Faz to Cruise
0800 408 6112
Virgin – Faster, More Reliable…
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?
Get Your Photo Showcased On Board Royal Princess
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
One For The Geeks – Floating Piers!
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.
Are You A “Ten Pound Pom”?
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!
Things To Look Forward To In 2012
That’s it, 2011 has gone and for me has been swept underneath the carpet! New year and a clean slate to start with. If you think a lot happened in 2011 then you’ll be pleased to know that 2012 is going to be a massive year. There are lots of great things happening that we can all look forward to from the Queens Jubilee to the Olympic games.
Here is a run down of what’s happening throughout the year… Read the rest of this entry »
Clothes Show Live 2011
What did you get up to this fine winter weekend? A few months back I booked tickets to go see the Clothes Show Live at NEC in Birmingham. What was I thinking at the time? I’m not exactly fashionable but thought I would treat my wife to something that she is fond of. It went down a treat.
The tickets arrived about two weeks before the event and when my wife saw the guest list she went crazy. George Lamb, who the heck is George Lamb?! Apparently a tall handsome chappy with a dapper suit and a silly hair cut. He was only on for 5 mins to introduce the fashion show itself which she found a bit disappointing. I was more interested in the female models and the girl band Parade. Hot, hot, hot!
Anyone else go to this or been to one before? Some of the outfits were ridiculous. I mean who would wear a backless coat. Can you imagine if you were a teen? back in the day daddy would have said “zip up and put your hood on” Looks like in the future it will be “put your back on”!
It was a good day out, even if I had to pay £27 each to gain entrance into an extra large shopping mall! The other thing was that you had to pay to get a gift bag at each of the stands ranging from £5 up to £10 and you didn’t know what was in them. I remember the last time I went the gift bags were free. On looking inside them the wife said they were worth it so it was ok I guess.
I was thinking if any cruisers went to these clothes show events to bag themselves some cruising gear in time for your winter cruises? I was there with my wife and we both mentioned it as a great timing for Christmas shopping and to get all the formal and casual wear in for next years cruises.
River Cruisers Are Going To Love This!
Have you done all the rivers around Europe and getting bored with the same old itineraries? Well I’ve got a bit of news that might bring some music to your ears. I know with the river cruises it is already pretty hard to get bored of an itinerary as you get to see different things each time, but it can still get a bit repetitive.
Behold Avalon Waterways. Pioneers in the field of river cruising, they are introducing some of their new builds solely to be placed in Vietnam and Cambodia. Perfect for those itineraries along the much loved Mekong. The ships will be built by local craftsmen giving a colonial feel and will compliment the itineraries to make them that bit more special.
Speaking to regular River cruisers of mine, it seems that you guys are getting that bit more adventurous with what you want to do. And with the river cruising industry becoming one of the fastest growing around, Avalon seem to have picked up on what the clientele want and are making an impression by delivering the goods. You could say they are pushing the boat out!
Anyone done one of the itineraries in Vietnam and Cambodia before? Who with and was it great?
Would love to hear some feedback.
Discover Egypt With Nile Cruises
Over the last two months or so it seems apparent that bookings for a cruise on the Nile are on the up. Being one of the more experienced members of specialists here with the River Cruising, I have taken a few calls for clients of mine asking the best option to do such a cruise. We end up looking at many a option with all the different suppliers available out there, but always end up coming back to one name…Discover Egypt.
In my opinion and most clients of mine they seem to offer the best option of doing such a holiday. The name says it all. They are renowned for what they do and are seen as the number one specialists when it comes to cruising on the Nile.
Why?
- Over 10 years of experience on the Nile
- Choice of standard 5* or 5* deluxe boutique style ships
- No hidden extras. All holidays include in flight meals, resort transfers and services of a local representative
- Weekly departures direct to Luxor from Gatwick, Manchester and Heathrow. Daily departures to Cairo from Heathrow also
- An extensive range of classic itineraries
You go out there and ask most people who have done a Nile river cruise and they will almost certainly mention the name of Discover Egypt or one of their ships. I like the way they give the flexibility of doing the same great itineraries but on different classes and standards of ships. It makes the holiday more affordable for those that thought it was out of their range. The main excursions are usually all included in the initial price as are flights so there is no extra outlay for that once you get to Egypt. Read the rest of this entry »
Your Money Is Safe With Us
I’m sure everyone has noticed that the travel industry has dipped over the last few months with all the recession and uncertainty with what’s happening to our economy.
Clients of mine that I speak to are telling me that some of the cruise deals out there are fantastic but unlike last year where they booked a year in advance they are more likely to wait until closer to departure to book. The reason being, that they are uncertain if the company they have booked with will still be there to look after them when it comes to crunch time. It is the fear of departing with your hard earned money that may go walkies if a company goes down the pan. Panic is spread by people seeing a massive company like Gills going bust and news stating that Thomas Cook are making cut back. Let’s face it, these are no fly by night companies, they are or were huge!
Which brings me to my point,
Why choose Cruise.co.uk to book early with?
Cruise.co.uk is a family-run business which began 26 years ago under the name ‘Victoria Travel’. We’ve come a long way since then – we’re now the UK’s favourite cruise agent and our website has millions of visitors. Only with us will you find unbeatable deals, unbiased expert advice, great customer care – and a wealth of information at your fingertips. Read the rest of this entry »
River Cruise Ships – How Do They Compare To Ocean Cruise Ships
As the cruise industry is ever growing and the demand and market for cruises increases, I thought that I would share with you how I would compare river cruising to ocean cruising.
Call it Faz’s guide to River Cruising for Dummies!
It’s quite simple. I will compare what I think a certain river cruise line is directly comparable to with a similar type Ocean cruise line.
So here goes…
The River Cruise Line and Croisi Europe = Thomson Cruise Line
They are both on the entry level of their type of cruise and offer an affordable option for those wanting to do this type of holiday and are on a budget. No frills, no gimmicks and what you see is what you get. A simple “you get what you pay for” springs to mind. You get good food but not quite fine dining and the ships tend to be a wee bit older. Friendly staff and a good clean standard and a lot of past guests travelling again. A 3* option at great value. Good if you want to break in to river cruising and give it a try without having to break the bank. Read the rest of this entry »
Networks
Catagories
- Activities On Board (1)
- Adonia Vs Artemis (1)
- Alaska (1)
- All Inclusive Cruises (3)
- Amarillo On Queen Elizabeth (1)
- America (1)
- Amsterdam (1)
- Arcadia (1)
- Azura (2)
- Azura Vs Ventura (1)
- Bad (1)
- Bad Experiences (2)
- Balmoral (1)
- Best Time To Book (1)
- Big Ship or a Small Ship? (2)
- Black Watch (2)
- brochures (1)
- cabin upgrades (1)
- Carnival (4)
- Celebrity cruises (2)
- Celebrity Eclipse Launch And Naming Ceremony (2)
- Change Of Itinerary (1)
- Christmas (2)
- Complimentary Upgrades (1)
- Cruise (1)
- cruise deals (1)
- Cruise line (1)
- Cruise Specialist (2)
- Cruise Travel Insurance (1)
- Cruising Myths (1)
- Cunard (4)
- Dancing (1)
- David Brent (1)
- Diamond Princess (1)
- Dining (3)
- Dining At The Captains Table (2)
- Dining On Fred Olsen Ships (2)
- Dover (1)
- E-Ticketing (1)
- Eastenders (1)
- engagement (1)
- engagement under the sea (1)
- Entertainment (2)
- ESTA (2)
- Europe In One Hour (1)
- fact and fiction (1)
- Family Friendly Cruising (2)
- Fastest Growing Cruise Destination (1)
- Fireworks In Hong Kong (1)
- Flight Seat Upgrades (2)
- Food (1)
- Fred Olsen Cruise line (4)
- Free children (1)
- Fun (1)
- Garden Cruises (1)
- Good (1)
- Grand Alaska Voyage (1)
- Gratuities (2)
- Guarantee Cabins (1)
- Help with Flights (1)
- January sales (1)
- kids (1)
- Kids And Cruising (1)
- Last Minute Cruising (2)
- m42 (1)
- marriage (1)
- MSC (1)
- MSC Magnifica – My Thoughts (1)
- MSC Melody (1)
- MSC Opera (1)
- NCL (4)
- Need A Four Berth Cabin (1)
- New year (1)
- No Flights Available (2)
- Norovirus (1)
- Norwegian Epic (2)
- Oasis Of The Seas (2)
- Oceania cruises (1)
- On Board Booking Benefits (1)
- P and O (3)
- port charges (1)
- princess (3)
- queen mary 2 (2)
- queen victoria (1)
- Queens Grill (1)
- RCI – Crown And Anchor (1)
- Restaurant (1)
- River Cruising (5)
- Royal Caribbean (4)
- Service (2)
- Should I book Directly With The Cruise Line? (2)
- skiing (1)
- Staying Fit On Board (1)
- Strictly Come Dancing (1)
- Strike Action and Cancelled Flights (2)
- The Best Cruise Line (2)
- Themed Cruises (1)
- Things To Do On A Ship (2)
- Thinking About Azura (1)
- Thinking About Eclipse (1)
- Thinking About Queen Elizabeth (1)
- Too Young For Fred Olsen? (1)
- Traditional Dining Vs Freestyle (1)
- transatlantic (2)
- Travel agent (1)
- Uncategorized (66)
- Visa (1)
- voyager of the seas (1)
- weather (1)
- weddings (1)
- What Sort Of Cabin? (1)
- What's New For 2010? (1)
- Which Cruise Line? (2)
- Why Should I Cruise? (3)
- X Factor (1)
Faz to Cruise
0800 408 6112
Virgin – Faster, More Reliable…
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?
Get Your Photo Showcased On Board Royal Princess
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
One For The Geeks – Floating Piers!
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.
Are You A “Ten Pound Pom”?
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!
Things To Look Forward To In 2012
That’s it, 2011 has gone and for me has been swept underneath the carpet! New year and a clean slate to start with. If you think a lot happened in 2011 then you’ll be pleased to know that 2012 is going to be a massive year. There are lots of great things happening that we can all look forward to from the Queens Jubilee to the Olympic games.
Here is a run down of what’s happening throughout the year… Read the rest of this entry »
Clothes Show Live 2011
What did you get up to this fine winter weekend? A few months back I booked tickets to go see the Clothes Show Live at NEC in Birmingham. What was I thinking at the time? I’m not exactly fashionable but thought I would treat my wife to something that she is fond of. It went down a treat.
The tickets arrived about two weeks before the event and when my wife saw the guest list she went crazy. George Lamb, who the heck is George Lamb?! Apparently a tall handsome chappy with a dapper suit and a silly hair cut. He was only on for 5 mins to introduce the fashion show itself which she found a bit disappointing. I was more interested in the female models and the girl band Parade. Hot, hot, hot!
Anyone else go to this or been to one before? Some of the outfits were ridiculous. I mean who would wear a backless coat. Can you imagine if you were a teen? back in the day daddy would have said “zip up and put your hood on” Looks like in the future it will be “put your back on”!
It was a good day out, even if I had to pay £27 each to gain entrance into an extra large shopping mall! The other thing was that you had to pay to get a gift bag at each of the stands ranging from £5 up to £10 and you didn’t know what was in them. I remember the last time I went the gift bags were free. On looking inside them the wife said they were worth it so it was ok I guess.
I was thinking if any cruisers went to these clothes show events to bag themselves some cruising gear in time for your winter cruises? I was there with my wife and we both mentioned it as a great timing for Christmas shopping and to get all the formal and casual wear in for next years cruises.
River Cruisers Are Going To Love This!
Have you done all the rivers around Europe and getting bored with the same old itineraries? Well I’ve got a bit of news that might bring some music to your ears. I know with the river cruises it is already pretty hard to get bored of an itinerary as you get to see different things each time, but it can still get a bit repetitive.
Behold Avalon Waterways. Pioneers in the field of river cruising, they are introducing some of their new builds solely to be placed in Vietnam and Cambodia. Perfect for those itineraries along the much loved Mekong. The ships will be built by local craftsmen giving a colonial feel and will compliment the itineraries to make them that bit more special.
Speaking to regular River cruisers of mine, it seems that you guys are getting that bit more adventurous with what you want to do. And with the river cruising industry becoming one of the fastest growing around, Avalon seem to have picked up on what the clientele want and are making an impression by delivering the goods. You could say they are pushing the boat out!
Anyone done one of the itineraries in Vietnam and Cambodia before? Who with and was it great?
Would love to hear some feedback.
Discover Egypt With Nile Cruises
Over the last two months or so it seems apparent that bookings for a cruise on the Nile are on the up. Being one of the more experienced members of specialists here with the River Cruising, I have taken a few calls for clients of mine asking the best option to do such a cruise. We end up looking at many a option with all the different suppliers available out there, but always end up coming back to one name…Discover Egypt.
In my opinion and most clients of mine they seem to offer the best option of doing such a holiday. The name says it all. They are renowned for what they do and are seen as the number one specialists when it comes to cruising on the Nile.
Why?
- Over 10 years of experience on the Nile
- Choice of standard 5* or 5* deluxe boutique style ships
- No hidden extras. All holidays include in flight meals, resort transfers and services of a local representative
- Weekly departures direct to Luxor from Gatwick, Manchester and Heathrow. Daily departures to Cairo from Heathrow also
- An extensive range of classic itineraries
You go out there and ask most people who have done a Nile river cruise and they will almost certainly mention the name of Discover Egypt or one of their ships. I like the way they give the flexibility of doing the same great itineraries but on different classes and standards of ships. It makes the holiday more affordable for those that thought it was out of their range. The main excursions are usually all included in the initial price as are flights so there is no extra outlay for that once you get to Egypt. Read the rest of this entry »
Your Money Is Safe With Us
I’m sure everyone has noticed that the travel industry has dipped over the last few months with all the recession and uncertainty with what’s happening to our economy.
Clients of mine that I speak to are telling me that some of the cruise deals out there are fantastic but unlike last year where they booked a year in advance they are more likely to wait until closer to departure to book. The reason being, that they are uncertain if the company they have booked with will still be there to look after them when it comes to crunch time. It is the fear of departing with your hard earned money that may go walkies if a company goes down the pan. Panic is spread by people seeing a massive company like Gills going bust and news stating that Thomas Cook are making cut back. Let’s face it, these are no fly by night companies, they are or were huge!
Which brings me to my point,
Why choose Cruise.co.uk to book early with?
Cruise.co.uk is a family-run business which began 26 years ago under the name ‘Victoria Travel’. We’ve come a long way since then – we’re now the UK’s favourite cruise agent and our website has millions of visitors. Only with us will you find unbeatable deals, unbiased expert advice, great customer care – and a wealth of information at your fingertips. Read the rest of this entry »
River Cruise Ships – How Do They Compare To Ocean Cruise Ships
As the cruise industry is ever growing and the demand and market for cruises increases, I thought that I would share with you how I would compare river cruising to ocean cruising.
Call it Faz’s guide to River Cruising for Dummies!
It’s quite simple. I will compare what I think a certain river cruise line is directly comparable to with a similar type Ocean cruise line.
So here goes…
The River Cruise Line and Croisi Europe = Thomson Cruise Line
They are both on the entry level of their type of cruise and offer an affordable option for those wanting to do this type of holiday and are on a budget. No frills, no gimmicks and what you see is what you get. A simple “you get what you pay for” springs to mind. You get good food but not quite fine dining and the ships tend to be a wee bit older. Friendly staff and a good clean standard and a lot of past guests travelling again. A 3* option at great value. Good if you want to break in to river cruising and give it a try without having to break the bank. Read the rest of this entry »