We will shortly be away on a three week trip to Canada, Vancouver to be precise where it is our intention to visit relatives for just a couple of days and then to motor around the province of British Columbia. Planning the trip has been like a military operation but it has, at last all come together. It was only during the planning stages that we began to realise just how vast the country is and in the three weeks that we will be there, we shall have just touched a very small portion of B.C. in the south western corner.

The flight is going to be another matter of just under ten hours, but we are travelling in the front part, you know the part of the aeroplane where you turn left when entering. All this sounds rather grand, but it is a “Transac” flight and they use the Thomas Cook scheduled aircraft so the upgrade was not a lot extra, in fact I have paid more for a return trip to Spain! The thing that I shall miss during the flight is not being able to connect with the internet, which is no bad thing except I will not be able to have a few hands of online poker to pass away the time. One good thing about going to Canada, I will not be restricted when I want to access my favourite online poker site when we are on our travels.

Well folks the packing is definitely calling and this will be my last message from the UK for a while, but I promise that I will let you have some details about my trip during the time we are away. See you in July!

The romance of the Mediterranean and Greek Isles is truly special, and many of those who’ve been on Mediterranean cruises would go so far as to say they’re magical. The reason that I ask concerns what I have been reading about some problems that the Greek economy is finding itself in, but you should not be put off by this, as on board your cruise liner “Splendour of the Seas” you will not be affected in any way.

Just one of the many Mediterranean cruises that are currently being offered by Virgin Holidays Cruises sees you will fly out to Italy and Venice. As anyone will say who has experienced it, you will never forget the first time you cruise into Venice; that magical moment when their ship passes St Mark`s Square, affording the same timeless view seafarers have enjoyed for centuries. To give you a taste, the 11 night cruise takes in Venice, Kotor in Montenegro, Athens, Kusadasi and Bodrum in Turkey, back to Greece calling at Santorini and Mykonos, Split in Croatia, returning to Venice on the last day. In this part of the Mediterranean, you’ll find one magical moment after another. Let the scenery and sights unfold and you will find culture-rich cities extending before you day after day. Even better, it is wonderfully accessible from the UK.

An item in the paper caught my eye and got me thinking the other day, it was relating to the proposed new cruise ship that has been ordered by P&O Cruises, which is going to be a 4,370-capacity vessel to enter service in March 2015. The unnamed 141,000-tonne superliner will be will the biggest cruise ship built specifically for the British market, and the largest in P&O’s fleet.

The liner is to be built in Italy unsurprising, as sadly, we do not have a shipbuilding industry that could cope with this. It will be constructed by the Italian shipbuilders Fincantieri, the same company responsible for Cunard’s Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, at a cost of nearly £500 million. 

The question that crossed my mind is do we really need cruise ships this big? I suppose that answer would have to be, that if they keep building them there must be a demand for them. There is no doubt that the UK cruise market is a growing one and the current crop of new vessels would suggest that they are specifically aimed at British clientele. Certainly the trend has been toward larger cruise ships, this year alone has seen the launch of the 2,500-berth Disney Dream and the 3,646-capacity Carnival Magic, while the 3,780-berth Costa Favolosa and the 2,850-passenger Celebrity Silhouette will enter service in July. In spite of everything that the economy throws at us, the cruise holiday is alive and well.

Chatting to some of my colleagues during our lunch break, I was surprised at how many of them are opting for a cruise holiday this year. The reason that most people gave was that it is a complete, inclusive holiday with exceptional value, high standards, endless variety and exciting destinations. Just like the old days of a package holiday but somewhat more upmarket than the ones that I seem to remember! Today you could look upon it as a more contemporary form of package holiday that appeal to families, couples of all ages and those with an adventurous streak!

From my experience, cruising gives tremendous value for money and the beauty of most of the ones that I have taken through Virgin Holidays Cruises, have either been from Southampton for the Mediterranean destinations, or Manchester or Gatwick for the Caribbean. Most of my colleagues are going from Southampton, which apparently is one of the most popular options, apparently the port is the busiest in Europe.

Frankly, I can think of no better way to see Southern Europe and relax and enjoy the diverse cultural richness, stunning scenery and natural beauty of some of the world’s most fascinating and cosmopolitan cities including Marseille, Florence, Rome, Cannes, Barcelona and so much more, like idyllic islands, magnificent beaches, ancient historical sites and fascinating cultures, a cruise to the Mediterranean has it all.

Following on from a business meeting with my boss recently he told me about his cruise holiday aboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise liner the Freedom of the Seas which in his words is “big, comfortable and very tastefully decorated”. Apart from the 16 bars, which I suspect were all visited by my boss, there is a wave simulator at the stern of the liner which produces an impressive wall of water, flowing at 35,000 gallons a minute. Swimming and water seem to feature largely on the Freedom of the Seas as there is an interactive water-themed play area for families that includes a pool fed by a waterfall, and two hot tubs. Also included are water cannons and spray fountains, water jets and ground gushers.

Sporting facilities feature on board with a rock-climbing wall, in-line skating area, an ice-skating rink, and golf simulators, but if you fancy your chances you can take up some boxing with a sparring partner in the full-sized boxing ring in the spa. For the less energetic like me you can visit a large nightclub, a casino, a 1,350-seat theatre, as well as a 3,600-book library. Shopping on this Las Vegas-style American floating resort-city is not forgotten and you can spend your day visiting a whole promenade of shops, munching and drinking along an indoor mall-like environment. The Royal Promenade is home to fashion, jewellery and perfume shops, a general store, logo shop, Promenade Cafe, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream outlet, a Book Nook, a barber shop, a pizzeria, and the Bull and Bear pub. The ship is really quite an experience, but as Mike my boss said if you want to meet someone, it’s best to make an appointment as well as a specific location, for this really is a large, large floating city.

It was when one of my colleagues in the office this week pronounced rather smugly, now we are approaching the summer I suppose you will not be regaling us with more tales of your fun skiing in the French alps then? Well I said equally smugly, skiing season over, not a chance, have you not heard of summer skiing then? Well Bob had not thought for one moment that you could enjoy all the delights of a skiing or boarding holiday in the height of summer, but you can. There is no need now to put away that precious ski gear as from June to September you can practise your technique skiing and boarding on Europe’s highest glaciers leaving the afternoons to soak up the sun back in resort. What could be better combining skiing and sunbathing!

Just one example that I found at the web pages of fasttrackski.co.uk was a great package to Les Deux Alpes where skiing in the summer takes place between the summer months of June and September, 110 hectares of ski area is there for the taking. Les Deux Alpes is very much Europe’s capital of summer skiing and all the skiing takes place between 2800 and 3600 metres on the Girose and Mont de Lans glaciers above Les Deux Alpes. As I found last year, the place is tops when it comes to not only the skiing during the ten week period, but also because the range of other activities is huge.

In a relaxed summer atmosphere in the French Alpes, summer skiing is for everyone from complete beginners to more expert skiers or boarders looking to enjoy something different. Professionals even come along during the summer months to perfect their techniques. Summer skiing is done in the morning until lunchtime, sensible for me anyway, leaving the rest of the day for more traditional summer activities in Les Deux Alpes. Want to join me?

I was delighted to hear in the Budget that the worst inequities of Air Passenger Duty may be addressed, but frustrated that the commitment was not firmer; “may” remains the operative word. In their manifestos both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats had promised to move to a system of taxing per plane rather than per passenger, but this week such a switch was all but ruled out by George Osborne, who said it would contravene international law, all of which I find rather strange.

Along with my partner, I am going on a Virgin “Fly Cruise” to the Caribbean later this year and I was hoping, along with millions of others no doubt, that this “holiday tax” would be amended to ease the extra burden that this puts on all of us who take flights to Europe and more particularly on long haul. The Chancellor himself in the budget commented on the somewhat “farcical” banding system of this tax, under which passengers flying to the Caribbean pay more than those flying to Hawaii!

Following successive Labour Chancellors, who have viewed British holidaymakers as something of a cash cow, an example of which is that over the past six years this punitive tax has soared by 325 per cent on long-haul flights. For a family of four, duty has risen from £20 to £48 on a flight to France and from £80 to £340 on a flight to Australia.  I can tell you that no other country in Europe taxes people so much for the privilege of flying as Britain does. On average, Britons pay nearly nine times more than citizens in the rest of Europe. If you take a family of four living in Ireland or France, they pay just £10 and £15 respectively in their equivalent of Air Passenger Duty, no matter how far they fly. At least I can be thankful the Chancellor has granted a temporary freeze in Air Passenger Duty in the Budget this week.

I’m just back from a wonderful day of skiing in one of my favourite resorts in France, Val d’Isere where the snow is great, with over two feet or 65cm to those born a little later than me, on the lower slopes and super powder on the pistes. Nearly every lift is open here and the run over to Tignes was just great although the resort run was a bit heavy.  I’m pleased to report that “Dick’s Tea Bar” is as good as ever and my friend and I have enjoyed some beer and banter with like minded people before coming back here to our chalet.

This trip was not particularly planned, but I had some holiday left which I had to get in before the end of the month and the idea of a week in a top French ski resort was too much to pass by. I went onto the internet and checked out some of the ski specialist sites and eventually I got a cracking deal for the two of us from Fast Track ski in the Chalet Bellevarde which is close to the town and to the ski lifts. This wonderful chalet is of the highest standard, with a really homely decor and friendly, relaxed atmosphere.

I love Val; the skiing is amazing, and the close proximity of Tignes allows you to venture out to quieter climes if it all gets a bit much. It’s easy to see why so many Brits are attracted to the area, with its crazy nightlife and the wide variety of entertainment on offer. However, must get down to dinner now and see what has been dreamt up for us and remember not to have too much of the delightful wine if we are going to put in another full day tomorrow.

If like me you’ve already tried cruising, you’ll know that it’s a fantastic, luxurious and relaxing way to see some exotic destinations, not just that but you travel in style. If you haven’t, today is as good a time as it gets for some really fantastic offers, we all know that any holiday, particularly a luxury one does not come free, but it does not have to cost a fortune.

One of the best cruise holiday deals for 2011 is probably a Mediterranean cruise which can give you the opportunity to take in the breath-taking vibrancy of Barcelona, with its gorgeous Modernist architecture, the tranquil canals of Venice, and the astonishing Renaissance art treasures of Florence, all of this on one relaxing holiday. On the other hand I love to take a Caribbean fly cruise taking in Florida and then sailing on azure waters, walking on powdery ivory sands looking at swaying palm trees, I’m getting into the mood already!

I like relaxing in the sun, but if it is not to your liking there are other cruise deals that can still fit the bill. I once went flew out to Canada and saw some amazing sights on a cruise that took in Alaska where I was spell bound by the snowy peaks, dramatic fjords, mighty glaciers and heart-stopping wildlife. It was not sunbathing on the deck, but the experience was simply awe inspiring.

So you will find amazing deals on voyages to places you may never have dreamed you’d ever have the chance to see, aboard some stunning world-class vessels. One thing you can be sure of is that whatever you select to make your own personal experience perfect, you’ll be creating amazing memories that will last forever. If you fancy looking to see what a huge variety of cruise deals are on offer to places around the globe, do what I do and take a look at the online deals at a cruise specialist to find cruises from all the cruise companies, soon you could be sailing away on the holiday of a lifetime.

This is the time of year when I look through the holiday offers and try to make a decision as to whether it will be a sumptuous Caribbean fly cruise just relaxing on one of the new cruise ships and lazing the days away, or perhaps being more active in one of the Mediterranean resorts. The good news for those of us who like to go to Europe is that he pound has rallied against the Euro and our old favourites of Portugal, Greece and Spain are more attractive. Certainly we shall see that prices in these countries are becoming more affordable, not just through the exchange rate, but the prices are dropping to attract us back again. 

But it is not all good news for the tour operators as it would appear that about 25 per cent of Brits have declared that they had cancelled holiday plans altogether, many more are turning to holiday plans in Britain this year in a bid to save money. What is value for money will be the watchword for most of us this year. Value for money is something that is always on offer in the cruise market, particularly when you consider what you get on a cruise holiday deal. It is not for old retirees either, anyone can enjoy cruising can be a great vacation for family and friends. It will be a memorable trip for everybody regardless of their age, right from toddlers to grandparents, and a Disney cruise will appeal to most I imagine.

Now I find it easy to search for just the right cruise for me by using a cruise specialist such as virginholidayscruises.co.uk, where you will find all the cruises as well as some fab deals, no longer do you have to go to the high street and come home loaded down with brochures that quickly end up in the recycling bin! Oh well, I must get down to some serious thinking about what I am going doing this year, how about you?