Blog Feed: Hannahs Harbours

Secret Life of a Cruise Consultant..... continued

Published on 2012-05-21 12:01:00

So what do I like to do best when I am not selling cruises? One of my favourite pastimes is watching my youngest son play cricket for Alvechurch and Hopwood Cricket Club, he is passionate about the game and I really enjoy watching him. I prefer watching him play cricket to rugby as the weather is much warmer during the cricket season. I can sit on the boundary in my deckchair with a flask of coffee and some cake and thoroughly enjoy the whole thing and I'm not suffering from acute hypothermia as [..] > read more

Snow in May?

Published on 2012-05-15 05:12:00

Well it's official, the world has gone mad. I have just looked out of the office window and it is snowing! Since when did we have snow in May? Are we ever goiing to get any sun this year? I find it all thoroughly depressing.To add insult to injury our phones and internet are down in the office this morning. However, every cloud has a silver lining, I have taken the opportunity to have a look at the new Princess itineraries for 2013. they will be launching their 'Worldwide, Exotic and Caribbean' [..] > read more

Celebrity Wine Cruise - is the wine the real attraction?

Published on 2012-05-09 13:54:00

Celebrity released these 'Wine Cruises' some long while ago and to be honest they didn't really seem to register on anyones Richter scale, barely a pulse could be felt. Yet all of a sudden they are flying out the door because Celebrity have absolutely slashed the prices and thrown in some almighty upgrades.Lets face it - the itineraries are as dull as dishwater, the time of year is not not brilliant for such an itinerary either, there is no actual wine thrown in, just talks and excursions [..] > read more

Complimentary Upgrades?

Published on 2012-05-03 13:37:00

At Cruise.co, in order to ensure that we have dotted the I's and crossed the T's, we go through a very thorough checklist at the end of each booking we make, with the client. We do this to ensure that the client knows everything they need to know and is happy with what we have booked and it also serves as a checklist for us too, to ensure that we have done what is required of us so that our clients booking and travel plans run smoothly.One of the questions we ask is "If the cruise line offers yo [..] > read more

Dancing On Ice.......

Published on 2012-04-28 14:27:00

Last night I went to the NIA in Birmingham to watch Dancing On Ice, the live show. This was a Mothers Day gift from 'the teenagers', and what a wonderful night it was. All the stars of the TV show performed as did Torvill and Dean. Chico even did his topless number! They all made it look so effortless but I'm sure its not! Sadly, there was no audience participation required so I didn't get the chance to show off my own personal Bolero. Their loss!If you are a fan of the show you need not miss ou [..] > read more

'Guarantee' Cabins...........

Published on 2012-04-22 13:39:00

You'll no doubt be aware that many of the cruise lines are slashing their prices at the moment for 2012 cruises, selling off their last cabins at rock bottom prices - not great news for those of you who booked early I know, but there are some bargains to be had out there for people who have played the waiting game. OK, so you don't get any on board credit or free parking but the prices reflect this.Nine times out of ten when you book at the last minute you will book a cabin on a 'Guarantee basis [..] > read more

How does your garden grow?

Published on 2012-04-15 11:40:00

Truth be told, I'm not the geatest of gardeners. I have quite a big garden, most of which is lawn and just a few flower beds and trees so no great skill required although I often wish that I had more time to spend in it so that I could make it more special.When I woke up to see the sun shining this morning I couldn't wait to get out there to start having a post winter tidy up as the flower beds are looking very sad indeed. Tonight I'm feeling very satisfied with my efforts. I've weeded and prune [..] > read more

More on board recipes - Sour Cream Soup.........

Published on 2012-04-08 12:43:00

Another little gem from Austria which I suddenly remembered while I was having dinner at a friends last night. She had made a fabulous watercress and pea soup, into which you put a big dollop of creme fraiche mixed with horseradish. It was absolutely delicious! Anyway, the creme fraiche reminded me of the Sour Cream Soup, or Austrian Rahmsuppe, > read more

On board recipes - Austrian Meatloaf........

Published on 2012-04-05 13:49:00

I may have mentioned, on several occasions, the Austrian Meatloaf that I had while cruising along the Danube on the Avalon Tapestry. > read more

So, just how safe is Cruising?

Published on 2012-04-03 14:05:00

As news came over the weekend of yet another engine fire, this time on the Azamara Quest, my daughter asked me why anyone would even consider cruising in the wake of the events of the last couple of months. She has only been on one cruise, and whilst I know the more seasoned cruisers amongst you will not be worried about this incident and general safety of cruising I thought that I should reassure those people who are not so experienced that cruising really is the safest way to travel, and that' [..] > read more

Avalon increases fleet to fulfil demand............

Published on 2012-03-28 13:26:00

For those sceptics amongst you who are yet to dip a toe into the wonderful world of River Cruising, who are still doubting me when I tell you that it is a wonderful experience not to be missed, and definitely one for the bucket list, here is further confirmation that there is a growing demand for river cruising.Due to the demand for quality river cruise ships Avalon is adding to its fleet another two 'suite class' ships with two full decks of balcony suites of 200 - 300 sq ft each with sli [..] > read more

Fantastic preview offers for 2013 from Avalon.........

Published on 2012-03-25 12:57:00

Avalon have just launched their 2013 sailings and let me tell you, they have some outstanding preview offers. The Ocean Cruise Lines could certainly learn a thing or two from them - this beats any 'early booking offer' I've seen, and remember, unlike Ocean Cruise Lines, the River Cruise companies do not cut their prices, they maintain them, and these preview prices will only be applicable until 23rd May 2013. You need to book a river cruise early to get the best price!A Taste of the Danube i [..] > read more

Fancy a river cruise for a change?

Published on 2012-03-18 14:37:00

There is no doubt that river cruising is on the up, infact many river cruises are sold out for 2012, and 2013 is booking up already. But why are Brits in the minority on river cruises? As I may have mentioned on several occasions I have done a river cruise along the Danube and it is one of the best things I have ever done, infact for me it knocked spots off ocean cruising. I loved it!What is it that the British public prefer about ocean cruising? After all, many of you must have covered mo [..] > read more

Will you be booking early for your next cruise?

Published on 2012-03-12 14:15:00

As March progresses thoughts as always around this time of year turn to launch which always happens in April. The cruise lines are already starting to send us their itineraries and prices for 2013 - 2014. It is always exciting to see where the ships will be sailing from and their new itineraries and ports of call, and its especially great to see new ships departing the UK. Each year more ships seem to be moving to the UK for part of the season. This is great for people who would rather not fly a [..] > read more

Just how user friendly is your Cruise Personaliser?

Published on 2012-03-06 14:14:00

Branded by the cruise lines as the perfect way to 'manage your own booking' the online Cruise Personaliser has been around for a while now, allowing passengers to check in before they arrive at the port, thus saving them time, and also allowing people to book excursions, pre-book drinks packages, order baggage labels and print off their own tickets. It all sounds very efficient doesn't it? But how user friendly are these systems really? Do we just tolerate them because we have to as this is [..] > read more

Ports of Call - Lofoten and Bodo......

Published on 2012-03-05 13:51:00

Where? Never heard of it! Anyway, if this is a new one to you then it's about halfway up the coast of Norway,on the right heading North. There are some great things to do here. For starters - Lofotr Viking FeastHeld at the Lofotr Viking Museum, which is a recreation of the largest Viking building ever found, the Chieftain and Lady of the house invite you to join them for a Viking feast in the banquet hall, which includes home-brewed mead. All this can be enjoyed while watching them make sa [..] > read more

Two Jews On A Cruise - must be worth a look!

Published on 2012-02-28 14:32:00

Just saw this advertised for tomorrow night and thought it might be worth a mention. I think it could be very entertaining. Wednesday night 9pm on BBC2.Wonderland is a series of documentaries about all walks of British life , and tomorrow night the programme features Gaby and Tikwah Lock, and Orthodox Jewish couple who have been married for 40 years and have never had a holiday.This is what it's all about:"Until last October, Stamford Hill's highly orthodox Gaby and Tikwah Lock -married for [..] > read more

Ports of Call - Tromso...........

Published on 2012-02-26 14:33:00

A wide selection of activities is on offer in this wonderful city. Again, specially designed weatherproof clothing will be provided where necessary.Kayaking - accompanied by an experienced guide you will gently paddle along and be able to take in the fantastic scenery in double canoes. No previous experience necessary. I never did master the Eskimo Roll!Scenery and Huskies - you will head to the Tromso Wilderness Centre where you will meet more than 200 huskies and their puppies.You will be [..] > read more

Do the cruise lines look after their loyal clients?

Published on 2012-02-22 08:52:00

We all know that the cruise lines have their 'loyalty schemes' such as Captains Circle and Penninsular and World Club whereby clients can accrue points and gain benefits from them, but are the cruise lines really offering passengers a good deal?I am beginning to question this, as are many of my clients!The cruise line brochures always encourage people to book early to get the best deals. They offer a discount if people book at 'launch' and often enhance this offer with some On Board Spend or Fre [..] > read more

Ports of Call - Kirkenes

Published on 2012-02-17 13:48:00

What can I do in Kirkenes? Lots of different things actually. The main thing to bear in mind is that you will need good, sturdy walking boots and plenty of warm clothing. Layers are good.Hurtigruten has a range of excursions on offer in Kirkenes which will be the turning point of your voyage.The Russian border - Kirkenes is the only town in Norway where East meets West. You will take a bus tour so you can experience the scenery in this area and various other places around the locality befo [..] > read more

Free Flights Offer from Hurtigruten..........

Published on 2012-02-16 14:08:00

This is a great offer from Hurtigruten who are offering FREE FLIGHTS on Classic Roundtrip Voyages on selected dates between 1st April and 5th May 2012.The Classic Roundtrip Voyages is the ultimate Hurtigruten voyage allowing you to see Norway at its Springtime best while calling into 34 ports and covering 2,500 nautical miles over 12 days. A real adventure for the more adventurous amongst you.The voyage will start in Bergen and take you right up into the Arctic Circle before returning to Be [..] > read more

Legendary Danube - 10 nights - Legendary Price!

Published on 2012-02-13 13:16:00

I don't very often put 'deals' on my blog but this one is just too good to miss. I booked this for a client on Saturday and just felt I had to share it with you.The Legendary Danube 10 night river cruise on the Avalon Tapestry.Sailing 22nd April 2012 with direct flights from LHR and home pick up (within 75 miles of the airport). Regional airports are still available at a surcharge.Ports of call - Prague (3 nights) - Nuremburg (overnight) - Regensburg - Passau - Linz - Melk - Vienna (overnight) [..] > read more

Hurtigruten... it's official... it's all about the excursions!!!

Published on 2012-02-07 15:05:00

Hurtigruten ships are working ships which sail up and down the coast of Norway into the Arctic circle - these are 'Arctic adventures', not luxury cruising with every creature comfort known to man. These cruises offer the chance to get out there and experience this wonderful corner of the Earth and all it has to offer in terms of scenery and great adventures in the form of their wonderful Shore Excursions. I am going to do a series of posts about the many and varied ports in Norway and the [..] > read more

British Man Missing after Falling Overboard............

Published on 2012-02-04 04:00:00

A 30 year old British man is missing after falling from his balcony on the eleventh deck of the Allure of the Seas, the worlds biggest cruise ship. The fall, which happened in the early hours of Friday morning, was also caught on CCTV.The Allure had been chartered by a Californian company, Atlantis Events for an all-gay cruise and was on a seven night voyage sailing from Fort Lauderdale to Cozumel, Mexico. The Mexican Coast Guard and Navy are still searching the area where the man went missing [..] > read more

Your River Cruise Questions Answered............

Published on 2012-02-02 13:21:00

Since our first ever edition of the River Cruise Brochure started to arrive in peoples homes last week I have been inundated with calls and emails. River cruisiing is taking off big time it would seem. As many people are new to 'rivers' I am being asked lots of questions about all sorts of things so I thought I would try and answer a few here for you. If you have any question that I haven't answered feel free to ask. I am always delighted to help Is River Cruising suitable for disabled peo [..] > read more

0% Single Supplement on 5* River Cruise Ships.....................

Published on 2012-01-30 14:35:00

Uniworld ships are like 5* floating hotels. Oppulent and luxurious are the two words which best describe them. Their motto is 'no request too large, no detail too small'. They are the only cruise line to be honoured by the Zagat Survey as 'Top in Dining' too.And for all you single cruisers out there that are tired of paying up to 100% single supplement the great news is that Uniworld are NOT charging Single Supplements on many of their itineraries this year. Isn't that great news!Take a look [..] > read more

If only the Costa Concordia had been a river cruise ship...............

Published on 2012-01-24 13:11:00

......... people would not even have got their feet wet!When I was cruising on the Danube last October we did safety drill as is the norm when cruising. We all got our life jackets from our cabin and headed up to our Muster Stations on the Sun Deck - there were three of these, one for each deck, very clever. Someone put some thought into that. I was thrilled to be with the 'top deck' passengers at No. 1 Muster Station, I do like to feel posh!Now, I hate cold water and as I stood there with my gr [..] > read more

I've just become a Page 3 Girl!

Published on 2012-01-23 14:00:00

I know, I'm as shocked as the next man but at the tender age of forty seven I have finally achieved my life long ambition - I'm all over Page 3............. of the new Complete River Cruise Guide! Not quite the Sun, but once you've had a look you'll have to agree this is a much more classy publication.For several years now we have been publishing the Complete Cruise Guide in January and it has proved really poplular as it is full of useful tips and information about cruising as well as some grea [..] > read more

Cruise.co.uk Party 80's Style..........

Published on 2012-01-17 14:23:00

We certainly know how to party at CruiseDot, and last Friday night was no exception. Our very own Tony Andrews was 30 years young and to celebrate the occasion his wife - our very own Grace Mitchell, organised a surprise party with an 80's theme.Those of you that know Tony will know he doesn't usually miss a trick but he didn't suspect a thing! For weeks the whole office have been planning their own outfits, Grace even organised one for Tony, but Tony was oblivious to the whole thing until he wa [..] > read more

Doing transfers the local way...............

Published on 2011-07-05 13:52:00

I was working on a package for one of my clients today and I needed to book them a transfer from Dubai to Abu Dahbi to join their ship for the voyage back to Southampton next March. I'd checked out various options, the usual, when one of my colleague > read more

A new service, pictures of destinations and Cruise ships

Published on 2011-07-04 04:37:00

Recently, one of my customers asked me if I would like to publish some cruise pictures taken by him, so other customers can see what they can expect at specific cruise locations. I thought this was a good idea, so that is why I ha > read more

Favourite Foods from your Travels.............

Published on 2011-07-03 08:42:00

It is quite usual on a cruise ship to find regional specialities from the port you have visited that day on the menu at dinner, which is a great opportunity to try things you wouldn't normally have at home. As you may have noticed, I love all things > read more

a first view of the Celebrity Silhouette

Published on 2011-07-01 00:48:00

On June 30, the new Celebrity Silhoutte left the construction location (Meyer Werft) in Germany.It is now on its way to be completed and prepared for her Inaugural Sailing on 23rd of July.I managed to get some pictures of the first part of this trip, > read more

Why would you book a cruise through me?

Published on 2011-06-29 16:25:00

Yes, why would you? After all, there are dozens of cruise agencies out there employing hundreds of agents, all of whom would be more than happy to book your next cruise, even offer you some discount, but let me ask you this - how well would they look > read more

Fancy Food and Fun Food Cruise Ship Style!

Published on 2011-06-25 09:53:00

As I was slapping my bangers and mash onto a plate last night, with little or no finesse, my mind wandered off to some of the food I've seen on cruise ships - not what you are actually served in the restaurants but the food creations that adorn the b > read more

Cruise Ship Carpets - MSC Opera

Published on 2011-06-24 14:56:00

It's been a while since I blogged some quirky carpets, but I just couldn't resist these fine examples when I was on the Opera on Monday! I've seen some wierd and wonderful carpets over the years on various ships and I have to say that MSC has some of > read more

MSC Opera - Great Ship, Great Food...............

Published on 2011-06-21 14:35:00

Yes, it really is, take it from me - I was on her yesterday.Before you say anything, I have read the reviews too, I've had the feedback, I've heard and seen the news reports about the engine failure in the Baltics last month, but I am prepared to sti > read more

L'Opera Bellissima? Vedremo!

Published on 2011-06-18 14:15:00

Having spent a week on the MSC Fantasia during her Maiden Season, you know I thoroughly enjoyed the Yacht Club experience. I am also a big fan of the MSC ships design and style, and readily admit to all their critics that the food on MSC is bet > read more

Discover Egypt Nile Cruise, 100% luxury!

Published on 2011-06-17 03:06:00

After some months of political instabily in Egypt, the country has now returned to "calmer waters". It is with great pleasure that I can provide you with some information about these very luxurious Nile cruises.Discover Egypt operates a fl > read more

Russian Visas - updated version on line from 1st July 2011

Published on 2011-06-12 06:21:00

This is certainly going to make life easier for all of us! The following announcement has just been made by the CIBT about this long-awaited update to Russian Visa applications:The Russian Embassy has confirmed that there will be a new online visa ap > read more

Voyages to Antiquity introduces new itineraries for 2012..........

Published on 2011-06-12 04:47:00

Whilst continuing to offer the historically interesting and picturesque ports of Greece, Turkey, Croatia and the Black Sea, niche cruise line Voyages to Antiquity has introduced six new Western Med itineraries in its 2012 brochure. The Aegean Oddessy > read more

Viking Helvetica, a great ship for a Rhine river cruise.

Published on 2011-06-07 10:07:00

Some of my customers will remember that I posted tips about river cruises in Europe some time ago so I thought it was about time I did a few more. I often talk to clients who have just returned from a River Cruise saying almost how 'refreshing' this > read more

Do we need another ex-UK Superliner?

Published on 2011-06-03 06:53:00

P&O have this week announced that they will have a new 141,000 tonne ship operating out of Southampton from March 2015.The ship is currently being built by Italian ship builder Fincantiri, and once completed will carry 3,600 passengers.We al > read more

Royal and Celebrity extend their Free Parking offer......................

Published on 2011-06-01 14:11:00

Great news for people who had not got round to booking their 2012 cruise by 31st May. The Free Parking offer on Eclipse and Independence sailings has been extended until the 31st July 2011 so you still have time to make the most of this.It is well wo > read more

Does the food on Cunard still cut the mustard?

Published on 2011-05-26 10:04:00

I seem to be getting more and more negative feedback from clients about the standard of food and service on board the Cunard ships. What has happened to the 'White Star Service?' people are asking, and I'm curious to find out what people think about > read more

Will you receive baggage labels for your next cruise?

Published on 2011-05-21 13:03:00

If you are a seasoned cruiser you will have noticed quite a change in recent years in the way the cruise lines produce pre-cruise information and travel documents.With most of the cruise lines, gone are the days of glossy books of Shore Excursion ava > read more

MSC pull out all the stops after engine failure on the Opera.......

Published on 2011-05-16 07:31:00

No doubt you will have seen the news reports regarding the Opera and the engine failure, or explosion, that occured on Saturday in Baltic waters. This is not a unique event. Unfortunately things do sometimes go wrong on cruise ships, and it isn't jus > read more

A magical pre-christmas cruise on Arcadia...............

Published on 2011-05-09 09:44:00

.......... with Derren Brown on board to entertain you. What a fantastic pre-christmas treat this would be for the family - a magical start to the festive season!Sailing from Southampton on the 12th December 2011 and visiting Zeebrugge and Le Havre. > read more

High 5 your next cruise with MSC..........

Published on 2011-05-03 09:33:00

With prices for cruises seemingly increasing at a rate of knots and significantly fewer 'extras' being offered by many cruise lines, MSC make a really refreshing change to the norm.Not only are they offering some superb prices for 2012, they are givi > read more

Favourite River Cruise Destinations - to inspire you!

Published on 2011-04-28 06:15:00

With the increasing popularity of River Cruises I have collected a top 10, only my opinion of course so please have a look for some inspiration. If you have any suggestions, or have done a river cruise that you would recommend please let me know so t > read more

Call Centre funnies.................

Published on 2011-04-22 07:52:00

Sent to me by my client Tony from Hull who sends me a few funnies every day - they always make me smile. These are particularly relevant, working in a call centre, although naturally non of my clients are so stupid. Anyway, I thought I woul > read more

Secret Life of a Cruise Consultant......... I'm getting smaller!

Published on 2011-04-21 14:20:00

You may remember me telling you a couple of weeks ago that I had joined Weight Watchers. Well I'm really excited to be able to tell you that I have lost my first stone in just four weeks. I am so thrilled, and already I can feel the weight loss.My go > read more

All Inclusive Boutique Style River Cruising................

Published on 2011-04-20 14:04:00

APT River Cruises have been around for 83 years but this is a product that is quite new to me, and one that I find really exciting. It is 'boutique-style', luxury and it is river cruising at its best I think. I'm sure that many of my clients are goin > read more

MSC Cruises - the Yacht Club Experience

Published on 2011-04-14 09:09:00

A couple of years ago a colleague and I were offered the chance to sample MSC at its best, travelling in style in their 6* Yacht Club, on the Fantasia. I was unsure what to expect, as I really didn't have much knowledge of MSC prior to the trip, so o > read more

m/s Paul Gauguin to undergo multi-million $ refurbishment for 2012

Published on 2011-04-14 05:25:00

Exciting things are happening in the cruising world of Paul Gauguin for 2012 - a major refurbishment, exciting new itineraries and free flights from LA on all voyages. You can even experience Whale Watching!- Refurbished Ship, New Itineraries & 1 > read more

What makes a River Cruise such great value for money?

Published on 2011-04-07 12:12:00

One of the main things is that all Shore Excursions are included, so you don't need to budget extra for them as you do on any other type of cruise. Shore excusions can be very costly indeed - but not on a river cruise!I thought I would give you an ex > read more

Secret Life of a Cruise Consultant - Dancing Queen...............

Published on 2011-04-01 13:44:00

We are now five or six lessons in to our Salsa classes and our progress has been amazing, even if I do say so myself! We are doing the Mambo like old pro's, and our 'Hip Hop Suzie Q' has to be seen to be believed! The Mambo Cuban Turn we learnt on Tu > read more

Great Deals on Grandeur of the Seas.................

Published on 2011-03-26 14:51:00

If you're looking for a great cruise deal this summer then look no further than the Grandeur of the Seas sailing weekly out of Palma Majorca all through summer, which is ideal for families as it is a really short flight.If you are not familiar with R > read more

Fantastic singles prices on Nile Cruises.........

Published on 2011-03-21 15:08:00

I booked a fantastic Nile River cruise today for a single chap with Discover Egypt, and I had to share it with you. I get so many calls from people who find that single supplements make the cruise they fancy beyond their budget, but I was really impr > read more

Experience the Romantic Danube with a Viking River Cruise.................

Published on 2011-03-20 09:13:00

Having been in the cruise industry for some years now I'm noticing the increasing popularity of river cruises. I'm booking more and more over recent months and it isn't difficult to see why - they have so much to offer and at great prices.I booked a > read more

Discover Tahiti and French Polynesia with ms Paul Gauguin.............

Published on 2011-03-17 15:42:00

So, you've done the Med, the Baltics and the Fjords. You've sailed Transatlantic and cruised through the Panama Canal. Now you fancy something more off the beaten track, something a bit special and not so commercialized. Have you even heard of Paul G > read more

Two Gardeners and a Gardner........ celebrate 20 years of Gardeners World

Published on 2011-03-17 07:09:00

It’s all about Anniversaries this month! I thought I would share this great photo with you - don't you just love a lad in a checked shirt! They all have a very cheeky look in their eye, as though they have been up to no good! Our very own Andrew Ga > read more

Voyages of Discovery - niche cruising at its best...............

Published on 2011-03-14 15:41:00

Voted Best Niche Cruise Line at the British Travel Awards 2010 and Best Lectures at Sea in the same year, Voyages of Discovery have just the one ship. And the key to their success? Simplicity.At only 20,000 tonnes and carrying just over 6 > read more

P&O 175th Anniversary in 2012

Published on 2011-03-10 12:44:00

They say that time flies by ever faster as you get older and it's right! I can't believe that another year has flown by and we are pre-registering people for cruises 2012 and 2013 already.There are so many exciting new itineraries and destinations on > read more

My 'Bon Voyage' call with a twist.............................

Published on 2011-03-05 11:42:00

The strangest thing happened to me on Wednesday afternoon and I just had to share it with you all. If you regularly book your cruise holiday through www.cruise.co.uk you will know that we always call our clients just before they travel to wish them B > read more

Fuel surcharges on cruise ships - they're back, and bigger than ever........

Published on 2011-02-28 13:45:00

No surprises then, as I think we've all seen it coming for a while. Fred Olsen have already increased their surcharges as have Cruise and Maritime, and today Cunard, P&O and Princess have increased their surcharges to £6.00 per person per day. T > read more

Beat the credit crunch with MSC Cruises!

Published on 2011-02-25 12:58:00

For those of you who think that a cruise is out of the question this year because you're having to tighten the purse strings, then think again! MSC, the Italian cruise line, have some absolutely awesome offers on their ex UK sailings. They are extend > read more

Sir Terry Wogan - not that old cherry on my blog again!

Published on 2011-02-21 14:37:00

Don't you just miss him in the mornings? Honestly, it's a wonder I even bother to get out of bed at all these days. Chris Evans just doesn't have the same appeal.Anyway, the good news is, Sir Terry Wogan is still alive and kicking and was recently as > read more

Walk on Water with Celebrity Cruise Lines.................

Published on 2011-02-16 13:23:00

Yes it's true, you really will be able to walk on water! Celebrity cruise lines are introducing a number of exciting changes and new features across their fleet and one of the things they are introducing is Water Walkerz - think giant human hamster b > read more

The Secret Life of a Cruise Consultant.....

Published on 2011-02-15 12:06:00

Salsa Dancer ExtraordinaireOne of the great things about being on a cruise ship, second only to the food of course, is hitting the dance floor later in the evening. Whether it is the night club for a boogie or more formal dancing I just love it all. > read more

Rugby World Cup tickets up for grabs!

Published on 2011-02-10 15:03:00

Well this is just blooming marvellous! I'd just been reading the latest e-blast to arrive from www.cruise.co.uk (yes, we get them too!), and I wandered off to make a cup of coffee. Within a couple of minutes Tom, my rugby playing son, appears in the > read more

The Secret Life of a Cruise Consultant.....

Published on 2011-02-06 13:55:00

Rugby Groupie.......Be it cold, wet, or windy, most Sunday mornings you can find me on the touch line watching my youngest, Tom, playing Rugby and cheering him on. He has played for Kings Norton Rhinos on and off for almost six seasons. Today we play > read more

Thought for the day........................

Published on 2011-02-02 03:02:00

In the busy lives that we lead these days it is easy to get bogged down when you are in the thick of it and not be able to see the wood for the trees. After a busy January here in the office at cruise.co.uk I'm certainly feeling a bit like that. > read more

P & O to the rescue.................

Published on 2011-01-26 09:55:00

Once again the cruise lines come good. Last year I reported what Royal Caribbean were doing to help in Haiti and now it is the turn of P &O. P&O Cruises Arcadia and Aurora will be the first British cruise ships to call into Brisbane following > read more

Cunard - Simply the Best............. yet again!

Published on 2011-01-19 13:50:00

Cruise passengers have voted Cunard to be the best cruise line for the third year in a row according to our Cruise Passenger Ratings Survey which has been released this week.Our Reviews section on the cruise.co.ukhttp://www.cruise.co.uk/cruise-review > read more

New Oceania Marina - an Epicureans Dream!

Published on 2011-01-13 11:12:00

We have just received a really exciting press release from Bernie Carter of Oceania Cruises informing us that the new Marina is the 'first ever cruise ship built for Epicureans'. So, before writing this I had to refer to my good friend Google to ask > read more

New York Rendevouz for the three Queens of Cunard.................

Published on 2011-01-13 07:58:00

For the first time in three years all three Cunard ships will sail into New York today, and naturally the Americans will be celebrating.It will be the first time that these three particular ships have met. Queen Mary will dock at Red Hook, Brooklyn w > read more

Happy New Year....... and Happy Cruising!

Published on 2011-01-07 05:40:00

Well folks, it's that time of year again. The phones are ringing off the hook and the office is buzzing - it's Sale time! All the savvy cruisers are booking up now and getting the best deals for this years cruises.All of the cruise lines are offering > read more

New Years Day - a time to remember Robbie.................

Published on 2011-01-02 07:12:00

New Years Day you can usually find me curled up under a duvet on the sofa watching an old film, but yesterday my youngest son Tom and I went to a football match at the Bromsgrove Rovers ground.In July 2009 Robbie Laws, a great friend of my daughters > read more

So, that was the Christmas that was............

Published on 2010-12-31 07:21:00

As I sit here and write this, I'm not entirely sure where the past week has gone. It's just been a blur. Here we are with New Years Eve upon us already and Christmas seems such a long time ago.Christmas in the Wilson household was a great day which I > read more

It's Chrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssssstmas!!!!!

Published on 2010-12-23 09:26:00

Well folks, I'm finishing now for my christmas break. A huge thank you to all of you who have read my blog, commented, Rated my Service and booked with me over the last twelve months.I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and here's to 2011! I lo > read more

Reindeer Dogs spotted in Alvechurch

Published on 2010-12-21 14:44:00

Just had to share this with you. How cute is my little Jack Russell Poppy! She is already getting into the Christmas Spirit, having just about finished sulking about being left with friends while the kids and I went off on our cruise.She is loving th > read more