Derek Marks Blog - January 2011

Hello all – and I trust you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year celebrations. I spent a lot of my time in December talking to family and friends about how excited I am about going on my first ever cruise holiday in 2011.

Of course, once you start talking about cruise holidays with people you know – the stories start to flow. I tend to sit back, listen and absorb everyone’s different experiences. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that every one of the stories were positive. I have some lovely neighbours who are about to set sail to India for their umpteenth cruise holiday. They have said to me that the attraction for them is that they have the opportunity to gather various members of the family and all have a great time together. This hadn’t really occurred to me before, but the more I listened – the more I learnt. They said that it was a great opportunity to spend valuable and memorable times with the family and enjoy the onboard experience – as well as have their own individual holiday as they chose on the various excursions and experiences at the array of different ports.

As I’ve mentioned on the programmes, my parents went with family and ended up with a greater cruising experience as they could all make not only long-lasting holiday memories, but have that connection to the family as well. I think it’s an excellent opportunity.

I’m already starting to think now with the new year of doing a little bit of research on all the destinations along the way of our Norwegian fjords cruise in June (for details of the cruise – just look back at www.liverpoolcruiseclub.com/tv ).

Well, it turns out that another member of my family has been to the Norwegian fjords, so I’m picking up tips on the ‘must see’ places to go. Again, the joy of this particular cruise (and a number of cruises available) is that there’s no flying involved either. This is great if you have a fear of flying, or you just don’t fancy the upheaval of it all.

The more I learn, the more I discover that on-board a cruise ship you are not constrained by weight limits either. I like the idea of this, as with this being a first cruise – I want to make sure that I’m not caught out about what to wear as I become accustomed to my first cruise. So, that’s now not a worry at all. I can pack suitable clothes for the formal occasions, and take a wide variety of other clothes for all of that shopping, sightseeing and exploring that we’ll be doing as the Braemer makes its’ way from Dover via Amsterdam out to the fjords of Norway.

I’d love to hear from you if you’ve had the opportunity to take a similar cruise already. What should I definitely be planning for this trip? Why not e-mail me, its derek@liverpoolcruiseclub.co.uk well, as we start a brand new year – can I wish you all the best as you start to think about the holiday that you’ll be taking this year.

Talk to you next month, oh – and of course daily on sky 659 with John. All the best, Derek

Derek Marks

Presenter - Liverpool Cruise Club
derek@liverpoolcruiseclub.co.uk

Allure of the Seas by Nick Belger

WOW, a great opportunity arose for me to be one of the first to experience RCCL newest arrival the Allure of the Seas, part of the Oasis Class, the biggest cruise ship afloat.

We arrived a few days earlier in Miami, to enjoy North and South Beach, as well as Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road Mall, as well as enjoying a trip to an Alligator park and a much anticipated Airboat over the everglades.

We then transferred to the terminal at Port Everglades, ½ an hour by taxi, at first we thought check in would be chaos with the huge numbers involved, but having pre checked in on line, we already have our set sail pass with us, and on stepping out of the taxi we were immediately greeted and once we handed over our pass, our luggage was labelled and taken from us to be delivered to our stateroom. The space in the terminal and the number of personnel available throughout the check in process made it very smooth, and the people we encountered could not have been friendlier.

Less than ½ hour later we were onboard, straight onto deck 5 to be taken aback by the Royal promenade, in all her glory, with all the bars, shops, eateries you could wish for on one deck! My daughter’s favourite had already been spotted the Cupcake Cupboard, and this is the first deck!

We then made it to our stateroom, an outside superior balcony on deck 12, an adequately proportioned accommodation that would suffice our needs. With 2 beds, or made to a double, ample storage, a docking station/player for your Ipod/phone/pad, along with a lounge area and a comfortable glass fronted balcony, storage space a telephone and a TV that we could pre book shows, and excursions on.

We then decided to explore the ship and plan the next few days, up to the top first decks 16 & 17 and to the Viking Lounge, which provides a scenic view with relaxed and peaceful surroundings, ideal for pre dinner drinks or your night cap.

Down one to the Zip line, which terrified me, but obviously not for lots of people, don’t forget to use this you really need your trainers with you, fortunately I forgot mine so I had an excuse! No excuse though for the flowrider, so long as you are prepared for that fall, there is no experience like it, riding that crest of a wave for seconds!!

There are then two restaurants, the Windjammer, offering a fabulous buffet service for all meals, or the Izumi, an Asian restaurant of distinction. The rest of the deck is filled with sunbathing space and bars.

Down again to the main pool areas, a big and fully occupied childs pool and plenty of areas to soak up the sun and get wet, or heat yourself up in one of the many whirlpool. Get to the front of the ship, and there is the Samba Grill, an authentic Brazilian steakhouse. Also here is the adult only solarium a peaceful and warm spot.

Deck 14 has the Youth Zone, which has an array of different aged entertainment, and suits all ages up to teens!
Deck 12 – 7 are the main decks for staterooms, deck 9 however has Dazzles, set on two storeys, 9 and 8 decks, the lower deck leads out onto Central Park, a very soothing area with some great alternative restaurants and Cafés, including Vintages, a popular wine bar & Tapas . Here you can join the Rising tide bar and take down to the Royal Promenade on Deck 5!

Before getting to deck 5, there is the boardwalk fitness centre on 6, on Boardwalk you have the Carousel, Ice cream Parlour, more fun places to eat such as Johnny Rocketts and Rita Cantina, at the end of the Boardwalk, you can watch the intrepid people on the two Rock climbing walls available, as well of evening there being shows in the Aquatheatre, were you will amazed by the water shows on offer, whether that is with lights, water, acrobats or Olympic divers, magnificent!

Then there is deck 5 and 4, the main dining room starts here, the Adagio covers three floors in total, and on the promenade itself, shops bars and snack bars galore, from Champagne Bar to the Bow & stern, the smokers paradise Boleros, make yoru own pizza at Sorrento’s, have a coffee at Starbucks finally at the front is the Amber Theatre

Continue down ad deck 4 is entertainment place, with again the amber Theatre and your chance to see many shows, including the West End and Broadway hit Chicago, there is the Jazz bar, Blaze the late night club, the Comedy Live show, and the Casino.

And then why not see the Ice show on 3, what a show, which to our surprise included a face my daughter recognised from dancing on ice, Stuart Widdall, the whole show was inspiring.

The whole experience left us enthused, and wishing we had longer, we tried to do so much in such a short space of time, it really does have something for everyone, and nothing is left to chance, the check in, staterooms, food, entertainment, staff, and last but not least the ship itself, how do they do that WOW.

Queen Mary 2 by Richard Cross

I recently experienced 2 nights on board Queen Mary 2 with four colleagues and seven friends sampling the delights that this magnificent ocean liner had to offer.

We left Southampton from the Queen Elizabeth 2 Terminal and set sail for Cherbourg in France. We enjoyed a cocktail party on board before going to the main Britannia Restaurant for our evening meal, which was truly fantastic and can be cooked to your individual tastes and needs, we also enjoyed a bottle of house red wine which complimented the meal. After our evening meal we retired to the Royal Court Theatre to enjoy the comedian and impressionist who kept us laughing throughout the night. We moved on to sample the delights of the ballroom dancing in the Queens Room before partying into the small hours in G32 nightclub. After all the dancing we returned to the Kings Court to enjoy midnight snacks before bed.

On day 2, we decided to enjoy a traditional cruise breakfast in bed which was delivered by a friendly and helpful waitress direct to our room, the breakfast has plenty of choice and was freshly cooked to order. Breakfast was also available in all of the main restaurants on board.

We enjoyed a leisurely morning on board and took a tour of the ship from top to bottom. Whilst on the top deck we took part in some of the leisure activities including a 2 hour game of tennis and also shuffle board.

There was an array of food selection at lunchtime including hot, cold, carvery, burgers and home made ice cream! We filled up before taking a further walk around the ship to take in the panoramic scenery around Cherbourg.

In the afternoon we visited the on board facilities including the Spar, Gym, Table Tennis, Shops, Casino, Library, Internet Room, Art Gallery and even played some Monopoly on board in the games room! In the evening we again sampled the entertainment on board and partied into the small hours in G32!!

The staterooms were clean, spacious and to a high standard. We had opted for a balcony on this occasion which gave excellent views across the ocean. The facilities in the stateroom were top class, Cunard had provided a complimentary bottle of Champagne for consumption in the stateroom and the bathroom was again clean and full of shower gels/creams which were complimentary for all to use.

The staff on board were helpful, pleasant and couldn’t do enough to go out of their way and assist with any queries or questions. The cabin stewardess was also friendly and took time to talk to us each day asking what we had been up to and if we had a good time.

Disembarkation was quick and easy in Southampton at the new Ocean Terminal.

We are certainly all looking forward to our next trip on board this ocean liner.!

Derek Marks Blog - 3rd November 2010

Derek Marks Blog - 3rd November 2010

Hi Everyone, I thought as I'm off on my first cruise in June 2011 that it might be a good idea to write a blog in the run-up to the cruise, to share my experiences - and hopefully to hear from you along the way too.

You may know by now that it was a complete surprise to find out that I'll be taking to Fred Olsen's Braemar on June 11th 2011 for an eight night Norweigan Fjords Cruise. When I found out back in September, a number of questions came to my mind straight away.

A lot of people I believe have an outdated view on a cruise holiday. People do make certain assumptions - and to be honest, I had one or two pre-conceptions in my mind before finding out more. John Cooper and myself were lucky enough to go and visit the Boudicca while it was in at the Port of Newcastle. I must admit, my heart jumped when we drove in towards the Quay and saw the ship. Walking on board, I was taken by the sheer amount of space that there is on the ship. You somehow think that things will feel quite claustrophobic. Well, I have to tell you - it's far from it. From the Boudicca, I saw plenty of different spaces on board. Whether you just want to relax in one of the lounges, enjoy the variety of dining spaces or take up the opportunity of enjoying entertainment on tap - you'll always have a sense of space. Without having sailed as yet, I have to say that both times I've been on board that I have completely forgotten that it was even a vessel on water. Remember, in the UK in the last year - around 1.6 million people took a cruise holiday, and the number is on the increase. To be honest, I'm not surprised. All of those different destinations that you can enjoy - everything taken care of and you only have to unpack once.

The thing that I can't impress upon you enough is the feeling of belonging on board with Fred Olsen. The staff are attentive and plentiful. My parents have taken two cruises with Fred Olsen before, and had told me that they were very impressed by the level of service. I have now seen for myself why. I had to say that every member of staff that I saw (and remember, most of them had no idea who I was) was willing to help with a smile. From the crew in the cabins, to the check-in and security staff - everyone had time for you, and you are treated individually and made to feel special. Looking into Fred Olsens' history as a company I see that they have been sailing for around 150 years. It shows when you look at the attention to detail in what they have to offer, and the dedication of the team. After speaking and interviewing some of the key figures on board Boudicca, it was clear that a number of the team have been with Fred Olsen for a good, long time. That tells you something about them as an employer.

The more I learn, the more I want to know. It's nearly Christmas and I'm looking forward so much to my first cruise experience coming up in June 2011. Listen, if you are a potential first-timer to cruise holidays - what would you want to know. Are there any unanswered questions that you have? Why not drop me an e-mail and I'll find the answer for you derek@liverpoolcruiseclub.co.uk

Don't forget that we have an incredible discount for you on the cruise that I'll be taking. It sets sail on the 11th June 2011 from Dover and is an eight night cruise taking in Amsterdam and the Norweigan Fjords. We'll also be having an exclusive Liverpool Cruise Club Cocktail Party on board for this sailing - so call the team on 0800 655 6449 to get this amazing discount.

I'll talk to you soon

Derek Presenter - Liverpool Cruise Club

derek@liverpoolcruiseclub.co.uk

Ocean Countess by Nicola

Me and my colleagues Chanelle and Becky were lucky enough to be invited aboard Ocean Countess for a full tour and lunch.

Previously owned by Cunard as the Cunard Countess, it is now part of the Cruise & Maritime Voyages fleet.

We were given an extensive tour of the ship, which included the Holyrood Show Lounge, The Tower Piano Bar and Hamptons. There really is something for everyone on board including, a well stocked library, card tables and even an Internet room. If you’re looking to relax on board there is a gallery, gym with sauna and a spa, plus there are hairdressing and beauty facilities to pamper yourselves whilst at sea. Up on deck you will find a heated swimming pool, two whirl pools and a pool side bar.

We were also shown the cabins on various decks, which we found very clean and spacious and had everything you would expect to find in a hotel.

After our tour, we were taken to the Kensington Restaurant for a three course lunch, the food was fantastic with plenty of choice.

The staff onboard were very friendly and accommodating, no matter what you needed, they always helped with a smile, nothing was too much trouble for them.

If you are looking for a relaxing holiday, the Ocean Countess has it all!

Azura by Tracy Worthington

I recently went on the Azura....wow what a ship!!

Upon arrival we were greeted by the staff and directed to the restaurants & public areas whilst we waited for our cabins to be ready.

Shortly afterwards an announcement was made and we went to our cabin. I was amazed at the size of the balcony you could hold a private party on it! The cabin was also spacious with a separate area for clothing and storage.

The entertainment was excellent. There was always something going on of an evening from a show in the theatre to a comedian in the lounge – there was something to suit everyone. The restaurant was great the staff were very friendly and always willing to help.

I would highly recommend this cruise.

Queen Elizabeth by Marie

The Queen Elizabeth is very luxurious, reminded me of liners of a bygone age, with its wooden banisters & elegant dining rooms & spiral staircases.

The garden cafe is a lovely place to sit & unwind as it is very bright & airy as it has a glass topped roof. The cabins were big enough, bathroom a handy size. We were lucky enough to have a balcony cabin which in itself was huge. The bars are quite big & the golden lion has a very British feel to it so you would never get home sick.

All in all if you're after 5 star, Queen Elizabeth is the one.

Black Watch Iceland & Norwegian Fjords Cruise by Nick Belger

With our departure from the busy port of Southampton, we decided to drive down the night before and take advantage of a nights accommodation with breakfast, including car parking (upto 15 days) and transfer to the port included for £149, which the next day seem very good value for money as we were then relaxed and ready for the cruise we had looked forward to all year.

The Black Watch carries less than 1000 passengers, so is only a small ship, but provides enough facilities to keep us active for our two days at Sea on our journey to Iceland!

Our suite was based on deck 7, and was ideally located for Restaurants, bars and the Library, as well as being a comfortable sized room, with a separate bedroom area. We choose a late sitting for our evening meal in the Glentanar restaurant, which is on deck 6, although you can choose the newly renovated Braemar Garden Café, which offers a buffet service, so you can choose to dine at anytime from around six thirty.

The choice of menu for each meal, breakfast, lunch and evening meal, has something to satisfy all tastes, and if you cant find anything on the a la carte menu, then the buffet is always open! Even if that does not have your choice then just ask, and whatever you want, within reason, the friendly staff will always try and cater for you.

Then there is afternoon tea, which you can take the normal service which is normally served in the Braemar Lounge, and offers tea, sandwiches with a selection of cakes or why not try the Traditional afternoon tea, which is a supplement of £5.95 per person, and includes Teas from Taylors of Harrogate in your porcelain pot, finger sandwiches, dainty pastries and warm scones with Jam & cream, served by white gloved staff, and accompanied by Piano melodies all in the Observatory Bar.

In the evening along with having entertainment in every bar area, there is the Neptune Lounge which has a wide variety of Shows, every night of the week. After the shows we could then continue, if we wished, in the Lido bar, which offered entertainment to the small hours.

All this meant we were refreshed and ready for Iceland, unfortunately we were unable to stop at the first port of call Heimay, due to the weather and being unable to board the tenders, instead an alternative of a cruise around Surtsey, which is one of the worlds newest islands, and started forming in 1963, by a volcanic eruptions, and the island still is free from human interference, fascinating and eerie.

We then continued our cruise and because of missing the stop at Heimaey, we arrived a night earlier in Reykjavik and were able to leave the ship that evening to tour the city. The following morning all passenger left the ship most opted for the Golden Circle tour, or the Blue Lagoon, both of these tours, offer once in a lifetime experience and very worthwhile, although we chose the Blue Lagoon, which was very enjoyable and relaxing.

The next morning we arrived in Isafjordur, a small town, were the Black Watch towered above all the buildings, and as we found out from our walk out of the town, could be seen for miles so we couldn’t get lost. As I say here we choose to stay local and as it was a beautiful sunny winters day, the walk was made even more enjoyable and the stunning views around the area from every angle took on a new look, we then departed late afternoon sailing through the mountains in the calm waters, looking back over were we had walked to and regretting a little we had not walked around those last few corners!

The next morning we arrived at Akureyi, for an early start, as we only had till early afternoon, we had arranged a 4x4 jeep, which took us down unfrequented roads, first to Godafoss (“waterfall of the Gods”), you could see the mist from the waterfall for miles around and the spectacle was even better close up. When we arrived the coach trips from the Black Watch were already there, although they had taken the less bumpy route! We then headed with our informative driver to a more secluded waterfall, Aldeyjarfoss, with its contrast of black basalt columns and the white waters of the fall, a hidden gem that we were lucky enough to see, only those on the 4x4 tour!

We then were driven over some beautiful and changing landscapes to Myvatn for a coffee stop and to take a look over the lake, one thing we noticed was the quietness, no noise not even bird in the area.

We then made in back to the Black Watch in time for our departure from Iceland and our overnight cruise to Norway and Alesund, here again we had an early arrival and we took the opportunity to take a walk around the small but elegant waterfront, before heading back to the Black Watch for our tour, a cruise through the Fjords on a small cruiser, enabling us to get deeper into the Fjords, so they majestically rose dramatically above us, with waterfalls cascading from all angles, magnificent!

After making our way back to the Black Watch, we departed late afternoon to Bergen, here again we chose to walk into the town, there was choice to take a shuttle bus for £5 return, but we took a chance even though it looked as if rain was about to come, but there again Bergen does have 300 rainy days a year, so chances are it was always going to have some rain and it did not disappoint! Having said that, the journey was worthwhile, seeing the Old Town and taking the funicular cable car of Bergen, gives you a wider view of what the city and the area has to offer. Alternatively we could have done the popular Norway in a Nutshell, which operates all year and everyone who went on the tour said how wonderful and worthwhile it was.

We then headed for our last port of call Farsund, which is a small town, again and has the most fabulous beaches and small harbour area in the town, which was a walk away, or a shuttle bus was on offer for £5 return.

We arrived back in Southampton, with a quick exit from the Black Watch and then taxi back to the hotel to collect our car we headed home, for what was a very enjoyable and stunning cruise.

Black Watch by Tracy Worthington

Having booked a suite on the Black Watch we where invited to a VIP Lunch, this was exclusive to suite passengers & we were allowed to embark the ship before the rest of the passengers. I thought this was a lovely start to the holiday.

As Black Watch is not a large ship you get to meet the same people which I found very friendly.
The food was very good and if you wanted to change anything the staff were always willing to help.

The overall of the ship was good and the suites are very spacious. There was entertainment on every evening and if you preferred not to watch the show you could relax in one of the bars.

I would certainly recommend this ship and would happily book on to the Black Watch again.

Island Escape by Joe

I travelled on Island Escape around the Mediterranean late on in the season. Following a short flight from the UK, we had a very smooth and efficient transfer to the port of Palma and were checked in and on board with just enough time to pose for the embarkation photograph.

There was a really friendly, informal atmosphere on board the ship. As there are no set meal times on board you can pick and choose where you dine, and with whom. We did tend to go to the Oasis Restaurant for our evening meals, as I like to be waited on when I’m on holiday! The food was good, and there was always plenty of choice, and the service was excellent.

I booked a shore excursion in each port, which may not have been the best idea ever. I’m not an early bird, and often the excursions had quite early starts. That minor criticism aside, they were good value for money, and brought the ports of call alive. Although we went late in the season, the weather was kind to us, except when we went to Pisa where it poured with rain! The sea was flat calm for the entire week, and it was great to get out on deck and soak up the sun.

The entertainment staff on board worked hard to ensure we had a good time. There were plenty of activities to take part in if you wanted, but they were unobtrusive so you didn’t feel compelled to take part in things if you just wanted to relax. The shows in the evening were well put together. The bar staff got to know what your favourite tipple was, and service was prompt and friendly. Prices for the drinks were reasonable, and you can get all inclusive upgrades.

When it was time to travel home, the disembarkation and transfer procedure was as well organised as on the outward journey.

All in all, this cruise represented excellent value for money on a friendly and relaxed ship.

Holland America Line Maasdam by Jenny

We arrived in to the 3-deck atrium of the Holland America ship, Maasdam, which is dominated by a 30 foot glass sculpture, and were instantly impressed. Whilst being a fairly small ship by today’s standards & holding just 1264 passengers at maximum capacity, the ship was very spacious.

We began our tour of the ship, starting up on the lido deck. The pool area has a retractable roof, perfect if the weather isn’t so good. We then went through the public rooms on board, the casino, the buffet restaurant, the theatre & the bars & lounges, 1 of which has the same view of the captain, but 2 decks above the bridge.

There are 633 staterooms on board, with the majority being outside with window, and they are all a minimum of 182 square feet, a decent size compared to some of the more modern ships that average staterooms at 135 square feet.

The restaurant was light & airy, and spread over 2 decks. We were provided with a delicious 3 course meal & wine, and the staff were very attentive. We were told by several passengers how good the meals & entertainment had been on previous evenings, and a first time cruiser commented she was going to try & stow away!

All Holland America ships are currently undergoing major refurbishment, with the Maasdam entering the 2nd phase of the £350 million “Signature of excellence” overhaul in April 2011.

The ship will have new restaurants & bars, and will also feature the new Lanai staterooms, cabins which open up on to the promenade, so effectively having a shared balcony, but without the balcony price tag!

I would recommend the Holland America line for those passengers who want 5 star service, food & entertainment, with a 3/4 star price tag.

Diamond Princess by Tracy Worthington

Having always wanted to go to Alaska my husband & I decided to get married there. We combined this with a 6 night deluxe tour to Canada including the Canadian Rockies. What an amazing trip!!!

I found the tour was excellent with the friendliness of a tour operator who with this us for the whole tour.

After the 6 days we where taken to the Diamond Princess to join a 7 night cruise from Calgary to Anchorage.

From moment I stepped on board I couldn’t fault anything. The staff where great & looked after us the whole time. I chose anytime dining so I could choose the time I wanted to have my evening meal. I also wanted a table for 2 and because we where on the personal choice dining I got a table for 2 every night.

I found the show’s very entertaining and there was plenty to do during the day and night. The cabin was spacious and having a balcony made it worth while especially whilst you are traveling through Glacier Bay.

I would highly recommend this tour and cruise.

Fred Olsen. The Braemar in the Caribbean by Nick Belger

Spending the early winter months in the Caribbean is an ideal way to prepare you for the depths of the British Winter, and what better way to do it than on the beautiful Braemar, sailing out of Barbados.

We chose to use our own flights rather than Fred Olsen., which allowed us to tailor make our cruise/fly package, even though Fred Olsen. offered charter flights direct from Manchester to Barbados.

The earlier departure allowed us to enjoy Barbados a little more and acclimatise before making our way to our ship, which also stayed overnight in Barbados.

Luckily we had booked ourselves a Balcony Suite on the Braemar, and it was well worth it for the extras you get, first there was the welcome bottle of sparkling wine, as well as the fruit basket, and the flowers. We also had our bathrobes and slippers!

Then we had pre dinner canapés delivered every evening, and the free formal wear press, all included in the price, not only all this but a suite on deck seven, Bridge deck, so perfectly positioned.

In all cabins and suites, you have your own safe and on the TV set you can continually check your on board account, as well as pre ordering your wine each evening, and any excursions you wish to pre book. Whilst most people, understandably, lodge a credit card for their own account, we decided to pay it as we went along, so there was no need to lodge a card, which is great for more ‘controlled’ spending!

The ship itself was surprisingly spacious and we felt, well proportioned and suited us, although some may want the bigger ships that offer more activities on board, but we were quite happy with what was on offer.

Our restaurant of choice was our pre booked Grampain, although there were other choices the main Thistle and the informal buffet style Palms Café, which is were you can find the fabulous afternoon teas and the midnight buffets. We were given the later sitting in the Grampain was the smallest and most intimate of all the restaurants, but again suited us, with the Maitre Dee and our wine and food waiter giving us extra attention we well looked after, and chose this for breakfast and lunch too!!

The ports of call were varying and gave a wide variety of experiences, Trindad, Tobago, Jamaica, Tortola, St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia, to name but a few, but the highlight in the Caribbean after a full day of exploration is always sailing away from the pier, when the sun is going down, standing on the cascading decks at the stern of the ship, whilst the steel drums are playing, add to that the cocktail of the day in your hand, and you can appreciate how mellow and lucky you feel.

The other great thing is the cost of drinks on board, in £’s too, look out for the cocktail of the day, well worth a try and the choice of wine in excellent as well.

The bars and entertainment and shows gave a varied choice too, from the Observatory Lounge, were because of my suite 7007, I was referred to as Mr Bond all week, which obviously left an impression, and yes I know they call everybody that week in week out, but it does make you feel special, so there for pre dinner drinks, to the Neptune theatre after dinner for a show, before a night cap and start all over at a different Caribbean island tomorrow, I could go on and on!

Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines Balmoral by Richard Cross

I was lucky enough to enjoy five nights on board Fred. Olsen’s Balmoral Cruise ship last year visiting some great ports of call in France, Ireland and the Channel Islands.

Balmoral is Fred.Olsen’s largest vessel afloat, it carries around 1300 passengers and her name comes from the Scottish home of the Royal Family. Although the ship maybe smaller, when compared to other cruise lines, it is still big enough to offer all the facilities and entertainment that other cruise ships offer. This also means that the ship is able to get closer into ports of call then other larger ships.

There are a variety of cabins and suite accommodation on board, I can highly recommend the Balcony Cabins on Bridge Deck. The balconies have superb sea views and watching the sun set on the horizon from the comfort of your own balcony is a relaxing end to a perfect day on the ocean.

There are a number of restaurants on board, the main being the Ballindalloch restaurant which I dined every evening. Whilst on board, a member of our group had a birthday celebration and the staffs on board were excellent, all waiters sang round the table during our meal. The food on board is superb, there was a wide variety of choice and speciality requests were catered for. We also sampled the other restaurants on board Spey, Avon (both on Highlight Deck 10) and Palms Café (on Lounge Deck 7). Palms Café served an excellent buffet style selection every evening after the review shows, an alternative from the main restaurants. Breakfast was served in all restaurants, we ate in the Spey & Avon restaurants which provided excellent sea views. The Morning Light pub was a new addition to the ship in 2008, we took part in the daily quiz on the days we were at sea (although never won!). A fresh and light pub, named after a earlier ship from the Fred. Olsen fleet.

In the daytime, there were lots of activities to do on board. There was an Internet Room to keep in touch with emails and news from back home, plus a card room and a well stocked Library. In the Lido Lounge we also joined in the fun of the Daily Bingo, with a prize of £500 on offer…(I was very close to winning!!!) On deck there were two pools and a number of smaller Jacuzzis. Plenty of seating on deck was also available, sitting on deck in the blazing sunshine, topping up the tan, whilst we were in the middle of the ocean was fantastic…I didn’t want to come home! The gym and fitness centres were also available and provided good sea views whilst getting fit!

The nightlife on board excellent, after our evening meal, we would go to the Neptune Lounge and take in a review show or enjoy a musical. One of the nights was a themed night whilst another night we enjoyed a magical illusion show! The staff in the Balmoral Theatre Company were great and all spoke to us after the show. After the show, we would either go to Palms Café for our midnight snack or slope off to the Observatory Lounge for the Disco into the small hours of the night!!

It was sad to get off Balmoral, as I would of gladly stayed on board for another two weeks to sample to delights this fantastic vessel has to offer.

NCL Epic by Joe

I recently enjoyed a 2 night taster cruise on the brand new Norwegian Epic. This is the largest ship I have been on so far, and I was impressed with the huge amount of choice available on board. NCL operate a “Freestyle” Cruise without set dining times, so you can sample several different dining options.

There are 22 different choices for dining on board, from the very simple to the really grand. An absolute must is one of the dinner shows. The Spiegel Tent where your waiters are the performers is great fun, and why not take part in the Murder Mystery lunch there? Or visit the Manhattan Room where Elvis, Tina Turner and Madonna serenade you while you dine.

Out of the 22 restaurants, more than half are included in the fare, and some have a cover charge which I felt was worth the extra. The Mediterranean style “La Cucina” restaurant which overlooks the front of the ship was wonderful. I think my favourite, though, was Shanghai’s Chinese Restaurant. I had a delicious meal there as the sun was setting. Very romantic!

There’s so much to do on board, you’ll be hard pushed to fit everything in! Make sure you pack your costume to try the water slides, or to just relax by one of the pools. There’s a great adults only, open air bar at the rear of the ship, and a fun nightclub with beds by the dancefloor! I was impressed by the amount of open space on board. I thought such a large ship would feel crowded, but there was plenty of open deck to relax on and I never felt hemmed in at all. I did have a look at the gym and was blown away by the facilities in there (I didn’t use it though!).

The spa is amazing, and one of the saunas has picture windows. You can de-tox in the spa, or re-tox in one of the many bars! The Ice Bar is a first at sea. Do make sure you get to see the Blue Man Group in the theatre, but don’t sit too close to the front of the stage!

Night owls are spoiled for choice too. I really enjoyed “Fat Cats” Jazz and Blues bar, a smaller, live music venue. There’s comedy shows to enjoy, and a huge casino if you fancy a flutter.

There’s a massive choice of different accommodation on board, ranging from the Studios which are exclusively for single travellers, and have their own private lounge, right up to the Suites. I really liked the Spa Suites with the Jacuzzi in them! I think it’s worth treating yourself to an upgrade.

There’s plenty for families to do, and the kids’ and teens’ clubs will keep them occupied all day. There are 6 bowling lanes on board, and there’s an Aqua Park for the children, as well as the daredevil slides for the big children! There are rock climbing walls, and bungee trampolines.

Overall, plenty to keep everyone occupied all day.

Celebrity Eclipse by Joe

As part of the Cruise Convention in Southampton, I visited the Celebrity Eclipse. Of all the ships I visited during the convention, this was the ship that had the “wow” factor. We entered on deck two and were then directed to the Atrium to go to the top deck. The ride up through the height of the ship in a glass lift was certainly memorable.

On the open deck, I enjoyed a walk on the real grass lawn. You’re really encouraged to kick off your shoes and feel the grass under your feet. You can have a picnic, or play games on the lawn. The glass blowing show is just by the lawn too.

As the ship is so large, there’s a huge choice of bars and restaurants. There’s a bar with an ice top where your drink never warms up, and you can write your order in the ice. There’s also a large spa and fitness centre to burn off all those calories you add with the fabulous cuisine.
I felt that the service on board was excellent. The staff just seemed to know when you wanted something. The waiter in the restaurant never stopped smiling, and the wine waiter was very prompt and efficient. The lunch we had on board was delicious and beautifully presented. I think someone had told them all my favourite dishes!

There are several speciality restaurants on board, and I particularly liked the Tuscan Grill and the Qsine fusion restaurant. How do you like the thought of using a Rubik’s cube to choose your dessert? There are some really quirky design ideas on board, and the ship has a top quality feel. I was particularly impressed with the friendliness of the staff on board, and I can’t wait to get back on for a longer time.

P&O's Brand New Azura by John Cooper

I felt rather privileged being one of the first people to set foot aboard P&O’s brand new super liner Azura, as you would expect with P&O although the ship was brand new, it has a sense of style and warmth, with classic decoration that made it feel fresh yet contemporary.

After having a quick look around the state room, I had been given a balcony room, which I must say was fantastic, and well worth the extra, as it really does give you some open space all to yourself! The Stateroom itself was really well fitted out, complete with flat screen TV, with quite a few TV Channels. There was even tea & Coffee making facilities, which is great when you have just got back in from somewhere.

Next we popped off for a quick lunch. WOW the buffet at the Verona restaurant was unbelievable, and after a long drive to Southampton from Liverpool, it certainly filled a gap! We had lunch outside overlooking one of the pools, and in the sunshine it was almost as if you had been swept away to some Caribbean island, rather than sitting dockside in Southampton!

Next we had a wander round to see what this stunning ship had to offer, and there was so much! The Oasis Spa has to be seen to be believed, and the gym was so well equipped, I almost had a go myself. Well Almost! After the thought of all that hard work, next we sat and enjoyed a cool drink at the Breakers bar, watching people swimming in the pools below, I can’t believe how lucky we have been with the weather!

After getting ready for dinner, we wandered through the main atrium, with it’s impressive sweeping stair case and glass lifts with a band playing away, and people dancing, we stopped and took it all in for a while before browsing the shops, and there where some really unusual presents to buy!

As we strolled through the Library, passed the internet area, we wandered to the Glass House, a wine bar that has wines selected by the TV Wine expert Olly Smith, who was there ‘holding court’ advising everyone about the different wines, it was truly inspiring, and hopefully when you cruise on the Azura, he’ll be on one of your sailings.

Food, as I have already said is a grand affair on the Azura, and for evening meal we ate at the ‘Meridian restaurant’ I have to say the ambiance was really relaxed, yet the service was unobtrusive, yet efficient, and the food… well what can I say, everyone on our table deliberately chose different starters, and we where not disappointed! Everyone we spoke to had nothing but praise for the ship, as we laughed and enjoyed the tails of fellow cruisers we soon realised we would need to get our act together if we where going to be in time to see the show in the theatre.

The Theatre itself, is bigger than most theatres you will ever have been to, and the quality of the acts where to match, when we where on there was like a mixture of all your favourite west end musicals, and it brought the house down. When we finished there we wandered into the casino, and had a little flutter (well, you have to don’t you!) before moving on to the Malabar, where there was a tribute group on, and everyone was up dancing! We spoke to some people there who had just eaten at Atul Kochhar’s Indian Restaurant, and they where raving about how good it was. (Note to self: Try there next time!)

Eventually it was time to go back to our stateroom, where the bed had been folded back, and as we wandered on to the balcony, the world felt a better place. Pity we where only there for one night, as she sailed on her maiden voyage the following day.

After a rather good breakfast in the Verona Restaurant, it was time to take our bags and head back ashore, leaving this gleaming fairy tail of a ship behind. I was only there for a night, but the memories will last a long time… imagine having a couple of weeks on board!

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