stephen@stoneyard.co.uk

It is funny how we see things differently. I have never been to the Caribbean so I would be amazed and trying to see it all. The Caribbean seems so exotic to me. A few years back we had a long weekend in London and we barely left the hotel. The Savoy was wonderful. London was just London. I had previously lived less than two miles away and my old office was a hundred feet down the road. I am looking forward to doing a Caribbean cruise when I retire. I do not fly so it will be about twenty eight nights from the United Kingdom

It depends on you both and what you are looking for in the holiday. I agree that cruise calls at ports do not allow you to fully experience the place you are visiting. That would not matter to me as Mediterranean ports are local to me and many I have visited and stayed in separately from cruises. If you are rarely in Europe you might want to spend your time experiencing Italy. If you have plenty of free time you could do a cruise nearer to home going to places you already know. I would probably not look at ten days in Rome. Do you know Venice? A place that is difficult to see properly on a cruise. People rave about Florence. I loved the Cinque Terre coast. Italy seems to be able to built things without destroying the beauty of the place they built them. They often seem to make the places more beautiful. What would Venice be without those buildings and canals. I just find so much of Italy so wonderful. If you can travel light and drag your own luggage then rail travel round Italy and most of Europe is perfectly possible. You are making me dream about a grand tour of Europe. Of course you still have to think about COVID not just now but how it might change things before or during your trip. Best wishes, Stephen.

Please could I ask if anybody can help. I live in the United Kingdom. I am booked on a cruise to Norway, departing from and returning to the United Kingdom. On the Carnival website I am struggling to find out information about COVID testing for my cruise. All the information I can find seems to relate to US citizens departing US ports. For example the testing companies that Carnival accept only ship to fifty states. Please does anybody know how testing for UK residents will be handled for UK departures. Thank you in advance, Stephen.