Wowed at CLIA
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…
