South America Sunshine Cruise
A first visit to South America – Catherine and Alec Beattie embark on a 15-night adventure, sailing from Rio de Janeiro to Barbados in the Caribbean.
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Golden treat
Carly, my lovely therapist in the Mandara Spa took this image of me during my Signature Epic 24-Carat Gold Facial. I’d no sooner relaxed on the treatment bed before Norwegian Epic’s engines started up and I felt the huge ship slowly edge away from her berth in Southampton and down the Solent. There’s something special about having a spa treatment when a ship’s moving! I completed a detailed health form, which Carly discussed with me so she could tailor the facial to my specific concerns (dry skin and dark circles under my eyes). The renowned Elemis Pro Collagen Quartz Lift Facial forms the basis of the treatment, but with the exotic addition of a 24-carat gold leaf mask. The benefits sounded promising – lifting, firming and tightening the skin, while improving circulation and lymph drainage. The complexion is cleared and...
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All at Sea
June is proving to be a busy month! Two days after returning from our trip to the Austrian Tyrol, I’m packing my bag again and heading down to Southampton for the two-night inaugural sailing of Norwegian Epic, the newest and largest cruise ship belonging to Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). After her two-night introduction to Europe, Norwegian Epic sails to New York for her naming ceremony and then to Miami for her first season cruising the Caribbean. She’ll be back in Europe next summer and based in Barcelona. Norwegian Epic is the largest ship in NCL’s fleet so far, accommodating over 4,000 passengers. With 18 decks, 21 restaurants, bars, amusements and activities, not to mention the largest spa at sea, this is one colossal lady! I’m having the 24-carat gold signature facial treatment when I visit the spa this afternoon,...
Read MoreA Celebrity Weekend
Spent the weekend on board beautiful new ship Celebrity Eclipse, on a two-night cruise organised for the travel trade and media. The stunning £500m vessel achieved international celebrity last week when her launch celebrations were put on hold for her mercy mission to Bilbao in northern Spain, where she rescued some 2,000 British holidaymakers, stranded by the Icelandic volcano eruption. As Richard Fain, chief executive of Royal Caribbean Cruises said: ‘The events affecting air travel are completely unprecedented and it is in times like these that the global travel industry needs to pull together.’ So, two days later than planned, we boarded the ship in the warm afternoon sunshine. After being shown to our stateroom (complete with rounded bed, 32 inch flat screen TV, bathroom with high tech power/experience shower and our own private balcony, we unpacked and set...
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