Memories....my very first cruise

If you notice I have recently changed my blog and added a couple new features, which ships I have been on and where have I been in the world.

While I was thinking of these, in the deep and distant past I remembered my first cruise way back in 1970! You may say I am not that old, thank you but I am and was 10 when I remember the family, parents, 2 brothers, Auntie and cousin set off on an epic mini- cruise to Norway.

I had never been abroad and there were 7 of us in a cabin, not a suite I would add! In the depths of November to sail from Newcastle to Stavanger, Bergen, Stavanger and back to Newcastle.

My research lead me to the TS Leda, helped by asking my father, not really a cruise ship in those days operated by Bergen Line. My memories are of a large cruise ship, but the passage of time and my young age when we went meant that this was not the case. She was in today's terms a small ferry/cruise/cargo ship although if you follow this link, you can see that in later years she was converted into a cruise ship.

Now I do remember that the weather was bad ans seasickness was abound in our family group. Perhaps the seas were not as bad as I recall, just such a small ship operating in one of the roughest seas in the world!

Now one of the interesting things about Bergen Line was that they operated jointly with Fred Olsen the Black Watch for nearly 20 years; she was the Jupiter in the summer under the Bergen Line banner and Black Watch in winter for Fred Olsen operating in the main to the Canaries.

It did take me a long time to cruise again, but not just because of the weather, but I have to say that I now love it!

Calling all Photographers

Over the years I have taken thousands of photographs in various places, and back in July I wrote a short blog about a specialist themed photography cruise on Paul Gauguin Cruises.

Well , having spent the last few days going through thousands of images from my holidays, and looking at ways to improve my skills I stumbled across the link again and thought I'd look to see if these cruises are being done again in 2011.

So on 20th and 27th August 2011 Paul Gauguin cruises are hosting 2 themed photography cruises with professional photographers Roger Paperno & Jesse Kalisher. An excellent way to improve your skills and at the same time go to one of those exotic places in the world in Luxury.

Click next for a breakdown of information on the workshop.

A category D Balcony stateroom with all flights on the first sailing would be £4699, then of course you have to pay the cruise line for the workshop.

I would love to do this, a place I have never been to and the chance to improve my skills.

Machu Picchu, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World

So you have also wanted to go to Machu Picchu, it was named one of the new wonders of the world on 7th July 2007, but never known how to get there.

Recently I organised a tour for a customer going on Holland America's Rotterdam on a round trip from Fort Lauderdale in April 2011. Because of the time it takes to get there to Machu Picchu  you will need at least 3 days in Lima, or start and end your cruise there, so this is not the only option to do the visit of a lifetime.

Machu Picchu is nestled 7,500 feet above sea level in the Andean mountain range above the Urubamba valley. Machu Picchu, is the lost city of the Incas, but the facts Machu Picchu uncover are really just educated guesses because so little is known about this ancient city.

It is a true expedition with a minimum of a 3 day trek, on leaving the ship you have to travel to Cuzco usually by air and aclimatise overnight before making a train journey to Machu Picchu itself, then you will return to Cuzco for a further overnight stay and return to Lima the following day.

But what a train journey, if you want the Luxury option you will travel on The Hiram Bingham which is an exclusive luxury Orient Express service operated by PeruRail, all service included where you will enjoy a full day of unforgettable experiences.

The service includes:

• Brunch and dinner on board.
• Exclusive Bus return to the citadel of Machu Picchu.
• Entrance to Machu Picchu.
• Guided tour in the citadel.
• Afternoon tea at the Machu Picchu SanctuaryLodge  

Hiram Bingham wagons are distinguished by their blue and gold colors for its warm and cozy interiors that feature elegant upholstery. This service has four wagons, two dining wagon, an observation wagon with bar and a car, kitchen, besides being able to carry up to 84 passengers.

 

 What a view!

I have to be honest and sasy this is not the only option, there are other cruises and trains to do this journey. It is on my list of things to do, hope it get to the top soon!

Women Drivers!!?

Cunard have recently announced that after 170 years they have appointed a Lady Captain to one of their ships.

Inger Klein Olsen assumed command of Queen Victoria on 1st December, her first task was to take the ship to her scheduled dry dock in Hamburg, then for a full complement of fare paying passengers on 15th December.

Having just come back from Florida on a Virgin plane 'driven' by a lady, I am sure I'll have no problems if Captain Olsen is at the helm when I go on QV cruise 2011!

Congratulations and good luck.

Time to relax.....Spa's at sea

So you work hard during the year and then along comes to your holiday and you look forward to a relaxing time.

All ships have some form of Spa, but when on board should you use the Spa facilities when you cruise 2011?

All ships have Spa facilities of one form or another and they offer a variety of treatments and packages to suit all requirements and pockets!

I have to be honest and say that there is so much choice it is unbelievable, with the different offerings being like a quiet oasis on board ship, see the collection of photos below from various ships-

Cabana's in The Retreat, Oasis Spa on Azura

The Hydro pool on Queen Elizabeth

Mandara Spa, Norwegian Epic

So these pictures have made you think, will give that a go; but there must be a catch mustn't there?

When I was on the Epic and my wife and I were walking around we walked into Mandara Spa, the biggest Spa at sea according to NCL and very nice it was. The staff were pleasant and happy to give us a guided tour, and there were 2 or 3 treatments we could have done.

But then I saw the price list, which I have copied below, even though there was a discount for booking multiple treatments I would need a second mortgage to pay!

But what about the other ships, found this link to http://www.cruises.co.uk/ forum about Spa packages, all very interesting but I have to say pricey!

I am not a cheapskate but come on cruise lines, are you not trying to recoup some of the costs from the poor cruisers?

Thoughts about an Epic trip...Part 3 Entertainment

So to the last part of my trilogy from my NCL Epic cruise, Entertainment.

You can pre-book your seats for the shows before the cruise on NCL's website prior to the cruise. They recommend you do this, so you don't miss out and for the limited space venues such as Cirque Dreams and Headliners I can understand early booking. But if you have no preference of when you see the main shows you can probably wait till you get on the ship and book, you do need your cabin key to get in.


In other places I have seen various Cirque de Solie shows advertised and never really wanted to go. So it was with a little concern that I paid my $20 and booked an evening at Cirque Dreams and Dinner.

This is a small venue, set up to look like a circus tent and was the only dining venue where the majority of dinners were on larger tables. There was no choice of food, with it being a set menu and was generally OK.


But what the food lost in appeal, the show certainly made up for it. All the performers moved about among the audience and with it being a small venue you did feel that you were a part of the excellent show they put on. It was an excellent show and I would happily recommend this to anyone going on board, I do wonder though how the acrobats and performers cope when the ship is moving?

Headliners Comedy club had various shows through out the cruise, we went to Second City, a bit like 'Whose line is it anyway'. Aimed at the American audience but still humorous.

Of course there is also 'The Blue Man Group', which they heavily advertise. As it was free I did give the show a go, having seen it advertised in other places including Vegas.

I thought bits of the show was funny, but overall I am glad I did not have to pay, there is only so much of people with Blue faces drumming that you can take!

I have already about the Legends in Concert in a previous blog, this was an absolutely brilliant show.

Overall, I think the quality of entertainment on board was the best I have seen at sea and look forward to see if any other cruise line will match or beat this.

Thoughts about an Epic trip...Part 2 Dining

Having told you my thoughts about the cabins, what about the food?

A view of 'Taste Restauarnt' from the casino.

Norwegian Cruise Line invented the idea of Freestyle dining which most of the other cruise lines have followed. I did find that there were far more tables for 2 or 4 on ship, and was never asked to dine with others to make up a bigger table, with the exception of the Cirque Dreams, unlike P&O Cruises where there are fewer tables for 2 and they have to fill the larger tables.

( Left) Wasabi Sushi bar, top deck with a view of the casino middle and Taste on the bottom.



Now, I have to say that I found the dinner serviced in the 2 main complimentary restaurants Taste and The Manhattan Room a little lower than I expected when comparing to other cruises. Breakfast however in Taste was well presented and of good quality.

This pushed me towards dining in the Le Bistro (see picture right),  La Cucina and Cirque Dreams and Dinner, for each there was an additional cover charge. I have to be honest and say that the food and service was a little better than in the main restaurants, but why should I pay more to get food and service at the right quality?

I usually find that the buffet restaurant is often busy, short of tables and maybe not having the greatest choice, however, I have to be honest and say that Garden Cafe did exceed my expectations. Loads of space, plenty of tables and food of a good quality and with plenty of choice.

Now, I usually end up on a diet when I come back from a cruise, like so many people i am sure, but not on this occasions. So come on NCL, should passengers have to pay extra for everything other than a basic meal?

Thoughts about an Epic Trip...Part 1 Cabins

Well the Epic trip is now over, back to the cold of an English winter and just waiting for the snow to come!

Before I went I did say that I had some trepidation about the cruise, mostly due to comments I had heard about the unique features and size of the balcony cabins, so what did I really think?

So you walk through the cabin doors and on one side is a separate shower cubicle and on the other a separate loo cubicle, both with opaque sliding doors although there is a privacy curtain which you can use to separate the loo and shower from the cabin.

The sink is small and in the cabin! For hygiene just wonder why you have to open the loo door before you can wash your hands!

There is not a great deal of floor space in the cabins, as you can see from this picture but NCL have found loads of little places to put storage. The drawers are not that deep and if the ladies decided to take a few dresses the wardrobes are probably too short, but we did not struggle finding places to pack things away.

I have to be honest and say the cabin would be in my eyes too small for any more than 2 people so the picture of the 3rd passenger bunk, and if you did not know your travelling companion well there may well be some privacy issues!

No here is my tip, some of the cabins have the beds by the bathroom and some of them have the beds by the balcony doors. In my humble opinion the ones with the beds by the balcony doors are a little better configured, so how do you know?

If you look at the diagram below, which is a screen grab of the deck plans off NCL's website you can see the 'Wave' design of the cabins, then just follow my labels.

Well, you have to say the balcony cabins are not the biggest cabins at sea, and for a week are just about OK for 2 people who know each other well, but any more than this would just be too tight. Of course the old adage still stands - how much time do you spend in the cabin on a cruise holiday?

Further blogs will follow about the Dining and Entertainment on board this ship.

Coffee at Sea - The First Starbucks outlet at sea.

Having just come back from the States I now know that the American way of life rotates around good cup of coffee.

So while by the pool I was reading the paper which announced the tie up between Starbucks and Royal Caribbean on Allure of the Seas. There was no indication whether they would be opening additional outlets on other ships in due course.

Pricing is expected to be in line with the US High Street prices, but are they going to add the usual 15% service charge to the bill? I am sure they will.

Personally, a free tea in the self service restaurant would suffice rather than the bitter coffee peddled in the states!

After my Epic trip I'm back!

So after nearly 3 weeks out of the office I have returned from my trip on the Norwegian Epic.

With Jetlag, over 700 pictures to sort and my granddaughter to see I have not added any pictures or a review yet, these will follow later in the week.

But thought I'd just give you one of the highlights of the cruise..... Michael Jackson in alive and well and performing on the Epic in 'The Legends in Concert'!

Well the guy impersonating him in this excellent show on the Epic sounded like, looked like and acted like MJ. This really was an excellent show and probably the best I have seen on a ship!

My Epic journey.

Just a reminder I am now out of the office for a couple of weeks or so to try the delights of the Norwegian Epic together with a bit of Florida sunshine.

If you need to contact me about a booking please email my colleagues at contactus@cruise.co.uk and someone will get back to you.

In any event, come back here for a full review and some photo's in due course, unless the shark get me in Tulum! Thanks Alan you know how to scare a colleague!

All in a spin!

So you are off on your 14 night cruise and as usual limited to a meagre 23 kilo's of luggage. Part way through your holiday, you look at the clean clothes laid out neatly in your cabin and think '...not going to have enough to last the rest of the holiday!' So you start your trip round your ship to find the self service laundrette.

Well, if you are on most ships you will find one and on some ships there is one on each deck! Cunard, P&O and Fred Olsen come to mind here and if you go with some of the 6* lines, like Silversea or Crystal they even provide the liquids for free.

But what about the American Lines, Royal or NCL - well they don't have self service laundrettes and I am not too sure that they have ironing facilities neither, so you have to use their (paid for) laundry services!

Now I will check when on the Epic next week, but I worry about the odors that may come from my fellow guests!

Hurricane Season in the Caribbean

So as time has gone on my excitement is growing.......to spend a week or so in the Western Caribbean on board Norwegian Epic, but I have always had a little bit of trepidation about the cruise.

In the last week or so I have been checking the weather in that area and looking at the various hurricane tracking websites. Now, technically the Hurricane season in the Atlantic/Caribbean is from 1st June to 30th November, so a cruise on 30th October falls into the 'season'!

Storm 19, or Tropical Storm Richard to give it its full name, of the season is currently over the Yucatan Peninsular and moving slowly WNW, from the picture above it should have moved away before I get there, but Storm 20 is brewing in the Atlantic Basin - who will get there first?

Come back in a couple of weeks and I will let you know!

A dining and drinking Epic!

So it’s just about a week to go before I jet off to the sunshine, I hope, and join the Norwegian Epic for a 7 night Western Caribbean Adventure.


I was looking at the options for dining and entertainment whilst away and came across an information brochure from NCL for the Epic which I have copied below.

 

Now there are 11 options for Complimentary dining, including room service, 10 Speciality dining options with a cover charge and 20 Bars and Lounges!

Now I’m only going for 7 nights, how am I going to try them all!!

I’ve had my tips from my colleagues who did the launch, but any others will be gratefully appreciated, the only proviso is I have to get in my DJ at the end of November for our Christmas cruise so I can’t eat my way through them all!

So what happens when a cruise ship breaks down, do they call in the RAC?

So what happens when a cruise ship breaks down, do they call in the RAC?

That’s just what the passengers on the sailing of Celebrity Century asked late last week when their cruise was cut short because of ‘an unexpected problem with the rudders’.
The first we heard was when frantic customer called trying to arrange an alternative cruise so that they could enjoy their time, and to some extent before the wheels of Celebrity had turned to put in place alternative arrangements.

Now as far as I understand, and I have to say I am not mechanically minded, the rudders are key to ship keeping to a set course so I understand that Celebrity need to get the ship repaired quickly. So for safety reasons Celebrity cancelled the rest of the cruise so that the stricken ship could go to a dry dock in Marseilles for repairs and be ready for the next cruise 25th October.

So what about the passengers cruise, well all the passengers had to be off ship by 5pm on Saturday 16th so the ship could sail off for repairs, in the meantime Celebrity organised flights for those who had done a fly cruise package with them, or a coach transfer back to Barcelona if they wished to keep their existing flights and make other arrangements in Barcelona.

Those on cruise only must have been worried about what would happen to them, well Celebrity offered free phones and Internet services on ship so they could make alternative arrangements.

In addition all guests will get a full refund for the portion of the total fare for the sailing and a future cruise discount of 25% for sailings to 31st December 2011.

Although it must be disappointing, at least the cruise line has stood up to the plate here.

Thankfully things like this are few and far between, I have heard stories of a problem in the Baltic on Jewel of the Seas this summer and a P&O problem in the Adriatic, all of which were solved without cancelling the cruise fully just a small tweak to itinerary and perhaps a little on board credit from the cruise line.

So in difficult times the cruise line has proved that it can resolve the issue, its not nice to happen to you but they resolved it safely in the end.

If something like this has happened to you please let me know.

Queen Elizabeth - my first thoughts.

So after all the anticipation and press, on Saturday we got the chance to go and spend a night on Cunard's new ship, Queen Elizabeth. So did she blow me away or was I underwhelmed?

Now I am going to start this with a sanity note, I wrote about QM2 recently under I think I'm in love with a Queen and she was the last ship I sailed on. So am I going to compare like with like?

She certainly looks impressive as the picture shows and I do love the Art Deco theming of the ship, with the Grand Lobby being as impressive as I had expected, and as shown in my photo.

But on deeper inspection, I started to wonder about the fixtures and fittings and were they to the standard I expected of a new Cunarder?

So where are the Teak decks and quality sunbeds that I have seen before? If you look at the pool deck, could it not be any cruise ship not The Queen Elizabeth?

Stories about health and safety issues have been noted, but for me the traditional teak decking is far more opulent.



I will write again later in the week about cabins, but my first thoughts were I was a little underwhelmed about the ship, but the experience includes the White Star service, and to be honest as this was a travel agents day we did not experience the service to its fullest extent, so when she enters service I am sure she will live up to the name of a Cunard ship.

What happens when there are 2 or more ships in port?

So what does happen when there are 2 or more ships in port?

Yes you get it, I bet the Vicar in this church in Stavanger, Norway wished he had a congregation like this every week!

Seriously though, in some ports on some days there will be a number of cruise ships in port. On the day in June when this picture was taken there were 2 ships in port disembarking just over 5000 passengers!

So, I ask myself what would happen if these 2 cruise ships were in the same port on the same day. That's Norwegian Epic and Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, some 9200 passengers!

So the other day while I was searching for a website I had used last year to find cruise ship timetables to see which ships would be in each ports when I am on the Norwegian Epic at the end of the month. I found the following http://cruisett.com/ports.php, which I think is a great resource.

Well, they are both in Cozumel on 4th November 2010, together with Carnival Elation, that is some 12000 plus passengers in the port and doing the sights on that day. Now I like peace and quiet normally so that day could be quite an experience for me, I just hope that not everyone wants to go to the Mayan ruins I am visiting that day!

Now this is not even the top in number of visitors to a port in 1 day! Later in November in Nassau and St Thomas US VI there will be some 18000 passengers in port! and this may grow more as Royal awaits the delivery of the 2nd sister, Allure of the Seas.

I just hope that the ports can cope, and perhaps it might be time to move to smaller ships to get away from the crowds.

Do you have to book your shows up front?

So after all the anticipation and wait it is only 4 weeks to my cruise on the Norwegian Epic, in the meantime I will also be seeing the latest Queen, Elizabeth in just over a week, what an exciting few weeks I should have.

I have been reading some of the reviews on the cruise.co.uk website about the Epic, the 'blogs' of my colleagues about the ship and also some of the other comments passengers have been making about the ship. Am I apprehensive?
Well, yes I have read lots about the design of the cabins and I wonder if the cabin I have will have had the small sink replaced by the time I get there? But as with everything that is new I will go with an open mind and see what I think.

I have also seen comments about entertainment and specialists dining being 'full' and people being unable to book whilst on ship. Well, it is a big ship and if full there will be about 4200 passengers on board so I can understand that some of the shows and restaurants will get very busy. When on board I like be relaxed on do things on impulse, but the comments did concern me.

Well, having just had an email from NCL, I managed to access their online check-in and this gave me a list of excursions, events and dining and the opportunity to pre-book before you go on the cruise.

This is a copy of NCL's web showing the options available, it was easy to use and as usual payment is made on ship. I do now understand some of the comments i have heard, although I have booked the shows now, I did not get my first choice of times and now see how others might be disappointed if they waited until they embarked only to find they cannot get into the Blue Man Group et al.

So although I usually wait to arrange my trips and entertainment I am glad we have sorted it now, hope it works out that way!

As for the cabins, well things that are different need a little time to get use to, so I will wait and give my views after the cruise, so come back then for a full review, comments and some photos.

Travel Insurance is it necessary?

As part of our discussions with customers when they are booking a cruise, we always ask that they have suitable travel insurance cover and if appropriate give them a competitive quote.

However here is a cautionary tale.
I booked a couple onto a Caribbean cruise for next year, and asked the usual Insurance question and was told ' I have a policy and my insurers are aware of my conditions so I don't think it will be a problem.' Once a booking is confirmed it is subject to the terms and conditions of the cruise line on cancellations and if you need to cancel you will lose the deposit.

The passengers existing insurers wants a premium for this cruise, at £2000 - more than the cruise and he considered cancelling, but the deposit would be lost irrespective of the circumstances! I have to say the customer was less than happy.

So, what did he do. As you can guess he tried the usual places of alternative insurance companies without success but then found British Insurance Brokers' Association, a quick phone call and they gave him the name of a specialist broker who arranged  him cover for the cruise.

Now I have also used this a couple of other times for people who have an existing health problem or other issues and they have been able to find a quote for their holiday.

So the moral of the story is check out first, and if you have a problem ask because I might be able to point you in the right direction to get insurance sorted.

I think I might have a package for you!

Once upon a time many years ago when my hair had colour, not grey and I worked in my first job, banking, one of the roles I had was to approve personal loans for customers. This was in the days before credit scoring and taking 5 minutes to apply online to the many loan providers that are out there now.

At various times in the year we usually got asked the same question, can I have a loan for a holiday? Well, these were short term 6 or 12 months and only 'holidays of a lifetime' were considered for longer loans. But what is a holiday of a lifetime?

In those days long trips were uncommon and a family holiday to see Mickey at his home in Orlando was considered to be just that, but what about now?

Well, Florida is just any holiday, the Caribbean is a short trip to get a cruise and even Hawaii although a long way is not necessarily a trip of a lifetime. You now see more often places like Machu Picchu, The Great Wall of China or even Tahiti.

So here at Cruise.co.uk we have added a new bit to the website, Tailor Made Cruise Holidays which adds some of those special places to various cruises. To be honest the choice is endless and it doesn't mean these are all we do just ask and if it can be packaged I will come up with a price for you.

Its a great idea and one I have looked at myself recently, although I haven't shown my wife yet or else I might have to be talking to the computer to see if I can get a loan!

Anyone got a spare tenner?

Are cruise ships a Museum peice?

What do you see when you go into a Museum,...... artifacts, relics and bits of history!

So when next in Miami, why not go to the Miami Childrens Museum, well before anyone says anything there is a definite cruising connection here.

Carnival's presence is felt in many places throughout Miami with their headquarters being in the city and many of their ships using the port as their home port, in addition some people say Miami is the Cruise Capital of the World. So its no surprise that they add their bit to the community and visitors to Miami Children's Museum will now see the bow of a Carnival cruise ship at the updated version of their exhibit at the museum, to teach kids about what goes on aboard a cruise ship and to spark their interest in careers available on the ships.

Now, my kids have all left home and when I go to Miami at the end of next month to go on the Norwegian Epic I'm not too sure that I'd find the time to go but if you are going and taking the children on a cruise that leaves from Miami and you want something to do - give it a go.

Cruise to see a natural phenomenon, or not depending on the weather!

Over the last few weeks I have had a lot of conversations about cruises with a hint of something different, 'natural phenomenon', so what do I mean?

Well as you know I recently went on the QM2, to 'The Land of the Midnight Sun'. Well as you all know such things are subject to the vagaries of the weather, it was more like 'The Land of the Midnight Overcast!' As you can tell from the picture of low clouds over the North Cape at about 11 O'clock at night!

So when I was asked about the Fred Olsen's trip to see the Northern lights, on Boudicca in Feb 2012 I thought, what an excellent trip top do something different and try to catch the natural phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis. And I know that this cruise has become really popular because it is the first time that Fred Olsen has sailed to this area in the winter months.

I am told that this is one of the best times to see the lights in the Northern hemisphere, but it needs to be a  clear night to get the full effect.

There is also a similar phenomenon in the southern hemisphere, and you can also see the Northern lights in Alaska. So to be honest there are a number of different opportunities to see them from a cruise!

So as no one can guarantee the weather, and I know because I did not see the sun at all in the Artic circle, I hope that it won't turn out to be a disappointment for those who go. If you have similar weather to my trip, you'll just have to hope that Fred Olsen Cruises do it again!

Cruise lines, the class society continues?

I was reminded of a conversation I had on the plane to Barbados the other day, with a fellow passenger about cruises and what we thought of the service. The lady in question was not happy at the perceived first and second class service on Cunard and said that she did not want to travel with them because it would make her feel uncomfortable!

Well, to be honest Cunard are not the only cruise line which is offering 'Luxury Suites' like the Grills in what may be seen in same places as elitism.

What about the Yacht Club on MSC?

These suites, Standard and Deluxe Yacht Club suites range from 223 to 316 square feet, and the Royal Suite ranges from 417 – 439 square feet. All feature bedroom and sitting areas, bathrooms with tubs, and in-cabin Wii consoles. Most, but not all, have private balconies.

The Yacht Club suites and exclusive areas occupy prime top-deck position on the bow of the ship. Exclusive to Yacht Club passengers are the Top Sail lounge and eatery and a separate area in the ship's main restaurant, bar, and private pool and whirlpool areas. Yacht Club passengers also have access to butler and concierge services.

Or even Courtyard Villas on NCL?

In Norwegian Epic's Courtyard complex, passengers have the choice of a courtyard villa (sleeps six, 506 square feet), a courtyard penthouse (sleeps two, 322 square feet) or an owner's suite (sleeps four, 852 square feet), all the Villa's have private balconies.

Passengers have exclusive use of a private pool, two whirlpools, saunas, a sunning area, a fitness facility, private indoor/outdoor dining, a bar and a concierge lounge. Each suite comes with butler service, as well.

Now, these are not the only lines which offer additional services for some categories of cabins, and we are not talking of the luxury lines.
 
But Cunard is perhaps the most well known of the '2 class ships' and seems to get some negative comments about elitism, whereas few people seem to comment about the other lines. Come on be fair, is just because its Cunard - I think so.



However, these suites are still very popular, I'm not too sure that is just because these passengers don't want to mingle with the hoi polloi over steak and lobster!

Help....Man overboard, are you sure?

We all know from being on board ship that the crew do practice various drill whilst in port or on sea days, and whilst in Bergen a couple of months ago I watch while the crew used one of the inflatable lifeboats to 'save' a man in the drink!

But reports are out that Princess Cruises' Ruby Princess  changed course briefly the other day off the coast of Mykonos to search for a possible man overboard -- but it turns out that the man in question may have been a blue sun lounger!

It appears that a passenger reported seeing a blue sun lounger in the water, but could be sire if there was a sunbather with it! The bridge was advised and the Captain decided that the ship should undertake a search, while at the same time notifying the Greek Coast Guard.

The final decision when darkness fell was that it could not have come from the ship, so Ruby Princess steamed onwards and the itinerary will not be affected.

The serious point here is that the training is important, and even though they did not need to save anybody this time it could have been a real emergency.

But how did a blue sun lounger get out to sea!

Neu für Carnival Aida online bestellt Schiff

OK, so I have gone mad!

We spend all our time selling and looking at cruises on the lines that sell specifically in the UK, that occasionally adding a bit of news from abroad gives a broader view of the whole cruise market.

So what does the title mean? - well I hope that Google translate has got it right so .... New ship ordered for Carnival's Aida line.

Carnival Corporation & plc has ordered a 71,300-ton cruise ship for its AIDA Cruises brand, which caters exclusively to the German-speaking market. It will be the seventh new ship that the German cruise operator has ordered in the past six years.


The 2,192-passenger vessel, will be built at Germany’s Meyer Werft, and  the new vessel will join the 71,300-ton AIDAsol, set to debut in April 2011, and an as-yet-unnamed sister ship in June 2012.


So what is AIDA, well its an informal “club resort” cruise concept which is marketed exclusively to German-speaking clientele and offers a product aimed at younger, more active guests who enjoy a host of on-board innovations.

So, is there a market for this type of ship in the UK? and do they still put their towels on sunbeds even though there are no Brits on board. Well, as they are not sold in the UK we will never know, unless some one can tell me!

Is that the picture, or just another way to make a profit?

You have just spent 9 hours on a plane or travelled for 4 hours by road to Southampton and are in a long queue to embark on the cruise of your dreams, and you turn what you think is the last corner and you meet the Ships Photographer! With a cheesy grin they thrust a lifebuoy in your hand and shout smile!!

Now don't think that is the last you will see of the photographer, no round every corner you turn they will lurk! On formal nights they will be there catching everybody in their finery, with a formal shot on the stairs or a lounge. When you get off at port they will be there again with the lifebuoy, but named with the port so you know where you are!

If you are really lucky, a photographer may be with you on your tour - or in my case with the video camera. I am now the proud owner of a DVD of my cruise, only because of my brief appearance in 1 of the sections!

Then you go and spend hours in the photo gallery, glasses on straining at the thousands of (samey) photos of people on the cruise, have you tried to find your picture when everybody is wearing a dinner jacket and black tie!

Once you have found them, and there will be many you start adding up the costs. At $24.99 per picture on Cunard it could be very expensive, although if you bought 6 you only paid $124.95! There were signs saying no cameras allowed, but I did see a couple of people taking snaps of the snaps, don't know how successful that would be.

But technology moves on, I have just read that on NCL Epic they are going to have a Youfinder® Facial Recognition System. Which means that they will software to recognise facial features from your embarkation photo so its easier to find your cruise pictures. So you can choose which prints you want, or you may want a picture CD of them all!

As I have not yet been on the Epic, still got a couple of months or so to wait, I'm not sure what the cost will be but I can't imagine they will be cheap.


Is this a move to more advanced technology, or to improve the overall profit margin of the photo gallery as they won't be printing thousands of photo prints that people don't want to buy. It has to be profit, I have to say the last pictures I printed, at Tesco, were only 10p for a 5x7 print, yet the cruise lines are charging upwards of $25 a time!