Deep down there’s a big kid inside everyone. Set it free with these family-friendly cruises. Whether you’re potty for Harry Potter or want to dazzle the kids with Disney magic, these holidays turn the high seas into one giant playground. (more…)

Ah, the thrill of the open ocean. Is there a finer way to travel than racing through the waves on an all-pampering luxury liner? Champagne in hand, of course. For many people it doesn’t get better. But what if you want to travel alone?

Cruise options have traditionally been limited for solo travellers. Many lines have been reluctant to react to the growing number of travel-lovers wishing to travel independently. Not anymore. Solo travellers now have more choice than ever when it comes to finding the perfect voyage.

Anchors aweigh… (more…)

UK cruising is in fine fettle. More and more of us are packing up our finest frocks and setting sail for the open ocean, calling at glamorous ports right across the world. Yet, for some, it was the exclusivity of cruising that made it special. And the increasing swell of people taking to the water has meant that cruising has lost some of its charm.

Bringing the romance back in sensational style is Star Clippers. It offers mega yacht cruises aboard stunning recreations of the classic clipper ships that traversed the waves with proud gusto during the nineteenth century. Think tall masts. Think rope rigging. Think dozens of sails, flapping on the trade winds. Don your sea legs and get ready for a taste of the traditional, without giving up on luxury. 
(more…)

Cruising. They say it’s the finest way to see the world; a must for travel-lovers. But the promise of dining on haute cuisine, toasting the high life and laying anchor in world-famous ports may hold little sway if you’re harbouring safety concerns about floating across the open ocean.  

The Costa Concordia disaster of January this year rocked the cruise industry. Such was its potency that you’re probably not alone if the fear of hitting troubled water is keeping you from donning your finest and heading for the harbour. Yet figures suggest that cruising remains an extremely safe way to travel. And new industry regulations have just made it even safer. (more…)

Mother Nature can put paid to even the best laid travel plans. Here’s where you stand if you ever get disrupted by extreme weather.

Last month’s Hurricane Sandy tore through seven countries and 24 US states. Flights were grounded across the world and scores of holidaymakers were forced to radically alter their plans as the storm progressed. But what are your rights when extreme weather disrupts your travel arrangements? Can you get compensation? And who’s responsible? (more…)

More and more British travellers are taking cruise holidays.

New estimates show that, by the end of the year, 1.72 million Brits will have donned their finery and stepped on board a cruise ship in 2012. That’s 20,000 more than last year. The numbers are predicted to swell by another 2% in 2013 too. But what’s fuelling the growth? And why is it essential to get decent cruise travel insurance before leaving the harbour? (more…)

There are plenty of cruise lines clamouring for your coin when it comes to a seafaring holiday. You’re spoilt for choice. But when only the best is good enough and a taste of undiluted opulence is what you’re really hankering for, the perfect line can be harder to find. Here’s a rundown of the lines that take pushing the boat out to whole new levels. (more…)

For lots of travel-lovers, a cruise is the ultimate way to see the world.

So the last thing you want is to become unwell while you’re at sea. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to Mrs Bates from Essex, who encountered heart problems during a world cruise with her partner.

The Bates insured their holiday with World First Travel Insurance. This is an account of how we helped them. (more…)

Just picture it. You’re dressed in your favourite finery, sipping a glass of bubbly after stepping on board a beautiful cruise liner.

Having settled in to your well-appointed suite, you inch out of the harbour and set sail for the epic expanse of the open ocean. You’re on your way to explore some of the world’s most famous destinations. All aboard!

Sound good?

If you’ve ever dreamed of taking a cruise for yourself, you could be in luck. Cruise holidays are making waves and the number of luxury cruises departing from the UK is rising rapidly. More than 660 cruises will set sail from the UK this year, with initial estimates pointing towards a 17% increase on British embarkations compared to last year.

So how about it?
(more…)

It doesn’t matter what kind of business it is – the people best placed to comment on the service are the people who use it: the customers. That’s why each month we ask every new policyholder for feedback. Then we share it. Here’s a selection of December’s customer comments and suggestions together with a response from our Managing Partner. It’s your chance to find out more about who we are, the way we work and our plans for the future.

(more…)