tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88304074858638702692024-03-14T09:31:09.844+00:00James' Jetsam - Your Cruise ExpertI worked for many years selling cruises and now work as the Online Marketing Manager for the UK's leading online cruise agent. Follow me on my adventures of the cruising world. I'll give you insights into all the quirkier aspects of all things nautical and give honest reviews of all the latest Cruise ships.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.comBlogger579125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-57851203617478720502013-12-18T20:12:00.000+00:002013-12-18T20:12:30.841+00:00I H8GAYS - (I don't really!)Just in case you think I've lost my mind and suddenly turned homophobic; I haven't. The title of today's post comes direct from a really unfortunate error on behalf of <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.delta.com/">Delta Air Lines. </a></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a>Their boarding passes are computer generated with a random 6 digit code along the top made up of letters and numbers.<br />
So far so good. Nothing unusual there you say. Except that the random choice of letters and numbers somehow left Jeff White with a boarding pass stamped with the message H8GAYS.<br />
In a quote to the Washington post he said,<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TZOLeMzBhaU/UrHPH5N7KKI/AAAAAAAAGFg/0qijPfh7PAI/s1600/Delta+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TZOLeMzBhaU/UrHPH5N7KKI/AAAAAAAAGFg/0qijPfh7PAI/s1600/Delta+logo.jpg" /></a>"At first I didn't think I'd read it right.<br />
I was worried that another customer might think I somehow picked that code. If I were a gay male, I might have thought that a Delta worker purposely gave me that code and that would have made me extremly uncomfortable."<br />
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Whoops!!!!!<br />
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Delta are now taking steps to ensure this doesn't happen again along with any other offensive combinations according to their spokesman Russel Cason.<br />
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Have you ever had this with a boarding pass? Let me know here!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-71033166941407303902013-12-17T18:37:00.001+00:002013-12-17T18:37:33.874+00:00Facebook just isn't hip enough anymoreFirst things first - In my daily life I don't go around using words like hip, with it or cool. I do however work with a marketing team of people, shall we say<i> A LOT</i> younger than me, (I'm really not that old - honest), so do hear the word sick, ream and for some reason snake a lot, (I think snake means bad but what do I know)? Nine times out of ten I've absolutely no idea what they're talking about :-(<div>
So why am waffling on about how old and un-cool I am you ask?</div>
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://www.princess.com/"><span style="color: black;">Princess Cruises</span></a> have just released the results of a survey which states that 32% of parents aged over fifty shared their photos and holiday experiences over Facebook, whilst only 28% still sent postcards.</div>
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To be honest I was surprised the figure for the postcard was that high but then I'm, (thankfully), nowhere near fifty yet!</div>
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The obvious benefit to Facebook being that it's instant but then this post isn't about how great social media is, if you're reading a blog online I'm assuming you already know that. </div>
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No what's interesting is that 32% of over fifties were using Facebook in the way it was intended, sharing experiences instantly and keeping in touch with everyone, even though they might be on the other side of the world.</div>
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<b>Why is that interesting you ask?</b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's interesting because it means Facebook isn't as new or cool as it once was. Teenagers are either deserting it in droves for other social sites or creating two accounts, one of which will have a fake name, (one for their family and one for their friends to see). It's fairly obvious why when you stop to consider it. </div>
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Just think about some of the pictures or status updates you may have shared recently then ask yourselves if you'd want your Mom or Dad to see them!</div>
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Does anyone remember earlier this year when $18 million was wiped off Facebook's share value after</div>
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David Ebersman announced Facebook was seeing a slight drop in the amount of teenagers using Facebook?</div>
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Who want's to be on the same social platform as their Mom and Dad???? How is it any different to them socialising with Mom and Dad offline - It just isn't 'cool'!</div>
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The problem facing social marketers is that even though they're leaving Facebook they're not all going off to the one 'new big thing'. Instead they're being diluted over dozens of different platforms,</div>
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Snapchat</div>
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Foursquare</div>
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Pinterest</div>
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Instagram</div>
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Vines</div>
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Myspace, (I know! but it's trying to make a comeback, especially in the music world).</div>
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So what do we do? Diversify and dilute are own efforts over multiple platforms? Or wait for the teenagers to grow up a little and come back to Facebook? </div>
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Facebook certainly isn't going anywhere anytime soon and whilst Google Plus may want to give it a run for it's money as a purely social social platform Facebook is definitely here to stay; too many users have just got to much invested in their profiles for it to go the way of the first incarnation of Myspace.</div>
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We certainly need to keep up with the latest releases and ask ourselves if we should be looking at any of them seriously but I think we'll be OK with the big three, (FB, G+ and Twitter), for a while still.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-86467052927282483402013-12-08T21:58:00.000+00:002013-12-08T22:03:59.479+00:00Isn't it about time cruise ships started offering free Wi-Fi?Internet access on a cruise ship has always been expensive and people are, by and large, used to this I think. Most people realise that if they want to stay in touch they'll have to pay a lot for it and accept the fact that it will run slowly. I always accepted this as part of the course myself.<br />
But.................<br />
Working in an online environment for the last few months has given me a very different perspective on it and I think it's about time cruise lines started providing free internet access for all guests.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Do I think they should do this just to be nice? Nope.<br />
Do I think they should do this for the great customer service? Nope.<br />
Do I think they should do this <i>just</i> to be different to their competitors? Nope<br />
Do I think they should do this for the publicity? Well, sort of..........<br />
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Cruise lines are woefully behind the times when it comes to social media. Most cruise line reps I speak to don't even know what the word<i> trending </i>means; which in this day and age is just unacceptable for any industry!<br />
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Yes providing free internet access on their ships would cost a lot of money - I accept that. (For anyone who doesn't know, all internet on a ship, when it's at sea, is run through the ships satellite which is very expensive to operate).<br />
Yes upgrading this technology so hundreds if not thousands of people can use it at once would also be expensive but compare that to the very clear and obvious benefits............<br />
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How many people have Facebook or Twitter on their phones these days?<br />
Can you imagine the flood of publicity that would be generated for the cruise lines if they allowed free internet onboard? To start with how many photos of their ships would flood social media sites as people updated the folks back home? Which for a lot of people would be on on a nearly hourly basis. What they're eating, what they're doing, what they're drinking - I know I'd be guilty of this with unlimited, fast internet streaming!<br />
It really wouldn't even be that hard for the cruise lines to make sure they were tagged in all these photos. How easy would it be for them to set up a #hashtag for each of their ships to get them trending all over the social sites? Bear in mind that cruising is a feel feel good product that people would want to share!<br />
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Of course the flip side to this is that any problem, either real or imagined, would trend over the world ridiculously quickly as well but if the cruise lines are truly confident in their product and if they had someone onboard monitoring the social sites that too could work in their favour as they'd be seen to be responding instantly, (one would hope).<br />
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What do you think? Are the cruise lines missing a trick here?<br />
Should they be offering free internet for the tremendous advertising boost it would give them?<br />
Or is this an idea that's still a bit ahead of it's time?<br />
Let me know what you think!<br />
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Happy cruising, (hopefully with free internet access soon!)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-42304648832947293572013-09-09T17:22:00.002+01:002013-09-09T17:22:21.780+01:00Are MSC being hypocritical? MSC have recently changed the rules for smoking on-board the MSC Divina. This is to bring her in line with the expectations of the U.S market when she starts to sail from Miami in November.<br />
From then on the only areas you will be able to smoke on the ship will be the Cigar lounge, selected areas of the outside deck and the casino, (sort of).<br />
It's the rules about the casino that has annoyed me by being too vague.<br />
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The official press release from MSC has stated that smoking will be permitted at certain times and only in certain areas of the casino at the discretion of the casino manager.<br />
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Now I'm not a smoker so the ban doesn't really bother me but that "at the discretion of the casino manager" does. To me it sounds like all smoking will be banned in the casino unless you're spending a lot of money in which case the casino manager will come running with an ash tray.<br />
I may be wrong.<br />
I hope I am.<br />
But how would you feel if you'd been told you couldn't smoke at a table only to come back another time and see someone, (spending a lot more money than you did), being allowed to smoke.<br />
Would you be happy? Would you feel fairly treated by MSC?<br />
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Do you think this is how it will be run? What do you think MSC meant by at the casino managers discretion?<br />
I know casinos have always favoured high rollers, offering them cheaper or free rooms etc but it does seem particularly unfair in the enclosed environment of a cruise ship.<br />
Let me know what you think below..............<br />
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Happy cruising.<br />
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Written by <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/116204740300121631483/?rel=author">James Crossland</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-34664202241663187922013-09-06T12:37:00.001+01:002013-09-06T12:39:01.491+01:00Hapag Lloyds Europa 2 2014/2015 brochure onlineHapag Lloyd have recently aimed the Europa 2 at the UK market, it's an ultra luxury ship that looks beautiful.<br />
If you been considering booking a cruise with Hapag Lloyd or the Europa 2 then you may want to check out their new 2014/2015 brochure below.<br />
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Happy cruising<br />
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<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/165987474/Hapag-Lloyd-Europa-2-2014-2015-online-brochure" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Hapag Lloyd Europa 2 2014/2015 online brochure on Scribd">Hapag Lloyd Europa 2 2014/2015 online brochure</a> by <a href="http://www.scribd.com/James%20Jetsam" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View James Crossland's profile on Scribd">James Crossland</a></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/116204740300121631483/?rel=author">Written by James Crossland</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-89140661846365372742013-09-03T17:03:00.000+01:002013-09-03T17:08:26.148+01:00Anthem of the Seas to sail from Southampton?You all know I love a bit of cruise gossip and if anything comes across my desk I'll share it with you straight away.<br />
Well I've heard something interesting about Royal Caribbean this morning that I thought any of their fans would be very interested in hearing!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_wtHQf-W7A/UiYH7AOF6hI/AAAAAAAAEfw/upfvB096xD4/s1600/royal+caribbean+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_wtHQf-W7A/UiYH7AOF6hI/AAAAAAAAEfw/upfvB096xD4/s1600/royal+caribbean+logo.jpg" /></a>It's started to leak on different blogger and news websites that Anthem of the Seas, the second ship in Royal Caribbeans Quantum class, may be sailing from Southampton when it enters service in 2015.<br />
The thinking behind this rumour seems to be based on a port schedule released by Le Harve, (the port popular with cruise lines for Paris itineraries), that shows Anthem of the Seas docked their from April 2015.<br />
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It's all hearsay at the moment and only time will tell the truth of the rumour or not but if it's true it's exciting <br />
news for both UK guests, fans of Royal Caribbean and fans of big ships.<br />
What are your thoughts? Are you looking forward to have a huge ship like the Anthem docked in Southampton, (like Quantum of the Seas she will be 167,800 tonnes)? DO you think the rumours true?<br />
Hope it's not?<br />
Share your thoughts on it here.<br />
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Happy cruising<br />
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Written by <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/116204740300121631483/?rel=author">James Crossland</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-10620491864015003582013-09-02T15:05:00.004+01:002013-09-02T15:05:48.517+01:00Do High Rollers get free cruises?I was watching Oceans Eleven at the weekend, (the original with the Rat Pack in it), and it got me thinking about comped rooms.<br />
A comped room, (for anyone not 'down' with Las Vegas slang), is a room or a service that has been given to free, or paid for by the casino, to a high roller, (someone who will gamble a lot of money). This is done to entice them to your hotel over one of your competitors in the hopes that they will spend, (and lose), large amounts of money at your gambling tables.<br />
As so often happens when a random thought pops into my head I started to think how this may apply to the world of cruising.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>A cruise line casino is never going to compare to a land based casino either in terms of size or turnover, however I've still seen large amounts of money cross the tables on certain cruises.<br />
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Combine that thought with the rest of the facilities on a cruise ship, (show's, fine dining etc.) and I can see a cruise being an attractive holiday destination for some high rollers.<br />
So here's my question..................<br />
That being the case do cruise lines try to attract these gamblers by offering them free suites on-board their ships?<br />
I know when I worked as a specialist cruise consultant the top suites on the cruise ships always seemed to be sold out, (the old adage being the cheapest and most expensive rooms always sell first, it's only the mid-priced cabins that are hard to shift), but were they really sold out? Or were/are the cruise lines keeping them back to offer out to high flyers in the hopes they will come and spend a lot of money in their casino?<br />
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I'm sure the cruise lines themselves would never want to comment on this practice, (if it exists at all), but I know what I'd do if I owned my own cruise line!<br />
What do you think? Did you used to work on a ship and may have heard something? Are you a high roller who's been comped a suite in the past?<br />
Why don't you let everyone know what your thoughts are here?<br />
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Happy cruising.<br />
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/116204740300121631483/?rel=author">Written by James Crossland</a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-32564448170834309522013-08-31T11:30:00.000+01:002013-08-31T11:30:01.436+01:00Where's Cruising ChrisWe've been running a fun little cruise game on Facebook for a few weeks now called "Where's Cruising Chris" and in-case you hadn't seen them on our Facebook page, (find us on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/www.Cruise.co?fref=ts"><b> Facebook</b></a> here), I thought I'd post a quick recap of them for you , (I'll make sure I post the new ones as and when they're published).<br />
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Feel free to copy them and share with your friends<br />
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Happy cruising<br />
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Did you manage to find Chris and Rachel in all the pictures?</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-3660362040386306272013-08-30T14:56:00.001+01:002013-08-30T14:56:26.448+01:00Royal Caribbean introduce robots to the fleetI'm constantly amazed by the innovations cruise lines introduce to new cruise ships trying to stay ahead in the game of 'who's got the best ship'.<br />
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Sometimes this works really well and we end up with features like bumper cars at sea, (Royal Caribbean), zip wires, (Royal Caribbean and Carnival), planks to walk over the edge of the ship, (NCL), 'magic' port holes with well loved children's characters peering in, (Disney), to name just a few! Other times it doesn't and you get the world's biggest cake shop at sea or the worlds biggest hedge art sculpture.<br />
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This next innovation though looks simply amazing!<br />
If I've one complaint about cruising, (blasphemy I know), then it's the shows in the theatre. I've always found them a little amateur dramatics for my taste and tended to do other things, (there's plenty to do), but after reading this my mind may just be changed.<br />
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Royal Caribbean have just announced that the theatre in Quantum of the Seas will have giant robot arms that will each carry massive 100' plasma screens!<br />
The screens will compliment the show being performed whilst the arms will move in synchronisation, moving the screens around whilst still maintaining the display as a whole.<br />
The screens will be placed in Two70, so named for the 270 degree panoramic views that will reach for nearly three decks at the back of the ship.<br />
Sound confusing? Well that's probably because Two70 will be one of those things that need to be seen to be believed. Take a look at this video for a much better idea of what I'm talking about......<br />
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Bob Kerns, RCI Executive Entertainment Producer said in a video on RCI's website that -<br />
"We are doing something that has never been done before". Boy did he get that right!<br />
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So what do you think? Is that it for Quantum of the Seas? Has Royal Caribbean shown us everything they possibly can when it comes to this new ship or do you think they've a few more surprises up their sleeves?<br />
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Happy cruising<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-60125090834551686552013-08-29T08:36:00.001+01:002013-08-30T15:47:10.409+01:00I don't think so Daily MailI don't read the Daily Mail for a multitude of reasons but we won't get into my political leanings here. The reason I mention it is that I missed this article yesterday but one of my colleagues has kindly ripped the page out of yesterdays paper and left it on my desk.<br />
When I first saw the article I thought someone was trying to make an obscure joke about my age -<br />
<b>When does middle age really begin? On your 53rd birthday</b><br />
It wasn't until I started reading that I noticed the cruise reference hidden in the article.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">Daily Mail</a> was reporting on a survey conducted by Benenden Health of 2,000 adults that indicated people didn't start to feel middle aged until they reached fifty three.<br />
So far so good I thought; I'm only thirty two so if someones making a joke about my age then it's back fired on them. Then I got to the list.<br />
Taken from the survey these are the top twenty signs the respondents gave to tell when you're middle aged...........<br />
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<li>Hate noisy pubs and prefer a night in to a night on the town</li>
<li>Have no idea what 'young' people are talking about</li>
<li>Complain of aches and pains and groan when you bend down</li>
<li>Need a daily afternoon nap</li>
<li>Not know the name of any modern bands or any songs in the top ten</li>
<li>Struggle to work everyday technology such as tablets and internet TVs</li>
<li> Think police/teachers/doctors look really young</li>
<li>Get shocked by how racy music videos are nowadays</li>
<li>Buy clothes and shoes for comfort rather than style</li>
<li>Join the National Trust and take a flask of tea on a day out</li>
<li>Forget peoples names and misplace your glasses/bag/car keys</li>
<li>BOOK A CRUISE, PREFERABLY ONE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW CHILDREN</li>
<li>Take a keen interest in gardening and The Antiques Roadshow</li>
<li>Complain that TV is not like it was in the old days</li>
<li>Listen to the Archers and Radio Two</li>
<li>Trade in the family car for something sportier</li>
<li>Have bushy eyebrows, hairy ears and nose but are thinning on top</li>
<li>Recycle obsessively and know bin collection dates</li>
<li>Fall asleep after one glass of wine</li>
<li>Prefer a walk to a Sunday lie-in</li>
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Excuse me? Booking a cruise is a middle aged past time!!???!!!</div>
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Fifteen, twenty years ago maybe Daily Mail, (and to be fair Benenden Health), but not these days!</div>
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Book a cruise with NCL and attend their white hot party and tell me that!</div>
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Book a cruise on the MSC Preziosa and try out the longest slide at sea!</div>
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Book a Royal Caribbean cruise and go ice skating at sea!</div>
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Book a Disney cruise and hang out with Mickey Mouse!</div>
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Book a cruise on Royal Caribbeans new Quantum of the Seas and enjoy the worlds first bumper cars at sea!</div>
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Cruising is many things to many people and yes certain ships may attract older passengers but solely the preserve of the middle aged, (especially aged over fifty three)? Not on your life!</div>
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Mind you that all been said reading over the above list I can spot myself in at least half of those descriptions so maybe I should just shut up and invest in a cardigan and pipe!</div>
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Happy cruising </div>
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Written by James Crossland <br />
<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/116204740300121631483/?rel=author"><img src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" /></a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-739430267568627982013-08-01T15:01:00.000+01:002013-08-30T15:51:12.330+01:00Cunards Queen Elizabeth - Cruise reviewI've just returned from a two night mini cruise onboard Cunards Queen Elizabeth and thought I'd share with you some of the photos and videos I took whilst onboard.<br />
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I've sailed a few times now with Cunard through work but it was my wife's first experience of them and she was a little nervous. She'd read all the reviews and heard all the criticisms -<br />
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"Cunard are too formal"<br />
It's really stuffy onboard"<br />
"They're boring"<br />
"Everyone will be really snobbish"<br />
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As it turned out we both had a great time with my wife being turned into a huge fan of Cunard.<br />
I've personally always thought traditional or formal are the wrong words to describe Cunard. When I think of them the word that always springs to mind is<i><b> iconic</b></i> and I think this sums up the whole experience you'll have onboard.<br />
As soon as you see that black hull and red funnel in the distance you know you're in for a great cruise.<br />
Yes as a cruise line they are more formal than others, but rather than this feeling overbearing it lends a 'special' feeling to each dinner. You come out of your cabin each evening feeling like James Bond.<br />
I realise that this style may not be for everyone but for anyone that's ever been put off the idea of a Cunard cruise please don't dismiss them out of hand, you really will have a great time!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5qxEvlPIuyE/UcVmwYTgNpI/AAAAAAAAERw/PBgLc8Y1f1w/s1600/1371499029257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5qxEvlPIuyE/UcVmwYTgNpI/AAAAAAAAERw/PBgLc8Y1f1w/s320/1371499029257.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As I've said you can always spot a Cunard ship from the black hull and the red and black funnel; you can't mistake them for anything else and it always looks iconic as a backdrop to your experience onboard, (that <i>really</i> is a good word to describe Cunard!).</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0x_Xmj0sMR4/UcVmyvdvcYI/AAAAAAAAER4/sPKTWEkcXP4/s1600/20130616_164530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="56" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0x_Xmj0sMR4/UcVmyvdvcYI/AAAAAAAAER4/sPKTWEkcXP4/s320/20130616_164530.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is a panoramic shot of the lido deck at the back of the ship, (you'll have to click the picture to increase it's size). I took it during the sailaway party, (a must on any cruise but especially so with Cunard).</div>
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And this is the same view of the lido deck that evening at sunset whilst everyone was at dinner. </div>
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Some people may enjoy these but if you ever find yourselves in the Commodore club of a Cunard ship may I suggest you don't order a molecular mojito - It tastes like you're drinking rum and lime through a layer of toothpaste!</div>
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The waiter did mix it all in front of us though which was quite impressive, (maybe one of the other cocktails will be nicer next time!)</div>
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Another shot of the lido deck by day so you can see it in all it's glory, (it got a lot busier that afternoon when the sun came out).</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--qJSsGdKleg/UcVm38eBYEI/AAAAAAAAESg/D8SQ5GNiH7Q/s1600/20130617_083149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="49" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--qJSsGdKleg/UcVm38eBYEI/AAAAAAAAESg/D8SQ5GNiH7Q/s320/20130617_083149.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And another panorama shot of the Queen Elizabeths lido deck by day, (again you'll have to click it to see it all).</div>
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I'm nearly done with the lido deck now, (I promise), but here's a last quick video tour of it for anyone that wants a more in-depth view of it.</div>
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One of the two hot tubs at the back of the lido deck.</div>
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This is one of the things I really liked about our Cunard cruise, (and Cunard in general); is that they're not afraid of tradition. There were several different shuffleboards all scattered over the top decks for people to enjoy.</div>
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These are some photo's of the central pool. I think I preferred this pool to the lido one as there were a lot more areas sheltered from the sun if you wanted to cool off, however the trade off for that is that this pool tends to be a lot busier, especially on sea days.</div>
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This is the Commodore club. All of Cunards ships have them located at the front for some stunning views when you're sailing. It's a great, chilled out bar to meet up for some pre or post dinner cocktails and of an evening there's normally a guy with a piano playing some nice background music.</div>
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Yep, it's a giant chess board. If I was being picky some of the pieces were cracked and looked a bit worse for wear but for all I know that may have just happened - Can anyone else confirm this? Have you been on recently? Have the battered pieces being replaced yet?</div>
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This is one of my favourite areas of the Queen Elizabeth and I think one of the big factors that lend to her charm - The games deck. You may need to approach it with an open mind if you've not done something like this before but if you get into it it can lead to a really fun sea day.</div>
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They have paddle tennis - Tennis played with large paddles, (like overlarge table-tennis bats).</div>
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Lawn bowls. For the record I'm awful at this. If the point of the game is to throw your ball absolutely nowhere near the jack then I'd be the world champion; so if you you're thinking you wont try as you're no good trust me, I'm worse! </div>
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Croquet. I'd never played before so it was quite a nice experience, (the rules are posted on the fence if you're worried about looking silly). My wife claims she won but I still maintain the winner is the person who takes longest to get through all the hoops.</div>
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Another video for you of the games deck so you can see it in all it's glory - I really do think this is one of the best things about the Q.E.</div>
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Have you sailed on her? Would you agree or did you just think it was a wasted gimmick on Cunards part?</div>
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If you ever read any of my other cruise ship reviews you'll know I'm not a huge fan of the casinos on cruise ships, (I'm just not a huge gambler), however the Queen Elizabeth's casino did seem a lot smaller to a lot of the other casinos I've seen at sea.<br />
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If you're ever lucky enough to find yourself on one of Cunard's ships make sure you head down to the Golden Lion. It's an American version of a traditional British pub and it's a great place to hang out in of a day and in the evening. </div>
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If you head down during the day the traditional 'pub grub' is great, (see above menu), and it's a nice quiet part of the ship to chill out in with a drink; however, of an evening it becomes much more lively venue with pub quizzes, upbeat live music and karaoke.</div>
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This is the lido restaurant onboard the Queen Elizabeth, (the self service restaurant or buffet). The range of food wasn't as good as I've seen on some lines, (I'm thinking Royal Caribbean here), however the quality of the food was top notch. I wouldn't give up my dinner in the main dining room to eat here however for breakfast and lunch it was fantastic.</div>
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Some photos and a video of the Winter Gardens, another feature that makes the Queen Elizabeth so unique amongst cruise ships. It's a conservatory style bar area in the middle of the ship that makes for another really nice area to relax in, (the Queen Elizabeth isn't short of those), both during the day, (for the sun), and of an evening, (for the stars). </div>
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A Cunard cruise might not be the first thing that you think of when it comes to child friendly cruising but it's worth noting that there are kids clubs onboard as well as facilities to keep them entertained. Obviously there's the pool and the outdoor games I've already covered but for younger children there's an outdoor play area with climbing frame. </div>
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This is the grand lobby on Cunards Queen Elizabeth. I've seen bigger atriums and lobbies on cruise ships, I've seen busier but you'd have to go a long way to find a grander atrium. </div>
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That, I think, is what makes Cunard so special. Everything about them is luxurious, grand, well appointed and yep, I've said it before, iconic. You'll always remember the luxury of a Cunard cruise!</div>
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This is another panoramic shot of the grand lobby, (just click it to enlarge). </div>
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So that's Cunard. Or more accurately I should say that's the Queen Elizabeth as although all three of the ships in the Cunard fleet, (the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria), are similar they all have their own unique charm but I think the Q.E will always be my favorite as she's the newest with, I think, the most to do onboard.</div>
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Have you sailed with Cunard? How do you think the Queen Elizabeth compares to the other ships of the fleet? Or if you haven't sailed with Cunard what's put you off in the past? Has this review changed or your mind or just confirmed what you already thought?</div>
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Let me know what you think here..............</div>
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Happy cruising</div>
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Written by James Crossland</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-27029228741962982462013-07-09T16:13:00.002+01:002013-07-09T16:13:27.123+01:00Cruisers not happy with cruise linesHow happy were you with your last cruise?<br />
Did you have a major complaint?<br />
A minor complaint?<br />
More than one complaint?<br />
Would it surprise you to know that 18%, nearly one in five cruisers, were unhappy with some aspect of their cruise?<br />
This is according to a report by JD Power in a cruise survey called Cruise Line Satisfaction report released last week.<br />
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The studly asked people about seven key aspects of their cruising experience -<br />
Service received;<br />
Cabin;<br />
Food onboard;<br />
Embarkation/disembarkation;<br />
Entertainment;<br />
Cost;<br />
Excursions.<br />
Overall the 18% figure amounted to 1.8 problems with their cruise per cruiser and the report also reflected that these problems would have serious repercussions about whether people would book with a particular cruise line again.<br />
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<i>"Passengers experiencing zero or one problem (61% and 55% respectively) said
they “definitely will” take another cruise with the cruise line they most
recently used. When two to three problems are experienced however, the
likelihood of customers re-booking with same cruise line drops dramatically
(33% and 28% respectively). Among the brands above the industry average, 68% of
passengers indicated they “definitely will” recommend their cruise line to
others, surpassing the report average of 61%".</i><br />
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Now when ever I read a report like this I'm always tempted to take it with a pinch of salt. After all I know if someone stopped me in the street and asked what problems I'd had on my last holiday I'd probably rack my brains trying to think of something to tell them; even if it hadn't bothered me at the time.<br />
However what these reports are good at indicating, (I think anyway), is which cruise lines provide the <i>highest</i> level of customer satisfaction.<br />
If someone can't come up with a grumble about a cruise even after been asked to think of something, no matter how minor, then you know it must have been a pretty good cruise.<br />
So who was best?<br />
Well Disney Cruise lines scored highest in the report followed closely by Holland America and then Royal Caribbean.<br />
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So whilst I'd take that 18% of unhappy cruisers statistic with a fairly large pinch of salt it's a good bet that booking a cruise with Holland America, Disney or Royal Caribbean should give you a great holiday.<br />
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What do you think? Do you have any experience with one of these brands? Would you have rated them the top three best cruise lines out there? Or do you prefer another cruise line? If so why?<br />
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Happy cruising<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-7900973480508822692013-07-07T10:52:00.003+01:002013-07-07T10:52:39.192+01:00When did potato croquettes become fine diningThat might seem a really random question to ask but it's been bugging me recently.<br />
On the last few cruises I've been on, (with three different cruise lines), at most dinners a lot of the meals have come with potato croquettes, (mashed potato covered in breadcrumbs for those who have never had one).<br />
I'm not saying I don't enjoy them. In fact as a kid I loved them, (as do my kids now), but how are they fine dining?<br />
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The croquettes of my childhood came out of a bag in the freezer and were mass produced by companies such as Birdseye and the like.<br />
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I'm sure an argument could be made that cruise ship croquettes are hand made rather than mass produced and frozen, (although I doubt that), but whilst they don't taste any worse they certainly don't taste any better.<br />
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I'm wondering if maybe this is a chicken and an egg type situation? Did companies start mass producing them because cruise lines offered them up as fine dining or are cruise lines offering up a firm favourite that people enjoy at home?<br />
I know it may seem a strange thing to wonder about but it's been niggling at me every time I'm served them and I can't help but feel that the cruise lines are offering them as a cheap alternative.<br />
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What do you think? Are there any potato croquette experts out there who can settle this?<br />
Are croquettes fine dining or are they being offered to us by the cruise lines simply to save money?<br />
Let me know what you think here.<br />
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Happy cruising.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-88114718479321958852013-06-28T15:15:00.000+01:002013-06-28T15:15:55.360+01:00No one homeI'm going to be off for the next week now on holiday with the family.<br />
For any quotes or admin queries please contact one of my colleagues on 0800 408 6200 who will be more than happy to help you.<br />
<br />
If you'd like to wait for me please note I will be back in the office on Saturday the 6th July.<br />
<br />
Happy cruising.<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-35816655316514199922013-06-20T16:57:00.001+01:002013-06-20T16:57:21.947+01:00Voyages to Antiquity 2014 Online brochureYou can find Voyages to Antiquity's new 2014 brochure below - You can read it online - Just click the button at the bottom right of the brochure to increase it's size.<br />
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Happy cruising<br />
<br />
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<div style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;">
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/148961688/Voyages-to-Antiquity-2014" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Voyages to Antiquity 2014 on Scribd">Voyages to Antiquity 2014</a> by <a href="http://www.scribd.com/James%20Jetsam" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View James Crossland's profile on Scribd">James Crossland</a></div>
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="1.27762039660057" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_92428" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/148961688/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-249ud469j3em03i6i5k7&show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-27414573336571398582013-06-14T23:54:00.001+01:002013-06-14T23:54:16.525+01:00Royal Princess Ship ReviewI've just returned from Southampton after being invited down by Princess Cruises to attend the naming ceremony of their new ship the Royal Princess. I was invited down the day before so got to enjoy both lunch and dinner onboard and had a great chance to review the ship overnight.<br />
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To quickly summarise I was really impressed with almost all elements of the ship. I had a few small gripes, (which I'll discuss below), but in the main I really liked her. It was pretty clear Princess intended the ship for the 50's plus market, I wouldn't describe her as family friendly by any stretch of the imagination, but in chasing this demographic I think they've hit the nail right on the head.<br />
The ship is really stylish, elegant and contemporary. In fact, even though Princess Cruises are only a four star brand I think the Royal Princess could give a lot of Celebrity's ships, (a five star brand), a run for their money.<br />
Read on to see what you think of the ship as well..........................<br />
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The main Atrium and hub of the ship.</div>
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These first few photos are of the main atrium onboard and act as the hub and lynch pin of the whole ship, everything that happens onboard will happen here. That leads us to the first of my, (very minor), criticisms. On almost every other cruise ship I've ever been on all the bars and cafes are spread out around the ship, meaning whilst you may have a bit of a walk from one bar to the next you can always find a quiet corner of the ship to relax in.</div>
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Not so on the Royal Princess. </div>
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All the 'action' happens in the one spot so you've now choice but to be surrounded by the rest of the passengers and unless you go up to a bar on the lido or sun deck, (which you can't do in cold or bad weather), you'll always be surrounded by people. </div>
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This does mean that the atrium always has a lively, vibrant atmosphere but quiet it is not. </div>
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As I say, only a minor criticism and some people might enjoy it but I like a quiet spot to retreat to some times.</div>
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In terms of the decor I've read a few negative reviews so far describing her as 'beige'. Whilst these pictures may reflect that I would have described her as neutral instead. There's lots of crystal, glass, pale woods and polished marble all around you so the overall impression I was left with was an elegant 'glitzy and glamorous' ship.</div>
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Again just off from the the atrium is Alfredos the pizzeria onboard. I didn't get to sample one of their pizzas but if they're anything like they are on the other Princess ships this will be a popular spot onboard. </div>
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These are a few photos of Bellinis, a champagne bar on deck six, again, just off the atrium.</div>
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If you've a sweet tooth you like this. It's called the pastry shop and is the largest patisserie at sea! Again it's situated just off the main atrium.</div>
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It did however feel a bit too big to me. I know cruise lines like to be able to say they have the first/biggest at sea but designing a cake shop around that concept felt a bit silly - No arguments with it's presence in the atrium, I just felt the size was unnecessary - What do you think?</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I've tried something new on this review for you. I've always based my ship reviews around the photos I've taken, (after all a picture tells a thousand words), but I've added quite a few videos for you on this review.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I've not really tried this before so if my commentaries are a little rambling or the picture a bit wobbly please forgive me but hopefully they'll convey a small sense of what it was like to be there.</span></div>
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This is Sabatinis, one of the speciality dining venues on all Princess ships. It specialises in Italian dining and fine wines and whilst I didn't get to experience the food the restaurant itself was beautiful with big rural murals on all the walls. I can see dining in here being a very pleasurable experience.</div>
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The Lotus spa. </div>
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I've never really spent a lot of time, (or any), in the spas of any of the ships I've cruised on so I sort of skipped over all the treatment rooms but the Enclave, located in the heart of the spa was amazing and I could have easily spent hour after relaxing hour there!</div>
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This is either a badly damaged radiator they haven't taken down yet or an example of some of the artwork in the Spa. Which is it do you think?</div>
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The enclave, at the heart of the spa...............</div>
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It's a heated pool with a warm shower falling down into the middle of it............</div>
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Which you can just make out in this picture here............</div>
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It also has several relaxation recliners - Hot stone slabs molded to your bodies contours.......</div>
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And so onto the second of my Royal Princess videos. As you'd expect this one is of the enclave, (sorry about the sound quality, the shower in the background was a bit noisy). </div>
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What do you think? I could spend a few hours in here chilling out - Couldn't you?</div>
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And onto the Princess casino.................</div>
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And the third of my royal Princess tour videos. This one is of the Princess Casino which, whilst very big, was filled with slot machines. I'm not a gambler myself so I'll have to leave it to more experienced heads to decide; what do you prefer? Slots or gaming tables?</div>
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The Theatre. I really liked this and although I didn't get to see any shows in here, (it wasn't used during the launch), the seats were comfy, the decor was very modern and upbeat and there were no pillars obscuring anyones views. </div>
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I'm not sure if this photo will work on my blog but I'm going to give it a go, (you may need to click it to enlarge it). It's a panorama shot taken from the stage so you can see how the tiered seating works. </div>
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And another shorter video this time just giving you a 360 view of the theatre. </div>
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Churchill's is the cigar and whisky bar on the Royal Princess. It's a bit strange walking in as it's been a long time since I've smelt cigarette smoke indoors so I'd probably avoid this bar if you're a non-smoker but for the smokers amongst you this looks like a nice little bar to mark on your map.</div>
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As you can see you have a lot of choice of whiskeys.......</div>
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Comfy seating................</div>
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And cigars.................</div>
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And for some reason wi-fi and laptops. I'm not sure why Princess felt it was necessary to include three laptops in the whisky bar but if you fancy checking Facebook whilst having a cigarette onboard then now you can!</div>
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The next video is of Club 6, the nightclub located on, yep you've guessed it, deck 6. If any area on the ship reveals Princess Cruises intended market I think it would have to be the night club. As you can see from the above video the dance floor area, in comparison to the amount of seating is very small. Clearly they're not expecting many guests on the Royal Princess to be up to the wee small hours, dancing the night away.</div>
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And so we get to it at last. The much vaunted seawalk. I said at the start of this post that I was really impressed with the ship apart from one or two things. The seawalk is one of those things I'm afraid.</div>
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To start with it's actually quite small for the amount of adverting Princess have given it, extending only 8ft over the side of the ship.</div>
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It's not even as though the entire walkway is glass. The majority of it is opaque with only small square panels spaced every so often giving you access to the view below you. </div>
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My main problem though is that it feels gimmicky and forced. The Royal Princess is a beautiful, elegant and above all traditional cruise ship. It doesn't need things like this to sell it as though it were a Royal Caribbean or NCL ship. Her charm lies in a different direction.</div>
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And if that wasn't bad enough anyone who happens to look inwards whist on the Seawalk has a great view into all of the mini suites directly opposite it............</div>
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As well as most of the balcony cabins all the way down. </div>
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Sorry Princess but no, just no.</div>
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However I loved these couch areas up on Lido deck. If you want to take in some sun but don't want to recline on a lounger then these are a great alternative. </div>
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Another innovative first that I really enjoyed and thought was well placed was this stage area in the centre of the deck. It can be used as both a stage for outdoor performances and, when not in use, turns into a fountain. </div>
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(Just be careful walking over it before it starts - You have been warned)</div>
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Another area of the ship I loved was the adult only retreat towards the back of the ship. These cabanas look amazing and can be rented for $130 per day or $80 per half day. </div>
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Well can I imagine myself lounging by the pool on a sea day in one of these - Bliss!</div>
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And finally the ultimate spa package. There are two of these 'huts' that can be rented for the princessly sum of of $3,000 per day for up to four people but for that money you get all the Dom Perignon you can drink plus all the massages you can take. </div>
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There are worse ways to relax I suppose. </div>
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OK here it is, you knew it had to be coming - What was the food like?</div>
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In a word, excellent, simply excellent. </div>
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OK that was three but it was worth repeating myself. The food was great, the waiting staff friendly, attentive and helpful and the surroundings were opulent, luxurious and elegant.</div>
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I had to disembark after lunch to get back on for the evening event so took the opportunity to capture the seawalk from below so you can see just how far it juts out from the ship. </div>
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As the ship was full of guests my cabin was the only one I got to see and whilst the balcony wasn't huge I thought there was plenty of room in the cabin and that it was clean, fresh, well appointed and laid out well with the TV mounted on the walls opposite the bed/beds.</div>
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I really loved this. Decorating the corridors outside the cabins are photos of the different destinations Princess ships have visited taken by past guests - As you can see they're all credited with the name of the passenger and the ship they were on when it was taken.</div>
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Who's that handsome fellow?</div>
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Dinner that evening - It's a hard job but I suppose someone has to do it.</div>
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This video was taken of the seawalk in the evening so I could show you what it looks like lit up with all it's neon's. I was again, quite critical of it however Princess Cruises vindicate themselves to some extent in the next video........ </div>
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This video shows the lido deck in the early morning, ( I got up early to avoid all the crowds for you). In it you'll see the Seawalk has a counterpart on the opposite side of the ship. However instead of walking out in a tunnel it's a solid area with a bar in the middle and seats arranged around the holes you look down. This set up not only looks a lot better, it gives the balconies below a lot more privacy. I really wish Princess had done this on both sides of the ship.</div>
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Have you ever turned on your cruise ship TV in the morning to watch the cruise director talk about the upcoming day? Well on the Royal Princess you can come along and watch the show as it goes out live.</div>
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A few more photos of what I'm choosing to call the 'good' Seawalk. What do you think? Which side do you prefer?</div>
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Some final shots of the Lido deck as seen from the Sun deck with a great one of Movies Under the Stars - That screen really is huge!</div>
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And to finish some shots of Concerto, one of the main dining rooms. I believe this one is reserved for guests on open dining.</div>
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So that's the Royal Princess. What did you think? I was really impressed with her. I wouldn't necessarily book a cruise on her myself but then I like the huge modern cruise ships like the Allure or the Epic. The Royal is what she is, a very classy, elegant but above all traditional cruise ship. I think anyone that's been cruising for awhile will be very happy on her and feel very at home whilst anyone that's new new to cruising will easily fall for her charms.</div>
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Yes I had a couple of grumbles. The Seawalk and the fact that everything is focused on the atrium but in the grand scheme of things these are very minor grumbles and as I said at the start of this review - </div>
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for a four star cruise ship I think she'll be giving a lot of five star cruise ships a run for their money.</div>
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Feel free to add your own comments below and let me know what you think of her. Have I been fair or do you disagree? Let me know here............</div>
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Happy cruising</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-44831625910523093892013-06-11T16:48:00.000+01:002013-06-11T16:48:17.025+01:00Top ten ways to avoid cruise ship queuesQueueing - The bane of any good holiday. Who want's to get home with fond memories of standing in a queue for hours on end?<br />
With that thought in mind I've put together a little guide for you on what I think are ten great ways to avoid queueing on a cruise holiday.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">1. Just because check-in opens at 12:00 </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">doesn't</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> mean you have to arrive at 12:00. Yes you might get on the ship
slightly earlier but you’ll also have to stand in a long queue. If you turn up
slightly later most times you can go straight to check-in and be on the ship
five minutes later.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">2.
If you’re just looking to relax and enjoy the ship pick an itinerary with some
popular destinations, (like Florence or Rome). As everyone else gets off the
ship you can have the spas, pools or bars to yourself.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">3. For a bit of extra exercise and to avoid the queues get into the
habit of using the stairs rather than the lifts, especially for just a couple
of decks. Did you know many cruise lines put art work in their stair
wells?</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">This is a great chance to enjoy
it!</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">4. Pre-book
your shore excursions online. If you can’t do this ask your travel agent to do
it for you. Not only will this mean you can avoid the long queues for booking
shore excursions onboard you also won’t miss out on the popular ones if they’re
sold out by the time you get to the front of the queue.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">5. Check in online before
your cruise. This one won’t actually let you avoid the queues but will reduce
the amount of time you spend at the check in desk when you do finally get to
the front of the queue!</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">6. If you’re on late dining avoid getting ready/leaving your cabin until
first dining has started. This will mean the bars will be half empty and you
can get your pick of table and not have to wait for a waiter to take your
order.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">7. Freedom dinning is a great option for many people but with early
dining normally being at 6:00-6:30 and late dining being 8:00-8:30 most people
on Freedom dining will turn up to eat about 7:30. Avoid long queues for dinner
by avoiding this time if you’re in the Freedom choice.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aPD0oRFwzWk/UbdGf_Oqn_I/AAAAAAAAECQ/bRZdRR3tzVE/s1600/cruise+ship+queue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aPD0oRFwzWk/UbdGf_Oqn_I/AAAAAAAAECQ/bRZdRR3tzVE/s1600/cruise+ship+queue.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">8. Have you booked an early shore excursion and you don’t want to have
to deal with the crowds at breakfast? Is there a show you really want to see
that evening but you’re worried about getting out of the dining room on time?
Avoid all the queues by just ordering room service to your cabin.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">9. If you’re going
ashore on your own have a bit of a lie in. The ships organised shore excursions
tend to leave very early and there’s always a long queue to get off the ship.
Turn up after everyone else has disembarked and you should just be able to
stroll off the ship.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">10. Manage your onboard account carefully. Many cruise lines these days
let you keep a track of your onboard account via the TV in your cabin. NCL even
have an app for your phone called I-Concierge which lets you see your onboard
account instantly. If you keep an eye on it daily you won’t have to face the
long queues on the morning of disembarkation trying to sort out any discrepancies
at the guest relations desk.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Happy cruising</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-51415934733936761312013-06-07T11:42:00.002+01:002013-06-07T11:42:32.117+01:00Escalator etiquetteI know it may seem a bit of a strange topic for someone writing a cruise blog but as I commute to work each day escalator etiquette, (or lack of it), is something that I see daily and whilst it may only be a, (very), minor annoyance for me, if you're at a cruise terminal, or even worse an airport, it can have big consequences on your journey.<br />
Read on and let me know what you think; am I just being pedantic or does this bug you as well?<br />
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<a name='more'></a>When you travel on an escalator I think you should stick to the right hand side of the stairs, (or at least the side that everyone else is on).<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ko7yIrxl1pw/Ua9_zgcaTlI/AAAAAAAAEB8/CUZcxzoUdBU/s1600/escalator+etiquette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ko7yIrxl1pw/Ua9_zgcaTlI/AAAAAAAAEB8/CUZcxzoUdBU/s320/escalator+etiquette.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
That means that if anyone else coming up behind you is late for work, (or a flight if you're at an airport), they have room to move past you in a rush.<br />
What drives me crazy, (and I might be over-stressing things a little there), is when a couple or even worse a large group of people are standing next to each other so you can't get past.<br />
Escalators aren't the quickest mode of transport out there and whilst waiting for a minute or two to get to the top might not seem that big a delay, for anyone who's ever been rushing to catch a train, (or a flight), you'll know it can make a huge difference.<br />
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What do you think?<i> Am</i> I just being pedantic over a very minor issue or do you agree? Do you stand behind the person you're travelling with or are you one of the people I spend my morning commute mumbling to myself under my breath about that stands next to their friends on an escalator, leaving no room for the rest of us to rush past?<br />
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Let me know what you think here.<br />
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Happy cruisingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-56170238771384340762013-06-03T16:53:00.000+01:002013-06-03T16:53:54.723+01:00Royal Caribbean 2014/2015 cruise brochure onlineRoyal Caribbean have just released their 2014/2015 cruise brochure and as always I thought it might be useful if you could read it online so feel free to browse it below.<br />
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Happy cruising<br />
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<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/145422261/RCCL-2014-2015" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View RCCL 2014 2015 on Scribd">RCCL 2014 2015</a></div>
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_48854" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/145422261/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-14578946469683492402013-05-31T15:13:00.000+01:002013-05-31T15:13:35.945+01:00What are the different ‘types’ of cruise holidays available?<div class="MsoNormal">
This article, by necessity, is going to have to make some
generalisations. I’m aware that some of the categories below can be combined so
that the cruise you end up going on could well be described by several of the
categories. Never the less I thought it might be useful for first time cruisers
planning their first voyage, or even to more experienced cruisers looking to
broaden their horizon, to make a brief list of all the different types of
cruises available with the pros and cons to each. </div>
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First up…………..<o:p></o:p><br />
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<b>Ex-UK – </b>This is a
bit of travel agent jargon for you and means exiting the UK. In laymans terms
it’s a cruise that sails from and returns to a UK port so that you don’t need
to book any flights to get to and from your holiday.
Pros – No flights mean less hassle and a much more relaxed holiday
experience. This is also good for anyone with a phobia of flying or just
doesn’t like it.
Cons – Ex UK cruises are limited to the destinations they can get to on
a certain time scale so your holiday might not be as ‘exotic’ as you’d like. Typically
ex UK cruises will be to the Baltics, Canaries, Fjords or the Mediterranean. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Expedition – </b>An
expedition cruise is<b> </b>an exploring
themed cruise, normally on a much smaller ship, travelling off the beaten path to
distant, exotic or hard to reach destinations. Examples may include the Amazon,
the Galapagos Island, Antarctica, or certain parts of the Norwegian fjords and
the Arctic. Pros
– You get to see some really unusual places that just aren’t possible to get to
without sailing there.
Cons – The whole point of an expedition cruise is the destination rather
than the ship, as such a lot of expedition ships can be quite a bit more basic
than their bigger cousins.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Fly cruise – </b>This
isn’t, as it may sound a cruise on a flying ship but rather a cruise holiday
that starts and/or finishes in a foreign country/distant port. This means you
need to fly out by airplane to either catch the cruise and/or fly home again.
Pros – By flying out to your port you can get straight to the area you
want to cruise in; you’re not stuck sailing there and back for three or four
days before you reach warm waters.
Cons
– Easy – You’ve got to put up with the hassle of flying!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Inaugural – </b>An
inaugural cruise is a cruise on a ship that has just launched. This means that
you will be the first person to have ever done a cruise on that ship. An
inaugural cruise will normally have quite a festive or party atmosphere
on-board. Pros
– Bragging rights! You will always be able to say you were one of the first
people onto a particular ship. You’ll also get to see the ship brand new before
anyone else has had a chance to take the shine off. Cons
– As the ship has never sailed before you may find that you’re working out any bugs
left on-board to fix whether it be the staff, the food or even the plumbing!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Mini cruises – </b>As
they sound mini cruises are a shortened version of a normal cruise. Normally
sailing from the UK they’re a great way to sample a cruise before you book a
long one. A lot of people also use them as a ‘reasonably’ priced way of doing a
weekend break.
Pros – They’re a great way of checking out if you’ll enjoy cruising
before you go for a longer option, (they also cost a lot less). Cons
– They can have a bit of a party atmosphere on-board with everyone there just
looking to have a short break so they might not always be a true reflection of
a longer cruise. Also due to the length the destinations they can get to will
be very limited, (typically Bruges, Le Harve or Cherbourg).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Re-positioning – </b>A
re-positioning cruise is slightly more complicated. In the main a cruise ship
will stick to one particular ‘area’ for a season, (say the Mediterranean),
before sailing to a different area for another season, (say the Caribbean). A
re-positioning cruise is when you book passage on the ship as it’s sailing from
one area to the next.
Pros – A big pro for re-positioning cruises has to be the price; they’re
always sold quite cheaply. Also because they are sailing from one area to
another the itineraries will be quite unusual.
Cons – They do
have a lot of sea days and can be quite long sometimes, (fourteen days plus is
typical), although I know some people can class that as a point in their favour.
As well as that the flights for them can be a bit trickier to arrange sometimes
as they will start in one part of the world and then finish in another and can
cost a bit more.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>River – </b>It may
sound silly<b> </b>but a river cruise is
just that, a cruise on a ship along a river. For obvious reasons there are only
so many places a cruise ship can get to so a river cruise is a great way of
exploring destinations that are too far in-land for an ocean going vessel. Pros
– You get to see parts of the world not accessible by a normal cruise ship.
Cons
– The ships are a lot smaller than their ocean going counterparts so the
atmosphere on-board will be a lot quieter and relaxed with not as much to do on
the ships of an evening. <b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Themed – </b>There
are literally hundreds of different theme cruises available to people from
Gardening to Jazz to Swinging themes. In essence a themed cruise will be
arranged around one particular concept. For example a gardening themed cruise
will offer shore excursions to famous gardens along the route and may have a
famous gardener on-board conducting talks and lectures.
Pros – A theme cruise is a great way of combining a cruise holiday with
a hobby and sharing the cruise experience with like-minded people.
Cons – Themed cruises can cost more than a normal cruise as the cruise
line will need to pay extra entertainers to come on-board. Also if you want to
do that cruise but aren’t too bothered by the theme you may be a bit bored with
the conversations on-board from everyone else who is. <b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Transatlantic – </b>A<b> </b>transatlantic cruise is, as it sounds,
a cruise that crosses the Atlantic Ocean and back, either heading Eastbound or
Westbound. The most famous transatlantic ship is Cunards Queen Mary 2
travelling from Southampton to New York or back from New York to Southampton.
It’s worth noting that a lot of re-positioning cruises, depending on the areas
they’re travelling from, will also be classed as a transatlantic cruise.
Pros
- A transatlantic cruise is one of the most historic cruises you can do with a
tradition dating right back to 1839.
Cons
- A transatlantic cruise by definition is going to have a lot of days at sea,
(good for some people, and bad for others). Also, depending on the time of year
you make the crossing, the Atlantic Ocean can be a bit choppy.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>World – </b>Another
easy one to understand. A world cruise is, as it sounds, a long cruise that
goes right the way around the world, normally about three months in length. The
majority of World cruises will start and finish in Southampton however you can
catch them from the US, Australia and many other countries. Something a lot of
people don’t realise with world cruises is that you don’t have to do the whole
cruise. A lot of cruise lines will let you just book a ‘sector’ of it if you
only fancy that part of the itinerary. Also a world cruise might not go right
the way around the world, for instance it might just do a circumnavigation of a
particular continent. Pros
- It’s a world cruise! You get to sail for three months non-stop whilst seeing
the entire world. Cons
- World cruises will be expensive and you do need to be able to just take three
months off to go so you’ll need someone at home to answer the mail, pay the
bills and feed the goldfish!<o:p></o:p><br />
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So what's your favourite type of cruise then?<br />
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Happy cruising!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-76133345134804533612013-05-26T11:48:00.003+01:002013-05-26T11:48:46.971+01:00P&O and Cunard - Are they chasing the German market?Any regular readers to this blog will know that I always try to keep you up to date with any interesting cruise gossip that crosses my desk. <br />
You may, (or may not), also remember a post I wrote last year titled - <a href="http://jamesjetsam.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/germans-are-invading.html#more"><strong><span style="color: black;">The Germans are Invading</span></strong></a><strong><span style="color: black;">.</span></strong><br />
In it I quoted leading cruise industry leaders who felt that by the end of this decade the German cruise market would have out-striped the UK cruise market in terms of passenger capacity.<br />
Since then there has been a lot of consumer led speculation and rumours floating around as to when/if the cruise lines would start to chase this growing foreign market.<br />
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I can't say I have any first hand knowledge of this but something I thought you might find interesting is this........<br />
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Cunard and P&Os, (both very 'British' brands), cruises are booked by travel agents on an online booking engine. This booking system has a drop down menu for almost everything; cruise; date; ship; destination etc.<br />
On the final page the clients details are entered and the drop down box has always included titles like Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, Sir, Dr, Lord, Lady etc.<br />
What's interesting though is that recently two new titles were added - <i>Herr</i> and <i>Frau</i>.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0qX5475uzyw/UaHcjjHSS2I/AAAAAAAAEBs/sWZNw2mP6vM/s1600/P&O+German+market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0qX5475uzyw/UaHcjjHSS2I/AAAAAAAAEBs/sWZNw2mP6vM/s400/P&O+German+market.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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You can see the titles here from the screen print above, (you may need to click the picture to enlarge it).<br />
Now here's my question. If these two very iconic British brands are already gearing themselves up for the German market then how long will it be before all the others follow suit?<br />
What are your thoughts?<br />
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Happy cruisingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-33535844341487979612013-05-22T19:35:00.000+01:002013-05-22T19:35:27.650+01:00Brilliance of the Seas - Cruise ship reviewI've said it before and I'll say it again - It's a hard job but someones got to do it! Yep, you've guessed it, I've just got back from Harwich after visiting a cruise ship just after it had been refurbished. This time I got to see Royal Caribbeans Brilliance of the Seas.<br />
It was an overnight event for travel agents to showcase all the new features of the ship. I hadn't seen a Royal Caribbean ship since the Summer of 2010 when I got to go onboard the Independence of the Seas so I was really looking forward to it. <br />
What were my first impressions? Well it's funny you should ask. As a travel agent when ever someone asks me what Royal Caribbean are like I always use the stock reply of "their quite glitzy and glamorous, all their ships have the 'WOW' factor". The problem with using a stock response though is that after awhile it can lose some of it's meaning. You forget <em>how</em> glitzy the ships are. You forget<em> how</em> glamorous they feel. You do tend to forget about the 'WOW' factor.<br />
So first impressions? <br />
Jaw dropping!!!!<br />
I know Royal Caribbean aren't for everyone. I know not everyone likes that amount of glitz and glamour on their cruise but you have to hand it to Royal Caribbean - They make a great first impression!<br />
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You can always spot a Royal Caribbean ship from in the distance from the colour of their lifeboats. </div>
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These are a couple of shots of the ship from inside Harwich port. I can't say I was a huge fan of Harwich port, (although that might have something to do with the five hour journey down). Southampton port is much more convenient for me. I also didn't like the fact that we had to park at one end of the port and then get a bus to the ship <em>but</em> I did love the fact that the train station was in the middle of the port. </div>
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You can catch the train down with all your luggage, come out of the station and walk straight on to the ship. Brilliant! Southampton, are you hearing this? We want a train stop at the port!</div>
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This was my cabin for the night. It was a partially obstructed balcony cabin, (D3 on the deck plans I think), and would easily have slept three - Two in the bed and a small child on the sofa bed. We did pull out the sofa bed and whilst I could see a child being very comfortable on it I wouldn't have fancied sleeping on it myself. The cabin was spacious, tastefully decorated and well appointed although I was a little annoyed by Royal Caribbeans cost cutting measures in the bathroom - No shampoo or conditioner,(not that I need shampoo anymore), just one small bar of soap. I would have thought that this was down to the fact that it was a travel agent 'event' except a passenger of mine had mentioned the same thing recently coming back from her RCL cruise. Has anyone else noticed this with Royal Caribbean?
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As I said I was stopping in a partially obstructed view cabin. However if you watch the video above that word 'partial' is up for debate. Yes OK I can't look straight down and see the sea but looking straight on my views perfect. Considering these cabins can be hundreds of pounds cheaper then their 'clear' view counterparts I think I'd always go for this option - What do you think?<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wlQuB-Ty5DE/UZaSuaAs7FI/AAAAAAAAD2s/ScA0OeRYMsA/s1600/IMG_4610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wlQuB-Ty5DE/UZaSuaAs7FI/AAAAAAAAD2s/ScA0OeRYMsA/s320/IMG_4610.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ritas Cantina. This is one of the new dining areas added after the Brilliance's refurb. It proved so popular on the Oasis class of ships that Royal Caribbean decided to add them here. It's one of the cafes you'll need to pay a cover charge on, (it's priced per dish with dishes from $2 - $5 per dish), so not a bad price and I can see it being really nice to have a spot of lunch here on a sea day.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U7xrX58pXPc/UZaSovDws2I/AAAAAAAAD2k/4e7OXTrI_TE/s1600/IMG_4611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U7xrX58pXPc/UZaSovDws2I/AAAAAAAAD2k/4e7OXTrI_TE/s320/IMG_4611.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I think this picture demonstrates really well one of the big draws for the 'Ships of Light' as this class of ship is known. Although this shot was taken indoors, with those floor to ceiling windows it looks like you're dining in an open air cafe somewhere.</div>
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As you can see the 'Mexican theme' is continued right throughout Ritas.</div>
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Izumi is another of the speciality dining options added after the Brilliance of the Seas refurb. Again you pay a $5 cover charge to enter and then pay per dish with prices ranging from $2-$5 again.</div>
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Like a lot of modern Asian restaurants, (and the decor really does feel very modern and up market), this speciality dining restaurant has a very contempory feel to it. </div>
The food is prepared right in front of you by their trained chefs and as you can see below looks delicious, (assuming you like modern Asian fusion cooking anyway)<br />
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For those that haven't seen these before it's simply called a Hot Rock. It would be placed in the middle of your table with a selection of raw meats, fish, seasonings and sauces. You can then cook the slivers of food at your table and dip them into your favourite sauce. </div>
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Again this restaurant might not be for everyone but if you do enjoy Asian cuisine then I can see this being a really nice place to have lunch on a sea-day with a few friends, all sharing around a table.</div>
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However as you can see the restaurant isn't enormous so it might get a bit busy on a sea-day - Best to plan ahead maybe?</div>
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I really liked the look of this kids pool area. I've shown some pictures to my children and they thought it looked amazing, especially the giant helter-skelter slide going around the pool area. My only criticism is that, unlike on the other bigger ships, it's separated out from the main and adult pools so if you've young children, (or even older maybe), you'd need to stay and supervise them</div>
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Watch out walking past this guy. He sprays water out of his mouth which is actually a bit annoying when you're walking past him, completely unsuspectingly, in a suit.</div>
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As with all Royal Caribbean ships there's a rock climbing wall onboard for those brave enough. </div>
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I'm not sure but I'd be interested in hearing back from anyone who's cruised on several Royal Caribbean ships - does this wall look smaller than some of the others? It just didn't look very high to me.</div>
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And again, another staple of all Royal Caribbean ships - The mini golf course.</div>
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What do you think? With a bit of tanning lotion could I get a job on a Royal Caribbean ship?</div>
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The next few pictures are of Royal Caribbeans teenage kids club - Optix. As you can see there's a football table for them and other features as seen below........</div>
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They've got their own DJ booth to run a disco from and our guide said the kids were allowed a turn at running the booth if they wanted to as well.</div>
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They even had their own bar complete with staff, (selling soft drinks only).</div>
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I think what surprised me most about Optix was the size of the room. I didn't feel it was that big, especially for the number of children you'd normally expect on a Royal Caribbean cruise. </div>
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That being said Royal Caribbean ships aren't like other ships and with so much else for them to do out and about, (pools, golf, rock climbing etc), I suppose they don't need as big as a kids club as you'd find on other ships. What do you think?</div>
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This is the newly added section for small children where, if you want, you can leave younger children to be looked after for a few hours by Royal Caribbeans trained staff.</div>
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Sorry about these next few photos. It was really bright outside and with the floor to ceiling windows it made my photos look really dark, (it was actually really bright inside), but I was really impressed with this bar so wanted to talk a bit about it. It's called the sky bar and it's a really nice place to chill of an evening with a big dance floor, loads of space to sit and relax and they even have a live band sometimes.</div>
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What really impressed me however was the fact that.......................</div>
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both the dance floor................</div>
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and the bar, (see the below video), revolved!!!!</div>
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For obvious reasons it doesn't go very fast, (as you can see), but this is a really fun feature that definitely got everyone talking!</div>
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This is another example of the amount of glass work on the ship letting light in to areas that you wouldn't normally expect it. </div>
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Not only do features like this look really nice and give the ship a really contemporary feel they also lend a very 'open' and bright feeling to the ship. At no time did I feel cooped up or stuck inside, (although I admit I may have felt differently in an inside cabin).</div>
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Just a few shots of the outdoor area with the pools and hot tubs. As you'd expect from a Royal Caribbean ship everything was brightly coloured and cheerful looking.</div>
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As you can see, quite often during the day you'll be serenaded by a live band in the outdoor areas of the ship.</div>
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This is another of the big improvements after the refurb. This screen uses the same technology as used by the screens in Times Square, New York so that no matter how bright the sun shines, or what angle you're looking at it from, the picture stays perfectly bright and clear, (just don't ask me how it works).</div>
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Ooh la la! ;-)</div>
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Can you just picture it, of an evening lounging in a hot tub watching a movie.........?</div>
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with a cold drink from the pool bar by your side..............</div>
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bliss!</div>
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This had to be one of my favourite areas of the ship, (for a full 360° view see the video below), the indoor pool/hot tub area. </div>
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It also, in my opinion anyway, highlights the big differences between Royal Caribbean and some of their competitors. A lot of cruise ships have indoor pools. A lot of cruise ships indoor pools look quite nice. Not a lot of cruise ships spend a huge amount of money designing their indoor pools with an Indian temple/jungle theme. You might say that it doesn't make much difference to the experience, a pool is a pool right? </div>
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Trust me, when you walk in here your jaw drops - this is the best pool I've ever seen on any cruise ship, bar none!</div>
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As it was a bit of a whistle stop tour of the ship I didn't get too see many cabins. My D3 balcony cabin you've already seen. This following video is for the Royal Suite - cabin number 1558 if anyone fancies booking it - I may wait for that winning lottery ticket but wow, it would be nice!</div>
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See what I meant! - Couldn't you see yourself stopping here?</div>
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The main atrium of the Brilliance of the Seas. The centre and focal point of the whole ship, (as you can see I don't suffer from vertigo!). I know I've used words like this a lot in this review but it was simply stunning and the best thing was they haven't even finished yet! </div>
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I thought it was impressive as it was but as you can see from the video it's quite a long drop down from the top. Can you imagine sitting at the bottom or on one of the galleries and watching an acrobatic/trapeze act? Well from this July Royal Caribbean will be adding that - What other cruise ship will you see that in the main atrium?</div>
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Some shots of the casino - I'm not a huge gambler so I don't have a lot to say about the Brilliance's casino. It was decorated nicely and seemed large enough with a wide range of tables and machines. </div>
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What more do you need?</div>
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The King and Country pub.</div>
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Why is it I only ever seem to see traditional 'British' pubs when I'm on an American cruise ship?</div>
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Not for everyone as there was a smoking area at the back of the pub and a karaoke area at the front but it was a really fun and lively place of an evening with over fifty types of international beers and lagers to try if you fancied making your way through them all.</div>
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This may seem like a bit of a strange photo but it's one of the little touches about Royal Caribbean that I just love. They have these plates fleet wide on all their lifts, (or elevators for any Americans reading this) and change them daily at midnight so that you never forget what day it is on holiday.</div>
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I love the idea that Royal Caribbeans guests get so wrapped up in the holiday experience they forget what day it is!</div>
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Chicken consume with pesto gnocchi</div>
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Roast duck with sweet red cabbage and croquette potatoes.</div>
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Triple strawberry cheesecake.</div>
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The above pictures were my dinner in the main dining room that evening and were one of the only disappointing aspects of my night onboard. Please don't get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with the food, (except for the fact the duck was over done and a bit dry), it was all really tasty and nice enough, (and it may be because I've been spoiled on other cruise lines), but I didn't come out of the main dining room saying that was amazing. It was nice, and I enjoyed it, and would have ate it again but the food just didn't have the same wow factor that the rest of the ship had.</div>
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What do you think? Have you eaten on a Royal Caribbean ship? How do you think their food compares to other cruise lines?</div>
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These photos were of the Windjammer - the self service, (buffet), option on all Royal Caribbean ships. Do you remember what I was just saying about the food on a Royal ship? Well forget it. The Windjammer is by far the best self service restaurant I've ever eaten in. </div>
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I've had many guests come back from a cruise saying that they'd eaten in the Windjammer for their entire cruise, not bothering with the main dining room at all and I'd always thought it was a bit strange. After trying it I don't think I'd go so far as to eat there every night but I can certainly see their point - 10/10 for the Windjammer!</div>
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I didn't get to see a show as there was only one on that night and it clashed with my dining time but we did have a quick presentation in the theatre so here's a quick video of the theatre for you.</div>
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And a final shot of the atrium with all the neon lights lit up to leave you with the same impression I was left with when disembarking - Wow!</div>
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So I suppose I should try and come up with a summary of my visit for you. From the pictures and comments I think you can tell I was a huge fan of the ship and perhaps the best compliment I can give her was that I'd be more than happy to book a cruise on her. As with all Royal Caribbean ships she has a huge wow factor wherever you go onboard with the added factor that due to it's slightly smaller size you still get a more intimate atmosphere than you do on some of their larger ships which can sometimes feel a bit 'resorty'.</div>
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What do you think? Would you book a cruise on the Brilliance of the Seas? Do you like the look of her after seeing all these pictures or is she too glitzy and glamorous for you? Let me know what you think here........................</div>
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Happy cruising </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-20579759022253339522013-05-16T16:46:00.001+01:002013-05-16T16:46:16.630+01:00How to get a free cruise ship cabinIt might seem a bit drastic to some but these sailors have stumbled on the perfect way of netting themselves a free cabin on a cruise ship..............<br />
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On the 04th May this month Holland Americas Nieuw Amsterdam rescued two sailors after receiving a Mayday call from the Rescue Coordination Centre at Norfolk VA.<br />
The sailing yacht Embla had become disabled and was adrift at sea.<br />
The Captain of the Nieuw Amsterdam immediately diverted the ship from it's course to rescue the two sailors.<br />
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Following a quick security check two men were rescued from the sailboat. I mention this fact to point out to guests that whilst it's the golden rule of the sea to rescue anyone in need the ships crew always put the guests need first and wouldn't allow anyone on the ship before making sure there is no danger to their guests or crew.<br />
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When this all occurred the ship was about 600 miles east of Bermuda on it's transatlantic crossing, (coming back to Europe). The two rescued sailors will be onboard until the Azores where they will disembark.<br />
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Well done Holland America and all the crew involved in this rescue!<br />
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Happy cruising<br />
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<em>(The two rescued sailors)</em></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-45599513758726536272013-05-08T18:59:00.004+01:002013-05-08T18:59:42.573+01:00River cruise line 2014 brochureIf you're looking for a river cruise but don't like the prices that some of the five star cruise lines charge then may I recommend the River Cruise Line to you. <br />
They're a great company that offer over two hundred and fifty different coach connection points around the UK to get you to the start of your cruise - And there prices are amazing!<br />
Check out their new 2014 river cruise brochure below........<br />
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Happy, (river), cruising<br />
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<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/140175124/River-Cruise-line-2013-2014" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View River Cruise line 2013-2014 on Scribd">River Cruise line 2013-2014</a></div>
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_46655" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/140175124/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll" width="100%"></iframe><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830407485863870269.post-43067725719913941362013-05-03T15:01:00.001+01:002013-05-03T15:01:22.316+01:00Are Cunard cutting costs?I've spoke to a few guests returning from Cunard cruises lately and they've all had the same thing to say about Cunards shore excursions.<br />
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First of all though, Cunard are a great cruise line and no one I've spoken to has had any complaints about the onboard experience or staff. What's been annoying people was the amount of time spent in port.<br />
Time was that you would arrive at a port about 8:00am in the morning and leave by about 5:00/6:00pm that evening but just lately Cunard seem to have been including a lot of half day stops on their cruises. <br />
Arriving at 8:00am and leaving at 1:00pm or, (and this was my favourite example), on a recent stop to Malaga they docked at 1:00pm and left at 6:00pm but all the shops were shut in the afternoon till 4:00pm!!!!!<br />
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Length of time in port isn't always included when itineraries are first released either so unless clients carefully check times of embarkation/disembarkation when they book they may be unaware of the fact that they're only getting a half day experience of the port. <br />
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The other complaint people have been mentioning to me has been the speed the ship travels. Just lately it seems as though the ships have been going a lot slower to conserve fuel, (and fuel costs), whilst cruising between the different ports. <br />
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So why are they doing this? The two do seem to be related. <br />
I thought maybe Cunard had been offering half day ports of call to save money on port charges but maybe it's to take into account the new speed the ships are sailing at, taking longer to get between ports to conserve fuel and taking the attitude that half a day in a port is better than offering an itinerary with half the amount of destinations that there had been in previous years.<br />
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Don't forget as well that if your cruise ship is travelling slowly in rough seas you'll feel a lot more movement than a ship moving under full power.<br />
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What do you think? Has this affected a recent Cunard cruise you were on? Did you know before you arrived that you'd only be in port for half a day? How did this this make you feel?<br />
Share your thoughts on this matter here!<br />
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Happy cruising.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12346414498936478203noreply@blogger.com4