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.