Where do you go for your Cruise information ?
I have just put the phone down from a call during which I was asked how much the drinks are on board ?
Now I know the cost of drinks on a few of the cruise lines, but certainly do not know the cost on all of the cruise lines. The two cruise lines my client is considering are Royal Caribbean and P&O. So as he was sat at his computer, I told him to go to the www.cruise.co.uk home page and scroll down. Half way down on the left hand side, there is a link entitled drinks. He clicked on that and immediately he had the price of drinks for 22 cruise lines.
He went on to say, that he had seen the answer to what was going to be his second question, can he smoke on board both cruise lines, and if so where ? We then spoke for a while about what sort of experience both cruise lines would offer, and which one might suit him best.
To me, this just enforced what we are about here at Cruise.co.uk. We provide you with all the information you need, if you want to do the research yourself. However we back that up with very knowledgeable staff, who between us, have been on many many cruise ships. You can learn specific facts by doing the research yourself, but to get an honest, unbiased feel about a cruise line, it is nice to be able to speak to someone who knows.
I also pointed out that we have many thousands of cruise experts that are our Forum members, and that he can learn a lot by reading their reviews and asking them questions.
If you want to talk about a cruise or cruise line, call me on 0800 408 6186 or email me at johnc@cruise.co.uk
Your Special Requests
When you book your cruise with myself or one of my colleagues, you will be asked if you have any special dietary or medical requests that we should inform the cruise line about. This does not just apply to serious conditions such as being a permanent wheelchair user. There are many other conditions, that although you may consider them to be minor, can help to make your cruise even more perfect if the cruise line are made aware.
Using P&O as an example, we can advise them of the following:
Concerning Dietary requests:
| ALLERGY FOOD INTOLERENCE |
| VEGETARIAN |
| LOW FAT |
| LOW SALT/LOW SODIUM |
| DAIRY FREE/LACTOSE INTOLERANT |
| GLUTEN FREE |
| LOW CHOLESTEROL |
| DIABETIC/LOW CARBOHYDRATE/LOW SUGAR |
| BABY FOOD |
| HIGH CHAIR REQUIRED |
| CHILDREN NOT DINING WITH PARENTS |
| CHILDREN DINING WITH PARENTS |
As far as Medical is concerned, we can advise them of the following:
| SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS SEND QUESTIONAIRE |
| PART-TIME WHEELCHAIR USER |
| DIABETIC |
| DEAF |
| BLIND |
| PREGNANT |
At Cruise.co.uk we want your cruise experience to be perfect. So when you are making your next booking, give some thought when you are asked if you have any conditions that we should make the cruise line aware of. It is no trouble for us to advise P&O or any other cruise line if you are allergic to a particular food type, if you are on a diet and want low fat food options, or my personal favourite, the children will not be dining with the parents. No one has made that request of me yet, but I love the idea of parents asking for their children to dine with someone else.
As with all things cruising, if you have any questions regarding the above, do not hesitate to call me or one of my colleagues. You can of course also find answers to most questions on our website, click here for the Q&A page.
The late deals for the end of May, June and July have been snapped up in great numbers during the last few weeks. If you are hoping to get away before the children are let out for the summer holidays, you really should be securing your cabin. Click here for our latest deals.
If you would like advice, or want to discuss possible options for your cruise, you can call me on 0800 408 6186 or email me at johnc@cruise.co.uk
Christmas Markets – Cruise or River Cruise ?
I was told yesterday by HRH Linda, that we will be going to a European Christmas Market again this year. We last went in 2009, and had a superb time.
It wasn’t just the Beer
It wasn’t just the Food
It was the whole Christmas Feel that appealed so much
So the only decisions we have to make now, are when , where and how. Do we cruise from the UK or do we River cruise. There are so many choices, I really do not know how we are going to settle on one. I say “we” , obviously I won’t actually be doing the choosing, I will be waiting to be told.
At the moment, the two favoured Cruise options are with Fred Olsen:
Black Watch – 13th December for 3 nights: Southampton, Rouen, Southampton – £329.00 per person
Boudicca – 16th December for 4 nights: Portsmouth, Cherbourg, Rouen, Portsmouth – £429.00 per person
The favoured River Cruise is:
The MPS Lady Anne – 16th December for 3 nights: Andernach, Oberwesel, Koblenz, Cologne – £239.00 per person
If you want details of December River Cruises, click here. If you want details of December Ocean cruises, click here.
We are going to be spending a little time checking out the reviews of our clients for some guidance. Click here if you want to review the mini cruises reviews.
If you have taken a Chritsmas cruise, either ocean or river and have any suggestions, they will be gratefully received.
You can call me on 0800 408 6186 or email me at johnc@cruise.co.uk
Patchwork Quilting – Learn as you Cruise
Now I thought this only happened in the Waltons and Little House on the Prairie, in fact I have not even seen it covered on any of
the Discovery channels. However it turns out, that I live only a few miles from the Patchwork Quilting capital of the UK, Weedon in Northamptonshire.
I have just booked a Cunard cruise (click here for Cunard deals) for one of the nicest and funniest people I have ever spoken to on the phone, and following our conversation I am on a mission to convince her to do a Patchwork Quilting cruise from Southampton. (Click here for Southampton cruises) Cruises for Quilters are huge in the states and Australia.
The lady concerned,( lets call her Mrs W), teaches Quilting at the Bramble Patch in Weedon www.thebramblepatch.co.uk It turns
out that people travel from all over the UK to take lessons here. People interested in painting, Photography, Bridge, Dancing, Hiking, Food, Music, Gardening all have their themed cruises, so why not Patchwork Quilters ?
If you thread a needle and create your own Patchwork masterpieces, and would be interested in such an idea, or if you secretly
subscribe to the Patchwork Monthly Times (PMT) and you would like to meet other such people, please let me know. I am pretty sure, that with a little persuasion, Mrs W would be only too willing to share her many years of stitching knowledge with you.
You can call me on 0800 408 6186 or email me at johnc@cruise.co.uk
Single Cruisers, do you mind paying twice the price ?
Several times a month, I get calls from single cruisers asking about prices they have seen for a cruise. Then the ear bashing starts,
when I have to explain that the price advertised is per person based on two people sharing a cabin, and yes I know
that it is unfair that your are paying the same cabin price as two people.
All of us here at Cruise.co.uk have complete sympathy with the fact that singletons have to bear such heavy single supplements. The
fact is, at the end of the day, the vast majority of cabins onboard ship, are designed for twin occupancy. It is such a shame that many would be single cruisers, do not cruise because they are put off by the high cost of cruising alone. Cruising is actually the perfect holiday for singletons, you are mixing with like minded people, in a safe environment with plenty of opportunity to meet new people in an organised environment.
So…………………………….. If you wanted to cruise this year, but did not because the only cabins available were for twin occupancy and you thought the price was horrendous, have you looked at what Fred Olsen (click here for Freds deals) and P&O have to offer for next year in their single abins ? The savvy single cruisers grab the limited single cabins as soon as they are released.
In 2013/2014 P&O are offering single cabins on the following ships (click here for P&O):
Aurora – Single Outside cabins
Azura – Single Inside & Outside cabins
Oriana – Single Inside cabins
Ventura – Single Inside & Outside cabins
Please do not leave it until the last minute if you are a single cruiser, the P&O 2013/2014 programme goes on sale this weekend, and Fred Olsen itineraries are already available. Get them booked now, then you won’t have to give me an ear bashing in a few month’s time when there are only twin occupancy cabins left on the cruise that you want. Click here for cruise deals.
You can call me on 0800 408 6186 or email me at johnc@cruise.co.uk
Cruise and Maritime – Great Value or Not ?
I have received some great feedback from my last two Blogs on P&O and Fred Olsen. In one of the replies Mrs M mentioned a cruise on the Marco Polo, saying ‘never again’.
I have not cruised on either the Marco Polo or Ocean Countess, in fact I haven’t even seen the two ships. So my request of you more experienced cruisers is, have you cruised with them, what is your impression, great value or not ???
I know that they provide a traditional British style cruising experience, sailing mainly from Tilbury, but also from other UK ports such as Greenock, Hull, Liverpool, Leith and Newcastle. I know that both ships are small, 800 passengers each. On the surface, it would appear to be a cruise line that would suit me down to the ground. (click here to search their cruise dates)
So why is it that they get such mixed reviews. Our forum members have rated the cabins as only 3 out of 5 (click here to see). Are they really that unimpressive ? If you have any photographs of the cabins, or indeed the two ships, I would love to see them.
Most of their cruises come in at well under £100.00 per person per day. They have a 12 night cruise to the Baltic on 23rd September from £968.00 per person for an inside cabin, that is £81.00 per day. (click here for the cruise details)
I look forward as always to hearing your thoughts. You can contact me 0800 408 6186 or email me johnc@cruise.co.uk
Fred Olsen – Love them or Hate them ?
Before I start, let me say at the outset, I am a massive fan of Fred Olsen. I have cruised on Balmoral, and I loved every second of it.
Why is it then, that so many people who haven’t cruised with Fred’s believe that they wouldn’t enjoy it ? They really do seem to be the Marmite cruise line, you either love or hate it, no in between. I was told yesterday by a lovely lady in her mid 60’s that she wasn’t ready for a floating retirement home, when I asked if she had considered Fred Olsen. This is not an uncommon response when I suggest Fred’s cruises to non believers. I asked how she had formed this opinion if she had never cruised with them before. “ From the reviews I’ve read” was her reply. Off I went to see what our Forums members thought, and I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw and read. The vast majority of reviews gave them 4 or 5 stars. Click here for details
Our forum members rated the staff on Fred Olsen ships as 4.5 out of 5, I was very pleased to see this. I can honestly say I think the
service they give is exceptional, and always with a smile. The last Blog I wrote about P&O (click here to read), generated a number of emails to me, and quite a few commented on how disappointed they were with the P&O staff, being cold and unfriendly. The rating of 3.5 for entertainment did not surprise me at all, I must agree, it is not exactly polished West End calibre. Strangely enough though, it was exactly what I wanted in the evenings after a large meal and a couple of G&T’s. Non taxing, sit back, relax and fall asleep
entertainment…………………. perfect
Talking of drinks, their bar prices take some beating. I cannot believe there are any other cruise lines that have such reasonably priced drinks. Click here for drinks prices
If you want rock walls, zip lines, and west end style shows, then they are not for you. If you want to be looked after very well by
friendly staff, in a relaxed comfortable environment, then Fred Olsen are worth a try.
I would love to hear what you think about Fred Olsen. Have you cruised with them and were disappointed. Have you never cruised with them, but believe you wouldn’t enjoy cruising with them ? Have you cruised with Fred’s and like me, loved every minute of it ? Let me know.
You can email me at johnc@cruise.co.uk or call me on 0800 408 6186
Do you think standards on P&O are slipping ?
Two comments by customers in as many weeks, about the
food on their P&O cruises not being as good as it used to be made me wonder
if this is actually the case, or is it just a coincidence. Both customers put
this down to cost cutting by P&O to save money. Are your expectations too
high these days. When you consider P&O are selling some of their cruise at
£50 per person per day,( a good example is the sailing on 01st April
on board Ventura, click here for details) could you go into your local town and
buy breakfast, lunch, dinner, then take in a show for £50 ? I don’t think so.
Click here to view P&O menus.
One thing is true, cruise lines are businesses that have
to make a profit, if they didn’t then they wouldn’t exist. No one wants to see a
cruise line go bust. In this age of the internet, we are all looking for good
deals, but at the end of the day, you get what you pay for. If you want to pay below
market value for a product, then expect the quality you receive to reflect that.
I sailed on Arcadia in December, and I have to say I
thought the food was very good. The staff on board were great and I look
forward to sailing with them again in the future.
I look forward to hearing if you think P&O are good value for money.
You can contact me on 0800 408 6186 or by email at johnc@cruise.co.uk
Probably the best add on to a Cruise anywhere
Last Friday we went to London to celebrate St Patrick’s weekend. It is always a messy affair, meeting up with the Irish half of the
family and catching up with all the family gossip. Of course you feel duty bound to drink inexcusable amounts of Guinness, wear something ridiculous, and singing songs that you never hear on English radio.
To get to London we took the train from Northampton to Euston, our run of bad luck with public transport continued, when at Milton Keynes the conductor announced that someone had jumped in front of a train at Hemel Hempstead. All services had been cancelled for the foreseeable future, brilliant. The chap sat opposite us was as unimpressed as we were when we were told that we should make our way over to Bedford and get a train to St Pancras. He is Canadian and started telling us how this wouldn’t be an issue on the Canadian rail network.
I asked him if he had ever been on the Rocky Mountaineer, that did the job, he spent the rest of the journey telling us all about it. I
have to say, even though I have not been lucky enough to experience it myself, I knew from the research I have done that it would be impressive. To listen to him talking about it, if he had offered me 2 tickets there and then, I would have snapped his hand off. It sounds absolutely amazing. Click here to see a video of the Rocky Mountaineer.
We can organise a Fly Cruise with a Rocky Mountaineer add on with a number of cruise lines, including Holland & America, Princess, Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent, Celebrity and Silversea.
This year in June, we have our Whistle through Astonishing Alaska Tailor Made Package with Celebrity cruise line.
14 Jun ‘12 Fly UK to Vancouver for 3 night at
4* Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel
15 Jun ‘12 Rocky Mountaineer Whistler Rail Day
Tour
16 Jun ‘12 At your leisure in Vancouver
17 Jun ‘12 Transfer to port to board Celebrity
Century
18 Jun ‘12 Inside passage (cruising)
19 Jun ‘12 Icy Strait Point, Alaska
20 Jun ‘12 Hubbard Glacier (cruising)
21 Jun ‘12 Juneau, Alaska
22 Jun ‘12 Ketchikan, Alaska
23 Jun ‘12 Inside passage (cruising)
24 Jun ‘12 Return to Vancouver. Disembark.
Fly back to UK
25 Jun ‘12 Arrive UK
Ok, it’s not Northampton to Euston, or Bedford to St Pancras, but you do get views like this
If you would like to discuss the Rocky Mountaineer and Alaska cruising, then call me on 0800 408 6186 or email me at johnc@cruise.co.uk
Is it worth leaving it until the last minute to get the cheapest price?
Does the cheapest price mean you get the best cruise holiday, or best value for money.
Two of the couples I have booked in the last seven days put off booking their cruise until the last minute to save money. Both couples were not happy that the dining option they wanted was not available. I am mentioning this because in both cases they needed either a flexible dining option, or first seating dining due to dietary complications. Luckily in both cases, the cruise lines were able to accommodate my requests, and I managed to get the first seating option. Surely in cases like this, being able to control
when you eat is more important than saving a few pounds off the cost of a cruise.
Would it ruin your cruise if you had to prepay Gratuities because the only dining option left available is the My Time Dining (onboard Royal Caribbean you have to prepay gratuities with this option). Even though it is usually cheaper to prepay gratuities, most cruisers prefer not to, and take care of them onboard. By booking early you choose the package you want.
Cabin location, do you need to be near a lift, or do you want to be as far away from the lifts and stairs as possible? We get requests
for both scenarios. The best way to ensure you get the location you want……………………. book early. Yes you may pay more money for last minute cruises, and see offers for Guarantee basis cabins a few months later, but you will have the cruise experience you want and enjoy.
Single cruisers, do you hate the thought of being charged huge single supplements because you are travelling alone and the only cabins available are twin occupancy? The best way to avoid this is book early and secure a single cabin, or even better, pre-register for a single cabin on your chosen last minute cruise.
If you are totally flexible about where you are onboard, when you eat, not concerned about possibly having to prepay gratuities, not too worried about which cruise line or destination, then leaving the booking of your cruise until the last minute is perfect.
If you are one of those people that enjoy sitting at a dining table, or standing at the bar and taking great pleasure in bragging
about how much less than everyone else you paid for your cruise, please think about what you are doing and why you are doing it. We hear so many tales about people claiming to have paid for an inside cabin and got a suite. If you think about it, the cruise lines are not silly, they really do not want that situation onboard.
The cruise lines are starting to release their itineraries for 2013/2014, click here to see if your favourite cruise line has released theirs yet.
