My, That's a Big'un!

Oasis of the Seas - officially the largest passenger ship in the world
- but does it really feel that big onboard?

We had a healthy quota of senior management who were priveleged enough to get out to and get onboard the OotS for its pre-launch trade-partners introduction.

I've spoken to them to get their feedback - and it's all incredibly positive!

Was the smoking ban a good thing?

As an ex-smoker, I know what it's like to want a cigarette. I also know what it's like to not want a cigarette and I know which I prefer.

Gyropool - the future of cruising?

I love pool. I play snooker in the Birmingham league and have played for many many pool teams, reaching County standard with Cumbria several years ago. I like the idea of playing pool at sea but wouldn't want the bals rolling around all over the table in rough seas. Well, at a rather hefty cost, Royal Caribbean have come up with an answer to this dilemma - gyroscopic pool tables!

Surf's Up!

As a budding surfer (not great at it, but I enjoy it!), the idea of a "surf simulator" - AKA the Flowrider on board Royal Caribbean Freedom Class ships is a real draw to me.


I wondered whether it was as easy as the marketing videos suggest so went hunting on YouTube. Here are some of my findings:

Ships, Trips and Cruising Tips

Here I intend to lay down my own experience of cruise ships and to hopefully help other people in their choices moving forward. My experience is currently rather limited but I have things on the horizon to help put meat on the bones of this blog...

Independence of The Seas - not so small after all

A trip to see the biggest passenger vessel afloat at time of visiting demonstrated to me an impressively large and even more impressively well kept and maintained ship.
The Independence of the Seas - as modelled here by my colleagues Faz and Diana:

Smashing Pumpkins

My own experience of fruit-carving stretches only to the realms of the odd pumpkin (see below) but with fruit-carving educationals available onboard Royal Caribbean ships, there are some true masters of this art at sea:


My own comparatively pitiful attempts: