Grandeur of the Seas by Jenny

We joined Grandeur of the Seas in Palma, Majorca.

The transfer to the ship was very quick, just 20 minutes by bus. Check in was very quick, as we had already printed our “set sail” passes before travel – this is well worth doing as it saved a lot of time. Those who had not printed this were waiting over an hour in a queue – not the best of starts in 30 degree weather!

As we boarded the ship, there were plenty of staff waiting to show us the way to go to get to our cabins or the nearest bar! Having been on a number of cruises, I have to say the staff on this ship were some of the best I have encountered.

Upon entering we found the cabin to have plenty of space, with all the usual “mod cons”.

There were lots of facilities on board, including a gym, spa, solarium for adults over 16, swimming pools, a couple of show lounges, a nightclub, a large casino, a 2 deck high theatre with some fantastic shows, and plenty of bars!

Our first day we docked in Barcelona. We decided to walk to the infamous “Rambla” area of the city which was about a 30 minute walk from the dock; however you can take a port shuttle bus for 2 Euro each way. We took the underground tube (1 euro 45 cents each way) to the beautiful Sagrada Familia designed by Antoni Gaudi. The site is under heavy construction, so unfortunately we didn’t get to see much because of the scaffold & cranes, but it was still worth the visit. As it was such a beautiful day we decided to take the long walk back to the ship. I wouldn’t recommend this for passengers with walking difficulties, as it took us around 2 hours, but as I say you can get the tube back which take 10 minutes.

The following day we were in Ibiza. There is again a long walk in to the town from the dock, but you can get a shuttle bus for $10 US dollars from the cruise line, and that will ferry you back & forth as many times as you like during the day. The famous “Bora Bora” beach in Playa D’en Bossa is worth a visit if you like lively music & plenty to drink! Alternatively you can take a walk up to the castle or around the harbour, and there are lots of reasonably priced boat tours available.

Our penultimate day we were at sea, so we spent the day on the rock climbing wall & in the pool. The food on board was always cooked to perfection. Even in the buffet restaurant we found a wide range of dishes & the solarium 24 hour café came in handy at 3am after we left the nightclub!

We departed the ship in Malaga, where it was just a 15 minute taxi ride to the airport. I would recommend Grandeur of the seas to families with children over 5 & under 16, couples & singles.

Boudicca by Richard Cross

Cruise aboard Boudicca, a truly world class ship.

I recently enjoyed a mini cruise on board Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Boudicca ship, sailing from Liverpool to Greenock via Dublin. Fred Olsen offer a range of itineraries and departures from many ports around the UK, however Boudicca is the only ship in the fleet that offers a variety of departure ports including; Southampton, Liverpool, Greenock, Roysth, Newcastle and Portsmouth.

Because of it’s world cruise history, Boudicca tends to have larger cabins and a number of these are either outside or have a balcony. We decided to book a superior outside cabin, which was large in size, had plenty of storage and an en-suite bathroom with bath.

Out on the decks, there was plenty of room to sit down and enjoy the sea views. The ship had a large number of sunbeds on the decks and we even got sunburnt whilst in Dublin!

The food on Fred Olsen really is great; the main restaurant is split into three restaurants (Four Seasons, Heligan & Tintagel). We enjoyed our evening meal in the Four Seasons Restaurant, our waiter, Joseph, was helpful, hard working and the speed of service was fantastic. There is also the oriental styled Secret Garden café which houses the midnight buffet and informal dining. On Lounge deck, a poolside buffet is also available at mealtimes.

In the Neptune Lounge, the great shows & productions including a swinging at sea production and a hilarious comedian! In the Lido Lounge, there was daily entertainment including a quiz and bingo during the afternoon and at night, the Lounge became home to the resident DJ, disco and cabaret singers. The Observatory Lounge, located at the back of the ship, was the ideal place to unwind for a quiet drink after a long day exploring ports.

The leisure facilities on board were also great, with swimming pools, Jacuzzi, gym and fitness centre which were all available to use whilst on board. The ship enjoyed a number of improvements during a refit in early 2011, which included the construction of a new gym facility on Sun Deck with fabulous sea views! There are also shops on board to take home a souvenir or gift of your cruise.

We could not fault the staff on board who all worked hard and obviously enjoyed their job to go out of their way and help you.

I look forward to my next cruise on Boudicca.

Abu Dhabi by Tracy

Abu Dhabi – Wow what an amazing place.

We flew with Ethihad direct from London to Abu Dhabi and from the moment we stepped on the aircraft we know how much we where going to be look after. We spent two nights at the Sheraton hotel, one night at the Millennium Hotel, one night at the crown Plaza on Yas Island and one night at the Qasr Al Sarab Hotel in the desert. What amazing hotels I would recommend to stay in all of them.

The Sheraton was near to the beach with its own harbour, swimming pools and had four different restaurants to choose from. We choose to eat in the Mexican restaurant on day two and found the prices very reasonable. It had its own English pub if you didn’t want to go to far which had a great atmosphere. This hotel is not far from the cruise port

The Millennium Hotel was in the business district of Abu Dhabi; again this hotel had its own restaurants & a roof top swimming pool. This is great hotel if you want to explore the area around you and go shopping as everything is very close. The cruise port is very close to this hotel

The Crown Plaza was on Yas Island. It was approximately 35 minutes from the city of Abu Dhabi. I have to say this was my favourite hotel I stayed in. The hotel had its own swimming pool area and you could see the golf course a little further on. This hotel is great if you want to visit Ferrari world and the Yas Marina circuit as they are very close by. We booked a trip to Ferrari world this was great, we got to see the cars they use, we drove around the race track (this took 10 minutes compared to how fast they go) and I stood on the podium. I would definitely recommend this

The Qasr Al Sarab Hotel it a hotel I have never stayed in before. We drove 2 hours from Yas Island in to the desert. This hotel is in the middle of all the sand dunes. You can not see anything other than sand. The hotel was very luxurious and offered complimentary tours, including jeep safari’s and camel riding. In addition to this they offered spa treatments at an extra charge. They had a main restaurant or a French bistro which offered an A la Carte menu.
This was certainly a good experience.

On My travels I also go to see the Emirates palace, which was situated right on the beach. The Mecrure Grand hotel which was at the top of a mountain and the Yas Marina hotel. Again the hotels were great

Having been to Abu Dhabi it has given me a great knowledge of hotels and where to stay or what to do if you are wanting to a pre or post stay in Abu Dhabi before joining your cruise ship. I would definitely go back and hopefully will return in the not to distant future.

John Cooper visits the Adonia

As you first board the Adonia, you get a feel of real luxury, yet also a feel of home, with its rich dark wood walls and tasteful furniture, its almost like a country house feel. As you start to get a feel for the ship, it is obvious she is not a large ship, however, the benefits that come with that are also transparent. We after a day, started recognising staff and fellow guests, and it does help you ‘settle-in’ quicker.

The bars and lounges onboard are tastefully decorated, and there always seemed to be plenty of staff around, no matter where you went. The pool deck was really good, and although the pool is not the largest I have every seen, the way it is situated makes the whole area a sun trap, and keeps away any sea breezes.

There where 2 restaurants onboard, the more formal ‘Pacific’ was really nice, and when we came to be seated, I have never seen so many waiters looking after so few people, making you feel a bit special. As you would expect on a P&O cruise, the food was of a very high standard, and the choice was plentiful, everyone around us seemed very impressed with the whole dining experience.

The less formal ‘Conservatory’ on the Lido deck, which we chose for Breakfast and lunch was very cool and contemporary in feel, a little bit American / smart. The choice of the food was excellent, and once again, although this is buffet service, there where plenty of staff to clear away dishes etc, and this was done quickly and unobtrusive. The only downside I would say is that of a morning, the coffee making machines and orange juice dispensers are almost at the opposite side of the restaurant to the food, but this may have been rectified by now.

We did enjoy the Crows nest bar of an evening, which gives you a panoramic view as the ship glides forward, it really is spectacular, whilst the evening entertainment in the Curzon Lounge was excellent, with a intimate feel, you felt as though you where part of special night, every night.

The stateroom we had was an outside balcony, and whilst compact, it had everything you could ask for, including Sky News, BBC News and Sky Sports as part of the TV package, which at least kept me happy! The bathroom, was as is normal on cruise ships, compact, but I must say the shower was fantastic. Easy to control, and it had a real strong flow, that wakes you up in the morning!

Who would this ship appeal to? Well, to be honest, anyone who likes a feel of the finer things in life, with personal friendly service, and does not want to feel as though they are one of the masses, and likes to make great friends and feel the camaraderie a cruise holiday can bring. Would I go back? In a heart beat!

Derek Mark's Blog - May 2011

Hi everyone – and sorry so late. John, myself and the team at The Liverpool Cruise Club have been so mad busy lately that I hadn’t noticed that it’s just a few short weeks until I take my first cruise holiday, aboard Fred Olsen’s Braemer in June.

Being down at Southampton and seeing the way the cruise operation works there has really opened my eyes. My neighbours have just returned from their umpteenth cruise – and as I write this, I’ve just spent a good hour in the sunny garden picking their brains for hints and tips. The overall message they gave me is to not have a care in the world. Relax, and enjoy. They’ve just been on another med cruise, and affirmed just how varied a cruise holiday can be.

John and I have been meeting more of you whilst we’ve been out and about on our travels – and the more people I speak to, the more excited I am. So, the countdown is nearly over. I’ve already got in mind what I’m going to be wearing on board. Of course, something for all occasions – and I keep forgetting that I can take as much luggage as I like as it’s a no-fly cruise from Dover.

I’ve promised that I’m going to take my camera with me and do a daily blog – as it turns out that many people take a Norwegian Fjords cruise as their first.

John’s on board another Fred Olsen sailing going in July I think – and it’s one of the cruises that features on our Fred Olsen programme coming up in June. We’ve got some really, really good opportunities for you in that programme – so don’t miss it.

As always, I’m keen to hear from you. Have you been to the fjords, and top-tips and must-do’s – I’d love to hear them. You can e-mail derek@liverpoolcruiseclub.co.uk at any time.

Right friends, I’ll go and think of packing and continue my eager wait to get on board. 11th of June, Dover! 11th of June, Dover! I can’t wait. I’ll keep you up to date.

Take Care for now.

Derek Marks

Presenter - Liverpool Cruise Club

derek@liverpoolcruiseclub.co.uk

Derek Marks Blog - March & April 2011

Hello Everyone - and firstly, apologies - I'm very late with this month's update. This year is going so quickly - I guess enjoying the best of the spring sunshine is on everyone's mind.

Well, March is here and it's getting ever closer to my first cruise in June. I was re-watching my Fred Olsen Braemar DVD (which you can get free by calling the team on 0800 655 6449). I wanted to get an idea of the facilities, facts and figures on the ship I'm sailing on. I have to say the more I say the more excited I get .

Thank you to those people who have been enjoying our recent programmes and e-mailing us, it's been really interesting to see the questions that you want the answers to you before you take your first cruise. Don't forget that John and the team at the Liverpool Cruise club are there to answer any questions that you have at any time.

They been sending people on cruise holidays for well over 20 years, so they have been asked every single question. In fact, don't tell anyone but I've been asking lots of questions as well about the size of cabins, dining, entertainment, what to wear, and just all the questions that have come into my mind.

I have had one or two e-mails about disability requirements on-board cruise ships. I'm glad you have asked as it is a subject close to my heart as my mother lives with cerebral palsy which affects her mobility. It is a question that we would like to address on the tv programmes, but the answer if very individual to the ship that you are sailing on. Of course, the number one priority on board a cruise ship is safety. They do have some provision for people with mobility problems, and can indeed often cater for a limited number of wheelchair users. What I would say to you is please call the team, or email me directly and I will do my best to get the answers for you - my e-mail address is derek@liverpoolcruiseclub.co.uk

Well being countdown really has begun for me and I am very very excited and also excited about our new channel change as well. We have just been making some new programmes with a new look for April and you can keep track on the website for the new channel numbers on sky tv very shortly. We also have some other big plans which I can't tell you about at the moment , but they are very exciting indeed.

Don't forget for those of you who have taken cruise holidays before, the preview brochures for 2012 for a lot of the cruise companies are out now, so if you haven't yet had yours through the post, please make sure you call us and let us know and we will rush them out to you as quickly as we can. I do know that we are taking a huge number of bookings already for next years sailing, so please take advantage of the best deals whilst we have them for you. I'm really keen to hear from people who may have already been on a cruise this year so far, please do drop me a line and let me know how it was – because of course I have all of this to look forward to on my cruise in June.

Lovely to talk to you again, I'll be back with an even more excited update I'm sure in April!

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

Derek Marks Blog - February 2011

Hello everybody and welcome to this month's blog.

Sorry it’s a little bit later than planned, but I wanted to come back to you after the two cruise fairs. Thank you to all of you who came along to Southport and Liverpool. It was a really great opportunity for me to meet so many of you, and hear your many varied experience of cruise holidays. I now understand that people who have been on cruise holidays do tend to go on more and more and more. It's a great opportunity for adventure for so many people and gives you the chance to visit many different countries all on one. I got the sense that people that have worked hard for many years are enjoying the chance to kick back, relax and enjoy not only wonderful destinations – but the company of meeting people just like you.

What I did notice in particular is how fondly you seem to treasure memories of their cruise holidays. I heard many stories of new friendships developing on the ocean wave – and how the cruise holiday works so well for groups of friends, and even single people who want to enjoy being part of something special.

Many people make lifeline friends on their cruise holidays, and often meet up and go on a variety of future cruises together. Of course, that isn’t for everyone – and I met couples who also liked the fact that they could simply escape from everyday life at home and just have the time of their lives at a reasonable price. Price of cruises are very important to people – with times being tighter, people are really spending the time to make sure that they are getting value for money. I hope that in some small way that our programmes really do bring to life the genuinely fantastic opportunities that the Liverpool Cruise Club offers. For instance, this month – we bring a variety of cruise offers from P&O, Fred Olsen and MSC Cruises. You can see that we are dealing with all of the biggest names, but negotiating for the TV and for YOU the very best prices we can. Don’t forget, if you have seen offers elsewhere that it will always be worth checking out what we can offer for you – whether it’s your first cruise, or your 31st (which I know it certainly could be).

For our future programmes, I also want to bear in mind a few of the things I learn from talking to people at the cruise fairs. Some people like to know before they go on a cruise holiday and things like how many passengers the ship holds, and whether it’s more of a family or adults only cruise. I’m also aware that many people hear from friends and family about just how great a cruise holiday is, but want to take a taster to find out if it is for them. Well, don’t forget that there are always options for you.

For those of you who don't know, I'm taking my first cruise holiday with Fred Olsen on 11th June from Dover on the Braemar, which I'm looking forward to incredibly and comes highly recommended by you. In fact the more I hear your stories, the more excited I become. A big thank you to those who have been sending us e-mails and messages – we’re responding personally to all of you. In the meantime, if you have any questions or queries – you can always call the club on 0800 655 6449 or e-mail me, derek@liverpoolcruiseclub.co.uk Until we speak again in March, I wish you very well.

Derek Marks

Presenter - Liverpool Cruise Club

derek@liverpoolcruiseclub.co.uk