12 May 2019

I was invited by Celebrity Cruises to sail on the new ship Celebrity Edge. She is 130,000 ton and has 16 decks. I had an ocean view stateroom with a fantastic floor to ceiling window while other cabins have infinite Verandas that take your whole room right to the water’s edge, giving you open air access to the sea whenever you wish. The highlight of Edge is that she has a 'floating carpet', the world’s first cantilevered, floating platform that reaches heights of 13 stories above sea level, so you can soar over the open ocean. With breath-taking views, a full bar, and space for live music performances, it truly is a destination itself. Celebrity Edge has four main restaurants plus specialist restaurants, Raw, Le Grand Bistro, Fine Cut Steakhouse and Le Petit Chef which was definitely my favourite! Four animated mini chefs bring your plate to life before each course, such fun and the food was amazing! There is plenty of entertainment on board to suit all tastes, but my favourite was the club which offers live DJ performances, interactive gaming, acrobats and much more. Each performance in the theatre is performed twice an evening to fit around the two dining times. The other area on the ship which I particularly liked was 'Eden' which had a very calm and relaxing atmosphere, a space where nature is so present. Eden is placed at the rear of the ship with large hexagonal conservatory type windows offering fantastic views all-around of the sky and sea. The top resort deck hosts the swimming pool, sunbathing terraces and two storey martini hot tubs and a jogging track which spans over two decks around the perimeter. Overall Celebrity Edge was a luxurious cruise ship suitable for couples, families young or old, she has something to offer everybody.

07 January 2009

Me, my husband and young children just adore Chamonix, with it's spectacular skiing and the stunning backdrop of Mont Blanc (which I must confess I have not been up yet). The town of Chamonix is full of character with a good selection of bars (for the mandatory vin chaud!) as well as restaurants and a well-stocked 'Super U' if you are self-catering. We always stay in the Chalet Hotel Sapiniere which is arguably the best located hotel in Chamonix, but it does focus on families with children (I can recommend others that don't). The Savoy nursery slopes are literally in front of the hotel so you can watch your little ones (or big ones!) whizzing down the slopes - for complete beginners it has a very rare travolator which is great until you can use the button tow lift opposite. The Chamonix valley has something to offer all levels of skier; Le Tour is great for an easy day out or for the more extreme skier there is the Grand Montets at Argentiere or for off-piste the famous Valley Blanche. If you do not ski, Chamonix has an ice rink, a swimming pool, dog sledding, horse drawn carriage rides and a funicular railway to the Mer de Glace (glacier and ice caves) and of course the infamous cable car to Aguille du Midi - if you dare! I love Chamonix and think it has something to offer everybody, old, young, skier or not.