BAG YOURSELF A CRUISE BARGAIN

IN THE PAST,A CRUISE WAS LOOKED AT AS A HOLIDAY THAT ONLY THE MIDDLE CLASS AND UPWARDS COULD GO ON AS,EVEN IF YOU COULD PAY FOR IT,YOU JUST WOULDN'T FIT IN WITH YOUR FELLOW PASSENGERS.OF COURSE,THIS PERCEPTION HAS GENERALLY LONG SINCE GONE, BUT THERE ARE STILL THOSE THAT PERCEIVE A CRUISE TO BE 'OUT OF THEIR REACH'FINANCIALLY.IF YOU LOOK AT THE PASSENGER FIGURES FOR CRUISING OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IS SOMETHING NOT EXPERIENCED SINCE THE GOOD OLD PACKAGE HOLIDAY TO MAJORCA.THE REASONS? WELL THERE ARE MANY,BUT THE MAIN REASON THAT PEOPLE TAKE A CRUISE HOLIDAY IS SIMPLE. VALUE FOR MONEY! INCLUDED IS YOUR ACCOMMODATION, ENTERTAINMENT AND MORE FOOD THAN YOU CAN EVER MANAGE. PLUS YOU GET TAKEN TO EACH PORT OF CALL WHILST YOU'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME!THE BEST WAY OF MAKING SURE THAT YOU GET THE BEST DEAL,FOR SERVICE AS WELL AS PRICE,IS TO BOOK THROUGH AN AGENT WHO IS COVERED BY ABTA (ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH TRAVEL AGENTS).A GREAT ALTERNATIVE IS AN AGENT COVERED BY THE TRAVEL TRUST ASSOCIATION (TTA). ANY MONIES PAID TO A MEMBER OF THE TTA ARE PAID INTO A TRUST ACCOUNT. EACH PASSENGER IS ISSUED WITH AN INSURANCE THAT COVERS THEM UP TO THE VALUE OF £11000 SHOULD THE HOLIDAY COMPANY FAIL.ONE SUCH MEMBER OF THE TTA IS CRUISE MAESTRO LTD OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE (NO.U0629). THEY ARE IN THEIR SIXTH YEAR OF MEMBERSHIP AND ARE REKNOWNED FOR GIVING EXPERT ADVICE AND SERVICE.AS HOLDERS OF AN ATOL (AIR TRAVEL ORGANISERS LICENCE) CRUISE MAESTRO OFFER THE OPTION OF THEIR OWN PACKAGES WHICH CAN BE A CRUISE WITH FLIGHT, TRANSFERS, CAR PARKING, AIRPORT LOUNGES AND HOTEL STAYS. ATOL IS MANAGED BY THE CAA (CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY) AND IS A SCHEME TO PROTECT PASSENGERS SHOULD THE TRAVEL AGENT FAIL. IN THIS EVENT THE CAA WILL EITHER REFUND PASSENGERS OUT OF THE BOND PAID BY THE MEMBER AND ARRANGE FOR PEOPLE TO FINISH THEIR HOLIDAYS AND FLY BACK HOME. TOO MANY PEOPLE BOOK THROUGH COMPANIES WITHOUT THIS COVER AND EITHER LOSE THEOR MONEY OR HAVE TO MAKE THEIR OWN WAY HOME AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE.BOOKING ONE OF CRUISE MAESTRO'S OWN PACKAGES USUALLY WORKS OUT CHEAPER THAN THE CRUISE COMPANY'S PACKAGE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WORK TO SMALLER MARGINS. IN ADDITION THERE IS A GREATER CHOICE OF FLIGHTS, HOTELS AND HOLIDAY DURATION.MAKE 2008 A YEAR TO REMEMBER. BOOK A CRUISE!

CRUISES FOR THOSE WHO DON'T DO CRUISING

FOR MOST DIE-HARD HOTEL AND BEACH HOLIDAY LOVERS, TAKING A CRUISE WOULD BE THE LAST ON THEIR LIST OF IDEAL HOLIDAYS.
THE THINGS THAT SPRING TO MIND WITH THE WORD 'CRUISE' ARE THAT THERE'S NOTHING TO DO, DRESSING UP FORMALLY,SNOBS AND SEA SICKNESS.
WITH OCEAN VILLAGE ALL OF THESE THOUGHTS ARE MYTHS AND THE CLAIM THAT AN OCEAN VILLAGE CRUISE IS FOR 'THOSE WHO DON'T DO CRUISING'IS ACTUALLY SPOT ON AS IT'S AS CASUAL AND AS RELAXING AS YOU WANT TO MAKE IT.
OUTSIDE THERE IS LOTS OF OPEN DECK SPACE WITH TWO POOLS WHERE ONE HAS A BAR WITH STOOLS WHERE YOU CAN COOL OFF AS YOU DANGLE YOUR FEET IN THE WATER. THERE ARE FOUR JACUZZIS ON RAISED PLATFORMS AND TWO SHOWERS.
AT THE TOP OF THE SHIP IS THE BAYSIDE CLUB WHERE IN THE AFTERNOON YOU MAY ENJOY A COCKTAIL IN PEACEFUL SURROUNDINGS WHEREAS AT NIGHT IT TURNS INTO A NIGHT CLUB WITH A SUNKEN DANCEFLOOR.
FOR THOSE WISHING TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH FRIENDS,FAMILY OR BUSINESS THERE IS AN INTERNET CAFE WITH FIVE TERMINALS FOR WHICH THERE IS A CHARGE FOR 15 MINUTES OF £7.50.
DINING IS SELF SERVICE AND BUFFET STYLE IN THE PLANTATION AND WATERFRONT RESTAURANTS BUT FOR THOSE WHO WOULD PREFER SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE FORMAL (AND SLIGHTLY BETTER FOOD)THERE ARE TWO RESTAURANTS OFFERING WAITER SERVICE FOR DINNER AND/OR LUNCH FOR WHICH THERE IS A COVER CHARGE.SERVICE IS USUALLY WITH A SMILE!
THERE ARE SEVERAL SHOPS ON TWO LEVELS AROUND THE THREE STOREY ATRIUM LOBBY PLUS A CASINO,SHOWLOUNGE AND CINEMA.
THE OVAL BAR OFFERS A BRITISH PUB FEEL WHEREAS NEXT DOOR IS CONNEXIONS BAR WHICH HAS A MUCH MORE CONTEMORARY FEEL TO IT WITH LOTS OF STAINLESS STEEL AND BRIGHT COLOURS.
THERE ARE EXTENSIVE FACILITIES FOR CHILDREN WITH AN INDOOR AREA CALLED BASE CAMP AND AN OUTSIDE AREA WITH GAMES AREA AND PADDLING POOL.ALL ARE AT THE REAR OF THE SHIP.THERE IS ALSO A NIGHT NURSERY WHICH RUNS FROM 6PM-2AM. THERE IS A CHARGE FOR THOSE STAYING AFTER MIDNIGHT!(CHILDREN AGED BELOW 6 MONTHS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON OCEAN VILLAGE)
FOR TEENAGERS THERE IS THEIR OWN AREA CALLED THE HIDEOUT.
CABINS,COMPARED TO MANY NEWER SHIPS,ARE OF A DECENT SIZE AND FOR THOSE WHO PREFER A WINDOW HERE'S A TIP. THE LOWEST GRADE WINDOW CABIN IS A GRADE G WHICH HAVE PORTHOLES BUT ARE VERY LOW DOWN IN THE SHIP. HOWEVER THE HH GRADE HAVE A FULL SIZE PICTURE WINDOW BUT AS THEY ARE ON LIFEBOAT DECK THEY ARE EITHER PART OR FULLY OBSTRUCTED. THE GOOD THING IS THAT THEY ARE HALFWAY UP THE SHIP AND COST LESS THAN THE PORTHOLE CABIN AND YOU STILL GET NATURAL LIGHT. ALL ROOMS HAVE A TV ANYWAY WHICH SHOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING ON DECK THROUGH THE CCTV. THERE ARE A LIMITED NUMBER (64)OF CABINS WITH BALCONY.TEA/COFFEE FACILITIES ARE IN ALL ROOMS.
ENTERTAINMENT CAN BE FOUND IN THE SHOWLOUNGE AND IS TO A GOOD STANDARD. MUSIC IS ALSO PLAYED IN ALL OF THE BARS.
FINALLY THERE IS A SPA AND FITNESS CENTRE WITH BEAUTY SALON, WELLNESS CENTRE (KARMA SPA)AND GYMNASIUM.
ALL IN ALL OCEAN VILLAGE OFFERS EXCELLENT VALUE FOR MONEY CRUISES FROM ITS TWO SHIPS EITHER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN (OUT OF PALMA OR HERAKLION) IN THE EUROPEAN SUMMERTIME OR CARIBBEAN (OUT OF BARBADOS OR MONTEGO BAY) IN THE EUROPEAN WINTER.

REGENT SEVEN SEAS CHANGES HANDS

LUXURY CRUISE LINE REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES HAS BEEN BOUGHT OUT BY APOLLO MANAGEMENT LP.
THE DEAL HAS BEEN RUMOURED FOR SOME TIME AND IT HAS NOW BEEN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THAT APOLLO HAVE BOUGHT THE COMPANY FROM CARLSON COS.
FAMILY-RUN REGENT, BASED IN FORT LAUDERDALE, HAS ABOUT 120 EMPLOYEES AT ITS CYPRESS CREEK HEADQUARTERS AND IS RUMOURED TO HAVE COST ABOUT 1 BILLION DOLLARS.
MIAMI BASED LUXURY CRUISE LINE OCEANIA IS ALSO CONTROLLED BY APOLLO.

FORMULA ONE AND MSC CRUISES AGREEMENT

IT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED BY MSC CRUISES THAT IT WILL BE A SPONSOR AT SOME OF NEXT YEARS GRAND PRIX IN THE 2008 ---MOTOR RACING FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.
ADVERTISING FROM MSC CRUISES WILL BE ON SHOW TRACKSIDE AT HOCKENHEIM-GERMANY, CATALUNYA-SPAIN, MAGNY COURS-FRANCE AND SAO PAULO-BRAZIL.GUESTS WILL NOW BE WELCOMED INTO THE PADDOCK CLUB BY MSC.

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE' NEW SHIP

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE'S NEW CRUISE SHIP, MS EURODAM, WILL BE SAILING OUT OF COPENHAGEN FOR HER OFFICIAL 10 DAY MAIDEN CRUISE ON JULY 5TH 2008. AFTER VISITS TO PORTS IN THE NORWEGIAN FJORDS SHE WILL CONTINUE HER VOYAGE TO THE UNITED KINGDOM CALLING AT NEWCASTLE, LEITH AND INVERGORDON BEFORE RETURNING TO COPENHAGEN.

NEW CRUISE HOLIDAYS IN ASIA

SINCE COSTA'S CRUISE SHIP COSTA ALLEGRA HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL WITH ITS CRUISES OUT OF HONG KONG, COSTA HAVE CONFIRMED THAT A SECOND SHIP, THE COSTA CLASSICA, WILL BE CRUISING ASIA FROM MARCH 2009.
COSTA CLASSIC ACCOMMODATES 1,680 PASSENGERS AND WILL ADD A FURTHER 55,000 BERTHS TO THE 30,000 OF THE COSTA ALLEGRA WHICH, SINCE HER POSITIONING THERE IN JULY 2006, HAS SAILED ABOUT 100 CRUISES AND CARRIED OVER 50,000 CRUISE PASSENGERS.
STARTING IN NOVEMBER 2008, COSTA ALLEGRA WILL OFFER 30 CRUISES OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD OUT OF HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE, OF WHICH SOME WILL BE OF A 14 DAY DURATION.
COSTA CLASSICA HOWEVER WILL OFFER 33 CRUISES OUT OF EITHER SINGAPORE, HONG KONG, SHANGHAI OR TIANJIN AND WILL BE OF BETWEEN 4 AND 14 DAYS DURATION.
BEFORE THIS, COSTA CLASSICA WILL CONTINUE WITH HER CRUISE ITINERARIES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION OUT OF THE PORT OF SAVONA IN ITALY BEFORE HEADING FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES TO OPERATE A SERIES OF ELEVEN 7 DAY CRUISES OUT OF DUBAI AND THEN A 19 DAY RE-POSITIONING CRUISE TO SINGAPORE.

CRUISE HOLIDAY SMOKING POLICY CHANGES

P&O ARE TO MAKE CHANGES TO ITS ON BOARD SMOKING POLICY IN 2008.THE CHANGES WILL AFFECT P&O OCEANA CRUISES E807, E808 & E809 WITH THE FIRST CRUISE SAILING 11TH APRIL 2008.
SMOKING IN CABINS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED DURING THESE CRUISES BUT WILL BE ALLOWED ON CABIN BALCONIES, IN DESIGNATED AREAS OF OPEN DECKS AND OTHER CERTAIN AREAS OF PUBLIC ROOMS.
IT IS EXPECTED THAT THIS NEW POLICY WILL ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER SAILINGS IN THE FUTURE OF WHICH DETAILS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.