09 October 2022

I don’t really know where to start because I could go on for pages but I’ll try and keep it as short and sweet as possible. Having never cruised before, we were amazed at how quick and easy it was to get through security and onto the ship, you don’t have to arrive hours before because you have a time slot and as soon as you step on your holiday begins straight away. We left our bags before embarking the ship and then they appeared outside our room… perfect!! Royal Caribbean's Anthem Of The Seas exceeded my expectations and I miss it so much already! The staff, the food, the entertainment, the destinations and mostly the beautiful views. When we arrived we found our room which was bigger than I imagined for a ship and it had an ocean view window which was lovely to wake up to everyday, especially when we woke up somewhere new most days, how wonderful and what a way to see more of the world <3 Windjammers is the inclusive buffet and OH MY GOODNESS it is incredible!! Everything we could wish for, lots of choice and such good quality too. They cater for every requirement and healthy options too, but it’s safe to say that I definitely made the most of the not so healthy options! Every time we visited, a member of staff was at the door who is always cheerful and even sings with his ukulele. “washy washy, happy happy” he says to make us smile as everybody has to go through the hand wash area first which I think is great. We visited a few other food places on board too which were also amazing. There are more luxurious dining options and also less formal, grab a bite options which is more us. We were in the Royal Theatre every evening, there was always a show on. We Will Rock You which is fantastic, magician, comedian, variety shows, tribute acts, orchestra and more. Then once that’s finished we would get our fix of THE BEST cookies we have both ever tasted, let me tell you that their oat & raisin cookies are unreal, myself and my husband could not get enough of them. Anyways, after the show we went to find more in other areas such as musicians, karaoke, quiz night and that’s not even mentioning the amount of activities on offer during the day. I attended massage taster session, ladies pamper party, gym class and more. There’s bingo, crafts … Anthem has a climbing wall, bumper cars, ifly sky dive, highest viewing point at sea, surf simulator, bionic bar and a huge giraffe on top deck named GiGi. There are children areas and adult areas. The technology on ship is fascinating. I disembarked that ship with a tear in my eye and the knowledge that I would 100% be back!

24 May 2022

I have just returned from CLIA – (Cruise Lines International Association) conference and I’m writing this as I’m still absolutely buzzing from how incredible it was! I’ll try to keep it short and sweet but honestly I could go on for hours. As the title says, I was wowed and was absolutely blown away by the beauty of the ships, the hospitality and the events. I learnt a huge amount, so please contact me for any Cruise enquiries. The evening I arrived, we went to a Regent Seven Seas presentation and I was honestly thinking it would be a quick Powerpoint, I was so wrong. We went to a cinema and were treated to drinks and popcorn whilst we learnt about the ships pure luxury before mingling with them as they took us to a beautiful Thai Tapas restaurant. Regent customers are treated like royalty throughout their whole experience. Day 1 - We visited MSC - Virtuosa, the first thing we saw as we entered the ship was those absolutely breathtaking Swarovski staircases in the centre and had me immediately falling in love! If you have children then this ship is brilliant for you, I felt like it has the perfect mix of entertainment for the children and relaxation and luxury for you! The food was nothing less than perfect, has a British pub on board, the spa had me dreaming of relaxation luxury and the chocolate shop… well that speaks for itself (the sea creatures in the photos of this post are actually chocolate!! No way right!?) But the thing that I was most impressed with was the service and friendliness of the crew onboard, your glass wasn’t empty before they filled it up for you, they found out that I can’t have cheese (we had a set menu) and immediately bought me a different dish, they had us all smiling and laughing and the way we were greeted as we embarked and disembarked the ship was actually quite emotional. Day 2 – P&O – Iona, we were entertained before we even boarded the ship, with ladies on stilts and a DJ that certainly got us in the holiday mood. I would recommend this ship to couples and adult groups, she is absolutely beautiful! Again there was a breath-taking staircase centre, Iona also has a glass SkyDome roof which brings the outside in, 5 pools with many whirl pools to relax whilst taking in the dazzling views, 6 theatres and 33 dining/bar spaces. The sun beds are cushioned which brings so much more of a luxury feel, the spa is dreamy and she is the first British ship to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas which is amazing for sustainability. Day 3 – Royal Caribbean – Anthem Of The Seas, this ship's technology is another level, it's like it has what the future will bring. It also has bumper cars, climbing wall, iFLY skydiving simulator, surfing machine, rollerskates, circus school and North Star which holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest viewing deck at sea. Entertainment onboard includes the famous We Will Rock You and she has shopping, 4 pools and 18 dining options. Rest assured that all the thrill onboard does not take away from the ships luxury and beauty. The trade fair and conferences were made so much fun, we had inspirational guest speakers including Jonny Wilkes and Aldo Kane, I danced the night away at the gala ball and I met some absolutely fabulous people along the way. In conclusion, cruising exceeds my expectations and I’m lucky enough to be going on one soon, so watch this space…

05 April 2022

In that moment, I knew I had to follow my dream, a switch just clicked… and here I am ?? Let me take you back to the beginning… I got married in November and we had the most magical honeymoon thanks to Travel Counsellors. We went to paradise on earth, the Maldives and finished off with a few days in Dubai - which is now one of my favourite places ever and where I’m taking you in this blog. When I think of Dubai, I think beautiful and pristine… I also think desert, amazing food, shopping and pure sunshine, but seriously I couldn’t get over how clean and fresh everywhere was! In November the weather was perfect, it’s always hot there, they have a summer and a super summer which is even hotter. When we arrived we were treated like royalty from start to finish. At our lovely hotel we met the kindest concierge ever!! Because it was our honeymoon, there were so many special little touches arranged by them and the lovely Travel Counsellor who organised the whole trip! Our hotel Vida was only a 5 minute walk away from my favourite part of Dubai… Downtown Dubai, where it’s beauty just took my breath away! Home to the Burj Khalifa which sparkles in the evening, palm trees twinkling with fairy lights, the famous fountains wowing us every hour, the old fashioned gondolas slowly cruising along the glistening water and the calming music in the background that takes all your stresses away. We visited here every day and I really did fall in love! We enjoyed some amazing excursions including a group tour where we got to see the culture of Dubai and visit the wonderful spice souk (markets) we went red dune bashing in the Hajjar mountains followed by a BBQ buffet at a stunning Bedouin style desert camp with incredible singing, belly dancing, Indian dance and fire breathing entertainment, oh and I rode on a camel too :) and we couldn’t leave without taking in the breathtaking views at the viewing deck of the Burj Khalifa, we went at sunset! We also went to Atlantis water park which is HUGE! We did plenty of shopping as you do when you visit the worlds largest mall. The food places in there are perfect for us, has all the sweet treats you can imagine, so we were in our element. Outside the mall there are beautiful restaurants with a perfect view. Do you know what I noticed out there? The amount of men taking selfies was crazy haha, it’s always the girlies we see doing that here! But it’s got to be done in Dubai right!?!! It was almost the last day of our honeymoon and I remember it like it was yesterday, I was sitting beside the fountains with my milkshake in hand and on a video call to my Mum with my new Husband sat opposite me and tears started rolling down my cheeks. It’s like something just clicked in my head and I told my Mum that the world is too amazing and life is too short for me not to turn this passion for travel that my heart is bursting with, into making my dream a reality. A new chapter has began...