MAKE THE MOST OF TODAY'S STRIKE DAY

With thousands of people expected to be off work due to the strike, holiday companies are anticipating a surge in holiday related online activity.  With dreary weather forecasted, a day at home provides the ideal opportunity to help the kids dig out the Christmas decorations, catch up on X Factor, write the Christmas cards, tidy the house, bake a cake and book next year’s holiday.

According to award winning cruise specialist Ideal Cruising, today will see an 80% year on year increase in holiday related online activity across the UK.  With prices from as low as £699 per person for a twelve night cruise in the Canaries in January, many people will take advantage of late discounted deals over Christmas and January and early booking deals for the summer to book a real holiday treat.

Ideal Cruising was awarded ‘Best Cruise Retail Website’ at the 2011 Travolution Awards.

Ideal Cruising's Christmas Wishlist

Ideal Cruising has been getting ready for Christmas by having a full make-over!
We now have a new logo and a refreshed website (the blog will soon follow) to reflect our increased drive to create the perfect cruises!

Times are tough, so to help ensure everyone gets what they wish for this Christmas, we are adding extra presents to our exclusive cruises.


Ideal's Christmas Wishlist

• Tickets to a Broadway Music with Celebrity Silhouette
• Trip to the Christmas Markets
• Tickets to Cirque du Soliel with Cunard Queen Victoria
• Venice Film Festival tickets with Royal Caribbean Splendour of the Seas
• Trip on the Orient Express with Silversea Silver Shadow
• Beach holiday with Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas
• A Trip to see the Mardi Gras Festival in New Orleans with Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas
• Shopping Trip to New York with Cunard Queen Mary 2

As you can see, a cruise from Ideal Cruising is much more than just a trip. With flights, transfers and presents included, it becomes a truly unique experience. 

Cruise Liners During The Wars

The 11th of November is the day when we remember our fallen soldiers for all previous and current wars. As a time of reflection we take a brief look at how cruise ships have played their roles in previous wars.


First World War

RMS Mauretania in Dazzle Camouflage

In the First World War RMS Mauretania was used briefly as an armed merchant cruiser, but due to its huge size and fuel consumption it was decommissioned from its military duties. Later in the war RMS Mauretania would become a troopship before it was redesignated as a hospital ship. It managed to avoid the German U-boat fire due to its speed and 'dazzle' paintwork which made targeting it difficult.
RMS Olympic, sister ship of the Titanic, served as a troopship for the British. From its highly effective operation during the war it obtained the nickname 'old reliable'.
HMHS Britannic, another sister ship of the Titanic, sadly did not make it through the war. Originally built as a passenger ship, she never saw any commercial passengers and was instead enlisted straight into the army as a hospital ship. Sadly on the 21st November 1916 she struck a mine off the Greek Coast by Kea resulting in a loss of 30 lives.

Second World War

The Queen Mary During WW2

The famous Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth ships were used during the war as troop carriers. Both transported thousands of troops across the Atlantic Ocean, surviving attacks but U-boats and rough seas to make it through the war without major incident.
Unfortunately the Queen Elizabeth was lost in 1972 due to on-board fires. However, the Queen Mary is now permanently docked at Long Island in Los Angeles as a tourist attraction.

Other Wars
Cruise liners have been used as recently as the Falklands with Cunards QE2 (soon to be an attraction in Dubai) and P&O's Canberra being used as troopships by the British Army.

Much like everyone and everything at the time of war, cruise ships have played their part in creating the world we live in today.... least we forget..
Today (11/11/11) Ideal Cruising will donate £11 from every sale to the Royal British Legion.

Your Ideal Alaska & Vegas Cruise & Stay

Visit two Great Natural Wonders of the World with Ideal Cruising; Alaska and The Grand Canyon via Las Vegas.

Fly from London to Las Vegas and spend three nights in the Fabulous Aria Resort & Casino Hotel. Built in 2009, it is the new heart of the Las Vegas strip, making it the perfect hub to explore one of the greatest cities on the earth. Highlights of the resort include;

• A mouth-watering 16 restaurants and 10 bars
• 3 pools, 
• A 80,000sqft spa and salon
• 1,800 seater theatre which houses the Viva Elvis musical

Whilst in Vegas you will take a trip into the spectacular Grand Canyon, one of the Natural Wonders of The World. 277miles long, up to 18miles wide and a depth of over a mile; the pure scale and beauty of the Canyon has to be seen to be believed.

After your stay in Las Vegas you will then fly north to Seattle to meet with Celebrity Cruise's ship the Celebrity Infinity for a magical 7 night sailing into Alaska.

The Celebrity Inifnity boasts 10 bars, a gym, a theatre, an indoor pool, golf simulator, a cinema and a state-of-the-art AquaSpa so there will be something to do for everyone on board when not taking in the amazing Alaskan scenery.

Alaska with its natural beauty and quaint, old mining and fishing towns is a truly unique American experience 

Prices start from £1999pp based on an inside cabin on board.  

Why not upgrade to a balcony for less than £250pp 

P&O wins Best Large Cruise Line In Telegraph Travel Awards

P&O has won the Best Large Cruise Line in The Telegraph Travel Awards for 2011.

It beat off stiff competition from runners-up Cunard and Celebrity.

P&O cruises out of Southampton and a variety of other European ports for trips around the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands.

There are also magnificent cruises on offer around the Caribbean, so there is something for anyone who wishes to catch some winter sun this year.

On board any of P&O magnificent super-liners you can expect exclusive celebrity endorsed restaurants, with menu’s created by Gary Rhodes and Marco Pierre White. Or simply enjoy the ship’s many facilities and creative workshops, whilst the children are being fully entertained by Noddy, Mr Bump and the Mr Men shows.

With fantastic entertainment and facilities on board, and itineraries which include some amazing locations around the world it is easy to see why P&O was voted the Best Large Cruise Line.

To see the full run down of winners in the Travel Awards click here

Your Ideal New Orleans Cruise & Stay

New Orleans one of the world's most fascinating cities. Steeped in a history of influences from Europe, the Caribbean, Africa and beyond, it's brilliant mosaic of culture, food and music. You'll find brimming bowls of gumbo, late nights in jazz clubs, strolls through historic neighbourhoods and tantalising festivals throughout the year. Its no surprise then to find the popularity of New Orleans growing once again as tourism increases.

What better way to enjoy the hospitality of Louisiana than a 3 night stay at one of the cities many unique hotels before heading off on a 7 night Royal Caribbean Cruise. The Voyager of the Seas will take you from New Orleans through the Gulf of Mexico and onto Falmouth in Jamaica, Georgetown in Grand Cayman and Cozumel in Mexico.

And don't forget, if you happen to be there in for Mardi Gras (thats February 21st in 2012) you may well need that 7 night cruise more than anything else after joining in on that party

Your Ideal Cunard Transatlantic Crossing

There are many things that are suited to each other, fish and chips for example, Sundays and roast dinners and of course, they are both very traditionally British. Something else very British is Cunard, steeped in history from the grand days of the transatlantic crossings, Cunard still to this day offers something that little bit special and here at Ideal Cruising, we have managed to take the best of Cunard and create something a little bit more special.

How? Well, we have included not only your return flights on a 16 night transatlantic voyage from Venice to Fort Lauderdale on November 20th of this year, we have included a lagoon tour on an old merchant vessel in the Venice Lagoon while you are there. That’s not it however, but on its own would be a talking point. No we have managed to include tickets for Verdi’a opera La Traviata in Venice on your first night.

The Opera is held at the Musica a Palazzo on the Sunday night. For those of you who don’t’ know, the Musiza a Palazzo is a Venetian Palace from about the 15th Century located on the Grand Canal. With such a unique building, the acts of the Opera are held in different rooms really building the atmosphere and also creating almost a sense of involvement as you move from room to room, act to act.

Something that will last with you for your 16 night cruise and beyond, find out more here