Strictly Come Cruising

For all you Strictly fans out there and I am definitely one of them, no need to wait until the end of next year
as I have some special news in store for you.

P&O are launching 2 special cruises where you can see the legendary.....Mr Nasty Craig Revel Horwood.. famous for his it was a disaaaaaassssster.. darling sayings and four of the shows dancers for a very special treat.

On each cruise Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood will be joined by four of the show's professional dancers they will not only be performing but will be on hand to give you hints and tips and of course you will be able to hear first hand what goes on and what it is like to be part of such a popular and entertaining show.
Also they will be bringing with them a selection of dresses worn by the dancers on the show.

At the moment the dancers that are attending are to be confirmed.

The two cruises on offer for all you strictly fans who love to cruise are as follows:

Oriana 28th May (my birthday) whoo hoo... Canary Islands Cruise
Oriana 14th July- Norway/Fjords cruise.

I am sure that when word gets out these two cruises will fill very quickly as there are so many strictly lovers
out there who would love the opportunity to see the dancers and of course Craig...

So dont leave it long if you want to book for more information then of course from one strictly fan to another
call me now on 0800 408 6115....

Joyeux Noël

Un Noël Fantastique

I would like to wish all my work colleagues and clients a fanatastic Christmas

and a Happy Healthy and Prosperous 2012

As most of my clients know I now live and work from France and Christmas here is just the same as it is

back in the UK really apart from they are not big on turkey and bread sauce.

Christmas is a family occasion wherever you are in the world and of course the French are big

on their family traditions and families come together more than most of us can or do in the UK.

I am looking forward to my first Christmas here in France to see the real differences if any than being back

in the UK.

Have a great Christmas

Chocaholics beware....Price of choc to go up as shortage looms

I was reading an article today about cocoa and apparently there is a shortage looming that is putting our
favoutite treat in danger. shortages of cocoa could send the cost of our sins soaring.


With all the doom and gloom around the world at the moment, the one thing we all like to treat ourselves
with as a bit of comfort is the occasional bar of chocolate or for some many bars of chocolate or even a
big box.

Christmas is traditionally the time when someone in your family or circle of friends will indulge you with a
festive treat of a box of your favourite sin or whether it be chocolates or biscuits and we all look forward to
this treat whether we are a big lover of chocolate or not.

Of course if you are on a cruise holiday we all love the added touch of a choc on our pillow before we go to bed,
or chocs with our coffee after a meal, or even the wonderful choc puds on offer with our evening meal.

Then of course when we go on shore excursions there are always places we visit where we like to sample
the countries choc foods or sweeties...Take Belgium for instance renowned for its chocs and last year I certainly came home with some choc treats for the family when we were on our Christmas cruise and I am sure that my work colleagues will do the same this year too.

So please growers of the world keep the cocoa coming so we can continue to enjoy our little treats without
them costing a fortune... we want to keep our chocs as an affordable luxury not something to drool at but
cannot buy..

Euro Crisis - Nevermind the Euro what about the water

While the whole world seems to be talking about the state of the Euro and Euro member states and what
they should or shouldnt do or could have done Europe has been suffering a different crisis one that has been
affecting our travellers taking River Cruises...

We all think of lack of water as hosepipe bans during the summer months and dont consider for one minute
the effect that European dry summers have had on the waterways.

The Rhine and Moselle have suffered terribly and now the low water levels mean that there could be
uncertainty as to whether some of the river cruise lines will be able to operate fully their end of year cruises.

Fingers crossed maybe plenty of rain will fall and feed into these rivers so that passengers can continue
with their plans without any disruptions or cancellations. For river cruises of course ships cannot just divert
to another port as ocean cruises can. Their only options are to cancel or arrange for passengers to visit certain places by coach which of course sort of defeats the idea of a River Cruise.

Of course not only have the river cruise lines had the worry of the water levels but we all saw on the television
that Koblenz had to evacuate half of its population while two world war 2 bombs were diffused in the Rhine.

So lets forget the money Euro crisis and hope that the cruising crisis doesnt happen, I dont like to say it but
let plenty of rain fall now to save these cruises but stop just after Christmas so that high water levels dont cause a problem either.

Cruise The Beautiful Adriatic Coast from Dubrovnik

I have been investigating some cruises for one of my clients who was interested in taking a cruise from
Dubrovnik visiting Mijet, Korcula,Sibernik, Split, Hvar, Kotor and then back to Dubrovnik.

Discover Dubrovnik, 'Pearl of the Adriatic', where you can enjoy spectacular views from the ancient ramparts, visiting some of the most beautiful islands and the spectacular cascading Krka Falls. Take in Split, Croatia's second largest city, with a wealth of fascinating historical sites to explore. 

Optional excursions:

Monastery Visit, Mljet

Guided tour of Korcula

Sibenik and the Krka Falls

Guided tour of Kotor

Sights of Split

Now the cruise ship that operates these cruises is called the Belle de l'Adriatique and is a French owned
ship, however they are used to having UK visitors on board.

We can book this as a package with flights for you from either Gatwick or Manchester if you want direct flights and you can even choose to have a stay in a hotel if you wish.

On selected dates they also sail from Dubrovnik around Greece and Turkey.

This ship is ideal for someone who likes a smaller ship as there are only 100 cabins and the beauty of this cruise is that as well as visiting beautiful scenery  all your locally produced wine/beer and tea/coffee and fruit juice is all included in the cost.

Prices including flights/transfers for a 7 night cruise start at about £1350 per person based on two sharing.

So if you fancy something just a little bit different then give me a call 0800 408 6115

The Frozen Planet - make your dream a reality

Not only is David Attenborough's Frozen planet a must for anyone to see on a Wednesday night.It is an educational and fascinating treat into the seasons that our Arctic and Antarctic endure for good and bad..

BUT- It is giving a boost to the cruise industry, with so many people like myself taking an avid interest in looking for a holiday where you can experience the sights that we love to watch, snuggled up on our sofas every Wednesday evening.

There have always been cruises that visit these areas, but programs such as this bring to the fore those fabulous places around the world that you do not always consider when thinking about your next holiday.

For 2012 though Hurtigruten will be offering itineraries around Spitzbergen where you will get chance to see the fabulous wildlife and scenery of the Arctic and they offer fabulous Antarctic Cruises too.

If you want to travel further then Silversea offer cruises to Antarctica during the early part of the year and at the end of the year .

So for a glimpse of the Penguins, Whales and of course that magnificent scenery you too can visit your own frozen planet.

Give me a call and let me find that dream cruise holiday for you.

Armistice Day in France

Over the last week and on the run up to Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday our news and television has been full of stories from both the World Wars, giving us an in sight to the bravery and suffering that so many people had to endure none of which we could possibly imagine.

Being in France over this time I wanted to share with you the way that they remember as of course life in France was so much harder as they were an occupied Country.

Firstly Armistice Day is a public holiday in France, through the day there was music playing by their Cenotaph in the small village where we are, I do not know the French tune that was playing but they also played Land of Hope and Glory which I found quite strange. Many people visited the village during the day and paid their respects at the Cenotaph.

Now in the Cemetry in the village there are graves of 6 brave airmen who sadly lost their lives in the second world war, when their aircraft were shot down, the villagers risked their own lives by hiding  their bodies so that their bodies would not be taken by the Germans and then buried them. In May they fly both the British and Canadian flags over their graves to honour these brave men. We have also been told stories of how the French resistance hid away in some of the old barns around the village. I am sure all around this area and many areas of France there are many similar stories told.

40 minutes drive from where we are there is a memorial town  at Oradour sur Glane where 642 people were massacred during the Second World War and this village has been left exactly as it was on the day of this atrocity and I would strongly recommend anyone of any age visiting this site as you cannot help but be moved by what you see and read. This truly makes anyone appreciate what our relatives in the UK fought for and what our neighbours in France endured to make Europe the place we all live in relatively peacefully now.

Of course for anyone interested in World War history from many of the cruises that visit Northern France you can always get the opportunity of taking a tour to the Normandy Beaches too

Cruise ship entertainer to prime Minister who would have believed it

I was reading an interesting article today about cruise ship entertainers.

Now we all know of the famous stars who grace the stages of these luxurious cruise liners nowadays with the likes of Jennifer Hudson all our old entertainers from the past who make odd appearances like Ronnie Corbett.

We all know that stars like to enjoy their cruise holidays with the likes of Alan Titchmarsh, Sir Terry Wogan, Rod Stewart, the late Sir Jimmy Saville and many many more...

So what a shock I had to find that  3 times Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, aged 75 before his career in politics started off as an entertainer and cruise ship singer.

So amidst all the controversy that surrounds Mr Berlusconi it just shows that nobody ever knows where your life will lead and I am sure back in the days when Mr Berlusconi was busy singing and composing he would never of dreamed that one day he would make Prime Minister once let alone 3 times although I am sure he would rather have not had all the drama that has gone with it...

Perhaps Jane Macdonald should have taken a different career once leaving cruise ships who knows what she could have become...!!!

Joanna Lumleys - Greek Odyssey well worth viewing

I delighted in watching Joanna Lumleys Nile adventure that was shown on ITV last year as I have always been facinated by the wonder of Egypt and was very excited when I saw that she was doing a series on Greece as I love the beauty of the Greek Islands.

For anyone interested in travelling on a cruise around the Greek Islands then I think this is a fabulous series to watch and she gives you a great insight into the culture the fabulous scenery as well as visiting some of the historic landmarks that you could well experience on excursions on an itineray cruising around the Greek Islands.

On her last episode we saw her on Crete and then on to Kos near the Turkish mainland before she headed off to the Northeastern border with Turkey.

This week she is heading off for Mount Olympus and mountains of Greece for her final visit.

You can catch Joanna Lumleys last episode on Thursday night on ITV and for anyone who missed this series then look out of repeats or have a look on the itv player on the internet.

If you are interested in travelling to Greece then it is well worth a viewing to just give you that insight into what to expect.

There are many cruises visiting Greece during the summer months and you can choose from fly cruises visiting Greece and Turkey or you can take a long cruise from Southampton, so there is something to suit everyone.

Celebrating at Sea

Today I have speaking to clients who have just returned from a cruise with Cunard to the Adriatic visiting Venice and Corfu and well some spectacular destinations.

This cruise was a cause for celebration as whilst on board they were celebrating 40 years of marriage which in this day and age is a very special achievement.

The cruise was booked over 12 months ago and for such a special occasion where everything needed to be just so then my clients made just the right choice.

We forwarded their wedding certificate to Cunard so that they could receive any special goodies for celebrating their 40 years of life together.

Well the clients were absoloutely thrilled when they reached their stateroom as it was laden with flowers, there was a bottle of bubbly and all manor of treats.

They were really pleased with the efforts we had all made to ensure that their time aboard the Queen Elizabeth was a special one, in fact so much they booked another one straight away.

Now for anyone looking forward to a special birthday or anniversary what a wonderful treat it can be to book a cruise and experience your special day in beautiful surroundings and exotic places. I think I need to start dropping some big hints now ready for my next big milestone...

Is Dressing up for dinner becoming a thing of the past

I have just been speaking to one of my clients who has recently returned from a cruise on the Caribbean Princess in and out of New York.

He had a wonderful cruise, however he had a few comments to make that I actually found quite surprising.

He had gone to the trouble to pack his dinner suit with him as he finds that on the formal evenings for him it is part of the cruise experience to dress up in his dickie bow and tails...

He said he was shocked that on the Captains night he only spotted about 4 gentleman who had made the effort to dress up fully and not many more on the other formal occasions. Instead of feeling special he was left feeling a bit of the odd one out... and more importantly it made him question taking his stuff on future cruises as this was a fly cruise obviously a full dinner suit takes alot of space...

Now whether this was because the cruise left from New York and the Americans do not treat the formal nights in the same way as us or whether times are changing I really dont know.

All I can say is what a shame if it is the latter because personally I think it is lovely to see the men dressing up in their full dinner attire, and it would be a shame if numbers started to dwindle..

Please let me know your experiences..

Freedom of The Seas takes a battering

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, apparently sustained some damage on Sunday off the coast of Florida.

At approximately 7:30 p.m., Freedom Of The Seas experienced extreme wind and sea conditions. The conditions were definately not what they were expecting at all..

According to a statement from Royal Caribbean, the ship experienced wind speeds more than three times what was forecast.  The combination of the wind and sea conditions caused severe ship movement.  At this time there have not been any serious injuries reported..

The ship has sustained some damage to the public areas and guest staterooms, which in no way affect the sea-worthiness of the ship the company added.

Well one thing is for sure we cannot always predict what mother nature is going to throw at us, lets hope that the passengers aboard have now got over their experience and are enjoying the rest of their cruise.

Eating at night in the Buffet Restaurant - what do you get?

I myself have never been on a cruise ship and used the buffet restaurant at night, so I wondered what do you get ?
I raised this question because today I was talking to one of my clients who had just returned from a cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse.

He mentioned to me that he was a little disappointed because the food was exactly the same at night as it was in the day and the look and feel of the restaurant was just the same as it would be if you had been in there at lunchtime. No effort was made to make you feel like you were not eating in a cafeteria.

Now on a previous cruise with Royal Caribbean they had put table cloths on the tables to give the restaurant a nice feel and really I think that is a nice touch, he had also been able to experience a different menu.

I also have a gentleman that always travels with Fred Olsen who prefers to use their buffet restaurant at night sometimes and he has never had anything bad to say, so I am presuming that they must make an effort to provide something special.

Now I cannot speak with authority as I have never used these restaurants at night but what I wonder is are you treated differently, with so many people now choosing to opt to use these restaurants at night, will you be made to feel special or will you be made to feel like you are eating in a motorway cafeteria...

Any comments of experiences you have had on different cruise lines would be most appreciated...

See the Pandas on our Ying & Yangtze Tour

12 baby Giant Pandas have been putting on their first appearance recently at the Chengdu Research Centre in China.
For those of you who, who would love the chance to visit this fabulous research centre and see first hand these magnificent creatures and the wonderful work that this centre does to protect this species that is under threat then boy do we have a spectucular tour for you.

On the 9th September 2012 or the 9th March 2013, we have two incredible tours on offer, fly to Shanghai after exploring the delights of Shanghai you then travel to Wuhan to join your 4 night cruise at Yichang, cruising along the Yangtse you finish the cruise in Chongqing, where you then make your way to Chengdu for an overnight stay. The following morning after spending time at the Chengdu Research Centre seeing the Giant Pandas you then fly to Xian for a 2 night stay to see the magnificent Terracotta Warriors.Finally you fly to Beijing for 3 nights to experience the wonders of the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square and the Summer Palace before returning home from a spectacular adventure.

What a wonderful tour this is

Sea Dream Captain really has passengers interests at heart

I was reading an article in a French newspaper about Sea Dream in fact it made a 3/4 page spread.

On a recent cruise that was due to make a stop at La Rochelle captain Johan Dyrnes decided that he would scrap this visit and instead travel to Royan instead.

Now the reason why he decided to do this was that he felt that the shuttle trip which takes passengers to the old harbour and town area would have just been too long for his well healed guests.

All passengers welcomed this change and enjoyed their day exploring the beach and town area of the capital of the Cote de beaute and of course form here passengers could visit Cognac and sample the hennessy brandy.

As for Royan they had a welcome boost to their town and gave them chance to showcase themselves as a potential cruise destination for other cruises.

Now Seadream whose slogan is yachting not cruising I think must really have their passengers interests at heart, as the Royan Mayor had to arrange all the security/immigration facilities required at 48 hours notice so arranging these things would not have been easy for the Captain .

But how would you feel if you were in the same situation would you welcome the change or would you be angry that you were not visiting where you thought.

I dont think I would mind at all...

Tropical Storms still causing problems

With the wind battering the UK over the past few days and the problems with the US coast line the week before last I think that we are all hoping that the weather will sort itself out and everything can return to normal.

However tropical storm Maria is still disrupting some cruise lines and they are having to make decisions to change ports for the safety of their passengers.

Reports today are saying that 

Norwegian Gem is now sailing a Bahamas and Florida itinerary, instead of its originally planned Bermuda voyage. The ship will call on Port Canaveral Tuesday, private island Great Stirrup Cay on Wednesday and Nassau on Thursday. 

Carnival have altered itineraries for a handful of ships:

The Destiny, which left Miami on Saturday for a five-night sailing, will switch the order of its calls on Ochos Rios and Grand Cayman The ship will call on the latter on Monday and the former on Tuesday, the opposite of what was originally scheduled. 

Royal Caribbean also has ships in the area, but according to the Companies Web site, only one itinerary has been altered: 

Oasis of the Seas will now call on St Thomas on Tuesday, St Maarten on Wednesday and Nassau on Friday.

I know that it can be very disappointing if you have set your heart on visiting a certain place at a certain time but I am sure that we would all rather be safe than at risk, so I am behind the cruise lines all the way when they have to make these changes and I would hope that travellers would feel the same.

Voyager Of The Seas to spend 2012 in the Far East

Royal Caribbean's Voyager of The Seas will be spending 2012 in a new home, cruising around the Far East.

I have been looking through the itineraries and I think this is fabulous news for travellers who are looking for something a little different but who love to travel with royal Caribbean.

The Voyager will start her travels to her new home in April when she offers a transatlantic cruise from New Orleans to Barcelona. She will then travel from Barcelona to Dubai and then from Dubai to Singapore.

She is then going to offer 3 cruises or 4/5 night durations sailing from Singapore visiting Malaysia and Phuket, ideal for anyone looking for a short cruise to add on to a stay in Singapore.

Then in mid June the Voyager will sail to  Shanghai where  she will offer 4 night cruises visiting Japan and Korea, before she heads off to Australia for the winter when she will offer  cruises around Australia and New Zealand.

These new itineraries are great news for cruise passengers looking to add stop overs so they can explore the delights of Singapore, China and Australia as we can tailor make some very exciting itineraries for you. Not forgetting of course that the transatlantic repositioning sectors of this cruise offer extremely good value for money if you fancy doing something completely different.

Will a new cruise terminal at Liverpool make the Welsh see red

There have been many debates about whether or not there will be a new cruise terminal built in Liverpool.

Now it appears that the Welsh are not too happy about this..

Wales currently has six cruise ports – Cardiff, Fishguard, Holyhead, Milford Haven, Newport and Swansea and Holyhead has recently spent 9 million pounds on a terminal attracting 13 cruises to the area.

The UK Cruise Port Alliance is concerned that around 80 million pounds worth of revenue could be lost to Liverpool if the council get their way and a new terminal is built.

So of course you can understand why the Welsh are not very pleased with this when they have been spending money to improve facilities to attract cruise ships to their ports and then fear that they may end up losing out.

I think it is great that there are many more ports now able to attract cruise ships of varying sizes around the UK to just make those around Britain cruises more interesting and of course give some clients the opportunity to take a cruise where in the past it may have been difficult to travel to the nearest ports.

I am sure that this debate is going to be around for some time until decisions are made as to what when where and if something is going to happen

Are smaller ships more sociable ?

I spoke to a couple of clients over the last week who have made particular comments about the larger ships and the difficulty they have found making good friends.

I was very surprised that the one client said that they would choose to travel on a Thomsons ship any day rather than travel on a Royal Caribbean.

This particular client commented that when they went on Royal Caribbean as much as the facilities and cabins were beautiful they found that the ship lacked that sociable feel that they had experienced on Thomsons ships.

The main thing that was missing in their opinion was that with the smaller ship if you get chatting with people at dinner or by the pool or at a bar the chances are that you easily meet up with them again and friendships can be formed easily without you having to be pushy by arranging to meet up at a particular time and place.

Today I called one of my clients who had returned from one of our Gardeners World cruises and she was telling me exactly the same thing , that she had been on a Royal Caribbean ship and it was less friendly and that she had a wonderful time on the Fred Olsen Balmoral, the gardening cruise helped as she was meeting up with other members of the group, but she has been with them before and just found the whole experience alot more enjoyable, not just the camaraderie but the whole experience just alot more friendly.

In this age there seems to be more larger ships being commissioned than smaller ones, I wonder whether the future will see clients looking for the smaller ship again.

Have you experienced something similar or disagree with the above I would love to hear your comments.

A storm in a port transfers to and from ships

I have spoken to a couple of customers this week who were very disappointed in the costs of transfers to/ from the ship to their port of call.

One of the customers had been on a Royal Caribbean cruise out of Malaga and although had a wonderful cruise felt that when the cruise lines are having to use ports well away from the town as the ships are too big, they should be charging smaller fees or no fees at all.

As 15-20 dollars at most ports soon amounts to a large amount of money.

Another client told me that on a visit to La Rochelle they were really faced with no choice but to pay extra as they were in an industrial port not the main town area and it was put across to them that it had to be paid if they wished to leave the ship.


I do understand that the cruise lines do need to make money but I think that they would earn more respect off their customers if they were to charge a little less and make this a service rather than a huge profit making exercise.

It used to be that you paid more for a taxi and less for a quick shuttle transfer but my customers were intimating that they would have spent out less money in a private taxi.

What are your experiences in this matter and what advice would you give the cruise lines.

Riots now affecting the cruise industry

As the civil unrest has spread around the country tonight we know of two companies who have had to shut their offices early due to the troubles that now many parts of the country are experiencing.
Over the last few minutes the news are reporting troubles in Wolverhampton, Birmingham and now in Salford so we may find tomorrow many more companies having to open late or shut early.

Cruise operators as well as any other business have a duty to protect their staff so if they have been advised to shut early then thats what they should do.

Two of my colleagues found the Viking had shut early and also MSC cruises and we wish our colleagues safe passage home and trust that their offices will not be affected by the troubles.

As many of you know I work from home which is now France and my French neighbours cannot believe what is going on back in the UK... As we are all aware with the protests that happen in France they are a nation who do stand up for their rights but not on a scale that they are seeing in the UK.
The news of our unrest is being viewed all over the world and what we do not want is this affecting our tourism as their are many travellers who not only visit our Country for a holiday but many who fly into the UK to join a cruise ship to take them around Europe.
London is now a focal point with the lead up to the Olympics next year and certainly we do not want our country seen in such a bad way.

We can but hope that there will be end to all these troubles swiftly

Bad Weather halts play for me

Last night over in France we endured some spectacular thunder storms and possibly for anyone on a cruise ship travelling up the North West coast of France they may have been subjected to the same as me....

At just after 5pm UK time the sky changed and distant rumblings could be heard and then it went darker and darker and I took this picture at 6.30pm UK time and bearing in mind it shouldn't be as dark as this until at least 9.30pm UK equivalent.

We were subjected to hours of booming and crashing with sheet and fork lightening all around, a spectacular display I must say in the sky with the lightening offering pink/purple streaks across the sky and a constant boom that I can only describe as what it must of sounded like for those hearing the bombing strikes in the second world war.

My apologies for anyone who was trying to get hold of me last night as such is the power of these storms all electricals including the phone line are un-plugged.

I have never been lucky enough to be on a cruise ship to witness a powerful lightening storm but I am sure that it must be extremely spectacular.

If anyone has any spectacular pics of storms taken from a cruise ship I would love to see them.

The Pacific Princess gets some special guest speakers

For the Pacific Princess world cruise in 2012, Princess have recruited some very special speaker to appear during this special cruise. These guest speakers will be on board on the Fort Lauderdale to Venice sector of the cruise and include the following:

Rolly Crump -- Disney Imagineer (January 13-28: Ft. Lauderdale to San Diego)
One of the original Disney Imagineers, Crump joined Disney in 1952, first in animation, contributing to legendary films such as "Lady and the Tramp,". Crump worked alongside Walt Disney himself to create the Haunted Mansion, Enchanted Tiki Room and other attractions, and later designed projects for Disney's EPCOT Center. Crump will talk about Walt Disney the man and the early days of designing iconic Disneyland rides

Gavin MacLeod -- TV and Film Actor (January 28-February 10: San Diego to Pago Pago)
Perhaps best known as "Captain Merrill Stubing" from the long-running television show The Love Boat.

Colonel Robert C. Springer -- Space Shuttle Astronaut (February 10-18: Pago Pago to Auckland)
A two-time space shuttle astronaut who has spent  237 hours in space. After joining NASA in 1981 he  served as a mission specialist on shuttle flights in 1989 and 1990. Now retired from NASA and the U.S. Marine Corps, Springer currently works for The Boeing Company as director of quality systems, Integrated Defense Systems. Springer will talk about the shuttle program, his adventures in space, and the future of NASA. 

Suzanne Lloyd -- Granddaughter of Harold Lloyd (March 12-20: Tokyo to Hong Kong) The granddaughter of one of Hollywood's founding fathers and silent film legend Harold Lloyd, Suzanne Lloyd will screen a mini film festival of her grandfather's silent comedy classics and talk about growing up on her grandfather's legendary Bel Air estate: Green Acres.

Tab Hunter -- Actor, Screen Idol (April 12-30: Dubai to Venice) A screen idol from Hollywood's golden age, Tab Hunter starred in more than 50 major films, including the Academy Award-nominated "Damn Yankees." Hunter also reached the top of the music charts with the hit song Young Love, and starred in his own television series.

In addition, World Cruise passengers will also have the benefit of a variety of expert lecturers who will share their knowledge on diverse topics, including:

Concorde Pilot -- A former British Airways Concorde pilot will speak about the glamour and technology of the Concorde. (January 13-28: Ft. Lauderdale to San Diego)

World War II Historian -- Bruce Petty, the author of several books about World War II in the Pacific, will talk about topics such as Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Iwo Jima, and aircraft carriers in the Pacific. (January 28-February 18: San Diego to Auckland)

South Pacific Naturalist -- Ann Burgess, an expert on the natural history of the South Pacific region, will talk about a variety of related topics including Polynesian explorers and indigenous wildlife in the area. She will also host animal spotting sessions on the top deck to help passengers catch a glimpse of sea life such as dolphins and whales. (February 18-March 12: Auckland to Tokyo)

Ambassador/Diplomat -- Douglas Hartwick, a former ambassador to Laos and State Department diplomat, will talk about the life of a diplomat living abroad. (March 12-29: Tokyo to Singapore)

Computer Forensics Expert -- Mark Harrington, computer forensic company executive, will lecture on how computer footprints can find terrorists and criminals. (March 20-29: Hong Kong to Singapore)

Astronomer -- An astronomer will join the ship to teach passengers about the night sky, the solar system and the latest space exploration from NASA, plus will host stargazing sessions on deck. (March 29-April12: Singapore to Dubai)

United Nations Official -- John Renninger, a UN official and adjunct professor at NYU, will talk about the UN's peacekeeping role and Middle East topics. (April 12-30: Dubai to Venice)

With such a diverse range of speakers I am sure passengers will be able to enjoy listening to a great variety of subjects, from special people with first hand knowledge.

Now I am not too familiar with all of the above but I must say that I would find most of them extremely interesting to listen to.

Striking Taxis Drivers cause havoc at Piraeus Port

I was talking to a client last night who has parents on a cruise on the Celebrity Solstice at the moment.

He had received a number of texts from them telling him that unfortunately their scheduled stop in Piraeus had been cancelled due to striking taxi drivers blockading the port of Piraeus.


I thought this needed an investigation and yes indeed not only was the Celebrity Solstice unable to dock but also the Voyager of the Seas.
Although the cruise lines were aware of what was going to happen and had tried to put contingency plans in place, unfortunately the taxi drivers had other plans and decided to stop any passengers from leaving the ships to travel on their sightseeing trip to Athens.

The good news however was that the Seabourn Odyssey was allowed to disembark their passengers who were travelling home for the airport and take their new passengers on board so at least the taxi drivers did have some compassion.

The yellow cab drivers are protesting against deregulation of their industry as part of the economic reforms demanded by Greece's international creditors

Thankfully the strike was due to end at 5am tomorrow so normal service can be resumed with at least 3 cruise ships a day visiting the port of Piraeus the cruise lines will be feeling relieved that for the moment this industrial action has finished and I am sure with all the recent troubles in Greece they are keeping their fingers crossed that no further troubles will affect their passengers especially now we are into the peak summer weeks. 

Llandudno's cruise ship hopes

The BBC are reporting today that Llandudno is the latest UK seaside town hoping to encourage visitors on cruise ships.

Planners are considering that if they can upgrade Llandudno pier then maybe then can attract cruise ships to dock there, therefore bringing a wealth of job opportunities to the region.

Now I am sure that the larger ships would probably not be able to dock there, but of course the likes of the smaller cruise lines like Fred Olsen and Voyages of Discovery and Cruise and Maritime would probably be able to visit this North Wales Seaside resort.

It would be lovely to see some of our seaside resort able to offer facilities to encourage cruise ships to call on their round Britain cruises and make their cruises more diverse and certainly their would be many possibilities for excursions from the town with Snowdonia nearby as well as the attractions of the town itself.

Good luck to them I say, for considering all the options to try and get visitors and jobs to the area,

Although probably a long way off before this could be reality, I will keep my fingers crossed for them that they move their project forward and cruise lines take advantage.

How would you like to view a Solar Eclipse?

One of my clients called me yesterday as he is planning a special trip to celebrate a special anniversary.

Now he has come up with what I consider a very special cruise and one that you will remember for the rest of your life.

This cruise departs Hawaii on the 2nd November, travels via Samoa, crossing the international date line on the 11th November then travels to Fiji and postitions itself just in the right spot for a spectacular event not to be seen by all.

On the 13th/14th November the Southern Hemisphere from Northern Australia to Southern South Pacific will bear witness to a spectacular solar eclipse.

How special would this be.

Now for anyone who would like to offer the same romantic gesture then this cruise is a Celebrity cruise on the Millenium departing on the 2nd November 2012.

After witnessing this spectacular event the cruise will take you on to New Zealand visiting Tauranga, Auckland and the Bay of Islands and then concluding with an overnight in port in Sydney on the 21st November.

How romantic this cruise will be, my man would certainly be in favour for a long long time if he was to plan something as special as this for me

Upgrades does lady luck shine on you

This year I have spoken to many clients who have been very lucky and received upgrades either just before they travel or when they have arrived at their ship.

In fact quite recently I have had a number of clients who have been upgraded on Cunard to Princess Grills which of course is a fabulous upgrade as the cost of these cabins is considerably higher than the norm and for many customers they would prefer to save their pennies and use this as spending money or to get more cruises.

Now I am not sure what the reasons for this are, and maybe it is because there have been alot of offers for cabins this year on a guarantee basis and therefore the cruise lines are moving passengers up the grades to release cabins in the lower grades to make it more attractive to the consumers pocket or whether my clients have been extremely lucky.

Of course with Cunard , P&O and Princess you can elect for a complimentary upgrade should one become available, however I would never recommend this if you have chosen a cabin to be near a lift or in a particular area of the ship for specific reasons as of course you cannot guarantee that you will get a cabin in the same vicinity with an upgrade and you could be on higher or lower decks more front or rear. Of course when you have one of these upgrades there is no going back to your original cabin.

I love to hear from my clients who have had the good fortune to have been given these upgrades because it shows that there is hope for us all and maybe one day a bit of good fortune could come your way and you are lucky enough to get more than you expect.

Extreme Excursions - Hippo's in Toronto

Now there are some strange excursions that you can take around the world but this one I couldnt get my head round.

This is a bus that goes into the water and is aptly called the Hippo Bus.

Now we offer a variety of tailor made packages to our clients and this has got to be a must for anyone travelling to Toronto.

This Hippo is a unique 40 passenger vessel that offers land and water tours of Toronto. What a fun way to discover what Toronto has to offer... experience the vista on the road and then the sights on the water how fab is that. Excuse the pun but apparently it is the Hippest way to see Toronto.

According to their website you can take a tour from 43 Canadian Dollars and guess what they are coast guard approved.

If anyone has been on this then please let me know or if you have any other quirky excursion ideas I would love to hear about them.

Oriana has a little bump

Reports are telling us that last week the Oriana had a small collision with the dock when departing Kristiansand Norway last week.

Now the good news was that no passengers were hurt and she sufferred a little dent, but it did mean that she had to return to dock briefly which delayed her departure by about an hour.

Now is this big news.... well no not really but it did get me thinking I wonder how insurance works for cruise ships.... would they have to fill in one of those tedious forms showing diagrams of the port and how why when and where the incident happened.

Do they lose their no claims bonus... I wonder how it all works for ships.

If there is anyone out there who knows then please let me know

US Security 7 hour nightmare is it really necessary

I was reading an article today on line from one of leading newspapers who were reporting that a group of OAP's had a security nightmare when entering Los Angeles.

Apparently the 2000 travellers were subjected to the full works, with  fingerprints of both hands  taken as well as retina scans and a detailed check of the passport as well as questioning as to their background.

In all this took 7 hours to complete and the 2000 travellers were made to stand for hours with no facilities whilst they were subjected to these stringent checks.

Ironically, all the passengers that were enjoying a lovely long cruise on the Arcadia all had the relevant immigration ESTA's required so there was just no need to these extra checks and of course this is not something that is the normal when British cruise lines enter US ports.

Some travellers feel that these checks had resulted due to the fact some passengers had got irate after computer systems failed so immigration decided to punish everyone with the full checks.

Whoever's fault this is, personally I feel there is no need for all of this, the US is more than happy to enjoy the extra money being spent in it's ports by our cruise passengers. We should have respect for our older members of society not treat them disrespectfully, if it wasnt for their efforts none of our lives would be as they are now.

The Great Barca Cover Up

Barcelona is banning the wear of bikinis and swimming trunks when walking in the streets of this historic City.


Apparently they want to clean up their image so beware all you travellers staying in Barcelona before or after your cruise you must cover up or face fines for exposing too much flesh in public.

Fines will start from 105 Euros rising to 300 Euros and if you are caught naked (perish the thought) then fines range from 300- 500 Euros.

There will be designated areas where you will be allowed to wear your bikinis or swimming trunks near the beach but if you wander from that well you will be in trouble...

So remember if you like to expose just a little too much flesh when on holiday it could now cost you more than you bargained for....

Killer Cucumbers - Whatever Next

Reports have been coming out on the news of killer cucumbers from Spain. To be honest when I first read this headline I thought it was a joke, but no it is a serious issue.

Apparently cucumbers have allegedly killed up to 9 people in Germany due to E coli.

Now we are all told how to eat more salads and foods that are good for us, and then these things break the news and my goodness is there anything safe to eat.

I have always considered that a poor little cucumber with a bit of lettuce and tomato was good for you, but now apparently they carry some very nasty diseases, allegedly from Spain.

I have never really thought about this but for cruise liners visiting ports all around Europe who are picking up supplies for their onward journey what a nightmare this must be when these things happen do they buy their Spanish salad material or do they opt for another product and if so are there foreign brands they can buy.

For people in the UK it is a simple choice we just dont buy the Spanish brands until we know 100% they are safe.

Lets hope the killer cucumber incident disappears soon.

Man Overboard on the Celebrity Eclipse !

Sadly reports have just been coming into the news that a man has plummeted into the English Channel last night off the Celebrity Eclipse. The circumstances behind this are not being reported.

Apparently it happened at at 10.15pm  eight miles north of Cherbourg.

At the moment they are not reporting whether this man was a guest or a member of the crew.

Searchers have not been able to locate the gentleman and the man is now presumed dead, so our hearts go out to the family and friends of this man in these distressing times.

Of course we all pray for a happy ending and hope that the gentleman in question can be found.

Getting to UK ports how easy is it to get the information you need

Are you fed up with spending hours on the phone or trawling the world wide web when you are looking for directions or coach times or flights to get you to UK ports.

Well I know I get fed up when I want to try and find out about trains,coaches, flights or even just directions by car.

You end up sat on the internet with what seems like hundreds of browsers open flicking between them all to get the relevant information.

I have recently found a website that seems to take most of this stress away and you can look at train times, coach times, driving times and lots of other bits of information that you may or may not find useful.

I looked at an example of travelling from Birmingham to Southampton to the Mayflower cruise terminal departing at 07.00am in the morning.
It gave me the train as an option that would take 2 hours 49 minutes and that it would take me 11 minutes from the station to the terminal, a coach journey that was well lets say a very long journey and the time by car of 2 hours 53 minutes.

I could even check the costs and my emmissions if I really wanted to.

I found this site really useful so I thought that I would share it with you and hope that it will prove a useful tool when arranging your next trip.

www.tranportdirect.info

Would you share a cabin with a stranger?

I have recently had one of my passengers who has booked with us for many years return from a world cruise on Fred Olsen's Balmoral.

Like so many single passengers when she made her inital enquiries, the price for a single cabin was quite expensive for her so she decided to consider sharing with another solo traveller.

She had never tried this before and was a little apprehensive for all the reasons that you can imagine....
Will I get on with the person, will they snore and what type of person will this be.

Fred Olsen are the only cruise line who will offer a share basis and they do have limited places for this, but they do try and match people up to the best of their ability.
Subject to availability Fred Olsen will offer the share facility on any of their fantastic range of cruises.


Now as you can imagine 108 nights away on a cruise is a long time, but I am happy to report that my lady was absoloutely over the moon with her travelling companion.

They got on well, knew when to give each other the space they needed and in fact got on so well they are keeping in touch and may travel on a cruise again together.

This is wonderful news and a story with a happy ending that I thought I must share with you all. Of course for anyone looking to travel on their own who doesnt mind sharing this can be a great way of saving some money.

Portsmouth's New Terminal - gets the thumbs up from me

Over the Easter weekend I was lucky enough to travel to France for the weekend from Portsmouth.

Normally, I have to say the facilities at the Port are not good at all, very dated buildings toilets not very pleasant and all in all a bit of a shabby affair.

However this time what a delight to see all the old  1970's buildings blocked off, unfortunately they still have the nasty toilets in operation but great to see right at the port this new terminal building.

From now on both cruise and ferry passengers will be able to enjoy fantastic facilities in modern surroundings, now they will have somewhere nice to sit, be able to get food and drink, instead of the old tatty buildings that were used before.

The new terminal opened at the begining of April and they are expecting 36 cruise departures for this year including Fred Olsens Boudicca.

Well done to Portsmouth for updating their facilities with more cruise lines deciding to sail from Portsmouth now our passengers will be able to enjoy the comforts that they have been used to at other ports.

Fred Olsen Grand Voyages 2013 on sale tomorrow

Fred Olsen are way ahead of the game with their launch of 2013 Grand Voyages tomorrow for their ocean club members.

For those who are not oceans members then you dont have to wait long as they are on general sale from Thursday of this week.

For 2013, there are two special voyages the traditional round the world cruise on the fabulous Balmoral travelling out to the caribbean, through the Panama Canal and visiting New Zealand and Australia before travelling back via the Suez Canal.

The second cruise is an Indian Ocean cruise aboard the Black Watch, this time you will travel out to Namibia via Tenerife and Gambia, then around South Africa , across to the Reunion Islands and Mauritius then returning via India and the Middle East.

Also booking before the 31st May have a no fuel surcharge guarantee.

With some great starting prices they are certainly worth looking at so call me today for further details on these two magnificent journeys.

Azamara Club Cruises

Today we were lucky to have a visit from AzamaraCruises. Not only did Sonia bring a supply of chocs with her as an Easter gift but she spent time talking about her product and what their ships have to offer.

It was ironic that today I also called a couple of clients of mine who had just returned from a cruise to the Far East travelling from Hong Kong to Singapore.

They had chosen to travel with Azamara because the itinerary suited what they wanted to do, and it was their first cruise with Azamara.

My clients had the most fabulous time and are hoping to travel on many more cruises with them.

Azamara have smaller ships meaning they can get into more ports. Their customers enjoy a more relaxed atmosphere in lavish surroundings that give you a warm and welcoming feeling.

There are no gratuities to pay and your wine is free with your meals.

At the moment on a selection of cruises you can also enjoy $400 on board credit on oceanview cabins and above.

With a selection of wonderful itineraries to choose from Azamara cruises are certainly worth considering.

Summer 8 night cruises from Southampton

Throughout July/August and the beginning of September MSC are offering some special 8 night cruises visiting Amsterdam, La Rochelle, Bilbao,La Coruna and Cherbourg.

These are ideal cruises for those wanting to experience the joys of cruising for the first time, not having to travel too far from home and also as they are very reasonably priced not having to spend a fortune to do so.

In fact their cruise on the 8th September starts at a very reasonable £599 per person based on 2 persons sharing a 2 berth inside cabin.

It is great that by them offering these fantastic summer sailings there is now more choice for passengers who do not necessarily want to have a longer holiday, but just fancy a change.

The MSC opera offers entertainment, childrens clubs and all the usual amenities you would expect to find on a cruise.

To add to this on selected sailings you can also benefit from free car parking or 2 free excursions.

We are busy busy busy 2012 on sale

From last Saturday we have seen Cunard and P&O launch their 2012 programmes and my we have been busy bees.

Tomorrow sees the launch of the July sailings and of course as their  special 175th celebration is on the 3rd July and we know that at 08.00am tomorrow these sailings will start to fill very quickly. Many loyal cruisers or clients just looking to experience the celebrations and seeing all ships together for a one off occasion have made these sailings extremely popular

To anyone reading this I would suggest that you contact us as soon as you can if you are considering one of these cruises.

It is great to see so many customers pre-booking their cruises for 2012 to ensure that they get the best cabins of their choice.

We have been very lucky that we have managed to get our clients who have pre-registered the cruises they have requested.

It is also great to see that the doom and gloom of the economy does not seem to have deterred alot of people from booking their holidays, even if it is for 2012, we all need something special to look forward to.

BA vote to Strike can a solution be found to give travellers peace of mind

British Airways cabin crew have again voted in favour of a strike.

We are all watching and waiting hoping that BA can find a solution to this dispute and all praying that they do not decide to take action over the Easter period.
Of about 9,700 crew polled, 83% of the 6,981 who returned valid voting papers voted for strike action.

Travellers will again be worrying and wondering if or when this may happen and hoping that it will not disrupt their travel plans.

I think that it is time that BA find a final solution to this problem as so many travellers do think twice before booking BA flights following the disruptions that have occured over the past 12 months or so.

They need to give customers confidence that their flights will not be cancelled or disrupted due to industrial action and as agents we need to feel confident when we are booking our clients that their flights will be secure.

Fingers crossed that some end to this ongoing situation will happen soon.

The Budget will it be good news for travellers.

With the Budget due out tomorrow will this be good news for travellers.

We all sit pondering will there be a rise in fuel costs and will there be any increase in Air Passenger Duty. We know normally booze and cigarettes will go up as they seem to be the first things to be hit, but with all the troubles around the world and many people have lost their jobs or have been on short time over the last few years, are our holidays going to cost more.

Well speculation is that the government are not going to increase the Air Passenger Duty,so if this happens then this is good news for us all.

These extra charges can soon mount up especially for families and can sometimes just make a holiday unaffordable so please Mr Chancellor keep these costs at the same level.

Let us keep our fingers crossed that tomorrow will be good for our holiday makers who deserve a break.

Will Japan ever recover from the terrible events of last Friday

The terrible shock pictures and total devastation that we have all seen since last Friday have rocked the world not only the loss of life and destruction but also the nuclear fears.

Of course last Friday there were alot of cruise ships in and around the area affected by the Tsunami and also in areas that had been put on high alert.

I myself was on holiday in  France last Friday when the terrible news broke and I sat glued to the news and wondered if any ships had been affected by this extreme event. I felt relieved when one of the reporters mentioned that ships way out to sea would probably not be affected and that it would be ships in ports that could suffer at the hands of this Tsunami, and thankfully for the cruise industry all the cruise lines appeared to have departed and all was well.

With so many cruise lines offering cruises around the Far East either throughout our winter season or as sectors of the world cruise will this have an effect for the future.

I am sure until life gets back to normal and the threat of radiation has passed it will be some considerable time before we see cruise lines visiting Japenese shores.

Our hearts go out to the Japanese people and though life for alot may never be back to normal after what has happened lets hope that some normality can be regained around their shores so that their economy can get back to what it was and the people of Japan do not suffer anymore.

I am off to France

Hi Everyone,

I am off to France from Friday 4th March and back in the office on the 14th March.

I am hoping to do a spot of fishing and maybe improve on my personal best.

If I manage to catch that big one then I will post a picture on my return.

See you all soon

Diana

No I didn't get to see the Northern Lights over the UK so I will have to cruise

Last week I blogged about the Northern Lights and how the forecasters were telling us that we might be lucky here in the UK to get a glimpse.

What a disappointment no sign of them here in the Midlands, so only a lucky few must of been priveleged enough to see them.

So now I most definately know that one day I am going to have to take a trip to Alaska to fulfill my dream.

I recently booked some clients on an Alaskan cruise but with a bit of a twist, they are flying to Vancouver, seeing all the usual sights and finishing in Seattle, but instead of flying home and maybe taking in a stay en route they are going to fly to New York and then cruise back on the Queen Mary 2 back to Southampton.

What a wonderful way to travel, a trip of a lifetime to see the glaciers, wildlife and all that Alaska has to offer, not forgetting Vancouver of course before the cruise and then have a few nights in New York and a leisurely crossing aboard the Queen Mary 2.

We are so lucky that we can now tailor make packages for our clients so that they can see what they want to see when they want to see it, so all you travellers out there dont be afraid to ask for something a little out of the ordinary as we are more than happy to see if we can arrange it for you.

Were you one of the lucky ones to see the Northern Lights tonight

When I returned home tonight my husband to be couldnt wait to inform me that there was a possibilty that some fortunate people may catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis in UK skies tonight


He is so lucky to have visited Alaska many times and witnessed this spectacular event, that he has raved on about it for the ten years that we have been together.

So many people book cruises to see the sights and of course to hope to catch a glimpse of this greatest free light show on earth to Alaska or of course towards the northern tip of Europe, so I was excited to think maybe there would be chance for me here sat at home in Redditch.

I trawled through the news reports and he was right the BBC was saying it was a possibility and that this strange phenomena has been caused by a  huge flare has been unleashed by the sun, which should lead to an impressive display of the Northern Lights.

Apparently Northern Ireland was lucky enough to bear witness to this earlier this week so I am keeping my fingers crossed that maybe we may get a glimpse here. If we dont and we are just too far south then I am afraid I will have to revert back to my original plans and sort out a cruise to Alaska.

If you were lucky enough to see something in the skies tonight then please let me know.

Oh No Volcano Troubles or are the press just trying to scare us

To my dread when I was surfing around the internet this afternoon I noticed an article headed volcano eruption warning sparks new travel fears.

Oh my goodness I thought after all the troubles of last year, is something happening and will it affect me and my travellers.

On further reading through the article  which at first glimpse would scare any traveller, we learn that Geologists have warned that Iceland's second biggest volcano may be about to erupt, sparking fears of a repeat of last year's travel chaos.
It hasnt erupted yet and may not erupt at all and if it does the airlines are assuring us that there will not be the same chaos that caused so much misery and upheavel last year.

I do wish that sometimes the press would be less melodramatic about these things, of course it will be a worry if this volcano does erupt, but until they really know whether it is going to or not and if it does the consequences personally I would rather not know.

Will Egypt ever recover from recent violence

The news has been constant over the last week or so reporting every last movement in Egypt following the resent unrest.

So many people travel to Egypt to visit the sites the Port Of Alexandria,The Pyramids and of course the Cairo Museum.

I found it so sad to hear reports that some people had raided the Cairo museum and destroyed some artifacts as well as trying to steal other items and that historical sites were being looted.

Many holidays have been cancelled and of course cruise lines have had to change itineraries to avoid the area.

Of course those booked to travel all through this year are now concerned as to whether their travel plans will continue and at this moment in time none of us can possibly know what will happen in the future and how soon it will be before the trouble has finished.

I dearly hope that there is an end to this soon as who knows what may happen not only to the Egyptian people but to this country filled with so many historical sites and artefacts that once destroyed can never every be replaced.
Egypt relies heavily on its tourist industry and as each day passes they must be losing millions in revenue from visitors from all over the world who want to see the marvels that this fascinating country has to offer.

French Collection an unusual 7 night cruise on the Balmoral

I recently booked some clients on a cruise with Fred Olsen on the Balmoral departing on the 1st August.

I thought I would bring this cruise to your attention because it is uniquely different from most 7 night cruises that depart in the summer from Southampton as normally they head down the western coast of France to Northern Spain and back oryou they travel up to Fjords.

This cruise departs from Southampton and travel to Joan of Arc's famous Rouen where she docks overnight giving you nearly 2 days to explore this interesting area of northern France. I myself lived in this area for a while 10 years ago and we spent many hours wandering through Rouen,which has quaint cobbled streets, lovely pavement cafe's and of course tributes to Joan of Arc. The area also boasts Monet's gardens as well as beautiful countryside.


Next she sets sail for St Malo, then on to the North Western town of Brest with its stunning beaches along the Brittany coastline, finally arriving in L'orient  to enjoy the interceltique festival before she returns back to Southampton.

For anyone that doesnt want to spend too many days at sea and is looking for something just a little different then this may be the cruise for you.

For further information please call me on 08004086115

Cruising the mediterranean - Trevor Macdonalds Secret Mediterranean on ITV

This week I was lucky enough to watch Trevor Macdonalds Secret Mediterranean....what a fabulous program this is for those considering a mediterranean cruise for the first time.

Trevor went to my favorite part of the world the beautiful bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast. Although this programme has nothing to do with cruising itself, you can see the wonderful scenery and of course get a glimpse of what you can expect to see if you find yourself on a cruise visiting Naples. He visited Naples itself, walked to the top of Mount Vesuvious, gave us glimpses of Pompeii and took a drive along the stunning winding roads of the Amalfi coastline.

Next he was in Barcelona, a place that so far I have not visited. Again he gave us glimpses of what Barcelona has to offer and an insight into Gaudi's  Sagrada Familia, I was fascinated by this building that may take decades to complete.

Finally he was off to Tangier, and although you didnt get to see alot of Tangier itself, we were able to see life beyond the cities and also where the mediterranean finishes and the Atlantic ocean begins.

For anyone who has missed seeing this series then I would recommend trying to catch it when repeats are on and tune in next week for the next installment in Trevors Mediterranean adventures.

Natural Disasters at ports of call what happens if you are due to visit?

Following the recent terrible news of floods in Australia,  and of course today the terrible devastation near Rio De Janeiro and in Sri Lanka obviously this makes some people nervous even if they are thinking of travelling many months ahead.

Our hearts go out to anyone who has lost a loved one or suffered terrible damage to their properties around the world due to these strange weather phenomenons that have happened over recent months.

When Madeira suffered so badly there were so many mixed reports, with the inhabitents being very concerned for their tourist trade and of course Rio, Sri Lanka and Australia will be worrying too.

What was very heartening when Madeira was hit so badly was that although some cruise ships decided not to dock there , there were also some that did as of course where the ships dock or where the excursions visit is not always where there has been any devastation.

For anyone visiting any areas that have suffered badly, then I would say do not panic as things can change so quickly as Madeira proved, and of course if you cannot visit somewhere it will be for your own safety.

Lets hope that these countries do not suffer anymore and that life can get back to normal as soon as possible and for those looking to travel to these countries whether by ship or by airplane that you are not too hasty in changing your plans.

Remember the tour operators and cruise lines will where possible try and get you to visit ports, and will only change things if they feel that they have to which will be for good reason.

A Busy Start to 2011

After all the doom and gloom of the past few weeks with our news packed with tales of woe, snow, flooding, birds dropping out of the sky mysteriously, threats of terrorism and worries of swine flu as well as the state of the economy, to be honest I was not sure how busy we would be in January when I returned to work after the new year.

However I am pleased to report that we are busy busy busy in fact we are busier than this time last year.

This just shows that the cruise industry is still as buoyant as ever and there are so many people who call who are booking cruises for the first time as well as those who have cruised previously.

I am so pleased that I work for a company that takes the time and trouble to ensure that cruise lines keep us up to speed with everything and they have such a rapport with the operators after 27 years in business that training is a priority and where possible we have visits to look around both old and new ships.

Those colleagues who have been in the industry for many years are always happy to share their experiences and we have many staff who have actually worked on board various cruise lines.

It is important when our clients call that we can give them honest opinions as lets face it we want them to return to us and what I am proud that I work with a lovely bunch of people of all ages who all have a wealth of experience in life and cruising/travel.

So often now when we speak to a call centre we do not always get the levels of service that we would expect, as companies do not always invest in their staff to keep a fine balance of age and experience.

We now have more staff  as our business is growing and growing and I am sure that it will continue to grow even more.