All the latest cruise news from the man in the know

Lidl muscles in on cruise sales

A Which? consumer survey may have rated Lidl supermarkets ahead of the big four of Tesco, Asda Sainsbury's and Morrisons, but in my (limited) experience they are not the ideal place to shop. They might have some of the best bargains for fizzy drinks and bottles of bathroom cleaners (I try not to get them confused) and the fresh fruit and veg is competitively priced - I'm a big fan of Lidl green apples. But their systems for managing stock are chaotic - if you go looking for something specific, the shelves might be bare - and customer service at [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:59+00:00 25 October 2011|Cruise News|0 Comments

Cunard confirms change of flag

OUT goes Southampton from Cunard sterns, IN comes Hamilton Confirmation today that for the first time in its 171-year history, no ships in the Cunard fleet will be registered in the UK. Instead of having the name of their home port, Southampton, emblazoned across the stern and on their lifeboats, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth will carry the name of Hamilton, capital of Bermuda. The islands are a British Overseas Territory, so the ships will continue to fly the Red Ensign - which Bermuda has also adopted as its national flag. None of this, however, was stated [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:59+00:00 19 October 2011|Cruise News|6 Comments

Cash plea for Scottish cruise ports

In the week that The CRUISE Show arrives in Glasgow for the first time, it would seem all is not well in the cruise business north of the border. While the number of passengers visiting Scottish ports is at an all-time high, bringing record amounts of money into the economy, voices are being raised in demands for more support for the industry from the Scottish Assembly. Andrew Hemphill, general manager of the Clydeport Ocean Terminal at Greenock, has also complained that while rival ports in Wales and Ireland have received substantial financial backing, cruising has been largely ignored by VisitScotland, [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:59+00:00 17 October 2011|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|0 Comments

A year of wine and chocolates

A YEAR ago this week, the Queen toured the Cunard ship that bears her name, shortly before smashing a bottle of wine against the hull to christen the vessel. Since then, the new Queen Elizabeth - the ship, that is, not the monarch - has visited 107 ports around the world in a journey totalling 124,375 nautical miles and including transits of both the Suez and Panama canals. Her Majesty has not, however, been among the 52,600 passengers. Since the decommissioning of the Royal Yacht Britannia - an act former Prime Minister Tony Blair apparently now regrets - her days [...]

By John Honeywell| 2011-10-15T09:54:13+00:00 15 October 2011|Cruise News|0 Comments

Splashdown for Disney Fantasy

When cruise ship Disney Dream launched in January, it introduced the AquaDuck - a whole new concept in having fun at sea and getting wet at the same time. Sister ship Disney Fantasy, debuting next March, will also have the water-coaster feature, and lots more "splashtacular" fun, including the AquaLab (above) play area, a family wading pool, and an adults-only waterfall pool (below). In true Disney tradition, all these places have to have a back story, so we learn today that AquaLab was created by Donald Duck's nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie. Through hand-painted notes left by the nephews, kids [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:59+00:00 13 October 2011|Cruise News|0 Comments

Nude cruises for an all-over tan

If you ever have trouble packing for a cruise, or are confounded by weight restrictions on airline baggage, I may have found just the holiday - a naturist cruise in Croatia. Niche operator eWaterways is launching four cruises next year on a fleet of motor sailing ships, island-hopping along the Adriatic coastline and among Dalmatia's hundreds of secluded islands. Two different itineraries for the naturist cruises will be available, both offering plenty of opportunities for guests to be as nature intended while on board - or in the water - with clothes required only when in port and during meal [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:59+00:00 11 October 2011|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|1 Comment

It’s time to update cruise rankings

The hidden cost of low cruise fares is revealed in the latest issue of the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships, published tomorrow (October 1). Author Douglas Ward discloses some of the tricks used to keep prices down - from smaller food portions to weaker coffee; reduced levels of service to cut-backs in staff training. He still highlights cruise holidays as the best value around, and says British families need look no further than the Mediterranean or Northern Europe where prices continue to fall because cruise lines have moved more ships into the region. While he commends the [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:00+00:00 30 September 2011|Cruise News|1 Comment

Canary cruises on volcano alert

We might be enjoying an Indian summer in the UK, but many people who wanted to guarantee a sunshine break in October will have booked cruises to the Canaries. They will be keeping their fingers crossed that warnings of a potential volcanic eruption will not disrupt their plans. Reacting to an increased level of persistent seismic activity - described as an "earthquake swarm" - Spanish officials have issued a yellow alert for the island of El Hierro, to the west of Tenerife and Gran Canaria. More than 4,000 tremors have been recorded since July and landslides, at least, are expected [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:00+00:00 29 September 2011|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|3 Comments

Win FREE Cruise Show tickets

The biggest cruising showcase in the UK goes on the road next month, as The CRUISE Show arrives in Scotland and the Midlands. The first-ever show north of the border will be at Glasgow's SECC on October 22 and 23, and the following weekend it arrives at the NEC, Birmingham. All the major cruise operators - such as Carnival, Celebrity, Fred Olsen, Norwegian, P&O and Royal Caribbean are taking part, and new this time are companies such as Louis, Compagnie du Ponant, Thomson (Scotland-only) and Quark Expeditions. Among all the discounts and special deals on offer, the expert advice from [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:00+00:00 29 September 2011|Cruise Entertainment, Cruise News|0 Comments

A Liverpool home for historic liner QE2? Don’t tell the Dubai owners

A bold plan to provide a final resting place on Merseyside for ocean liner QE2 has been the subject of secret talks with Liverpool Vision, the economic development company responsible for the city's regeneration. The company has been involved in confidential discussions with Out of Time Concepts, a company headed by a former Chief Engineer on the ship, who recently advised its current owners on plans to turn it into a luxury hotel in Dubai. During the discussions, it was suggested that the project could create 450 jobs and would be worth an estimated £178 million by 2018. Out of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:00+00:00 28 September 2011|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|2 Comments