Tag: relaxing

What to do on Embarkation Day

Posted on by Clive

Make the Most of Arrival Day to Ensure A Great Start to Your Holiday!

Here are some tips on what to do on embarkation day…

It’s the big day you’ve been looking forward to for so long – the day you board your cruise ship.  We suggest you arrive early  (Unless you’ve been given a specific time to board) to maximise your organisational time onboard before sailing. If you come too early you may find you’ve joined what can often be a long queue of early birds keen to get onboard first. Time your arrival at the terminal just after the boarding period starts so the line-up has mostly cleared.

  1. Unpack your belongings in the cabin as soon as your luggage arrives so you can feel settled as soon as possible. Check the TV channels in your stateroom so you can find relaxing music to play to put you in a cruising mood as soon as possible.
  2. Introduce yourself to your cabin steward and make any special requests you have.
  3. In your carry-on bag, pack a change of clothing and swimsuit so you can feel comfortable if it’s warm and take a dip in the ship’s pools and spas when they are crowd-free on embarkation day. You’ll feel like the cruise has already started!
  4. Enjoy lunch on board the ship – remember that the buffet can often be crowded on embarkation day, so see if the ship’s other restaurants are open. If lunching at the buffet, take your meal outdoors to the pool areas where there is often more room.
  5. Take a walk around the ship to get your bearings and check on opening and closing times for the gym, pools, kids clubs and shops etc.
  6. Check out the ship’s schedule of events left in your cabin so you can see what’s on today and familiarise yourself with the layout of the daily bulletin.
  7. Book gym classes, spa sanctuary sessions and any adult/premium deck areas for the cruise to ensure you secure your spots early. Shore tours can book out very quickly so if you haven’t done so already get onto that today.
  8. The purser’s desk on boarding day can be very busy – leave any inquiries until the next day if you can or use the phone in your cabin to contact reception.
  9. Bring a calculator and work out if the onboard drink packages are good value for you.
  10. See the maitre d’ at the designated times he or she is available as advertised in the ship’s newsletter if you wish to change your allocated dining times.
  11. The lifts can be very busy on embarkation day as luggage is loaded and passenger explore the ship so take the stairs if you can.
  12. Take time to stroll onto the open decks to enjoy the excitement of sail away time as your ship officially begins your dream voyage.

We’re here to chat about these suggestions and so much more to make your cruise a holiday of a lifetime. Call us 1300 766 537 or visit our website.

Canadian Rockies and Alaska – A Winning Combination

Posted on by Clive

A Review on One of the World’s Most Desired Destinations

Canadian Rockies & Alaska

I was recently on a cruise tour of the Canadian Rockies and Alaska – and it still rates for me as the second best holiday ever – after my honeymoon!

So when we’re asked at Cruise Express about our favourite cruise destinations, the answer for me is always easy – the Canadian Rockies and Alaska. Why? Just look at any brochure for a combination cruise tour to the Canadian Rockies and Alaska and it’s obvious.

Nature drank a lot of coffee when she designed these two epic destinations. Twice as big as Texas, Alaska is a pristine paradise overflowing with grand glaciers, mighty mountains, fir forests that stretch forever and wondrous wildlife – plus near 24-hour daylight in the northern summer to see it in all its glory.

Whenever stressed, I close my eyes and imagine I am back in Alaska on the deck of a liner, gazing at the wilderness and drinking it all in. For me, Alaska and its unspoiled beauty evoke emotions that make me want to go back. Add a dose of ‘Rocky Mountain High’ vaccine to your Alaska cruise and you have a prescription for one truly breathtaking holiday.

I’ve cruised in Alaska three times and on one of those trips, I had the fortune of preceding my cruise with a rail and coach tour from Vancouver to the Canadian Rockies. Wow – what an experience!

We started in Vancouver, one of the world’s prettiest harbour cities, and took the bucket-list Rocky Mountaineer train to Jasper following a picture postcard route snaking through towering peaks. We enjoyed the view from domed glass ceilings on two-storey carriages affording stunning views in all directions. Just don’t drink too much water. Pity the traveller on the Rocky Mountaineer who goes to the restroom and comes back to hear fellow passengers spotted a whole family of brown bears waving at the train! Or so they’ll tell you!

Both the grand Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, with its steaming hot outdoor pool, and the beautiful Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise with those awesome views, have to be seen to be believed. Many travellers to the Rockies just take pictures of these famous hotels but Cruise Express staff can help you to actually stay there in premium, view rooms.

The best thing about combining the Canadian Rockies and Alaska in the one holiday is that after you return from the Rockies to Vancouver, the adventure is only half over as a luxury, week-long cruise to Alaska is still ahead of you.

Canadian Rockies and Alaska

It’s hard to find a week-long cruise as perfect as one to Alaska, with an idyllic mix of ports, scenic cruising past glaciers and relaxed days at sea. I love the three main Alaskan ports of Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway with their gold rush saloons, frontier spirit, colourful, indigenous Tlingit culture and the majesty of the mountains just a few streets away. The highlight, of course is Glacier Bay where massive glaciers thunder into the fjord. What a thrill! You won’t want to be inside playing bingo on that day!

For a more detailed review of cruising in Alaska click here for another blog post.

Combining the Canadian Rockies and Alaska is a real feast for the senses and having done it myself, I can only say: do yourself a favour and treat yourself to one of the best holidays ever. You’ll be escorted by friendly tour hosts, almost everything is included and everything is looked after from start to finish. You don’t even have to carry your bags between hotels, trains, ships and airports.

Click here for information or call Cruise Express today on 1300 766 537 and speak to one of our travel specialists to find out how you can begin planning your dream trip of a lifetime.