Biarritz darling.....sounds posh, and it is, but that's where this second part of my blog live from Oceania Marina in Europe should have hailed from.......
I am writing this first of several blogs from my very nice Concierge Veranda stateroom on Oceania Marina (deck 10) as we cruise away from the Spanish port of Cadiz en route for Lisbon.......
Feel the wind in your hair and watch more than 5,000 square metres of canvas unfurl as you embark on a cruise to some of the Med’s most scenic ports on the world’s largest tall ship.
Guatemala has invested a lot in developing the local cruise market and we dock in Puerto Quetzal, the country’s newly-developed main Pacific port. Perhaps because we’re the last ship before the rainy season, the President and some 120 dignitaries and travel agents are visiting the ship for lunch. I flee for a self-guided tour of La Antigua, the old national capital.
I could start each sea day’s report with a “Gripe of the Day” but that would suggest the voyage is less fun than it is. So it should perhaps be called “If I Ruled the Ship”. Today there would be a beheading and if it isn’t someone else’s it’ll be mine.
Looking through the voyage’s sail plan in Australia, the two highlights for me were Cartagena and Costa Rica. After a lot of deliberation, I picked a tour that involved a long drive to the top of the country’s main mountain ridge to go for a walk in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
Another sea day. And some of us are looking forward to it after three days of intense activity. It’s good to pick a cruise with sea days so you can enjoy the ship and on this voyage we’re covering a lot of nautical miles. But it’s also a time when you can be annoyed by details.
Launching in early 2011, the Antoinette is one of the most sleek and luxurious river cruise ships operating in Europe, as well as Uniworld's first new build......
Many cruises have music aboard, or offer fine dining, or invite distinguished guest lecturers to speak. Others go further and devote whole cruises to a theme, attracting like-minded devotees from around the world.
In a move which must have left many travel operators concerned, last week the US government issued a general travel alert to Americans with plans to travel to Europe.
As of Friday, the enforced gratuity charge of $7.50 per adult per day won’t be charged to your shipboard account; if you want to tip any a member of crew for exceptional service, it will be a matter of choice.
Cruising in Asia and the Pacific offers the chance to explore a rich array of native folklore and art. Indigenous culture is in vogue and interest shows no sign of abating. The movie Avatar, in which audiences side with the indigenous blue-skinned Na’vi people on fictional planet Pandora, was simply highlighting a trend.
Ever wondered where those obliging staff mostly come from, where they learned their craft, and what they like – and don’t like – about the business of serving you on board?
Further moves to keep passenger numbers in check and protect the environment mean this spectacular but vulnerable continent can be experienced only by a fortunate few.
As Canada settles down after the 2010 Winter Olympics in British Columbia we have a look at the sites of Winter Olympics around the world, for a side-trip on your next cruise.
She's the most specious ship yet from luxury line Oceania Cruises. James Sitters tells Rose Kelly and Peter Lynch what's on board the new class of ship, including restaurants, spas and suites.
