…are, they now expect guests to print off their own cruise tickets, baggage labels and advice booklets. I miss getting them. I was pleased to find out that Crystal Cruises retain the practice in line with their luxury positioning. The large folder arrived by post and contained: Cruise ticket with details of stateroom, transfers, itinerary and check-in information. Baggage tags, where you fill in your stateroom number. Leaflet promoting the Crystal…
Qatar Airways A380 Doha Airport I have never felt compelled to take a photograph of the toilets on a plane until I travelled on the inaugural flight of Qatar Airways A380 from Doha to London! As other passengers rushed around excitedly capturing images of the sparkling new plane, I stumbled across the room that is usually totally functional and sterile looking – even in First Class on airlines like British Airways. The fact that even this area ha…
Windstar Star Breeze in Katakolon Greece As I joined the back of the line at the on-deck barbecue half way through my cruise waiting for my serving of lobster to be cooked, it struck me that this was a first. It was the only time that I had needed to queue for anything! And even then there were only four other guests in front of me. It proved to be the only time across the nine days I experienced lining up for anything. It was a very different ex…
…Town. It is full of grand buildings and lots of tight winding streets with restaurants and coffee shops. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines Balmoral La Pallice France Our last port of call was La Palace in France.This port allowed guests to venture to see La Rochelle or the scenic landscapes around the city. The most popular excursions were the tours of La Rochelle itself and the two transfer options (half or full day). Most people wanting to see the city, l…
Come on my video tour of the revamped Holland America Line Westerdam cruise ship. During a dry dock in 2017 many new features were added to the ship that are now being rolled out across the entire Holland America fleet. These include things like EXC (Explorations Central), Rijksmuseum at Sea, the “Music Walk” (with bars like BB King’s Blues Club, Billboard On Board, Lincoln Center and Gallery Bar). I show you around the ship and explore these and…
…aid out gardens and to various areas right across the property. There is a restaurant. There are a lot of stairs to be climbed up and down in the house and we saw many a pensioner struggling, so be warned! Watch the video I made of Osborne House Bembridge Bakery Isle of Wight The Needles Chair Lift Isle of Wight BEMBRIDGE I am biased as this town and my surname are the same, but driving from Osborne House to Bembridge takes you through the more bu…
…uated from regions being heavily bombed. In the house is another tea-room/ restaurant that seems to have a larger selection than the one at the entrance. The gardens are of the restaurant. They are large and sprawling and very beautiful. Killerton clearly try and engage with the local communities, and there is are many functions and events held across the summer like theatre, treasure hunts and so on. They also hold farmer’s markets on Saturdays t…
…od sized glass walled shower. I had room service dinner to avoid the smoky restaurant area and that was efficient but un spectacular. The breakfast in the restaurant was the same, with a fairly average buffet. I did not use any of the pool or fitness, but good to know they have it. On the last trip I stayed in a more normal room (304) that was compact but had a large self standing air conditioning unit that was so loud it would be like sleeping on…
…have any issues, as they may be able to do some shuffling about. In these restaurants, I would always recommend you (1) request a table for the number of people you are travelling with, as you sit at same table for all meals and (2) request any specific table or location at the time of booking. Britannia Restaurant Queen Mary 2 #11: What about tipping and service? Most cruise lines are moving to adding gratuities onto your on-board account. Thi…
…guests that travel with the cruise line. The Verandah is the self service restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Unlike many cruise lines, this self service restaurant has tables laid with linen, crockery and glasses to create a more refined experience. In terms of amenities and facilities: the Minerva has a limited shopping in the form of a Gift Shop only. It has an enormous library. It stretches along the Bridge Deck and is stocked wi…
…hoices for some. For example, there are 5 places to eat at night (the main restaurant, the Italian, the posh gourmet one, the “hot rock” cooking by the pool one and the extensive room service one). There is choice of bars and lounges to drink in. There is a theatre, fitness centre, spa, casino, shop and large pool. The ship does not feel small. The venues are not smaller, just less of them and quieter. But they are available. The up-market touches…
