02 October 2019

New York, New York – the city that never sleeps! I’ve booked a LOT of trips for people to New York over the years but sadly I’d never been there myself. When you haven’t been to a popular city break destination it can be quite tricky sometimes to make recommendations about particular areas to stay in. After landing at JFK, it took us 2 hours to get through the rush hour traffic – bear this in mind when you’re looking at flights. We stayed at the New Yorker Hotel on 8th Ave corner of 33rd Street opposite Madison Square Garden. Our room on the 40th floor provided some great views. We used the New York Pass which allows you to see 3,5 or 8 attractions and is well worth buying as it saves you money compared to visiting each place individually. Friday saw us get the hop on/hop off bus to get our bearings of the city. We started in from Times Square and did both the south and north routes. We took the cruise around the Statue of Liberty and to over to Ellis Island. On Saturday we walked over to 5th Avenue and went up the Empire State Building to the 87th floor via 2 lifts. The views over the city were incredible and you could really get a feel for the grid system that the city is laid out in. After this, we walked to Grand Central Station and had lunch at the famous Oyster Bar for lunch – no oysters for us although we did have some delicious scallops and crab. We walked our lunch off by walking over to do some window shopping at Tiffany's (and before anyone asks…no, we didn’t walk away with a famous little blue bag!) We then spent some time wandering around Times Square and taking in the sights. My top tip from Sunday was getting the Metro to Brooklyn and then walking back across the Brooklyn Bridge. From there we walked over to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Everyone is very respectful inside and it’s a very quiet building with so much memorabilia from such a tragic day. On Monday we decided to take an Uber and visit the USS Intrepid Sea & Air Museum. We also took another cruise down Hudson River which took us under the five bridges around Manhattan. No trip to New York is complete without an afternoon of shopping in Macy’s and the other big department stores. Tuesday took us take a walk to the Top of the Rock Building and up to the viewing platform – that way you can see the Empire State Building in all it’s glory as well. We also did the Radio City Music Hall Tour which was really interesting and just next door. We took the Metro to 72nd Street and stopped outside the building where John Lennon was shot and Yoko Ono still lives to this day. We then did an hour’s tour on an electric bike with a carriage around Central Park. The park is SO vast, this was an excellent and very informative guide seeing a lot of the sights. Sadly, we flew home on Wednesday taking the 08.15 flight back to LHR which meant an 04.30am transfer back to the airport. We did find that our jet lag was greatly reduced doing this early flight. If you’ve never been to New York, I can definitely recommend it – there is SO much to see and do, you could probably go several times and still not get bored!

18 August 2019

Accessible Travel - Holidays for Everyone A holiday – a chance to get away from reality and take time to relax. We book a holiday, jump in the car, the plane, the cruise ship and we’re immersed into a different world. What if it’s not as easy as that? What if you’ve got some accessibility requirements? We believe that traveling around the world shouldn’t be hard: it’s something everyone should be able to do at least once in their lives. As part of Travel Counsellors, I have been specially trained to book travel to be completely without limits for everyone. What does ‘accessible travel’ mean? It’s not just for those people who need a wheelchair – that’s only 5% of the disabled population. You might have problems walking long distances so getting to the airport gate might be too much, you might be partially sighted, deaf or you might have learning difficulties. We need push the boundaries and get more options easily available for those with access needs. A hotel might advertise as wheelchair friendly but often, you cannot guarantee the room until you get there and once you get to your room you might find that you can’t obtain access to the shower easily. If you’re deaf, you’ll need a room that has measures in place to make you aware that there is a fire alarm. Airports and airlines are making things easier. Did you know that Bristol Airport has been named an Autism Friendly airport by the National Autistic Society? They are also able to provide special assistance to those with hidden disabilities. A card or lanyard can be given to the passenger which will flag to staff that passenger may need more time to process information, help in avoiding crowded places or extra assistance in reading departure boards or flight information. Did you know cruise ships are often a very good suggestion for easily accessible travel? All newer cruise ships are very accessible and amenable to every traveller’s needs. Whether you need a hoist for the pool, oxygen onboard a flight, access to medication in another country, a mobility scooter to help you get around or know that there is a quieter place for you at the airport, we’ve got you covered. Travel Counsellors have access to a variety of hotels and chauffeurs that can guarantee these options for you. Whatever your situation, we can find a solution for you and help you make more fantastic holiday memories.

08 August 2019

We boarded the Cunard Queen Victoria ship one Sunday afternoon from Southampton’s Mayfair terminal ready for our short voyage to Hamburg. Having been on several cruises over the years, I was keen to see what a Cunard cruise was like as they offer a first-class more traditional experience. The Queen Victoria was originally built in 2007 but had an extensive refit in 2017. These ships are very traditional in appearance and the Grand Lobby is no exception to this. With a sweeping staircase, polish marble floors and ornate balconies, it gives a real flavour of the standard to be expected. One thing you can guarantee is the exceptional service. The 980 staff are always on hand to look after the 2000 guests on board. We stayed in a balcony room which allowed natural light to flood the room. This level of room includes a turndown service and pillow chocolate plus regular visits from our steward, so our room was always in pristine condition. There’s also 24-hour complimentary room service available if you don’t want to go out for fine dining in the evening. Cunard cruises are very traditional in their serving of afternoon tea every day whilst on board. The food is served by white-gloved waiters and includes fine finger sandwiches, scones, delicate pastries and a selection of teas. Whilst enjoying this delicious afternoon treat, we listened to the orchestra playing. There is a formal dress code aboard the ship for the evenings where you are asked to wear smart attire. There’s also a couple of gala nights if you’re going for longer than 2 nights as we did. Whether you’re after a simple pint or a good gin and tonic, a light bite or something a little fancy, there is a bar or restaurant to suit your needs. Once we arrived into Hamburg, we opted to take the hop on and off bus tour which gave us an idea of where everything is located. It was clear to see that everything was very close to each other meaning it’s a very walkable city and great for getting around. This was great as we were only there for a short time before flying back to London. Whilst in Hamburg we visited Minatur Wunderland, the world’s biggest model railway. You can go around the world – from Vegas to the Norwegian Fjords and Rome to Monaco. Day and night follow quickly with just 15 minutes between each. It’s very well laid out and there are so many small details to look at you could spend most of the day in here! I was lucky enough to also do the behind the scenes tour. Definitely pre-book your tickets before you go as there can be up to 2 hours queuing! If you’re looking for a more traditional way to cruise with some ultimate luxuries thrown in, I’d really recommend booking a Cunard cruise.

29 July 2019

Flying into Malta, we were excited to experience our first P&O cruise. First though, we had 2 days to explore Valletta, Malta’s capital city and a UNESCO World Heritage site. We took advantage of the hop on and hop off bus tour so that we could get a good understanding of where everything was. There are plenty of historic sights to visit. We were staying at the Grand Hotel Excelsior, a deluxe 5-star resort which is based in the harbour area and has its own private beach area. From Malta, we boarded the P&O Oceana. Carrying just under 2000 passengers, this is one of P&O’s smaller cruise liners. For the first time in my cruising journey, we took an outside room meaning we didn’t have a balcony. In all honesty we didn’t really miss the balcony option as there are so many places to sit on the ship, it’s rare we use it when we have it. If you’re thinking of going on a cruise but are looking at keeping the costs down, I would definitely recommend looking at an inside room. Our first port of call was to Dubrovnik in Croatia. Game of Thrones fans needn’t be told this is one of the main cities in which the award-winning series was filmed! From there we visited the historical town of Cavtat which is approximately 30 minutes away. With it’s beautiful harbour lined with several bars and restaurants, it’s the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by for a few hours. The next part of our journey saw us arriving at the island of Hvar and being tendered to the marina. This simply means that the cruise ships are too big to dock here so you are taken by smaller boats to into the port. Arriving in Venice, we made sure we took in all the sights of this incredible city. We took a gondola ride along the canals, stopped at St Mark’s Square and went to the Murano factory so that we could see all the wonderful glass products being made (and purchased!) It was back to Croatia and this time we docked at Split. We took a boat trip on the Cetina river which was an excellent way of seeing what the city has to offer and see some of the stunning scenery in the area. There was also an opportunity for us to enjoy some of the local cuisine and wine. Once back on board the P&O Oceana we made our way back to Valletta in Malta for our flight home.

22 May 2019

As you will have read in our previous blog, we recently took a trip to South East Asia. This part of the blog will cover our cruise and the places we visited. First stop on our cruise was to Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital located in the north. What was noticeable was the lack of cars but 1000’s of Vespa’s ruling the roads. Whilst in Hanoi, we took a trip to Ho Chi Minh Stilt House which is built in a corner of the Presidential Palace's gardens. It looks weathered and better constructed than other building around but still affecting a simplicity that seems better suited to servants' quarters than the President of a country. The house is set in a well-cultivated garden, set with fruit trees, willows, hibiscus, flame trees, and frangipani. We took a junk boat from our cruise ship to get out to Halong Bay. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is not just a must see in Vietnam but in all of South East Asia. Rising from the serene waters are thousands of rainforest clad pillars that stand as proudly as possible. I really think it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever experienced. We spent a day exploring Hue Danang via a riverboat cruise. If you love the beach - Danang is for you however for culture and history, there are many places to visit in Hue. We experienced an authentic Vietnamese lunch. markets, interesting finds, incredible smells and vibrant colours. Ho Chi Minh City is the chaotic side to Vietnam. Again, there are 1000’s of mopeds ruling the roads and we were quick to learn that you cross the road at your peril. Don’t stop, keep the same pace up and just keep going! The War Remnants Museum is worth a visit. US armoured vehicles, artillery pieces, bombs and infantry weapons are on display outside. Our final port of call was Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, known for its ornate shrines, vibrant street life and immense contrasts. Whilst in Bangkok we took a river cruise and you could see the diversity of the city. There were modern, high rise buildings that were extremely luxurious however in between these you would catch sight of shanty towns. We managed to get to Pattaya, the closest of Thailand's major beach resorts to the capital city. We visited the Sanctuary of Truth, which a huge teak structure. The sanctuary to a philosophical truth, which tells of the importance religion, philosophy and art has played in human development. Our final stop on the trip was to Singapore Needless to say, we visited Raffles for a Singapore Sling or two. This city felt very new and sterile. You could definitely sense the wealth if the country We absolutely loved our South East Asia tour. If this is the sort of trip that you are looking for, please get in touch to discuss your requirements.

10 May 2019

Our recent holiday took us to South East Asia where we flew into Hong Kong, boarded a cruise and then flew home from Singapore. On arrival in Hong Kong, we were immediately hit by how busy it was – there was hustle and bustle all around us. Hong Kong is made up of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, and over 200 offshore or outlying island. There is more to Hong Kong than the well-known urbanised centre, the financial hub and skyscraper skylines and is worth exploring. Whereas in New York you’ll find a Starbucks on every corner, in Hong Kong, you’ll find a Rolex shop instead which really highlighted the wealth! You can do as the locals do and ride the Star Ferry which takes you from Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula for as little as 20p. No trip to Hong Kong is complete without a visit to Victoria Peak. Standing at 552m, Victoria Peak is the highest point on Hong Kong Island. To get us to the top we took a ride on the funicular railway which will give you sweeping views down into the harbour and looking down on the skyscrapers. A trip to Lantau Island, the largest of Hong Kong's islands, which lies at the mouth of the Pearl River will allow you to see Tian Tan Buddha, a large bronze statue of Buddha Shakyamuni. A visit to the fishing village of Tai-O Village will give you a completely different view of the way of living in Hong Kong. A shanty town where the community of fishermen folk have built their houses on stilts above the tidal flats. Despite being extremely poor, everyone who crossed our paths were extremely happy and positive and a reminder that money doesn’t necessarily buy you happiness. We boarded the Celebrity Millennium cruise ship ready to do the Southeast Asia cruise. This ship is the is the first of the fleet to be modernised as part a $500-million investment to improve all of their fleet. Our next blog will tell you all about our cruise itinerary.

15 June 2018

I recently travelled to two incredible but very different 5* hotels in Tenerife. One offering the most exquisite personal service that I’ve experienced whilst the other was a really cool, fun place to be whilst still maintaining the standards you’d expect from a 5* holiday. Our first stay was the luxurious Bahía del Duque in the resort of Costa Adeje in Tenerife offering exclusive, timeless world class service. Nestled within the rocks overlooking the Atlantic, the Bahia del Duque was once one of the top hotels of the world. Despite the large number of rooms at the hotel, you are never lost in the crowd. A member of staff is always on hand to assist in anyway making you feel like royalty. Should you need to go to a different part of the hotel, you’ll be transported in a hotel golf buggy. Our suite was beautiful having both style and character with subtle décor and stunning ocean views. The swimming pools offer a peaceful, tranquil place to sit and enjoy the sunshine. In contrast, our second stay was at the Hard Rock Hotel in Playa Paraiso. This hotel is perfect if you are travelling with a family as it has plenty to keep everyone entertained. Not only are there 5 restaurants but also 6 different bar areas. Their roof top bar is a must, offering impressive panoramic views over the Atlantic it’s the perfect place to watch the sun go down with a cocktail or beer! With ultra-modern hotel rooms that make you feel like a rock star on tour, you’ll receive free wi-fi in every room and complimentary breakfast. If you are into the music scene this hotel is for you. It has its own (and Tenerife’s only) open-air stage hosting live concerts and gigs. There was a rock concert during our stay and for residents it was free to attend. It goes without saying that there is a Hard Rock shop located within the grounds. If you’re looking for a more traditional world class service, then I’d highly recommend Bahía del Duque however if you’re travelling as a younger couple or with a younger family then you can’t go wrong the Hard Rock Hotel.

29 May 2018

In November 2017 I was lucky enough to be invited to explore the Caribbean aboard the Celebrity Silhouette cruise ship. A Caribbean cruise offers you the chance to explore amazing islands and relax on beautiful white sand beaches whilst staying in luxury accommodation. Wake up every day with a new island to explore! Upon arrival in Florida, we spent two nights at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina so that we could adjust our body clocks and explore the area. Fort Lauderdale is situated on the southeastern coast and is known for its beaches and boating canals. If you’ve got a couple of million dollars tucked away, it’s the place to own an incredible holiday home. Our first stop was Cococay in the Bahamas. This privately owned, self-made island is owned by Royal Caribbean and is reserved only for the company’s cruise ships. You won’t be short of things to do with a water park and water sports on offer and plenty of bars located in the clear water. Antigua was our next destination where we had a tour of the island. For those of you that have been fortunate to explore the Caribbean, you’ll know that bumping along the roads in a ‘coach’ is quite the experience! In St Lucia, the home of the Pitons (and a very good local beer) we boarded the Hibiscus Trolley Train where we explored Castries, the capital of the island. Thankfully in the afternoon we took advantage of a couple of free hours where we relaxed on the stunning white sandy beaches. We docked in Grenada but unfortunately didn’t have the opportunity to disembark and explore the island. Barbados has lively calypso beats and some of the best beaches in the world, it’s the most popular island for holidaymakers. Our trip included a visit to Harrisons Cave a natural phenomenon and very much worth the visit. Arriving in Martinique, it was clear that this was going to be very different to any other of the Caribbean islands we visited. It’s a French island and has a more European edge to it. The culture reflects a distinctive blend of French and West Indian influences - it was here that we visited a rum factory and also went on a banana plantation tour. St Kitts was by far my favourite Caribbean island. We were incredibly lucky to tour the island via two forms of transport. Originally built to carry sugar cane from the plantations to the capital, Basseterre, the scenic railway has double-decker style carriages. The top deck offers unobstructed 360-degree viewing of the incredible scenery. We were transported back via catamaran. The memory I have of sipping rum cocktails on the back of the boat will stay with me forever. With a heavy heart, we left St Kitts to sail back to Fort Lauderdale. I remember landing in New York to change planes and everyone was wrapped in coats, scarves and gloves against the biting cold winds and chilly 2 degrees! What a huge contrast to the 80 degree heat, the stunning white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and brilliant blue skies that I had just experienced!

20 February 2018

My top ten ports of call departing from Southampton Barcelona A great city to visit with so much to offer. After a short shuttle bus from the port you will find yourself at the bottom of the famous street, Las Ramblas. My advice would be to tour the city on one of the many hop on/hop off open top buses that will take you past all the major sights including Sagrada Familia, Camp Nou and the Olympic Stadium. You will be able to get off and look at sights as you wish. When you are back at La Ramblas you can sit a have some tapas and Sangria in the many street side bars. Tallinn The Capital of Estonia which I visited on our Baltic Cruise. Again, after a short shuttle bus from the port you can walk around its medieval cobblestone streets leading to the beautiful Town Hall Square. When we were there, there was a local market selling locally made gifts. Lisbon The ship normally docks at Santa Apolonia and from there you can walk to the city of Lisbon. On one trip to Lisbon, we joined an excursion called the Hippo tour which was an amphibious bus which toured the city then entered the River Tagus for a view of the city from the river - great fun! A trip to Lisbon would not be complete without having a ride on one of the trams. I would recommend the one that goes up to the castle, so you can see all of Lisbon from its highest point. Stockholm My first tip for Stockholm is to get up early and sit on your balcony (if you have one) to take in the stunning sail along the 60km entrance of the Stockholm archipelago. The early start is well worth it as the views are stunning. While in Stockholm I would recommend the Abba Museum for those who were fans of the Swedish pop group. We were berthed close to the centre of the city and there was a jetty next to the boat where small boats take passengers into the main city areas. Funchal We stopped in Funchal, the capital of Madeira, a Portuguese island north of the Canaries in the Atlantic Ocean. Funchal is quite hilly and very different from the Canaries. I would recommend the Wicker Toboggan Ride where you are pushed down a steep hill guided by local men. Following the toboggan ride we transferred to the cable car down to sea level. Civitavecchia The port for the Italian city of Rome. It takes about 1.5 hours into the centre of Rome by coach, but it’s well worth it. We did a guided walking tour starting at the Trevi Fountain and took in all the famous sites and ended up at the Colosseum. We were then left to spend the rest of the day in the Vatican City. What a breath-taking building it is and well worth a visit Gibraltar The ship will be berthed right on the end of the runway of Gibraltar Airport. The main road for the island goes through the middle of the airport with traffic lights each side which stop traffic when planes land and take off. The main attraction of the island is not just duty free, it is the Rock and the free roaming monkeys at the top. You can also visit St Michael’s cave while on the Rock and see the stunning lake in the middle. Zeebrugge (for Bruges) The ship will dock in the industrial port of Zeebrugge which is a short coach ride from the beautiful Belgian city of Bruges. On my visit, we were dropped at the outskirts of the city and followed our local guide on a walking tour. The are many fabulous buildings to view including the Church of our Lady, Gruuthusemuseum and St Salvador’s Cathedral. No visit to Bruges is complete until you have experienced a trip on the canal boats, viewing the buildings from a different side. Once you have finished, enjoy some delicious local chocolate from one of the many shops. St Petersburg After passing through the long queues of the Russian immigration, we boarded our tour bus for a visit to the Yusupov Palace, the site of the alleged assassination of Grigory Rasputin. Before the visit we had a trip on the river exploring all the canals of this beautiful city. On our second day in the city we toured in our coach stopping at many of the stunning buildings including the Hermitage museum and the stunning Church of the Spilled Blood with its gold roof. We crossed over many of the 342 bridges in the city and spent some time at Peter and Paul Fortress, the original Citadel used as a prison and execution ground by the Bolshevik Government. Livorno (for Pisa) Passengers arriving in Livorno have the choice to visit Pisa or Florence. We decided to venture to Pisa and after a short ride on the coach we were dropped off on the outskirts to board a trolley train which took us into the centre of this small city famous for its leaning tower. After we arrived at the tower we strolled around the famous monument and looked around the cathedral. We then took a short stroll for a trip on the river Arno which to us back to our coach.

07 November 2017

In September, we were fortunate to spend a week cruising the rivers of Germany and Luxembourg aboard Amawaterways river boat, the AmaDante. After staying the night before in Bavaria`s second largest city, Nuremberg, we boarded the AmaDante on the banks of the Main-Danube Canal on a chilly afternoon. I was immediately impressed with the service, all staff waiting to great their guests and introduce themselves and talk about the roles on the ship. We were approached and asked whether we would like to dine at the Chef`s Table for the first night which we gladly accepted. We then headed to our stateroom which was downstairs. We were impressed with the size which was perfectly adequate for the week ahead. It had a long window which was just above the water line as we had decided on this trip not to have a balcony. Before dinner we headed to the lounge for the mandatory safety briefing and introduction of the staff by the Captain Andreas Turk. We then headed to the back of the ship to Chef`s Table Restaurant which seated 24 guests and were introduced to our fellow guests, two delightful air stewardesses from Boston in America and a retired couple from Vancouver Island in Canada. The 6-course meal was excellent and wine to compliment the meal went down well. During the meal, we cast off from Nuremberg and headed along the canal towards Bamberg where we would arrive in the morning. After breakfast, we headed off on a walking tour of the city, dominated by the Cathedral of St Peter and St George which combines the late Romanesque and early French Gothic styles. We spent the morning walking the city with our local guide and ended up enjoying a complimentary glass of smoked beer. We then headed back to the ship for lunch and the ship left Bamberg and sailed towards Schweinfurt. There were various things to do during the afternoon cruise and the many stops at locks, we were to travel through 51 during our week’s cruise! We joined our new friends from the Chef Table for dinner in the main restaurant and enjoyed another excellent meal and of course wine! We made a short stop in Schweinfurt to pick the entertainment for the evening. We then carried on along the river heading towards Kitzingen. We spent the morning in one of the oldest towns on the Main River. We had a tour of the town and ended up at a wine tasting where we sampled four different local wines with explanations about them by a wine expert. We opted to stay on board in the afternoon. With most of the guests going off on tours we decided to have a relaxing afternoon taking in the scenery. On day four we arrived in the small quaint village of Wertheim which is called mini Heidelberg. The village has lots of small shops, famous for the local glass industry. We spent the morning in Wertheim and after lunch, headed along the Main and the Rhine towards Mainz. On day five we decided to opt for the whole day tour to Heidelberg. We left the ship in Mainz and headed by coach for the two-hour ride to Heidelberg. When we arrived, the coach took us up the steep hill towards the castle which overlooks the romantic city. We made our way down by funicular railway and had a few hours to ourselves to look around the city and have a bite to eat. We then made the journey back to the ship which had moved the small town of Rudesheim. It was now time for one of the highlights of the tour, the cruise through the Rhine Valley. The top deck was open and most people were sat taking in the breath-taking scenery and the 30 castles along the route. The Amadante arrived first thing in the morning in Cochem, the most visited town on the Mosel River. We left the ship with our guide and were shown many interesting points before we were taken by minibus up to the Reichsburg Castle, of which we had a fascinating tour before making our way back to the ship. We then set sail for Zell. After an early dinner, we arrived in Zell to be greeted by the mayor of Zell and the Wine Queen. We followed a marching band to the town centre where we tried all the different wines and enjoyed great company and listened to bands. We staggered back to the ship ready to sail overnight to Trier. We arrived in Trier in the afternoon and left by coach on a short city tour followed by a walking tour of the many fascinating buildings mainly from the roman era. After the tour, we headed back for our last night aboard with the Captains Gala Dinner in the main restaurant. We said our goodbyes to the many friends and late that night we arrived in Wasserbillig in Luxembourg ready for our disembarkation in the morning. We were off early after breakfast for the short taxi trip to Luxembourg airport and our flight home to London.

21 August 2017

I have just spent the last two weeks aboard the Celebrity Eclipse cruising the Baltics. The Celebrity Eclipse is one of Celebrities Five Millennium class ships carrying approx. 3000 Guests and 1200 Crew. We awoke on our first morning in the Belgium port of Zeebrugge and were off early on the ½ hour coach journey to the small but historic City of Bruges. We embarked on a walking tour accompanied by a local guide. We walked along the narrow-cobbled streets admiring the many Medieval buildings of the UNESCO World Heritage site. The church of our lady being particularly memorable. We then boarded a small canal boat carrying 30 people for a ½ hour tour of the canals of this great city. We then after a beer in one of the squares headed back to the ship. After a day at sea we arrived in the Danish City of Copenhagen. We were moored next to one of the iconic features of the City the bronze Statue of the Little Mermaid. We were off this morning on an hour coach tour of the city. We were dropped off at the famous Tivoli Gardens & Amusement Park in Central Copenhagen. We had an hour`s stroll through the Park and the stunning Gardens. We then, with our young German guide keeping us informed of the local architecture, walked to a larger Canal boat for an hour’s tour of the wonderful Canals passing amongst others the Nyhavn area steeped in a long heritage. We then cruised in our Canal boat through the Harbour and were dropped off at moorings next to the Eclipse. We were advised to wake up early and witness the stunning sail in to our next port of Stockholm in Sweden. I peered through the curtains of our balcony to see the Ship slowing navigating through the Stockholm Archipelago and the many unoccupied islands some with just one wooden house on them. We moored right in the centre of Stockholm at the Stadsgarden Cruise Terminal overlooking the City. We boarded an Excursion Coach to take us to the Abba the Museum. My wife was in her element looking at all the Abba Memorabilia and the chance to make a recording of her singing Mamma Mia on a karaoke machine! We finished the tour with a coffee in the Pop House Café. We were then, after a brief tour dropped off into Central Stockholm. We boarded a tourist Hop on Hop off bus which took us past all the major sights of Stockholm including the Vasa Museum, Ice House and beautiful City Hall. We then made our way back to the ship. We were staying overnight in Stockholm so on Day 2 we decided to use the remaining hours using our Hop On Hop Off ticket and ride into Stockholm on the sightseeing boat which had a stop next to the Cruise Terminal. We arrived back at the Ship ready for a late afternoon departure. I sat on the balcony admiring the sail away back along the archipelago which was more stunning then ever and probably one the highlights of the holiday after 60 km we were back in the Baltic Sea heading to Tallinn the Capital of Estonia. After a short shuttle bus to the edge of the old town of the City of Tallinn the Capital of Estonia. We walked with our local guide past the flower market into Tallinn`s old town, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. We were given a tour around the Medieval Streets and told stories of the Estonian Vikings who inhabited the area in the 13th Century. After a stop in the Town square for some local beer we made our way to the railway station for a short trip on the bright Orange local train to the suburb of Nomme where we visited the local market selling fresh fruit, meat & fish. We then stopped in the café at the railway to enjoy a piece of local cake with coffee. We the made our way back to Ship via the train. We left the sunshine of Tallinn to arrive the following morning to grey overcast skies of the Russian City of St Petersburg, we were joined in Port by several other Cruise ships from different countries. Tourism is clearly very big for St Petersburg. We had an afternoon tour of the City starting with a Canal boat trip which past the stunning gold cladded buildings of the City and were, to be honest breath-taking. Buildings of such splendour I have never seen before! We then went by Coach to the Yusupov Palace the place that Grigori Rasputin was believed to have been murdered. An excellent afternoon tour despite the grey clouds and showers. Day 2 in St Petersburg involved a Coach and walking tour of the City which despite the rain gave us another view of the breath-taking buildings while hoping all over the city constantly going over the many bridges that connect each island that makes up the City. After a day at sea in which we had excellent sunny weather to enjoy the pools and sun loungers of the top deck we arrived in the port of Warnemunde for the City of Rostock and 2.5 hours from the German City of Berlin. We decided to take a local tour which included a ride on the Mollie steam train which was 40 min journey through villages of northern Germany ending up in a seaside resort for afternoon tea followed by some free time to enjoy a beer by the beach. We then had 2 days at sea traveling on the Baltic Sea and then on the North Sea back to Southampton. Overall the Celebrity Eclipse was a modern Contemporary Ship with excellent facilities to enjoy a great holiday on board.