Pizzas the size of a small country and the best steaks ever - all together on board Emerald Princess

Steak selection in the Crown Grill on Emerald Princess

Day Two of our guest blog by CruiseMiss Danielle Fear. Today she turns her attention to the food on board Emerald Princess

Food is a big deal with Princess Cruises, that was evident within just a few minutes of stepping aboard and wandering through the buffet, and I visited the Pizzeria several times during the cruise. The Pepperoni was by far my favourite and the slices were HUGE, but I did make the mistake on day one of asking for a “Margarita pizza” and wondered why the chef looked at me oddly, I then leaned over the counter and realised that an entire pizza was in fact the size of a small country – his reaction was truly warranted! 

I can also highly recommend the Crown Grill and Sabatini’s, both of which incur an additional charge of $25 per person, but they are worth every single cent! 

The Crown Grill was superb and the choice of meat and seafood was second to none – the lobster looked delicious, although in the end I opted for a 12-ounce New York strip steak. It was cooked perfectly and was incredibly juicy; the vegetables to accompany it were also very good (I could have easily eaten more of the creamed spinach) and dessert was a filling affair. 

Sabatini’s offers a wonderful selection of Italian dishes and during my visit I tried calamari for the first time and I finally got my lobster, which was cooked three ways. I have to say that although both restaurants were very good indeed, Crown Grill was my favourite and I wish now that I had visited more than once.

TOMORROW: Coming and going the Princess way.

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It's the little touches that make a big difference on CruiseMiss's Emerald Princess voyage to the Canaries

Sunset seen from Emerald Princess's top deck

Enjoy the first part of a guest blog from World of Cruising contributor Danielle Fear, aka CruiseMiss, who has just cruised from Southampton to the Canaries on board Emerald Princess

I embarked my first voyage with Princess Cruises aboard the stunning Emerald Princess. Our itinerary lined us up for 12 days sailing from Southampton to Madeira, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and finally, Vigo. It was a great excuse to head off for some last minute sunshine, although we did get our fair share of torrential rain too.

My first impressions of Emerald Princess were very good. Her atrium was absolutely stunning and led off in numerous directions, calling at several different public spaces including the International Café, Wine and Tapas Bar, Crooner’s Lounge, Boutiques, Reception and a pretty impressive Casino and Cigar Lounge.

The outer decks were ideal, lots of space and lots of sun loungers. I particularly liked the fact that for every pair of sun loungers there was a table, so you would have two beds, then a table, then two beds and so on. Perfect use of the space in my opinion and it was echoed across the entire ship.

Other public areas included Skywalkers, Lotus Spa and The Sanctuary, Wheelhouse Pub, Crown Grill, Sabatini’s, Explorer’s Lounge and of course a whole aft deck on which you could leave the kids! Music to every parent’s ears, I am sure!

I am a big fan of the small touches and Princess Cruises are full of them. Every passenger received a lightweight branded Princess bag – ideal for the beach - and I also had added benefits of being an Elite member of the Princess Cruises Captain’s Circle (my points were transferred across from P&O Cruises). Having experienced the Elite benefits first hand, I have to say Princess Cruises offer one of the BEST loyalty programmes at sea! Complimentary internet minutes, complimentary laundry services, canapés on formal evenings, complimentary wine tasting, and one free mini-bar set up, priority embarkation and a dedicated lounge for disembarkation - these were just some of the benefits available to me!

To extend on my mention of small touches, I also liked the free popcorn which was available even to passengers not watching the movie on the big screen over the pool. The sandwiches and cakes in the International Café on deck 5 were all free of charge as were the tapas plates in the Wine Bar – both being features many other cruise lines charge for.

The drinks measures were also larger than they are on some other cruise ships (had to squeeze the important bit in there!) and I was NEVER charged extra for a “splash” of Diet Coke with my Southern Comfort. As I said, the little things can often make the biggest difference and in this case, they certainly did.

TOMORROW: Danielle turns her attention to the food on board Emerald Princess

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P&O Get Ready To Rumba!

Here's one for all those 'Strictly' fans out there - prepare to get even more of your favourite show at sea!

P&O Cruises have enhanced their popular Strictly Come Dancing themed cruises, in partnership with BBC Worldwide Ltd,  for 2014, making them even bigger and better than before, with more stars and more sparkle than ever. Each of this year’s four dedicated cruises will have two pairs of the programme's professional dancers, legendary acerbic judge Craig Revel Horwood, and one of the show's past celebrity contestants, travelling at different stages to offer a Strictly experience to remember.

Passengers can also dust off their dance shoes, release their inner tango and learn to rumba with Robin Windsor, waltz with Ian Waite or cha cha cha with Camilla Dallerup. Regular dance classes will be on offer throughout each cruise and passengers can participate in a dance competition, with the grand finale performances taking place in the main theatre, judged by Craig and the special celebrity guest.

The Strictly stars will give up close and personal interviews on board, photo opportunities and signing sessions, and official Strictly Come Dancing showcases produced by BBC Worldwide. A stunning selection of costumes from the television show will also be on display around the ship, with organised fashion events to showcase them at their very best.

The Strictly cruise line-up for 2014 includes:

A 14-night Canary Islands cruise on Oriana departing April 20 from and calling at Lisbon, Madeira, La Palma, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Cadiz and La Coruna. Select Price fares from £1,149pp. Stars to join the cruise include:
· Robin Windsor & Kristina Rihanoff
· Ian Waite & Natalie Lowe
· Craig Revel Horwood
· Celebrity guest to be revealed

A 14-night Western Mediterranean cruise on Oceana departing May 31 from Southampton, with ports of call including La Coruna, Gibraltar, Alghero, Florence/Pisa, St.Tropez, Barcelona and Cartagena. Select Price fares from £1,319pp. Stars include:
· Aljaž Skorjanec & Janette Manrara
· Robin Windsor & Kristina Rihanoff
· Craig Revel Horwood
· Celebrity guest to be revealed

A 12-night Western Mediterranean cruise on Azura departing August 2 from Southampton, and calling at Lisbon, Gibraltar, Barcelona, Ibiza, Cartagena and Seville. Select Price fares are from £1,349pp and Strictly stars include:
· Pasha Kovalev & Katya Virshilas
· Ian Waite & Camilla Dallerup
· Craig Revel Horwood
· Celebrity guest to be revealed

A 13-night Canary Islands cruise on Aurora departing September 25 from Southampton, with ports of call including Lisbon, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, La Palma, Madeira and El Ferrol. Select Price fares are from £1,199pp and stars to join the cruise include:
· Ian Waite & Camilla Dallerup
· Darren Bennett & Lilia Kopylova
· Craig Revel Horwood
· Celebrity guest to be revealed

More info: call 0843 374 0111 or visit www.pocruises.co.uk.

The new edition of World of Cruising is now out, and you can see the digital version online on our home page at www.worldofcruising.co.uk. To subscribe at our special offer rate for 2014, see this link. 

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MSC’s Canaries Winter Warmer

We are very aware how miserable the UK's weather has been recently, hence when we see news of a great deal on a winter sunshine cruise, we are very keen to pass it on!

And MSC Cruises might have just the idea this winter, with the choice of two well-priced cruise itineraries from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on board MSC Armonia  with the opportunity to relax from the word go and explore the various ports of call by pre-booking MSC's shore excursions.

With calls in Santa Cruz de La Palma, San Sebastian, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and an overnight stay in Funchal, Armonia's first itinerary from Las Palmas is a perfect way to explore the breath-taking landscapes of the Canary and Madeira Islands. Her second itinerary not only takes in all of the natural beauty of the Canary Islands, but also visits two much-loved destinations in magical Morocco, with a full day in Casablanca plus a call in Agadir.

Cruise prices start from just £549 per person, including flights, for a seven-night cruise departing from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, via Funchal, on January 30. A seven-night cruise via Casablanca and Agadir starts from £599 per person, including flights, from February 21. Flights are available from London Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow. Excursions start from £28 for adults and are designed to make each cruise an even more exciting and memorable experience.

More info: call 0844 561 1955 or visit www.msccruises.co.uk.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this month ONLY - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

 

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‘You Deserve The Best’ With MSC

'Tis the season of goodwill here at World of Cruising and MSC Cruises is joining in the festive spirit by launching an exclusive ‘You Deserve The Best’ offer. Guests booking a cruise by February 28 will receive a complimentary upgrade from an inside to a balcony cabin. 

Prices for an inside cabin start from just £499 per person, or from £699 per person including flights, and it is the ideal opportunity to discover the delights of their 12-ship fleet, with a choice of tempting itineraries around the world. From the vibrant ports of the Mediterranean and the blue lagoons of the Caribbean (above) to the winter sun of the  Canaries, there is something to suit every cruiser.

 

Guests wanting to taste ‘luxury for less’ are able to upgrade to a luxurious suite at an additional cost of only £300 per person, whilst those wishing to enjoy the MSC Yacht Club are able to upgrade at an additional cost of £500 per person. The MSC Yacht Club comes complete with round-the-clock butler service and offers privacy and personal service combined with an outstanding array of leisure facilities.

More info: call 0844 561 1955 or visit www.msccruises.co.uk. 

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this month ONLY - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link! 

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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Cunard's Single Traveller Bonus

Single travellers – and people who like to travel together but value having their own space – have some great opportunities to sail with Cunard this Autumn and Winter, with twin stateroom accommodation available for sole use without a single supplement and Grills Suites from only a 25% supplement on some departures. Single Supplements are usually 75% for staterooms and 100% for Grills Suites.

Canaries
Single travellers aboard Queen Mary 2 will pay no single supplement at all for staterooms on the November 30 departure, sailing from Southampton to the Canaries (and only 50% for Grills Suites). Single fares start at £599 for 11 nights.

Mediterranean
Aboard Queen Elizabeth, single supplements are only 50% for both staterooms and Grills Suites on 12-night (November 21) or 10-night (December 3) fly-cruises that sail from Rome to Sicily and the Greek islands, or from Rome to the French Riviera, Barcelona, Lisbon and back to Southampton. Single fares start at £749 for 10 nights, £899 for 12 nights.

Atlantic Coast
With Queen Victoria, single travellers will also pay no single supplement for staterooms on sailings on November 17 and 29 from Southampton to destinations including Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Grills Suites have only a 25% (29 November) or 50% (17 November) single supplement. Single fares start at £499 for 12 nights. 

Scandinavia
A 10-night Baltic sailing (December 13-23) from Southampton to Norway, Sweden and Denmark also has only a 50% supplement for solo travellers in Staterooms and Grills Suites. Single fares start at £749 for 10 nights. 

More info: call 0843 374 0000 or see www.cunard.co.uk.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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Saga's Solo Traveller Boost

Solo passengers will be able to skip the single supplement on several Saga Cruises offerings from October to December this year. 

 

Even better, some cruises are all-inclusive so it is a great time to make savings, make new friends and make the most of sailing into the winter sunshine. Choose from:

Saga Sapphire

Brendan Lynch, a finalist in TV’s the Great British Bake-Off will be cooking up a treat with talks and demonstrations during the Western Mediterranean Explorer cruise. As well as fun on board, destinations are steeped in history and offer the opportunity to discover remnants of Cartagena’s Roman remains in Spain to Lisbon’s stunning architecture in Portugal. This 16-night cruise also includes the ports of Tunis, Valletta, Palermo, and Algiers.
All-inclusive price from £1,899, departing Southampton on November 15.

Saga Ruby

Have some fun and meet the monkeys when you visit Gibraltar (above) on the Classic Mediterranean Cities cruise. Photography is the theme for this trip so you can practice your skills by taking pictures of beautiful cities including Rome, Florence and Barcelona. This 15-night cruise also includes ports of call to Lisbon, Toulon, and Vigo.
Price from £2,149 for 15 nights, departing Southampton on October 10.

Contrast the untouched greenery of La Gomera against the fascinating ‘lunar landscape’ of Mount Teide, in Tenerife, during the 14-night Autumn in the Canary Islands cruise. Colin Bryant’s Hot Rhythm Orchestra will be on board to add some lively music to the evening entertainment. Ports of call include Madeira, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Agadir and Lisbon. 
Price from £1,999, departing Southampton on October 25.

Trade in the darker nights for sun-kissed shores on a Voyage to the Canaries. There are pretty villages to discover, volcanoes to explore and colourful gardens to enjoy on this 12-night cruise from Southampton, visiting Madeira, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Agadir.

All-inclusive price from £1,599, departing on November 23. 

For more info, follow this link for Saga Cruises; for more great cruise idea, see this link for The Cruise Line, the UK's leading cruise-agent experts.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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