The Grand Canyon - a truly memorable day.

The Grand Canyon is one of the most amazing natural phenomenons on our planet and I am fortunate enough to have visited it. Following a stay in San Diego we stayed in a small town called Williams  and from here drove to the Grand Canyon Village. The approach was amazing, one long straight road and then all of a sudden the stunning views as the ground opens up and the canyon appears.

As we were celebrating my brother's wedding on this holiday my Dad treated us to a light aircraft flight over the Canyon. This is a truly memorable experience. Brad our pilot was very knowledgeable and gave us a full history of the area. Rocks at the bottom of the Canyon date back 2 billion years and the River Colorado has been running through the land for over 10 million years. Nowadays it is a National Park and had been a forest preserve since 1892.

Following the flight we took a trail down into the Canyon - not for the faint hearted, good walking shoes and a bottle of water is strongly recommened. We didn't go to the bottom as it is a full day's walk and requires you to camp their overnight. However we didn't feel short changed by just a few hours hike and were overcome by the sheer size of the Canyon.

As the day came to an end we climbed up some rocks and perched up above the Grand Canyon to watch the sunset. National Geographic lists the Grand Canyon in its Top Ten places to watch the sun set and I can see why. It was awe inspiring. We were surrounded by people of all nationalities just basking in the last of the sunlight and as the sun finally set, silence engulfed everyone as the colours took over. It was surreal.

 

The Grand Canyon will stay etched in my memory for ever and one day I hope to take my son there.
Whilst we stayed close to the Canyon it is really easy to do as an excursion from Las Vegas. We offer a choice of trips from a full day coach tour, which also calls at the Hoover Dam en route to a choice of light aircraft and helicopter rides, or a combination of the two. If you're thinking of seeing the Grand Canyon as an add on to a cruise and stay holiday, just ask me for details.

Fred Olsen 2014 - No single supplement deals

Fred Olsen have released their prices and itineraries for 2014 and they have a number of cruises with no single supplements on selected cabin types including outsides, balconies and suites. These prices are valid on twin cabins for sole use so give you a decent amount of space as well as a great price.

Balmoral - 19th April 2014 - 3 nights - Easter Chocolates Mini CruiseSouthampton - Antwerp - Southampton
Singles offer - outside cabin from £299

Balmoral - 10th October 2014 - 14 nights - Historical Islands and Cities of PortugalSouthampton - Praia da Vitoria - Horta - Ponta Delgada - Madeira - Lisbon - Oporto - Southampton
Singles offer - outside cabin from £1199.

Boudicca - 11th October 2014 - 28 nights - Empires of the Med and the Black SeaLiverpool - Tangier - Valletta - Varna, Odessa - Sevastopol - Istanbul (overnight), Izmir, Athens, Santorini, Sicily, Almeria, Gibraltar, Liverpool.
Singles offer - outside cabin from £2449.

Balmoral - 24th October 2014 - 10 nights - Artistic City BreaksSouthampton - Oslo - Amsterdam - Antwerp - Southampton
Singles offer - outside cabin from £949

Braemar - 20th November 2014 - 3 nights - Paris Mini CruiseSouthampton - Rouen - Southampton
Singles offer - outside cabin from £239, balcony cabins from £349, suites from £439

Boudicca - 19th December 2014 - 2 nights - Dublin Mini CruiseLiverpool - Dublin - Liverpool
Singles offer - outside cabin from £149, balcony cabins £219


Balmoral - 19th December 2014 - 2 nights - French Pre-Christmas Mini CruiseSouthampton - Le Havre - Southampton
Singles offer - outside cabin from £189, balcony cabins from £279, suites from £299

Fred Olsen have always been popular with single passengers with smaller friendly ships making it easy to mix and make friends with these prices I think they'll be even more popular. The number of cabins sold for sole occupancy are limited so I'd recommend early booking. To secure your cabins a small deposit is all that's needed.

Just call or e-mail me for more details.

Introducing Quantum of the Seas - Royal Caribbean's latest cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean have announced details and pictures of their lastest new ship Quantum of the Seas.
and she looks amazing.

With 18 decks and a guest capacity of 4,180 she is larger than the Freedon Class ships but not as huge as Oasis of the Seas or Allure of the Seas.

As innovators in the cruise industry Royal Caribbean have not disappointed me with the 'toys' that she has on board and again they are introducing many 'firsts at sea' including the RipCord by iFly a skydiving simulator.

The North Star offers a London Eye style journey over the sea.

Whilst Sea Plex offers the first ever bumper cars at sea.

Quantum of the Sea also offers all the standard Royal Caribbean favourites - the Flow Rider, Rock Climbing Wall, Dream Works Experience and Solarium

Quantum of the Seas^SMwill Sail from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, offering a range of 7-night to 12-night itineraries to the Bahamas and the Caribbean during her winter 2014- 2015 season.  She goes on sale on the 3rd June 2013 and the best deals will be had by those who book early. If you would like to be kept up to date to with her itineraries or prices just contact me on the details below. 

0800 408 6088 or email joc@cruise.co.uk

How to sail from your local port in 2014.

Fred. Olsen have now announced their 2014 itinieraries and they are the best choice if you would like to sail from the UK  but do not want to travel down to Southampton or Dover.

For 2014 they are offering  sailings from 10 ports as follows

Greenock - 2 sailings on Boudicca
Rosyth - 4 sailings on Black Watch
Newcastle - 7 sailings on Black Watch
Belfast - 2 sailings on Boudicca
Liverpool - 10 sailings on Boudicca
Harwich - 3 sailings on Braemar
Tilbury - 3 sailings on Black Watch
Avonmouth - 4 sailings on Boudicca
Dover - 12 sailings on Braemar and Black Watch
Southampton - 29 sailings on Balmoral, Braemar, Black Watch and Boudicca

They are also offering 8 fly cruises from Tenerife on board Braemar.

These sailings go on sale on the 24th April and are open now for pre registrations for Oceans Members.
For full details of the itineraries please call on e-mail me on 0800 408 6088 or joc@cruise.co.uk

Oasis of the Seas Prices

Royal Caribbean have created huge excitement  this week by announcing that Oasis of the Seas is coming to Europe in September 2014.

She will be offering the following sailings:

01 Sept - 12 nts from Florida to Barcelona
13 Sep - 5 nts Barcelona round trip
18 Sep - 5 nts Barcelona round trip
23 Sep - 7 nts Barcelona to Rotterdam
15 Oct - 12 nts Southampton to Florida

She goes on sale to Crown and Anchor members (Royal Caribbean past passengers) on the 9th April and  customers are invited to pre-register in order to get the best possible chance of securing a cabin on this ship.

Royal Caribbean are not announcing the itineraries or full prices until she goes on sale but demand is so high that people are prepaying their deposits now.

If you would like to try one of these sailing, just give me a call. I can talk you through the expected pricing and take care of everything on the day. These sailings will sell out, so the earlier you register the better.

 

P&O Greed.

P&O have launched details of their 2014 cruise programme this week and  they have really let down families with their new family pricing.

Ventura is marketed as a family ship yet for her school holiday sailings the child reductions are appalling. She sails a 14 night Caribbean Christmas Cruise on the 19th December 2014 and originally they offered zero child reduction for children sharing a cabin with their parents. Faced with pressure from travel agents they have amended this and are now offering children a 5% reduction from the adult cost.

 'Rude' is how we described it at Cruise.co.uk today.

For the summer holidays the discount is not much better, P&O are offering Ventura's children a 20% discount.

Last year passengers booking for 2013 were offered 35% reduction from the adult cost for both August and Christmas.

Ventura isn't the only ship hit by this sharp increase in child prices, Aurora another family friendly ship is also only offering a 5% redcution for children on her 25th July Central Mediterranean sailing.

Personally I think P&O are being plain greedy with these child reductions. These children are occupying a cabin with their parents, do they really need to charge so much?

 Interestingly last year they tried to charge 100% single supplements on the Christmas sailing but quickly changed this policy following outrage from customers and agenst. It will be interesting to see if they change these discounts under pressure, before the sailings go on sail in April.

 Watch this space.

2 Adonia passengers shot in Barbados

P&O have confirmed that 2 passengers from Adonia have been shot whilst on a visit to Bridgetown, Barbados.

The details are minimal at the moment but the man thought to be in his 70's and woman in her 50's were believed to have been shot during a robbery and have been taken to hospital.

A Foreign Office spokesman has confirmed that they are aware of the incident and are investigating and providing consular assistance.

Adonia is currently on her 85 night world cruise and due back in Southampton on the 3rd April. My heart goes out to the family of the 2 people involved and to all of those passengers and crew still on board Adonia.