CRUISING WITH COOK.....

Don't Panic Captain Mainwaring!!!!

2010-06-15T04:32:00.000-07:00

I was reading today that NCL are introducing a new procedure on board their ships and have followed the example set by Royal Caribbean on Oasis of the Seas - they are now doing away with people fetching their lifejackets for the muster drills. Apparently they have decided to make the change due to the danger of dangling straps! Hmmm, of course that's why they are changing....why aren't they just honest and say it's too much of a headache to do the drills when they can just advise people where the muster stations are? They don't do full drills on planes do they?

I remember the first time I went on a cruise and I didn't know that they had a muster drill. When the voice came over the tannoy I genuinely panicked a little as I wasn't expecting it! But the fact is even though it was only a drill, I knew what to do. Therefore in the case of a real emergency, I know I would be fine. It's human nature - the art of survival, instinct. Obviously the voice on the tannoy telling me what to do and the sight of other people moving along helped!

I know that this decision will probably divide people's opinions. There will be people out there who feel it is beneficial for these full drills, so in the case of a real emergency we all know where our life jackets are and how to use them correctly. Valid point. But as I mentioned earlier, they never do a full drill like this on a plane. We are quite happy to let the cabin crew show us how to put on the jackets and where the emergency exits are. And let's be honest there is far more of a chance of being involved in an emergency on a plane than there is on a cruise ship!

The truth is that it's probably more dangerous doing a drill and having people hurrying around trying to get to their cabins to find their jackets, when surely a safety video and demonstration from the crew would be sufficient. Let's hope that the other cruiselines see sense and do away with the drills. After all, in the case of a real emergency it's women and children first - apparently.

Why White?

2010-06-08T04:36:00.000-07:00

With the abundance of new cruise ships being released year by year most of them have one thing in common - apart from the obvious things like cabins, restaurants, entertainment etc. It's probably something that you don't even notice when you see pictures of all these new ships, but it is something that my brain picked up on today as I was sat watching a promotional video for the brand new Oceania Marina. Yes this ship is 5 star luxury, exquisite food, spacious staterooms and suites, butler service, fantastic entertainment and oozes sheer class throughout. The first ship Oceania have built instead of just acquired. But the one question that was on my mind all through the video? Why are nearly all cruise ships white?

You see, that is how my brain works.....here I am watching a video about the release of a new luxury vessel, hearing them describing the freshly prepared meals (from scratch everytime) spacious stateroom accommodation, luxurious decor in all areas of the ship designed by professional artists and all I'm thinking is "Oh its white again". It seems like a silly thing to notice. All ships have different logos and designs on the outside to distinguish them from others but apart from the Cunard fleet and maybe a few other smaller ships where they have a black hull on the liners you will find most ships are white.

So why is this? To be honest there isn't just one answer. I googled it (now there is an expression that's become part of the English Language), and the most common answers seem to be the same as to why most aeroplanes are white. The technical reason is due to the fact that white reflects heat so keeps the ambient temperature on the ship or in the cabins to a minimum. This reduces operating costs on things like air-conditioning etc. Seems logical I suppose.

However from what I have read it seems that the technical reason isn't the main one. Apparently most people think that the main reason planes and cruise ships are painted white is because it stands out as a colour of purity and looks more professional. White is a neutral colour so when the cruiselines or airlines sell them it is easier for the new company to just paint over the logo or design and stamp their own authority on it, as opposed to re-painting the whole thing. Similar to why we paint rooms in our house magnolia. It's easy to paint over.

So there you go - not an exciting answer really and I'm sure there are many other opinions out there as to why they are mostly white. I would be interested to hear any more. I'm wondering how long it is going to be before we start seeing bright yellow, green, blue, pink or even some black cruise ships sailing our oceans?

That would be cool.

Cruise Ship Carousel....

2010-06-01T09:08:00.001-07:00

I was reading that the Celebrity Mercury is going to be retired from the fleet next year to make way for the brand new Celebrity Silhouette, which launches in July 2011. The Mercury has been with the fleet since 1997 and was one of the first "Megaships" in the world of cruising. She is now going to join German company TUI Cruises and become "Mein Schiff 2", sister ship of the originally titled "Mein Schiff" (My Ship). This was also a Celebrity ship before, called "Galaxy". How incestuous is the World of Cruising?

So it seems like cruise ships don't always relax and enjoy their retirement, they carry on working under different names with false moustaches to cover up their true identity. No wonder people get touches of deja-vu on cruises nowadays. They have probably already been on the ship in another life! It intrigued me to find out which other ships have undergone a "Pimp my Ride" style make over:

NCL Norwegian Crown - now Fred.Olsen Balmoral.
NCL Norwegian Dynasty - now Fred.Olsen Braemar.
Pullmantur Blue Dream - now Azamara Journey.
Festival Cruises European Visions - now MSC Armonia.
Holland America Noordam (original) - now Thomson Celebration.
Renaissance Cruises R Seven - now Azamara Quest.
Princess Cruises Royal Princess - now P&O Artemis.
Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam - now Thomson Spirit.
Royal Viking Queen - now Seabourn Legend.
RCI Song of America - now Thomson Destiny.
Star Cruises Superstar Leo - now NCL Norwegian Spirit.
RCI Viking Serenade - now Island Cruises Island Escape.
Holland America Westerdam (original) - now Costa Cruises Europa.

This list only scratches the surface. There are so many more as well as the ones that changed identity, some left the industry to become hotels or tourist attractions (the QE2 probably being one of the more famous ones). And I was also intrigued to see the names of some companies I have never heard of - next blog, what happened to these companies? I can feel some research coming on.....

E-Docs - Friend or Foe?

2010-05-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I blogged about a client who had a nightmare printing off her e-documents which she had received from Holland America. She went through lots of A4 paper and was unhappy that the "luxury" service for her cruise was not luxury anymore. I take her point. This system has been designed to make things a lot easier and it saves the cruiselines money, but in some cases it's making things worse for the client. What about those who don't have the time or facility for this?

It seems that this is the way we are going now. Most of the major cruise lines are now switching to this e-documents system which means that instead of tickets and luggage labels coming through the post like the good old days, everything now comes through by e-mail or we have to log on and print off ourselves. More work for you and me! What the cruiselines intend is for clients to check in and manage their bookings themselves online, as well as book shore excursions, print off their own tickets and luggage labels. Sound like a hassle? Well you would be right!

I think my client hit the nail on the head though. If you're paying a lot of your hard earned cash for a relaxing, in many cases luxury cruise, the last thing you want is to receive a load of scrappy A4 paper through the post with all your information on. And you certainly don't want to have to print it yourself! You want to feel a bit special. Like you have actually paid for something other than paper. And as for luggage labels printed off on paper - whose idea was that?

I can see the benefits as well though. For clients to be able to access the booking whenever they want, book excursions, add all insurance information and check in online does make the whole process of embarkation a lot smoother. But what if clients aren't very good on computers or don't have their own printers, then what next? Oh that's right, us agents will do it for you! Oh how the cruiselines have thought this through! Now we get to print on rubbish paper or check in online for you while you are on the phone to us giving your passport details....saving time? Probably not.

But whatever your thoughts are on this new "DIY" check in and tickets system you shouldn't let it affect your cruise which is bound to be a fantastic remedy to the stress of ticket printing and check in....that is unless they decide to make you do all your own cooking, cleaning and washing up on board, you know, to save money!

What? The World Cup is on??

2010-05-24T02:11:00.001-07:00

I'm a football fan (well, I support Wolves anyway!) so it's one of the most exciting times of the year for me at the moment - World Cup time!! Every 4 years the best teams in the world fight it out to be crowned world champions....and every four years England lead us into ecstasy, usually followed by disappointment! But as always hopes are high this time around and it seems that Rooney and co. have whipped up quite a storm as World Cup Fever is at an all time high....you can't go anywhere at the moment without hearing about the World Cup in South Africa, even the cruise lines are getting in on the act.

It has now been announced that P&O, Cunard and Ocean Village are set to screen all 64 games of this years championships. They now join Royal Caribbean, Thomson, MSC and others that have decided it would be beneficial for them to screen the games rather than not. Just imagine how much money they will be taking in the bars alone while the England games in particular are on!

It has divided opinion though. There are people, believe it or not, that hate football and they are dreading this event. Especially as they can't even go on a cruise to escape now! What sad lives these people lead (joke). But seriously I can imagine how for them it is a bit of a nightmare as they are probably booking cruises to go on a relaxing break and the last thing they want to hear is people cheering and getting rowdy to the sounds of their home nations kicking a ball around a field!

But love it or hate it you can't deny that football captures the imagination of the countries around the world that take part - especially the World Cup. More people will probably be watching the England games than were watching the recent General Election, now what does that tell you? There will be people on cruise ships around the world from different nations supporting different teams so imagine the atmosphere on the cruises, it will be electric.

Let's hope that everyone is well behaved on the ships though. I don't think we are likely to get violence on the cruises as they tend not to attract those sort of people (some of you may beg to differ)but alcohol and football can do strange things to folks. Especially when everyone is so passionate for their country to do well. I wonder if the cruise ships are having extra security for the games? Interesting to find out....

And finally, just imagine if England win!! With everyone jumping up and down hugging and kissing eachother they better be careful not to rock the boat, "Don't rock the boat babyyyyyy!"

One word - BELIEVE.

The Cruise Prayer.....

2010-05-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

I found this little beauty on a website while I was browsing, thought you may all like to share it and memorise it so you can kneel before bedtime every night:

Heavenly Father,

Look down on us your humble, obedient cruising servants, who are doomed to cruise this earth, taking photographs, mailing postcards, buying souvenirs, eating ourselves silly and walking around muggy Caribbean islands in drip-dry underwear.
We beseech You, our Lord, to give us non-stop flights, to see that our planes are not hijacked, our luggage is not lost, our overweight baggage goes unnoticed, and that there is no hurricane anywhere on the planet during our chosen cruise week.

Protect us from zealous Immigrations Officers who swear our "certified copies of our birth certificates" are forged; from suspicious Customs Inspectors who insist on seeing the $1,000 worth of T-shirts we bought in Nassau; from unscrupulous over-charging Jamaican taxi cab drivers, from avaricious porters who would search our bags and discard all the beer and soda therein, and from Guest Relations Clerks whose knowledge of the English language stops at "This ship is full. Don't even THINK of asking for an upgrade."

Give us this day Divine guidance in the selection of our cruise ships, that we may find two level showrooms, wide promenade decks, alternative dining options, a pizzeria, bartenders who know how to mix Margueritas, our staterooms made up with the twin beds converted to a king, a cabin steward who understands what lots of ice means, and that we actually paid less than the folks in the cabin next door.

We pray that our waiter and busboy speak our language, our iced tea glasses are kept filled at all times, and that there are no emergency shore-to-ship phone calls from our children which would force us to cancel the rest of our cruise or wash dishes in the galley to pay the balance on our shipboard account.

Lead us, Dear Lord, to 2-for-1 specials on deluxe cruise ships where the food is superb, the waiters friendly, the wine, soda pop and port charges, taxes and government fees all included in the price, and that Richard Simmons was on LAST week's cruise.

Give us the wisdom to tip correctly and forgive us for undertipping out of ignorance or overtipping out of fear. Make the bartenders put a full shot of rum in our Miami Vice and learn to love us for who we are and not for what we can contribute to their families back in Turkey.

Grant us the strength to attend the daily aerobics classes on deck, to work out frequently in the health spa, to use the stairs at all times, and to order only one or two main courses at dinner.

Permit us to book beauty appointments, massage sessions, thassalotherapy treatments, and to browse through the onboard shops and boutiques without sending our VISA cards into convulsions.

Allow us the will to attend all shore talks and the stamina to sit through another debarkation talk. Give us the strength to keep us from heckling the comedians and from making fun of the Cruise Director and the karaoke performers.

Help us become educated and wise cruisers, visiting the museums, the cathedrals, the forts, the palaces, the castles and the rain forests listed in the shore excursion booklets. If per chance we skip a historic monument to take a nap on a beautiful sandy beach, have mercy on us, for our flesh is weak.

Amen

Murder - "Does my insurance cover it?"

2010-05-22T06:33:00.000-07:00

A story hit my attention today regarding two women who got arrested on board Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas with over 6 grams of Cannabis and a 5 inch plastic Taser gun capable of outputting 500,000 volts of electric shock! They were each fined $500 for the possesion of the drugs and one of them $1000 for the Taser gun. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a drug user myself but can sort of see why they would smuggle cannabis on the cruise, but a Taser gun??!! What were they planning on doing with that, some form of fishing by paralysis??!!

When I first went on a cruise I was quite amazed at how laid back the security at the terminal seemed. Obviously it wasn't, but compared to airports these days it seemed to be, well, almost trusting of people. I suppose it's because cruisers are less likely to try and smuggle things on board a ship - or is that just a myth?

The big question here is how did they smuggle them through security at the port? The Taser gun could have been a real gun so doesn't that beg the question about safety for all passengers on a cruise? Surely we should feel safe while at sea? I don't want to put ideas into people's heads but what would have stopped these women going crazy if it was a real gun and going on a mad killing spree on board the ship?

And with the increase in terrorist threats and attacks we need to make sure that cruises are not going to be a soft touch. The security at cruise terminals should be as tight as airports to prevent incidents like this happening. After all, these ladies were just silly, but some people out there are genuinely crazy and if they can smuggle weapons and drugs on board a cruise ship this easy then we are all in trouble!

I Christen thee......

2010-05-18T04:32:00.000-07:00

What do The Queen, Whoopi Goldberg and Tinkerbell all have in common? Tricky one isn't it? Well believe it or not the answer is that they are all Godmothers of cruise ships!

I was intrigued to find out more about some of the names that had been invited to christen the most famous cruise ships in the world, as it was announced this week that Twiggy will be the God mother of the new Seabourn Sojourn. Twiggy, who was a famous 60's model, turned TV personality, turned fashion designer, was invited to christen the newest yacht in the Seabourn family in a naming ceremony on June 4th 2010 on the River Thames in London. She was selected for her hard work in campaigning for animal welfare and breast cancer support. A worthy choice! It led me to explore who else had been given this honour and which ships they have christened - believe me some of these choices are bizarre!!

The Queen is Godmother for Cunard's Queen Mary 2. She was probably the only person who could have been given this task at the time as it was the world's largest and most extravagant ship. And of course the fact that all the ships are very Regal is very apt and in keeping with her Majesty!

Tinkerbell, despite not being a real person, was given the honour of being the first fairy Godmother to a ship when she christened Disney Wonder in 1999. She was laser beamed onto the Hull on the day and had been a secret until the day. But shhhhh! No one knows that fairies really exist, it's a secret!

Whoopi Goldberg is Godmother of Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas. She christened this in 2003 after her previous baby, Viking Serenade left service in 2002. Probably the last time she made a decent contribution to film.

Sophia Loren is the Godmother of MSC ships Lirica, Opera and Musica. The fact that she is a beautiful Italian woman may have won her the privilege on these I feel! Although she is getting on a bit now so maybe they ought to consider one of the many other millions of attractive Italian women there are out there!

Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City) was the choice for Godmother of Norwegian Dawn - not quite sure why but she apparently played up to her sexy character role when the ship came into the New York harbour and she joked "Don't ever let them tell you that size doesn't matter!" Maybe she is a fan of those "Cougar" cruises we hear about.

Mary-Kate and Ashley (The Olsen Twins from TV) christened Holland America's Zaandam in 2000. They weren't old enough to even drink Champagne at the time, or even travel alone on a cruise! They were selected as Holland America wanted to appeal to younger people. Maybe they went a little too young on that one!

In 2009, Seabourn went down another route and decided to reward their maiden voyage passengers by inviting them to serve as godparents for Seabourn Odyssey. What a fantastic gesture and a great way to secure repeat cruisers....clever clever!

These are just a few that I have found - I'm sure there are many, many more. Probably some that are even funnier or more bizarre than those above. If you know of any good ones, the stranger the better then let me know.

An offer you can't refuse...

2010-05-11T04:19:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite films of all time is The Godfather. A famous quote from the film is when Marlon Brando says "I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse" If this phrase applies to any situation, it was this week at my desk! Check this out for a generous offer, Monday afternoon I received a call from Cunard asking me to do them a favour....immediately I was thinking "Uh-oh! What's gone wrong?"

We had clients booked into a balcony cabin cruising on the Queen Mary 2 this weekend from 10th May for 13 nights on a Transatlantic round trip. However, somehow (and don't ask me how) they had overbooked the cruise and were trying to free up some cabins. So here was me expecting Cunard to offer to transfer them to another cruise free of charge or something similar....but Cunard had other ideas.

What they offered is amazing. I actually had to get them to repeat it 3 times to ensure I fully understood before calling the client to speak to them. Not only did they offer to cancel the cruise and refund all money back to the client - they then said that the client could have a choice of 3 other cruises and travel free of charge - in a Princess Grill! How amazing is that??!! So they get all their money back, and a free cruise in a higher grade of cabin. My immediate thought was how can they refuse? - but then the client has to think about other factors such as time off work and car parking etc.

So after my initial call the client said she would have to speak to her husband who would call me back. When he did and I explained the situation to him he reacted in the same way I did - by checking it 3 times before saying yes!! "Really? A Princess Grill - for free?? And all my money refunded for the other cruise?????? I would be stupid not too wouldn't I???" His words not mine. But I shared his thoughts. So he re-booked on an 18 night Transatlantic which also travelled to some Canadian ports too. And all this in a Princess Grill. Talk about luxury....

So there you have it. At a time that the travel industry is suffering some bad press due to volcanic eruptions and cabin crew strikes, this goes to show that there are still companies out there who are willing to go that extra mile for their clients.

Well Done Cunard!! Hurrah!! (Applause & fanfare)

BA - British Amateurs!

2010-05-11T01:16:00.000-07:00

"Mummy Mummy!! I hate where I work! They fly me all over the world and pay me really well! I get to meet lots of people and work for one of the most iconic brands in the world. Waaaahhhhhhhh!!!!! I hate it sooooooo much! What should I do??"

"Well I think you should stand up to them my little petal and strike! I mean, why should you have to endure such horrible working conditions? There are people out there who can't work and those that scrounge off the government. There are also people who are homeless and begging on the streets. They have it easy. Why should you have to earn lots of money and fly all over the world? It's just not fair. I think if you strike and refuse to fly, everyone will look up to you and respect you more! There, there baby don't cry......."

Ok so the conversations probably didn't go like this but it is how I imagine the selfish staff at British Airways are thinking at the moment. It's not the fact they are striking that is the problem. It's their reasons, and worst of all the timing that is most shocking. It was bad enough a few months back but to announce strikes again now when the travel industry is suffering due to that damn volcano erupting is just ludicrous.

For those of you who don't know, BA staff have announced they will strike on 18th May, 24th May, 30th May and 5th June - all for a few days at a time. Question is will it work this time? It didn't last time so what are they hoping to achieve apart from damaging the reputation of this fine company? Sack 'em all I say!!!

Call these people professionals? They are boring me now.....Yawn!

News Flash!

2010-05-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

A homeless man has been caught trying to sneak aboard a cruise ship about to embark on a world cruise. He was caught by the Purser who threw him off the ship telling him....."Beggars can't be cruisers".

NCL (New Cruise Line?)

2010-05-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

It surprises me from day to day at how many people I speak to that haven't heard of NCL. For many people NCL (Norwegian Cruise Lines) are a bit of an enigma. For a start they are not Norwegian! The name does tend to confuse people. For those that don't know they are actually American - and are typical USA in many ways. The ships are loud, proud and very colourful with top quality entertainment - the famous Blue Man Group from Las Vegas are now performing on the Norwegian Epic, NCL's newest and largest ship of the fleet. The question I get asked by many people that I speak to is a simple one - are they actually any good?

A resounding "Yes" is the answer! NCL offer something very different in today's world of cruising, and it is their tagline "Freestyle Cruising" that epitomises this so well. Granted it's not everybody's cup of tea - but for those of us (including myself) who don't want set dining times and dressing up in formal clothes then they are the masters! All 11 ships in the fleet boast this concept and it's why they have so many repeat customers.

The company was founded as Norwegian Caribbean Line in 1966 with just one 830-ton cruise ship/car ferry offering low-cost Caribbean cruises. NCL was responsible for many of the cruise innovations that have now become standard throughout the industry, including many of the on board facilities and entertainment. The ships are packed with things to do including swimming pools, hot tubs, fitness centres, boutiques, internet cafes, sports courts, and many bars and restaurants. Add to this the fact that you don't have to dress up in a penguin suit for dinner, or have to rush about showering getting ready for a set dining time then they are ideal for the more relaxed cruiser.

Don't take this to mean that they are full of "chavs" though. Just because they don't enforce the dress code doesn't mean they encourage a lower class of clientele. But they do offer something different in today's competitive cruise industry. And now with the re-location of Ocean Village to Australia later in the year, they are going to be flying the flag for the freestyle cruiser.

Anyone who has been with NCL knows the quality of the ships and some of our staff are off to see the new Epic later in the year....No doubt I will be writing again very soon to let you all know what they think.

Everyone Loves a V.W.*

2010-04-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

This week has seen the launch of all the new Cunard, Princess and P&O cruises for 2011. It has been massively busy and we have all been working our little socks off to get in early so we can book the cabins all of our clients have pre-registered with us for. We have been pretty successful and have managed to get nearly all of them - there were always going to be the odd few that we missed but that's to be expected as every agent in the country is trying to do the same thing!

My own personal success came in booking a wedding party of 33 people! They booked 10 cabins on the P&O Ventura for April next year and I had to be on the ball to get cabins that were fairly close to eachother - some we couldn't get but it was mission accomplished by end of play Tuesday! It seemed like such a headache for the groom to get all the names and dates of birth organised - glad he had that job and not me!

I first spoke to the client (groom) last Thursday and he explained what he was interested in doing and how many people it was for. Obviously I explained to him he would need to book the wedding package directly with the cruiseline.I also told him that for the amount of cabins and people going, he would need to pre-register to guarantee getting what he wanted and of course the best kids prices etc. I asked him to get all the names and dates of birth for me the night before. Not that I'm lazy or anything! Honest!

On Monday I called him - he had done pretty well so I asked him to e-mail all the info to me as it would be easier for me to book straight away in the morning first thing rather than calling him. Now this may sound like he was doing my job for me (ahem!) but it was in his interests! He did this with the payment details for the deposit and yes, he was paying for everyone...rather him than me!

So to cut a long story short - Tuesday morning came and as soon as the cabins went on sale we booked the insides and balconies that he wanted as close together as we could. It was fantastic to call him and confirm that they had the cabins booked and they were officially off to get married next April! Since then he has added more cabins too and I'm sure there may be more to come....I'm still waiting for my invite!

It's a good idea getting married at sea because if people are interested in going they can book their own cabins on the same ship and we can just add them to the party before they go. For groups over 12 they had an additional 5% discount too as well as they money off that we gave them. You get top quality food and entertainment included, as well as fantastic service. And once the wedding is done, you are already on the honeymoon! Although half of your family and friends are with you too!

If anyone has got married on a cruise I'd be interested to here from you about your experiences.....and if there are any other budding romantics out there get in touch to speak to me as I consider myself a bit of a specialist now!

*Ventura Wedding

Deal or No Deal?

2010-04-29T03:53:00.000-07:00

As a cruise agent, in my opinion there is nothing more frustrating than when someone calls asking for "a good deal". A good deal? What's the definition of a deal? A free Captain's uniform with every cabin booked? Is it free parking? Is it your BFH??? (Bus Fare Home for non Bullseye fans). Who knows? Something that I may think is a good deal, another person may not. It's a strange one this - I looked up on the web the definitions of the word deal used in this context:

-a particular instance of buying or selling; "it was a package deal"; "I had no further trade with him"; "he's a master of the business deal"
-do business; offer for sale as for one's livelihood; "She deals in gold"; "The brothers sell shoes"
-bargain: an agreement between parties (usually arrived at after discussion) fixing obligations of each; "he made a bargain with the devil"; "he rose to prominence through a series of shady deals"

Still confused huh? Me too! So what does make good cruise deals then?

A cruise deal I think is something that someone considers to be excellent value for money. This may be because it is a low price. Alternatively it could be because there is free car parking or on board credit with it. Maybe even a cabin upgrade for no extra charge. It solely depends on the individual.

If someone is a Millionaire, then a 6* cruise on a luxury ship in a suite could be a great deal if it comes with a free bottle of champagne! This obviously won't be a good deal to someone who is earning minimum wage with a family of hungry mouths to feed. To them a good deal would be something like an inside cabin on a flat rate like the ones being sold at the moment.

With the 2011 cruises now pretty much all on sale there are a lot of fantastic "deals" to be had. A lot of these include early booking discounts of £100 per person or more. There are a lot of free child places, as well as some great on board credit and free car parking offers. These are of course all subject to availability.

We also have some great last minute "deals" too. P&O have released a lot of flat rates at the moment which are discounted right down. These are great to get away for a cheap last minute break. Many people think that if they book direct on our website they will get more money off but that's not always the case - give us a call and we will see if we can beat it and if we can't we will at least be able to match it for you. And you get to chat to us while you do it and take the pressure of booking off yourselves.

So what have we learned? "A good deal" is a personal thing, but whatever your idea of a it is, it's worth calling us to chat about what's out there. Be prepared to be asked questions because how are we going to know what you want if you don't know yourself?

Freds Fuel Supplement - Book Now!!

2010-04-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

Due to the recent increases in the price of fuel, it has been necessary for Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines to implement a fuel cost supplement.
With effect from Wednesday 5th May 2010, they will charge £3 per person per night to a maximum of £60 per person, and £1.50 per person per night
for third and subsequent occupants of a cabin, to a maximum of £30
per person.

These charges will apply to all bookings made on departures featured
in the Fred.Olsen Cruises 2010/2011 Worldwide brochure and the 2011 Preview brochure.
In the event that the price of Brent crude oil falls back to £45 per barrel
or below averaged across the month prior to the date of departure, the
fuel cost supplement will be refunded back to the passenger in the form
of an onboard spending credit.

So if you're interested in Fred.Olsen cruises - book now to avoid the impending fuel cost supplement! My direct line is 0800 408 6128......

Fred.Old-sen?

2010-04-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

You can say what you like about Fred.Olsen cruises but I would recommend them to anyone who has never cruised before! Ok so maybe not anybody, but the Fred.Olsen ships are perfect to break people in gently to the cruising world. For example if I was to send my parents (who have never cruised before) on to something like the Independence of the Seas, they would be overwhelmed by the sheer size of it and the amount of things to do on board. To be honest they would probably hate it and I know my mum would get lost on her first day! However they aren't OAP's and would be interested in trying cruising out, but would want something a bit smaller to ease them in gently....enter Fred.Olsen!

My first cruise was aboard the Balmoral to Amsterdam and I had a whale of a time (as you can tell by the photo!). I'm only in my early 30's and I didn't have a bad word to say about the ship. Many people have the impression of Fred.Olsen as a floating retirement home. This is a big misconception. Yes there were lots of older people on board but there are on all cruise ships. I think the reason for this is that these ships are a lot smaller so they appeal to cruisers who are after a quiet chilled out break as opposed to the active "must see, must do" people among us.

Some of the new ships nowadays are like floating hotels which can accommodate up to 6000+ passengers but can also be very daunting. The passenger capacity on the largest Fred.Olsen ship is 1350 and the rest are all under 1000 so you can see how these ships are ideal for the quieter cruiser who prefers something a little more relaxing and intimate. They can also get into a lot of ports that the bigger ships can't get into. Perfect for exploring somewhere a little more out of the way. And if there are any queues, which is rare, they are only half the size! A great thing in anybody's book I say....

Another unique thing about Fred.Olsen is that they sail from many other UK ports other than Southampton and Dover. For those people up north they can hop on at Liverpool and Hull for example. They even sail from Scotland! This saves one hell of a journey southbound for them, and with the current nightmare flight situation due to the volcanic ash, a departure from the UK seems like a more appealing option.

The ships maybe smaller and more intimate but they don't lack facilities. As standard you will find air conditioned cabins, selections of bars and restaurants which can cater for special diets, telephones, cabin service, laundry services, bureau de change, shops, fitness centres, internet, libraries, casinos as well as the swimming pools! All this squeezed into a handy pocket sized pack!

Cruise.co.uk exclusively run our own Garden and Dance cruises where people can go on board and meet celebrities such as Alan Titchmarsh among others. And the main company of choice for these? You guessed it, Fred.Olsen cruises. They have accommodated us to put on these specialist groups and have allowed us to have some fantastic price reductions so we can get these themed cruises up and running. How many cruiselines would allow an agent to do that?

Fred.Olsen is also steeped in history. They originally started as a family business (hence the name) and were involved in transferring cargo. Over the years the business was passed through the family and eventually last century they got into the cruising industry and started transporting people all over the world to visit places they had only dreamed of visiting before.

Still a relatively small company in comparison to the growth of cruiselines such as Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises, the fleet of 4 ships all begin with the letter 'B'. And the reason for this?

I'll leave that for you guys to find out, consider it Cook's challenge.....

Smells Like Team Spirit!

2010-04-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

I think it's fantastic how the cruise lines are doing their best to help out people who are being affected by the nightmare situation we have at the moment with the Volcanic ash. This is a crazy thing that has happened and is the fault of absolutely nobody, and according to a lot of the "small print" in some holiday contracts and insurance policies the tour operators aren't really responsible for "acts of God". However, the cruiselines are offering refunds and the chance to transfer free of charge to other holidays when officially they don't actually have to. It is times like this when you find the true British spirit of everyone pulling together to get through a tough time!

Unfortunately we are never going to please everyone. I have had a conversation with a gentleman today who is intent on getting himself compensation as he had to stop in a hotel and pay for car parking as his flight didn't go. He says that he will get the money back from someone. Obviously we are in a culture today when team spirit goes out of the window if people have to part with their cash! Such a shame......

It is all hands on deck everywhere currently. Celebrity Cruises have organised for the new Eclipse to perform a military style rescue mission sailing to pick up passengers from Bilbao in Spain. What a taxi home huh? And a company called Holiday Taxis that we deal with are running a coach from Madrid airport all the way back to London. MSC cruises are allowing people to join the MSC Orchestra at Tenerife for the journey home at a reduced nightly price! And people thought good will to all men was just for Christmas!

My girlfriend is stuck in Tenerife at the moment and can't get home either. I suppose we have to be thankful for small mercies......

Volcano Eruption: Update

2010-04-16T03:23:00.000-07:00

As many of you will be aware due to a Volcanic eruption in Iceland, most flights in the UK have been grounded until further notice. This is due to volcanic ash in the sky passing over us and even though we can't actually see it, the danger it would cause the flights is too extreme so unfortunately there is nothing we can do apart from wait to hear from the Cruise lines regarding what they are going to do next.

Many of you will have flights booked through the cruise line as part of a package and in this case we will be advised by them what is happening. As soon as we hear anything we will post on our website or Facebook site or start contacting people if we need to. If you have flights booked separately you should contact the airline to seek advice. It is advisable also to check the cruise lines websites as they will post information on there. Thank you all for your patience.

Azura - believe the hype?!

2010-04-11T04:04:00.000-07:00

Ok so the new P&O Azura has finally been launched and the question that is on everyone's lips is does it live up to the expectations? Well the answer from myself is "definitely". A few of us went down on Friday for a look around the newest member of P&O's expanding fleet and spent the afternoon in Southampton's docks in the sunshine, checking out the brand new vessel and it's facilities. When the evening drew in, the food and alcohol started flowing and we saw why P&O are still so popular with the British cruisers....here are my personal highlights.

Immediately after embarking I knew it was going to be special. I strolled to my CC grade superior deluxe balcony cabin on deck 9 which took me through the various artwork of the gallery on the way. The whole ship though has a very modern feel to it which I suppose is what P&O are going for. . The cabin itself was excellent. A double bed (which for 2 guys sharing begged us to get drunk!), a sofa bed was also available in the separate lounge area. A good sized balcony, 2 flat screen TV's, Tea and coffee making facilities, shower and bath and also some good sized storage space for clothes. Thumbs up!

We then went on a tour of the ship and saw the brand new Indian restaurant "Sindhus" created by famous Indian chef Atul Kochhar. Unfortunately they had a private function on so we couldn't eat in there but we did have a taster of some nibbles which were tasty! The Atrium spans 3 floors and has a gorgeous glass elevator adding some class to the surroundings. After popping through Brodies bar, the casino, Malabar, Planet Bar, Manhattan club and the library - we then proceeded to Venezia and Verona for the buffet lunch!

The food was top notch - a massive variety of hot and cold foods on the buffet including steak and kidney pudding and gravy, pastas, salads, variety of fish including salmon, fishcakes and mussels, savoury rices, croque monsieurs, cold cuts of meat - the choice was excellent! Even the desserts included fruit salads and tempting chocolate cakes! So obviously I had to stock up - hey what are cruises for if not to eat yourself stupid?!

We then decided to continue on our tour and visited the Hub and children's areas to partake in some Connect 4 and Guitar Hero, then to the fully equipped gym and Retreat (a gorgeous looking pamper/relaxation area where all the staff are in white and robes are being handed out). The Oasis Spa and pool area was begging us to strip off and jump in for a relaxing swim and jacuzzi....soooo tempting! There seemed to be plenty of loungers as we walked around and a lot of deck space for catching the rays which we proceeded to do in the afternoon sat by Breakers Bar.

After the afternoon presentation in the Playhouse theatre by P&O, we hit the champagne in Brodie's and then got ready for our formal evening meal in the Meridan restaurant. This is where I was really blown away! The food was fantastic and I really went to town having soup and terrine for starters, then Lobster for main and finally ice cream, cheesecake and a cheeseboard for desserts! All were gorgeous and very well presented. The wine flowed and the service was spot on.

Which brings us to the evening entertainment. All the bars were busy with live acts everywhere. There were tribute acts playing, live singers and double acts, a comedy quiz, karaoke, DJ and disco until the eary hours - we were thoroughly entertained and looked after. My only gripe (being a bit of a party animal) is that by 2am the Manhattan club closed leaving us all to slope off back to our cabins - what happened to 24 hour entertainment??! I'm used to getting in at 6am - although maybe as I had to come back and work it was a blessing in disguise! Ha ha!

So to sum up I think P&O have another brilliant ship on their hands here - I can see it is going to be very popular and I'm sure that there are things I have missed off my review that you may want to know about....only so much time to sit here and write but there are photos too. I will get some up on here so you can see for yourself. The question is would I book a cruise on this ship? Yes I definitely would - even if just for the food!

If any of you have been on it too and have opinions, let me know - I would be interested to hear what other people think too.......

Azura Update: To follow

2010-04-10T08:48:00.001-07:00

I have returned from the brand new P&O Azura this morning and was very impressed with the newest member of the fleet. I have lots of photos and opinions to share - however since returning I have been busy helping clients all day so haven't had the chance to blog any of this yet.

I will endeavour to get you updated asap.....

I Just Want The World.....

2010-04-08T04:54:00.000-07:00

People often have discussions about what they would do if they won the lottery. If I won the lottery I would spend my life travelling as there is so much to see and do in the world, why stay in one place?

Today I came across a cruise ship called "The World". This is a cruise ship that you can actually live on or lease apartments on, and it is constantly cruising around the globe. Great fun eh? I think that if I won the lottery I would definitely be having a piece of that action! Imagine waking up everyday in a different place and knowing that it wasn't just going to be for a couple of weeks! I had to find out more about this so went to check out the website and wikipedia....

Wikipedia says:

"The World was the idea of Knut U. Kloster Jr., whose family had a long history in the cruise ship industry. The ship was built in Rissa, Norway, by Fosen Mek. Verksteder A/S, and launched in March 2002.

In October 2003, the residents of the vessel purchased The World. ResidenSea in Miramar, Florida, remained the management company responsible for operations and administration of the ship, including hiring the hundreds of employees that offer services such as housekeeping, beauty treatments, photography and other amenities.

The residents, through their elected board of directors and a network of committees, provide guidance to the management about the ship's itinerary, finances and lifestyle
The World has facilities similar to those on board a regular cruise ship, and also some that are unique due to its residential nature. They include a small grocery store and delicatessen, a boutique, athletic facilities that include a golf simulator, putting green, casino, full-sized tennis court, jogging track and gym.

There are five restaurants that supplement the full kitchens in all apartments and dining ashore. For on-board entertainment there is a movie theatre, library and music performances. In addition to shore excursions, classes have been offered on board in topics such as dance, navigation, language, cooking, arts and crafts, music, computers, and photography. The World provides Internet access in each residence.

The World flies a Bahamas flag and has a gross tonnage of 43,524 tons. The vessel is 644 feet (196 m) long, 98 feet (30 m) wide, and has a 22-foot (6.7 m) draft, 12 decks, and a maximum speed of 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h). The crew numbers 250.
The ship has 165 residential units (106 apartments, 19 studio apartments, and 40 studios), all owned by the ship's residents. The ship carries between 100 and 300 residents and their guests."

How amazing does that sound??!! Check out the website for more details and pictures.

Azura's here!

2010-04-08T01:59:00.001-07:00

I am one of the lucky few going on the brand new P&O Azura launch this weekend so will be one of the first to see the fleets brand new vessel. We have received an e-mail this morning telling us that the ship has arrived into Southampton and will be officially named Azura on Saturday by her godmother, former Prima Ballerina Darcy Bussell. The launch will also be attended by many celebrities. Ooooh the excitement!

Azura departs for her 16 night Maiden Cruise on 12 April to visit a number of iconic Mediterranean ports. During her Maiden Season she'll also visit the Canary Islands, Baltic, Norwegian Fjords, Northern Europe, the Caribbean and USA.

I will tell all upon my return and will have some photos to put on here.....

Man Vs Machine!

2010-04-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

You can do anything on the internet these days can't you? Online banking is safer than it was a few years ago and many people use this including myself. You can shop for food, clothes, electricals and pretty much bid for anything on the likes of Ebay. Information is just a click away with Google and other search sites. And now with things like Facebook and all the dating sites around you don't even need to leave the house to socialise! Which brings me on to my point.....booking flights, holidays and of course booking cruise holidays online these days is big business, but how many of us still crave that personal touch of dealing with a real person?

I have to admit that I tend to do everything online these days. However there are many people, especially the older generation, who like to deal with a human being. The extra touches you get from a person can be priceless. What if you have a question or want to make a cheeky request? A computer can't do that. The internet has revolutionised everything but what happens when you go to book your cruise and the website crashes?? Has it booked? Did it take my card details????? AAAGGGHH!!!

So the panic sets in and you call the number on the website to check everything is ok. And then you get to speak to someone like me! You lucky people. Now I can check it for you and make sure all is good, and if for some reason there was a problem I can rectify it and get the cruise booked for you. It sort of begs the question as to why you just didn't do this in the first place though huh?

I'm not saying these things to put people off booking online though, as I said I do it all the time. I just thought I would bring it up as I've had 3 calls this morning from clients who were booking last night online and they were referred to call us here at the office. Despite what they thought this actually wasn't to do with website problems as our website is very reliable, but due to the availability of the cruise itself. Our booking site is live, but there are so many people probably trying to book the same cruises at the same time. Especially as online booking seems to offer more discounts for people. But don't worry about the discount because I can get you the same discounts as you would get online and you also get the pleasure of chatting to me!

If you are one of these people who prefer talking to human beings rather than dealing with websites or automated telephone services then give me a call on 0800 408 6128 and I would be happy to book your cruise for you. After all, it's you guys that keep me in a job because if everyone booked online I wouldn't be here at all!

And so tonight's main event ladies and gents......Is it Man or Machine???!!!!!

The History of Cruising....

2010-03-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

The cruise industry is becoming more popular than ever and it led me to wonder how and where it all started. I went online and checked it out and this is the description from www.pupilvision.com. This obviously is highly edited and simplified but I think it gives us a good insight into where it all began and for people who like a bit of nostalgia, I guarantee you will start reminiscing when reading!

"In 1835, Arthur Anderson proposed the idea of sailing for pleasure as a passenger in an ocean going vessel. He suggested this idea in a fantasy article in the Shetland Journal. Just two years later his dream moved closer to reality when he co-founded the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company, later called just P&O.

The original article suggested a programme of cruises which sailed between Scotland and Iceland in the summer and as far a field as the Mediterranean in the winter.

Victorian Britain underwent radical changes and foreign travel became fashionable amongst the new wealthy of the Industrial revolution. Even so, sailing for pleasure did not really become popular until the twentieth century. Victorian Britons travelling on ocean going passenger ships were more likely to be travelling to a destination within the global Empire to work or live.

The word ‘POSH’ originates from this period. In these days before air conditioning Britons travelling on a vessel to India would favour a cabin on the shaded side of the ship, away from the glare and heat of the sun. Thus travelling from UK to India a north facing port cabin cost more than a south facing starboard one. The opposite applied on the return journey. So only the richest could book a cabin that was PORT OUT STARBOARD HOME. This became shortened to ‘posh’.

During the first half of the twentieth century opulent liners were built to serve the passengers travelling between Europe and North America. Bigger and better ships were built and competed to make the fastest crossing of the Atlantic. They raced for the Blue Riband trophy awarded to the fastest transatlantic crossing.

The development of the jet engine and long haul passenger aircraft saw a dramatic reduction in passengers using these ships. The decline began in the late 1950’s and resulted in ships like the Queen Elizabeth becoming redundant. By the 1970’s the advent of the Jumbo jet really saw the end of the golden period of transatlantic cruise liners.

P&O began schools cruises in the 1930’s. By the 1960’s they had become popular and P&O ran two school cruise ships both offering year round programmes. Many British adults today had their first experience of foreign travel through these ships. Many will remember s.s.Uganda and s.s.Nevassa with great affection. However, parents of students travelling today would hardly recognise the delights of modern school cruising."

Today, cruising is as healthy as ever it was and is growing in popularity. Cruise ships are getting bigger and bigger and with the trust in air travel in decline due to terrorist threats etc. cruising is becoming more affordable and popular by the year!

I would be interested to hear from anyone else who has alternative stories as to how we got where we are today in the world of cruising....

Do We Want More All Inclusives?

2010-03-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

I have been receiving more and more enquiries recently about all inclusive cruising. All cruises generally include your entertainment, food and accommodation which is fantastic value. But then you have extras like gratuities and drinks to pay for. There are a select few which are all inclusive or have packages you can add on. But the question that's on my mind is why are there not more options? Even if the cruises don't want to be 'all inclusive' (so that they can make money on board?), why not have more options such as drinks packages?

Thomson and MSC are known for allowing people to add on a drinks package to make the cruise all inclusive. Azamara Club cruises rebranded this year to become all inclusive. Regent and Seabourn are all inclusive but are a much more luxurious alternative - some people would say expensive! They also include all on board tips so there is nothing else to pay. Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, NCL and Royal Caribbean all do soft drinks packages for adults and kids but don't include alcohol in these. They also add gratuities to your on board account.

Although this is accepted as standard, wouldn't it be better if they offered the chance to go all inclusive or would this just attract a different type of beer swilling clientele? There are obviously reasons behind it as all inclusive holidays and hotels are now big business - I would be interested to hear other people's thoughts on why this would either succeed or fail at sea.....health and safety perhaps being one?

What is pre-registration?

2010-03-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year when the cruises for next year are starting to be launched and all the best deals and cabins are to be had now. We are starting to pre-register people for these cruises, all we need to do is take all your details and payment information and we can secure your cabins immediately so you don't miss out. For those that don't understand what pre-registration is, let's elaborate a little......

Every year, the cruise lines launch their cruises for the following year on "Launch Days". As cruising is such a popular industry and attracts a lot of repeat business, many people pre-register their details so they can guarantee the cabin they want for the following year at the best price possible. This is why people often call us to book a suite or villa and find them booked up, chances are they were pre-booked at the time of launch.

The way it works is like this, on a launch day all of the best early booking discounts and cabins are booked up within hours of the cruises going on sale. That is because agents have all clients details and book on the behalf of the clients. The only thing we need to check is the price. We have an idea of prices before we book, this is how we can quote the cruises, and then take payment information. All we do then is to double check the price on the day, if it's the same we book, if not we call the client and then book if they are happy with the change.

And it's as simple as that!

If you would like to pre-register your details for any cruises in 2011, you can do so now. Call me on 0800 408 6128 for more information.

The Costa having a family......

2010-03-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

If you are a family of four with two children under 18, then Costa Cruises have a great alternative to cramming yourselves into one cabin with bunks or sofabeds. I have quoted a couple of families on it today and it is a great idea. They call it the "Family Plan". Instead of booking a four berth cabin they will give you the choice of booking whichever cabin you like, and the children can go in their own inside cabin for a discounted price. This is a good idea to get some peace and quiet and enjoy the freedom of having a bit of extra space to yourselves! Do you think that there are any other ideas the cruiselines can try to get more families cruising?

We all know that the kids get discounted prices, but it isn't many cruiselines that will allow them to have their own cabins. MSC Cruises allow kids to travel for free and just charge port taxes and flights for them. But they will still need to go into one cabin unless you book two cabins together and pay more. Other companies such as Royal Caribbean have done offers such as "Kids cruise for £99". It seems that they have caught on that there is money to be earned from children - hey, they always want to eat and drink right?

There are more and more families cruising these days and as cruise prices drop and the popularity of the industry rises it is going to be an issue that will come up time and time again. You can't get on a ship these days without having childrens clubs or activities on board (apart from a select few adult only ships), so why not embrace this fact and have more family friendly offers, family size cabins or following Costa's example, childrens own rooms.

The appeal of cruising is now more commercial than ever so in this modern era how are the older, experienced cruisers feeling? Is it ruining it for them being overrun by families or is it about time that this industry appealed to the masses?

Attack of the Azipods!

2010-03-15T02:32:00.000-07:00

Working for Cruise.co.uk I learn a lot about cruises and cruising. I have been asked a numerous amount of questions regarding cruise ships and I hate it when I don't know the answer. I consider it a challenge and will always try and find out by researching either on the internet or by asking other people who may be able to help. To assist me in my thirst for knowledge I joined the Cruises.co.uk forum this weekend. Immediately I was welcomed by regulars and they decided to test my metal by going straight for the jugular - I was asked a question about Azipods! And my initial response was the same as many of us...."What exactly is an Azipod???!!!"

To me it sounds like an alien life form that has come to take over the earth! This is the official description from the ABB website: "Azipod is the registered trademark of a family of electric propulsion systems for ships, the first of which was developed by ABB about two decades ago. The latest product in the range is the most energy-efficient electric propulsion system on the market." ABB’s Azipod systems are used in a wide variety of ships including luxury cruise vessels, yachts, ferries, drilling rigs, arctic tankers, offshore supply vessels and icebreakers.

The first Azipod propulsion system was completed in 1990. The Azipod unit is fixed outside the ship in a pod, or casing, which combines the functions of a propulsion motor, main propeller, rudder and stern thruster. These traditionally separately installed units are no longer needed, vacating space on board for other purposes.

Now this all may sound very technical, and in some cases you may read this and not really have a clue what it's all about....and why would you? As long as we can pay our money and cruise to different places in the world we are happy right?

But I do find it interesting that as well as all the stuff we see and know about onboard the ships - below the decks there is a whole new world of what makes these magnificent vessels stay afloat and sail the seas of our planet. Technology....it's a marvellous thing. I have now posted back on the forum trying to provoke discussions about what other breakthroughs there are in the pipeline for the cruising industry. No doubt there will be some interesting ideas........

Ocean Village Crash! (the reservation system)

2010-03-11T03:02:00.000-08:00

Chaos ensued on Monday as the Ocean Village farewell cruise went on sale and demand for it was so high that the reservations system they use actually crashed under the intense weight of people trying to book! How crazy is that? I came into work expecting it to be mad busy with people trying to book this cruise and was greeted with e-mails saying that they had stopped selling for the day and would try again Wednesday. We then received an e-mail Tuesday saying that they still hadn't fixed it and it would now be Friday from 10am! Is Ocean Village really that popular?

I have been working here now for a few months and have booked one Ocean Village cruise in that time. I can see why they would be popular....I myself would like to go on one of them as the informality would appeal to me. They have marketed themselves as "The cruise for people who don't do cruises". Very clever, however since working here I have had one enquiry and one booking for them, so why has this farewell cruise proved so popular?

It could be the itinerary, Heraklion to Singapore will be excellent and the fact it's a farewell cruise for many of the loyal Ocean Village past passengers who have cruised with them before is also an added bonus. But it begs the question, why are farewell cruises so popular? Would people have still gone mad for this if it wasn't a farewell cruise? If any of you have been on a farewell cruise before, who was it with and how was it?

Ocean Village Fond Farewell and The Big Goodbye goes on sale Friday at 10am. Call me direct on 0800 408 6128 for more details or to make a booking!

You can't control the weather....

2010-03-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

There have been two incidents over the last few weeks of bad weather causing deaths on cruise ships. The first one was the Costa Europa which crashed into the Egyptian harbour of Sharm-El-Sheikh during fierce winds killing three crew members. The second was the Cypriot owned Louis Majesty heading to Genoa hit by 26ft rogue waves and killing two men. It's incidents like these that could cause the cruise industry to suffer but I have noticed that the phones at Cruise.co.uk have been ringing off the hook recently. So have these incidents really put people off cruising?

Well the answer seems to be no! Of course when things like this happen it has an immediate effect on some people - there will be cancellations happening as we speak, nervous people who would prefer to lose their deposits than their lives! However, accidents like these are extremely rare and it's coincidence that these have happened so close to eachother.

Cruising is still less dangerous than taking a flight and people still don't think twice about flying for their holidays. It's cheaper than filling your car up these days! I remember when I worked for a flight company selling flights a few years ago and when September 11th happened the industry went dead for a few weeks, but it soon picked up again. People will always need to travel and take holidays, and if we take incidents like this too seriously we would never go anywhere again!

I would be interested to hear from people who have experienced some bad times aboard cruises that they have been on - maybe you have experienced some scary incidents in bad weather and lived to tell the tale?

Just Married!

2010-03-05T01:09:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I booked a couple on the Marco Polo "Springtime Fjordland" cruise which goes to Norway and takes in some of the most breathtaking scenery you could wish to see. I asked them why they wanted to do this particular cruise and apart from the obviously excellent itinerary, she told me that they were getting married the day before and this was to be their honeymoon. How fantastic is this?

There is always talk of people going on cruises to get married or celebrate anniversaries but this was the first time I personally had spoken to anyone taking their honeymoon on a cruise - especially as it was to be their first time too! So it made me think about all the benefits of cruising for a honeymoon.......

First of all you know you will be waited on hand and foot. You can eat when you like, drink when you like or take part in any onboard activities. Alternatively, you could just relax by the pool or as it's your honeymoon you may not even want to leave your cabin! And unlike a standard honeymoon, you get to take in different locations rather than just one, something to remember on future anniversaries!

The clients I spoke to yesterday booked the Marco Polo mainly beacause of the itinerary but also because it is now adults only, so they knew that the honeymoon wasn't going to be ruined by kids and families making lots of noise. If anyone is going to make the noise on this cruise it's the honeymooners!

There are other ships out there that are geared towards adults only and don't allow children or at least don't market themselves to families. These include the likes of Celebrity Cruises, Cunard and P&O ships Arcadia and Artemis. All of these sail from the UK and you don't need the stress of dealing with airports either. The perfect start to married life.

If you are going to spend your honeymoon cruising then the ship's staff will also make it special for you...if we inform them before you go they will usually add those special touches for you including things such as flowers, champagne and in some cases even upgrades! If you don't ask you don't get!

And the best thing is, all of this could be yours for free because if you have great parents (like the couple yesterday) they could buy your cruise for you as your wedding gift! Ok so the may have shelled out for the church, village hall, DJ, food, decorations, dresses, suits and all the rest of it, but cruising is becoming more affordable these days so why not drop it in there as an idea?

I'd love to hear from anyone that has taken a cruise for their honeymoon and the experience they had - it may encourage others to do it.....and what about chartering a specific honeymoon cruise, would it work?

A Guaranteed Obstruction?

2010-03-02T08:27:00.000-08:00

Recently a colleague of mine received a complaint from a client that she had booked a cruise for on a Guaranteed Balcony deal. When the client arrived they had a slight obstruction by a lifeboat. Upon examining the photo it is clear that the lifeboat is visible, but how many of you would you really class this as an obstruction? Especially one worth complaining about?

I know it's a personal preference, this client was obviously annoyed that they could see the lifeboat and maybe you would disagree with me but that is the risk you take when booking a Guarantee. I personally feel that this wouldn't affect my enjoyment of the holiday because I can still see the ports and sights when sailing in and out - it is only the sea below the balcony that is obstructed!

When we book people on a Guarantee we make them aware that this is like an allocation on arrival type deal. You pay a cheaper price but you don't know which cabin you get until you arrive. The only thing you are sure about is that you are guaranteed that grade of cabin as a minimum. However you could end up anywhere on the ship - this is why generally you will pay less for it. Although it doesn't always end up like this, there is a possibility that you could end up at the front or back or even with an obstruction. That's the risk you take.....however is something like this really worth spoiling your cruise for?

And was it Magnifica?

2010-03-02T05:32:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago I blogged that I was going on the MSC Magnifica launch with a few colleagues....well this weekend just gone was the visit, and I have to say it didn't disappoint! I think the fact that the lovely people at MSC had laid on complimentary food and drinks for the weekend helped somewhat, but aside from that I was very impressed with the newest addition to the fleet. So the question is, did it convince me enough to recommend MSC to future clients?

Well the answer is a resounding YES! This is the biggest ship I have visited to date and I was not only impressed with the facilities and decor on board but also the friendly service from the ship's crew. I'm not concerned that I had to wait at the buffet lunch line, or even at the bar for drinks - it's expected when the ship is full of travel staff and there are complimentary drinks aplenty!

When I first arrived at Southampton I was amazed at how much bigger it was than I had imagined. The check in though was nice and quick and on I went - having my photo taken as I entered the gangway to the ship with a lovely sailor-ess! I was then escorted to my cabin, which was a well designed balcony cabin on Deck 10. Despite the view being of Ikea (yes they are everywhere!) I thought it was well decorated, very modern and welcoming.

I then headed straight for a buffet lunch and despite a bit of a queue, was quite happy with the selection of salads, meats and pastas available. A couple of colleagues and I then headed to the Sports Bar to see if we could catch some football but unfortunately it wasn't on - so we decided to have a tour with and MSC crew member and viewed the facilities on offer. AS well as the usual swimming pools, bars and theatre, you can also enjoy a pool table, 4D cinema, fully equipped gym and spa area, tennis court, deck games and children's facilities. We were going to book a massage but as they were complimentary you can imagine they were fully booked!

The ship is decorated very modern throughout, with that touch of class you would expect from an Italian owned line - lots of gold decor, grand piano in the foyer, art gallery and casino etc. I took lots of photos and will add them gradually - although the ones of me drunk in the club in the early hours will remain in my possession thanks very much!

If you have any questions regarding MSC or the Magnifica, give me a call or drop me an email - I will be more than happy to chat to you about her. She is more than deserving of her name and I'm sure will make plenty of MSC cruisers very happy!

"So why should we book with you...?"

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

This is one of the questions I get asked a lot - there are a lot of cruise and travel agents out there so apart from price what distinguishes us from the rest? Well the answer to that is simple....SERVICE!

Here at Cruise.co.uk I have received fantastic training since I started working here and we are not just order takers - we are a well trained group of cruise specialists who make it our aim to provide the best service out there by being knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.

This is why we now have these blogs, the only company to do this, to set us apart from our competitors. We like to interact with everyone out there and actively encourage people to visit and leave messages. We also now have our Facebook and Twitter pages - we don't want to be faceless call centre agents who are trained like robots. We take an interest in our clients needs and ask the questions we need to ask to find the best deal and cruise for you.

Victoria Travel has been in business over 25 years now, and last year we were named the World's leading cruise agent to add to our 2 European awards before that. We have done this by providing the best service to both our customers and our colleagues in the world of cruise and travel. For more information check out our website and join in the chats in the forums with thousands of other satisfied clients.

And finally, the price is always going to be a big thing. I'm surprised at how many discounts and cruise offers we get with all the major cruiselines. 9 times out of 10 we will get you the best price, and if we don't for any reason we will be honest with you and tell you the truth that we can't beat a price - but the question should be do you really want to get cruise for a few pounds cheaper, or book with a company that provide a top class service from start to finish?

I know what my answer would be every time.......

Paperwork Sir/Madam??

2010-02-23T06:30:00.000-08:00

As you will be aware, when you travel to some countries you need a visa to enter - this no different if you are on a cruise. In some cases you can stop at many different ports so it is always best to check before you go as to whether or not you need a visa (or any vaccinations) to enter that country - otherwise you could find yourself confined to the ship while everyone else gets off to do some exploring!

Someone asked me the other day if it was cheaper to get their own visa for when they arrived in port, or whether it was cheaper to do a shore excursion...the answer to that is it depends on what the shore excursion is and how much the visa costs! It varies from country to country and ship to ship....it's best to explore the options though in full before you go.

We can advise you which countries you need visas for and how much they will cost....we even get a discounted cost for you should you want to purchase them from us. But again, some of the cruiselines do shore excursions which you can buy on the ship and they will include the visas in the cost so there is no need for you to get them separately unless you just want to go off exploring on your own at each port. But don't forget to be safe and get back to the ship on time!

To fly or not to fly?

2010-02-22T08:15:00.000-08:00

One of the questions I keep getting asked is about flights....is it better to book with the cruiseline as a package or to book them independently? The answer to this is there are pros and cons to both....it depends on you and how confident you are at sorting it out yourself. Some people think that they can save a lot of money by doing it themsleves but others prefer the peace of mind in having it all done together by one company.

Most cruises that don't leave from the UK will have a price for both fly cruise and cruise only. If you choose the fly cruise option you will have the flights booked for you by the cruiseline and they will also include transfers to and from the ship and the airport. However if they don't use scheduled flights (the bigger more expensive airlines) they will use charter flights of which there is limited availability. However they won't use the low cost internet airlines which many of us today prefer to go with and book ourselves.

If you do want to save some money you can book these flights directly on the internet yourself however you need to make sure you give yourself enough time to get to the cruise because of course these won't include transfers so you will need to get taxis or a private transfer. In some cases we can arrange this for you.

Another point is if the flights are delayed then the cruiseline won't have any hesitation in going without you. If you book as a package you are covered because the cruiselines will be more lenient and also helpful if helping you get there.

It's a question I get asked all the time so hopefully this clears it up a little bit - remember it's not always a matter of cost, sometimes a better service is the way forward to achieving the ultimate cruising experience!

Celebrate good times?

2010-02-15T05:15:00.000-08:00

I have spoken to a client today who celebrates his 50th wedding anniversary in July this year, congratulations to them both! He asked me to notify the cruise line, who will remain nameless, to let them know about this great achievement (and yes it is an achievement in his eyes!) However as they are not cruising until September and are not celebrating this while they are away, the cruiseline said that they won't do anything special for them! Charming huh??!!

Cruiselines are normally pretty good with special requests, especially anniversaries and celebrations, and although I sort of understand where they are coming from I also feel the disappointment of my client who made the point "How much would some flowers or a bottle of wine actually cost them?"

It's left a bitter taste in his mouth now regarding the company's PR and despite thinking I have helped him out, he regrets giving them his hard earned cash when they can't be bothered to make a gesture for a special anniversary like this. I can see his point.

I would be interested to know whether anyone else has had this sort of problem - after all, you work your fingers to the bone to pay for these cruises and generally want to have an experience you will remember forever - is it too much for them to go that extra mile in circumstances like these?

Wheelchairs R Us!

2010-02-13T04:11:00.000-08:00

Over the last few weeks I have spoken to about three different clients on the phone who have wanted to book cruises but as one of their party was in a wheelchair they couldn't book as there were no wheelchair accessible cabins available. Despite my best efforts, they didn't want to book as they knew it would be uncomfortable for them on board. Surely the Cruise industry needs to recognise this as a problem.

It's such a shame as these people obviously wanted to go on the cruises but these cabins do get booked up early so trying to find a cabin within a few months of travel is near impossible! That old chestnut of booking early rears it's head again....but not everyone can decide a year in advance if they want to cruise. Everyone surely should be given the same choice of booking a few months in advance.

It does beg the question, should there be more wheelchair accessible cabins on board cruise ships? I'm not mentioning names but the ship I checked the other day had four - on a ship that can hold over 1500 people! Let's be honest it's not many, and with refurbishments happening every few years why not increase the number of wheelchair accessible cabins - even if they don't get used at least they are there and disabled people have more of a choice rather than just "Sorry, none left!"

"And the name as it appears on you passport...."

2010-02-10T08:33:00.000-08:00

I spoke to a confused client yesterday who was getting married in July and travelling in October but was unsure if she could still travel with her old passport. Whenever we book people we do stress at the time of booking that the names on the passport must match the names on the tickets....the cruiselines can stop you boarding the cruise if these don't match.

Luckily, the cruise had been booked under her future married name so all she needs to do is to update her passport with her new name - but her old passport would have been no good so it was lucky she checked with us.

It would give a whole new meaning to the term "Identity Theft"!

Is "Less" actually more?

2010-02-10T01:15:00.000-08:00

I booked a cruise recently for a lady going on a Holland America cruise around the Caribbean leaving next week. Last week the Cruiseline e-mailed through to us the new Electronic documents, which they call "Express Docs". This is an e-mail which shows the full cruise itinerary including transfer details, accommodation etc. It also has information regarding online check-ins, and also links for them to print luggage labels, airline tickets and the rest of the stuff you would normally get through in a pack as you would expect. So the question is, is this really saving the planet?

The client called me to complain that she had to visit her son who is the MD of his own company to help her print off all of the required documents for her cruise. She had computer problems so couldn't print these herself and had to trouble her son during his busy day to help her. Once they had followed the various links and opened attachments she said that they had printed off eleven different things and had been there over an hour! Needless to say neither were very happy.

I contacted Holland America about this and they responded by saying this shouldn't have been the case and she should only have needed to have the itinerary attached to have been printed off. But how is this so? As the client says, there were luggage labels and airline tickets as well. It's a bit of a confusing one. Holland America's reasoning for doing this is to help the environment by saving paper but surely this isn't working if we have to print it all ourselves....and when you pay for a luxury service you shouldn't be expected to do this all yourself should you?

So the question is, would you prefer to see all cruiselines switch to this system or would you prefer to receive all documents and tickets through the post before departure? If we do switch to printing everything ourselves, should the prices of the cruises drop? And is the saving of the planet an excuse for less work on their behalf? Interesting discussions.....

Born Winner!

2010-02-09T04:52:00.000-08:00

One of the bookings I made with Royal Caribbean over the turn of the year has won me a sweets hamper! How lucky am I??!!

I'm not the biggest sweets fan in the world so being a kind caring sole, I put them in the kitchen for all my fellow colleagues - so if you call us today excuse us if it sounds like we are talking with our mouths full!!

I'm off to MSC the Magnifica!

2010-02-05T03:18:00.000-08:00

I have found out that a few colleagues and I are off to the MSC Magnifica ship launch at the end of the month so I'm looking forward to that. We are travelling down on Saturday 27th February for one night and will have a good old nose around the latest addition to MSC Cruises' excellent fleet. I'm sure a few drinks will be had as well as some fantastic cuisine and maybe even a cheeky dance!

I shall keep you all updated with how it went, as well as posting some photos on here to show you all how nice it's looking. With a name like Magnifica, I'm expecting something pretty special!

So why do we Blog?

2010-02-05T02:34:00.000-08:00

Some of you may wonder what the point of our blogs is and why we do it. It's not just a gimmick, for those of you out there who are genuinely interested in cruising this can be a great way to keep up to date with developments and news in the cruise industry. There are loads of sites out there at the moment that are very interactive and encourage people to write views and get involved in discussions regarding all areas of travel. The following article was e-mailed to me and I think sharing it with you may explain a bit more.....

Travel websites “overtaking" guidebooks

Traditional guidebooks have been overtaken by travel websites when it comes to user satisfaction, according to the results of Wanderlust magazine’s annual travel awards.
There was a significant ‘satisfaction gap’ of more than 15% between the top guidebook series Lonely Planet, which scored 79% and the most favoured website wildfrontiers.co.uk, which scored 95%.

All of the top ten websites managed to exceed the 80% mark.

More than 2,000 readers of the magazine voted in the annual poll which measured people’s satisfaction ratings in different areas including their favourite travel guidebooks and websites.

Editor in chief Lyn Hughes said: “The pace of change in travel has never been faster and these results show traditional guidebooks struggling to complete with blogs and websites which can be updated dozens of times each hour.

....so there you have it - blogs and websites are taking over as they can be updated more regularly, and actively encourage people to get involved and give their views and opinions.

Here at Cruise.co.uk we don't want to be just faceless order takers at the end of a phone - we want to help you out as much as possible by sharing our thoughts, insights and inside information to help make your cruise experience the best it can possibly be.

And if you don't want that, just read our stories or look at our photos and laugh.....if all else fails at least we can make you smile!

The usual funny....

2010-02-02T02:01:00.000-08:00

Early birds, worms, you know the rest....

2010-02-02T01:51:00.000-08:00

When I speak to people on the phones who are interested in booking cruises, I always say to them that it's better to book early to secure their places and the best deals. Sometimes I think people just think it's a sales ploy to get a commitment from them immediately but the fact is it's true! Cruising is the one area of the travel industry that hasn't been massively affected by the recession. It's not recession proof though - more recession resistant. It's becoming more and more popular and the late deals everyone searches for are becoming less popular - early booking cruise deals are the way forward!

According to predictions from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise industry will have yet another successful year thanks to additional changes in the market. Around 14.3 million holidaymakers are expected to opt for a cruise vacation this year. The number of passengers is increasing healthily each year. In 2008 the CLIA recorded 13.01 million people cruised on its registered ships and in 2009 this had jumped again to 13.44 million.

Various industry changes have been linked to the optimism for 2010, including additional cruise paths and larger vessels. Several operators have also successfully tapped into niche markets offering cruises for solos, cougars and gay-only travellers.

MSC is going EX-UK too!

2010-01-29T01:40:00.001-08:00

Following on from my post about Holland America going ex-UK I have found out that Italian Cruiseline MSC is joining in too, offering cruises from Southampton.....

MSC Cruises has recently announced Southampton Port as its new base for all 2011 Ex UK sailings, which will operate from May to September and sail passengers on MSC Opera to Northern and Western Europe. Giulio Libutti, MSC Cruises’ UK and Ireland Managing Director comments, “Ex UK cruising is becoming ever more desirable and popular and we are delighted to be working with Southampton Port in 2011.

“Southampton Port is well suited to our new planned itineraries cruising to the north of France, Spain and Portugal. The infrastructure and amenities at the port and in the city make Southampton a desirable and attractive port for us, with great transport links offered by road, rail and air, which will better service our passengers.”

More intimate in size than some of her larger sister ships in the MSC Cruises’ fleet, MSC Opera boasts a range of amenities and services onboard which will keep the whole family entertained throughout its cruise. MSC Opera can accommodate 2,000 passengers, has 856 cabins and weighs 60,000 tons. Facilities include 2 pools and 2 SPA baths, a theatre, discotheque, casino, library, beauty salon, gymnasium, restaurants and bars, boutiques, a jogging track, shuffleboard, solarium and an MSC Aurea SPA.

Families are well catered for with children cruising for free with MSC Cruises (paying flights, transfers and port taxes where applicable) and there is plenty for kids – both big and small to do from children’s clubs, a video games room, children’s play areas and mini golf. There is even a children’s menu for ‘fussy’ eaters.

Ex UK cruising makes for a hassle-free getaway; UK passengers can take as much luggage as they can carry and buy gifts while holidaying, without the worry of strict baggage allowances, often associated with flying.

MSC Opera will call at Southampton Port for a total of 13 cruises with a choice of 8 and 10 night itineraries. Passengers can follow the routes taken by Vikings, discover the unique atmosphere of Scandinavia’s finest cities or sail through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean.

The Epic Comes to Europe!

2010-01-29T01:22:00.000-08:00

NCL Freestyle Cruising is bringing its largest and most innovative ship to Europe for summer 2011. Debuting in June this year, Norwegian Epic will spend summer in the Mediterranean as part of her 2011 / 2012 deployment. The 153,000 tonne ship will sail seven-day Western Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona, Spain from May until October 2011. Ports of call include: Florence/Pisa (Livorno); Rome (Civitavecchia); Naples, Italy; and Palma, Majorca, Spain, along with two full days at sea.

“By bringing the ship to Europe during her second season, we are combining the excitement of Norwegian Epic with a very popular European itinerary,” says Kevin Sheehan, NCL’s chief executive officer. “With her world-class entertainment, wide range of accommodation, incredible amenities and plethora of dining options, Norwegian Epic will offer the best cruise experience for a wide range of travellers looking to enjoy Europe in a whole new way.”

World-class entertainment is Norwegian Epic’s hallmark. For the first time at sea, Blue Man Group will perform their exhilarating fusion of comedy, theatrics and paint, exclusively on the ship. In addition to world-class entertainment, the 4,200-passenger Norwegian Epic incorporates innovations such as several new types of accommodation – including the recently announced Studios for solo travellers, the largest luxury Villas suite complex at sea, and spa and family-friendly staterooms.

Kids will have a blast with Nickelodeon at Sea offering Nickelodeon-themed family entertainment and programming including character meet and greets and interactive game shows.

Holland America United Kingdom....

2010-01-26T06:16:00.000-08:00

I have found out that Holland America Line will have three ships operating no-fly itineraries from the UK in 2011. The Eurodam will be based in Dover from May to August and sail five 12-night cruises – four to the Baltic and one to the Norwegian fjords. The Baltic cruises will call at Copenhagen, Warnemunde, Tallinn, St Petersburg, Helsinki and Stockholm, while the Norwegian fjords voyage will visit Copenhagen, Oslo, Kristiansand, Bergen, Invergordon, South Queensferry and Newcastle.

The Ryndam will also be offering cruises from Dover, sailing a 20-night round-trip Mediterranean cruise on May 1 that will visit Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. In July and August, the ship will be offering three seven-night cruises to the Baltic and Norwegian fjords to attract passengers who have never sailed with HAL.

The Prinsendam will be sailing two different 14-night, round-Britain cruises from Tilbury, with departures on July 11 and August 29. Prices have yet to be confirmed but will start at around £699 per person cruise-only for the seven-night cruises on Ryndam. Prices will go live when the cruises go on sale next Monday, January 25.

The cruises will be included in HAL’s main 2011 brochure, which will be out in June, but the UK will be launching a mini brochure for the trade. HAL managing director UK Lynn Narraway said: “We will start to talk to agents next week about the cruises to secure early bookings.”

Solo, so good!

2010-01-26T00:58:00.000-08:00

I have been speaking to a few people on the phones recently who have wanted to go cruising alone, but are put off by the single person supplements as they push the prices up by quite a bit. This is of course something that the cruiselines do so they don't lose as much money when they can get double the amount of people in these rooms. A travel expert has claimed that following Norwegian Cruise Line's announcement to introduce studio cabins for solo travellers, more operators will get onboard the trend.

Margie Jordan, spokesperson for the American Society of Travel Agents, said solo travel is big business and is a great untapped market for the cruise industry, according to an interview with Reuters news. "I wouldn't be surprised if you saw Carnival or Royal Caribbean follow suit by introducing studio cabins," she predicted.

Ms Jordan went on to say that cruise liners are always trying to engage with their travellers by coming up with "innovative" facilities and special offers and the singles market is an extension of that. From themed trips such as the infamous cougar cruises to those embracing the latest changes in entertainment and offering customers cinemas, casinos and climbing walls, she said it is the ability to tap into niche or new markets that keep cruise holidays fresh and exciting.

NCL are not the only cruise company to target the singles market however. MSC Cruises have also waived the excessive charges for solo travellers, which can often add an additional 150 per cent to the price.

So the question is do you think the charges currently placed on most solo travellers are unfair? And would you go on a cruise holiday alone or do you prefer to have a crew mate in your cabin?

The New Complete Cruise Brochure Is Here!!

2010-01-22T01:21:00.001-08:00

We had our briefing on the new Complete Cruise Brochure yesterday which is now published and ready to be distributed to all of you lovely cruise fanatics out there. Not only does it contain fantastic cruise offers, but you can read hints and tips about cruising and it's full of other useful information as well as our gorgeous faces and contact information. It's perfect for first time cruisers.

For your copy drop me an email or call me and I will be happy to get one sent to you!

A word of warning....

2010-01-20T08:11:00.000-08:00

I have had a bit of a situation of the last couple of days so I just wanted to make people aware of a couple of things. I booked a cruise with Costa Cruises for a couple of clients during February half term going to the Caribbean. However the flights with Costa (and also MSC Cruises) are always on request at the time of booking. The flights department of these cruise lines then come back to us 48 hours later with flight details.

However, there is a possibility of the flights coming back as either unavailable from the selected airport so you may have to go from somewhere else, but in the worst case scenario they may come back as unavailable full stop! I have not known it happen to any of my clients until yesterday. As you can imagine the clients were not happy as they made the full payment - they then went and purchased travel insurance as well. Costa have offered them a full refund, but they won't get the credit card charge back from the credit card provider.

Just be careful people, always be wary that things like this can happen and we always try and make people aware before booking them. The clients are now looking at booking a package holiday and I have apologised on the behalf of the cruise line but I think it may have left a sour taste in their mouth!

Celebrity don't hate Haiti...

2010-01-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

Just as an update, I was speaking to one of the Celebrity Cruises staff yesterday and she was telling me that the cruise aboard the Celebrity Solstice wasn't changing it's itinerary even though Haiti is on of its ports. In extreme circumstances such as these the cruise line can sometimes change ports but apparently Labadee in Haiti hasn't really been affected by the earthquake. This means that the cruise will still sail there. Anyone booked on this will be glad to know - and if you are interested in booking there are still cabins on various dates available.

So what is "Fluid Pricing"?

2010-01-18T01:28:00.000-08:00

I have been receiving lots of calls recently from people who want to get a quote on prices of cruises for them and their friends or families. I am always happy to speak to people about their itineraries, and help them with anything they need help with but I'm sure I speak for all my colleagues when I say that we can't guarantee prices for longer than the duration of the original call. Unlike buying a loaf of bread or a CD, the prices of a cruise are what they call "fluid" which means they can go up or down at any time. The only people in control of this are the cruise companies themselves, not us.

I understand as much as anyone that it is a big decision to book a cruise as it's not like buying a bar of chocolate for 50p, its a lot of money to spend if you're not sure. However I'm finding there are a lot of people who seem to be "shopping around" for prices. The danger with this is they end up booking nothing because by the time they decide to book the prices have all gone up as the cabins they want have gone and they end up with nothing!

My personal advice for all you cruise lovers out there is to try and gather as much information as you possibly can before making that call - therefore if there is a cruise which has the right itinerary at the right price you can book it there and then and start saving and looking forward to it. I love to book cruises for people but hate it when they call back to book and the cabin or price they originally wanted is no longer available.

Although there are last minute deals to be had, as in any other part of the holiday industry, the chances are a little slimmer in the cruise industry as it's still very popular and all the decent cabins and ships get booked up first - so my advice for all you cruisers out there is to book early to guarantee a great cabin, a great cruise and an even better price!

Let's be thankful we aren't in Haiti!

2010-01-13T00:56:00.000-08:00

Well I have woken up this morning to yet more snow, the cars in my street are covered yet again and the roads look like they are going to be a nightmare to drive on. However, I will brave it as I know there are several people who are looking at getting their cruises booked with me today. The bad weather really is nothing compared to the news of the earthquake in Haiti this morning.....

It really puts things into perspective I think when the whole country comes to a standstill because of the snow - which fair enough is pretty dangerous for a lot of us but is nowhere near as bad as the devastation left by the earthquake. It should really make us thankful that we don't get them over here, and if we do they are minor. If anyone has seen the news this morning you will see what I'm talking about.

I'm expecting a lot of calls today at work regarding flights being cancelled and holidays and cruises being disrupted. All I can say to people is try not to let the weather put you off too much - there are a lot of things going on in the world far worse!

Brrrrrrrr - snow time like the present!

2010-01-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

What a strange week it's been this week due to the weather! As the first week back since Christmas and new year it should have been really busy with the buzz of the new year offers etc. but with all the snow it's been so quiet!

We have had people unable to get to work because of snow and icy roads (including our office manager who skidded into a ditch!) and even I flattened a bollard on the way home the other night! Luckily no damage to my car - just the poor bollard!

The phones have been quiet and I think that's mainly to do with people being pre-occupied so they aren't considering booking the cruises just yet.

Come on people....there are some fantastic deals on at the moment, give us a call to find out more. I'm not braving the snow for nothing you know, ha ha!!

Here we go....

2010-01-04T05:25:00.000-08:00

Well firstly a Happy New Year to everybody!

The festive season is over and most people are back to work now including ourselves and we are already having a massive amount of calls coming in to take advantage of the new year offers and deals going on. There is a real buzz about the place.

If you have a specific cruise in mind and want the best deal - or are just thinking of going away but need advice then don't hesitate to call. The adverts have started already, you may have seen the Royal Caribbean advert on TV, "The Nation of Why Not?"

Don't wait to see if last minute prices are better, the best deals are to be had now!

Silver Spirited Away!

2010-01-02T13:05:00.000-08:00

Silversea Cruises' brand new vessel has welcomed cruise holidaymakers on board for the first time and will depart on an 11-day 'holiday spirit' cruise this week from Barcelona. The 642ft Silver Spirit has been constructed in Italy's Fincantieri ship building yards and accommodates just 540 guests.

Almost all of the luxury ship's feature a private veranda, while the on board decor has been designed to reflect the 1930s art deco style. Early next year, she will embark on a 91-day cruise around the USA, departing from Fort Lauderdale in Florida. On its maiden voyage, the ship will visit Malaga, Gibraltar, Cadiz, Casablanca and Tangier.

Amerigo Perasso, Silversea's president and chief executive said: "The delivery of Silver Spirit is an important milestone for our company and represents our commitment to the development of the Silversea brand. "I wish to express my deep gratitude to the entire team of professionals that contributed to the development of Silver Spirit."

Fab Four coming to Royal Caribbean Cruises

2010-01-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

Royal Caribbean Cruises has launched a Beatles-themed cruise for 2010 that could rival Carnival's Elvis cruise. Decades after the Fab Four battled with the King for chart supremacy, they could once more be going head to head, this time for dominance of the seas - at least among cruise fans.

According to USA Today, the Beatles Tribute Cruise is set to sail out of Fort Lauderdale in March 2010 on the Independence of the Seas, a 3,654-passenger vessel that is a world away from a Yellow Submarine.

The six-night cruise will take in Belize City and the Costa Maya in Mexico, all the while providing plenty of Beatles-inspired entertainment.

May Pang, a former girlfriend of John Lennon and Nancy Lee Andrews, Ringo Starr's former fiancee, will be among the special guests on the cruise, the news provider reports.

Carnival's Elvis Cruise, which is hosted by the rock and roll legend's close friend Jerry Schilling, will be touring from Jacksonville, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas between November 8th and 10th 2010

Man The Lifeboats!

2009-12-30T04:45:00.000-08:00

There is only one thing I hate more than the cold snowy weather.....and that's rain!! Lots of it. Soaked to the skin, colds, flu, etc. So how overjoyed am I that it's drawing in! The River Severn in my home city of Worcester always seems to flood this time of year - It's fairly high now...nearly time for the life jackets! Check me out in my jacket on the Balmoral, I may be needing this again soon!

Dodgy, us?

2009-12-29T05:43:00.001-08:00

Here is another one of those funny signs, this one is from our Christmas cruise to Amsterdam - I wonder if this shop gets any business at all, ha ha!

Was that it???? Roll on 2010...

2009-12-29T05:34:00.000-08:00

Well not that I want to be a scrooge or anything but Christmas has been and gone yet again - blink and you would have missed it!! I think I did, as I seem to be back at work already, how did that happen??

But not that I'm complaining, it's so cold outside and with all the snow we have had there was nothing to do but stay in and watch rubbish TV while eating and drinking myself stupid.....I would rather be here with all my colleagues speaking to you guys about your cruising needs for next year.

Remember - all the new campaigns and cruise offers are out now so keep checking our website and give us a call when you decide what it is you want....we can always get you the best deal!

Happy New Year from myself and all here at Cruise.co.uk!!

Higher bridges or smaller ships?

2009-12-22T03:45:00.000-08:00

Not ONE of the 42 cruise ships under construction around the world will be able to use the new White Bay passenger terminal because they are too tall to pass under the Harbour Bridge! Australia's State Government is already considering sites for another cruise ship terminal on the other side of the bridge to cope with the new vessels.

Llew Russell, Shipping Australia chief executive, said the cruise ships under construction were of a similar scale to the Queen Mary II, which has to dock at the overseas passenger terminal in Circular Quay. The Government said the new terminal was necessary to cope with a predicted tripling of cruise ship passengers coming into Sydney by 2020.

Shipping industry figures show that by 2023, 85 per cent of cruise ship activity will take place east of the Harbour Bridge. Mr Russell supports the White Bay announcement but said the Cruise Passenger Terminal Steering Committee, made up of industry and government representatives, had already begun looking at alternative sites east of the bridge.

"Our figures suggest that over the first five to 10 years, the White Bay terminal would be used extensively … after that, when the larger vessels come on line, the demand will fall away."

"White Bay will mostly cater for domestic cruise ships - all capable of going under the bridge," the spokesman said.

"Most of the new international ships being built will be deployed in the Mediterranean, Caribbean or Alaskan markets and would not be based in Sydney."

Amster-Dam it was cold!!!!

2009-12-21T07:43:00.000-08:00

Here at Cruise.co.uk we have just had our company Christmas party aboard Fred Olsen's Balmoral on a 2 night cruise to Amsterdam. Needless to say there was all the usual shenanigans you would expect at the annual shindig including a dancing Spiderman - the rest I shall leave to your imaginations! There was also plenty you wouldn't expect - not even us....such as a 5 mile walk to the port of Dover because of the dreaded snow, aaggghhh!! But we decided we had worked hard enough all year to make the effort, after all we needed to let our hair down......

The trip itself was fantastic. Amsterdam hasn't had snow since 1981, this weekend we walked around in what can only be described as a blizzard! The place was like lapland....only substituting reindeer for bikes and trams. We took a River cruise while there although it was difficult to see anything as it felt like we were in a snow globe.

It was the first time I had been aboard the Balmoral and was surprised at how nice it is. It's a small, warm and friendly ship with staff who can't do enough for you. The food was excellent and plenty of it including midnight buffets, and the entertainment was modest but enjoyable. Fred Olsen has a reputation of appealing to older cruisers and I can see why - but think that is probably due more to the size of the ship than anything else.

I shall inevitably be posting photos from the trip soon so watch this space for more tales and updates.....

Brrrrrrrrrrring on the Sun!!!

2009-12-17T09:22:00.000-08:00

Well that's it, the snow is here again. We are off to Amsterdam this weekend and the place is covered in snow. And now it's just started here too! You may be able to tell I'm not really a massive snow fan....too cold and wet for me!

So to cheer myself up I thought I would post a picture of me in Los Angeles last year. Apparently, it nearly never rains or snows there....ever! Fantastic - you can see why everyone wants to go to Hollywood. If you look closely you can make out the famous sign behind me.....of course I got offered a modelling and movie contract while I was out there but I had to get back to sell cruises!

Talk about giving the game away....

2009-12-17T07:26:00.000-08:00

Here's another one of those funny signs.....not so quiet anymore huh??

Sign here....

2009-12-16T05:39:00.000-08:00

I have a friend who is currently travelling the world and he is keeping me informed with his travels. I set him a challenge to take photos of some stupid signs from around the world. This is a great one from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. I love the way the American people recommend counselling at every opportunity, even when you are ready to jump! It's worth on last throw of the dice.....

Antarctic nations insist on tough new 'Polar Code'

2009-12-16T01:48:00.000-08:00

Expected to be passed in 2013, the Polar Code will operate on a voluntary basis until it is ratified by treaty states and becomes legally binding.
It aims to reduce the number of ships carrying tourists into the region by requiring that all vessels have hulls strengthened to withstand ice, and a ban on heavy fuel oil. Officials and ship operators say this will effectively shut out big cruise ships.

The safeguards are seen as necessary to limit accidents in the region, where blinding sleet, fog, high winds and treacherous seas pose major dangers for ships and huge problems for rescuers located thousands of miles from remote Antarctic waters.

And while existing rules bar tourists or tour operators from leaving anything behind — like rubbish or human waste — and require protection of animal breeding grounds, there are no formal codes on the kind of vessels that can use the waters or the kinds of fuel and other oil products they can carry.

Silver-see the World!

2009-12-16T01:41:00.000-08:00

In 2011, for the very first time, Silversea's new 'Silver Spirit' will embark on a full World Cruise traversing both hemispheres. This grandest of voyages, appropriately themed "Spirit of Discovery," begins in Los Angeles on 19 January, when Silver Spirit is set to welcome no more than 540 privileged guests for a 119-day odyssey exploring 60 destinations in 25 countries -- with 11 overnight port visits -- before concluding in Southampton on 19 May.

Along the journey, Silver Spirit will take in the tranquillity of French Polynesia, Australia's untamed landscapes, the unique customs and cultures of Asia, ancient Egyptian wonders and timeless Mediterranean hideaways spanning from Italy and Monaco to Spain and Portugal.

To offer guests aboard this far-reaching voyage an opportunity to gain a closer look at the regions they visit, Silversea is hosting four complimentary World Cruise Events for guests sailing the full 119-day itinerary. These exclusive, custom-designed events include the chance to explore the history and sample some of Australia's premier wines at the original Penfolds winery, Magill Estate, and the National Wine Center in Adelaide; savor a Thai-themed gala dinner, staying overnight in the private Krungthep Wing of the five-star Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok; experience the exuberance of a traditional souk in Dubai, enjoying a festive dinner set amid the dunes of the Arabian desert as the sun sets; and attend a private opening of Barcelona's renowned Picasso Museum, with plenty of time to explore its treasures at a leisurely pace, without the usual crowds.

"A Silversea World Cruise is truly the ultimate travel experience," said Trudy Redfern, Silversea's Managing Director, UK and Ireland. "Not only will our guests have the chance to visit incredible destinations and explore fascinating cultures, but aboard our new Silver Spirit they'll also enjoy an unmatched level of pampering and personalised service set in a stunning 1930s Art Deco-inspired environment."

Guests aboard Inaugural World Cruise 2011 will enjoy spacious, ocean-view accommodations, sumptuous gourmet cuisine served in six dining venues, the personalised service of a butler assigned to every suite, and Silversea's generous selection of all-inclusive shipboard amenities, including complimentary beverages, wines and spirits served throughout the ship, 24-hour room service, stocked in-suite beverage cabinet and all gratuities.

In addition to the four complimentary World Cruise Events ashore and a 5% Extended Voyage Savings, the following complimentary amenities will also be available to guests who book the full 119-day cruise: an overnight stay on January 19 onboard Silver Spirit, including a Bon Voyage Gala cocktail reception and dinner; eight Silversea Experiences ashore (one per voyage segment); baggage handling service between guest's home and ship in Los Angeles and Southampton; a $2,000 Onboard Spending Credit (per double-occupancy suite); roundtrip Business Class Air and private car transfers (airport/ship/airport); and special commemorative gift.

Fares start at just £39,218 per person, based on double occupancy.

All Inclusive Azamara

2009-12-10T02:00:00.000-08:00

Azamara is becoming mainly all-inclusive next year. The changes have been introduced by CEO, Larry Pimentel, following feedback he received from agents, passengers and media since he joined the company in July.
Now to be called 'Azamara Club Cruises', the two-ship company will adopt a "primarily all-inclusive" service, and will take a more destination focused
approach.

From April next year, the following will now be INCLUDED in the cruise fare price:

- House wine at lunch and dinner
- Bottled water, speciality coffees and teas
- Housekeeping and dining gratuities
- Shuttle bus service to/from ports
- Destination-influenced entertainment & enrichment programmes
- All meals and room service

Speciality dining in speciality dining venues Prime C steakhouse and Aqualina will be complimentary for passengers in suites.

The line’s two 694-passenger ships, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, will make more overnight stays and late night departures. The vessels also promise to visit 140 ports in 50 countries next year, with overnight stays in Istanbul, Sorrento, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong, together with 2-3 night stays in St Petersburg.

“This isn’t a strategy of going ‘from good to great’,” he said. “This is about taking an already great product and making it exceptional. Azamara Club Cruises will distinguish itself by delivering the destination like no other line. We’re going to slow down the tempo, and allow our guests to not just see the destination, but to live it. Consider destinations like St. Tropez or St. Petersburg, Russia. If you’ve experienced them only by day, you haven’t really experienced them. With Azamara Club Cruises, through more overnight stays and late-night stays, you can.”

Two-day packages tailored to overnight destinations are being introduced in places such as Dubrovnik, Odessa, Livorno, Warnemunde, and London, in addition to Sorrento and St. Petersburg.

A two-night package from Bangkok to Laos; an overnight tour from Hiroshima to Osaka via bullet train; a three-night trip from Mumbai including a visit to the Taj Mahal; overnight tours between Ashdod and Cairo, and a Grand Egypt tour featuring the best of both Luxor and Cairo are featured.

A new loyalty programme, “Le Club Voyage,” with specific features and benefits yet to be announced, is also being introduced.

Cunard announce guest speakers...

2009-12-10T01:50:00.000-08:00

The Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been signed up as a guest lecturer aboard Cunard's Queen Mary 2.
He will be on board between the ports of Port Louis and Cape Town as part of the ship's world cruise, next March.

Cunard president and MD, Peter Shanks said "It is a great honour for Cunard to be able to welcome on board an internationally respected figure of such eminence, and we are confident our passengers will be transfixed by what he has to say.”

Other lecturers on board for the 'Insights' programme include Bill Bryson; John Humphreys; Dick Clement; Ian le Frenais; and Murray Walker. Aboard Queen Victoria will be Martin Bell and Nicholas Owen.

Size isn't everything!

2009-12-09T04:20:00.000-08:00

P&O Cruises is bucking the industry trend towards ever larger vessels by introducing a ship to its fleet that will accommodate just 710 passengers and will be able to visit the "off the beaten track" destinations that are inaccessible to some of the bigger ships of today. The new ship will be named Adonia and will join the fleet in May 2011, to become the smallest of P&O Cruises seven ships. Along with Arcadia she will be an adult only ship.

Built in 2001, more than three-quarters of her 355 well-appointed cabins have balconies. Adonia's public rooms will have a traditional feel and feature wood panelling, leather armchairs and fine artwork. She will have an extensive library with over 4,000 titles and a grand lounge with an intricately inlaid wooden dance floor and stage to host a range of entertainment, from after dinner speakers to shows by P&O Cruises Headliners Theatre Company.

Adonia will also have the signature P&O Cruises features of a forward Crow's Nest observation lounge with a nautical feel, and Anderson's, a centrally located traditional club style lounge bar.

P&O Cruises managing director, Carol Marlow said "Whilst larger ships have their own appeal, with the spectrum of bars, dining and entertainment choices they can offer, others really enjoy a smaller ship, with its more intimate ambience. No other cruise line offers this breadth of choice specifically for the British cruiser."

Adonia's itineraries and fares will be announced in Spring 2010.

Bahrain opens $362 million cruise port

2009-12-09T02:02:00.000-08:00

Bahrain's new multi-million port was officially inaugurated on Sunday. King Hamad opened operations at Port Khalifa bin Salman which aims to boost economic activity and foreign investment in the small archipelago state in the Gulf. The port has berths have water 15 metres deep, meaning it will be able to handle even the largest of cruise ships.

Tous à bord! French line in bid to entice Brits...

2009-12-09T01:53:00.000-08:00

Compagnie do Ponant is about to expand internationally by taking a range of measures designed to meet the needs of English-speakers...

* the employment of bi-lingual officers and crew, including cruise director
* shore excursions will be arranged in both English and French
* daily programmes on board written in both English and French
* all menus in both English and French
* TV stations available in both English and French

Véronique Saadé, deputy executive vice-president told TravelMole: “Since our formation in 1988, we have catered for English-speaking passengers. Our crew has always spoken fluent English and French.

“More than ever, the strategy needs to meet international markets expectations. Therefore, we are opening offices in Europe and North America and are committed to ensuring language barriers disappear on board our ships.

“All our international guests enjoy a welcoming, convivial atmosphere on board while sailing with us and experience truly magical and memorable voyages on our chic, intimate yacht ships.”

In a bid to start the ball rolling, the line has recently opened their first UK sales office in London, and an English version of their summer 2010 brochure has been released.

Subject to change!

2009-12-09T01:43:00.000-08:00

I'm lovin it...

2009-12-08T06:33:00.000-08:00

I decided that I was going to get photos in as many different places around the world with me stood in front of McDonalds...just to prove that they literally are everywhere! However since then I haven't actually been anywhere, so this is the only picture I have at the moment with me in Turkey. Watch this space......

Spot the Rep!

2009-12-08T02:53:00.000-08:00

I found these old pics of my "crazy" repping days. The picture on top is the booze cruise we used to guide around the small islands off the coast of Crete, and the bottom one is of us ready to guide the bar crawl around Malia. I haven't changed much. Can you spot me on either?

'Convenience Cruising'

2009-12-08T01:24:00.000-08:00

The number of people taking 'convenience cruises' from the UK, rather than flying out to start a cruise trip from warmer climates has increased. There has been a 20 per cent rise in passengers taking cruises which begin and end in the UK, the Daily Mail reports. During the recession, many passengers may be avoiding the costs of flights, choosing instead to maximise their spending on the cruise holiday itself. This also allows passengers to take more luggage, free of airline baggage restrictions.

It is now possible to cruise to many high-profile destinations directly from the UK, including the Mediterranean, Caribbean and the Baltic, with many ships leaving from the port at Southampton.

Chairman of Gill's Cruises Alistair Gill told the news provider: "Cruises from the UK are often cheaper as there is no flight to pay for, there is no waiting around at the airport at either end and passengers can take their time to get settled on board before the main itinerary begins."

Would you rather take a cruise directly from the UK or fly to a more exotic location to begin your cruise holiday?

Oa$i$ of the $ea$!

2009-12-08T01:19:00.000-08:00

Royal Caribbean's giant new vessel Oasis of the Seas, which embarked on its inaugral commercial cruise last week, is expected to have an effect on prices charged by the company's other ships and brands. That is according to a new report by market analysts Majestic Research, reported by the Caymanian Compass. The research suggests that prices aboard Royal Caribbean's other cruises are falling.

Prices for Solstice–class vessels have fallen from being 68 per cent to 30 per cent higher than the company's other ships in the first quarter of 2010 when compared to the third quarter of 2009. There have also been price falls for Royal Caribbean's Freedom–class ships and Celebrity Cruises, a separate brand owned by the firm.

Matthew Jacobs from Majestic Research told the news provider that Oasis of the Seas appears to be "cannibalising" prices on the rest of the operator's vessels. He said: "The Oasis is garnering initially high premiums for the quarter because of the honeymoon period accompanying the launch of a new ship. We expect the ship to continue to generate strong premiums throughout most of 2010".

Oasis of the Seas' sister ship Allure of the Seas is due to be delivered to Royal Caribbean next year.

To dress or not to dress?

2009-12-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

Experts are forecasting record numbers of people will go cruising next year... in the buff! Naturist cruises have been popular for a decade or so, but organisers say that 2010 will see a particular boom in this type of cruising. And companies are looking for ways to tempt us Brits into going 'au naturel' too! I wonder if it will catch on?!

At the World Travel Market conference last month, the general manager of NCL said that would become more popular if companies try and diversify. Stephen Park said "Niche cruising is something we will be seeing a lot of in the future. Whether you’re a music lover, a nature lover or a naturist, there will be a cruise for you.”

There is already a dedicated “clothing-optional” cruise provider based in America, with most of their clients ranging from 45-55 years old and including professions as diverse as managers to priests, they put on three cruises a year around warm climes.

Bill Munro, their founder, said: “I would say it’s not going to catch on in this country because there would be too many goose pimples. There are cruises catering for all demands and for all types of people – there are gay cruises for example. I guess there are enough people in the world who want to do it."

Even the chairman of MSC Cruises, Pete Pate, said: “Given the rate at which we are growing and the range of cruises offered it’s an idea which cannot be ruled out. But we no plan to launch a nudist cruise at present.”

Fiona Jeffery from World Travel Market said: “The cruise industry is growing so fast that it needs a variety of themes to attract new holidaymakers to the sector.

“Nudist beaches are popular all over the world, so why not naked cruising?”

A chuckle a day....

2009-12-04T01:34:00.001-08:00

Mediterranean wine cruise gets the thumbs up

2009-12-04T01:20:00.000-08:00

For people who love good wine there is now a Mediterranean cruise with a difference. Princess Cruises offer cruises for wine lovers aboard its ship Grand Princess, starting in Southampton and taking in three distinctive wine-producing countries: Spain, Italy and France

Guests are given a tour of a number of important wineries, including where the famous Freixenet cava is made, which features miles of cavernous cellars where the famous brand is aged.

At each stop, passengers are able to sample the best of regional wines like Chianti which comes from the Italian region of Tuscany.

Nick Coligan of the Liverpool Echo summed up his experience by saying: "I like wine, love the Mediterranean, and just one glance at the details of the Grand Princess, the vast ship I joined for a sumptuous five days, proved I would warm to her pretty quickly as well."

If you are interested in finding out more and booking this cruise don't hesitate to contact me via phone or e-mail.

Choosing to go cruising...

2009-12-03T01:06:00.000-08:00

The cruise industry has – like the rest of the travel industry – suffered this year, but not as badly as other sectors such as air. Many luxury lines have been to offer added incentives such as free flights and upgrades.

The Passenger Shipping Association have predicted that a record 1.65m UK passengers will choose a cruise holiday next year. That's a 6.5% increase over this year. “We put this down to the two “V"s – value and variety” said PSA director Bill Gibbons. Earlier this year, Gibbons said: “Although the cruise industry is not recession proof it is better placed than many other travel sectors to weather the economic storm.”

Gibbons said the fact that meals and accommodation and often flights were all included in the price of a cruise made it an attractive option to consumers wary of hidden extras. Next year 16 brand new ships are set to hit the horizon, 3 of which will be dedicated to the UK market: P&O's Azura, Cunard's Queen Elizabeth and the Celebrity Eclipse.

One in every 12 holidays sold in the UK is now a cruise – it was less than half of that 10 years ago. The average length of cruise taken has also increased, from 9.7 to 10.4 nights.

Do you agree that cruising is now becoming a more popular option for people to go on holiday and see the world?

Booze Cruise!

2009-12-03T01:04:00.000-08:00

Cruise operator Celebrity is set to give passengers the option of unlimited beer and spirits on board its ships.It has launched a new range of beverage packages, for which passengers pay a flat price and can then drink as much as they want in any of their vessel's bar, lounge, or restaurants.

An unlimited beer package is available from £20.75 a day and offers a wide selection of domestic and imported beers including Boddington's Ale, Grolsch, Beck's and Guinness.

The new liquor packages offer whiskies including the Glenlivet, Johnnie Walker Black Label as well as Bombay Sapphire gin.

Earlier this year, there were allegations that lowering prices of tickets was leading to 'chav cruises', and it remains to be seen whether the new booze packages from Celebrity will have the same result.

Do you think unlimited alcohol onboard could encourage a 'booze cruise' mentality or increase violence on cruises?

What's that smell.....?

2009-12-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

Aaah.. the sweet smell of... cruise ships? Yep, another cruising 'first' has hit the ocean waves. - This time it's all to do with SMELL! MSC has announced the launch of the world’s first fully fragranced, sensory branded ship. Called 'MED by MSC', the fragrance has been "specifically designed to add a multi-sensory level of engagement to the cruise experience at every customer touch-point, particularly the onboard experience".

In order to ensure the active dispersal of the new fragrance it was necessary to ensure that it wasn’t mixed with the other ‘off brand’ fragrances, like toiletries and cleaning products. So the ‘MED by MSC’ fragrance had to used in everything. The fragrance and all applications also had to meet the strictest ‘eco’ and ‘clean label’ guidelines. Daniela Picco, MSC Cruises Head of Corporate Marketing explained: “In my own travels, I have memories that are strongly associated with the scent of a place. BRAND sense allowed me to apply this association to the MSC Cruises experience. The fragrance that they created entirely encapsulates our values and reflects all the fun and excitement of our luxury cruise holidays. Not only does the scent enhance the customer experience during the cruise, but will stay with them forever as a sensory trigger to fond MSC Cruises memories”.

Fully Certed Up!

2009-12-02T04:49:00.000-08:00

Ok I'm now on 18 certificates for selling NCL, Royal Caribbean Groups and CCS groups. I'm pretty sure that's gotta be a record!!

Something to make you chuckle...

2009-12-02T01:25:00.000-08:00

Wind me up and let me go!

2009-12-01T01:54:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling really geared up today! I have pretty much unpacked most of my stuff at my new place. I'm getting organised both at home and at work. Everything seems to be new and it's all good. New house, new month, new diary and even an advent calendar to open!

All I need now is for Wolves to start winning........ ;-)

Today's Funny.....

2009-12-01T01:53:00.001-08:00

A Worker's View....

2009-11-30T06:03:00.000-08:00

I have worked abroad as a holiday rep and it's great to do to because you get to see a bit of the world. It can be very tiring at times as with anything, but you just can't beat getting out there. I have worked with people past and present who have spent months away working on cruise ships and the same applies, hard work but great fun. Here is a link to a story on the BBC website about Jaskirt Dhaliwell who travelled on the Sea Princess for 7 months as a photographer and gives us her views on life aboard.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2009/04/02/cruise_ship_feature.shtml

Today's funny...

2009-11-30T01:23:00.001-08:00

The Joy Of Relaxation....

2009-11-30T01:12:00.000-08:00

I have just had the most hectic weekend as I had a wedding to go to on Saturday and then moved house again on Sunday! Let's just say I would rather have been cruising....

The wedding I went to was fantastic, a really nice day and the afternoon and evening was excellent. It felt similar to being on a cruise as the food kept on coming and included everything from canapes, to cheese boards, to the evening buffet. With a comedian, live band and a DJ, the entertainment was top notch and I was drinking until the wee hours. Unlike a cruise though I was then up at 8am to have breakfast and help them clear away the marquee in the pouring rain with a stinking hangover!

And as if that wasn't tiring enough, back to(sunny!)Worcester to move house again. I have moved too much recently and hate living out of a suitcase not knowing where anything is. I suppose that's one of the joys of cruising. You can take loads more than you would on a plane and unpack properly while you are away. Oh the joys of relaxation, the hard part is now over, time to kick back and unpack!

Unbelievable MSC Offer!!

2009-11-27T08:25:00.000-08:00

"1st PASSENGER PAYS FULL BROCHURE FARE and
2nd PASSENGER PAYS JUST £1!!!"

Applicable sailings: All 2010 sailings* - 11 ships – 30 itineraries – 300 sailings

Booking dates: 27th November until 14th December 2009

Exclusions: *MSC Opera from Dover on 11 night cruises, Ocean Voyages & MSC Yacht Club

Cruise Areas: Mediterranean Winter, Caribbean, Mediterranean Summer, North Europe (excluding MSC Opera from Dover), Mediterranean Autumn and North America

Flights: Flights are subject to availability at the time of booking, with prices as per the current 2009/10 brochure.
For fly-cruise passengers, each passenger pays the flight price

Regional flights: Direct regional flights for 2010:
Birmingham/Palma MSC Lirica 1 May-9 October
Manchester/Barcelona MSC Fantasia 2 April-30 October
Manchester/Venice MSC Musica 2 May-26 September
Manchester/Palma MSC Lirica 1 May-25 September
Edinburgh/Venice MSC Armonia 3 May-13 September

All direct regional flights are £249pp.
For fly-cruise passengers, each passengers pays the flight price.

Alternative
Embarkation Ports: MSC Splendida March-November Barcelona or Civitavecchia for Rome
MSC Fantasia March-November Naples or Barcelona
MSC Lirica April-October Civitavecchia for Rome
MSC Sinfonia April-September Naples
MSC Splendida November-December Naples

Please note that the above listed embarkation options are offered as an alternative to the embarkation port of Genoa for the MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia and MSC Lirica and the embarkation port of Livorno for MSC Sinfonia. MSC flights for the alternative embarkation points will be on a request basis.

Terms & Conditions:
Applicable to new bookings, based on cruise only and double occupancy
Singles pay Prima Price
Not applicable for Family Fares

All offers are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time

Cruise Cartoon Comedy

2009-11-27T07:33:00.001-08:00

Check out today's funny......

LOL.....

2009-11-27T00:51:00.000-08:00

I went to see Ricky Gervais at Birmingham NIA last night. His new stand up show is called "Science", although to be honest there was little about the subject in it. He was supported very well by a Canadian stand up who's name escapes me, but was very funny. Ricky himself was hilarious as usual despite being heckled by some guy who got kicked out after about 15 minutes! What a waste of £35!!

Despite the cost Ricky was only on for just over an hour so it did go quite quickly but it got me thinking about comedy on cruise ships and the kind of quality that appears on them. I would love to throw it out there for people to find out who the best comics you have ever seen on a cruise is, famous or not, and who you would love to see doing a "cruise circuit"?

I can see my house from here......

2009-11-26T02:01:00.000-08:00

With the arrivals of the Celebrity Solstice ships and of course Royal Caribbean's Oasis Of The Seas, does anyone else think that Cruise ships are now just getting a bit too big? Looking at them is like looking at a floating block of flats. It may be a good idea as more rooms get balconies but personally I don't think they look like the most attractive of things. And come on, 5000+ people, imagine the queues....you know how us Brits hate queuing!

8 and counting.....

2009-11-26T01:09:00.000-08:00

I wasn't expecting certificates when I joined the company but the more training I do the more I get.....8 and counting, come on!!

Would Les Mills launches prosper at Sea?

2009-11-23T09:01:00.000-08:00

As a former employee within the Health Club sector I came across the name Les Mills frequently. For those who don't know, Les Mills is a distributor of exercise programmes called Body Training Systems (BTS). The classes are successful worldwide and regularly attract thousands of people to their new launches every few months. This got me thinking as to whether it would be a a success if they were to launch aboard a cruise ship?

There are several classes in the BTS group: Body Attack, Body Pump, Body Combat, Body Jam, Body Balance, Body Step and Body Vive. They are all designed for different types of exercise, whether it is flexibility, muscle toning, cardio exercise or just general overall fitness. The classes are designed to be taught to specially qualified instructors who then teach them across the world at gyms and health clubs everywhere.

The classes are designed to be changed every few months and new music and routines are learned by the instructors who then "launch" the new classes within the clubs. As this is a worldwide event it got me thinking as to whether the cruise ships are missing out on something here. Let's face it the Health & Fitness industry is thriving and cruise ships now have gyms and Personal Trainers pretty much as standard. So is it about time we introduced the Les Mills family into the cruise sector and as well as teaching on board make the Launches a big event for Cruising?

Brits - Do We Rule or Ruin?

2009-11-20T08:54:00.000-08:00

I love travelling around and exploring new places. It is crazy when you get deep in thought and consider how big the world is and how many places, cultures, languages and people there are. I have noticed that wherever you go these days (certainly in my case) there is a trace of the British people everywhere. Is this a good or bad thing I ask myself?

I love being British and I consider myself honoured to live on the most famous Island in the world. This doesn't necessarily mean that I am happy with the way we seem to take over the places we like to spend our holidays. Take Spain for example. It is well known and documented that we take over the "Costa's". You only need to watch Benidorm on ITV to see that!

And it's not just Spain. Greece is a hotspot for Brits getting out their sunburnt beer bellies. Turkey another. And now places like Bulgaria and Croatia are becoming ever popular with boozy Brits. We are even setting up in all these places now with British restaurants, pubs, hotels and more.

So the question is are we actually ruining these places? Surely the idea of going on holiday abroad is to see the country, learn the language, bask in the culture of others rather than packing our self obsessed lives in a suitcase and moving it to the sun! I appreciate that it does have some advantages, but surely when it gets to the point when the citizens of that country actually hate the thought of us turning up(apart from the bar owners) then we are sort of missing the point.

When you take a cruise holiday, surely one of the high points is the fact you get to spend a short time in different places and take in lots of cultures. Do you really want to be greeted by the Union Jack at every port?

Is Low Cost Cruising Any Sort Of Alternative?

2009-11-20T08:29:00.000-08:00

At the age of 31 I would probably be considered too young to set foot on one of these luxurious ships that sail the oceans. However this doesn't mean that it is not appealing to me. I have always perceived cruising as expensive and for "people with money". So the question is are my thoughts justified?

Since joining Cruise.co.uk I have had my eyes opened to the fact that this really is not the case anymore. Cruising has become more affordable with the introduction of companies such as Ocean Village, who have also pioneered the "informal" cruise. Taking into consideration that most things are included in the price on a cruise then you really do get value for money. But what about a younger generation of wannabe cruisers? Are low cost companies such as "Easy Cruise" the way forward or are we just substituting quality for cost?

I am due to visit the Fred Olsen Balmoral in December on a 2 night cruise to Amsterdam, and am very excited. Fred Olsen is a well established company with a great reputation so I will be able to gain an insight into what people get when they pay their money to spend time cruising. As I consider myself a "younger" generation of cruiser, I will also be able to establish whether this is an affordable option or whether the introduction of low cost cruising is a good idea. After all it worked for the airlines..........or did it?