147: River Cruising Tips Live (Part One)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Release Date: 07/28/2014
What Smart Cruisers Do To Guarantee Adult-Only Cruising (Podcast #505)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
It is a great time to be cruising if you are a family with kids. But if you’re looking for kid-free cruising it is getting harder than I have ever known it to be. In this video I talk about guaranteed adult-only cruise lines and ships, how to minimise your chance of having kids on a cruise on non-adult only lines, and if you're on a cruise line with lots of kids, what can you do if you want a more adult-only experience. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube:
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River Cruise Lines Everyone Is Raving About RIGHT NOW (And Why) (Podcast 504)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I decided to see how today’s travellers spending their own hard-earned money river cruising in Europe are rating the lines on review sites. I quickly discovered the rankings were not as I expected them to be and were different to those of the magazines and sites. So, I let you in on the top 8 traveller best rated river cruise lines right now, and why. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube:
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Don’t Break These 6 Rules Or You’ll Drive Other Cruisers Crazy (Podcast #503)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Reports of an incident of passengers breaking cruise rules with costly consequences, got me thinking about what cruise rules I see being broken often. It struck me that some rule breaking bothered me and some did not, for while they might have nasty consequences for those involved many do not directly affect my cruising experience. I wondered if everyone felt the same. So, I did a poll of cruisers and discovered there’s 6 key rules that when broken drive cruisers crazy more than any others, and in this video I reveal what they are and why they drive other cruise passengers crazy. Become a...
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Too Many Cruisers Are Making These 4 Costly Mistakes Right Now (Podcast #502)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I am frequently contacted by stressed cruise passengers at the end of their tether, seeking my help on how to get out of a costly blunder they've made. In recent weeks, several cruisers have been in touch about the same four issues that seem to keep catching people out these days. I thought I needed to warn cruisers about them. As well as telling you about them, I will suggest how to solve them if you have, or do, find yourself caught up by one. Links mentioned in the video: VentureAshore cruise port excursions: ShoreExcursionsGroup port excursions: Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: ...
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These 17 Ports Are About To Ruin Your Cruise Plans (Podcast #501)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
It feels to me like the world is getting smaller for cruise passengers. I keep seeing reports of yet another port banning, reducing how many ships or the size of ships that can call there. And even in ports without cruise restrictions, more locals seem to be protesting about cruise passengers being there once we get off the ship. As the news of these developments tends to be sporadic and not many are aware of the total picture, I decided to pull together what's happening so you can consider these when planning your upcoming and future cruises. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get...
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Here's What It's REALLY Like On A Viking Ocean Cruise These Days (podcast #500)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
When I told friends, family, and followers online that I was headed off on a Viking Ocean cruise to Alaska, I was struck by how much misunderstanding and myths they all had about what it's really like to go on a Viking Ocean cruise. Because it had been a while since I'd last been on a Viking Ocean cruise, I also had many questions on what it was like these days and how and what had changed or was different. This is what I discovered it is like going on a Viking Ocean Cruise today. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my...
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Cruise Buffet Dining: What SMART Cruisers Do (And DON'T Do!) (Podcast #499)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
On my last cruise, Cunard Queen Anne, I never ate in the buffet restaurant, on a recent Holland America cruise I ate lunch in there every day and on my Royal Caribbean Symphony of Seas cruise I ate most meals there. Why? It’s because I have a set of cruise buffet rules that I've developed over time that determine when I eat in the buffet, how I use it if I do, and what I will and won’t eat in there. After talking to other regular cruisers, I found they also follow a similar approach that I want to share with you. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content,...
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I Put Cunard's New First Class "Ship-Within-Ship" To The Test (Podcast #498)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
While there's been many reviews about cruising on Cunard's new Queen Anne, there's not been much about what it's like to travel in their costly first-class Grills “ship-within-a-ship” on it. I spent 14 nights testing that out and having also been in it on every ship in their fleet too, I think I’m well positioned to report back on what they’ve changed, got right and frankly not got right at all. Video link mentioned in the video Visit Us Video again Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers...
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9 Things You Can Take From A Cruise Without Getting Into Trouble (Podcast #496)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
What can you take home from your cruise without any fear you're doing the wrong thing, either morally or legally? This question hit me while I was packing at the end of a recent Cunard Queen Anne Cruise, as in the disembarkation letter a section was highlighted with a list of items that I was not allowed to take home, warning that if I did there would be penalties. I did a double take, as it included items I often take home from a cruise. It got me questioning what we can take from a cruise these days without any fear of getting into trouble. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get...
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This Cunard Regular Puts Their Brand-New Ship To The Test (Podcast #496)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I believe I can bring a unique take on Cunard's new Queen Anne as I’ve been on 23 Cunard cruises and spent 210 nights across all their fleet, including most recently 14 nights on board Queen Anne, which gave me ample time to fully test out their latest cruise ship. I was keen to discover if, as some believe, Cunard is trying to chase people like me away from Cunard with their new ship and replace me with new and younger cruisers, or whether they're just trying to offer another ship for me as a regular Cunard cruiser to experience. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive...
info_outlineRecorded live on my seven-day Uniworld “Enchanting Danube” river cruise from Passau in Germany to Budapest in Hungary visiting Linz, Melk, Durnstein and Vienna along the way. In this two hour show, which is in two parts, I discuss my observations, insights, events and share my tips and advice about river cruising. My aim was to provide an in-depth report on what is it like to take a river cruise and all the events, surprises and things that happen along the way. It is full of tips and advice on how to make the most of river cruising based on my daily experiences.
In the show I cover:
(1) What it is like being on a river cruise for the first time.
(2) Differences between river and ocean cruising.
(3) Who a river cruise is best suited for, and why (including suitability for people with restricted mobility and special needs).
(4) Key Crew members, what they do and their thoughts on river cruising and insider tips.
(5) Things to do on a river cruise - is it as sedate as reputation has them being?
(6) Titan Travel VIP service.
(7) Details of what cruising the Danube is like, and what you should expect including:
- The Danube - facts and figures.
- Style, look and facilities on board the ship.
- Introductory briefing.
- Safety and environmental issues.
- Passenger type and mix - and why those chose to come on a river cruise.
- All-inclusive dining arrangements, food and on-board treats.
- What else is included in the all-inclusive fare.
- Fitness and wellness facilities.
- Daily program and daily update and destination departure and arrival talks.
- On-board entertainment and activities.
- Service standards and approach including the Uniworld Six-Star Service approach
- Technology and Wi-Fi on board including TV channels and the on-board Uniworld SmartPhone App.
- Ship details and how the Captain and crew navigate the Danube and locks
- Excursions in Passau, Linz, Melk, Vienna and Budapest including the different types of all-inclusive excursions available and additional fare paying excursions. I discuss the local guide approach and the QuietVox portable audio system used on tours.
(8)Packing advice and things to ensure you bring.
(9) Smoking policy.
(10) My overall observations, tips and advice on river cruising at the end of the cruise.
For more articles, photographs and videos visit my Uniworld River Cruise page: tipsfortravellers.com/Uniworld