand beach (the sand was shipped in from the Sahara). The island is very small and you can drive from one side to the other within one and a half hours so whatever you want to do on this island it is feasible to do it on a day visit.

Of course the most breath-taking of all is Mount Teidi, the highest point of Spain where you can take a cable car right to the top of this active Volcano. Many Hollywood films are shot up here with the most recent being the Clash of the Titans so you make well recognise the unusual landscape.

The cuisine of Tenerife is very different to mainland Spain and even though food is included when you cruise I would recommend stopping for some Tapas. It is rather inexpensive and exquisite, I would recommend Papas Arrugadas, Pimientos de Padron and Queso Frito. Which to translate means, island potatoes, peppers from Padron and fried cheese!

Cruise Port Guide Part 5 = Alicante

2011-10-06T05:14:00.000-07:00

Alicante is my next stop on the cruise port series, I have been to Alicante once before on a cruise. The ship I was on at the time was a small vessel called the Jules Verne which was dwarfed in port by a Royal Caribbean vessel. A David and Goliath moment was had, and we felt we won judging by the queues getting on and off, no queues on the Jules Verne!

When we were in port, we took a leisurely day out; first stop was the beach, which located just at the top of the port meant no travelling at all. After the beach we frequented one of the many café’s along the front boardwalk for a drink and to watch the world go before a quick walk around then headed back to the ship.

This time we decided on a spot of sightseeing, in particular a visit to the Castillo de Santa Barbara. The castle which is perched on the top of Mount Benacantill offers panoramic views over the bay of Alicante and beyond. Castillo de Santa Barbara was captured by Castillian forces led by Alfonso of Castile in 1248 and is home to artifacts from the Bronze Age, Iberian and Roman times.

We then headed for the museum of contemporary arts or the Museo de Arte de Siglo XX La Asegurada as it is formally known. The museum is one of the oldest buildings in Alicante, and now plays host to an array of contemporary art creating a fabulous cohesion between the old architecture and new design. There are even paintings from artists such as Dali to Picasso and to top it all off the entrance was free!

I had a great time in Alicante, and much preferred the second trip. On the face of it you may put Alicante down as a Spanish seaside town with little depth but if you have a good look around Alicante has much to offer. For further information on what to do in Alicante CLICK HERE

Cruise Port Guide Part 4: Cadiz

2011-09-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

Cadiz is a frequent port of call on many cruises, particularly those which depart from the UK going to the Mediterranean or the Canaries. I have often wondered about ports like this and thought maybe they were more of a tactical stop for the cruise lines as opposed to somewhere of real interest for passengers. So to say I was not expecting a great deal would be a fair assessment, on our original drive round we saw the Queen Victoria in port and it was a great site. I’m not sure why I get so excited when I see cruise liners in port; I have been on the Queen Victoria so maybe it was a spot of jealousy knowing what a good time on board everyone one is having!

So we parked up and had a spot of Tapa’s washed down with some beer, always a great way to start sightseeing. I really enjoy just walking around places to get a feel for what life is actually like away from the tourist attractions and Cadiz has plenty to keep you entertained. The buildings themselves range from all ages and there are many sculptures and statues around, each telling their own tale.

The Cathedral is a most as it was first planned in the 18th century but the build didn’t get underway till a lot later, so the different infused styles make for a rather interesting Cathedral and wprth a look around.

The Torre Tavira watch tower is the largest watch tower in the city and provides great panoramic views all the way around Cadiz, another great trip as a talk is giving (and they do this in English as well as a number of different languages).

All in all I liked Cadiz and is great as cruise stop as really I wouldn’t be wanting to spend more than a day there, having said that if you are interested in the region as a whole then it would make a good base.

Cruise Port Guide Part 3 = Gibraltar

2011-09-15T10:55:00.000-07:00

Well if you haven’t been to Gibraltar before and it is on your cruise itinerary I would suggest spending the day here and not venturing further afield. Why? Well a day would be enough to see Gibraltar as it is far smaller than I ever imagined and it is so quirky it really is worth seeing!

So on our drive in to Gibraltar we were hit with huge queues to get onto ‘the rock’, as we had been driving for a while already we decided to go to beach right next to it and wait for the queues to die down. Whilst lying on the beach we noticed a plane coming in right over head and answered our question as to why there was such a long queue to get in, well the run way goes over the main road!!!

We made our way over and wandered round the very narrow streets, and you really could be back in mainland England as the higher street is a carbon copy of the ones you will see in any town. The only difference is the beautiful weather that reminds you that you are not back at home! We had a spot of lunch in one of the pubs where they claimed Christopher Columbus stopped on his way to the Americas for a steak!?!?!?!?

I would highly recommend taking a trip up the cable car, the views across to Spain and Africa are fantastic and of course there are also the monkeys to be seen. It has been said that in the war monkeys were imported to Gibraltar: apparently as long as there were monkeys in Gibraltar it would remain under British sovereignty!

Next stop Cadiz………

Cruise Port Guide Part 2 = Barcelona

2011-09-06T14:05:00.000-07:00

So for the next leg of our journey through France and Spain we went inland past Le Mans, Tours and Limoges before reaching the coast around Perpignan. From here we crossed the border into Spain and onto Barcelona a major cruise port. I have been lucky enough to visit Barcelona before (via a cruise) and it really is a spectacular city to explore!

One great way to get around is via the open top bus which you can jump on and off, you can pick this up right be the entrance to the docks and a headset is provided which you can tune into your language of choice. For more information of what to see and do on the tour CLICK HERE.

One major influence in Barcelona is Antonio Gaudi, famously the Sagrada Familia still under construction dominates the skyline and is a most visit! Another wonderful trip was to the Picasso Museum to view some of the most iconic art in the world and with a lovely restaurant nearly next door you can finish off with Paella and Sangria before making your way back to the ship! For more information on this attraction CLICK HERE

One hidden gem was Girona, my expectations of Girona were low for no other reason that the fact I have flown here many times before and left to head someone else! It is major airport for Ryan air and by default as these airports tend to be far out from your desired destination, local towns can get tarred by this! Well the town its self was delightful, we just wandered around and took it all in, and we visited a church which appeared to be preparing for the wedding of the century! Girona is a good 1.5 hours out of Barcelona, and can be reached by train and bus so be prepared for the distance but Barcelona is such a common cruise port now that those who have visited before would do well in taking a trip up the coast

Cruise Port Guide through France and Spain (Part 1)

2011-08-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

This summer I went on a road trip through France and Spain, we tended to hug the coast for the majority of the time so we could go to the beach and for a swim each day. As we stayed to the coast we managed to visit many cruise ports so I thought I would write a series or recommendations of things we found to do at each port. The first port is Le Havre

Le Havre is the largest city in the heart of Normandy with 193,000 inhabitants. In July 2005 the UNESCO listed Le Havre as a World Heritage Site. Within in walking distance of the dock you can get off and explore this city at your own pace, print off your own sight seeing map HERE.

Of course many people will want to make the longer journey into Paris, be aware though that Paris is nearly 200km away and will take a good 2.5 hours to get here! This is one of those excursions I would recommend taking with the cruise liner because if you get caught in any traffic and are delayed the ship will wait for you if you are on an organised tour, if you are on your own it won’t!!

There is a beautiful port town called Honfleur close by and of all the places I have visited in France over the years I think this has to be one of the most picturesque.

This is perfect for a relaxing stroll around the town; we also went to a small museum here which gave the history of Honfleur and you were able to view old houses which had been kept in the matter they would have been a different points in history (this was free). If you are looking at the picture above the museum is to the left of the ships.

On top of this you could go to the D-Day landing beaches or visit the Palace and Gardens of Versailles, the optoins from Le Havre are endless.

Royal Caribbean have a 3 night voyage to Le Harve on the 2nd of May next year which will give you one and a half days in the port allowing you to go off and do one of the longer excursions on the first day and plenty of time to visit Le Havre the following day. For prices and availability on this sailing CLICK HERE

It's My Birthday!

2011-08-23T05:10:00.000-07:00

So its my birthday today and to celebrate I am going to a restaurant with my partner tonight called Kafka, I havent been to Kafka before but it has very good reviews and it serves Canarian food:

Now I have never been fortunate enough to celebrate a birthday a sea, but if you are or even if you know someone who will be on a cruise for there birthday you can arrange a special treat for that person.

Now whenever you book a cruise always make the cruise consultant aware of any birthday celebrations as this can often lead to the waiters bringing you out a cake and singing you happy birthday!!

But if you want to take it one step further there are plenty of extras we can add on whether its a bottle of champagne in the cabin to having the cabin decorated or even booking someone into a speciality restaurant! There are many extras that can be organised to make a celebration that extra bit special so next time you book a cruise be sure to ask!

Costa Name New Ship!

2011-07-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

The new Costa vessel the Costa Favolosa has been named in Trieste with an extravagant naming ceremony. In true Italian style the ceremony was late in the evening not kicking off until midnight, the event was strictly black tie. The event was held at the Piazza d’Italia which overlooks the harbour, 2000 guests were treated to a classical piano performance by noted Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi to a resounding fireworks display.

The ship was christened by Margareth Madè with the traditional breaking of the bottle. Margareth Madè is a well known Italian model and actress:

The ceremony was attended by a a number of speakers including Costa Cruises CEO Pier Luigi Foschi and Fincantieri chairman Corrado Antonini. Also present on stage were the two top executives of Costa Cruises' parent company, Miami-based Carnival Corp.: Chairman Micky Arison and Vice Chairman Howard Frank.

The Costa Favoloas will stay true to her roots and begin sailing around the Mediterranean with a succession of 7 night voyages. The Favoloas boasts:

• 1,508 cabins in total, including: 103 with direct access to the spa, 594 with private balcony, 56 suites, all with balcony, 12 suites with direct access to the spa

• 5 restaurants, including the Club Favolosa and the Samsara Restaurant at an additional charge* and by reservation only

• 13 bars, including a Cognac & Cigar Bar and a Coffe & Chocolate Bar

• 5 Jacuzzis, 4 pools, two with a retractable covers, children's pool and Water slide

• Samsara Spa: 6,000 m² on two levels, with gym, baths, thalassotherapy pool, treatment rooms, sauna, Turkish bath and UVA-ray solarium

• Multi-purpose sports court, Pool deck with retractable glass roof and gigant screen

• 4D Cinema

• Theatre on three levels, Casino and Disco

Have a look at what you can expect from Costa by view this video Cruise.co.uk Costa Video

Tales of Arabia!

2011-06-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

If you have read my blog before you will know that I have spent sometime living in the Middle East and what a wonderful time I had there! So I am please to see that more ships are sailing out in this part of the world! Apart from the mega giant that is Dubai I believe the Middle East is rather over looked as a winter sun destination! I have never quite understood this or peoples reluctance to visit any of the other Arab states which in my opinion can offer passengers a greater insight into the real Middle East instead of the tourist resort that Dubai has morphed into!

MSC are deploying their Lirica vessel out to the Middle East from October to enjoy the winter sun! The ship will do week long sailings starting in either Dubai or Abu Dhabi (allowing you to include a stay at your preferred Emirate) it will also call at Muscat, Al Fujayrah and Khasab.

Not only can you visit all these fantastic places but you can also coincide your visit with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with one of exclusive tailor made packages, the package consists of:

3 nights in a 4 star hotel Abu Dhabi

3 day general admission ticket to the grand prix

Onboard spending money

For more information CLICK HERE

Having been onboard my first MSC vessel last week I can’t recommend them highly enough! Although not on the Lirica it was a Lirica class of ship i visisted so any questions fire away!!

Opera the Review!!

2011-06-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I spent the day on the MSC Opera, if you have read my previous post you will be aware that this was the first MSC ship that I have visited. It was great to see a new brand of ship and I was unsure of what to expect, other staff members at cruise.co.uk have been onboard and have said how great they are but some of the reviews on our website are mixed.

My initial impressions when we drove up were good and when we got onboard the welcome from the staff was great and in fact on our whole trip round the vessel every member of staff acknowledged us! It’s these little touches that make a cruise!

The ship itself was well laid out, very clean and seemed very light and spacious onboard. We were shown around by the English speaking host and he was very friendly and happy to answer all our questions. We first viewed the theatre which was as you would expect but one great point was that there was not a pillar or obstruction in sight so where ever you sit in the theatre you will get a great view.

A lot of the time I am asked about what language is the shows preformed in, or will we hear everything in a number of languages? And the answer really is no, apart from the show introduction where the host will describe the performance in a number of different languages the show is normally performed to music or visual performance suitable to all nationalities!

We looked around a number of different graded cabins and all were pleasantly decorated, with plenty of space (with room to put your suitcases under your beds).

One of my favourite areas was the outside eating area on the pool deck, not only is this area next to the buffet area (and you can take the buffet food out to the deck) but there is also a pizzeria and a grill serving burgers/ hot dogs etc so you can have a lazy lunch on deck all under a nice sheltered seating area.

Then came lunch and it was lovely I started of with vichyssoise, and then beef with a rocket and tomato salad follow by a cheese board!

A lovely meal for lunch time, but for the evening I would recommend having the pasta course before the main! The table next to us had the pasta course and I wish I had had it(there is always next time)!!

And after a lovely coffee in the La Cabala bar it was time for us to disembark, with I must a meet a bit of jealousy for those getting on for their 8 night voyage to Norway!

So would I happily recommend the MSC Opera? Absolutely!! Not only that with but with the fantastic fares MSC offer I am seriously considering an MSC cruise for later in the year or maybe next! If you are too they have fares starting from £499 for 8 nights and considering what you get onboard this is a brilliant price and one im sure wont be around for long!!

A trip to the Opera…..

2011-06-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

So next Monday I will be visiting the MSC Opera, I have been on many cruise ships but this will be my first MSC vessel so I am rather excited!

The Opera is a ship that we deal with a lot here as she sails from the UK for part of the year, offering Baltic’s, Western Europe and Fjords sailings!

When we go for day visits to ships we typically have a guided tour where we will be shown through all the public areas as well as the different grades of cabins.

Viewing the cabins I find one of the most useful parts as we can then advise customers properly of what they will expect to receive as after all this determines the different amount you spend when booking your cruise!

MSC Opera the Facts:

856 cabins/2055 guests

9 passenger decks

2 main restaurants, La Caravella and L’Approdo and outdoor restaurant II Patio

8 bars

713 seat Teatro dell’Opera theatre

Byblos Disco

Montecarlo Casino

So after my visit on Monday I will let you know what I think!!

Antiques Roadshow at Sea........

2011-06-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

Voyages of Discovery have two very special cruises in the pipeline, their resident antiques expert David Barby a regular face on BBC's 'Antiques Roadshow', 'Bargain Hunt' and 'Flog It!' will be onboard.

The two cruises in question are the Trades Routes to Bombay on the 14th of November 2011 and the Tales of India and Arabia on the 19th of March 2012.

Discovery's 'Antiques Seashow' will also include other experts Paul Blake who will show passengers how to delve into their family history and Maggie Loughran, also an expert in Genealogy, who will uncover the secrets behind tracing the past in their fascinating and insightful talks and workshops.

For fares please CLICK HERE

The MV Discovery is a small intimate ship and was the 2010 winner of the best cruise line in the niche category awarded by the British Travel Awards!

Back to Work!

2011-06-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

So holiday number 2 is unfortunately over! I returned yesterday, or to be more precise 3 this morning! I was due to land at 11 last night but due to our plane being hit by lightning it was delayed, in the scheme of things not hugely but when having to be back in work at 9 it was rather annoying to say the least!

We had a nice break in the South of France however the weather wasn’t on our side and limited what we could do especially when many of the attractions were closed for reason or another! Our apartment itself was lovely and was self catering so we had many meals at the apartment which was nice. The apartment had a lovely enclosed patio garden to the back which would have been wonderful had the sun been out.

We flew in and out of Girona in Northern Spain so we spent Saturday afternoon in Griona and what a lovely city it is! Full of life, beautiful architecture, and lots of lovely shops and cafes! The highlight was this wonderful hot chocolate I had which was so thick and rich I’ve never had anything like this before:

I will definitely be booking a weekend or short break back to Girona to really explore the city and its surrounding areas.

Time for a Break!!!

2011-05-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

It doesn’t seem like very long ago that I was writing about going on holiday, but alas it is time for another one! This time I’m off to Perpignan in the South of France for a week with my family. We have rented a lovely apartment which is based just outside of Perpignan in the small town of Ille-Sur-Tet:

My sister and I had planned for a few lazy days by the beach but the weather forecast has not been too rosy, so who knows what the next week holds!

For assistance while im away please contact one of my colleagues on 0800 408 6200

Volcanic Ash Disruption!

2011-05-24T07:04:00.000-07:00

So its back! This time it’s the turn of the Grimsvotn Volcano, which has erupted in Iceland and disruption to air travel has happened again. As you can imagine we are making sure we are up to date with all the changes in case any of our customers are affected!

I am particularly nervous about what may unfold as I am due to fly to Spain this coming Sunday for a family holiday! I am glad to hear that Ryan Air (who I am due to fly with) have just completed a test flight and they have found no signs as to why planes cant fly:

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the airline said: "There was no visible volcanic ash cloud or any other presence of volcanic ash and the post-flight inspection revealed no evidence of volcanic ash on the airframe, wings or engines.

"The absence of any volcanic ash in the atmosphere supports Ryanair's stated view that there is no safety threat to aircraft in this mythical 'red zone', which is another misguided invention by the UK Met Office and the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority). So with news in like this, why are airports closing, and what is the knock on affects for the future?

I know when you are due to travel it is always a worry when things like this occur and is another reason to book your flights as part of a complete cruise package! The onerous is then on the cruise lines to sort it out! Is it really worth the hassle to save a few quid?? I don’t think so especially when we have occurred problems with snow the last couple of Christmas’s, and now the second volcanic disruption!

Well my fingers and toes are crossed for Sunday!!

Back to Work

2011-05-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

It only seems like yesterday that I was writing about going away for the week! So the Tenerife sun was kind to us and we enjoyed a lovely week in the sun!

We went down to Teresitas a beach just outside of Santa Cruz; it is the only white sand beach on the island (which was imported from Africa!) As lovely as it is unfortunately it has been constructed on one of the windiest parts of the island so it’s not particular pleasant to sit there from a long length of time! As we drove back through Santa Cruz there was a Princess ship docked in the port as well as a very small ship which was barely visible next to the grand Princess ship

As we walked down to the beach one day we came across this incredible bird known as a Hoopoe, I have never seen a bird quite like this before:

If you are spending a day in Tenerife during a cruise I think it is well worth heading up to the North of the island which is by far the most pleasing on the eye

The area in which we stayed, Puerto de La Cruz is well worth a visit and if you have just the day then a trip to the Botanical gardens is a must

Bon Voyage!

2011-05-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

So for those who have been reading my blog of late you know that I have a couple of holidays planned and it is now time for holiday number one! The first offering is Tenerife, where I’m hoping for perfect sunshine the whole time (well don’t we all when we go away), the 7 day weather forecast is looking to bad though:

If you need any further assistance whilst I am away from my desk please call one of my colleagues on 0800 408 6200 where someone will be happy to assist you.

MSC & Royal Caribbean Ship Visits Ahoy!

2011-05-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

So here at cruise.co.uk we are lucky enough to get to visit a few of the ships that we sale here. In May I will be spending the day on the MSC Poesia, I have never been on an MSC ship so am really looking forward to the occasion. I believe we will leave here first thing in the morning so that we have enough time to look around the ship and hopefully enjoy a spot of lunch!!

From other colleagues who have already been with MSC and from customer feedback their fleet of ships are meant to be fantastic, the Poesia itself boasts a spectacular waterfall with bridges in the foyer, a Zen garden in the sushi bar and a serene 12,000 square foot spa

(Sushi Bar onboard Poesia)

To read a recent review of the MSC Poesia click on this link

In August I will be visiting the Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas ship, I have been on a Royal ship before on the Independence of the Seas so am looking forward to comparing the ships. The Jewel of the Seas takes over a thousand passengers less than the Independence of the Seas and doesn’t have the royal promenade stretching up through the higher decks so I expect the ship to feel very different onboard

When I was on the Independence of the Seas I dinned in both the Windjammer café and the main dinning room so would be keen on this occasion to try the Chops Grill or the Portofino restaurant

I will fill you in on the ship visits when I return!

Two Holidays One Month!!

2011-04-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

So with all these bank holidays and everyone I know seems to be going on holiday I was having a serious case of the holiday blues! However due to a very last minute booking and a planned holiday at the end of the month I have a great deal to look forward to!
So holiday number 1 is to Tenerife, my other halves parents live in Tenerife so we normally head out there every year. It is a place that I love; they live in the north of the island away from the main holiday destinations of the south and I really prefer this part of the island.
Are favourite place to eat is a place called Marilu which is along the beach front:

Which over looks Punta Brava, one of the nicest beaches on the island:

And not long after I return I will be heading to the South of France to a place called Purpignan with my family.

Although I have been to France many times I haven’t been for along time or to Purpignan! We are staying in a lovely apartment just outside and we plan to visit vineyards, relax on the beach and see a few sites! Our apart is through French Chat and has a lovely veranda where we will no doubt enjoy breakfast or a glass of vino at night
I will fill you in on how I got on when I return

Royal Wedding Countdown on Land and At Sea!

2011-04-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

With the royal wedding fast approaching it is time to make plans as to what to do and where to go! I will be going to London and along with some friends we are going to the Battersea street party. Where there will be live performances of world music and dance that you can watch while sipping special "Wedding" cocktails served underneath meters of bunting!! There will be stalls galore and lots of different types of cuisine. As well as donkey rides, carousel, face painting and the opportunity to see a clairvoyant!

The cruise lines as you can imagine are also getting onboard with the festivities, so what can you expect fro the cruise lines if you are onboard on the 29th of April?

Fred Olsen

Onboard celebrations will include a special Gala Wedding Dinner, featuring Baked Alaska ‘Catherine’ as a dessert, with a souvenir menu produced for guests to take home with them; a specially-created champagne cocktail, Royal Honeymoon, to toast the happy couple; a special promotion of Pimm’s No. 1 Cup, that quintessentially British tipple; and Royal Wedding cake to be served with afternoon tea.

There will also be Royal-themed quizzes, and the lounges and public areas throughout the ships will be decorated with red, white and blue bunting and balloons to give them that patriotic, ‘Street Party’ feel.

And some of the ships will be featuring a Grand Tea Dance with a regal flavor, a Royal Wedding-themed crew show and Royal Wedding Party Night.

P&O Cruises

The Ventura sailing which departs on the day of the wedding will host a large than normal sailaway party with bunting and flags.
The other P&O vessels will create a mock Royal Wedding invitation as well as being able to view the ceremony from their rooms as well as public spaces onboard.

Cunard

All three ships will show the wedding in the Royal Court Theatre: celebrating in the evening with a commemorative menu at dinner and a champagne toast to the newlyweds.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Have embraced British tradition and are offering a street party, along the lines of what I will be doing in London. Passengers can enjoy traditional British grub with wedding cakes decorated with a Union Jack on the buffets, fish and chips, and bread-and-butter pudding.
NCL will be broadcasting the wedding throughout ten of its 11 ships (Norwegian Sky won't be showing the event in the Bahamas).

Princess Cruises

BBC coverage of the wedding will be shown on the large screens they have on deck commonly used for the Movies under the Stars

MSC Cruises

Will broadcast the ceremony in English on all the ships it has sailing in Europe – that is, the entire fleet with the exception of MSC Sinfonia and MSC Opera. A special cocktail, the Royal, has been created, of sparkling wine, cognac and Grand Marnier.
Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara ships will all show the wedding, with champagne and flags adding to the mood on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas and Celebrity Eclipse, both of which will be on mini-cruises from Southampton(cruise critic).

Luxury Cruising with MSC? Yacht Club the hidden Gem!

2011-04-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

MSC may not be at the forefront of your mind when you think of luxury cruising but then you probably haven’t heard of their Yacht Club.

The Yacht Club features on the MSC Fantasia and Splendida ships and will also appear on their new vessel Davina (due to launch nest year). The Yacht club labelled as “a ship within a ship” offers customers a whole list of benefits, so what can you expect?

Exclusive use of the One Pool:

The Panoramic Lounge:

Concierge Reception:

Private lift access to the MSC Aurea SPA

Complimentary dinning at the a la carte restaurant L’Etoile (Fantasia) and L’Olivo (Splendida)

ALL INCLUSIVE

Visit the official Yacht Club site by CLICKING HERE
Here at cruise.co.uk we have an offer currently whereby you pay for a suite cabin and we will upgrade you to Yacht Club for no extra charge! So now is the time, if you haven't to try Yacht Club style cruising!!

Do You Dream of A wedding at Sea?

2011-04-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

Do you dream of a wedding at sea? Well if you don’t it appears there are a lot of couples out there who do! A study compiled by cruise compare found that 19% (of 2000 couples questioned) admitted that their ideal wedding would be held on a cruise ship. Of the 19% who stated that getting married on a cruise ship was their idea of a ‘perfect wedding’ the majority, 47%, said it was because of the ‘luxurious surroundings’ provided onboard a cruise ship.

So which cruise ships can you get married on? Well P&O, Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Princess and Royal Caribbean International all offer wedding packages.

Would you consider a wedding at? As much as I love cruising I don’t think I would personally although I can see the benefits. No need to for all those additional purchases, wedding breakfast would be included, honeymoon (well your there already), evening entertainment is there!!

Seabourn, My Style of Cruising!!

2011-03-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

Today we had some product training on Seabourn, and it was certainly a step into luxury (half an hour of fantasy living!!), now if I could afford to go any kind of cruise this is surely the one for me!

For those who don’t know Seabourn is a luxury product and have a phenomenal 1:1 staff to passenger ratio, so great services is what they pride them self on! Another one of their key points is the size of their vessels versus the number of passengers they put onboard. The Seabourn Odyssey for instance tops 32,000 tonnes and only takes a maximum occupancy of 450 passengers, a main stream liner of this size would know doubt take twice that amount of passengers!

So what are the extras you get onto of a standard (full board cruise?):

• Fine wines poured at lunch and dinner, and open bars throughout the ship

• All dining venues are complimentary — dine where, when and with whom you wish

• Gourmet dining experiences that rival the finest restaurants anywhere

• Complimentary welcome champagne and in-suite bar stocked with your preferences

• Tipping is neither required nor expected — service simply to delight you

But my favourite point of all has to be having Champagne and Caviar served in the sea:

So with the launch of the new Seabourn Quest due this June, there are more Seabourn vessels than ever sailing for you to choose from. The fleet will remain at its current size now with no further plans for any further expansion. Their top suite onboard is know at the Grand Wintergarden Suite offering complete luxury onboard with its own spa on the balcony:

Better start saving those pennies!!

For more information call me on 0800 408 6097

Top 10 Mediterranean Ports As Voted By the Cruise Insiders

2011-03-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

The list which has been compiled by 17 cruise experts for The Cruise Show saw Barcelona top the list, having visited Barcelona three times before I think it’s a worthy winner!

With its fantastic architecture, art galleries and museums to enjoy Barcelona has something for everyone. But to top the cruise destination poll is probably aided by how easier it is to access the cities amenities from leaving the ship: you can reach the Ramblas within a few minutes walk from the ship.

The top ten ports are as follows (in order):

1. Barcelona

2. Venice

3. Ibiza

4. Mykonos

5. Istanbul

6. Dubrovnik

7. Santorini

8. Portofino

9. Corfu

10. Villefranche

What would be your favourite(s) port??

I tend to agree with Barcelona but I would also put Monte Carlo as a close second for me! Why? well because again you can access all the Monte Carlo has to offer directly from the port and what a great place it is, but I think a day would be enough to see it all so great for a cruise port of call!

Glasgow A City of Hidden Gems!

2011-03-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of months I have been spending a lot of time in Glasgow as my partner is away on a course and this happens to be a happy middle ground where we can meet. We have spent plenty of time exploring the city, admittedly mostly the inside of bars and restaurants!

Last weekend was our most extravagant eating out weekend to date! On the Friday night we went to the Italian Kitchen which was nice, but we arrived late (10.30) and they really pushed our meal along, to say the second our starter plate left us our main was seated is no exaggeration. Now I understand that we got their late but they kitchen took orders till 11 and we spent almost £70 and were in an out within an hour and we had breads, then starters, then mains!! So I don’t think we will be heading back there.

Now Saturday was a very indulgent day we started the day on the Montgomery café for breakfast (voted best café in Glasgow) we both had a waffle with bacon and maple syrup! Great way to start the day and tackle the snow that was falling! Lunch was a late affair as we had reservations at Michael Caines restaurant at the Abode hotel and what a fantastic meal! Seeming as it cost us pretty much what we spent the night before there was no comparison at all, we opted for the fixed menu which were smaller than usual portions (almost tapas style)! A selection of what we ate is pictured below to wet your appetite:

Not only was the food super but the service was faultless, having completed a hospitality degree I am very critical when out but the service was spot on not to intrusive but glasses were always kept full, plates cleared when needed and certainly no rushing!

We ended the night at the IVY bar which was close to our hotel. We ate steak accompanied with one to many caipirinha’s! The bar had a fantastic atmosphere but one for the younger crowd

All in all so far I have been beyond impressed with what Glasgow has to offer, not only is it a very affordable city but what the city has to offer is great. There are so many diverse/individual places to eat/drink/see! I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a weekend end gateway! The city has great links and if you arrive by train you are right bang in the centre of the city (book early on trainline.co.uk for lower fares).

As we are trying to balance the cost of our dinning experiences with a not so expensive accommodation option we have stayed at the Premier Inn, the Etap and most recently the Argyll Guest House all of which are in walking distance to many of the cities facilities. There are of course some higher end hotels in Glasgow so there really is something to suit every budget.

Next visit we have reservations for Taplea a Spanish/Italian restaurant but no other plans as yet, so if anyone has any recommendation I would be glad to hear of these!

Star Clippers: My Preferred Way of Cruising!

2011-03-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

Star Clippers is not a cruise line that pops up on our enquiry list everyday and I most admit that until we had training on the product the other day I knew very little about it! Having had an in-depth presentation from our Star Clippers rep I was surprised to find out what a unique product it was, and would have no hesitations in recommending it to anyone, in fact my partner and I are considering going on a sailing to the Caribbean with them at the end of the year.

What I really loved the sound of was that you can get as involved as you like with the sailing of the ship, from tying the knots to climbing up the sails. The size of the vessels mean you stop off at ports that most ships can’t get into so no cueing to get on or off each day. I haven’t heard of any other major cruise lines stopping at Iles des Saintes in the Caribbean!

But the one thing that really sets this company apart from the other cruise lines is the vessels themselves; I think the images below just say it all:

I also thought these ships wouldn’t have your usual cruise comforts, but rest assured they still have the dinning facilities, gym/swimming pool as well as salon facilities and a choice of bars!

I guess I had preconception of Star Clippers, where this came from I don’t know but I always thought they would be extremely expensive, I can only presume that because of the size of the vessel they would be so I was pleasantly surprised when I heard the prices!

Now for the piste de la resistance, their transatlantic sailing, which I have been informed are one of their most popular itineraries, and I think offers fantastic value for money with fares starting from £1540 per person. But do you think you could handle the high seas on one of their vessels?? I’m not sure I could, I think a nice week around the Caribbean would be my preferred choice

Celebrate The Royal Wedding with A Gem Of A Cruise!

2011-03-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

Well for me (and I’m sure many others) the best thing about the forthcoming royal wedding is the fact we get a bank holiday! And to top it off it coincides with the May bank holiday to create a nice 4 day weekend!

So what an ideal time to take some time off work and I have found a great cruise with Royal Caribbean, the cruise in question is a repositioning cruise from Southampton to Copenhagen on the Vision of the Seas, the itinerary is as follows:

Fri 29 Apr SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND

Sat 30 Apr AMSTERDAM - NETHERLANDS

Sun 01 May AMSTERDAM - NETHERLANDS

Mon 02 May CRUISING

Tue 03 May COPENHAGEN - DENMARK
And the fares…………..

Insides from £174pp, Outsides from £192pp and balconies from £264pp!

Now the fares are cruise only but I have been looking at this for myself and with the port not being to far from the airport and cheap low cost carriers back to the UK what better way to make the most of the bank holiday!!
I have been with Royal Caribbean before on the Independence of the Sea, and the Vision of the Seas is a smaller model so doesn’t have the royal promenade. Therefore I would really like to see how their older ships compare!!! Now I just better find someone to come with me……………..

Cruises to the Middle East Due To Expand!

2011-02-22T11:21:00.000-08:00

With all the commotion in the news surrounding the uprisings in the Middle East, I came across a news article detailing how cruising is expanding in the Middle East. Currently there are only a couple of cruise lines (Royal Caribbean/Costa) who have dedicated ships in the region doing repeat itineraries, with others going through the region but not solely deploying ships out there.

With predictions for cruise passenger numbers in the Middle East to double by 2015 surely it won’t be long until other cruise lines venture out this way. With this influx of new travellers, the ports are starting to update their infrastructure at the ports as for many years they have been solely industrial ports.

So why is there this sudden growth in interest in this area of the world? Is it due to the fact the area in whole seems more approachable due to the infamous Dubai boom? Are we as travellers getting more adventurous or were we all just wafting for the cruise lines to offer us more varied itineraries?

Now I know with all the commotion in the Middle East it may put many travellers off but with this there may be a good bargain to be had! Would you still travel to an area where this conflict or would it put you off for good??

If you have read any of my previous blog’s you will know that I lived in the Bahrain for a few years when I was younger so I hope Bahrain can resolve their issues as soon as possible and no one else gets hurt during this period of unrest.

Holland and America past Passenger Deal of the Century!!

2011-02-15T10:14:00.000-08:00

The question as to who gives their past passengers the best deal is one I struggle to answer sometimes. From time to time some cruise lines can come up with some cracking offers that differ from their standard benefits!
Now with all these price slashes we see, I think a great way for cruise lines to sale off cabins when they need to would be to offer, not everyone but their loyal customer’s great deals that aren’t splashed around for everyone to see!

A past passenger of mine called through the other day and was looking at a Holland and America crusie; they had cruised with them before and were looking at a 12 night cruise this summer. They opted for a balcony cabin and although there was no immediate offer for past passengers after calling Holland and America they offered the balcony cabin they were interested in for nearly £450 cheaper per person than the general market!
So there loyalty was rightly so recognised! If you are a Holland and America past passenger make sure you have your pass passenger number to hand when you are getting a quote to ensure you get the best deal!

Free Cruise For One Of My Customers!

2011-02-08T10:46:00.000-08:00

So how did they get this free cruise? Well by booking another cruise! From time to time the cruise lines have competitions which most customers won’t realise about unless they are lucky enough to win! And my customers were no different, they were automatically entered into the competition from the booking they had already one!

So I called them up the other day to inform them they had won a cruise, and as you can imagine were rather excited!! They were offered the 4 night mini cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse to Cork this year, in a balcony stateroom! Not only that but it falls comfortably over the bank holiday weekend so they don’t have to take any extra time off work.

So it puts to bed that old saying you don’t get something for nothing in life! Well sometimes you just do!

Following the Trend!!

2011-02-01T08:05:00.000-08:00

So here at cruise.co.uk as soon as the New Year hits the phones go crazy as everyone is looking to book their holidays! And I am set to the follow the trend; I am one of those people who need a holiday to look forward to so I’m starting to make my plans! Usually I save my main holiday for the end of the year as I like to break up the longer winters we have, and enjoy a spot of skiing at the beginning. Due to many circumstances I won’t be skiing this year for the first time in many years I am looking to take a week’s holiday this summer and head to the Med. I’m still deciding between where to go but top of my list is Sardinia

I went here over four years ago for the day, when I was on a cruise around the Med on the Joules Verne and really liked the Island and would love to go back to explore it a little more. On the other hand I have been looking at an MSC cruise, now I know MSC are like Marmite but I think they will suit my needs! I am personally all about the destinations and new places to explore and I think there itineraries in the Med are unbeatable, the one that I have my eye on is the Armonia sailing the itinerary is as follows:

Fri 03 Jun VENICE, ITALY

Sat 04 Jun ANCONA, ITALY

Sun 05 Jun CORFU, GREECE E

Mon 06 Jun SANTORINI, GREECE

Tue 07 Jun PIRAEUS, GREECE

Wed 08 Jun ARGOSTOLI, GREECE

Thu 09 Jun KOTOR, MONTENEGRO

Fri 10 Jun VENICE, ITALY

Now I haven’t been to any of the places above so it really appeals! Like the next person I do enjoy a drink on holiday and I like how you can opt for a fully inclusive package so you now exactly what your going to be paying and not be shocked by the bill at the end! To view the drinks page click here. Better start saving the pennies!

Churrascaria Restaurants the New Restaurant Of Choice at Sea??

2011-01-25T11:54:00.000-08:00

Churrascaria Restaurants, or as they are more commonly known, Brazilian Steak House’s seem to be exploding on to the cruising scene: the meat is served on skewers and is typically carved at the table. The style of restaurant that was first seen on the inspiring Norwegian Epic cruise has since made it on to another NCL ship (the NCL Sun) as well as the new Royal Caribbean ship the Allure of the Seas, so why is this style of eatery becoming so popular? Is it maybe to do with the theatre of the way the meat is served or does it highlight consumers changing habits (your thoughts)? I for one would be first in line to try one of these eateries but want are the additional supplements involved?

• NCL Epic: Moderno Churrascaria = $18 per person

• Allure of the Seas Samba Grille = $25 per person

Is it worth the extra? I guess there is only one way to find out!

Cunard Best Cruise Liner in the World?

2011-01-20T08:11:00.000-08:00

Well that's what we have discovered here at cruise.co.uk! The findings are drawn from our poll carried out by the users of our main site www.cruise.co.uk. Cunard took top honours in this years pool scooping best cruise liner and best sip in the form of the Queen Victoria. Others who topped the poll were Celebrity Eclipse for best accommodation and to my surprise the P&O Oriana won best for children beating the likes of the Independence of the Seas to the title.
For the full results on what we have found out give me a call on 0800 408 6097 and I can send you a copy of the complete cruise brochure which we have just published! Not only can you find out the results for all the category's, the brochure is full of great offers and all the information you need to know about cruising from who has Wifi onboard to the best deals for single cruises!

Drug's Bust on Enchantment of the Seas

2011-01-12T09:47:00.000-08:00

A drugs bust has just been reported onboard the Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas vessel. Unfortunately this is not the first drug scandal to hit the vessel; only last month 3 employees were arrested for conspiracy to import drugs. The two incidence have not yet been linked, however the new incident is thought to be staff members aboard as the stash was found in an area only accessible to staff.

Found on board was both Heroin and Cocaine believed to be worth nearly $100,000! The discovery was made due to a tip of from another staff member, Royal Caribbean have stated that:

"Royal Caribbean International maintains a strict zero tolerance policy regarding illegal drugs on its ships. We take various steps to prevent the transport of illegal narcotics, including working closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection."

I don’t know whether its just me but you just don’t expect a cruise ship to be used as a carrier for drug smuggling, but since my time at Cruise.co.uk I have read many similar stories so there seems to be a bigger problem that one would first thing. I think it is a great shame that Royal Caribbean’s name gets dragged into this murky story!

Tales from the Middle East!

2011-01-05T10:39:00.000-08:00

After my tale of my trip back from my life in the Middle East, I thought I would bring some stories of my life out there!

My Bahrain story began back when I was 8 years old, my uncle was working for an oil company in Bahrain and a position came up for my father and within a month we were there. There are two main oil companies in operation in Bahrain Caltex and BAPCO my father worked for the latter. We lived on a compound owned jointly by the companys, although there were armed guards on the entrance there was no need for them as (when we lived there) it was a very peaceful country. Growing up in the Middle East was like a dream, we had access to every facility you could imagine on tap, private beach; horse riding, swimming pools that were always open! The environment that we lived in was so safe that we could roam freely from a young age with no worry for our parents.

I love the Middle East, the culture, the people; the heritage there is so much on offer. I used to love going to all the local festivals where we would try and pick pearls or listen to the local man and women doing there fantastic hand clapping! But most of all I loved the daily calls for prayer, although there wasn’t many mosques near where we lived if you ventured into the capital (Manama) or more localised areas you could here them from every angle and the noise just filled the air!

During are time in the Middle East we visited many of the other countries close by from the Oman to Saudi Arabia and of course Dubai. Now I know Dubai is the ‘tourist hotspot’ but for me it is my least favourite Middle East state. I think if you ask others who have spent considerable time in the Middle East they will say the same, it lacks the real sense of the Middle East and is one large tourist trap if you want the real flavour I would suggest trying one of the lesser knowncountries!

More to follow……………………………

Top Gears Three Wise Men, Been There Done That!!

2010-12-29T09:25:00.000-08:00

Well my family was gripped to the TV for the Top Gear Christmas special as they took part in a trip from Iraq through Turkey, Syria, and Jordan to Bethlehem. Although all fans of the show the programme bought back great memories of when we did a similar trip. As a family we lived in the Middle East over ten years ago, when we left to return to the UK my parents decided we would spend 3-4 months driving back from Bahrain to the UK!

What a trip we had, starting in Bahrain (where we lived) our first country was Saudi Arabia where we were hit by sandstorms which prevented us from seeing anything out of the front of our car, the debate as to whether to keep driving or stop was fraught! We carried on with no accidents thankfully, from Saudi we travelled through Jordan, Syria, Turkey over by ferry to Italy then France before finally reaching the United Kingdom

The journey was full of great experiences and ones I will treasure for the rest of my life!

Black Watch My Review

2010-12-23T04:21:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday I set off for Southampton for the 3 night mini cruise to Antwerp with Fred Olsen on the Friday. We decided to go down the night before as the forecast was looking bleak and didn’t want to risk a nightmare journey and hassle before joining the ship. Going down the day before turned out to be a great choice the roads were clear, we only wanted a cheap stop off so stayed at the Etap where we left our car, all I all this only cost us £10 more than the onsite car parking! The hotel was ideally situated for out cruise terminal and as I looked out of our hotel room in the morning I could see the Black Watch so we just walked over.

As always with Fred Olsen check in was efficiently run, straight onboard, and no queues! On embarkation we checked into our superior outside cabin which was as expected but lacked the vow factor of the newer ships, but outdid those on the comparability. Our cabin was perfectly positioned on deck 5, just one floor up to the main eating area and a few cabins walk to the gangway! One area of the ship that I particulaly liked that wasnt there on my last Black Watch sailing was the changes to the Garden Cafe, which made the whol area feel really relaxed! A great achievement compared to the usual mani buffet restaurants you normally find on cruise ships.

After visiting our room we headed up to the Lido Lounge for a cocktail and to watch the ship sail out before heading for dinner, we opted for the later seating which is always my preferred choice. We were on a table for six and sat with two nice couples, the food on the first night was not the best, but the second two nights were great. I loved the festive evening we had on the formal night. We arrived into Antwerp around lunchtime the following day, lunch was brought forward for those who wanted to get off straight away and I thought this was a nice touch. It was no more than a 500 metre walk to the Christmas markets, the city had a wonderful festive feel to it with lots of music being played throughout from bands to buskers. The city itself is very aesthetic and we particularly enjoyed the consumption of the gluhwien and the chocolates!

We only saw one show onboard and that was the comedians who I thought were brilliant, they really got the crowd involved much laughter was heard throughout the Neptune Lounge, on the last night I tried my hand on the roulette, with little success! The tables onboard were packed which I was rather surprised about. All in al we had a great trip and was lovely to get away just before Christmas.

Festive Flanders Mini Cruise!

2010-12-16T09:01:00.000-08:00

So as I near the end of the working day, I am indeed in high spirits! But what I am really looking forward to is the commencement of the Festive Flanders mini cruise aboard the Black Watch tomorrow!

Now this won’t be my first time with Fred Olsen and I have already been on the Black Watch so know what I’m in for, but it will be my boyfriends first time with Fred Olsen. We have been on a cruise together before a few years ago with his parents and if that cruise was anything to go by no doubt he will enjoy this one!

We have decided to go down to Southampton this evening as the forecast for snow is strong and I don’t want a repeat of last years cruise, where we had to walk around 5 miles in the snow to get to the ship! When I return I will give you my full review!

Tales from the Orient!

2010-12-14T05:30:00.000-08:00

I have just returned from my annual leave, 2 and half weeks in Thailand! I have been to Thailand before so knew what to expect but did visit a few new places. We flew out with Qatar airways, I have been with them before and would certainly use them again! We started in Bangkok and headed down to Hua Hin for a first night, although not my favourite spot in Thailand it does have a lot to offer and has a beautiful long beach which was rather relaxing after all the travelling. My two favoutrite places that I visited were the ‘new stops’ for us, the first was Koh Tao (otherwise known as turtle island)

My other favourite islands were the Similan's, now there is very little to do once on the islands, there is only one restaurant (more like a school canteen) and a choice of tent, fan or AC accommodation!! Our reason for going here was the water, the Similan Islands have been voted one of the top ten snorkelling/diving locations in the world and they didn’t disappoint the visibility was great; highlights were seeing a moray eel and a small shark close to the shore!!

Before visiting the Similan Islands we had to spend a night in Koh Lak and had a fantastic meal for around £2 a head! It was an ‘all you can eat’ and we were given the following cooking apparatus below:

The idea was you cooked your meat/fish/seafood on the top, and the juices would fall into the water below which you cook all your veg and noodles in, to create a soup! It was absolutely amazing and needless to say we went up one to many times!!

More to follow…………..

Fred Olsen Here I Come!

2010-11-22T09:30:00.000-08:00

I have had the pleasure of sailing with Fred Olsen twice before and have just confirmed my third trip with them! I will be going on their three night mini cruise to Antwerp this coming December, which I can’t wait for as it’s the weekend before Christmas so a nice break before the festivities!

The cruise itself is on the Black Watch which I have been on before, now I know the Fred ships aren’t the biggest or most up to date but I really like them! All I want is a nice relaxing break, some nice food a few drinks and visit a new port for me. We will be over night in Antwerp so we will have plenty of time to explore, and looking forward to visiting the Christmas Markets. If anyone has any ‘must do’s’ for Antwerp I would appreciate some advice!

We have gone for a superior outside cabin on the main deck a view of which is below:

Roll on December!!

All Three Queens!

2010-11-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

I have just returned from a 2 night mini cruise to Cherbourg on the Queen Mary 2, meaning I have now been on board all three of the current sailing Cunard vessels. I went on the Queen Victoria back in 2008 and to the launch of the Queen Elizabeth this year.

This trip lived up to my previous Cunard experiences, although it got off to a slow start as soon as we arrived in our rooms with the usual bottle of bubbles waiting in an ice bucket all the bad feelings of waiting to get on soon vanished! We stayed in a sheltered balcony and I was pleasantly surprised, if you want to get a suntan on your balcony then this isn't for you, but if you want privacy then it in my opinion offers more than a glass fronted balcony. Below is a view on to our balcony.

The ship throughout was lovely and each bar and seating area offered its own unique feeling, I loved the flower arrangements throughout the ship ads had never quiet seen one as large as they had in the casino!

Now to the food! I was really impressed with the Kings Court and liked how they had broken it up into different sections which prevented the usual mass canteen feel you get on so many other ships, the food in the main Britannia restaurant on the first night was nice but the second was absolutely amazing! Unfortunately we were unable to get a reservation in the Todd English restaurant which was disappointing, next time hopefully!

All in all the ship is magnificent but I think I prefer the Queen Victoria, I think the Victoria flows better and has a nice open feel, where as I found the Queen Mary 2 a bit disjointed saying that I would love to go on her again for a longer duration as I didn't feel as though I had enough time to get my bearings!

Places I've Visited, and Places I want to go.......

2010-11-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

visited 32 states (14.2%)
Create your own visited map of The World

Having filled this in its got me thinking, where do I want to go next?? Well I think for me it has to be South America, it has been on my 'to do list' for some time now but have found myself heading to the Far East. I think I would like to take a leisurely cruise over to Brazil with MSC on one of their transatlantic sailings then do a bit of exploring, I have my eye on this one on the Opera:

Thu 25 Nov	VENICE, ITALY
Sat 27 Nov	KATAKOLON, GREECE
Sun 28 Nov	VALLETTA, MALTA
Tue 30 Nov	MALAGA, SPAIN
Wed 01 Dec	CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Thu 02 Dec	AGADIR, MOROCCO
Fri 03 Dec	ARRECIFE DE LANZAROTE, SPAIN
Thu 09 Dec	RECIFE, BRAZIL
Fri 10 Dec	SALVADOR, BRAZIL
Sun 12 Dec	RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

Well maybe next year, better start saving up my holiday!!!

Documentary on the Making of the Queen Elizabeth

2010-10-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

Discovery Channel has an hour long documentary showing this Thursday at 13.00, detailing the making of the new Queen Elizabeth.

The ship which is costing £500 million to make and was built in Fincantieri in Italy will be the flagship for the Cunard brand joining the Queen Victoria and the Queen Mary 2: the documentary will see the vessel through from the laying of her keel to the fitting of the staterooms. The show will also incorporate stories of the Cunard sister ships as well as interviews with former captains, as well as old footage from the Queen Elizabeth’s transatlantic trips during WWII.

This is a one off show, so not to be missed if you are a Cunard fan.

Azamara Set To Commemorate the Titanic

2010-10-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

Azamara will operate a cruise which will depart Boston on the 9th of April 2012 to coincide with the 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The cruise which will be at the site of the Titanic's downfall at the exact 100 hundred year anniversary aims to give passengers and in depth experience by providing onboard lecturer's. Guest lecturers will include: maritime and fashion researchers, historians, executives from international Titanic societies and survivors' relatives. There will also be three memorial ceremony's whilst onboard culminating in a lasting memorial being lowered onto the Titanic.

Azamara will even carry on the theme of the Titanic through its menus and entertainment Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises, said this is one of the line's "unique voyages coupled with extraordinary service" to help memorialize one of the most well-known maritime events in history
(source Toronto Sun.com).

Azamara have really put alot of thought into this once in a lifetime sailing, but with the importance of what they are trying to commemorate I'm not surprised. Would this cruise be off interest to you?

Tales from the QE!

2010-10-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

Well on Saturday a number of us here from Cruise.co.uk made the journey down to Southampton for a night onboard the new fantastic Queen Elizabeth. Check in wasn’t until 3pm so this really restricted our time looking around as we had to be ready for dinner and at a presentation for 5.45 and due to traffic we weren’t onboard till well gone 3! Having travelled on the Queen Victoria before I felt I knew enough about the public areas to spend the time viewing the cabins.

First of all we started with an inside and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised they were spacious well and well designed:

We were spending the night in a balcony cabin and the cabin layout is exactly the same as the Victoria, the cabin size is good, bathroom is a tad on the small side, but my main gripe would be the décor, something seemed lacking and I think the Queen Victoria wins this round! We then viewed a Princess Suite and didn’t find them to be as good as I has imagined but the Queens Grill cabins were absolutely amazing complete luxury!

We dinned in the Britannia restaurant and the food as you would expect from Cunard was great, absolutely no complaints and the house wine was rather nice, can certainly recommend! We then spent the evening dancing in the Queens Room and then onto the Yacht Club (Hemisphere on the Queen Victoria).

All in all another thumbs up for Cunard they have stuck to what they know and I’m sure this is what their avid customers will want, the ship I know is the same layout as the Queen Victoria and I know the décor is different but the layout and facilities are almost a carbon copy so no wows really there for me.

A Nice Surprise on My Return!

2010-10-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

Well I have just returned from a relaxing week in Tenerife, and my usual holiday blues were completely evaporated when I found out that I will be going on the Queen Mary 2, two nights sailing to Cherbourg on the 8^th of November!

Now if you have ever read my blog before you will know I have previously travelled with Cunard on the Queen Victoria and am looking forward to being able to compare the two vessels as when I speak to customers I am surprised at how many prefer one to the other so I will be able to inform you of my views.

One night is going to be spent in the Todd English restaurant which I cant wait for and I’m also looking forward to trying out all the other dinning venues and of course a spot of afternoon tea.

I have been to Cherbourg briefly before but this was back in my student days and sight seeing was the last thing on our minds so if you have any tips or ideas I would be more than grateful to know.

Cougar Cruise Given the Green Light by Royal Caribbean.

2010-09-21T05:20:00.000-07:00

When I saw this headline this morning I was quite sure what to think! The Province is reporting that Royal Caribbean will be using their vessel the Liberty of the Seas to host a cruise for Cougars next April. Now for those of you who don’t know the meaning of this new term, a cougar not of the animal kind can also be defined (so say Wikipedia) as:

“A woman, 40 years of age or older, who pursues younger men, typically more than eight years her junior”

Now this isn’t the first time a ‘Cougar Cruise’ has sailed, Carnival tried one last December but for reasons that remain unknown they banned any future Cougar Cruises from happening! A ban has also been put in place for cruises sailing around Australia and the US.

Now this got me to thinking, will the cruise be solely for the use of Cougars, as by now; no doubt cabins will have been sold on this sailing. Will those already booked be offered a refund or the choice to switch cruises or will they turn in the mist of the Cougar Cruise unknown to what they are letting themselves in for!

Now I am strong believe that everyone should be able to travel in conditions that they enjoy and feel comfortable with so I did some investigating into other theme cruises and below are highlight of what I found:

• Now we here at Cuise.co.uk do exclusive Garden Themed Cruise’s in conjunction with Gardeners World.

• Golf

• Arts Club

• Nude Cruises

• Adventure Cruises

Would anyone of these theme cruises interest you?If not what would you like to see as a theme cruise I'd be intrigued to know?

Get Your Luggage taken to Port from £35!

2010-09-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises has just announced that they will be offering baggage collection direct from your house to your cabin onboard and back from £35 per item each way! The offer is going to be for UK sailings only; Travel Weekly has reported the items will be collected 24 – 96 hours before sailing.

Now although I tend to drive to the port and would take my own bags down to the ship I think this is a great price for those who are in need of the service. I for one would use it if I was travelling by coach or rail rather than struggling with my luggage and I think the price for this privilege is very fare. I have in the past been put of by baggage services as the costs have always been astronomical putting this service out of my reach. But at these fares it makes it available for any one with any budget, so we can all enjoy some luxury!

Well done Royal Caribbean and Celebrity!

Queen Elizabeth Visit

2010-09-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

On the 9th of October I will be visiting the Queen Elizabeth for an overnight visit before she starts her cruising career. Now I know how passionate people are about the Cunard vessels and I must admit I’m one of them so I can’t wait to see her!

Having had the privilege of sailing on the Queen Victoria around the Mediterranean in October of 2008 I really found the Cunard style of cruising to be rather special; and to this day one of my favourite meals of all time was when we dinned in the Todd English restaurant. The new Queen Elizabeth will unfortunately not have the addition of the Todd English restaurant and will instead have the Verandah Grill so I will be keen to see how that compares.

As many of you will know, the Queen Elizabeth is the same design as the Queen Victoria so I will be keen to see how different the vessels are, one area in particular I am keen to see is the new Britannia Club Restaurant which takes the place of the Chart Room which I think may be a great loss at it was a fantastic area for a pre dinner drink and always had a great atmosphere.

I will be sure to take many pictures of my visit and up date my blog when I return so you can have a sneak peak before she sails.

Cunard 2 4 1 Offer on Winter Mini Cruises

2010-08-31T11:21:00.000-07:00

I recently posted this offer in the cruise forum site deal section on the main cruise.co.uk website and it has proved a very popular offer so I thought I would make all the blog readers aware of this great offer.

Cunard have released a limited time offer on both the Queen Mary 2 for her two night Taste of France voyage which departs Southampton on 8 November and Queen Victoria's five night Christmas Markets voyage departing Southampton on 15 December.

How does the offer work? Well if you book a balcony cabin before the 6th of September then two passengers sell for the price of one.

On the queen Mary 2, two night Taste of France voyage the A3 category is now sold out but you can get the A2 for a total cabin fare of £670 or an A1 for £690.

On the Queen Victoria five night Christmas Markets voyage departing Southampton on 15 December, the offer has been very popular and has almost gone, the only grade showing still is the A1 and the total cost for this cabin is £1598.

Prices above are based on two sharing

This offer is valid for both new Cunard passengers as well as their past passengers.

Humorous Travel Agent Complaint Stories!

2010-08-24T10:49:00.000-07:00

I was on my way to work the other morning and was listening to the local radio station when the presenters starting talking about the most random and weird complaints that travel agents had heard from their customers. Some of the quotes I really couldn’t believe were real, below are a selection of my favourite that made me chuckle……

"Topless sunbathing on the beach should be banned. The holiday was ruined as my husband spent all day looking at other women."

"We bought 'Ray-Ban' sunglasses for five euros (£3.50) from a street trader, only to find out they were fake."

"No-one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled."

"The brochure stated: 'No hairdressers at the accommodation'. We're trainee hairdressers - will we be OK staying here?"

"We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as yellow but it was white."

"It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel."

"On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food at all."

"We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels."

(All quotes have been sourced from the Telegraph.co.uk)

If you have heard of any others let me know……..

Extra Discounts for Cunard Past Passengers!

2010-08-17T02:22:00.000-07:00

As I have had the great privilege of travelling with Cunard on the Queen Victoria I now receive all there latest offers, and the latest offers are great!

If you are a past passenger you will receive extra discounts on this Christmas’s sailings, instead of getting the standard 5% past passenger discount this will increase to 15%. With our 10% discount to then be applied on top, there is a 25% discount to be had! The only catch is you don’t have long to snap up this deal it will expire on the 20th of August, the sailings included in this offer are as follows:

Queen Elizabeth 22 night Festive Debut, sailing departing on the 14th of December
Queen Mary 2, 16 night Festive Caribbean sailing, departing on the 19th of December
Queen Victoria 16 night Canaries Celebration sailing, departing on the 20th of December

If you need further details just send me an email to sianc@cruise.co.uk

Al Carte Priced Dinning to be Introduced on Cunard

2010-08-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

Cunard have announced the introduction of a new dinning venue the Verandah Grill that will taken residence on the new Queen Elizabeth, the twist however is that charges will be implicated per course! This is a first for the Cunard fleet and prices are estimated to be between $6 - $7 for starters and desserts with mains ranging between $16 - $18.

Although the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria have a speciality restaurant in the form of the spectacular Todd English restaurant on both of the ships you pay a fixed price for the whole dinning experience.

I don’t really see there is much of a difference as the per course cost comes out fairly close to the fixed price on the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria, although it does allow the customer to just have the one course that the whole three courses. Having been on the Queen Victoria and had the privilege of eating in the Todd English restaurant all I can say is if the Verandah Grill is anything like the Todd English I would definitely be dinning there one evening.

Win a Meal at One of P&O’s Famous Chef’s Restaurant

2010-08-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

P&O have launched a promotion giving customers the opportunity to win a meal at one of seven Michelin starred restaurants run by one of their famous onboard chefs (Gary Rhodes, Marco Pierre White or Atul Kochhar).

All you need to do to be in with a chance to win a fabulous dinning experience in one of these renowned chefs restaurant is book a cruise in 2011 that features one of the chefs onboard, the cruises that are included are as follows:

Gary Rhodes Sailings, Oriana Cruises:

X106 03/05/11 Western Mediterranean
X115 04/09/11 Spain, Portugal & France

Arcadia
J102 29/03/11Western Mediterranean
J106. 21/07/11 Spitsbergen & Fjords

Marco Pierre White Sailings, Ventura Cruises:

N107 27/03/11 Western Mediterranean
N123 03/09/11 Western Mediterranean

Aurora
R107 20/06/11 Central Mediterranean

Oceana:
E119 23/07/11 Western Mediterranean
E130 09/11/11 Canary Islands

Atul Kochhar Sailings, Azura Cruises:

A111 12/05/11 Central Mediterranean
A115 03/0711 Baltic
A121 18/09/2011 Spain, Portugal, Morocco
A125 11/11/11 Caribbean

There are 70 chances to win and once booked you need to email cruiseanddine@pocruises.com with your name, address, booking reference number and choice of restaurant. For prices on any of the above cruises send your enquiry to sianc@cruise.co.uk

Cruise Turns into a Nightmare as Gangway Collapse Kills Passenger

2010-07-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

On Saturday what should have been the start of a wonderful cruise turned into a nightmare for a number of passengers boarding the MSC Splendida in Genoa. As passengers were boarding the gangway collapsed and resulted in the death of a Spanish lady and left another passenger seriously injured.

Although the cause of the accident is not yet know; the finger bridge managed by the maritime station of Genoa has been seized by the authorities and investigations are underway to establish the cause of the accident. When they have established the cause of the accident I hope both port and cruise lines alike can make sure an incident like this does not happen again.

Cardiff, the New Cruise Hotspot?

2010-07-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

The council in Cardiff has announced that it is to plough £200,000 into the quest to make Cardiff the new cruise destination. The port of Cardiff is already attracting the likes of Silversea to dock at the Welsh capital, with rave reviews from passengers. The Cardiff Guardian is reporting that a staggering 100% of visitors to Cardiff said they would recommend the city to someone they knew, and an 87% of customers on the cruise ships have stated they had an excellent experience in Cardiff.

I think Cardiff is great stop for cruises, having visited the capital many times, usually to watch the rugby with my father! I think the city is great and very vibrant, the dock area is fantastic with lots to do as soon as you step off the boat and there are usually events held at the docks If you have the luck of visiting when there is sports on at the Millennium Stadium the city is full to the brim and has such a wonderful atmosphere, who knows maybe the cruise lines will sync their itineraries to coincide with a rugby game!

Looking For a Summer Cruise Deal?

2010-07-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

After searching a few cruises for a client today, I came across this gem of a deal. The sailing is with Celebrity on the Century departing on the 26th of August, the itinerary is as follows;

BARCELONA - SPAIN
NICE (VILLEFRANCHE) - FRANCE
FLORENCE/PISA(LIVORNO) - ITALY
ROME (CIVITAVECCHIA) - ITALY
AT SEA
DUBROVNIK - CROATIA
VENICE - ITALY
VENICE - ITALY
SPLIT - CROATIA
AT SEA
NAPLES (SALERNO) - ITALY
AT SEA
BARCELONA - SPAIN

An inside cabin starts from £809 per person based on two sharing, and if you are over 55 the fare is only £735. For details on prices with flights please contact me on 0800 408 6097.

Royal Caribbean Set To Increase Sailings in The Middle East Next Season.

2010-07-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

With Royal Caribbean’s first season sailing around the Middle East being far more popular than they had expected, Royal Caribbean have announced that they will increase their 2011 sailings. Notably they intend to increase the length of time the Brilliance of the Seas will be in the Middle East as well as offering cruises for 12 and 18 nights to join the 8 night sailing they are currently operating. The ship will depart for the Middle East in November of 2011.

Jo Rzymowska, associate vice president and general manager, Royal Caribbean International, UK and Ireland, said “Dubai is very popular with UK & Irish travellers, and cruises consistently offer significant value for money. We have adjusted the itinerary based on our trade partner feedback and replaced Bahrain with an overnight stay in Muscat.”

I must say not including Bahrain seems such a shame, having grown up there it really is a wonderful place and will certainly give you a more authentic insight into the Middle East than the likes of Dubai will give you! The Middle East is a great year round destination and will sure to be a safe bet to getting some winter sun! Details are not yet out for the winter 2011 sailings but as soon as I hear more I will pass on the details.

NCL EPIC My Cruise Review

2010-06-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Well after arriving at the docks in Southampton slightly later than expected due to the technical difficulties the ship suffered in Rotterdam, we were greeted by a very unique looking ship! Definitely not the most elegant of liners, but it’s the inside that counts, right?

Our cabins were not ready when we arrived so we hurried ourselves along to make reservations for the Ice Bar, and a good job we made this our first port of call as we secured the only group booking left for the day! We had an hour to wait so we took up residence at the Wave Bar on the open deck to make the most of the beautiful sunshine, after an ice cold strawberry daiquiri we headed to the Ice Bar! Well what a fantastic experience, at a cost of $20 per person (two drinks included) you get 15 minutes in the Ice Bar, which in all honesty is all you need, well worth doing for the novelty factor.

We then went to our rooms, now while must of my colleagues were unimpressed with the size of the cabin, I was not so worried about this, the NCL Epic is not doing a world cruise and the most time you will probably spend on her at one time is two weeks, how much spaces does one need? The décor I think is fabulous, peoples main gripe was the fact the shower and toilet were separate, but this has its bonus’s. I for one can’t think of anything more annoying than needing the toilet and someone is having a nice long shower, a problem that is not going to occur in these cabins!

We had a standard balcony cabin, and if you want to stretch a little further with the budget go for a spa balcony, they are absolutely outstanding and very spacious. The inside cabins were a fair size, but the highlights with the cabins for me has to be the suites for single travellers, not only are the cabins wonderful but they also having exclusive access to an areas where there is a nice sitting area and bar located by their cabins.

And so to dinner, for the first night we ate in the Steak House and the food was wonderful, crab cakes were followed by ‘posh surf and turf’ (fillet mignon and lobster tail), although I thought the dinning was outstanding, there is an extra charge for this restaurant, and for to many other restaurants onboard for my liking! We danced the night away in H20 which end the night perfectly!

So we got up nice and early and headed straight for breakfast, the Garden Café had a great range of food on offer, we had a good look around the ship after and it really has a lot to offer, the gym if you ever visit it was fantastic and even had a squash court! We were lucky enough to have a reservation for the Blue Man show and hands down it was the best show I have even seen at sea and possibly ever. It is impossible to explain the show but a most for anyone on this ship! The show was followed by dinner in the Taste restaurant one of the included restaurants and the food was again great!

Our last night onboard was certainly earlier than the first and we retired to our rooms after a super visit. In conclusion, I loved the ship and is one I would definitely book up for myself so I will be looking out for a good offer, if I find one I will let you know!

NCL Launch Delayed Due To Techinal Problems!

2010-06-21T04:55:00.000-07:00

The NCL EPIC was due to leave Rotterdam earlier today but has not left yet due to technical difficulties. The ship was due to arrive in Southampton tomorrow at 10am but is now not expected to arrive until 5pm! I hope that this is the latest it arrives as I am, along with other colleagues, hoping to be dinning in the Spiegel Tent restaurant at 18.30! Will we make? I will let you know…...

NCL Epic Suffers Third Fire Onboard!

2010-06-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

When I read this title I was a little nervous as I am due to visit the ship next Tuesday for a two day stay, but rest assured the recent fire should not impact on the launch of this new ship!

It sadly seems that the fire may have been started deliberately, and the first two fires are also being treated as suspicious which is a great shame, a discussion has been started regarding this matter and most comments have been, get the Epic out of France as soon as possible!

I for one can’t wait to go and visit the Spiegel Tent, a dinning experience that sees a mix of acrobatics, singing, comedy and specialty acts right in front of you while you dine!

Then after dinner I will be visiting the Ice Bar inspired by the original ice hotels in Scandinavia. The Ice Bar is one of only 14 in the world and the only true ice bar at sea. We will be provided with faux fur coat to keep you warm in the chilly 17 degrees!

Once I have been on I will give you a full run down of what I get up to and my thoughts on the ship!

Shrek to join the Royal Caribbean Fleet

2010-06-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

The popular animation film series of Shrek is set to take the stage on the Royal Caribbean fleet! The cruise line has struck up a deal with DreamWorks animation that will allow Royal Caribbean to show the films onboard and see the characters come to life in the parades and other onboard events.

Not only will Shrek be on the ships but a selection of other main characters from the series will be as well as lead characters from other DreamWorks animation films. The extras include: Shrek’s co-stars such as Puss in Boots, Fiona and Donkey, plus favourites from Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon and Madagascar.

This will no doubt be a show stopper for Royal Caribbean and will launch on their new ship the Allure of the ship, and will then roll out to three of their other main ships in early 2011, on the Liberty, Oasis and Freedom of the Seas.

I for one think they have really got something special here, with the kind of animations included appealing to both adults and children this really will pull in the crowds and highlights how focused Royal Caribbean are on getting the best entertainment for the guests!

Cruise Figures Set To Raise by 7% Over The Forth Coming Year!

2010-05-31T23:53:00.000-07:00

With such a healthy grow this year and predictions for next year set to see the cruise industry increase even more, in such a difficult time for the economy the growth has been attributed to the great value for money that cruising offers.

I often get customers who are new to cruising finding the initial fare more than they expected, but when you break it down, compared to your usual package holiday I believe you get a lot more for you money.PSA Director William Gibbons commented:

"The success of UK cruising, during one of the toughest economic periods the world has seen, can be attributed to the value and high standards of a cruise holiday. The all-inclusive nature of cruising and exceptional standards of quality and service are the key to our continued growth, along with a huge choice of worldwide destinations and the wide range of styles of cruising."

With the exciting news that the passenger rate is set to increase, there will be a number of new liners, 14 in all being launched over the forth coming year! and i for one can't wait to see what new innovative ideas we will soon see.

Crew Member Suspected To Have Gone Overboard On The Oasis of The Seas

2010-05-25T08:43:00.000-07:00

It has been reported via Cruise Critic that a passenger on the Oasis of the Seas has gone overboard. The captain onboard has made an announcement informing all crew and passengers that the liner would be turning around to hunt for a missing person, resulting in the ship missing the port of St Thomas.

I hope that the news is incorrect as from previous stories I have read about people going overboard the success rate of finding anyone being alive is very slim. If the story proves to be correct this will be the fourth man overboard for Royal Caribbean alone this year.

Viscount Linley art on the Queen Elizabeth

2010-05-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

Lord Linley, who runs a furniture and accessories business, has been commissioned to create an 18ft 6in-high panel for the new Queen Elizabeth. The screen will depict the Queen Elizabeth 2 in art deco style to go with the theme of the new ship: the first Queen Elizabeth liner which was launched in 1937 by Lord Linley's grandmother - the then Queen Elizabeth.

Lord Linley said: "Though we have made fittings for luxury yachts in the past, this is the first sea-going work we have done on this scale.

"It is certainly the largest screen we have ever made and it was a commission I was delighted to accept."

Computer generated image of the artwork by Viscount Linley

BA Granted Injunction To Stop Cabin Crew Strikes!

2010-05-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

News just in ..........

It has just been announced that British Airways has been granted an injunction to stop the Unite union from carrying out cabin crew strikes, due to start at midnight tonight.

Unite conceded it would have to call off tonight’s strikes but said it would appeal immediately, meaning the case could reach the Court of Appeal as soon as tomorrow.

There will still be some disruption to flights from Heathrow in the early hours of tomorrow morning because it had already put in place contingency plans for the strike.

Well I must say I’m glad the High Court has ruled in favor of BA, with all the additional problems due to the ash cloud they are facing there must reach a point when BA will just not be able to cope and think seeing the demise of such a great British company will be a great shame for everyone!

Not Played Bingo at Sea? I Think It May Be Time Too!

2010-05-11T03:17:00.000-07:00

I have just spoken to one of my past passengers; her sister is currently sailing with Royal Caribbean. Her sister was playing bingo onboard and won, her prize was an upgrade on the current cruise from her inside cabin to the owner’s suite! I think I will be playing bingo onboard from now on!!

NCL Epic to host Independence Day Fireworks

2010-05-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

A customer of mine has just informed me that the NCL Epic is to host the annual Macy's 4th of July fireworks display. The Epic which launches in July will sail over to New York from Southampton where she will be christened on the 2nd of July shortly to be followed by a 3 night inaugural cruise over the 4th of July Independence Day weekend.

The annual Macy's firework display, now in its 33rd year, is one of the highest-profile Independence Day events in the US.
The display will be broadcasted live to millions across America by NBC, and will take place from the decks of the Epic in New York on July 4 at 21:00 EST.

Robin Hall, head of Macy's Parade and Entertainment Group says: "Over the years, Macy's has staged its 4th of July Fireworks in many different locations, but it's my guess that this year's live broadcast, taking place aboard the monumental new Norwegian Epic, will add a dimension to the show that will excite our audience like never before" .

NCL have really pushed the boat out (sorry awful pun) on this with no thought, and I can imagine expense spared on the launch of their new ship with all the unique facilities onboard to the fantastic launch they have planned I for one cannot wait to get onboard.

For more information on the Macy’s fireworks display follow the link below:

http://www.macys.com/fireworks

Worried where your children are on the ship? Oasis of the Seas has the answer GPS tagging for your kids!

2010-05-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

Considering the size of this ship, this idea sounds very sensible as if you were to loose track of your child, where would you start in looking for them again?

The system is available for all children between the ages of 3 to 11-year-olds;
the system uses an electronic device built into the wristbands that all children on the ship must wear, enabling parents to locate their offspring wherever they are on the ship

The system is linked to a new on-board phone system called Royal Connect which also enables guests to keep in contact with each other and view on-board activities. The device costs $17.50 (£12) to hire for the duration of a cruise and can only be used on the ship and not for ship to shore calls.

If it is successful, the new system will be introduced on other ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, and I wonder whether other ships will take this up?

Ryanair won’t pay out Compensation for stranded passengers.

2010-04-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

On the face of the statement above, it does seem like Ryanair are pulling quite a hard-line with this, however when you look at some of the cases of ‘claims’ being put towards them you can see why. A customer who had purchased a £9 flight (pre tax) had submitted a claim for hotel charges incurred due to the Volcano eruption for a total of £800! I am with Mr O’Leary on this one, this is farcical, and if claims like this are met by the airlines they will have to re coop their losses and I’m sure that will mean an increase in air prices down the line, well that is whether these airlines can survive all these claims.

I do sympathise with all those passengers stranded due to the Volcano, I myself encountered problems with flights when I was due to fly to Thailand in 2008. When I was due to fly there were protests at the airport in Bangkok and the airport was closed subsequently my flight was cancelled. I had to rebook a new flight which was twice the value of my original flight, into Malaysia and had to make my way up to Thailand. Yes I got my original ticket refund but I didn’t dream of claiming for any additional costs I incurred, I just put it down ‘to one of those things’ and moved on and enjoyed my holiday.

Azura Review!

2010-04-10T08:44:00.000-07:00

Well we arrived in Southampton to glorious sunshine for our night on the Azura; and started with a self tour around the ship. Having already been on Ventura the main difference, and dare I say improvements were definitely the single cabins! They were very spacious and I think we can all agree it’s about time cruise ships started to pay attention to single travellers! Other areas I really liked, were the Retreat above the Spa area, and with prices to use this starting from £6 for a half day on port days, this is a must for those who are wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of the ship. Being a fan of wine, I thought the Glass House was a great idea and worked really well, I can see this being quite popular!

We ate in the Meridian restaurant for our evening meal and the food and service were exceptional and really was the highlight of the evening, one of my colleagues had a dietary requirement and the waiters were very attentive to her needs, this has not always been the case on other cruise lines!

We spent the night in a CA grade balcony and having viewed a standard balcony cabin the deluxe balcony cabins are really worth it, if you can afford to push the boat out a little bit more (excuse the pun)! The cabin itself is far more spacious, and the bathroom is far greater in size with the added bonus of a bath!

All in all, the ship is fantastic and really does feel quite different to the Ventura; from the experience I had I would highly recommend the Azura, especially for those customers who enjoy the formal style P&O offer on a larger ship!

Is Portsmouth set to take over from Southampton?

2010-04-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

ALG who owns Swan Hellenic, Voyagers of Discovery and Hebridean Island Cruises have announced that they will base themselves from Portsmouth for there no fly cruises in 2011. With Portsmouth boasting great transport links to the port and with the arrival of their new cruise terminal to open in spring of 2011, how long will it be until Portsmouth takes over from Southampton as the number one port in the UK for cruise ships??

Crystal Serenity Seizes ‘Best Food at Sea’ Title from Conde Nast

2010-03-31T09:08:00.000-07:00

Crystal Serenity took the coveted title for best food at sea on a medium size ship, followed by its sister ship the Symphony. Oceania cruises also featured prominently with all three of their ships featuring in the top ten! Having been onboard the Oceania Insignia I can tell you this award is deserved, the food is exceptional, and definitely the best I have ever had at sea, so I can only imagine how fantastic the food onboard the Crystal Serenity must be.

For the award in the large ship option, the fight for first place was very close, with only three points separating places 1 through to 25, the top ten fell like this:

1. Disney Wonder; Disney, 88.4
2. Celebrity Constellation; Celebrity, 86.8
3. Celebrity Summit; Celebrity, 86.3
4. Disney Magic; Disney, 85.9
5. Coral Princess; Princess, 82.2
6. Celebrity Millennium; Celebrity, 81.8
7. Mariner of the Seas; Royal Caribbean, 81.3
7. Serenade of the Seas; Royal Caribbean, 81.3
9. Celebrity Infinity; Celebrity, 81.1
10. (tie) Noordam; Holland America, 80.5
10. (tie) Emerald Princess; Princess, 80.5

P&O Extend Their Fleet!

2010-03-27T05:20:00.000-07:00

P&O’s fleet is set for a revamp with the new additions of Azura then Adonia to be added to the fleet. It’s now less than two weeks until Darcy Bussell christens the new Azura ship in Southampton with Adonia set to follow next year. Each ship will cater for an entirely different end of the market with the Azura matching the Ventura in size carrying more than 3000 passengers and will feature a restaurant experience created by Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar. Where as the Adonia which will carry just 700 passengers allowing the ship to visit smaller ports off the beaten track. I am due to visit the Azura in two weeks for an over night visit so I will update you and let you know what she is like!

Think its too early to book for 2011? Think Again!

2010-03-18T07:15:00.000-07:00

With many cruise lines already on sale for 2011, and with some launching this week with the rest announcing they will go on sale at the end of April, what are the benefits for booking so far in advance? Well there are the following:

• Early booking incentives including money to spend onboard, free car parking, money off the cruise fare.
• Get first pick on the cabins
• Looking for a 3 or 4 berth cabin for next summer? Booking early is always advised!

So what’s on Sale already?

Well already launched are:
• Fred Olsen
• Holland and America
• Carnival
• Oceania Cruises
• Regent
• Costa
• Royal Caribbean (Europe Sailings only)
Today sees Celebrity launching its Eclipse itineraries, and with Princess, P&O and Cunard set to launch from the 24th of April, there is still time to get your advance registrations in so that we can book you on as soon as the sailings go on sale.

For more information contact me at sianc@cruise.co.uk and I can let you know about itinerary's and fares.

National Geographic showcases the Cruise Ship Diaries

2010-03-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered what life is like onboard for those who work on cruise ships? Well the National Geographic channel is currently running a 6 part series documenting the highs and lows cruise staff face. The series focuses on the Costa Serena ship and sees the cruise staff face all kinds of dramas from nightmare weddings and deaths onboard to having a famous rock band aboard. For more information visit:

http://natgeotv.com/uk/cruise-ship-diaries

Holland America tour operator assists with the rescuing of a Whale

2010-03-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

I was pleased to see that a tour operator from Adventures Vallarta that is used by Holland America aided the Mexican Navy in releasing a Whale that had been trapped by fishing nets. I’m sure critics who disapprove of the pollution and damage that cruise ships produce will be pleased to see them putting something back and no doubt saving the life of a fantastic creature.

Have you ever asked any of these questions?

2010-03-09T08:46:00.000-08:00

I came across a list of questions that have apparently been asked by cruise customers, and was wondering whether anyone had heard or asked any of the following, or whether anyone had heard any others questions as ridiculous as some of the ones below?

1) Does the crew sleep on board?

2) Is the island completely surrounded by water?

3) How does the captain know where to go?

4) When the captain is sleeping, who is steering the ship?

5) Does the ship generate its own electricity?

6) What time is the midnight buffet?

7) What do they do with the ice sculptures after it melts?

8) How many fjords to the dollar?

9) What time is the two o'clock tour?

10) How do we know which photographs are ours?

11) I am married, but can I still come to the singles party?

12) Do I put my luggage out before or after I go to sleep?

13) Is an outside cabin outside of the ship?

14) Does the ship have cable TV?

Oceania Cruises Marina leaves dry dock on Friday

2010-02-26T02:06:00.000-08:00

Oceania cruises first ever new build liner will float out of Fincantieri's Sestri shipyard in Genoa this coming Friday making the emblematic move out of dry dock. The 65.000 ton liner that launches in January 2011 looks set to be rather lavish, with suites designed with Ralph Lauren furnishings. However in its current form it will resemble more of an empty shell, below are a selection of artist impressions of what the ship will look like:

The Queen Victoria paints Sydney pink to raise money for Breast Cancer.

2010-02-25T06:23:00.000-08:00

On February the 19th the Queen Victoria bathed in a bright pink light from dusk till 11pm in aid of the National Breast Cancer fund raiser they were having onboard.

Costa Deliziosa naming ceremony in Dubai

2010-02-24T04:41:00.000-08:00

This is the first cruise ship to be named in an Arabian port, however this ceremony was known as a christening ceremony as opposed to a naming ceremony, due to the fact date juice was used instead of champagne to christen the ship out of respect for the Muslim faith.

It was a double celebration as it was the inauguration of the brand new port in Dubai: Port Rashid, 3000 guests and members of the media tuned out to watch the extravagant celebrations that saw traditional Arabic performances taking centre stage, highlighting the important relationship between Dubai and Costa.

Skiing here I come……

2010-02-23T10:11:00.000-08:00

I’m off an annual leave this Saturday for a week, hitting the slopes in Bulgaria to brush up on my skiing skills, or lack of! I’ve never been skiing to Bulgaria before and although I have heard very positive feedback in regards to the slopes, the food on offer seems to be of a very poor standard, if anyone has any information or advice on where to go it would be very much appreciated. I will be staying in the resort of Bansko.

NCL Woos Single Travellers!

2010-02-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

The new NCL Epic ship that is due to launch this summer has adapted a really innovated approach to single travellers. There are launching their ‘studios’ which are designated single cabins, located up on deck 12.

What’s unique about the studios is single travellers will have exclusive access to the studio lounge, an area set aside purely for customers booked into the studio cabins.

An inside cabin on the 24th of July sailing is £1479 based on two sharing, and a studio is £1849! Not the usual high supplements, and with the added facilities you get compared to the two sharing cabins, it looks as though NCL are the first to really value single travellers rather than just been seen as an after thought

Strange Liaisons

2010-02-03T05:54:00.000-08:00

I was speaking with my colleague the other day about being on holiday and bumping into people you know in the most obscure places. She was telling me of this time she was on the Balmoral and was dinning with some passengers that had travelled over from Australia, the cruise sailed to Norway and in one of the ports one of the Australian’s bumped into his Norwegian cousin! It got me to thinking about the time when I was travelling around Australia and I bumped into a friend in Sydney! What are the chances of being in the same place, at the same time all the way on the other side of the world! And I was thinking are these one off occurrences? Or has this happened to many other people?????

A new arrival at Cruise.co.uk

2010-01-22T06:40:00.001-08:00

Some of you may know my colleague Francis (She is in the main photograph with me at the top of the blog), well she gave birth yesterday to her first child. A little boy named Hayden Jones.