Faz to Cruise

Dear all,

Just to let you know I have been promoted here at Cruise.co.uk and have joined the Marketing team as a Product Manager to look after River Cruises & some Niche cruise lines.

Exciting times and obviously I will still be around, but you may be thinking now….’who is going to look after me?’ No need to worry, there are people here as good as me who take just as much pride in looking after their customers! So, I would like to introduce Stuart Carlson, who I have worked closely with anyway as with started together 3 years ago and I can confidently say that you will be in safe hands.  Please feel free to contact Stuart for any reason on 0800 408 6105 or email stuartc@cruise.co.uk  – he will be delighted to help.

To find out a bit more about Stuart and see comments from many of his own satisfied customers, please visit his personal blog www.sailwithstuart.blogspot.co.uk.

Finally, thank you for making it so enjoyable in booking cruises over the last 3 years, but as one door closes, another one opens.

Happy Cruising.

Thanks again.

Faz

Have you ever been on a cruise holiday and got talking to fellow passengers – the age old conversation of “what cabin grade are you in?” – You have replied all chirpy and happy and said that you are in an inside cabin only to get shot down by the other saying they are in an outside or balcony with a look of disgust on their face. Does the class system still exist on cruise ships or is it a few minority of the “old school” that categorize in this way?

I for one, did my honeymoon on the Celebrity Solstice last July and I was perfectly happy with my inside cabin on deck 9. Sure, I would love to be able to have a balcony but my finances just do not permit it. Does that make me lower class? – I think not. I had the £3000 to fork out on the holiday in the first place. I’d hardly say that was cheap. I would be disgusted if someone frowned at me for having an inside cabin.

A lot of people choose to have an inside cabin out of choice. They pure and simply can’t justify paying the extra to have a window when you are only going to be in your cabin to sleep and shower. I have a fairly well off client who is a barrister who when sailing Cunard always has one of the Grills suites but when he sails with any other cruise line he always has an inside cabin as they are his interim holidays. The Cunard suite is always his main holiday for the year. I’m sure he would have a thing or two to say on the matter. Read the rest of this entry »

Do I get annoyed when I get referred to as a “Travel Agent”? The answer is a resounding YES. It is an easy word to use to associate with someone who you choose to book your holiday with. Whgat do I like to be called then you ask? Well, I would see my self as a Cruise Specialist. It is after all the only thing that I specialise in. A travel agent on the other hand deals with a wide variety of produsct on a daily basis and mainly have training in the field of land based holidays. They may give you a sound suggestion from general knowledge but start asking cruise specific questions and 9 times out of 10 they will have to go away and find the answer. Read the rest of this entry »

I have just been reading an interesting post on our forum about the introduction of sugar tax. The French already have it in place since the 1st January 2012 where you have to pay an additional tax on sodas and fizzy drinks. Whilst it sounds like a good idea in principle what are the effects in this were to happen in more countries. Notably the USA and UK.

It seems a great way of tackling the ongoing obesity problems that we have in this country but another tax on top of the enormous ones we already pay out?

Such tax would surely have a knock on effect onto the likes of a cruise holiday. The cost of drinks on board a U.S vessel is already sky high and a sugar tax would surely make the prices even more expensive and not affordable to many. Could it be another excuse for the cruise lines to inflate the costs of cruising even higher?

What do you think? Sugar tax a good idea or not? and with what implications??

Could they go as far as to be discriminative and call it a “Fat Tax” – after all that is what they are implying aren’t they?

You can see the discussion on the cruises.co.uk forum by clicking here

Costa Cruises are back in the limelight this afternoon after it has emerged that the Costa Allegra that is carrying over 1000 people caught on fire around the generators. The ship is adrift in the Indian Ocean some 250 miles from the coast of the Seychelles and without power.

The coast guard has confirmed that all the passengers are safe and that the blaze has been put out.

Just when you thought that Costa Cruises were picking themselves back up and dusting themselves down another major strike goes against them. How will holiday makers take the news and will they be able to reagin trust in such a huge cruise line. Will Costa be able to get back up again. It is such a shame and sheer coincidence for something like this to happen and to the same cruise line.

Costa – that name just keeps popping up in the media! – It remains to be seen how they will react and how the possible cruisers will react to the latest in the adventures of Costa Cruises.

What do you think?

Is it just a small scratch on the surface or will it have a huge affect on the industry?

Hi all! Yes, I am back after a weeks holiday in Paris. Rather than fly out their I decided to brave the wrong side and take a drive. 785 miles there and back according to the mileometer on the old vehicle. It was surprisingly easier than I thought. From Nuneaton to Folkestone took about 3 hours and after 20 minute wait at the terminal I was in Calais in 35 minutes. From the terminal you drive straight out ontop the motorway and it’s a straight road all the way to Paris that takes around 2 hours 45 minutes.

For those of you that are interested the tunnel cost £140 which included European breakdown cover and allows upto 9 passengers depending on the vehicle you are taking. No luggage restrictions either. The toll road in France costs just under 20 Euros each way and in my 1.8 Petrol car, the fuels cost around £190.

It was the first time I had driven to Europe and from being really edgy about doing it, I am now in a position to say that it was well worth it and I will definitely drive there again.

What is there to do in Paris though if you are only there for a short while?

My suggested places to visit are:- Read the rest of this entry »

I was really disappointed on Saturday as I had to leave from the office early and head home due to the snow conditions. I got home safely but later on at night I lay in bed and thought to myself, “Gosh, I wish I had Virgin”! Virgin is much more reliable and faster and works in the cold weather. I looked at the Sky with disgust.

What were you thinking hey? – I’m on about the telecoms and tv provider! I was lay there and the Sky TV went haywire on me. It kept saying there is no signal being received and to contact your operator. I tried unplugging, resetting, throwing the remote but nothing worked. I gave up and went to bed in the end. That’s exactly what I wanted on a Saturday night in the freezing cold, indoors and no tele to watch.

I thought to myself that you don’t get this problem with Virgin Media. It turns out my whole area had the same problem all due to a bit of bad weather. Not great on the part of Sky TV. I find it annoying enough when I get on a cruise ship and the signal is all flakey. What is the point?

Did anyone else have any trouble with the snow at the weekend. I know this morning I struggled getting into our car park. I had 3 people pushing me to get up the hill. I don’t understand why us British can’t cope with a bit of snow. Makes me wonder what it would be like to live where it snows all the while!

Are you feeling snowed under or a bit under the weather today?

That’s right guys and gals, you read the title correctly. You have a chance to have your best cruise vacation shot showcased along the corridors of the brand new Royal Princess when she is unveilled in 2013.

Princess have launched a ’1000 memories at sea’ contest and along with having your shot showcased on the ship you will have a chance to win a cruise for two on the Royal Princess and yes, they will include the flights too!

“The contest will be judged by a panel which is looking for  creativity, originality, style and images that capture the spirit of  what it means to ‘escape completely,’ the Princess tagline.

Judges include Princess executives Rai Caluori, evp fleet operations;  Teresa Anderson, vp interior design, and Ian Johnson, director of  photography and video.” (Quote from Seatrade Insider News)

If you feel you have the talent and have a picture that you have been showing all your friends then upload your pictures on Facebook at princess.com/royalprincesscontest

Good luck

I have just come across an article on the internet and thought this is one that I have got to share with the geeks of cruising who always ask “how?”

Skjolden in Norway have announced that they will be the first to take up this innovation and build a floating pier called SeaWalk. This brushes aside the older conventional concrete style ones. The advantages are great. Build time is the same of that when you make a baby compared to over two years for the conventional method. The costs are also far less meaning cheaper cruises maybe by the way of a lesser port tax?

Add to this and the fact that there will be little or no environmental impact, it makes for a very sensible way for the future. You could say that this development is very significant in the history of cruising.

Crannell, a leading port infrastructure expert, described SeaWalk’s operation as ‘simple.’ When a ship  arrives at the destination, its bow line is secured to a mooring buoy  and its stern lines are attached to a pair of shore-based bollards. Then  SeaWalk self-deploys from a parked position and is connected to the  ship’s side at the passenger doors. Crannell said this makes ‘a safe and  seamless connection between ship and shore.’

The amazing thing is that the whole pier can be folded and put away after the ship has left, meaning it can be removed or even placed elsewhere during hurricanes and bad weather. Plans are in place for Seawalk to be up and running by the end of summer and a whole lot of other potential sites where the water is deep enough have already been identified.

Yes, I mean Pom as in Aussie! – there, I said it. If you are a “ten pound pom” then you will be very aware that millions of Britons travelled to the Australia under the Assisted Migration Scheme after World War II. These people travelled for a fare of just £10!

The mojority of these people travelled by ship and had to be in good health and uder the age of 45. They were keen to migrate with the promise of housing, employment and a much better lifestyle.

Good news Poms, to celebrate a 175th anniversary, P&O Cruises are inviting 175 “Ten Pound Poms” and their partners to an extremely special lunch on board the very beautiful Oriana. The lunch will take place in Sydney Harbour on the 23rd February.

All you have to do is write in a 175 words or less your favourite memory of arrriving in Australia as a Ten Pound Pom.

The competition closes on the 27th January so if you know anyone who would qualify get them on Skype or send them an email making them aware!

I would love to know if anyone reading this is elegible. Let me know!