Going on a cruise holiday was always on my list of holidays to look into, but I have to admit, I was wary at first. I mean, sometimes there is this stigma about cruises, such as them being designed more for the older generation, or that you’ll spend the majority of the time getting sea-sick, or that the cabins can be really claustrophobic.
My opinions changed when my parents went on one a couple of years back, and cruised around Italy. They stopped off at all the popular locations around Italy, like Venice and Rome – two places I’ve always wanted to go. So not only did they get to visit the best of Italy, they also had an incredible cruise holiday at the same time. And since then I’ve been seeing all kinds of wonderful trips, like Cruises from Abu Dhabi and even the Caribbean.
If you really look into cruises, you’ll find you can cruise just about anywhere. You don’t even have to sail off to sunnier climates – there are cruises to the polar regions too, like the antartic, for a real different type of holiday.
Now that travel is back on the horizon, I’ve found myself thinking about a cruise trip again. I eventually went on my very first cruise for my Mums birthday a few years ago. It was myself, my boyfriend, my Mum and my Dad who went on a week long cruise for a family holiday, and at the time, I was reeeally intrigued as to how I would find it. Ideally, if you haven’t cruised before, you want a company who really understands the cruise travel industry to help you sort this. This is where companies like http://nineconcierge.com/bespoke-concierge-service can help, professionals in client travel who can help ensure every box you need ticking is ticked. Plus, they do all the hard work for you.
We chose to do a ‘fly cruise’, which involved flying to Malta, where we then set sail to Athens, Mykonos, Katakolon and Albania. I’d actually never been to either of those places before, so 5 new discoveries for me. The cruise itself was 100 times more incredible than I’d ever imagined. As much as the fly cruise element was exciting, I would definitely look towards a no-fly one if I was to go again. This is when recently I discovered a brand new cruise liner which has just launched into the travel world. The premium value Ambassador cruise line is a brand-new cruise line – the first new British cruise line to be launched since 2010! The new cruise liner aims to inspire and delight every guest to enjoy an authentic cruise experience effortlessly, and sustainably. It looks super sleek and elegant in appearance, and from looking into it’s voyages, popular trips will be to to the fjords, Iceland, Greenland and Canada, Northern Lights and Winter cruises to places like Cuba (definitely on my must-see list).
The timing of the launch is perfect – just a few days before Britain welcomes back cruise ships to its waters. I discovered the launch when I saw an investment group had announced the launch of a new cruise line, to be based at London’s Tilbury. The strong name -Ambassador- kind of says it all really. A stylish cruise line that will target an older demographic looking for a traditional yet premium value maritime experience.
I’ll be honest, as much as I’m eager for a holiday with my little girl (nearly 6 months old) I am also longing for planning a rather grown up, sophisticated holiday, that doesn’t include travelling with kids. So a cruise aimed at the older generation actually excites me for a holiday opportunity to come with my own parents, too.
Discovering this new cruise line launch has made me get all the feels again for holidaying on water again. I had been dubious the first time I was going, but I surprised myself at just how much of a brilliant time I had. And I genuinely did – I had an absolutely fantastic time – we all did! So much so that I wanted to put this blog post together to share with anyone who is in two minds about cruising just how brilliant it can be. It’s also worth noting that this opportunity to explore numerous countries via one trip was actually rather affordable, much more than it would be booking multiple trips around the world and flying everywhere and finding nice accommodation! The beauty of cruises is that you can always book a late cruise deal for fantastic value, too.
If you have often pondered the idea of a cruise, I’ve decided to make it a little easier to get your head around. Here’s 7 reason why I would recommend cruising the sea life to anyone… (and definitely not just the elderly!). And if you wish to cruise on one of the newest most exciting cruises ships around, then it could be worth researching further into the Ambassador …
1. Visit multi destinations
You can visit so many different locations during one single cruise holiday. Going on a cruise which visits around 4-5 different countries/islands/towns opens you up to places you had never expected to explore.
For example, I’ve always wanted to visit Italy, but I don’t really fancy spending a week having road trips, train trips or internal flights. But hearing about the cruises which tour around all the popular, beautiful cities of Italy (Venice, Rome, Milan, Florence, etc), makes me realise that a cruise is a fantastic, relaxing way to travel around.
My advice would be to use the port in which you board the ship to do some exploring too. We boarded at the port in Malta, but if you can, factor in some time to explore the country you board at too.
2. It’s all inclusive – but remember gratuities
Most cruise lines offer ‘Full Board’ service, which means all your accommodation, food and entertainment are all included in the price. This way, you know what you are paying for your holiday. You’ll often get ‘cabin credit’ too, depending who you book with and what offer you get.
This means you can use your cabin key card to ‘pay’ for drinks, and it comes off an amount you are assigned to. This will again be all inclusive, so you don’t need to worry about owing anything. You only need to remember than if you go over your cabin credit, that’s when you’ll have a bill at the end. Check your bill at reception periodically so you keep track of what you are spending.
Just remember that often gratuities, alcohol, soft drinks, speciality dining and coffees, the spa and certain activities and events may not be included, and you’ll be billed for gratuities at the end of the trip (you can, however, choose to opt out).
3. Variety across everything…
The beauty of cruising is that you have so much variety and choice that no two days need ever be the same. The cruise ships operate in a competitive market and they seek to entertain guests to give them the very best experience.
Most cruise ships will have an action-packed days, offering you lots of entertainment options, like games, live music, bbq’s on board, dancing lessons, pampering events… the list is endless!
It’s worth bearing in mind that you’ll be given a daily ‘paper’ every evening for the following day, designed to keep you up to date with information about what is happening on-board.
4. All the food glorious food.
Most cruises these days pride themselves with incredible cuisine and dining options. Many showcase celebrity chef restaurants (normally a cover charge applies) alongside their traditional dining and buffet restaurants, cafes and other outlets. I found that each food outlet was just incredible quality, right down from the breakfast buffet to the lunch time bbq, and the stands offering ice creams and crepes.
But the best thing about dining ‘all inclusive’ on the cruise ships is that they offer food 24 hours a day through their various food and beverage outlets – mainly the buffets. The food will change to reflect cuisine themes (via country, for example) and will adapt for the time of day. You’ll usually experience Italian, Spanish, Greek and American themes, where you just pile your plate high!
However, if you get a bit fed up of the food on board (not quite sure how you could…) there is always the option to lunch out when you take a day trip at one of your stop-off destinations.
5. The service is outstanding.
You’ll not travel on any other trip which gives you service so brilliant. All cruise staff are trained at making your cruise as memorable as possible, and don’t forget that the cruise ships want repeat business and tips, so the best way to secure that is by making your cruise as impressive and memorable as possible.
Be prepared to be looked after, pampered and fussed over for the whooooole duration of your cruise.
6. Have an ultimate relax
The bottom line of going on a cruise holiday is that it is yours to enjoy however you want. You could simply relax every day at the pool, on deck, relax in your room or the library areas, the bar areas, or even book in at the spa.
You can join in the activities or book trips and excursions for when you get off at the next destination. It;s your cruise and you have full flexibility, as well as being well and truly spoilt!
7. Great Value for Money.
Some people may seem a little put off by cruises as they associate them with high prices, but when you take into consideration everything you get for what you pay, it’s actually pretty incredible. You get the pick of various destinations to visit, comfortable, fully serviced rooms, literally unlimited food at all the various restaurants and other food outlets, on-board entertainment, including game shows, theatre shows, movies, presentations…. and so many stop off places.
If you love travel, luxury, fun and sun, cruises couldn’t be any more suited for you. But there you go, I’ve highlighted my reasons why I love them… I’ll leave the rest to you!
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