Cruises have become a very popular choice for holidays in recent years. They can be a daunting prospect though for the first time ‘cruiser’ so follow our guide to get the most from it.

Choosing the Right Cruise – There are many different types of cruise so make sure you do plenty of research before you book one. Types of cruising holiday catered for include singles cruising, family holidays, activity cruises and luxury cruises.

Picking your Port – Ensure that you can arrange travel easily to and from your port of embarkation. You may need to book rail or air travel plus stay in a hotel overnight. You also need to consider the extra cost of this leg of the journey.

Watch your Purse Strings – It’s very easy to spend a lot of money on a cruise liner. If you are on a budget you may wish to book an all inclusive holiday so you know exactly how much the holiday is going to cost you.

Get on Shore – Whatever your destination the whole point of a cruise is to visit several places that you would not normally get to on a land based holiday. Make sure you manage your time so that you can make the most of your trips ashore when you are in dock.

One definition of ecotourism is visiting areas with the intention of participating in activities that don’t have a negative environmental impact on the environment, at the same time protecting the local community.

EcoTour operators help travellers to behave in an environmentally friendly way as well as encouraging them to contribute to ecosystems.

Travellers are being educated by being given the opportunity to join in with conservation projects. The idea is that by participating they will go back to their home countries with more awareness of environmental issues.

Educating travellers can also help to prevent conflict between themselves and local people.

If you are thinking of going on a ranch holiday browse our FAQ to find out more about riding horses on an Canadian ranch.

Could a beginner rider go on a ranch holiday? – Most ranches cater for all levels of rider but it would be wise to check before booking.

Can you take children on a ranch holiday? – It depends on the age of the child. Often children under seven are allowed to ride in an arena but not out on the trail. There may be a crèche available though if your child cannot ride with you.

Can you take non riding partners? – Most ranches have many other activities on offer such as fishing, biking and walking. Plenty to keep a partner busy while you are out riding.

Are hard hats available? – Normally hard hats are available but it is better to take your own to gurantee a good fit.

Do ranches have horses for sale? – Most ranch holidays will either farm cattle or horses. Horse farms may have horses for sale. Just ask the wranglers!

Staycation is the new buzzword for taking a holiday at home rather than jetting off to some exotic location. It’s become more popular due to the current economic climate and issues with exchange rates.

Whilst Britain is a beautiful place the weather leaves a lot to be desired so what can you do to amuse yourself?

Well there is some glorious countryside in the UK. Why not visit one of the many National Parks? The Lake District is always a favourite and apart from the lovely walks you can also partake of the water sports available such as kayaking, wind surfing and sailing.

If you feel like a cultural trip you could visit a museum or art gallery. Pick one of your favourite artists, track down where they exhibit and go to see the paintings in the flesh.

Of course you could put your staycation to more practical use. Why not use the time to do all those DIY jobs you’ve been putting off. Just think of the satisfaction you’ll get when you tick off that list!

I can’t wait until October! Why, because I have 11 nights booked at the Raffles Resort on Canouan Island in the Grenadines.

Raffles Canouan is a five star resort set in over 200 acres of landscaped gardens.
The resort consists of 156 rooms and suites, all equipped to the highest standards as you would expect from Raffles.

Facilities include four restaurants and bars, tennis courts and the largest fresh water pool in the Caribbean.
One of the main attractions of course is the Jim Fazio designed golf course which is a challenging course with unparalleled views of the beautiful bay.

Of course if the above sounds far too energetic you can always take advantage of the Raffles Amrita Spa which offers every kind of treatment you can think of. There is even a glass floor so you can watch the fish swim below as you indulge yourself.

I’m not wishing to rush away our fabulous (not) summer but roll on October!

A couple of friends sharing a little cabin on a weeks holiday, and only a 15 minute boat-ride from Venice, the holiday park being right on a sandy beach, a little town full of yummy restaurants… Bliss!!

And Venice itself – wow! An eclectic ramble of curio shops and tacky souvenirs and stunningly painted historical buildings and smartly dressed men pushing a gondolier around the canals… it doesn’t fail to delight and amaze.

But when you look a little closer, you find the 20% charges whacked on top of a food bill, the exact same snow globes, glass figures and masks in every shop and stall, the excessive amount of other tourists… it wears a bit thin.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m now at “that age” (only 25!!!) that I want a holiday to be relaxing – not a hodge-podge of dodging persistent traders and fighting my way through crowds on narrow streets, and worrying my purse won’t be with me once I get through.

I never had this feeling on my weeks camping in Scotland….

Canada; one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. But once you drive (or walk) across the bridge to New York state, ouch!

The area around Niagra Falls is obviously a stunning place and well maintained for the tourists (we even took a photo of a piece of litter once, because it was the only piece seen at all on the Canadian side, and the pictures of The Falls itself never do it justice. I could happily have stayed there forever.

But once you’re over the border and in Buffalo… It’s a totally different world. It feels oppressive, and slightly dangerous. I really was not comfortable about parking the rental car there and leaving it unattended.

I’d go back to Canada in a heartbeat, but I’d be staying firmly on that side of the border next time.

I have been to the Canary Islands a number of times, as I do not particularly like flying for long periods of time. With this in mind the Canary Islands is an ideal holiday destination.
Whether you are looking to lounge on a beach all day, or do some sightseeing or even embark on some much needed retail therapy you can do all these things on any of the islands. My personal favourite is Fuerteventura, due to its gorgeous beaches and laid back atmosphere. The local transport is good, and there are plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding waters on a variety of boat trips.

If you are dashing off on a last minute mini break, or you are not very good at planning ahead. Never fear…….help is a hand!

There are now a good number of “check lists” which can help you organise these things last minute! If you are terrible at packing like me, and struggle to decide what to take it is much easier to have a guide to follow, rather than simply guess. This task is made much harder if you are going to a destination which has varied weather. My own personal tip would be to take one item for most types of weather and that way you are prepared for the unknown. For example if you are going on a sunshine break, always pack a jacket just in case it gets colder in the evenings.

Prior to travelling make sure you contact your network provider and advise them that you plan on travelling abroad to ensure your phone will work once you arrive. I made this mistake once and would not do it again!
Whilst you are on holiday, it is only natural to want to keep in contact with friends and family back at home. However it can often cost a small fortune to ring home from a mobile phone. From personal experience it is not the best feeling arriving back off your holiday, only to find a phone bill on your door step for a stupid amount of money!
If you are on a budget you are probably better off texting people you want to keep in touch with, especially as it is free to receive text messages abroad. If you receive calls however it can cost as much as a pound a minute.

Beware if someone calls you and leaves a voice mail message, you can be charged for picking it up as well as being charged for receiving the message itself.