30 March 2025

The World’s Newest Cruise Ship – Norwegian Cruise Line AQUA The Aqua is the newest addition to Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet and joins its Prima Class siblings, Prima and Viva. I had the privilege of experiencing its inaugural voyage from Southampton to Zeebrugge and back in March 2025, and here’s my full review. Overall, the ship is absolutely breathtaking. Norwegian has truly outdone themselves once again with the design, dining options, and onboard entertainment. The ship’s layout is seamlessly designed, with countless areas to explore. From enjoying a quiet cocktail by the pool to an adrenaline-pumping ride on the slide coaster, the options are endless. Cruise Facts for Enthusiasts: With a gross tonnage of 156,300 tons, a length of 1,056 feet, and a capacity for nearly 3,600 passengers, the Aqua is 10% larger in size and capacity compared to Prima or Viva. This ship will be based out of Port Canaveral in Florida, Miami, and New York during the summer season. Food and Beverage: Let’s face it – many of us go on a cruise just to indulge in delicious food! With 17 restaurants and 19 bars, there’s no shortage of culinary options, and you might not even get through them all in a 7-night trip. Accommodation: The cabins are beautifully designed in soft, muted tones, offering an impressive amount of storage space both in the rooms and bathrooms. Every detail has been thoughtfully considered, from USB-C ports to the innovative shower door design. The balcony furniture is also a significant upgrade compared to other cruise lines and is surprisingly comfortable. Cabins come in various options, including inside, studio, balcony, club cabins, and suites. Notably, they offer solo cabins in every category with no supplements, which is fantastic for those traveling alone. There’s also a dedicated lounge for solo passengers to meet others. Additionally, there are great suite options that are perfect for multi-generational groups. The Haven: The Haven provides an exclusive boutique experience with private elevators, a 24-hour butler, a dedicated pool and sundeck, plus the Haven Restaurant and Bar. If you enjoy a luxurious, intimate experience typical of five-star cruise lines, but with all the amenities of a larger ship, this is the area for you. Specialty Dining: As expected, Norwegian’s signature restaurants are available, including Starbucks, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Los Lobos (Mexican), Onda by Scarpetta, Palomar (Mediterranean), Nama Sushi, Hasuki (Teppanyaki-style), Le Bistro (French cuisine), and more. New to Aqua is Sukhothai, a Thai-inspired restaurant included in the specialty dining packages. Complimentary Dining: There are two main dining rooms – Commodore and Hudson – plus the Surf Side Café and Grill on Deck 17, which serves buffet-style meals. The Local Bar is perfect for grabbing a quick bite like burgers and chicken wings after a shore excursion. One standout for me was Indulge Food Hall – a food court without the usual crowds. You order small plates from around the world via an iPad, and the food arrives in minutes, perfect for picky eaters or if your party is craving different cuisines. Based on guest feedback, there’s also a plant-based option available at Planterie. Entertainment: There’s a bar around every corner, from Belvedere (for vodka cocktails) to Metropolitan (a nod to a bygone era), and Improv, the onboard comedy club. Swirl is a new, intimate venue on Aqua where you can enjoy fine wine in a laid-back setting. Fans of NCL’s Syd Norman’s will be happy to know that popular performances like Prince: The Revolution and Rumours (a Fleetwood Mac tribute) have moved to the main stage, leaving space for even more performances at Syd Norman’s. It was a hit during our sailing. Another highlight was the Observation Lounge, offering stunning indoor and outdoor views with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The main stage features 1-hour-long performances at 7:30 and 9:30 PM, focusing on recognizable music – perfect for those who don’t want to commit to a long show or listen to unfamiliar tunes. After the performance, the venue transforms into a nightclub for late-night dancing. Activities: • Slidecoaster: A hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide at sea – a two-person ride that sends you racing down a tube slide. • Glow Court: A high-tech sports venue for interactive games. • The Drop: A dry slide that spirals you down 10 stories – or you can just relax with a cocktail and watch others take the plunge! • Vibe Beach Club: A luxurious adults-only area available at an extra cost, perfect for those traveling without children. There’s also a game zone, Bull’s Eye Bar, mini-golf, bowling – you'll never be bored on this ship. Plus, there are kids’ and teens’ clubs and an Aqua park to keep the younger passengers entertained. Spa: The spa is next-level with state-of-the-art pools, steam rooms, a salt room, an ice room, and a charcoal sauna. Though it’s a bit pricey, if you have a lot of sea days, I highly recommend purchasing the spa pass for access to the relaxation area alone. Ocean Boulevard: This was my favourite part of the ship! It spans the entire 8th deck, offering the chance to enjoy the fresh ocean air while exploring various bars, lounges, and activities. You can even walk across glass bridges with a cocktail in hand. There are infinity pools on either side of Ocean Boulevard where you can relax in the sun and watch the world go by. More at Sea (the revamped Free at Sea): This add-on package includes specialty dining (based on your itinerary’s length), Wi-Fi, and a premium drinks package. Priced at around £249 per person, it’s fantastic value when compared to similar offerings from other cruise lines. Without a doubt, I would highly recommend this cruise to both families and solo travellers. The ship is stunning, beautifully designed, and offers plenty of space for whatever activity you’re in the mood for.

20 September 2024

We are just back from a week in Croatia. It’s been my bucket list for a long time and I’ve organised several trips for clients to various locations over the years so I felt like I knew it quite well. I didn’t expect to fall so hard and fast for it! We based ourselves in Cavtat, about 30 mins south of Dubrovnik and 30 mins north of Herceg Novi in Montenegro. Its an incredibly pretty town, nestled on a peninsula between two bays. The highlight is the gorgeous harbour lots of restaurants and café bars and some incredible yachts. You could while away the whole afternoon with an Aperol Spritz watching the comings and goings in the harbour. The turquoise sea is crystal clear and there are plenty of bathing platforms and places to rent sun loungers. In terms of amenities the town has everything you might need. Two small supermarkets, bakery, chemist, several ice cream vendors and numerous attractions such as Churches and a small museum. There is a lovely loop walk around the peninsula where you can stop at the Little Star beach bar at the end to watch the sunset. You can pick up some day trips to the Islands or the Blue and Green Caves directly from there. We got the boat taxi to Dubrovnik Old Town one evening but more on that later We stayed in the 5-star Hotel Croatia. Built into the cliff side, our room, a deluxe double overlooked the sea. Room was very comfortable, not 5-star luxury but of a decent standard. It was spacious and the bed was very comfortable. It’s a large hotel and it takes a while to get used to the layout, reminded me of a cruise ship as Reception is on floor 3.5 so you go down to a lot of the rooms. The main restaurant has a beautiful, terraced area so you can eat alfresco, and the breakfast buffet was good. There is an indoor and outdoor pool on the 5th floor and also sun loungers by the sea. The get to the town you can either take the hotels complimentary golf buggy or you can walk down the steps, its only 5 mins but its steep so not for anyone with mobility issues. There are several options for accommodation in the area, for luxury I would recommend the Hotel Supetar, a boutique hotel right on the promenade. Alternatives to the Hotel Croatia would be Hotel Cavtat or Seventh Hotel or there are two hotels under the Remisens brand which are about 10 mins walk from centre of Cavtat on Beach Zal which is pebbly but turns to sand when in the water so good for kids. If you are not bothered about a swimming pool when you have the divine Adriatic to dive into then there are loads of self-catering options. We hired a car for the day and headed to Montenegro. There are two crossings, and you can check the live cameras to see which one is quieter, usually the longer journey but it only adds about 15 mins to the journey and could save hours in the queue. You need your passport to cross the border and a green card for the hire car. If you are hiring a car, don’t forget to let them know you intend on crossing the border, there is a charge for that. Its usually €20 a day. We visited Herceg Novi, Persat and Kotor and each one was as beautiful as the next. We manage to avoid the cruise ship crowds but doing Kotor last when most of the big ships were leaving at 4pm. I will certainly be returning to any of the above places, real European feel and a lot less touristy than Dubrovnik. Driving is easy enough and the roads are fairly basic. We took a scenic route back from Kotor to catch the Lepetane to Kamenari Ferry so that we did a loop, parts of that road were a tad hairy with no barriers between the road and the sea. This could have been avoided but it was worth it. If you take this route, there is a great viewing point and swimming spot by the Church of Our Lady of Angels. We visited Dubrovnik one evening, we took the boat taxi directly from Cavtat and it’s a wonderful way to travel. It was August and very busy, so I checked the port schedule and picked an evening with no cruise ships in port and actually the Old Town was quiet. We wandered around and up a lots of steps (my 80-year-old Mother still has the hump with me) and got a general feel for the place. There are loads of public boards with the history that make for really interesting reading. We didn’t walk the walls as they close at 7pm but would certainly recommend that if you are there off season. We got the cable car up to the Dubrovnik Museum and had a drink in the Panoramic Restaurant, I would recommend this. We caught an Uber back to Cavtat which cost us €40 as we needed a Van for 5 people. A normal taxi is around €30, and you can catch the bus. Overall, I adored the holiday. My top tips would be try to avoid late July and August due to the heat and the volume of people. We didn’t struggle for a table etc but Dubrovnik, Kotor etc would be a lot more pleasant if it was 5/10 degrees cooler ?? Make sure you bring swimming shoes, there is a lot of rocks and pebble beaches. It’s not necessarily somewhere for people with mobility issues, most towns are built into mountains and cliffs Use the tools like port schedules and border cameras to your advantage Just do B&B in hotels, the food in the restaurants in far superior Its not a cheap destination, prices were pretty similar to what you’d pay locally. Bring Euro cash, some places like the beach bars don’t take cards

26 February 2023

I first visited Cape Town in December 2019 and its was one of our last holidays before the dreaded lock downs and my memories helped me through. I returned in January 2023 for a flying visit and it is now firmly my favourite city in the world. Cape Town has something for everyone, magnificent scenery, world class beaches, weather, history, food, adventure. I flew from Heathrow on a direct flight to Cape Town with British Airways to meet my husband who was there for work. It’s approx. 11 hour flight but there is very little time difference so you don’t get jet lag. I flew in one of BA’s club suites as I was there for a short time and I hit the ground running on arrival. We stayed in the Victoria and Albert Waterfront Complex. There are lots of fantastic areas to stay but this made a great central location from which to explore everything. Most parts of the city are safe in daylight hours but caution is needed after dark in certain parts. I felt safe for the duration of my stay. We hired a car and its easy to get around, the following are a list of my favourite things: Cable car up Table Mountain. The feat of engineering is astounding and the views are incredible and then we drove to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens Do a day touring – Take in Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, Glencairn, Simons Town and Boulder Beach, this is where the African Penguins are and you can walk on the beach right beside them. We travelled from there down the Cape of Good Hope where the oceans met. Oranjezicht City Farm Market is open on Saturdays & Sunday Mornings and Wednesday nights. It’s a covered market right by the sea and has a chilled vibe. Camps Bay is a gorgeous costal town just 10 mins out of Cape Town and a lovely place to catch the sunset and chill in one of the many bars and restaurants that line the beach front. Robben Island is a humbling experience. The prison is now a museum and you will be guided by a former prisoner. It’s a 7km boat ride from Cape Town. Things to note: The city is suffering from an energy crisis so they do something called load shedding which means electricity can be turned off for several hours every day. Make sure you bring a charging pack. Also means that food can be compromised so be careful eating sushi etc When you park, there will usually be a local person in a high vis jacket helping you whether you want it or not. We were not hassled by these people but did offer them a small tip and they’ll ‘mind your car’. Bring converter plugs, SA has a very unusual plug and is not part of the standard kit you buy. Download an app called DinePlan for making restaurant reservations. It gets chilly in the evenings, even in their summer and especially if you are higher parts like Table Mountain so pack some layers. If South Africa is on your bucket list please get in touch. I would love to help you make it happen!

30 March 2021

A week in Paphos (during a pandemic) We were extremely lucky and managed to squeeze in a week long holiday in between lockdowns during half term in October 2020. We choose Cyprus out of necessity to be honest because it was the only place with low enough Covid numbers that we could travel to with a negative PCR test. Cyprus hadn’t really been on my radar but we loved it and would be delighted to go back again. PCR test: We had ours done by Epistem in Manchester. You buy the test kit in advance, they send it to you and you do the test on a specific day. At the time we needed to do it up to 72 hours before so we were travelling on Friday so we did the test on Wednesday for same day results. We had a long nerve wrecking day waiting for the results and then getting them loaded into the Cypriot Government website to get a certificate (this is all part of my service if you book through me). Travelling during Covid: The airport was well set up for social distancing. Seating was cordoned off so that parties could remain two meters apart. You must wear your mask at all times except when eating. There were plenty of options open to grab a quick takeaway. We flew with Jet2 and the flight was 90% full. Everyone was abiding by the mask rule and if they didn’t the crew were hot at getting them to put it back on. The toilets were open for the whole flight and although they discouraged queueing there wasn’t any formal system of having to press the call button etc. Arrival in Paphos: Our flight was pulled for a random test. The whole thing was organised with great efficiency – they tested the entire plane, and we were through to baggage in less than 45 mins. Again the airport was quiet and it was easy to social distance. We choose to hire a car rather than using a transfer. The car hire desks were quiet also and we were processed and on our way within 30 mins. All of the car hire companies have their cars on site so the pickup and drop off process is really simple. Paphos: The airport is only 15 mins away from the town centre and driving is on the left-hand side as UK so it makes driving really easy. Hotel options: We stayed at the Louis Paphos Breeze. It was a decent 4 star hotel, the reviews were great and the hotel lived up to the reviews. Only downside was there was only one restaurant open and no kids activities due to Covid. That said, the buffet had plenty of options and it was reasonable price for our all-inclusive deal so we ate outside the hotel 3 times. I viewed some other hotels whilst I was there: Annabelle – Very elegant hotel, beach front, walking distance to Paphos Harbour. Almyra – High end sophisticated hotel Elysium -Very polished hotel with great location Olympic Lagoon Resort – great children’s facilities Constantinou Brothers – Athena Beach hotel – great hotel, lots of facilities, perfect for families. Aphrodite Hills – villa complex a bit further out of town. Amazing range of activities for children including football camps I would recommend any of those for a family or couples holiday depending on your budget and priorities. Happy to advise you further on your specifics. Things to do in Paphos: Day trip to the Aphrodiate Water Park – kids had a ball Spend some time by the harbour. So many amazing food offering. The Gelato is a must! Take a boat to the Blue Lagoon – various options but a great morning activity. Visit Petra Tou Romiou Aphrodite’s Rock Visit the Old Town Hire a car and take a tour up the coast

28 March 2021

A little bit about the Maldives: Maldives is a series of tiny Islands sprawled across 90,000 Km2 of the Indian Ocean South West of the coast of Sri Lanka. There are over 1200 islands but only 200 are inhabited by locals and 80 of them be-long to luxury resorts. No one island is longer than 8km and the average size is 1-2km When is the best time to visit: The best time to visit the Maldives is during the dry season, which is November to April. Very little rain and the weather is warm however that is when the Maldives is busiest and will the most expensive time to visit. May to October is considered the rainy season. Peak season is December to March so No-vember and April are perfect for skipping the busiest times. I went in March / April time. It rained for a couple of minutes on a few days but very quickly cleared up and beautiful weather resumed. Getting there from the UK: The main airport is on the Island of Male and can be reached in peak season direct from Heathrow Air-port with British Airways or indirectly all year round via the Middle East with Turkish, Emirates, Qatar, Etihad or Oman Airlines. This makes it ideal for a twin centre holiday in one of those destinations or in Sri Lanka. We flew via Dubai with Emirates. Its pprox.. 12/13 hours flying time whichever way you go. Transfer: There are various options to transfer to your resort from Male. You should take this into consideration when choosing your resort. Some resorts are closer and can be accessed by speedboat which helps keep costs down. Although seaplane is an amazing experience and offers incredible views of all the islands. Important to note though that seaplanes only operate during daylight hours so you need to ensure your international flight lands at a time to accommodate this or you could end up having to overnight in Male. Some of the resorts have beautiful private lounges at Male airport which adds that extra luxury to your transfer. Choosing the right resort: There is something to suit everyone in the Maldives but you need to choose wisely. Are you looking for adult only or adult focused. Does it need to be child friendly and include kids clubs and activities. Some area of Maldives are better for diving than others, is this important to you. Are you looking for unique experience such as an underwater restaurant or a glass bottomed room which are only available in cer-tain resorts. Room Type: Most islands have over water bungalows and beach villas. Some have private pools, some even have slides from your bungalow straight into the Indian Ocean. Also once you’ve chosen your resort con-sider where your room is positioned on the Island, most resorts have maps online. You do not want to end up sitting in the shade in your beach bungalow. Finally consider that you can swap rooms half way through your stay. If your desperate for an overwater bungalow but your budget doesn’t stretch that far, consider a couple of nights in one as a treat at the end of your holiday. General tips: - Pack wisely. Everything is imported to the Islands so if you forget something crucial its really hard to replace it. We moved rooms halfway through our stay and my food bag containing my son’s formula got accidently dumped. The hotel replaced it free of charge but the brands were different and I had a very unhappy baby for the last day until we got to Dubai and got the pre-ferred brand. - Save some of your budget for the Spa! I love a spa treatment on holidays but the spa’s in the Maldives are the most incredible I’ve ever been in. I could have gone every day! - Buy an underwater camera or a case for your existing camera/phone. The sea life is incredible and you won’t want to miss out capturing those memories. My husband is a diver and says that you see more snorkelling in the Maldives than diving anywhere else in the world - Bring your own snorkel, mask & fins – saves having to potentially rent them locally and possibly pay extra charges