What’s Hot,What’s Not,What’s New

Welcome to my monthly on line cruise magazine, although this isn’t going to be any ordinary magazine that you will have ever seen before. Its going to be fun, informative and topical where the editor of the magazine isn’t just me, its YOU.

Its going to be all about What is Hot in the cruising world and definately What is Not and your opinions are very much valued. This is your on line magazine where anything goes, as long as it has something to do with cruising that is :-). Photos , stories, opinions anything you think is either great or not then I want to hear about it.

So, What’s Hot, What’s Not And Whats New this month!!

Well its not the weather here in the UK that’s for sure . The Mediterranean is having a great time of it at the moment with temperatures soaring well above 20’c. Where have you been recently where the weather has been Hot Hot Hot, its good to know that its not all woollies and wellies.

White Rioja – An underrated classic? I have to admit I like the occasional glass of wine and if anybody offered me a glass of Rioja, I would automatically assume it was a glass of red. How wrong I was, after visiting Malaga Port recently , I asked the waiter to recommend a dry white Spanish wine, he didn’t hesitate when he pointed to an 11 euros bottle of white.  Rioja is that famous as a region producing bottles of red, not many people know it produces White also. There are three styles of White Rioja –  Fresh modern and crisp dry whites , without any oak at all, Marks & Spencer do a Terrasota White Rioja which compliments many dishes I have to say.  The classic old and traditional style of Reserva with an extensive oak Ageing and finally Barrel Fermented White Rioja, fermenting but not ageing in Oak. Smooth and Creamy and in my opinion the perfect accompaniment to any meat, fish or salad dish . Try a bottle and let me know, widely sold in all supermarkets.

New Cruise-Liner Operates in Malaga Port- This was the lifeboat drill I had to endure on the Bouncing Betty , its the ultimate high speed thrill ride and is capable of a whopping 40 knots. Not exactly the Grandeur of the Seas but still an amazing cruising experience. Please ignore my colleagues dismay , he was about to go on the ride of his life and was a little apprehensive shall we say!

Ventura’s new sister ship

WHAT’S NOT

Sharing with a table full of un like minded people, a customer of mine sat with 7 other guests all of a similar age of 50  on the Arcadia last week only to find himself completely bored after an hour of what he described as a very very dull night watching paint dry. Not wanting to repeat the experience he had a quiet word with the Maitre’D and was moved the next evening to a table of 6 . Himself , his wife, a very glamerous 80 year old lady with her 79 year old man friend, (unmarried but having plenty of fun apparently) and another elderly couple. After 24 cruises he had finally met the diners of his dreams and had more fun with these two couples than he ever had before. Just goes to show being young at heart is definately the way forward.

Toast Conveyer Belt- Strange What’s Not I know but I have recently experienced this first hand and I wont be the only one. You have just woke up with a long day ahead and are ready for a full hearty breakfast. You after much searching finally find a spare table to sit down at before you start wondering through the mounds and mounds of choice. You pick up a plate and fill it with a hot tasty breakfast , take it back to your table and then remember the toast. Arriving at the toast counter is a do it your self toast machine with four other hungry passengers in front of you, you pick up your toast and push through the queue before finally placing your toast on the conveyer belt. Five slow long hungry filled minutes have gone by and still no sign of your toast being remotely toasted. You give up and go back to your hotel hearty breakfast which is now cold. Surely people must realise these don’t work and only disappoint . Many a time have a seen people arguing over which slice of toast was there’s.  Have you experienced this and if so where. I am sure for those that have you can appreciate its frustrating.

WHAT’S NEW

Remember Newsround?? Unfortunately I was one of those children coming home from school with a snack and drink in hand ready for Newsround with John Craven, well what has he been doing since then ..John Craven presented Newsround from 1972 to 1989, leaving in 1989 to join Countryfile, which he still hosts, aged 73. He was awarded the OBE in 2000 for services to rural and children’s broadcasting and more recently, in 2011, accepted a children’s BAFTA award for his contribution to Newsround. He has just signed up to host a Caribbean cruise in January on Royal Clipper, flag ship of the Royal Clipper fleet of graceful Tall Ships. John will join the ship in Barbados on the 25th January, for a week long Grenadines Voyage as well as accompanying guests on two excursions.

Captian’s Lover was on the Bridge – A Moldovan dancer who was on the bridge of the Costa Concordia with Captain Francesco Schettino has admitted she was his lover at his trial.Domnica Cemortan testified that she was in a romantic relationship with the captain and was with him when the cruise ship ran aground off the north-west Italian coast.Capt Schettino faces multiple charges of manslaughter and abandoning ship.The January 2012 tragedy killed 32 people. The captain faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. At the end of the day he had a job to do and having your girlfriend around when your working will undoubtedly be a distraction , but when you have lives depending on you, his priorities should definately have been elsewhere. Your thoughts on this please.

Please do comment on anything you see like I said this is your on line magazine where your opinions count. I look forward to hearing from you.

Holly