Top New Destinations for 2017

A week today it will be Christmas Eve,  the year has gone so quickly and 2017 is only days away now. Traditionally the days just after Christmas are when thoughts turn to holidays, and cruise is no exception. Cruise lines are always looking for new destinations so which ports of call will be 2017 agenda […]

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A New Look For Oriana

P&O Cruises have recently announced that the much loved Oriana, one of their smaller, older ships, is to undergo a major refurbishment programme.Oriana was launched in 1995. An adults only ship sailing year round out of Southampton she is a much loved favourite of the P&O fleet. She last had a make over in 2011 […]

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Is that ” Free ” Drinks Package Really Worth It?

All Inclusive holidays have been around now for a while. I think they probably started life in the Caribbean where sometimes it s difficult to get to many bars & restaurants, especially as some of the hotels are set on large, sprawling estates in quite remote areas. I remember my first visit to the beautiful island […]

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Is Tipping The Most Controversial Thing About A Cruise?

Who , how and why do we tip people to reward good service ? Some people will say ” nobody tips me, so why should I tip anyone else ” and that is true, but I think the majority of us will tip for excellent service in certain instances. I always leave something at the […]

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Silver Service – Good or Bad ?

One of the comments that keeps rearing its head is that standards of food and service on board cruise ships is dropping. The culprits are usually P&O and Cunard, as opposed to the more relaxed American lines such as Celebrity and Princess.  

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Excursions – Do You Bother To Pre-Book?

Booking Excursions are a huge part of any holiday, not just a cruise. Before I worked in travel I could never really see the point of paying loads of money to be shown round towns and ancient monuments, but when I began working overseas with Thomson holidays my attitude changed completely.   A really good […]

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The Five Best Things To Do On A Transatlantic Cruise

Yesterday saw the 175th Anniversary cruises of Cunard going on sale and the one that appears to be the most popular is the transatlantic crossing sailing from Liverpool on 4th July on Queen Mary. This crosses over the Atlantic visiting Halifax and Boston before arriving in New York. The comment quite frequently made about voyages […]

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It Can Still Pay To Book Early !

2014 seems a long way away, especially if you are thinking of booking a cruise and have recently seen all the ” Getaway” fares and deals on offer at the moment for cruises departing in the next couple of months. This is not always the case, there are a few brilliant deals around at the moment if […]

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Come Dine With Me ?

Last week I talked about the speciality restaurants on Oceana and this made me think of the issues around where, when and with whom to dine on a cruise. Traditional dining in the main restaurant used to be the only option. 1st sitting around 6.30 and 2nd around 8.30, tables of 4, 6 or 8 with a […]

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Wheelchairs on Board

This week has seen the start of the Paralympic Games and what a fabulous opening ceremony it was. Our disabled athletes are already doing wonderfully well and I was especially pleased to see Ellie Simmonds win her first gold yesterday. Watching the athletes compete in their wheelchairs made me think of a conversation I had […]

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