…n also book appointments for things like gym classes, personal training or reservations at the spa. They will also book and arrange for you the excursions you want, or they will take on your behalf to work with the excursions department to arrange a private tour. They can also, if you want, give you advice and tips and even make reservations off the ship. They have a huge amount of experience of the ship and the ports and they are a mine of inform…
…e cruise. Estrella offered anytime dining, where you could walk in with no reservations. Part of Estrella had Reserve Collection dining, for people travelling in suites or Reserve Collection Mini-Suites with a slightly elevated menu. Then there was Cielo restaurant where you had to make reservations which could be done before the cruise or during the cruise on the App day by day. Buffet Restaurant In the World Fresh Marketplace, which is the buffe…
…he ones you want and avoid missing out on trips you want to do. Making spa reservations for sea days in advance is a good idea. Pack and bring the right things You should check the dress code mix for your cruise to find out how many formal and elegant casual nights there will be and pack accordingly. Seabourn guests seem to dress smarter than most mainstream lines, especially after 6pm when items like shorts and baseball caps are forbidden. You sh…
…moved from morning to afternoon (or vice versa) ✔ Check speciality dining reservations Errors happen. Catch them now. ✔ Check main dining room assignments If you have traditional dining: Confirm your table number Visit the dining room early Ask the maître d’ to change if needed—much easier before the first night 7. Confirm All On-Board Perks and Packages ✔ Loyalty perks There should be a letter from the loyalty manager outlining: Complimentary la…
…ue. Breakfast and lunch are buffets; at night, there is waiter service and reservations are required. However, with four dining areas in a linear layout, the Kings Court design is cramped. Bus boys, waiters and guests carrying trays of food all have to maneuver together through the narrow passage connecting the areas. The only other problem I have with the QM2 are cabins labeled ”Premium Balcony (in Hull).” The opening in these balconies is simply…
…he west coast north of Holetown and just after the Fairmont Royal Pavilion hotel. A striking white colonial style building houses a small hotel and the large restaurant. You go down a long wooden staircase to the restaurant which is right on the beach. The decor is striking and the staff wears white boiler suits. Overall though, a visit here is not especially memorable. This is because the attitude of the staff on the door and the waiting staff wh…
…s positive about the rooms and the view (of a wall). The staff was very helpful, but housekeeping was more erratic. For example, not restocking the coffee/ milk sachets so after day one no chance of a cup! Ambassador Hotel Paris Room 204, originally uploaded by garybembridge. Ambassador Hotel Paris Room 204 (3), originally uploaded by garybembridge. To see a video of my Room (204) on YouTube: click here Paris Hotel Review…
…unge on the same floor with very helpful staff. There were drinks and nibbles in the evening and a generous continental breakfast in the morning. You can also check out there.The only disappointment was the Chef Ken Hom’s Oriental Gatwick restaurant at the hotel. The food was poor and all looked and tasted like supermarket prepared Chinese meals. It was not cheap and not worth going to.The hotel was great though. I Recommend it. Video of Room 894:…
…bout the Monkey Island Hotel for about a decade. I worked not far from the hotel out in Maidenhead. The hotel is located between Maidenhead and Windsor, and about 45 minutes from London. I had thought it was an up-market and plush hotel. It looks great from the outside and the gardens, but the rest was disappointing. To be fair to the hotel we paid only about £100 on a deal for a night, dinner and breakfast. So it was very cheap. But it is clear t…
…Las Vegas. It is one of the most recent additions to the Las Vegas luxury hotels scene. It joins other luxury hotel brands like the Four Seasons on the Las Vegas that offers a different type of experience to the massive theme hotels and resorts. The nature of visitors to Las Vegas is changing and they are getting younger, have money and are not necessarily coming for the gambling as their main priority. Below is my video tour of a strip view room…
…alled Travel Pony as it was expanding its service to more markets and more hotels (“New Hotel Booking Site: TravelPony.com – extra savings for Facebook users“). The site promises to give better deals for users of Facebook if they use their profile to sign into the site. I have kept an eye on the site as it continued to grow, and always look there for hotel offers in destinations they cover when ever I am travelling. They now cover 20 markets and o…
