Amazing Grace Cruises
With 14 years travel experience I think I can take the liberty of calling myself a cruise expert and with wealth of information I can advise on anything cruising.
Manage your own booking
Once your booking is made you will have a unique reference number from me. After normally 24 hours you will be able to view your own personal details ONLINE.
This is a great way to check all the details you have booked over the phone like :
* Dinning
* Special requests
* And your personal details
Also here it is the quickest way to provide us with your passport details, insurance details and next of kin details
Not only can you process all the above information, easy and quickly, here you can view all elements about your voyage like :
* Formal & semi-formal nights
* Look and book at shore excursions
* Look and book spa treatments
*Look and book drinks packages available.
Just click onto your cruise line and fill in the blanks and you can view your personal booking
This is also where you will find out what cabin number you have been allocated ( if you didn’t know when you booked )
* also you can print your own tickets but always remenber we can also do this for you if you don’t have a printer !
New ship for Oceania – Riviera
The world of high-end cruises is about to get its newest member. Oceania Cruises took delivery of its newest ship, the Oceania Riviera.
The 1,250 passenger Riviera has been under construction at the Fincantieri shipyards near Genoa, Italy for more than two years and now joins sister ship Oceania Marina, which debuted in January 2011.
The Riviera is geared toward fans of cuisine, so much so that the vessel will be christened by godmother Cat Cora, the first and only female Iron Chef and current co-host of Bravo’s “Around the World in 80 Plates.” That ceremony will take place in Barcelona on May 11 before departing on a 10-day maiden voyage from Venice to Athens on May 16.
The Riviera features 10 dining venues, six of which are gourmet restaurants, and also features a Bon Appétit Culinary Center for the inner chef in its guests plus La Reserve by Wine Spectator for wine tastings and pairing dinners. The line will also begin offering Culinary Discovery Tours at more than 25 ports worldwide allowing passengers to experience local food markets in small groups accompanied by an expert chef.
The Riviera will spend the summer and fall in the Mediterranean before repositioning to Miami for winter Panama Canal and Caribbean cruises.
The line now has five ships, with the Marina and Riviera the largest of the fleet along with Insigina , Nautica and Regatta
Strictly P&O
What do Strictly Co
me Dancing, Classic FM and Marco Pierre White all have in common? – answer – they will all be appearing on a P&O cruise next year.
Britain’s favorite cruise line has struck up a number of partnerships with iconic British brands for 2013 and 2014 sailings.
The itineraries include various dancers from Strictly, a new exclusive partnership with Classic FM to host Music Festivals at Sea, and new Food and Wine themed cruises with Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar and Olly Smith.
There are 200 new cruises in the brochure, calling in 215 ports in 84 countries, with seven new ports of call including Ceuta and El Ferrol in Spain, Saaremaa Island in Estonia and Holyhead in Wales.
The Strictly stars and acerbic-tongued judge Craig Revel Horwood will be on two P&O cruises this year, and have been signed up for a further seven next year.
P&O’s Festivals at Sea itineraries have brought classical music and musicians to sea for more than 25 years. In 2013, these cruises will be hosted exclusively by Classic FM and its well-known radio presenters.
They will take place on board Oriana, Adonia and Aurora to the Central Mediterranean, Iceland, Baltic and North Cape.
Celebrity food and drink partners Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar and Olly Smith will be hosting two Food and Wine themed cruises where they will lend their expertise and local knowledge as they host a range of shore excursions to vineyards, breweries, distilleries, restaurants and markets and also host a variety of activities on board.
Marco, Atul and Olly will also be travelling regularly throughout 2013 on eleven different cruises hosting talks, demonstrations and book signings.
Cruises as follows :
Strictly Dance Cruises :
Canary Islands – Azura – 11th May 2013 – 13 nights
Cantral Mediterranean – Azura – 31st May 2013 – 17 nights
Central Meditteranen – Aurora – 18th June 2013 – 17 nights
Canary Islands – Ventura – 1st July 2013 – 12 nights
Central Mediterranean – Arcadia – 4th August 2013 – 17 nights
Western Mediterranean – Oceana – 1st September 2013 – 14 nights
Central m Mediterranean – Azura – 1st October 2013 – 17 nights
The perfect Menu cruises :
Marco Pierre White Atul Kochhar Olly Smith
Arcadia – J303 Azura-a317n Azura-a322n
Ventura – n307 Azura-a325n Azura-a403a
Oriana – x311 Azura – a326a
Classic FM voyages:
Central med – Aurora – 28th April
Iceland – Aurora – 4th June
Baltic – Adonia – 3rd July
North Cape – Oriana – 5th August
Central Med – Oriana – 20th September
Cost cutting on-board
Cruising is more affordable than ever, with so many late deals out there, I wonder if they are cutting on costs on board ?
One question that I am getting more and more is what are the costs of drinks on board ?
Here is a great reference guide to look at, hope it helps
(small)
$4per person per day for 0 – 12 year olds.
$6.25 per person per day for 13 years+
(must be purchased for the entire cruise).
purchased pre-departure.
are complimentary with dinner.
The Peninsular Club
It’s that time of year again “Launch” & P&O are on sale the end of the month. I have already got many pre bookings ready for the on sale date, so I have finally got my head around the new past passenger benefits for P&O Peninsular.
Have you ? I have listed the details as a guide to help and what benefits you are entitled to :
Benefits at our homeport of Southampton
Dedicated check-in
Benefit from a dedicated check-in desk when embarking in Southampton for a swift and effortless check-in at the beginning of each cruise.
Embarkation lounge on board
Enjoy complimentary drinks and the calm oasis of a designated embarkation lounge which will be open for your use until cabins are ready. You will also be able to make a reservation for any of the select dining venues.
Priority embarkation
With priority embarkation you will be given priority to board once you arrive at the terminal in accordance with your designated boarding time.
Select your time of disembarkation and benefit from a separate baggage collection area in the terminal.
To make your time of disembarkation as convenient to you as possible we’re happy for you to select any of the ship’s given disembarkation times. Once you are in the terminal your luggage will be available to collect from a separate area making it easier for you to quickly identify your baggage.
Priority cabin access
Your cabin will be made ready as a priority and you will be given access at a specified time after 1pm.
Priority baggage to cabin
You will be given priority baggage labels to tie to your luggage so that we can identify your bags and deliver them to your cabin as a priority. These should be kept and used for disembarkation also. Priority baggage labels will also be available in advance via Cruise Personaliser.
Luggage collected on day of disembarkation
In order to give you a little extra time to do your packing we’ll be happy to collect your bags from outside your cabin by 6.30am on the day of your disembarkation, rather than the night before.
Embarkation hospitality area in all Southampton terminals
This exclusive area with complimentry refreshments is designed for your comfort prior to boarding.
Early embarkation
You will be given the earliest possible boarding time and will board as soon as the ship is ready to welcome passengers.
Benefits you’ll receive on board
On board spend discount*
You will receive discounts off any purchases made in the bars, shops, spa, salon and on shore excursions. This discount will increase as you move through the tiers and will automatically be deducted from your bill on purchases made after you have fully spent any allocated on board credit.
Loyalty Manager
With a dedicated Loyalty Manager on board every ship, there will always be a familiar face to welcome you back. If you have any P&O Cruises Peninsular Club queries, simply visit the Loyalty and Cruise Sales Desk. Opening hours will be advertised in the ship’s daily paper.
Lapel pin
Any member moving up a tier will be given a commemorative lapel pin which will be placed in their cabin at the start of their next cruise.
Complimentary glass of Champagne
Enjoy a complimentary glass of Champagne at a Sailaway Party. Or you may prefer a glass of sparkling elderflower presse as a non-alcoholic alternative.
Cocktail party on cruises of 8 nights and over for Mediterranean tier members and above
This formal occasion is a great way to meet your fellow passengers and you can enjoy a few drinks with our compliments; stewards will be circulating with alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments.
A complimentary half bottle of Champagne (per cabin)
A half bottle of Champagne will be placed in your cabin early evening on one of your formal nights so you can begin your evening in style.
Caribbean tier Senior Officer hosted dining experience on cruises of 8 nights and over
Members of the Caribbean tier will be invited to a special meal providing the perfect opportunity to socialise with both Senior Officers and fellow Caribbean tier members.
Baltic & Ligurian tier exclusive Senior Officer hosted event on cruises of 8 nights and over
This event will only be open to those who cruise most frequently with us and have earned 2501 points or more, providing a chance to mingle with the Senior Officers and all those passengers who have become firm friends.
50% discount on machine washable laundry
Receive a 50% discount on machine washable laundry. Simply place items in the bag provided and leave in your cabin for your steward to collect.
A complimentary formal attire pressing service
The first formal night on board is always a real occasion and to ensure your attire is as perfect as it can be, let your cabin steward take your formal gown or dinner jacket and trousers for pressing. Please note garments must be handed to your cabin steward at least 24 hours before they are required; items received by 2pm will be returned the same day and items received after 2pm will be returned the following morning.
*Please note that discounts do not apply to Future Cruise Deposits, medical services and products, visa arrangements, gratuities, casino (including bingo), art sales, pre-paid on board spend packages, flight seat bookings, items from the gift collections brochure, any purchases during inaugural events or when a P&O Cruises ship is chartered, except as decided by P&O Cruises from time to time. You’re on board spend discount shall be applied to purchases after any allocated non-refundable on board credit has been spent. So, your folio will show your discount against each transaction after any on board credit has been spent.
How it works – The tiers
For each night you spend on board a P&O Cruises ship, you’ll be awarded 10 loyalty points applied at the end of your cruise. Once you have earned a minimum of 150 points you will automatically become a member of the P&O Cruises Peninsular Club.
The tiers are named after oceans and seas of the world, each of them cruised by ships from the P&O Cruises fleet. They are arranged in order of size (in accordance with The Times World Atlas) with the smallest sea in the scheme, the ‘Ligurian Sea’, being the name for the most exclusive tier.
The tiers are based on the number of nights spent on board which are then converted into points, with the Caribbean tier being the highest confirmed tier. The points required per tier are set as follows:
| Pacific | 150 – 500 points |
| Atlantic | 501 – 1000 points |
| Mediterranean | 1001 – 2000 points |
| Caribbean | 2001 + points |
The Baltic and Ligurian Tiers
In addition to the first four tiers there are two further levels exclusively for passengers who have accumulated 2501 points or more and have cruised frequently in the 3 years preceding the start of their next cruise.
| Baltic | 2501 points plus 80-200 nights spent on board in the 3 years preceding the start of your next cruise |
| Ligurian | 2501 points plus 201 or more nights spent on board in the 3 years preceding the start of your next cruise |
In order to keep membership of the Baltic and Ligurian tiers exclusive, membership is only ever granted on a ‘cruise by cruise’ basis. So when you become a member of one of these tiers, in order to remain so for your next cruise, you must have spent at least 80 or 201 nights on board over the three year period prior to that cruise. If you do not maintain this level of cruising you will resume Caribbean tier status and its associated benefits. Of course, membership to the Baltic or Ligurian tier will be reinstated as soon as you regain the specified number of nights on board.
Please note that you will only receive P&O Cruises Peninsular Club benefits on board P&O Cruises ships.
The Grand Event – 3 July 2012 – The Entire Fleet together in Southampton
On Tuesday 3 July 2012, a very special event will take place in Southampton – for the first time in its history, P&O Cruises (based in Southampton), will have all of its cruise ships in port at the same time. The coming together of its seven ships: Adonia, Arcadia, Aurora, Azura, Oceana, Oriana and Ventura marks the company’s 175th Anniversary and promises to provide a unique and memorable spectacle, especially from the water!
Grand Event Cruises Special Features:
 |
- Grand Event Departure Procession - Sail away party on deck - Special 175th gala dinner - Heritage art display - Special speakers - Grand Event commemorative gift - Heritage presentation - Full World Cruise draw on each Grand Event Cruise |
What’s left
Arcadia – full
Adonia – limited places
Aurora – Available – prices from £1899 per person – 17 nights Baltic Voyage
Azura – limited places – prices from £1549 per person 11 night voyage
Oceana- full
Oriana – full
Ventura – Available – 17 night voyage prices from £1499 per person
If you not already booked on one of the voyages but would still like to visit Southampton to witness this grand event, you can do there are two companies I have found selling morning and evening excursions from £55 per person.
Are you planning on visiting Southampton that day? What are you doing ?
Will it Kick off ? new football themed cruise
Cruising and football may seem an unlikely match, but this is exactly what you will find. MSC are the first to try football themed voyages. They have Teamed up with two big Italian names AC Milan and SSC Napoli, football fans can enjoy one of two packages, that of the ‘Rossoneri’ a cruise purely dedicated to AC Milan fans or the ‘Blue’ cruise for those supporting SSC Napoli.
It will be the MSC Splendida cruise ship offering 8 day/7 night voyages to the Mediterranean from 2nd June 2012 departing from the port of Genoa, Italy.
What makes it a football cruise ?
You will be able to attend workshops, watch previous games and also play a game or two on the ship’s football pitch. For the younger generation travelling on the Splendida, a special Milan Junior Camp will be set up in order to show off their skills.
You can also enjoy excursions in Barcelona to the Camp Nou stadium that is well known in the world of Spanish football.
New to cruising ?
I have not counted but there are way more than over 50 cruise lines and even more ships, ranging from large “resort” ships to smaller, yacht like vessels. How do you go about choosing a ship to ensure you have the best possible experience?
Understanding what is and what is not included is important, and it will allow you to budget The basics (accommodation, food, entertainment) are included, drinks, spa treatments, excursions, gratuities and other items are not on most but not all.
There are basically two types of cruise holiday: those that start and end in Britain and those that start from ports that you need to fly to.
It is also important to match your personality and needs with the type of cruise, cruise line and ship.This is where we are here to help. We ask question lik e : Are you travelling as a family, with a group of friends, as a couple or alone? Do you like to dress for dinner or relax and be ultra-casual on holiday? Are you an active person or do you want to relax by reading a book on deck or having spa treatments?
One big advantage of a cruise from a British port is that you won’t have to deal with the hassle of going through airport security lines, and your luggage allowance is unlimited. We can arrange transport to the ship by coach or rail, or you could simply drive and we can arrange parking for you.
Most cruises depart from Dover or Southampton, but ships also sail occasionally from other British and Irish ports, including Aberdeen, Dublin, Falmouth, Greenock, Liverpool, London (Greenwich, Tower Bridge or Tilbury), Newcastle, Oban, Portsmouth and Swansea.
From Britain, it will take a couple of days to reach the Mediterranean. But that’s when you can simply relax and enjoy the ship’s facilities.
Cruising from abroad
You will need to fly to get to your ship. Some cruise lines have specially chartered flights, and transfers (at the other end, to get to your ship) may be included. Large resort ships provide a safe, hassle-free environment, with lots of activities and specialised staff to look after children. Indeed, family cruising is getting more popular, so now many ships have babysitting services, allowing parents to have time to themselves.
Adults only
If you don’t like crowds, noise, games or children, try a mid-size or smaller ship – or even a sail-cruise ship. Companies with adults-only ships sailing from Britain include P & O Cruises (Arcadia, Adonia, Oriana)
Solo travellers
Like hotels, almost all cruise lines base their rates on double occupancy, and single travellers will be expected to pay a supplement.
Even so, a cruise holiday is a good option if you are travelling alone because it is easy to meet other people in a safe environment. Some cruise lines have reduced add-on rates for single occupancy of double cabins, and some can even find a cabin mate for you to share with.
While almost all new ships are built with cabins for double occupancy, there are exceptions, among them NCL’s Norwegian Epic
Some tips :
Choose an outside-view cabin and if you are concerned about motion sickness (it’s not common, but it can happen), choose a cabin in the midsection of the ship.
Book early and you could get various perks (discounts, on-board credit, free transfers, cabin upgrade and a choice of cabins).
Book late and be flexible with your travel dates and you could get someone’s cancelled cabin, or a big discount.
However, you won’t get a choice of cabins – only what’s left (obstructed views, interior cabins, or ones located in noisy areas).
If you choose a transatlantic crossing and you sail from Southampton to New York, book a balcony cabin on the port side of Queen Mary 2 and you will be able to see the Statue of Liberty in the early-morning light (or starboard side when sailing home).
More tips just call 
Out with the Old…In with the Old ?
Thomson Cruises last week announced that it’s introducing a ship swap for the forthcoming summer season. Thomson Destiny will return to its owner, Louis Cruises, and Thomson will take out a long-term charter of the ship that’s currently sailing as Louis Majesty, which will be renamed Thomson Majesty.
From May this year, the 40,876 ton, 1,462-passenger ship (which NCL fans may remember as the old Norwegian Majesty) will copy the previous itineraries of the Destiny : Adriatic Explorer, Pearls of the Aegean, Colourful Coasts and Canarian Flavours.
Exact reasons for the swap have not been given but Thomson Cruises’ managing director, Fraser Ellacott, have said “We’ve been discussing modernisation of our fleet, and this is the first part of the story. We feel this ship suits our customers both now and in the future.”
Majesty, which is currently laid up in Athens, Greece for the winter, is being re-branded with Thomson signage and a lot of the crew from Thomson Destiny are being brought over to the new ship, but there are no immediate plans for refurbishment ?
Thomson Majesty is ten years ‘younger’ than Destiny, built in 1992, although while sailing under Louis Cruises, it has scored an average of three stars in reviews , as opposed to Destiny’s four. What’s bothering members on our message boards is that passengers already booked on Destiny are being transferred between two ships on which the cabin grades don’t match exactly? No compensation is being offered to passengers affected, as the ship change is a straight swap.
But Thomson Cruises will no doubt be careful about using the word ‘new’ there were many misunderstandings in 2010 when Thomson Dream joined the fleet and passengers were disappointed not to find a brand new ship.
What it has to offer
Dining – waiter service
- Seven Seas Restaurant: Offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, this elegant waiter-service restaurant has an open-seating policy so you can dine where and when you like.
- Four Seasons Restaurant: This smaller, more intimate dining room offers the same fantastic choice as the Seven Seas.
- Le Bistro: This chic a la carte boasts stylish interiors and a great menu. There’s a small per-person cover charge to eat here, and you’ll need to book.
- Gala night: The weekly Captain’s Cocktail Party and Gala Dinner is an event worth dressing up for.
Dining – flexible options
- Café Royal: Buffet spreads are put on 24 hours a day at this eatery, so you can enjoy everything from cooked breakfasts to late-night snacks.
- Piazza San Marco: This place serves snacks like burgers and pizzas out on the pool deck.
- Room service: There’s a room service menu in your cabin, which – for a charge – you can order from 24 hours a day.
Entertainment
- Jubilee Lounge: The main lounge brings you performances from the Thomson Majesty singers and top UK guest acts, plus game shows, live band sets and late-night discos.
- Royal Fireworks: Quizzes, cabarets and performances from resident trios are in store here.
- Monte Carlo Casino: This large casino comes with the full range of gaming tables and slot machines.
- Frame 52: During the day, this place is the stage for the likes of zumba, pilates and Wii tournaments.
Bars and lounges
- Royal Observatory: Great views and live music are the order of the evening at this sophisticated cocktail bar.
- Rendezvous: Live music and late-night cabarets come as standard here.
- Polo Club: Our personality pianist makes this central bar the ideal pre-drinks venue.
- The Coffee Bar: This is the perfect spot for an afternoon pick-me-up.
- Topsiders Bar: By day, this poolside bar offers drinks in the sunshine. Come evening, it’s the setting for our famous deck parties.
Other activities
- Sana Wellness Centre: This stylish spa offers 7 themed treatment rooms, a pair of saunas and the full A to Z of facials and massages.
- Thomson Kids’ Club: Little ones can enjoy fun and games in the Thomson Kids’ Club, which comes with the added bonus of an outdoor area and paddling pool.
- Other: You can also look forward to a library with internet access, a games room, a cards room and gift shops.
Named & Shamed
I have been in this job for almost six years now, and one topic that has always been hot is pricing, when you the customer books one month and another month it reduces.
A. I wish I had the crystal ball and knew exactly when the best time to book was, something that will never happen so the next best thing would. is to have a standard pricing policy in place.
Generally when you do book early you will get the best available price, early booking fare and additional benefits like free car parking and on board credit. Of course you will always see a “late offer price” but this in my opinion should be so many weeks before, and been something different like no knowing cabin deck location.
No prices are set in stone, it is called fluid pricing, so prices will increase subject to demand, which is fair enough ? however more and more now we are seeing big reductions from the original brochure fare. Only one reason for the price reductions – they simply need to fill them.
Over the years I have seen this affect passengers in different ways, and honestly have always been able to explain why and how, and justify it no matter how much the difference is.
I am the middle person and see it from both sides YOU the customers and also the cruise line ( for whatever reason the cruise has been reduced )
However other the last couple of days I have seen two different price drops and I cannot agree with the cruise line one little bit and am absolutely shocked of the outcome they have given me.
One example was resolved nicely ( well better than it could have been ) for the customer it is a very straight forward one. They booked so far in advance (onboard) that now they have places to fill so it has reduced massively but when I say massive I am talking over six thousand. This was resolved as the client had not yet paid the balance on the cruise so lost the deposit and rebooked ! The deal was like for like just missed out on a little on board credit .
The second is the one that has annoyed me the most, my passengers booked in February and paid in full, now just booking in March it went down, by again a massive amount over four thousand pound , unlike the above scenario the client had paid in full and the cruise line did nothing , the response that was given is that this is a new offer to new passengers only and the customer was happy with the price when they booked.
I could not believe this , I went to department to department back and forth and to the top but nothing was done.
I hope that this case is a one off maybe you have a story to share ?
We will always look into each case and work out what is best for you, but I must admit the payment in full offers we are seeing more look great but if the price is reduced the cruise has you as the fare you booked is non-refundable.
We are here to guide you and we do our very best to get you the best available deal at the time, but the question remains with 2013 voyages on sale very soon will you book early or just wait?
P.S the cruise line in question is Cunard.
