Navigate & Cruise with Nik

Going To Work Abroad

2011-10-14T11:49:00.000+01:00

Thank you to all my passengers who have booked their cruise holiday with me. I have decided to take up a fabulous work opportunity abroad. All current active bookings or future enquiries will be dealt with by my colleagues Liz Kelly & Jessica Kirby.

Liz has 3years experience in the travel industry and Jessica has travelled extensively and loves cruising, so I can confidently say you are in safe hands!

Please feelfree to contact Liz for any reason on0800 408 6114 or email lizk@cruise.co.uk or Jessica on 0800 408 6065 or email jessicak@cruise.co.uk – they will both be delighted to help you.

You can alsofind out more about them by visiting their blogs and see comments from many of their own satisfiedcustomers by visiting their blog.http://landahoyliz.co.uk and http://www.jessicacruise.blogspot.com/

Many thanks to you all for making it so enjoyable.

Dietary requests onboard your cruise

2011-07-21T13:06:00.000+01:00

This has become more and more important and cruise lines are wanting this information earlier each year, as we are all very different and there are much more dietary and medical requests that passengers have, It is now very important that we as agents are told about these as early as possible, ideally at the time of booking. Cruising is the one of the most popular holiday destinations now and many more people are cruising than ever before. Cruise lines are very conscious of making sure every single person is looked after to the very best level and one of the many areas they like to succeed in is making sure all dietary and medical requirements are catered for. However they can only do this if they have been notified with enough time to pass on these direct to the ship. Many requirements include Gluten free diet, Vegetarian diet, Halal request can only eat Brussels etc etc the list is endless. So remember if you do have a special request let your agent know at the time of booking so that they can notify the cruise line straight away and give the ship the information way in advance. The last thing you don’t want to be doing is joining the ship and finding out that your requirement is not possible. These guys are amazing and will always try and accommodate every request.

Good luck and don't forget to let us know

Why book with Cruise.Co.Uk ?

2011-07-15T13:42:00.000+01:00

As many of you have probably heard by now Gills Travel will sadly no longer be taking bookings for most cruise lines, they were a very established cruise agent having sold cruises for over 50 years. Now there will be many people very worried today that they may lose their cruise, don't worry though I hear most of your bookings will be covered by ABTA. Also I am very sure Gills had many thousands of very loyal customers that were given excellent prices with great customer service included. Now these customers are now going to have to find another cruise agent that will offer the same, now that's where we come in. Cruise.Co.Uk is a very established cruise agent that has been in business many years, we have been voted world's best cruise agent for the last 2 years which must say something for our company. We also have some of the most experienced cruise agents in the business with many agents having worked on ships for many years, you just cant beat experience like that. We are very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of cruise ships, so will always do our best to put customers on the right ship.It is not always in our benefit to just get customers the lowest price, it is more important to get customers the right ship. Of course we offer fantastic value for money and will offer you all that invaluable advice. We also take customer service very seriously and have many ways that you can get through to each individual cruise agent, including a direct free phone number to each agent, we also have our very own cruise blog where customers can read up on each cruise agent, customers can also follow us and contact us through our very large forum site, Twitter and Face book.I believe it is very important that customers can always speak to their personal cruise agent at any time, we as agents also look after every single part of the cruise booking, from making the booking to wishing the client Bon Voyage a couple of days before they travel. We will also call the clients back a couple of days after their cruise to follow up how things went, now what other agent delivers all this?
So yes it is very unfortunate for all those connected to Gills and we wish everyone of them the very best for the future, but rest assured Cruise.Co.Uk will be ready to offer you service that is second to none.
Why not give us a try thousands already have.

NCL Adds Surcharge for Late-Night Room Service

2011-07-09T15:27:00.002+01:00

Yes it is a headline to catch your attention but in all honestly if you read the below announcement you will find the charge is only for passengers wanting to order room service late at night, infact 1:00am in the morning. Lets face it how many of you would be wanting to eat anymore food after all the amazing choices you have already set your eyes on that would already have been included in the cruise price. I can understand where the cruise lines are coming from, there has been many a time when I used to work on ships where I would have ordered room service late at night fell asleep before the food already arrived. Think of the food wastage at this time of night, I know I have been prone to leaving most of the food I have ordered late at night and have never thought of the consequences. So at the end of the day this new change is only going to effect a very small minority of passengers.

Thinking of ordering room service at 1 a.m. to quell those late-night hunger pangs? Norwegian Cruise Line passengers will soon have to pay for the privilege.

In coming months, the line will begin charging $3.95 per room service order delivered between midnight and 5 a.m. The new policy will be rolled out fleetwide in July for the line's eight ships sailing from U.S. ports and in August for its two Europe-based vessels, Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Jade.

NCL spokeswoman AnneMarie Mathews responds that the charge is being instituted in order to cut down on food waste, which she said was more of an issue during the early a.m. hours. Passengers with late-night cravings will still be able to get their fix without any added fees, provided they're alert enough to leave the cabin. The line's signature 24-hour diner-style restaurant (O'Sheehan's on Norwegian Epic, Blue Lagoon on NCL's other ships) will remain surcharge-free.

If NCL's new late-night surcharge seems familiar, that's because Royal Caribbean instituted a nearly identical fee 2.5 years ago. At the time, RCI's fee sparked vigorous debate on message boards about the extra costs of cruising.

In other food-related news, NCL also announced that it would be rolling out 24-hour pizza delivery fleetwide. The for-fee dining option -- $5 for a 16-inch pie (cheese, pepperoni, veggie) delivered anywhere on the ship -- debuted on NCL's Norwegian Epic. One note: Passengers who order pizza (or beverages) between midnight and 5 a.m. will not be charged the late-night service fee in addition to the $5.

$40 Million Facelift: Check out the lucky ship.....

2011-07-02T09:51:00.000+01:00

Wow what an amount of money to spend on a refit, Celebrity are really sending out the big guns for this ship, I guess as it was the first in it's class they really want to look after her. I remember in the good old days a whole ship would cost this much. I have to say I am a fan of Celebrity especially it's Solstice class. I went down to visit the Equinox a couple of years ago and found it stunning.

Have a read below and see all the changes that are going to be made.

Celebrity Millennium is on tap for more than a simple spruce up. Like its three sister ships, the 91,000-ton vessel will gain a number of popular features found on Celebrity's Solstice-class vessels during a massive makeover in April 2012.

Following the $40-million-plus dry dock, which will take place at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, Millennium will emerge with 100 new or redesigned spa cabins, a trio of new restaurants and a new coffee house/gelateria. This 11-year-old ship will also get more crowded -- 60 new cabins will be added.

Here's what you can expect to find on Millennium come next spring:

Forty-three new cabins will be added to Deck 11 -- 37 spa-oriented "AquaClass" cabins and six inside cabins -- where the kids club is currently situated. The kids club will move next to the teen lounge, replacing one section of the observation lounge.

Seventeen other new cabins, which will be oceanview accommodations, will be added to Deck 3, replacing small meeting rooms and the cinema. A Solstice-class style conference room will be added, and the existing cinema will be remodeled.

In addition to the 37 new AquaClass cabins, 70 standard balcony cabins will be transformed into AquaClass cabins, which will sport massage showers, aromatherapy products and passes to the spa's thermal suites, among other perks. These cabins are priced 10 or more percent higher than standard balconies.

Blu, the AquaClass-passenger-only restaurant that's a staple on Celebrity's incredibly popular Solstice-class trio, will take over a portion of the main dining room's upper level on Deck 5.

Balconies will be added to the ship's eight oceanview Celebrity Suites.

Millennium will gain an iLounge computer center and Apple product store, first introduced on Eclipse.

Millennium will receive all the already-announced Solstice-class upgrades, including Qsine, an inventive restaurant that uses iPad menus, Cafe al Bacio, a combination coffee house and gelateria; Bistro on 5, a creperia; Martini Bar; Cellar Masters wine bar, which features enomatic wine dispensers; as well as upgrades to cabin and public area decor and furnishings.

The ship, known by its admirers as Millie, will be the last of the four Millennium-class vessels to receive Solstice-class upgrades. Celebrity Infinity and Celebrity Summit will go under the knife for nearly identical upgrades in November 2011 and January 2012, respectively, and Celebrity Constellation was refurbed in May 2010 as part of the $120-million-plus initiative.

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 Flunks CDC Inspection

2011-06-25T10:21:00.001+01:00

So how clean is your ship?, well apparently the QM2 is not as clean as you would expect !
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a surprise visit to the ship and found some very interesting things onboard.
Read below to find out exactly what..............................................

==========READ AT YOUR PERIL==============
A human hair in an ice machine, "extremely dirty" water in a pool, chemicals stored near napkins and paper cups and even a few errant cockroaches -- these are just a few of the reasons that led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slap a rare failing grade on Cunard's Queen Mary 2 after its latest inspection.

The ship scored a lowly 84 out of 100 during a Vessel Sanitation Program inspection on June 10, with 86 considered a satisfactory grade. Just last year, in July 2010, the ship sailed through the inspection with a score of 98. The CDC conducts surprise cleanliness exams twice a year.

In the detailed report, inspectors cited dozens of violations, including potable water tanks that were improperly maintained, wine and food products that were improperly stored directly on an open deck, and food residue on many surfaces that should have been wiped clean (e.g., a blender lid, steel shelving and even several deck surfaces). The word "filthy" is used in the report five times.

The condition of ice machines came under attack in several instances, included the aforementioned hair (found on an inside white lid) and one machine that had a "heavy amount of soil in the rear inside compartment." As for the ship's unwanted guests, the CDC reported that "four live fruit flies and four adult cockroaches" were found in a storage locker.

In a statement, the line contends that the "poor assessment on 10 June resulted largely from one small area of the ship's overall operation. All the issues raised in the report were immediately addressed and have now been corrected." In response to the report's citations of numerous staff lapses, Cunard says, "Ship and shore management have now redefined certain roles and responsibilities to clarify accountability and the company's already rigorous training schedule has been stepped up."

Failing grades for ships, particular the larger mega-vessels trawling the seas, are exceedingly rare. In May, Norwegian Epic came close, scoring a lowly 89, while Carnival Glory squeaked by with an 87 after a January inspection. But there have been no failing scores since Albatross, a private vessel, earned a 69 in February 2010.

Since January 1, 16 ships have nabbed perfect scores, including Oasis of the Seas, Azamara Journey, Disney Dream, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Jewel, Freedom of the Seas, HAL's Amsterdam, Celebrity Century -- and even Carnival Splendor, which made big news last fall when an engine fire left it adrift off the coast of Mexico for four days.

Put It Out: Updates to smoking policy

2011-06-18T08:51:00.000+01:00

Oh dear here we go again, cruise lines making it even more difficult for us smokers to enjoy what I have to say is a legal substance that makes governments all across the world plenty of money. Don't even get me started on this one

Anyway before I start really kicking off have a read below at some new smoking policies being introduced this month

Citing changing passenger preferences, Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America and Princess Cruises have announced more restrictive smoking policies.

Effective January 15, Princess will no longer allow smoking in cabins and balconies across its fleet.

Princess says it will continue to provide areas for smokers. Smoking will continue to be allowed in the Churchill's cigar lounge, a section of the disco and casino and a portion of the open decks.

Also effective January 15, Holland America's new smoking policy designates cabins as non-smoking areas. Smoking will still be, however, permitted on cabin balconies.

For those who wish to smoke, there will continue to be designated areas available for this both inside and on outside decks.

Carnival's policy changes will be rolled out in two steps.

Step 1: Effective today (June 15), cigarette smoking in public venues will only be permitted in Carnival's dance clubs as well as in designated areas within the casino and casino bar. Smoking (including cigars) will be permitted in designated exterior open deck areas (starboard side) of all ships. Additionally, smoking will also be allowed in the jazz clubs of the following ships: Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Victory, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, and Carnival Splendor.

Step 2: Effective December 1, smoking will be prohibited in all guest staterooms. Those guests in balcony accommodations will be permitted to smoke cigarettes and cigars outside on the balcony. Spa staterooms -- currently featured on Carnival Splendor, Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic -- will continue to remain entirely smoke-free, including on the balconies.

All three lines cited consumer studies revealing that only a small minority of passengers smoke. Reps added that a $250 cleaning fee would be the penalty for breaking the rules.

Other lines that ban smoking in cabins and balconies include Crystal Cruises, MSC Cruises and Oceania Cruises.

Australia gets the Voyager..........

2011-06-11T08:30:00.000+01:00

Well it looks like Australia seems the place to be now, not only has the old Ocean Village headed there now it looks like Royal Caribbean are sending the Voyager of the Seas. I think this is a great idea and would offer us Brits the chance to cruise around the Southern Hemisphere whilst taken in an extra week or two in Australia itself. What do you think ?

Read below more details
Is the earth tilting? Australia has just landed another massive cruise ship. This time, it's Royal Caribbean's 137,308-ton, 3,114-passenger Voyager of the Seas, which will cruise out of Sydney and Fremantle starting fall 2012.

Voyager, which will become the largest cruise ship ever to homeport in Australia, will join smaller fleetmates Rhapsody of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas in the region, and sail a five-month series of 1- to 18-night cruises to New Zealand, South Pacific and Australia. Additional details on the itineraries will be announced in the coming weeks. The Down Under deployment will follow Voyager's first-ever season sailing out of Shanghai, China (summer 2012).

As is typical with such regional deployments, Royal Caribbean will tweak Voyager's onboard offerings to cater to Australians. RCI spokesman Harrison Liu was loathe to offer specifics, which may include locally sourced beverage choices, regionally inspired dishes, and onboard programming and activities based on the culture of the regions."

Voyager's deployment is just the latest is a steady stream of announcements that have had Aussie cruisers' smiles reaching Fosters-Oil-Can-like proportions.

In March it was reported that the much-heralded 122,000-ton, 2,850-passengers Celebrity Solstice and Holland America's contemporary and recently overhauled Oosterdam will be based Down Under, occupying a cruise region that's traditionally been a dumping ground for older, smaller vessels.

Oriana Damaged in Harbour Collision; No Injuries Reported

2011-06-05T10:22:00.000+01:00

Oh dear here we go again, another little mishap with P&O's Oriana this time, it's not going well for the cruise industry at the moment, with MSC Opera last week having trouble with it's engine now Oriana had a little crash !
Read below what actually happened

P&O Cruises' 69,000-ton Oriana is headed back to Southampton this morning after being damaged in a collision with a stone quay.

Oriana made contact with the quay upon departure from Kristiansand [Norway] on Wednesday evening,” a P&O Cruises spokeswoman said “The ship briefly returned to the berth but then continued en route and arrived back into Southampton on schedule this morning. She will depart on her next cruise, a two-night cruise to Bruges, this afternoon as scheduled."

According to John Honeywell, the cruise blogger known as Captain Greybeard who writes for the Mirror website, Oriana has a large dent in the stern.

So how did the quay fare? Port Authority operations manager Thomas Granfeldt told news outlet FVN in Norway that the ship damaged a water pipe and an optical cable when it smashed into the pier at about 5:30 p.m. local time.

With a load of nearly 1,800 passengers, the ship was inspected by the captain and harbour officials before continuing on to Southampton to complete its seven-day cruise.

Cruise Ship Detained in Southampton Is Now Underway

2011-05-30T09:43:00.001+01:00

Oh dear not great news again for MSC but looks like everything is back on track after their misfortunate issues with the engine failure, looks like the company was caught up in some politics recently in Southampton, this is a real shame because I dont know of another cruise company working harder to break the UK market.

Have a read below and check out what happened

According to the U.K.'s Maritime and Coast Guard Agency, MSC Opera was detained in Southampton on May 25 when surveyors found various defects during a routine inspection.

The good news? The ship was already out of service, and is now underway, on its scheduled May 27 cruise to Amsterdam and Norway. Opera had been laid up since May 14, when an electrical failure left the 58,600-ton, 1,756-passenger vessel off the Swedish coast with greatly reduced power. Power was restored the next day, but during the outage, hot food could not be served and the ship's vacuum-powered toilets stopped working. As a precaution, MSC canceled Opera's May 17 cruise from Southampton.

In a statement from May 27, the MCA said that the ship was "not fully compliant with international maritime safety regulations." Neither the MCA or MSC Cruises could offer specifics on the defects, which, of course, have been fixed.

GREAT NEWS AND LETS GET THE GREAT SHIP BACK ON THE OCEAN

Return of the Volcano !

2011-05-24T13:06:00.000+01:00

As I'm sure now most of you are aware another Volcano has erupted in Iceland and is doing it's best to ruin all our holidays and especially our cruise this year, not only did it disrupt millions of holiday makers last year it's now attempting to do the same this year. If I was not so cynical I would believe this is some big conspiracy against us Brits. Have a read below for latest news.

Thousands of passengers face UK flight cancellations because of drifting ash from an Icelandic volcanic eruption.

Airports likely to be affected from 1300 to 1900 BST include Londonderry, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Prestwick, Durham Tees Valley, Newcastle and Carlisle, air traffic services company Nats said.

European air traffic controllers said 252 flights had been cancelled so far.

However Ryanair said it had made a test flight over Scotland and challenged a ruling some flights should be grounded.

The carrier said its 90-minute flight at 41,000ft showed there was "no visible volcanic ash cloud or evidence of ash on the airframe, wings or engines".

It claimed the "red zone" over Scottish airspace where ash has been classified "high-density" was invented by the Met Office and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Chief executive Michael O'Leary said: "We've got written confirmation from the engine and our airframe manufacturers that we're safe to fly even within these red zones.

"And yet yesterday, the combination of bureaucratic incompetence between the Met office, with these nonsensical charts, and the CAA closed the skies over Glasgow."

But a CAA spokesperson said: "The CAA can confirm that at no time did a Ryanair flight enter the notified area of high contamination ash over Scotland this morning."

The UK's emergency response committee, Cobra, is meeting at 1530 BST to discuss the knock-on effects of the ash cloud.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond, who will lead the talks, said although there would be widespread disruption for Scottish airports, it was unlikely to last long.

He told the BBC he expected Edinburgh and Glasgow airports to be clear by afternoon on Tuesday, and northern Scottish airports by Wednesday morning.

Illegal Immigrant Smuggling Attempt on Luxury Cruise Ship

2011-05-15T09:46:00.000+01:00

Now I know Dover is normally a great place to try and smuggle yourself into the United Kingdom or even through Harwich but this takes the biscuit, if you are going to do it why not do it in luxury thats whay I say, have a read below and find out the new smuggling route into the United Kingdom

In a tale almost too bizarre to be real, a Malaysian man is being accused of smuggling nine illegal immigrants from Dubai to New York City -- via Cunard's Queen Mary 2.

The smuggler was nabbed on April 26 at Brooklyn's Red Hook Cruise Terminal as he was attempting to bring nine Chinese passengers, five women and four men, into the U.S.

Far from a standard human smuggling scenario each of these passengers had his or her own accommodations onboard the 151,400-ton, 2,620-passenger vessel. Cunard, which confirmed the arrest of Fat Kwee Wong, the smuggler, and the detaining by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents of the passengers, would not comment on the category of accommodations in which they resided. (One story in the U.K.'s Daily Mail offered a photo of the ship's high-priced duplex suites in its retelling of the tale.) Cunard spokeswoman Jackie Chase also declined to provide info on the onboard activities enjoyed by the immigrants.

How did Fat Kwee Wong, who is also known as "Tin Fook Wong" and "Masahiro Oosta," attempt to pull off the smuggling effort? According to a court complaint report , Wong and his nine passengers were carrying fraudulent Japanese passports, which were spotted by the CBP agents working immigration at Red Hook when Queen Mary 2 arrived.

After further questioning, Wong was then transported to a CBP facility in Newark, where he admitted that he was smuggling illegal aliens from Dubai to the U.S. for profit. If Wong's statement about picking up the passengers Dubai is accurate, the party would have been onboard Queen Mary 2 from April 3, when the ship docked in Dubai, to April 26, when it arrived in New York City.

The court complaint reveals that Wong told CBP agents that he was paid $3,000 for each smuggled alien by an individual in China and $500 by each of the nine aliens. More details emerged from his luggage (which was searched): In addition to cruise documentation, there was a rundown of cabin assignments (we were not able to discern whether detainees were able to dine in Queens Grill, Princess Grill or the more mass-market Britannia Grill) and, get this, a printout listing 10 hotel reservations at a New York City Best Western.

Wong was carrying more than $7,500 when arrested.

How funny is this, what a way to go about it, I wonder if any of you were onboard and noticed a couple of dodgy looking Asians wondering around the ship ?

As it happened when working on a cruise ship in the past we came across a stowaway hiding on the rope deck, but did not do anything about it as we thought he was a crew member still recovering from the crew party the night before !!!

Disney cruise line in Alaska !

2011-05-09T11:01:00.000+01:00

Oh dear can this be true, Disney in Alaska are you having a laugh, well I'm afraid it is true, apparantly there are so many young children in this world that are gagging to see a glacier or go to a salmon bake !
Having spent 2 seasons in Alaska myself I really do not understand this decision from Disney. Alaska has always been a playground for the more mature passenger and I do not think I would be happy if I was on a tour that included a sea plane tour and I had a group of screaming children sitting behind me pulling at the back of my seat.

So let me know what you think about this and would you look at taking your children onboard ?

Royal Caribbean Introduces Stansted Charter flights !

2011-05-02T14:09:00.001+01:00

Woooo now this is great news for all of you looking for a different airport option than having to use Heathrow or Gatwick out of London, and trust me I know, because anytime I ask clients what airport they would like to fly from in London Stanstead is normally the first that comes to mind. So thank you Rccl it is great to see a major cruise line for giving us the option of not having to use Gatwick or Heathrow.

Read below for details

Good news for the 6.7 million would-be cruisers in Stansted Airport's catchment area of north and east London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk: Royal Caribbean has announced a new weekly charter flight from Stansted to Venice.

The service will be operated by British Airways and connect to 12 seven-night Adriatic cruises this summer on the 3,114-passenger, 137,308-ton Voyager of the Seas.

Stansted is considered by many to be the poor relation of London's airports, associated more with low-cost Ryanair flights to unpronounceable East European destinations. Prior to this new charter, Royal Caribbean passengers in the London area could only choose between Gatwick and Heathrow, both of which are a long trek for anybody living in the east of the country.

The only other line to offer charters from Stansted to join Mediterranean cruises is Thomson; in the south of England, all the other big lines only use Heathrow and Gatwick.

Let me know exactly how happy you all are................

Cruise Lines Ramp Up Royal Festivities on Big Wedding Day

2011-04-26T13:52:00.000+01:00

Now I have no idea whats going on this Friday but apparently there is going to be a rather important wedding taking place ! I for one will be working and will not be joining in the festivities, however I hear there is going to be plenty happening on many cruise ships. See below

P&O can probably rightly claim the biggest collective celebration at sea, with more than 12,800 Brits onboard its ships on the big day. Anybody sailing out of Southampton on April 29 on Ventura can get in the mood with a huge sailaway party with bunting and flags, although they'll have to time their arrival at the terminal carefully to watch the proceedings on specially-installed TV screens at 11 a.m.

Those passengers already on P&O's ships on the 29th will receive a mock Royal Wedding invitation in their cabin to watch the ceremony, which will be broadcast in all possible areas on board, and attend a Royal Gala Ball that evening. Films shown on board will have a royal theme -- "The Queen," "The King's Speech" and "The Princess Diaries" -- and quizzes will be held with royal themes. Having said that, each P&O Cruises ship will have one wedding-free bar for those who've had enough.

Passengers on Aurora (in the Atlantic), Azura and Oriana (both in Palma), Oceana (returning to Southampton) and Ventura (boarding at Southampton) will be able to watch the ceremony during daylight hours but those on Arcadia, in the Panama Canal, are going to have to crack open the champagne early in the morning if they want to watch it live, thanks to the time difference.

Cunard's ships will each screen the event live in their Royal Court Theatre. In the evening, each vessel will offer a special commemorative menu at dinner and a champagne toast to the newlyweds. All three of Cunard's vessels happen to be at sea on April 29.

The U.S.-oriented Norwegian Cruise Line has embraced the festivities with a contemporary interpretation of a very old-fashioned British street party, although whether these will bear any resemblance to actual street parties all over the UK is questionable, given that most Brits have moved on from the Beatles tributes and pie and mash, two of the promised attractions. Partygoers will also enjoy wedding cakes decorated with a Union Jack on the buffets, fish and chips, and bread-and-butter pudding. Champagne, gin and tonic and Pimms will be served in the bars.

Two special meals will be served, at a charge. The Prince and Princess Brunch ($15) will include eggs poached in champagne served on English muffins, kippers, scrambled eggs with grilled lamb, toast with marmalade and fruit salad with clotted cream, while for $10, guests can indulge in a high tea of cucumber sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and lemon curd sponge.

NCL will be broadcasting the wedding throughout ten of its 11 ships (Norwegian Sky won't be showing the event in the Bahamas).

There'll be a sea of red, white and blue on Fred. Olsen's four ships, with bunting, flags and balloons creating a street party vibe in all the bars and lounges. No let-up from wedding coverage here unless you retreat to your cabin; the wedding will be broadcast all over the ships, in all public areas. Fred. Olsen will even produce a special four-page preview newspaper full of wedding gossip, followed by a souvenir special edition covering the wedding day itself.

Pimms and a specially-created Champagne cocktail will be flowing in the bars (at a cost) and the highlight of the day will be a Gala Wedding Dinner with Baked Alaska ‘Catherine' as the dessert and a souvenir menu produced for guests to take home. Exhausted yet? There's more. Royal-themed quizzes, a royal tea dance and even a royal wedding-themed crew show and “Royal Wedding Party Night” are planned.

Now I know where I would rather be, how about you ?
Let me know

Princess Cruises Reinstates Calls to Egypt

2011-04-19T16:52:00.000+01:00

Good news for Eygpt and cruising in general, looks like more and more cruiselines are heading back to Egypt after a few problems in the country !!!
Read below for updated news from Princess cruise lines

Princess Cruises has reinstated calls to Egyptian ports on all itineraries where they were previously removed.

In February due to political unrest, Princess modified itineraries for 18 sailings scheduled to call in Egypt through November. The cruises aboard Star Princess, Dawn Princess, Ocean Princess and Pacific Princess have now returned to their originally published itineraries. Princess’ first Egypt call is scheduled for May 15.

"The situation in Egypt has calmed considerably since wide-spread protests earlier this year, and the tourist areas aren’t currently being affected,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “So we’re pleased to tell passengers they can once again plan to experience this country’s iconic pyramids and other ancient wonders.”

The Egyptian ports of Alexandria and Port Said are part of the two-day Egypt experience included on the line’s 12-day Holy Land sailings. Sailings depart from May 7 through November 15, 2011.

Passengers currently booked on Holy Land sailings are being contacted with the revised itinerary information.

Princess will continue to monitor the situation in Egypt and consult with various authorities to obtain the latest information and advice.

car parking in Southampton......

2011-04-13T11:08:00.000+01:00

As always many of the cruise lines are offering free car parking in Southampton for cruises departing in 2012 I thought I would mention how this works and if you do not have free car parking it can be added very easily and cheaper if you book off site car parking.

Anyways back to the free carparking offered by the cruise line, once you have made your booking you will need to add the free car parking independently, there will usually be a phone number you will need to call and normally this MUST be done before a certain time, if you pass this time you will not be able to get the free car parking and will have to pay for it yourselves ! The car will be parked by yourself at the designated parking zone which will be right next to where the ships docks. it's very simple and works very well.

However if you do not get free car parking and you want to book it there are a couple of alternatives that your cruise agent can book and these will be normally off site and a short mini bus ride away, which also works well but not quite as convenient but will work out cheaper.

You can also book the car parking that the cruise lines use and this can be done directly with the car parking company but will cost you quite a lot more.

Happy parking !

MSC cruise giveaway ...............

2011-04-07T11:56:00.005+01:00

After a very busy week with all the releases of P&O 2012 cruises I finally had some time off yesterday and whilst watching Loose Women ! well it was on in the back ground I was not actually watching it.......I noticed that they were giving away an MSC cruise for 2. This surprised me as MSC is still a very new product for the UK market and got quite excited that they are advertising more heavily here in the UK. This brand is fantastic and you can get some fantastic deals at the moment. Their ships are very heavily based on Italian decor so you will get that amazing colour and lighting that you would expect from out Italian friends and this I can back up as I have cruised on the Poesia which was just fantastic and one of the best cruises I have ever taken. MSC is one of the largest privately owned companies in the world and have some of the newest cruise ships about, you will find all amenities onboard that you would find on any other cruise brand and at the moment some of the best prices around. If you are looking for a cruise out of the UK MSC Opera is sailing out of Southampton with some amazing trips and with outstanding prices including all inclusive packages where all drinks are included. We as a company will be offering some great packages real soon so look out for the marketing fliers arriving to your home real soon.

If you are looking for a family cruise with the children then look no further than MSC their childrens facilities are second to none.

So grab that flier and give us a call

Carnival Cruise Ship Gets Blown Off Dock by Violent Gust

2011-04-01T14:00:00.005+01:00

Oh dear, another windy problem for a large cruise ship !
Just seen this on the news...........................
I would of thought in this day and age health and safety would not allow things like this to happen, oh well I guess accidents can happen but for something like this even though it was windy there is no excuse !

The Atlantic Hurricane Season doesn't start until June 1 -- but don't tell that to passengers on Carnival Pride. The 2,124-passenger cruise ship was blown out of its Port Canaveral dock yesterday evening after being pummeled by an 85-knot wind gust.

The ship, which was calling in Port Canaveral as part of a seven-night cruise out of Baltimore, returned to its dock, and passengers who were in port were able to re-board the vessel shortly after. According to a statement from Carnival, there were no injuries to those onboard during the incident, which took place at 5:45 p.m.

The ship was not, however, left unscathed by the incident. According to Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen, when Pride was separated from its moorings, "the captain made the decision to release the anchor, which is customary in these types of situation; however, the sudden drop caused the mechanism that raises the anchor to malfunction." The mechanism had to be fixed before the anchor could be retrieved, and Pride was held overnight for repairs in Port Canaveral.

The vessel departed this morning at approximately 6:15 a.m., some 12 hours behind schedule. Due to the delay, today's scheduled called in Nassau, Bahamas, has been canceled. The ship's itinerary has been modified to include an overnight visit in Freeport, arriving at 4 p.m. today and departing at 2 p.m. tomorrow. Gulliksen added that passengers were given $25 per person in the form of onboard credit.

Wow $25pp onboard credit. now Carnival do not push the boat out will you ! that will just about get you a drink each from the bar !!

McDonalds on Queen Elizabeth

2011-04-01T08:32:00.000+01:00

Cunard have today announced that they have signed up with large American fast food chain McDonalds, as their average passenger age is dropping every year Cunard wanted to give their younger clients something exciting onboard the Queen Elizabeth. The fast food outlet will be situated just outside the main theatre so that it is easily accessible pre show. Everyone will still receive the white glove service that Cunard are known for and requests for tables of two will need to be requested when booking your cruise.

Look out for the new menu that we expect to receive later today.

All about customer service.........

2011-03-26T08:42:00.000Z

So what do I mean ? well from April 2012 all Cunard,P&O and Princess cruises will be priced very differently to how you all have witnessed in the past. From April whenever you call around to all those many cruise agents to try and barter for the lowest price you will be given exactly the same price for any cruise no matter when the cruise departs, so when you do call up whatever grade you request a price for, it will be exactly the same from one agent to another.

Now I can all hear you thinking WHY well the reason being Carnival Corp wants to cut out all those phone calls you have to make trying to get the best price you can. From now the price will not come into the equation when you decide where you book, it will all be down to who has either given you the best customer service in the past or who was the most helpful at the time you called for a quote. I for one agree with this, there has been so many times where I have not been able to beat a rivals price be it only as little as £10pp and I have lost a normally very loyal customer that has always been very satisfied with my service from the begining of the booking stage right through to the cruise departing. Now for me personally I always pride myself on giving excellent customer service, making very sure that between the time of booking and from the cruise departing whenever a client calls me up for whatever reason they always get a call back as soon as possible and their query sorted straight away.
So when you come to book your next Cunard, P&O and Princess cruise think first and remember the name of that agent who looked after you so well.

Thompson returns

2011-03-21T15:45:00.001Z

So some good news for cruisers who do not fly, Thomson Spirit will be heading home and sailing out of Newcastle and Harwich starting in the summer of 2012. I believe this makes good business sense especially with all the problems around the world at the moment and the horrible events happening lately. I know I would be more likely to book a cruise sailing out of the Uk, as I'm not a great flyer and hate all the hassle of going through airports and having to deal with all those job worth immigration officers who always seem to make like so difficult. Also there is the luggage allowance, cruises leaving the UK allow you to take as much as you can carry and more and there isnt the issue of squeezing 2 weeks worth of clothing into 23 kilos !!!.

Right now Thomson are offering the following

A selection of early booking offers which include an onboard spend of up to £100, up to 25 percent off all cabin upgrades, as well as free parking or coach transfer to Harwich or Newcastle ports for all Summer 2012 ex-U.K. cruises for bookings made up to 30 June 2011. The Thomson Spirit itineraries from the U.K. will be avilable to book from 7 April.

So if you are fed up with flying and looking for a cruise out of the UK you cant go far wrong with Thompson cruise lines.

Portsmouth scents cruise victory

2011-03-15T11:02:00.000Z

Could this be a major player in taking cruise passengers from Southampton, well it looks like Portsmouth will be the new Southampton as their brand new cruise terminal will be opening very soon. The £16.5 million terminal will be very shortly expecting the MV ATHENA which arrives on the 14th April for its 39 night voyage to Australia. Now as all of you are aware in Southampton when all terminals are full the traffic can be a right nightmare and just cant handle the influx of passengers. I will not be surprised if we see a couple of the big players heading to Portsmouth. I for one would be very pleased to be heading to Portsmouth as I would expect a much less stressful journey than trying to fight my way into Southampton. Other cruise ships among the 33 port calls this year include Island Sky, Silversea's Prince Albert II, the National Geographic Explorer, Christopher Columbus, Princess Daphne, Hurtigruten's Fram, and Fred Olsen's Boudicca. Looks like Portsmouth have already attracted many other cruise lines and hats off to them, I really believe Southampton has had it too good for too long.

Play up Pompey

Advertising watchdog raps Tui-owned cruise website

2011-03-09T10:18:00.000Z

Oops found this today on the web and am happy that something has been done about it, how many times have we seen something in the paper offering a great deal, we have called them up only to find that the deal is not available and there are many terms and conditions to the deal. Yes we also advertise in the sunday papers but we always try and ensure all information is correct. Now remember when these deals go to print it can be many days before it actually gets into the paper and as most of us know especially with cruise lines they work on a fluid price structure. This means the cruise lines can change their prices at any time and DO all the time. It is hard to keep up and we try our best but on some occasions prices do change and cant be ammended in the news paper before it goes to print. Now to cover this problem we will always state at the bottom of the deal that prices can change at any notice. As with anything there can also be typo errors and we really try to fix before anything goes to print. We are not in the business to purposely mislead you and the last thing we want to do as sales staff is to keep telling clients that what they have seen in the paper is not available, trust me I see no advantage in wasting not only the customers time but mine as well.

So give us a call and try us........

The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint against Tui owned website CruiseDeals.co.uk.

The watchdog backed a complaint made by Which? Travel over an advert in the News of the World on October 31, 2010 that claimed the onboard spend included in the cost of the cruise was $220 per couple.

But when Which? Travel researchers posing as potential customers called to enquire about the cruise and were told the onboard spend was only $120 per couple the organisation issued a complaint to the ASA.

Following news the ASA has upheld the complaint, Rochelle Turner, head of research at Which? Travel said: “Holiday companies should be completely upfront with consumers – advertising offers that don’t exist is not just frustrating for holiday bargain hunters, it’s also illegal.

“We will continue to monitor press adverts like the one for CruiseDeals.co.uk to ensure they don’t mislead consumers, and will report any further discrepancies to the ASA.”

Carnival Cruise Ship Delayed Again Due to Galveston Fog

2011-03-03T16:53:00.000Z

So if it's not Volcanic ash or flight disruptions, we now have FOG to add to the mix, apparently over in Galveston there has been a big problem with the weather that has caused problems for many cruise lines and some have had to cancel altogther. Now I remember using this port for quite a few months many years back and never experienced any problems with this. I understand that Carnival is the biggest company there and many of their cruises have had to be either delayed or completely cancelled. Now can you imagine if you were all excited for many months taken that long flight across and then being told that the cruise is going nowhere becasue of FOG !! Apparently fog has been an issue for a few years now in that area so I wonder why cruise lines still use this port, Im guessing they will certainly look at this for 2012 ! Anyways there is no reason to sail from there everything is too far away to get to........................

Go from Southampton it is much closer to home and I have never heard of a cruise being cancelled departing from there !

Changes to Alaska cruises..

2011-02-25T09:08:00.000Z

As we all know a cruise to Alaska is all about the magical scenery,abundant wildlife and the amazing glaciers, however it looks like things are about to change.....

It looks like seal numbers are declining and this could be blamed on cruise ships

"A study by the National Marine Mammal Lab -- part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- which was published last year in the Journal of Wildlife Management, concluded that harbor seals are more likely to jump into the cold water when disturbed by cruise ships, and that could be affecting their numbers and health. The pupping and molting seasons, when seals are most vulnerable, occurs from May to September, the peak cruise time".

Now in this world we live in it is very important that we protect our wildlife and this looks like it could change cruising in Alaska for good. Many of these seals habitat are close to glaciers and it looks like the cruise ships will have to now stay well away. Gone will be the days when the captain got as close as possible to these glaciers and you could almost reach out and touch them. Now cruise lines will have to plan new routes staying well away from them. Is this going to make a difference to whether you decide to take an Alaskan cruise especially when I am hearing that other areas of Alaska could be effected by new rules, which would impact cruise lines.

Have you ever been to Alaska or are looking at taking one? It might be time to speed up your decision and get out there right now before these changes are implemented

MSC Announces Partnership with AC Milan

2011-02-19T11:55:00.001Z

This might be interesting for football fans that like to cruise I know it has got me quite interested. I believe this may just be an idea that one of the British cruise lines could get involved in. Imagine Liverpool or Manchester United doing something like this on a family cruise ship ! Well if my beloved West Ham offered something like this I would be straight on the phone booking, however I'm sure my Missus would not be too happy !. Actually the more I think about this the better it sounds. How about CBBC doing something like this on the Ventura during the school holidays WOW it would be a sell out. You could drop the kids off leave them a couple of hours glued to the stage and then us adults could go off and have some free time. Right thats it I'm off to Southampton right now to seal the deal.

Cruise ship market leaders MSC Cruises, today announced a major three year partnership agreement with AC Milan Football Club, one of the world’s most successful soccer teams.

The agreement, which renews and upgrades an existing long term arrangement between the two organisations is designed to mutually promote and develop awareness and exposure for the two brands both domestically and internationally.

The announcement was made at a press conference held jointly by MSC Cruises CEO Pierfrancesco Vago and AC Milan vice-president and CEO Adriano Galliani on the opening day of the annual BIT, International Tourism Exchange in Milan.

Among the extensive programme of events and initiatives included in the sponsorship announce-ment is a unique cruise aboard the flagship MSC Splendida which will be entirely dedicated to

AC Milan supporters. The first ever “Crociera Rossonera” named after the colours of the team, takes place from 5-12 June this year and will host a number of AC Milan players, as well as feature tournaments, special training workshops for young fans and a range of memorable entertainment activities.

“This agreement continues to link MSC Cruises to one of the most successful Club’s in the world, something I am so very proud of. I see MSC Cruises and AC Milan as two international symbols of success and professionalism, two ambassadors of Italian excellence and style in the world, and together I know, we will accomplish many great things," said MSC Cruises CEO Pierfrancesco Vago.

AC Milan vice-president and CEO Adriano Galliani responded: "We are extremely pleased to be continuing and renewing our partnership with MSC Cruises. We are ready for new challenges and initiatives, such as the ‘Crociera rossonera’ aboard MSC Splendida, a unique event for anyone seeking an original and relaxing way that combines the best of AC Milan with one of the finest cruising experiences in the world. "

Details on Grand Princess' Massive Refurbishment

2011-02-12T09:37:00.000Z

WOW !
This looks real exciting, some major changes coming for the Grand Princess, will it actually feel like a brand new ship for Southampton ?
Here are the details on the multi-million dollar refurbishment, which the line is calling its biggest ever:

The entire Deck 18 (the ship's distinctive shopping cart handle), which currently houses Skywalkers Nightclub, will be removed. A new nightclub, One5 (a clue to its location) will be fitted on Deck 15 in the area currently used as a conference room. The reason for such dramatic surgery? To improve the operational performance of the ship and increase its fuel efficiency. The new lounge will resemble a chic urban nightclub, with a backlit bar and modern decor.

The atrium will be refashioned into Princess' signature "Piazza," with an International Cafe serving coffees, pastries and sandwiches; and a Vines wine bar, a popular feature on the larger and newer Princess ships. Vines will serve over 30 wines by the glass as well as tapas and sushi. Passengers will also be able to buy wine at a wine shop here.

Alfredo's, an open-kitchen pizzeria is also being added. It's named after Princess' master executive chef, Alfredo Marzi.

The current Promenade Lounge and Bar on Deck 7 will become Crooners, the popular, 1950's-style martini bar featured on the line's newer ships.

The Limelight shop on Deck 7 will become a dual purpose tea lounge and library, serving custom-blended specialty teas in association with the Mighty Leaf Tea Company. A "tea sommelier" -- which sounds very grand -- will help passengers blend their teas. The current library will be absorbed into the changes to the atrium on Deck 5.

The Crown Grill, a classic steakhouse, will replace the current Sterling Steakhouse. It will also have an open kitchen, serving fresh beef and seafood, including lobsters, which are kept live onboard.

Also part of the renovation will be the addition of 10 new suites; a remodeled casino, boutiques, an art gallery; and enhancements to the Horizon Court, Lotus Spa, and wedding chapel.

More improvements to Norwegian Cruise lines private island.....

2011-02-08T16:45:00.000Z

Finally some money being spent where it is needed, however I have never been a fan of these private islands that the cruise lines use as sharing a beach with 3,000 other people does not sound that private !!

Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that it has completed the first phase of enhancements at Great Stirrup Cay, the line’s 250-acre private island in the Bahamas. On Thursday, February 3, the company opened the new marina and dining facility on the island, representing a significant milestone in the more than $20 million enhancement project currently underway. Norwegian Sky’s 2,000 guests were the first to experience the opening of the marina basin with four docks for the island’s tenders and the new 8,500 square foot dining facility, complete with two bars and four picnic pavilions.

“Both the new marina and the dining facility greatly enhance the guest experience on Great Stirrup Cay which is our second busiest port of call this year,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s president and CEO. “By moving the tenders’ arrival to the marina and away from the beach, we have now opened up a great expanse of beachfront for our guests to enjoy and relax. We’ve also built a new large dining facility that is similar to the action station restaurants we have on board our Freestyle Cruising ships.”

The marina is approximately 12 feet deep at low water and is home to the island’s four tenders. It took more than eight months to excavate the basin and the entrance channel. The dining facility includes a central pizza making station, two grills, hot and cold food stations, as well as fresh fruits and breads. There are two full bars on either side of the facility for added convenience. The four pavilions, each more than 1800 square feet, offer picnic tables with a total seating capacity for more than 500 guests.

Enhancements to Great Stirrup Cay have been underway since January of 2010 and will continue through the end of this year. Several new island activities have been added since the project began including more than 16 wave runners, kayak rentals and an eco-adventure boat tour around the island. These are in addition to the existing snorkeling; floats; inflatable hippo slide; and parasailing.

The second phase of enhancements includes an arrival/departure pavilion, additional bar facilities; several comfort stations; a band stand; cruise program activity area; private beachfront cabanas; a kid's play area; straw market; and beach volleyball courts. The beachfront will continue to be expanded on the island’s west end.

Norwegian has owned the island since 1977 when it became the first cruise line to offer an uninhabited tropical island experience exclusively for its guests. Great Stirrup Cay offers magnificent white sand beaches, majestic palms and calm, pristine waters where an abundance of colorful marine life inhabits the surrounding coral reefs.

Our very own original tailor made packages

2011-02-07T22:36:00.004Z

It looks like our brand new tailor made packages are proving very populor heading into this new year, there is a lot of interest especially packages includung Alaska and the north east of America, there are some wonderful tours available with some amazing tours included. We look very carefully into tours that are unusual and will increase your whole holiday experience. As a former crew member I am very lucky to have experienced these myself and have the added knowledge of seeing them first hand. We are very aware that some of these packages can cost a lot of money and you will be investing your hard earnt cash on them so it is very important that we arrange the best ever trips and the most organised tours possible.
Have a look at our website and experience for yourselves the amazing tour packages available.

Bed bugs on cruise ships

2011-02-01T18:00:00.000Z

So you may find this quite interesting, so I thought you may like to have a look...........................

If you're concerned about encountering bed bugs on your next cruise, here's everything you need to know.

Q: What are bed bugs?

A: According to the CDC, bed bugs are "small, flat, parasitic insects that feed solely on the blood of people and animals while they sleep. Bed bugs are reddish-brown in color, wingless, [and] range from 1 mm to 7 mm (roughly the size of Lincoln's head on a penny)." They're found worldwide and do not spread disease, but their bites can be itchy and uncomfortable. Some people do have allergic reactions to the bites that would require medical attention.

Q: How do they get onboard cruise ships?

A: "Bed bugs typically are brought on board via guests' hand bags or luggage. They are not a sign that a cruise ship (or a hotel, for that matter) is unclean. Bed bugs often hide in the seams of bags and suitcases, and travelers don't even realize they're transporting the bugs from place to place.

Q: How can I check to see if my room has bed bugs?

A: Inspect your mattress and bedding, especially in any folds or corners, for the presence of bed bugs or their molted exoskeletons. They can often be found behind your bed's headboard, but you may not be able to see behind it if it's attached to the wall. Also, look for rust-colored blood spots on the mattress or bedside furniture, and check for what the CDC refers to as a "sweet, musty odor." If you're nervous about the bugs, pack a flashlight to help you check for evidence of the insects in dark corners.

Q: How do I know if I've been bitten by bed bugs (as opposed to a different kind of bug)?

A: It's often hard to differentiate between a bed bug bite and a mosquito or flea bite. The CDC reports that bite marks often look like swollen, reddish areas, either in a straight line or randomly arranged, that itch. It's also very possible for one person in a bed to get bitten while a second person sharing the bed does not -- or that one person will react to the bites while another won't feel them at all.

Q: What should I do if I think there are bed bugs in my cabin?

A: You should immediately report the problem to your cabin steward. If you need medical treatment, you can see the ship's doctor, but you'll need to pay out of pocket for your visit (and fees can be hefty) -- and you may not be reimbursed unless you've purchased travel insurance that would cover the visit. You can ask to be moved to another cabin, especially if there's evidence of a bed bug infestation, but if the ship is full, one may not be available.

Q: What do cruise ships do to prevent bed bug infestations?

A: "All stateroom stewards are trained to recognize the possible presence of bed bugs and are required to conduct weekly inspections of every cabin. Inspections cover not only stateroom beds but also curtains, carpeting and other areas. The laundry washes all bedding at 155 degrees, a recognized practice that helps prevent bed bugs. They also provide guests with adequate drawer and closet space in their stateroom so they can store their clothing, as well as a luggage rack so they can place their suitcase."

Q: What do cruise ships do to prevent the spread of bed bugs once onboard?

A: If bed bugs are found onboard, they have specific procedures they follow to deal with bed bugs, which eliminates them completely. This includes inspecting the stateroom -- and other staterooms in the area -- fumigating, deep cleaning and replacing various soft goods. Carnival has similar procedures. "If signs of infestation are present, the room is chemically treated along with all other cabins within that section. Frequent reinspection continues for the next several months. When ships are taken out of service for their routine maintenance period, all staterooms receive an extensive pest control treatment at that time, as well."

Q: What can I do to prevent the spread of bed bugs?

A: You can start by never putting your luggage directly onto the bed -- use a luggage rack or the thick mat the cabin steward puts on the foot of your bed on the first day. There are various products on the market -- luggage liners, laundry bags, sprays -- that claim to prevent the spread of bed bugs. You could try them, but we don't have any data on how effective these products actually are.

Important latest news on Egypt

2011-01-29T13:40:00.002Z

Cruise lines and tour operators continue to make itinerary changes as the security situation worsens in Egypt, during what is the peak season for Nile cruises.

Two MSC ships, MSC Splendida and MSC Magnifica, were expected to call at Alexandria over the next few days, but they're being diverted. Magnifica will now call at Limassol, Cyprus, and Haifa, Israel, on Sunday and Monday, respectively. Splendida will call at Izmir, Turkey, on Monday.

Likewise, NCL's Norwegian Jade was due to overnight in Alexandria on Sunday. It will now call at Istanbul.

A spokesperson for Uniworld alerted Cruise Critic members on a board forum Friday afternoon that the line had reviewed then revamped its policy regarding the Egyptian unrest. According to the post, "Effective immediately, for those guests booked to travel with us to Egypt between now and February 28, 2011, we will allow them to cancel and re-book on any 2011 Uniworld program. The full value of the canceled booking will be applied toward the new booking." It said passengers must rebook by March 31, though it's unclear whether it has canceled the cruises outright.

Thomson Holidays has already canceled excursions to Cairo for its land-based holidaymakers. Thomson Cruises' Thomson Celebration is due to call in Port Sokhna (which is three hours from Cairo) on Sunday night/Monday morning and the cruise line tells us it has yet to make a decision on shore tours to Cairo and is monitoring the situation.

Riots and protests erupted today after the early-afternoon Muslim prayers, according to the BBC, with crowds clashing with police in Giza (the Cairo suburb where the pyramids are located), Suez, Alexandria and Aswan, all popular destinations with travellers on either river or ocean cruises. The Egyptian government cut off mobile phone networks and Internet services to slow the spread of calls for more violence, and curfews were imposed in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez.

These protests are occurring just a fortnight after similar outbreaks took place in Tunisia, causing cruise lines to cancel calls there.

Beware of cruise tendering......

2011-01-23T22:32:00.000Z

When booking a cruise it is always a good idea to check whether any of the ports of call are going to be using tenders as this could become a problem as you can see below, there is always a chance the port could be cancelled due to bad weather, safety issues etc. Tenders are used when there is no pier space for a ship to pull alongside. There can be delays getting off the ship as you will not be using a gangway onto a nice flat pier but jumping across a small gap to board a small boat that with then take you to the nearest drop off point.

A cruise line says it has been forced to cancel cruise calls in Belize due to problems with tenders in the port.

Carnival Cruise Lines confirmed today that Carnival Triumph called in Grand Cayman on Monday instead of Belize, and Carnival Legend swapped its call for Costa Maya on Thursday.
The reason? Carnival says it will only call in Belize with "access to tenders that meet our standards for safe, comfortable and efficient transport for our guests to and from the shore."

Unfortunately, it had been unable to come to an agreement with local tender operators who are "in a state of disarray".

One ship -- Carnival Valor -- was able to make its call as planned on Thursday as the port had sufficient tenders available for one vessel.

So as you have read always be very careful when choosing a cruise and try and make sure there are a minimum of tendering ports on your trip.

Do Cruise Ships Have a Drug Problem?

2011-01-17T21:31:00.000Z

Oh dear picked this up on reading news from America that there seems to be a problem with drugs onboard, well from my own experience I can honestly say it does happen and I have even witnessed crew members taking drugs in their own cabins ! Even smoking drugs in their showers and blowing the smoke into the vent at the top of the shower to hide the smell........................................... So are the cruise lines trying to play this down or do they honestly think it only happens in very small cases.Well lets get real, cruise ships are like small towns and everything you find in a small town happens on cruise ships.I have witnessed suicides, attempted murders, you name it I have seen it happen. I just never found out where the drugs came from.
Read below to find out what ships have been caught out recently

A headline in Tuesday's Baltimore Sun, "Authorities find more drugs on cruise ship in Baltimore," at first glimpse seemed like old news. That's because in December, Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas, which is homeporting in Charm City, was thrust in a most unwelcome spotlight when three crewmembers were nabbed smuggling cocaine and heroin.

However, the more recent bust on Enchantment of the Seas occurred over the weekend. According to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, this one found some $94,000 worth of cocaine and heroin: "A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) K-9, during a joint CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations inspection, discovered more than two pounds of cocaine and heroin stored in a locker aboard the cruise ship Enchantment of the Seas in Baltimore on Saturday."
Another cruise ship, MSC's Poesia, also found itself in the unpleasant glare of a drug bust last week when, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, a raid before a Jam Fest music-themed cruise even sailed out of port turned up "marijuana, LSD, mushrooms, hash oil, Ecstasy, prescription drugs and drug paraphernalia" in what the newspaper notes was "mostly small quantities."

Does the cruise industry have a drug problem?

Cynthia Martinez, a Royal Caribbean spokeswoman, told today that drug busts onboard ships are very rare and have occurred "only a handful of times." She told us that the original December investigation began after an onboard security officer became suspicious and notified the authorities.

Similarly low-key about the recent rash of drug busts is CBP Public Affairs Officer Steve Sapp. He told us today that most cruise ship drug busts are for personal-use narcotics, typically resulting in an arrest or a no-tolerance fine of $500. And in fact, one drug discovery this weekend that didn't make the news headlines was that of a passenger onboard Carnival Pride, which also homeports in Baltimore, who was caught with a small amount of marijuana. That passenger was fined $500.

Still, Sapp did say that customs officers meet every ship that turns around in a U.S. port, though levels of inspection will vary. "We work with the ships for future enforcement to deter folks onboard from using the ship to smuggle in drugs," he said.

It's quite a different story in the U.K. where the country's Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA) issued a press release last week warning that "drug traffickers may be stepping up efforts to target cruise liners as a method of smuggling cocaine from the Caribbean and South America to the lucrative markets in Europe."

In that release, SOCA advises cruise agencies and cruise lines how to recognize signs that passengers might be inclined to smuggle drugs or other contraband. What types of travelers might stand out? Passengers who book cruises at the last minute and pay in cash, or those who don't fit in -- such as young travelers who take a cruise on a line that targets the more sedentary set. It also advises cruise lines to be on the lookout for crewmembers who attempt to access areas of the ship not associated with their jobs or who appear to have close association with passengers who may be a risk.

Despite varying levels of concern, cruise lines are paying attention. Royal Caribbean's Martinez notes that while Royal Caribbean fully cooperates with law enforcement officials, all investigations are planned by federal agents, not the cruise lines. As well, the line has security procedures in place and works with customs officials in every port of call to prevent illegal substances from coming onboard. While she can't disclose security information, she can tell us that these measures are "less obvious than metal detectors, and there are times when we ramp up efforts, such as Spring Break."

This so amusing to read, drugs are just as common on ships as they are on land, I could get any drug I wanted when I was working and I am sure it is still the case today, you just needed to know the right people............

West Ham cruising........................

2011-01-12T10:28:00.000Z

Oh what a night it was my love of my life, the Hammers got a great result last night and now have 1 foot in for a trip to Wembley. What makes it all even better is that I work with a bunch of Birmingham fans and the office bragging rights are mine.10 men for half and hour and we still score the winning goal. It might be worth if you are looking for a price on a cruise to give me a call, I'm in a smashing mood today !! I have some great prices on Independence of the Seas this easter.

Its a record.............................

2011-01-11T09:30:00.001Z

Six cruise ships were docked in the port of Southampton last week for the first time in more than 50 years.

An estimated 18,000 passengers arrived at the docks – giving the local economy a £9 million boost.

The port is so busy because of a surge in demand for cruise holidays in recent years. Many of the people arriving in Hampshire today were returning from Christmas cruises.

The £400million Queen Elizabeth was leaving on its maiden world cruise – with all the vessels scheduled to leave between 4.30pm and 8pm.

Baggage handlers had an estimated 30,000 cases to deal with on the busiest day for more than half a century.

An early-evening fireworks display was to be held at the docks to mark the historic day.

Well for me I'm glad I was not joining one of these ships, the infrastructure around Southampton really can't handle this amount of people !

Is it really a dream ?

2011-01-05T13:10:00.002Z

Oh dear poor old Thompson cruise lines, and the ill fated Thomson Dream.....looks like Thomson have had to cancel some more passengers on a cruise because their cabins are having problems with the air conditioning .

The line has had to inform passengers due to occupy 50 cabins on the ill-fated Thomson Dream that they will be unable to travel because of problems with some of the ship's air conditioning units.

A press statement from Thomson Cruises said: "This issue is limited to a specific area of the ship where individual air handling units were damaged during freezing conditions in Hamburg, where the ship was recently in dry dock. Replacement air handling units have been ordered from a U.K. supplier but delivery times have been extended due to the end-of-year holidays. "All customers whose cruise has been cancelled are being offered an alternative holiday, such as the Thomson Destiny Caribbean Itinerary due to depart on Sunday, January 2, or a full refund, as well as £200 per person offered by way of a goodwill gesture."

When will these cruise lines get it together and make sure their ships are fit and ready BEFORE taking hard earnt money from us, I really would be annoyed if this happened to me.

Here is a thought "why not invest in a brand new build instead of buying old cruise ships from other cruise lines that know they are no use anymore"

Just a thought !

I'm back !

2011-01-04T19:04:00.000Z

Well I hope all of you had a fantastic Xmas and New Year, I am finally back from 6 weeks off and my tan has already disappeared ! Still trying to remember all my passwords and how to turn on my computer but hey it will not be long before I'm buzzing again. So if there was a question you had you can now catch up with me if you have any dilemma's !

I hope to speak to you soon.............................

Day ..............Ive lost count !

2010-12-09T15:10:00.001Z

Well it has been 2 days in a row of sunshine and I am making the most of it, so far burning my ears, both my arms and all of my toes ! Oh well at least is not raining, oh wait a minute yes let me just go and see................yep it is absolutely pouring down, but it is 10pm and i dont need to go out as it is dark ! Hired myself a scooter yesterday 100cc Honda click, and I am now mobile and believe I have been around the island twice over already. Almost crashed into some elephants today, blimey those things just step out without even looking, I could of made front page news of the Phuket Gazette if it wasnt for my quick thinking and quick reactions, oh well the elephant did not seem to be bothered ! Found a great bar in the hills underneath the Big Bhudda, great views and real cheap beer ! Im hoping to meet up with some friends from Cruise tomorrow Sian and Jenna so that should be fun. Well time for another beer, and some nice chilled music.
Enjoy the snow !

Day 5...............................

2010-12-06T04:07:00.001Z

And no change its still raining, Im thinking I might cancel the rest of this trip and head back to the UK, at least I hear the sun is out ! Sitting in a lovely coffee shop enjoying a Belgian wafflle and watching the rain p%ss down. Last night was very interesting but for obvious reasons I will keep this to myself, however I guess some of the cruise guys will know what im talking about..........! Planning on visiting some of the local islands around Phuket tomorrow but obviously this is going to be weather permitting ! Actually dont really have much planned for the rest of the day,and having just read this blog back it might be a good idea to end it now !
Well enjoy the sunshine........

Cunard Cruise line naughty naughty....................

2010-12-05T08:33:00.004Z

Whoops looks like Cunard have been very naughty and not been honest with their passengers, this does not surprise me as this sort of thing goes on all the time, I can remember plenty of times whilst working on board ships when something had happened and it was played down. Read on to find out what Cunard have been up to.

It's hard not to worry about cruise ship safety these days. A fire on board Carnival Splendour managed to cripple the massive vessel, a Ryndam passenger got access to an off-limits area of the ship and released the anchor mid-cruise, and now it's come to light that a brief power outage on CunardsQM2 this September was actually the result of a dangerous explosion.

Passengers on board QM2 on September 23 were aware only of a brief power outage, but a report by the U.K.'s MAIB that was published yesterday details the incident and its causes more completely, as well as issues strong recommendations to cruise lines and other ship owners to prevent similar events from taking place.

However, according to the MAIB report, the situation was more serious than passengers knew. "The cruise liner RMS Queen Mary 2 was approaching Barcelona when one of 12 capacitors in a harmonic filter failed, accompanied by a loud explosion. The explosion resulted in extensive damage to the surrounding electric panels and caused the vessel to black out." The report goes on to say that the explosion was forceful enough to damage steel doors and casings and buckle stiffeners on the bulkhead of a compartment within the aft main switchboard room. No crewmembers were in the area at the time.

Naughty naughty Cunard looks like you have been caught out !

Day 4.....................

2010-12-05T06:40:00.000Z

Its still raining ..............................................................
Was up at 4:30am have no idea why, but the bloody cockrell that lives just outside our balcony might of had something to do with it !, did 3 hours of soccer coaching and I now cant feel my legs and I have the shakes, god Im so unfit ! Had a great time at the party I was invited too, the house was amazing, huge garden surrounding an amazing house with swimming pool, the largest outside area I have ever seen huge, lovely big loungers and the best part of all he had Tetleys and Kronenburg on tap (any need) The food was amazing all cooked on a large barbeque by a flurry of Thai chefs in their gorgeously well pressed whites. Fresh seafood was available on request and I have now changed my opinion of seafood as I have never been a fan previously. Following the party we headed back to Chalong and found a bar with a large tv and sat through Tottenham V Birmingham having to admit I was cheering on the Blues as I hate Tottenham with a passion. Finally arrived home at 3:30am ordered a KFC on delivery and finally got to sleep a few minutes afterwards. It is now morning well actually 1:30pm in the afternoon and my head hurts and I have the shakes, so finding it quite hard to type properly. Oh did I forget to mention it is still raining !!!

Happy days

Nik

Day 3.....................................

2010-12-03T02:44:00.000Z

Ok so went out last night to the bar area of Chalong with my pal, one of his coaches and his sister, still bloody raining and still no tan to speak of ! A lovely friendly resort area with plenty of atmosphere, there were fireworks going off and best of all the beers were flowing, between us we probably drank 30 beers and the total bill was 980BHT just less than 20 pounds ( nice ). Not great to hear England lost out on the world cup bid, any need how much did we spend on that ?? and only getting 2 votes (ridiculous) Well had my first experience of the lady boys here, well not that sort of experience I might add ! she/he would not leave me alone, and for some reason kept dropping his/ her purse in front of me, and obviously had to bend over to pick it back up !! very funny and the banter was friendly, but thats as far as it went.....................................Looking forward to Saturday night we have all been invited to a very important record producers villa, his 2 children are coached by my friend, he has worked with the likes of Katie Perry, Lady Ga Ga etc so that should be quite interesting and I here his parties are known on the island to be fantastic. Well its 9:40am and its still raining ! ready to head off for some breakfast and hoping the sun comes out at some point.
Enjoy the snow.......................................

What the Shrek?

2010-12-02T12:19:00.000Z

Oh dear, yep you guessed it, this is the godmother for the Allure of the seas ! Some ugly princess from the Shrek movies......

So how did the powers at be come up with this one, I guess she is cheap and certainly not going to fluff her lines when naming the ship, I wonder who is actually inside the costume ? well I did say I was going on my holiday, just maybe its me ! just getting in some extra income while its quiet at the office. But come on lets be honest is this really a true story ?

After a week of rumours over who'd be the godmother of Allure of the seas -- names ranged from Catherine Zeta-Jones (who appeared in the film "Chicago," which is being performed on stage on board) to Oprah Winfrey (who chose Allure as one of her "favourite things") -- the honour went to Princess Fiona, an animated 3D character from the "Shrek" films.

Royal Caribbean chairman and CEO Richard Fain (pictured with RCI president and CEO Adam Goldstein, far left, and Allure Captain Hernan Zini) explained the selection in a video interview: "Everything about this ship is so different and it is so much fun to have Princess Fiona act as a godmother. It symbolizes the fact that this ship is so wild and wonderful. Why not?"

Perlease what a load of rubbish !

Day 2...............................

2010-12-02T06:30:00.000Z

Well woke up this morning with a slight hangover and a sore head, have no idea why only drank 8 pints !!
Anyway best to tell you where im staying, its a place called Chalong 5 minutes away from the resort of Katar (sorry about punctuation im using a Thai keyboard and its all over the place) lovely beach but the walk there is deadly does anyone know if the locals need a driving licence ???? because I dont think they do ! Had a 2 hour body oil massage that cost me 10 pounds (cant find the pound sign on this keyboard !) and then had a lovely local Thai lunch Zinger burger meal from KFC !!! Have returned back to apartment to head up to the swimming pool to do a spot of sunbathing however the sun is still not out and its raining DONT ! My pal has a real important meeting today with all the local schools on the island to explain and promote his soccer school, however he has not requested my attendance ( I wonder why!!) Off out this evening for some proper Thai food and a drink at a bar that over looks the ocean, and to watch the sun set..................................
Well until tomorrow have a wonderful day in the snow and remember if you believe hard enough it might just stop snowing !

Drunk Passenger Drops Anchor on Cruise Ship With 1,950 Onboard

2010-12-01T10:38:00.001Z

Right own up, who was it from cruise.co.uk, now I remember seeing some of you lot disappear from the bar on their own and head back to the bar with cheeky grins on their faces, but that might of been a whole other story !! Anyways read on and see what I mean.....................

A California man faces federal felony charges for releasing the anchor on a HAL cruise ship while the vessel was at sea with about 1,950 passengers and crew on board.

The FBI has charged Rick Ehlert, 44, with attempting to "damage, destroy, disable, or wreck a vessel" in the incident on the Ryndam. A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Tampa, authorities say Elhert was drunk and in "formal night" attire when he entered a restricted area, put on work gloves and released the ship's stern anchor.

Surveillance video captured the incident and also shows Ehlert, who owns an RV dealership in Thousand Oaks, Calif., throwing a life buoy overboard.

At the time, the ship was cruising from Tampa to Costa Maya, Mexico, on a weeklong western Caribbean itinerary.

The FBI says deployment of the anchor "could have caused significant damage," though the ship was unharmed.

Ehlert, who was traveling with his girlfriend, told investigators he has a 50-foot boat with an anchor system similar to what's on the cruise ship.

The incident led the ship's captain to sound an emergency alarm and muster passengers.

Well at least the culprit was dressed nicely and in the right attire for that nights festivities !

West ham cruising !

2010-12-01T05:00:00.000Z

Well I suppose West ham are at least cruising at the moment, what a result to arrive to as I was met by my best mate a Spurs supporter ! Yes I know has nothing to do with crusing but It's my blog and anything that deserves to go on here will ! I am going to try and add a small blog about my mini cruise to Belgium at the weekend but right now I have more important things to do right now, like ordering my first Thai lunch over the telephone but unfortunately It is all in Thai ! now what was number 67 at my local Chinese at home, in for a penny as they say "Hi I would like to order number 34 - 45 - and 12" what was that sir, in my best broken Thai I answer West ham 4 - 0 Manchester United oh well it looks like it's Mcdonalds then !

Enjoy the weather all........................................

Welcome to the land of smiles...

2010-12-01T03:37:00.001Z

Phuket airport

Good morning all
Well for anyone out there that does read this blog (I hope someone does) for the next 4 weeks I will not be blogging about cruising but instead selfishly blogging about my holiday in Phuket. Arrived safely into Phuket international airport at about 23:10 Tuesday night having been previously woken by the flight attendant "Excuse me sir we have arrived" my response was "arrived where !!!" she must have thought I was a nutter ! Anyway what was much more important was the score against Manchester United 4 - 0 come on you ammers..........
So how is the weather in the UK I hear it's a nice humid -15c oh well right now it is 10:30 in the morning and it is a shivering 85f but too be really honest it is raining !
Oh I nearly forgot, I'm not too impressed with Emirates delays on both flights and not once did they apologize, not what you would expect from an airline of their calibre ! Just popped out for a cigarette on the balcony overlooking the ocean and what a view, not sure I can put up with this for too much longer ! Well I hope all my co workers are enjoying their day at work and as our boss normally says in his mortal wisdom
"You only get what you put in" so I'm off to the beach to put in some seriously hard sunbathing and hopefully will get back a great tan for all my hard work !!!!

Signing off
Nik

No...........Thank you everyone

2010-11-24T23:40:00.000Z

Just thought I would thank you all for rating my service and leaving such nice comments, as I always say "just doing my job" and thanks to all who have voted for me.
Also more importantly THANK YOU for all your business this last year, as we all know times are tough and I really appreciate each and everyone of your bookings, it certainly keeps me in a job and I hope that some of you, if not all will use my services again for 2011.

KEEP CRUSING...........................................

Nik

Oh Phuket......................

2010-11-20T10:10:00.001Z

It's that time of year again and I'm off to Asia for my yearly pilgrimage of 6 weeks of sun sand and alcohol ! I return on the 4th Jan 2011 so I'm afraid will not be offering my wonderful interesting blogs !!! about cruising, however I will be adding some posts about my shananigans in Asia. If it's anything like the last 2 years it probably wont run smoothly and by the looks of things unless they get Birmingham airport open soon I wont be going anywhere !!!

Have a great xmas and new year to you all

Nik

Bad news for St Kitts

2010-11-17T17:53:00.000Z

Oh dear this is not good news for one of my favourite islands in the Caribbean ST KITTS

Florida-based Carnival Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises, based in California, made the decision after the incident on Sunday.

The cruise passengers were travelling on a tour bus, having disembarked from the vessel Celebrity Mercury for an organised shore excursion, when two armed robbers reportedly blocked the road with a tree branch and threw a rock at the windshield before boarding the bus.
Money, jewellery, mobile phones and other personal items were taken, but no one was injured.

This week the 2,124-berth Carnival Miracle was diverted to Antigua, while on Wednesday the 2,600-passenger Grand Princess cancelled a visit to the port of Basseterre. Celebrity Cruises, which operates the ship involved in the incident, is yet to cancel visits to the island, but says it is monitoring the situation closely.

Lets hope this is an isolated incident, as having spent 10 years working out there I never experienced one single incident.

VOTE FOR ME.............................................

2010-11-13T11:34:00.000Z

PLEASE VOTE FOR ME

http://www.twcoverstars.com/nikburling

Have you ever dreamed of seeing yourself on the cover of your favourite magazine?

Well now you have the chance to do just that thanks to our brand new Cover Stars competition!

We want to celebrate our incredible readers, so we’re looking for 12 frontline travel sellers to feature each month throughout 2011.

Each winner will receive a fabulous makeover and take part in a professional photo shoot, and we’ll be interviewing all of them to find out about their lives in the travel industry.

It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, old or young, we want you to tell us why you’ve got a great story to tell and why YOU should be a Travel Weekly Cover Star.

We’re running the competition in conjunction with our friends at the One Stop Touring Shop, who will be giving each Cover Star a place on either a Contiki, Trafalgar or Insight Vacations fam trip.

The 12 lucky winners will also receive a makeover from a professional make-up artist before taking part in their photoshoot in the latest designer clothes courtesy of the stylist at Bicester Village in Oxfordshire.

And you’ll receive invitations to some of the biggest travel events of the year, including the Travel Weekly Globe Travel Awards in January.
It couldn’t be easier to enter. Just tell us why you think you should be a Travel Weekly Cover Star, then get all your friends and colleagues to vote for you when the polls open on Monday, November 8.

A day in the life of a Cunarder..........

2010-11-11T12:36:00.002Z

Well I was lucky enough just recently to be invited on the QM2 for a 2 day cruise over to France and I wanted to share with you all MY cruise experience on how it went, now bearing in mind I have worked and cruised on over 45 ships so this will be a very honest and fair review. I am quite particular about the finer details and will obviously have looked out for many things that a new cruiser may not necessarily see. So with no further delay please enjoy

We left for the cruise early on from just outside Birmingham and was looking forward to a nice drive down to Southampton having given ourselfs enough time to arrive at around 2:30pm, unfortunately little did we realise there were 3 other ships in Southampton at the same time off loading and onloading over 20,000 people, having just turned off the motorway we were all excited that in a matter of minutes we would be safely onboard the ship enjoying a nice drink before eating. Oh dear how wrong were we? the traffic was unbelievable it must of took 1hr just to get from one end of Southampton to the other, now I know this is not the cruise lines fault but this really needs to be looked at, the infrastructure around the port of Southampton cannot cope with this amount of people all heading in one direction and something needs to be done quickly, the last thing cruise lines want is to have passengers boarding already irritated and wound up before they have even boarded their ships. So where was I, oh yes stuck in traffic anyways on finally arriving at the new Oceans terminal we parked the car at CPS car parking that was very easy to get to and very close to the terminal, so once the car was safely parked up we headed to the terminal only to find that the ship was actually docked at the QE terminal because the Artemis could not leave the day before as the weather was too dangerous. Again I am not blaming the cruise line here for this, it was out of their control, however we had a very long wait in the terminal and were not given any information about the situation. I don't think it would of been too much trouble for Cunard to have put on some hot drinks and sandwiches as they always seem to boast about their "White Star" service, well to be quite honest I did not see much of that in this situation, so thumbs down to Cunard.

Cabin

Anyways enough of that, we did finally board at around 5:30pm and found our cabin which was 6195 a B1 grade sheltered balcony located nicely postioned midship just by the stairway. A nice sized cabin with all the mod cons you would expect however I was quite disappointed that there was no flat screen tv but an old style tv that I have not seen in a quite a while ! I would of expected flat screen especially when the ship is designed for long days at sea and I'm sure many would enjoy a nice afternoon watching a movie on a good quality tv. I have to say the sheltered balcony is a very good size with 2 nice comfortable chairs well protected from the elements. The bathroom is standard size that you normally find on most cruise lines however the shower was small and the shower head was cheap and very basic and unfortunately the water pressure was poor and you have that horrible plastic shower curtain that always seems to get stuck to your backside ! There was lots of wardrobe space and and a nice little table and mirror for the ladies. There was also a small bottle of champagne waiting for us in the cabin which was a nice touch.

Dining - Britania

For both nights we ate in the Britania dining room, although we did try and book into the Todd English restaurant which is the alternate dining experience but this was booked up so I would recommend booking early, this had a $30pp supplement.
The Britania dining room is large and set over three floors and can get quite noisy but this is to be expected with the amount of passengers using it over 2 seatings, our first meal was ok but nothing overly spectacular I had the roast beef and yorkshire pudding(on par with most other 4 star cruise lines) the second night was so much better and the service was top notch I enjoyed the main course so much I ordered it twice !!! this included a nice piece of steak and mashed potato with a great sauce to compliment,and mixed vegetables.

Dining - Kings Court

I used this for both my lunches and found it surprisingly spacious and never had trouble finding a seat, this was quite impressive as on most other cruises I have always found it very busy and difficult to find a table. The tables seemed to be cleared very quickly and there were plenty of staff to handle the busy period. There was plenty of options including all the usual meat, rice salad etc, although I found it difficult to find a nice burger and fries just to soak up the alcohol form the night before. Hey that's just me !

Queens Room

This is the ball room and what a room this was very impressive, very spacious and the big band and singer were fantastic, however I have to admit I did not hang around long as I do have two left feet and was not ready to embarass myself ! I thought it was nice that Cunard offer gentleman hosts for those single ladies or for those ladies that husbands have the same type of dancing feet like myself !

G32

This is the night club and what a surprise, I was not expecting too much as I thought the average age was a little high to spend too much money on this space how wrong was I, there are 2 levels over looking the main dance floor and stage and the best thing about the 2nd level was that it was a smoking area so no need to keep running outside to get a sneaky cigarette in ! the service in this area was great and you never needed to wait too long for your drink. I have to also mention the band that played throughout the night were fantastic playing all the modern dance tunes, there were times I could not tell the difference between the DJ and the band........................FANTASTIC

Royal Court

This is the main theatre onboard, it is a nice sized theatre with great sight lines, however the seating is little strange as you dont get an individual seat you find a space on a huge long sofa ! weired............... we did pop into to see one of the shows but left rather quickly, say no more........................I did also see a few other people doing the same thing.

Cinema

Actually this is found in the Planetarium and feels like a proper old style cinema with great views and a nice sound system.

OVERALL

I'm afraid having only a couple of nights onboard I did not get the chance to see everything so please bear this in mind when reading through, having worked and cruised on over 45 ships I do have the luxury of being able to compare. I was slightly disappointed with the overall experience as I was expecting better, for me personally being in the age bracket 35 - 45 I would see myself getting very bored, however for the more mature guest I think this would suit perfectly. I keep forgetting that the ship is nearly 8 years old and does show in places, although nothing that would be a detriment to your cruise experience. I did find the drink prices quite expensive, I drink Bacardi and Coke and this cost me $7.95 I will leave that to you to work out with the latest exchange rate. EXPENSIVE !

Anyways go for it give her a go you may be pleasantly surprised..........

Cruise line drink prices etc.................are we being ripped off ?

2010-11-06T21:41:00.000Z

Well where do I start with this one?

Let's start with the American and European lines cruising out of the UK next year (Rccl,Princess,Cunard Celebrity and Msc) please please please use Sterling onboard next year and make it all so much more easier and cheaper for us. There is no denying it your drink prices are ridiculously expensive and I'm tired of the same old excuses blaming the exchange rates and harping on about how their drink prices are set compared to other cruise lines. $7.50 a beer ! your avin a laugh, why is it P&O and Fred Olsen can keep their drink prices down but the other international cruise lines feel the need to milk us all and charge over inflated prices.Right now if I was looking at booking a family cruise next summer out of the UK It would certainly not be with one of the American lines, there are other reasons for this too including, with P&O right now they are offering free onboard credit and free carparking, now what extras would I get if I looked at say for example Rccl and Princess ummmmmmmm NOTHING extra ! and while I'm on the subject the American cruise lines even want to take gratuties from you before you have even had the service.................

So come on guys I know your core base is American but you must be flexible when it comes to the British market, go on have a look at the British brands and see where you can improve.

Anyone out there agree with me ?

Come on England let's do the Ozzies..........................

2010-11-04T14:44:00.000Z

Australian cricket legends bowl up memories for charity on P&O Cruises Oriana

Australia’s greatest cricketing legends - including Richie Benaud and Neil Harvey – were reunited at a special charity event onboard the P&O Cruises ship Oriana in Sydney today, to reminisce about an era when the world’s top players spent months travelling to their Test Matches by sea.

The players were all members of the 1961 test team - the last Australian cricket team to cruise on a P&O Cruises ship to the UK for a Test Series, before the introduction of mass air travel saw players start to fly to their games.

Today, 10 members of the 1961 team – Captain Richie Benaud, Vice Captain Neil Harvey, Bob Simpson, Alan Davidson, Brian Booth, Frank Misson, Colin McDonald, Graham McKenzie, Barry Jarman and Lindsay Kline – shared their memories about their travelling days at a lunch on board Oriana, supporting the charity Movember.

Almost 50 years after their Australia-UK voyage, the players tried the superliner’s cricket nets on her top decks and posed for a photo beneath a 20 metre-wide moustache, worn by the ship in honour of Movember.

Movember is an official charity partner of Cricket Australia, raising funds and awareness for men’s health.

Legendary moustache wearer, former International and Movember Ambassador Max “Tangles” Walker was also in attendance at the charity event, with former Australian Test Captain Mark Taylor as MC.

Launched in 1995 by her Majesty the Queen, 69,000-tonne Oriana was the first cruise ship purpose-built for the British cruise market and is a favourite in both the UK and Australia. Oriana features a three tier atrium with a Tiffany glass ceiling, a panoramic Crow’s Nest bar, the aptly themed Lord’s Tavern sports bar and Oriana Rhodes, a restaurant by celebrity chef, Gary Rhodes.

Oriana is the first superliner to visit Australia on a world cruise this cruise season, arriving from Wellington this morning. She will sail to Brisbane at midnight tonight.

Speaking at the event, P&O Cruises managing director Carol Marlow said she was delighted to welcome the players on board in the name of charity.

“Cruising and cricket are two of the great traditions that bond Australia and England.

“For decades, P&O Cruises ships carried players from both countries’ cricket teams back and forth across the oceans for Test Matches that captivated us all.

“Almost 50 years after we carried the last Australian cricket team all the way to the UK, it is fantastic to have so many members of that team back on our ships again – and for such a worthwhile cause.”

Cricket Australia Chairman Jack Clarke celebrated the occasion and the reunion of the 1961 team.

“It’s a great opportunity to acknowledge the historical import of the 1961 Australian team and their journey to England nearly 50 years ago.

“We’re delighted that members of the 1961 team accepted the opportunity to celebrate their voyage to England and help raise funds and awareness for men’s health via Cricket Australia’s official charity partner, Movember.

“It is especially fitting that members of the team relive their series win in England in 1961 on the eve of the highly anticipated Ashes series in Australia.”

The 1961 team sailed to England from Fremantle on March 21, 1961 on the P&O liner Himalaya,

travelling via Colombo, where they played a one-day match against Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Australia won the five-Test series in England 2-1.

Five of the team’s players will sail on Oriana tonight for another charity event on Saturday in Brisbane.

Free flights with Rccl............is it all it's cracked up to be

2010-10-31T19:33:00.001Z

Rccl have just released 10,000 free flights on all Med cruises and once they have used them that's it, now that sounds fantastic right ? well yes it is true however if you are thinking of taking advantage of this deal and you want to take the kids with you it is only free for the first 2 adults and not the kids ! So a little misleading but still great if you want to keep the price of a family cruise down to a minimum. Also you need to remember cruise lines bulk buy ahead of time to keep the price of the flight tickets down to a minimum, so they might only have a few free flights on certain cruises and many more on others, I bet my months salary that these will be much harder to find on summer cruises in the school holiday's. I will be very honest here and will say that today I had 4 enquiries with Rccl and could only find free flights on 1 cruise ! Ummm it looks like you are going to have to be very quick and get booking right away.

So I have to say well done Rccl even though I struggled today to find free flights on all the enquiries taken today.

One and a half thumbs up to Rccl.....................

Blimey something free .........................

2010-10-30T21:03:00.001+01:00

Ummm I guess this is great news, well I suppose good news although Im surprised, as this kind of service really should be included in the price of the cruise.............anyways I guess I should share the news.........ready...................................here we go.................................................

P&O are now not charging for all their shuttle buses from ship to nearest town and back, ok I am being a little harsh and fair play to P&O for this, however I do remember a fews years back this service was free and something past passengers expected, and as they say it's the smallest things that make the difference.
Now let's see if we can get back the Midnight buffets every night, the grand chocolate buffet not just the chocolate budget buffet attempt we see at the moment, I remember these as being out of this world experiences that sent passengers running for their cameras and the Captain's cocktails where you could choose any drink you wanted not just cheap champagne, Bucks Fizz and cheap plonk ! Oh by the way this is not just P&O I'm talking about it's pretty much most cruise lines that are cutting back on things.

Big ship for Southampton soon ?

2010-10-28T19:03:00.001+01:00

Whilst I have a quiet period at work I was wondering if the UK will be lucky enough to have Rccl send one of their monster ships over to Southampton. Now having seen how popular the Independence has been with us Brits over the last couple of summers I think it would be a great idea to try it here, actually Im just being selfish and would like to see it for myself. However I have a feeling Rccl would prefer to keep it doing 7 day cruising as this would generate much more revenue onboard per 7 days than it would generate doing 14 day cruises. I guess I have answered my own question really ! I wonder if Rccl could confirm this? these days it is really important for cruise lines to generate as much money as possible once they have us onboard. I am always surprised P&O do not offer more shorter cruises as I can remember my retail sales onboard in the shops were always much better than the longer cruises. Oh well I guess we will have to wait and see if the Rccl monsters will be heading our way.

Oh just another thing I forgot to mention, us Brits do not like to gamble anywhere near the amount of money our American friends do onboard cruise ships and this Im sure would be another factor in sending one of the big ships our way, casinos onboard American ships departing out of the US generate unbelievable revenues something us Brits would not even come close to generating for them here in the UK.

Would you like to see the new monsters ?

Starbucks..........on a cruise ship

2010-10-27T22:03:00.002+01:00

Oh dear here we go, another global company pushing itself onto us cruisers, just heard that Rccl have signed a contract with Starbucks to have their store onboard Allure of the Seas, so not just the coffee but a proper store, now please tell me is there any need ? I thought you went on a cruise to get away from it all, I tell you what I don't think it will be long before we have a whole high street of well known brands flogging their wares to us. Let's not stop at coffee stores let's put a McDonalds on the Queen Elizabeth I'm sure that is what all Cunard die hards would like to see, or what about Tescos and offer self catering !Opps better not give them any ideas................ So what do you all think about this concept that looks like it will continue and get worse.

Let me know

“Complaints...are they all valid?”

2010-10-26T22:12:00.001+01:00

Just thought I would stick up for the cruise lines here, what really annoys me about cruisers is when they have nothing better to do than complain and whinge about the smallest things, for example...... when a ship can't get into a certain port because the seas are too rough and the captain has to make the unfortunate decision to miss it, some passengers complain that the only reason they booked the cruise was to see this particular port hoping they can get some compensation, come on guys did you really just book the cruise for the chance to see "Princess Cay's a single beach that the cruise line owns and has nothing of great interest to see !!! problem is the cruise line will normally give some onboard credit for your disappointment. Now I feel I am in a position to gripe about this because I have experienced this personally having worked on ships for a long time.

Another moan that seems to go on is the swimming pool closed issue, now the cruise lines are not out to ruin your holiday and are only thinking about your safety, so when the pool is closed It's not done to upset you It's done because 1. the ship is rocking and the pool would be too dangerous for you to use, 2. a child has been in there that should not have been and had a little accident.

Remember cruise lines want you to have a holiday of a life time and are hoping you will book again for next year, so if you do come across anything like this on your cruise remember 9 times out of ten the reason something is not perfect is because of your safety, think before you decide to go off on one and complain to anybody thats willing to listen to you.

NCL Epic passes its first test

2010-10-23T20:59:00.000+01:00

Congratulations to NCL and it's new addition Epic, having spent 2 nights onboard her back in August I was very impressed with the ship and all what she has to offer, I guess my only problem with her is the cabin layout and this would certainly put me off cruising on her again, although I hear they have started to rectify this.
Anyways congratulations are in order as she has just passed her very first Disease Control and Prevention inspection with a maximum score of 100% now this is not an easy thing to do especially when the inspection was surprised on them.

I just hope the inspectors don't surprise us here at Cruise.Co.Uk none of us know how to use the dish washer properly !

Well done EPIC

Venice plans to charge a 'tourist tax'

2010-10-22T20:43:00.001+01:00

Oh dear, just when we thought we had got over the taxes here in the UK we ARE now going to be hit with extra taxes in Venice,

First it was controversial advertising billboards on the Bridge of Sighs and now Venice is drawing up plans to tax visitors in an attempt to raise revenue for the city.

Tourists could be charged an entrance tax when they arrive in the Italian city, either by train, plane or CRUISE SHIP, under new plans being drawn up by the Italian government

Officials have drafted a plan that would allow Venetian authorities to charge visitors a one-off fee when they arrive in the city.

Over 20 million people visit Venice each year and the tax is expected to raise much-needed revenue for the city, whose palaces, churches and monuments are in urgent need of restoration.

The cost of the tax is not yet known.

Any guesses how much this will be ?

2 berth cabin means 2 berth ..................

2010-10-20T21:09:00.000+01:00

As you should all know 3 berth cabins are quite limited on cruise ships and must be booked early to avoid missing out, however just recently and for no reason I have taken a couple of calls from clients wishing to book 2 berth cabins with P&O but bring along their infant and add them in the cabin in a cot. Now I do understand clients frustrations with this not being allowed as obviously a cot would not take too much space up in the cabin and the infant is so tiny. However I'm afraid 2 berth means 2 berth and adding an infant in the cabin is not allowed. One of the reasons for this is because there just is not the space available to do this in most of these cabins, there has to be a certain amount space between cot and main bed. (obviously safety issues come into play) so I'm afraid if you want to take an infant you will need to book a 3 berth cabin. So my tip today is..............................If you want to take your infant on a cruise with you remember to book early and book a 3 berth cabin !

Headliner show time on a cruise...........

2010-10-17T19:53:00.000+01:00

I'm sure you have opened up your daily cruise paper and seen in big bold letters "Headliner Show time" and got rather excited expecting to see a super star name........don't tell me, you have read further along and seen a name you remember back in the 70's not quite so Headliner now is it ? Having started working on cruise ships back in the mid 90's I still today see the same old has beens showing up on cruise ships.Now I have nothing against these performers but come on guys if you are going to advertise head liners let's at least have one. Jimmy Cricket, Paul Daniels, the guy from "Catch Phrase" say what you see, can't remember his name right now but I'm sure you know who I'm talking about ! are just not what I would call head line. Whilst working on RCCL ships we were spoilt with acts like The Osmonds, Chaka Khan even Witney Houston came onboard once to do a one off show, now at the time these were super stars.Now why do we still see some of the above 70's stars appearing even today. Come on cruise lines what about some proper headline stars. Now cruise lines are always telling us that the average age of a cruiser is getting younger every year so do they really think a 35 year old is going to want to watch Jimmy Cricket walking around the stage with his wellies on the wrong feet ? they probably won't even know who he is ! So sort it guys and give us someone that is going to blow us away.

What act would you want to see ?

Safety zones onboard a cruise ship

2010-10-12T16:55:00.000+01:00

Now this you may find interesting and I have just experienced it myself with a client of mine. My client had seen a great deal with P&O on our web called me and wanted the cabin with 3 adults in the cabin, now the cabin was available and it was a 3 berth cabin. So all looking good, when I went in the booking system to add all the clients details when I got to the end to confirm the booking an error message came up and I was asked to call cruise line. As it happens although the cabin was a 3 berth and available to book the safety zone that the cabin was allocated in was full and the 3 berth cabin could now only take 2 people. Confused ?? I would have been if I had not worked on a cruise ship before. So basically the safety zone that the cabin was situated in has an allocation of people to each lifeboat and because that allocation had been met there were only 2 more spaces left in the lifeboat, hence the third person would not have a lifeboat to get into incase of an emergency. This happens rarely but can crop up and really confuse people especially when they can see the cabin available.

Sneaky look at the QE....

2010-10-06T21:53:00.001+01:00

As most of us are aware Cunard will be introducing their new ship his month and we are all excited about this, I found this video on you tube. Just click on the word Cunard and have a sneaky look. Finally we have a ship to be proud of, oh did I just say that ! I hope P&O do not read this. Personally I feel ships are just getting too big and bland, I had high hopes of the Ventura but personally I do not like it and am hoping this baby does us proud. What do you think, are ships getting too big and losing their personality or are you a fan of bigger is better ?? Let me know

I want that seat

2010-10-04T21:59:00.002+01:00

Yesterday I finally arranged my flights to Phuket having taken me some time to make a decision, we all know what it's like especially when booking a cruise and it includes flights. We all would love to be able to afford business class seats on the flight and that great feeling of turning left after finally boarding. Ummm alright for some ! So for the majority of us that have to turn right after boarding and joining cattle class we all hope that we will be in a decent place whether it's a window seat,aisle seat or if we are lucky the emergency exit seat. As it happens I have booked through Emirates and have been given a flight locator number and this allows me to go into my booking 24 hours before my departure and choose the seat I wish (well whatever is left I suppose) Now most flights that are booked as a package with the cruise line allow you to do this too, however most airlines will only allow you to pre book seats 24 hours before the flight. To get this flight locator number you must call your cruise agent and they can find this reference number for you. There are certain times when this can't be done and this will be because the cruise line has purchased a bulk load of seats on a particular route and this helps to keep the price of the seats at a fair price, if this is the case then i'm afraid you will not be able to pre book your seats. Remember though it is always worth calling your agent to find out if you can infact pre book. As it happens I can pre book my seats and I will have my finger ready to log in and hopefully get the seat I want.

Good luck

Why is an inaugural cruise not always that?

2010-09-29T21:43:00.000+01:00

I'm sure you have all seen a particular cruise line promote their new ship and spend lots of money on letting us all know that we MUST be the first passengers to cruise on it's inaugural cruise and how special it will be, and then later on promote a pre inaugural cruise for the same ship!. This infuriates passengers and I can understand why. Now as I understand it, this is because the ship builders are contracted to finish a ship build on time or they will be fined if the ship is delivered late, ship builders do not want this to happen and are getting much better at building ships and actually plan the build to finish early, hense no fines and a big pat on the back from the cruise lines. However when the ship builds are finished early there maybe a 2 week gap prior to the inaugural cruise that has been heavily promoted and the cruise line will want to cash in on this extra space in the schedule and add pre inaugural cruises. Now this is unfair to all those passengers that have paid good money to be on the first cruise only to find out they will not infact be the first.

Has this happened to you and if so please let me know what the cruise lines have done to compensate you

Please don't forget to tip

2010-09-25T23:13:00.002+01:00

As we all know when you cruise you are always looked after very well and receive fantastic service,and you are politely reminded to tip those staff members that have done a great job.I get asked quite a few times if I pay my gratuities before hand, how do I know that those crew members are actually going to get their tips from the cruise line. Well having seen first hand how the system works I can guarantee you every single penny gets passed onto the staff members. So please feel 100% assured that the money you pay ahead of time for the gratuities is passed on to the crew members. Also you will find if you pay your gratuities at the the time of booking it will work out cost effective.

P&O will charge 17% on every drink purchased.............................

2010-09-21T14:19:00.001+01:00

This is something that is very new to me and only found out yesterday from a client of mine that got back from his P&O cruise.Remember this will only happen if your cruise does not visit any EU countries, so please make sure before you leave that your cruise is going to be stopping in an EU country. I was surprised when I heard this but I do understand why. It works on the same principle as DUTY PAID cigarettes. Just a quick blog to keep you informed.

Duty free "I want to save some money"

2010-09-19T20:37:00.001+01:00

Just recently I was asked by a client if they could buy cheap booze from the ports and take it onto the ship so they could save some money and not have to buy the expensive drinks from behind the bars.Ummm I do have some great tips to get round this, however I have to be careful because I'm sure the cruise lines will not want me to confide in this information !

All I will say is if you are planning on trying to smuggle some booze onboard do not wrap it around a towel and put it in the bottom of your bag! Say no more................... But I must say that P&O and Fred Olsen do have very fair bar prices and you will find they will compare to your local pub back home. Also some cruise lines will allow you to purchase bottles of spirits from the duty free shops and behind the bar but will add a corkage charge, still if you are on the verge of being an alcoholic and plan to drink your way through the cruise it could still save you some money.................Hic.

All this talk of alcohol has just reminded me I have 4 cans of lager in the back of my fridge, and match of the day 2 is just about to start.

"Whats the weather going to be like on my cruise"?

2010-09-18T21:46:00.000+01:00

Now I aim to be good at many things but I can safely say I just will not be able to predict the weather you are going to have on your cruise, and just recently had my direct line to him upstairs cut off. What I can say is that if your looking for a Med cruise you can safely work on the assumption that the weather is going to be great around the same time as our summer. However this can't be said for cruises heading north to scandinavia, here it can be very unpredictable and I would take a selection of clothing for all seasons.Strange as it sounds I always get asked "what will the weather be like for our cruise"? ummmm I have to be honest with them and always come back with "how long is a piece of string"? So click on the word weather and now you can find out exactly what your weather is going to be like.

Remember cruise lines will only ever send their ships to areas that work best weather wise etc.

*NEW EXCITING "Tailor Made Cruises"

2010-09-17T11:08:00.003+01:00

Wow I am so excited about our new "Tailor Made" packages we have organised and I just want to make sure everyone gets the chance for themselves to see these amazing deals. Have a look at the package below to see these amazing prices...............

Direct flights with Virgin from London to Las Vegas
2 night stay in a 5*hotel in Las Vegas
Internal flight from Las Vegas to Los Angeles
3 night stay in a 4*hotel in Beverley Hills Los Angeles
2 tours included
25 night cruise on Queen Victoria
All transfers included

Inside cabins from only £1,999.00pp WOW

All packages are protected by ATOL & ABTA

This is just one of many packages we have organised and understandably are very popular.

Free children prices in 2011 .......................................................

2010-09-11T16:05:00.000+01:00

So again I have caught your attention, well listen very carefully if you are looking to book a cruise for 2011 and you want to take the children for free act quickly, there are still some spaces with P&O and Cunard but they are going quickly. Take a look at our website http://www.cruise.co.uk/ and get searching, it really is worth having a look and saving yourself some money.................................................Well what are you waiting for ?

Wheelchairs at sea........................

2010-09-05T12:49:00.001+01:00

Greetings all, just thought I would mention a tip concerning wheel chair passengers, remember the majority of ships these days are mostly wheel chair friendly and thats great news but always remember to look at the the stops the cruise ship makes in each port and watch out for tender ports, this is when the ship cannot pull alongside and has to anchor just outside, if you are looking to get off you may find it very difficult as you will have to get from the side of the ship to the small tender and this can be very dangerous at the best of times and being in a wheel chair makes it even more challenging. You will find that there will be many ports in Norway where the ships visit so if you want to visit Norway double check with the agent when and where there may be the possibility of tendering. However most western med cruises the ships do pull alongside and you will have no trouble getting on and off.

So remember always ask the question when making a booking "are there any tender ports"
Good luck and get booking

Free car parking and free coach transfer with your cruise purchase

2010-08-29T19:59:00.000+01:00

Right now I have your attention, I would like to offer you this great deal, always remember when you call up to always ask "does this come with free car parking" many cruise lines will be offering this for 2011 bookings and if you dont ask the question you may miss out. Now another important thing to remember is to make sure you call up and add the free parking or coach transfer, numerous times we have included free carparking but the client has forgotten to add this with the cruise company. Now if you dont do this you will NOT get the free car parking and will be very annoyed that you now have to pay for it yourselves. So rememeber to add the free deal on your booking and save yourselves ££££

So what are you still doing reading this ...................get out there and book

Single supplements on cruise ships !

2010-08-24T09:14:00.000+01:00

Yes I hear all you single travellers out there groan.........Im with you on this one, I am a singleton and get hit when I book hotel rooms whenever I decide to put my back pack on and travel off somewhere exotic. Most cruise lines do not even include single cabins although there are still a couple of cruise lines including Fred Olsen and P&O Azura that offer single cabins. The trouble with single supplements is that if there is a deal you can never find it advertised and I think this also frustrates us. Dont always think that it will be 100% supplement it can be as low as 30% and that can certainly help.So do not despair and go hunt for those low supplements, they are out there just very hard to find.

Good luck and let me know your thoughts about this issue

Looking for a cruise next christmas 2011?

2010-08-18T09:41:00.002+01:00

Yes I hear you all thinking "are you mad thats ages away" well one of my family members was enquiring last night for a cruise to include xmas and new year and Iwas struggling to arrange flights for that time of the year. So if you are planning to look for something next year please act quickly, it is the busiest time of the year to cruise and there are already limited cabins for certain grades. I spent many a xmas working onboard and it is magical, all the xmas decorations and lights and festive spirit and if you are thinking of taking the family the kids will love it.

If any of you out there have experienced xmas at see please feel free to leave your coments.
Right you have been warned so start looking into it NOW !

Security cameras on cruise ships, are they a good thing ?

2010-08-15T10:38:00.000+01:00

So as we have seen in the news lately speed cameras are no being withdrawn from many roads, and councils are looking at withdrawing many from town centers. So why do the cruise lines seem it fit to have security cameras planted in every nook and cranny on a cruise ship, when I started my career on cruise ships there were hardly any to be seen and there seemed to be no less passengers falling overboard or terriost attacks. Having just been on a particular cruise ship for a visit everywhere I looked there seemed to be a security camera pointed at me from the pool deck to the promenade deck, now I do understand that the promenade deck would be a suitable place to have them just incase someone does go overboard and they can look back and see what exactly happened, now if this is the case why do I not see them on each balcony cabin just incase the same unfortunate incident happens there. Now why not go the whole hogg and have them in each passenger cabin just incase passengers are looking at taking that lovely plump pillow or accidently putting in that lovely new kettle into their suitcase. I am fed up looking around and seeing a camera every place I go and it really annoys me.

Do you think cruise lines really need all these cameras planted around every corner on their ships and if you do please tell me WHY ? I would be very interested to hear your comments

Late summer cruises

2010-08-07T15:02:00.001+01:00

So its that time of the year again, everbody looking for a late deal to take the family away on a cruise, remember many of these cruises will have been filled up some time ago, especially if you are looking for anymore than a 2 berth cabin. So get searching and decide quickly because if you are lucky enough to find a 3 or 4 berth cabin get it booked there and then to avoid and disappointment.I know there are still a couple of places available with Norwegian cruise line, so take a look there first.

Good luck

Carnival Debuts Superstar Live Karaoke

2010-08-05T21:19:00.001+01:00

Have you ever thought that you could sing better than all those X factor contestants, well now you can onboard some of the Carnival Cruise Line ships, now i think im a bit of a singer and practice most days here at work !!!
However I have a feeling most of my colleagues would rather I did not sing. So read below and see where you could sing and get away with it
With the band warmed up, amps cranked, spotlight set and the adoring crowd ready to explode, Carnival guests will take the stage, grab the mic and live out their music-star daydreams on the open seas. Introducing Superstar Live Karaoke, Carnival Cruise Lines’ newest entertainment feature puts guests into the act, fronting a live band and performing their favorite songs to a packed house.

Superstar Live Karaoke combines two popular forms of entertainment – live music by talented musicians and karaoke by Carnival’s singing sailors – and cranks it up. It is fun for all when aspiring singers or fun-seekers have their moment in the spotlight while a few hundred of their friends, family and fellow guests cheer them on and sing along.

Following a high-energy introduction, the would-be music legend hits the stage to belt out a favorite tune accompanied by talented musicians playing the electric guitar, bass, drums and keyboards, as well as versatile backup singers to provide sweet harmonies.

Those interested in living their dream as a super star -- for one night, at least -- simply sign up with the on-site host in the designated Superstar Live Karaoke lounge on board. Participation is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Guests can channel their inner rock star, pop idol, Motown legend and country crooner, selecting from a list of more than 100 song titles that span a wide variety of musical styles and genres from artists including ABBA to Zac Brown Band and everything in between.

For those about to rock, there are plenty of classic songs from AC/DC, The Beatles, Pat Benatar, Bon Jovi, Joan Jett and others, as well as contemporary hits by artists such as The Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga and Maroon 5.

Guests can add a twang with current and classic country songs made famous by Garth Brooks, Patsy Cline, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Shania Twain, and others, or pay their respects to soul, rap and R&B greats by performing songs by Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Wilson Pickett and Sir Mix-A-Lot, among many others.

So with this in mind would you have a go ????

MSC Cruises Confirms Construction of MSC Fantastica by STX France

2010-07-31T22:38:00.000+01:00

MSC Cruises announced the conclusion of the legal process that finalizes the order and confirms construction of a new ‘Fantasia’ class cruise ship, MSC Fantastica, U32, by STX France making it the 12th ship in its fleet.
An important factor in the success of the project was the financial backing provided by French financial institutions, and especially by Coface, the French Export Credit Agency, making it possible for the vessel to be delivered as required by MSC Cruises by the end of spring 2012.

According to Jacques Hardelay, General Manager of STX France, he’s pleased with the contract being confirmed. “We look forward to continuing the long-standing relationship between the teams of MSC Cruises and STX France for the successful delivery of this magnificent vessel,” said Hardelay.

MSC Fantastica will build upon the success of the ‘Fantasia’ prototype, offering a unique experience for guests in its class thanks to innovative features such as the MSC Yacht Club, exclusive ship-within-a-ship area onboard, for unprecedented levels of privacy and personalized service.

Pierfrancesco Vago, worldwide chief-executive-officer for MSC Cruises, said, “We are delighted at the confirmation of this important investment--a sign of the success of our ambitious growth strategy. Together with STX France, we are focused on further enhancing MSC Cruises' leading positioning within the world’s cruise industry.

Dead humpback whale pinned to Alaska cruise ship

2010-07-31T15:19:00.000+01:00

A dead whale has been found pinned to the bow of a cruise ship off the coast of Alaska, the third such incident in a decade.

The whale was removed from a Princess Cruises ship on Wednesday afternoon, having apparently become lodged on the bulbous bow that morning.

The unfortunate whale, believed to be an adult female humpback measuring 13m (43ft) in length, was found at around 8am on Wednesday, as the Sapphire Princess ship travelled from Ketchikan to Juneau in Alaska.

The Sapphire Princess then stopped south of Douglas Island until the carcass could be removedon Wednesday afternoon. The bow protrudes from the bowline of large ships just below the waterline. It is designed to reduce drag, increasing speed and stability.

Biologists will conduct a necropsy today to try to determine the cause of death, according to local news channel KTUU.

Humpback whales are protected under the US endangered species act and the marine mammal act, although it is unclear whether any legal action would be taken. A spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was possible the whale was already dead before becoming pinned to the bow.

Last year, the same ship was discovered to have a dead fin whale – which, like humpbacks, are classified as endangered – pinned to its bow when it returned to Vancouver.

In 2007, the firm paid $750,000 (£480,000) to settle a criminal charge related to a dead whale found just outside Glacier Bay, Alaska in 2001. The dead whale, a pregnant humpback, was found to have had its skull crushed.

Although Princess did not admit in the settlement to striking the whale, the company pleaded guilty to failing to operate one of its vessels, the Dawn Princess, at a safe speed around whales.

In a statement released yesterday, Princess said it was "fully co-operating" with the investigation into the incident near Tracy Arm fjord, south of Juneau.

Freedom of the Seas Debuts Exclusive “Epicurean Discovery” Package

2010-07-26T17:04:00.001+01:00

Royal Caribbean International is offering guests the opportunity to transform their next cruise vacation into a gourmet getaway, thanks to 12 specialty voyages onboard Freedom of the Seas that are part of the cruise line’s “Epicurean Discovery” series. Designed to provide culinary enthusiasts with an experience of a lifetime, this mouth watering package features a variety of special events throughout the week devoted to cuisine and fine dining, with each sailing hosted by a different renowned celebrity chef, such as “Iron Chef” contender Johnny Vinczencz; 2010 James Beard winner for “Best Chef in the South” Michael Schwartz; and “Top Chef” Chicago contender Spike Mandelsohn.

Available exclusively to guests booking suite accommodations or higher, the seven-night “Epicurean Discovery” package offers foodies a unique educational endeavor led by gastronomic mavericks, including private dinners, a wine tasting, experiential lecture and private tour, as well as a tapas sampling reception, signed photo and cookbook. The unique experience begins at $1,874 per person, based on double occupancy.
Guests participating in the new onboard experience will still have ample time to enjoy Freedom of the Seas’ signature amenities, from the FlowRider surf-simulator, H20 Zone interactive water park, signature rock climbing Wall and only full-size boxing rink at sea to Broadway-caliber production shows, one-of-a-kind ice shows, and fully equipped Freedom DaySpa and Fitness Center, as well as enjoy the various ports of call. Sailing from Port Canaveral, Fla., Freedom of the Seas sails seven-night cruises to the Eastern Caribbean, calling on Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten and Royal Caribbean’s private island CocoCay, Bahamas; and to the Western Caribbean, calling on Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Mexico; and Royal Caribbean’s private destination Labadee, Haiti.

GMTV Takes to the Seas with P&O

2010-07-22T11:55:00.001+01:00

P&O Cruises will play host to GMTV next week, as its nationwide search for Britain’s hidden culinary talent – ‘Chefs at Sea’ – comes to a close with the four finalists battling it out on board one of the most popular ships in the fleet, Ventura. Presenter Claire Sweeney will be at the helm and P&O Cruises own culinary genius, Marco Pierre White, will be judging the live final at the end of the week.

The four finalist contestants, being chosen by GMTV viewers this week (19 – 22 July) will be boarding the ship on Saturday 24 July and sailing on a week long cruise visiting Vigo, Lisbon, La Rochelle and Brest (N019). The programme will be aired live from Ventura between 7am and 9am each morning between Monday 26 and Friday 30 July.

Haute cuisine teacher and chef, Rosemary Shrager, of Ladette to Lady and Soapstar Superchef, will be mentoring the budding chefs and guiding them through a series of fun food tasks on board and on shore as they test their culinary credentials against each other live at sea.

P&O Cruises passengers will have the chance to get involved as they vote for their two favourites in a theatre ‘cook-off’ mid-cruise. The two finalists will then go head to head in the final challenge – cooking Marco Pierre White’s signature dish for him and the Captain on the Captain’s table.

The winner will receive a Caribbean cruise on Ventura, for themselves and their family, and a private cooking masterclass with Marco Pierre White on board.

P&O Cruises managing director, Carol Marlow, said: “P&O Cruises is renowned for fine dining and exceptional quality of food on board, so we are delighted to be hosting this GMTV programme on board Ventura.

“She is the perfect ship for this competition – as the dining options on board are so rich and varied – from authentic Spanish tapas, exotic Asian and Oriental, to fresh and colourful Mediterranean fine dining from Marco Pierre White.

“Throughout the week we’ll be supporting the contestants as they learn about everything from pastry to shell-fish. We look forward to seeing who comes out on top and to welcoming them and their family back on board later this year.”

Carnival Cruise Lines Punches Up The Fun With Fleetwide Comedy Clubs

2010-07-21T08:40:00.002+01:00

Carnival Cruise Lines is adding more laughs and upping the fun quotient at sea with the introduction of Carnival Punchliner Comedy Clubs -- dedicated comedy lounges rolling out fleetwide on all 22 “Fun Ships” by the end of the year. Building on the tremendous success of its first comedy club, which debuted on the new Carnival Dream last fall, Punchliner Comedy Clubs will feature a wide variety of side-splitting comics.

Located in the ship’s aft lounge, each Punchliner Comedy Club will offer guests loads of laughs with five 35-minute shows on multiple nights during each voyage, with at least two comedians performing each night. The two early-evening shows offer fun for the whole family while the later performances will feature adult-oriented comedy.

Carnival Punchliner Comedy Clubs will feature hilarious, laugh-out-loud performances from established comedians as well as rising stars, with approximately 10 shows per voyage offered on short cruise itineraries and approximately 20 shows per cruise on longer length departures.

“Laughter is the most public, most infectious expression of fun, so we’re excited to provide our guests with an expanded offering in comedy with our new Punchliner Comedy Clubs,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO. “Given that laughter has been shown to have a positive effect on mood, stress reduction and overall happiness, our new clubs and performance line-up will only further enhance the spirited fun of a Carnival vacation.”

While comedy shows have always been part of Carnival’s diverse entertainment lineup, the concept was taken to another level aboard the Carnival Dream, which offered the line’s first dedicated comedy club last fall. Comedy clubs are currently also featured on Carnival Glory, Carnival Pride and Carnival Sensation -- with the concept being incorporated into the remainder of the fleet over the next several months. When Carnival Magic enters service in May 2011, a Punchliner Comedy Club will also be featured on the line’s newest “Fun Ship.”

All of Carnival’s aft show lounges will be converted to comedy clubs with a special stage and branded glassware, menus, employee uniforms and other items featuring the Punchliner Comedy Club logo. Guests can learn about the performer lineups and schedules in the ship’s Fun Times newsletter.

All Onboard for a Wine-Tastic Time on P&O Azura

2010-07-19T11:21:00.001+01:00

Having the choice of 32 different wines by the glass in TV wine expert Olly Smith's wine bar on board P&O Cruises latest ship, Azura has been a hit with passengers with Peller Ice Cuvee, Blind River Sauvignon Blanc and Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon all proving firm favourites.

Olly Smith, said: "The Glass House really is a must for both wine lovers and for those who are dipping their toes into the wonderful world of wines for the very first time. The Glass House menu features different wines recommended with each course, all served by the glass. I am thrilled to say that the fleet house wines we blended have recently received the commended award from the Decanter World Wine Awards 2010 and the Porta Palo white wine also received a commended award from the International wine and spirits competition 2010.

"I have made several trips on board so far and have some planned for the rest of the year too. It has been great to chat to passengers and hear their feedback on The Glass House, host some fun wine tasting sessions and also to enjoy a glass of wine, or two, with the new friends I have been making at sea."

Passengers are able to order 'wine flights' in The Glass House. A wine flight consists of three 125ml glasses of different wines so that passengers can sample wines they have not tried before, compare different wines and learn more about wine and concepts of wine tasting. The wine flights have been designed by Olly Smith. There are seven flights and each one has a different theme, for example luxury wines, wines from classic wine growing regions, wines from new wine growing regions, and Olly's favourite wines.

The Glass House has a state of the art Enomatic wine system which enables passengers to try wines by the glass rather than having to buy an entire bottle. A bottle can be opened, then preserved by using revolutionary inert gas so it does not react to the oxygen in the air allowing the flavours and characteristics of the wide range of selected vintages to remain intact, as if the bottle had just been opened and therefore able to be enjoyed by many.

Cunard Announces the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company

2010-07-16T10:29:00.001+01:00

When Cunard Line’s new Queen Elizabeth debuts in October 2010, the Line will introduce an original concept in theatrical entertainment at sea with the newly formed Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company. Guests will enjoy a brand new repertoire of shows premiered by the Theatre Company’s 29 singers, dancers, actors and musicians. Video blogs about the new entertainment programme have been posted on the WeAreCunard YouTube.com channel, featuring Queen Elizabeth's on-board Entertainment Director Alistair Greener chatting with Cunard President Peter Shanks (Part One) and Martin Lilly, director of entertainment (Part Two).

New shows will include the hit “Slice of Saturday Night,” a popular nostalgic pastiche of 1960s music which has been staged in London and toured extensively throughout the UK and US. Adapted especially for the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company by its original writers, the Heather Brothers, “Slice of Saturday Night” features all of the Theatre Company members - the largest production show that Cunard has ever staged.

Performing in the new ship’s majestic Royal Court Theatre, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company will present a compelling variety of musical productions and abridged versions of popular plays such as a Neil Simon triple bill and Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” The Simon show will feature three scenes, one each from some of the playwright’s best-loved shows - “Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” “Plaza Suite” and “The Odd Couple” - each linked by their setting: an apartment or hotel suite. At the conclusion of each show, the audience may take part in an informal Q&A session with the actors.

“The Piccadilly Line,” showcasing the talents of the entire Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company, explores the spoken word, song and prose as characters get on and off a train journey on the world’s oldest underground rail system. The action is set in the shell of a London tube train carriage.

“Hotel Royale” is a musical production featuring 16 singers and dancers who whimsically bring to life the story of a hotel which is past its prime – once the playground of the rich and famous, it is now home to some quirky staff and unusual guests.

“Sing,” a lively production based on the popularity of “Singers in Concert” performed on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, features 21 live musicians and four singers on stage, and creates a dynamic, audience-pleasing atmosphere in the Royal Court Theatre from the very first note. The show’s influences are drawn from contemporary musical theatre, pop and classic songs which will be very familiar to the audience.

“La Danza” is a cutting edge dance production showcasing the virtuoso talents of the dance ensemble. Following in the footsteps of “Apassionata” and “Dance Passion,” two hugely successful shows currently running on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, “La Danza” will delight guests who enjoy a wide range of choreography performed by truly talented performers.

Queen Elizabeth’s guests will also be able to take part in a specially written panel quiz show which will offer an afternoon of friendly banter. The Theatre Company will have its own take on topical news and entertainment stories.

“The entertainment on Queen Elizabeth is the most extensive ever seen on a Cunard liner, mixing tradition with satire,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “The Royal Court Theatre is comparable to London West End or Broadway Theatre – and we have created our own Theatre Company to really bring it to life. From the best of Broadway to Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ – we offer something for everybody.”

“We are thrilled and honoured to be able to continue our successful partnership with Cunard in providing the production shows for this stunning new ship,” said Belinda King of Belinda King Creative Productions. “With the creation of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company, we look forward to delighting Cunarders old and new with a wonderfully entertaining selection of shows, now including original theatre productions as well as established stage favourites. Once more, Cunard is raising the standard in on board entertainment and we are proud to be working alongside them.”

Queen Elizabeth continues the tradition of presenting Cunard’s Royal Nights with the debut of “The Cunard Ball,” “London Swings,” “The Starlight Ball” and the “Elizabethan Ball.” “London Swings” will be featured on the same evening as “Slice of Saturday Night,” with its inspirations taken from flower power and popular British '60s icons such as Twiggy, Mary Quant and Carnaby Street.

In addition, Queen Elizabeth will offer Cunard’s award-winning Insights enrichment programme which introduces guests to stimulating experts and accomplished academics. Through a series of lectures, Q&As, social gatherings and workshops, guests connect with personalities who have achieved notable distinction in areas including history, world affairs, science, arts and literature. The Insights programme underscores Cunard’s view that on board entertainment should afford guests a provocative and rewarding experience.

New for Queen Elizabeth will be the introduction of Professional Insights, a series of expert workshops on diverse subjects including antiques and auctions, sculpture, movie reviews, performance poetry, and even weather forecasting.

Big up to Rochelle at MSC cruise line

2010-07-12T12:54:00.002+01:00

Its not often it happens when you deal with cruise lines direct but I have to say Rochelle at MSC has been a little star, all I had to do was speak to her and my issues were sorted out straight away, I even received a follow up call today just checking in with me to see if all was well.

Cheers Rochelle

TWO THUMBS UP

Crystal Cruises Sustainable Seafood Commitment

2010-07-11T10:49:00.001+01:00

In its dedication to protecting marine environments and preserving their habitats, Crystal Cruises has committed to serving only sustainable seafood aboard its award-winning vessels. Renowned for the sophisticated fare served in the Crystal Dining Room and specialty restaurants Silk Road and The Sushi Bar and Prego, Crystal is the first cruise line to publicly commit to such a policy.

Since 1990, Crystal has served fresh fish and live lobster in the Crystal Dining Room and specialty restaurants, and with this new commitment, will offer guests a wide variety of sea fare raised in a sustainable manner, protecting the species for future generations. With guidance from both governmental and non-governmental conservation organizations and fisheries, the line favors suppliers that share the same ideals and boast documented reputations for methods that minimize the impact on local wildlife and ecosystems.

"We recognize that by sourcing seafood responsibly, we can help protect the environment and marine populations for generations to come," says Toni Neumeister, vice president, food & beverage. "It's simply the right thing to do, and allows us to continue offering our guests the highest quality cuisine while being good stewards of the oceans on which we sail."

Effective immediately, the initiative is the latest in Crystal's history of responsible seafood purchasing and sourcing. The line was the first cruise line to discontinue the use of endangered caviar from the Caspian Sea and introduced farmed caviar from the U.S., France and Uruguay, which has now become the standard in the luxury hospitality industry. Additionally, Crystal discontinued offering endangered species of fish more than a decade ago

Holland America Names Nieuw Amsterdam

2010-07-06T14:17:00.003+01:00

In a gala ceremony rich with Dutch heritage, Holland America Line named ms Nieuw Amsterdam in Venice, Italy, on July 4. Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Netherlands officially named the premium line’s 15th ship in front of invited dignitaries, cruise guests and media during the special celebration before the ship embarked on its maiden cruise.

“We are exceptionally honored to have Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima as the godmother of this beautiful ship and to continue a long and proud tradition of having members of the Dutch Royal Family name our ships,” said Stein Kruse, president and chief executive officer, Holland America Line. “The second Signature-class ship in our fleet is elegant and the largest passenger ship to sail under the Dutch flag.”

Fifteen fleet captains representing Holland America Line’s ships participated in the festivities, welcoming Her Royal Highness as she arrived to the pier. Following the ship’s blessing and traditional breaking of a champagne bottle across the ship’s bow as the finale, company executives and senior staff officers.

Built at Fincantieri’s Marghera yard near Venice, the 2,106-guest Nieuw Amsterdam is the fourth to carry that name for the line and departed on its maiden voyage roundtrip from Venice to nearby Mediterranean ports following the naming. After a series of 12-day Mediterranean sailings, the ship embarks on a fall trans-Atlantic crossing to the Caribbean to sail seven-day eastern and western itineraries from November 2010 through March 2011.

Country Music Icon Reba McEntire Christens Norwegian Epic

2010-07-06T09:04:00.001+01:00

Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Cruise Line's largest and most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship to date, was officially christened on Friday, July 2 at 2:00 p.m. by its godmother country music superstar Reba McEntire. The entertainment extravaganza was hosted by comedian and Curb Your Enthusiasm star Jeff Garlin and included performances by the ship's world-class entertainers on board, including Blue Man Group; Cirque Dreams™ & Dinner; Legends in Concert performers Madonna, Elvis and Tina Turner; Second City® Comedy Troupe; Howl at the Moon Dueling Pianos; among others.

“I am deeply proud of our company today,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “To me, this ship is truly epic in every sense of the word: she is grand, she is luxurious. And she will also carry lucky guests on the adventure of their lives.”

The hour-long event was simulcast in venues throughout the ship to allow maximum viewing opportunities and culminated with Ms. McEntire cracking the bottle to christen the ship.

“Like any proud godmother, I could go on for a while about how wonderful Norwegian Epic is,” said Ms. McEntire during the ceremony. “The incredible entertainment options, the fabulous restaurants, the plush accommodations, the way it takes Freestyle Cruising to the next level. It gives me the biggest thrill to christen this beautiful ship.”

Celebrity Cruises Gets Personal with Enhanced Concierge Service

2010-07-04T11:18:00.001+01:00

Celebrity Cruises has introduced a new “Personal Concierge” program aimed at further enhancing the brand’s “Designed for you” reputation, by emphasizing the extraordinary customized onboard service that has long set Celebrity Cruises apart from its competitors. By individually communicating with guests to learn their personal preferences, tastes and needs, Celebrity’s new Personal Concierges deliver individualized attention – much like that of a personal assistant – for any guests who wish to heighten special occasions and create new ones.

“Our guests cruise for many reasons, whether they’re seeking an unforgettable vacation or celebrating life’s most precious milestones,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Senior Vice President, Hotel Operations. “We have designed the new Personal Concierge position in order to help guests make their vacation with us a truly personalized experience, in a way that minimizes their effort but maximizes their enjoyment.”

The Personal Concierge on each ship is an expert in matching Celebrity’s onboard offerings to guests’ individual desires for a particular event or experience. Guests don’t have to be celebrating any special occasion to enjoy the Personal Concierge service. Personal Concierges also help guests to arrange private shore excursions, book spa and specialty dining experiences and more, for no other reason than to make the most of their vacation. Personal Concierges also handle the fine details of arranging onboard celebrations of personal milestones such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, retirement and graduation. The consultative services of the Personal Concierge are free of charge; guests only have to pay for the services and events arranged.

“Recently, a guest sailing on Celebrity Summit asked the Personal Concierge to assist in planning a special evening during which he intended to propose to his girlfriend,” Lutoff-Perlo said. “The Personal Concierge spent time discussing the guest’s ideal evening, and then created an unforgettable romantic experience. The Personal Concierge arranged for a table in the ship’s specialty restaurant’s exclusive wine cellar for dinner that evening, ordered a dozen red roses to be delivered to the table, reserved a table in the ship’s nightclub and arranged for a bottle of chilled champagne to be ready for the guests upon their arrival there after dinner, and, while they were enjoying the evening, sent Celebrity’s “Classic Romance” package of strewn rose petals, champagne, and chocolate-covered strawberries to their stateroom in order to continue the romantic theme throughout the evening. Throughout the evening, the Personal Concierge ensured that everything went smoothly, and the next day, the guest – whose proposal was accepted – expressed his sincere thanks.”

Dining: What’s New on cruise ships?

2010-06-30T16:59:00.001+01:00

From dining with the chefs to design-your-own cupcakes and Indonesian tea time, there are many new and unique offerings at sea when it comes to cuisine.

“There’s so much happening in food and beverage,” Frank Weber, Royal Caribbean’s vice president of food and beverage operations, said quite aptly.

Over the past decade, celebrity chefs at sea have been the rage. These chefs, who are well-known for their restaurant(s) on land, generally influence key menu selections aboard ship and sail periodically with the cruise lines they represent. However, this trend has recently evolved into up-close-and-personal encounters with cruise lines’ top in-house chefs. Many cruise lines now offer variations of these “dine with the chef” dinner experiences. These exclusive dinners are offered each cruise, impose a surcharge greater than alternative restaurants at sea, and generally couple wines with sumptuous food.

Aboard Holland America Line, Dine with the Chefs is a six course dinner that pairs wine with the meal and is only offered once per cruise. According to Holland America Line’s Steve Kirsch, director of culinary operations, passengers especially like the interactive nature of this program since chefs prepare the food right in front of the guests.

“Choice” still is a very prevalent buzz word when it comes to cruise cuisine. This especially applies to options of “when” to eat dinner. This past year, Carnival Cruise Lines began rolling out the trendy new option of “Your Choice Dining” which offers open dinner seating in addition to assigned seating. According to Cyrus Marfatia, vice president of food and beverage for Carnival, generally 300 to 400 passengers choose this option per cruise but that number is growing.

There is no shortage of choice for dinner options on Royal Caribbean’s 5,400-passenger Oasis of the Seas. The ship boasts 24 different places to eat and according to Weber, “the Oasis offers the most variety of any ship in the industry.”

There’ll also be plenty new dining venues on the Disney Dream when it debuts in January. This includes the Royal Palace, the ship’s formal restaurant. Taking off on the many classic Disney movies about princesses and princes, the restaurant “brings a royal feast to our guests,” said Ozer Balli, vice president of hotel operations.

According to Hans Heger, director of hotel operations for V.Ships, there is a trend of sustainable development on cruise ships. “There is more awareness in the market these days,” he said and noted that most lines are not serving over-fished seafood, for example.

Another trend is that passengers want to know more about their food. According to Tracy Jessop, product director for Cunard Line: “Sourcing information is growing in importance with travelers being more interested in ingredients, processes and inspirations behind the culinary and spirits offered on board.”

All cruise lines face the challenges of how to keep food consistent and made to order as the number of passengers increases due to the ever larger cruise ships being built. Cunard Line’s Chef Zimmermann said his goal is to cook for hundreds of onboard guests just as he would for a family of eight. He said he accomplishes this by “attention to detail, organization, and techniques that combine tradition and modernity.”

While all the executives queried said they do not compromise quality even in light of the tough economic climate since fall 2008, Heger pointed out that the cost of food index has doubled worldwide since 1998. Thus, “there’s been continued pressure on purchasing,” according to Heger.

Marfatia, like other executives, voiced that the guest experience is number one priority even when faced with economic pressures. He pointed out ways that Carnival manages food purchasing which include: “smart menu” management; team work shore side; and seeking value in the market.

Royal Caribbean also takes another niche seriously: healthy lifestyles. “One of my main efforts is to change the perception that you will gain weight on a ship,” said Weber. “Actually, the level of fresh, light preparation is very high,” he added. All meals are under 500 calories in Oasis’ Solarium bistro. All Royal Caribbean ships offer a three-course menu nightly in the main dining room that is 800 calories or less.

Drinking holes on cruise ships.........Whats new ?

2010-06-29T15:16:00.001+01:00

Elevator bars, ice bars, martini bars, wine machines, onboard breweries master mixologists, and more, the cruise industry beverage scene continues to be as innovative as ever.

The Oasis of the Seas and soon to-be-launched sister-ship, Allure, feature the Rising Tide Bar. A full bar that doubles as an elevator, the space moves between the Royal Promenade and Central Park, underlining the possibilities of a 225,000-ton ship.

“It’s a very popular venue and it stays busy all day long,” said Bob Midyette, director of fleet beverage operations at Royal Caribbean International.

“We’ve seen a change in what people spend their money on. In 2009 it was more value conscious, but there has been a significant bounce back in 2010, and we’re pleased with that. We’ve focused very hard to make all our offerings very high-quality,” continued Midyette, pointing out, for example, that pina colada mixes are 100 percent natural.

“The guests seem to appreciate paying for a quality product; quality never goes out of style.”

Norwegian Cruise Line promises to have one of 14 “true” ice bars in the world when the Norwegian Epic officially launches in July. According to the line, the bar will never get warmer than 17 degrees Fahrenheit. A $20 cover charge per person includes two signature cocktails and 45 minutes in the bar. Gloves, faux fur coats and hats will be provided to guests.

The Ice Bar accommodates 24 people and will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly.

While Norwegian is tight-lipped regarding the bar’s technology, sources familiar with the situation simply describe it as “a big freezer”.

As part of the Signature of Excellence upgrade program, Holland America Line has installed Mix on the Veendam, Ryndam, Statendam and Rotterdam. The Maasdam is scheduled to receive the three-in-one bar during drydocking in April 2011. The space is located in the center of the ship and blends together three theme bars: Martinis, Champagne, and Spirits & Ales.

Celebrity’s Solstice-class vessels feature Enomatic wine machines in the Cellarmasters wine bar, allowing guests to try samples of specific wines without having to purchase the entire bottle.

Crystal Cruises’ biggest change has been with its cocktail preparation.

“We recently revamped our entire menu with Master Mixologist, Tony Abou-Ganim, and now only include fresh fruit juices and purees, in addition to top level spirits,” commented Toni Neumeister, vice president of food and beverage at Crystal.

AIDAblu launched this past February with a full brewery onboard, using sea water in the beer making process, according to Michael Rohr, vice president of guest services.

“Three kinds of beer are brewed: ‘Hövel's Original’ after a recipe of the traditional brewery located in Dortmund. The brewery has its own AIDA beer, which is called ‘AIDA Zwickel.’ It’s an unfiltered beer with a taste of caramel and the typical flowery taste of hop. The different kinds of beer are complemented by seasonal qualities like ‘Maibock’ or action beers like the ‘Oktoberfestbier’ or Irish Stout,” continued Rohr.

Norwegian Cruise Line Partners with SVEDKA Vodka on Ice Bar

2010-06-28T20:17:00.001+01:00

My type of news !

In another first, Norwegian Cruise Line has announced an exclusive partnership with SVEDKA Vodka and Inniskillin ice wine to be introduced on board Norwegian Epic, its largest and most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship ever. As part of the partnership, this unique frozen bar will be called the SVEDKA Ice Bar and will feature specialty SVEDKA and Inniskillin ice wine drinks.

Inspired by the original ice bars and ice hotels in Scandinavia, the cruise industry’s first true ice bar is the ultimate chill. This frozen chamber is set in changing hues of blue, green and purple LED lighting that simulates the Northern Lights and creates a distinctive arctic atmosphere. The SVEDKA Ice Bar features a bar, walls, tables, stools, glasses and life-size sculptures all made from ice. Guests are given hooded coats and gloves to keep them warm, since the room’s temperature does not rise above 17 degrees Fahrenheit.

The SVEDKA Ice Bar accommodates 25 people and can be reserved from 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. nightly.

The cost is $20 per person and includes two signature cocktails. There are six specialty drinks made from SVEDKA vodka and Inniskillin ice wine including: Polaris: SVEDKA Citron, Inniskillin ice wine, and lemon/lime soda; Cobalt Blue: Inniskillin ice wine, SVEDKA vodka and Blue Curacao; Nordic Apple Juice: SVEDKA vodka, Sour Apple Schnapps, Midori and a splash of fresh sour; Caribbean Dreams: SVEDKA Citron, Triple Sec and lemon juice; Sunburst Yellow: SVEDKA vodka, peach liquor and orange juice; and Northern Lights: SVEDKA Citron, Cointreau and Blue Curacao.

There are also two non-alcoholic drinks – the Strawberry Eskimo Kiss made of strawberry puree, pineapple juice and lemon juice and the Creamsickle, with orange juice, vanilla ice cream and milk - in case children want to partake in the chilling fun. All drinks are served in specially-created glasses made entirely of ice.

Imported from Sweden, SVEDKA Vodka is premium vodka that is distilled five times. Inniskillin ice wine is made from grapes that are produced in the Niagara Peninsula. Pearl ice wine, which is used in the SVEDKA Ice Bar cocktails, is an intensely concentrated sweet wine made from grapes naturally frozen on the vine. Grapes for this ice wine are harvested at a temperature of 14ºF.

Come on Engerland............................

2010-06-27T12:57:00.000+01:00

Come on England, do not expect me to be at my desk between the hours of

14:45 - 17:00

After that you can expect me to be around

Princess Cruises Scraps Bangkok as Embark/Debark Port Due to Unrest

2010-06-26T23:53:00.002+01:00

Of the decision to retain Bangkok as a port of call, Princess representative Susanne Ferrull says, "the port is not currently deemed unsafe by our security department, but it is considered unpredictable because of sporadic periods of unrest. By offering Bangkok as a port of call, rather than a turnaround port, we have the flexibility to reschedule the call, should the situation escalate at the time of the cruise."

Months of political unrest and violence in Bangkok have led Princess Cruises to replace Laem Chabang, the port for Bangkok, with Singapore as a port of embarkation and debarkation for its Asia and exotic cruises.

According to a Princess statement, 15 sailings on Diamond Princess and Ocean Princess between November 2010 and April 2011 will be affected.

At this time, Princess says it will offer rebooking assistance to travelers who booked their flights through the cruise line. Princess will also reimburse change fees for those whose flight and hotel arrangements were made privately. The line is offering to waive cancellation fees for affected passengers who wish to cancel their sailings.

Celebrity Cruises Pairs with Food Network

2010-06-14T09:03:00.002+01:00

Another exciting addition to Celebrity

Celebrity Cruises has long been recognized for offering award-winning cuisine, and in August, the brand will pair the top-rated megaship, Celebrity Solstice, with invitation-only events sponsored by Food Network and designed for culinary enthusiasts, through the first “Food Network at Sea” program.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Food Network to offer such enticing and exclusive experiences,” said Celebrity Cruises President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. “This program is yet another demonstration of our ‘Designed for you’ brand platform, built around our longtime commitment to identifying and designing what our guests want. We know our guests enjoy cooking and great dining experiences, and many are followers of chefs such as those featured on this sailing, so this is a perfect pairing.”

The only cable channel dedicated to connecting viewers to the power and joy of food, Food Network established Food Network at Sea to allow consumers to not only watch the network, but to experience it firsthand, on the August 22, 2010, seven-night Eastern Caribbean sailing of Celebrity Solstice.

In addition to exclusive participation in engaging culinary demonstrations led by star chefs Cat Cora of Iron Chef and Aaron Sanchez of Chefs vs. City, guests who purchase the special cruise package also will have the opportunity to savor the following:

* VIP pierside check-in

* Red carpet “welcome aboard” reception

* “Battle of the Celebrity Solstice Chefs” competition event

* “Dine-around” experience featuring samplings of favorite Food Network recipes

* Access to the Food Network VIP Lounge and screening room

* Caribbean cocktails on Celebrity Solstice’s Lawn Club

* Pre-paid gratuities and special turndown gifts

Complementing the activities offered by Food Network exclusively for guests who book the Food Network at Sea package are the industry-first attributes that guests, travel agents and press have praised about Celebrity Solstice, including its half-acre Lawn Club with real grass, a glassblowing show and studio developed with The Corning Museum of Glass, unrivaled dining venues offering trendsetting cuisine and design, and widely varied entertainment. The 2,850-guest vessel also has spacious staterooms and bathrooms, and several categories of accommodations, including Celebrity’s spa-inspired AquaClass staterooms.

Robert Green.........................................

2010-06-13T10:45:00.000+01:00

On behalf of all Westham fans, all I can say is we are all very sorry !

Nothing to do with cruising, however I feel your pain even more