Party Dress Crisis

This dress is the most expensive item of clothing I own and I was so chuffed when I bought it. Long, sexy and sophisticated - just like me! However 1 night of dancing later and the beads on the bodice had rubbed all my arms to shreds. We now have our Christmas party this weekend - 2 nights on Fred Olsen's Balmoral and I need to decide whether to wear it or not. It's been in my wardrobe for 18mths, been worn once only and I feel in the current economic climate I shouldn't be splashing out on a new one. The option I guess is just don't dance, or at least dance slightly more calmly. However as anyone who knows me will verify, not dancing is just not an option.

Do you enjoy getting all dressed up on your cruise holiday?

Seabourn ships to enter dry dock

Seabourn Spirit has just been fully refitted and Seabourn have now announced the refurbishment of Legend and Pride.
Pride and Legend will head to dry dock in January 2010 and Autumn 2010, respectively.
Enhancements begin in the Reception Lobby with honey-toned wood panelling, two-toned marble flooring and furnishings reupholstered in rich burgundy. Onboard entertainment spaces shine, with the main show lounge transformed with cut-velvet banquettes in muted blues and taupe chairs beneath glittering stars. In The Club, floral-motif carpeting plays off warm reds and burnt oranges while elegantly toned, matte stone panels invoke spaciousness throughout.

In The Restaurant, celebrity Chef Charlie Palmer’s cuisine is presented in a rich, yet understated elegance realized in handsome toffee-toned woods, creamy caramel accents, dramatic sheer curtains striped horizontally in violet and gold interspersing muted purple drapes, and flooring finished in sumptuous golden stone with sage infusions. Meanwhile, the open decks are going modern with graceful new furniture of coffee-hued, powder-coated metal and chocolate-toned fabric.

Seabourn has always been Andrew Gardener, Cruise.co.uk’s chairman favourite cruise line and now with these enhancements, the new Seabourn Odyssey and launch of Seabourn Sojourn in 2010, they are defiantly a cruise line to try. Now is the time to treat yourself.

FREE car parking ends soon

Don't forget if you have free car parking on an Independence of the Seas booking - you must confirm this with abparking by 31 Dec 2009. If you don't do this your free parking will not be honoured.
You can call 0844 880 6848  or visit http://www.abparking.co.uk/. You will need your Royal Caribbean booking reference.

If you haven't yet booked....book a 14 night round trip cruise from Southampton on Independance and you will get free parking. But hurry the offer ends 31 December.

How low would you go?

Is cost now all that is important in life? On Tuesday, Arcadia's Grand Alaskan voyage went on sale on 8am. My colleague quoted a gentleman last week who said he wanted to book, as we don't open until 9am she called him at 5.30 the night before to check that he was definitely booking.

She then duly arrived at work an hour early in order to book his cabin, called him as arranged at 8am to be advised that 'workmen have just arrived - please call back in 10mins' On the second call she was informed that he had booked with another cruise agent as they got a cruise deal that was £2 cheaper.

I'm all for ringing around and getting the best price, after all times are hard and why pay more than you have to. But surely good manners and decency comes in to it somewhere? But I'm looking from the agents point of view...what would you have done?

Cunard Christmas Cracker?

Cunard's Queen Victoria is sailing a 16 nights canaries cruise departing on the 19th December. Taking in Christmas and New Year and cruising to one of the warmer destinations, she should be the ideal choice. Yet this Christmas cruise still has availability when nearly all other cruises sold out months ago.

Maybe it's the recession - although P&O, Ocean Village and NCL all appear unaffected. Maybe she's too expensive, but with free upgrades, on board credit and keen discounting I think she offers an attractive proposition. I'm stumped, I can see no reason why she hasn't sold - can you?

Artemis - NOW SOLD OUT

Well 26 minutes after going on sale she is now sold out. But don't worry there are still plenty of other voyages available between now and April 2011, so if you want to sail on Artemis before she retires just give me a call.

Artemis farewell voyage...price increases already

Here we go again, it happened with Queen Elizabeth and it's happening again with Artemis. P&O have given travel agents prices, encouraged us to take pre registrations withe customers and agree prices and then as soon as she goes on sale thet put the prices up.

Cruise specialists such as ourselves are left with the choice of  calling  customers back to  ask for more money, making us look stupid and incompentant - or discount so much that we make a loss on the booking so as to keep our loyal customers happy. Not a great choice to make.

My message to P&O is 'sort this out before the next launch/final voyage' and to you as a customer..book now before the prices go up any further or the voyage sells out.