Gadgets on holiday, friend or foe?

I'm like most people these days, attached to my phone! But when I'm on holiday I rarely give it a second look. With all today's gadgets from Tablets to Media players & Cameras are you a holiday traveller who must have the latest gadget with them at all times, or like me relaxing the traditional way with a good hard copy book! 

Does all this technology enhance your holiday?

In my opinion as long as you've got a fairly decent camera to take some cracking holiday snaps with you're good to go! I think it can cause more stress worrying about where your belongings are at all times whilst you are out and about than it's worth. I've recently just been away and I packed my tablet, my phone & my iPod. The only device I used was my phone to take some photo's, a few calls & texts and to check my emails & social media sites when WiFi was available. My last trip before that my phone didn't work abroad and to be honest it was nice not to have the constant thought of my mobile phone in the back on my mind. 

I do believe that with the great apps and different range of tablets about you can get some great photo's and videos with ease to remember your holiday, but spending a lot of time on these instead of actually enjoying the holiday experience! 

Beach ready phone!

Let me know your opinion on all this techno mad travelling we have today! Thanks for reading!

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Carnival Cruise Line...What Do They Have To Offer?

This is a burning question that you may not know the answer to! Well let me enlighten you into the fun world of Carnival Cruises! For a start they have the largest fleet at sea (currently 24) with a huge range of ships and they have a very young fleet in comparison to many other cruise lines. 

Who are they? 

They are a British-American owned cruise line, and are one of ten cruise ship brands owned by the Carnival Corporation & plc. They pioneered the way for shorter less expensive cruises, plus with their on board décor with Las Vegas style it adds to the "Fun" and easy going attitude which they strive for, to make your holiday as relaxed & fun as possible. 

Where can you sail with Carnival? 

Carnival currently don't sail in the Mediterranean, they sail Alaska, the Bahamas, Canada-New England, Hawaii, Australia, Bermuda, Caribbean & Mexico. With all that they don't really need to sail the Mediterranean in my opinion. 

What is there to do on board?

They have broken away from the traditional feel of which you would expect with many other cruise lines such as P&O, Princess & Holland America for example. They have a huge range of activities aimed at every age group, with kids clubs & baby sitting services available to interactive theatre shows and amazing water parks on board. When it comes to food there's a huge American influence in the restaurants, which means that everything comes with a little extra. From the BlueIguana Cantina where you can get freshly prepared Mexican dishes to a family meal at the Cucina del Capitano the resident Italian restaurant which serves beautiful fresh pasta and much more! 

If you need a juicy burger to make your day then you can visit Guy's Burger Joint which is brought to you by celebrity chef Guy Fieri, where you can create your own burger without any cover charge! 

If that's not enough then you can always have a stunning steak in the resident steakhouse on board, which will literally blow your socks off with the quality. There are much more choices like Japanese Sushi & Indian too!

If you want an evening full of entertainment then Carnival is the cruise line for you, with Comedy clubs, Piano bars, cocktail bars, tonnes of live music and stunning theatre shows then you won't be bored on board!

For the little cruisers there a great kids program with Dr Seuss characters where kids can have a special breakfast with them for only $5 which would be a memorable experience for sure! 

If you need to relax and get away from it all Carnival have some wonderful spa facilities and Serenity which is an adult only retreat for that extra special relaxation time. 

What are the cabins like?

As carnival ships are very bright and busy the stateroom are very neutral and calming so you can retreat for you own space & time. The cabins on board carnival are very generously proportioned in comparison to other cruise lines. From interior staterooms all the way up to suites & spa suites there is something for every group. 

Is Carnival for me? 

If you're a little unsure whether a Carnival cruise would be for you then, rest assured no matter your age, Carnival is well suited for families, couples of all ages and single travellers with very reasonable supplements. With a great range of unique shore excursions and sailing around the Caribbean 365 days a year I think you'll agree it sounds pretty amazing! 

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Dogs On Cruise Ships?....Yes Really!

With everything about Dogs in the news at the moment, due to the tragic event at Manchester Dogs Home, however they have now raised over £1.4 million- amazing really!


Ever wanted to take your dog on holiday with you outside of the UK? Well now you can in complete luxury aboard Cunard Queen Mary 2! With her transatlantic sailings from Southampton to New York, so if you're doing the iconic journey now you can have your best friend by your side. 

It's a dog's life on deck

With the fully equipped dozen kennels, six "economy size" and size "supersize", an owners lounge, walking area and all the comforts a sea dog could possibly need, with prices starting from $500 which includes food you and your dog or cat, can travel in much more comfort than any airline could even dream of providing. 

Before boarding every animal has to have a pet passport, be micro-chipped and also a rabies jab 21 days beforehand. And last but not least flea and worming treatments must be given too. 

In the Kennels comfortable bedding is provided but owners are more than welcome to bring their own blankets and toys etc. 

It doesn't end there, each pet receives:

• A Frisbee
• A name tag
• Food dish & scoop
• Fleece Blanket
• Premium food selection
• Healthy Gourmet cookies, which are freshly baked and offered at bed times

Photo op with Kennel Master

Whilst on board there are 50 life jackets in different sizes, for ultimate safety. You may think that this is an entirely new concept, however in 1950 Elizabeth Taylor was photographed with her lovely poodle,  and Britain's Got Talent winner Pudsey who also entertained the guests too!

Savy Sea Dog!

All in all I think it's great how Cunard are unique and offer this service that no other cruise line do, opening up the market for pet lovers who want a unique holiday experience. I'd sure love to try it!

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Even More Has Been Unveiled For P&O Britannia

If what is already on offer by P&O's brand new ship Britannia wasn't enough for you then you'll be pleased to know that they are unveiling the largest wellness facilities that P&O have ever had to the wonderful Britannia. Currently under construction the Britannia is scheduled to launch in 2015, so not too long to wait now! 

Britannia 

Both gym and spa equipment and services will be included at no extra cost as well as an extensive menu of spa treatments and fitness classes - GREAT! 

But it doesn't end there, oh no! With the Oasis Spa there will be a private villa for couples or groups to relax and unwind, complete with their own whirlpool & spa therapist - sounds to good to be true! 

With P&O other ships  Ventura & Azura, Britannia with feature The Retreat, an open-air deck, where crew serve you cold flannels, drinks, snacks and spa treatments in private cabanas - ultimate chill out time.

The Retreat on board Ventura

I've got to admit I used the Sauna and Steam room on board the Ventura and had a look around the spa and The Retreat and it had a lovely feel to it, with the smell of essential oils infused in the air I certainly felt relaxed in the adult only pool, very quiet and private away from the crowds as these are rather large ships it was nice to get away and relax, something that you feel you can only get on smaller boutique ships, so I say well done P&O for creating this atmosphere. 

Maybe I'll be lucky enough to see Britannia's facilities when she launches...fingers crossed! 

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Not An Early Riser? Then Take A Read At Which Cruise Line Has New Shore Excursions Late Risers

If you're like me and you don't like getting up before 10 am then taking out shore excursions that start at 8 am isn't your idea of having a relaxing cruise holiday! Well Crystal Cruises have taken this into account and are introducing a series of shore excursions which will depart between 11 am and noon, giving you an opportunity to wake up naturally after all who wants to be setting an alarm when you're on holiday! I know I certainly don't!

Crystal Symphony 

In my opinion I think this is a great idea as there are many different types of travellers, so more choice means more happy customers. Some examples of the Late-Riser excursions will be Oporto, Portugal where you will get to see the Cathedral & 19th Century Stock Exchange Palace, also Amsterdam visit where this includes a canal tour, Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum. Some of these cities key places I think you'll agree. 

If your not familiar with Crystal Cruises then let me get you up to speed, they're a small cruise line who have a passion for discovery, with wonderful itineraries from some of the best loved ports to unique ports. With two five-star ships the Crystal Symphony & Crystal Serenity both with extraordinary service.  

Crystal Serenity

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ITV's show...The Royal Princess...Yay or Nay?

Tomorrow is the next episode of ITV's documentary The Cruise Ship, showing us insight to what the Royal Princess has to offer. But how did the first episode portray the cruise line? 

In my opinion I think it shows the grand scale of ship and how many staff it takes to keep things running smoothly- Day of embarkation is always a busy one and I think it takes some great management skills to keep everything in order.

In this episode it mainly focuses on a small number of the passengers giving their opinions to the camera, lots of them are Elite cruises meaning they've been on many sailings, they love the cruising lifestyle, and why wouldn't you when your every need is catered for! 

With the big event of formal night approaching there was masses of laundry to be washed and pressed for the passengers, as Elite members get this for free. 

The only downside so far is that maybe it portrays cruising as only suitable for the older generation, however Princess is a rather refined cruise line where you wouldn't really expect kids to be running around playing in pools where you could on say Royal Caribbean, Carnival or Norwegian Cruise Line. All cruise lines are different and cater to different age groups in the market so it's best not to judge too quickly we shall have to see what tomorrow night's episode brings to the table! Are you going to be watching? 

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Evergrowing Norwegian Cruise Line Fleet....More Ships Announced for 2018/19

It was announced yesterday that the wonderful Norwegian Cruise Line have ordered two more Breakaway-Plus class ships, these will be due to be delivered in 2018 & 2019. So not only have you got the Norwegian  Escape & Bliss to look forward to in October 2015 & March 2017!

The two latest ships ordered will be 164,600 gross tonnes and carry 4,200 passengers another large ship for Norwegian, these seem to be proving the most popular for the amount of facilities on board, there's is something for everyone for sure! 

The Breakaway-Plus class ship design is based on the two current Breakaway class ships the Breakaway
& Getaway, I wonder what extras they will add? Hopefully more studio cabins as these are always the first to go - I must admit Norwegian do cater pretty well to solo travellers in comparison to other cruise lines. 

I guess it's only up from here for Norwegian, they seem to be taking large strives forward in recent years with their relax freestyle "Resort Casual" approach. Do you cruise like a Norwegian?

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