About Me

Hello Everyone. My name is Ava.

Since I was little I always knew that I wanted to Travel and work within the Travel Industry. Between the ages of 18-22 I lived in Ibiza, Tenerife and in the USA. When I returned from the USA after my second year I knew I wanted to be a Travel Agent so I waited for a position to become available and in March 2011 a role came up at First Choice which then became Thomson and I worked my way up to Senior Travel Advisor.

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In 2013 I decided to take a 2-year break and I moved to China to teach English to Children aged between 3 and 15 which a great experience. The culture is completely different to ours and it was interesting to fully immerse myself in their culture ad it was very rewarding being an English teacher. I then came back to the UK in 2015 and I continued working at Thomson until January 2017. Where I decided to take on a new challenge and move on over to Cruise.co.uk. I have now been at Cruise.co.uk for over a year and I have gotten to experience so many amazing things and I couldn’t be happier.

Since October 2017 I had been living in a village called Relleu which is located in the mountains of Southern Spain.

Views from Guadalest!!

It was a great 18 months but now I have moved back to Sunny Kent in England. Life is good in the Uk and I am not missing Spain too much. I have also just completed my BA Degree in Business and Spanish which means I am not a graduate, but don’t worry, this does not mean that I am leaving Cruise.co.uk.

 

 

Qualifications

I have completed a lot of Cruise training and my Qualification Certificates are below:

P&O CommodoreCunard Commodore Viking River Cruise Viking Ocean Cruise  Admiral CertificateRoyal Caribbean CruiseCelebrity CruisesAzamara CruisesDisney Cruise LineDisney Cruise Line Super StarNCL ProfessionalNCL SpecialistHurtigruten CruisesPrincess CertificateShearings River Cruises Saga Cruises  NCLMSC CruisesFred OlsenAvalon WaterwaysRegent CertificateOceana CertificateSilversea CertificateCrystal Cruises CertificateHAL Course 105 Certificate

Ships I have been on

 Royal Caribbean International

Legend of the Seas – I went on the Legend of the Seas. I sailed from Hong Kong to Australia and I was on-board for 18 Nights. Whilst onboard I wanted to take advantage of all the facilities that were available to me. I climbed the climbing wall, played shuffleboard, swam in the saltwater pool and even played Bingo. Legend of the Seas is now Marella Discovery 2, so it has had a complete make-over. I wrote a short blog about my trip and the changing of companies, you can read more here.

Independence of the Seas – Back in December 2017, I won a place on the inaugural sailing of Independence after her refurbishment and I was on board from the 13th-15th May. Check out my blog here to hear all about my time onboard.

Spectrum of the Seas – I was able to spend the day onboard in Dubai and what can I say…she is an amazing ship.

Brilliance of the Seas – In July this year I spent the day onboard in Dover.

Arrival into Darwin on Legend of the Seas

Arrival into Darwin on Legend of the Seas

Fun on Indy!!

Fun on Indy!!

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Eclipse – I went on the 2 Night Short Cruise from Southampton to Le Havre, France in May 2017 and it was a great weekend, I only wish it was for longer!! The ship itself was great and there was such a great atmosphere onboard and the staff were brilliant. There are so many choices on-board for food and drink but our favourite bar was the Martini Bar on Deck 4. I have also just attended the Seminar At Sea, it was great to be back onboard. We had an overnight in Madeira and we disembarked in Tenerife. I have written a blog for both of my trips.

Celebrity Edge – I got to visit Celebrity Edge during CLIA Conference in May and what a beautiful ship she is.

Celebrity Reflection – In July this year I spent the day onboard in Dover.

MSC Cruises

MSC Meraviglia – On the 2nd June 2017, I got to attend the launch of MSC’s brand new ship, MSC Meraviglia. As soon as we pulled up into Le Havre, France we all got very excited….we hadn’t even stepped onboard and it looked incredible. Once we were onboard…we were even more impressed. As soon as we boarded on Deck, I saw the Crystal Staircase and the fantastic promenade, it was the best thing I’d seen on a Cruise Ship. Everything about this ship was amazing and you can read all about it on my blog here.

MSC Seaside – I sailed onboard MSC Seaside for a week on the 6th October 2018 and I loved every moment of it, check out my facebook and my blog as I have written about each day and also shared lots of videos about my time onboard and in the ports of call.

MSC Bellissima – I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of MSC Bellissima in March this year. She really is a beautiful ship.

I was so excited to get my Key Card...I just Can't wait to get back on board!!

I was so excited to get my Key Card…I just Can’t wait to get back on board!!

A few snaps from the Black Party!!

A few snaps from the Black Party!!

Norwegian Cruise lIne

Norwegian Jade – On the 22nd May 2017 I got to spend the day on NCL Jade in Southampton. The ship had recently had a refurbishment and the ship looks great. The bars look really stylish and the food was really nice. For more information about NCL click here to read my blog.

 

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines

Balmoral – I attended a Ship Visit in Dover in May 2017 in which I got to spend some time on Fred Olsen’s Balmoral and I’ve got to say I was pleasantly surprised. I’m not sure what I was expecting but it definitely exceeded my expectations. The decor is very eclectic and I’m not sure of some of the colour schemes but the staff were really friendly and the food on board was great. I got to see the different grades of staterooms and wow some of them were huge. Click here to read more about my day on-board.

Black watch – Black Watch is the second Fred Olsen Ship that I got to see in 2017 at Dover port. I have to say that I love the cabins on board, they are very spacious. Also, the food I had on-board was great. It was another great day onboard Fred Olsen. My Blog is coming soon.

Boudicca – I was onboard Boudicca for the day on 21st May 2018.

Black Watch

Black Watch

Saga Cruises

Saga Sapphire – I spent the day onboard in July 2017. I was really impressed with Saga Sapphire, the atmosphere on board was great and whilst on board, we had a 3-course meal in the main restaurant and the food was really nice.  Check out my blog here.

Pictures from Saga Sapphire

Pictures from Saga Sapphire

Oceania Cruises

Marina – Marina by Oceania Cruises is beautiful. Every part of the ship is stunning and spending a day onboard was great fun. The food we had on-board was extremely delicious. I tried Caviar for the first time and whilst it was interesting it was really nice. You can read more about it on my blog.

The Deck and Pool area was lovely!!

The Deck and Pool area was lovely!!

 

Princess Cruises

Royal Princess – I was lucky enough to be 1 of just 300 agents to attend the Royal Princess Mega FAM from 10th-13th May. The main thing that I took away from Princess is how amazing their staff are. They really made it a fantastic experience. You can read all about my time onboard on my blog here.

Sea Princess – In July this year I spent the day onboard in Dover.

A few pictures from Royal Princess!!

A few pictures from Royal Princess!!

 

Cruise & Maritime

Columbus – I attended a ship visit onboard Columbus on the 16th May 2018 and I was really impressed.

Marco Polo – We had our Christmas Cruise onboard Marco Polo in December. You can read all about my time on board here in my blog.

A few photo's from Columbus

A few photo’s from Columbus

All Ready for the Muster Drill!!

All Ready for the Muster Drill!!

 

 

 

 

Cunard Line

Queen Mary 2 – May 2019

P&O Cruises

Azura – May 2019

Uniworld & U River Cruises

The A – My full blog for my amazing Danube Cruise will be coming soon.

River Duchess – The River Duchess was the first vessel I was able to see in Regensburg as we had to walk through to board ‘The A’. Myself and my friend Emily were able to have a guided tour by the guest services manager. It was great to see the differences between the Uniworld and U River Cruise product as they are under the same company, yet they are completely different concepts. Uniworld River Cruises are like Boutique hotels on the river, The River Duchess was definitely very classy and had a great atmosphere on board.

SS Maria Theresa – WOW the SS Maria Theresa was like nothing I have seen before. She was an incredibly classic vessel. The whole vessel was absolutely stunning. It had a very traditional vibe and was so different from the decor to the facilities onboard. As you can see in one of the photos below, there is even a cinema room onboard and a lovely swimming pool.

Seabourn Cruises

Seabourn Quest – In August 2018 I spent the day onboard Seabourn Quest and I was not disappointed. You can read all about my experience here.

 

Crystal Cruises

Crystal Serenity – June 2019

 

Amadeus River Cruises

Amadeus Queen – I joined Amadeus Queen for a 2 Night River Cruise from Amsterdam to Rotterdam in early April. You can read all about my time here on my blog.

Viking River Cruises

Viking Jarl – I had the opportunity to visit the Viking Jarl in Budapest as my friend Eamon who used to work for Cruise.co.uk is now Program Director On Board. Eamon gave me a full tour of the vessel and advised that the majority of the Viking River Ships were identical so you know that you’ll get the same great service and facilities on every vessel. I even got to have a nice cold beer whilst sitting up on deck in the lovely Budapest sun. The staff around the vessel were very friendly and all of the guests that I came across said that they were having a great cruise.

 

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

Scenic Jade – We were only able to have a short tour onboard the Scenic Jade, but from what I saw she looked lovely. There was definitely an elegant feel as soon as you step on board, the staff were very friendly and the communal areas were very inviting.

 

Places I have visited

I have been to many countries, which are outlined below. I want to travel to at least 30 countries by my 30th birthday which is in just over a year.

Europe

  • Austria – Whilst on my U river Cruise in June 2019 I visited Linz, Melk, Dürnstein & Vienna. My favourite places were probably Melk as it was such a cute little town with some incredible views from the palace, and also Dürnstein as we hiked up to the castle and enjoyed views over Dürnstein and the Danube.
  • Belgium – I have been to the Christmas Markets in Brussels. It was a lot of fun and I learned a few things I didn’t know which were; Brussels is the home to Tin Tin and the Manneken Pis statue, which is very famous there and they even have bars of chocolate in the shape of the statue. I have also been to Antwerp as a port on a river cruise.
  • England – I come from Kent so I have been all over. I have also been to several other parts of England, which include; Cheltenham, Gloucester, Bristol, Bournemouth, Newcastle, Nottingham, Shrewsbury, Southampton, Telford, London, and Weybridge.
  • Finland – I have been to the Christmas Markets in Helsinki.
  • France – I have been to Paris several times. I have been to Disneyland 4 times and experienced something new every time. I have also been into the city and I saw Swedish House Mafia on their last tour which was incredible. I have also been shopping in Calais. Whilst Cruising I have been into Le Havre three times.
  • Germany – I have been to Regensburg and Passau whilst on my U River Cruise in June 2019. Both places were amazing, and I, of course, got to taste some local German Beer.
  • Greece – I have been to Crete, I stayed just outside Malia but I have also explored the island up to Chania. I went quad biking through the hills which was really fun.
  • Hungary – I have recently been to Budapest. What a great city!! The architecture is amazing and there are lots of great things to see.
  • Portugal – I have been on an educational trip with Thomson to the Algarve. I loved Portugal and the hotel I stayed in was amazing, I stayed in Robinson Quinta Da Ria. I also visited 5 other hotels that were great and they were; Hotel Falesia, Sensimar Falesia Atlantic, Sensimar Lagos, Salgados Palm Village and Alvor Baia. Whilst onboard Celebrity Eclipse I visited Madeira. It is so picturesque, it’s beautiful.
  • Republic of Ireland –  I visited Dublin on our Cruise.co.uk Christmas Conference Cruise.
  • Scotland –  I briefly lived in Glasgow and it took some adjusting to as their accent is very strong and hard to understand. Overall it was great fun as it’s a very vibrant city. I have also visited Aberdeen, Falkirk, Fife, Stirling, and Edinburgh.
  • Slovakia – We visited Bratislava whilst on my U River Cruise in June 2019 and I absolutely loved Bratislava. The city had so much atmosphere and my favourite place was the tea room which was formerly an underground bunker. Every room has a different county theme.
  • Spain – I lived in Ibiza for 2 seasons and in Tenerife for a full year. I now live in Relleu, Alicante province in Spain and I love it. I have also visited Alicante, Albir, Barcelona, Benidorm, Majorca, and Madrid.
  • The Netherlands – I have been to Efteling theme park on a Superbreak Fam Trip which is a Fantasy Themed Amusement Park and is home to the ‘Baron 1898’ which is a roller-coaster that free falls into a mine-shaft at the speed of 90km/h. It was such a rush. I have also been to The Hague, Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
  • Turkey – I went on a family holiday to Sarigerme, Dalaman with my family. We stayed in the First Choice Holiday Village and the hotel was great and the local town was small but really nice. We managed to get lots of shopping and it was very cheap.
  • Wales – I have visited Swansea, Cardiff, Welshpool, Newport, and Cwmbran.
Efteling Fam Trip 2016

Efteling Fam Trip 2016


Asia

  • China – I lived in China for over 2 years and I have been to Nanjing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Rizhao and Xi’an. I have been to the Great Wall 3 times and seen the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an.
  • Hong Kong – I have been to Hong Kong 5 times so I have seen everything there is to see including the Peak which is a 360 Degree View over Hong Kong island.
  • Indonesia – In Indonesia I have been to Bali and it was incredible. I rode an Elephant and fed them whilst in the Elephant Sanctuary. I visited the Monkey Forest in Ubud and I had monkeys sitting on my shoulder eating bananas.
  • Malaysia – I have been to Kuala Lumpur a few times and I have also been to Kota Kinabalu (Borneo).
  • Philippines – I have been to Manila and Puerto Princesa.
  • Thailand – I have been to Bangkok several times so I know the best places to go and how to see as much as possible in a short time.
  • United Arab Emirates – I have been to Dubai and there is only one word I would use to describe it…..’Grand’. I am heading to Dubai again this year with Royal Caribbean and it will be luxurious from start to finish.
  • Singapore – Singapore is such an amazing city, my favourite sight was the Gardens by the Bay.
  • Vietnam – I have been to Vietnam 3 times and I absolutely love it there. A definite must-see there are the Cu Chi Tunnels.
Jumping on the Great Wall of China

Jumping on the Great Wall of China

Elephant Sanctuary in Bali

Elephant Sanctuary in Bali

Visiting a Filipino Prison

Visiting a Filipino Prison


North America

  • United States – I have been to 15 states, these are; Kansas, Tennessee, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, California, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, Georgia, South Carolina, Philidelphia, Oklahoma and Texas. I have been to Las Vegas twice, New York twice and been to LA, San Francisco and Hollywood. I have travelled all over Florida including to Orlando and Miami. I lived in Missouri for a summer and also in Michigan for a summer.
  • Mexico – I visited Cozumel on a cruise and went to the amazing Xcaret Eco Park.
  • Jamaica – We had the most incredible day in Ocho Rios, shopping followed by a trip to the Dunn’s River Falls.
  • The Bahamas – I spent the day in Nassau and had the greatest day at Atlantis Aquapark.
    At the Hollywood Walk of Fame

    At the Hollywood Walk of Fame


Oceania/Australasia

  • Australia – I visited Australia on my cruise and I stopped at Darwin, Cairns, Airlie Beach and Brisbane and from there I flew to Sydney. I did some amazing things whilst I was there such as; Saw jumping Crocodiles in Darwin, Snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns and visited Tangalooma Island whilst in Brisbane. Whilst I was in Sydney I saw the famous Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge, I also Skydived from Wollongong Beach which was breathtaking.
    Skydiving In Sydney

    Skydiving In Sydney


Africa

  • Morocco – I went to Morocco for a weeks holiday and I stayed in the Riu Tikida Palmeraie in Marrakech. The hotel was amazing and had beautiful grounds. I went into the Medina and shopped in the Souks. It was a great holiday and I may have done lots of shopping!! I even rode a Camel whilst I was there.
    On a Camel in Marrakech

    On a Camel in Marrakech

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