…my dedicated page where I will share videos, photographs, articles, audio podcasts and finally an eBook all about cruising with Crystal based on the experience. I would like to know what interests you about Crystal and the destinations I will be visiting: What do you want to know about Crystal Cruises and the Crystal Serenity? Are there things you want me to explore and report back on? What do you want me to ask the senior crew members when I get…
…k once with your hotel as transportation” way of seeing and immersing into European culture. Uniworld is one of the leading, and most luxurious, options available. In this article I share my nine tips for anyone considering river cruising and Uniworld. Tip 1: Make sure river cruising is right for you River cruising is not for everyone. Although the passenger mix is changing, it best suits people who enjoy going on travels that are tightly organise…
…the most beautiful regions on the globe, whether you’re looking to explore European heartland or exotic climbs. On a river cruise package, provided by firms such as RiverCruiseLine.co.uk you can put your feet up and relax with everything already arranged and paid for. Upon arrival at each of your destinations, you’ll dock in the heart of the city and enjoy enlightening day excursions, led by an expert guide. If all this appeals, here’s a pick of f…
…gate along the rivers and under the bridges that cross them. Most ships on European rivers carry between 100 and 200 guests. River cruising is a more intimate and social experience with lots of interaction with other guests and the crew. There are fewer places to hide away and be anonymous. Cabins on cruise ships also tend to be larger than on river cruise ships. 2: Destinations Another obvious difference is where they go. Ocean cruises are (of co…
…cture. The ships themselves are smaller, generally, then you would have in European river cruises. For example, the Indochine II from CroisiEurope that I was cruising on that only had 31 cabins, 62 guests. The ships themselves are in a very different shape to the European river cruises. They tend to be a little bit higher and shorter, because they are not constrained by the bridges that you would have in Europe. Most of the ships on the Mekong tha…
…the world at festive times, you need to look ahead. If you want to go on a European Christmas cruise, there’s not a great deal of choice. If you want to go to the Caribbean at Christmas, you may find there’s more choice sailing out of Miami, or Fort Lauderdale. But really, if you want to go at Christmas, it’s a really good idea to book those in advance. Particularly if you’re travelling with extended family and you want to get cabins close to each…
…e negatives and infected passengers getting on board. They do not feel the European approach of the single test pier side is robust enough. Crew will go through a multi-stage series of tests combined with at least 7-day quarantine as they join ships. To manage the screening and testing of passengers, cruisers will be given staggered and timed check in times to enable social distancing and the processing time. Temperature Checks While the monitorin…
…xt biggest. Celebrity Cruises is at number eight. Carnival-owned AIDA, the European line for German speakers is the seventh biggest, while their Italian line, Costa is sixth. The fifth biggest line is Princess, with a large fleet and especially big in Alaska. Norwegian cruise line, known for relaxed easy-going cruising, is fourth biggest. The fast-growing European MSC Cruises is already the third biggest line. Royal Caribbean, with their massive r…
…(May 2017) ** 49: Silversea Silver Muse (April 2017) ** 48: Titan Serenade European River Cruise (March 2017) ** 47: Oceania Insignia Eastern Caribbean (December 2016) 46: Fred Olsen Balmoral “Spanish Autumn Break” (November 2016) ** 45: Windstar Star Breeze “Venetian Passageways” (October 2016) ** 44: Emerald Waterways “Enchantment of Eastern Europe” River Cruise (September 2016) ** 43: CroisiEurope Loire River Cruise (July 2016) ** 42: Queen Eli…
…s. However, MSC Cruises are making a big push in many regions beyond their European base, including the UK, where they have ships like MSC Virtuosa based, and in North America, particularly sailing out of Miami with many of their new glitzy mega ships. Many have tried MSC Cruises because of their incredibly good value, and the policy of kids travelling free makes it extremely appealing to families. But many have not liked it. MSC Cruises gets crit…
…d versus those other lines and pretty much any other line. They had mostly European, and specifically German crew, in pretty much every passenger facing role. Although, the Cabin Stewards and some barmen were from more traditional cruise crew countries, overall, it was mostly a European crew. I did find the service was good, and not stereotypically German as I expected it to be. It was more informal and jokey than I had expected. I guess I sort of…
