Marks Maritime Marvels

A Light At The End Of The (Mersey) Tunnel

2012-02-09T21:33:00.000Z

Some very good news for Liverpool was announced last week, it will now be able to be used as a turnaround port. I do hope more cruise operators will use it as it will be a great alternative to Southampton port, especially for cruisers living in the North West and surrounding areas.
Fred Olsen has already announced they intend to return to Liverpool in 2013 and I'm sure other cruise companies will follow.
Some people may think this is a huge threat to Southampton port, but I personally don't think it will make much difference. Southampton will always have a huge amount of cruise ships sailing from its port, I don't think that will ever change in my lifetime.
There are plenty of ships to go around and in my opinion the more choices you give to the customer, the more customers you have.
I receive lots of calls from people who would love to sail from a Northern port, but unfortunately they are few and far between at present.
Not only will it benefit UK customers, but also for customers who fly into the UK from overseas to join their cruises. Also, from a totally selfish point of view, whenever we do ship visits on turnaround days, I can pop into my parents the night before over on The Wirral for a plate of Scouse!
I would also love to see the QM2 do a couple of runs a year across to New York and back into Liverpool!

Booking Etiquette

2012-02-03T11:58:00.000Z

We noticed a really good topic in our cruise forum yesterday which had some of the office talking.

The question was from a customer who was interested in a deal that was posted in our forum deals, however asked whether they should book with the agent that posted the deal, or the person they have normally booked with in the past.

Here is the link to the conversation:
http://www.cruises.co.uk/674-cruise_questions_answers_top_tips/26033-etiquette.html

My own personal opinion on this is that I would be quite happy for any of my colleagues to book one of their regular customers from a deal I have posted in the forums.
It also works the other way, where my regular customers would come to me when they see a good deal posted by another colleague.

Most customers will be loyal and will only book with the one agent here, this shows that we have given great customer service and built a good relationship with them.
Some customers that have been using our services for a while will have a couple of people they like to use, so if one agent is not in, they can contact the other one. Again this shows we have built a good rapport with them.
Some customers will not mind who they book their cruise with, however they are still loyal to cruise.co.uk

The final decision will always be in the hands of the customer.

Another Customer Service Rant!!

2012-01-25T18:22:00.001Z

I thought I would share some dreadful customer service I received recently. You will see on my previous blogs, I get really annoyed with bad customer service, whether I'm on the receiving end or see it happening to someone else.

I had my car fully serviced a few weeks ago at home up north whilst I was there for Christmas. As the car is close to 100000 miles, I also had the timing belt replaced at the same time. I fully understand cars are expensive to run and to keep on the road, so I don't mind spending money on keeping it fully serviced as I need the car for my job, so the bill was expensive, but I was expecting it to be.

11 days after & back in The Midlands on my way to work I broke down, called the AA and found that fan belt had torn off. They couldn't replace it as 2 bolts were missing from a pulley, I was towed to local garage for it to be mended.
£300 and 2 days later it was mended (water pump had gone as well)
I was informed this should never had happened if my car had just been fully serviced and it looked as though 2 bolts were not tightened after fitting the timing belt. They gave me all the old parts, so I could claim back from the garage that did the job.

After contacting the original garage with the AA report, my bill for £300 and all the parts, there was no apology whatsoever! They even told me that I was ripped off by the garaged that did the repairs and started to tell me what they would have charged. Now to me, this doesn't make a blind bit of difference, whether I was charged £300 or £3000, the work still needed to be done and I was out of pocket. I felt as though I was being accused of trying to make some money out of it.
Eventually, they agreed to pay what I have spent, but I still think this is terrible customer service.

No person on this earth is perfect and mistakes happen, that's life. If I make a mistake, I own up to it and apologise the the customer straight away. I will always try and rectify my mistake, I would never start to tell the customer they should have done X, Y or Z and try to make excuses or point the finger at someone else if it was my error!

It makes my blood boil when I don't receive the same customer service I give to my customers, I think this garage should have paid this bill without the hassle and also offered something as a goodwill gesture, like a free MOT to keep my business.
Unfortunately, I will never use them again because of their attitude, not because they made a mistake!

Rant over!

Has the Costa Cruise accident put you off cruising?

2012-01-15T16:50:00.000Z

I'm sure most people have now heard of the terrible accident on the Costa Cruise ship this weekend. It's terrible that people have lost their lives and I'm sure when the full investigation takes place, we'll find the actual cause of this accident.

I was talking to some friends today and they were asking whether it will affect the cruise industry. If I'm being really honest, and in my personal opinion, I really don't think it will. As I have said, it's awful that people have lost their lives and it must be terrible for their families and friends and my heart goes out to them.

The reason I don't think it will have a massive impact on people booking, is that most people realise there is going to be some risk when travelling, whether it be by ship, train, plane, bike, car, coach or even walking down the street.
I also believe that when an accident happens, once the causes are identified, modifications are implemented so an accident of this nature will be difficult to repeat itself and I'm sure this will be the case with this accident.

January Blues

2012-01-05T18:08:00.001Z

I'm sure, like me, most people had a wonderful Christmas & New year, and most people are now back at work. January is one of those months where we start to look forward to the summer and a lot of people want to get something booked for their main summer holiday.
Cruising is no different as we will be very busy here at Cruise.co.uk over the next 2-3 months. I've only been back in work 2 days and it is very busy with people enquiring and booking.
I know I say this every year here on my blog and I'm going to say it yet again - If you are looking for a 3 or 4 berth cabin during school holidays, NOW is the time to book.
Most 3 & 4 berth cabins book up quickly during the main summer holidays and some cruise operators (P&O, Princess and Cunard especially) have a limit to the amount of children they will take on each cruise.
Last July and August, we were overwhelmed with people wanting last minuite cruises for families, and most had to take 2 twin cabins to accommodate them on the cruise.
So if you have identified your cruise, call us up and we will check the availability for you.
If you have never cruised before have have always fancied it, then call us, we will let you know what to expect and get you a great deal.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T14:37:00.000Z

I would just like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Also I would like to thank all my customers for booking with me and to those who have left a comment on my blog, it is much appreciated.

I will be away in between Christmas and New Year, however will be back on the 3rd January.

Thanks again
Mark

I'm On Holiday

2011-12-03T20:21:00.000Z

Just to let you know I'm now away on annual leave until 23rd December. To make a booking or if you require assistance, please contact one of my colleagues on 0800 408 6200 and they will be happy to assist.

River Cruise Expo

2011-11-27T20:16:00.000Z

Last week I visited the first ever River cruise expo for UK agents in Amsterdam, it was a great way to experience what river cruising is all about and get the chance to sample their products 1st hand.

We were only visiting for one night and last week we saw quite a bit of fog cover Amsterdam airport, so after a long delay we eventually arrived. We caught the last part of the presentations, then headed for our accommodation for the night the beautiful S.S. Antoinette a Uniworld ship.

The cabins were lovely in design, very comfortable and I was quite surprised as to how much room they had inside. One thing you will notice between ocean liners and river cruises is the size. Remember, these cruise boats need to get through narrow bridges up and down the rivers, however they have utilised the space on board really well.

We had dinner on board and the food was fantastic, a great choice for starters, main course and desert with a selection of wines & beers (normally included on most river cruises)

The following morning we had a good look around 4 other river boats that were moored next to us. I found the difference in class and style quite a contrast, so you can opt for a 3 start ship, right up to a 5* plus (just like ocean cruising) So there is something for every ones budget. Below are a few examples:

The Antoinette was the best, being a 5 star ship it has everything, including indoor pool!

During the summer months they open the large doors.

The below Da Vinci was a nice comfortable ship, lovely atmosphere and public areas. The picture of the cabin below looks very strange with the seats out instead of the beds, however the beds do come down and most people leave them down.

The one major benefit of river cruising is that you are right in the centre of every destination when mooring, so as you sail to each city, town or place, you are within walking distance of all the attractions on offer. No 2 hours coach trips from the coast like ocean liners!

Most river cruise operators will offer excursions included in the price, these could be anything from local walks with guides to bike rides through the town or city.

If you have never though about river cruising before, then why not give it a go, you'll be quite surprised on the value they offer.

Da Vinci Reception

Top Deck in the fog!

River Cruise Expo

2011-11-19T20:40:00.000Z

Tomorrow I'm flying over to Amsterdam 1st thing in the morning for the first ACE river cruise expo. A Couple of my colleagues are coming over with me, just for one night to sample some of the river cruise products.

I'm really looking forward to it as River Cruising is really taking off and it's something I'm very interested in. We will be having talks, ship visits and an excursion - all in the space of 36 hours!

I'm back on Monday evening, so will update my blog upon my return.

Free Parking, Flights & Coach to Southampton

2011-11-10T17:02:00.000Z

November and December are normally quiet months in the travel industry, however we are finding a lot of people booking for 2012 at the moment. I think this is because P&O and Cunard are still offering the free parking and coach travel to Southampton on certain sailings for next year.

Also, on some sailings, they are offering free flights down to Southampton with Flybe - this is a great offer for some sailings as the journey down to Southampton can be quite a trek if you live north of the Midlands! The only draw back with flying is the limitation on baggage, however you can pay for extra weight.

If you read a lot of our blogs, you will always see us saying to book early - especially if you want a 3 or 4 berth cabin during school holidays. Not only do these cabins fill up quick, P&O, Cunard and Princess cruises limit the amount of children they carry on board, so it is advisable to book early if you fall within this category!

Baggage Delivery Service

2011-11-02T21:22:00.000Z

My parents are off on a cruise in a few weeks time on board Fred Olsen Balmoral down to the Canaries, they enjoyed their 1st cruise back in February this year on the Independence so much, they have now got the cruise bug!
I told them what a great time we had on board back in August when we visited the Baltic capitals, that they have decided to give Fred Olsen a try.
One thing that is quite important to them is they service they provide for their suitcases to be picked up and delivered to the ship. The service is an added extra where your baggage will be picked up a few days before the cruise, it is then waiting for you in your cabin upon arrival, at the end of the cruise, once you have collected from the arrivals hall, it is then transported back to your home address a few days later.
My Mum & Dad think this is a great service as they travel by train down to Southampton with a change of trains and it saves then carting heavy cases everywhere.
The price is £35 per case each way (from the North West) I think it's well worth the price especially if you struggle with carrying your cases.
They used the service last time when they went on the Independence of the seas. They only thing my Mum worries about is whether they will arrive on the ship but they had no problems last time.

Being On Hold

2011-10-25T19:43:00.000+01:00

We were discussing in the office here at Cruise.co.uk that when we put people on hold, we always explain that we don't have any hold music as some people think we have cut them off!

So we got talking whether we should have hold music or not and whether people like listening to music whilst they are on hold. I think it's all down to they type of hold music they play - I can't stand the chimes, plinking and plonking in your ear, but I do like up to date chart music (most of it anyway)

Maybe we should have ship/cruise themed music playing whilst you are on hold, "I am sailing" springs to mind or would this be a bit tacky?

Do you like music whilst you hold and if so, what sort do you like, or do you prefer nothing at all - after all silence is golden!

Please feel free to join in this conversation by clicking here on our cruises.co.uk forum

Benidorm - Well worth a visit

2011-10-16T21:13:00.000+01:00

As mentioned in my previous blog, I have just had a few nights over in Benidorm and we had a fantastic time. The place hasn't changed much, still as big and bold as ever! I must admit I really love the place, it's got everything for everyone.
We stayed in the Levante area (also known as the new town) in a 3 * hotel that was central to local bars, the promenade and beach. The weather was fantastic over 30 degrees everyday and we had good company with Mum, Dad & sister.
I couldn't believe how reasonable everything was - In the hotel, a bottle of San Miguel was 1.10 euro for a bottle, a coffee and brandy 1.40 and these were hotel prices!
We also went out on Sunday afternoon to a Spanish restaurant as I really fancied a paella, so we went for the menu del dia. This consisted of 3 courses, we had 3 bottles of rose wine, then some coffees and Brandy's & Baileys, for all 5 of us it came to 66 euros!
On the Monday me and Dave headed up to Terra Mitica the theme park, the park wasn't busy so we got to go on many rides (I did however feel very hung over, so didn't go on as many rides as I normally would!)
Benidorm is a great place, as it was such a short break, we didn't see other places they have like Mundomar, the huge water park and Benidorm Palace.
If you have never been to Benidorm before - Give it a go, it's well worth a visit.

Benidorm Here I Come

2011-10-07T15:54:00.001+01:00

As it's one year since my civil partnership, we are celebrating in style and heading to Benidorm for a few nights. I lived in Benidorm for 3 years when I worked for Thomson Holidays as a Sales Manager and can't wait to go back to visit some of my favourite bars and restaurants! (if they are still there)

The weather looks like it is going to be good and we also want to head up to the big theme park Terra Mitica.

My parents are joining us along with my sister who is popping over from Ibiza.

Princess Cruises Prices

2011-10-02T17:56:00.000+01:00

Recently over the past week, I have priced up some cruises on the Gran Princess sailing from Southampton for next Summer. Now the 2 past passengers are regular customers of mine and travel with Princess every year, they always book a suite each year as well.
This year however, they feel as though Princess are not treating their past passengers with any benefits what so ever. They are spending over £8000 on their cruise and have no on board credit, car parking or coach to the port.
Last year on the same cruise, they received $600 on board spend, also with car parking (and the price was £500 cheaper)
They have therefore decided to try another cruise company for next year.
It's a shame that Princess are not offering anything for past customer at present, as I feel they may lose a lot of their regular customers.

Fred Olsen Balmoral

2011-09-25T18:24:00.002+01:00

After my previous 2 blogs about my recent cruise on the Balmoral with Fred Olsen. I haven't really spoken about the ship itself, so here is what I thought about it.
I think it's a great ship to sail on, the main reasons I say this is because of a few things that really stood out.
1. It's a really comfortable ship, you can really relax on board, some lovely public areas to just sit and read, people watch or just have a little drink.
2. The food I thought was excellent and what stood out for me was at times the British flavours, Shepherds pie being one of them. Now I'm not saying it's all British, they have an excellent mix of international flavours, but sometimes, you just want some good British nosh and Fred Olsen provides this.
3. The staff I could not fault - Within one day, they knew both myself and my partners names and what our tipple was - It was sad to say goodbye to them when we got off.

As it was part work part holiday, I didn't get to see all the shows each evening, however from what I saw, it provided good evening entertainment with a good mix of singing, comedy and magic!
The feedback from the choir we took on board has been excellent and they want to return next year, which just goes to show, Fred Olsen have got it just right.

Baltic Ports of Call

2011-09-18T19:37:00.000+01:00

As mentioned in my previous blog, I have recently sailed on the Balmoral to the Baltic capitals and here as promised is a little run down of the ports of call we visited.

Tallin, Estonia
This beautiful ancient little city is full of old world charm, its alleyways and cobbled streets have a magical and fairytale atmosphere.
The streets are mostly steep and winding, so could prove challenging to those visitors with mobility problems.
There are many churches and chapels, and lots of historical old buildings to visit and photograph.
The local people all speak excellent English and are friendly and welcoming.
The pavement café culture is alive and well in Tallin, but, unlike most other European capitals, it seems a lower key, less showey and more reasonable coffee break.
There was the usual array of local handicrafts and souvenirs to purchase.

St Petersburg, Russia
Due to the strict visa entry system set in place by the Russian authorities, there are two ways of arranging your visa:
(1) Apply directly to the Russian High Commission in London, prior to your trip, for a visitor's visa. This will incur a cost.
(2) Book excursions with your cruise excursion staff, who will arrange a visa for each trip that you take, and also arrange the required formal invitation from Russian authorities, to enter their country.
We went for option 2, but this in itself brought difficulties – you are given a visa per trip, so if you had booked both a morning, and an afternoon excursion, you were required to return to the ship in between your trips.
This can prove time consuming and tiring, especially if the traveller is elderly or in poor health, and more especially when the road form the dock to the City centre seems to be forever gridlocked with appalling traffic jams! (We took a coach into town along this road, and it took 90 minutes – the journey should only take 15 minutes).
We found the immigration staff at the port office to be unfriendly and somewhat intimidating, but a great talking point on board the ship!
Unfortunately only 2 visas came through, even though we were booked onto 6 trips (this was through no fault of Fred Olsen) I won't bore you with the full details.
This meant that we were unable to leave the ship to join 4 of the excursions.
Instead we had to content ourselves by looking at the endless and unattractive tenement blocks that seemed to dominate the Russian Dock Promenade, but we did have the whole ship to ourselves as most people were off on excursions, so we had a nice time just relaxing on board.
What we saw of St Petersburg was quite striking, lots of gilded and decorated roof tops and spires etc.
The churches were spectacular, and the city appeared to be well kept.
Lots of the buildings though are quite samey, and as mentioned before, there is tower block housing everywhere – this can be somewhat depressing.
Staff we met at a street side bar were friendly, with good English. They accepted our Euros happily, though change is given in local currency.

Helsinki, Finland
This was a true delight! The city is set in and around some hills, and is exceptionally well kept and clean.
There are many parks to explore, with beautifully landscaped gardens.
Monuments and statues are on every corner.
The architecture of the buildings varies from grand and imposing, to simple wooded structure shacks, all painted in pastel tones.
Our guide was a pleasant young lady, with a sound local knowledge, explained in excellent English.
She even pointed out personal sights, such as her own high school, and told us of the nations most loved food (potatoes) – though she herself, was not so much of a fan.
She had the bus in stitches – very funny and most enjoyable company.
We made some brief photo stops, as time was always an issue, but were satisfied with the vistas we were shown.
The choir with whom we were travelling performed a one of the local churches.
They sounded amazing, as the acoustic here were especially good – the church had been honed out of pure rock some years ago – it was quite a sight – bare rock walls, topped off with a copper wire ceiling. It was visually stunning.
The tourists inside had quite a treat when 65 Welsh choir singers took to the alter and belted out a few hymns!
Copenhagen, Denmark
We spent a day and a half here, as the ship's captain had to make a late change to the itinerary, as a planned port of call had reported shallow waters, and the captain did not want to risk running the ship aground, or damaging its propellers.
The city is very smart and modern, and is undoubtedly the best out of all we visited for the shopper.
All the big fashion houses are here, place beside smaller independents selling a vast range of edgy, urban fashion items.
Prices appeared to be high. Even the souvenir shops were retailing simple key rings for £6 to £8.
We took a canal boat tour of the city, for approx £10 which lasted an hour.
This was a great way to see the city, with its many museums, art galleries and grand churches.
The architecture is bold and proud.
Beer was expensive - £7 for a pint of Tuborg, though we were sat in one of the more touristy spots in the city!

Our amazing trip with Welsh Male Voice Choir on Balmoral

2011-09-11T15:09:00.001+01:00

I have recently had the pleasure of travelling with The South Wales Male Choir on their cruise to The Baltic on board Fred Olsen Balmoral. It was a 2 week cruise taking in The Kiel Canal, Tallin, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Copenhagen and Kristiansand.
The group consisted on 65 choristers and their partners, friends and family. I had a great 2 weeks, not just sailing on the Balmoral and visiting these beautiful places (I will write more on the destinations on another blog) but also it was a pleasure to hear this fantastic choir sing throughout the cruise and in the ports we visited.

The choir sang in 3 land based venues and also did 3 concerts on board the Balmoral. The whole ship turned out to hear them sing on board and some passengers also made it to some of their concerts on land. The only way I can describe the voices was simply amazing, hairs standing up on back on neck and also very moving. I have only ever seen this sort of choir on TV, and I'm so glad I could hear it first hand in full glory.

One of their main concerts was in St. Petersburg, where a lot of local people paid to see them perform. The audience was mixed of locals and ex pats, and they filled the place. It was also a lovely touch to see a local young group perform with them.

The master of the ship, from Norway, asked whether they would be willing to perform in Kristiansand in the Cathedral there, this was my favourite destination, and they group dedicated their performance to the many young people who were shot back in July, a lovely touch I thought.

I also enjoyed the impromptu performances on board the ship in some of the bars, one evening they sang as a group in the Morning Light pub and this made my whole cruise.

I was overwhelmed by the fact that the whole group loved to perform and they they were proud to be part of their choir.

It is an experience I will never forget and hope to be part of any future cruises they plan with us.

I will write more about the ship and and places visited on another blog. But in the meantime, I would also like to say a huge Thank You to all members of the choir for making this cruise so special.

Fluid Pricing

2011-08-14T19:43:00.000+01:00

Why is it that prices for the same cruise go up and down? This is one question I get asked on a regular basis, especially when someone books a cruise, then finds it cheaper some 6 months later.

Most cruise operators and tour operators have a pricing system called "fluid" pricing. This is so they can increase and decrease the price of any cruise whenever it is needed. There are two main reasons for them using this system - the first is to sell sailings that are struggling with sales, the second is to increase profit. It's not just holidays and cruises that operate this way, most high street stores will use this pricing system.
At times cruise companies have additional on board credit and free car parking for booking early, you will also get a choice of cabins available.
If you are able to leave your cruise to the last minute, then you may get a good deal, however the cabin type & availability can become restricted. You will also need to pay for parking and will not receive any on board credit.
If you do book early, don't be disappointed when your cruise comes down in price! I know this can be annoying, but remember a lot of people who have left it till the last minute took the chance of not getting the holiday they wanted.
Fluid pricing also works the other way - Cruise prices can & do go up. If it's a popular cruise, the operator can increase the cruise price, leaving the people waiting for it come down eventually paying more than the people who booked early!!
If the price of your cruise does come down after you have booked, you cannot ask for a refund, in the same way you will not be asked to pay more if the price goes up!

Family Cruises

2011-08-06T19:06:00.000+01:00

Over the past week, myself and all my colleagues at Cruise.co.uk have received many calls asking for late availability departing over the next couple of weeks during the school holidays, 99% asking for 3 and 4 berth cabins.

Most ships are now full to capacity for 3 and 4 berths during school holidays as they are like gold dust when the cruise operators 1st go on sale.

If you do manage to get one, it's due to a cancellation and you will be very lucky.

There is some availability if you are prepared to split your family up, so have 1 adult and 1 child sharing a twin cabin. Again, we cannot guarantee you will be near each other and the children will pay the full adult fare!

In previous posts I have mentioned about the 3 and 4 berth cabins being so popular during this time. So if you have been disappointed this year, why not look at next year?

Do You Beleive Some Reviews?

2011-07-25T19:10:00.001+01:00

Last Thursday I was watching The Wright Stuff on my day off and one of the discussions was some websites that give reviews of hotels/resorts and how credible they were.
Whilst they were discussing (mainly tripadvisor) I was thinking about out own cruise.co.uk reviews and how good they were when doing your research before picking your cruise ship.

They did suggest that some reviews were in fact made up (sometimes by hoteliers) to make a hotel sound better than it actually is. I'm sure this does happen, but I do think that 95% of reviews are genuine, I know any reviews I write are what I have experienced in that hotel/ship/flight and I try and give an honest opinion.

I also like the fact on our website, people can respond to any review and pass their own comments. Sometimes discussions can get quite heated with people putting their opinions across, which I think is great as long as they don't get to personal.
I always try and read reviews with an open mind and I ALWAYS bear in mind, what I like, someone else may hate!

Read or write a review on our site by clicking here

Another Moan About Customer Service

2011-07-17T18:13:00.001+01:00

Could it be that I'm just getting older or has customer service in some shops just become a thing of the past?
We are in the process of getting quotes to refit our bathroom, it's a big big job, walls need to be knocked through, old bathroom ripped out, new one put in etc etc...
We have had a couple of quotes and thought we would visit B&Q to check out what they could do for us. After looking about at what bathrooms they had, we decided to take our measurements over and ask for them to give us a quote.
After a 10 minute wait at the counter, I said to my partner I would go to the customer service area at the entrance to see if I could get someone to come and help. After I saw the queue there and just one member of staff attending, I decided to just go and ask someone in the store and headed back to where I was earlier.
After I got back to the bathroom area, a uniformed man came over to where we were stood (at the counter) and didn't even make eye contact, just took a brochure from the counter and disappeared again.
Anyway, after another 5 minutes, a gentleman then asked if he could help and took all our information from us. I will point out however that his tone and attitude was all doom and gloom and we both left not wanting to spend any money with B&Q if this is what their service is like!
I wrote another blog about this back in January, click here to view this blog.
Whilst we were driving back, I wondered where customer service is going. I was ready to spend some money in this store, however I will now go somewhere else

What Research Do You Do?

2011-07-10T08:59:00.001+01:00

I was thinking the other day the way the world has changed since the Internet has come into our lives. It wasn't that long ago anyone had the Internet at home - it was a luxury to have at work!
I remember the old "memo" e-mails that you could only send internally, and I can also remember when computers didn't exist and we had a filing cabinet for all our clients!
The Internet is fantastic, I sometimes think I'm getting left behind as it's moving so fast with all the gadgets, phone apps, I- Pads etc, however, putting all that aside, to have any question answered in seconds and at your fingertips is a great thing to have!
If you think about it, before the Internet, how did you research what cruise you would go on? Brochures, word of mouth, Travel Agent advice?
Now look at how you can research a cruise before buying:
Forums - Ours is the best! Cruises.co.uk
Reviews - Cruise.co.uk
Cruise Expert Advice - There's plenty of us here at Cruise.co.uk
Blogs - Your reading one!
Facebook - Click here
Twitter

Even though I like to think myself as a well travelled person, I still like to research before I travel. I will always check out a hotel on Trip Advisor.
I will check what leg room I will get on a long haul flight.
I will check what nightlife there is where I'm going.
The list goes on and on and I can always just log into the Internet to find the answer 24 hours a day!

So, what research do you do when looking for a cruise? Is there anything I've missed out that I haven't listed above?

Do You Hate Flying?

2011-07-04T21:02:00.000+01:00

Have you always wanted to visit New York?
Then back by popular is our No Fly New York Tailor-Made cruise. It proved to be so popular this year that we have just put this back on sale for 2012.
This is a great way to take in 5 nights in New York without the flight.

I think this is a great idea, we have many customer that don't like to fly, but have always wanted to visit the big apple. At the moment I have 8 people currently in New York celebrating Independence Day on this voyage and a lot of interest already for next year.

Prices start from £2749pp, includes Southampton Parking, 14 nights on board QM2, 5 nights in New York & All transfers in New York.

Click here for more information about this great Tailor Made Cruise.

Why Choose Thomson

2011-06-26T20:30:00.002+01:00

I was speaking to a lovely lady today who was looking to get away in the next few weeks, didn't want to break the bank and wanted a short flight.
She did mention to me that she didn't want a Thomson cruise, after I asked her why not; she said it was because she had heard that they were awful!
I asked her a couple of questions about what she liked to do on holiday, what cruises she had been on before, what type of cabin she normally says in etc.
Now I would never send anyone on a cruise they wouldn't enjoy, that main reason is that I would hate to spoil anyone's holiday by lying to get them on it, and another reason is that I wouldn't be doing my job properly!
Anyway, after all my questions, I said to her that she should try Thomson and not to dismiss them as I think she would have a great time.
I have also experienced Thomson many times and I really enjoy their cruises, I explained to her about the cruise ships they have to offer, the good points and the bad points, I think it’s all about being honest to people when selling anything, whether it be a cruise, a TV or a pencil in a shop!

With Thomson, the good points outweigh the bad – so here’s my list, I’ll start with the bad.

Older style of ships (although some people look at this as a positive)
Lack of balcony cabins
Ships are tired

Now for the good points:

You can fly from your local airport – You can fly from more regional airports than ANY other cruise operator.
All flights are direct
Tips included
Food scores are excellent
Entertainment on Thomson ships scores better than P&O, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Cunard & Princess. In fact, you could say the entertainment is the best as cruises go!
Drink prices are reasonable
Currency on board is in sterling
You can purchase all inclusive throughout your cruise
You can do a week’s cruise followed by a week stay in most of their embarkation ports (or vice versa)

I’m sure there are lots I’ve missed, however if you have never need on a Thomson cruise before, I think you should give them a go.
I will keep you posted about my client as to whether she enjoyed herself!
Click here to read the latest reviews about Thomson

Do You Smoke?

2011-06-16T21:21:00.001+01:00

Well if you do, it's more bad news I'm afraid!
Some cruise companies have announced today they will be bringing in more smoking bans in more areas on their ships.

Princess have announced today that from 15th January 2012, you will NOT be allowed to smoke on any balcony cabin. You will only be able to smoke in the cigar lounge, part of the nightclub, section of the casino and in certain outside areas.

Holland & America have announced that from 15th January 2012, you WILL be allowed to smoke on balcony cabins and in certain areas inside, however they have banned it in all outside cabins and inside cabins (you are allowed by the way to smoke in any cabin on board Holland & America at present)

Now I can fully understand Holland & America banning smoking inside the cabins, however I feel that smokers are getting a tough deal by Princess banning smoking on balconies!

I know this is a touchy subject with a lot of smokers and non-smokers, and we could go on for days debating whether it's right or wrong.
I'm an ex smoker and have no complaints whatsoever if a person on the next balcony to me is smoking and it's blowing my way, it doesn't bother me one bit! They are outside, enjoying a ciggie, they have paid for their balcony (probably because they want a ciggie whenever they want without trekking to the nearest smoking area)
In saying this, I was always a very considerate smoker, I always knew whether my smoke was blowing over someone, if it was, I would move away. If ever I smoked in the house, I always had the window wide open (even in the winter)

I think the only fair way to do this would be to have one side of the ship smoking balconies and one side non-smoking. You then get the argument whether it's port or starboard, why should smokers get/not get this or that side or vice-versa with the non-smokers.
You could also say - Let's put all non-smokers aft, smokers forward (or should that be the other way around as the non-smokers would get the back draft of the smoke! And what would you do midships where they meet!!)

So, as I mentioned before, you could go on for days debating what's right and what's not. I don't really think there will ever be a happy medium!

It would be good to get your thoughts on this - I'm sure we will have a mixed view!

To see where you can and can't smoke on each ship, please click here

Another Few Days Off

2011-06-08T21:49:00.000+01:00

I'm going to be away from the office now until next week, I'm going off to a festival called The Glade. If you need anything whilst I'm away, please contact one of my colleagues by clicking here.

Many thanks
Mark

No More Tickets...Sorry!

2011-06-03T23:45:00.002+01:00

I know this may be hard for a lot of people to believe, but I'm sorry to announce, there will be no more tickets sent to you when going on a cruise. Nearly all cruise companies are now using e-tickets, just like airlines have been using for the past 4-5 years.

Now I fully understand, when you pay a lot of money for a holiday, especially on a cruise, you would expect some sort of paperwork through the post, with your name on it, stating the time of departure, name of ship, cabin number and all excursions etc you can expect to look forward to.

I'm one person for sure that gets so excited when my holiday tickets arrive, it's the time to say, "OMG... it's nearly time for my holiday"
However, over the past couple of years, I have had to learn to understand that tickets are just bits of paper that eventually get thrown in the bin!

So unfortunately, in these hard times of saving money, tickets will no longer be sent to you. The only thing you will receive is an e-ticket with your name on it, and this will only be sent to you if you do not have an e-mail address. If you do have an email address, then we will email it to you, this you can then print and take with you.

So, have a great "Paper free" Cruise!

To check in for your cruise on line, please click here

A Few Days Off

2011-05-27T16:14:00.000+01:00

Just to let you know I'm not in the office until Wednesday 1st June.

Taking a couple of days off, not going anywhere, it's one of my best friends 40th, so we are all meeting up in Birmingham to celebrate.

If you need anything until then, please speak with one of my colleagues. Click here to see their direct numbers.

It's That Late Offer Time

2011-05-22T22:27:00.000+01:00

This time of the year, just as we enter the full swing of the Summer period, we always get a great deal of interest for late bookings.

People who are fortunate enough to go on holiday at the drop of a hat, call in to get a great offer going in the next few weeeks.

There are some great deals about, today I booked someone on a cruise departing tomorrow on the Oceana with P&O. Great price at just £599pp for an inside cabin, 12 nights to the Canaries.

They were delighted to be able to pick up a great price and be packed and on their way by tomorrow evening.

If you are looking for a great last minute deal, then have a look on our website, www.cruise.co.uk, or call in and we will see what we can do for you.

Guilty & Proud

2011-05-15T20:05:00.000+01:00

I'm sure, like me, a lot of people got into the Eurovision Song Contest last night, it's been a topic of conversation in the office today here at Cruise.co.uk. I must admit I've always enjoyed watching year after year, even though for the past couple of years we really haven't got anywhere in the contest.

Last night I thought it was a really good show, most of the Countries songs were pretty good and I'm so pleased Blue did quite well.

Now here's what I'm guilty for..... I VOTED FOR JEDWARD.

Now I'm not apologising for this, but I do feel a bit guilty as I always slag off other countries voting for their neighbours, which is what I did last night, but it wasn't because Ireland are our neighbours.

I also didn't vote because I thought the song was any good (well, I thought it was a bit catchy!)

The reason I voted for Jedward is because we share the same surname GRIMES! I know, silly reason really, but it's the only time I'm ever going to see a Grimes in the Eurovision Song Contest and I really wanted them to win.

Late Bookings

2011-05-08T11:30:00.000+01:00

As we are now coming into the main summer season, if you haven't already booked your summer 2011 cruise, you may still be able to pick up a bargain if you can go at the drop of a hat.

All cruise companies don't want to have any vacant cabins on any of their sailings, so they will reduce prices to fill their ships.

This is great if you can go close to departure, however please bear in mind, you will need to take the type of cabin that is going cheaper and be willing, in some cases, to be allocated a cabin anywhere on the ship.

Also, please bear in mind that if you are looking for either a 3 or 4 berth cabin during the main summer school holidays, then be prepared to maybe split your family into two 2 berth cabins, although you will pay full price for any children, it may still work out cheaper as a late deal.

Check out our late cabins by clicking here

Royal Yacht Britannia

2011-05-01T19:13:00.000+01:00

Last Friday we all saw a Great Royal Wedding. Like most people I was enjoying it on TV and I really enjoyed the whole ceremony from start to finish.

I really wanted to know where they were planning their honeymoon, however was disappointed when they said it was to be kept a big secret, although in the end they have to postponed it (not sure whether this is a ploy though to keep the paps away!)

It got me thinking about whatever happened to the Royal Yacht Britannia, if my memory servers me correct Diana and Charles had their honeymoon on board back in the 80's.

After a little bit of searching on the web I found she is now permanently moored as an exhibition ship at Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh and over 250,000 people visit her every year. She is also one of the UK's top evening events venues. Click here for more info about the ship and visiting it.

William and Catherine won't be able to sail on her for their honeymoon, however if they do fancy a cruise, they can always call me at cruise.co.uk and I will be happy to oblige!!

Liverpool Sailings

2011-04-22T08:44:00.000+01:00

I've noticed that Fred Olsen do not have any sailings from Liverpool for 2012. This is a real shame as it was such a popular departure point for them. Normally, they would have a handful of sailings each summer from this port.

For me, Liverpool is a better port to use rather than Southampton, I am being totally selfish when I say this as I am from The Wirral, just over the water from Liverpool. But I also think Liverpool is better placed in the UK to get to than Southampton. I know Southampton is nearer London, however not everyone lives in London or the surrounding area! And to be honest, Liverpool isn't much further on the train than Southampton is.
Think about everyone that lives in Scotland, North of England, North Wales and Ireland, even the Midlands. It has a better connected airport than Southampton, with more flights operating in and out of Liverpool John Lennon and an even more flights from Manchester (just up the road!)

It would be nice to see the likes of P&O, Cunard, Fred Olsen and others use this port more for their departure points, after all, Liverpool has a great new terminal that doesn't seem to get much use.

BA Cabin Crew Off Strike

2011-04-15T11:50:00.000+01:00

British Airways cabin crew are NOT going to strike over the forthcoming bank holidays, it has just been announced.

Cabin crew voted to strike once again over this period, however this news just in is great for all due to travel.

It is also good news for us Travel Agents as we now do not need to rearrange travel arrangements for all our passengers due to travel in this period.

End of Launch Week

2011-04-10T20:45:00.000+01:00

Last week was very busy with the launch of P&O, Cunard and Princess Cruises for 2012. The busiest day was on Wednesday as we had a lot of pre registrations for the 175th anniversary on 3rd July, when all P&O cruise will be in Southampton.

The 4 night mini cruise on the Oriana was the most popular and sold out within half an hour. The next ship to fill up was 7 night Oceana. If you are still looking to get on one of the other ships, there is some availability left.

As mentioned on a previous post, we encountered the same system problems with it crashing all morning, but managed to get through the day!

Launch Computers

2011-04-03T22:06:00.001+01:00

Yesterday saw the 1st set of P&O 2012 program go on sale for Gold members of the Portunas club. Now we get this on every launch day which is the slow down of the booking system. I had 5 pre registrations to complete and that took nearly 2 hours.

The systems were so slow in was unbelievable! The system kept crashing and what is most annoying about this is when it does crash, you can guarantee it is what you have completed the whole booking and are ready for the confirmation number! You then have to start over and begin the whole selecting of cabins, inputting names etc etc.
Anyway, moan over. To be honest it was quite successful yesterday as all my pre registrations got the exact cabin, sailing date and price.
Tomorrow in another day with Cunard past passengers going on sale at 9am - 1pm, then open for general sale from 1pm.
I'll let you know how slow the computers get....

Summer 2012 Cruises

2011-03-27T16:20:00.002+01:00

You may have been sent the new summer cruises 2012 program release for both Cunard and P&O, we would have sent this either via email or in the post.

Every launch we take pre registrations for when these cruises go on sale, so if you are looking for a specific cabin, or what to ensure you get on a popular sailings, then it is advisable to pre register before they go on sale.

Now one thing that is changing and discounting from agents. Both Cunard and P&O are offering excellent savings, however the price should be the same from every agent you get a quote from.

A lot of people think that with the prices all being the same it may be better to book direct with the cruise operator, however you need to take into consideration the following:

Booking direct with the operator will cost you more in the call, I had a customer on Friday call Cunard and they were on hold for 50 minutes before getting through to someone.
Here are Cruise.co.uk we have freephone numbers, so no cost to you.
Booking direct, you will probably never speak to the same person twice, each time you call you it will be someone different.
Here at Cruise.co.uk one consultant will look after you from the day you book till the day you return, includes having an individual 0800 number direct to them.
We will call you before your cruise to ensure everything is in order before you travel, then also when you return to see how it went.
We will help with filling in your cruise personaliser if you don't have access to a computer.

The benefits for booking with us outweighs booking direct which needs to be taken into consideration before booking your next cruise.

Our Visit To Prague

2011-03-20T21:52:00.001Z

We have now returned from the beautiful city of Prague, and, as promised, here’s some bits and pieces of some of the highlights of our trip.

The flight time, and the transfer from airport to city centre were very favourable – it seemed only minutes between leaving for Birmingham airport, and arriving at our hotel.

We took a taxi, which cost approx £23.00. There were cheaper options, such as train or bus, but as we were feeling (a) lazy, and (b) anxious to get unpacked and exploring, we chose the fastest and most expensive option.

Our hotel was situated in the very heart of the old town, situated just a few minutes’ walk from both the Old Market Square, and St. Wenceslas Square. The castle area was a little further to walk to, most of it uphill, but very definitely worth the climb!

Prague is very quaint and beautiful, and is steeped in history – the old town is just that – Really REALLY Old! There are many different styles of buildings in the city, spanning 9 centuries – it’s a very eclectic mix. The new town though, has been built in ways that very much compliment the older, more traditional buildings. Here, the shops were smart, modern, famous and expensive.

In the old town though, we were able to wander in and out of ancient lanes and passages, to find smaller, independent shops, selling everything from pottery and glass, to musical instruments and puppets (Marionette Puppetry is BIG in the Czech Republic!)

There seemed to be bars and restaurants on every street corner – these were perfect for people watching and just relaxing and taking it all in.

Beer varies in price from bar to bar, but as a rough guide, expect to pay approx £2 per half litre in a “touristy” area such as the squares, or castle district, and £1 per half litre if you venture just a few hundred meters into side streets or lanes.

It was cheaper to buy beers, than coffees or water in some places – but funnily enough, this didn’t seem to be a problem for us! (see picture below)

Food is reasonable too – we stuck mostly to what appeared to be on EVERY menu – Goulash, with potato dumplings – Absolutely delicious!!

Apart from our taxi ride from the airport, we walked everywhere. Prague is a small enough city to explore on foot, though, some of the hills may prove a little strenuous for some. Navigating with a tourist map was frustrating at times - the street names are very unfamiliar to those who don’t speak the local language! But we persevered, and found every place that we were looking for.

On our final day we decided to take a river cruise – all the various information points and maps etc all seemed to recommend a cruise, as this would give us the opportunity to see the city from a new perspective.

The tour was a very reasonable £6 each, and lasted almost an hour. Included in the price were one glass of beer, and some local gingerbread. We were guided by the captain of the boat, who was originally from Bournemouth. He was very knowledgeable about Prague, and it’s long and varied history.

We spent four nights in this beautiful city, but we both agree that we would like to return to see more. Day trip tours that venture outside of Prague are widely available, to various castles and palaces in the Czech countryside. There is even one that takes you to neighbouring Germany, to the historic city of Dresden..... These are the things we will go to do and see on our next visit.

Off to Prague

2011-03-12T11:16:00.000Z

I'm so looking forward to a little break over to Prague. It's my partners 40th in April so this is a little pre celebration holiday.

We've both never been there before, so we are both looking forward to exploring this city.

Will give a full report on my return.

I'll be away from the office until Saturday 19th March. In the meantime, if you need any assistance, please contact any of my colleagues from this list. Click here

Are You A Skier?

2011-03-09T20:02:00.000Z

And I don't mean on and off the piste down some white covered mountain! It is something my parents picked up on whilst they were on board their cruise on the Independence of the Seas.

My Mum asked whether I was familiar with the phrase and as they are now fully hooked on cruising they have now become skiers!

I do feel a bit ashamed to say I didn't have a clue what she was on about, until she explained to me that she heard the phrase from a fellow passenger on board.

The term skier stands for:
Spending
Kids
Inheritance

Now they have sampled the wonderful world of cruising, they are planning many many more to come!

Wait till I tell my brothers and sister, they will kill me for sending them on a cruise in the 1st place!

Bad v's Good Reviews

2011-03-02T20:41:00.000Z

Today I was in touch with a customer wanting to book a cruise on the Ventura, sailing back from Barbados to Southampton. It was an excellent price, however they then decided that they didn't want to book, as they had read some bad reports about the ship.
Now this ship normally scores not too badly, and receives a mixture of good and bad reviews on our website, most being good.
This got me thinking about when I read about a ship (or hotel on Trip Advisor) and how I always go to the bad reviews, and read them, before the good ones, which is a terrible thing to do really.
If the majority of reviews are good, then why do I only read the bad ones first? Maybe they are the most interesting? But this got me thinking about my own "rate my service" comments displayed on my blog (just look to the left and you can see them).
Up until last week I had 100% great comments and then Wham!, one bad comment (to which I have personally responded & apologised to the customer) and to which I am mortified by, as it was an oversight on my behalf by not calling them back.
So you do need to take the good with the bad and make your own mind up when reading reviews, thankfully my comments are 99.6% positive and I hope for them to continue that way.

Mugged In Barcelona!

2011-02-23T17:45:00.000Z

You may have seen a previous post on my blog about my Mum & Dad talking their 1st big cruise on the Independence of the Seas. I have spoken to them a few times to see how they are getting on and they did have a rough crossing over the Bay of Bisque, my Dad wasn't too well. I put this down to getting his sea legs, it was only on the 1st full day on board, after that although it was still rough he was fine.

The ship couldn't dock at their 1st port of call Lisbon due to the weather, so they continued through to Mallorca. My sister flew over from Ibiza to see them in Palma for the day last Friday and they had a meal and a few afternoon drinks before they set off to Barcelona.

Unfortunately, whilst in Barcelona my Mum was mugged, a man grabbed her necklaces from around her neck and pulled them off. My Mum was quite shook up, however she is absolutely fine, my Dad ran after the man (my Dad is 76!) to try and catch the thief, I suppose this is normal instinct! Luckily there was an off duty policeman who saw what happened, chased after him and caught the sod! In the commotion 2 necklaces were lost, but at least they caught him.

They wanted to take Mum to hospital to get checked over, but she said she was OK and went back onto the ship. They have a police report so any loss they may be able to claim from their insurance when they get home.

It goes without saying that unfortunately in the world we live in today, some people seem to think your belongings belong to them rather than you! Whilst this could have happened anywhere in the world, they are now taking no chances in the rest of the ports of call and won't be wearing any visible expensive chains, bracelets etc!

It hasn't spoilt their holiday either, just a little more vigilant!

My First Facebook Booking

2011-02-16T19:27:00.000Z

Today I booked 4 people on a cruise that was an enquiry from our Facebook page. The deal was posted on our Facebook page and picked up by someone that was very interested in the deal.
They tried to book on line with us & had some issues, however I contact them and we had the deal sealed.

It was a great offer £545pp on Grandeur of the Seas, 29th August, 7 nights, includes flights from East Midlands!
The customer said she did a lot of business on Facebook, it just goes to show, when deals appear you can now see them instantly, not only on Facebook but also on our cruise forum at Cruises.co.uk

To sign up for our Facebook pages, just click on the icon on this page.

Independent 1st Timers

2011-02-09T19:26:00.000Z

This Sunday, my Mum and Dad are off on their first big cruise. They are off on the Independence of the seas down to the Med on an 18 night voyage. They have only ever been on a 3 nighter before (Thomson Spirit) so I'm sure they are going to see a huge difference.

They have both been calling me asking loads of questions, what to take with them, how much is this that and the other, etc etc! I don't mind - it is my job after all!

Between myself, brothers and sister we are treating them to a night in Southampton before hand and also the to the luggage service pick up Royal Caribbean provide. This is £36 per case per way, they get the suitcases picked up from home a couple of days before the cruise and they don't see them until they arrive into their cabin. They are travelling to and from Southampton by train, so this saves them carting their luggage.

As my sister lives in Ibiza, she is flying over to Palma the day they stop here and going for lunch. I wish I was going with them!

I can't wait for their thoughts on the ship and will see if they catch the cruising bug!

Bring Your Own Booze

2011-02-02T21:46:00.000Z

Last weekend we went down to Swansea to visit our best friend Joe, he was our best man at our civil ceremony last October and we haven't seen him since. We knew we had a lot to catch up on and we knew there would be vodka, wine and plenty of drink consumed over the weekend.

On the Saturday night we went to a fantastic restaurant in Swansea called Truffle, and what a great night it was. The place was packed, great friendly atmosphere, fantastic service and the food was to die for! They have a set menu, 3 courses for £21 and cater for all tastes (Joe is a vegan and they had a great choice for him)

Now what I thought was a brilliant idea and I have never been to a restaurant that does this, you can bring you own booze with no corkage fee! We nipped to Tesco before setting off and brought our wine to go with the meal. Other people in the restaurant had brought their own vodka, beers, champagne etc etc. What a great way to keep the cost of a meal down in price.

It got me thinking that more cruise ships should encourage you to bring your own wine for your meals without such a high corkage fee. (I fully understand they want you to purchase their wines on board and it's a money making machine) However wouldn't it be good for them to lower the charge (say £2 a bottle) You could then bring your own choice of wine and pay the small corkage fee.

I'm sure it has been asked on our answers and questions area on Cruise.co.uk. But I for one would give it the thumbs up if it were to be introduced!

Finally, I must say about Truffle restaurant - The staff were excellent - we WILL be returning when we visit again soon.

First Impression for Customer Service

2011-01-26T18:48:00.000Z

I was watching the new programme by Mary Portas the other day called Secret Shopper. It was great viewing and I couldn't believe the lack of customer service given by certain people in the programme.

I've always believed in giving great customer service as most of my career has been with dealing with people on a day to day basis. To me, it doesn't matter what the customer is buying, if it's a late deal worth £500pp on a cruise or £30,000 on a World Voyage, I will still give the same service to all.

A couple of weeks ago, I had to return a camera to Comet as it had broken whilst I was on holiday in India. It was terrible I had to wait by the unattended "Customer Service" counter for over 5 minutes! Not one person acknowledged me to say they would be with me. It wasn't busy in the shop and there were plenty of sales staff talking to one another, one even look at me then looked away!!! In the end I went over the the paying counter to ask for assistance.

In my days with Thomson Holidays whilst training for an overseas position back in the late 80's, they taught us great customer service in those days and I remember one thing that stuck in my head - You never get a second chance at a first impression. This is so true and I'm sure some of the people in the programme should remember this.

Here at Cruise.co.uk we are proud of the excellent customer service we give to our customers and you can read customer comments on my blog (just on the left of this page) and also my colleagues

Shoulda Woulda Coulda

2011-01-22T20:12:00.000Z

Most people think that waiting for a late deal on a cruise will be a lot cheaper, this can be true and if you are in the position to wait and see what you can get close to a departure date you may find you do get a great deal. But be prepared to NOT get what you want!

Today was a prime example when 2 customers where waiting for a certain cruise to drop in price, when in fact, it actually went up!

Before Christmas the price was £1099 for an inside cabin on board the Azura sailing from Barbados, flights from their local airport Birmingham. I suggested to them to book, however they felt the price may drop. Today they called to check what the price was and guess what - same inside cabin £1199, Birmingham flights are full so they have to travel to Gatwick.

The couple in question were fine about it and booked the holiday flying from Gatwick, they did say though they should have booked when it was £1099!

The saying "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" sprang to mind.

I've mentioned in a previous blog about fluid pricing and how prices can go up and down on a day to day and hour to hour basis.

I always say to customers, if you are happy with the price on the day you are booking, then get it booked. Don't keep looking at the price afterwards in case it goes down!

Morbid Curiosity

2011-01-16T17:58:00.000Z

This weekend I was visiting my parents up on the Wirral and we had a discussion about the Titanic and the 100 year anniversary of the ship sinking next year.

I was telling my parents about the Fred Olsen cruise that will sail next year tracking the same route the Titanic took. It will then stop where she sank and they will hold a service on board in memory of all the people who perished.

My Mum said she thought this was a bit morbid and didn't think it was a good idea. I pointed out to her that some relatives may wish to show their respects. I also pointed out that as human beings, we do have a curiosity when it come to disasters & accidents etc.

If you think about it, if you visit New York, would you visit ground zero? When I went to Poland last year I visited Auschwitz. Even when there is an accident on the other side of the motorway there is a traffic jam both sides as people slow down to have a nose!

I think Fred Olsen are doing a good thing and I'm sure it will create great interest.

Dancing On Ice

2011-01-09T22:42:00.000Z

Tonight saw the 1st of the brand new series of Dancing on Ice, I must admit it is my favourite competition show of the year. It must be so hard to train for, it beats X Factor, Strictly come dancing and all other shows in my opinion.

It's such a shame 2 couples had to go tonight, Angela Rippon & Nadia Sawalha. Now I feel I have a special bonding with Nadia Sawalha, as when she was filming Passport to the Sun in Mallorca, she followed myself leading a group of Travel Agents for 4 days and looked at how I trained the agents on an educational visit. I got to know her quite well! This was my 15 minutes of fame when it was aired on the BBC (although it was over 10 years ago!)
I will admit though, she wasn't the best skater tonight!

If you have ever tried ice skating you will know is difficult and you need to be very fit to say the least.
It still amazes me that on Royal Caribbean cruise ships they have ice skating rinks!

So if watching Dancing on Ice has got you in the mood, then you can still enjoy skating whilst on board a cruise ship! Not only can you skate, but also watch the amazing shows they perform on board!

So that's me sorted every Sunday night until spring time when we will see who the winner is!

Calling all Families

2011-01-03T16:36:00.000Z

If you have yet to book your Summer 2011 cruise, then now is the time to get booked.

ALL cruise operators will be offering their best deals during the new year, especially January & February.

Now the reason I call for all families, is due to the fact that 3 and 4 berth cabins sell out quickly, once the kids break up for this summer break you will find it difficult to book a 3 or 4 berth!

Lots of families then have to pay for 2 cabins so you can sail on your preferred cruise.
With some great savings of up to 15% offered by us, NOW is the best time to book.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T13:05:00.000Z

I would just like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Many thanks for all your kind comments on my blog throughout the year, I really appreciate it

Here's to a fantastic 2011

I'll be away until 4th January, however we are open in between Christmas & New Year. Please call one of my colleagues if you need anything. Click here for details

Have a good one.

Mark x

I want to fly locally!!!

2010-12-20T21:23:00.000Z

You will see from a previous blog I recently visited Goa on my annual holiday. This year we had to fly from Gatwick (not my favourite airport in the UK!) This was the 1st time we couldn't fly from either East Midlands or Birmingham.

Thomson stopped the Birmingham flight 2 years ago and replaced it with East Midlands last year, this I could accept as East Midlands is not that far away, but they now stopped the East Midlands flight as well this year.
What I don't understand is that they have put 2 x weekly flights on from Gatwick!! This really annoys me as plenty of people we spoke with on the flight were from the Midlands area (there was also a lot of Welsh accents on the flight as well) So Surely they should have kept the Birmingham going! This is my personal & selfish opinion of course!

It has made me think that in the future, I will be looking for other operators flying from my local airport, not just to Goa, but to other destinations.

For lots of fly cruise Caribbean holidays, I'm pleased to say both P&O and Princess offer Birmingham and other regional departures. It's so much better than the trek to Gatwick!

Back from Goa

2010-12-12T19:41:00.000Z

I have just spent 3 great weeks in Goa, as it was our honeymoon, we decided to do 3 weeks instead of the usual 2.

We had a great time, relaxing and enjoying the hot weather, I hear the UK had sub zero temperatures whilst we were away, so it made us smile when we saw the pictures of the UK coming to a halt!!!

Goa is a beautiful place, well worth a visit if you have never been before. It's cheap to eat out, although we found prices are starting to rise (the exchange rate didn't help either 69 rupees =£1) In saying that, you can get a good 3 course meal inc. drinks for about £15 per head. There are still places you can get a £1 curry, however I'm a little picky!
If you are brave enough, sample the Goan fish curry - their local dish, if you like it hot, then this is for you!

The food is not all about hot curries though. Fish and shell fish are in abundance, tiger prawns are a fraction of the price you would pay in the UK and are freshly caught that day.

We stayed in North Goa where it's known for it's nightlife. I will say though, we stayed off the beaten track in Arpora - slightly north of all the hustle and bustle of Baga and Calangute. We are not into clubbing as much these days, so it was nice to have a little hide away in Arpora.

The beaches are fantastic, we travelled up north to Mandarem beach where we stayed in little beach huts, this is an excellent way to enjoy the outdoors and a deserted beach at the same time! Prices are slightly more to eat out, however still reasonable compared to the UK.

This year, for the 1st time, we ventured to South Goa to a little beach cove called Cola beach where we stayed in tents for the night on the beach. Now when I say tents, they had great facilities, including shower, toilet and proper beds. We saw a troop of wild monkeys right next to our tent on the 1st day, with loads of dolphins swimming in the bay.

I would recommend anyone to visit Goa if you have never been, many people return year after year. If you don't fancy a full visit, why not take a cruise that pops into Goa. Click here to see a tailormade package we have that takes in this beautiful area of India

I'm off to Goa

2010-11-16T15:04:00.000Z

For our honeymoon, we were going to do a cruise, however as we love Goa, we decided to go again this year for the 4th time! We are staying at the Marinha Dourada in Arpora, just north of Baga beach.

The location of the hotel is fantastic, overlooking 2 lakes and some hills, very quiet corner of north Goa, but within walking distance of the main nightlife, bars, restaurants and clubs!

We are going for 3 weeks this year, so I'll be back in the office Saturday 11th December. I will tell you all about it when I return.
In the meantime, if you would like a quote on a cruise, please call one of my colleagues from this list!

Great Savings with P&O and Cunard

2010-11-14T20:49:00.000Z

This week we have a great sale for 2011 cruises with P&O and Cunard. You can save up to 15% if you book before this Friday 19th November.

With free parking or coach to the port on many sailings, these savings are huge!

This weekend we have been extremely busy booking many people on these deals, so don't miss the boat.
If you haven't booked for 2011 yet, then call us before Friday and we will get you the best deal.

Avoiding APD

2010-11-06T18:53:00.000Z

Air Passenger Duty, APD for short increased last Monday. This is another way to extra money from the travelling public. Most people within the travel industry are getting pretty fed up with all the extras being thrown at the cost of air travel, me being one of them.

It really annoys me that when you fly anywhere, you are stung by added taxes, charges etc etc, this list goes on. I was watching Watchdog the other night and they clearly pointed out, if you travel on a passenger jet, you will be charged APD, however a rich person, with private jet does NOT pay this duty! Has the world gone mad?

In answer to the post on how to avoid the APD charge, then it's quite simple - Go on a cruise sailing from the UK. Many people are now turning to cruising from the UK for their annual holiday instead of flying!

Many things this year have put people off flying - Ash clouds, BA cabin crew strike and now it's going to cost you more to fly with this increase in APD!

With more ships being introduced each year, there is something for everyone to chose from, just take your pick from our website Cruise.co.uk

Star Clipper

2010-10-30T20:27:00.000+01:00

Whilst I was in Malta for the Travel Convention last week, I had the very rare chance to go on board the Star Clipper sail ship. I say rare as they don't really come into UK ports that often for us to visit. I'm so pleased I went to have a look at this very different type of cruise as it is a must if you enjoy sailing, we were also invited to lunch on board, an added plus!

The ship holds approx. 180 passengers at full capacity and I was surprised on how spacious the open decks were, including the cabins! The cabins are not huge, but they are ample and larger than I expected. One thing I noticed more than anything, was the friendliness of all the staff on board. It is so intimate, you will get to know everyone on board within 24 hours.

It's also, if you want it to be, very hands on. You can help out each evening when they raise the sails ready to depart. Don't worry if you don't want to take part, it's not compulsory!

Every evening before sailing away from port, they raise the sails, invited everyone on the open deck, play some tranquil music as you sail away from the port - idyllic!

With the Star Clipper being a sail ship, it can not only get into tiny ports, but also secluded coves and beaches. Some of their daytime stops are "wet landings" meaning you jump off into the water to reach land! This gives you the perfect opportunity to go to different, off the beaten track places that most other ships cannot even contemplate getting into!

I would love to go on board for more than just one day! So watch this space as I may be booking my next holiday on board.

One thing to point out, due to the small capacity, they do fill up quickly, so if you do see one you like the sound of, don't hesitate to get booked on.

My Time at The Travel Convention

2010-10-23T16:31:00.000+01:00

As already mentioned on my previous post, last week I was invited to the Travel Convention held in Malta for 3 days. Firstly, I would like to thank Fred Olsen for their great hospitality and also for sponsoring myself in attending. They were the perfect hosts and looked after us very well indeed.

The most beneficial seminar we attended was the Cruise forum on the 1st day, this included lots of discussions from the way forward in ticketing, to an open question session to the major cruise operators.

A very interesting talk in this session included the importance of social media sites including facebook, twitter and blogs. I'm pleased to say, Cruise.co.uk were referred to quite a lot during this discussion, our website, forums, personal blogs and our rate my service comments were all highly praised. We were also commended as a company being already miles ahead in understanding the importance of this area of modern society, and how the media mentioned above has become a vital part of most customers' booking process.

After this session, as soon as people realised both myself and colleague Neil worked for Cruise.co.uk, we were constantly asked about our forum sites, rate my service and our individual personal blogs. I would say 98% of the people we spoke to were all positive, wanted to know more, all very keen and hungry to learn further, as they knew it was something their own companies needed to invest in for the future.

The other 2% just couldn't get their heads around the whole concept! This took me by surprise as these people are high up within the travel industry and I was quite shocked with their comments and attitude. Maybe these companies will be left behind as customers' realise they are not providing a service that more and more people are using?

We also had 2 ship visits, one on the Star Clipper and Azamara Quest, I will write individual blogs about both at a later stage as I would like to go into more details about each visit.

All in all, I had a fantastic few days in Malta, caught up with a lot of old flames and I hope to be back one day!

I'm off to the ABTA conference

2010-10-17T13:53:00.000+01:00

For the first time in 26 years being in the travel industry, I have finally been invited to the annual ABTA conference which is being held this year in Malta.

Myself and my colleague Neil are travelling today up to Manchester for an early flight tomorrow morning to join other delegates for this 4 day event. Many thanks to Fred Olsen cruises who have sponsored us to attend the event.

There are lots of talks, seminars and hosted meals during our visit and I'm looking forward to finding more our about the UK cruise industry and how it's performing at the moment.

I'm also quite excited about having lunch on board the Azamara Quest on Wednesday! I've sold many Azamara cruises over the past year but haven't managed to sample one at first hand!

I'm sure I will bump into many colleagues I've met along the years and also looking forward to visiting Malta again, the last time I was there was in 1985!

I'll update my blog when I return with some pictures!

I finally did it!

2010-10-12T14:27:00.000+01:00

After being together for 8 years, I finally had my Civil Ceremony last Saturday 9th October. People say it's the best day of your life, and it was. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Will share more pictures when I get my act together!

Offers Will End

2010-09-29T10:19:00.001+01:00

If you are planning to go on a P&O, Princess or Cunard cruise next year, then please be aware a lot of their offers of Free Parking, Additional on board credit and Free coach travel to the port are due to expire on the 30th September.

You may well have had a quote from us and are still yet to confirm your 2011 cruise. If it is with one of the above cruise companies, then make sure you get your cruise booked before the 1st October. The offers will change and we hate to see disappointed customers who are a day late!

Prices will also change, so if you are happy with what you have seen, happy with the price, then call today to get booked on, especially if you are a family and want a 3 or 4 berth cabin during the school holidays.

BBC Watchdog

2010-09-22T15:26:00.001+01:00

On Thursday evening 23rd Sept, BBC watchdog is reporting on The Thomson Dream. It will be interesting to see what the report will show. Earlier in the year the ship experienced many problems, you will see in a previous blog post I wrote a while ago.

The reviews on our website do seem to be very mixed, however, they are a lot better than they were - click here to see the latest reviews on this ship.

I'm a big fan of Thomson Cruises, I have been on all their ships apart from Thomson Dream. I have always enjoyed the food, entertainment, ability to fly from local airports, all transfers, tips included. I also enjoy the friendliness on board. So I will be watching tomorrow night to see what they bring up on the programme.

I'm sure it was terrible for those people who experienced many problems earlier in the year, so lets hope most people are now happy on board!

Service V's Price

2010-09-21T20:30:00.002+01:00

In today's current economic climate, most of us are challenged into searching for the best price on anything, whether it be in the local supermarkets, or where the best price is for petrol.

When it comes to buying a cruise, most people want the best price they can possibly get, this is understandable and I totally agree. However, I was thinking about this today after a call from a lady who was looking for a cruise with Thomson next year. I gave her the price and also had a good old chat to her about cruising in general, about Thomson cruises, about the weather, general stuff. This lady was very up front with me and said that she was shopping around and will come back to me if I was the best deal. No problem I thought, this happens quite often in our business. I said I would call her back in a couple of hours to see whether she had found anything cheaper for the same cruise.

Before I had chance to call her back, she called on my direct number and said go ahead and book. I asked whether she had been given a better price, to which she replied she had, however she thought my knowledge, attitude and service out did anyone else she spoke to. Basically I was £25 per person more expensive, but she was prepared to pay this extra for the service I gave.

Now anyone that knows me will know I hate to blow my own trumpet, but this made me think about how much would you pay extra for the same thing to make sure you receive the best service, so I thought I would share this and ask the question on here.

How much would you pay for the best service, £1, £2? More? I know people will go elsewhere to save 50 pence! (and I'm talking people about some friends & relatives!)

It will be interesting to see responses......

Tailor Made Takes Off

2010-09-14T22:18:00.001+01:00

Here at Cruise.co.uk we have recently been busy putting together various different Tailor made holidays to some of the great destinations of the world. Since we have started doing these special holidays (all including a cruise) we have been extremely busy with calls from people wishing to book.

Click here to see a full range of these holidays we have put together at excellent prices.

If you don't see something that grabs your eye and you have always wanted to do something different other than just a cruise holiday, then call me and we can look at putting something together for you.

Below is an example of what we can offer.

The ruins of Machu Picchu are one of the most beautiful and enigmatic ancient sites in the world, and are truly a sight to behold. I can make this spectacular part of the world easily accessible for you, combining it with an incredible cruise itinerary.

Fred Olsen's intimate and classy Balmoral will take you from Southampton to Peru's desert capital of Lima next January 2011 as part of her world cruise. She takes in a brief visit to Tenerife in the Canaries before continuing on to the white-sand beaches and coconut trees of the colourful Caribbean, then through the iconic Panama Canal and calling into Ecuador before arriving into delicious Peru.

This mighty voyage alone is a trip-of -a-lifetime, even before our tailor-made add-on. However, the 5 day land-tour to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley after your cruise is the sweet cherry on the cake.

Upon arriving into Callao, Peru (for Lima), you will transfer to the airport for your internal flight to Cuzco. That same afternoon, you will embark on a City Tour of beautiful Cuzco. The following day, you will transfer to Machu Picchu, where you will stay overnight, giving you 2 days to soak up everything about this iconic site. You also have a day to the Sacred Valley before flying back to Lima and continuing your journey back to the UK

This is undoubtedly 2 holidays in one, with a luxury cruise, plus a land holiday of a lifetime in Peru. Prices start from £4499 for this 26 night holiday of a lifetime. Please do not hesitate to call me directly on 0800 408 6125 or email markg@cruise.co.uk for more details.

No Fly for the 4th of July!

2010-09-07T21:44:00.000+01:00

I have just booked a fabulous little holiday for one of my clients, and she was so chuffed with the package, I thought I would share it with you

Do you hate flying? Or do you just love cruising so much you want as much time on the ship as possible? Is New York on your list of places to visit? This holiday is perfect for you.

You will cruise from Southampton to New York next 24th June 2011 on board the world-famous Queen Mary 2. You then stay for 5 nights in a luxury Manhattan hotel for plenty of time to explore this wonderful city and soak up the buzzing atmosphere of the city that never sleeps. With time to celebrate the 4th July in New York!! All this before meeting up with QM2 again and sailing home from New York to Southampton, with even more time to indulge in the luxury that this beautiful ocean liner exudes.

Your transfers in New York are taken care of, and we have even arranged complimentary car parking in Southampton for the duration of your holiday, so we have thought of everything from start to finish. Prices start from just £2699 per person for the full 19 nights.

Click here to view this offer, and feel free to call me on 0800 408 6125 or email markg@cruise.co.uk for more details.

Rush for Summer 2011

2010-09-05T19:24:00.000+01:00

Already the rush has started for Summer 2011!! Most people want to book their summer holiday in January and February once Christmas is over and they want something to look forward to.

I have found over the past week many people booking already for next summer, (maybe they have been fed up with the weather in July August this year and want to get away!)

Prices are excellent, with a lot of on board credit, free parking, free coach travel if you book early.

Please remember, if you are looking to go during the school holidays and want a 3 or 4 berth cabin, PLEASE book early. Already the Independence of the Seas is getting tight on certain dates in the Summer already!

Also remember with children, some operators will put embargo's on certain children age brackets when the ships fill up with kids, so even if you do get a 3/4 berth cabin, you still may not get on the ship!

What's A Guarantee Cabin

2010-08-29T19:57:00.002+01:00

Many cruise operators will offer cabins on a guarantee basis, so what does this actually mean.

Each cabin type on board a ship has a category type, for example on P&O on most ships an OG cabin is an inside cabin, MA outside, JG balcony cabin and CA superior balcony. (there are lots of other categories in between)

If you book an OG, normally we can give you a cabin number at the time of booking, however if the OG cabins are starting to fill up, P&O will then offer a guarantee OG category cabin. If you book on a guarantee, this means you leave it to P&O to allocate you your cabin number and the minimum you will be placed into will be OG category. This does also mean you could get a higher grade than a OG.

Some people think by booking a guarantee rather than a specific cabin number, you have more chance of being upgraded. This can be true to a certain extent, however not always, as people who have booked a cabin number can also opt to go into the pot for an automatic upgrade!

When the cabin is allocated is down to the operator and it could be from the time you book to the day you board the ship.

If it doesn't bother you where you are on the ship, then it's pot luck where you are placed. If however you do like to be midships, aft, forward etc, then make sure you specify your cabin number and say no to the automatic upgrade at the time of booking.

Fluid Pricing

2010-08-23T21:27:00.000+01:00

Why is it that prices for the same cruise go up and down? This is one question I get asked on a regular basis, especially when someone books a cruise, then finds it cheaper some 6 months later.

Most cruise operators and tour operators have a pricing system called "fluid" pricing. This is so they can increase and decrease the price of any cruise whenever it is needed. There are two main reasons for them using this system - the first is to sell sailings that are struggling with sales, the second is to increase profit. It's not just holidays and cruises that operate this way, most high street stores will use this pricing system.

At the moment Princess, Cunard and P&O cruises, have additional on board credit and free car parking for 2011 sailings along with some excellent prices. If you were to book and enjoy these additional savings this month (many of these offers will end 31st August) you will also have the choice of sailing date, cabin type, situation on the ship etc, etc.....

If you are able to leave your cruise to the last minute, then you may get a good deal, however the cabin type & availability can become restricted. You will also need to pay for parking and will not receive any on board credit.

If you do book early, don't be disappointed when your cruise comes down in price! I know this can be annoying, but remember a lot of people who have left it till the last minute took the chance of not getting the holiday they wanted.

Fluid pricing also works the other way - Cruise prices can & do go up. If it's a popular cruise, the operator can increase the cruise price, leaving the people waiting for it come down eventually paying more than the people who booked early!!

If the price of your cruise does come down after you have booked, you cannot ask for a refund, in the same way you will not be asked to pay more if the price goes up!

Titanic 100 years on

2010-08-17T10:00:00.004+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I watch the famous film Titanic (again!!) and wondered whether anyone would be doing anything to mark the 100 year anniversary, I then searched and found some information about Fred Olsen:

Fred Olsen ship The Balmoral has been chartered to sail the exact route of the ill fated Titanic for the 100 year anniversary in 2012.
It will carry the same amount of passengers on board and on 14th April it will arrive at the exact location where the ship sank. Two memorial services will take place, one when the ship hit the iceberg and another when the ship sank.
The Balmoral will then sail onto Halifax where people can visit Fairview Lawn Cemetery where 121 of the victims are buried. The ship will then sail into New York.

I think this is a lovely idea and will give people the opportunity to show their respect for all the people who perished. I'm sure a lot of survivors families will be joining this sailing.

Repositional Cruises

2010-08-15T13:00:00.002+01:00

At certain times of the year, some cruise operators offer what they call re-positional cruises. Mostly the are during the change over periods from winter to summer and summer to winter, so October/November and April May times in the year.

You can normally grab a great deal on these cruises. If you like the sailing part of cruising, then this could be just the ticket as most of the re-positional are transatlantic cruises moving between the Caribbean and Med.

A great deal we have at the moment is on the Crown Princess, departing the UK 6th May 2011 for 16 nights flying to Florida. Joining the ship in Fort Lauderdale, sailing to Azores, Lisbon, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre and finally into Southampton.

Price includes flights from London, 1st nights accommodation in Florida & all transfers.

Inside cabin £979

Ocean view £1115

Balcony £1429

Mini Suite £1789.

There is also up to $200 per person on board spend (depending the cabin you chose)

If you would like to do this in reverse later in the year we a have the same ship departing Southampton on the 4th November 2011. Again including flights back from Florida to London, transfers, sailing to Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Vigo, Lisbon, Bermuda & Fort Lauderdale.

Inside Cabin £1125

Ocean View £1259

Balcony £1439
Mini Suite £1709
Again, on board credit up to $200pp on this sailing.

Crown Princess is a lovely ship, have a read of some of the reviews about her by clicking here.

Other re-positional cruises are available with other operators, just call me and I can give you the full run down.

Calling all Families

2010-08-08T19:07:00.001+01:00

Most ships are now full to capacity for 3 and 4 berths during school holidays as they are like gold dust when the cruise operators 1st go on sale.

In previous posts I have mentioned about the 3 and 4 berth cabins being so popular during this time. So if you have been disappointed this year, why not look at next year?
Today I booked a family on Azura in July 2010, 14 nights from Southampton for £4600 total, inside cabin.
So as mentioned on my previous post, BOOK EARLY!

Kraków Poland

2010-08-01T15:53:00.001+01:00

As my annual festival was cancelled this year, we decided to do 5 nights in the city of Krakow in Poland. I'm so please we went, what a beautiful city. I've been back now for 2 weeks and I'm still talking about how lovely the city is.
I didn't expect it to be as interesting as I thought before I went. The place is full of history, culture and plenty to do - we went for 5 full days and we still didn't see everything, so I'm hoping to return soon.

We stayed within walking distance from the main square, this we thought, was where it would all happen and where all the main restaurants were - how wrong we were! After our 2nd day, we discovered Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter and this is the place to be. Fantastic restaurants, we sampled the oldest original one just in the small square, and this area is the place to be if you like the nightlife. Word of advice - you sip the vodka, don't knock it back in one as we soon discovered (it's strong stuff)

As for sightseeing we did a couple of trips:

Wieliczka Salt Mine - Well worth the visit, it is one of the oldest mines in Europe and has been listed as one of the price-less monuments of World heritage. You will not believe everything is made of salt once you are inside, even the sculpture of the last supper is made of salt!

Schindler's factory - This has only just opened this year in June, so we were lucky to be able to go and see this now museum. You will not be disappointed and can walk from the main part of the city. The museum is mainly about German occupation of Krakow during the 2nd world war. However there are pictures of the people he helped survive along with a film informing you of the exact happenings during this time.

River cruise - As it was so hot whilst we were there (+35 degrees) we took a hour boat ride to cool off. Now I think they could do so much more with the riverside of the city, maybe put some cafe bars along the front as it is lovely. The boat trip was short and sweet, however again I feel they could do so much more with the river cruises themselves, maybe the could start some overnight river cruising to this area!

Auschwitz - This is a personal choice as to whether you decide to go or not, both myself and Dave were a bit nervous before we set off. I'm not going to go into too many details about this concentration camp but I'm glad I did go. The way they guide you around in a professional way doesn't really give you time to think about the awful murders & torture that took place here. I found it was after the day itself my thoughts keep going back to what happened there and it has made me more interested in finding out more. (We have since bought various books about the place)

The nightlife is excellent, many bars to chose from, we bumped into many stag and hen do's, and for £1 for a pint, you can't go wrong.

My advice to anyone thinking about going, go soon, as they are going to join the Euro in the next 2 years!

Oceania Insignia

2010-07-27T21:07:00.002+01:00

Last Friday I travelled down to Dover to have a good look around the Oceania Insignia ship, followed by lunch on board afterwards.

The 1st impression I got from stepping on board, was that not of a ship, but a warm inviting country club. Everything looked inviting, from the pool to the various bars on board, to the fine dining exclusive restaurants.

I'm please to say on this visit I managed to take plenty of pictures (including the meal!)

For a luxury ship, I thought the layout of all the public areas were excellent, comfort in mind where ever you went on the ship, from the library to the poolside.

Cabins were clean, with the beds inviting with their Egyptian cotton sheets and nicely decorated. Although I thought some of the bathrooms in the cabins were a bit on the small side, this would not put me off as the service outshines this.

You can choose to dine in some excellent speciality restaurants; of course, this is all included in the price.

Now for the best bit - the meal on board was fantastic. I think it was the best steak I have ever had. Before we sat down to eat, we were told we could cut the steak with a fork. This turned out to be true!

Now I don't normally like caviar, however I did try it and enjoyed (although it did repeat on me for the rest of the day!)

Here is my lunch by course..........

Importance of Insurance

2010-07-21T21:28:00.001+01:00

It amazes me that so many people leave their holiday insurance until the last minute before they travel. I always stress the importance of having insurance when you book your holiday.

A lot of people don't realise when they pay their deposit for a cruise, holiday or flight, you need to be covered from the time you hand over your deposit.

If for some reason you had to cancel your holiday at the loss of deposit stage before travelling, it can mount up to quite an amount to lose. Today I had a lovely couple who needed to cancel their Caribbean cruise going in December over Christmas. The reason was quite sad, I won't go into too many details; however they were not covered by insurance, therefore lost nearly £1000! If they had taken out insurance at approx £45pp at the time of booking, they would have been able to claim most of this back.
So please do ensure you have insurance cover from the day you book your cruise.

Some other interesting news topics on insurance click here

Cruise Holidays V's Land Holidays

2010-07-14T09:21:00.002+01:00

A lot of people who have never cruised before are put off by the cost, or what they think may be too expensive. Many years ago this may have been true; however now there are so many cruise operators with so many cruise ships, that the prices are not as bad as you would think. Cruising is not just for the rich and the well off anymore.

One thing you need to take into consideration is what you actually get on a cruise. Food available 24 hours a day, entertainment from the moment you wake, till the time your head hits the pillow, fantastic and varied evening shows, your cabin cleaned normally twice a day, and the best part - waking up in a different port or city each day. Even days when you are sailing are fun too as the entertainment staff will put on more activities on board.
I could have an endless list of pros about cruise holidays, but the above are just a few.

I decided the other day to compare the cost of a land holiday to a cruise holiday and here are my findings:

Family of four, 2 adults, 2 children aged 7 & 9.
P&O Azura

2nd July 2011

14 nights

Inside cabin for 4

Full Board (24 hours a day)

Med Cruise

£3968 total price

Includes £200 on board spend

Thomson

Gran Camp De Mar (Mallorca)

2nd July 2011

14 Nights

Family room for 4

Half Board

Flights from Manchester

£3615 total price

So as you can see, not a huge difference in price.

What about dink prices?

P&O prices are all in Stirling and are normal prices (approx £3.50 for a pint)

Tips are recommended at approx £3.50 per person, per day - however these are not compulsory

Excursions in ports (not compulsory)

On the Mallorca holiday you will need to consider the following:

Taxis/public transport/sun bed hire

Tips are recommended at approx 10% of each bill - however, these are not compulsory

The Euro exchange rate to the pound

Lunches need to be paid for

Entertainment to some evening excursions (not compulsory)

So as you can see, cruising is not as expensive as you may think. If you have never done it before, why not push the boat out and give it a go!

Late Cruise Availability

2010-07-09T20:57:00.002+01:00

Over the past week I have received many calls from people wanting cruise holidays going in the next few weeks. Not only calls from people with families getting ready for the schools to break up, but also for people wanting to just get away. We still have some really good offers during the school holidays, so if you are flexible with dates and don't mind where you go, then we should be able to fix you up.

In a previous post I mentioned the limitation of children’s ages on some cruises; this can be an issue, however today I managed to get a family on the Azura in a 3 berth superior suite cabin travelling next week.

A lot of people are looking for late Mediterranean sailings, again there are some of these still about, however if you prefer the Baltic capitals, Norway & Iceland, then there seems to be a bit more available to these areas. With the warm climate we are having, why not give it a go.

Another idea is around the UK! I was speaking to a customer today who didn't seem that interested, until I mentioned the price £544pp for 5 nights! They soon snapped it up. Click here for more info

Another great deal was on the Celebrity Eclipse, 14 nights, 7th August, Balcony cabin £1409pp, this included tips! BARGAIN!

If you are looking for a deal for the summer holidays, then give me a call on 0800 408 6125 and I’ll be happy to search for you.

Too Many Kids!!!

2010-07-02T19:34:00.002+01:00

Over the past few weeks I have received many calls from families wanting to get away on a cruise this summer. This can be a bit of an issue especially during the summer holidays, there are 2 main issues. The 1st is the limited amount of 3 and 4 berth cabins on some ships and the 2nd is the embargo on child ages on some ships.

3 and 4 berth cabins fill up really quickly, in fact even for next summer 2011 they are selling out on some sailings already.

This year I have been able to find some families a 3 or 4 berth cabin, however we then stumble across the embargo issue on ages. The reason for this limitation from the cruise operators is due to the fact they can only have a certain amount of children within certain ages. This is due to the numbers in the children's clubs and the amount of staff on board they need to look after them in the kids clubs.

So my advice if you are looking for a family cruise, book early to avoid disappointment!

Epic Adventure

2010-06-25T15:18:00.001+01:00

This week saw the launch of the new NCL ship the Epic and they invited 2500 travel agents on board to experience the delights of this fantastic ship, myself included.

Apart from there being a delay in arriving into Southampton due to a technical issue, we finally boarded the ship on Tuesday at 5.30pm. Once on board we headed straight for a reservation in the ice bar on board. This is something that you must go and sample, there is a cover charge of $20pp, this includes 2 drinks and a stay of 15 minutes inside. Believe me when I say, you can only last this amount of time as it is very very cold, even though they give you warm jackets!

There are plenty of places to eat on board, with only being on board for 2 nights, we ate in the speciality restaurant on the 1st night and in the main dining area on the 2nd. Cagney's steakhouse was our first evening meal and it did not disappoint in any way, the service was superb with the steak to die for! I also ate in the Cafe Garden a few times and found the choice of food really good.

The layout of the ship is quite impressive, I found it easy to find my way around and there are plenty of signs informing you where everything was.

The service at the bar could have been a little quicker, however I realise this was due to an open bar for 2 days, so I won't hold this against them!

There is plenty to do on this ship and you will not be bored. We sampled the Blue Man Group which was fantastic I must add and not to be missed if you get the chance to sail on the Epic. There's bowling, sports deck area, water slides & climbing wall are just a few other activities you can partake in on board.

The only let down was the cabin we were allocated, we were in a BA balcony category and I'm not too sure how on earth they could fit 3 people inside as we struggled with the 2 of us. If one person was getting ready, the other person had to go onto the balcony or lie on the bed as 2 people could not walk around at the same time! I really think the cabin was only designed for just one person! There was not much privacy either (I realise this may not be an issue if you have been in a long term relationship) as going to the toilet involved asking the other person to nip out onto the balcony for the duration and singing loudly!! The beds were also too small, I'm 5ft 11" and my feet hung off the end of the bed!

For me the cabins are the only let down as everything else was spot on, I also loved the freestyle aspect where you didn't feel the need to dress up, although some people did!

I would have loved to spend more time on the ship and hopefully I will return soon!

Thomson's "Bad" Dream?

2010-06-16T20:26:00.003+01:00

Thomson's new arrival to its fleet, The Thomson Dream, has been receiving quite a few bad reports on our website at the moment from passengers that have sailed on her recently. I was quite concerned for some of my customers who sailed on her last week, before they were due to fly they called me with their own concerns from reading the bad reviews! They asked me if I could call Thomson to find out what the situation was. Thomson informed me that they had been experiencing problems, however should still travel as most of the issues had been sorted.

My customers still travelled and I spoke with them this week upon their return, they had a really good holiday I'm please to say, however they did say in certain parts of the ship there was a bad smell for the 1st 2 days. This then disappeared, but then returned on the last day. They enjoyed the food, entertainment and thought the ship was nice enough, however did say they didn't think it was a 5 star! They also praised the staff on board!

I've been reading the reviews on our website and there have been some good reports, however the bad ones outweigh the good!

Thomson are normally very proactive, and when problems occur, they are pretty good at solving them quickly. You only need to look at the ash cloud situation where most passengers where looked after overseas, they even took the initiative to use their ships to ferry people back to the UK and also from some of the islands in the Med to the mainland to coach people home.

I can remember when they also encountered problems with the Thomson Celebration where they off loaded passengers in Lisbon! (Quite a few years ago I must add) If you look at the reviews now on the Celebration you will see how well it scores!

I've been on all the Thomson ships apart from the Dream, however I do hope to go and sample her in the future.

I feel really sorry for the people who have had bad experiences over the past couple of months on the Dream, and I do hope Thomson get it together for all future passengers that are due to sail on her!

Click here to read the latest reviews on the Thomson Dream

Azamara No Single Supplements

2010-06-10T16:05:00.003+01:00

Azamara No Single Supplements!

Azamara have some fantastic deals for singles, they are also offereing free flights.

Why an Azamara Cruise?

Smaller ships - meaning smaller ports including Monte Carlo, Sorrento, Portofino, Itea. They are just not possible on larger ships.

694 Guests, one member of staff for every 2 guests, giving you the best on board experience.
$500 on board spend per cabin - this INCLUDES single travellers
No set dining times - gives you freedom to dine in your own time.

No formal dress code - leave your tuxedo at home.

All tips included

Wine included with meals

Example of offer.

30th June 2010

12 nights

Scandinavia & Russia

Copenhagen, Warnemunde (overnight), Helsinki, St Petersburg (2nights), Tallinn, Stockholm (overnight) Copenhagen.

£2589

Also:

3rd November 2010

12 nights

Holy Land

Athens, Mykonos, Rhodes, Haifa, Ashdod, Port Said, Alexandria, Sorrento (overnight) & Rome

£1969

Outside cabin

This included flights from London Heathrow!

Other sailing available, please call for details.

Read reviews from previous guests that have experienced Azamara.

http://www.cruise.co.uk/cruise-reviews/search/?reviewcruiselineid=32&reviewcruiseshipid=&reviewdestinationid=&action=search&searchsubmit.x=34&searchsubmit.y=13

Seven Seas Voyager Day Trip

2010-06-06T20:12:00.002+01:00

I was fortunate enough to visit Regents Seven Seas Voyager yesterday. Although it was a short stop on board, we were shown around the whole ship, including all types of cabins. The day was finished off by an excellent lunch. The staff guest ratio is a high 3/2, so expect fantastic service on this ship!

My first impression of the ship was a more lived in feeling to it, I don't mean drab and old, but a nice warm friendly, lived in sort of a way. The suites we were shown were all beautifully decorated throughout. The Master Suite being the most spectacular on board. I have posted some pictures of most of the cabins available and the ones we looked into.

Every single cabin on this ship has a veranda from the deluxe category H through to the Master suite, I also noticed in every single stateroom that there was plenty of room for luggage, hanging space - this was provided by a walk in wardrobe in every stateroom on board.

I was also impressed with the service they provide if you don't want eat in any of the restaurants in the evening time. They will serve you in your stateroom in the same way they serve you in the dining room if you wish.

The Constellation Theatre ample for this ship size (700 guests in total) and was very comfortable, they have a lovely Spa on board, along with the usual shops casino, internet room, library. The sun terrace was well laid out, with what looked to be very comfortable sun beds (it was warm enough to sunbath, even in Southampton!)

There are 2 speciality restaurants on board Prime 7 and Signatures (you need to reserve in advance for booking) For lunch we ate in the Compass Rose, the food was delicious. I started with lobster, then pumpkin soup, steak followed by one of the nicest chocolate dessert I have ever had in my life. It was well presented and the service was outstanding!

Remember with Regent everything is included, all drinks on board, excursions, tips and for 2011 flights are also included. Once you have paid for your cruise, then you don't need to spend anything if you chose to. If you were to calculate how much you were to spend on these additional expenses on other cruise ships, then Regent is really good value for money and will not disappoint!

Smuggling on and off Ships!

2010-05-31T22:05:00.002+01:00

A couple of my colleagues at Cruise.co.uk have written some excellent blogs about how to smuggle booze on board cruise ships. I'm going to flip this on its head and ask - What to you take from the cruise ships after your holiday?
Recently, I visited the new Silversea ship, the Silver Spirit. Have a look at a previous blog post about my experience on this wonderful ship. I did however take the lovely toiletries (Bvlgari may I add) with me. Now I don't feel guilty as it did say they were complimentary, I just didn't give my roommate a chance to even smell them!
My reasoning behind this is quite practical; they come in very handy when you go on a mini weekend break. It saves lugging huge shampoo containers with you, and they fit nice and snug in a toilet bag and it's also a bonus if they are refillable! (oh dear - I think I have just turned into my mother with that last comment!)

I have heard of people smuggling all sorts of things, ashtrays, bathrobes, even the sheets! Now I don't go that far, however would love to hear from anyone who has taken something that they shouldn't from their cruise holiday!

E Tickets - what's it all about?

2010-05-22T13:32:00.002+01:00

Frequent cruise travellers will have noticed a change in the ticketing process over the past couple of months. Most cruise operators are now operating the new e-ticketing system, this is where you can now check in on line and view all your itinerary, view all excursions available on your cruise and pre book extras like champagne on arrival.

Airlines have been doing this for quite a while, so it was only a matter of time before cruise operators followed. Not only does it save them a fortune in post and in the production of the tickets, it is also a lot quicker and easier for them to manage.

Now I know what a lot of people will be thinking when reading this - What about people who don't have access to the internet. Well worry not, here at Cruise.co.uk we will still check you in on line. Our old "paper" method where you provide all your passport information to us will soon be a thing of the past, however we still use it for some cruise operators not signed up for the e - ticketing system and for any customers that do not have access to the internet.
We will always send you your cruise e-tickets in the post before travel, along with the most important 10% discount vouchers for booking on board!!!
As the process is fairly new to us as well, there has been some delay in getting e tickets out to people. So at the moment we are advising tickets will be with you 10 days prior to departure.

Demand For Cruises Increases

2010-05-16T22:12:00.002+01:00

Over the past 4 days I have noticed an increase from people interested in taking a cruise holiday for the first time, all of these future cruises are enquiring and booking their 1st cruise holiday from the UK. So what has caused this increase? I’m sure you already know, people are getting nervous about their holiday being cancelled due to the unpredictable ash cloud! To add insult to injury, BA cabin crew imminent strikes are not helping either!

A lady called today, not travelling till October, sailing from Barcelona asking my advice on what she should do. She had booked flights with Easyjet and the cruise with us, so my advice was either take the chance and hope the ash cloud disappears, or change her cruise with the same cruise operator sailing from the UK. I know she will lose her money on the Easyjet flights, however, she explained she did not want to lose her hard earned yearly cruise holiday! As she has a little more time to think, she is going to discuss with her family on the best option.

I have also had three lengthy conversations with customers new to cruise, people who normally take a two week holiday in the med. I have given them my expertise on which cruises would suit them, this can be quite tricky, however with the selection we have sailing from the UK, there is something there for everyone.

If you are reading this and thinking a cruise would suit you, instead of your annual holiday to your favourite destination, then cruising could be for you. The prices are excellent value for money, entertainment all laid on, fantastic food, with plenty to choose from when it comes to the type of accommodation. The service on cruise ships is outstanding to say the least.

So this year – beat the ash and strikes in the sky and make sure you get away from it all!!

Silversea Spirit Visit

2010-05-11T11:53:00.003+01:00

Last Friday I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit the new Silversea Spirit ship. It was on an overnight stop in Southampton, where a small group of agents were invited on board to sample the delights of this beautiful ship.

The ship & service was outstanding from the moment we arrived to the moment we departed. As soon as we checked in, our baggage was taken from us and we were personally escorted to our stateroom. I found the staff to be very friendly; everyone on board had a smile and a "good morning" as we passed them.

The stateroom was a mid-ships veranda suite (631) it had the WOW factor for me. The veranda was large enough for 2 beds (apparently verandas on this ship are larger than the others in the Silversea fleet) A sitting area that could be sectioned off by a curtain if need be. The beds were very comfortable (you even had a pillow menu!!!) There was a walk in closet and a fantastic bathroom, with a full sunken bath. The decor throughout was very tastily done. One thing I was really impressed with was the 2 televisions, one in the bedroom and one in the sitting area. Both were actually set behind the mirror, when you switched the TV off, all that was there was your reflection!!!

We had a bite to eat out on the pool deck, the service & food were excellent! As we were sitting outside it was a bit nippy, the staff came over and asked whether we would like a blanket, little things like this make all the difference to me.

We were given a full guided tour of the ship and I didn't think the tour would last that long, due to the fact it was a smaller ship. How I was wrong, the facilities on board were incredible, a full spa, with every type of treatment room, a gym, card room, library, internet room, 2 a la carte restaurants, pool area. As we walked around the various bars, some had some form of entertainment in, one had a piano player, one had a singer for some light afternoon relaxation.

Being traditional British, we decided to have tea and cakes mid afternoon. Again, the service was second to none and a varied choice of scones with cream & jam, biscuits, cakes. Now I’m not a tea drinker, however we were presented with a huge wooden menu, with little plastic sections all containing the variety of teas you could chose from – now that is something I have never seen before and was impressed!

During dinner that night, we ate in the main restaurant; again I could not fault the service and the food. I had the full 5 courses. My steak was so tender I could have cut it with my fork! The wine was flowing with each course (hence a bit of a hangover the next morning)

The entertainment was the 4 tenors and I was really impressed with the theatre set, it was a bit like an old west end theatre. Here they also hold lectures during the day for port showcases.
Later in the evening they had some tunes playing where you could get up and boogie. It was very sociable and I had a fantastic evening.

Overall I think the ship deserves 6 stars, nothing was too much trouble for any of the staff I encountered, very friendly, service with a smile. I would without hesitation book a Silversea cruise for myself. The one thing that I will take from this experience is the attentive service from the staff on board, they were not too intrusive, with the correct amount of customer service you would expect from a 6 star cruise company.

Aurora Mini Cruise

2010-05-03T19:48:00.003+01:00

Today myself and partner have just returned from our mini cruise over to Bruges on board P&O Aurora. This was our 1st time on this ship together and was it a bit of a reunion trip for people I worked with in my previous job. There were pros and cons, and as we have taken quite a few cruises, it was inevitable that we would make comparisons.

The ship itself is presented well, very clean, with lots of comfortable lounges and deck spaces. We had an inside cabin, this was perfectly adequate as this was only a 2 night cruise.

Bobby Davro was booked to perform 2 shows in the theatre, we caught the 2nd show and were pleasantly surprised what a good and seasoned performer he is. He had the crowd in stitches from beginning to end, completing no less than 3 encores!! The only BIG drawback to this auditorium was the fact that you were not allowed to take any drinks inside. On other ships I have found enjoying a drink whilst watching a performance has been positively encouraged, with staff attending to the table to top up and refresh drinks throughout.

Dinner on both nights was of an excellent standard, with varied menu choices, a decent wine list, and outstanding service from our waiter.

This is where our praise for service starts and finishes, I'm sorry to report.

The bar staff and all other staff we came into contact with seemed to posses a "can't really be bothered to smile or look interested" attitude! Whilst nobody was actually verbally rude, our entire group definitely felt the staff could benefit from some basic customer service training. Maybe we have been spoilt by excellent service on other ships (namely the ENTIRE Thomson fleet).
Other little things like dirty ashtrays left over from the previous evening, dead drinks gathering table space and general lack of enthusiasm from the staff, all contributed to us feeling unwelcome and not valued. Maybe this was because it was a 2 day mini cruise rather than a full blown 2 week sail, but this in my opinion should not make a difference. A customer is a customer after all!
We also encountered a breakdown with our toilet - twice! Admittedly, our cabin steward arranged repair on the 1st occasion, but then a day later when we had to report it again we were told, curtly, that "they were aware of the situation" No apology. Nothing. For the remainder of the cruise, we resorted to using the public toilets!

Having said all of the above, we both agree that we are not about to write this ship off, and may well take a longer holiday on board at some point in the future. Hopefully, by then staff would have received specialised support and training in how to make the customers feel great on their holiday!
Maybe an idea would be for guests to complete a satisfaction questionnaire at the end of the cruise, which we didn't receive. Did they just forget to hand them our or do they not do this at P&O?, if not, they should adopt this practice!

Best Volcano Stories

2010-04-26T09:57:00.002+01:00

Thankfully the ban on air travel has now been lifted, on my previous post you will see just how busy we were at Cruise.co.uk. Now the dust is settling - literally, I think it's a good time to share some stories.

A couple I booked back in January this year sailing from Florida on a transatlantic re-positional cruise back to the UK. They booked the cruise with me, however wanted to book the flights as well. I managed to get them on a one way flight to Sanford Orlando, the UK departure point was Glasgow.

It was on the 2nd day of the ban they were due to fly on the Friday, however Glasgow did open for a short while. Their flight was with Iceland Air via Iceland and on checking with Iceland Air, their flight was still due to depart, with a 4 hour delay. My clients were over the moon, but something still didn't ring true. I decided to make sure that their connecting flight from Iceland would also be delayed. I was informed by Iceland Air that they could get the Glasgow flight to Iceland, however they would then be stuck as the connecting flight would have gone with the next flight the following week.

I spoke to the customer at length, they were not in any danger of missing their cruise as he was staying with his sister for 2 weeks in Orlando beforehand. We took the decision to re book him on exactly the same flights the week later.

I called them on the day before to wish them a great holiday and said he would call me upon his return.

The following morning, on my way to work, I hear on the news that the air space over Iceland was closed due to the ash blowing the other way!!!!

I checked in the office as soon as I got in and Iceland Air had moved most of their operation to Glasgow! Great I thought, not only will they still make the flight, they will be able to go direct. I then read a bit further down to the cancelled flights, and low and behold the Sanford flight was CANCELLED!!

After a lot of searching for other flights from the UK to Florida, this was proving very difficult as most airlines were still shifting stranded passengers, we managed to fly them from Glasgow to New York, hotel overnight stay in New York, then a flight from New York down to Orlando. So, although a week late, a short break in New York, they managed to reach their destination!!

Now I'm sure this isn't the best story, so please feel free to share!

UK Cruise Prices to Rise?

2010-04-18T19:25:00.002+01:00

With the situation at present regarding air travel and the amount of chaos being caused, here at Cruise.co.uk we have been inundated with calls over this weekend.

Lots of calls from people stranded that cannot get home, requests from people stuck in every corner of the World. People asking whether we can book them on a cruise back from Tenerife, Palma, South Africa, USA - The list goes on.

Other calls from people due to be flying out to join their ships this week that will no doubt be grounded & they won't be travelling.

People calling asking for train times to Barcelona, Venice, Malaga etc.

We also took many calls from people who are due to travel and already cancelled from this weekend trying to get on a ship departing the UK so at least they can still have a holiday.

With increase in demand for UK sailings, I can imagine that Cruise companies will hike up prices this week. If you have seen a cruise departing over the next few months, then be sure to get booked onto them to avoid disappointment (and paying more)

People are starting to get fed up with not only this natural problem we are in, but also with grounded planes due to strikes by cabin crew, snow bound planes and even outbreaks of swine flu!!

If you fancy a cruise sailing from the UK, then pick up the phone and book a cruise from the UK!!

Ship Visits & Educationals

2010-04-12T20:43:00.002+01:00

You may have read over the past couple of days, many of our Cruise Consultants at Cruise.co.uk have visited the new P&O ship Azura last Friday! Unfortunately I didn't go on the overnight visit and I haven't spoken to any of my colleagues as yet to get the run down - I have however seen quite a few of their individual blogs, I'm sure the ship won't disappoint.

One of the great "perks of the job" in the travel industry is to visit many destinations, obviously at Cruise.co.uk, it is very important we visit as many ships as possible, both new & old! Even at our annual Christmas party, our management normally treat us to a couple of nights on board a ship - killing 2 birds with one stone, we get to see a ship and also have a great time!!!

One of my roles in travel was as an educational & training executive; in this role I put together up to 18 trips a year for travel agents to visit resorts, hotels, ships and excursions. The best thing about my role was that after planning them, I got to experience them all!!

This job stood me in good stead as I have seen many places from your main Spanish Costa's, to The Americas, Asia, through to cruising down the Nile!

Our job is a million times easier when we have seen, felt, tasted, slept in & drank the experience. I'm sure when I'm back in the office I'll get the full run down of the new P&O Azura, along with all the gossip!!!
For me, my next cruise is on the Aurora with P&O, I'm off for 2 nights on the 1st of May, just over to Bruges for the day - it was something arranged before I joined Cruise.co.uk. Watch this space for a full report upon my return!

Ibiza - Give It A Go

2010-04-02T18:58:00.003+01:00

When people say Ibiza, it's normally followed by "that's the party Island of Europe", however Ibiza has something to offer other than just clubs and bars!

I've been visiting the Island of Ibiza for over 40 years, when I was very young, myself, 2 Brothers, Sister, Mum and Dad travelled overland to see my Aunty, Uncle and Cousins. As my Dad was a train driver for British Rail, we all received free rail travel down to Dover, followed by a free sailing across the channel with Sealink ferries. We then received good discounts on rail through France and Spain, finally the last part of the journey - the ferry from Barcelona to Ibiza. This was a HUGE adventure for me, being so young, and I loved to travel! We did this journey a few times and it took 2 days each way!

My Sister eventually worked a season in my Aunty and Uncles bike hire shop where she met her future husband, Jose; they are both now settled and now live in the lovely village of Jesus, just outside Ibiza town. I also worked as a rep on the Island for one season in the early 90's. At every given opportunity I will pop over to see my Sister. My Parents also have an apartment there, so it's quite reasonable for me to visit.

If you have never visited the Island and have been put off by reports of lager louts, noise through the night with all the clubs, then think again. Yes, in San Antonio, I would avoid the "West End" during July and August. However the bay of San Antonio is not too bad even in the height of the summer. So what about the noise from the clubs? Well most of the clubs are off the beaten track, located away from main tourist areas. Pacha is just off the port area, Amnesia is on the road between Ibiza town and San Antonio, and Space won't really keep you awake as it opens 6am through to late afternoon.

The beaches in Ibiza are fantastic, the largest being Playa D'en Bossa, just near the airport. Bora Bora CafeBar is situated at the end of this beautiful beach if daytime clubbing is your thing!

Ibiza town comes to life at night, you will see some sights with the colourful people of Ibiza. Please go with an open mind, you will love it! Just by the port side is the open market, many bars and restaurants that stay open until the early hours.
If you would like to sample Ibiza for a short stay, then why not try a short visit there. Royal Caribbean sails from Barcelona on a 4 night cruise, taking in the south of France, followed by an overnight stop in Ibiza. So give it a go, you may love the place like I do!

Mallorca Cruise and Stay

2010-03-21T20:19:00.002Z

Mallorca is one of my favourite holiday destinations, I know the island very well as I worked on the island for 4 summer seasons and 2 winter. I think it's a great place to go both in the summer and the winter months.

The flight is just over 2 hours from most UK airports and you can fly from most regional airports too.

If your cruise ship is starting in Palma (Thomson, MSC, NCL all sail from Palma) why not combine your cruise with either a short break on the island post or pre cruise? It's a great way to have a bit of extra time in a destination and discover somewhere you have never been before instead of just arriving on your flight and going straight on board your ship.

The City of Palma is beautiful, with its cathedral, array of shops, tapas bars and some excellent night clubs. For those people who miss shopping at C&A, there is still a branch in the city centre!!

Beaches are fantastic - My favourite is called Es Trenc, situated hidden away on the South West coast. You do need a car to get there and it's approx 1 hours drive from Palma city, it's well worth a visit as it's off the beaten track with not many tourists there.

If it's resort action you are after, the firm favourite with the Brits is Palma Nova and Magalluf, these 2 resorts have grown so much over the years, they are now joined creating one huge resort. Palma Nova being the quieter of the 2!! Magalluf having the largest nightclub on the island - BCM.

The most scenic part of the island is on the west coast, you can take a train through the orange and lemon groves up to Soller, a beautiful horse shoe shaped bay where there some excellent sea food restaurants.

An excellent night out in Mallorca is Son Amar, this is one of the best evening shows I have ever seen and well worth a visit. The Spanish ballet will blow you away!!

With Thomson your can do a cruise and go as you please. Using their flights with your cruise package, you can fly out a week earlier or later and choose your own accommodation. If you have friends, family or your own place in Mallorca, this is an ideal way to combine a cruise and stay.

If you fancy doing MSC or NCL, then why not fly out to the island on a low cost flight, stay on the island for a couple of days before or after your cruise!

Mallorca has something for everyone, you will not be disappointed!!

Winning the lottery - What would you do?

2010-03-16T09:08:00.002Z

Like me, everyone must dream about winning the lottery! You've got to be in it to win it as they say and I always say "It's not IF I win the lottery, it's WHEN I win the lottery" It's just a matter of time before my ship comes in!!

Winning a huge amount of money would be life changing, how many conversations have you had with friends and family going into the finer details as to what you would do with your millions. Normally, the conversation would be how much you have actually won, then go from there. Treating family and friends, paying of their mortgages, cars that you would buy, where you would live...the list goes on. One topic that always comes up are the holidays you would take and for some like myself, what cruise you would go on if money wasn't an issue.

During a coffee break last week, I was talking to a colleague about what I would do WHEN I win the lottery. I had just confirmed a couple on a Regent cruise to the Caribbean, so it was quite fresh in my head as to what style of cruising Regent do, smaller ships, shore excursions included, drinks etc. I then started to plan my lottery win cruise with Regent, I would be more than happy for them to look after me whilst I sip the most expensive champagne in my jacuzzi! What a way to see the world!

So what cruise would you be tempted to take if (sorry) WHEN you win your millions?

Now I know my boss will be reading this post, so just to put his mind at rest when I do win and have to retire......ALL my lottery win cruises would be booked through Cruise.co.uk, I promise!

Are there any real LOVE BOAT stories?

2010-03-05T22:17:00.003Z

Does anyone remember this sitcom from way back when? I loved this programme, it was on every Sunday afternoon and I can remember watching it after our Sunday dinner when I was younger. ALL my family sat down for our weekly dose of romance and laughs on the high seas. My Nan, Mum, Dad, Sister, 2 Brothers and Me! (Thinking about it, it resembled the Royale family when they sit down to watch The Antiques Road Show!)

If you do remember this sitcom, I bet you are humming the theme tune in your head right now!!!!

The show started way back in 1977 and carried on until 1984 and was a huge hit. I always remember thinking how nice it would be to be able to afford to go on a cruise! Every show involved the ships staff encouraging their weekly passengers to fall in love, with a few laughs thrown in. I also thought that you only went on a cruise to meet someone and that you would end up marrying them!!! (I was only 10 years old in 1977!)

When the careers officer in school asked me what I wanted to do when I left a few years later, I responded " I'm going to be a purser on board a cruise ship" I thought that to work on a cruise ship would be just like "The Love Boat" and all the laughs I would have.

I never got to work on board a ship, however I have been lucky enough sail on some and looking back, they are nothing like the Love Boat cruises from telly! But I still wonder, are there any REAL Love Boat stories? Do people meet and fall in love on board and live happy ever after? Do people go on cruises hoping to meet their perfect partners? Would be great to hear them if you have any to share!

Funny Travel Story

2010-03-05T14:02:00.000Z

Two elderly ladies were travelling together on a very short flight to join a ship, it was their very first time on a plane and they were both very excited.

After their meal and a cup of tea, the cabin crew announced " Ladies & Gentlemen, as this is such a short flight, we do not have time to serve everyone on board with a second cup of tea or coffee, however if you would like another cup, please press the cabin crew call button above your head"

On hearing this, one of the ladies picked up her cup, lifted it underneath the call button and started pressing it frantically, she then turned to her friend and said " There's nothing coming out of this one Edna"...........

Complaining about food!

2010-03-02T21:50:00.005Z

Last Saturday myself and colleagues were lucky enough to spend one night on board the MSC Magnifica. One thing that really stuck in my mind before we even got on board was "what will the food be like?". This is because I'd heard that the food wasn't up to much.

So before I even got on board the ship, I had a blinkered view regarding the food, and I was thinking I was going to starve. Thankfully I didn't and I'm still here to tell you that you will not starve on board an MSC ship. I personally found the food to be fine, yes I have had better, but then again I've had a lot worse! I'm not a fussy eater at all and I've also lived in Spain for 11 years, so maybe I'm more familiar with the Mediterranean palate

Now here is my main point about this blog - What do you do if you are not happy with the food?!

Whether at your local chippy, 3 star hotel or on your cruise holiday, food is quite personal to many people. Some people are fussy eaters, some like medium rare steaks, some like them blue!

However when you are not happy with what has been served to you, I would like to know how many people actually complain whilst on board to their Maidre'D!

If your food was cold, did you send it back?

If you asked for a well cooked steak and it turned up with blood running out of it, did you send it back?

If you did, then great, you are giving them the opportunity to correct their mistake and the more people sending their food back the more they will realise they are doing something wrong and need to change.

I know you will always have the professional complainer, where everything you do to please, will never be good enough. But do we Brits always speak up when it comes to complaining? When I say this I mean complaining through the correct channels. It's pointless complaining to your fellow passengers - they can't do anything about your complaint. But if you inform the person in charge, I'm sure they would do all they can to accommodate your needs.

One thing that really upset me whilst I was a holiday rep was when a guest came up to me on the last day of their holiday saying they were not happy with XYZ. The reason I got upset about it was that they didn't give me the chance to rectify their issues, it was the last day of their holiday and therefore I couldn't do anything. So please always speak up if you are unhappy about something, and try and do it as soon as possible. I'm sure they will always do their best to rectify your complaint so you can enjoy the rest of your holiday.

First Time Cruisers

2010-02-23T21:59:00.002Z

Most customers calling us enquiring about a cruise normally know what they want, when they want to go and the type of cabin they want. A couple of times this week, I have had totally "Virgin Cruisers" call asking for advice on what ship, what time of year to go and what cabins they should choose. I'm lucky that I have had the opportunity to sail on a few ships and it is easier to talk the "ship talk"to first time cruisers who don't know their ports from starboards. I’ve also been in the travel industry for 24 years and have travelled to quite a lot of places I can talk about confidently.

One thing I always ask is where they normally go to on holiday, what type of hotel they stay in and what activities they enjoy doing whilst on holiday, this helps me point them in the right direction as to what ship they would be suited to and also where in the world to send them.

Obviously a big factor is their budget and if they are totally unaware of cruise prices, I'll give them a couple of example costing as to what to expect. As many experience cruises know, you don't have to break the bank to cruise and once you have been on one and you catch the "Cruise Bug" there is no going back!

Another factor is their age, whether they are a family and whether they would like to fly & cruise or cruise from the UK, you'll be surprised on how many people do not or cannot fly, but still want their well earned holiday.

It sounds a difficult task to advise someone who has never cruised before on where they should go, after all they are trusting you and your knowledge for them to have the best time and also for them to hand over their well earned cash! One thing I would never do is lie to a customer, sending them somewhere where I know they will not enjoy, they will only return and complain and never book with me again!

So what is the best ship to send a First Time Cruiser on? That depends on the type of person asking!

Your First Cruise

2010-02-16T09:42:00.003Z

The very first cruise I went on was on board The SS Topaz back, also known as the "Empress of Britain"

It was December 1999 and a colleague of mine and I decided to head off to the Caribbean for a week on board. Sailing from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, we set sail to visit various islands on our 7 day voyage!

I can remember when we booked it, many people saying "You don't want to go on that tug boat!!" Yes the cabins were really small, not much sun deck area and only a plunge pool (I would have called it a bath) But if I'm being really honest, I loved the whole experience.

A couple of things I remember:

1. The lager on board was Oranjeboom, can anyone remember this Dutch pilsener? I think they should sell it on EVERY cruise ship in the world as it helped me get my sea legs for a first timer!!

2. After a day in Grenada, we got back on board and had a couple of cocktails, decided to have 40 winks before getting dolled up like a dogs dinner for the captains night. We fell asleep until 5 AM the following morning and completely missed the captain’s night! This can happen when you book an inside cabin with no natural daylight and had nothing to do with the cocktails we had drank in the afternoon! That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!!

3. Venezuela had been hit by terrible floods and one of the ports we were due to visit had to be cancelled, instead we got to go to the Island of Margarita, which was great. However what really stuck in my mind about this was the people complaining about it! I couldn't believe some people saying that the only reason they booked the cruise was to visit Venezuela, fair enough, but do you really want to see a country in a state of emergency and see dead bodies floating past the ship!!!

4. They did a show on board called Around the World in 80 Minutes, it was a dinner show and the waiting staff served every person, every course, every drink at exactly the same time in the room. The show was as the title says, from all around the world.

I've been searching the web for some pictures of the Topaz and to see what she is up to. Unfortunately, as this picture shows, I don't think she'll be sailing anymore!!

Gay Cruises

2010-02-10T23:10:00.001Z

Although I have yet to find any exclusive gay charter cruises from the UK, or in fact Europe, there are some US companies that do charter cruises at certain times of the year. I’m not sure why a UK based company hasn’t yet picked up on this yet as I’m sure there is a market out there for exclusive sailings.

In the past some of the US gay cruises have been met by some hostility in certain destinations. Protestors met a ship when docked in Bahamas in 2004 and similar incidents have happened in Bermuda and Jamacia. That aside, I’m sure there are more destinations that would welcome with open arms a ship full of gay passengers, a few that spring to mind being Ibiza, Barcelona, Mykonos & Gran Canaria! I’m sure there are many more that would welcome the “Pink Pound” to be spent in their ports.

Personally, I don’t think myself and my partner would be interested in “an all singing all dancing” gay cruise, it’s just not us. Yes we do like to have a drink and party, however I don’t think it would “float our boat” (that pun was intended by the way!!) However, as we have never been on one, I cannot really pass comment. I’ve had a look at a few forums and people rave about them. Normally they come with a premium price tag, this is because of the extra entertainment laid on especially for the cruise, the likes of famous drag acts, DJ’s etc etc. Please feel free to write your comments about exclusive UK gay cruises and whether you think there is a market and would you go one if they became available?

We have been on 4 mainstream cruises though, and for anyone that maybe concerned about asking for a double bed, other passengers attitude, staff on board etc, then please don’t worry. We have met some lovely fellow passengers on board, some we are still in touch with. We have never come across any type of homophobia towards us and the staff on board are fantastic! If you are worried who you might be sat with at dinner, again don’t worry! I would recommend asking for a large table at the time of booking, that way there are more people to talk to, in fact most 1st time cruisers be it gay or straight have this concern.

Have a look on Cruise.co.uk website, under the questions and answers section, type in “gay” in the search and you will see questions asked about being gay on a cruise. 99% of the answers are really positive about people making friends and general attitudes towards gay people on board ships etc. Yes there are a few negative comments, but thankfully only a minority!

Most cruise companies welcome gay people, they have realised over the years more and more gay people enjoy the open seas. In fact they now, on some ships, hold what they call Friends of Dorothy (FOD) meetings. The reason they use FOD is because years ago they didn’t want to openly use the word gay as they thought it may offend other passengers on board!! Now the name FOD has stuck and you will see they advertise any meetings in the cruise news on board. This is a good way to meet fellow gay passengers and their friends on board your cruise.

So if you are thinking of a cruise for your next holiday, go for it, I can assure you, you will love it and it will be plain sailing all the way!

Accepting "Free" Upgrades

2010-02-07T22:43:00.005Z

Some cruise companies offer a free upgrade when you book your cruise, however, you really need to make sure you are willing to accept this if they do as they will not advise you when they are going to do it (if they do at all) Also, you can be placed ANYWHERE on the ship.
There are some other things you need to consider before accepting an upgrade. Here’s a recent booking I made that may be of interest!
Recently I booked 4 passengers on a world cruise with Cunard for 103 nights, two cabins with balcony next door to one another.
They have paid quite a sum for this cruise and obviously it would be fantastic if they were given a free upgrade. However, when accepting the upgrade, it could happen that one couple receive the upgrade and the other couple don’t, even though we have crossed referenced the bookings. Also, with Cunard on the QM2 if they were lucky enough to get an upgrade to a Princess suite, this would mean dining in a different restaurant to their fellow friends!

I have enquired with Cunard that if this was the case, could the other couple with the balcony cabin pay the supplement to eat in the Princess Grill restaurant, the answer was a firm NO! OK I thought, so what about if the people in the Princess suite could eat with their friends in the Britannia restaurant, again the official answer was NO, however they can ask when on board but they could not give a guarantee.

So at the moment we are thinking if this is all worth the hassle, but I do feel for the clients as it would be lovely to be upgraded on a world cruise!

So this is another thing to consider when accepting an upgrade!